Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Out on the Limb ❯ Chapter 2 ( Chapter 2 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Out on a Limb

Chapter Two

By Devon Masterson

aoi37@hotmail.com

Lady Une looked out into the space and watched the stars fly by. She would arrive on Earth in a hour. She was going to a place she never thought she would see again, she was going home. Her mind went back to her childhood and she nearly smiled. Her parents wanted nothing but the best for her and for he to become a well bred lady. What would her mother think of her now, a war criminal turned good and head of an agency to prevented war?

She was twenty-four. She should be married and raising children now and would have been if things had been different. Her parents sent her to the Khushrenada family so that she could learn their ways and become the perfect wife for her betrothed. She hated the idea of being married off at first, but Treize was not quite what she expected. In her eyes he could do no wrong, not even when he had the affair with the Lelia Barton. It did not last long, only a few months, but she would have his love forever.

Treize taught her so much. She was destined for far more than just marring into prestigious family. She had an excellent mind for strategy and a persuasive air about her. She could do almost anything or get someone to do it for her, except be the perfect woman for Treize. She couldn't do it then and it seemed like she couldn't do it now for his memory.

"We will be landing in five minutes," the captain said over the intercom. "Welcome to Earth's sphere and have a nice trip."

Lady Une took a deep breath as they landed in the shuttle port in the Sangk Kingdom. She would be in Germany in one hour. She hadn't been there since she was twelve. "I wonder if anyone would recognize me or would they only see the 'scary bitch?'"

"Lady Une is the something wrong?" Relena asked as she touched her shoulder.

Une turned quickly. She did not like being so caught up in her thoughts that she was unaware of her surroundings. "Nothing, why do you asked?"

"You sent Duo and Sally to look after things here," she replied.

"I should have went with my first notion to send agents that you didn't recognize," Une replied. "We just want to be on the safe side, Vice Foreign Minister."

Relena smiled at her formal attitude then became serious again. "I'm on my way to L2 for a conference, should I be concerned?"

Une shook her head quite familiar with the political schedule of the various leaders. "I will have people there as usual."

"Thank you," she replied as she started to walk away then she stopped. "How is Heero? We haven't spoken in awhile, we're both hard to catch up to."

Lady Une raised an eyebrow slightly annoyed. That question never bothered her before, but it did this time. "He's fine."

"Thank you, I'll probably stop by and see him while I'm there," she commented mostly to herself.

"I must be going now or I'll miss my flight," Une said as she started for her gate.

Relena looked after her curiously then went on to her shuttle.

***

"Everything is quiet here. How's the search going?" Duo asked over a secure channel.

"All we have is mention of the guy," Trowa answered. "No birth certificates, no ID, nothing."

"Maybe he's going under an alias then," Duo supplied. "The Domini are probably using encrypted channels and codes."

"That would stand to reason," Heero said as he leaned back.

"I see you're in a better mood now," Duo teased.

"Whatever," Heero replied.

"We all know you're involved with someone," Duo said, "and we couldn't be any happier. Now if we could get Lady Une laid or something, then I'd say everything was smooth sailing."

"I'd be careful," Trowa warned. "She might hear you."

Duo's eyes widened. "You're right. Well I'm just checking in. Talk to ya' a couple of hours. Over and Out."

The vid screen went black and Trowa watched Heero carefully, gauging his expression. "Your secret is save with me, but he is right about all of us knowing you're involved with someone."

"Thanks," Heero replied looking at his screen.

"Guys, I have something?" Quatre said as he popped up on Heero's screen. "There have been several hundred orders for gundanium over the past three months. If the orders are added up together, there is enough for ten mobile suits. I tried to track the dummy companies back to their parent organization, but I've run into a couple of dead ends in cyberspace. I did come up with something on your end. Dalen Yu."

"You found him?" Trowa asked.

"No but I came across some information talking about him as though he were a target because he could expose them somehow," Quatre replied. "This is getting more complicated. I had no idea that these people had some of the capabilities that they do."

"What about cross referencing all the companies that deal with the companies that bought gundanium?" Heero suggested. "There has to be a common link that was over looked."

"I'm working on that now," Quatre replied. "I should have it soon. I'm going back three years to be on the safe side. I'll check back later with results."

Heero looked thoughtfully for a moment as Quatre ended the communication. "Who has claimed responsibility as leader?"

"According to the agent, he didn't have security clearance high enough to meet the masterminds. He obtained all his information from hacking into the system," Trowa answered. "Ah, I have something. I tapped into archive where we had the White Fang's

database stored. There was mention of the Domini and the name Cristobal Robin."

"Robin. Robin. Duke of Galan! He was a member of the Rommerfeller foundation," Heero replied.

"He left when they tried to rally behind Relena as a cover for their activities. I tracked him for a time to make sure he was not a threat. I should have been more thorough."

"We all should have been," Heero assured him before Trowa could start to blame himself. He stood. "I'm going to report to Lady Une what we have so far."

"Are you sure a relationship with her is wise?" he asked curiously.

"Probably not, but I don't care," Heero replied as he left the room.

Trowa nodded to himself trying to hide the smile. He echoed Duo's sentiment. It was good that they were each seeking balance and happiness after being unfeeling. killing machines for most of their childhood. "What are you grinning at?" Quatre asked as he popped up on screen again.

Trowa coughed. "Nothing."

"Where's Heero?" Quatre asked.

"He went to report to Lady Une," he answered.

"I'm glad that they finally found each other," Quatre replied. "They need each other, now if they would only admit it."

"So you know too?"

Quatre scoffed. "Everyone knows except Duo. He suspects though. His ribbing might grate on Heero's nerves and have Lady Une kill him."

"That's true," Trowa agreed. His stomach started to grumble and realized that it was time for dinner. He and Heero worked through the morning and into the evening. "Do you have something?"

Heero knocked softly on Lady Une's office door then walked in. He looked around an saw her coat and bag gone. "Something's happened?"

"Commander Yuy," a secretary called.

"Yes," Heero answered.

"Colonel Une was called away and she left instructions for you to report through her private line." The secretary then walked away. Lady Une and most of the higher-ranking Preventers made her nervous. They were so dark and to themselves. Only Quatre and Duo seemed like regular people just in the difficult business.

"Thank you," he replied. He went inside of her office and opened a line through to her.

"Lady Une here." Her image appeared on the screen. She seemed to be in a car near a forest.

"We have some break throughs."

"Good I will discuss it later when I get to a more secure location," she replied.

"Where are you?" he asked.

Lady Une's eyes softened. "Some place I never thought I'd be," she answered. "I will be back in two days and I expect a full report when I do."

Heero nodded. He wanted to talk to her about this morning as well, but he already knew that it would be another six months. He was a patient man, but the limit of his patience was being tried. "Over and out."

"Over and out," she said as she ended the communication. She sighed disappointedly when he didn't ask her about this morning. "He knows me better than I thought," she whispered to herself as she reached the gate of her family estate.

"State your business," the guard requested.

"I am Lady Une, I was…"

"Yes we were expecting you, Lady," the guard replied as he opened the gate for her.

She drove up the long tree-lined driveway to the main house. She parked the car in front of the house where a member of the staff, she didn't recognize, met her. She was led down a long familiar corridor. The butler opened the doors to the sitting room then closed them behind her as she walked in. Lady Une looked towards the window and saw a middle aged woman. "Duchess," she replied as knelt out of respect.

The woman turned from the window and looked her over carefully. Her jade eyes softened for a moment at seeing her all grown up then hardened. "At least you had the grace to change your name." She said coldly as she walked past her. "I just want to know one thing, Victoria. Why didn't you do as you were expected? Be the perfect wife, hostess, and provide heirs for you husband. War is no place for a woman of your stature."

"It was something I had to do," she answered

"Couldn't you have least married Treize before you went off gallivanting?" she asked.

"Mr. Treize was not ready for marriage…"

"Why didn't you make him ready? I did teach you a few things before you left here to live with the family. You greatly dishonored the family and now Treize is dead with only a bastard daughter left behind. Some colony girl I believe. How could you let that happen, Victoria?"

Lady Une looked away. She would rather not go down that trip of memory lane. "It was out of my control."

The Duchess shook her head.

"My Duchess, you have guests your cousin Lord Hein Von Unederhan and your mother Duchess Victoria Robin," the butler announced as the two guests walked in.

"Evelyn, how are you?" the duchess greeted as she hugged her daughter. She looked curiously at the young woman as though she looked familiar. "My dear, who is this?"

Evelyn looked toward Lady Une. "This Lady Une. She had some information about Victoria."

"Is she alive?" Victoria asked Lady Une hopefully. "We haven't heard from her in twelve years. Please tell me she's okay."

Lady Une's eyes widened. She was about to tell the old woman the truth.

"I'm afraid not," Evelyn answered. "She was killed during one of the many attacks in area."

"My poor Victoria," the woman sighed as she started to cry. "Dying all alone without her family."

"Duchess," Lady Une comforted softly. "I'm sure she knew you were thinking of her."

"Perhaps you right," the woman replied as she wiped away her tears. "She wouldn't want me to cry over her. She hated for me to worry over her. She was very independent and a brilliant child."

"Mother, you should sit down. Lady Une was about to leave," Evelyn suggested as she helped the older woman to the sofa. She looked towards her cousin to indicate that he should comfort his aunt while she saw the guest out. Once the doors to the sitting room closed, Evelyn looked at Lady Une almost wistfully. "It would have killed her to know what you have done. The lives you destroyed and dishonor to the family."

Lady Une looked at the blond woman and sighed. "I did what I did because I had to, but at least I never lied that is the greatest dishonor," she said coldly. "Never contact me again for any reason."

Evelyn watched as Lady Une drove away and wiped a single tear that fell down her cheek.

Another Bond Girl Production

We all know who belongs to who, Gundam Wing belongs a whole bunch of rich influential people and I just have some concepts. Don't sue me, hire me instead ;p