Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ War Inevitable ❯ Dissension ( Chapter 1 )

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

Disclaimer: ( This disclaimer applies to the entire story) I don't own the concept of GW, or any of its affiliated characters and storylines. I do own all original material presented in this fic.





CHAPTER ONE




May 10, AC 199
Newport City Capital
The Sanc Kingdom






" Excuse me, Minister? "


From where she stood in front of her office window, silhoutted by the setting sun, Relena Peacecraft gave an inaudible sigh. Another request, another problem; it simply never ended. She plastered an artificial smile on her face and wearily turned to the visitor who stood in the doorway. She recognized him; Tylor Rell, a relatively new ambassador of the ESUN. " What is it? " She askedm struggling and failing to keep the tiredness from her voice.


He had heard the underlying weariness in her words, and his response was apologetic. " I'm sorry, Minister. I realize it's late, but.....I have some news that I think you should hear. "


" It's alright, Mr. Rell. Please, take a seat." She gestured to one of the two chairs on the other side of her desk, before sitting down on her own. The Junior Ambassador did as she directed, looking more and more remorseful. " You know. . . it can wait until tomorrow, Minister. I didn't realize how late it was. I can come back first thing in the morning - "


Relena waved her hand, cutting him off. " Please, call me Relena, " she said, as she had said countless times before, " and don't worry about it. I don't mind. "


He didn't look pacified, but instead swallowed and nodded. " I just returned this afternoon from a conference with the ESUN members of the European nations."


Relena tipped her chin in acknolwedgement. " The annual meeting of the European Disarmament Coalition. "


" Right. As you know, many of the former members of the Romefeller Foundation, as well as that of OZ, reformed upon the formation of the ESUN and joined the Coalition. Many of these people were present at the conference. "


He paused, and Relena took a deep breath. She knew where this was heading; she'd heard it all before, had the same thoughts herself. The Ambassador continued, " Minister, I know you've heard this many times over, but I ask that you give it serious consideration. Certain members at that conference are no longer content with the situation with the ESUN. They are speaking of disbanding from the Coalition, from the ESUN entirely. They speak of the inevitable uprisings that always happen after long periods of peace. They are spreading rumors of threats building, both in space and here on Earth. That's all they are; just rumors, but it's propaganda, and sooner or later people will listen. They are restless, Minister, and they are making no effort to hide it. The other members of the Coalition are refuting them, but their numbers have grown - are growing. They cannot be ignored any longer. "


" No, " Relena said grimly, " they cannot. "


Rell was startled. Relena caught his look and continued on in a quiet voice. " Contrary to popular belief, Ambassador, I do not refute nor disbelieve the reports I recieve about the growing unrest in and about the ESUN. I keep careful track of them all. " Relena rose from her seat and moved to stand once again before her window. " I think we all knew, deep inside, that this hard earned peace would not last; that the eventual whispers of discrod would inevitably gain volume. As much as I didn't want to, Ambassador, I saw this coming. "


" What will we do, then? " Rell asked.


The sharp laugh Relena gave was uncharacteristically harsh and mocking. " What can we do? We cannot begin to point fingers when all we have are rumors and talk; we cannot afford to alienate any nations at this time. We are the embodiment of peace and unity; to begin accusing now would undermine everything we have struggled to accomplish. We have, in our effort for total pacifism, created a trap around ourselves. "


The Ambassador frowned, " You mean we can't back our accusations? "


" Yes, that and the fact that even if we did, what could we do? It's only logical to assume that those nations and leaders who despise peace will be gathering to them some sort of military power. If we accuse them, it may provoke them to attack, and because of the global disarmament we are quite effectively defenseless. "


" Can't we conduct disarmament searches in those nations? "


Relena shook her head. " No, for to them it would be an act of our suspiscion; just like an actual accusation. Our alliances are still too new and too tense to jeapordize in such a manner. No, Ambassador, we can do nothing. We are trapped in a cage of our own making, and it may well prove to be the destruction of the ESUN. "


" Minister....." Rell said, startled and confused.


Relena turned to face him, the smile on her face sorrowful. " We can deny it no longer. Our short time of peace is coming to an end. The ESUN must not turn a blind eye any longer to the warning signs. "


" We could prepare ourselves, " Rell offered, " begin marshalling military aid. "


" And give them the very reason they've been looking for to start another war? "


" There must be someone, some way of defending the ESUN. " Rell was silent a moment before saying excitedly, " The Gundams! "


Relena had turned back to the window and said nothing. Rell went on, " The Gundams came to the aid of the ESUN once before, didn't they? "


" The Gundams were all destroyed after the fall of Mariemaia Kushrenada. " Relena said softly.


" Yes, but what about the pilots? "


" They have all gone their seperate ways. They have their own lives now. I don't know where they are. "


" But someone must! " When Relena remained silent, the Ambassador continued. " Please, Minister....I believe peace is what us needed for mankind, but I also believe that it may be necessary to defend that peace. We've worked so hard, " he said earnestly, " to get where we are. We must not let it fail. "


She looked at him then; as young as she and full of hope and passion. It was like looking at herself years before. She smiled at him, a real smile, radiant and calm. " We won't let it, Ambassador. Please forgive me for my pessimism; the day was long and I am tired. "


He smiled back at her, somewhat tenatively as he rose from his seat. He was not reassured. " There is nothing to forgive, Minister. I am to blame for keeping you so late. Thank you for taking the time to listen to me. " He turned to go, but Relena laid a hand on his shoulder.


" Please believe me, Ambassador, when I say that I cherish peace as much as you do. We will do what we must to retain what we've accomplished. Pacifism must be upheld, no matter the cost. "


Rell nodded, his worries eased. He tipped his head in farewell before leaving her office and closing the door behind him. Relena turned back to the window. Night had fallen, and the lights od the Sanc Kingdom winked at her. She closed her eyes and wished herself far, far away from the confusion and impending chaos that was fast approaching. For three long years she had laboured, forsaking the life most others lived at her age to work towards the total eradication of weapons and the complete unification of earth and space. She had few people close enough to call friends, and for those select few she had very little time. It was for the best, she'd reasoned. Humanity at peace, once and for all, was worth the sacrifice.


And for a while, it was.


How naive I was, she thought now, how naive and unprepared. In preaching what the Peacecraft name stood for, she;d become so caught up that she couldn't see the inevitable dilemna: basic human nature. She bowed her head, feeling long years of isolation and worry wash over her. After all her endeavours; after every sacrifice she had so willingly made, she was now facing what she'd fought so hard to avoid.


" It wouldn't be so hard, " she whispered to herself, " if I wasn't alone. "


But she was alone, and it was her own fault. In the life of the important Vice Foriegn Minister of the ESUN, all that mattered was that she was able to maintain the unity of the colonies and of earth. All else was irrelevant. Or so she'd thought. She shook her head then, to ward off the uncertainty and the lonliness that threatened to consume her. The peace had to be upheld, just as she'd told Ambassador Rell.


No matter the cost.