CHAPTER VIII- A Reflection Across Time Projected On A Mirror

A/N: Sorry this took so long, but I’ve been plotting out the rest of this story (I already wrote the ending…now I have to deal with writing the middle :P) I’ve also been researching things, like the exact date of the original Heero Yuy’s death and etc…I also saw the Endless Waltz movie version in Japanese…it made so much more sense :P ::sighs:: They also redid the ending sequence, and I liked it far better.

I also found out an interesting tidbit of info that I must have missed when watching the series- that OZ was originally an organization of secret agents…much like the preventers!!! (I will incorporate that in my story! ::evil cackle::) Anyway, I also thought I should tell you that this Masquerade series will be a trilogy, and while each story could probably stand on it’s own, they link together. With each story, the interactions between Relena and Heero become more frequent and emotional, starting with no interaction at all, to friendship, and then to romance.

Thank you all for your patience! Unfortunately, this chapter is short. I’m still setting things up for chapter nine, which will be a big one, and we will finally be exposed to the mafia…

WARNING: This incredibly short (I'm sorry already!) chapter has a touch of sap in the beginning… ;)

Heero was seated in a chair at the far end of the shuttle, trying to ignore everything and everyone as he stared at a certain young woman with light hair that was fighting over the video link with the representative from the nearest colony- MC-4203. Heero sighed and remembered how finicky young colonies always were- much like L3X-18999, the colony where Heero had lost his first friend.

And Heero remembered all too well.

He had been under contract with a man named Odin Lowe, posing as his son, when he was truly an alibi and an assistant to the assassin, and the trip to colony L3X-18999 was going to be Odin’s last job.

It was the day the contract would end, the day when the young boy would be forced to live on his own again. Their past relationship had not been in any way kind or friendly, but they had grown used to each other’s actions and nuances of personality, much like old comrades in arms against the life that had been too cruel to them.

Three men had had a strong affect on Heero’s life, one assassin, one doctor, and one artist. They had both been older in years, and Heero was shocked to realize that in his mind’s eye, their faces had begun to blend into one fuzzy and indistinct image that only meant abandonment, betrayal, and dislike.

What had Odin Lowe done for Heero Yuy? He killed his family and adopted him, only to die and leave Heero alone again.

Doctor J had used him ruthlessly for his own cause, and Heero had followed him blindly.

Yasuo had taught him how to express himself, but then stripped that away in the name of business and profit.

In the end, only Heero remained, a bitter, angry husk that could not trust anyone or anything.

He looked ahead quietly, watching Relena speak to the fellow diplomat, watching the knee length skirt and business jacket that outlined her long, shapely body so well…He drew his eyes towards the window, forcing his attention upon the glittering pinpricks of stars against the complete blackness of night.

Relena had been the only one who wanted nothing from him. She had never asked him to give her anything in return for her kindness. He closed his eyes, remembering the way her lips felt against his, the delicate warmth of her body as he held her, her fingertips on his skin-

"They’re far too riled to do anything but yell," came a mutter, and Heero opened his eyes in surprise.

Relena was seated beside him ankles and arms crossed as she glared at the seat in front of her. He felt almost as if she were intruding upon his fantasy, and turned to look out the window again, attempting to ignore her.

But it was impossible. She wouldn’t keep quiet. She sighed softly and leaned a head on his shoulder. He remained rigid, as if he was too frightened to move. She let out a sleepy murmur.

"Sorry, Heero. But this trip has been exhausting and you are a good pillow." And with that, she dozed off.

He waited about ten minutes before he dared to look down on her, and then settled his head on the window as he began to feel sleep stealing across his nerves. The tension and stress he had been carrying seemed to slowly unwind and twist away from him, and he found his eyes slowly shut for a well-deserved nap.

Ariel Yuy sighed and quickly faxed the photos she had taken to the press. Her brother had performed admirably, but then, he didn’t really have a choice, did he?

She was standing in her shuttle, the plush interior reflecting her sophisticated taste. She needed to win this election, needed to gain this last ounce of power. Ariel Yuy was born in the year A.C. 175, the year her grandfather was murdered by the assassin Odin Lowe. Five years later, her half- brother was born, and three years after that, the rest of her family was murdered in a bombing by the same assassin who had killed her grandfather.

But her brother had survived as well and would later become the renowned pilot of Gundam 01.

She had tried to hide this information, tried to conceal the facts so she would be more popular in the eyes of her people. It was ironic that now she could only win her political battle by exposing this truth.

Ariel Yuy was only twenty-three years old, but anger had made her so much older.

"We traced the course of the peace envoy, Ms. Yuy," her pilot reported, stepping forward eagerly, "Darlian is heading for MC-4203, the leading mining colony."

"What are her chances of success?"

"Supposedly very low, but where ever the minister goes, miracles never seem to be far behind."

"Good job, Tyrone."

It was the closest Tyrone had ever come to receiving a compliment. He smiled at Doctor J cheerfully.

"Really?"

"Yes, you remind me of another boy I trained before you." Doctor J patted him on the head, "He was the best at what he did."

"Am I better?" the boy asked in anticipation.

Doctor J’s voice seemed different, "You both did very different tasks. MC-XLJ008 was completely eliminated an a matter of seconds, and Heero Yuy’s tasks took far longer than that."

Tyrone smiled at his hero, "But it was necessary, right?"

"Yes," Doctor J replied, "We must set an example to everyone. Revolution is not an option for it will end in corruption, as always." The scientist smiled at his creation, "The others don’t understand things as you do. Their wills are not strong enough and their control over the machine is very poor. I suppose conditioning can only take someone so far."

Doctor J picked up his jacket and took the small boy by the elbow. Together they walked to the exit of the lab, Tyrone drawing up his four feet of height proudly. Doctor J paused at the doorframe and reached for the light switch, "Your brothers and sisters have been determined as a strain on resources. You will not see them anymore."

Tyrone’s brow creased as he tried to understand his creator’s words. Doctor J flicked the switch and the lab was coated in darkness.

"Most colonies orbit around the Earth or are stationed on the moon. However, in the past decades, mankind has decided to move beyond that. Instead of dragging asteroids to Earth for mining, temporary colonies have been set up on asteroids for this job to be more economical," the reporter was saying, her eyes cool and serious. Several images flashed on the screen, revealing a squalid lifestyle, where people were covered in soot and dust and the environment seemed to fall apart from within. "Mining colonies have become cesspools of disease and poverty, where people are trapped to work their entire lives under the rule of corporations because they are too poor to pay their way back to the civilized world. The temporary colonies often lack proper sanitation and oxygen recycling, and the corporations will not pay for better conditions.

"However," the anchorwoman arched her eyebrows theatrically, "the Deep Space Mafia runs the entire network of mining colonies behind the scenes, forcing citizens to pay for protection and pressuring the corporation leaders into doing what they wanted.

"Right now, an envoy from the colonies and Earth –headed by the newly reinstated and promoted Relena Darlian- is travelling to the mining colonies to discuss a solution to this horrible tragedy.

"Yesterday, a statement was sent to every major media company in the ESUN by the Mafia heads. It reads as follows: ‘We are the underdogs of the ESUN. We are the people who pay the price for everyone’s peace. It is time our voice is heard. It is time we are compensated for our pains. We have the right to live safely and comfortable. We have the right to educate our children and send them to seek a better future. Instead of acknowledging those rights, mining corporations repress them because without us, no one else would do this job. We will be heard, and we will use violence for our situation to be recognized.’"

The anchorwoman put down her paper and flashed the viewers a brilliant white smile, "In related news, an assassination attempt on the Foreign Minister’s life was foiled by the notorious Heero Yuy, the brother of presidential nominee Ariel Yuy. More on that at eleven."