It was six o' clock in the morning, and the council had already been debating for a good three-quarters of an hour. Relena winced, fighting a massive headache despite the aspirin she had been dutifully taking for the last twelve hours. Right now, she knew, the headache was the least of her problems.

Wufei had done something. 

The details weren't that important, Relena thought as she rubbed the bridge of her nose, all that mattered was that Wufei's name was now linked to a lot of destruction, and the better part of a large city state hated him by name. The girl knew she was mainly trying to convince herself.  No matter what she did, Relena couldn't get rid of the overwhelming feeling of dread in the bottom of her stomach. It constantly whispered to her, that if she didn't have all the information, and the answers, if she didn't have complete control, everything around her was quickly and quietly going to go straight to hell.

//They can't give the military information to me, but they can give it to Noin?and she says she'll take care of it. But where is she now? Good god?being the ruler of the Sank Kingdom and 35 cents would buy me a bad cup of coffee?and I could use it.//

The official Relena had quietly christened "Mr. Wiggle" was speaking now. It was absurdly fascinating to watch the way his mustache dipped when he talked. She wondered if she was the first person to ever pass a meeting this way, cutting through the nervousness and tension with stupid humor.

//Duo. I'd bet anything Duo does.// 

The man's low baritone rumbled across the large gathering room, and probably would have scared Relena much more if she hadn't been so tired. It was a struggle for her to even keep her eyes open, let alone keep some professional look of interest on her face. Each time the members of the assembly spoke among themselves and turned away from her, she resisted the growing urge to
simply curl up on the long meeting table and take a nap.

//Come on, Relena. Pull it together. If these men get Wufei today, they'll crucify him?//

The Chinese pilot had sat next to her for the entire meeting, his arms crossed and his eyes locked, staring straight ahead.  She doubted he would have any reaction, even if the council brought out a poleaxe and demanded his head right then and there.

//Stonefaced asshole.  I'm not even going to get a "thank you, Relena" out of this, I can almost taste it.//

"I hope the Sank Kingdom understands the danger of defending such a gross infraction of its own Absolute Pacifism policy."  The man was grave, staring at her with very serious eyes.

"The Sank Kingdom is quite aware of its position, Mr. W?.I mean, Colonel?"  Relena took a deep breath, grateful that the man across the table didn't react to her near fatal error. 

//I really don't know what rank he is at all?I can barely remember which country I'm in?//

"The Sank Kingdom will not allow mob rule to determine the fate of even a single man.  In the heat of battle, it is possible and very well conceivable for facts to be obscured, clouded?"

"Are you saying that we /caused/ this horrible disaster, as some kind of ploy to discredit the Sank Kingdom??!"

A young, blonde haired gentleman, just a few years older than her was on his feet, staring at her with a livid, wide eyed rage.

"My sister, my brother, my parents?they're all dead because of that man!!!"  One finger tremblingly pointed at Wufei, whose expression had not changed.

"You dare to tell me that our country would do this?  That I?"  The boy's hands turned into tightly clenched fists.  "?that I would kill my own family?!"

Relena noticed too late the insignia on his jacket, the color of his vest.

//Those are military colors?he's a military?oh hell, Relena?//

"The Sank Kingdom will not give in to...we will not allow?"

Relena took a deep breath, trying to steady herself.  The room was spinning slightly, she could hear the murmurs of some of the people in the room, and swore she heard Wufei mutter something under his breath about "weak women."

//The Sank Kingdom?I have to do this for the Sank?for my brother, and Noin?and everyone?they're all counting on me?//

Relena knew she was supposed to think of Heero Yuy, the boy soldier that she had engaged in an intricate dance of danger since their meeting. Instead, her mind's eye focused on another person?a girl, with long blonde hair and a wicked smile, incredibly sharp eyes that openly disclosed that they were hiding everything.

"The Sank Kingdom will not allow any action taken against this pilot until there has been a proper military tribunal. Unless any evidence can be presented here today, I see no reason to continue this meeting."

It was then that the boy started screaming at her.  He was restrained by two of the military police, but they barely had a hold on him, his rage had taken over, giving him incredible strength.

"You /bitch/!!!!  You know the truth!!!!  How can you lie for him?!  How can you let him walk away!!!  You filthy, lying /bitch/!!!!  You took /everything/ from me!!!  How could you?!   HOW??!!"

Relena didn't respond, /couldn't/ respond, and turned away, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye before anyone could notice. She repressed the sudden, violent urge to go for Wufei's throat as she heard him chuckle, just slightly, and she knew she once again fulfilled his vision of the typical, weak woman.

"Miss Peacecraft!!" 

Noin and Quatre ran to her as she walked down the long hallway toward the building's exit.  Wufei trailed behind her, still crossing his arms, completely unconcerned.

"How did it go?"  Noin asked. Somehow, her concern only irritated Relena more.

//Of course it went fine?it has to. I'm the backbone of the Sank Kingdom, I'm not /allowed/ to disappoint you.//

"For not having any information?it went fine." Relena fought to keep her voice calm and steady, always with that hint of peaceful understanding. She knew it wouldn't do any good to snap at either one of them, no matter how much the headache pounding at her temples was sharpening her temper to a razor-sharp edge. "They're probably going to set up a tribunal?try Wufei for war crimes against their country?"

"They don't have proof?" Noin murmured, staring across the hall, to where a group of military leaders were gathered. "They don't have the evidence to back any of their claims.  I'd be willing to bet they don't even call a formal hearing.  This is over."

"He did it, didn't he Lieutenant Noin?" Relena said quietly, without a hint of emotion in her voice.

Noin shifted on her feet, and wouldn't meet the younger girl's gaze.

"I thought so."

"Relena?"  

Noin's concern rubbed Relena the wrong way, but for whatever reason, Quatre's was worse. The almost cherubic Gundam pilot was staring at her closely, concernedly, especially as she swayed slightly on her feet, putting a hand to her temple.

"Relena?  Are you all right?"

"Yes?yes?I'm fine. I just need some breakfast, and an aspirin?"

//?and some morphine, and about three years on the beach?and an Absolute Pacifism Uzi?just in case any problems should show up?//

Relena truly believed in her cause. There were just times when not believing it would have been a lot more fun.

//Like right about now?//

She could almost feel the cold vibes emanating from the Gundam pilot standing behind her, and Relena didn't have to look to know that he was scowling.

"Do you need something, Wufei?"

"I just wanted a good look at the person who saved my life."

"Oh."

"Aren't you going to thank her?" Quatre chirped, just a hint of disdain in his voice

Relena bit back a groan, wanted to shake the blonde Gundam pilot until his head popped off.

//For a Gundam pilot, you are the most /incredibly/ naive?//

"I never asked her for help."

She knew that his answer was going to be mean, that she would continue to get nothing from Wufei but contempt, but it still stung.

"Go?"

Relena pointed towards the outside, to the Gundam she knew was waiting for its pilot.

"Just go away, Wufei. I'd suggest as far away from this place as possible, until the trial. And try not to blow up any cows on your way out, please."

The pilot walked away, and as Relena reached into her pocket for the ever-present bottle of extra-strength aspirin, her closest companion now, someone approached them.

//Once again, they'll speak only to Noin?// Relena thought bitterly as the solider whispered into the lieutenant's ear. 

//Maybe Noin would like to be the princess?although that might mess up things with her and Zechs?//

"Your Highness?we have a?situation?"

Relena downed four aspirin on her way out the door, and didn't have time
to think or breathe after that until well past nightfall.

End Chapter 1