For the Anti-Alliance there could be no comparison to their prevous battle: why did they lose by such a big difference? The first [reason] was thought to be Commander Artemis' consciousness. In her overestimation of Treize, her cause for anxiety increased and one thing lead to another before the battle and she changed the position of the leaders leading the units. Then, just before they started, she changed it back. That kind of experimentation weakened the soldiers motivation and lead to [a kind of] numbness to the functionality of the final formation. More over, the beam canon that was supposed to provide them with the winning blow was [wasted] in the first stages of the fight. Repeating General Million Liddle-hart's folly caused mental factors. Secondly, [her loss might be put down to] the difference in ability between the Chimera and Greif. The New Chimera ((Leo IV)) lad more than sufficient speed and attack power for lunar battle. In comparing the space battle Leo II ((Chimera))'s abilities, there was no doubt [the new Chimera was better]. However, the pilots had relied too much upon the better quality of their suits. As a result, the Anti Alliance had something like blind faith in the ethos that he who had the most experience would [always] be the victor. In their overconfidence, they afforded Treize an opportunity to take advantage [of them?]. At midrange, the Greif's ammo there was an unusually high hit rate for ones that lacked decisive power. Whereas the Chimera had not fully demonstrated its mobility or destructive power, the Greifs may as well have been considered unharmed [by enemy fire] nor did they fall into a state of weakened fighting ability. Third, Treize's plan to circuit the moon was clever (without attaching over importance to his idea). The factors mentioned above alone are thought to be why Treize won. However, for the new OZ Specials' soldiers, that plan was unmistakably fodder for their excessive peace of mind. It was only natural that the soldiers held Treize in special regard as the commander who lead them to victory. It is no exaggeration to say that the young Treize Khushreanada's charismatic existence in OZ was decided after this (most recent) battle.
Treize left the post war clean up to the Cosmo Arma and made a triumphant return to the L-1 colony cluster spaceport. Van was the one to go and greet him. The second reason he had gone to space was to be the very first to see his esteemed brother.
"That was a perfect victory."
"We didn't win, Van Khushrenada," Treize said quietly with the face of a military man.
"Ah, yes......"
With the destruction of the Marius Plant, Van himself had called the war a loss. This battle had been to the very last one for the sake of the future soldiers-- nothing more and nothing less.
"Be that as i may, I'm happy that you returned unharmed."
"What is unharmed?... (lit: There is no reason I am unharmed)." I regret that (brilliant) lives were lost."
"I had heard that there were no casualties among our OZ soldiers......"
[Treize] thought of General Million Liddle-hart. But he had been released from being a prisoner of war and had completely lost his nerve (lit: confidence) and would spend the rest of his life as an ex-serviceman. Treize pressed his eyelids and said, "Among the enemies I meant."
"But that's......"
"I've dirtied my students' hand with blood...... think how they must feel."
He had done something inexcusable; he continued speaking such deeply sorrowful words.
When Treize was alone with Van, he returned to his usual self.
"Did you visit Mother?"
"Yes... I think I'll go again today."
"Well, let's go together."
"Treize, Mother is....." He wanted to tell him that she had taken a turn for the worse.
Treize, however, asked, "How is Hundert?"
"Why would I go to see him? That asshole could do us all a favor by hurrying up and dying already."
"But he's your father. If you don't see him while you can, you'll regret it later."
Van realized that Treize had never met his real father, Ein Yu, and so he ended his verbal abuse [of Hundert].
"Let's pay him a visit, too."
"If you insist."
In the medical section, Hundert greeted his two callers with a smile, "I've heard a lot about you boys! I'm so proud! There could no higher honor for the house of Khushrenada, Duke Dermail has been exceedingly pleased!" Hundert was hale and happy. It was unbecoming of one in a hospital. That was all Van could discern.
"It's a great honor for Treize to have you speak so [highly of him]," said Van with apparent ernest. "We are merely doing what needs to be done for the Earth. It has no bearing on the Khushrenada family or the Romefeller Foundation."
"Of course, that was also what I was congratulating you on."
"Well, we must be going."
"Why don't you stay and talk for a while? We haven't seen each other in ages."
"No, we have work to do."
The pair of [brothers] made a hasty departure.
On the way to Angelina's room, Treize spoke to Van.
"Don't over do it, Van."
"I'm not."
"You don't have to take care of me."
"I'm doing no such thing," Van was in an unusually bad mood.
That man is just fine and dandy but Mother is in so much worse shape. Thought Van but he did not voice it. He changed the subject. "Treize, I've received intelligence that colonial scientists have developed a mobile suit made of gundanium."
"Oh."
"They intend to resis to the bitter end."
"There's nothing we an do to stop them. There's no mistake that we Earth people have hunted them down."
"We've sent an agent to investigate, but if we could just get the blueprints that would be insurmountable proof we could use to denounce them."
"More importantly, we'd best hurry up on the working condition reformation for lunar factories."
"I'm already working on that. There are lviing quarters especially for the laborers on L-1 and L-1 and we have arranged two shuttles a day to transport them to the factory...... of course we've introduced [shifts scheduled only every other day]."
"You've done well."
"That will make the maintenance costs of the lunar factor more expensive. We'll have to squeeze out more military funds from each country."
"Van Khushrenada, for what do you supposed the Alliance is maintaining an army?"
"I just told you: they're making gundanium mobile suits."
"......" Treize made no reply. Why did Van move this arms race forward with such powerful intent? He [Van] seemed to understand his brother's silence.
"Treize, we must be strong. We must be strong and continue to win." If they did not, a tragedy like that of Heero Yuy and the Cinq kingdom would befall them. Sad existences like that of their poor mother must never again come to pass. Space and Earth must be united. For that to happen, military power was necessary. There was no other mans of obtaining everlasting peace. Van's psychology consistently involved such contradictions. That was for the Romefeller Foundation and, perhaps, for his mother who seemed to speak for the colonies (lit: space) volition. By developing new weapons and [gaining control[ of significant financial means, he could assist the counter measures being taken against the growing viral epidemic in the colonies gratis. He would help the laborers with their weak position [get better treatment] but he also made the cunning governments [provide a better] military budget.
When they arrived at Angelina's room, Van shouted:
"What are you doing?!"
It was an extremely ordinary scene for a hospital. Angelina sat nude from the waiste up; a young male nurse was merely sponge bathing her chest. Thirteen-year-old Van, however, would not stand for it.
"Wait!" Treize made to stop [his brother, but Van had closed his hand into a fist and punched the man.
"Wh- What?!"
"I should be asking you that, what are you doing to my mother?!"
"Calm down, Van!" Treize also spoke in anger. "I'm sorry. I'll explain things to my brother (later)," and he bowed deeply to the young nurse. "There is no excuse for his behavior." He apologized courteously and from his heart. AFter the nurse left, Van vented his anger.
"There was no reason for you to apologize [lit: lower your head]. That creep was leering as he [rubbed his hands all over our mother] (lit: touched our mother)." The leer was probably more just a smile meant to make the patient relax.
"Even if that was the case, there was no need to resort to fisticuffs."
"But!" Big tears dripped onto the floor. This was the first and last time Van, who normally was courteous and did not reveal emotions showed such extreme anger. "Looking at Mother with such lasciviousness..." his voice shook so much, he couldn't say anything more. He was extremely vexed. How much could a son love his mother? As far as Van was concerned, there is no question that he abhorred even her husband Hundert having feelings of a sexual nature for his beautiful mother Angelina.
"That man is very kind," Angelina said with her eyes vacant.
"Mother......" Van looked up with tears still in his eyes. As she fixed her gown (lit: boobs!), she spoke resolutely, "Welcome, Treize." Her voice. so unlike it had been, was cool and clear.
"Yes, mother."
"Take control of the Earth and of space. You were born (with the lineage) to do so."
"......" Treize didn't say anything nor did he intend to. There was no mistaking Van's happiness at their mother's apparent return to her old self.
"Of course, mother! (Big brother) Treize is just the hero to pu an end to war starting now."
Angelina, however, had eyes only for Treize; she gave no indication she had heard Van.
"You are connected to the vision [that is to say, the ideals] of Heero Yuy and Ein."
Treize though of his poor younger brother, "Mother, please look at Van- not at me...... he loves you more than anyone else."
"...... van?" The sparkle suddenly left Angelina's eyes, they were once again empty. How did Van feel then? There was no question that he loved their mother more than Treize did. Yet for as long as he could remember, no kind of sympathy was permitted. He knew he was not loved yet he continued to love [her]. ALl he could do was contrive to love her. This is all speculation but it must have been painful.
To those in charge of the facilities, Van conveyed his with to have his mother's care givers be limited to female staff only. WHen asked [we was told that] essentially female staff were [already] supposed to be [taking care of her], but now that the lunar war was over, [they couldn't guarantee Angelina female-only nurses because of] staff shortages due to providing care for the wounded.
"I do not want to hear excuses. The fact remains that my mother has suffered [a great insult] (lit: dishonorable misfortune)."
In his heart of hearts, the person in charge mutter [to himself]:
Quit fucking around you stupid brat.
It was easy for a thirteen-year-old in a position of authority to make enemies.
"Ah, also, this is the solatium [er, this is a fancy word for what basically seems like severance pay/bonus for quitting] for the man I hit. He could probably play around for a decade on that, I think." Van held out a credit key. "Please see to it that he resigns his post."
"What crazy kind of...?"
"If you don't agree, I can arrange a solatium for you also."
Actually, he looked at him with hateful eyes.
"Oh, so this is retirement money...... shall I pass it on?" The man reluctantly obeyed. In light of his mother's situation, longing and envy of his older brother, loathing of his father, hatred of the Foundation and Alliance, and contempt for the colonies [and the feelings associated with all those things] probably lead Van to seek that particular form of childish "light revenge". But for that [revenge] he would end up paying a hefty price.
At the L-1 colony space port, two secret agents were on the job. They had both been assigned separate missions by different organizations. One of the agents was Odin Lowe who was being employed by the Barton Foundation of the Colonies. The other agent was a woman from OZ named Aoi Clark who had been requested by Van of the Romefeller Foundation. Odin was tasked with rescuing Artemis' captured Anti Alliance soldiers and freeing them. Aoi had been instructed to infiltrate an underground organization and obtain the plans for the "Gundam" mobile suit made of gundanium alloy. And there was someone else operating on a completeyl difference vector (lit: says "vector"). That was the head engineer who successfully developed the mass production of the Leos: Seis Clark. He was accompanying his six year old step son who would later be cone named "Heero Yuy." The two of them were simply walking down a dome-shaped hall at the spaceport. There were no other people around.
"Mr. Clark, where are we going?"
"Seis sighed deeply and came to a stop. "You still won't call me dad?"
"no."
"Why not?"
"Because you belong to mom, not to me......"
"Well, I may be your stepfather, but I'm no sure I like being treated like a thing."
"But Mr. Clark, you have something really good......." He puffed up his little face in a display of his displeasure, "I'm the only one who doesn't have anything."
"Me... I have something good...?"
"Yes..."
"Would you tell me just what that is?"
"Leo."
Seis sobbed, his knees suddenly buckled and he fell down in tears right there [in the hall].
"Do you have any idea what it means to hear [someone] say that?" He said and tightly, tightly hugged his stepson. "Thank you... you're such a good boy... thank you." His endless flow of tears wetted the child's shoulder. The little boy didn't understand the meaning of Seis' tears.
MC-0022 NEXT WINTER
I suddenly lifted my face. Master Chang touched the keyboard and some kind of image appeared on the big holographic monitor. I removed the virtual visor and, upon closer inspection, saw that i was a topographical map of Mars.
"--is how the situation stands at present"
Heero Yuy listened without speaking [how does she KNOW he wasn't speaking when she JUST took off the visors?!?!]. It seems they started explaining Operation Mythos.
"However, the problem is" he touched the keyboard again and the image changed, "is whether you can kill this woman?" On the large holomonitor, several images of a beautiful, young woman appeared.
Pictures of her smiling.
Pictures of her clowning around with animals.
Pictures of her looking elegant.
There were not, however, pictures of her looking sad.
"This--" Heero asked in his unchangingly cold voice, "Is Dorlian? Or Peacecraft?"
Duo, who was getting annoyed, showed, "Duh! It's Peacecraft! Relena Peacecraft!"
Yes......
The young woman's face being projected onto the honomonitor was our-- the Preventers-- greatest enemy: Relena Peacecraft. Heero Yuy asked Father Maxwell, who was standing to his side, "Is this a mission?"
Father answered with unusual earnestness; quietly and almost like a mutter he said, "... it's a mission." That was the only time I felt the Father was biting out the words as if they were somehow painful [to say]. When Heero heard that answer, he let out a single breath like a sigh and spoke in his cold voice.
"Mission accepted." He turned to face my superior and me and in a low tone, spoke his resolve:
"I will kill Relena Peacecraft."
To Be Continued...