It's in the stars. It's been written in the scars on our hearts.

[zeonfunnelcake]

[1] Haman took a deep breath before she turned on the console that sat on the old desk in her makeshift office. This moment had been a long time coming, and the council who waited on the other side of the conference waited with little patients for the pink haired Regent's words.

"For a long time now we, the Principality of Zeon, had fought a long and bitter war. We barely have time to weep before we must charge off again into battle, and though it pains us all, it is what we must do. For our children, and their children and for the world we want to leave behind for them. For Princess Mineva. For the peace that all spacenoids deserve and desire! Although our victories have been great, and still the day is not won. The fight rages on all sides of us, on all fronts. Our enemies are abundant, and they wish to tear the dreams of our children right out their tiny hands! They desire only for the fighting to continue without end, when all we truly desire is peace and independence!
I, therefore, make this decree: We must punish those who wish to tarnish our glorious name first! The Titans must be stopped! And Stopped now! There is no more time to wait and try and reason with madmen! What they do in our name hurts us all, every man, woman and child living in space is threatened by their mere exsistance now. We have a responsibility to put down these runaway curs so our allies and enemies alike can see that we, the True Heart of Zeon, do not share their warmongering attitude!
So I ask you now, do you treasure the children of space? Do you care for their future and their right to live without oppression and war on a daily basis? Then now is the time we must rise up and destroy the traitors and their threat to our peace!"
Even the old men could not deny the power of Haman's words. She had always been persuasive and powerful orator, and now was no different.

When at last their conference had ended Haman took the crown from her brow and sighed heavily. Once the communications where shut off fully, did Minerva climb up in her lap with big saucer eyes. She said nothing as she settled into Haman's lap and began weaving a bit a string around her fingers. The regent put a hand on the child's head and sighed deeply, the little's girls warmth melting the icy fear in her heart.



[2] Some time after the adrenaline afterglow had faded from Haman's heart she might be found in the mess hall, sitting across the table from Mineva, their plates pushed away so make room. Mineva had string around her fingers, woven together just so that when Haman pinched it here and pulled it around, the whole designed changed and transferred easily to her hands.
An old children's game Haman had almost forgotten from her own youth, and now she played it with Mineva.


[3] [private to Hixar]
Haman had sent one of her guards out into the ship to hunt down the Gundam pilot. When the man found Hixar he handed him note penned in pink ink. 'Please come see me when you have the time. I have a business matter I wish to discuss with you. - Regent of the Principality of Zeon, Haman Karn'

Comments

[ 1 ]

[redcomet]

Char stood in silence during Haman's speech. She was a brilliant orator, much like he himself was. A trait she might have even picked up from him, if she wasn't herself a natural born leader. When the speech concluded, Char saluted, and took a seat nearby. He would have said something if Mineva didn't crawl up into Haman's lap.

Best to remain silent. There was no guarantee either of them were coming back from the imminent Zeon invasion of the Earth Sphere alive, but he was damned sure going to try. For her sake.

Re: [ 1 ]

[zeonfunnelcake]

She held the child for a moment, and then turned to look at Char with frown. He knew what this meant, and what he would be expected to do, she didn't need to say it.

Instead she held out her hand to him, beckoning him closer with out having to get up and dislodge the princess in her lap.
This place had changed everything, not one with in Haman, but truly the allies they had made here where tipping the scales of victory in Zeon's favor, for once in what seemed like forever. Haman could truly believe now more than ever, than they could achieve peace in their life time for all Spacenoids.
But she was also aware that such things did not come with out sacrifice.

"We do these things because we must."

[redcomet]

She didn't need to ask. He got up, and calmly approached his new 'family,' taking Haman's hand in his own, and patting Mineva's head with his other hand. It was true; the last time Zeon was 'winning,' it was during the early stages of the One Year War, before the Gundam, when colonies were being dropped on the Federation and the onslaught of Zeon mobile suits seemed virtually unstoppable, ripping apart the Federation military like a knife through hot butter.

"You want Cynthia involved, don't you?" he asks. "Is she well? I want to ensure her ordeal with the Overdevil didn't cause any harm to her."

woo, two icon post!

[zeonfunnelcake]

"Only as far as she is willing. I would much prefer it if I could make her stay with Mineva during battles, but I don't think Cynthia would have it." It was the honest truth. "Should everything go wrong, and the worst ever come to us, it would give me great relief to know that someone as skilled as Cynthia could still get the Princess back to Zeon, and look after her best interests. I would trust her with this task without doubt." Haman leaned her head against Char's hip, slipping her arm around his waist.
She felt the little girl get tense in her lap, and Haman softened.



"But I hardly think that will be the outcome of this. We are better armed, and manned than we have been in a long time, the tides of war are being changed by the pull of our hearts and the strength of our desires for an end to all this fighting."

[redcomet]

"If you've rubbed off on her at all, nothing will keep her here." Only Char could get away with saying something like that to the Regent. "I don't think she'd miss this for the world. We're just going to have to ensure that we all come back from this alive."

Better armed, yes... but Axis didn't have half the numbers Zeon had during the One Year War, but then again, after Gato's ill-advised-but-still-effective nuking of the Titan fleet, neither did the Titans/Federation.

And AI's were a crapshoot.

2

[gamerqueen]

"Hey, that's really neat. Is Big Sis Haman teaching you some string tricks, Minnie?"

Cynthia's voice is clear and respectful, as always. She smiles as she sits down next to the child, her eyes locking with Haman's for a moment, as if to say "we need to talk."

[zeonfunnelcake]

"M-hmm! Do you want to play too?" She held up the cat cradle to Cynthia.

But Haman did not fail to notice the look for her young subordinate.
"Actually, Mineva. Why don't you go show Char?" Haman snapped her fingers and three of the lingering Zeon guards came to her side.
"Take the princess to the Captain won't you? Stay sharp." They nodded and although Mineva frowned a little at being shooed away, she had grown used to this sort of thing, and getting to play with Char was always fun anyways.
"Added security is such a hassle." She pointed to the two additional men that still stood at the wall across the mess hall. "Shall we retire to my office, or did you want to eat while you where here?" Her voice was smooth and hushed, and she wondered what this could possibly be about?

[gamerqueen]

"Nothing too serious, just not something I'd like Minnie to hear us talking about..."

Cynthia leans in, her voice low and lacking in its usual cheer.

"It's happening, isn't it? We're going to war. Like, officially. This isn't going to be some hit and run or pre-emptive strike, but a full scale, kill until one side surrenders type battle...cutting the head off, so to speak."

[zeonfunnelcake]

"The Sad truth is we've been at war for as long as we have been the 'Principality of Zeon'." Haman rested her chin on her hand, and spoke with out reservation. She may be many things, but Haman would not lie to Cynthia about this. "But yes. It seems we have reached the tipping point, and I am not proud to say that either." She sighed, the idea of this kind of battle didn't please her anymore than it did anyone else. "If you do not wish to fight, I will not make you. But neither will I neglect my people, and deny them the only things they have ever truly wanted." she waited, this was a touchy subject, and she was curious to see how the young girl would react to it.

[gamerqueen]

I knew what I was getting into when I signed up, sis. I'm a proud adopted daughter of Zeon now, and I'll fight as much as necessary for the sake of peace and a better tomorrow.

...with the SR and Kids gone, you and the Chalice people are kinda sorta the only real family I have left, now...

2)

[inneedofasmoke]

[Luger's calmly walking over to the pair, hands in his pockets and not a cigarette in sight.]

Herr Karn... Liebling

[He waves lazily this time now that the jig was up...]

[zeonfunnelcake]

"Luger." Haman nodded at him, "I think it's time we had a chat, don't you?" And despite how sinister that might have seemed, there was no threat or anger in her voice at all, as she motioned for him to sit, if he wished.

"Do you know this game?" Mineva held up the cat cradle to him with a smile.

[inneedofasmoke]

[Luger chuckles and accepts the seat. He had plenty of time really... as odd as it may sound.]

I agree herr Karn. You have something specific to say?

[He pauses to look over to the Cat cradle Mineva held up. He whistled and grinned.]

Ja. I do. My mother taught me.

[zeonfunnelcake]

Mineva held her hands out to him with a grin. Finally someone else who knew this silly game Haman had taught her.

"And so did mine." Haman added with a gracious smirk. "Frankly I found your trouble making, amusing. Except for the time your riled Kamille to near foaming at the mouth." Why was this so hard? "And Lord knows what you've done, by Mineva seems to think you're... 'fun'."

[inneedofasmoke]

[Luger inspects the pattern of the string, letting out an impressed whistle.]

Well you taught liebling quite well I see.

[He grins at Haman cheekily.]

And I live to entertain herr Karn I'm happy to hear you enjoy my work.

[He says nothing about Mineva, but he does pat the Princess of Zeon once more.]

[zaku_for_xmas]

The future of children, Bernie thought. His hands were brought together, but he didn't clap. His head was filled with a lot of thoughts, rendering him motionless. He looked like he was another world; he really was in a deep contemplation.

I want to, His eyes looked over to Mineva, I want to live to see a peaceful future.

[zeonfunnelcake]

Haman smirked at the look on his face. It was good to know she was still good at what she did. She watched his eyes fall on the princess, and that too pleased her. No matter how her love for the child had grown lately, she still turned out be be a very useful tool with out even trying.

"I hope those old men find the same power in my words that you so obviously have." She smiled softly, and stroked Mineva's soft cheek with the back of her hands. "I often ask myself how I can protect something so precious without violence, and it always comes to a simple answer. One cannot protect good without wielding evil."

[zaku_for_xmas]

"I don't see why they wouldn't, Lady Haman." Yes, Bernie was inspired, and the message about will of the peaceful future was easily instilled into him. Then, Bernie frowned; Haman sounded a bit demonic.

"Will Earth and space truly unite after the defeat of the TITANS?"

[zeonfunnelcake]

"I cannot say for certain. No one can. I can only use the power I have been given to work towards that goal. So that you, and everyone in Zeon, can someday lay down our swords, and take up lives that fulfill us. Lives of peace and understanding." She frowned a little, and furrowed her pretty pink brows.
"Tell me, Wiseman. If you where not a pilot, and there was no war, what would you like to do with your life?"

Hmmm 1/2

[zaku_for_xmas]

"What would I do?" Bernie looked thoughtful, and he took seconds on his answer. Truly, what would he do if he did not enter the military in times of war.

2/2

[zaku_for_xmas]

Bernie smiled, "I'd go out with friends! Have trips, go to school, travel space and see new sights. Maybe...maybe have a family."

3

[rods_and_cones]

[[The guard got a good tease about this being a love letter before he was sent on his way. Eventually Hixar does make his way to go see the Regent of Axis.]]

You called for me, ma'am?

Re: 3

[zeonfunnelcake]

"Yes, yes I did. Please come in." Haman swept aside the work on her desk all at once to make room for him. "Thank you for coming so promptly." She rose behind her desk and motioned he could sit if he wanted to. "I had meant ti ask to meet with you sooner, but as I'm sure you know that the state of affairs lately is less than the usual."

Re: 3

[rods_and_cones]

"Quite aware. Even things with my own group are beyond the norm." he says taking a seat and reclining.

"Well then. What can I do for you, Lady Haman?"

Re: 3

[zeonfunnelcake]

"I need something from you. I hate to drag you here and go straight into business, but time is growing short." She sat back down behind her desk and folded her hands on the table.
"I need the Anaheim Electronics Bio-sensor system data. All of it." She peaked an eye brow and waited.