| When Leyia arrived at the Guardian Temple, she was truly surprised by the diversity of the members of the community.It's members included not only religious people of nearly every faith, but also members of the scientific and medical professions. The presence of these many different people gave credence to the old priest's words. Leyia decided to seek out the head of the community and ask for help. The worst that could happen was that her request would be refused, leaving her in the same position in which she was now. She was not refused, though, and the members of the Guardian community had helped her in many ways over the last few years The scientists had helped to develop Z-100 into a safer system by letting it place more emphasis on the preservation of the pilot's life, something which Leyia considered to be vitally important. They also helped her to convert a ruined mobile doll into the most powerful mobile suit that anyone could posess. Its computer, armour, and defensive systems could not be matched by any other mobile suit in existence. She had named this suit the Angel Z because it was her intention to use it to act as a sort of guardian angel to the man who was calling himself Zechs Merquise. At some point in that period of time, Leyia had also taken it upon herself to defend Treize Khushrenada. In that mission, she had failed miserably. In her mind the events of his final battle with Chang Wufei played themselves over and over. She had been able to hack into the systems of both mobile suits without detection. This had enabled her to not only fully monitor the battle, but also to have access to the weapons systems of both suits. Unfortunately she had not been able to complete her effort to disable the weapons of Wufei's gundam in time to prevent him from dealing Treize the deathblow. She had been so close. Her own pain was magnified a thousand-fold when she watched Wufei cry tears of regret. Leyia was so deeply entrenched in her memories of the past that she did not notice her friend and mentor, Morning Star, enter her room until the woman placed her hand on hers. The young native American woman was a shaman for her people and wise far beyond her years. She had been more of an emotional and spiritual guide to Leyia over the past few years than any member of Leyia's own faith. Beyond that the two women had also developed a very close bond of friendship. Morning Star spoke softly to Leyia. " Milliardo wishes to see the one who saved him. What shall I tell him?" Leyia's response was terse."Tell him that he was saved by an angel whose wings and heart have been broken. Angels require no thanks, and this one seeks to go far away to nurse her wounds. He has been given a second chance at life. Tell him to use it wisely." "I will tell him what you have said," the younger woman replied."It is clear that you are still deeply in mourning over the death of Treize Khushrenada. You obviously had very deep feelings for him, perhaps you even loved him. Please remember this... his grave lies empty... his body was never recovered, and I do not feel the absence of his life force in this realm." Morning Star's words both shocked and wounded Leyia. Her response to them was almost instinctive. Her hand flew up to slap the other woman and her words were harsh and bitter. "How dare you presume to know what I feel! You must know that any woman capable of arranging her own husband's death is incapable of loving anyone. Dalton stripped that ability away from me long ago. Despite what some people may say, I know that Treize was a good man. He certainly did not deserve the death that he was dealt... and I watched him die. For all of the capabilities that I had, I wasn't able to do a damn' thing to save him! All that I could do was watch him die. Do you understand?! I saw his death. Heard his final words. No one could survive what happened to Tallgeese II. I... watched... while... he ... died." Leyia's voice faded into a quiet sobbing as she spoke the final words. Morning Star, uneffected by Leyia's previous actions, reached out to her friend and held her while she wept. Leyia did not resist. It seemed an eternity to Leyia before she was able to compose herself enough to speak. She knew that she owed the other woman an apology. "I am truly sorry. I never should have slapped you. It's just that I've seen my whole world...my whole life ...fall to pieces these past few weeks. It seems that I no longer know my own heart. I've been a soldier in this war for so long, in one way or another. I have no idea where to go from here now that it's over. I'm just so..." "Frightened," Morning star finished for her."That is quite understandable, but I don't believe that there has been a true ending to war. The human heart will never change that much. I'm not even sure that it should. This particular war may be ended, but there will certainly be others. At that time we will all have need of soldiers who were not foolish enough to permanently put down their weapons. Until that time, I do know of a place where you my go to give yourself time to heal." "And where shall I go? What shall I do? What kind of place can offer solace to a wounded soldier such as myself?" Leyia asked. "My body may be whole but my heart is broken. I feel so empty inside. I've been told that time will heal me, but I don't believe there could be enough time to take this emptiness away." "The new government has formed an agency they call Preventer. It is a sort of intelligence agency whose purpose is to curtail future conflicts," Morrning Star explained. "This organization is in need of a person to head the medical operations on that new terra-forming project. They also have need of an experienced pilot to run carrier missions between the project and earth. You are qualified to fill both positions. You even have your own carrier craft. With our recomendations the organization would surely take you on. You will be quite busy and also quite far from all reminders of the past." Leyia walked to the window and once again looked out on Milliardo Peacecraft. At least she had been successful in saving him. She supposed that she had no other choice. She had to get on with her life, painful as it may be."Then recommend me to them. Perhaps being far from here is what I need to be able to go on," she told her friend. Morning Star smiled. "I thought that would be the way that you would feel. You have already been recommended. They were quite pleased to be able to fill two positions with one person. Your salary will be quite generous. You have a meeting with one of the leaders of Preventer in three days time." "Then I suppose I should begin packing," Leyia said."I'm quite certain that their headquarters are nowhere near here." "You are correct. Their main office is housed in the building that formerly was occupied by Romafeller. You will have to return to Europe once more before you take your leave," Morning Star explained. "Treize's grave is in a cemetary just outside the city...beside the one of the man outside. Perhaps if you go there you may find some closure." Leyia ignored what was being implied by the reference to Milliardo's empty grave."I shall go there," she said and turned away to begin packing her things." |
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