Mission Accepted:
Questions
Relative disclaimers apply.
Thomas Whestcott, who normally considered himself to be an eloquent and elegant butler, muttered something vulgar and nonsensical under his breath as he carried a paperwork-filled box towards the office that had been nicknamed "Darlian's Den".
Why had Miss Relena suddenly taken interest in all of the financial transactions that the Peacecraft family had made since the Colonies were created? It didn't make any sense. And besides, the Peacecraft's castle had been destroyed in the Earth-Space Wars, so there wouldn't be many records of those transactions, would there?
So Thomas had mistakenly thought. All of the transactions had been found, and at least forty moving-sized boxes had been stuffed with manila folders and papers over the past few weeks, including the one he was struggling with now.
Thomas had lost count of the trips that he and other members of Miss Relena's staff had made to and from this office, in which the young lady seemed to have locked herself for the past two weeks.
"No phone calls," she had said. "No phone calls, no meetings, no unnecessary disturbances, no anything. I must find what I am looking for."
She had also refused to allow anyone to help her find whatever it was that she was looking for.
Why the secrecy?
Thomas managed to reach the office door. He shifted the box until he could raise a fist to knock upon the two-inch-thick wood.
"Come in, Thomas," his mistress lightly commanded.
He didn't ask how she knew he was there. She'd probably timed him. She'd certainly had enough time to time him.
He stopped mumbling - Miss Relena hated it when people mumbled - and opened the door.
Except for the piles of paperwork on the sixty-year-old executive-style oak desk, the office looked as it always did, full of antique furniture, books ranging in age from recent to nearly ancient, notebooks and legal pads neatly stacked on the oversized couch (she often slept in this office) and copies upon copies of drafts and speeches.
And, oh yes, there was Heion, her famous teddy bear, sitting on its own chair next to the desk.
A slender hand appeared above a few of the piles. It waved and pointed.
"Over there, please, Thomas," his mistress said absentmindedly.
Thomas scowled as he bent his knees and put the box down.
She'll want me to bow to that thing. She says she's only joking when she commands that, but her eyes tell me something different...
"That thing" was the subject of a constant flow of media speculation. Why wouldn't Miss Relena reveal who had given it to her? Was it true that it never left her sight? Was it a good luck charm? Why had she named it "Heion"? Was this a future indication of some kind?
Thomas knew all of the answers but had sworn never to mention them. But it was ridiculous. If anyone dug deep enough one would find that the answers came from one source: A mysterious young man named Heero.
Every now and again, until a few months ago, a scruffy young man had appeared in various regions of Northfield Gardens out of nowhere...and vanished just as quickly as he had come.
When asked if she knew the young man, Miss Relena had shrugged and said nothing, which had added to Thomas' concerns and suspicions.
The next morning, Thomas had smacked himself on the forehead. Of course! The surveillance equipment. It would have captured the young man's appearances.
It had, but the "captures" were fuzzy. Not to be deterred, Thomas had secretly sent some of the photographs to the company that owned and monitored the surveillance equipment.
The results were sent to a data-gathering organization named Datarese, which sent the company a coded letter within a #10 envelope.
Placed within the code was a different code that, when finally figured out, spelled the name Heero Yuy.
When confronted with this new information, Miss Relena had hunched her shoulders, then grabbed the stuffed toy and clasped it to her chest.
"I wanted to name him 'Heero' at first. You can see why I changed my mind."
"He wouldn't appreciate the attention, I take it, Miss Relena? And why is that scruffy young man prowling around here like a potential criminal? Why are you allowing it? I won't have it!"
She frowned and held Heion a little bit closer.
"This bear is a reminder of the promise Heero made to me, that he will protect me."
"From what, Miss Relena?! And why a teddy bear? Can't he get a job, so that he can provide you with gifts that you deserve?"
Thomas had leaned a little closer and looked his mistress over, ignoring her indignant gasp and glare.
"He wouldn't happen to be a suitor, would he, Miss Relena? He is hardly worthy of your attention. Wait - he isn't sneaking into your private offices, is he? Or your bedroom? He wouldn't dare!"
She almost laughed out loud. Instead, she controlled the urge and shook her head slowly.
"You don't understand."
"Make me understand, Miss Relena, so that I won't have him arrested the next time he steps onto this property..."
Thomas grimaced.
That damned bear...
His mistress had then told him what she claimed to be everything, but she wasn't a good liar.
Yes, she was who she had told him she was when he had started to work for her the previous year. The proof of that hung on the walls of this house, rested on tables, desks and countertops throughout this house and graced the various fireplaces in certain rooms of this house.
Yes, she had indeed seen battles. These had obviously colored her opinions and therefore her work.
And it was true that she had met five extraordinary young men three years ago, including Heero, who was apparently much more than scruffy.
All right, he had earned Thomas' respect.
But what had happened for him to feel that he needed to protect her? Why was he risking so much just to make sure that she was all right? Surely he knew that Miss Relena was protected every minute of every day.
No. Miss Relena hadn't told the whole story.
Thomas blinked rapidly and returned his mind to the present day.
"Why are you staring at the bear?"
Relena had made a path for her face while Thomas' mind had been someplace else. Now, a half-amused, half-wary expression greeted her butler's half-ashamed, half-annoyed one.
"Miss Relena -"
"Yes?"
Thomas paused for thought. He needed to be careful. Miss Relena had a temper.
"Why did he give you this teddy bear?"
She glared at him, then heaved a long, drawn-out sigh.
"I told you. Months ago."
Thomas' eyes narrowed slightly.
"And that is another matter, my lady. Where has he disappeared to?"
"I don't know. Why don't you have some more pictures taken of him?" she snapped.
Thomas went pale. He sagged.
"So you know."
But you're still avoiding my questions.
"This is my house, Thomas. I'd be a fool not to know what goes on it it, even if it's done behind my back."
He refused to feel shame.
"Hmph."
She looked at the ceiling and threw her hands - and her pen - up in the air.
"All right, all right!"
She glared at her butler.
"I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for him."
"You don't owe him anything now, do you? There's no need for the bear or his previously often visits."
Without looking up, she caught the pen neatly between a thumb and forefinger.
"I owe him more than my life. I owe him everything."
"So why not invite him to live here - or would that generate too much publicity, Miss Relena?"
She shook her head slowly, then resumed looking over the paperwork.
"You don't restrain a shooting star. He no more belongs here than I belong - wait, here it is, here it is! This is what I've been looking for!"
"Belong where?"
Thomas refused to let the matter be cast aside.
And how convenient it is that she seems to have just found what she was looking for.
She shook her head slowly again.
"If he and I were meant to live under the same roof, wouldn't we be?"
"Miss Relena - "
"Don't worry so, my Thomas. And maybe you've scared him away."
"Now I know you're joking. From what you've told me nuclear fire wouldn't scare him away."
You're his link to something, Miss Relena.
She waved a dismissive hand.
"I'll worry about the situation if he takes Heion away."
Thomas groaned. She still hadn't answered his questions.
"Thomas."
"Yes, my lady?"
She raised suddenly very serious eyes to his.
"Please bring me a phone. I need to call Quatre Winner."
Thomas blinked rapidly.
"My lady, you mean...so his family does contribute to Booth's as well. What I heard is true."
She nodded.
"Yes, and this is a situation that I'm worried about."
