Author's Note: I'm not messing up Relena's last name. She is going by Dorlain currently, but not everyone is going by her own designations, used to her being known as Peacecraft.
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Earth, Dorothy's Residence
Not for anything. Dorothy lied in her bed, taking her medicine. She'd been sucking on cold bars and jello, trying to get through it all. Not much longer and it should be over. She heard her phone ring and answered it, barely, with her usual charm. Trying to. "Ah, Miss Relena. How may I help you today?"
"I'm sorry, Dorothy. I didn't think about your surgery when I asked to meet you, and then I just walked off," she apologized. "I wasn't feeling well, but it was no excuse. I am afraid I might have the same problem you did."
"Uh. How unfortunate, Miss Relena." That's why she was calling. "It's quite a simple surgery."
"I find it strange," Relena admitted. "Strange that we both have this problem."
"Perhaps there is something around the Earth that is changing our health?" Dorothy reasoned. Oh, she should not be talking, but it wasn't like her to just ignore those whose presence she enjoyed. Relena did not come by every day. Dermail was gone. There wasn't . . . "I'd give anything to watch a good fight right now." Oops? Her medicine got to her, that had been out loud. "I apologize." Normally she would say something longer, but she was hitting her extent. She needed to heal before being anymore social.
"You aren't feeling yourself. I understand," Relena apologized. "Let me know when you are feeling better, Dorothy."
Dorothy gave a light mutter of a yes before hanging up. She sucked on another ice cold bar, but now her head was turning too. It was rather strange they both had this problem at about the same time. Was it becoming more prevalent of a problem? Or was there something changing on Earth that was changing mankind more as a species? Her humidifier was still running, but the air was so dry. It still felt so dry. That was the thing about Earth, the temperature always fluctuated. In the colonies, it remained the same most times. Then her phone rang again, but this time, just a text.
Relena: My surgery will be in the colonies. I think it's easier to breathe out there to heal and my current business issues are colony related. I didn't know you were still feeling so terrible. If you can get through one grueling day, I invite you to come.
To the colonies? Dorothy hadn't been out there in ages. It was so beautiful out there. Relena was always so brilliant and charming, no doubt she knew which colony to go to. Not all colonies were made equal. There was one in particular that held extra humidity. Smaller, more intimate. It was like walking around in a humidifier. It was good for those who needed one. Extra services were performed in it since it often attracted the more sickly to it's beautiful self. Highly expensive, but . . .
One grueling trip out to the colonies. Even when she stepped out, it should fill her with relief like a humidifier. She texted her back with a tease of bringing extra ice cream and ice chips. One day. The damage she still felt on her was grueling, even after the surgery. She should have been healed by now. Proper healing. Better surveillance and doctors. In the past, she may have been able to get out there with her grandfather. Not much anymore, but Relena still traveled back and forth.
The invite was probably just to share in the misery. Maybe. Or maybe Relena Peacecraft was becoming a little like her. Wanting to find a real friend out in the real world, it was so hard to come by.
Or more likely she wanted some kind of information on someone or some group she once knew. That was always more likely. Either way, she didn't care.
She got the reply back and smiled. Relena had ordered the tickets. She would go a day later, but she ordered Dorothy her virtual tickets for tomorrow, first thing in the morning.
To the beauty of the colonies. Already, she was starting to feel better.
---
Relena's Home
Relena knew how Dorothy felt about holding a conversation. She was certainly coming down with another fever. She needed to go to bed. She felt around herself, but couldn't find her phone. "No, not this now." Oh, she sounded so terrible. She looked around the area, thinking she set it down somewhere. Maybe she dropped it? She went backwards some, but her fever made it so hard. She eventually found it, lying on the floor where she had a conversation with Dorothy. She picked it up. There, now it was time to go relax. Thank goodness that surgery was scheduled soon.
---
Heero's Colony
It only took one ring of his phone now. "Wufei."
"This isn't what they specialize in."
Neither of them were going to go into the details. Both of them had been tracking down the rebels in Revenge of The Lost. The crimes they committed were never to a particular calibre, but this whole thing didn't make sense at all.
"They didn't just decide on a whim, to do this, randomly," Wufei continued to speak. "Heero."
"I know." This wasn't supposed to be some shock or surprise. This whole father ordeal was part of something bigger. They used small advantages, tactics, and then came after their targets in an almost ruthless manner. "Hilde Schbeiker was confirmed, but can we believe that now?" Trickery was that group's style. He believed that Duo wouldn't lie. This woman that lived with Duo, most likely wouldn't go through all this for a lie. It wasn't out of the realm of possibility though.
"The one involving me," Wufei continued. "She is supposed to be pregnant. For all I know, she could be a part of RTL."
"Hm." That was possible. Whether it was real or not, RTL wanted them to do something. They were their target now. "Has anyone contacted the doctors?" They would be the only ones to make something like this happen, although even that was a long shot, they should have been dead. "If they expect me to barge in on Relena Dorlain with this, they don't know me." This group? Chances of a lie were high. Yes, it could be true. Yes, Duo's friend could be pregnant, but it could also just be a ruse. They'd only been on Earth for a week. Even if it was real, it would take time to get any of the others confirmed.
"Duo doesn't want the doctors knowing. He thinks they are behind it. I hate RTL."
Their methods to win were never good. "What are they planning?"
"To irritate us. To distract us? Maybe we are getting closer than we thought to finding the leader."
"Yeah." Maybe they should involve the other pilots to track them down faster. As for the letter? It was most likely a complete plant. "The technology exists for what they've done, but it's not out for the general public. I've been looking into it closer. Unless RTL is a part of that technology group, this couldn't have been done."
"I am hoping you don't find a connection," Wufei said to him.
"Yeah. Me too." This wasn't a casual thing Heero could brush off if it had been. The pregnancy wouldn't be the trump card, it would be just a hard card used in their overall game. Most people who became targets of the group had their life changed disastrously by them. Many often survived, RTL didn't just kill off an enemy. They made them suffer. Over forty percent ended up taking their own lives with the brutal tactics they used. "Do you know Mei-Lin Wang, Wufei?"
"No," Wufei said. "However." He paused. "This will be a disaster between the Long and Zhang Colony if it were true."
"How disastrous?"
"War disastrous. I have to find out if this is true before I proceed with anything, Heero."
"Agreed." War. Yeah, that was something RTL would like. Simple cause and effects the victims did to themselves. "Any word on the other unknown women?"
"No. Trowa nor Quatre have called or checked back in. Duo did say this Middie Une was a spy that killed Trowa's allies once. We should inform them of RTL better before they fall into its trap."
"Good idea." Knowing someone like Quatre, he would go straight to the source with the intent of sharing the truth. He was too good. He better call him first. It was late on Earth, but hearing this, Quatre would be wide awake.