I don’t own the characters, but I own the story. This is a fic I had a while back that I’ve recently started to re-work.

“As She Slept”

by Kat Dickerson

“ She’s too soft.”

Tubarov rubbed his chin and turned away from the young OZ soldier he had been talking to. The olive-skinned man stared after the elderly Tubarov for a second before daring to answer.

“Pardon, sir?” The soldier, a dark-haired man named Anthony Matthews, thought Tubarov’s comment to be a confusing one. He raised one of his black eyebrows and pursed his lips into a frown.

“Yes,” Tubarov purred as he fiddled with his coat, “She used to be a soldier of some sort of value, but her actions lately have proven that she’s little more than an emotionally raging time bomb; ready to go off at any second. Now, type in that code as I told you before.”

Matthews clicked his boot heel against the metal floor and reluctantly entered in the code that would freeze all communication between the Fortress Barge and the Lunar Base. He wished he could be at any other post right now; anywhere…anywhere but here. He was about to sever communication with Colonel Une, something that would just absolutely ensure that she would be in the most foul of moods for quite some time. Well...to be more precise...that was a gross understatement.

The communicator sent out a long series of beeps and twitches until it finally ceased, bringing an uncomfortable silence to the room. The job was done. Barge could no longer make contact with them.

“It’s done,” Matthews mumbled under his breath. He turned away from Tubarov and faced the large communicator screen. His efforts to avoid looking at the disgusting old man, however, were in vain. He could still see Tubarov’s faint reflection looming over him, like a banshee, in the communicator screen.

“Good,” Tubarov said. He leaned over and placed a wrinkled hand on the control panel. Matthews stifled a grimace in his best attempt to ignore Tubarov’s foul odor. The man smelled like rotten tuna fish and musty clothes. What a despicable old man he was, this Tubarov...and to think, Matthews had to deal with this bastard on a day to day basis. It was hell. Pure fucking hell. Tubarov, however, didn’t notice Matthew’s tiny flinch where his odor was stench was concernd. His mind was on other things.

“She’ll be coming here, then,” Tubarov growled. Matthews flashed him a perplexed look.

“How do you know that, sir?” he asked.

“It’s easy,” Tubarov muttered, “I can read that woman like a book. Every move she makes is predictable. There’s no way in hell she could ever resist coming here after we severed the communication line between the Lunar Base and her precious Barge.”

“I don’t understand, sir,” Matthews said, “Why not just order her to come here?” He instantly regretted his remark, having spoken way out of turn.

Tubarov frowned and jerked away from the control panel. He reached toward his collar, taking the folds of his white ascot into his gangly hands. He twisted and turned until he had the delicate white fabric positioned exactly where he wanted it to be, then turned back to Matthews.

“If you were not so useful to me,” Tubarov hissed, “You might be in serious trouble. I have no tolerance for insolent behavior, especially when soldiers speak out of turn. However...your question was not that of a threatening nature, and seeing as I am what I would consider a kind and generous man, I will overlook your remark and give you the answer you seek.”

“Colonel Une has always been a..well...a source of unrest for me,” Tubarov continued, “It’s no secret she was appointed to the position of Colonel, something that was terribly gauche and rude for Treize Khushrenada to do. She is a rogue, a vagabond...some woman he found somewhere no doubt, and promoted her to a rank of prestige...a rank that I should have gained!”

He slammed his bony fist down on the control panel, making Matthews wish he had never dared to ask such a question. Why hadn’t he just kept his mouth shut? Why hadn’t he just let sleeping dogs lie? Why...because he was a human, dammit, a curious human who lacked the ability to reason between when to speak and when to shut the hell up.

But Tubarov was far from finished.

“Treize Khushrenada and his merry band of OZ soldiers are nothing more than spoiled, aristocratic idiots playing a game, a game they call war,” Tubarov continued, “That boy comes from a good family, with a good name...the Khushrenada clan is practically the backbone of Romafellar...who would have thought Treize...the one with most promise...to be the link to break the chain.”

That was an unfair comment. Treize Khushrenada had done more for society than Tubarov ever thought of doing. He was the people’s leader...the man every man wanted to be, and the man every woman fell in love with. Treize was larger than life, larger than Tubarov would ever be. He would never be even a tenth of the man Treize was, never in his putrid life!

“She is without caution...she is without hesitation,” Tubarov growled, “Qualities, which...in the beginning...I tended to admire, but soon..found quite...annoying and distracting...”

Ah. Here were the core of his intentions. Tubarov had been rebuffed...rebuffed by Lady Une, or so it seemed. These were the reasons behind his anger toward Lady Une. True, the stern Colonel had not exactly won the recent popularity polls, her tactics were crude and savage, and she was hell to deal with...but she was a dedicated soldier, through and through. No one was perfect, Matthews reasoned to himself, not himself, not Tubarov, and not Colonel Une.

“When she realizes communication has been cut, she will come directly here. I am sure of it.” Tubarov continued, “I did not give a direct order, because I do not want her transmitting this information to Treize. You know the woman is a direct link to that air-head commander of hers, and though he will catch wind of this in good enough time, I plan on getting the head start.”

“I see,” Matthews said, half-pretending to be interested in Tubarov’s wretched revelation. What he was planning to do...it was cowardly! Luring a soldier...and a woman soldier at that...into the Lion’s Den in order to fall upon her, in order to tear her to shreds. He was a cad, that Tubarov, lower than cowshit.

“I intend to teach that child who calls herself Colonel Une a lesson concerning warfare,” Tubarov growled. His eyes were narrowed into tiny slits, his face drawn into a menacing glare. “The days of playing war are over for her. Mark my words...every man, and woman...have their moment of reckoning. You know this as well as I. Her moment, my young friend, has just arrived...she just doesn’t know it yet!”

He chuckled to himself for a moment, sending chills up and down Matthews’ spine. Almost as immediately as the laughter had begun, it ended. Tubarov, without another word, gave Matthews a cold stare, then turned quickly and left the room, taking his foul stench with him.

Matthews stared blankly at the communicator screen. He wished there were something he could do, but he knew the situation was out of his hands and over his head. It was a well-known fact that Colonel Une and Chief Engineer Tubarov were at odds.

Tubarov, who more correctly, was an Engineer...not really a soldier...was all for the manufacturing of the Mobile Dolls; machines that could pilot themselves using a human’s data. Treize fiercely opposed the Mobile Dolls, calling them “void of any type of dignity on the battlefield.” Of course, Colonel Une echoed Treize’s comments, refusing to allow Engineer Tubarov the go-ahead to create the dolls.

For the past few days, Tubarov and the Colonel had been in one ferocious argument after another over the communicators. Officially, the Colonel had halted production of the Mobile Dolls, yet Tubarov continued to make them. The soldiers working under Tubarov were in a constant state of confusion. They knew an order from Treize’s Colonel was not to be dismissed, and they would have followed her orders had Tubarov not had the barrel of a gun put to their heads. It was an unfortunate thing that Tubarov had gained the unyielding support of about twenty soldiers.

Because of this, the others had to agree to his wishes, even if they were against those of Treize Khushrenada. Most of the men had families to support, and did not want to risk their lives over something which seemed trivial. To die in combat was one thing...to have your brains blown out over a quarrel between an officer and an engineer...well...that was a completely different animal.

Matthews was one of those who had pledged his undying loyalty to Treize. Colonel Une wasn’t a woman he particularly cared for, but she was Commander Khushrenada’s personal aide and trusted right hand soldier. Because of that, he had to give her a certain amount of respect, like many of his fellow soldiers. And besides…she carried out the wishes of Treize, so to obey her was ultimately, to obey Treize himself.

Whatever Tubarov’s ultimate goal was, it could not be for the betterment of mankind. Matthews knew that much, for he was no fool. He also knew that as long as Treize’s Colonel stood in Tubarov’s way, he would not be able to manufacture his beloved Mobile Dolls.

It almost made Matthews sick to think of the vile things Tubarov could be planning. He could not begin to fathom what Tubarov was truly plotting against the Commander and his Lady Colonel. The Mobile Dolls seemed to be just one pawn, only one square in a massive chess game where Colonel Une and Treize had the handicap and Tubarov the advantage. No...the pawn hidden behind his back.

Had he the means to do it, Matthews would have sent a warning to Treize...to the Colonel, but he could not. Tubarov would trace the signal immediately, and Matthews would have a bullet lodged in his brain. But there had to be some way...had to be an outlet somewhere...a hole...a weak spot. Were there no areas, no terminals, no communicators in this damned Barge that were not under heavy surveilance? And even if there he get to one in time?

No...what was he thinking? This was absurd...certain death. He had a fiancee at home...a beautiful, wonderful woman he planned to marry. He could not leave her, could not make her a single woman, just months before their wedding. To do that would be selfish...callous.

But then, he thought of Colonel Une. She...she was a trusted soldier and aide to Commander Khushrenada, was she not? She was a woman, though a soldier...possibly someone’s daughter...someone’s sister...someone’s lover.

No. Not lover. Rumors flew through the units of an involvement between Colonel Une and Treize Khushrenada, but Matthews knew too many people who worked closely with Commander and his Colonel, and the denied that the rumors were true. In fact, from what Matthews understood, Treize and the Colonel spent more time apart than together these days, and even in their time together, he was always chastising her for some reason or another.

Colonel Une. Her presence in this army was as much of a mystery to Matthews as it was to everyone else. Where had she come from, anyway? Everyone knew Treize’s background, and somewhat of his friend Zechs’...well, rumors at any rate where Zechs was concerned. Some said he and Millardo Peacecraft, son of a murdered King and a fallen nation, but that was not confirmed, either.

One thing was certain, the woman was German, or at least from a Germanic-influenced country. She often spoke with a thick accent, though careful to speak only proper English in front of Commander Khushrenada. Matthews also pegged the Colonel to be someone who had not grown up as part of Romafellar, for her actions and mannerisms did not seem to fit that of nobility. However, that didn’t necessarily mean she had not been nobility...for he had no sure way of telling.

And, on top of it all...she was a beautiful woman. She looked fierce and harsh with the eyeglasses and tightly pulled back hair, but when she let that long hair hang loose and removed the glasses, she was a sight to behold, that was for sure. It was plain to see that the Colonel did not really care about her appearance, except for when she was acting as an ambassador among the colonies.

Maybe she was simply not interested in romantic ventures...perhaps her only objective was OZ and its tasks. She certainly would not be the first woman soldier to adopt this point of view, and most definitely would not be the last.

But still...was it truly right for Matthews to turn a blind eye while Colonel Une walked into a trap? Well, he did not know this for sure...but he knew whatever was going to happen to her would not be pleasant...especially where Tubarov was concerned.

There was only one thing he knew for certain, only one thing he could truly forsee in this uneven chess match with its hidden pawns and maze of tricks and traps. One thing stood clear in his mind, like a beacon in the night, like a lighthouse amongst a tall, darkened cliff...

Lady Une’s life was in danger....she was going to be killed.

And Tubarov would be the one to do it.

To Be Continued.....