| OK, I heard this song a long time ago (in the 80�s) and it struck me as sad that such a thing could happen in today�s world. After watching Gundam Wing, it occurred to me that tragedies and the circumstances that cause them aren�t limited to a certain time frame. So I dug up this song and wrote this little cheery piece. No real relationships are here so I guess this counts as non-yaoi. Focus is on OZ and the scientists but you�ll see why. Really depressing because it makes you think. I recommend hearing the song before reading this. It�s very good and is a perfect Gundam Wing song. It will help you to understand it a little better. This is not one of my favorite fics. I don�t really like how it turned out but here it is anyway. C&C desperately sought. ---------------------------------------------------------- Disclaimer: Gundam Wing or Shinkidousenki Gundam Wing is copyrighted and trademarked by Sunrise, Bandai, Sotsu Agency and associated parties with all rights and privileges. The characters were used without permission for the purposes of entertainment only. This is not meant for sale of profit. Any characters not created by those listed above are mine and hereby considered the sole property and copyright of the author. (Besides, I'm just a poor college student. I'm not worth your time. Really!) ---------------------------------------------------------- Lives in the Balance Song by Jackson Browne By Lady DarkAngel 8/13/00 I�ve been waiting for something to happen For a week or a month or a year [The gundam pilots are crowded around Heero�s laptop, awaiting new mission orders. They are extremely tense. Duo tries to crack a joke that even he doesn�t find funny. Quatre is not smiling in the least. Trowa and Heero maintain the usual stoic expressions as the orders arrive. Wufei�s face tightens as he learns of the latest injustice that they must commit for the higher purpose of attaining peace.] Where the blood and the ink of the headlines And the sound of the crowd in my ear [Milling high school students chatter around them as they head to their next class in their current boarding school. All five are trying to ignore the outrage shouts of a group complaining about �those damn rebels� and how they hope �those bastards get what they deserve for causing so much destruction.] You might ask what it takes to remember When you know that you�ve seen it before [No one wants to talk about what happened. In fact, no one wants to talk period. There�s nothing that can be said, done to make it ache less. This is just another wound to add to an ever-growing list�.] Where a government lies to a people And a country is drifting to war [An OZ broadcast proclaims that victory is imminent and that peace is within their grasp. What they neglect to mention is the blood price the fake peace carries and that it will last only as long as the remain the sole master of the world�s affairs.] And there�s a shadow on the faces Of the men who send the guns [A gathering of Romafeller�s leaders is closed-door. Not even Trieze is allowed to attend. They plan to increase armaments and production of mobile suits, as well as vast quantities of ammunition. Although the need for them is lessening as OZ grows in power, the leaders want to be sure their dominance is guaranteed.] To the wars that are fought in places Where their business interests run [Security in bases around the world and in outer space are increased. The business of Romafeller is war and OZ is the best way to insure that, not only will they rule, they�ll stay rich on the misfortune and deaths of nameless and faceless others�..] On the radio talk shows and TV You hear one thing again and again [News report after report tells of OZ�s victories over former Alliance troops and minimizes their losses to the gundams. But the casualties incurred in battle are over-emphasized, with the blame pointed squarely at the pilots. The fact that OZ caused some of the causalities and that the battle could have been avoided were never mentioned.] How the USA stands for freedom And we come to the aid of a friend [Representatives like Lady Une tote the values of OZ and how they will help solve all the woes of the world for nothing in exchange but friendship�..] But who are the ones that we call our friends These governments killing their own [This �friendship� is the same kind of leadership that led to the Alliance�s corruption. The present military is no different then the one it just replaced. Needless brutality, misery and death still reign�.] Or the people who finally can�t take anymore And they pick up a gun or a brick or a stone [The pilots do what they can to stop OZ, along with rebels like Sally Po and her group. But they are a few trying to halt the many. For every small victory, there is a soul-crushing defeat�..] And there are lives in the balance There are people under fire [Civilians flee from the destruction that once was their home. They really don�t care what mobile suit or faction caused the carnage. All they know is their life as they knew it is over.] There are children at the cannons And there is blood on the wall [They are only fifteen, yet they must risk their lives and souls to prevent such things from happening. They know they cause much grief, yet they know they are thwarting so much more�..] There�s a shadow on the faces Of the men who fan the flames [The scientists confer over the next targets. They coldly note the potential loss of a city and its inhabitants and proceed to outline an attack for the gundams. Success at all costs is all that matters.] Of the wars that are fought in places Where we can�t even say the names [Yet another school in another country. The pilots have stopped trying to remember details like names. As new students, no one really expects them to, anyway. They are here to fight. Where here is is a totally irrelevant topic.] They sell us the president the same way They sell us our clothes and our cars [The propaganda is ever-present. �Peace can be achieved. OZ is here to help.� The posters and news clips look like commercials for an attractive product, not a destructive world order bent on domination by any means necessary.] They sell us everything from youth to religion At the same time they sell us our wars [The snort of disgust that comes out of their throats every time they hear or see it is impossible to suppress. The boys know exactly what type of peace is being offered. They are doing their best to stop it. They�ll die to stop it.] I want to know whose in the shadows I want to hear somebody asking them why [Questioning orders on both sides is dangerous. The pilots are given a vaguely threatening lecture on the necessity of soldiers committing atrocities to win. Trieze and Zechs are stonewalled when they ask about a set of necessarily harsh orders. No one gets far; �it�s just the way things must be done.�] They can�t be counted on to tell us who are enemies are And they�re never the ones to fight or to die [Both Romafeller and the scientists are after their own agendas. They care nothing for those involved. After all, they are only soldiers. Expendable. Replaceable. Unlike them. They frequently deceive those under their command to achieve their goals. They are the true enemy, but anyone who learns that doesn�t have long to live�..] And there are lives in the balance There are people under fire [Another battle over. The pilots drag themselves back to their dorms. Shrapnel marks omnipresent. Everyone is hurt, but Duo and Trowa took it especially hard. Their roommates carry them back while Wufei runs cover with the teachers.] There are children at the cannons And there is blood on the wall [The scars will fade��this time. There are other scars, physical and also ones inside. Even if they win, they have been tainted by the darkness that forces such tragedies. Too many dead and for what? Those in power have always abused the masses. A cycle of blood, rebellion and death. Youth has no meaning. They must fight. They will fight. And there will always be bloodstains��..] Lady DarkAngel ---------- Chibi Duo's Babysitter Moderator of Duo's Sugar Intake Keeper of Duo's Nice Rear-end Co-Keeper of Shinigami's Wings (with Meela) Keeper of Heero's Homicidal Intentions Keeper of Quatre's Teacup Keeper of Trowa's Mask Keeper of Wufei's Sense of Honor Co-Keeper of Duo's Chatter (with Tomanaiya) Co-Keeper of Heero's "Hn" (with Tomanaiya) Co-Writer of Wufei's Rants (with Tomanaiya) Leader of the Inspirationally-challenged Muses: Alisande, Rynvi, and Kiagara Co-Keeper of a real-life hamster named Heero Yuy (Hee-chan)(with Tomanaiya) Keeper of the Hit List Proud member of SDDI, the Society of Defending Duo's Intelligence Member of the Society Against the Complete Bastardization of Heero Yuy Occupant of the Happy Hentai House Master Hacker of the Shinigami Organization Happy to be a member of the DuoML Member of 1x2, 2x1 Fan Club and ML |