Emma Lambert stepped out of the taxi and looked up at the tall, gleaming ESUN building. It was the middle of spring, and the sun had decided to come out. The mirrored glass windows reflected back the sunlight, making the building look as if it were colored in different shades of blue.

The Preventer in the guard shack by the door of the building cleared his throat. Emma glanced at him, blushing slightly. "Can I help you with something?" the man asked, looking gruff and unhappy. Emma fumbled with her bag and drew out a pre-printed pass that would allowed her temporary and restricted access to the building. Emma showed the badge to the guard.

"I'm here to see Minister Darlian," she said, nervously tucking a strand of curly hair behind her ear. The guard scanned the badge with his reader, then handed it back.

"You're clear. Go on in," he said. Emma hurried to the doors, and the guard buzzed her inside.

Now that she was no longer under the intense scrutiny of the guard, Emma felt more at ease. She had interviewed plenty of high-profile politicians before, and was used to the marbled lobbies, the sleek modern furniture, and the prim and pressed front desk administrator. The lobby of the ESUN was no different. The floor was made up of shiny black tiles, and the pillars were made of black and white marble. Black leather couches and chairs were arranged off to one side, where a few people were sitting, looking at their phones or watching the television hanging from the ceiling.

Emma pulled her phone from her purse and pulled up the email exchange she'd had with Minister Relena Darlian the previous week. "Floor eighteen, office eighteen-zero-three," Emma whispered to herself. She headed towards the bank of elevators and pressed the "UP" button. While she waited, she looked through her list of interview questions and pieces of Minister Darlian's life that she needed to get some additional information, straight from the source. The elevator gave off a soft bing and the doors slid open. Emma stepped inside and pressed the button for the eighteenth floor.

The elevator whizzed up to the eighteenth floor and halted. The doors slid open once more, revealing a carpeted hallway lined with doors. Emma followed the numbers down a few doors to the one labeled 1803 with a nameplate on the door that read "Foreign Affairs." The door was ajar, so Emma pushed the door open and stepped inside.

Beyond the door was an open space which contained a large L-shaped desk to one side, and a few leather chairs and couches arranged around a coffee table. A young woman sat behind the desk, working on a laptop. There were two doors off the room - one had Relena Darlian's name beside it, and the other had the name of the VFM, Toby Jones.

The woman behind the desk looked up and smiled at Emma. "Good morning! You must be Emma Lambert," she said, rising from her chair. Emma crossed the room to shake hands with the administrator.

"Yes, I'm here for my appointment with Minister Darlian," Emma said. The woman nodded.

"Of course. Go right on in. She's expecting you." Emma glanced at the closed door and the shiny nameplate.

"You're sure? Just walk in?"

"Of course!" The woman sat back down at her desk and resumed her typing. Emma took a long breath, then stepped up to the door, reminding herself that Relena Darlian was just another woman, another human being.

Emma grabbed the door handle and pushed her way inside.

The office on the other side of the door was a good size, the far wall lined with windows facing out over the city. Relena's large desk was situated in the middle of the windows, so she could turn around in her chair and look outside. There were many bookshelves lining the wall, most of the shelves stuffed with books, folders, binders, and other knick knacks. Two leather chairs matching the ones outside of the room stood along one wall, with a small tea table between them. Certificates, pictures, and college degrees lined the walls.

Relena Darlian sat behind her desk, working at her computer. When Emma entered, Relena looked up and smiled.

"Ah, good morning," Relena said, rising from her desk. "Emma Lambert?" Relena approached Emma, holding her hand out. Emma grabbed the Minister's hand in return, and was surprised by the strength of her handshake.

"I'm so pleased to meet you, Minister Darlian," Emma said, awkwardly trying to find the right words, amount of eye contact, and body posture that showed respect to someone of Minister Darlian's birth, upbringing, and current position. Should she have curtsied?

"Please, just call me Relena," the Minister said, and Emma felt herself blush.

"Oh uh…"

"Have a seat, Miss Lambert," Relena added, covering Emma's loss of words. Relena stepped back around her desk and sat down, gesturing for Emma to do the same. She finally remembered how to walk and stumbled into the chair and sat down. She pulled out her notebook, pen, and voice recorder. Emma placed the recorder on the desk between them.

"I'm not sure I'm old enough to warrant a biography," Relena said before Emma could speak. She smiled.

"The publishers really want to know about the years during the war, and perhaps some of your childhood that led you to where you are now," Emma said. She flipped her hand out, twirling her pen in a circle, trying to put on a casual air. "The people will want another biography written later in your life. I'm sure you have many more amazing things ahead of you." Emma saw a skeptical look pass over Relena's face, but it disappeared just as quickly.

Emma relaxed. She knew her job, and she knew how to interview people. As her initial introduction with Relena Darlian wore off, she felt her tongue loosen. There had been a question she'd been dying to ask the Minister as soon as Emma was assigned this job.

"There is a point of interest I am curious about, mostly off the record," Emma said, still twirling her pen.

"Oh?"

"A certain Gundam pilot that caught your attention," Emma said with a sly smile. "I believe they called him Zero-One during the wars."

"As I'm sure you know," Relena began. "The information pertaining to the Gundams has been deemed classified." The response was obviously rehearsed and recited many times. Emma flapped her hand again.

"Oh, I understand. We can talk in general terms," she said. "We can't erase the fact that the Gundams were a major part of the wars, but we don't have to go into detail. I'm sure you don't know their real names…" Emma trailed off, expecting Relena to fill her in. The Minster folded her arms and leaned back in her chair.

"I'm sorry, but I cannot and will not give out that information," Relena said. "Your publisher will have to accept their numerical code names." Emma sighed, but a smile returned to her face.

"Ah well, it was worth a shot. Now tell me, what was the first incident that you can remember that might have sent you along your current life path?"

The Minister blinked, and her arms unfolded. Her eyes grew a little misty, as if she were traveling far back in time...

"Where have you been?"

"I have been at the ESUN building. Remember? I'm interviewing Relena Darlian."

"Ohh yeah! What's she like?"

"She's pretty much how everyone describes her. She's kind and modest, and super professional. We've only talked about her childhood so far."

"And?"

"Well, I don't think this book will be as exciting as my boss thinks. She grew up as a diplomat's daughter, and now she's a diplomat. I don't think she got into much trouble during the wars - except for ending up as Queen."

"So… you think that her story will be boring? Did you find out about that Gundam pilot?"

"She wouldn't tell me anything about him. And I think her boring story is a possibility that some might have to accept."