Author's note: I don't own Gundam Wing or its characters.  I also don't own the song And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda.  Don't sue me; I have student loans.

And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda

"Class will certainly prove interesting today," Relena thought as she took her place at he front of the room. Last week when Noin had sat in on the class, Dorothy had tried to humiliation the Royal Guard. She hadn't succeeded. In fact, Noin had surprised everyone there with her response. This would be the first time Noin had sat in on a class since the incident, and Relena had a feeling that Dorothy was not done with her yet. In a way, she almost hoped that Dorothy would make a scene. Noin's response had struck in the others' minds in a way the other lessons hadn't.

This time they only made it halfway through the lessons when Dorothy decided to put her two cents in.

"Miss Noin, why are you supporting pacifism? You're a soldier; peace would put you out of business. Shouldn't you be supporting war?"

Noin had been sitting in a window. She stood and offered the group a gentle smile before answering.

When I was a young lad

I carried me pack

I lived the free life of a rover

From the Murray's green basin to the dusty outback I waltzed my Matilda all over

Then in 1915 my country said

Son time to stop rambling

There's work to be done

And they gave me a tin hat

And they gave me a gun

And they marched me away to the war


And the band played Waltzing Matilda

As the ship sailed away from the key

Amidst the songs and the cheers flag waving and tears

We sailed off to Gallipoli

 

It's well I remember that terrible day

Our blood stained the sand and the water

And of how in that hell we call Sula Bay

We were butchered like lambs to the slaughter

The big Turkish shell caught be arse over head

And when I woke up in my hospital bed and saw what it had done

Christ I wished I was dead

Never knew there were worse things than dying

 

For I'll go no more waltzing Matilda

All along the green land running free

For to hunt and to pace a man needs both legs

No more waltzing Matilda for me

 

They gathered the injured the wounded the maimed

And they shipped us back home to Australia

The armless the legless the blind the insane

Those proud wounded heroes of Sula

And as the ship sailed into Circular Key

I looked at the place where my legs used to be

And thanked Christ there was nobody waiting fore me

To moan to grieve and to pity

 

And the band played Waltzing Matilda

As they wheeled us down the gangplank

And nobody cheered

They just stood and stared

And they all turned their faces away


And the band still plays Waltzing Matilda

And the young men still answer the call

But as year follows year and more young men disappear

Someday no one will march here at all

 

Waltzing Matilda waltzing Matilda

Who'll come a waltzing Matilda with me

And their ghost may be heard as they march through the billabong

Who'll come a waltzing Matilda with me

Noin wore a bittersweet smile. "War is not pretty. Any soldier can tell you that. And most soldiers don't care for it. We're good at fighting; you have to be to survive. War is ugly, and most of the soldiers I know would love to see it end. I would. I didn't choose to become a soldier, but I can choose to help try to put an end to war. It's the least I can do."

Relena smiled. Noin was doing a wonderful job of destroying the students' illusions of war. Hopefully, that would help them understand why peace was so important.

Owari (the end)