Gundam SEED: Poetry of Tomorrow

Chapter 94 The conscience of the United Earth, Halbarton
"Is that so? I have a general understanding of the situation. Is the injury serious?"

"..."

"Okay, I see, I'm sorry to trouble you."

"Captain, what happened?"

In the Vesalius, Adis asked Cruze who put down the communication microphone.

"It's nothing, just a little something happened."

Cruze waved his hand and did not continue to explain, but floated to the radar map inside the bridge: "Can you know the strength of the Eighth Fleet?"

"In order to prevent being discovered, we did not get close, but based on feedback from long-range detection, the total number of warships is around 20."

Adis thought for a while and replied: "As for our side...the Ziegler battleship has six Keen, our ship and the Aegis Gundam have five in total, and Gamow's side includes the Storm Gundam, Thunder Gundam and There were five Ino just past..."

"This amount...Wise General Halbarton...it seems that I have to ask you to leave..."

After combining the information and calculating it in his mind for a while, Cruze showed a cold smile on his face.

The Eighth Fleet is a reorganized space fleet, not a full Eighth Fleet.

Coupled with the stability of the space front during this period, the opponent has hardly experienced any battles, and its combat experience is almost equal to zero.

And here—

It's time to create some tension for the people of the United Earth. It would be too boring to think about making money through intrigues every day.

Moreover, the wise general Halbarton, an army general with a calm brain, is very troublesome.

------

"We have already rendezvoused with the fleet, why do we still have to work in such a hurry?"

Kira asked with a pout as she poked her head out of the Zero's door.

Mu Ze replied with a helpless look: "I'm not worried about letting it get damaged like this!"

The maintenance team was repairing the shot location of Mobius Zero at an emergency speed, and Kira was half-heartedly called in to help.

Madek smiled and explained: "Although it is the Eighth Fleet, the combat pilots and other things are all rookies! If something happens, the captain still has to take action."

"...Speaking of which, what about Strike Gundam? Does that really not matter?"

Kira heard this but did not continue to ask this question.

Instead, it's Strike Gundam.

Because it was difficult to control the operating system modified by Kira with natural human skills, Kira reluctantly adjusted it back to its initial value.

"I understand what you mean. To deliberately bring it back and lower the specification level is a bit..."

"It even makes you think, if only someone could keep driving it like they used to, right?"

Before Mu could finish speaking, a clear voice from above suddenly took over the words.

"captain?"

"Oh my god, why did you end up in a place like this?"

Mu smiled.

After Malu nodded to them, he turned to look at Kira: "Can I talk to you?"

"what?"

Seeing Kira's subconscious flinch, Malu smiled bitterly.

"Don't be so suspicious...Hey, but I think this is inevitable."

They left the work crew and came to Strike Gundam.

"I've never been free, and I can't even find a chance to talk to you properly..."

"……Yes."

Kira was still a little wary.

Turning around to face him like this, Ma Liu smiled slightly: "Well... I've always wanted to express my gratitude to you."

"what……?"

"I really want to thank you for letting you go through so many difficult things during this time."

She bowed deeply.Kira was so surprised that he was at a loss for a moment.

"No, don't say that, Captain..."

Kira stammered with a red face.Ma Liu raised her head and smiled brightly.

"Although I haven't said it out loud, everyone is very grateful to you. In this situation, even if I land on Earth, I don't think life will be easy, but..."

She held out a hand, Kira was still confused but reached out to shake it.

"...You have to work hard."

Holding Kira's hand tightly, it felt so warm.

----

"Oh, just for this battleship and a G, Heliopolis was destroyed and even Artemis was destroyed. It's really..."

Halbarton's adjutant, Hoffman, was picking on the trouble.

Malu had nothing to say, but stood at attention and looked straight ahead.

This meeting was held in the captain's room of the Archangel.

Sitting in front of the table was a soldier with a strong physique that made one feel his age, Admiral Halbarton, the commander of the Eighth Fleet stationed on the moon.

After hearing Hoffman's accusation, Halbarton looked displeased: "At least they defended the Strike Gundam and the ship." Hoffman responded coldly: "But Alaska doesn't seem to think so?"

"Hmph! Those people don't understand space warfare at all!"

Halbarton snorted contemptuously.

Ma Liu frowned inwardly. What was going on with the atmosphere between the commander and the adjutant?

"——Captain Malu understands my intentions. In my opinion, everything is fine!"

Halbarton's tone was decisive, but his eyes when looking at Ma Liu were still kind.

She suddenly felt that all the guilt and tension in her heart were relieved, and all the previous suffering seemed to be rewarded at this moment.

"So, what about this adjuster child? Isn't this a question?"

Hoffman still said with displeasure, and Malu responded resolutely: "Kira Yamato is trying to protect his friends - for this reason alone, he piloted the Strike Gundam for us."

Malu had always noticed that, even though she knew this, she still forced him to fight - maybe it wasn't an atonement for this, but her opinion at the moment was uncompromising.

"He is an upright and kind kid, and I think we should respond with trust in him."

"But, just let him go..."

Hoffman was about to object when Natal stepped forward and interrupted.

"Pardon the offence, but I think the same thing as Colonel Hoffman!"

As if being punched unexpectedly, Maru and Mu looked at Natal in astonishment.

Natal didn't even look at them: "——His ability is impressive, and he is already familiar with G's secrets. If we just let him go...

"Hmph, four of them have already fallen into the hands of ZAFT. It's still a secret."

This statement is nothing more than an excuse, but Halbarton still made the accusation straightforwardly.

Natal was a little shaken, but she continued: "But his power is precious! If possible, he should continue to serve the military!"

"But according to what Captain Malu said, he himself didn't have that intention?"

"His parents are both natural persons. They escaped when Heliopolis was destroyed and are now on Earth. If they can be allowed to accept our protection..."

Natal's calm tone throughout made Malu shudder.

To rephrase her proposal, it would be equivalent to taking Kira's parents as hostages and forcing Kira to go to the front line.

Natal was deeply influenced by the organizational culture of the army.

In a sense, she is simple, loyal to the mission, doing whatever is necessary to win -

As long as it is within the scope of military regulations, she can do whatever it takes without even a trace of doubt.

Therefore, she could speak out without hesitation or take action directly on thoughts that anyone might secretly hate or hesitate in, or even not want to think about.

But... taking away his parents from a minor boy, threatening him with their lives to kill his compatriots, and sending him to a battlefield where he might die - just thinking about it is horrifying.

But before Natal could finish her words, she was interrupted by the sound of Halbarton's fist hitting the table hard.

"What a joke! What's the use of such soldiers coming!"

Halbarton's expression and tone were completely different from the kind-hearted one just now.

Being glared at by his stern eyes, Natal couldn't help but flinch: "I'm very, very sorry!"

"There's no need to mention the past, the question is what's next..."

The seriousness in his voice was a little different from before: "After that, the Archangel must land at the Alaska headquarters with the existing staff."

Ma Liu and others couldn't help but hold their breath.

"There is no way. The advance team carrying supplementary personnel was sunk. Now our army has no personnel to assign to your ship."

Adjutant-General Hoffman's additional transactional remarks.

"But, but we..."

Malu wanted to argue that it was a fluke that they came here.

Although she knew the importance of this battleship and Strike Gundam, it was precisely because of her understanding that she felt that the responsibility was too heavy;

Because except for Mu, they have almost no actual combat experience.

"Don't worry, we will escort you until you reach the orbital detachment point. You just need to land directly from there to the headquarters."

Hoffman makes it easy, but is it really that simple?

However, when she saw Halbarton's expression, her retort was lost.

"——We must get the development of G on track!"

Halbaton looked directly into Malu's eyes: "ZAFT is constantly investing in new aircraft, but those idiots only fight for power and profit, and waste money on useless budgets! Those people only see the battlefield through numbers. How many soldiers died!"

"I understand."

Ma Liu felt the meaning conveyed by Shangguan, and a firm look flashed in her eyes.

The inexplicable gap between the conversation between Hoffman and Halbarton is the cognitive gap between the headquarters and the front.

In this case, I must wake up those people at the headquarters.

With such determination, she raised her hands and saluted: "——I will definitely convey your thoughts to Alaska!"

As soon as she said this, Mu Ye, who was beside her, raised his hand and saluted: "As a survivor of MA driving, I understand the meaning of all this!"

Hearing him deliberately talking in circles as usual, Ma Liu almost couldn't help laughing.

Halbarton looked at the two of them meaningfully, then bowed his head: "Please...!"

(End of this chapter)