"Where is this..."
"You're awake, Mr. Dozle."
"You are... Where am I..." Dozle Zabi looked at the unfamiliar surroundings and sized up the stranger before him. The last thing he remembered was being escorted from a temporary prison on Luna II to a warship bound for Earth. He had found it strange at the time that all the other prisoners were on a different warship, while he was being transported alone. But just as this doubt arose, he had passed out, unaware of what happened next.
"Please wait a moment, Mr. Dozle."
The person beside him left the room and returned shortly with someone else. This was a person Dozle Zabi recognized: Cardeas Vist.
"You're... Cardeas Vist?"
"It is I, Mr. Dozle."
"What in the world is going on?"
"Someone entrusted me to take care of you for a while. Rest assured, you are safe here."
"Who?"
"He said to give this to you after you woke up." With that, Cardeas handed a paper letter to Dozle Zabi, then stood up and left. Five days had passed since Dozle Zabi's arrival, and Cardeas still had too many things to handle to stay and keep him company.
Dozle Zabi took the letter and stared blankly as Cardeas Vist departed. The people in the room said, "Just call us if you need anything," and then left, leaving Dozle Zabi all alone.
Dozle Zabi opened the letter in his hands. After reading the first paragraph, his eyes widened.
"This is Yang Hui. You are safe now. Stay put. I will arrange for your wife and daughter to be sent to you safely, so do not worry."
"Yang Hui! I want to see Yang Hui! Someone! I want to see Yang Hui!" Dozle Zabi roared, but no one paid him any mind, as if his words were just empty air.
Seeing that he was being ignored, Dozle Zabi rolled out of bed, only to fall directly to the floor. His body was still weak. Forcing himself to endure the feebleness, he crawled toward the door and pounded on the closed portal with all his might.
"Someone! I want to see Yang Hui! Let me see Yang Hui!"
Click~
At that moment, the door opened. Two burly men in brown suits blocked the doorway. A nurse standing between them spoke to Dozle Zabi, "Mr. Dozle, the Third Young Master is not here. He instructed that if you have any questions, please finish reading the letter before saying anything else."
"He's not here... Finish the letter... The letter!"
Dozle Zabi crawled back the way he came, picked up the letter that had fallen on the floor, and began to read. The further he read, the more exaggerated his expression became, his mouth agape, wide enough to fit a whole fist.
"This... This is... Impossible... He must be lying to me. Impossible, absolutely impossible! I want to see Yang Hui! Help me contact Yang Hui! Let me..."
This time, no matter how much Dozle Zabi shouted, no one paid him any attention. He continued until he was too exhausted to make another sound. Leaning against the door, his eyes were vacant as he constantly muttered, "Zenna... Mineva..."
...
Earth, Jaburo Headquarters. Revil and Gopp once again stood together before the floor-to-ceiling window, their faces filled with complex emotions.
"This won't be easy to explain," Gopp sighed, feeling as if he had aged a dozen years and was on the verge of kicking the bucket.
"They're already dead, what's there to explain?" Revil rolled his eyes at his old friend.
"First Kycilia Zabi, then Dozle Zabi. The Federal Assembly is extremely dissatisfied with our department..."
"Who's dissatisfied? Tell them to come find me!" Revil cursed irritably. "Don't those bastards know what really happened with Kycilia Zabi?"
"...What about Dozle Zabi?"
"...Don't bring it up! It just makes me angry!" Revil's temper flared even more. This whole mess was started by Yang Hui, and now he had run off to attend the founding ceremony of the Zeon Republic, leaving them to clean up his mess. "Isn't Creuset in the Assembly? Ask him."
"I did. He's doing his best to control the situation. He told us to bear with it a little longer. Once things on Yang Hui's end succeed, the Assembly's attention will shift."
"Hmm... That would be today, right?"
"Yes."
"I don't know if this is a blessing or a curse."
"If it's a blessing, it's not a curse. If it's a curse, you can't escape it."
"Indeed. We can't stop it, nor should we. Let's just take it one step at a time."
"Where are you going?" Gopp asked, seeing Revil turn to leave.
"To the European front. Kycilia Zabi heard about what happened to Dozle Zabi and is starting to go crazy. If I don't go to the front, I won't be able to keep her in check."
"Alright, you're leaving the troublesome matters to me again."
"How about we switch places?"
"Ahem, take care on your way."
"Hmph."
...
In space, at Side 6 in the L4 region, the Republic of Reah. Char was dressed in a magnificent, bright red formal suit, the emblem of Zeon embroidered on his chest with gold thread. His usually messy hair was impeccably styled, and a small cape was fastened at his shoulders.
"Nervous?"
"No, excited."
"Enjoy it. You're going to be busy after this."
"Is everything in place?"
"I've brought over everything I could. You'll have to figure out the rest on your own."
"The numbers?"
"230 Zaku Warriors, 59 Zaku Phantoms, 2 Gwadan-class, 4 Gwaban-class, and 26 Musai Kai-class warships. You'll have to find the pilots and crew yourself."
"That many?"
"What? Not enough people?"
"It's just enough. Any more and I'd be short."
"Get ready. I'm leaving."
"Alright."
Yang Hui left Char's private office. Char was about to begin his speech for the restoration of the nation, and Yang Hui had to return to his troops to prepare. The L4 region was not far from Zeon's home territory of L3, and the A Baoa Qu Fortress was even closer. Zeon's retaliation would come swiftly. To ensure the successful restoration of the Zeon Republic, they had to intercept all invading enemies.
"What's the situation?" Returning to the Twelfth Independent Technical Division's station, Yang Hui immediately asked Natarle Badgiruel.
"The reconnaissance teams have been dispatched. No movement yet, but our agents report that Gihren Zabi already knows and is mobilizing a massive fleet."
"Another tough battle, huh."
"We're used to it."
"True."
Soon, the Luna and the newly received Kirin-class White Base... yes, it was named White Base. When Brad became the Kirin-class's captain, Yang Hui gave him the naming rights, and Brad decided to call it the White Base... integrated into Zeon's fleet formation. All MS units were launched, taking up positions at the forefront of the line.
"All units, this battle will be our toughest yet, and it's our first defensive operation. So keep your eyes peeled and don't get taken out by stray shots."
"Roger!" (xN)
"It's starting..."
Just as he finished giving the order, Char's speech began. Through special channels and prior arrangements, it was broadcast simultaneously on every mobile phone, television, and LED advertising screen in the world.
"...I am Casval Zym Deikun, the successor to the ideals of Zeon Zum Deikun... By a twist of fate, I have obtained the original Universal Century Charter. That's right, the original document that was supposedly lost 79 years ago, not the replica in front of the Federation Headquarters building. Everyone, please look... Unlike the replica, at the end of the Charter, there is an additional clause: 'In the future, should the emergence of a new human race adapted to space be confirmed, they must be given priority in participating in the government's operations'... That's right, the Newtype Theory proposed by my father, Zeon Zum Deikun, aligns perfectly with this article. And now, both the Federation and Zeon have confirmed the existence of New Humans..."
"Heh, as expected of a young master from the Deikun Family. He's got the style," Yang Hui remarked as he watched the speech.
"...Today, I reveal all of this to the public, not to subvert the Federation, nor to destroy Zeon, and certainly not out of a desire for war. Peace is the common wish of the majority, and I am no different. Therefore, I hereby declare that I, Casval Zym Deikun, will inherit my father's will and re-establish the Zeon Republic! ...O warriors of Zeon, the Zabi Family's dictatorship has brought war! Look at what they have done! What have they forced you to do? Dropping colony bombs on our mother Earth? Using poison gas to kill the inhabitants of an entire colony? Can you truly tolerate these atrocities!? ...If you still have your warrior spirit, if you still have your pride as soldiers, then stand up! Join us in overthrowing the Zabi family's tyranny! Let us return the nation of Zeon to the state we all desire!"
Beep beep.
"Natarle."
"Recon has spotted the enemy. A fleet is approaching from the direction of A Baoa Qu. The numbers are massive, estimated to be more than ten full fleets. Agents also report that fleets are massing in the direction of Solomon."
"Heh, Gihren Zabi must be going crazy with impatience. Send a message to Luna II and have Tianem send reinforcements. Order the 10th, 11th, and 12th fleets in the rear to join the defensive line."
"Understood."
Yang Hui wasn't truly that reckless. With their current forces, facing more than ten full fleets would result in a pyrrhic victory at best, even if they won. It was time to call for backup when needed. Every elite he had personally trained was precious, and losing even one would be heartbreaking.
"All units, raise your alert level. The enemy is coming."
"Roger!" (xN)
In the Republic of Reah, after finishing his speech, Char gave a few instructions to the others and immediately piloted his own mobile suit to the front line to rendezvous with the troops.
To be honest... he wasn't really good at politics. He would leave that to others later. The most important thing now was to defend the territory of the Zeon Republic. Otherwise, being annihilated right after its restoration... would be a restoration for nothing.
Moreover, as a warrior, Char preferred to participate in battle. So, ignoring everyone's objections, he piloted his mobile suit to the side of Gundam Astray Unit 1.
"A gentleman does not stand under a crumbling wall," Yang Hui teased.
"An ancient East Asian saying? I know one too. 'The Son of Heaven guards the nation's gates, the monarch dies for his country'," Char retorted without hesitation.
"Yo-ho? Not bad. Do you even know what it means?"
"Not really..."
"Then why the hell did you say it?"
"It felt appropriate, so I said it."
"...Get lost. You'd better be careful. I don't have time to look after you."
"Don't worry, I'll still be alive even after you're dead."
"The wicked live long."
"I was never a good person to begin with."
"Hmph. Let's end the idle chat here. They're coming."
"I've long been ready. I've waited more than a decade for this day."
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