The Nahel Argama continued its steady voyage across the ocean's surface. Given that Mafty wouldn't be ready to receive Char's Nightingale in the immediate future, the massive machine had been temporarily moved back into the hangar.
Since the Ra Cailum was sailing in close formation, Murrue decided against activating the Nahel Argama's Mirage Colloid system.
Doing so would only risk separating from their "ally," as the Ra Cailum lacked such stealth technology.
Even if they vanished from radar, the Federation would easily spot the unnatural wake and displacement of a battleship-sized void moving across the Pacific.
Meanwhile, back aboard the Ra Cailum, Bright stood by the windows of the bridge, staring at the silhouette of the Nahel Argama as if lost in deep contemplation.
"...Captain."
Noticing Bright's lingering silence, his adjutant finally spoke up. "If that man Roz truly isn't Amuro, as he claims... then what does that mean for us?"
"...Regardless of whether he is the real Amuro or not, I intend to proceed with our original plan." Bright shook his head slowly. "After all, there is no turning back for us now."
"And perhaps," he added softly, "this is a good thing."
Since returning to his own ship, Bright had begun a period of intense self-reflection.
When exactly did I lose the courage I had back when I first joined the AEUG?
Faced with his wife Mirai, his growing children, and everyone he knew, his previous response to the Federation's creeping corruption had been a desire to "maintain stability."
Had he become weak in his attempt to protect them?
But Roz was right. His generation had failed to leave behind a healthy system for their descendants.
They had left the youth of the Federation to bleed and survive within a rotting root system, a fate perhaps darker than even the years of open war.
He didn't want Hathaway or Cheimin to sink into this environment.
While he still had the strength to fight, he wanted to try one last time to change the world for them—and for all the young people of this era.
"The older we get, the more we prefer to stay in our comfort zones, gradually losing the courage to face the unknown. Given the current situation, perhaps jumping out of this decaying comfort zone is the optimal solution."
Bright shifted his gaze from the Nahel Argama toward the horizon, where the sea met the twilight sky.
"Moreover... I don't want to see the Federation's dark future, nor do I want to see the blood of these young people squandered for nothing."
"I am only wondering," the adjutant admitted with concern, "if all of this is based on a performance between Char and Roz, then what does my action mean? Our strength compared to the Federation is vastly disproportionate. If the veterans who joined us start to feel a rift because of this... the probability of our failure is high."
Facing his adjutant's concerns, Bright simply shook his head.
"Even if that Roz is not Amuro, the emotions and thoughts of wanting to change the Federation are real. That is also what we desire right now, is it not?"
"Even if we fail, our actions will leave behind a spark for the residents of the Federation, letting them know that all of this can be changed."
Bright looked at his adjutant and nodded. "After speaking with that Roz, I realized that what the Federation needs is not a gardener's shears to prune the branches, but a fire—a fire that burns everything to the ground so that a new system can be born from the ashes."
"...I understand."
Hearing Bright's words, the adjutant took a deep breath. "I have no further questions. Please continue to lead us."
"Mm... Next, we should deliver Char's machine to Mafty. Once all handovers are complete, we will return to space to rendezvous with the Ra Cailum and the Nahel Argama."
Bright thought for a moment before finalizing the plan.
"After all, leaving the Ra Cailum and the Nahel Argama alone in space wouldn't guarantee a path to orbit for the Nahel Argama under a Federation siege. Furthermore, those fellows returning to the Londo Bell unit need a location to assemble..."
Just as Bright was calculating their next moves, the alert tone of the communication console rang out.
Beep, beep, beep...
The operator quickly checked the message displayed on the console. Upon seeing the contents, their eyes widened involuntarily.
"Captain, a communication from the Nahel Argama! They have discovered a Federation unmanned reconnaissance drone!"
-----------------------------------
Onboard the Nahel Argama, in the corridor where Roz and Char once ate together, Char was using a communicator to speak with Hathaway.
"What is your current status?"
Char leaned against the wall, looking at the projection on the other side showing a view of the sea at dusk.
"The Valiant has arrived in the Indian Ocean and is approaching the base."
Hathaway looked at Char on the communication screen, his expression somewhat complex.
Whether it was the actions and speeches of this "Damien" before him, or the way he was so well-acquainted with "Amuro," it all felt exactly like the Char from his memories.
It was a pity that when he had encountered Char in the past, he hadn't been a Newtype yet; otherwise, he could have verified Damien's identity via brainwaves. Such an awkward interpersonal relationship left Hathaway feeling a bit at a loss.
"...In any case, everything is normal on our end."
"...Actually, Hathaway, you can interact with me just as you did before when I was acting as Damien."
Char thought for a moment and said, "I am currently aboard Amuro's—no, he should be called Roz now—I am sailing across the Pacific on his battleship. We will rendezvous at the base."
"Understood. I will arrange the docking and transfer operations on this end."
Recalling Char's lost-and-found "Zorin Soul"—no, it should be called the "Nightingale" now—the massive size of that machine gave Hathaway a bit of a headache.
Perhaps a cargo ship with even greater tonnage should be modified?
It would be ideal if there were space battleships capable of housing the Nightingale.
"Additionally, the Ra Cailum is currently sailing alongside us..."
Char watched Hathaway, who was frowning in deep thought. "Hathaway, you need to be prepared to face Bright."
"...I guessed this day would come eventually."
Hearing Char's words, Hathaway couldn't help but sigh. "But I didn't expect it to happen so soon."
"Right... I have some news on my end as well."
As if remembering something, Hathaway pulled himself together, his expression turning serious. "According to our intelligence... the commander of the Circe Unit, Kenneth Sleg, has not returned to his post. However, the Circe Unit has begun exploring the Pacific region. This frantic operational style is completely unlike Kenneth."
"I suspect that Kenneth has been placed under house arrest... and that power has been seized from him within the Circe Unit."
"Seizing power, is it... that's a joke that isn't very funny."
Faced with the information provided by Hathaway, Char couldn't help but frown.
Just as Char was about to say more, Murrue Ramius's voice came over the intercom.
"We have detected enemy unmanned reconnaissance drones and signals of MS deployment. All hands, battle stations. Level 1 battle stations. I repeat, all hands to battle stations."
"...Troubled times indeed," Char lamented. After a quick word to Hathaway, he ran toward the Hangar.
Although he wasn't heading out to fight at this moment, it was best to board his machine just in case.
-----------------------------------
Not long ago, at the Circe Unit base in the Australian region, inside the command room.
Soldiers who had just finished their meals quickly rotated with those on duty.
Because the Vulture Unit, which had seized command from Kenneth Sleg, required the Circe Unit to conduct continuous 24-hour searches of the Pacific, a two-shift system had been implemented.
A soldier operating a drone glanced back at a member of the Vulture Unit standing not far behind him, staring intently at the information on the large screen. The soldier then reached out again to grasp the joystick responsible for controlling the drone.
However, due to the limitations of the radar range and the need to use fiber optics to maintain signal stability—which restricted the drone's flight distance—they had searched for nearly twelve hours with absolutely nothing to show for it.
As dusk began to settle over the sky, although the members of the Vulture Unit said nothing, everyone could feel the heavy sense of pressure radiating from them.
"Seriously... why did the higher-ups suddenly air-drop people in to take over command?"
Amidst the white noise of various instruments, the drone pilot maneuvered the craft in his field of vision while grumbling to his companion beside him. "At least Colonel Kenneth Sleg followed procedure, but these guys just came in and snatched command away..."
"Yeah... I wonder how Colonel Kenneth Sleg is doing now," the soldier in charge of radar scanning beside the drone pilot added.
While the soldiers in Davao were complaining about the Vulture Unit's arrogance, at the Circe Unit base on the American West Coast, Kenneth Sleg sat at a table in an interrogation room.
Under the glare of intense spotlights, he could just barely make out the figure of a Vulture Unit member in front of him.
"Speak. What is your relationship with the commander of the 13th Independent Fleet, Bright Noa, who has already defected?"
The Vulture Unit member flipped through the report in his hand and gave a cold laugh. "The records here show that you dined with him twice at the Naval Guest House!"
"He is simply my former captain. Those two occasions were nothing more than a chance encounter with an old superior on the Moon, and another time when his relatives were visiting, so I treated them to a meal."
Facing the question posed by the brawny man, Kenneth Sleg frowned slightly.
"Bright Noa's son, Hathaway Noa—according to the records, you helped him quite a lot in Davao, didn't you?"
The man slammed his hand onto the table. "But he wasn't in Manado at all! Where on earth did he go?!"
For some reason, hearing that Hathaway was not in Manado made Kenneth Sleg feel a strange sense of confusion, yet he also felt a quiet, imperceptible sense of relief.
"How should I know where he went?!"
Kenneth Sleg retorted, "Wait... are you planning to move against Hathaway?!"
"You have no need to know our operational plans. Answer the question, Colonel Kenneth Sleg!"
Even though Kenneth Sleg had guessed what this Vulture Unit was likely up to, the brawny man's expression did not change at all.
"You guys are nothing but a carbon copy of the Titans!"
Recalling Char Aznable's speech at the New York venue, Kenneth Sleg felt that perhaps Char really was right.
"Thanks for the compliment!"
As if growing impatient, the man waved his hand toward the one-way mirror on the side.
"If you don't want to suffer physically, then hurry up and tell me where Hathaway went. Don't tell me you have no way of tracking him down!"
Watching two more Vulture Unit members walk into the interrogation room, Kenneth Sleg felt the muscles in his face twitch.
But no matter how much these people asked, he truly did not know where Hathaway had gone; the only thing he knew for certain was that Hathaway had headed for Manado.
"How could I possibly know... Ugh!"
Seemingly because Kenneth Sleg's answer failed to satisfy them, the three men acted like lunatics. A heavy, clenched fist slammed into Kenneth Sleg, knocking him straight off the interrogation chair and onto the floor.
Following this, the three men surrounded Kenneth Sleg and began to kick him repeatedly with force. Kenneth Sleg was like a soccer ball, battered by one heavy strike after another. In such agony, he felt as though he were about to vomit up his own stomach acid.
Returning to the Federation military base in Australia, a large unmanned drone trailing a fiber-optic cable was currently flying at high altitude.
Due to the presence of Minovsky particles, wireless signals were significantly weakened.
To allow the drone to transmit clear and accurate imagery, the R&D department had created a machine that automatically retracted and extended fiber-optic cables.
The deployed fiber optics acted like a kite string, connecting to the large reconnaissance drone to ensure high-speed image transmission and signal stability.
Unfortunately, because the device's structure was overly complex and maintenance costs were high, only a few bases were equipped with the units compatible with these reconnaissance drones.
Soon, the drone pilot seemed to have discovered something and subconsciously zoomed in on the image.
On the screen, a battleship was sailing across a sea dyed in the colors of dusk, with the Ra Cailum floating in the sky not far away.
"Report! We have located the Ra Cailum and an unknown battleship!"
"Heh... Excellent."
The member of the Vulture Unit licked his lips and began issuing orders. "Circe Unit 1st and 2nd Companies, and Vulture Unit 1st Company—scramble for engagement."
Suddenly, the Vulture Unit member seemed to think of something.
Due to the 24-hour standby order, Lane Aime had to sleep inside the Penelope, even when resting.
Clearly, no matter how confident the Vulture Unit was in their own combat skills, who would turn down the power of a Federation-exclusive fifth-generation machine like the Penelope?
"...Wake up that Penelope pilot on standby! He's sortieing too!"
-----------------------------------
Meanwhile, in the hangar of the Nahel Argama.
In response to the Level 1 combat readiness notification issued by Murrue Ramius, Roz Links quickly changed into his pilot suit and headed toward the area where his mobile suit was stationed.
Just as Roz was about to step onto the catwalk leading to the Nu Gundam's cockpit, he seemed to sense something and paused.
Soon, Roz waved his hand toward the Nu Gundam, turned around, and walked toward the Penelope, which had been sitting in the hangar for a long time without seeing action.
"Oh? Have you finally remembered me this time?"
Watching Roz settle into the cockpit, AllMind spoke with a tone that carried a hint of resentment, yet the joy within it was still audible.
"After all, I suddenly feel that having you on the field this time is the best choice."
As Roz spoke, he reached out and tapped the touchscreen in front of him twice, and the Penelope began its self-check. "AllMind, I promised you once—it's your turn to take the stage."
Looking at the Beam Magnum being equipped to the Penelope's hand, along with the various missiles he most preferred to use, Roz flexed his fingers and gripped the Penelope's control sticks.
"Then we shall have to put on a good performance."
AllMind habitually embraced Roz from behind. "We can't let my junior look down on us."
For some reason, Roz felt that the Machine Spirits who had achieved resonance with him all enjoyed embracing him with this specific gesture; perhaps it was a habit passed down from the Machine Spirit of the Unicorn Gundam?
"Bridge, this is Roz Links..."
Roz took a deep breath and spoke into the communication channel.
"Penelope, requesting launch."
.....................