~~~~~~Meanwhile~~~~~~
Back in PLANTs, the entire council was up in arms! The attack on the 8th Space Fleet was a significant move, as it would bring ZAFT closer to victory.
But it all went to hell… why? Because there was a team of red coats literally made up of the children of high-ranking people.
Athrun Zala, the son of the recently elected Supreme Council Chairman Patrick Zala, and the other three, who are part of the council!
So, the moment the news came out that none of the Le Creuset team made it back from the fight and that they became POWs.
All hell got loose!
"Patrick! I demand that you get Yzak back!" A silver-haired woman, like a lioness, charged into Patrick's office. Even his bodyguards looked meekly around her.
"Ezalia, we are working on it. Athrun got taken as well." Patrick massaged his forehead. He had already been barked at by another two people, just a few moments ago!
"Hmph! You'd better! I won't let this stand!" With flair, she turned around and left his office with the same ferocious energy.
'Women…'
The man sighed. He was annoyed by the brutal loss; they lost close to twenty GINNs and all the stolen units.
Thankfully, they scanned those units and made enough spare parts to make more of them until they develop better units.
'The question is, what are you going to do, Marcus Anaheim?'
Patrick Zala already did his research. There was a massive coup in the Atlantic Federation. In a single swoop, this man took over the entire Earth Alliance.
He wasn't fighting Blue Cosmos anymore, but Anaheim Enterprise.
'One thing it doesn't change is that all Natural have to die.'
An insane fury appeared on his face for a second as he summoned a schematic on his table. It was a massive Solar-like array.
It was Project GENESIS.
'For what you did, Naturals, I shall cook you alive and burst Earth's atmosphere like a bubble.'
A cruel smirk appeared on his face.
'But first to save that useless son of mine.'
The smirk disappeared and was replaced by a frown.
~~~
Marcus returned with a portion of the fleet to the Moon, where he will build up his forces.
It feels… strange… to be part of the war where his armies can get destroyed for a simple reason that they are not that advanced.
The new Boss of Earth Alliance was always someone who advanced his technology before advancing his conquests.
But that's because he always prepares first before moving forward. Earth Alliance and Blue Cosmos, in general, were idiotic to assume that manpower is enough to win a war.
It's not the 20th century anymore; they have huge robots walking around.
And sure enough, Blue Cosmos got the memo. Marcus already accessed the data available for him.
They already have plans for even bigger mechs. These plans are in the drawing phase, but the disguised Emperor deleted all of these and instead ordered the manufacturing of more warships, Strike Daggers, the mass production unit and the GAT Dagger 01A1.
Strike Dagger is the cannon fodder, and Dagger 01A1 is the CGUE equivalent—basically, a stronger version of the Strike Dagger.
"But sir… the OS is not complete." One of the generals complained to Marcus.
"It is. Anaheim has completed it for you." Marcus replied as he placed his elbows on the table and then his chin on the back of his hands.
"Oh…"
"Indeed, the OS is getting installed as we speak, and the first batches should be arriving at the frontlines.
The question is, at the moment, if Patrick has made a move."
"...Patrick… you mean the Council Chairman?" One of the old generals looked confused.
"Indeed, we are playing a game, and it's called war." Marcus pulled out a chessboard and began placing pieces on it.
"I made a move. He tried to take over the Northern Hemisphere." The disguised Emperor moved a white pawn piece forward.
"I pushed them back, and even took hostage his son, and other council members' children." The boss swirled a black horse piece between his fingers.
"Now the question is… what is he going to do? Ask for their return, or get even angrier and will try to attack us even harder?"
'I even moved here, leaving a token of forces in the northern Hemisphere as bait.'
"Then we need Strike Dagger if he is going to attack us."
"Indeed. That is why I want you all to be on your toes. I want you to focus on watching their movement and then tell me what they are doing. At the same time, I want bit by bit to release Strike Dagger at the frontlines on Earth.
We need to regain Africa and Australia, not to mention Gibraltar, which is an embarrassment to Earth Alliance."
With that said, he looked at the world map. The Red Forces are known as ZAFT, and they control a considerable amount of territory on Earth.
That's how incompetence looks.
"Yes, sir!"
~~~
"It would seem, Patrick wants Athrun back, and Yzak and Daerka… and of course whatever is left of Nicol Amalfi." Marcus looked at the message he just got.
"Is that so? And what could they possibly offer?" Lacus, who was cuddling in her husband's hands, asked him. She was like a cat, and that's perfect in Marcus's opinion, as his Nemeas The Second is not here.
His cheetah, well, his first cheetah passed away of old age a while back, but before that, he got a mate and produced some cubs for him.
Thus, he has Nemeas The Second. Which is at home, but for replacement, he has his gorgeous, perfect wife.
"Precisely, I was curious as well. ZAFT's mode of operating changed after the election.
They got radical. So, they slaughtered most of the POWs. Yet, I pulled the ground from under their feet by capturing council member children."
"...I still don't understand why their kids are on frontlines like that." Lacus frowned as her Imperial Brain didn't understand it.
She was not a Coordinator, didn't grow up in a PLANT, so she doesn't understand.
"Don't ask me, darling. I am not a Coordinator. Julia joined the army at 20 after a bunch of training.
Not that Kallen easily allowed any of that." Marcus shook his head as he recalled that type.
Funny enough, the Princess was already an adult, and Kallen was a freedom fighter and a terrorist even at a younger age.
So it… hypocrisy of humanity at its finest.
"Yes. I understand adults, but these boys are just children, even Athrun, my little Lacus Fiancee, only holds her hand, they didn't even have a proper date before." The pinkette shook her head. This whole nonsense of a sixteen-year-old going to war is horrible.
"Well, that tells you how fucked up this reality is."
"...I don't like this reality." Lacus frowned. She compared the Empire to this place…
The difference is like black and white, heaven and earth. This place feels primitive, like civilisation has regressed.
People…are not civilised.
Lacus is psychic; she can sense what people think. Nearly half of the soldiers in this place want to slaughter, pillage and blow up things.
It's horrible for her, who senses emotions and people's thoughts. That is why the girl feels at peace when she is with her husband. It's like a protective barrier.
"Don't worry, we won't be here for long." Marcus hugged her tighter as he whispered into her ear.
"Hmm~~~ Good to hear. You know~~~ after seeing little Lacus~~ I do believe I want a cute child of my own~~~" The pinkette whispered into his ear, her tone was quite hot.
The disguised Emperor turned stiff for a second. It might not sound bad and all that, but he knows the consequences.
Once he starts here, hell, he was already in deep shit with the twins he got out of nowhere.
"...Fufufu, that expression, imagine what Leila, Anna and Kallen would think? You return with three children, two of them are basically adults." Lacus giggled for a bit. The pinkette was teasing him quite a bit.
"Yeah, about that… thankfully, I am building a huge mothership, and I am planning to live at the frontier of my empire."
"And you think that would save you~~~?" She teased him even more as she slightly changed her position and faced him. She basically strangled him on his lap, and there was a huge smirk on her lips.
"Ahem…"
At that moment, a cough came from the doors. Lacus rolled her eyes as she knew who it was.
"Cagalli~ what can we do for you?" The Pinkette slightly turned around and looked at the princess with dull eyes. She was annoyed by such an interruption.
"...You know this is an office and not private quarters." The Princess complained with crossed arms as she leaned back on one of her legs.
"I know, and I am giving a report to my superior~ what is your point?" Lacus smirked as she looked at her husband.
"...Right…what kind of report could it be?" The girl strolled into the office.
"The one that the wife gives to her husband." With that said, the pinkette leaned forward and kissed Marcus for a second before turning back into her previous position of cuddling.
"..."
Cagalli shook her head as she got into a comfortable couch and looked at her father.
"I came here to report that we have some intel from ZAFT activities.
They are holding some of their position while abandoning their advances in Europe and Eastern Asia.
Some of the intelligence is saying that they are focusing on building up their force, as there was some movement in Victoria Mass Drive."
"Victoria Mass Drive? They are pulling their forces back?" Marcus frowned as he looked at the map.
He pressed a button on his table.
"Yes, sir?"
"Pay attention to what is happening in Victoria. I want some long-range observations."
"Understood. I shall contact one of the fleets."
"Make sure you stay far away. We don't want them to get spooked."
"It will be done."
After finishing the conversation, Marcus had a pondering look.
"Do you think they are thinking of something big?" Cagalli asked; she was a bit curious.
"Of course. People of PLANTs elected Patrick Zala on the promise that he would win and crush the Earth Alliance.
That means Panama and Alaska need to be destroyed in some fashion or conquered." The disguised Emperor said to his daughter.
"But we will do our move beforehand, right?" She said with a small grin.
"Indeed. How is the rebuild going with Gundams?"
"Great! Our mechanics are finishing with the limbs. They have already replaced Blitz's cockpit, and the machine is ready for a pilot."
Princess explained as Marcus got thoughtful. He got an idea for his machine.
"...You know I got an idea."
"What kind of idea?" The girl was curious.
"You finally decided which machine you want to pilot. Don't tell me you are going to bring your Sovereign of Skies to this backwards reality?" Lacus, who could pick up his thoughts, asked curiously.
"Perish that thought, darling, it's not fair for the people of this world to see my Gundam."
Cagalli's eyes sparkled as she listened to Marcus speak about his machine.
"No, what I am thinking is to pilot Duel, I think it would be fantastic if I stay in shape with that machine. I could continue to practise my kendo."
"...You want to give that machine a physical sword?" Lacus realised what he meant by that.
"Indeed, the infrastructure should handle the refining process for a weapon that I want." He smiled at his wife.
"...Can one even work? I mean, the new machines ZAFT will use most likely will have phase shift armour." Cagalli was confused.
"That's irrelevant in front of Absolute Orderly Flow of Sequences."
"...What is that?"
"Your dad's eyes, nothing can hide from those eyes. Giving him a knife, and he will cut rifles into pieces." The pinkette bragged about her husband.
"...Wait… can I do that too!?" The Princess perked up. Is that the power she inherited from her father!?
"Who knows~ you need to awaken your eyes first." Lacus winked at the girl.
~~~
500 powers stones = 1 Extra Chapter
1000 Power Stones = 2 Extra Chapters
And so on, You know what to do.
~~~
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