"Yes!" Aric raised his hand in salute and responded.
Sitting back down in his seat, Aric kept his gaze forward as he issued orders.
"Connect this space battleship with the Athena and set course for the Mendel Satellite."
"Yes!"
Josh replied.
He then gave orders to Skyler.
"Turn left!"
"Yes!"
Skyler responded, his fingers moving across the control panel before him.
The attitude control thrusters on the Athena's front-left and rear-right fired simultaneously, initiating the turn.
During the maneuver, Josh made fine adjustments using the rudder.
Once the turn was complete, Josh pressed the backward movement pedal with his foot. The reverse thrusters equipped on the Athena activated, slowly pushing the spacecraft backward.
Athena Bridge
Felix, who had been resting with his eyes closed, was awakened by the sound of a communication alert.
Opening his eyes, he focused on the communicator and pressed the connect button.
As the call connected, Felix spoke in a calm tone.
"What is it?"
In response, Jonah's somewhat helpless voice came through the communicator.
"Captain, the long-haired prisoner we captured keeps insisting on seeing you."
Hearing that Canard was demanding to meet him, Felix checked the time and decided he had enough to spare, agreeing to the request.
"No problem!"
After his reply, Felix stood up and headed out of the bridge. Seeing Felix about to leave, Aric respectfully asked,
"Captain, where are you going?"
"To see the prisoner we captured!"
Turning back to look at Aric, Felix smiled and replied. With that, he turned and continued on his way out.
Taking the elevator down, Felix arrived at the interrogation room.
"Captain!"
As soon as Jonah saw Felix enter, he stood up and saluted. Felix gave a slight nod in acknowledgment.
He then turned his gaze to Canard, whose eyes were filled with ferocity and hatred, growling under his breath,
"Kira Yamato!"
"I've told you so many times, our captain is not Kira Yamato!"
Hearing Canard use the wrong name again, Jonah's eyes flashed with anger. He slammed his palm on the table and spoke in an irritated tone.
Canard remained unmoved by the outburst.
Seeing his indifference, Felix patted Jonah on the shoulder and gently reassured him.
"Don't get angry. It's not good for your health to get worked up over something like this."
With that, Felix glanced at Canard and continued to Jonah.
"Go take a break. Let me have a proper talk with him."
"Captain…"
"Don't worry." Felix cut Jonah off, then looked at Canard's helpless state and smiled. "In his condition, he can't harm me."
Hearing this, Jonah glanced at Canard, then saluted Felix and replied,
"Yes, Captain."
Lowering his arm, Jonah shot a glare at Canard, issuing a silent threat.
"If you dare harm the Captain, I'll make sure you suffer a fate worse than death."
Hearing the warning, Canard slightly raised his eyes, a trace of disdain flashing in his gaze. Seeing the contempt in Canard's expression, Jonah felt his anger surge instantly.
Just as he was about to act, Felix reached out and stopped Jonah.
"Leave us."
The three brief words echoed in the room.
Jonah suppressed his rising fury, glared viciously at Canard, then turned and walked out of the interrogation room.
Watching Jonah depart, Felix pulled out a chair and sat down, leaning back with a faintly mocking smile.
"What do you want from me?"
"Kira Yamato."
Canard uttered Kira's name again while staring at Felix. Hearing the name, Felix slightly furrowed his brow before composing himself and speaking calmly.
"As Jonah said, I am Felix Leo Griffith, not this so-called Kira Yamato."
Without waiting for Canard's rebuttal, Felix took a photo from his pocket. Standing up, he approached Canard and gently placed the picture on the table.
"The person in this photo is Kira Yamato!"
Felix reminded while glancing at Canard.
Hearing this, Canard restrained his emotions, reached out and picked up the photo. He studied the person in the picture, then looked up at Felix.
After a moment, Canard questioned with confusion in his eyes.
"Who are you?"
"Like you, I am part of the Perfect Coordinator Project."
Sitting back down, Felix declared his identity with composure and dignity. Canard was taken aback, his gaze scrutinizing Felix as he asked in a noticeably softened tone.
"You're also a Defective Product?"
Hearing this, Felix smiled faintly and nodded.
"Correct."
"Don't you hate Kira Yamato?"
Canard stared intently at Felix, posing the question in a calm voice.
In response to the query, Felix chuckled, leaned slightly forward with his chin propped on his hands, and replied with a smile.
"Why should I hate him?"
"Why shouldn't we hate him?" Canard retorted, then continued with bitterness burning in his eyes. "If not for him, how would we have been labeled as Defective Products? It's because of his existence that we became failures!"
Observing Canard's current state, Felix relaxed his hands, leaned back in his chair, and responded with liberated laughter.
"If not for him, none of us would have been born, isn't that right?"
The calm yet emancipated counter-question fell upon Canard's heart like spring rain. Through Canard's dazed expression, Felix could see him beginning to reflect.
Thus Felix maintained his gentle smile and continued in his carefree tone.
"You, me, and all the others - we're all experiencing this real world with our own eyes and ears. Why cling to meaningless obsessions?"
Canard snapped back to his senses and stubbornly retorted upon seeing Felix. Hearing this, Felix smiled, raising an eyebrow at Canard as he asked:
"May I ask where the difference lies?"
Caught off guard by the question, Canard blurted out instinctively, "The difference is..." But the words that escaped his lips trailed off after just a few syllables.
"Are you trying to say that Kira Yamato is the completed product, while you are the Defective Product?"
Seeing Canard unable to continue, Felix chuckled and countered. Upon hearing this, Canard looked up and stared at Felix, about to nod in agreement when Felix's voice sounded again.
"If that's what you believe, then why do you continue to live in this world?"Stunned for a moment, Canard then shouted in question, 'Does being a Defective Product mean I don't deserve to live?""
After his outburst, Canard's expression turned icy as he coldly stated, "Aren't you also his Defective Product!"
"My apologies, my name is Felix Leo Griffith, not Kira Yamato's Defective Product."
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