"That guy..."
Watching the figure walk up beside Murrue and Natarle, wearing a pilot suit similar in function to theirs but vastly different in design, Tieria bit his lip, his eyes fixed deathly on that silhouette.
"So that's the pilot of the Raven..."
Allelujah watched Roz's figure, his hands instinctively tightening around the control sticks. For some reason, he felt an overwhelming sense of pressure that made his heart race; even his manic second personality, Hallelujah, didn't dare rear its head.
"Rather than 'Raven,' it's probably more accurate to say 'Unicorn,' considering that emblem on his chest is right there for all to see."
As the team's sniper, Lockon had clearly noticed more of the finer details. Compared to the burning Raven emblem worn by Murrue, Natarle, and the others, the Unicorn emblem surrounded by burning wings stood out like a beacon.
"Gundam..."
Setsuna's attention, however, remained fixed on the Penelope. The sight of the Penelope standing completely still upon the earth like a dormant monster left him slightly dazed.
"...The pilot is preparing to take off his helmet."
Seeing Roz on the screen with his hands already reaching for his helmet, Lockon spoke up to alert the others.
"I'm really curious... I wonder what kind of person is under that helmet."
Allelujah took a deep breath, trying his best to calm his nerves. There was no mistake; that powerful mental pressure originated from this pilot. Even sitting inside his own cockpit, he could feel the immense, unintentional pressure radiating from the man.
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Facing this group, Sumeragi decided it would be best to demonstrate goodwill first.
"…I am Sumeragi Lee Noriega, Tactical Forecaster for Celestial Being."
Sumeragi extended her hand toward Murrue.
"I imagine that as fellow operators of Gundam-type mobile suits, we might have some common ground to discuss."
"I am Murrue Ramius, Captain of the battleship Nahel Argama, belonging to the Raven Team of the Courtyard."
Murrue returned a crisp, practiced salute, maintaining her "soldier" persona perfectly before shaking Sumeragi's hand. "Since arriving here, we have been keeping a close eye on your activities."
"Natarle Badgiruel, Vice-Captain of the Nahel Argama."
Natarle also delivered a sharp salute before lowering her hand. "Aside from your pilots being a bit green, your tactics are quite commendable."
The response was within expectations—matching Veda's predictions—which allowed Sumeragi to breathe a slight sigh of relief. At least they weren't being led blindly by the nose without any intelligence.
The two women shook hands briefly and then stepped back, maintaining a professional distance.
"The Courtyard… sounds like a location, or perhaps an organization."
Wang Liu Mei noted Murrue's mention of the "Courtyard," her curiosity piqued. However, she understood that Murrue and her team weren't like the people she dealt with in the business world; she had no grounds for arrogance here.
"I am Wang Liu Mei, an associate of Celestial Being."
Wang Liu Mei offered a polite smile and shook Murrue's hand. "The resort island closest to here is my property."
"Now then… I suspect none of us wish to spend half the day on pleasantries. Why don't we get straight to the point?"
Seeing that the introductions were finished, Sumeragi decided to bypass the usual corporate double-speak. To Wang Liu Mei's surprise, Sumeragi gathered her courage and spoke bluntly.
There was no outburst of anger or mockery. To Sumeragi's surprise, Murrue simply nodded calmly.
"It seems you aren't fond of red tape either; coincidentally, neither are we," Murrue said to Sumeragi. "To be honest, we don't care what you, Celestial Being, plan to do with this world, or what role you intend to play in it."
"Our target is simply a group of criminals who have fled here. We find them, and we eliminate them. That is all."
"Criminals…"
Sumeragi froze for a moment at Murrue's words.
This answer was definitely not in Veda's predictions. Veda had assumed Roz's group simply had a grudge against the AEU, but now it appeared to be something else entirely.
"Then, what kind of 'criminals' require a level of combat power like yours to intervene?"
Sumeragi asked the question, and Wang Liu Mei leaned in, equally eager for the answer.
"As for that question… our Team Leader will explain."
Just as Murrue finished speaking, Roz, clad in his pilot suit, stepped up beside her. He raised his hands and reached for the helmet on his head.
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As the helmet was removed, Roz's features finally appeared in everyone's view.
Compared to Lockon or Setsuna, Roz's face and hairstyle were unremarkable. You could toss him into a crowd and wouldn't necessarily be able to pick him out again. Yet, beneath that plain appearance, everyone could sense an aura that could only be forged through countless battles—a pressure sufficient to cow any pilot with a weak will.
"I am the Captain of the Raven Team, Roz Links," Roz said, looking at the group before him and the Gundams standing behind them. His expression remained calm.
"When you extracted from the AEU base, there was a massive eruption of firepower from the woods. I believe you remember it quite clearly."
"Yes... indeed, the memory is vivid."
Sumeragi naturally remembered that overwhelming firepower quite well—it had nearly ruined Celestial Being's grand debut. It didn't take her long to connect the dots.
"Do you mean to say...?!"
"Exactly. The machine that unleashed that fire, along with its pilot, is one of our targets."
Roz preferred dealing with smart people; at least he didn't have to explain every detail from start to finish. They would fill in the blanks themselves.
"The only thing we know for certain is that their objective is Celestial Being's Gundams, and currently, their identities are deeply embedded within the AEU."
"Celestial Being's Gundams... how can that be?!"
Sumeragi's eyes widened. According to their timeline, the Gundams had only just made their first public appearance. They had been in a state of top-secret development until then. To be targeted before the debut made her instinctively worry that there was a traitor within the organization.
Sumeragi glanced at Wang Liu Mei, only to be met with a shake of the head.
"The Wang family's intelligence network spans the globe," Wang Liu Mei said. "I find it hard to believe anyone could bypass my eyes and ears to leak information about machines still in the secret development phase."
"However... 'one of'? Does that mean your targets aren't limited to a single person?" Wang Liu Mei had caught the key detail in Roz's phrasing.
"To be precise, the exact number is unknown."
Roz shook his head. He knew a squad from the Lord God had arrived, but he didn't know the specific head-count.
"Therefore, we are looking for an ally for cooperation." Roz extended an olive branch to Celestial Being. "Think about it. Every time you sortie, you'll be interfered with by these criminals who appear out of nowhere. In a worst-case scenario, your machines might even be shot down."
"Right now, working together and sharing intelligence is the best course of action."
Faced with Roz's proposal, Sumeragi fell into silence. On one hand, she was weighing the pros and cons of such a partnership; on the other, she was waiting for Veda's calculated conclusion.
Meanwhile, in their private communication channel, a heated argument had broken out, led by Tieria.
"Dammit... what a disgrace! To have our roster leaked by traitors!" Tieria's voice was thick with suppressed rage. "A list! They have a list! How can we unite the Earth when we're surrounded by vermin who betray their oaths? We need that list!"
"Tieria, calm down!" Lockon cut in, trying to soothe him. "We don't know the specifics yet. He only gave us a general overview. We won't know the rest until the cooperation starts."
"Cooperation is unnecessary! Celestial Being's Gundams can handle this alone!" Tieria remained staunchly opposed.
"That's enough, Tieria."
At that moment, everyone received an incoming message. Allelujah glanced at the mail and let out a sigh.
"The cooperation cannot be refused. This is a direct order from Veda."
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VEDA, as a powerful quantum computer, conducts all its actions to achieve the goals originally set for it.
The introduction of the "criminals" Roz mentioned brought along numerous variables. Consequently, many calculations produced a vast array of completely different answers, which was entirely unacceptable to VEDA.
Now, Roz proposed introducing himself—a variable capable of eliminating the "criminal" variables. For VEDA, this was a move with everything to gain and nothing to lose. Given the attitude Roz and his team held toward Celestial Being, VEDA could even design new tactics centered around them.
Thus, only one answer remained.
"VEDA has sent a reply."
Sumeragi pressed the earpiece on her right ear for a good while before finally receiving the relevant message.
"We can proceed with the cooperation."
She nodded toward Roz and extended her right hand.
"However, regarding this group of 'criminals,' VEDA requests that your side provide a detailed explanation."
"If you wish, we can head to the meeting room of the Nahel Argama right now; I can brief you immediately."
Hearing this happy conclusion, Roz let out a small sigh of relief. He reached out, politely shook Sumeragi's hand, and then withdrew.
Just moments ago, Shinn had already been seated in the Destiny Gundam, ready to sortie at any second to prevent the opposition from opening fire. Reaching a cooperative agreement now was an excellent outcome.
"In that case, nothing could be better."
Sumeragi understood the critical importance of intelligence. They knew nothing about the "criminals" Roz spoke of, but judging by the firepower that erupted in the woods back then, if there were a few more machines like that, the next time Celestial Being's Gundams went out, they might very well be destroyed.
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At Sumeragi's command, the Celestial Being pilots descended from their cockpits to the ground. A squad from the Nahel Argama's Marine Corps, which had remained on site, led the group toward the battleship's meeting room.
"At any rate, we've reached a cooperation with Celestial Being. With their intelligence channels, flushing out the Agents hidden in the AEU shouldn't be a problem."
Roz let out a sigh of relief and turned to Murrue and Natarle, who were still standing where they were. "How are you two doing? I told you not to push yourselves."
"Not great..."
As if suddenly losing her strength, Natarle leaned against Roz's shoulder. Her legs, which she had been forcing to stand straight and firm, wouldn't stop trembling. "It was too much earlier. My legs are a bit weak now."
"I'm doing okay... but I suspect I'll have to sit in the audience for the briefing and stay quiet."
While Murrue's legs were also a bit weak, it clearly wasn't as severe as Natarle's; at least she could still walk at a slow pace.
"...I understand."
Seeing the state the two were in, Roz could only sigh.
"I'd better get you both back to rest. I'll handle the briefing myself."
....................