PLANT Supreme Council Hall
Siegel, Patrick, and other council members arrived one after another, taking their respective seats. Once everyone was seated, Patrick looked around and was the first to report the battle results.
"According to feedback from the forces attacking Victoria Spaceport, the entire facility has now been completely captured."
The good news brought smiles to the faces of the council members who didn't hold concurrent Defense Department positions. Such positive developments were truly uplifting.
Observing the pleased expressions around him, Patrick continued.
"However, based on Griffith's report, we can conclude that our current victory is only preliminary. To consolidate our gains, we need to reinforce Victoria Spaceport.
We must increase troop deployments at Victoria Spaceport to ensure we can withstand counterattacks from the Earth Alliance Forces."
At this point, Patrick paused and manipulated the touch screen before him. The corresponding reinforcement plan appeared on the central virtual display.
"This is the reinforcement plan drafted by our Defense Department!"
After speaking, Patrick waited for others to voice their opinions.
The council members present quickly scanned through the reinforcement plan.
Judicial Committee Chair Louise was the first to speak.
"I support the reinforcement plan proposed by the Defense Department."
Following her statement, other pro-war faction council members expressed their support.
Among the neutral faction, Administrative Committee member Ted raised his hand in support, while Administrative Committee Chair Orson also voted in favor.
After this round of hand voting, the council's decision became clear - the supporting votes had already exceeded two-thirds.
Siegel, who had originally supported the reinforcement plan, announced.
"Since that's the case, the proposal to reinforce Victoria Spaceport is approved. We will proceed with troop and logistical preparations according to the Defense Department's plan to reinforce Victoria Spaceport."
With Siegel's final decision, the discussion on this matter concluded. Seeing this, Patrick brought up the proposal for military expansion, explaining to everyone that expanding the military was urgently needed given the current situation.
After further discussion, the military expansion proposal passed in the council.
Subsequently, the Ouroboros Operation plan was proposed.
The moment this proposal emerged, the previous consensus disappeared. The council debate intensified dramatically, with the moderate and pro-war factions completely unable to reconcile their positions.
A heated war of words erupted in the council chamber.
"The plan proposed by your Defense Department is too radical and inhumane. If implemented, it would cause an energy crisis on Earth and potentially lead to deaths among innocent civilians.
This would only escalate the current conflict to an even more irreconcilable situation, which is detrimental to PLANT's future development."
Foreign Affairs Committee member Eileen looked firmly at Patrick, Ezalia and others as she voiced her opposition, strongly refuting the proposed operation.
Ezalia, hearing Eileen's rebuttal, repeated to her the words she had previously spoken to Yuri. After finishing, her voice grew exceptionally firm as she declared:
"Eileen, we are at war with the Earth Alliance. In war, we must make sacrifices. Sparing civilians on Earth will only lead to greater military losses and casualties for us in PLANT.
Mercy toward the enemy is cruelty toward ourselves!"
"Ezalia, spare me the lectures. I understand all that perfectly well. But have you considered that besides our enemies, Earth also has our allied nations and neutral countries?
These nations are not our enemies. Should we drag them into this conflict as well?"
Eileen lifted her head, meeting Ezalia's gaze directly. Her words were resolute, her tone sharp and clear as she countered. After this rebuttal, Eileen took a deep breath, calming her earlier agitation. Though her voice steadied, her stance remained unwavering.
"The deployment of Neutron Jammers in the Ouroboros Operation may suppress our enemies, but it also inadvertently increases the number of potential adversaries we face.
This will make PLANT a target for all. For the future of PLANT, I cannot support an operation that would expand the war indefinitely."
"Expand the war?"
Seeing Eileen's steadfast opposition, Ezalia let out a cold snort. Her tone shifted to one of sarcasm as she continued,
"When you show them mercy here, have you ever considered that they show us none? The ruins of Junius Ten, struck by nuclear missiles, still drift out there. If you can't see it, I can take you to witness it—to see what the Earth Alliance has done to us and what your mercy will earn us!"
At this point, Siegel, who had been quietly seated at the table observing their argument, spoke up to mediate as the quarrel momentarily subsided.
"Enough! Both of you, stop this bickering. You are Council members—this is no way to behave!"
After this, Siegel continued,
"Regarding the three main components of the Ouroboros Operation: the establishment of military bases, the suppression of the Earth Alliance's spaceports and Mass Driver Base to confine their forces to Earth—these two parts are approved.
The deployment of Neutron Jammers is temporarily suspended!"
Upon hearing this, Patrick and other hardliners turned their eyes to Siegel. After a few seconds of silent consideration, realizing they lacked the majority vote in the Council, they reluctantly acquiesced.
Meanwhile, the moderates led by Siegel did not oppose the Chairman's proposal to suspend the measure, but deep down, they harbored grave concerns.
They feared it would not be long before the suspended component would be approved.
...
While the Council debated the proposal,
On Earth,
At the ZAFT Forces' temporary command post near Victoria Spaceport by Lake Victoria in Africa.
"Captain Griffith, our reconnaissance team has sent back their report."
Andrew entered, addressing Felix.
Felix looked up at Andrew and asked,
"Captain Barthfeld, what's the news?"
"The Earth Alliance Forces have assembled troops in several cities 400 to 500 kilometers from Victoria Spaceport, with large numbers of combat aircraft landing at airports in these cities."
As Andrew spoke, his fingers manipulated the electronic holographic map, highlighting the corresponding cities with his movements. Watching these illuminated cities, Felix furrowed his brow, his expression revealing worry and helplessness.
"The Earth Alliance Forces act so quickly!"
He sighed with emotion, then continued with a furrowed brow.
"And their distance control is very precise too. They've calculated our current predicament and deployed their forces in these relatively safe positions, waiting for the right moment to strike against us."
"Indeed!"
Andrew nodded in agreement and continued.
"But this isn't entirely unexpected. After all, the Earth Alliance Forces aren't incompetent fools - they wouldn't deploy troops where we could easily reach them."