Felix examined Klaus before him, his expression stern and voice carrying a sharp edge.
"You do realize that if this condition of yours cannot be corrected, you'll most likely die on the battlefield, and it will also affect your fellow soldiers."
Having said this, Felix looked directly at him and asked, "Have you considered these consequences?"
Klaus pressed his lips together, fists clenched tightly at his sides, wrestling with complex emotions internally. Under this turmoil, he met Felix's gaze.
"Captain Griffith, please give me a chance!"
With these words, Klaus bowed deeply to Felix.
His eyes resting on the back of Klaus's bowed head, Felix tapped his fingers lightly on the desk without giving an immediate response.
Receiving no answer, Klaus remained in his bowed position.
Nearly a minute passed. Just as Klaus began to feel a flicker of despair, Felix spoke.
"Stay close to me on the battlefield!"
These brief words reached Klaus's ears.
Klaus abruptly raised his head, his eyes filled with astonishment and joy as he looked at Felix. Seeing this expression, Felix added, "Don't look at me like that!"
"My apologies, Captain Griffith," Klaus hurriedly apologized.
Felix waved a hand dismissively, his tone somewhat aloof. "I'm giving you this chance, but only once. If there's no change this time, you'll return to PLANT for good."
"Yes, Captain Griffith!"
Klaus saluted, his face showing clear delight as he made his promise to Felix. After speaking, he lowered his hand, requested dismissal, and left Felix's room.
Watching Klaus depart, Felix let out a deep sigh.
"Ah, I've gone soft."
Despite his words, the corner of his mouth lifted slightly.
"But it's not without its benefits. After this, he'll be immensely grateful to me in his heart—he'll become part of my strength."
At this thought, Felix considered the alternative outcome. His eyes lowered, and his voice grew slightly hoarse as he comforted himself.
"People die on the battlefield every moment. Whether he lives or dies ultimately depends on himself. There's only so much I can do to help him.
Only so much."
...
Two days later,
The once tranquil Lorentz Military Base was no longer peaceful.
The Griffith Team, Brian Team, Bell Team, Windsor Team, and James Team, tasked with the diversion operation, completed their final preparations at the base before launching into space, heading toward the Earth Alliance Forces' Ptolemaeus Lunar Base.
On the bridge of the Alighieri,
"Our mission this time is a diversion operation. The primary objective is to draw the forces of the Earth Alliance stationed at Ptolemaeus Lunar Base toward us.
When leading your teams in combat, do not lose sight of this goal."
Addressing Bell, Windsor, James, and Brian on the screen, Felix reminded the four of them.
Upon hearing the reminder, the four nodded to Felix.
After this, Windsor asked Felix.
"Captain Griffith, do you think the Earth Alliance Forces might deduce the intent behind our operation?"
"Possibly."
Felix gave Windsor a vague response.
Upon hearing this, Bell asked,
"Captain Griffith, what should we do if they figure it out?"
"What else can we do? We'll have to push through regardless. We can't abandon the base entirely to escort the transport fleet!"
After hearing Bell's question, James replied to him. Having said this, James shifted the topic and continued,
"Moreover, even if they deduce our intentions, I doubt they'd risk dividing their forces to intercept our transport fleet.
The reason is that while they might guess our plan, they can't confirm whether what they see represents our entire arrangement. To ensure the base's security, they'll likely opt for a cautious approach rather than an aggressive one.
After all, the safety of Ptolemaeus Lunar Base is more critical than losing a few Mobile Armors or warships. According to previous intelligence, part of the mobile fleet stationed at Ptolemaeus Lunar Base seems to have been redeployed, significantly weakening their mobile strength."
"That makes sense."
Bell agreed after listening.
Seeing their exchange conclude, Felix spoke up,
"That possibility exists, but it should only form part of our considerations, not dominate all our thinking. Don't let such potential scenarios numb your judgment and lead to unexpected outcomes."
"Please rest assured, Captain Griffith!"
The four of them looked at Felix and promised in unison.
After their assurances, Felix continued discussing potential scenarios with them.
Over half an hour later,
Having largely covered the reasoning behind various possibilities, Felix looked at the four and asked,
"What are your thoughts on the specific tactics for this decoy operation?"
"Captain Griffith, I think we could employ a tactic where part of our forces remains hidden while another part operates openly. Especially if the unit you lead, the Griffith Team, stays concealed without revealing itself, it would significantly increase the psychological pressure on the enemy.
If the Earth Alliance Forces don't see you appearing, they'll act more cautiously and avoid overly aggressive moves."
After Felix posed his question, Brian voiced his idea through the comms. Having spoken, he looked at Felix, awaiting his decision on the proposal.
After listening, Felix didn't respond immediately but instead turned to the other three.
Sensing Felix's gaze, Bell was the first to speak among them,
"I don't think this tactic is very reliable."
"Explain your reasoning!"
Seeing Bell's objection, Felix prompted him to elaborate.
Bell looked at Felix and explained methodically,
"Our forces for this decoy operation aren't particularly large. If we exclude the Griffith Team led by Captain Griffith, it would mean a significant reduction in combat personnel.
This decrease in numbers would substantially increase the difficulty of the decoy operation, likely preventing us from achieving the desired effect!
Therefore, to ensure effectiveness, I can't really support the idea Brian proposed."
As soon as Bell finished speaking, Windsor in the communication gestured toward Felix. Seeing his signal, Felix nodded to indicate he should speak.
With the approval, Windsor began, "Captain Griffith, I support Brian's idea. I think it's an excellent plan, primarily because your Griffith Team has built a formidable reputation in battles against the Earth Alliance Forces, especially you personally.
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The enemy is deeply wary of you. If they don't see you present, all their actions will become cautious, even hesitant.
In this situation, if you lead the team to hide, it won't increase the difficulty of the decoy operation but will actually reduce the pressure to some extent.
Moreover, once the transport fleet begins to withdraw, even if the enemy notices, you can lead the team to ambush them, catching them off guard and making them even more reluctant to act rashly."