"You didn't prepare anything?"
Fred asked curiously.
"I... I'm not going for now!"
At her brother's words, Flay's face flushed a little—so red it nearly matched her hair—and she seemed a bit bashful.
That only deepened Fred's confusion.
But Flay's next words made everything click for him.
"Kira's coming over, isn't he? I'll show him around PLANT."
"If you and Athrun are both busy, poor Kira would be all on his own!"
"..."
Watching Flay say this with her hands on her hips, looking utterly serious, Fred didn't reply—he only gazed at his little sister with a complicated expression.
"Why are you looking at me like that!"
Flay backed away a few steps, asking warily.
"No... then I'll leave it to you."
It was just that his sister's relationship with Kira seemed to be progressing rather quickly.
Could it really be the effect of those years of separation?
"Hmph~ Leave it to me."
Meeting Fred's gaze, Flay's face lit up with happiness again.
The rest of the journey wasn't far. Barely half a day later, Fred appeared inside the Jachin Due fortress.
"You did very well this time. ORB has been put in a passive position now."
"And those materials will benefit our future Mobile Suit development greatly."
Patrick, who was usually a man of few words, seemed almost talkative now.
"Yes."
"After the new Mobile Suits are developed, I think it will be time to launch operations against Blue Cosmos's facilities on Earth."
Fred said calmly, his voice as even as ever.
"Hmm. Can I leave the development work to you and Shiva?"
Patrick asked.
"Of course. Also, Albert Heinlein has grown considerably. I believe he's ready to head one of the departments."
"Very well, let's do that."
Heinlein was his man too, and genuinely talented. Putting him in charge of a department's development would also serve as training for him.
He hadn't expected Fred to hold Heinlein in such high regard either.
At that thought, his satisfaction grew.
"Then for the time being, have your team take a good rest."
"There will be plenty to keep us busy in the future."
"Yes, sir!"
The future...
Looking at the great doors as they closed once more, Fred's slightly relaxed expression turned serious again.
Developing the Freedom would only be the beginning of everything.
[MS Control (Beginner): 86.78/100]
Though this skill, having started so late, had yet to advance to Mastery—
his current ability was already enough to stand on his own. His next plan was, first, to go to the Black Sea and expose that Enhanced Person base, and then the Library.
Before their system was fully completed.
Of course, there were still a few things to do before that.
Gazing out the window at the scenery formed by the stacked space colonies, a faint smile appeared on Fred's face.
...
Soon, news of the cooperation between ORB and the Atlantic Federation spread throughout the entire Earth Sphere.
The Atlantic Federation denied it.
But beneath the overwhelming reports and ironclad evidence, those denials sounded more like a cover-up.
As for ORB, under the surging will of its residents, the Lion resigned to take responsibility.
Although the internal anger had been temporarily quelled, this explanation was clearly not enough for ZAFT.
As news of discrimination against Coordinators within ORB continued to spread, public opinion, which had only just settled down after the Lion's resignation, boiled over once again.
"Someone is manipulating public opinion behind our backs!"
In ORB's supreme council chamber, the heads of the five great families all wore grim expressions.
"Recently, quite a few of our emigrants have begun leaving for other neutral nations, and with public sentiment fermenting, we've been placed on the list of countries unwelcome to Coordinators. If this continues, it will fundamentally conflict with our ideals."
"Not to mention PLANT has been making things difficult for us lately—we've even been placed on an embargo list. I'd say before long, those Neutron Jammers will come falling from the sky."
Kiyo's voice was deep and heavy, every word cutting to the heart.
It made everyone's expressions grow even darker.
If the Neutron Jammers fell, how could they possibly stop them?
Their space forces were limited, and mostly consisted of Mistrals. Facing ZAFT's main forces would only mean needless casualties.
"We don't rely on nuclear power anyway! Let them fall if they fall!"
Another family head retorted, forcing himself to hold firm.
"Of course we don't rely on nuclear power, but this is about their attitude!"
"And with PLANT's export embargo, what are we supposed to develop weapons with?"
PLANT's MS production required specific alloy materials.
Even though they possessed PS Armor and the like, many materials still needed to be imported.
It wasn't as if they could really dig everything up from beneath the seabed.
"What about PLANT? Is there any willingness to communicate?"
Athha listened, his expression growing even graver, and asked Kiyo, who was in charge of diplomacy.
"None whatsoever."
"Keep communicating. In external propaganda, continue to reiterate our principles."
"Focus the direction of the reports on the fallen soldiers."
None of these were ways to turn the situation around, but at this point, turning things around was already impossible.
"Yes, sir!"
The family heads acknowledged and dispersed.
As for Athrun, watching the tightly closed doors, a shadow of gloom crossed his expression.
Who exactly had leaked the information?
It was supposed to be confidential.
Now, not only had the Atlantic Federation's technical officer been abducted, but even that Ultimate Coordinator had vanished without a trace.
Coincidence?
No, how could it be?
With so many people in the entire space colony, of all people, it was the Ultimate Coordinator who disappeared.
How could that possibly be a coincidence?
But the only ones who could access intelligence of that level would be those close to him.
So who could it be?
Racked by these troubling thoughts, Athha rubbed his temples hard.
...
Meanwhile, in PLANT, at April City.
Unaware that Athha had made a misjudgment because of his plot armor, Fred, who was enjoying a rare day off, bypassed the increasingly surging crowds at the main entrance and arrived at the backstage area of Lacus's concert.
"Welcome back~"
Lacus, who had been waiting for the boy in the room, stood up.
She was dressed in a performance gown—a pure white dress layered in folds, looking utterly elegant.
She wore white lace gloves, and a small crown nestled among the pink tips of her hair.
Under the lights, it reflected a dazzling, brilliant luster.
Fred nodded, suppressing the flutter in his heart.
"This is a gift."
"Thank you."
"Why didn't Flay come this time?"
"She's been traveling with a friend lately," Fred said.
Actually, the two of them—perhaps because they hadn't seen each other in so long—had been having the time of their lives.
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