On a typical battlefield, commands are generally centralized and followed uniformly, even for militia units temporarily reorganized from police forces.
At most, genuine Red Coats and White-Coat Commanders are granted the discretion to assess situations on their own, allowing greater operational freedom in the field.
But that freedom does not extend to letting commanders roam recklessly with their troops.
Moreover, if command errors do occur, those responsible would still face the Military Court.
Fred's condition essentially amounted to being given a private force, little different from a personal guard.
Thinking this, Patrick immediately furrowed his brow.
However, before Patrick could voice his refusal, Fred quickly added:
"Of course, any actions will require approval from Chairman Clyne and Chairman Zala. I won't act independently."
"If both of you find my plans feasible, I hope to be granted the highest degree of trust."
Though Fred's two statements weren't enough to immediately dispel Patrick's concerns, they were reasonable and well-founded.
In truth, Fred had no intention of blindly following Patrick's orders into unnecessary risks.
He hadn't joined the Defense Committee for glory or to build an immortal legacy.
Unnecessary battles were to be avoided whenever possible.
Moreover, blindly following military commands was pointless—otherwise, ZAFT wouldn't have suffered defeats, and he wouldn't be able to leverage his greatest advantage: knowledge of the plot.
Thus, he needed maximum freedom to pursue his own goals.
Rescuing people in Copernicus and stealing data in Heliopolis were far more meaningful than engaging in direct combat on the front lines.
As for subordinates, it would have been ideal if Athrun and the others were available.
However, Athrun and his peers had only undergone basic training under him and were far from qualified soldiers at this stage.
Besides, with the tragedy of Julius not having occurred, he couldn't very well ask Patrick to enlist them—that would be pushing things too far.
For now, regarding Athrun and the others, he could only wait and see, perhaps discussing it with Lacus and making private arrangements at most.
As for fame and recognition, he wanted none of it.
Staying behind the scenes was far better.
He had already experienced the intensity of public adoration during his time in Copernicus.
Being surrounded by crowds, with street parades and celebrations, certainly brought immense prestige.
But the consequences were equally severe.
Stepping into the spotlight and accepting public admiration also meant becoming a target.
Assassination attempts against him would only increase.
Both the Atlantic Federation and PLANT—the "conjugate father and son" from Fred's previous life—were highly skilled in covert operations.
Fortunately, Patrick didn't seem to have such plans yet.
If Patrick truly intended to push him into the limelight, he'd have no choice but to seek help from his teacher, Reyna.
Even more fortunately, this world diverged slightly from his past life, at least preventing figures like Lacus of PLANT from descending into the same madness as the higher-ups of that former era.
But that only applied to the higher-ups.
Some people, once they get carried away in battle, still act the same way.
He had already witnessed this in his previous life.
Fred had no intention of being confined here either.
It was enough to let Lacus control the hearts of the people here and curb their ambitions. As for climbing to a high position here, that was out of the question.
Meanwhile, Patrick, standing before Fred, fell into deep thought upon hearing this.
However, this silence did not last long. Soon, Patrick made his own decision.
"I understand. On this point, I can agree to your request."
In his view, although it was independent action, it still required their approval and consent beforehand. This way, there was no need to worry about Fred acting recklessly.
Of course, the arrangements for personnel, battleships, and mobile suits still needed further discussion.
"Thank you!"
Upon hearing this, Fred stood up abruptly and gave a standard military salute, formally responding to Patrick's invitation.
"Hmm."
Patrick mirrored Fred's action, standing up and returning the salute.
"I'm glad to have you join us, Allster..."
He had intended to address Fred by his official title.
But he couldn't assign Fred a military rank, as they didn't even have a rank system yet. So, he simply withdrew his words and continued.
"As for the credit from this mission, we'll convert it into cash for you."
Fred didn't want anything else—money was the right reward.
Though strict, he considered himself a fair boss who rewarded merit.
Especially when it came to capable subordinates.
At this moment, Patrick had already begun treating Fred as half a confidant.
"Thank you."
A smile reappeared on Fred's face upon hearing this.
Money was always good.
It was also key to maintaining a high standard of living after his upcoming retirement.
"But, Uncle Patrick, do you plan to have Athrun return to February City?"
Driven by his attachment to his squad, Fred couldn't help but ask this question after the conversation ended.
"Hmm."
Patrick did not deny it.
In fact, it wasn't just Athrun—the same applied to the other children.
"Then... will he enlist?"
In response to Fred's question, Patrick fell silent again.
Though his face remained tense, Fred could sense a hint of inner conflict from the slight twitching of his wrinkles.
"Do you think he's suited for military service?"
Faced with Patrick's counter-question, Fred was momentarily taken aback.
"His physical abilities are highly suitable, but he seems uncertain in his heart."
"Indeed."
Patrick nodded in agreement, his emotions complex.
He had thought Fred was here to ask for Athrun to join his team.
This assumption wasn't unfounded.
Athrun's distinguished background, exceptional abilities, and admired status were all reasons Fred might choose him.
If roles were reversed, he would likely choose Athrun too.
However, he was also somewhat inclined to have Athrun enlist.
After all, if Athrun wanted to learn how to protect himself in turbulent times, attending a military academy was the best choice. Otherwise, his identity would remain too dangerous.
Of course, Athrun enlisting could also boost ZAFT's morale.
As fair Coordinators, they ought to set an example.
However, for Patrick Zala, Fred's command in only a few small-scale battles so far was not enough to make him feel at ease entrusting his son to him.
As for the character aspect, that hurdle had already been cleared. From the time they had known each other to Fred's straightforward honesty just now, it was enough to reassure him.
"With Lenore here, I wouldn't dare do anything to her precious son."
Patrick said with a hint of self-mockery.
"The same goes for you."
Fred nodded in agreement.
Although this realization also surprised him somewhat, in his view, Patrick genuinely cared for his son.
At least for now, that was the case.
However, the reason Patrick was conflicted was likely because he understood that Athrun and the others couldn't stay in the rear.
PLANT needed people to maintain it, and Athrun and his peers were exactly that kind of candidate.
They were born with so many privileges, so naturally, there would be corresponding dangers and costs.
Which of the people around Patrick hadn't grown up amidst chaos?
Therefore, no matter how much he looked after Athrun and the others, they still had to grow.
This wasn't just because of his own plans to have them grow and maintain peace or anything like that.
It was also for their own safety.
After all, given their positions, it was impossible for them not to be drawn into this conflict.
And by taking Creuset's place, he could at least look after them to some extent.
In his view, Patrick also understood this reasoning, but he hesitated because of the love in his heart.
Regardless, these were not things he could force at the moment.
Speaking too much about someone else's family matters would only make Patrick suspicious.
"Yes."
Just as Fred was thinking this, Patrick also sighed.
He was also unsettled.
Unable to think rationally.
But how many people can maintain absolute rationality in front of their loved ones?
"As for Athrun and the others, we will make our own preparations. You should focus on your work from now on. The development of the High Mobility GINN and subsequent iterations of Mobile Suits must not fall behind."
"I understand."
Upon hearing this, Fred showed neither surprise nor resentment at the polite refusal, simply nodding in acknowledgment.
"Then, I won't disturb you any further."
For now, they had temporarily driven back the Atlantic Federation, but that didn't mean Patrick could take a break.
Or rather, his war was only just beginning.
"Mm, go ahead."
Patrick waved his hand, bidding farewell.
Watching the door close behind Fred as he left, Patrick narrowed his eyes.
His adjusted and orderly mind quickly began to analyze.
It was a good thing that the other party leaned toward covert operations.
However, Patrick also felt puzzled. Who doesn't like to achieve merit and build a career? But it seemed Fred was an exception—he always preferred to stay hidden.
Doing so was indeed safer, but it didn't seem like the spirited young man he was.
Of course, it was precisely because of such caution that he thought even more highly of Fred as the Captain for covert operations.
But he still had many things to attend to now. He would discuss Fred's matter with Siegel later. As for now, he had to prepare for the upcoming negotiations and battles with the Atlantic Federation.
Thinking this, Patrick quickly gathered his thoughts.
Soon, the room was left with only Patrick's busy figure at the desk.
It was as if he had once again become that emotionless robot.
...
"Fred... will you go to the battlefield in the future?"
Not long after, on the shuttle back to Junius City, Alec couldn't help but ask the boy in front of him.
"Hmm, perhaps."
He didn't really want to go to the battlefield.
But that's just how things were.
"Though I won't be fighting on every battlefield."
The battles he would take part in would only be those that could influence the larger situation.
Otherwise, ordinary skirmishes would only add unnecessary risks.
Regarding this, the boy with knowledge of the plot had his own perspective.
In short, if he had to fight, it would only be in crucial battles. Other dangers weren't worth stepping into—the cost-benefit simply wasn't high enough. It would be better for him to train and study at home.
"Is that so?"
Hearing Fred's confident tone, Alec assumed Fred was referring to participating only in key secret missions or similar operations.
He let out a sigh of relief upon hearing this.
Still, he needed to keep getting stronger.
Fred's combat skills had already surpassed his by a significant margin—at the very least, he couldn't fall too far behind.
Besides, he wasn't without his own advantages when it came to piloting MS.
As Alec made up his mind, the two remained silent for the rest of the journey, soon arriving back inside Junius City.
However, Junius City now looked quite different from when Fred had first arrived.
The once neatly arranged experimental fields had been transformed into vast stretches of mass-production farmland, stretching as far as the eye could see.
This scene faintly matched the vague memory Fred had of the ruins of Sector Seven in Junius City.
Everything was changing, yet some things remained the same.
Watching the scenery flash by outside the window, Fred took a deep breath.
The cold air inside the vehicle filled his chest, bringing a sense of calm to his thoughts.
"The year 69 is almost here."
Fred murmured to himself.
Next year, their conflicts would undoubtedly increase.
He needed to keep growing stronger.
...
Soon, after mentally planning out his future once more, Fred returned to his home in Junius City.
Unsurprisingly, shortly after reuniting with his family, Flay told Fred about Lacus's invitation for her to live in April City.
"Brother, what do you think?"
Flay felt that if she were in her brother's shoes, she would probably agree.
After all, it was Lacus, and the two of them seemed to get along so well.
Heather chimed in at this point.
"I think it's a great idea. You becoming their live-in son-in-law would bring us some glory too."
"..."
Hearing Heather's teasing, Fred's lips twitched slightly.
His mother often joked about him and Lacus.
He wasn't sure if she was serious or just teasing.
But Fred kept these thoughts to himself, quickly regaining a serious expression as he continued.
"Actually, I was thinking the same thing."
"After all, this place isn't exactly safe either."
"What?"
Seeing that Fred didn't seem to mind at all, Flay blinked in surprise. Fred went on to explain.
"I was planning to leave anyway. Food production here has stabilized, and with the situation beginning to shift, I need to take action."
He had already fortified this place like an iron barrel, and Patrick was now aware of Blue Cosmos' designs on Junius City.
Now that he needed to start making arrangements for Copernicus, there was no reason to remain in Junius City any longer.
February City and April City would become his frequent destinations in the future.
Given that, staying here made even less sense.
After all, if he truly wanted to prevent a terrorist attack on Copernicus, it would be best to combine the strength of Clyne and Zala with his own plot-driven planning.
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