Vol 4 Chapter 1 (1/2)

Chapter 1

Part 1

“…What did you just say?”

At that moment, Alberto felt the entire world around him distort, and could not help but ask back (You should have heard that clearly) A cold voice rang through the speaker of the headphone

(I don’t kno they got in contact with each other, but Banagher Links is definitely Cardeas’ son, the son he had with Anna Links after Ellen died)

Martha Vist Carbine’s steel-like face remained unher Links, that arrogant boy who boarded the RX-0 without understanding the significance and i the burden of the Laplace Box…that’s right It was that Links I definitely heard of this surname before, so why didn’t I think of this possibility? Is it because I didn’t want to adot an answer, and was speechless again because of this shock The sense of realism was lost from Martha on the monitor and the communication room console, and Alberto continued to feel that his body was distorted together with the world around him

Is this a plan that was thought out? Or was it all completely unreasonable coincidence? Either way, Cardeas Vist did not just hand the Box over to a rando by, but the fate of the family to the child of the wo wife—and also left aside the one person who originally had this right, the one who should inherit this

(Pull yourself together It doesn’t matter who the “Unicorn” pilot is The problem is that the machine is already in Neo Zeon’s hands That’s a failure on your part, Alberto)

The sharp voice reached his eardrurabbed the mic of the headphone and turned his stare of reliance towards Martha on the 15 inch monitor

“Bu-but, that was the best option in that situation Without the “Unicorn”, we can protect the Box I was thinking about letting the “Unicorn” get destroyed there…”

(Results justify everything I told you before that people will never judge the ht?)

It looked like it was a casual nudge forward, but in fact, it was a solid leash Alberto saw that Martha was physiologically wounding him with her usual tone, and all his momentum was killed off (I’ve already used up allLeader of the Vist Foundation continued on, while all Alberto could do was to listen quietly

(The Central Govern i over it Soon after, they’ll be taking action Just stay over there and see how things develop)

“Yes…”

(This is a path of no return You better amend the failure you made You can do it)

A path of no return This line was stuck in Alberto’s heart, causing him to look up, and at thisreflected on the monitor screen, used his barely numb hand to take down the headphone, and slumped heavily onto the hard chair

There was no one else in the second coe block The narrow and long room had a monitor and console for coht of the power indicator This facility was meant for unified co landing exercises and fleet operations, but the bridge’s coh for the Nahel Argama that would launch alone This was a place where there would not be much problems for a civilian, as coincidentally on board, to use as a public phone

The line here was isolated froe, so there was no worry of the conversation being tapped The ECOAS surveillance range had not extended here either as only the vague voices of the bridge broadcast could be heard in the roo hull at the expected ency response group are to…) andwhat they were about, it wasto repair the shi+p It had been aion to meet the resupply shi+p the Senate Council sent over, and they were in a situation where it could be said to be absolutely normal

It had been a day and a half since Neo Zeon attacked and the RX-0, the key to the Box, had been taken away It was unknohat Martha did, but the Senate Council that was hard to budge finally took action Their ae, but the order to retreat would never come if they took the resupply The shi+p was used to carry out a secret mission—and also a shi+p that housed the heir to the Zabi family, and it would have to continue its journey where the front could not be seen He had no privacy, could not shower as he wanted, and could not ist counsellor who he often talked to His days of being viewed as obstructive and butting heads with Daguza and the ECOAS would still have to continue “daroaned as he swept aside the headphone on the console

That would be fine The stench of the shi+p’s paint and the unique odor of ozone had completely stained his body, and he had to endure that too What was hard for him to endure was the fact that he was unable to sleep That ued body froust from the motor

A path of no return…ill I forget the feeling of squeezing that trigger? There was no other way That man was the one anted to break the 100-year worth of order after all That man left , so why did he— Alberto clenched his stiff hands

“Why…am I not the chosen one?”

He squeezed out the voice fro body felt the weak gravity behind it Alberto did not lift his face froe of emotions subsided

Part 2

The as covered with a softhad a surveillance camera installed There were no s, and the door had a peephole through the doorgrill The scene for a prisoner detention room was the same for either Federation or Zeon If there was a difference, it would be that the air-conditioning here would be quieter

A unlocked was heard Mineva Zabi sat on the harddoor

It’s not ht this way and got ready to get defensive, a familiar face appeared at the door Mineva did not knohat expression to make at this point as she kept her ht from the corridor as he too stared at Mineva with a tense expression

“Audrey Burne…no, I should be calling you Mineva Zabi, right?”

Riddhe turned his hand to close the door behind hilooer in them Mineva did not think that a pilot had a need to ree to this She realized that this was not an officialfists as hard as she could Riddhe casted an un stare on Mineva and said with a suppressed voice, “I often heard the Zabi fa”

“Gihren Zabi was your uncle, aer brother Garma died on Earth, Zeon carried out a state funeral on its land It was probably broadcasted throughout the world About how they should not let Garma’s death be put to waste, that only the citizens of Zeon ere inferior were the elites chosen by heaven, that speech where people kept chanting Sieg Zeon Sieg Zeon”

It had been the day before…no, it seemed that it o days before since the tiar secretly and chatted about s like how she looked like so reality as he used a stiff expression to restrain the anger and sorroas tasting at this point as he walked towards Mineva in his grey officer uniforht at Riddhe’s face

“Sieg Zeon, Sieg Zeon…thousands of spectators shouted just like that It was really a vexing scene I was just a brat back then, but I reoosebu the sa with indifference? Are they robots? Can’t they think for their own? Don’t they think about what they feel?”

Closing in at a distance where their fingertips could touch each other, Riddhe clenched his fists hard, “SAY SOMETHING!” the rude voice caused the air in the narrow detention roohtly

“Did Neo Zeon do that too? Making everyone shout Sieg Zeon or so that Say it here then”

That expression of his avering, unlike the words he said Riddhe took a short breath and looked away fro eyes, and yelled “SAY IT!” as he looked aside

“Say Sieg Zeon Let me know that you’re the princess of Zeon If not…”

The stuttering voice had a tinge of crying at the end, silentlythe air in the room What is this person here? Why does he look so hurt Mineva’s chest had this tight feeling as she had this doubt, and she looked up at this young man’s face Like me—this person hts into words He has soand anything became shallow before he could speak up

“…Never mind So be it”

After a long moment of silence, Riddhe ruffled his blond hair and stared at Mineva with a hesitant look “I heard that you’ve been keeping quiet about this How someone with the identity of Mineva Zabi could slip into a Federation shi+p like this…I think it’s not so a pilot like me can ask I’ll leave the rest to the experts”

He said this to affirm himself—no, for himself to hear as he turned back Mineva saw Riddhe back that felt like he was ” And lifted her chin

“A guy once offered his life for a girl called Audrey Burne…that guy kept calling your name until the end Not Mineva Zabi, Audrey”

Mineva’s heart puside her in the alleys of the colony appeared in her lanced at her silent face as he quietly walked towards the door This ht this way, but this was not enough to wipe away that inexplicable sense of guilt Thus, she spoke up, “You really don’t know anything at all”

Riddhe stopped his hand that was reaching for the door handle His face that showed shock and so Mineva to feel that he was an upright person She suppressed the rus under her chest as she continued, “Who are the experts you’re referring to?”

“The inquisitors or anyone related to the judicatory…”

“nobody from the judicatory will be involved in this The mission itself won’t be exposed, and news of my detainment won’t be reported”

It’s pointless to talkcan be redeeht, Mineva continued to move her mouth that had been stiff silent for the entire day Riddhe’s expression changed as he turned to Mineva and asked, “What do you mean?”

“Just like what I said Do you think this operation can be reported?”

“But this incidence and the detainment of Mineva Zabi…”

“If news of my detainment were exposed, Neo Zeon will have to take action Why is it that Full Frontal was not willing to admit that I’m Mineva Zabi?”

“That’s because he doesn’t want our side to fight using a hostage…”

Riddhe sed back the words he wanted to say next as he shut up “You’ll understand if you think about it carefully” Mineva said as she looked down at the floor

“The reason why I had not been captured for the past 4 years The reason why Neo Zeon could built up its arms…”

The passionate spacenoids’ tragic wish for independence, the sacrifice of countless na their lives for the sake of Neo Zeon’s revival—these were the reasons but ideals alone would not do anything Even anti-government movements would not be able to have power if the political environ that this is a planned thing? That the Federation and Neo Zeon set this up?” Riddhe asked, and Mineva took the doubt with a sha

“The incident at “Industrial 7” will probably still have so will disappear within 2 days This will becoivable phenomenon for those who lost their relatives or friends…but the spacenoids are already used to the unreasonable acts by the Federation The Federation had always allowed our existence silently, obviously to use us as a shi+eld for dissentment”

It was a sianizations would not hunt down triads seriously It was si the The Federation and Neo Zeon had been keeping this line, letting this gear of economy—the force called tension spin In this sense, it would be more appropriate to call the just a clever ploy “This is the case up till now” Mineva added these words and kept quiet “…Did the Laplace Box break the balance between both sides?” Riddhe mused as he showed an expression that an unknown circuit was connected inside him

“Yes But that is probably not all of it The Federation probably wanted to establish its relationshi+p with Neo Zeon if we consider the fact that a mobile suit like the “Unicorn” was developed It’s possible to think that because of this, the Vist Foundation moved the Box that had remained sealed up till now”

Cardeas once said that peace and stability were fragile In this era, where ideals turned to nothingness, where even the resistance ed’, it was a lot easier to slip into the loopholes of the ‘ aruely show his deep intentions to break the current state, was like that The sa out the reorganization plan to cut military forces and wipe out Neo Zeon entirely Cardeas probably wanted to introduce this catalyst, the Laplace Box, in order to turn this distorted world into so that could be seen by the naked eye The one, and people believed that they could ‘e’ war as well Their senses showed indifference…and they ignored the signs of a great crisis

Either way, it’s useless to think about this again Mineva looked at how she was being ihed slightly If it could be as what Riddhe said, if she could be handed over to a public judicatory for a fair trial, she would be able to explain her current situation to more people However, the chances of this would be bleak here Once news of her detainment were revealed, Neo Zeon and even the Zeon supporters hidden in the Federation governainst the conservatives for their own political agendas that would continue As both sides continued to plot, the weary clashes that would be brought about would not be what they wanted It would still beWill I be listed as an anony? Will I have to change ed’? Or will it be the worst situation where my disappearance will have to be for real…this isn’t impossible

Of course, it’s another thing altogether with the Box The Federation aret back the “Unicorn Gunda part in that battlefront too, I suppose In the end, this is just an extended internal battle over the Box, and political s down Even if the pilot of the “Unicorn” is alive, no one will care about whether he’s dead or alive—

“…It’s really hard to understand”

Mineva heard his hts as she lifted her face She saw the extre a tired look to the floor

“I always deemed myself as a pilot My job is to pilot a iven, and not to think about any other unnecessary things Even if there overnment still has the power to correct it…no, this is just a lie I just pretended not to look, not to think It has been the same ever since I remained at ‘‘family…”

It was a reasonable confession, but the terered in Mineva’s ears abnor” Riddhe continued as he looked back at Mineva’s eyes

“Since you already understand this, why did you still act on your own?”

This was a sincere question, and Mineva was soht stare as she answered with a wary and fearful look, “I too had a ‘‘family ever since I was born”

“It was a ‘‘family that bored the crier, and son of the revival of Zeon No matter what, I could not break away froain, I have a duty to stop it even if itup my life”

“Even if another danger will happen because of your disappearance?”

“I said it already, did I not? The fact that I’m not around will not be revealed To the people who treat politics as a way of life, I’m just a piece on a chessboard However, this is not what politics should be about”

As she talked with Riddhe, Mineva realized that the vague thing she felt was for into shape “What the person at the scene should carry out…responsibility and duty, is that it?” Riddhe ave a determined stare to a corner of the wall Mineva saw that he was looking for so about what the family Riddhe Marcenas was about If it were the naht about was be the Prime Minister of the violent Federation Government…

“Oi, Riddhe You should restrain yourself there”

The voice suddenly butted in, interrupting Mineva’s thoughts A guard with a helrill’s peephole

“It’s alet away easily if you’re caught”

Got it I’ll go out now”

Riddhe nodded slightly at hiain At this moment, Mineva noticed that the power indicator of the surveillance camera above Riddhe’s head was not lit

“I understand very well that you should be the one standing ast the crowd to speak up At the sa at all”

The stare that was much calmer than hohen Riddhe entered the roo ability “But you’re a person of Zeon” He wordlessly looked back at Mineva, who heard his stiff voice and clenched the fists on her knees tightly

“We were once close privately, but you’re still our eneive you like this”

It’s to be expected for someone who has such e would cause people to make mistakes or save them, and took the show of deterot Riddhe turned around, and this time, really held onto the door handle

“…I really hoped that we met somewhere else”

Mineva could not speak up, and she had no time to answer Riddhe quickly stepped out of the door and closed it to cover his back The sound of the electronic lock activating reverbed It remained in the one-person detention roo

Mineva sighed and leaned on the ith the mat She, who felt emotional, was so tired that she felt shocked There was no one who could learn anything or be saved through words She felt that she was the one who really did not know anything as she looked around the dim detention room

If he can survive, Banagher will probably be detained like this Mineva blankly thought of this in her mind, which became heavy as she closed her eyes She, who had never taken a single nap ever since she was detained, did not take much more time to fall into a deep sleep

Part 3

The sound of the electronic lock being opened rang, and what replaced it was the sound of knocking Banagher Links’ face left theof the shi+p as he stared at the people appearing at the door

As expected, Marida Cruz was standing there Her shi+rt co the white pants that showed the figure of her legs Her collar had the es, on it, and the eyes above that were glowing quickly scanned the rooth to resist, but her cat-like stare would not relax as she showed no openings The slender body that looked like it was in tightfitting clothes stepped into the room and put the food tray on the simple table

Including this ti the time he passed out, it had been two days since he was detained in this shi+p Banagher glanced at the food tray that had some randomly microwaved food, and stared at the side of Marida’s face as she wore the unifors in the cabin were the bed, the siure looked rather glamorous

He recovered in the infirmary, and was then treated, questioned and detained It was basically a repeat of his predica inside this shi+p was basically different What’s the na? What about the “Unicorn” that’s taken in as well? Even when he asked, he would not get an answer When he stubborn asked theing to the “Sleeves”—Neo Zeon It could not be helped, but Banagher was already enemies with them

I’ve already explained that he was not a Federation soldier, and also about how I ator, that I won’t have to worry about being treated cruelly, but I can’t relax here Any treat as I’ed and questioned, tied up to a chair or soetable—Banagher beat away these unstable thoughts as he continued to stare at Marida’s action At this moment, that face suddenly turned, and the sapphire blue eyes stared at Banagher without hesitation

Banagher unwittingly gasped as he did not have tirabbed on the chin froht in front Marida, and their faces were right in front of each other The deep blue eyes blinked as they stared at Banagher’s eyes The soft and gentle body odor reached Bangher’s nose, who thought So a female’s sweat is sweet in an inappropriate situation, only to be clumsily pushed backwards as he stuttered a few steps

Banagher landed on the bed with his backside and iht expression “Your eyes are still bloodshot Use this” and took out soher

It was a spray canister that was large enough to be held in the hand Obviously, it was an eye ointravity “The weakest organs under gravity in a huher stared back at her blankly

“It’s not weird for the eyeballs to pop out the way you were shaken at such speed Rest your eyes as much as you can”

Marida turned her back on Banagher without waiting for an answer The orange-tinge chestnut-colored hair that was tied in a knot—like what he saw at “Industrial 7” was gently released, and it seely mocked him as it swayed about like it was a kid “Looks like you don’t know anything at all” Banagher held onto the eye ointhtly and retorted back,

“Are these the feelings of a soldier, or a terrorist?”

Banagher took the strength of Marida’s lower body head on as he turned around It was an expression that showed that she could use violence, one full of killing intent As he did not succued his fate after that No, not just him; but also the fates of all the people in “Industrial 7”

He did not knohat Marida did in that battle, but she was definitely one of the people who caused “Industrial 7” to be in such a huge uard down easily Banagher used his treravity floor, and continued staring back at Marida, who answered back,

“You’re rather talkative after knowing that you won’t be killed”

The ounce of strength that was supporting Banagher was reduced to nothing once that unwavering voice stated his true thoughts He could not find anything else to retort back about as he looked away

“I feel that I a opinions There are ares just to be saved”

“That’s because…”

“The worst kind of people is those ill only criticize and not do anything on their own”

The forceful force caused the rebuttal Banagher was about to spew out from his mouth to dissipate He sed his saliva and could only stare at the sapphire blue eyes that reminded him of the deep sea

“You took action to help the Princess, so that’s why you’re being treated as such In other words, you’re already a part of it”

“This is…too one-sided The reason why I’m allowed to live is because you want to understand the “Unicorn” ht?”

“That’s one of the reasons too”

“What about Audrey? She’s been preventing the Laplace Box fro into Neo Zeon’s hands Which do you think is more important? The Box or Audrey?”

“It’s not our job to decide these things”