"The Ghost Corps has successfully completed its mission and annihilated the Federal Army fleet, Lieutenant General Dozle."
"Mm, well done. I knew I wasn't wrong about you!" Dozle Zabi greeted Char with great enthusiasm. Back then, he had gone against all opposition, even getting cursed out by Gihren Zabi more than once, just to get the application for the establishment of the Ghost Corps approved.
Now, the Ghost Corps had achieved outstanding results. Its fame might not yet match that of the Twelfth Independent Technical Division, but it was subtly becoming Zeon's top Ace Unit. This brought him great honor, allowing Dozle Zabi to hold his head high in front of Gihren Zabi... for a little while.
"It is merely my duty."
"Mm, Zeon needs loyal and brave men like you. Take a look at this." As he spoke, Dozle Zabi handed a classified document to Char.
"This is!"
"Yes, that's right. Although there have been setbacks on the Earth battlefield, my dear sister has already restabilized the situation. It's time for us to launch a counterattack," Dozle Zabi said with a grave expression. His already fierce face and burly physique made him look exceptionally valiant.
"But Lieutenant General, the Federation already has its own MS units. With all due respect, relying solely on Doms and Tigers will make it difficult to effectively breach the Federation's defensive lines."
"Mm, I know. The Supreme Commander and my dear sister are also aware of this. Therefore... our main target is not Earth."
"Space... Luna II, is it?"
"Mm, that's right." After watching Char shred the classified document, Dozle Zabi turned on the projector. "Luna II, the Federation's last fortress in space, their final reliance. It's also the main base of that unit. As long as we can capture Luna II, space will be entirely in our hands, and we will be in an invincible position in this war."
"Capture... The Lieutenant General wants to occupy Luna II?"
"This is the Supreme Commander's intention. Solomon Fortress, A Baoa Qu, Axis, and then Luna II. We will achieve a complete blockade of Earth, trapping the Federation on the planet for good. And... Supreme Commander Gihren believes that Luna II must still hold a great deal of technical data that is very important to Zeon."
Char could tell that Dozle Zabi was resistant to the order to occupy. The price to be paid for occupying Luna II versus destroying it was completely different; the disparity could be described as heaven and earth.
Dozle Zabi was a soldier who cared for his subordinates. He would not trade their lives for achievements.
Unfortunately, under the pressure from his older brother and sister, he could only transform into a devil.
"...Since it is the Supreme Commander's order, I have no objections. Lieutenant General, what do you need us to do?" Char asked, standing up.
"Mm, very good. The Ghost Corps' mission is to take advantage of the moment Luna II's main fleet is drawn away by us, infiltrate Luna II, and carry out a suppression operation."
"Understood."
"Mm, you are dismissed."
"Yes, sir."
Char stood up and left, but after stepping out, he deliberately slowed the speed at which he closed the door. Peeking through the crack, he saw the one thing he least wanted to see: Dozle Zabi, holding a photo of his wife and daughter, weeping silently.
"If you can, I hope you'll spare that big gorilla." Those were words Yang Hui had once said to him. It was Yang Hui's first request of him, and so far, the only one.
"The last conscience of the Zabi Family... is it?"
Closing the door, Char walked toward his unit with a blank expression.
...
Ten days later, the Twelfth Independent Technical Division was fully prepared and ready to ascend to space along with the replenished Space Fleet.
"Mm, not bad." Looking at the two new squads standing before him, Yang Hui nodded in satisfaction. Aside from the few who were discharged at the very beginning, everyone else had completed all the training courses. Although they hadn't yet reached the standard for combat, they were vastly different from when they first arrived. The most obvious change was in the young masters from prominent families. When they first came, they were pale-faced, oily-haired, frail, and delicate, their expressions and eyes screaming "wimp."
Now, while not exactly tough, they at least had the bearing of soldiers. Their eyes were sharp, no longer lazy and unfocused.
As Yang Hui had expected, Athrun and Gai Murakumo had successfully become the captains of these two squads, not just through their abilities but also with everyone's approval. During training, Athrun and Gai had constantly helped the recruits who were on the verge of giving up, uniting the scattered newcomers and getting through ten days of hell together.
Yang Hui returned to the center and began to announce his orders: "On the Earth battlefield, we have already left behind too many legends. And now, we will return to space, return to our starting point. According to intelligence, Zeon is about to launch a large-scale offensive. Our mission is to return to space, break Zeon's blockade, and restore the connection between space and Earth. Gentlemen, are you willing to leave your mark in space?"
"Yes!" came the unified reply.
"Very good. According to the operational plan, we will ascend to space with the replenished 11th and 12th Fleets. It is highly likely we will be intercepted by Zeon along the way, so... be mentally prepared."
"Yes, sir!"
"Board the ship!"
"Yes, sir!"
A total of ten squads boarded in an orderly fashion as previously arranged. The Luna couldn't accommodate so many people, so it was the perfect time to head back to Luna II and receive the second Qilin-class warship.
"Nervous?" Yang Hui came to the bridge, sat down, and asked Brad beside him.
"Ner... nervous..." Brad was quite honest, not just with his words but with his body too. His entire body was pressed tightly against the seat, his hands gripping the armrests so hard it looked like he was trying to rip them off, and his face was covered in sweat.
"No need to be so nervous," Yang Hui comforted him. In truth, the Zeon Army he mentioned would intercept them was never going to appear. After leaving Dozle Zabi, Char had told Yang Hui all the intelligence he knew. Zeon's Earth Attack Force would indeed launch an assault on the Federation's defensive lines, but it was all a feint to create the illusion that Zeon was launching another large-scale offensive on Earth. Their real target was Luna II.
Yang Hui had also passed this intelligence to Revil and Gopp, so arrangements had long been made. The defensive lines in the North America Theater would firmly hold back Zeon's attack, preventing them from affecting this ascent.
As for enemies from space, there was even less to worry about. They had mostly been redeployed by Dozle Zabi for the attack on Luna II.
However... besides Revil and Gopp, only Yang Hui and Natarle Badgiruel knew this intelligence. Even the commanders of the two fleets were unaware. Revil had also ordered that after safely arriving in space, both fleets must obey Yang Hui's commands.
"Un... understood..."
"Heh heh."
With a small laugh, Yang Hui said no more. But what he didn't know was that Brad wasn't nervous about a Zeon interception at all. Having faced life and death together for so long, what danger hadn't he experienced?
What Brad was truly nervous about was what Natarle Badgiruel had told him: after taking over the second Qilin-class warship, he would become its captain. Furthermore, there would be times when the two warships would operate separately, making Brad not just a captain, but also a commander.
Although he had been mentally preparing and studying diligently, when this heavy responsibility truly fell upon his shoulders, it was still too much to bear. He found that he wasn't yet ready to carry the weight of others' lives.
"Rumble, rumble, rumble..."
As the Luna's vibrations grew more intense, their altitude increased, and the resistance grew stronger. The thin film of the atmosphere burned the hull red-hot, and coolant evaporated rapidly. It wasn't until the azure sky turned into the deep void of space, the booster rockets detached, the temperature began to drop, and their speed slowed that everyone was enveloped by zero gravity.
"See? I told you there was no need to be nervous," Yang Hui said, unbuckling himself and floating over to pat Brad's shoulder.
"Um... Colonel, I..."
"Hm? Why are you still stuttering?"
"Pfft~" Natarle Badgiruel, who was standing nearby, couldn't help but laugh, let alone the others on the bridge.
"He's not nervous about this, but about the future," Natarle Badgiruel explained with a smile.
"The future?" Yang Hui paused for a moment, then understood. "Oh, the new promotion, eh, Brad?"
"Err... um... that..."
"Haha, I can't help you with that. You'll have to figure it out yourself." Yang Hui chuckled. He really couldn't teach Brad how to handle the pressure of a new post. His own methods were very direct: Don't accept it? Come on, let's have a go.
When it came to a fight, Yang Hui feared no one; he was the cure for all kinds of insubordination.
This approach was clearly not suitable for Brad.
"Alright, Brad," Natarle Badgiruel said to him. "You are still my deputy captain. Do your job!"
"Yes, ma'am!" A jolt went through Brad's body, and his nervousness vanished in an instant as he entered his professional state.
Seeing this, everyone laughed. It would be strange if Brad wasn't nervous, but they all knew he had a strength: once he entered work mode, he would focus solely on his job, applying everything he had learned to fulfill his duties, and other factors could hardly distract him.
It was precisely for this reason that Natarle Badgiruel dared to let Brad become the captain of the second ship and shoulder such a great responsibility.
"Captain, a call from the Dunkerque and the Arizona, requesting further instructions."
Hearing this, Natarle Badgiruel looked at Yang Hui. Seeing him nod, she relayed the order to the CIC: "Reply to the Dunkerque and the Arizona. Invite Lieutenant Colonel Brest and Lieutenant Colonel Cassius to the Luna for a briefing on the combat mission."
"Understood."
"A briefing on a combat plan right after arriving in space!" Brad immediately guessed the truth. They weren't returning to Luna II right away but had a more important mission to carry out. Revil and Yang Hui must have planned something in advance.
"Notify all MS unit squad leaders to be present."
"Understood."
"Send a coded message to Luna II using Special Grade One encryption. Tell General Tianem that the hunter is in position and ready to begin at any time."
"Understood."
"Brad, you'll join us."
"Yes, ma'am!"