In the central conference room of the Luna, everyone sat upright and attentive. Even Commander Brest of the 11th Fleet and Commander Paul Cassias of the 12th Fleet looked at Yang Hui, not daring to speak, quietly waiting for what he would say next.
"Everyone, according to our intelligence, Zeon is about to launch a large-scale offensive against the Federation." As he spoke, Yang Hui opened the operational map. "On Earth, Kycilia Zabi will hold the fort in Odessa. The major war zones in Europe, East Asia, North America, and South Africa will all face a fierce offensive from Zeon. But... these are all feints. Zeon's true target is here."
Everyone was shocked as they watched Yang Hui mark Luna II on the projection. Brest and Paul Cassias, who were unaware of the cover operation, grew a little anxious.
"Major Yang Hui, we should head to Luna II immediately to provide support."
It was no wonder they were anxious. Luna II was the Federation's last fortress in space and their only chance for a counterattack. If Luna II fell, the Federation would completely lose its territory in space, along with its final opportunity to strike back.
"Calm down, Lieutenant Colonel Brest, Lieutenant Colonel Cassias. General Revil has already made arrangements. From our current position, we will proceed to point G53 in the L3 Lagrange point. It's an asteroid field, which will make it easy for us to lie in wait. Once the Zeon fleet begins its attack on Luna II, the 11th and 12th Space Fleets will enter the battlefield from the flank and attack Zeon's main fleet. The Luna will circle around to the rear of their main force, cut off the Zeon fleet's retreat, and cooperate with General Tiam to annihilate them in one fell swoop!"
"Yes, sir!" they replied in unison.
Brest and Paul Cassias were the first to leave. They had to return to their own fleets to relay the mission details. Jung and the others who remained were given special instructions.
"In this battle, we will have collaborators from within Zeon. Keep your eyes peeled and don't mistake them for enemies," Yang Hui instructed.
"Collaborators?" Everyone was stunned, not understanding what he meant. They didn't know the difference between the Principality of Zeon and the Zeon Republic, nor the complex relationship between the Zabi Family and the Deikun Family. All they knew was that Zeon was the enemy, and enemies were to be killed on sight.
"That's right. This battle will determine the future course of the war. If we win, the Federation will make a full comeback and enter the counter-offensive phase. If we lose, the Federation's future will be bleak, and we will be confined to Earth for a very long time, unable to move. To ensure victory in this battle, General Revil and General Gopp have reached a cooperation agreement with someone in Zeon. They will assist us in annihilating Zeon's main fleet once the battle begins. Any other questions?"
"Colonel," Jung raised his hand.
"Go ahead."
"Isn't cooperating with people from Zeon... too risky?" Jung asked worriedly.
"Since General Revil and General Gopp have agreed to work with this person, we don't need to worry about them going back on their word."
"Understood." Jung sat back down. He accepted Yang Hui's explanation. If it were a trap set by Zeon, could such an obvious ploy really deceive old foxes like Revil and Gopp?
"Any more questions?"
"Colonel." Ford Romfellow immediately raised his hand.
"Go ahead."
"How do we distinguish the collaborators from other Zeon forces?" This was a very important question. In a chaotic space battle, a massive MS free-for-all, it would be genuinely difficult to tell them apart if it was just a matter of tying on some kind of marker or painting an icon on the mobile suit.
Yang Hui nodded and displayed several photos. They were pictures of Zakus, but not entirely identical, along with a space warship they had never seen before.
"This is...!" they exclaimed.
"Memorize these photos. They are the collaborators."
"What if they attack us?" Russ Kessel asked.
"Beat them up!"
"Hehe, understood!" they replied in unison.
Yes, this was very Yang Hui. The same familiar style.
"Alright, meeting adjourned. Go and prepare. Pass the orders down, and remember, only tell your own subordinates."
"Yes, sir!" they replied.
After everyone had dispersed, Yang Hui looked at the photos on the projection with a smirk. Their plan was finally about to be fully implemented. He had been waiting for this moment for far too long.
...
Meanwhile, Char had already led the Ghost Corps away from Solomon Fortress. The mission Dozle Zabi had given them was top secret, so they would not be traveling with the main fleet.
However, this was for the best. It gave Char an opportunity. Since it was a secret mission, they could ignore communications from anyone. They also took this chance to switch out their equipment, and then...
"Are these our new mobile suits?"
"What the heck, they're still Zakus?"
"I actually prefer the Zaku's round head. I'm sick of looking at the Dom's cross-shaped head."
"I can't just let that slide. The Zaku's round head is too cute, it's not intimidating. The Dom's cross-shaped head is much fiercer."
"Are you looking down on the Zaku?"
"So what if I am?"
"I say... before you two start arguing, can you please look at the specs for the new mobile suits first?"
"Uh... let me see... Holy crap!"
More than one person was looking at the specs, but after reading them, they all cried out in unison, shocked by the new mobile suits' performance.
"Did His Highness... rob the national treasury?"
"The cost of one of these mobile suits is probably equal to a Musai-class Cruiser, right?"
"Where did His Highness get these mobile suits?"
"And this warship, the Gwazine-class is a little brother in front of it, okay?"
"The Gwadan-class... judging by the name and design... it should be an upgraded version of the Gwazine-class, right? Tsk tsk, such a huge hangar. It feels like a waste for just us."
"And it has interchangeable Armed Backpacks. This design... why does it seem so familiar?"
"The Federation's Ace Unit!"
"That's right, the Federation's Ace Unit. I think it's called... those guys from the Twelfth Independent Technical Division are like this. The mobile suit itself doesn't change much, but it can be equipped with all sorts of gear and backpacks to adapt to different battlefield environments. The currently known types are for space, air, land, and underwater combat."
"This..." No one present was a fool. With a little thought, they figured out the key point.
"Are you guys thinking... that His Highness might be..."
"Yes."
The one who answered was none other than Char himself. He had been standing nearby since they first started talking.
"Your Highness!" they exclaimed.
"I can tell you that the Zaku Warrior series and the Federation's Gundam Astray Series come from the hands of the same person, who is also the greatest supporter of our noble cause."
"Your Highness... you and the Federation..."
"To achieve our goal, the Federation's help is indispensable."
"But... the Federation will surely turn on us once they've gotten what they want."
"Correct. That's why my collaborator has prepared these for us, as well as that stone monument, and support from within the Federation."
"Support from within the Federation?"
"Yes. I can't tell you about it yet, but after this battle, you will have your answer."
"Understood," they replied.
"Alright, everyone get ready. This mission is extremely dangerous. Gentlemen, I hope to see all of you still standing when the ideals of Zeon are revived."
"Yes, sir!" they replied.
Having switched to new mobile suits, they naturally needed to familiarize themselves with them. They would stay in this deserted area for a while before quietly following the main fleet into the battlefield.
"Are you ready, Mr. Char?" On the bridge, Murrue asked Char. The entire bridge crew were Yang Hui's people, so Murrue wasn't afraid of leaking secrets.
"We're just waiting for them to get used to the mobile suits. How is the situation with Captain Rahl and the others?" Char asked.
"They have already arrived at Side 6 and made contact with the Republic of Reah. Negotiations are underway, but from the message Captain Ramba Ral sent, they are progressing very smoothly."
"That's good. I hope everything goes smoothly."
"Don't worry, Mr. Char." Seeing Char's rare display of nervousness, Murrue smiled calmly and reassured him, "Yang Hui's plans have never failed."
"...Is that so? I understand." Char was taken aback. After two seconds of silence, a thoughtful smile appeared on his lips.
Leaving the bridge, Char returned to his room. After removing his mask, his expression suddenly turned profound.
"Lieutenant Colonel, what's wrong?" Lalah Sune asked with concern.
"Lalah, have you ever wondered about something?" Char asked her.
"What is it?"
"Why are they so confident?"
"Confident?"
"That's right, confident." Char sat down in his chair, his mind racing. "Ever since I met him, he's been very confident, and it's a baffling kind of confidence. It's as if everything he imagines will come true, all his actions will succeed, and all his plans will be realized."
"Mr. Yang Hui is a meticulous and thorough person, so it's normal for him to be confident."
"Is it normal?" Char frowned, his mind filled with too many doubts. "What about Miss Ramius and the others? They are just as confident, just like Yang Hui. They don't seem to consider the consequences of failure at all. And they have unconditional trust in him, unconditional obedience. Miss Ramius is one thing, but what about the others? Can anyone really do that?"
"..." Lalah Sune remained silent. She hadn't thought about it as much as Char had, but she had a gut feeling that Murrue and the others were different from everyone else.
"...You've noticed their difference too?"
Char had been pondering a question: where exactly did people like Kira, Murrue, and Arnold Neumann come from?
Yang Hui had sent many people to help him in various aspects. But setting aside everything else, just looking at the bridge crew and the MS squad, it was obvious that Kira was different from Hardie Steiner and the others, and that Murrue and Arnold Neumann were different from the rest. Kira, Murrue, and Arnold Neumann were one type of person, while the others were another.
He had investigated their records, and they all seemed normal, but Char just felt that something was wrong. It felt... like these few people didn't fit in with the others. There was no evidence; it was just a feeling, an indescribable, inexplicable feeling.
"I don't think the Lieutenant Colonel needs to worry about these things," Lalah Sune said.
"Why?"
"They are our comrades now. Knowing that is enough, isn't it, Lieutenant Colonel?"
"...Alright." Hearing this, Char sighed and temporarily gave up on probing these questions. But only temporarily. "However... I'll have to ask that bastard properly after this is all over. Otherwise, this feeling of not knowing something you want to know is infuriating!"
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