Chapter 68: SEED – Smooth Rendezvous
Nicol Amalfi was left dazed by Tolle Koenig's coaxing. After a moment of hesitation, he finally agreed, lowering his head as he spoke.
"Alright, I'll listen to you. But I want you to promise me—you must make this world a better place."
Tolle Koenig put on a weary expression and replied.
"Ah, Nicol, I wish I could promise you that!
But what I can promise is that this world will definitely be better than the one you saw in your memories.
After all, my own strength alone is limited. Only by gathering many powerful, like-minded people, working together as one, can we truly make this world better.
If it's just a few people, there's no way to change such a cruel world. In the end, we're still far too weak!"
Nicol Amalfi stayed silent for a while before nodding, agreeing with Tolle Koenig's point of view.
Soon, Blitz Gundam returned to the Laurasia-class battleship. Nicol Amalfi did not reveal that Tolle Koenig was an MS pilot.
In the warship hangar's lounge, Yzak Joule, his face wrapped in bandages, rushed at him in anger as soon as he saw him.
"Damn Earth Federation bastard! Let me kill you to vent my rage!"
Nicol Amalfi quickly stepped in to stop him.
"Calm down, Yzak. I know you're in pain. But he's just a civilian, recently forced into becoming a volunteer soldier on the Earth Alliance's Strike.
We can't vent our hatred on him. If we do, we'll be no better than those Blue Cosmos scum in the Earth Federation."
Tolle Koenig pretended to look timid and innocent as he spoke.
"Yeah, Nicol's right. The real culprits are Blue Cosmos—they're the ones behind everything.
And, uh, I even joined forces with the pilot of the Strike Gundam to help rescue Miss Lacus Clyne!"
Hearing "Strike Gundam" only made Yzak Joule angrier. The wounds on his face reopened, bleeding again, and he cried out in pain.
Dearka Elsman, helpless, supported him and guided him to the infirmary to rest.
Tolle Koenig glanced at Dearka Elsman, really wanting to kill him right there to keep him from stealing his girlfriend in the future.
But unfortunately, Dearka Elsman was an important double-crosser, and he might even be needed later to persuade Yzak Joule to surrender—so he had no choice but to let him live for now.
Then Nicol Amalfi casually explained to the Laurasia-class battleship's commander, painting Tolle Koenig as just a civilian from Heliopolis, who had been rescued and boarded the Archangel.
Later, because the ship lacked manpower, he was forced to become a volunteer soldier there.
But in the end, Nicol had taken advantage of the situation, tying him up as a hostage to escape.
The captain didn't take Tolle Koenig very seriously and simply confined him in a lounge near the hangar.
Meanwhile, Tolle Koenig had already had Nami assimilate this Laurasia-class battleship, which meant that the three Gundams on board—Duel, Buster, and Blitz—were now also in his pocket.
Laurasia-class Battleship
C-class Warship
Life: 7500
Energy: 800
Mobility: 75
Armor: 650
Terrain Adaptability: Sea–Land–Air–Space (B)
Fixed Weapons: Twin High-Energy Beam Cannons x2 (2100/30); Dual Electromagnetic Cannon (1800); Electromagnetic Cannons x2 (1600); Automated CIWS Vulcans x6 (550); Cannons x2 (1500/20); Multi-purpose Vertical Launch Systems x4 (1200)
With faint melancholy, he sighed to himself—once the next battle began, he'd have several more ZAFT warships under his control.
At this rate, it wouldn't be long before most of the ZAFT military would belong to him.
On the other side, the Archangel finally completed its rendezvous with the Earth Alliance's Atlantic Fleet Eighth Squadron.
On the Archangel's bridge, the helmsman asked,
"Captain, is it really alright for the Archangel to just stay docked beside the Menelaos like this?"
Murrue Ramius answered,
"Yes. Rear Admiral Halberton will surely want to see this ship himself. He'll be boarding shortly.
After all, Admiral Halberton has been the greatest supporter of this warship and the G Project.
When that happens, the civilians will also be transferred to the Menelaos, and from there, they'll return home by shuttle."
Murrue Ramius rose to head toward the hangar to greet Rear Admiral Halberton. Natarle Badgiruel followed, speaking up.
"Captain Ramius, about the Strike Gundam—what do you plan to do with it?"
Murrue Ramius asked in puzzlement, "What do you mean by that?"
"Captain, it's precisely because of that possibility—because he was piloting it—that we've been able to make it this far.
I think everyone on this ship understands that. Are you really planning to let him disembark?"
Murrue Ramius said nothing in response. At that moment, the elevator doors opened, and she floated out.
Natarle Badgiruel hurried after her, calling out loudly, "Captain…"
Murrue Ramius answered helplessly.
"I know what you want to say, Natarle. But Kira is not a soldier."
Natarle Badgiruel argued firmly.
"Even so, his abilities are exceptional. Are we really just going to let that slip away…?"
Murrue Ramius cut her off, speaking sternly.
"Even if he truly has that ability, we can't force him to join. Isn't that right?"
Her words left Natarle Badgiruel unable to refute. Natarle fell silent, and Murrue drifted off, leaving her standing there alone.
Meanwhile, in the Archangel's lounge, Sai Argyle, Miriallia Haw, and Kuzzey Buskirk were gathered together chatting. Kuzzey asked in confusion,
"Now that we've linked up with the Eighth Fleet…what's going to happen to us?"
Miriallia Haw, her eyes red, said tearfully,
"We should be sent back, right? Even though we're wearing these uniforms, we're still civilians! But…Tolle…"
Sai Argyle tried to comfort her.
"Miriallia, Tolle will be fine. Didn't we already return that ZAFT princess?
They won't mistreat Tolle. Who knows, maybe the next time we meet, he'll have been sent back to us."
Sai gave Kuzzey a wink, prompting him to say something as well. Kuzzey quickly caught on and added,
"Yeah, Miriallia, Tolle will be fine. It's a good thing we sent that princess back earlier, so he'll definitely be safe."
Hearing them, Miriallia Haw, though still red-eyed, looked visibly relieved.
"Thank you, Sai, Kuzzey. Yes…Tolle will be fine. I'll definitely wait for him to come back."
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