Chapter 291: Aftermath of the Battle 3
Seeing the earnest look in Yulia's eyes, Nicol had no choice but to agree helplessly. "All right, I can. You two go rest first—once you're done, come switch with me."
Mina immediately pulled Tolle along and boarded her private jet.
Nicol was sent to the cockpit, where Yulia guided him through flying for a while.
Meanwhile, Mina took Tolle with her to experience what it felt like… in the sky.
After Mina had gone on for a while, Yulia returned to the cabin. She shut the cockpit door tightly, and together they began a smoke-free… session.
Early in the morning, once they returned to Orb, Tolle and Nicol disguised their appearances using nano-armor.
They also spotted the rescue plane that had just taken off brushing past them.
Not long after, Tolle received word from Mina that Cagalli's rescue team had found Athrun.
They had also recovered the wreckage of the Strike, Aegis, and Blitz Gundams—along with Blitz's right arm and its attack shield system.
Tolle simply handed Mina all data on the Aegis, Buster, Duel, and Blitz, telling Orb to try repairing the three Gundams. That way Orb would gain some additional combat strength.
With nothing else to do, Tolle watched the drama between Cagalli and Athrun unfold.
Just in case Cagalli lost her temper and killed Athrun—a man she barely knew—that would be a disaster.
Better to keep an eye on things, just in case.
"You're awake?" In the rescue plane's resting room, Cagalli saw Athrun regain consciousness. She immediately pointed a gun at the weakened Athrun as she slowly walked over, continuing sternly:
"This is the resting room on Orb's rescue aircraft. We found you collapsed on a beach by the sea, so we brought you on board."
"Orb?" Athrun stared at Cagalli in confusion, thinking for a moment before recognizing the tomboy. He sat up and asked, "What does your neutral nation Orb want with me? Or… are you actually with the Earth Alliance now?"
Cagalli knew Athrun still thought she was part of the Earth Alliance, but she didn't care about that.
She questioned him with a serious expression, "I have something to ask you. Were you the one who shot down the Strike Gundam and the Skygrasper fighter?"
Athrun's expression froze at the mention of the Strike. With a sad look, he answered, "Yes. It was me."
"And what about their pilots? Did they escape like you? Or…" Seeing Athrun's sorrowful expression, Cagalli felt a bad premonition, but she still pressed him, "We haven't been able to find any trace of them. Answer me."
"Ah… those two. I killed them—killed them both.
I had him tied up with the Aegis, and then I self-destructed. I don't think he could've escaped."
Cagalli grabbed Athrun by the collar in fury, pressing the gun to his chin. She was just about to kill him when—
"I had no choice. It was the only way I could defeat him." Athrun continued speaking in grief, tears of remorse falling from his eyes.
"You bastard!" Cagalli looked at Athrun's tear-streaked face. Her killing intent faded. She shoved him hard, throwing him back onto the bed. Her eyes were red, as if she was about to cry.
She let him live. Then she walked aside and pounded the wall in sorrow.
But Athrun continued on his own, "But… why did I survive? Because I managed to escape? Or because I'm meant to be killed by you?"
His words angered Cagalli again. She raised the gun, agitated. "Tolle, Kira… they always make people worry…
Tolle… he doesn't know anything, yet still insists on pushing himself.
And Kira's the same—always worrying us, such a crybaby, always throwing himself into danger.
But they're both kind. They're both good people."
Athrun didn't even register Tolle's name—his mind was entirely on Kira. He didn't know Tolle had been the one flying the Skygrasper; he only knew he'd shot it down.
"I knew it… he hasn't changed at all. He was always like that. That guy—always a crybaby, always clinging to others.
He's talented, sure, but he acts recklessly." As he spoke, Athrun grew sad again.
Cagalli looked at him curiously. "You know Kira?"
"Yeah. Not just know—we're close. We've been friends since we were little—very close friends…"
Watching the two of them, Tolle felt the danger had passed and shut off the monitor.
Still lying on the bed, he stroked Mina and Yulia's soft hair, then asked Mina, "Mina, how are preparations at the Ame-no-Mihashira going? Have the important personnel and supplies all been sent up?"
Leaning against him, Mina nodded. "Yes, everything's ready. And the Stargazer Project has already started."
Hearing that the Stargazer Project had begun, Tolle figured Selene must be part of it.
But then Mina revealed another bit of news. "The Akatsuki Gundam has also started secret construction. But it's still in development—it'll take at least a year or two before it's done.
Judging from the data Erica gave me, it should be about the same as in the memories you gave me."
Tolle hadn't expected the Akatsuki that had troubled him for so long to still be so far from completion. Maybe it really wouldn't be finished until the SEED Destiny storyline.
After all, if it had already been built, it wouldn't make sense not to use it during Orb's first defense battle.
If things went wrong and it got captured by the Earth Alliance, that would be disastrous.
So realistically, even if it weren't used, it should've been destroyed with the mass driver. No way Orb would keep it intact for two or three more years.
"Mm, there's no need to rush. If Orb didn't have so many enemies—and even more traitors—I'd already be giving them tech far beyond current Gundams."
Mina nodded in agreement. "Yeah, Orb is rotten to the core, full of holes. It really needs proper restructuring."
"Mm. Exactly."
Just then, Tolle remembered Ginn and the Astray Gold Frame—he hadn't even met him yet.
And worst of all, he hadn't implanted the neo DG cells in him, meaning he'd have a hard time tracking down the Library Guild later.
After all, before he transmigrated, he never finished reading all the SEED side-story manga, so he didn't even know where the Library Guild's base was.