Gundam, driving a mass-produced machine will change the world

Eli has now arrived in North America.

It was summer in the Northern Hemisphere, and the scorching sun beat down on Eli's face. He even had to wear sunglasses as if he hated the sunlight, otherwise he really couldn't open his eyes to see the scenery outside the airplane window. Having spent so much time in the artificial ecosystem of the warship, he was somewhat disoriented by the changes in the natural environment. The world outside the window was almost blindingly bright, the air was slightly distorted by the high temperature, and the distant scenery seemed to be submerged in shimmering water.

Before him stretched an endless plain, the enviable plains of central North America. Though battered by hurricanes annually, these were easily overcome in the context of the Universal Century. The land was vast and flat, extending to the horizon where it met the azure sky. Occasionally, clusters of farms and scattered dwellings could be seen, roads crisscrossing like thin lines, and vehicles moving slowly like ants.

But this shouldn't have been his destination.

"Dear passengers, due to a public safety incident at the destination airport, this flight will be temporarily diverted to a nearby airport pending further notice. For safety reasons, if any passengers need to terminate their trip early, our staff will assist you with the necessary procedures."

As the plane circled overhead, the flight attendants' announcements continued, but Eli paid no attention to the subsequent compensation agreement. His gaze remained fixed on the land adjacent to the airport, clearly demarcated from it. Wheat was planted there, and it was harvest time. Agricultural machinery was at work, reaping the wheat and stacking it in neat rows. Combine harvesters moved slowly forward, the golden waves of wheat falling orderly under their mechanical action, forming rows of impenetrable heaps.

For a fleeting moment, Eli was surprised to find no mobile suits (MS) in the wheat field. But upon further reflection, he wondered how humanoid MS could possibly function in a wheat field. Were they supposed to bend down and harvest with massive scythes? MS were designed for combat; using them for precision agriculture was clearly impractical. Their weight would compact the soil, their large feet would destroy crops, and their arms lacked the dexterity for delicate harvesting. Agricultural machinery, while less advanced than MS, was far more suitable for this type of task.

"My mind is completely occupied with MS."

Eli muttered to himself as he got up and left the plane, heading towards the airport exit. The air inside the cabin was stuffy and humid, and the passengers' conversations were filled with confusion and a hint of unease. He walked down the aisle, and the flight attendants nodded politely to him; he responded slightly, without any further expression.

He took off his pilot's jacket, slung it over his shoulder with one hand, adjusted his sunglasses, and looked at the contrails on the horizon. The sun beat down directly, the ground radiating heat, and the air on the airport runway seemed to be burning. A contrail was streaking across his head, its shape distorted and deformed by the heat.

It was a Mediatek carrying a mobile force, and its destination was exactly where Eli was supposed to be. The so-called public safety incident was, to put it bluntly, a violent protest. But on the generally peaceful North American plains, these people, somehow acquiring rocket launchers and other heavy weaponry, actually clashed with the police on the scene. The scale of the conflict clearly exceeded the scope of an ordinary protest, but involving the military was ultimately excessive; obviously, this riot had deeper underlying causes.

As Eli thought this, he was already standing by the roadside in front of the airport. He didn't have to wait long; a black luxury sedan screeched to a halt in front of him, and judging from the steam rising from the hood, it had sped all the way here. The car's paint was as shiny as a mirror, reflecting the dazzling sunlight, and the windows were tinted, making it impossible to see inside from the outside.

The driver got out of the car and opened the door for Eli with a gesture that was beyond reproach. He was dressed in a black suit and white gloves, his movements fluid and professional. Eli nodded his thanks before bending down and getting into the car. The air conditioning was on, a stark contrast to the heat outside, and the leather seats emitted a faint fragrance.

"Thank you for your hard work. I didn't expect a riot to break out in that area."

Seated inside was a middle-aged blonde woman, dressed in a navy blue suit, exuding an air of elite competence. Her curly blonde hair was neatly combed back, revealing a smooth forehead and sharp blue eyes. Her expression was calm and composed, and she held a tablet computer in her hand, the screen displaying constantly updated data and information.

"No, that's not true. But who was that riot targeting?"

After Eli settled in, the driver gently closed the car door, and Eli took off his sunglasses and casually asked the woman in front of him a question.

"The Federation. Because of the disappearance of the Jupiteris, the Federal Congress has expanded the energy tax bill again, so some people with ulterior motives organized this march, seemingly to put pressure on the Congress."

The woman had made the situation very clear: the protests were organized and premeditated, driven by a group of capitalists. Eli, however, didn't quite understand one thing. The increased energy taxes directly impacted the profits of major corporations, especially those reliant on space resources. With Helium-3 already scarce, the Jupiter's disappearance right under Earth's nose forced the Federation to increase taxes to address the crisis, further exacerbating the conflict.

"Why did they choose an airport? And why did they even deploy the military to suppress it?"

Eli's question brought a smile of amusement to the woman's lips. Her smile held a hint of mockery and confidence, as if she had everything under control.

"Because the Speaker of the Federal Parliament, Ronan Mathernas, was supposed to land at that airport secretly, but someone leaked the information to disgruntled people."

"Ms. Martha, I didn't expect you to have an interest in using others to do your dirty work."

Eli smiled and bluntly pointed out what Martha Bister Kabain had been hiding. His gaze was fixed on her, clearly seeing through her true intentions.

Martha wasn't annoyed; she simply maintained that smile. Her finger swiped lightly across the tablet, bringing up more information.

"I never expected that the knife would end up cutting me. Those people were too hasty."

With MS's intervention, the outcome of the riot was already predictable; aside from slightly delaying flights, it had no substantial impact. The military's intervention quickly brought the situation under control, dispersing the rioters and arresting the main organizers. Ronan Mathernas's schedule was affected, but he was not directly threatened.

Martha is the granddaughter of Seyam Vist, the founder of the Vist Foundation, and Banagher's aunt. In the original story, she used the "Kabain" surname—the family name of the Anaheim Board of Directors—to align herself with Ronan, attempting to seize the Laplace's Box and thus control the Vist Foundation. However, the Vist Foundation has now lost the Laplace's Box, suffering a blow and shrinking its power, while Anaheim is now essentially under Eli's control. Therefore, Martha's partner has naturally shifted from Ronan to Eli. Her ambition hasn't diminished, but it has changed direction. She is no longer content with controlling the foundation but hopes to enter politics and gain greater power and influence.

However, her goal was no longer to seize the Bister Group, but rather to enter the political arena. By revealing Ronan's whereabouts and creating trouble for him, Martha's intention was likely to curry favor with Eli and demonstrate her loyalty afterward. She used this method to showcase her abilities and value, while simultaneously testing Eli's reaction and stance.

"Well then, without further ado. These are people who are dissatisfied with the current policies of the Federation. Most of them are conglomerates that are involved in large-scale space engineering projects, asteroid mining, space shipbuilding, and other industries that require space resources. In the past, under the Federation's system, these industries still had room for development. But recently, the market has almost shrunk to the point of disappearing."

Martha scrolled through the photos, mostly showing "young" faces in their forties and fifties. In a political career, becoming a federal congressman at this age is a symbol of ability. These people came from diverse backgrounds, representing different interest groups, but they all shared a common dissatisfaction with current federal policies.

The decline and disappearance of these markets related to space industry are naturally related to the wars currently taking place in the universe. In other words, Eli is one of the main culprits behind the market stagnation. The war has disrupted the already limited progress of space development, leading to resource shortages, decreased market demand, and a significant reduction in corporate profits.

"Their latest demand is to end the war as soon as possible and to redevelop the space industry. But energy constraints have almost blocked their demands."

Eli nodded slightly; this was an expected outcome. The entire Earth Sphere was practically waiting for that shipload of Helium-3, but it had vanished. Energy is the lifeblood of space exploration; without a stable energy supply, no development plan can be implemented.

“I am very confident that I can persuade these people and the forces behind them to stand on our side in the upcoming federal conference, as long as Eli makes a promise.”

Eli now understood that his encounter with Stephanie upon landing was a test orchestrated by the woman before him. Stephanie's appearance was no accident, but a carefully planned probe by Martha to ascertain Eli's attitude and stance.

"Go ahead."

"They want you to guarantee their private property after your victory, and to grant them freedom during any subsequent population migrations, without forcibly sending them into space. They also need preferential policies to ensure that the interests of the tycoons are not affected."

This promise seems to contradict Eli's ideas. What Eli should be doing is breaking the situation where "the privileged class can remain on Earth," but if this promise is granted, then a new privileged class will be created. The tycoons want to retain their existing privileges, continue to enjoy a superior life on Earth, and at the same time reap the profits from space exploration.

But Eli did not refuse. He knew that at this stage, he needed the support of these tycoons. Without their support, it would be difficult for him to obtain enough votes in the Federal Parliament to push for a shift in federal policy.

"Of course, 'private property' is an individual right, and even the Federal Parliament cannot confiscate it without a legitimate reason. At the same time, 'they' are certainly free to choose whether or not to remain on Earth. As for preferential policies, rest assured, economic development should be encouraged after victory, that's inevitable."

Eli readily complied, giving Martha a positive response. His tone was calm and firm, as if these promises were a given. However, he knew in his heart that these promises were only valid for the time being. After his victory, he would have more leverage to renegotiate these terms.

As for the subsequent acquisition of shares by unknown individuals and the relinquishment of residency rights to individuals, these details are unnecessary to clarify. The conglomerates aren't fools; the tug-of-war will inevitably be a lengthy process. The conglomerates are profit-driven. Since Eli will ultimately favor space exploration, naturally, conglomerates focused on space exploration will also anticipate Eli's victory. They will weigh the pros and cons and choose the position most advantageous to themselves.

Once victory is achieved, the immense profits from space exploration and the increasing cost of Earth's gradual "stripping away" of its living resources will naturally push these profit-driven capitalists to make the "right" choice. The so-called "free choice" will ultimately only yield one wise answer. The minor details of laws and policies can always be adjusted gradually.

"So, after winning over these people, how much support can we get in the Federal Parliament?"

"Nearly 30%"

That's very high. The Federal Parliament doesn't operate on a partisan system, meaning that each meeting could potentially create new camps. Including the tycoons and related corporations, 30% support means Eli can essentially dictate the direction of a meeting.

"Hmm. After the victory, Anaheim's businesses on Earth should prepare to relocate to space. I think you should be able to handle that?"

This seemed like a scare tactic by Anaheim, yet it brought a satisfied smile to Martha's face. While it appeared to be confiscating Anaheim's assets, it was actually Eli's promise that Martha would possess unimaginable wealth in the universe within the social system he would build in the future.

The transfer to Anaheim was not merely symbolic; it was a substantial exchange of interests. Through this, Martha gained Eli's support and paved the way for her future political career.

With the most important topics concluded, what followed were some minor details. Martha provided a detailed account of each senator's background and interests, which Eli carefully noted down, occasionally asking questions. Their conversation lasted quite a while, seemingly oblivious to the sweltering world outside.

Eli was clearly not very good at handling these kinds of situations. During a break in the conversation, he turned to look out the window, his mind still replaying the image of a mobile suit bending over to harvest wheat. That didn't seem likely; the suit's hands would crush the wheat. Mobile suits were designed for combat, and using them for agricultural work was obviously impractical. Their weight and size made them unsuitable for such delicate tasks.

MS cannot harvest wheat, but it can force others to harvest the Federal Council. Eli is attempting to seize control of the Federal Council and utterly destroy the legal system of the Titans. (End of Chapter)