Gundam: A Gundam Enthusiast's Journey with a Mecha Girl

"Another option?"

Raven asked, already having a vague answer in his mind.

"Hmph, I've seen that mass production plan too. It's basically an iron coffin. Not only have the basic performance of the machine been significantly downgraded, but it also lacks a backpack swapping function, and even the EMP protection was cut to save money. That thing has no advantages other than being cheap; it's simply unbearable to look at!"

Halbarton sighed and vented his complaints about the higher-ups.

"Forget about that. Let the idiots at headquarters do whatever they want. All I need to do now is manage the fleets on the moon."

Halbarton changed the subject and asked.

"I heard that Orb has also started mass-producing its own mobile suits. Dr. Ray, in your opinion, what is the level of mobile suits in Orb?"

Raven sat up a bit straighter; this was his area of ​​expertise.

"Coincidentally, I personally drove the M1 Heretic of the Orb Army a few days ago."

Raven recalled his feelings during the previous simulated battle.

"That's a good machine. Its basic performance is quite good. Even in its bare state without the backpack, its overall performance is better than the Dagger L. The machine is very light, has a fast response speed, and excellent maneuverability. In the hands of a skilled pilot, it can unleash considerable combat power. However, it doesn't have the ability to change backpacks according to mission requirements. Overall, I think the Dagger L is still superior."

Raven paused slightly at this point.

"However, although the M1 Heretic is a very good mobile suit, it would be difficult for Orb to withstand a large-scale invasion with just this one type of MS. Orb is too small and has limited defensive depth, and the Orb Navy does not have the ability to push its defenses forward to the sea."

"Hmm? You think Orb will be attacked by ZAFT?"

Halbarton frowned slightly.

Raven shook his head.

"I think that Aub is more likely to be attacked by the coalition forces than Zaft."

Raven paused for a moment, organized his thoughts, and then continued.

"Of the only four mass accelerators on Earth, one is located at the Kaguya Space Port in Orb. Now that Kaohsiung and Victoria Space Ports have fallen, if the last Panama Space Port is captured by ZAFT, then given the nature of the Allied Forces Headquarters, they will definitely choose to attack Orb. After all, in their view, the small Orb is easier to deal with than ZAFT."

Raven's words made Halbarton take this potential possibility seriously, after all, Orb was a very important ally to him.

Over the past two months, Halbarton has been quite active, making covert contact with representatives of many forces.

There are neutral powers such as lunar cities and the Scandinavian Kingdom, as well as powers within the Earth Federation such as the United States of South America and the Republic of East Asia that are dissatisfied with the Atlantic Federation.

For these forces, Blue Cosmosism and the LOGOS behind it are, in some ways, more dangerous than ZAFT. Now that someone like Halbarton, who is both capable and accomplished, is willing to stand up against them, this is a welcome development for these forces.

Moreover, they can gain access to MS technology, which is exclusively owned by the Atlantic Federation. Why not?

It was thanks to their financial support that Halbarton had enough resources to get the mass production of the short sword L on track in just two months.

However, while these forces could provide Halbarton with financial assistance, they could not provide him with technical support.

Just like during the development of Project G, although Raven played an important role in the project, the implementation of Project G could not have been achieved without the support of Orb Dawn Society.

For Halbarton, Ob ​​was an important ally and could not be easily abandoned.

"Hmm, I understand. I'll remind Representative Athha of Orb about this."

Halbarton's tone became serious, and he sat up straight, abandoning his previous lazy demeanor.

"Besides that, I have another important matter I'd like to entrust to you today."

Halbarton lowered his voice by half a beat.

"Just recently, the Klein faction from PLANT approached me. They revealed some of their intentions for cooperation, but they asked me to send a representative to discuss the specifics in person."

Halbarton looked through the screen and directly into Raven's eyes.

"I hope you can act as my envoy and go to PLANT to make direct contact with them."

"me?"

Raven asked, somewhat surprised.

"Yes, I remember you know Siegel Klein's daughter. Of all the people I trust, you're the only one with this personal connection. It'll be much easier if you're the one to contact them. Please, help me find out their true intentions."

Raven paused for a moment, then raised his head, letting his gaze pass through the Archangel's heavy armor and look at the starry sky above.

“I see, I understand. Then I’ll take this job. I’d also like to go and see PLANT. But before that, it’s time to put an end to the legend of the ‘Skyfire Raven’ for now.”

Author's message

Damn, I mistyped the chapter number. I meant "coinage".

Chapter 61 The Final Performance (Part 1)

The Archangel's departure day was a clear morning.

"Clear skies and high waves today," was how Orb's forecast described the weather for the day.

Kira stood at the bottom of the gangway, carrying a packed suitcase, about to step onto the gangway.

But the next moment, a hand landed on his shoulder.

Raven stopped him.

"Teacher? Why didn't you take me with you?"

Kira's voice was filled with confusion.

"In a couple of days, I'm going to PLANT with my mentor, Marchio. You'll come with me then."

Raven's figure passed Kira, and he turned to continue speaking to him.

"You've already seen Earth in war, so you should also see PLANT in war. Without witnessing both sides simultaneously, you might become as extreme as a Blue Cosmosist."

However, Kira did not accept Raven's arrangement.

"But I can't stand by and watch the Archangel be attacked. Once we leave Orb, ZAFT will definitely attack us!"

Kira recalled the scene of meeting Athrun that day. Athrun knew that he was the pilot of the Strike Force, so he would definitely be waiting for the Archangel outside Orb's territory.

Raven knew what the Archangel would encounter after leaving Orb's territorial waters, and he had made the necessary preparations for the battle.

"Don't worry too much, I have a plan. Besides, Mu has gradually become more familiar with piloting the Strike, and with me and El, the Archangel will be fine. Just wait for me to come back in Orb without worry."

Raven appeared confident, trying to reassure Kira. He patted Kira on the shoulder and, under Kira's worried gaze, carried El, who was using the Soldier Ant Body, up the gangway of the Archangel.

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In the end, the Archangel left Kira in Orb and set sail on its own.

Today, the sky is clear and the waves are high.

As expected, the weather forecast for Orb was accurate. Just as the Archangel left Orb's territorial waters, four mobile suits riding on GU stood in front of the Archangel in the bright sunshine.

They are Aegis, Thunder, Duel, and Storm, the Sara squad responsible for pursuing the Archangel.

Sara's squad quickly deployed, with Aegis and Thunder, Storm and Duel forming pairs, heading towards the Archangel.

"The entire ship is in its highest combat configuration."

Upon hearing Maru's voice, the Archangel team quickly responded.

First, the two air superpowers boarded the catapults, followed by the Strike, equipped with an air-loading backpack, and the Dagger, equipped with a cannon-firing backpack.

It's the same familiar machine, but this time, the pilot sitting inside has changed.

Since Kira was left in Orb by Raven, the Strike was handed over to Mu to pilot, while Raven and Al did not pilot the Dagger as usual, but instead sat in the cockpit of the Sky King One.

Inside the cockpits of the Dagger and the Sky Overlord II, the original pilot seats have been replaced with a quantum communication machine. The Sky Overlord I, where Raven is located, is responsible for issuing commands to these two unmanned aircraft.

The first unit was not equipped with an assault backpack; instead, a quantum communication pod was installed on its hardpoint.

Because the cockpit of the Sky Overlord was too cramped, El did not use her humanoid body. Instead, she returned to her soldier ant body after a long absence and took charge of using the quantum communication pod to remotely control Unit 2 and the short sword.

These quantum communication machines are a product of the S Gundam project, designed to enable the separation and combination of the three components of the S Gundam in complex electromagnetic battlefield environments.

Raven adopted this approach to confront Sara's team for two reasons: first, to conduct a practical test of the quantum communication machine; and second, to allow "Skyfire Raven," who had been elevated to a godlike status by the Combine's propaganda machine, to exit the scene in a plausible manner.

After all, Raven was going to PLANT next, and dying in the open would reduce the risk of exposure.

Moreover, when the coalition forces turn against Logos in the future, the war hero they themselves promoted suddenly comes back to life and stands on the opposite side of the coalition forces. This dramatic scene will have a huge impact on the morale of the coalition forces.

"Bridge, this is Raven from Air Overlord No. 1. Squadron readiness complete."

"Understood. Control of the catapult is being transferred to the pilot."

After the businesslike conversation, Miria, who was acting as the navigator, gave Raven an extra piece of advice.

"Teacher, please be careful, Kira is still waiting for you in Orb."

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Faced with Sara's squad blocking its path, the Archangel showed no intention of turning back, instead opting for a tactic of breaking through head-on via the shortest route.

The battle quickly escalated to a fever pitch, with the Archangel unleashing a barrage of fire from the front, while Sara's squad easily evaded the Archangel's fire and split into two groups to attack the Archangel's port and starboard sides from the flanks.

"Is this what it feels like to operate a MS? It's so exhilarating!"

Mu's excited voice came through the communication channel, and it was clear that he had long since had enough of the bitter experience of using MA and fighter jets to fight MS.

Mu's assault ship was equipped with an empty pack, which allowed it to stay airborne for short periods of time, thanks to the auxiliary wings and high-thrust thrusters. It used this ability to hold off the attacks of Thunder and Aegis on the starboard side of the Archangel.

Strike raised its beam rifle and aimed it at the Thunder Gundam charging ahead. A beam of emerald green forced Nicol to pull up its mobile suit. Mu then drew his beam saber and gave chase.

However, as a rookie MS pilot, it was still too much for him to face the red-clad elites of Sara's squad alone.

Nicol easily dodged the Strike's slash with a simple spin, then activated the beam saber in his shield and slashed at the Strike's waist with a backhand strike. Mu barely managed to block the blow with his shield, but at that moment, Athrun seized the opportunity and raised the beam rifle in his hand, pointing it at the Strike's back.

Just as the Strike Force was about to be shot down by Aslan, a barrage of missiles came hurtling in, forcing the Aegis to abandon its firing and raise its shield in defense.

Meanwhile, on the other side, Dagger stood on the central deck of the Archangel, his Flame God continuously firing thick red and white beams of light, his precise shots repeatedly repelling Storm and Duel.

Something's not right.

Aslan frowned.

The assault's movements were clearly not as fluid as before; it had just been suppressed by Swift Thunder in close combat.

'If it were Kira, he should be even stronger. Could it be that the one piloting the Strike isn't Kira?'

The short sword on the other side also gave Aslan a strange feeling.

'His fighting style should be more aggressive.'

In the past, the short sword would have taken the initiative to attack, trying to seize or destroy Duel and Storm's Gau, instead of staying on the deck and using cannon fire to drive away the attacking Duel and Storm as it is now.

What exactly does this sense of unease mean?

Chapter 62 The Final Performance (Part 2) (4000 words)

The Sky Overlord No. 1 roared past over the battlefield.

"El, how is the quantum communication machine operating?"

"Everything is normal. The instruction delay is within the expected range. The anti-jamming performance of the quantum communication link meets expectations and has no impact on the current combat operation. We can proceed to the next phase."

"Then the next phase is high-mobility warfare; it's time to decide the victor."

Raven pressed the control stick, causing the Sky King One to fall from the sky, and at the same time, he activated communication with the Archangel.

"Bridge, this is Raven, launch the GRU."

At the same time, the second Sky King temporarily broke away from its cover position and, under El's remote control, flew over the head of the Dagger, dropping its anti-beam shield and beam rifle.

Short Sword released the Flame God, which was already overheating, and steadily caught the equipment dropped by the Sky Overlord II. Then, he suddenly exerted force with his legs, leaped high into the air with the thrust of the thrusters, and landed steadily on the Geu who had just been ejected.

"Diego, that guy has made the first move, be careful!"

"You don't need to tell me!"

The short sword's proactive attack made Yzak and Diego tense at the same time, and the memories of being repeatedly defeated by the short sword kept resurfacing in their minds.

Faced with the rapidly approaching short sword, Duel and Storm simultaneously unleashed their full firepower towards it, with beams of light, railgun projectiles, and missiles weaving together in the sky to form a virtually impenetrable firepower network.

Seeing the short sword hurtling through the air, Diego's face darkened. He unleashed another barrage of attacks on the sword, this time in conjunction with his duel.

However, the way the short sword moved this time gave them a strange feeling.

Previously, the short swords' movements were at least somewhat predictable, but the short swords they were facing now had completely changed their style, constantly maneuvering at irregular sharp angles to leave their bullets behind, as if the pilot inside could completely ignore G-forces.

"What the hell is going on here! Is that a concrete block or a person sitting in the cockpit?!"

Diego, sweating profusely, watched as the short sword used unbelievable maneuvers to penetrate the barrage of firepower woven from the storm and the duel, gradually closing in on him.