"Any results?"
In the North America Theater, Kycilia Zabi ultimately failed to locate Yang Hui and the others to eliminate them, but she did not come away empty-handed. She had found fragments from the self-destruction of Unit 01.
"Do we have results yet?"
"Yes, it's Gundarium Alloy Alpha," the technical department replied.
"All of it?"
"Yes, Lady Kycilia." As the technical department reported, they displayed images of the analysis data. "Among the fragments we collected, there are pieces from both the outer armor and the frame. It's clear that whether it's the outer armor or the frame, none of the fragments come from the same location, but without exception, all of them are Gundarium Alloy Alpha."
Upon hearing this, Kycilia Zabi felt a sense of understanding regarding the formidable performance of the Astray Gundam. She was aware of Gundarium Alloy Alpha—it excelled in all aspects and was the most suitable metal for manufacturing MS.
However, the cost of Gundarium Alloy Alpha was prohibitively high. The smelting technology to reduce costs had not yet been developed, leaving no choice but to seek alternatives for producing the Zaku II.
And how high would the cost be for an MS whose entire outer armor, including the frame, was made of Gundarium Alloy Alpha?
"Any other findings?" Kycilia Zabi asked.
"None. The on-site explosion was extremely intense. Apart from these fragments, nothing else could be found. Moreover, the fragments are small and scattered, many of them deformed to the point where restoration is impossible. So, aside from the material, we couldn't obtain any other valuable intelligence."
"...Continue then. Send more people to search the vicinity and see if anything else useful can be found." Kycilia Zabi was disappointed, but she couldn't blame the technical department. She had arrived at the scene immediately upon discovery and knew the situation firsthand. She could only hope that additional clues might be uncovered.
The performance of an MS couldn't be determined solely by the material of its outer armor and frame. There were also factors like the frame structure, mobile suit frame, electronic instruments, and more. Not to mention, the beam rifle technology capable of matching a ship cannon's firepower with a single shot was something Kycilia Zabi desperately wanted to obtain.
Zeon was also developing beam weapons, but they had encountered too many technical difficulties, making breakthroughs unlikely in the short term.
Then there was the radar detection system. After the eight MS left the DC base, Kycilia Zabi had mobilized a large number of troops to pursue and eliminate them. Yet, they passed through the tight blockade network unscathed. This indicated that the enemy had some means of shielding themselves from Zeon's detection methods or possessed a more advanced radar detection system that allowed them to evade pursuit in advance.
Kycilia Zabi leaned toward the latter possibility. If it were the former, the enemy wouldn't have needed to launch a direct assault on their base. An invisible person could have easily infiltrated the base and carried out an internal demolition.
"Yes, Lady Kycilia."
"Remember to send the report back to the homeland. The Supreme Commander is also very concerned about this mysterious unit."
"Yes."
After leaving the technical department, Kycilia Zabi returned to her room and dismissed everyone except Karma Zabi.
"Lady Sister, how should we deal with this unit?" Karma Zabi asked.
"What are your thoughts?" Kycilia Zabi did not answer directly but instead questioned Karma Zabi, treating it as a test.
"Deploy a large force, find them, and annihilate them with overwhelming numbers..."
"Foolish!" Kycilia Zabi scolded without hesitation.
"Si... Sister..."
"First, how do you plan to locate them? Second, once you find them, how will you catch up to them?"
"This... this..." Karma Zabi hung his head in shame and fell silent. Kycilia had mobilized half the forces from the North America Theater for a carpet search of the Gundam Astray Squad, yet they still escaped. How many troops would he need?
Second, the Gundam Astray Squad's mobility and stealth capabilities were on par. Aside from air force units, no ground forces had vehicles fast enough to catch them, and sending air units alone would mostly just hand them military achievements.
"Moreover, Zeon's forces are now too spread out—Europe, North America, Australia, East Asia, South Africa. As occupied zones increase, Zeon is already facing manpower shortages. Don't be fooled by how smoothly our Earth Invasion Operation has gone. That's only because the Federation's MS units aren't fully operational yet. We used Blitzkrieg to end the battles before the Federation was prepared. And... as you've seen, the Federation has already deployed regular MS units. They may not match this mysterious squad, but they can still contend with our MS forces. What will we do when the Federation expands its MS units?"
"This..."
"So, while this unit is highly destructive, we cannot abandon other operations because of them." Kycilia Zabi was one of Zeon's most outstanding tacticians. After calming down, she no longer harbored an obsessive desire to eliminate Yang Hui's Twelfth Independent Technical Division at all costs.
"Then do we just leave them alone?" Karma Zabi asked unwillingly.
"Of course not. With such a weapon in hand, the Federation will certainly continue using it. What we need to do is predict their next target, prepare defenses in advance, and set traps. Karma, chasing the enemy is the most foolish approach. A competent commander must stay two or three steps ahead, waiting for gains without pains, and resting while the enemy exhausts itself."
"Yes! Sister."
"Now, the North America Theater has reached a stalemate. The Federation has shifted from offense to defense, so no major battles will break out in the short term. Europe has stabilized, and South Africa and Australia are under our control. That leaves only..."
"The East Asia Theater!"
"Correct. Their next target is most likely the East Asia Theater." Kycilia Zabi nodded.
"Sister! I..."
"You will remain here."
"Why?"
"Because you are the Commander-in-Chief of the North America Theater!"
"I..."
"I will personally go to the East Asia Theater to supervise the battle. You hold the fort in North America. Do not give the Federal Army any opportunities. Zeon cannot withstand any more pressure now."
"Yes! Sister, I will not disappoint you! Sieg Zeon!"
Knock knock...
"Enter."
"Lady Kycilia, we've found it—the true identity of this mysterious unit."
"Report." This was the first time Kycilia Zabi had smiled since her setback at Yang Hui's hands. Both Gihren Zabi's direct Intelligence Department and her own forces had been using all their resources to gather intelligence on the Twelfth Independent Technical Division. Finally, they had uncovered the enemy's true face.
"Yes!"
The adjutant handed the paper intelligence to Kycilia Zabi while also giving an oral report, and then...
"This can't be!? How could it be him!?" Kycilia Zabi stared in disbelief at the first page of the intelligence report, the only one marked with the highest-level classification.
...
Meanwhile, the Luna soared high over the Pacific Ocean, having just passed the Hawaiian Islands and now heading toward the East Asia Theater.
"Those bastards up top really won't give us a break," complained Fort Romfellow, who was lounging in the rest area with his legs crossed, sipping a drink. He had completely lost faith in the Federation's higher-ups, so he didn't hold back his words.
"Isn't having missions a good thing? More missions mean more merits," Fred asked, puzzled.
"Do we still need merits?" Fort Romfellow raised an eyebrow in response.
"Fair enough," Fred shrugged. They truly didn't lack merits anymore. If not for their lack of seniority, their achievements on the Middle Eastern Front and in the North America Theater would have been enough to propel them straight to the rank of general. They already had one of the Federation's highest-level medals, and after the North America Theater battle, a second one was practically guaranteed. And now, heading to the East Asia Theater, a third one seemed inevitable unless something went wrong.
For those who had never received a medal, they would risk everything to get one. But once you had one... it was just another medal, let alone two or three.
"By the way, Kowloon, isn't the East Asia Theater your hometown?" Fort Romfellow asked Kowloon, who was sitting nearby.
"Yes, Lieutenant."
"Anything fun there?" Fort Romfellow asked eagerly.
"Hey, Fort, we're not going to the East Asia Theater to have fun!" Fred scolded.
"I know, I know," Fort Romfellow waved his hand dismissively, completely unfazed. "Once we get to the East Asia Theater, Zeon won't be able to advance. We can have some fun after the battle ends, just ask the Major for a few days off."
"Fort, are you underestimating Zeon?" Russ Kessel, who had just walked in, spoke with a stern expression, completely devoid of his usual playfulness and teasing.
"No, Russ, I..." Fort Romfellow knew he was in trouble. Russ Kessel rarely took this kind of tone, but whenever he did, it usually meant Fort was about to face consequences.
Ignoring Fort Romfellow's excuses, Russ Kessel walked over, grabbed him by the collar, and unleashed his scorn: "Have you forgotten the first lesson the Major taught us?"
"N-no..."
"Hmph!" Russ Kessel shoved Fort Romfellow away and snorted coldly. "If you want to die, tell me in advance. Better to die by my hand than to become a medal of merit for the enemy!"
With that, Russ Kessel angrily bought a bottle of water and stormed out of the rest area. Fred Reber kindly helped Fort Romfellow up. "If you don't want to tell Russ, I can take care of it too."
During the argument between Russ Kessel and Fort Romfellow, Fred Reber had no intention of stopping it, because what Russ Kessel said was exactly what he wanted to say.
Yang Hui's first lesson to them, also the first unbreakable rule of the Twelfth Independent Technical Division, was: on the battlefield, never underestimate any enemy, even if it's just a child.
Ford Romfellow's attitude just now had already violated this rule, beginning to show arrogance.
"Fre
d, I..."
"Don't apologize to us, Fort," Fred said calmly. "Your life is your own, not ours. And... you'd better think carefully about how to face the major's Scorn first."
"Uh... Ah~! I'm done for! I'm dead, I'm dead!"
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