At this point, Uzumi sighed lightly and waved his hand at the group.
"Considering your kindness in escorting my daughter back, I will provide you with supplies here... After that, find an opportunity to leave from somewhere. Don't get involved in our affairs any further."
"If possible, please take Cagalli with you..."
His tone was heavy, carrying the weight of a final entrustment.
In his heart, although ORB could resist for a while with its previously outstanding technological level... it would ultimately fall in the face of the mutual constraints between the Alliance and ZAFT.
He didn't want these kind people who came to assist, along with himself and ORB, to perish meaninglessly here.
But before he could finish, Lu Tianming raised his hand to signal, interrupting him.
"I have a few questions I'd like to ask first... How far has the Alliance's MS technology progressed? Have they already deployed mass-produced units?"
Lu Tianming suddenly thought of this important question. In the original work, the Alliance's mass-produced MS—the Strike Dagger—was successfully deployed based on combat data from the Strike Gundam.
Meanwhile, ORB's mass-produced MS—the M1 Astray—was developed using the Natural-use OS created by Kira.
In this world line, the Alliance hadn't obtained the Strike's combat data, and Kira hadn't created the Natural-use OS.
He was curious... how MS technology had developed on both sides under these circumstances.
"Limited experimental deployment, unit designation GAT-01 Duel Dagger. It's said their military spies stole data from ZAFT Forces' Duel Gundam and used it as a basis for development. However, due to incomplete OS, it can only be used by some elites."
"Even with limited deployment, it's more than enough against forces like ours that haven't even completed MS deployment."
Uzumi was momentarily taken aback, not understanding why Lu Tianming would ask this question at this moment... but since this information wasn't strictly confidential, he didn't conceal it.
GAT-01... Duel Dagger?
Hearing this designation and unit name, Lu Tianming was stunned internally.
Shouldn't GAT-01 be the Strike Dagger? He remembered the Duel Dagger's designation should be GAT-01D.
After thinking about it, he roughly understood the situation... In the original work, the Strike Dagger failed to develop successfully due to lack of Strike data. Instead, they had obtained Duel Gundam data from somewhere and developed a 'Duel Dagger' based on it.
This relationship becomes clear when substituting it into the UC timeline—the original Strike Dagger corresponds to the GM, the Duel Dagger corresponds to the Mass-Produced Guncannon, while this world line's GAT-01 Duel Dagger corresponds to the Light Cannon in the Quax timeline.
Not a derivative model, but an 'alternative' basic model derived from replacing the fundamental development data.
As for where they got the Duel Gundam data... Rather than the official spy theory, Lu Tianming thought it was more likely Creuset's doing.
After all, he practically wished for chaos everywhere and definitely wouldn't sit back and watch the Earth Alliance's MS development hit a bottleneck...
Having sorted out the situation on the Alliance's side, Lu Tianming keenly noticed another detail in Uzumi's words.
"You just said... your side hasn't completed the MS deployment? But from what I know, with the development data related to the Astray series, mass production of your MS shouldn't be a problem, right?"
Lu Tianming asked.
Upon hearing the words "Astray series," Uzumi's eyes widened sharply, then he seemed to understand something and let out a long sigh:
"So you've already discovered it... That makes sense, you were in Heliopolis at the time, so it's only natural you'd find out."
The production of the Astray series... was actually a clandestine project, itself the result of stealing and modifying data from the Alliance's G Series.
To put it bluntly—the Astray series was copied from someone else's homework.
Now that Lu Tianming had pointed it out, he naturally felt somewhat embarrassed.
But precisely because Lu Tianming already knew about the Astray series, Uzumi saw no need to hide its development status and laid everything out:
"Mass production of the Astray is progressing smoothly in all other aspects, but we lack experimental data and OS adjustments... Expecting to complete these preparations before both sides attack us is somewhat wishful thinking."
"If you can achieve mass production, plus with our assistance... do you have confidence in surviving this crisis?"
Lu Tianming thought for a moment and asked this question.
Uzumi was momentarily stunned, his brow furrowing slightly as if he understood Lu Tianming's meaning:
"...What are you implying?"
Lu Tianming nodded and continued:
"Exactly, if you're lacking data here, the Strike Suit's data can be provided to you as a reference for development."
"As for the OS, we can also help with programming... I can even take on the training of Mobile Suit pilots."
"With this support, barring any major surprises—I believe you should be able to produce your own mass-produced machines before the Earth Alliance and ZAFT attack."
Hearing the conditions offered by Lu Tianming, Uzumi was momentarily speechless... not knowing what to say.
Indeed, if Lu Tianming was truly willing to do this... ORB's mass-produced MS could indeed be deployed before the main forces of both sides arrived.
But... why would he do this?
Uzumi looked at the young man with inexplicably determined eyes and couldn't help feeling puzzled:
"It's feasible... but why are you so determined to help us survive this crisis?"
In his eyes, Lu Tianming's resolve seemed almost too firm... as if ORB was something that absolutely had to be defended in his view.
If he were a resident of ORB, that would be one thing, but he was just a soldier of the Alliance—why did he have such strong attachment to ORB?
"There's no particular reason... After all, there are people from ORB on our ship. As their leader, I can't just stand by and do nothing while their homeland is in danger, can I?"
Though he himself was essentially homeless in this world, Kira and the others... still had their own homes, places they could return to.
After all, they were comrades who had fought side by side through countless crises. If possible, he didn't want Kira and the others to become homeless like him... or rather, people with no place to call home in their hearts.
Lu Tianming pondered for a moment before continuing with a smile:
"Moreover, ORB, as one of the few nations capable of accommodating both Naturals and Coordinators without significant internal social issues, is in my eyes... a beacon of hope for ending the war and achieving harmonious coexistence between Naturals and Coordinators."
"I don't want to see this last spark of hope extinguished here."
His gaze was sincere, completely revealing his true feelings... which even moved Uzumi somewhat.
To be honest, he himself had never placed such heavy expectations on ORB.
Being the hope for coexistence between Naturals and Coordinators... wasn't that placing too much value on it?
Just as he was about to say more, Lu Tianming spoke again—though this time with a hint of apology in his tone:
"And to be frank... I also have a small personal stake in ORB."