Editing KSGU:Volume 5 Chapter 2 (section)

===Part 9===

It may be most appropriate to describe this as a donut that was bitten off. The ring-shaped construct that was 500m in diameter did revolve in the past and created enough centrifuge gravity within its inner walls to match the gravity of the moon, but what was supposed to be a Stanford Torus-type space station was left with a part of a ring, and it became a debris that was less than 150m long, floating amidst the vacuum. The warning lights flickered on the gradually curved cylinder, and the way it floated above Earth either looked like a bitten donut or a carcass of a whale—and the dismal look of it was such that it was reminiscent of a rotten corpse with its bones baring halfways.

““Laplace”, huh?”

“This is the first place we’ll think about when we talk about “Laplace Box’ alright…”

Otto mused to himself, and Liam followed up with a slow voice. Both of them were staring at the main screen of the bridge in front of them, and the image displayed on it was the debris of “Laplace”. 96 years ago, this place collapsed with the start of the Universal Century, and this Prime Minister official residence, together with the first Prime Minister, became scraps, and the scene in front of their eyes was weathered for a long time. The force from the explosion caused “Laplace” to accelerate, and it once moved along the long and wide oval orbit. Then, after many years of gravity, it finally returned back to its original orbit as it overlooked Earth.

“Laplace” was a large piece of space debris that was very likely to become an orbital obstacle, but because of its historical value, the government decided to carry out methods of preservation on it. Thus, this historical site was left at a height of 200km, along with the artificial satellites that totaled to less than 500. Its orbital path was through the north and south poles, and it needed only 90 minutes to orbit around. With this orbital motion and the Earth revolving around, the “Laplace” could basically navigate through the entire territory of Earth in 24 hours. It really seemed to fit the impression of a Prime Minister residence as it was not rooted at a specific area or country, but “Laplace” continued to slow down even till this day, and some predicted that it would soon fall onto Earth in a few years. Of course, by that time, “Laplace” would probably be broken down before that happened, and the large number of fragments would burn out once it reached the atmosphere.

There would definitely be photos of “Laplace” in history textbooks, but they would not look too much into it unless they were researchers and scholars in this discipline. This might be the first time since the terrorist attack 100 years ago that the army carried out an investigation. “This feels like it’s nothing much, you know.” Liam said this, and Otto shrugged, saying,

“I feel the same, but it’s a fact that this is the place the coordinates from the Laplace Program indicated. Latitude 0, Longitude 0, 200km in height. The debris of “Laplace” will definitely pass by here every day.”

The object would never remain at a single point on the low orbit formed by the powerful force of Earth’s gravity. Since the “Box” floating at a specific point was not a joke, they could not ignore the possibility of the “Laplace” debris being linked with the “Box” as it would float past the place regularly, or rather, there was no other possibility to investigate. “You’re right, but…” Liam showed a bitter expression on her face as she turned to the debris of “Laplace”.

“If the “Laplace Box” is really there, this really isn’t something that can be described as a lamp on a ten-foot pole, lighting everything from afar but not in close anymore. It’s like a bad joke.”

“Seriously, ever since the social studies visit in primary school, I’ve never been as close to this place. That’s the starting point of the Universal Century, the extremely infamous “Laplace Incident” history…for example.”

At this point, the battleship was approximately 400km in height, 8,000km away from “Laplace”. Otto confirmed that the “Nahel Argama” was about to pass by the border between space and sky as it gradually closed in on the intersection point with “Laplace”, but was shocked by a line, “At my time, it was removed from the learning course.”

Otto and Liam both turned around at the same time, and saw Alberto in a white heavy normal suit, using one hand to hold a briefcase.

“You took care of me, Captain. You too, First Officer.”

He did not even show a courteous smile as he suddenly reached his hand out. There was a spaceship approaching the “Nahel Argama”, ready to receive the people from Anaheim. Alberto’s unexpected orderly attitude caused Otto to hold back a wry smile as he and Liam glanced at each other. He held Alberto’s hand and said, “We too…but I really can’t pretend to say this.”

“We suffered a lot because of you. I probably won’t forget your face in such a short time.”

He was not trying to be sarcastic. Having once stood on the boundary of life and death for more than a week, Otto would feel some attachment to such a face as well. Alberto’s face twitched and pulled back his hand, saying, “It’s really a pity that I can’t see through the investigations…” He looked away, not hiding the ashamed feeling within him. Otto seemed to realize that the other man was hiding something under his thick facial skin as he frowned.

“I’ll pray for the long-lasting military luck of this battleship. Now then.”

Alberto lifted his face, said that, and did not even have the time to look right back at them as he stepped off the floor. He immediately pasted through the bridge door and went to the elevator together with his subordinates that were waiting outside the room. ''During this journey, he was probably touched in some way.'' Otto forgot the uneasiness that crept slightly in him as he watched that back profile he most likely would not see a second time, only to hear Liam say, “How strange.”

“That guy’s been so insistent on getting the “Box”, and now he’s leaving the ship without seeing the outcome.”

“He’s been making mistakes all this time anyway. Most likely, he’s being relieved of his duties. The investigation results will likely reach Anaheim’s ears through the Senate Council’s anyway, and he’s just an underling who’s supposed to serve authority.”

“Is that all?”

Liam continued softly as she did not look away from Alberto, who left through the door. Otto looked at the side of her face.

“I’m wondering about why the Senate Council would allow the prisoner to follow them. Even though Anaheim intends to use this trip to Earth to drop the prisoner in a North American detention center, it’s normally impossible to let a civilian ship move the prisoner. How does headquarters intend to deal with her?”

“The given reason is that there are no Newtype facilities on “Luna II”.”

“What kind of facilities is needed? She’s a patient, you know? Don’t tell me they intend to send her to a Newtype-research…”

Newtype-research, or a Newtype-research facility. Otto felt a chill in his heart because of this place that was called a notorious human experiment plant, but answered, “You’re thinking too much. The NT-research should be closed a long time ago.” But Liam looked like she could not accept this as she said “That’s good if that were the case.”

“Besides, we can’t provide ample treatment for her here. We can only leave it—”

A slight tremor occurred inside the ship, causing Otto to swallow the words he was about to say. A blueish-white thruster flare glided past the bridge window at this time as it gradually merged into the silhouette of Earth that was showing night. The second squad of mobile suits started to launch. “Romeo 010 left ship.” Mihiro reported, and her voice came from the communication console on the starboard.

“Then, ECOAS 920, please get into launch sequence. RX-0, to the first catapult. Please leave the ship after ECOAS 920.”

During this week, Mihiro became rather poised as a communicator operator, and with her voice giving command, the mobile suits on the multi-monitor moved according to their designated action. The brown colored “Loto” with the serial number 920 on it stood on the 3rd catapult deck on the starboard in mobile suit form. The white frame of the RX-0, “Unicorn” stood on the elevator in the meantime, and was about to be moved from the mobile suit deck to the first catapult deck in the middle.

The “Unicorn” was preparing to launch with standard armaments, a customized beam rifle on its right hand, and a shield on its left hand, but at this moment, there was a cylindrical equipment latched on its backpack. it was probably a hyper bazooka. The maintenance team did contact the bridge, and they hoped to use this customized equipment for the “Unicorn” they reclaimed from the “Magallanica” for data collection as the machine prepared to launch.

It was an unknown situation with an unknown mobile suit. In this sense, the pilot would be a lab rat. Otto felt that even adults would try to avoid this situation as he looked at the communication monitor from past Mihiro’s shoulders. He could not see the expression of the pilot in the cockpit as it was blocked by the helmet visor.

“So he’s finally willing to ride on it…?”

''Eh?'' Otto did not look at Liam’s doubtful expression that was shot right back at him, and he put his spine back in place on the Captain’s seat as he looked right in front. He saw that the current time was 22.30 on the screen’s digital clock, and Mihiro started communicating with the “Unicorn” at this point.

“Do you hear me, Banagher? The “Nahel Argama” is currently under low orbit on Earth. The movement and operation basics in space are still the same, but you have to be concerned about how gravity affects you. If you do not maintain a steady speed, you’ll be dragged down by the gravity…”