Editing KSGU:Volume 7 Chapter 2 (section)

===Part 6===

For a short fleeting moment, the sun shone in on the white bright window in a burning manner, but immediately disappeared after the clouds covered it again.

The clouds were thicker than expected. If the weather report was correct, the clouds here would flow into Sydney Bay the next time. The skies above Torrington Base would likely be overcast. ''Is this good or bad for the operation''—Zinnerman thought carelessly, concluded that they would know tomorrow, “How’s the situation?” and then asked the Flaste on the navigation seat. “No deviation in course.” The answer rang through the cramped bridge of the “Garencieres”.

The “Ra Cailum” is definitely headed for Torrington Base. Local time of the estimated arrival time is 1330, no change at all.”

The Minovsky Radar caught sight of the “Ra Cailum” light spot, and the reaction ring showed it heading from above the Indian Ocean to the Sunda Islands. The vague ring had a radius of 1000km, but there was definitely a ship indicated by the source of the Minovsky Particles in the circle, and it was not exceptionally difficult to deduce where the ship was headed. They had been eavesdropping on the satellite feeds from the “Ra Cailum” and the Federation Senate Council for 4 days, and Zinnerman again felt that the time was ripe as he turned to look beside the captain’s seat. Two men dressed in old Republic army fatigues were leaning at the wall not far behind.

They were Lieutenant Commander Yohem Kirks and Lieutenant Kandle, two men discovered in the forests of the New Guinea region. They were brought up onto the ship together with their beloved machines, and though it had been two days, both men still seemed to be unused to the change in situation as they showed inexplicable looks at the bridge like they were kidnapped by aliens. Kirks himself should be around 50 years old, but Kandle was probably in his 30s. Both men were dropped down from the Zeon Republic to Earth 17 years ago, and managed to live on after defeat after defeat in battle. ''It’s like pus surging out after the war. What’s their view of us here?'' Zinnerman did not think too deeply into this and handed the wireless communicator microphone to Kirks.

“This can call in your comrades by processing information into codes. Do you want to try calling them out, commander?”

Upon hearing that sarcastic greeting, Kirks rolled his eyes and glared over at Zinnerman, “Are you really going to attack?” he growled, but Zinnerman merely shrugged in response.

“We have 8 outdated mobile suits here. Combining that with the machines you have, there’s still less than a dozen. The machines on that Federation ship are all brand new, right?”

“That seems to be the case.”

“And there are guards at the base.”

“Most likely.”

“Even if I’m being courteous here, this really isn’t smart. It’ll be wiser to sell you off to the Federation and ask them to spare us.”

Kirks’ stiff voice caused Kandle, standing beside him, to turn his nervous stare around the bridge. Zinnerman spotted Flaste and Alec turning their heads slightly too as he answered, “You’ll make the call, commander.”

“You can return back if you want to. We’ll send you over if there’s a place willing to keep you. I don’t hate the view of preserving ourselves since I take care of my subordinates this way, but…”

Zinnerman glanced aside at Kirks’ wavering stare, and looked right back at him, saying, “In that case, why are we still playing the Zeon card? If we want to be smart about this, there are still many ways to go about doing this, and yet we willing let ourselves become terrorists for hire…I really don’t know. This is really hard to understand.”

Zinnerman turned around and kept back the microphone dangling in the air, but before he could put it back onto the console, Kirks acted faster as he snatched it away and gave a cursing look at the other man. ''That’s good. In terms of not knowing how to live smartly, I’m no different from Kirks.'' Zinnerman did not need to affirm the thoughts they had as he heard Kirks’ voice through the microphone.

“This is the commander informing all Shinbu base members. With regards to the 1248 command issued yesterday, we’ll take the planned action. The planned objectives are as follows. 1, capture the Federation mobile suit called the “Unicorn”, 2, ensure the safety of the “Unicorn” pilot, and 3, once 1 and 2 are complete, ensure that we have an escape route…”