Editing KSGU:Volume 3 Chapter 1 (section)

===Part 10===

“That’s the “Gundam”?”

“Looks like it…it looks completely different.”

Takuya answered to Micott, who was carrying Haro, as he scratched his head with an inexplicable look. Audrey deliberately brought her neck closer over their shoulders to check the situation on the mechanic deck.

There had to be at least 30m from the open space here on the ceiling down to the bottom, and inside it, they could see the white mobile suit being held up by the mechanical hangar. The lone horn looked exceptionally eye-catching amongst the long line of Federation-styled humanoid machines. That was the “Unicorn Gundam”.

''The so-called guide to Laplace Box Cardeas Vist designated—just had to be taken by the Federation army.'' Audrey muttered, but thinks, ''If that were the case, I’m the same as well.'' Audrey sighed without Micott and the rest noticing as she diverted her gaze again at her own face and the two Federation soldiers, who were reflected off the airtight window, and she had to sigh at this nightmare that had become reality.

Mihiro Oiwakken had no reason to realize Audrey’s thoughts as she looked around the dark room while looking rather jumpy. As for Riddhe Marcenas, his face was not at the window, but that expression of his looked like a child who was allowed to do anything he wanted. Though he said that it was for Micott and the others to calm down, it was just an excuse to get Mihiro’s permission; the one who really wanted to see the “Unicorn’ should be Riddhe himself. Riddhe led everyone to this crane control room, and truly, they could see everything clearly inside. Even though they could not see the cockpit, they can see the appearance of the “Unicorn” completely from above, even the people investigating the machine. ''What’s with that lapse in security after forbidding outsiders from entering?'' Audrey wondered. ''Is it because they haven’t had an agreed view on what to do with the “Unicorn”? Or is the Federation itself like this?''

“As expected of a pilot to really knows the layout of the ship.”

Takuya lifted his head from the side of the window as he said that, and it seemed that he was not having the same kind of doubt as Audrey. “Kinda.” Riddhe, who was praised, answered as he looked like he was not completely unhappy.

“For me…no, I myself hope to become a test pilot for Anaheim. I hope that once I graduate, I can join the army’s teaching squad once I graduate, so I’ve been working hard at the school. I feel really honoured to be able to talk to a real pilot!”

“Wait a sec, Takuya. Now’s not the time to talk about such things, right?” Micott said. “It’s alright. It’s a rare chance anyway!” Takuya enthusiastically said as he showed an admiring expression at Riddhe as if he were a superstar. In response, Riddhe tried to act cool as he waved his arm,

“If you’re willing to become a pilot, it’s nice that you know how to seize opportunities. I’ll let you see my machine later.”

“Really!? Your mobile suit is the Zeta-series transformable-type machine right, Ensign? This year’s equipment yearbook has the photos of the testing, and the idea of it becoming a support flight system for the “Jegan” is really…”

Riddhe seemed to be overwhelmed by Takuya’s ravaging explosion of knowledge as his responses seemed to be vague while smiling stiffly. Micott, who seemed to have gotten used to it, had not been paying attention to it right from the beginning. In the end, Takuya even starts to describe and rattle away to Haro. Mihiro left Takuya as she moved behind Riddhe to whisper, “Is this good?” “It’s alright, I suppose.”  Riddhe looked rather calm as he answered.

“It’s not good to not treasure a youth’s dreams.”

“You’re still saying such random stuff again. Besides, shouldn’t you be on standby? Don’t blame me when you get scolded after coming to such a place on your own.”

“Don’t be so strict. My mood will worsen in the waiting room when the atmosphere’s so tense. The enemy won’t come after us immediately.”

Audrey heard both of them whispering to each other, and started to doubt, ''Is this really a conversation between soldiers? Is the atmosphere floating in here really one that a battleship involved in real battles should have?'' Enduring her sighs, she looked outside the window. ''There is basically no sense of tension, and they’re very different from my own people. This isn’t a question of morale, but that they have a luxury of composure.''

''Even with half the forces depleted, there’s a way as long as they can hang on through this. They had the luxury to think of such things. There might be a chance if they get reinforcements. Such a decisive composure is something my own camp doesn’t have—no, we never had since the One Year War. Zeon never had any composure when they were fighting against the Earth Federation that had around 100 times the political power. What was lost will never return, and if they failed then, there wouldn’t be a next time. That’s because everyone had been fighting, bleeding and blown to bits in the vacuum space because of the many constraints.''

''This is probably the difference between being at ease and being uneasy…I say. Both sides’ thoughts are already so different, right down to the basics. There’s nothing that will raise hatred or envy already, and even I feel that the principle of my side is pointless.''  Through this experience that she could not understand without seeing things personally, Audrey realized that she had lots to see, and again realized that she will be in danger if she continued to stay here. She had no confidence that she could remain so calm and natural in such a presence. Even though she was not talking now, that girl called Micott was obviously showing signs of doubt on her. ''I have to find a way to escape the ship before exposing myself—''

“Then, your friend’s called Banagher, right? What kind of person is he?”

Perhaps sick and tired of seeing the seeing the mechanic deck that did not have anything going on, Riddhe spoke up and asked the question. Audrey interrupted her thoughts and looked at him. “If you ask me what kind of person he is…I'd have to say he’s nothing special, right?” Takuya sounded puzzled as he responed, and Micott shrugged,

“He’s a quiet ordinary boy. I really can’t imagine him riding on that mobile suit and going into battle.”

“But it’s a fact that he sent the enemy packing!”

“Even if you say that…Banagher did feel different before the raid.”

“Yeah. Maybe he became really motivated? He always looked lazy.”

Speaking of which, Audrey was somewhat bothered as well. The Banagher she met in the recreation room did really have a completely different presence from before. Even though his appearance and voice were all the same, the pressurizing feeling he gave felt stronger—to put it, his presence felt heavier.

''What happened to that person who touched my hand as he held me close? What caused him to end up piloting the “Unicorn”?'' “But he managed to win because of the capabilities of the machine, right? Besides, that’s a “Gundam”!” Audrey, who again looked around the mechanic deck, was shocked by the voice. On hearing Takuya say such confident words, Micott frowned and said, “What do you mean by that?”

“That Amuro Ray who piloted the first “Gundam” was also a student too! The Camille Bidan who piloted the “Zeta Gundam” and Judau Ashta who piloted the “ZZ Gundam” are the same as well. Letting amateurs become pilots is basically a tradition amongst “Gundams”!”

“…You really know your stuff.” Riddhe said. Takuya laughed aside Riddhe’s obviously lethargic wry remark as he proudly said, “I've researched on it before!”

“Speaking of which, this Nahel Argama became the mothership for the Gundam squads during the First Neo Zeon War, right? It’s really coincidental for it to carry a new kind of Gundam here.”

''If I just talk here, I’ll probably be involved in a hurricane of vast knowledge or something here.'' Riddhe silently looks away from Takuya and stands behind Audrey. “Mobile suit maniacs are so troublesome.” Riddhe whispered, and then looks over at Audrey.

“I feel that I've seen your face before.”

The voice that did not have any other intent in it caused Audrey’s heart to pounce. ''No way.'' Audrey thought, but did not have the guts to look at Riddhe’s expression as she diverted her tense expression to the floor.

''The only time I was openly revealed to the public was when I was a kid, and the media most likely never showed photos of me recently. But if it’s a Federation officer, there might be a chance he might have seen it before. If saying that I just look like that person doesn’t work, at that moment—'' Audrey clenched her fists, clearing hearing her heart pounding wildly, and on hearing Riddhe say “Ah, I remember”, she inadvertently closed her eyes,

“Did anyone say that you look like that actress, Natsume Swanson?”

Riddhe’s nonchalant voice caused Audrey to feel extremely weakened. ''It was really stupid to tense up over such a thing.'' As she thought, Audrey simply answered, “I’m not so familiar with things in the entertainment industry.” Riddhe looked downheartened that he could not continue as he scratched his head and said, “Oh, I see…” At this moment, Mihiro sighed and said, “What are you thinking of doing?” Micott glanced over at the two of them and gave a suspicious look.

''I definitely can’t stay here for long.'' Audrey again realized this, and right at the moment she was about to turn her eyes away from Micott, the sudden alarm rang in her ears.

“All personnel, prepare for anti-air combat. Mobile suit squadron, prepare for launch immediately.”

The monotonous audio voice and the alarm echoed throughout, causing Micott and Takuya to immediately lift their heads. Mihiro prevented them from talking and looked towards the speaker, while Riddhe stood beside her and was taking the helmet that was strapped to his neck. “…They’re here?” He muttered as he threw the thing inside the helmet to Takuya. Once Audrey recognized that was a mini plane model, he had already put it on.

“Help me take care of it. Don’t break it.” Riddhe said to Takuya, who received the model, “Mihiro, bring these guys to somewhere safe” and then pulled the fastener down. He, who rushed to the operations room’s door, showed a stern expression that was completely different from before. Takuya did not know what to do as he took the plane modeal, asking with a doubtful voice, “What’s going on?”

“Maybe the enemy is attacking this time. Hurry up and head back to the living quarters!”

“You say an enemy’s…coming back again?”

As Takuya’s face turned pale, standing beside him was Micott, who covered her ears with her hands, saying “I had enough of this…!” The people inside the mechanic deck were starting to show signs of movements as well as the people who looked like guards were leaving the crowd. Audrey looked around for Banagher, only to find nothing as she carried the floating Haro. She repeated the term in her heart ‘Enemy attack’. With the “Garencieres” fighting strength alone, Audrey did not feel that Zinnerman would come over to attack on his own. ''Did “Palau” send reinforcements? It’s still too early to conclude.'' Audrey thought. The chilling feeling caused her to leave the window, and Audrey was told by Mihiro, who carried Micott, to hurry up. She then left the room of the operations room with Takuya.

Several crew members’ panicked expressions floated by the red light area. They continued to put on their spaceships as they moved forward, only to realize that the partition walls were all sealed up completely. As their roars rang, Audrey thought of a name who could make the overly-early reinforcements arrive early.

''Full Frontal. If he were the man called “The Second Coming of Char”, or—''the guess that came after did not become words as Audrey exerted more strength into the hand holding onto the lift grip.

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| Forward to [[KSGU:Volume_3_Chapter_2|Chapter 2]]
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