Who is Playing the Love Development Game in Gundam

"This is the Junk Guild's Yulan Port Base. Please identify yourselves."

"South American Union, National Defense Force First Guard Unit, Aegis, requesting international rescue from the Junk Guild."

The command room was filled with puzzled looks.

"If I'm not mistaken, isn't the South American Union generally pro-PLANT?"

"What are they doing here, and in this condition?"

"It doesn't look like they're being pursued."

Everyone in the command room started talking at once.

"Uncle, just let them in. Helping those in need is part of our job, isn't it?"

Lowe's voice came through the comms to the command room.

"These people seem more like survivors of a battle than people in distress."

"As long as there's no enemy tailing them, what's the harm?"

"Fine, fine."

The man waved his hand, resigned.

"Honestly."

"Another troublesome guest."

The man muttered under his breath.

"Lowe sure has a way with luck."

A tall, skinny young man nearby chuckled.

"More like his own kind of dumb luck."

Despite his grumbling, the man authorized the passage.

When the notification permitting entry arrived, He Kui relaxed, even though he had expected things to go smoothly with Lowe's help.

Floating alone in space until he drifted to the DSSD would have been one thing, but now he had Elena with him.

Without oxygen, Elena definitely wouldn't make it to L5.

And there were too many unpredictable factors on the way.

"Follow me."

Setting down his massive blade, Lowe signaled to the two mobile suits.

"Got it."

He Kui responded, piloting his damaged mobile suit with Elena alongside him as they entered the hangar.

They soon disembarked, floating gracefully from their suits under the curious eyes of several Junk Guild members.

"Two women?"

Although he had heard voices earlier, Lowe was momentarily confused by the sight.

Though he had transported Aegis, it was clear he didn't recognize it.

"Pleased to meet you all."

Elena remained silent behind He Kui as he floated up to Lowe and spoke.

"Your mobile suit looks impressive."

"Haha, really? Haha!"

Lowe laughed heartily, clearly pleased with the compliment.

"Lowe!"

Shuri stomped on Lowe's foot in annoyance.

"I got it!"

Lowe glared at Shuri, then cleared his throat.

"Well then, would you both follow me?"

"Of course."

As they walked, He Kui and Elena curiously observed the hangar around them.

He Kui was confident the Junk Guild wouldn't pose any threat, and Elena felt reassured by He Kui's presence.

Soon enough, they were shown into a guest room.

"Please, have a seat, ladies."

Lowe flashed a bright smile, motioning them to seats opposite him.

"Would you like something to drink?"

"Tea, if you have it. Thank you."

"Oriental? Or...?"

"Oriental."

"Then how about oolong?"

"What's oolong?" Elena asked curiously.

"Well, it's a tea from East Asia. Give it a try."

Lowe said, boasting a bit.

"I usually don't get to drink it myself."

It seemed Lowe was bringing out his best for the guests, though he couldn't actually enjoy the tea himself.

With a small twinge of regret, Lowe clumsily placed a few tea leaves into the pot, brewed it, and poured it into disposable cups for the two women.

"Um… is something wrong?"

Noticing Aegis's glance, Lowe asked with a hint of embarrassment.

"No, please, go on, Mr. Lowe."

"Alrighty."

Lowe responded cheerfully.

"Wait, wait!!"

Shuri couldn't stand it any longer, putting her hands on her hips and stepping forward.

"Do you know who we are?"

"We haven't introduced ourselves, have we?"

"Of course! The famed 'lucky fool' of the Junk Guild, Lowe—we've heard of you and have long wanted to meet."

Being in a delicate situation, He Kui artfully flattered Lowe.

For Lowe, it wasn't a difficult skill to manage; compliments flowed easily.

"Is that so? Hahaha!"

If this were an anime, Shuri would likely have sweat drops and rolling eyes right now.

She gave Lowe a sidelong glare and smacked him on the head.

"They aren't complimenting you! Now, get to the point already!"

"Oh, right."

"So, what happened to the two of you?"

Lowe composed himself, his face settling into a more serious expression.

"It's like this."

He Kui quickly recounted their story, explaining how they had intervened to prevent the Atlantic Federation's bombing of South America, only to realize it was a trap meant to lure them in.

"Why would they set a trap for you?"

Lowe quickly picked up on the detail He Kui had deliberately glossed over.

Though carefree, he wasn't foolish, and he could catch the key points.

At this, Elena sat up a bit straighter, a hint of tension visible.

Meanwhile, He Kui maintained his usual calm tone.

"They want to capture me."

"Why?"

"Because I can influence the South American war effort."

"I see..."

It was a simple reason, yet his confident tone lent it undeniable weight, making it oddly convincing.

"Alright, we understand. We'll inform you of any results after we handle the matter."

"Thank you. In the meantime, is there any chance our mobile suits could get some maintenance?"

"No problem. However, your suits seem to be the Atlantic Federation's new Assault Shroud model. We may only have some generic parts compatible with the Dagger series."

"That's fine. You can charge it to the South American Union."

Did He Kui have money with him? Technically, yes, since his wallet was connected online. But using it would be akin to admitting his identity.

So, definitely not an option.

Besides, the South American Union could foot the bill.

"Alright, and regarding labor fees…"

"I can handle the repairs myself."

"Miss Aegis, you can service mobile suits?"

Lowe's interest visibly grew at He Kui's words, more so than in the earlier talk of battle.

Compared to fighting, Lowe clearly preferred mechanics.

In that way, he was a bit like Lacus.

However, Lowe believed mobile suits had a soul and weren't merely weapons of war.

"I can."

"Mind if I observe?"

Lowe's thoughts were simple—if her skills were lacking, he could help and earn a little extra. If she was skilled, it would be a great chance to exchange knowledge.

A win

-win.

"Sure."

He Kui agreed with a calm smile.

Perfect, Lowe had taken the bait.

Using standard parts might be challenging, but with Lowe's help, creating a new backpack for their mobile suits seemed promising.