Who is Playing the Love Development Game in Gundam

Forty-eight hours seemed like a lot, but it was only two days in full. Before setting off, He Kui spent a good half-day at the Junk Guild's port with Lowe, discussing the upgrades to the Strike. Finally, the day of departure to the Moon had arrived.

Once again, he was aboard a Nazca-class battleship that had been his partner in previous missions, now equipped with a light shield system. But there was one major difference—this ship had undergone field modulation, now sporting a nuclear engine and a larger power storage unit, thanks to He Kui's adjustments.

With its increased energy reserves, even if the neutron jammers were activated, their mobile suits wouldn't be disabled. The added safety was significant. But, of course, this didn't mean they were invincible.

As before, there were still ways to break through a light shield. Moreover, such shields weren't very resilient against physical contact in close combat, much like the defensive systems of Requiem and Genesis.

Inside the hangar, the ship was packed with mobile suits. Besides He Kui's Liberator, there were two fully equipped GAT-X models and three with standard loadouts. In South America, such firepower would make him practically untouchable. But on the frontlines, this force, though formidable, might still be outmatched.

"Director He!"

As He Kui entered the bridge, everyone, including the captain, stood and gave him a sharp military salute.

"Captain, when do we depart?"

"The main fleet has already set off. We need to launch immediately to follow."

The captain, a familiar face, greeted him with even more enthusiasm than usual. He Kui's standing had greatly improved since their last mission together, both in rank and in reputation. It was clear that this time, He Kui commanded serious respect, and the captain was eager to maintain a good relationship with him.

"Good, then let's depart right away."

With He Kui's confirmation, the Nazca-class ship set course for the Moon.

Upon arrival in lunar orbit, He Kui would link up with surrounding ships, creating a network for coordinated operation. With the neutron jammers activated, he would still be able to maintain connectivity to Ptolemy's systems through directional energy radar and the assistance of embedded operatives.

Onboard, the three of them remained vigilant, knowing that unexpected events could arise even on the journey to the Moon. Like before, this was a critical battle that could determine the course of the war. If they failed, morale and the Earth Alliance's standing would be severely impacted.

"How are you holding up? It's been a while since you've left PLANT," Shi He asked softly beside him.

Both were in the hangar, inspecting and fine-tuning the mobile suits before them. Though they couldn't see space outside, the trajectory map indicated they were now beyond PLANT's territory.

"I think I'm adjusting," He Kui replied, placing a hand on his Gundam and closing his eyes. He needed to quickly reset his mindset and get used to its controls again. After several simulations, he had realized his operating style was becoming more aggressive—an adjustment he had to curb.

This mission was, in part, a justification for him to ultimately claim Liberator for himself. Since he wouldn't be on the front lines, firing a few shots from a distance and contributing in minor ways would suffice. Besides, the higher-ups wouldn't approve of him taking any major risks. It was safe enough.

In the lunar orbit, the ZAFT fleet stretched out like a massive dragon. The core of the fleet was composed of Nazca-class ships, flanked by Laurasia-class escorts around each Nazca-class vessel. At the very center, the flagship gleamed with a blood-red metallic sheen, its angular design distinctly suited for space operations.

The flagship had two MS catapult systems on each side and was capable of holding more mobile suits than usual. Mounted on the outermost sections of the ship were twin positron cannons.

Though it shared the name Eternal and was painted red, this Eternal exuded an air of deadly purpose. The pink princess color scheme had been replaced with the shade of fresh blood.

"Report! ZAFT forces have entered our orange zone. Their numbers… numerous!"

"The main fleet? Haven't they realized we have light shield systems here?"

The base commander of the Atlantic Federation's Ptolemy station, a high-ranking Blue Cosmos official, stared coldly at the screen displaying the large ZAFT force outside the base, along with the new ZAFT flagship approaching the front.

"Raise the light shields. Aim all positron cannons at the lead battleship."

A cruel smile tugged at the commander's lips. Contrary to what their spy network had reported, the base housed a total of six positron cannons—four of which were concealed within retractable structures inside the base.

As the positron cannon turrets rose behind the light shields, their sleek, polished barrels gleamed with the ominous precision of advanced technology.

"Our intel was wrong."

Inside their cockpit, He Kui and his team watched the six gun turrets targeting the center of the Eternal, beginning their power-up sequence.

Realizing the Atlantic Federation's intent, two Nazca-class ships at the forefront of the Eternal moved aside, raising their own shields along with the Eternal.

Seeing this, the trio remained calm. Although six positron cannons were formidable, two shots could be intercepted by the escorting Nazca-class ships, while the Eternal could handle the remaining four. After all, this was a cutting-edge nuclear-powered warship.

In a flash, the six positron cannons finished charging and fired simultaneously.

The brilliant beams struck the light shields, causing a visible tremor across the shielded field. But thanks to the battleship's immense energy reserves, they successfully held off the assault.

And with that, the operation began—the attack wa

s also the signal for espionage activities inside Ptolemy station.