Gundam: The Wind That Blows Through Space

Chapter 631: Torn (IV)

At Aprilius Spaceport, Thiago adjusted his sunglasses, looked around for a while and soon found his target. He quickly got into the car, and the blond boy threw his luggage into the back seat very smoothly. He opened the passenger door and sat in.

"Why are you here to pick me up? Aren't you at home taking care of your wife?"

"Shiho is not made of glass. After the improvements made by the Akebono Society, her prosthetic limbs and eyes are no different from the real ones. Excessive protection is just a reminder that she is different from normal people. She should just keep a normal mind."

"When it comes to taking care of people, you are the only one in our team who is the most like a family man. As for the other three of us, let's not talk about it."

Sitting in the driver's seat was Nicol, who had been silent for a long time. After seeing his old friend fully recovered, the usually gentle Nicol finally breathed a sigh of relief. So Nicol started the car while looking at the rearview mirror, and then after a few turns, he merged into the traffic outside the airport.

"Why? There's a tail?"

"Not at the moment, but it's better to be cautious."

The two have been friends for many years, and Thiago can sense from Nicol's subtle movements that Aprilius now seems a little different from when he left. Considering that he was commissioned by Lacus to return to PLANT this time, Thiago naturally agrees with his friend's cautious approach.

"Don't go to your house. After my father died, the council members gave me face and called me the son of Elsman. If they didn't, they would just pretend I didn't exist. There aren't many familiar faces in the council now, so I won't go and cause trouble for your old man."

After two rounds of wars, most of the older generation of councilors from the Siegel and Patrick eras left the council for various reasons.

In fact, during Durandal's administration alone, the Council had a 70% turnover. Although Aslan briefly inherited his father's position, his work focus at that time was still on the signing and implementation of treaties.

After Aslan completed his mission of taking the blame, he went to Tianren without stopping. It can be said that he did not accumulate any team of his own.

The current Speaker of the PLANT Council is Walter de Lamont. Many people believe that the historical mission of this Speaker is to prepare for the transition for Lacus' succession. However, Tiago, who is also a second-generation official, knows very well that in any political activities, except for the need for direct parents to transfer power, it is rare for one person to willingly make a transition for another person. Adjusters are also people, and many of their practices are not much different from those of natural persons.

Among the original team of second-generation officials of Cruze, the elders of Congressmen Thiago, Aslan, and Isaac have all passed away. Only Congressman Amalfi is still active in the current PLANT politics. Relying on the development of NJC's core technology, and the pillar industries of Maius City are highly compatible with the solar orbital elevator, Nicol can be said to have truly lived like a second-generation official.

After marrying Shiho, Nicol left ZAFT completely and is currently touring various satellite cities. This time he even turned down a concert in order to pick up Tiago. This "harmless" father and son pair are basically core figures of neutrality and lawfulness in the Council.

"It's okay. My father specifically told me to take you back home. He also wants to see how you've recovered. My mother also said that our home is your home, so there's no need to be so formal."

Nicol's smile was as gentle as ever, but Thiago still waved his hand and said, "Given the current state of the Council, you and your uncle must not wade into that muddy water. I just don't understand, can't a disastrous defeat wake up those Alzheimer's? The People's Revolutionary League has trump cards and resources, and its population is hundreds of times larger than ours. If Siegfried strikes at our doorstep next time, we have to kneel down and beg for mercy, right?"

"Pfft, how come you spoke for the People's Revolutionary League after going to Earth once? I remember you weren't like this before."

"I also hope that I can remain unruly forever, but first of all, Orb has done me a favor. Siegfried may have a foul mouth, but he is a very honest person. He said he would let bygones be bygones, and secondly, Aslan took such a big blame for PLANT, and now the Council doesn't think well of him, but instead plans to intervene in the civil war of the People's Revolutionary League. I beg them to wake up and stand with Siegfried and Aslan!"

"Why do I feel like you were defeated by Siegfried in Orb?"

Nicol's question made Tiago pause suddenly. For some reason, he suddenly remembered the night when he rushed to Berlin to help, when Siegfried stood in front of him in a quantum state. 'That guy is a monster.' From that day on, Tiago found that his feelings towards Siegfried became extremely complicated, although he would never admit that this complicated emotion also included fear.

"Among MS pilots, only the most experienced can be the master, there is no such thing as obedience or disobedience."

"I was really defeated~"

"You guy, why didn't I see that you are so sinister before!"

Tiago pretended to hit his friend's shoulder and opened the car window. The artificial wind in the satellite was almost the same as the natural wind. The blond boy narrowed his eyes slightly, as if he remembered something, and then muttered softly, "This is good too."

"What did you say?"

"Nothing much. By the way, where is the information I asked you to find out for me before?"

"It's all in here." Nicol held the steering wheel with one hand and handed Tiago a portable terminal. He looked up at the rearview mirror and then continued, "The situation of these people is not very good. You know, someone has to be responsible for the defeat."

"F*ck!" Tiago uttered a rare curse, but he swallowed it back when he remembered that there was a pianist sitting next to him. "If we lose, we lose. How can we let the soldiers on the frontline take the blame? Did we want to fight this battle?"

"It was you who launched the war by attacking the Heavenly Pillar. It is said that this action will be recorded in history textbooks."

"Nigel, I have tolerated you for a long time. Who did you learn this vicious tongue from? Give me back the obedient Nicol!"

Although he was joking recklessly, Tiago still sighed imperceptibly as he looked at the several information sheets on the virtual screen.

"In the situation at that time, the Minerva was a lone battleship, and the monster machine like the Silver Thunder was pointing its main gun. If Captain Talia had a brain, surrender would be her only choice. We were defeated first and they had no choice but to surrender, not because of their surrender that we failed. Now we have to supervise these people. No wonder Lux wanted me to come back."

Along with the breeze blowing on his face, the portrait of a middle-aged female officer suddenly flashed on the virtual screen in Tiago's hand.

'Name - Talia Kuratis'

'Family status - has one child'

'Regulatory Level - 4'

'Note-Has a substantial relationship with war criminal Durandal'

'Assessment - Danger'

(End of this chapter)