Gundam, the Gundam journey of a certain glue guy and his mecha girl.

Baki Lulu was speechless for a moment, her brows furrowed, and after a long silence she stammered out.

"I personally do not agree with blue cosmosism. In wartime, blue cosmosism may be able to boost the morale of soldiers fighting against ZAFT forces, but... it will have endless consequences."

Raven nodded and continued.

"Do you know that the interest groups behind Blue Cosmosism are turning the United Army, and even the entire Earth, into puppets they manipulate?"

"Huh?!"

Not only Bakiruru, but even Maru and Mu on the side looked over.

The military and the country are being used as puppets by some interest group; Raven's words are too shocking.

"Let's not forget the cause of this war. Where did those nuclear bombs fired at Junius 7 come from? How many procedures and approvals are required to use a strategic weapon like a nuclear bomb? Could a small group of extremists really get through so many procedures on their own? How could they have obtained nuclear bombs without the tacit approval of forces behind them!"

"But...but..."

Baki Lulu managed to squeeze out the words in shock.

"Even if the interest groups you mentioned do exist, what are their goals? Countless people have already died in this war; is it worth it?"

"Bakiruru, do you know how many times the military budgets of the countries that make up the Earth Alliance have increased since the start of the war?"

Chapter 53 Controversy (Part 2)

"Military budget..."

Bakiruru's eyes flickered, as if she had thought of something.

"Tenfold increase—in just one year, military spending in various countries has increased tenfold. Where do you think all this money will ultimately go?"

Raven didn't give an answer, but judging from their expressions, they didn't need him to.

"What Brigadier General Halbarton wants to do is eliminate these insects and return the Earth Federation's government and military to the people of Earth! To do this, the Brigadier General must unite everyone he can, including Orb. So, Lieutenant Bucky, what Brigadier General Halbarton is doing is not rebellion. He is working hard to bring the Earth Federation back on track and liberate the generals from the shackles of evil."

Raven extended his hand to Bucky Lulu.

"Join us, Lieutenant Bakiruru. Your talents should be put to good use. Aren't soldiers supposed to fight to protect the future of the nation and its people?"

"I……"

Baki Lulu's expression kept changing.

A soldier's duty is to obey orders.

But the purpose of the army is to protect the country and its people from the enemy.

So, what should she do if the object of her loyalty to the military becomes an enemy of the country and the people?

Bakiruru, who always takes orders from her superiors as her guiding principle, was at a loss for what to do.

“Captain, Lieutenant Commander Flada, you…”

Bakirulu's words came to an abrupt halt as she noticed that Maru and Mu's expressions were much calmer than hers.

Maru was a close associate of Halbarton and was dissatisfied with the status quo of the Allied Forces, so naturally she had no objections.

Mu has always been a man of strong emotions, valuing his own and those around him's feelings more than military discipline.

Moreover, he had already seen what kind of people the Allied high command were during the Battle of Endymion.

Although the activation of the Cyclops system was publicly claimed to be out of control, Mu was certain that it was intentional on the part of high-ranking coalition generals.

Use the lower-ranking soldiers as bait to lure in enough ZAFT troops, then eliminate both sides.

Most of the coalition generals were the kind of guys who used such vicious schemes without any sense of responsibility, and didn't care about the lives of the lower-ranking soldiers at all.

There was a moment of silence in the captain's cabin. When Bakiruru looked at Raven's outstretched hand, which had never been used before, she finally spoke with difficulty.

"I understand the necessity of taking unconventional measures at this time, and I do not oppose the decision to send this ship to Orb. But please give me some time regarding other matters."

Bakiruru reached out and gently pulled down the brim of her military cap to cover her eyes. After saluting Maru, she silently left.

"Lieutenant Bakirulu!"

Maru tried to call out to her, but Bakirulu paused at the doorway before disappearing down the corridor.

"Don't take it too hard, Captain. For a lieutenant, it's already quite an achievement to have this kind of reaction."

Mu patted Maru, who was slumped over the table, to comfort her as she was feeling down.

"I know……"

Maru's voice was muffled as she lay on her desk, burying her head in the crook of her arms.

"And Major, if you keep touching there, that would really be sexual harassment."

"what?"

Mu quickly withdrew his hand.

'But I was just patting your shoulder...'

-----------------

After Bakiru left, Raven also bid farewell to Maru and left the captain's cabin.

Halbarton's secret orders included instructing the Archangel to rest and recuperate in Orb, as well as a next-generation mobile suit development project in cooperation with Dawn Corporation. Naturally, Raven was the representative of Halbarton's side.

Raven already had ideas for the design of the new machine, and he needed to prepare in advance by organizing the relevant data before arriving in Orb.

Superior is the name Raven has chosen for his future new mecha.

"Raven, I just saw Miss Buggyulu come out with a dark expression. Did you do something to her? I remember that type of woman isn't on your hunting list."

Raven had just turned the corner inside the ship when his various ideas about the new mechs were shattered by El's voice.

"What hunting range? What nonsense are you spouting? What do you take me for?"

"Hmm... a mad scientist with insatiable desires?"

Why?!

Raven rolled his eyes and began to regret having crammed too many things he shouldn't have into his computer.

"Just kidding."

A hint of pleasure crept into El's voice.

Raven felt that since she had a human body, El had become more and more human in every sense. She would never have taken the initiative to make such jokes to Raven before.

"What's wrong? Didn't you say you were going to accompany Cagalli to her flight training? Why did you come to see me?"

"Cagalli was called away by Mr. Kizaka, and also... judging from the current route and situation, is the Archangel going to Orb next?"

El became unusually coy.

“I knew I couldn’t hide this from you. Speaking of which, I promised you that I would get the artificial skin fitted for you when we got to Orb. Don’t worry, I’ll keep my word.”

But El shook his head, which Raven hadn't expected.

Her voice was still hesitant, and she kept twirling her white hair around her fingers with one hand.

“That’s not what I’m talking about. Raven… When we get to Orb, can we go to the local model shops? I’ve finished making all the ones we bought in Banadore last time.”

"what?"

Raven was genuinely surprised. He remembered that last time he bought two large bags of models. Al was a perfectionist, striving for the best possible effect in the painting and panel lines of every part.

And those models were all completed in just one month!

Raven followed El into her room, and when he saw the model that filled an entire wall, he burst into tears.

From Dagram to Glasses Dog, from demons to heroic robots, a historical panorama of robot animation in this world slowly unfolds before his eyes.

"The paint job, the panel lines, and even the battle damage..."

This is undoubtedly something only God could do.

'I had absolutely no idea how to make glue before.'

Raven collapsed in front of El with a thud.

"God Alm, please allow me to offer you a tribute in Orb... so please instruct me on how to make glue!"

Al blinked and tilted his head to look at Raven, who had suddenly fallen ill.

'Has Raven been under that much pressure lately?'

Chapter 54 The Edge of Territorial Waters

"Listen to me, everyone!"

In a corner of the Archangel's dining hall, Mirialia leaned forward, her hands on the table, her eyes shining with excitement, and whispered to her friends.

"Judging from the Archangel's course, our next stop might be Orb!"

"But Orb hasn't joined the Earth Federation, has it? I've considered that possibility too, but would Orb, which claims to be neutral, really let us in?"

Thor put down his fork and picked up where Miriam left off, but Cagalli, sitting opposite him, let out a displeased snort upon hearing the name Orb.

"Hmph, neutral? If Orb were truly neutral, they wouldn't have been secretly building the Archangel and those mobile suits for the Allied Forces."

But to her surprise, her tone of voice drew the attention of both Thor and Miriam.

"I didn't realize Cagalli cared so much about Orb. Could it be that Cagalli, like us, is from Orb?"

"Huh? Millie, why would you think that?"

Cagalli's voice unconsciously rose in pitch.

"Speaking of which, I seem to recall hearing before that Representative Uzmi has a daughter named Cagalli, who happens to share the same name as you!"

Thor crossed his arms and looked up, recalling his memories.

"Tch, let her call herself whatever she wants. What does it have to do with me what the princess of Orb is called?"

Cagalli abruptly turned her face to the side, concealing the turmoil in her eyes.

She wasn't foolish enough to reveal her identity on a coalition warship for no reason. The daughter of a high-ranking official concealing her identity to infiltrate another country's warship and even personally piloting a fighter jet into battle—if this were to get out, it would undoubtedly turn into a disastrous diplomatic incident.

However, the Archangel is gradually approaching Orb, which is ultimately good news for her.

Having been away for so long, even she has begun to miss her hometown to some extent.

Moreover, if ZAFT pushes too hard and the Archangel encounters a crisis it cannot resolve on its own near Orb's territorial waters, she can still use her status to protect the Archangel as a way of repaying it for carrying her all the way here.

Kira, sitting next to Cagalli, fell silent after hearing Miriam's words.

'Ob...'

The thought of getting closer and closer to Orb suddenly filled him with a sense of panic.

Not long ago, he was just an ordinary student at Heriopolis, spending his days going to class, leaving class, and playing around with his friends.

But now, he's piloting a mobile suit, fighting to the death with the enemy on the battlefield, and has even killed people.

Kira thought of his parents.

Now that they live peaceful lives in Orb, will they truly accept themselves as they are now?

It was Raven's gentle voice that pulled Kira out of his confusion.

"What are you talking about that makes you so happy?"

Raven arrived at their table with a tray at some point.

"Ah, teacher!"

Miria didn't seem to have any reservations and asked quite directly.

"Is the Archangel going to Orb next?"

"Hmm, you guys are quite perceptive."

The meaning implied in Raven's words caused both Miriam and Thor to see expressions of surprise on each other's faces.

However, Raven gestured for silence and shushed them, drowning out their cheers.

"However, the Archangel is, after all, a space battleship of the Earth Alliance. It cannot dock in Orb unless there are special circumstances. But if something happens on the edge of Orb's territorial waters, that would be an uncontrollable event, and that would be beyond our control."

Miria and Thor immediately understood and nodded, but Cagalli, upon hearing this, turned her head away unhappily.

Kira's mood, however, became even more melancholic, and Raven clearly captured this hint of gloom in the boy's emotions.

"If the Archangel can dock in Orb, you might be able to meet your families. Then you can stand tall and tell them about your journey. Especially you, Kira."

"teacher?"