Crossing Orb: Newtype Commander

January CE68, underground command center of the Ministry of Defense of Ob.

The New Year had just passed, and Orb City was still immersed in the festive atmosphere, but this underground facility deep within the Dawn Corporation compound had already resumed its busy activity. This was one of VEDA's core nodes, and the place where Char handled top-secret matters. The room was small, the walls covered with electromagnetic shielding, and the only decorations were the Orb flag on the wall and a hand-drawn star map of the solar system.

Char stood in front of the communications console, where lines of encrypted code were displayed on the holographic screen. VEDA was conducting its final connection test.

"Lord Char, the encrypted channel has been established." Veda's voice was calm. "The connection delay with PLANT is 1.7 seconds. The quantum encryption layer has been activated, and the probability of eavesdropping is less than 0.001 percent."

Is the target online?

"Congressman Siegel Klein has been connected. He has granted your meeting request."

Char took a deep breath and straightened the collar of his military uniform. The code interface on the holographic screen switched to the standby screen for a video call. A rotating loading icon bounced in the center of the screen.

The screen lights up.

A gentle, slightly weary face appears in the image. It is Higel Klein, a member of the PLANT Supreme Council and leader of the moderate faction. The background is his study, with shelves filled with paper books—quite rare among Coordinators.

"Commander-in-Chief Langlad," Higel's voice was steady, tinged with curiosity, "your intelligence network is impressive. Where did you obtain this encryption technology? Even PLANT's top cryptographers would probably be unable to crack this communication channel."

Xia bowed slightly as a sign of respect.

"Congressman Siegel, thank you for taking the call. The origin of the encryption technology... that's not important. What's important is that we need to talk."

Higel looked at him, remained silent for a few seconds, and then smiled.

"You are younger than I imagined. Uzmi's adopted son, the twenty-one-year-old Commander-in-Chief of Defense. Your reputation has already spread to PLANT."

"I hope it's a good reputation."

"At least it's not a bad reputation." Siegel leaned back in his chair. "So, what do you want to talk about?"

1.2 The Truth About the Situation

Char tapped the desktop control panel, shrinking his image to a corner of the screen, which was replaced by a series of data and charts—VEDA's analysis of the political situation in PLANT over the past year.

"Congressman Siegel, I'll get straight to the point," Char said, pointing to the chart. "The power balance within PLANT is irreversibly tilting towards the radicals. Patrick Zala's influence has expanded from the Defense Committee to the Supreme Committee. At the current rate, by CE69, he will have enough votes to push for a declaration of war against Earth."

Higel's expression turned serious. He looked at the data but did not refute it.

"Your intelligence is very accurate," he said slowly. "Sarah is indeed expanding. She is expanding her army under the guise of 'self-defense,' mobilizing the people under the pretense of 'the future of the Coordinators,' and creating hatred under the guise of 'the oppression of the Earth Federation.' Every move is effective."

"And the moderates are losing ground," Xia said. "Not because you're not trying hard enough, but because the moderates' propositions—peaceful coexistence, diplomatic solutions, gradual reforms—appear weak in the face of hatred. People don't want weak propositions; they want strong answers."

Higel gave a wry smile.

"You're right. But hatred has been building up, and it can't be erased with just a few words. If war breaks out one day... I hope there will at least be a path to peace."

Char stared directly into Higel's eyes on the screen.

"That's us."

The two people on either side of the screen fell silent.

"Congressman Higel, the Orb and the Kleinists share a common enemy—not Naturals, nor Coordinators, but those who incite war with hatred. Blue Cosmos, and all those who profit from war. They are the adversaries we must confront."

Higel nodded slowly.

"You want to form an alliance?"

“It’s not a formal alliance,” Char said. “That would cause you trouble. It’s an understanding—that the Klein and Orb will support each other when necessary. Intelligence sharing, technology exchange, and mutual protection in the worst-case scenario.”

Higel remained silent for a long time.

In the scene, he stands up and walks to the bookshelf, his back to the screen. Char can't see his expression, but he can see his shoulders moving slightly.

"Do you know what that means?" Higel turned around. "If anyone finds out that I have a secret connection with Ob, Sarah will immediately label me a 'traitor.' My political life will be over."

"I know."

"Then you still dare to bring this up?"

"Because if you do nothing, once Sara comes to power, your political life won't just be 'ending,' it will be 'terminated.'" Xia's voice was calm but firm. "He's not someone who will tolerate opposition."

Higel stared at Char, a complex light flashing in his eyes.

"You're very direct."

"There's no time for beating around the bush."

Higel sat back down in his chair, his expression softening somewhat.

"Do you know, General Langlad, that I have a daughter?"

Char nodded: "Lacus Clyne. I know her. The youngest songstress of PLANT, known as the 'Messenger of Peace'."

Higel was slightly surprised: "You even have this kind of information?"

"It's public information," Char said. "Her concert videos are also circulating in Orb. Her voice truly has a... comforting power."

A hint of fatherly pride and tenderness appeared on Higel's face.

"She's only thirteen, but she already knows how to soothe people's hearts with her singing. Sometimes I feel that she understands the true meaning of peace better than I do. I only talk about politics, interests, and compromise. She only sings, but her singing can do what I can't—let people let go of hatred, even if only for a few minutes."

"Those few minutes could be the difference between life and death," Xia said.

Higel looked at him thoughtfully.

"General Langlad, I have a request—no, a condition."

"Please speak."

"If one day PLANT is no longer safe, I hope Orb can provide shelter for the Klein family," Siegel said in a low voice. "Not for me, but for my daughter. She's too young to be dragged into the vortex of politics."

Char did not hesitate.

"I promise. If that day comes, Orb will provide shelter to the Klein family. Unconditionally, without reservation."

Higel stared at him for a long time.

"You're a strange person," he finally said. "You're so young, yet you talk like you've lived several lifetimes."

Char didn't answer, he just smiled slightly.

The communications continued, and the topics shifted from politics to more practical matters.

"I need to know the current state of PLANT's MS development," Char said. "Not the publicly reported information, but the actual progress."

Higel thought for a moment: "Proto GINN has completed testing and is ready for mass production. Sara's plan is to equip at least two hundred units by the end of CE68. In addition, some more advanced models are under development."

Char frowned slightly. Two hundred units—that was no small number. The Griffin Squadron currently only had thirty mobile suits, and even with future production, the number was far from sufficient.

"What about the Earth Alliance?" Siegel countered. "You should have more information than I do."

"The Atlantic Federation is developing anti-MS weapons," Char said, "including large beam cannons and missile systems targeting MS. But they don't have their own MS yet—at least not publicly. However, I suspect they're developing them in secret."

"Both sides are expanding their armies," Siegel sighed, "while those in the middle are caught in the middle."

"So we need to be prepared," Xia said, "not to fire the first shot, but to have someone stand up and say 'stop' after the shot has been fired."

Higel nodded.

"I will regularly brief you on PLANT's movements. In exchange, I need your intelligence on the Earth Alliance—especially the operational plans for the Blue Universe."

"make a deal."

At the end of the call, VEDA generated a brief agreement text. It had no legal effect, no signature or seal, and consisted of only two paragraphs:

"The Kleinists and the United Leaders of the Aub, based on their shared belief in peace, agree to support each other, share intelligence, and coordinate actions when necessary. Both sides pledge not to disclose each other's information to third parties and to provide assistance to the best of their ability when the other encounters a crisis."

After reading the text, Higel remained silent for a few seconds.

"If this agreement gets leaked..."

"It will be stored in VEDA's core database in the form of quantum encryption," Xia said. "No one but you and me can access it. No, even you and I cannot 'prove' its existence. It's an agreement between us, not a piece of paper."

Higel nodded.

Okay. I agree.

As the communication was about to end, Higel's expression softened somewhat.

"Manager Langlad, I have a personal question."

"Please speak."

"Why are you doing this? You're so young, you could be living a much easier life. Why take on such a huge responsibility?"

Char remained silent for a moment.

"Because I've seen what war looks like," he said. "I've seen a ten-year-old girl beaten to death simply because she was a mediator. I've seen children in refugee camps starving to the bone while their parents died in conflict. I've seen how hatred is ignited and how goodwill is extinguished."

"I don't want to see this anymore." His voice was soft, but every word was firm. "So I'm going to do everything I can to make Orb—or at least Orb—a place where no one is killed because of their race."

Higel looked at him, a certain light gleaming in his eyes.

"Your father, Uzmi, must be very proud of you."

"I hope so."

"Take care, Manager Langlad."

"Take care, Congressman Siegel."

The screen went dark.