Gundam: From Piece to Player

The 101st Division was formed by Lord Karma Zabi, the youngest member of the Zabi family, which meant excellent treatment and that this unit would not be sent to the most dangerous war zones.

I finally found a seat in a corner that wasn't very conspicuous and sat down.

Just after Barney sat down.

A girl wearing a Zeon army coat and with short black hair suddenly walked up to him.

Is nobody here?

Barney was startled, not expecting the other person to strike up a conversation with him.

The only way to describe her appearance is as androgynous and beautiful, with fair skin.

Barney's heart raced. "Good morning, sir. Please have a seat."

The other person glanced at his rank, smiled, and returned the salute, saying, "Even a corporal has been called over."

"Yes, I also suspect that the notification was wrong."

"Then you must have something special about you."

Barney thought to himself, what special qualities do I have?

As the minute hand of the clock in the venue struck 12, a black-haired girl with a single ponytail, dressed in a purple Zeon secretary uniform, walked onto the stage, and the entire venue quickly fell silent.

Sally Stride, His Excellency Kalmar's secretary and administrative officer of the 101st Division.

There was much discussion about her gender within the Zeon army, and some gossipy individuals privately discussed Lord Garma's unusual mate selection preferences. The fact that she graduated from military school early demonstrates how much the lord favored her.

However, judging from the internal discussions among the officers and soldiers of the 101st Division, this officer's decision-making and judgment abilities were exceptionally strong.

This is reflected in the exceptionally harmonious relationship between superiors and subordinates, with almost no instances of mismatch between ability and position.

Lieutenant Lacan, Barney's superior, once described his thoughts after interacting with Barney and his subordinates.

“Sally, the affairs officer, always had a knack for getting things going, just like how I felt when I was a kid trying to negotiate with my father.”

"So, Lieutenant, what do you think Sally's gender is?" Barney couldn't help but ask.

"It's undoubtedly a woman; the rumors are somewhat exaggerated."

Sally's clear voice drew Barney's attention back to the scene.

"First of all, I would like to congratulate everyone here for passing a secret test. All your daily actions, drills, and even everyday conversations in public places after you entered the 101st Division were included in the evaluation criteria."

There was some commotion in the audience, but it quickly subsided.

It's actually quite normal to be monitored after joining the military, where every word and action is scrutinized.

As for whether there was any invasion of privacy, that's probably quite unclear.

"You may feel uneasy, or feel that there is a sacrifice involved, but this is unavoidable. We will select a group of core members to form a military committee belonging to our 101st Division. This committee is independent of the Zeon military rank system. You will become 'representatives', and 'representatives' will have the authority to communicate directly with the Chief Representative—that is, His Excellency Garma."

The black-haired girl picked up a black watch from the podium, and a magnified image of the watch was then projected onto the main screen.

Although the meeting hall was brightly lit, the soldiers below the stage all sensed the dark power it symbolized.

It's a bit like the SS organization, Barney thought to himself.

Even high-ranking officials like generals felt insecure facing the SS troops sent by General Killian, as they were essentially his supervisory force.

Barney saw the girl next to him angrily raise her hand, and he was startled. He wanted to whisper to dissuade her, but then realized that he didn't know the female officer's name.

Is this a public protest?

“Oh, it seems someone has a different opinion.” As if she had spotted a challenger, Sally turned her gaze in their direction. “Please share your opinion.”

All eyes in the hall were drawn to the beautiful figure beside Barney.

“Officer Sally, this is tantamount to forming an illegal party. Doing this in the military is punishable by a military court!”

The dashing, black-haired female officer pointed at Sally.

This is a rather serious accusation, especially given the current public opinion climate in Zeon.

The audience was silent.

“Such accusations are undoubtedly exaggerated.” Sally crossed her arms. “Our committee only has advisory power, not enforcement power. Your actions are well thought out.”

The female lieutenant then turned her gaze to Barney.

"For example, this corporal was also chosen as a representative because he can make advice to Lord Kalmar, and thus gain power far beyond what he would have as a corporal. Does this mean that soldiers can turn around and blackmail officers?"

"Lieutenant Michael Toto, aren't we discussing whether the committee acted illegally?"

Sally, the affairs officer, bluntly called out the female officer's name, and only then did the audience realize that this surname also belonged to a noble family that had coexisted with the Zabi family since the founding of the nation, known as the Zabi family's shadow warrior.

With such powerful backing, it's no wonder they dare to launch such an attack; it's a clash of powerful backers.

"I'm just stating the absurdities. Zeon's officer and soldier system is absolute; subordinates can't listen to their superiors, and when they go to the battlefield, they'll pay with their lives."

Miss Toto, however, remained relentless.

“I’m withdrawing; my family won’t allow me to participate in this kind of gathering.”

Upon hearing this, Miss Toto walked straight to the middle aisle and left the venue.

Barney, standing to the side, was completely stunned.

This is a complete and utter breakdown of relations; what audacity!

It's not just a matter of whether or not one serves in the 101st Division; this is a blatant provocation against the then-rising star, Lord Kalmar.

Are there any others who share Miss Toto's opinion?

Sally was smiling and didn't seem angry, but Barney thought she was probably furious.

No one dared to stand out from the crowd.

No one here has a stronger backing than Miss Toto; not everyone can afford to offend such a powerful figure.

"Although she was unreasonable, she did make some valid points. Joining the committee as a representative means being labeled as Lady Kalmar. I also advise everyone to consider this carefully, as opportunities and risks go hand in hand..."

“If you really don’t want to take this risk, you can leave like Miss Toto; if you’re worried about my retaliation in your promotion, you can apply to be transferred out of the 101st Division, and I will approve it. But if you bring it up afterward, there will be punishment. You have two minutes to discuss and consider.”

After finishing her speech, Sally calmly gazed at the crowd below the stage.

Clearly, the rest of the meeting content was shown to the delegates.

Those who do not wish to join must leave.

The officers below fell silent. Several field officers and junior officers stood up one after another, and twenty of the more than one hundred people present also left from the front row.

This might be a good option for those of them who are unwilling to take sides.

No matter how much infighting there is within the Zabi family, or even if the Zabi family were to fall one day, remaining neutral is always a safe option.

Barney looked ahead and saw that there were actually more than thirty soldiers like him (below the rank of second lieutenant), and almost none of them had left.

Faced with such a tempting opportunity, Barney had no reason to leave.

Footsteps suddenly came from the stage, and as 'that person' entered, the officers in the front row almost reflexively stood up and saluted.

Barney, who was in the back row, quickly stood up and bowed as well.

Was he hiding backstage listening the whole time that noble lady started her attack?

That's really impressive how calm you are.

The man who walked out from backstage was none other than Karma Zabi, the commander of the 101st Airborne Division.

"Thank you everyone, please sit down."

Sally, the affairs officer, stepped aside, and Karma Zabi walked to the front of the stage, raising the microphone slightly.

"Thank you for your trust. I guarantee with the reputation of the Zabi family that you will be safe and secure. Our organization is completely legal. I have just confirmed with the Commander-in-Chief regarding the questions raised by Lieutenant Ghomil Toto. There are no problems."

"But since some people have chosen to leave... I also think it's a good test. Life is always full of choices, and we can't judge whether it's right or wrong."

Chapter 23 Loss of Composure

"Just like our country, a war with the federal government is inevitable, and it's hard to predict the outcome after the war starts," Kalma said.

"There are only two outcomes: we win the war of independence. The other is defeat, I go to the guillotine, and you all become slaves of a conquered nation."

"However, can you tell me exactly where we can win?"

"The Federation and other colonies have 100 times the manpower of Zeon, the Federation fleet is 5 times larger than ours, and their industrial output is 10 times that of Zeon!"

Karma's words were like a heavy hammer blow, but instead of venting emotions, they were a heartfelt depiction of this cold reality. Barney had never seen a leader give such a speech before, because it presupposed Zeon's failure.

Barney somehow raised his hand.

Kalmar nodded, signaling for him to speak.

"Your Excellency, with the even stronger will of us Zeon!"

As soon as Barney said that, some people in the audience prepared to shout "ZICK ZEON".

However, Karma pressed it down with a gesture.

"Corporal Barney, I believe in the will of everyone here, but relying solely on psycho-nuclear weapons, we can only choose a gruesome death, but cannot reverse our fate of defeat. To turn defeat into victory, we must surpass the Federation in other aspects."

Karma stopped keeping him in suspense.

"Higher efficiency, more rigorous organization, more meticulous planning, more rational strategies, more pragmatic logistical planning, higher soldier quality, and military officers like you who can solve real-world problems."

Karma stretched out her hands to the crowd below the stage.

"That is the purpose of my creation of this committee."

"I can tell you very clearly that the 101st Division will be the most crucial unit in the Zeon War of Independence, without exception. Our officers will be trained as generals, and our soldiers will be trained as officers."

"The battles to come will not be easy. We will go into the enemy's lair, to the bottom of the gravity well, to fight the Federation forces to the death."

"Faced with an enemy that is at least three, five, or ten times larger than us, the Federal Army is like an endless swarm of insects in science fiction. If you still believe that willpower can overcome everything, I suggest you pull out your pistols and kill yourselves right now. That would be easier!"

"..."

"Of course, I won't hide in the command post either; I'll fight alongside everyone!"

His Excellency Kalmar spoke for a total of 5 minutes.

Five minutes later, when the speech ended, thunderous applause erupted in the hall.