Gundam: From Piece to Player

When the gap exceeds a certain point, you simply cannot win.

For example, Amuro, piloting the Lingo, couldn't beat Char, piloting the Sazabi. If he tried to force his way in, he wouldn't be able to torture Char and might even be arrested instead.

"Karma, your piloting skills are also quite good." On the way back to the hangar from the port after the battle, Char's Red Zaku approached the mobile suit he was piloting. "Although your mobile suit is much stronger than mine, your battle strategy was correct."

"That would be an honor."

"If I don't let you win, you'll be holding a grudge for years," Karma thought.

Have you ever lost a duel with anyone else?

"I lost to the deputy captain of the training brigade in the first month after MS was launched, but I haven't lost since."

Karma did remember the person Char mentioned.

Back at the base, Karma invited Char to stay for a meal. The ingredients were all natural, which was quite extravagant since animal husbandry and farming were not easy to come by in space.

Nowadays, many Zeon nobles are competing in luxury goods, and corruption is starting to grow behind the scenes, only they don't pretend like Federation officials do.

He had a good reputation in the military because he ate and lived with the soldiers, and his personal life was one of the easiest indicators of a great general to achieve.

After the reception ended, Karma turned her gaze to Char.

He didn't believe that Char had come here just to have a mobile suit duel with him.

Char coughed.

He then solemnly removed his mask.

“It’s been years, Karma. Let me reintroduce myself. I am Casbal Rem Deikun.”

"...Deacon's orphan, what brings you back to Zeon?" Karma took a deep breath, trying to mimic a gasp, before her tone returned to normal. "Um...should I appear even more surprised?"

"..." Xia sighed, "When did you find out?"

“From the first day you entered military school,” Karma said, “you were the only one in the class wearing a mask, and you acted like you knew me very well… and then I remembered the parties I attended when I was a kid, there really was such a cool, unsociable guy.”

Upon hearing Karma's description, Char gave a wry smile, though it was unclear what he was laughing at.

Considering what Kycilia told him about the "prince" a few days ago, if Char wasn't deliberately concealing his identity, Karma could only guess that Char wore the mask because he hoped his value would be exposed after being discovered.

But Karma thinks it's highly likely that the Deiken faction behind Char Aznable is overestimating the Zabi family.

It's just plain vegetables.

“Long time no see, Kasvald.” Karma dropped her nonchalant expression. “So why did you go to the trouble of revealing your identity to meet me?”

"...I'll get straight to the point, Karma, do you think the current form of the Principality of Zeon is correct?"

Are you sure you want to talk to me about politics, which you hate the most?

Karma thought to herself, "Then you're just asking for trouble."

"Don't talk about lofty principles, you just want to say that the Zabi family should return the country to you, right?"

"Isn't that right? It was the Zabi family who conspired to murder my father!"

"So you're here today to get revenge? This is my base. If you dare to make a move, you won't escape."

Karma looked at Char curiously, wanting to see what else he could say to win her over.

Chapter 43 Secret Alliance

“I didn’t say that, but I thought we could fight Gihren together.”

Faced with Karma's blatant provocation, Char calmed down instead.

"After my father died, not only were his theories distorted, but the people were also bound to the war machine. In order to prepare for a long war, the economy collapsed and prices soared. When the war started, Zeon was likely to fall into an abyss of no return."

That's well said. Did the person behind the scenes teach you to memorize it?

Karma didn't think this was something Char would say.

"Many people in Zeon want to take down Gihren, but they all give up because they lack the strength. Do you have a better plan?"

“Kihlen’s strength is indeed formidable and cannot be shaken in the short term, but the situation will change once the war begins,” Xia said. “Once the conflict with the Federation reaches a stalemate, there will be room for maneuver.”

Is that really what Char Aznable was thinking?

Karma frowned. "Have you considered that Zeon's national strength is already insufficient? If it were to fight amongst itself, Zeon could very well be wiped out by the Federation forces in one fell swoop?"

Even if you manage to seize power, how do you intend to deal with the Federation? The Federation won't stop its attacks just because you're a Deikun supporter. Zeon doesn't have any territorial interests to sell either.

"At that time, not only Gihren, but also any trace of your father's existence will be erased, and Zeon may be completely destroyed."

"I'll find a way to avoid all of this," Xia replied. "There's always a way."

This isn't an answer at all; it's just an evasion of the question.

Just like his habitual tendency to shirk responsibility.

Question: Why did Zeon lose the One Year War?

On the surface, it appears that they were defeated by the Federation, but the real reason for the defeat was internal chaos.

The collapse of faith dealt the final blow to this country.

If Char truly felt any sense of responsibility towards the country his father left behind, he should have raised his own flag and stood up to rally the people after killing Kycilia and after the Federation conquered Side 3.

But he didn't; he followed the remnants of the army to Axis.

There is still a chance at this point. If he reveals his identity, he may still be able to gain power and rule Neo Zeon.

What did he do? He watched helplessly as Haman seized power…

One of them went to the Earth Sphere to explore and seek a path beyond Zeon, and made a huge sacrifice to defeat the Titans. When the AEUG needed him the most, he disappeared.

When the year 93 arrived... you thought he had finally awakened to the responsibility of leading the space colonists in rebellion against the federal tyranny.

This man actually lost hope in humanity and decided to implement the Earth cooling operation, ostensibly to send all Earthlings into space, but in reality, he just wanted to have a final duel with Amuro to settle everything—and in the end, he lost.

Char's life is full of regrets, but he actually had many choices, if only he had been willing to take on more responsibility... even if it was just a try.

Karma had originally intended to verbally abuse Char, but then she suddenly remembered Char's speech in Dakar—

Has he really never tried?

“We can cooperate.” With that thought in mind, Kalmar stood up and walked toward the collection cabinet behind her, as if searching for something: “As long as you can unite the Daken faction against the Federation in this War of Independence, I will help you, help you build your reputation and establish your own power, and fight alongside you against Kiran and Kycilia. Even making you prime minister after the war is not a problem.”

"Are you serious, Karma?"

Upon hearing this, Xia also stood up. Although he had discussed with his staff the inclinations Karma had shown in their daily interactions and believed that there was a high probability that Karma would agree to cooperate.

But he still found it hard to believe that Karma agreed so easily.

"of course."

After searching for a long time, Kalmar finally found what he was looking for. He took out a model of the Magellan from the display case behind him. "But if I find out that you've made peace with the federal government, or settled personal scores before the war."

Karma snapped the Magellan in two like breaking chopsticks, saying, "Your fate will be just like this model."

"You can rest assured about that. I have no intention of letting Zeon lose the War of Independence."

So you've changed your tune already?

Karma barely managed to suppress her sarcasm upon hearing Char's words.

Is defeating the Federation such a simple matter?

You're so young and impetuous, Char.

He threw the broken Magellan model into the trash can.

“Having ambition is a good thing. Now that we’re allies, I’ll give you a little something to say goodbye.”

"Oh?"

Karma turned on the display projector on the desktop, and as he operated it, a person's identity file was projected into the air.

"Henry Schlesell, commander of the Capital Defense Force?" Xia looked at the photo and information in the file with suspicion.

"Yes, if you go and contact him, you'll have unexpected gains."

"Is it the Daken faction?" Xia Ya couldn't help but guess.

"He served as your father's military advisor ten years ago, when he was a captain and one of your father's old subordinates."

"It's so conspicuous, won't it be discovered?"

“Not at all conspicuous,” Kalmar said. “Ten years ago, there were no Zabi factions at all. Even my father, Deakin, was called a Daken faction. Kilian even served as your father’s secretary and was once his most ardent admirer.”

Xia frowned. It was hard for him to believe that his greatest enemy, the one who killed his father, was actually an admirer of his father.

“Of course, it’s precisely because they are the closest comrades that they are less likely to be stabbed in the back,” Karma said.

"You're saying it might be Kirian who killed my father?"

"I don't know. I'm not clear about the assassination. All I know is that they all betrayed the ideals of the founding father, which is why Zeon has degenerated into what it is today."

Seeing Karma say this, Char stopped worrying about it and focused on the file in front of him, unable to help but start making connections.

"The defense of the capital city, they've actually assigned such important positions, if..."

Karma ruthlessly shattered his illusions.

"If you want to take action, you'll have to get past the Gihren Guard. Their mobile suits can be launched directly into the city through the underground tunnels of Zum City. You were defeated by the deputy captain of the training battalion before, right? That person is also the captain of the Gihren Guard."

Char's pupils contracted slightly.

"Furthermore, almost everyone in the Royal Guard is an ace, and they are equipped with the latest mobile suits. Ordinary pilots are no different from 'speed bumps' to them. Only elites at the squad leader level and above are of any use."

"What if I join in and they start fighting?" Xia Ya still hadn't given up.

Kalmar said, "If you add the Capital Defense Battalion against the Kiren SS, you can probably hold out for 25 minutes."

"And what about your 101st Division?"

“If I launch a full-scale assault, the Royal Guard can hold me off for 20 minutes and then escort Gihren to the Space Attack Force,” Karma said. “Once Gihren is back with the Space Attack Force, it will be my turn to run away.”

Xia also understood the implication in his words.

Before a decisive battle is decided with the Federation, or before they have sufficient strength, Karma does not intend to clash with Gihren. This is one of the bottom lines for allying with Karma.

Drop drop drop.

Xia took out his military communicator and made the call.