Gundam: From Piece to Player

"Captain Haiwen, let's be the main force to meet them off. I've figured out their strengths and weaknesses. I'll be the main attacker and make sure they don't come back alive."

"Major Char," Haiwen said to Char, "the focus of this operation is not to eliminate the enemy, but to capture the Federation's Gundam..."

"Therefore, you, who are the strongest individual combatants in our army, will serve as the reserve force and launch an attack after the Federation's MS have been worn down... This will maximize the success rate."

Haiwen's words were reasonable and well-founded, and from a macro perspective, they were impeccable.

It's going to be a war of attrition... This time, Amuro's machine doesn't have the original GN Drive. If things go as planned, not only will the pilot be unable to hold on, but the machine's energy will also be completely depleted.

In other words, let Char and Lala pick up the pieces halfway through the fight.

"Captain Hywin, besides Lieutenant Lara and me, who else in the Zeon army do you think can wear down the Federation's mobile suits? Are you planning to use sheer numbers to deplete the enemy's ammunition?"

"Don't bully Haiwen, you narrow-minded fellow!" Karma said.

"I think I'm alright. Although I'm not as skilled as Major Xia, I can still wear down my opponent in a simple way."

Char turned around and saw that it was Karma who was speaking, and immediately hesitated to speak.

"General Garma, you are the Commander-in-Chief of the Earth Suppression Force. You should never be fighting on the front lines. If there is one person on the Zeon ground front who is absolutely irreplaceable, it is you."

It's the same principle as you using a Sazabi to fight a Nu Gundam; I'm also going into battle to minimize casualties, okay?

Compared to the original "him", the current Kalmar has, as Beethoven famously said, seized fate by the throat.

The reason we didn't launch an expedition to the western North America to capture the Type 78 was because doing so would have been too much of a chore and would have disrupted our deployment.

But now that Char has lured them to Toronto, there's no reason for them not to fight back on their home turf.

For him, the 78 Gundam was more like capturing the "old age" that symbolized "financial freedom".

Its complete Minovsky particle beam weapon technology, Luna titanium alloy, and high-sensitivity sensors are all treasure troves of technology.

Despite the old man's breath, bites, and scratches, Kalma must control the intensity of her love to capture him without breaking him.

However, if the opponent reacts to the stress (such as by detonating a nuclear fusion reactor to perish together with the enemy), then the battle can truly be considered a failure.

The profits from the deployment are not even recouped.

As for the White Base, Karma, he really has no interest in it right now.

The most valuable Minovsky particle levitation system on the white base was useless to him; he had no docks, resources, or people to build warships within the atmosphere.

In the future, our main combat environment will also be space, making it difficult to reach Earth.

Additionally, Artesia (Sera) is also on the list; she personally dislikes Zeon... otherwise she wouldn't have joined the Federation.

If they knew what Char's current goal was... the conflict between the siblings would immediately escalate.

“Since you’ve decided to launch an attack, General, I have no objection, but are you planning to fight two against one?” Xia continued to nitpick.

According to Lala's report, the White Base has indeed received a major upgrade, and it seems that the two pilots of the Gundam are her kind.

It's strange, besides Amuro, were there other new humans in the Federation during the One Year War?

—It's probably another side story that came out of some obscure corner.

“You don’t need to worry about that. I will protect the general from behind.” Haiwen had already answered. “Major Xia, please don’t worry. There will definitely be a time when you are needed.”

Seeing this, Char stopped arguing and sat down.

After the meeting, Kalmar texted Haywin to come to the hangar with him... Everything that needed to be prepared was already done, but just in case, it was better to have some backup plans.

9 p.m.

The White Base crossed the Mississippi River in North America. Once across the river, it would be equivalent to arriving in the eastern part of North America, getting closer and closer to the eastern coastline occupied by Zeon. Coincidentally, the bridge was on duty, with only Bright and Millai on guard.

Taking advantage of the fact that no one was around, Millai said to Brad, who was standing at the porthole, "Captain, we are now on a military adventure."

"But if we don't do it, Dr. Tim Ray and Corporal Amuro Ray will be constantly worried about their families during the battle, which will affect their combat effectiveness."

"Can't we ask the Toronto guerrillas to come to the rescue?"

"After they're rescued, where do they go? There's still a risk of being hijacked, especially if they're on a fighter jet or similar aircraft and get shot down..."

Brad shook his head; in that case, it would be better not to save them.

This reminded him of the movie called Saving Private Ryan.

The action itself is certainly not worthwhile.

But Dr. Ray's contributions to the Federation are so great that we would like him to continue developing more powerful MS for the Federation.

It is only right that the federal government allocates some resources to provide him with privileges.

Brad thought of his parents in England, what if they were kidnapped... so he empathized with Dr. Ray's plight and took the initiative to facilitate this operation.

"I've also spoken with Commander Clancy on the North American side and analyzed the situation. The real goal of the Zeon forces is to capture this ship... not to shoot it down, but to try to capture us so that they can reverse-engineer the technology of our mobile suits and battleships."

"If the other party shows mercy, that's actually something we can use against them."

Mi Lai still couldn't suppress the fear on her face. "What if the enemy loses patience?"

"Before I set off, I explained the situation to Commander Wallen of Luna II... Although Commander Wallen had a lot of objections to our operation, he still agreed to my request. After my ship encounters the enemy, it will send a laser communication signal into space in advance, and Luna II will send out a fleet to provide reinforcements to the White Base with an orbital strike... This is in the absence of air superiority."

"Orbital strike?" Milley glanced at the sky. Sniping the ground from outside the atmosphere... Is that really something humans can do?

"It's said to be a new piece of equipment," Brad replied. "It's only because our military has gradually gained control of space above the Earth that this has become possible."

Chapter 106 Taking the Field Personally

The southern part of the Great Lakes region boasts exceptionally beautiful scenery, with a wide variety of coniferous and broad-leaved forests growing along the lakeshore.

A colossal object flew overhead, and the tremendous noise of the Minovsky particle levitation device terrified the birds in the forest, causing them to scatter in all directions.

"Once you cross this lake area, you'll reach the city of Toronto."

—That's what Captain Brad said.

Amro waited in the ship's pilot's lounge, even though he had no work to do.

But for drivers, "being on standby" is a job in itself.

A few days ago, the belongings of the fallen soldiers, including Ron Jose and Job John, were placed in empty coffins and a mourning ceremony was held on the ship because their bodies could not be recovered.

Amuro also broke down in tears at the memorial service... Everyone comforted him.

But Amuro's grief wasn't solely for the deaths of his comrades; he also thought of his mother's possible fate—captured by the Zeon forces and used as a pawn to threaten him and his father, ultimately meeting a violent end.

Char of Zeon is a highly skilled but ruthless guy... Amuro despises him to the extreme.

The Gundam's performance wasn't fully utilized... It wasn't that the Gundam was inadequate, but rather that it itself was inadequate.

The last battle made Amuro fully realize the gap between himself and Zeon's top aces.

If reinforcements hadn't arrived in time, he and Ms. Shiko would probably have died at Xia's hands.

Although he had participated in numerous simulated battles on the learning computers of Gundam... he still couldn't win even once.

This is due to a comprehensive lag in operational skills, battlefield awareness, and experience.

He used to have an advantage because of his superior mecha... To win, he would have to see the "future" again, just like when he saved Ms. Shiko.

The automatic sensor door made a sound, and light footsteps were heard on the floor.

"Amuro, it's my turn to be on duty."

"Okay, Ms. Shiko."

Looking at Shiko's beautiful figure, Amuro's originally troubled mood eased slightly, and he was about to stand up.

"Wait, no need to rush. Here, have a soft drink."

"Carbonated drinks are bad for your health and make you sleepy. Do you have coffee?"

"Then...should I put it back in the vending machine?" Shiko replied somewhat blankly.

"Okay, I was just kidding." Amuro smiled, reached out, took the can of soda, and pulled the tab... Actually, he just liked carbonated drinks and didn't like coffee; sweet things were always easier to drink than bitter ones.

“You have a very strong spirit,” Miss Shiko said thoughtfully. “I used to think you were the type who couldn’t handle setbacks.”

Are you saying I'm oblivious?

“That’s an advantage, especially for soldiers.” Shiko lowered her head, and only then did she seem like a girl. “I often think of my fallen comrades, like a few days ago when I sent Vice Captain Ryu to attack Kau. Thinking about it carefully, there were safer options at the time, such as having the upper body of the Gundam combine with the G-fighter to launch a joint attack…”

All G-fighters were destroyed, so such a review is actually worthless.

Repeating painful memories is useless; Ms. Shiko will only intensify her suffering... just like a parrot plucking its own feathers, a form of self-harm.

"Amuro, where are you! Gundam has received new equipment. Where are you? I'll tell you how to use it."

Amuro felt a surge of irritation when his father's voice rang out from the hangar.

This emotional fluctuation did not escape Ms. Shiko's notice.

“Amuro, I used to think my parents were annoying... but now I think it’s nothing.”

Amuro paused for a moment after hearing this, then felt somewhat guilty. "Thank you for reminding me, Ms. Shiko."

...

"How is Dr. Ray's wife, Commander Clancy?"

“The situation around us is still unclear. Camaria Ray originally lived in a small town near Toronto, but now that the Zeon army has learned of her whereabouts, they have naturally conducted a corresponding investigation,” Commander Clancy replied. “I suggest you storm into the airspace above the city tomorrow and bring her directly onto the ship.”

"Wouldn't that be too much of a fuss? Could it lead to a battle breaking out in the city?" Brad asked.

"You can rest assured about that. The Zeon forces have also signed a Peace Treaty with Canada, which clearly defines the combat zones. Staying above the city is actually safe for you. Space is another matter. At least the Zeon forces on the ground are paying more attention to public opinion... They clearly don't want to provoke resistance from the Earth's inhabitants."

They've already used Dr. Lei's family information to blackmail him, yet they still respect military discipline?

Brad felt a sense of contradiction, but he quickly figured it out.

There are good guys and bad guys in the Federation Army, and Zeon is probably similar.

Red Comet should be considered one of the more villainous Zeon officers, while Garma Zabi's moral compass is clearly higher, even though this high moral compass is driven by ulterior motives.

Without much hesitation, on the sweltering day of September 18th, we took action.

After confirming Camaria Ray's location, Brad ordered the White Base to be moved directly into the airspace above Toronto, an action that immediately caused panic among the citizens below.

Meanwhile, a makeshift team consisting of Tim Ray, Amuro, Sera, and others (White Base did not have a dedicated Marine Corps) half-persuaded and half-forced Kamalia Ray onto the Midia transport plane.

The White Base rested for about two hours after retrieving the Midia transport plane before withdrawing from the safe zone and continuing north—Brad did not intend to return via the same route, as that would be too risky.