Chapter 240: Coordinators and Naturals

"Wait! What's this about boarding permission?"

"Hey, hey, hey, are you kidding me? The young master of the Yang Family from Orb is assisting the Earth Alliance in developing MS? Aren't you a neutral nation?"

"Don't joke around! Yang Hui, this is the Earth Forces' latest cutting-edge warship, and the [G Project] is top-secret. You…"

Facing the interrogations from the three highest-ranking officers present, Yang Hui provided them with answers—albeit incomplete ones.

"As you've heard, even though four units of the X Series were stolen, there's still one left, isn't there? Based on the current results… it's not exactly complete, right? Brigadier General Halbaton promised us a substantial reward, and I don't want to leave any loose ends. I'd hate to put in the effort and not get paid, so I'll temporarily follow the Strike Gundam until it's fully completed." This was his response to Murrue.

"Orb is a neutral nation, and that's indisputable. This collaboration with the Atlantic Federation is purely a transactional matter and doesn't involve any change in political stance. As for why… I'm sorry, but it involves Orb's classified information, so I can't disclose it." This was his reply to Mu.

"I was already involved in the development of the [G Series], so it's not a secret to me. As for the Archangel… don't I already know classified information now?" This was his answer to Murrue Ramius, accompanied by a few stomps on the catapult deck, as if to say, "I'm already on board, so what's the point of talking about secrecy?"

"This…"

"What kind of mess is this…"

"You!"

The three of them had different expressions. Each of Yang Hui's answers was well-reasoned and difficult to refute, especially regarding the boarding permission. The Strike Gundam's performance hadn't been fully demonstrated yet, and neither had its issues and flaws. As the only remaining semi-finished product of the [G Project], safely delivering it to Brigadier General Duan Halbaton, the commander of the 8th Orbital Fleet, was the most critical task at hand.

Even though four units had been stolen and technical information was inevitably leaked, they couldn't let ZAFT reap all the benefits. The Federation's hopes of building MS units rested entirely on the Strike Gundam.

Similarly, as a semi-finished product, it couldn't be handed over as is. After all, the [G Project] was something Duan Halbaton had stubbornly pushed forward, using many underhanded methods to collaborate with others. If there were no results at all, the higher-ups of the Atlantic Federation wouldn't let him off the hook, nor would the individuals or organizations he had coerced or bribed.

Therefore… Yang Hui, as the only surviving top-tier developer of the [G Project], accompanying the team to complete the Strike Gundam was the most suitable and perfect outcome.

However… his identity was too sensitive. One misstep could completely alter the balance between Earth and PLANT.

"Orb won't agree to this… so I won't grant you boarding permission." Murrue shook her head, rejecting Yang Hui.

Although she was eager to see the completion of the G Weapon, as long as it could be safely delivered to the Earth Alliance, completion was only a matter of time—it would just take longer.

But Yang Hui was a major problem right in front of her, and he was actively pushing his way onto the ship. She had to push him away as quickly as possible.

Leaving aside the trouble Yang Hui might cause by boarding an Earth Alliance warship, the current situation is that ZAFT's warships are still lurking outside Heliopolis. With only the Strike Gundam and the understaffed Archangel as their combat capabilities, it's uncertain whether they can escape ZAFT's grasp and successfully rendezvous with allied forces. Murrue dared not let Yang Hui take the risk with them.

"Alright then," Yang Hui shrugged. He understood Murrue's personality well—she would never grant him permission to board, and he didn't press the issue. After all, his identity was clear, and if he insisted like a desperate suitor, Murrue and the others would surely question his motives.

But not being granted permission to board now didn't mean he had no way to stay on the Archangel.

"However, for now…" Yang Hui glanced toward the Strike Gundam, or rather, the direction where Kira and the other four were.

"What about them? Why are civilian kids piloting MS?" Mu knew Yang Hui's question couldn't be probed too deeply, so he followed Yang Hui's lead and shifted the topic elsewhere.

"Ah, it's like this. During the attack, he somehow ended up in the factory area. It was too dangerous, so I had him board the Strike Gundam. His name is Kira Yamato."

"Huh?"

Seeing Mu's skeptical attitude toward Kira, Murrue quickly added, "Thanks to him, we managed to take down a GINN and repel that CGUE. We barely managed to protect the last G Weapon."

"He took down a GINN? You mean that kid!?" Murrue Ramius exclaimed in shock. While repelling the CGUE was something they all knew about, the difference between repelling and destroying was significant, making it even harder to believe.

"I came here to escort the rookie pilots for those units. How are they?" Mu asked.

"During the explosion, they were on the command deck greeting the captain, so they…"

"I see…" Another sorrowful topic. Though they weren't close acquaintances, as fellow members of the Earth Alliance, each life lost was still a tragedy that couldn't be ignored.

But the information Murrue provided confirmed a certain suspicion for Mu. Led by Mu, the group approached Kira.

"Wh-what's going on?" Kira was nervous under everyone's intense gazes.

"You… are a Coordinator, right?" To avoid startling Kira, Mu's tone was gentle. Although he was part of the Earth Alliance, he wasn't a fanatic who harbored hostility toward all Coordinators.

"...Yes."

"Click~"

As Kira confirmed, a soldier nearby cocked his rifle.

Tolle and the others were startled but still stood in front of Kira.

"What are you trying to do?" Yang Hui also stepped between the soldiers and Kira, his gaze icy as he stared at the soldiers. "Kira is a citizen of Orb."

"Lower your weapons!" Murrue immediately scolded the soldiers. She could tell they were tense, not part of the fanatical group. With ZAFT currently engaged in battle and having narrowly survived their earlier attack, the sudden appearance of a Coordinator had instinctively made them view Kira as an enemy.

But Murrue had caught the double meaning in Yang Hui's words.

First, she informed everyone that Orb was a neutral nation, with both Naturals and Coordinators among its citizens. Since Heliopolis was Orb's Colony, it was perfectly normal for Coordinators to be present, and Kira was not an enemy.

Second, she emphasized that Kira was a citizen of Orb, and as an important figure in Orb, Yang Hui would undoubtedly protect his own people.

If the soldiers were to harm Kira, it wouldn't just be a conflict between Naturals and Coordinators anymore—it would escalate into an international issue.

Moreover… seeing how tense the soldiers were, she feared an accidental discharge, especially since Yang Hui was standing right in the line of fire.

The soldiers' tension cooled under Murrue's scolding, and they looked at each other in confusion. Eventually, they complied with Murrue's order and lowered their weapons.

"What's this? We were saved because of Kira, and this is how they treat him?"

"Yeah, so ungrateful."

Tolle and the others muttered. Kira was their friend and the savior of everyone present. It was uncomfortable to see the person who saved them being pointed at with guns.

"Captain Ramius, what exactly is going on…?" Murrue Ramius was puzzled. Why would Murrue hand over the important G Weapon to a civilian boy? And he was a Coordinator, no less.

"There's no need to make a big fuss, right? Many Coordinators moved to the neutral Colony of Heliopolis precisely because they didn't want to be dragged into the war. Isn't that right, Kira?"

"Uh… yeah, that's right. I'm a first-generation Coordinator," Kira replied.

(Note: First-generation Coordinators are those whose genes were modified before birth, while second and third generations are the descendants of Coordinators.)

"So, your parents were Naturals, then." At this point, Mu awkwardly stepped away, as he was the one who brought up the topic. "Sorry for causing such a commotion. I just wanted to ask."

"Captain Flaga…"

"On the way here, I watched the simulation training and activation tests of the reserve pilots. Just getting the mobile suits to move slowly took them a lot of effort. Comparing people is just depressing," Mu sighed.

No matter how many subjective factors existed in the world, the objective gap was undeniable. Coordinators were indeed superior to Naturals.

"Captain, where are you going?" Seeing one of the two highest-ranking officers present about to leave, Murrue Ramius quickly asked.

"Where else? I was shot down and forced to land here. The enemy outside is Creuset's team."

"Huh?"

Everyone was shocked. Creuset's team was a renowned elite unit of ZAFT. Back when Creuset wasn't yet a White Uniform Captain, during the Battle of Endymion, he single-handedly piloted a high-mobility GINN and annihilated an entire Moebius Zero squad, leaving Mu as the sole survivor.

After that battle, it was rumored that Creuset, who wasn't even a Coordinator, carved his way through numerous elite Coordinators to become the captain of an elite unit.

"Is it really him?"

"Yes, so we're in quite a bit of trouble right now. Rather than worrying about Kira's identity as a Coordinator, we should focus on how to get through this crisis. From what I know of him, he won't just let this go. Neutral nations… they mean nothing to him."

"No… that can't be… Even Creuset's team wouldn't act recklessly in [Heliopolis], right?"

"They'll probably wait for us outside [Heliopolis] and then storm in…"

"Haven't they already done that? They even killed the captain!"

"Then what should we do? This ship has no combat capabilities, and fighting inside the Colony could destroy [Heliopolis]!"

...

"Silence!" Seeing the panic and chaos among the crew, Murrue Ramius shouted angrily, then turned to Murrue. "Captain Ramius, you're now in charge of the Archangel. What should we do?"

Everyone turned their eyes to Murrue, looking to her as their leader.

"..." Under the weight of everyone's gaze, the heavy responsibility pressed on her shoulders. Though it was burdensome, Murrue had no choice but to shoulder it. "...All hands, prepare for Level 2 combat readiness. Inspect [Dawn Company], prioritize recovering all usable parts of the Strike Gundam, then replenish the ship's supplies. Prepare to counter ZAFT's attack!"

"Understood!" XN

With insufficient manpower, they weren't sure if they could complete such a daunting task, but they had no choice. It was their only hope.

As the crew dispersed, Kira and the other four would remain on the Archangel for now. Regardless of their nationality, they were now privy to top-secret information and couldn't simply be let go. As for Yang Hui...

"Yang Hui, what about you now..."

"I'll go adjust the Strike Gundam. Kira, come and help."

"Huh!?"

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