Gundam: Changing the World Even with a Mass-Produced Unit

Chapter 36: The White Base Gathers Heroes

Eli had always known that life aboard the White Base would be anything but peaceful.

But he hadn't expected three attacks in five days, two of which were full-scale assaults involving mobile suits.

There was no need for further speculation—it was, of course, Ramba Ral persistently tailing them.

Eli sighed.

Ramba Ral's piloting skills were on a completely different level compared to the enemies he'd faced before. They were impeccable.

Even with coordinated efforts between himself and Amuro, they had only managed to repel him, never to capture or defeat him completely.

Thankfully, they had now entered M'Quve's jurisdiction.

As a member of Kycilia's faction, M'Quve outwardly complied with Ramba Ral's requests. However, behind the scenes, he deliberately withheld the new mobile suits that were originally meant for Ramba Ral's team.

As a result, the steadily dwindling number of mobile suits in Ramba Ral's revenge squad posed less and less of a threat to the White Base.

---

"Amuro, why didn't you follow orders to pursue just now?"

Upon entering the bridge, Eli immediately heard Bright's reprimand.

Having watched the entirety of the Mobile Suit Gundam TV series, Eli knew Bright was using this as a way to vent his nerves, but Amuro clearly wasn't aware of this nuance.

"Further pursuit could have led us into an ambush! Why don't you understand that?"

The youthful and headstrong Amuro was obviously not on the same wavelength as Bright. The two stubbornly argued their respective points of view, seemingly on the verge of an outright quarrel.

"All right, all right. Bright, don't be so hard on him. Amuro was only considering the safety of the White Base on its journey to Jaburo. Besides, the enemy has set traps before."

Eli quickly intervened to diffuse Bright's anger for the moment.

However, as a result, Amuro immediately appeared even more arrogant, his expression taking on a haughty edge as if he had just been vindicated.

"And you, Amuro—try to consider the pressure Bright is under. If you have any ideas, share them right away next time. Bright and I will adjust our plans accordingly. Even in the military, people are encouraged to think for themselves."

Amuro turned his head abruptly, his eyes betraying a barely concealed sense of betrayal and anger.

But was it really betrayal?

In any case, Amuro said nothing and left without another word.

"Fraw, could I trouble you to go comfort him?"

Eli sighed and turned to Fraw, the ever-reliable emotional stabilizer for Amuro.

After the two left the bridge, Eli rubbed his temples, feeling slightly irritated.

"Bright, you're also being too hard on Amuro. He's only sixteen years old, after all."

"Yes, Bright-san, why not try to understand Amuro's feelings? He needs room to grow," Ryu, another pilot on the White Base and one of the few regular soldiers, chimed in, agreeing with Eli's perspective.

To Ryu, Amuro was not only courageous but also capable of maintaining composure on the battlefield.

This kind of talent was incredibly valuable, even beyond the scope of being a soldier.

"We don't have the luxury of waiting for Amuro to grow," Bright muttered, lowering his head and rhythmically tapping the armrest of the captain's chair with his fingers.

"In that case, you could put a little more trust in me, couldn't you? Even if it's just a mass-produced Gundam, I'm confident that with everyone's efforts, we can still protect the White Base."

Eli fully understood the source of Bright's impatience.

The importance of the White Base, the trust placed in him by his superiors, and the looming Odessa operation—all of it weighed heavily on the shoulders of this young man who had only recently graduated from military academy.

"I…" Bright opened his mouth but stopped, only now realizing why he had held such an attitude toward Amuro.

All along, the only person he could truly rely on aboard the ship had been Amuro.

Ryu, despite being a regular soldier and pilot, lacked the piloting skills to face Zeon's mobile suits head-on.

As for Hayato Kobayashi and Kai, they were merely passable in combat and couldn't be counted on in a crisis.

Thus, Bright had no choice but to pin his hopes on Amuro.

"I understand now… I trust you as a mobile suit pilot, and I also trust that Amuro has the capability."

Bright's words seemed more like a self-admonishment than anything else.

"Now that's the spirit. As a captain, putting too much pressure on yourself and the crew won't do any good. You should get some rest too—your eyes are bloodshot."

Waving dismissively, Eli left the bridge.

---

As he stepped out, he happened to run into Mirai Yashima, who was carrying a tray of food toward the bridge.

Eli smiled at Mirai, gesturing for her to take good care of Bright.

Mirai, after all, wasn't just anyone—she was the daughter of the Yashima Group's chairman.

The Yashima Group's products were closely tied to Eli's recent missions, including the cargo transport systems and 180mm cannons used by ground-type Gundams.

If Bright chose to marry Mirai after the One Year War, he could secure the support of the Yashima Group and potentially achieve meteoric success in his career.

Furthermore, General Revil himself maintained a good relationship with the Yashima Group.

Unfortunately, Bright never took full advantage of these resources, ultimately ending up as the captain of a transport ship.

If one wanted to change the world, addressing this issue could yield some meaningful results...

---

"Ding."

"Lieutenant Eli?"

The sound of the elevator brought Eli back from his thoughts. He turned to see the speaker.

It was another noblewoman aboard the ship.

No, calling her a princess might be more fitting.

Sayla Mass—or rather, Artesia Deikun.

She, too, was a surviving member of the Deikun family. Yet here she was, aboard a Federation ship, fighting against Zeon.

How would Zeon Zum Deikun himself feel, knowing his children stood on opposing sides of this conflict?

"Lieutenant, where are you headed?"

Standing by the elevator controls, Sayla asked Eli.

"Oh, just the cafeteria," Eli replied, watching her casually press a button and lean against the elevator wall, waiting.

Sayla's identity was another factor that could alter the world's balance.

After Char left the Earth Sphere following the One Year War, few remained in the Federation who could directly influence Zeon.

Artesia was undoubtedly one of them.

Even if she had been absent from the public eye for a long time, the Deikun name alone carried significant weight.

With the right maneuvering, she could also…

"Lieutenant, why are you staring at me?"

Eli snapped out of his thoughts to meet Sayla's slightly annoyed gaze.

Her arms were crossed, and she clearly felt uncomfortable being scrutinized by a man in the confined space of the elevator.

But this was a woman who had no qualms about voicing her dissatisfaction—her candid and sincere personality was the exact opposite of her brother's.

"Apologies. I was just reflecting on how Deikun might have viewed this war."