Chapter 226: AEUG's Next Move
Blex didn't found AEUG simply to satisfy his own personal desires.
Regardless of what he's done up until now, his original intent was undoubtedly to "reform this decaying Federation."
That's right—he is an idealist, a man of conviction and charisma who acts firmly on his beliefs.
If achieving that goal required armed conflict, he wouldn't hesitate to recruit pilots from the remnants of Zeon and earn their loyalty under his command.
And if achieving that goal meant sacrificing a child's life, he would still go through with it.
In the original work, he viewed Kamille from this perspective—more than anyone else, he hoped Kamille, as a Newtype, would join AEUG and become a valuable ally.
He was, in a sense, a "champion of justice." As long as it furthered his mission of reforming the corrupt Federation, he was even willing to cooperate with the Federation's enemies to a certain extent.
That's likely how the Original Charter and the helium-3 ended up in AEUG's hands.
"So you see, Char, with that stone tablet and those resources… we'll definitely be able to win over the majority of space-dwellers—even those lunar trade syndicates."
Haman had her own take on the current situation.
Having been groomed as Axis's next leader, Haman naturally showed a more aggressive attitude.
After all, she was still a hot-blooded youth.
Still, the fact that AEUG possessed helium-3 was the group's most closely guarded secret. She was careful not to say it outright in front of Roberto and Apolly.
The two men understood and tactfully found an excuse to leave.
"Haman, those drawn in by interests alone may stand beside us, but they'll never be friends we can entrust with our backs. AEUG may rely on shared interests to function, but we can't depend solely on that. Especially given what those resources mean in today's Earth Sphere—you understand that too."
After the two loyal pilots had left, Char didn't rush to dismiss Haman's idea, but instead laid out his reasoning.
"This might not be the best example, but it was Zeon's ideals that allowed Axis to endure and become the Federation's greatest threat. What AEUG needs isn't opportunistic merchants who'll abandon us the moment a better deal comes along."
"But pulling them in now isn't necessarily a bad thing, is it?"
Even when facing Char, Haman stood her ground.
"Of course. Using interests to attract people is still an important part of building our organization."
Char smiled and patted Haman on the head.
It was the sort of gesture he'd only make in private between the two of them.
"Her Highness Mineva should be settled by now, yes?"
"Yes, I arranged for her to be sent to Side 3."
Char, having been driven by a desire to prevent Mineva from becoming another pawn of the Zabi family, naturally didn't want Blex to find out about her.
So he had asked Haman to quietly ensure her safety.
"Side 3, huh… not a bad choice."
At the mention of the name, a trace of sorrow appeared in Char's eyes.
That colony was led by the sister he had failed to support, all because he hadn't taken responsibility when it mattered most.
If only he had realized the cost of running away sooner…
"Hmph, just a bunch of people too used to comfort."
"They're just trying to survive."
The irony was that, despite the Federation backlash surging across the colonies, Side 3 actually showed the least anti-Federation sentiment.
After all, its citizens had been living with the consequences of total separation from the Federation.
And of course, there was also Artesia's competent leadership that had brought them a measure of stability.
"Hmph, let's not talk about that anymore."
Haman wasn't interested in changing her stance, but she didn't want to argue with Char either.
"How should we respond to this incident?"
She changed the subject with a question.
"We'll head to the moon first, retrieve our new ship, and then proceed to Side 5."
Char looked up at the screen showing Beltorchika.
"Side 5?"
"To expose the Titans' atrocities."
Beltorchika continued reading her report aloud on screen, filled with distortions and fabrications.
It was clear what would happen to her once she went public with these revelations. She would be vilified.
But thanks to the intel she had risked everything to send, Char had the confidence to make this move.
"Won't we be targeted by people like Jamitov if we head to Side 5? And isn't your old nemesis—the White Base—there now?"
Haman tilted her head, less concerned about Beltorchika's safety than about their own next move.
"The White Base… If it's Amuro, if it's Bright, I believe they'll understand me."
They may have been enemies, and they hadn't spoken in years, but Char still believed in them.
"…Fine. If you say so, I'll trust you, Char."
Haman tugged at the collar of her purple bodysuit, looking slightly out of breath.
They were supposed to be fellow Newtypes, yet she didn't feel any sense of mutual understanding.
It seemed that Char was more willing to place his faith in a man he hadn't seen in years than in the person standing right in front of him.
If not for his unmistakably sincere feelings for Lalah, Haman might have suspected that Char harbored some hidden preferences of his own.
"By the way, the Gamma Gundam is complete, right? If possible, could I have one? I have a pilot in mind."
Once she'd calmed herself a bit, Haman made her request.
"Of course. But allow me to ask—who is this pilot?"
"A Newtype. Someone trustworthy. I'm planning to install a Psycommu system on the Asshimar. Want me to add one to your mobile suit too?"
Haman offered the suggestion to Char.
"No need. The battle's about to begin—there might not be time."
Char shook his head, rejecting the upgrade that could drastically improve his odds of survival.
But then, as he thought about Amuro's current mobile suit, Char reconsidered. After a pause, he spoke again.
"Actually, go ahead and prepare one for me too. We shouldn't fall too far behind the Federation."
Realizing Char had made that decision because of another man, Haman couldn't help feeling slightly conflicted.
"Oh, and one more thing. The name 'Gamma Gundam'… it just doesn't feel right. Let's change it."
Haman nodded in agreement.
Technically speaking, the machine was unquestionably a Gundam, having been developed by a company that collaborated with AEUG.
Still, using the name as-is would feel a bit strange now that it was theirs.