When Reid mentioned dealing with the Atlantic Federation forces here, Kira instinctively wanted to object. Having personally experienced the performance of the enemy's Mobile Suits, he knew how difficult it would be to contend with them using just the Universal Backpack Green Dyne.
However, Kira ultimately kept his thoughts to himself, because his own limitations didn't mean Reid shared them.
Kira had witnessed Reid's performance in several major battles and truly didn't believe he was stronger than Reid. He even began to doubt whether the title of "Strongest Coordinator" bestowed upon him was just empty praise from his biological father, Dr. Yula Hibiki.
Reid sensed that Kira had something to say, but since he held back his objections, Reid naturally didn't press him. Instead, he glanced at the others to see if anyone had reservations.
In the end, it was Lacus who weighed the pros and cons and voiced her opposition.
"Reid, I think it's best we avoid entangling with the Atlantic Federation here. Although Athrun's fever has subsided for now, he still requires proper medical care. Even Coordinators can suffer long-term health issues without it. Moreover, with the ship's propulsion system damaged, we've lost our ability to relocate quickly. Even if you can break through the encirclement, we won't be able to make a swift escape. If Atlantic Federation reinforcements arrive, it could become very troublesome."
Reid knew Lacus made valid points. Given their current state, engaging the besieging Atlantic Federation forces would be futile—even if he and Kira managed to breach the defensive line, a full breakout would be impossible.
But Reid was eager to test the capabilities of the Propulsion Seize Gundam and, ideally, capture it. After all, this Mobile Suit represented the pinnacle of the Atlantic Federation's Second Generation G-Characteristics, far superior to the later, mindlessly over-armed units of the Acteon Plan.
However, he couldn't be too overt about his intentions. Before setting out, Reid had advised Lacus and the others not to intervene in the war between the Atlantic Federation and the South American Restoration Organization. He couldn't openly decimate the Atlantic Federation's remaining elite forces and indirectly aid the South American Restoration Organization.
Thus, Reid planned to engage the Atlantic Federation under the pretext of breaking out. On the surface, he would lure the enemy and then disengage, but in reality, he intended to counterattack during the battle. That way, Lacus couldn't accuse him of deliberately seeking conflict with the Atlantic Federation—after all, no one could expect Reid to evade without retaliating throughout the entire engagement.
So, Reid nodded and said, "That makes sense. Here's what we'll do: first, transfer Athrun to the Gundam Eclipse I brought. I'll transport him to a safe location for treatment. Then, I'll bring the replacement flight components for this ship. By the way, is only the propulsion system damaged? If there are other issues, let me know now so I can plan the repairs accordingly. After all, every time I enter or leave this area, there's a risk of detection. If I make too many trips, we might be discovered, and that would be troublesome."
Reid's request was reasonable, so no one objected. Soon, Andrew Waltfeld provided him with the ship's malfunction report.
The good news was that the electromagnetic armor Reid had installed during the ship's initial design phase proved effective. The damage to the outer armor wasn't too severe, and the destroyed thruster had only suffered secondary damage from an explosion after its side protective armor withstood a direct hit from a 125mm "Ram Horn" twin-linked high-energy long-range beam cannon.
Therefore, the damaged components were only those near the thruster nozzle. Replacement would be straightforward as long as the corresponding parts were available.
As for other issues, what primarily troubled Lacus and the others were problems with water, food, and medicine.
Had Reid arrived just one or two days later, Lacus and her companions would have risked venturing beyond the ship's perimeter to search for water and food in the Amazon Rainforest on foot.
In that scenario, given their limited experience with jungle survival, it would have been uncertain whether they'd be finding food or becoming food for local wildlife.
After all, firearms are hardly effective against various venomous insects and snakes.
Of course, the root cause of this situation was Lacus and Kira's relentless efforts to aid those displaced by the war, which kept their emergency food reserves at consistently low levels. This persisted despite strong objections from Andrew Waltfeld and Jane Houston.
It could only be said that due to the Terminal Organization's background operations, Lacus and her team could normally exchange money for substantial supplies whenever they reached major cities. This led Lacus to misjudge the availability of basic necessities like food, water, and medicine.
Thus, when unexpected circumstances arose, they found themselves in crisis.
However, Reid considered this beneficial. At least after this experience, Lacus probably wouldn't naively question why he remained indifferent to the suffering of lower-class people in other regions.
After all, she had now personally experienced what it meant to provide others with what seemed like abundant resources, only to find herself lacking everything when she needed supplies herself.
The subsequent course of action was straightforward. Reid transferred the semi-conscious Athrun into the Gundam Eclipse's cockpit and secured him properly.
Then he departed under stealth mode, flying directly to the New Misurugi Kingdom's South American office in Buenos Aires (while the New Misurugi Kingdom didn't participate in the South American independence war, maintaining an office in the region was standard diplomatic practice).
The reason for taking this longer route to hand Athrun over to the office personnel stemmed from Reid's distrust of both the Terminal Organization and the junk dealers.
It was important to remember that the Terminal Organization now consisted mostly of former Clyne Faction members. If anyone among them held malice toward the name Zala, Athrun in his current condition would have no chance of survival - the anniversary of his death would be next year.
As for the junk dealers, they would undoubtedly steal Athrun's genetic samples, and it wouldn't be impossible for them to stage a transport aircraft disappearance en route.
After all, with South America in a state of war, attacks by various military forces during transport would be considered normal.
If that happened, Reid mused that only heaven would know what identity Athrun might have when they next met.
Therefore, Reid could only feel assured by handing Athrun over to his own people. Given the New Misurugi Kingdom's current international reputation, few would inexplicably attack its special transport aircraft - even if it was just an overseas office's dedicated flight.
Reid would arrange for Athrun to be transported through the New Misurugi Kingdom's channel back to Canberra City, then admitted to the best hospital for treatment.
Given the recovery capabilities of a top-tier Coordinator, Athrun's minor injuries would likely heal almost completely by the time Reid and the others returned to their home country, ensuring he wouldn't miss the debriefing session.
However, as Reid prepared to take Athrun away, the young girl Ashley Oliveira, her face filled with fear yet unwavering resolve, stepped forward and said:
"Chairman Reid (her family was originally wealthy and knew who Reid was), c-could you take me along during the transfer? I want to take care of Mr. Athrun. I'm small and won't take up much space."
Looking at the girl, Reid inwardly marveled at how Athrun remained true to character—in this lifetime, aside from Cagalli, nearly every girl who developed ambiguous feelings toward him either threw themselves at him or became deeply attached. (Lacus was arranged through a childhood engagement, which also counted as throwing herself at him.)
Thus, Reid decided to add some pressure to Cagalli's situation, preventing her from taking things for granted as in the original storyline, where she removed the ring Athrun gave her without a second thought. (At the end of SEED, the author genuinely thought Athrun and Cagalli were doomed, feeling the writers had delivered a terrible plot. Fortunately, the movie strongly hinted at their romantic connection, and the novels filled in some gaps, mending this regret.)
So Reid kindly brought young Ashley Oliveira along. As she had said, she was petite and occupied hardly any space.
Moreover, Reid thoughtfully used the safety harness originally meant for Athrun to secure her instead, while having her hold Athrun. Throughout the journey, he employed the Lambda Driver to neutralize the G-forces that would otherwise affect the cockpit occupants, cruising steadily at Mach 1.
For three hours, Reid watched as Ashley Oliveira held Athrun with visible happiness, only reluctantly letting go when the Mobile Suit covertly landed at the New Misurugi Kingdom's South American office.
With this devoted young fan taking care of Athrun, Reid felt reassured. He then turned back and returned to the Amazon Rainforest. Before re-entering the rainforest, he purchased the necessary replacement thruster components for the spacecraft from the system mall. The part wasn't large, and by packing it in a case, the Gundam Eclipse could carry it in MS Mode while remaining cloaked by the Mirage Colloid Particles.
Additionally, Reid exchanged for several crates of water and instant-heat military rations, storing them in the cockpit to alleviate the water and food shortage for Lacus and the others.
After all, repairing the thrusters in an environment like the Amazon Rainforest—without using loud machinery—would require most of the day.
Reid's return journey and the spacecraft repair process went smoothly. The search team led by the Dominion was essentially going through the motions.
Given the rainforest's density, finding Lacus and the others' hiding spot would require either large-scale fire attacks or a massive, thorough ground search.
Relying on aerial patrols to locate them was about as likely as winning a 648 prize draw in a live stream with millions of viewers.
As for setting the Amazon Rainforest on fire? Unless the Atlantic Federation decided to destroy Earth along with themselves, they would never dare to intentionally do such a thing.
In the CE Universe, Earth's governments strictly avoid polluting the planet, as the lessons from the RC War—where unchecked nuclear conflict nearly regressed the world to the Stone Age—remain vivid in memory.
As for a carpet search, how could the Dominion possibly spare enough personnel? This flagship warship is already under-equipped, resorting to using Skygraspers as makeshift units. (Primarily due to a lack of suitable ace pilots for replenishment.)
If Lacus and the others could hold out for a few months, the Dominion would likely receive orders to withdraw on its own.
However, this time, the Dominion might just end up crash-landing in the Amazon Rainforest.
Once the ship was repaired, Reid immediately began formulating an operation plan.
"The escape plan is straightforward: I'll pilot the Gundam Eclipse to ambush and destroy the Dominion's thrusters, preventing pursuit and ideally forcing it to crash-land in the Amazon Rainforest.
At that point, Atlantic Federation forces will undoubtedly be drawn to the Gundam Eclipse, and I'll lead them away.
Kira, you'll wait in the jungle with the Universal Backpack Green Dyne. Your tasks are twofold: first, find a high vantage point and use the sniper rifle to monitor the Dominion's status. The Universal Backpack Green Dyne's armor provides natural camouflage in the Amazon Rainforest; you won't be detected as long as you don't fire.
Once you confirm the Dominion's thrusters are damaged, immediately notify Mr. Andrew Baltfel to activate the ship's electronic camouflage system and escape under stealth.
Then, your second task begins: remain hidden in the rainforest and provide ground cover for the ship's retreat.
A ship's thrusters generate far more heat than a Mobile Suit, even a 20-meter-class one. The moment the ship activates, it could be detected by the Dominion.
Your cover is to prevent the Dominion from splitting forces to pursue the ship under a 'take it all' mentality.
With the Gundam Eclipse's speed, only the Raider and Propulsion Seize Gundam can keep up with me. So, at most, the Gundam Calamity and Skygraspers might chase the ship—and it's likely just Skygraspers. You should be able to handle these units.
Finally, Mr. Andrew Baltfel, upon receiving Kira's signal, activate the electronic camouflage system and pilot the ship directly toward Manaus with Lacus, Miriallia, and Jane Houston. Rendezvous with the Universal Backpack Green Dyne at the predetermined location.
Kira, once you're sure no pursuers are after the ship, head to the rendezvous point.
Then, fly straight to Manaus. After I shake off the Atlantic Federation, I'll meet you there. From there, we can use the New Misurugi Kingdom's channels to get you all back safely."
Reid's plan was indeed simple, but simplicity in a plan is never a drawback—effectiveness is what matters.
The only person qualified to discuss war plans with Reid here was Andrew Baltfel, and even he couldn't devise a more suitable plan than the one Reid proposed.
Of course, this isn't to say Reid's plan couldn't be optimized.
Rather, Reid had shouldered almost all the risks himself.
Once the Dominion is attacked, whether Reid destroys the thrusters or not, all its Mobile Suits will undoubtedly target the Gundam Eclipse.
Andrew Waltfeld's sole purpose for being here was to protect Lacus, and all actions had to prioritize Lacus's safety.
Therefore, Andrew Waltfeld could not question this plan that maximized Lacus's security.
Otherwise, the most appropriate approach would have been to use this ship and the Universal Backpack Green Dyne as bait without exposing the Gundam Eclipse.
There was no need to worry about the performance of the Mobile Suit piloted by Reid. With the Mirage Colloid System allowing him to calculate surprise attacks while invisible, directly assaulting the Dominion's bridge and taking down the ship in one strike was standard procedure.
By then, the Atlantic Federation's deployed forces would be left leaderless, making subsequent breakthroughs or defeating them one by one much simpler.
However, Andrew Waltfeld ultimately chose to remain silent, and Reid's plan was approved directly.
Thus, Reid announced that everyone should rest on the spot, with the operation scheduled for 3:00 a.m. the next day.
The Dominion wasn't suspended in the air 24 hours a day; it would also dock on a manually cleared rainforest clearing.
Of course, patrols by Skygraspers every few hours were uninterrupted.
Reid's intention to launch a surprise attack was precisely to deny it any chance of taking off.
Moreover, Reid and Andrew Waltfeld shared the same view: if possible, it would be best to directly destroy the Dominion in the first wave of the surprise attack.
Since it was parked in a clearing, there was no need to worry about the ship's explosion upon crashing causing a large-scale fire.
As for the possibility that directly destroying the Dominion might cause the Propulsion Seize Gundam to detonate inside the ship,
Reid stated that if that happened, it would be fine to abandon capturing this Mobile Suit.
After all, the system's capture function couldn't be used here. So-called "capturing a Mobile Suit" meant that after Reid defeated the Propulsion Seize Gundam, he would at least need to transport its intact cockpit back to Star Palace City—a rather troublesome process.
However, during the pre-battle rest period, Reid suddenly noticed that Kira and Miriallia seemed to have sparked a connection. The two were actually walking hand in hand nearby to relax and even shared a kiss.
Of course, Reid also had female company, as Lacus proactively invited him to take a stroll in another direction.
Unfortunately, having just endured a month of mixed pain and pleasure, Reid dared not casually flirt with girls and decisively made an excuse to chat with Andrew Waltfeld instead.
This successfully interrupted Andrew Waltfeld's attempt to flirt with Jane Houston.
But Reid felt no remorse whatsoever. Jane Houston was now an officer of the New Misurugi Kingdom and one of the rare immigrant ace pilots. His future naval Mobile Suit forces would rely on her leadership—Andrew Waltfeld's attempt to poach her was utterly condemnable.
Moreover, Reid could sense that Jane Houston had no interest in Andrew Waltfeld.
After all, Jane Houston originally belonged to the Atlantic Federation. It was already remarkable that she didn't discriminate against Andrew Waltfeld as a Coordinator; romantic feelings were entirely out of the question.
Additionally, Andrew Waltfeld was now physically disabled, making his pursuit of Jane Houston even more challenging.
It's worth noting that in the original SEED era, Andrew Waltfeld spent two years with Murrue but still failed to win her over. (This might be the author's misunderstanding, as the dialogue between the two at the seaside cabin at the beginning of SEED gave the author this impression. In any case, even without misunderstanding, Murrue definitely rejected Andrew Waltfeld.)
Of course, Jane Houston had no interest in Reid either. Among Western women, she was relatively traditional and couldn't accept sharing a man with others.
So, when Reid gave Jane Houston a look, she immediately understood and swapped places with him.
Lacus couldn't outright force Reid to leave either, and in the end, she had no choice but to be led away by Jane Houston.
Watching the scene unfold before him, Andrew Waltfeld could only sigh helplessly and complain:
"Reid, even if you want to shake off Lacus, you don't have to interfere with me, do you? You should know that not all men are as popular as you and Athrun. I was almost successful in inviting Jane out for a gathering after we return to the New Misurugi Kingdom."
"By the way, don't tell me Jane is also one of your targets. Have some mercy and leave some quality women for the rest of us men."
Reid knew that Andrew Waltfeld's resentful remarks were purely a joke, so he responded in a similarly lighthearted tone:
"Don't talk nonsense. I don't make moves on minors under 18, so there's no such relationship between Lacus and me as you imagine."
"As for Captain Jane Houston, we're in a superior-subordinate relationship, and not even a familiar one at that."
"Even if there were quality women, I'd have to save them for the single men in my country. You, as a foreigner, shouldn't even think about it."
(End of Chapter)