"In summary, our relationship is strictly cooperative." He Kui carefully summarized his previous explanation to Lacus, omitting certain incriminating details he'd used earlier when implicating "The Family" and tailored it to emphasize cooperation to Mathias.
"I see," Mathias nodded. Indeed, as He Kui described, there was nothing in the intel linking him directly to the faction.
"If they reach out again, please let me know. Also, the South American Federation…"
"What's happening over there?" He Kui asked, eyes widening slightly.
"The President is fine, but they're in a civil war."
"A civil war?"
"Yes. Plenty of Atlantic Federation, Blue Cosmos, and Family loyalists embedded within. Independence is proving anything but simple."
"I understand. And as for any word on Rau Le Creuset?"
"Here," Mathias replied, sliding a half-page document toward He Kui. It outlined that Creuset had arrived in PLANT through a refugee channel as a Coordinator, identified through basic tests of reaction times for children, as there was no formal gene testing back then. The simplicity of the testing likely reflected the Coordinators' inherent pride.
"That's all?"
"Nothing else on record. But you could look into El Da Frada."
"The rich industrialist?"
"That's him."
"I see," He Kui replied, and Mathias nodded, not pressing further.
"I suspect Blue Cosmos infiltrated through the refugee channels, so be vigilant."
Mathias shook his head, realizing He Kui was probably better prepared than he'd ever need to be. With that level of caution, He Kui likely had multiple contingencies.
"Understood. By the way, Setona~" He Kui stood, extending his hand toward the young girl with a slight bow.
"Thank you~"
Mathias chuckled, watching He Kui hold Setona's hand. He paid no mind, or perhaps, he didn't care. His own focus lay on a higher calling—eradicating "The Family" for the sake of all humanity.
He Kui escorted Setona back to May City, taking her from the port into the heart of the city. Setona gazed out the car window, her bright eyes sparkling as she took in the bustling scenery.
"Is this your first time out?" He Kui asked gently.
"Yes! It's my first time in PLANT!" she replied, her excitement evident as she watched the steady flow of people.
"Impressive, isn't it?" He Kui smiled, providing an overview of the residential area as they drove. They arrived at the primary Sea Blue Design Bureau's main headquarters in the plant zone.
"Director He!" The guard at the entrance snapped to attention with a salute, showing a respect tinged with awe. Over time, He Kui's reputation here had grown almost to that of a revered figure.
"And who is this?" The guard, full of deference, looked toward the masked girl beside He Kui.
"This is my friend, just here to see the residential area."
"Hello~" she greeted cheerfully.
"Understood!" Hearing the word "friend," the guard's admiration for He Kui deepened. Dating wasn't uncommon here, but the girl's elegance and sweetness stood out. He Kui, unfazed, led Setona back into the car.
"You're quite popular here," Setona observed.
"Kind of," He Kui sighed with a smile. Popularity also came with responsibility, which sometimes weighed heavily on him. Setona, however, seemed lost in thought as she observed him.
Soon enough, they arrived at a lush residential neighborhood.
"Is this your house, too?" Setona asked, admiring the small villas dotting the landscape.
"Yes. You're free to explore this place, but don't wander outside," He Kui cautioned. Her temporary clearance only allowed access to the residential and reception areas, and the reception zone lacked safety and security. Given the recent attack, he wanted to ensure her safety within his territory.
"Got it~" Setona nodded obediently, allowing He Kui to breathe a sigh of relief before he proceeded to the underground factory at the Sea Blue Design Bureau.
"Councilor Jule, my condolences."
"Yes, those Naturals will pay dearly," Jule's calm response betrayed no sign of her recent ordeal.
"Back to the matter at hand, Director He, the Gundanium alloy you developed is highly functional."
"Thank you. It fully blocks nuclear radiation from affecting the pilot and offers excellent protection to ensure steady power output from the reactor," He Kui explained. This technology ensured that, short of a reactor explosion, the pilot was entirely safe, thereby greatly enhancing safety.
"Only downside is that most of the raw material is concentrated on the Moon."
"This technology will remain classified for now," Jule replied, regretfully.
"Understood," He Kui agreed. With the Moon currently out of reach, sharing this technology risked empowering potential adversaries.
"Still, we may return to the Moon sooner than expected," Jule's eyes flashed with a new intensity, her recent trauma clearly leaving a mark.
"Are we launching an assault on the Moon?" Based on the storyline, the Moon base would typically be eliminated by a shot from GENESIS, with no major battles occurring there.
"Nothing confirmed, but we've secured control over the mass driver."
"Though Orb…"
"Exactly. Our forces are mainly focused on defending and monitoring Orb's actions. We can't rule out them handing over the mass driver under political pressure."
"We still have agents gathering intel on Orb," she continued. "But the President of the South American Federation has yet to gain full control."
"The entire South American region is in a state of civil war," Jule paused.
He Kui's expression darkened slightly. Unlike previous missions that involved mere destruction, they were now working to install a new regime in South America—a task a thousand times harder. If successful, they could restrain the Atlantic Federation's influence while securing essential food and raw materials. But under these circumstances, ZAFT would not aid Orb and would likely deploy special ops to sabotage the Heliopolis Mass Driver instead.
With no other immediate options, He Kui could only take things one step at a time. After his conversation with Jule, He Kui's life seemed to resume its usual rhythm, though, in secret, he continued stocking up supplies in a covert warehouse.
Stealing the Liberator was unrealistic, but he had steadily assembled a new MS using parts based on the Gaet-X's frame.
Just as he admired his handiwork in the hidden warehouse, his wrist communicator buzzed.
"Ro, right on time."
His plan was to deploy two Aegis units, one with his security team in South America and another with Ro to Orb, maximizing his control over unfolding events.
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