"Welcome back!"
At the asteroid port, Setona waited eagerly for He Kui, bouncing with excitement as she spotted him, her face full of innocence and joy.
"Yes, I'm back."
"Why are you here?"
"I heard you were coming, so I wanted to meet you here!"
"Is that so? Thank you."
He Kui smiled warmly, reaching out to pat Setona's soft, pink hair. He could feel that she seemed to be growing even closer to him lately.
"No problem, really!" Setona said, beaming. "Now, let's go eat!"
"Alright."
He had a feeling Setona might just be in it for the meals Shi He prepared.
"The main objective of our mission is to follow PLANT's orders and assist the provisional government of the South American Union with defensive operations," He Kui briefed his four-member team early the next morning, his tone serious as he addressed them at the port.
"This isn't ZAFT's army, so my expectations are simple. As long as you complete the tasks given to you, you'll receive your compensation," he said, his voice loud and commanding. "Understood?"
"Understood, sir!"
The team's reply came back even louder, their eyes filled with enthusiasm. Each of them had joined partly due to He Kui's reputation. Working under him came with perks they could only dream of – resources, connections, and opportunities beyond what they could attain otherwise.
As long as they were loyal, they had much to gain.
"Good! I like the energy!" He Kui said with satisfaction, knowing that none of them would think twice about carrying an extra box in the cockpit for their boss.
After sending Aegis 1.0 off, He Kui checked in on the latest updates to the nanobot research group, reviewing their progress. The discussion mostly revolved around the modifications to the etching machine. With that taken care of, he moved on to his next task: upgrading the radar system on his asteroid base.
He Kui returned to the greenhouse, where his mother was tending to her crops.
"It's been a while since you've been here," she said, surprised but happy.
"Just wanted to check in. How's the harvest going?"
Looking at the lush greenery, He Kui found himself momentarily reminded of Cagalli, the blonde girl he'd met not so long ago. It had only been a month, yet so much had happened, making it feel like a distant memory.
"Same as always," his mother sighed. "But there's enough to eat, so we're managing."
"That's good, then. Just leave the hard stuff to me, Mom," he said with a smile.
"Easy for you to say," she replied with a wry smile. "Not only have you been away for ages, but you even sent that nice girl packing."
"She doesn't belong here," he answered with a hint of regret.
"I know; she's a natural." She sighed, looking out the window at the ordered rows of colonies in space. "Sometimes I wonder if we made the right choice coming to PLANT. Things weren't so bad back on Earth."
Back then, the promise of a life in PLANT had been so alluring, almost glamorous. They had saved everything to get here, only to find that life was harder than they'd anticipated.
"I understand."
Everything had been decided before he even had a say in it, so there wasn't much he could add.
"Do you think we'll ever get to visit again? I wonder how your grandmother and aunt are doing," she asked, her eyes turning red.
After a pause, He Kui gave a firm nod. "There will be a way."
"I'm glad to hear that," she said, smiling. "And remember, Cagalli's a natural. It'll be easier for her to have children."
That comment completely stopped him in his tracks, derailing all the plans and thoughts he had been forming.
"You said you didn't care about naturals and coordinators!" she chided, hands on her hips.
"I know," he replied, realizing she had set him up for this.
"You say 'I know' all the time, yet Shi He and Su Lei don't have any news for me."
At that, He Kui looked away, knowing he couldn't refute her.
"If I'm still young enough to help you raise kids, then now's the time."
"Well…there are always nannies, right? Besides, I'm not even in my twenties, and you two aren't even forty."
"What do you know? A nanny can't be trusted!"
He Kui finally admitted defeat, nodding as he took his leave.
"Maybe, once the South American situation is settled, I can make a trip back to East Asia," he thought. Although there had been little word of conflict, the Kaohsiung mass accelerator was effectively under their control.
That night, He Kui and Su Lei were as determined as ever to expand the family, exploring all manner of techniques. And though he didn't know if his strange abilities would somehow prevent it, the Zeta Gundam program was nearing completion, like the symbolic child he was crafting with his hands.
The next morning, He Kui settled into the newly upgraded radar station. Inside, the station was outfitted with four screens, giving him a clear and comprehensive view of his surroundings. He had also installed two controls designed to replicate a mobile suit cockpit on each side of the main console, allowing for full MS control.
While he could only operate one Aegis unit at a time, it was a step toward greater flexibility.
With a steady sense of purpose, He Kui began testing his new setup, glad to finally see the preparations of so many weeks come to life. The work
gave him a rare sense of freedom, despite the feeling that, in a way, he was trapped here.
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