Chapter 39: Defeat
The molten armor of the Dom even splashed onto Lu Gao's chest armor, adding a more menacing aura to his already demonized image within Zeon.
"Buzz! Buzz!"
The two beam rifles struggled to suppress the remaining two Doms, but the pink beams grazing past their bodies still exerted immense psychological pressure on the pilots.
"Retreat immediately!"
Ramba Ral quickly assessed the situation and ordered his subordinates.
Surviving at this point was already a miracle for Ramba Ral.
The upper section of his Dom had been penetrated by a beam, severing its head connection and extinguishing its lights completely.
His survival was due to two reasons: first, Amuro's limited angle of attack, and second, the Dom's thick body, which kept the cockpit lower. Even so, the beam had caused significant damage to the cockpit, shattering the screen, and a shard of glass had pierced Ramba Ral's right shoulder, leaving blood streaming out.
The combat power these two Gundams displayed together far exceeded his expectations.
Had they been holding back in their earlier encounters?
Ramba Ral bitterly regretted his arrogance.
Had he become conceited just because he got a new machine, knowing full well these two opponents were demon-like warriors?
"How… how could we abandon you…?"
One subordinate evaded Gundam's double beam shots while attempting to approach Lu Gao.
However, each time they prepared to charge, beams would strike precisely, cutting them off just as they were about to step on the accelerator.
This left the Dom pilot in great distress. Despite his desperate desire to rescue the captain, he couldn't afford to lose focus, lest he be shot down as well.
"Listen to me! As long as you return, there's hope to rescue me. If you all die here, then I'll truly have no chance!"
"But..."
"No buts! Fall back now! That's an order!"
Both subordinates fell silent.
Listening to the diminishing sound of beam fire, Ramba Ral could tell they were retreating.
Soon after, the already deformed cockpit door of the Dom burst open with a bang.
Ramba Ral, struggling with his injured body, forced himself upright and stood in the doorway, staring at the nearby Lu Gao.
At that moment, Eli had just confirmed that the last two Doms had fled and deactivated Lu Gao's beam saber, only to see Ramba Ral emerge, barely holding on.
Removing his helmet, Ramba Ral locked eyes with Lu Gao's monitor, clearly expressing his pride.
"Lieutenant Eli! Lieutenant Eli! Blayd orders you to capture Ramba Ral! Do you copy?"
As Eli and Ramba Ral locked in a battle of wills, competing to see who would avert their gaze first, Sayla's urgent voice came through Eli's cockpit.
"Understood. Proceeding to capture Ramba Ral."
Eli drew his sidearm and opened his cockpit as well.
Unlike Ramba Ral, clad in his pilot suit, Eli wore a jungle combat suit typical of Southeast Asia. When he opened his cockpit, his youthful face was fully exposed to Ramba Ral.
"A young man like him…?"
---
Due to Ramba Ral's injuries, he wasn't immediately sent to the brig but taken to the ship's medical bay.
When Eli escorted Ramba Ral at gunpoint into the medical bay, he was momentarily stunned by the sight of a blonde woman inside.
It was Sayla Mass.
Recently, Sayla had been working on the bridge as a communications officer, and Eli had nearly forgotten that she originally served as a medic aboard the White Base. She even aspired to become a doctor.
Naturally, Sayla would be the one to treat Ramba Ral's wounds.
"Could you leave for now? The patient needs a quieter environment," Sayla said calmly, already masked.
"This is a prisoner. What if he acts out? If he takes you hostage, the entire ship could be in danger."
Even without the cockpit's enhanced systems, Eli could sense Sayla's inner turmoil.
Initially, the White Base didn't know who was leading the pursuing forces. However, the Southeast Asia base confirmed through intelligence and comparisons that it was Ramba Ral.
Eli, of course, already knew this as part of the narrative, but openly revealing it would be too shocking.
It wasn't hard to deduce why Sayla was so anxious to dismiss him with a flimsy excuse.
She wanted to confirm her identity with Ramba Ral and, in doing so, ensure her brother Casval's safety.
"Even if he's a prisoner, he's still a patient. Listen to the doctor!" Sayla's voice grew more urgent, her tone enough to make even Ramba Ral cast her a suspicious look.
He must have been wondering why Zeon would plant such an obvious spy aboard the Trojan Horse.
Frustrated, Sayla glared at Eli but signaled Ramba Ral to lie on the bed, where she began removing the glass shard and dressing his wound.
"Please don't stand at the bedside; your shadow interferes," she said firmly.
This was a reasonable request, so Eli obediently moved to the wall, still holding his gun and keeping it trained on Ramba Ral.
Eli started reflecting.
Post-war, as a "Deikun," Sayla was confined to Earth by the Federation, restricting her to the Mediterranean region.
No matter the Federation's intent, this felt like a waste of political potential.
Would it not be better if I… no, when did I start thinking about changing this world?
Shaking his head, Eli tried to dispel his spiraling thoughts.
"...!"
Sayla froze when Eli suddenly moved, as she had been preparing to remove her mask and confirm her identity with Ramba Ral.
Realizing Eli's movement was meaningless, she resumed signaling Ramba Ral to look at her.
Still in pain, Ramba Ral glanced at Sayla, who had removed her mask.
His pupils suddenly contracted.
"You are..."