Undercurrents

"This is too extreme, Patrick."

Siegel Clyne shook his head. His voice, like the man himself, carried an inescapable weariness.

He sank into the soft sofa, pinching the bridge of his nose as though trying to squeeze out the fatigue and worry lodged there.

"There is still room for reconciliation between us. War benefits no one."

He raised his head and looked toward Durandal on the other side. "What's more, Gilbert's research has already pointed us toward a path to peace.

"As long as we can eliminate the physiological differences between Naturals and Coordinators, the foundation of hatred will cease to exist.

"That is the ultimate solution."

"Siegel, put away those impractical fantasies! War is already unavoidable!"

"They've already put a knife to our throats! George Glenn is dead, killed on his way to negotiations! Isn't that enough to make the situation clear?"

Patrick Zala grew angry at those words and slammed his hand onto the table as he rose.

Of course, he knew his old friend's nature—Siegel wanted to resolve things in a more peaceful manner.

But the reality was that the other side had not given them that chance—

"Mr. Chairman, I'm afraid Senator Zala's judgment is correct this time."

At those words, Durandal spoke up.

"Gilbert, you agree with Patrick as well?"

Siegel Clyne froze. Durandal was supposed to be a pacifist like him.

"Hmph."

Patrick nodded at that.

"Last year, in the airspace around Junius, our GINNs had already demonstrated the power of mobile suits to them.

"By normal military logic, before the Earth Alliance developed mobile weapons capable of competing with us, they should have tried their best to avoid direct conflict.

"Because, at least in the short term, they had no ability to challenge us on a conventional battlefield."

Durandal's tone remained steady as