The Banquet (2)

"This is delicious too!"

Several plates sat in front of Shiro Amada as he tucked into the food with gusto.

Unlike the banquet over at Zeon, which had been more like a family dinner, the welcome banquet Colonel Ethan was hosting was more like a reception.

The White Fortress's bridge crew and Mobile Suit team had all been invited, along with the commanding officer and deputy commander of 86 Squad.

After all, officially, this banquet was also a mobilization meeting to hunt down the Apsalus.

"Shiro, watch how you look."

Eli watched Shiro Amada enjoy the food with a helpless expression. But seeing him bury his head in his meal, Eli knew it would be hard to get him to stop.

Fortunately, people already had a stereotype that Mobile Suit pilots were rough and uncouth.

After all, beside Shiro, the White Fortress's Kai Shiden, Hayato Kobayashi, and Kysing were eating in ways that could hardly be called genteel.

The White Fortress had received so few supplies that simply having enough food to meet their basic needs was a blessing. Enjoying a good meal was out of the question.

Eli sighed and looked around at the others.

Amuro, unsurprisingly, was eating too.

Unfortunately, he couldn't enjoy his food properly. Bright had brought him over to speak with Ethan.

A little farther away, Frau was watching Amuro with concern, the bread in her hand untouched for some time.

Meanwhile, Mirai Yashima and Sayla Mars were enjoying the food in front of them with ease and elegance.

Eli looked at the two girls, then at the pilots around him, and sighed again.

Still, it made sense. These two were genuine ladies from well-to-do families.

"Lieutenant Eli, could you come over here?"

Just then, Ethan called to him.

Eli glanced over, set down his knife and fork, and picked up the wineglass beside him, doing his best to look respectful.

As soon as he reached them, Eli raised his glass to Ethan. When Ethan returned the gesture, he took a sip.

"Although you've already met, I'd still like to introduce him. This is the ace of our Southeast Asia Base. In the three months since he started piloting a Mobile Suit, he's shot down 28 enemy units. He'll be in charge of the operation against the Apsalus, so I hope you'll work together to bring down that monster flying up in the sky."

Ethan smiled amiably as he patted Eli's shoulder, then gestured for Eli to say something.

Eli could only raise his glass again, toast Bright and Amuro, and drain it.

As he did, Eli glanced at Bright, who was also smiling as he drank, and couldn't help thinking how young the man was.

Ethan had said only one sentence, but it had placed Eli—that is, the Southeast Asia Base—in command of the Apsalus hunting operation.

Even though Eli was also a lieutenant, with the same rank as Bright,

Bright was the captain of the White Fortress. He should have had more autonomy, and even command authority.

That way, if they succeeded in capturing the Apsalus, Ethan could use it to earn more merit.

He really was a young captain, nothing like the Londo Bell commander who would later dare to raid Cheyenne Base.

"Captain Bright, I look forward to fighting alongside you. And you too, Amuro."

Eli smiled warmly without calling out Ethan's intentions.

"Lieutenant Eli, why don't you take Ensign Amuro for a look around? It'd be good for you to get to know each other as pilots. Besides, the ensign's still a kid, after all. I doubt he'd enjoy a conversation like ours."

Ethan was clearly pleased with the outcome. He sent Eli away, intending to keep making a good impression on Bright and perhaps even glean some information from him.

Amuro seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. He went over to Frau, took the drink she offered, and downed it in one go.

"Feeling nervous?"

Eli followed Amuro over and smiled faintly at the sight.

"I hate conversations like that."

Amuro wiped his mouth and looked toward Ethan.

"How can adults be so complicated? He managed to scheme so much in just one sentence."

Even though this sensitive boy's Newtype abilities hadn't awakened, he still displayed a delicate sensibility others lacked.

In that respect, Amuro might have been even better suited than Bright to handling social niceties.

"Some things can't be judged by age alone. Even children have complicated thoughts of their own, don't they?"

Eli looked at Amuro, who still tended to keep his thoughts to himself, and smiled as he cut a piece of steak from his plate and set it in front of him.

"Enjoy the banquet."

"What an extravagant banquet. Didn't they say the Federation was short on resources?"

Amuro took the plate but didn't eat right away. Instead, he grumbled in dissatisfaction, poking at the steak with his fork.

Eli looked up and took in the hall around them.

Here in Southeast Asia, there was actually a hall decorated so lavishly. It was hard not to wonder about it.

"...That's the adults' sin, Amuro."

Eli had no intention of explaining. Like Amuro earlier, he turned his gaze toward Ethan.

What a disheartening sight. People like this were the backbone of the Federation, their minds full of thoughts about how to climb higher.

That was why Eli wanted to leave the army, to get away from this mess.

But when he considered the world that would see seventeen years of continuous rebellion, he wanted to go even farther away.

Maybe he should head to Mars, like Boss Zhu?

Eli casually handed Amuro some sliced orange.

Watching the two of them, Frau puffed out her cheeks.

She had a feeling her place in Amuro's life was being taken over.

"Hey, Captain! Leaving us behind while you go enjoy all that good food? That's just mean."

When they returned to the 86 Squad warehouse at the field base, two figures, one tall and one short, stood in front of it, silhouetted against the light.

No need to look. It was Eledore and Michel.

They'd been left at the base earlier because the Hover Truck wasn't needed for the trip out to sea.

"Don't get the wrong idea. We brought you something good."

Eli pointed toward Shiro Amada, who was walking up behind them. He was taking two plastic bags out of the jeep.

"All right!"

Eledore and Michel hurried over to take the bags from Shiro and peek inside.

Eledore's bag was piled with food, while Michel's had the real prize.

"It's booze! Eli, you know how to treat a guy!"

Hearing Eledore call him by his name instead of stiffly addressing him as Captain, Eli knew the man's already tiny bit of resentment had faded.

"Don't drink too much. We're heading out first thing tomorrow."

"Already?"

Eledore had just pulled out a bottle that was still half full. He could only raise it and wail, before Captain Nika suddenly appeared from who knew where and snatched it away.