"So, Amuro, I want you to fly the Core Fighter up to high altitude later and make contact with the land battleship. I'll provide you with data from the ground and guide the bombardment."
After Eli said this, Amuro looked at him in disbelief.
Facing an entire defensive line alone would undoubtedly be extremely dangerous.
That would still be true even with cover from White Base and the two support Mobile Suits.
"Let me provide the bombardment data! The Gundam performs better than the Gundam Ground Type, so I should be the one to go!"
Amuro immediately thumped his chest, trying to show how reliable he was.
To be fair, that would have been the more sensible choice.
At this point, Amuro was clearly the better pilot, and the Gundam performed better, so Amuro would be more effective on the front lines.
"Amuro, you might not understand this now, but I can't let you go somewhere that dangerous. Whether it's for selfish reasons or out of basic human decency, I can't let you go there."
Eli didn't explain what he meant by selfish reasons or basic human decency.
But Amuro understood what Eli was trying to say.
He was still young, just a boy, and Eli was looking after him and didn't want him to risk his life.
"I'm not a child anymore, Lieutenant Eli. You know that, right? I'm a soldier, and I'm the Gundam's pilot!"
The small argument between them immediately drew the attention of everyone in the hangar.
Everyone knew the safety of the entire ship depended on the two of them. If they argued and fell out, everyone would be thrown into a panic.
Realizing this, Eli gave those around them a reassuring look, then reached out and pulled Amuro closer.
Eli ruffled Amuro's hair.
"You're still growing up. Until you're truly an adult, these aren't your burdens to bear."
"All party members over fifty, step forward!"
This wasn't something that happened only in movies.
"Now..."
"Boom!"
Just as Eli was about to keep trying to reassure Amuro, an explosion suddenly rang out, and the hull shuddered.
"What happened?!"
Eli immediately went to the ship's intercom and called the bridge.
Mirai answered. Behind her, Bright was loudly asking the people on the bridge for confirmation.
"Someone used explosives to blast through White Base's outer armor and is heading for the prison!"
Mirai quickly gave Eli a concise summary of the situation.
"No, they've already rescued Ramba Ral!"
"Any casualties?"
Eli hurriedly asked.
"None so far. Everyone's at their battle stations, so no one was paying attention to the prison."
Hearing that there were no casualties so far, Eli breathed a sigh of relief.
"I'm going now!"
Eli drew his pistol and immediately ran toward the prison.
"Don't come after me!"
Eli shouted at Amuro, who was trying to follow him.
He raced down the corridor, his mind in turmoil.
Had they planted a tracker on Ramba Ral, or was it Artesia...?
Before Eli could decide which was more likely, a figure appeared at the end of the corridor.
It was Ramba Ral!
Eli immediately raised his gun and aimed it at Ramba Ral.
"That's far enough. Get back to your cell!"
Eli shouted angrily.
But soon, someone else appeared from the direction Ramba Ral had come from. They also raised a gun and aimed it at Eli, then immediately pulled the trigger!
"Rat-a-tat-tat!"
"Rat!"
After four shots rang out, Eli realized he hadn't been hit.
The bullets fired by the newcomer had all struck the ceiling.
Eli's counterattack, however, had found its mark.
A patch of crimson was spreading across Ramba Ral's right arm.
Why his right arm? Because Ramba Ral had reached out and pushed the newcomer's gun barrel upward, saving Eli from being hit.
"Put your guns down!"
Ramba Ral grabbed the other person's gun barrel and slowly lowered it.
"Hamon, let me talk to him."
The newcomer was Ramba Ral's wife.
Hamon looked into Ramba Ral's eyes and saw that, despite his ashen face, they shone more brightly than before.
Hamon was silent for a moment, then nodded.
Only then did Ramba Ral release the gun and face Eli, who still had his pistol raised.
"Let me go."
"Don't be ridiculous..."
"I'm not being ridiculous!"
Ramba Ral cut Eli off, meeting his gaze without changing expression.
He completely ignored the gun in Eli's hand.
Eli realized it.
"Let me go. I won't stay on Earth anymore. I'll return to space, back to Zeon."
"So you can keep acting as their accomplice?"
"No. I'll go as a soldier and try to change Zeon. I still can't tell whether Deikun's ideas or the Zabis' ideas are right. But I know this war shouldn't continue. I'll return to my homeland and do what I can to bring the war to an end sooner."
With every word, Ramba Ral stepped closer, until his chest pressed against the barrel of Eli's gun.
"If you don't believe me, then shoot. I think I can trust you. You're someone who can make a difference."
Even though blood kept flowing from his wound, Ramba Ral's face showed no trace of pain.
There was only determination—and the hope that Eli would believe him.
"...What made you see things so differently all of a sudden?"
Seeing how sincere he was, Eli was already more or less willing to believe Ramba Ral.
But in the end, he asked one more time.
"On this ship, I saw people who didn't belong in a war. I also saw someone who made me want to change."
The former must have meant Amuro.
But as for the latter, Eli couldn't tell whether he meant Artesia or someone else.
That someone else was, in fact, Eli himself.
Ramba Ral was looking at him with such earnest warmth.
Eli studied Ramba Ral's weather-beaten face, now lit with a new spark.
Eli slowly stepped backward, gradually lowering his gun.
After taking one last, deep look at Ramba Ral, Eli suddenly ran off in the opposite direction.
"Ramba Ral's over there!"
The others who had come after them didn't suspect a thing. They all ran in the same direction as Eli.
"Let's go, Ramba."
Hamon came over and took Ramba Ral by the left hand.
Ramba Ral took one last look in the direction Eli had gone, then turned and ran out of White Base with his wife and his subordinates. They joined up with the people waiting to meet them and immediately left White Base.
"I'll change."
As Hamon bandaged Ramba Ral's wound, he said this.
"I've always believed in you. Always."
Hamon leaned in and gently kissed Ramba Ral on the cheek.
Before you continue