Ramba Ral's Escape

"So Amuro, I need you to pilot the Core Fighter to a high altitude in a moment and establish contact with the land battleship. I will provide the data from the ground to guide the artillery fire."

After Eli said this, Amuro wore an expression of disbelief.

Facing the attack of an entire defensive line in a single unit was undoubtedly extremely dangerous.

Even with the cover of White Base and two support Mobile Suits, it remained the same.

"Let me provide the artillery data! The performance of the Gundam is better than the Gundam Ground Type, so it should be me!"

Amuro immediately patted his chest, wanting to demonstrate his reliability.

In all fairness, this should have been the more correct choice.

As of now, Amuro's piloting skills were clearly superior to Eli's, and the Gundam's performance was also better, allowing Amuro to be more efficient on the front lines.

"Amuro, you might not understand right now, but I cannot let you step into such a dangerous place. Whether out of personal selfishness or human morality, I cannot let you go to such a place."

What that selfishness was, or what that human morality meant, Eli did not explain clearly.

But Amuro could grasp what Eli was trying to express.

Still young, a mere boy, he was being looked after by Eli, who did not want him to risk his life.

"I am no longer a child, Lieutenant Eli, you understand that, right? I am a soldier, the pilot of the Gundam!"

The small dispute that erupted between the two immediately drew the attention of everyone in the hangar.

Everyone knew that the safety of the entire ship was tied to these two; if they were to quarrel and develop a rift, everyone would be filled with anxiety.

Realizing this, Eli cast a look toward those around him to put them at ease, then reached out and pulled Amuro closer.

Eli ruffled Amuro's hair.

"You are still growing into an adult. Before you truly grow up, these things are not yet your responsibility."

Party members step forward, those over fifty step forward.

This was by no means a plot point found only in movies.

"Now..."

"BOOM!"

Just as Eli wanted to continue comforting Amuro, an explosion suddenly rang out, and the ship's hull could even be felt trembling.

"What's going on!"

Eli immediately went to the ship's internal communication system and opened a channel to ask the bridge.

The one who answered was Mirai, and behind her, Bright could be seen shouting at the people on the bridge to confirm the situation.

"Someone used explosives to blow open the outer armor of White Base and ran toward the brig!"

Mirai immediately and concisely explained the current situation to Eli.

"No, they have already rescued Ramba Ral!"

"Any casualties?"

Eli asked hurriedly.

"None for now. Everyone is at their combat stations and wasn't distracted by the brig."

Hearing that there were no casualties for the moment, Eli breathed a sigh of relief.

"I'm going there now!"

Eli drew his pistol and immediately ran toward the direction of the brig.

"Don't come over!"

Eli shouted at Amuro, who wanted to follow.

He ran through the corridor, his mind filled with a thousand thoughts.

Was there a tracker on Ramba Ral, or was it Artesia...

Before Eli could decide between these two answers, a figure appeared before him at the end of the corridor.

It was none other than Ramba Ral!

Eli immediately raised his gun and aimed it at Ramba Ral.

"This ends here, get back to your cell!"

Eli shouted angrily.

But soon, others emerged from the direction Ramba Ral had come from, also aiming their guns at Eli, and immediately pulled the triggers!

"Rat-tat-tat!"

"Click!"

After four gunshots, Eli realized that he had not been harmed at all.

The bullets fired by the person who appeared later had all struck the ceiling.

Eli's counterattack had actually yielded results.

A pool of blood-red was steadily spreading across Ramba Ral's right arm.

Why his right arm? Because Ramba Ral had reached out to shove the muzzle of the man behind him upward, which was the only reason Eli had been spared.

"Lower your weapons, all of you!"

Ramba Ral gripped the man's gun barrel and slowly pressed it down.

"Hamon, let me speak to him."

The person who had arrived was none other than Ramba Ral's wife.

Hamon looked into Ramba Ral's eyes and discovered that despite his ashen complexion, his gaze held a brilliance greater than before.

Hamon remained silent for a moment, then nodded.

Only then did Ramba Ral release the gun and face Eli, who was still holding his pistol aloft.

"Let me leave."

"If you're talking about daydreams..."

"It is no daydream!"

Ramba Ral interrupted Eli, staring straight into his eyes without a flicker of hesitation.

He completely ignored the gun still in his own hand.

Eli realized this.

"Let me leave. I will no longer stay on Earth; I will return to space, back to Zeon."

"To continue being an accomplice?"

"No, I am going as a soldier to change Zeon. Whether the ideals of Deikun or the Zabi family are right or wrong, I still cannot distinguish even now. But what I do know is that this war should undoubtedly not continue. I will return to my country and, in my own way, hasten the end of this war."

Ramba Ral took a step forward with every word he spoke, until his chest was pressed against the muzzle of the gun in Eli's hand.

"If you are unwilling to believe me, then pull the trigger. I choose to trust you; you are someone capable of changing things."

Even as his wound continued to bleed, there was not a trace of pain on Ramba Ral's face.

There was only resolve, and the hope that Eli would believe him.

"...What made you suddenly come to this realization?"

Seeing such a sincere attitude, Eli was, in his heart, basically willing to believe Ramba Ral.

However, he asked one last time.

"On this ship, I saw people who should not belong to war, and I also saw someone who makes me willing to change for their sake."

The former likely referred to Amuro.

But as for the latter, Eli did not know if he meant Artesia or someone else.

That "someone else" was, in fact, Eli himself.

Because the expression with which Ramba Ral looked at him was simply too sincere and fervent.

Eli looked at Ramba Ral's face, weathered by time, yet now radiating a new spark.

Eli slowly stepped back, and the gun in his hand gradually lowered.

After taking one last deep look at Ramba Ral, Eli suddenly bolted in the opposite direction.

"Ramba Ral is over there!"

The others who had been in pursuit did not doubt him and ran in that direction along with Eli.

"Let's go, Ramba."

Hamon stepped closer and reached out to take Ramba Ral's left hand.

Ramba Ral took one final look at the direction in which Eli had disappeared, then turned with his wife and subordinates to run toward the exterior of the White Base. After linking up with the team sent to extract them, they departed the White Base immediately.

"I will change."

As Hamon bandaged his wound, he said these words.

"I have always believed in you. Always."

Hamon leaned in and gently kissed Ramba Ral on the cheek.