After watching Colonel Gerard Garcia leave, Major Bidaluf took the initiative to confirm a few things with Murrue before she could ask.
"Captain, aside from communications, would your ship like to connect directly to the dock for easier access to power and communications?
"Also, are you short on supplies? Do Captain La Flaga's Type Zero and the Strike Gundam need parts or spares for repairs?"
These were precisely the supplies and support the Archangel desperately needed. Murrue still had her doubts, but she could hardly refuse.
"Ensign Badgiruel, I'll leave the docking arrangements to you.
"Captain La Flaga, could I trouble you to oversee the resupply?"
"Yes, ma'am!" "Leave it to me."
As Badgiruel and Mu answered, attendants behind Major Bidaluf stepped forward to coordinate with them.
Major Bidaluf turned to Murrue, ready to guide her to the communications equipment himself.
"Captain, please follow me."
With Major Bidaluf's guidance and assistance, Murrue was able to place a call in private from a communications room near the Archangel in the dock area.
She had said she needed to contact headquarters and the 8th Fleet, but naturally, her first call was to Admiral Halberton of the 8th Fleet.
To her surprise, Halberton answered soon after she requested the connection. From what she could see on the screen, he had paused a meeting to take her call first.
"Captain Ramius, it's good to see you safe. Have you reached Artemis Fortress?"
"Yes, Admiral Halberton. The Archangel and the Strike Gundam have just arrived at Artemis Fortress. I'm sorry to report that the Creuset Team took the Duel, Aegis, Blitz, and Buster."
Just as Halberton had seemed to know something of Murrue's situation, he showed no surprise that the Creuset Team had seized every Gundam but the Strike.
He did not leave her wondering for long.
"So you really did switch to covert transit.
"Captain Ramius, I need to wrap up this meeting. Watch this video first, and I'll contact you again shortly."
"Yes, Admiral Halberton."
Halberton gave a casual salute and ended the call. Soon afterward, Murrue received a video from him titled "Celestial Being Formation Declaration."
Before she could recover from the shock of what she had seen, an incoming call from Halberton sounded.
Murrue paused the video and answered. Halberton had already returned to his office.
"Admiral Halberton, we..."
Halberton raised a hand, signaling for her to hear him out.
"I'm the one who sent you, so I know exactly what happened.
"I even suspect Celestial Being knew more than they let on. They simply used you as a way to demonstrate their military strength—and, more importantly, to claim the moral high ground and strike at Logos and Rau Le Creuset.
"Logos also asked me for the G-series and the Archangel's data and ownership rights. I've agreed."
Murrue said nothing and listened quietly. Halberton nodded in approval and continued.
"Celestial Being has caused quite a stir, but right now, our most important task is to mass-produce the Earth Alliance's own mobile suits as quickly as possible. We need them to hold off ZAFT's offensive and keep from losing this war outright.
"How to end the war is the politicians' job. Ours, as soldiers, is to find a way to win the war in front of us while keeping casualties as low as possible.
"Of course, that does not mean bowing to Logos or Blue Cosmos. As long as I draw breath, the Earth Alliance will never dance to their tune!"
"Admiral Halberton! Yes, I, Murrue Ramius, will fight for that to the very end."
With Murrue and the admiral in agreement, Halberton moved on to the specific arrangements.
"I've already instructed Captain Koopman to organize an advance force around the Montgomery.
"Lunar headquarters has also decided to begin mass-producing our mobile suits as soon as possible, and they're preparing to send a fleet to meet you.
"Resupply and take on more personnel at Artemis, then bring the Strike Gundam back to Earth as soon as circumstances allow.
"To recognize your achievements, everyone is slated for promotion by one rank. Send me the personnel roster as soon as you can.
"I'm counting on you to bring back the Archangel and the Strike Gundam, Major Murrue Ramius!"
"Yes, Admiral Halberton. We'll carry out your orders, even if it costs us our lives."
Halberton waved off the pledge and was about to end the call. Murrue quickly stopped him and explained Kira's situation, along with that of his friends.
"I see. So that's how the Strike Gundam survived and managed to fight so effectively.
"Honestly, in the end, it takes a Coordinator to bring out a mobile suit's full combat potential."
Murrue had no answer to that. At last, she ventured a quiet objection.
"That organization calling itself Celestial Being has mobile suits too, but they're probably not Coordinators, are they?"
"Newtypes, perhaps... In any case, we still know very little about Celestial Being. We've heard what they have to say, but we need to see what they actually do.
"I'll coordinate things on my end and find a way to handle the matter of those young people. It'll be settled by the time you return. You can tell them that.
"I'll be here, waiting for all of you to come back safely!"
"Yes, Admiral Halberton."
After ending the call with Halberton, Murrue decided against contacting headquarters. She returned to the Archangel with Major Bidaluf.
By the time she arrived, the ship was much busier.
Vehicles carrying supplies were moving in and out of the hangar, and several coordinators from Artemis Fortress had joined the bridge crew.
After speaking with Halberton, Murrue understood what Colonel Gerard Garcia intended. But his plan had put the understaffed Archangel in a position where she had little choice but to accept his people's help for now.
In any case, Celestial Being's actions had turned a classified project into a public priority. Letting a little information slip to the allied Eurasian Federation was no longer a serious problem.
The immediate priority was to finish resupplying the Archangel, then return to the 8th Fleet's base and head for Earth.
On that point, at least, the Archangel and Artemis Fortress wanted the same thing.
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