"You just said you belong to the Eurasian Federation. Is there any way to prove your identity at the Umbrella of Artemis?"
Mu suddenly thought of their next destination.
"I'm not sure whether the Umbrella of Artemis has access to my information."
Ino genuinely didn't know whether the Umbrella of Artemis had that kind of access.
After all, in a sense, he was a special kind of spy. An ordinary base might not have any intelligence or information on him.
But the Umbrella of Artemis was also a very unusual military colony satellite.
Artemis was a frontline space fortress located at Lagrange 3.
The Eurasian Federation had begun construction in C.E. 35.
Although it was considered to have little strategic value, its surroundings were protected by an all-directional beam shield known as the "Umbrella of Artemis."
As long as it had a steady power supply, the Umbrella of Artemis could provide an immense defense that kept outside forces from breaching it.
So... it was hard to say.
"Then why did you reveal your identity?"
Mu continued asking, "Normally, you wouldn't need to tell us who you are. Or rather, you didn't need to tell us at this point, since we don't belong to the same faction."
Although the Eurasian Federation and the Atlantic Federation were both military allies within the regional alliance, that was all they were.
After all, a military alliance was just that: an alliance.
It referred to a military partnership formed when two or more countries or political groups signed an agreement to counter a common enemy.
So Mu couldn't understand why Ino had revealed his identity.
"Do you want us to take you back to the Umbrella of Artemis?"
Murrue, meanwhile, had thought of what Ino had said at the beginning.
It wasn't a baseless guess, since their next destination was the Umbrella of Artemis, which belonged to the Eurasian Federation.
"Yes."
Ino nodded obediently.
It was the most suitable excuse and reason for the time being.
Actually, he had considered waiting until they reached Artemis before revealing his identity.
But setting aside whether the Umbrella of Artemis could verify his identity, the Artemis Fortress wouldn't be able to protect him even if it could.
Because, if nothing unexpected happened, something unexpected was about to happen.
As he remembered it, after the Archangel arrived at the Umbrella of Artemis, the ship would be placed under house arrest by some commander.
Then the Blitz Gundam, which had been pursuing them, would break into the Umbrella of Artemis and wipe it out on the spot.
And there'd be nothing he could do to stop it.
The Blitz Gundam was equipped with... He couldn't remember exactly what it was, but that system had definitely appeared for the first time.
There were no effective countermeasures available at the time. Under those circumstances, the destruction of the Umbrella of Artemis was inevitable. He couldn't very well die along with it.
So, for the sake of his own life, it was better to reveal his identity sooner. That way, he could also make a good impression and go along with the Archangel when they fled later.
The others fell silent again.
They'd lost count of how many times they'd gone quiet, but there was no helping it. Anyone would be at a loss when faced with something like this.
"I understand your situation. Whether or not you really belong to the Eurasian Federation, once we reach Artemis safely, we'll hand you over to them."
In the end, Captain Murrue chose to handle the matter amicably.
She couldn't think of any other way to resolve it.
As for whether what he'd said was true, that no longer mattered.
After all, they'd never intended to take prisoners in the first place. If he really was a spy sent by the Eurasian Federation to infiltrate ZAFT, returning him would be a way to earn some goodwill.
"Thank you so much. I won't forget what you've done for me."
Ino nodded with a smile.
"However, until we reach Artemis, please remain here to prevent any unnecessary misunderstandings. We still haven't officially confirmed your identity."
Captain Murrue wouldn't simply trust Ino on the basis of his own claims.
Besides, even if Ino really was from the Eurasian Federation, the Archangel was a highly classified warship. He couldn't be allowed to wander around freely.
"I understand. I won't leave this room until we reach Artemis. I'd just ask that the three of you keep my identity confidential for now."
Ino nodded. Even if Captain Murrue hadn't said anything, he wouldn't have left the room.
"We understand. Thank you for cooperating. We'll be going now, since we're still on combat alert."
As she spoke, Murrue picked up her hat and stood from the edge of the bed.
She really had no desire to stay any longer.
"Of course. I hope everything goes well for you."
Ino quickly stood to see them out.
"Oh, right. There's one more thing I forgot to mention."
Just as he was escorting the three of them to the door, Ino suddenly called out to them.
"What is it?"
Captain Murrue stopped and looked back.
"This may not be the best way to put it, but please be ready for battle. You may have to fight the Le Creuset Team in an encounter before you reach your destination."
Ino thought for a moment before adding, "After all, if I can figure it out, I'm sure Le Creuset and the others can too."
In truth, Ino wasn't sure whether the Archangel would be caught up to along the way. His memories of the original story weren't that clear.
Still, he wouldn't underestimate anyone—especially that man, Le Creuset.
You could doubt Le Creuset's character, but you should never doubt his abilities or intelligence.
So it was better to prepare in advance.
"Thank you for the warning. We'll be ready."
Murrue nodded, acknowledging what he'd said.
"Good. I wish you a safe journey."
Ino finished with a smile and closed the door.
Then he walked over to the edge of the bed and lay down. He'd done all he could. Now all that remained was to wait and see when the Archangel would reach Artemis Fortress.
"Now, what was I thinking about at first...?"
Puzzled, and for some reason feeling a little tired, Ino slowly closed his eyes.
Outside the door.
"Go back to the bridge first. I have something to take care of."
Just as Captain Murrue was about to leave, Mu suddenly spoke up.
"What are you planning to do?"
Captain Murrue looked puzzled. She had no idea what this usually carefree guy was up to.
"Why, do everything I can to improve this ship's combat capabilities, of course."
After saying that, Mu turned and floated toward the quarters.
But his smile carried a trace of guilt and helplessness.
Ino was right. Le Creuset really was formidable. They couldn't afford to let their guard down.
As his destined rival, Mu knew Le Creuset's methods and capabilities well.
If even Ino Kamal could guess that this ship was headed for Artemis, there was no reason Le Creuset wouldn't figure it out too.
"This guy..."
Murrue was surprised to hear the complicated emotion in Mu's voice.
But after looking in the direction Mu had gone, she seemed to realize what was going on. She called after him, "Wait. I'm coming too."
"Hm?"
Seeing the beauty suddenly appear beside him, Mu couldn't help but pause.
"What's that look for? I'm the captain, after all. I can't leave you to be the bad guy on your own."
After saying that, Murrue passed Mr. Mu and floated ahead.
Watching Murrue's figure, wrapped in her captain's uniform, Mu murmured, "You're way too considerate for a captain..."
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