PLANT's Wanted Notice

"Then we'll see."

Three days after those words were spoken, PLANT's response arrived.

May 22, C.E. 71, Communications Hub of the 811 Research Institute.

Sheng Lan spread an intercepted report across Lin Yuan's desk. Three dense rows of frequency codes, marked in red, covered the page.

"Director, over the past forty-eight hours, PLANT has issued search notices for Lacus Klein across at least seven frequencies. They used two different sets of wording."

"Which two?"

"The Klein Moderates called it a missing-citizen notice and requested assistance in confirming her safety. The Zala Faction issued a security warning, claiming Lacus might have been abducted by the Earth Alliance and ordering all ZAFT vessels to watch for unidentified escape-pod trajectories during patrols."

Lin Yuan flipped to the second page of the report.

"The Zala Faction knows she was launched out?"

"Uncertain. But they know they failed to capture Lacus during the raid on the gathering. By process of elimination, escape by ejection is the most plausible conclusion."

Ye Qingluan's encrypted message appeared on the desktop terminal at the same time. Sheng Lan opened it, and after scanning two lines, lowered her voice.

"Director, Ye Qingluan intercepted an internal encrypted transmission from the PLANT Liaison Office on Earth. The Zala Faction Security Committee is investigating the orbital data of Lacus's escape pod. Their calculated drift range overlaps by thirty-one percent with the interception coordinates of Xuanwu Three."

"Thirty percent overlap isn't precise enough, but it's enough for them to put East Asia on their list of suspects."

"Yes. Also, the Atlantic Federation has made a move. Jonathan Pierce's news program ran a special report yesterday titled, 'The East Asian Shadow Behind the Adjuster Diva's Disappearance.' No evidence, just insinuation."

Lin Yuan turned to the last page of the report, where Sheng Lan's handwritten recommendations were listed.

Three options.

First: use Lacus as leverage to exchange for technology or political concessions from the PLANT moderates.

Second: publicly notify PLANT of Lacus's safety in exchange for diplomatic goodwill.

Third: maintain the current situation—no disclosure, no return—and wait for an opportunity.

Lin Yuan tapped the underline beneath the first option.

"Sheng Lan, who suggested the first one?"

"I did."

"Why?"

Sheng Lan straightened slightly.

"Director, the longer Lacus remains in our hands, the greater the risk that East Asia will be accused of abducting a PLANT citizen. If we make the first move before the risk escalates, we can secure substantive cooperation from the PLANT moderates in technology or intelligence."

Lin Yuan closed the report.

"The idea isn't wrong. But you're calculating a short-term account."

Sheng Lan's pen paused at the edge of her memo.

"What do you mean, Director?"

"Lacus Klein isn't an ordinary hostage. She's the political symbol of the PLANT moderates. Trading her for a batch of technical data is like exchanging a card that can win a ten-year war for a one-shot deal."

Sheng Lan opened a fresh page in her memo, her pen poised over the paper as she waited.

"Her true value isn't in an exchange. It's that when the PLANT moderates need to rebuild their legitimacy, she's the only person with enough prestige and influence to step forward."

"You believe that moment will come?"

"Patrick Zala is pushing for the construction of a world-destroying weapon. His path has only two possible endings: either he succeeds in destroying Earth, or he fails and brings the Zala Faction down with him. Either way, PLANT's moderates will need someone to take charge of the aftermath."

Sheng Lan drew an arrow on the page, from the present toward a question mark.

"Then what do we do now? Ye Qingluan said the Zala Faction's investigation will narrow down its suspects within two weeks."

"Let Lacus speak for herself."

Sheng Lan looked up at Lin Yuan.

"She agreed?"

"I haven't asked her yet. But two days ago, she told me she was no longer merely someone who had been rescued."

Lin Yuan pressed the encrypted-switch key on the communications terminal and connected to Xuanwu Three.

Chen Linhai's voice came through first.

"Director, Lacus Klein's mental state has remained stable over the past three days. Terminal records show that she finished reviewing the entire second batch of materials. The last file she opened was the peace proposal her father had seen rejected over the past five years."

"How did she react?"

"This morning, she sat motionless in the lounge for two hours. Then she contacted the medic over the internal comms and asked for a cup of coffee. After drinking it, she asked me what frequency East Asia's news broadcasting system used."

Lin Yuan's fingers paused against the edge of the desk.

"She asked about the frequency herself?"

"Yes."

Sheng Lan raised her head.

Lin Yuan switched into the lounge's communications channel.

Lacus's voice came from Xuanwu Three, her tone half a shade heavier than it had been three days ago.

"Mr. Lin Yuan."

"I heard you asked about news frequencies."

"Yes. I have an idea."

"Go on."

"If both PLANT and the Atlantic Federation are exploiting my disappearance, then the simplest countermeasure is for me to speak for myself."

Lin Yuan lightly tapped the desk twice with his fingers.

"What do you intend to say?"

"I'll thank East Asia for its rescue, state that I am voluntarily remaining under its protection, and call on all sides in PLANT not to use the search for me as an excuse to expand military operations."

"Once you say that, the Zala Faction will brand you a traitor bought by East Asia. Do you know what that means?"

Three seconds of silence filled the channel.

Then Lacus spoke again.

"It means I can no longer go back and pretend nothing happened."

Lin Yuan said nothing.

Lacus continued.

"Mr. Lin Yuan, my father wrote peace proposals for five years, and every one was rejected. He opposed them in the gentlest way possible, and in return, he was raided and his daughter was exiled. Moderation isn't wrong, but moderation alone isn't enough."

Sheng Lan drew a line across her memo, ending it with a solid dot.

"Miss Klein, are you sure?"

"I am."

Lin Yuan muted the communication channel and glanced at Sheng Lan.

"Prepare the recording equipment. Let her write the statement herself. Don't change a single word for her."

Sheng Lan put away her memo, but as she reached the door, she turned back to ask one question.

"Director, what if what she writes is unfavorable to East Asia?"

"Then we'll see what she writes. If her words carry more weight than I expected, then what I picked up wasn't a card."

Sheng Lan pushed open the door.

"What was it?"

Lin Yuan switched the terminal's comms key back online.

"A key capable of reshaping PLANT's political landscape."