The Plan Backfired?

"This is impossible! You must have gotten it wrong!"

After hearing that, Noer snatched the ID card and slapped it against his palm, disbelief written all over his face.

"Kid, I probably can't help you this time."

Flaga spread his hands, indicating there was nothing he could do. If Noer had merely been a Coordinator, he could still put in a few words for him. But his identity ID card was damaged too, so...

"Seize him! Take him away!"

Lieutenant Junior Grade Baggage waved a hand, and two soldiers immediately stepped forward, leaving Noer caught between them.

"Wait! I have something to say!" Noer panicked and hurriedly raised his hand.

These people really weren't giving him even the slightest chance to explain himself. This was ridiculous!

"Save it for the military judge after we return to Earth!"

After saying that, Bagiruru raised her hand and pointed toward the area where prisoners were held aboard the Archangel. "Take him away!"

"Do you people even have any—"

"Wait!"

Just as Noer was about to be taken away, Kira could no longer hold back and stepped forward.

Hearing Kira's voice, Noer could not help letting out a quiet sigh of relief.

After putting on such an elaborate performance, he had been betting that Kira would not turn a blind eye to what was happening to him.

A Coordinator, aboard a space warship full of Naturals, who also happened to control the only weapon aboard—the Strike Gundam.

Anyone could guess what kind of treatment he would receive.

Besides, Kira had only just boarded the ship and had not truly protected anyone aboard the Archangel yet.

Although everyone on the Archangel treated Kira well because he was the only one who could pilot the Strike Gundam,

that courtesy was born of necessity. Emotionally, he would inevitably suffer all kinds of rejection and isolation.

Or rather, psychological rejection and isolation. That was not something expressions and actions could conceal.

Under those circumstances, when a Coordinator with the same plight suddenly appeared, someone with Kira's protagonist-like personality definitely would not ignore it.

"Hm?"

Lieutenant Junior Grade Baggage frowned slightly, turning toward Kira with an impatient expression.

Kira had indeed helped them, but because he was a Coordinator, she still harbored intense hostility and wariness toward him.

"Can't we at least hear what he has to say? And I don't think he's with PLANT!" Kira said through gritted teeth under Lieutenant Junior Grade Baggage's gaze.

"Give me a reason!" Lieutenant Junior Grade Baggage asked with a frown.

"If he really is a spy, wouldn't that mean I'm a spy too?" Kira was a Coordinator after all, and his mind quickly found an opening.

"What do you mean?" Flaga frowned slightly, unable to understand what Kira meant for a moment.

Of course, he did not think Kira was merely speaking in anger. Kira might have been young by Natural standards, but for a Coordinator, the mind of a sixteen-year-old was already nearly mature.

"Are you people actually stupid, or just pretending to be?"

Seeing that he finally had a chance to defend himself, Noer hurriedly broke free from the soldiers restraining him and said to Flaga and the others, "It's understandable that you suspect me of being a PLANT spy. If I were in your shoes, I'd suspect me too. There's nothing wrong with that."

"But the key issue is this: if I really were a spy sent by PLANT, then how could I have ensured that I would successfully get aboard this ship under those circumstances?"

"There were so many escape pods in Heliopolis. How did I just happen to get into the one that could be... You're called Kira, right?"

At the end, Noer deliberately put on an act and asked Kira.

After all the trouble he had gone through, he had only wanted an opportunity to defend himself.

A scholar could not reason with soldiers!

These people were all military personnel, and they were in the middle of combat. Under normal circumstances, they would never give a suspicious person a chance to explain.

Kira hurriedly nodded at that.

Seeing this, Noer continued, "In that situation, how could I guarantee that Kira would rescue the escape pod I was in? What if he didn't save me? What if he never noticed me?"

"Besides, no idiot would choose such a method to infiltrate a place as a spy!"

"Even if, taking ten thousand steps back, I really were a spy sent by PLANT, how could a spy like me get discovered the moment I arrived? My identity ID card is even broken. Have you ever seen such a stupid spy?"

Lieutenant Junior Grade Baggage and Captain Mu La Flaga fell silent after hearing that.

Even the people watching from the sidelines fell silent.

Because the point Noer raised was indeed crucial. A PLANT spy could not possibly be that stupid—or rather, PLANT could not possibly be that stupid!

There were far too many uncertainties in infiltrating that way.

"And another thing!"

Seeing the grave looks on everyone's faces, Noer continued, "Shouldn't spies hide themselves at all times? At the very least, they shouldn't do anything outrageous. If I were a spy, I would definitely keep a low profile and do everything possible not to draw your attention. Only then could I secretly pass along information. But who among you doesn't know that I'm a Coordinator now?"

"Under those circumstances, you would naturally be wary of me. No matter what I did, you would keep a close eye on me. Wouldn't that make me completely useless as a spy?"

"Then why is your identity ID card damaged?" Lieutenant Junior Grade Baggage could not help asking.

By now, she had basically ruled out the possibility that Noer was a spy, though she remained wary.

Or rather, even if Noer proved he was not a spy, her attitude would remain the same.

Because her impression of Coordinators consisted of only one phrase—hateful things. In other words, enemies through and through.

"I don't know either! I'm confused about that myself, okay? Everything was fine when I was in Heliopolis." Noer answered with a bitter expression.

"What do you think, Captain?" Lieutenant Junior Grade Baggage frowned. She could not think of a better solution for the moment.

"Huh?" Flaga stared blankly. Why was she asking him again?

"What do you think we should do, Captain?" Lieutenant Junior Grade Baggage asked again.

If Flaga had not been present, she would have had the authority to take Noer away directly. But with Flaga here, she had to consider his opinion. That was not merely social etiquette, but a restriction of rank.

"Well..."

Flaga was speechless. You're asking me? Who am I supposed to ask?

But judging by Lieutenant Junior Grade Baggage's expression, it seemed he could not get away without saying something.

Flaga glanced in Kira's direction, thought for a moment, then said, "Under these circumstances, I don't believe he's a spy sent by PLANT."

That one sentence directly settled Noer's classification.

In truth, Flaga had left one thing unsaid. If Noer really was a spy, then Kira, who had brought Noer aboard, could not possibly be uninvolved.

Even if Kira were innocent, he would still be implicated. At the very least, Kira would never be allowed to pilot the Strike Gundam.

And given the Archangel's current situation, everything had to give way to Kira—or rather, to the Strike Gundam. Once they lost the Strike Gundam, the Archangel would have only one possible outcome against Cruze: destruction.

On one side was letting Kira pilot the Strike Gundam and fighting for a slim chance of survival. On the other was dying on the spot. Was there even a need to think about which to choose?

Lieutenant Junior Grade Baggage pondered for a while, then said, "You're right. If PLANT sent a spy, they would never send someone like you!"

Her thoughts were much simpler than Flaga's. She merely felt that a spy could not possibly board the ship that way. It was far too stupid.

"Whew, you finally—"

"Seize him! Take him away!"

Before Noer could even breathe a sigh of relief, Lieutenant Junior Grade Baggage suddenly waved her hand. The two soldiers moved toward him again, resuming their pincer formation.

"Why?" The turn was so abrupt that Noer was completely dumbfounded.

Wasn't that... No, wasn't that proof of my identity?

They had both acknowledged that he was not a spy, so why were they still arresting him?

"What you said does make sense, and we do believe you are not a spy. But that is only our judgment. There is no actual evidence proving your innocence. Therefore, until there is concrete evidence clearing you of suspicion, we cannot allow you to move about freely!"

After saying that, Lieutenant Junior Grade Baggage told the soldiers, "Take him to a room and keep him under strict guard! He is not to step outside the door even once!"