Who is Playing the Love Development Game in Gundam

As they entered enemy territory, the three knew they couldn't stay long and quickened their pace, soon reaching the skies above Catú. The landscape below was thickly covered in lush, green forest—it didn't look like a base at all.

"Hold on," Gai Murakumo said, descending to the treetops. It looked like he was communicating with someone.

Moments later, the trees below them began to part, creating a large, square pathway just big enough for their mobile suits to pass through, as if a scene from a miracle.

"…Such advanced tech?" He Kui was slightly taken aback.

He'd expected a guerrilla base, maybe a few tents like in the Dawn Desert. But this base was clearly far more advanced than he'd imagined.

"This base was being built in secret before the Atlantic Federation toppled the United South American Government. ZAFT supposedly helped with construction," Elijah explained over the comms.

"A pre-war construction project, then," He Kui mused.

It was only two or three years ago, but in that time, mobile suits had evolved from simple support mechs to advanced units like the Freedom Gundam. Although the basic facilities here hadn't changed much, the radar wouldn't be able to detect him, so he transformed back to humanoid mode and followed the others into the base.

The base extended far underground. They walked their suits over a kilometer into its depths, eventually reaching a hidden hangar.

Inside, three battered Dagger units were stored along with numerous spare parts. The sight of their own suits caused quite a stir among the gathered personnel.

Most of the people here wore the old military uniforms of the United South American Government, the attire they had before being forced into the Earth Alliance. Their pale green shirts and dark green jackets carried a distinct resemblance to old Prussian military uniforms.

The soldiers' expressions were a mixture of envy and hope as they looked at He Kui and the others. They didn't know their identities but knew that these were allies coming to support them—and allies with custom machines, no less.

To them, these mobile suits represented power, the strength they wished they had to drive out the invaders who had taken their homeland.

It wasn't admiration for He Kui and the others; it was a reverence for power itself.

"They even have Dagger units," He Kui remarked from his cockpit, eyeing the Daggers with their cool sunglasses-like visors.

They'd likely captured them from the enemy. But to capture three Dagger units must have been no small feat. He couldn't help but wonder how they had managed it.

After disembarking and joining the other two, they were greeted by a muscular middle-aged man in a senior officer's uniform.

He saluted them with a gesture unlike the Earth Alliance's formal salute and then spoke.

"Welcome, members of Serpent's Tail, to our base. I'm Lieutenant Colonel Carlos Alvarez of the First Army."

"Thank you, Colonel Alvarez," Gai and Elijah shook hands with Alvarez. He Kui remained silent, but Alvarez didn't seem bothered. He simply withdrew his hand and continued.

"Our president has already arrived here, and we'll make arrangements for your roles shortly."

"Understood."

"But why do you have more personnel and equipment than reported?" Alvarez asked, exuding a palpable air of authority that had clearly been honed through years on the battlefield.

"We have an additional support member who joined us," Gai explained.

"Alright." After a brief silence, Alvarez withdrew his gaze from He Kui. "But for security, we ask that you do not leave the base during your stay."

"Of course."

It was a secret base, after all; leaving would be out of the question whether they had one extra person or not.

"Also, if I may ask, do any of you know how to repair mobile suits?" Alvarez asked.

Gai and Elijah exchanged glances, surprised. It seemed the bustling activity they'd seen outside was due to a lack of repair skills.

"Doesn't ZAFT have any engineers here?"

"We do have an expert who came down with the president in secret, but he's been feeling under the weather…"

Understandable, as most of a scientist's genetic modifications focused on intellect, not physical resilience. And in the Amazon rainforest, even a Coordinator might struggle.

"I can do it, but…"

"Rest assured, we'll pay you extra," Alvarez said, his previously tired eyes now bright with hope.

"Alright."

He Kui wasn't really after the extra pay. Although the Daggers were a bit outdated, they could still provide valuable support.

As he examined the suits on his way over, he noticed the main components weren't heavily damaged, making repairs relatively straightforward.

Elijah and Gai looked on in mild surprise, as they hadn't expected He Kui to be skilled in MS repair. Then again, they'd only just met him a few hours ago.

"Gai, maybe we should try recruiting him?" Elijah suggested as he watched He Kui's precise movements, surrounded by officers with expressions of awe.

"She wouldn't join," Gai replied.

"Why not? We just met her; she looks like another hired gun."

"It's just a hunch," Gai said, glancing away.

"Alright."

Oblivious to their conversation, He Kui continued repairing the Dagger. He'd slowed his pace on purpose, but his gloved hands still moved deftly, navigating the components and adjusting circuits with practiced ease.

The other mechanics around him had stopped their work to watch, mesmerized by his skill.

"Who is she? She can repair MS units?"

"She's more than just skilled—she's incredible!" one mechanic exclaimed.

Her expertise was evident in every movement, solving issues that would take them much longer to diagnose with an almost mechanical precision. To them, she was a master, someone operating at a level far beyond their own.

"Is she a new ZAFT expert?"

"Doesn't seem like it. Those ZAFT experts usually act like they're above us," another mechanic noted.

The natural-human soldiers had felt the strain of working with Coordinators, who often viewed themselves as superior. Even if they were allies, the ideological divide was hard to ignore.

As they speculated, He Kui finished with one of the Daggers and began moving to the next.

Seeing this, the surrounding mechanics quickly gathered around him, faces full of admiration.

"Master, please teach us to repair mobile suits!"

Noticing their sincere salutes, He Kui nodded.

"Sure."

It wasn't like he had anything better to do, and this would be a good opportunity to gather intel

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