"You could see it that way."
Arnold smiled upon hearing this.
Felix said no more, his gaze fixed on the cosmos ahead as he maneuvered the Genesis Gundam through this region of space.
"Captain Griffith, the Ministry of National Defense is looking for you."
"The Ministry of National Defense is looking for me?"
A hint of confusion appeared on his face as Felix asked doubtfully.
Arnold nodded and replied over the comms.
"Yes, the Ministry of National Defense is looking for you."
"I understand."
Having received confirmation, Felix replied calmly and turned the Genesis Gundam back toward the satellite.
After returning to the satellite, he took a shuttle to Aprilius City District 1.
Aprilius City District 1.
Ministry of National Defense.
In the Chairman's office.
"Good day, Mr. Chairman!"
Standing before Patrick, Felix raised his hand in a salute and offered a respectful greeting.
Patrick looked up at Felix and pointed a finger at an empty chair. Understanding the gesture, Felix lowered his hand, pulled out the chair, and sat down.
He sat upright and proper, facing Patrick and awaiting his orders.
"The Experimental Machine YMF–X000A has been stolen."
Putting down his work, Patrick leaned back in his chair, his calm face hiding a simmering rage as he spoke.
Felix's expression froze at his words, and he thought to himself, 'The plot about the Warrior Gundam being stolen... I seem to recall it was some idiotic plot from a side story. And I think the idiot who gave it away was Siegel, to help the Earth Alliance solve their energy crisis. Could this theft be that same idiotic plot?'
"Mr. Chairman, are there any leads on this matter?"
Pushing his thoughts aside, Felix asked Patrick.
Patrick seemed lost in thought, but he shook his head in response.
"There are no leads at present."
As he spoke, Patrick's tone shifted, and he continued with a colder expression.
"This incident is definitely related to the Earth Alliance!"
'No leads, so how do you expect me to find it?'
Felix complained internally as he looked at Patrick's cold, angry face. Looking at Patrick, Felix stood up, raised his hand in a salute, and said, "Rest assured, Mr. Chairman, I will definitely retrieve the Warrior Gundam."
"Mm!" Patrick nodded, his expression softening considerably. "I'm leaving this matter to you."
With that, Patrick waved his hand at Felix.
Understanding the gesture, Felix lowered his arm, turned, and walked out. Watching Felix leave, Patrick's gaze fell upon a photograph on his desk.
He stared at the photo and muttered to himself, "Siegel, I hope the investigation reveals you have nothing to do with this."
Outside the office, Felix walked straight toward the satellite's elevator after leaving.
He took the elevator to the spaceport, where he boarded a shuttle to leave Aprilius City.
December City District 1.
At the spaceport.
After disembarking from the shuttle, Felix headed for the Athena.
On the bridge of the Athena.
"Has the transfer of the Genesis been completed?" Felix asked Aric as he walked in.
Aric stood up, saluted, and reported, "Captain, the transfer is complete!"
Lowering his arm, Aric looked at Felix and changed the subject. "Captain, what is our mission this time?"
"The YMF–X000A has been stolen!"
Sitting down in his chair, Felix looked at Aric and told him.
Aric's face changed, and he looked at Felix with a grave expression. After a moment of thought, he spoke. "Captain, is this MS equipped with the same device as the Genesis that allows it to use nuclear energy?"
"Yes."
Felix nodded slightly with a hum of affirmation.
With this confirmation, the expression on Aric's face grew even more solemn. Sitting back down in the captain's seat, Aric looked ahead and gave the order.
"Set sail!"
"Yes, sir!" Josh replied.
He gripped the helm and gave an order to Aubrey.
"Thrust level one!"
"Yes, sir!" Aubrey responded.
Placing his hand on the thrust lever, he pushed it forward to one. After setting the thrust, he turned to report to Josh.
"Thrust level one, set."
"Acknowledged!" Josh replied calmly.
His eyes fixed forward, he gripped the helm and gently pressed down on the pedal.
Under Josh's control, the Athena slowly moved out of the spaceport.
"Thrust level three!"
"Yes, sir!"
"Thrust level three, set!"
"Acknowledged!"
Pressing the pedal down harder, the Athena's thrusters erupted with greater power. This force propelled the Athena forward, and as time passed, it disappeared from the vicinity of PLANT.
On the bridge.
"Captain, where are we going to search for the stolen MS?"
Staring at the endless, boundless cosmos ahead, Aric was at a loss and turned to look at Felix. Felix, who had been resting with his eyes closed, opened them, looked at Aric, and after a moment's thought, said, "Head toward Earth for now."
"Yes, sir!" Aric reported in a loud, clear voice.
Meanwhile, on Earth.
"Are those guys really not in Orb?"
Sitting in a car, Dearka looked at the sunset before him and spoke. Yzak glanced at Dearka and said in an extremely firm tone, "Those guys are definitely in Orb! Unless they're already dead, there's no way they'd be anywhere else."
Dolly! Dolly!
Two mechanical chirps sounded from above. Hearing the sound of "Dolly," Athrun's body jolted, and he looked up at the sky.
He saw a small mechanical bird flying in the air.
The familiar sight of the bird made Athrun's pupils shrink. The flying Dolly then descended toward him.
"Where did this mechanical bird come from?"
Looking at the beautiful mechanical bird, Nicol asked with a look of fondness on his face. Athrun glanced at Nicol, then looked down at the Dolly in his hands.
Dolly! Dolly!
Dolly tilted its little head and chirped at Athrun twice more.
"Dolly! Dolly!"
A familiar voice reached his ears. Athrun's pupils constricted as a mix of joy and pain welled up in his heart. He slowly raised his head toward the source of the voice. When he saw the person, Athrun's mouth opened, but no words came out.
Because of Athrun's strange reaction, Yzak and the other two looked up at the same time and, just like Athrun, saw Kira behind the railing.
Looking at Kira, the three of them had their answer.
On the other side of the railing.
Kira, who had been looking for Dolly, stopped in his tracks. His eyes were fixed ahead, staring at the face that was so familiar to him.
"Athrun."
His mouth opened, and he spoke the name in a very soft voice.
In the quiet and somewhat strange atmosphere, Athrun started walking toward the railing.
Stopping in front of it, Athrun looked at Kira before him and held out the Dolly in his hand. Kira looked at the Dolly in Athrun's hand, took two steps forward, and reached out to take it.
After taking Dolly, Kira didn't leave. He stood there, continuing to gaze at Athrun. Under Kira's stare, Athrun clenched and unclenched the fist at his side, then said calmly, "Your mechanical bird is very beautiful."
"It was a gift from my friend."