Author Note One

Like the previous chapter, Tales of Ba Sing Se, but 00. Also canon scenes reminder.

"Regular speech"

'Thought'

"Soma/Hallelujah speech"

Louise (1 month into the timeskip)

Louise sat quietly watching the news in her family mansion, seeing a news story covering the rebuilding of the orbital elevators. She glowered at the TV, seeing them giving glowing praise to the A-Laws for their part in assisting of the rebuilding of the elevator. 'They are the ones that probably caused this. And yet they get credit for rebuilding it.' The news had constantly tried to reinforce the virtues of the peacekeeping force, with them even getting more influence over the military due to their supposed "effective elimination of anti-government forces." She also saw no footage of the gundams or the rebel forces assisting in the defense, when they had been the first groups to start destroying the debris. 'They are manipulating everyone and I'm not sure who exactly I can trust.'

She thought back on a few months ago, when she actually thought the A-Laws were good and had good intentions. She had been so naïve, thinking them opposing the gundams made them good. 'Why wouldn't I? The gundams had been the ones that killed my family." But the new gundams hadn't attacked anyone but the A-Laws and Federation forces, despite what the media said about their intentions. Yet despite her skepticism, everyone around her seemed to just accept what the A-Laws said. She was trapped in the bubble of the Federation and A-Laws and didn't know how to get out of it.

Adding onto her worries was the lack of progress that was being made on her condition. The doctor near the tower had said that regeneration treatments could only slow down the slow degradation of her body and even then, it was a losing battle. Assuming that she didn't put too much stress on her body, she probably had 2 or so years before her condition killed her.

Tears streamed down her cheeks thinking about it. There was always a dull pain that would fade in and out at random times. She had many regrets, things she couldn't make up for. Things she wanted to say to her family. But they were gone. The only thing she had left of her old life was Saji and he was gone. 'I'm sorry Saji. I just want to see you again. To hold you. I wish I could be where you are. Maybe it would be better than being here.' She pulled her knees up to her head and rested her chin on them, the weight of loneliness sitting on her shoulders.

Her thoughts were interrupted by hearing a buzz on her comms. She pulled her head off of her knees and looked at the message she had received. It said that someone was at the gates requesting to come in. Getting up off the couch and turning off the news, she headed to the mounted communication unit in the foyer. Opening it up, she saw a blonde man in a government suit with sunglasses looking right at her. She spoke, confused, "Hello there. Who are you and why are you here?"

The man spoke evenly, "We are from the Federation. We wish to discuss what you saw at the tower collapse. We have been interviewing witnesses about their personal experiences."

Louise looked warily at the man, unable to get a bead on if he was telling the truth. She was sure they wouldn't harm her, but she was worried about what they were going to do with this. 'What if they twist my words or put me on a list?' She replied cautiously, "Ok. Follow the driveway up the front. I'll let you in." The metal gate slid open and the car made its way up the driveway, parking in front of the house.

Louise anxiously waited at the front door, curious why this was happening after a month. 'I just hope this doesn't take too long.' She heard a knock on the door and opened the door. She saw three people standing behind the door. Two similarly dressed men and a woman with black hair down to her shoulders. The woman spoke up in a professional tone, "Do you have a preferred place where we can talk?"

Louise nodded and wordlessly led them into a parlor, taking a seat in an armchair. The group sat down and the woman gave her an analytical look. Taking off her sunglasses, the purple eyed woman looked Louise straight in the eye, and spoke evenly, "Thank you for talking to us ma'am. I am Kati Mannequin. Forgive us for the deception. We aren't here to ask about the incident. We aren't with the federation and in fact represent a third party."

Louise looked at her confused, "Well if you aren't here to ask about that, then why are you here?" Louise's suspicions shot up as worry showed on her face. 'Did I just make a mistake? Are they going to hold me hostage?'

Kati saw her worried look. 'Hopefully she plays ball with us.' She answered in a calm tone, "We are curious on your opinion of the A-Laws. We see you are only a minor investor in them. We looked into your history and saw you were at an attack site of the gundams, so we assumed you would support them whole heartedly. Why the hesitation?"

Louise rocked back and forth, not knowing how to answer, especially with the intense look Kati gave her. 'Are they actually A-Laws agents? Are they testing me? Or are they actually a third party?' Looking down nervously, she spoke up, "I feel that they focus too much on military endeavors. I had some assumptions that they did more than fighting the gundams and rebels, but after meeting one of their backers, I didn't trust they did. I don't want to support military development."

Kati smirked, "Well what if I told you the A-Laws are up to more that the media is telling you?" 'I knew it!' Louise smiled in satisfaction. Kati saw her reaction, seeing the reaction she was hoping for. She continued, "The A-Laws have been manipulating the media and covering things up. Our group is interested in bringing their crimes into the light."

Louise internally debated. Her gut said that she could trust this woman and her gut hadn't been wrong before about the A-Laws. "But exactly what crimes have they done besides the elevator?"Louise asked with curiosity.

Kati brought out a mini terminal and handed it to Louise wordlessly. Louise took it and scanned through the information being presented on it. What she saw shocked her. Tens of thousands of people, innocent or guilty alike killed in raids by the A-Laws. Massive media manipulation, like showing the coup forces attacking the civilians instead of defending them and much more beyond that. The fact that the A-Laws were the ones that destroyed the orbital elevator. 'It looks like my gut feelings were right. No wonder why it took so long for them to get involved.' One bit of info really caught her attention, reminding her of Saji's letter and she looked back up at the black-haired woman, voice quiet, "Um, at the attack at Proud when the gundams showed up, were there any other groups that were there besides the A-Laws, gundams and Katharon?"

Kati shook her head, "As far as we could find, no. Why are you asking?"

Louise looked at her anxiously, her voice full of worry at her ex-boyfriend, "Then do you know what happened to someone named Saji Crossroads? He was at the colony, but he disappeared and I have had no contact with him."

Kati's look softened seeing the look on the girl's face. She had found a connection between the two when she researched for this exact meeting. She could tell she cared for this man a lot. She nodded at that, "Based on what we found, we could only come to one thing. He is most likely with Celestial Being, seeing as the last known location of him was in the middle east, but we can't find any info of him being with Katharon."

Hearing the information sent Louise's mind racing. He was with Celestial Being? Were they holding him hostage? 'That note didn't seem like he was being held hostage. Wait, Setsuna said he met him after the Proud attack. Does that mean…' The gears in her mind whirred, connections being made. Was Setsuna a member of Celestial Being? He had disappeared right before the final battle with the gundams five years before as well as disappearing at random times. Admittedly it was a good cover story, and she wouldn't have made that connection right away. 'If you had told me this a couple months ago I would be freaking out. But now I'm just curious.' And the only way for Setsuna to know to give her that letter is if Saji knew she would be at that party. That means the two would need to be in contact and Celestial Being would have an interest. 'If Setsuna is a part of that group, then he would keep Saji safe. I need to meet Saji!'

Louise looked at her determinedly, "What do you want from me? Information? Financial support? I am willing to help."

Kati smirked at her, "I see you are in then. We require financial backing as we gather support and evidence against the A-Laws."

Louise nodded at that, her tone serious, "I am willing to do this, but I have one condition. When you go to face the A-Laws, I want to be with you guys."

Kati looked at her curiously, "Why do you want to put yourself in danger?"

"Because when you face the A-Laws, the gundams will be there. That means Saji will be there. I want to see him."

Kati gave the blonde a smile, "You must really like this man." Louise nodded confidently, blushing slightly. Kati continued, clearing her throat, "I can agree to those conditions. We will stay in contact with you and send you info on how you will send us money." Kati stood up, putting her sunglasses back on, "Have a good afternoon ma'am." Louise watched the group leave, a weight lifting off her shoulders. She knew where the man she loved was. Nothing would keep her from reuniting with him. 'Only a little more time. I just need to see him one more time.'

Saji (2 months into time skip)

Saji hummed quietly as he made his way to the bridge to take up an extra shift. Mileina had told him she wanted to help out Feldt with something, so Saji agreed to pick up part of her shift. He tried to resist at first, but she gave him puppy eyes, which caused him to fold. 'Why can I not argue back with pushy women and girls?' He didn't mind it too much, but Louise was the same with him when they were dating. 'She always said I was too polite.' He frowned slightly thinking about her. 'I wonder what she would think about the crew of the ship.'

As he neared the bridge, he saw Feldt carrying a box through the hallway heading the opposite direction. 'What could she be doing?' He called out to her curiously, "Ms. Feldt, where are you going with that?"

She looked up to see him, having not been paying attention. Blushing slightly at getting seen, she replied, "I'm moving my stuff into Setsuna's room." The two had talked about it after a month or so and they agreed to have her move in. It was a space that could become their own private sanctuary.

Saji gave her a surprised look, "I'm surprised that it happened so soon. I guess you two really connected." 'I guess Setsuna moves faster than I did.'

She softly smiled, "Yeah. We've gotten close."

"Do you need help?"

Feldt shook her head, "It's fine. I'm certain you have something to do and Mileina is helping us out."

Saji nodded at that. 'So that's what she's doing.' He spoke in a sympathetic tone, "Good luck unpacking."

She sighed at that, knowing she would have to put all her stuff away, "Thank you." The two travelled in opposite directions, heading to their respective destinations. Saji reached the bridge door, seeing Lasse at his post. He floated in, calling out to Lasse, "Hey there!"

Lasse turned his head to see Saji taking up his position. Lasse looked at him curiously, "Where's Mileina? Isn't this normally her shift?"

Saji rubbed the back of his neck, "She convinced me to cover her shift till she shows up. She is helping Feldt right now."

Lasse shook his head, smirking "You can't let her walk all over you like that. She'll just ask you to do more for her."

Saji chuckled awkwardly, "Well she begged me and I couldn't say no. It seems to be a reoccurring pattern with me." Saji looked over the sensors, seeing no enemy contacts nearby.

"You have trouble telling people no? Or dealing with pushy women?"

Saji blushed with embarrassment, "A little bit of both. Louise always said I needed more of a backbone." Saji's tone had a hint of affection when mentioning Louise.

Lasse caught onto that and curious, asked, "Who's Louise?"

Saji replied in a wistful tone, "She is my ex-girlfriend."

Lasse spoke with surprise, looking at Saji, "You sound like you miss her."

Saji smiled softly at that comment, "I suppose I still do. I messed up before and after this, I hope she'll take me back." 'I hope you are safe. Just keep your head down and we will be back together.'

Lasse responded appreciatively, "Well if you are trying to prove you got better, I would say you have. I remember when you were mad at us when we first brought you on board."

Saji spoke apologetically, "I'm sorry for that. I was going through a lot, but that's no excuse to have talked to you and Mileina like that." Saji was surprised at that time how they took it so well, but after seeing what they went through, he understood why it didn't really get to them.

Lasse shook his head, "Don't worry about it. You were going through a lot. I probably would have been the same if I had all of those revelations dumped on me all at once."

"But…"

"You got better and that's all that matters. And you have proven yourself on the bridge, so you have nothing to be worried about." Lasse chuckled, "You don't need to apologize as much, especially when you are trying to get better."

The Japanese man chuckled as well, "I suppose that is true. You aren't the first person who told me that."

"Louise?"

"And my sister. But I suppose both of them were right."

Lasse was happy to hear Saji open up to someone in the crew, "You have a sister?"

Saji's voice became more bitter, "Had. She died investigating Celestial Being."

The black-haired man replied sympathetically, pausing for a second, "I'm…sorry about that." 'Another innocent person caught in the crossfire.'

Saji shook his head at that, "Don't apologize. I've come to accept that she chose to follow that path. You guys didn't make her do it. While I wish she hadn't, I can't go back and fix that." His voice picked up a questioning tone, "I am curious how you joined Celestial Being."

Lasse smiled at that, enjoying the conversation "I worked in the mafia back on Earth a couple years before the first intervention. I got tired of having to do immoral work, so I left and was recruited by Celestial Being. I have no regrets joining Celestial Being, especially after we came back."

Saji could detect the pride in his voice. The brown-haired man now partially understood why he had no regrets. It felt good to do something that could help people and change the world. Saji could still not fully push himself into that life, so he gave credit to the people of Celestial Being for being so willing to fight.

Saji asked with a curious tone, "How long were you with the mafia?"

Lasse spoke up again, "Since I was a teenager or so. Didn't realize the full extent of what I was doing till a year or so in. Also it's nice to have another dude on the bridge. Sometimes being around women all the time is a bit much, especially Mileina."

Saji chuckled to himself, knowing the feeling, "She is a ball of energy, isn't she?"

"Well she is a teenager, so I'm not surprised." The two settled into a quiet, comfortable silence and the two focused on their work, with the occasional ping from either of their work consoles. After about thirty minutes of silence, Lasse asked teasingly, "Hey Saji, you have a picture of your ex? I want to see how lucky you got."

Saji, looking at him curiously, replied, "Sure? Give me a second." Lasse began to float over to Saji, who was pulling out his mini terminal. He pulled up a picture from a few years ago, showing both of them at a shopping mall, Louise happy and smiling, while Saji looked exasperated. Lasse smirked at Saji, commenting as he looked over the Japanese man's shoulder, "Wow, you got real lucky."

Saji shrugged his shoulders, a bit embarrassed, "Well she talked to me first, so you are right." The door to the bridge slid open, Mileina entering. She saw Lasse looking at something Saji was holding, so she floated over, wanting to know what it was. Seeing the picture, she squealed, asking excitedly, "Who is that?!"

Saji, caught by surprise, responded, "My ex-girlfriend?"

"Why didn't you tell me that before?! She's really pretty!"

Lasse rolled his eyes, "Because he probably knew you would react like that?"

She glared at Lasse, "That's not a good reason. Saji deserves a pretty girl, unlike you." She pouted and crossed her arms, sticking her tongue out at Lasse.

Lasse rolled his eyes again, returning back to his post. He spoke more seriously, "Now that Mileina's back, you can go, Saji."

Mileina looked Saji in the eyes, already begging, "You have to tell me about her. C'mon!"

Saji looked away, trying to resist Mileina's begging. 'Just leave and you don't have to get grilled.' Unfortunately, he looked back for a second, and his will crumbled, causing him to sigh, "Alright. You won't stop hounding me until I tell you, will you?"

Mileina replied casually, "Nope." Lasse laughed, enjoying the fun and casual atmosphere as Mileina took up her station, Saji telling both of them some of the stories when he was with Louise, leaving out the ending of their relationship. Lasse smirked as he heard the stories. 'It's real nice to have a talkative bridge.'

Marina and Shirin (2 months into time skip)

Marina focused on the target, aiming her pistol at the improvised target range. While she would prefer to not have to shoot someone, she found shooting targets could be relaxing, as long as it wasn't a person. She still was a bit uncomfortable at potentially shooting a person. There had been a lot of stress and tension among their group and Katharon in general, so she needed a release. The Federation had been hunting down Katharon, who had scattered for safety reasons after the collapse of the orbital elevator. It was demoralizing, but the gundams had retreated somewhere and hadn't shown up in two months, thanks to encrypted communications informing them of that. So for now, Marina, Shirin and Klaus were hiding in rural Europe, along with a small group of other members.

Thinking about the gundams made her think about Setsuna. 'I hope Celestial Being is able to help with his wound. And I hope that he told his feelings to that girl. He deserves to be happy.' Setsuna was stuck in the past, and he needed to move forward and find a better path. She was happy he took her words to heart; even if he was just trying to make a path on his own, it was enough for her. She could only guide him onto that path, he had to follow it himself. 'And what girl did he fall for? I remember there was that pink-haired girl, a woman closer to my age and a younger girl. If I had to guess it was the pink-haired girl, but I can't know for sure.'

She focused on the happy feeling of helping Setsuna, but thoughts about Krugis came unbidden into her mind. While she was not the one who had decided to invade Krugis, it was a black stain on the history of the country, at least to her. So many people had died. She knew it was a chaotic time and the middle east in general was a mess, but all taking in the country had done was bring conflict. The economy had not improved significantly, the people of Azadistan, especially the older generations, looked down upon the former citizens of Krugis. 'But what do about it? Krugis is in no state to run itself, especially with many parts of it not being rebuilt since the solar power wars.'

While she knew she could do nothing now, once the A-Laws were defeated, she knew she had to improve Azadistan along with dealing with Krugis. She owed to the people of Krugis and Azadistan to resolve this. She had failed them and let them get swallowed by the Federation, leaving them to the mercy of a corrupt government.

But one thing she had also realized since she had been rescued by Setsuna is she didn't have the mindset to be a politician, especially one with the power of a princess. She had definitely learned by being a part of the Katharon meetings, but it wasn't the same as running a country. She also knew her people would not necessarily be friendly to her just taking the reins of power again. She needed to earn that trust again, especially after the near civil war when Rasa was kidnapped and the gundams were forced to intervene. She was alone now with his death and she had no one to watch her back. She also failed to stop the Federation from annexing the country. 'Maybe if I gave up some power, then the people would trust me more.'

Bringing her gun down to her side, she knew this was something she should ask Shirin about. She was better at understanding politics on the ground and how the people would react. Making her way back to the cabin, she saw Shirin was working in the kitchen, preparing dinner. Marina made her way to the kitchen, an anxious expression on her face. Shirin heard the door open and saw Marina come in, curious why she was looking so anxious. Shirin spoke worriedly, turning her head to face the princess, "Are you ok Marina?"

Marina sighed, sounding confused, "I'm ok, just thinking about things. I was thinking about what to do with Azadistan and my position as princess after the A-Laws are defeated."

Shirin tilted her head, "What do you mean? You want to leave your position?"

Marina shook her head, "No, I don't. But I'm not sure how the people of Azadistan will react to my failures as their leader."

Shirin sighed. 'Not this again.' She responded in a comforting tone, "Marina, I'm sure the people will be willing to accept you. You still are a symbol of Azadistan."

"I know, but I think I need to give the people more of a voice in running the country. Maybe something like England? I feel like I should step back as the ruler and act more as a symbol. Give the people more power."

Shirin looked at Marina thoughtfully. 'I never thought about that. It would allow her to remain a symbol of Azadistan, as well as showing the people she knows she made a mistake and is trying to make up for it.'

Shirin thought about the potential consequences of that and gave her a curious look, "You are aware you would be sharing power with a prime minister and an elected body, who may not exactly agree with you. They could ask to do things that you disagree with."

Marina nodded, responding with shaky confidence, "Yes. But I can act as an ideal for the people to follow and maybe act as a check on government. And I'm more willing to be flexible." Before she had been deposed, she had always wanted to take the weight of the country on her shoulders. 'But now I realize I should have delegated more.'

Shirin smiled at the princess, pride in her voice, "You seemed to have thought about this. This seems to be a better fit for how you think and work. If you can go through with this, you can focus on the needs of the country and people without having to worry about the day-to-day issues. What happened to the old Marina?"

Marina gave her friend a warm smile back, "She grew up, thanks to you. These months with Katharon have given me a better understanding of what I'm good and bad at."

Shirin pulled away from her cooking and pulled Marina into a hug, both of them closing their eyes as they enjoyed the moment. The pulled out of the hug after a few seconds and Shirin noticed Marina still had something on her mind. She asked curiously, "Do you have anything else you want to ask?"

Marina nodded, "I've also thought about Krugis. What happened to them was unfair and the people deserve better. But I don't know what to do about it. I was hoping you could offer me some suggestions."

Shirin frowned slightly, focusing her thoughts. It was certainly a tricky issue. There was still distrust and hatred between the Azadi people and the people of Krugis, even after a decade. 'Azadistan just couldn't let Krugis go, especially with the bad state both countries were in. But letting go of that country could reduce some of the unrest in Azadistan. But how could they go about dealing with it?' An idea sprung to mind. In an even tone, she spoke, "How about a referendum? Have all those from Krugis or of Krugis descent vote on whether they want to have Krugis back or have Krugis stay a part of Azadistan, maybe a vote on more autonomy if independence fails."

Marina smiled at Shirin, "I will keep that in mind, though first we need to win." Marina sighed, smile still on her face, "What would I do without you?"

Shirin gave Marina a slight smirk, "Probably stuck in a worse situation. Maybe stuck with Celestial Being." She looked over and saw a pot of water boiling. She looked back at Marina, "Do you mind helping me cook?"

Marina nodded, "No problem." The two focused on cooking, moving away from politics and talking about more lighthearted topics. Despite the bumpy road she had been through, Marina felt more confident than ever. She didn't know where her future would lead, but hopefully it would be better.

Andrei (4 months into time skip)

Andrei was once again being guided through Ribbons's mansion again. Ribbons had asked for him to visit again, this time a more private setting then as a party guest. Life had changed for Andrei since the elevator collapse. He had been promoted to captain as a reward for eliminating the coup leader as well as Sergei, who had been officially named a traitor, backed up by the old soldier's former commander. He was regarded as a hero and had been awarded for that. But he didn't take too much pride in that. He was doing his job creating a true peace. He didn't need an award for doing his duty.

Initially Andrei had felt a little guilt creep into him after his father died, but the success the A-Laws had found since the elevator collapse in eliminating Katharon had shown that it was ultimately the right move. 'Who knew how much damage a commander like him could have done.' He was also angry at his father hiding the fact that Soma had joined Celestial Being. 'He must have known it since he reported her death. That was the only time she could have joined them.' He clenched his fist. 'You are next Soma. I thought you were loyal, but it turns out my father sent you down the wrong path.'

The A-Laws had also been looking for Colonel Kati Manequinn, who had disappeared soon after the orbital elevator was destroyed. 'Had she become a traitor? It would seem strange if she did.' If she had, it was not his job to find her. That was military intelligence's job. She was an intelligent woman, but they would find her eventually. However, Soma was still butler leading him stopped, showing him they had reached their destination. The man opened the door, wordlessly telling him that he could enter. Andrei nodded, entering the study he had met Ribbons in before.

Andrei saw Ribbons sitting on one of the couches in the room, reading a book. Instead of that old fashioned outfit the soldier saw last time, Ribbons wore a white shirt with light blue sleeves and gray pants. The innovator looked up from his book, giving Andrei a smile, "It's good to see you again Captain Andrei Smirnov. Congratulations on the promotion."

Andrei gave him a slight smile, "Thank you. I couldn't have been promoted if it wasn't for your initial support of me."

Ribbons waved him off, "Don't be so modest. It's your own talent that got you promoted. I only gave you a mobile suit."

Andrei nodded, not wanting to disagree with Ribbons. He replied curiously, "What did you invite me here for? It seems kind of random."

Ribbons pointed at one of the chairs, "Please take a seat. I have something I want to share with you. My friends in the A-Laws have confirmed that you are trustworthy." The soldier took a seat in a chair, curious what the green-haired man wanted to tell him. Ribbons continued, "What would you say if I told you that my friends and I are not exactly…human?"

Andrei thought for a second. 'Not human? What exactly does that mean? What could they be?' He responded in an even tone, "What do you mean non-human? I didn't think you were a super soldier."

Ribbons laughed, "No, we are not animals. We are above animals in fact." He tilted his head slightly, "We are immortal artificial beings created to facilitate and guide a peaceful planet into the future."

Andrei was shocked by this reveal. While he knew Ribbons seemed odd, he did not expect that. It was like something out of sci-fi. He took a minute to calm down his mind. 'Artificial humans? Who could do that? The closest we got was the super soldier project and that was overall a failure, besides Soma.' He spoke slightly hesitant, "So you were…made in a lab? What sets you apart from the HRL super soldiers?"

Ribbons nodded, "We are…more capable that the average person, as you have seen in combat, as well as in other areas." Andrei had noted Ribbons friends seemed to be better in combat that the best A-Laws soldiers, but he initially chalked that up to better training and better suits. 'Apparently it is more than that.'

Andrei sat there for a minute, gathering his thoughts. Ribbons watched him casually, knowing he dumped a lot of new information on him. 'He hasn't reacted negatively, so I made the right call.' Andrei looked Ribbons straight in the eye, serious look on his face, "You said you were created to guide a peaceful world. Is that why you support the A-Laws?"

Ribbons nodded, voice casual, "Yes. The gundams and Katharon are a threat to the stability of planet Earth. The A-Laws way is the path forward. Though I do have my own forces, like the mobile suits you have seen my friends use. The more forces we can bring, the more chances we have in destroying the gundams. But I am fully onboard to support the A-Laws."

"And did you say immortal?"

Ribbons chuckled, "I did say that, yes. We were created as you see us and cannot age. The perfect people to watch and guide Earth into the future. We call ourselves the innovators."

Andrei nodded at that. 'I have met so many people I wouldn't trust to lead anything. But Ribbons seems like he has the world's stability in mind. Maybe an immortal would create a better future. People have proven they can't.'

Andrei replied curiously, "Why are you staying back in the shadows if you support the A-Laws and are onboard with them? Why not tell people what you are?"

Ribbons folded his hands in his lap, "Do you think people would take it well to be told an immortal non-human is actually taking care of their issues and wants to guide them? No, most people wouldn't be happy with that. We plan for it in the future, but that requires all threats to be removed."

"But why trust me?"

"You have proven yourself to fully believe in the cause of making a stable earth. And you even killed your family, meaning you are a truly selfless person willing to put your own needs second. That is someone I can trust. And you took my reveal relatively well, so I think my belief was well founded."

Andrei looked at him, curiosity piqued, "I have so many questions. So many things I want to know."

Ribbons smirked, "And I'll tell you as much as I can. But first, I have a gift for you." He pulled out a mini-projector, a mobile armor that looked similar to the Empruss appearing, but black with red hands instead of the beige of the old mobile armor. He spoke proudly, "This is the Regnant. I did promise you a weapon that can beat the gundams and here it is. It is almost ready to be rolled out. We just need to do some more testing before we can give it to you."

Andrei was speechless looking at the specs of the suit. 'For…me? A weapon of this quality?' He sputtered out a response, "Thank…you. I didn't expect something like this."

"I give the best equipment I possibly can. And I expect the best in return." Andrei smiled at that complement. 'Now I can beat the gundams. I can destroy traitors and those who would oppose peace. Watch out Soma, you are first.' Ribbons gave him a casual look, "You said you had questions? I am an open book."

Andrei proceeded to ask question after question in an even, but curious tone, wanting to learn about this new suit and about the innovators. Ribbons smirked internally at the curiosity. 'And another pawn secured. He may not be most intelligent person, but I trust he will fall in line and keep people in line. And if the gundams defeat him, it will be no loss to me. Just another human.' He could feel like things were coming to a head and the more people on his side, the better.

Author's Note Two

And there we have it. Now we are going back to canon, or as much canon as I have left. I hope you guys enjoyed the other POVs I provided. Not much to note in particular, other than Mileina is a gossipy gremlin who loves romance.

Thank you guys for reading and for those who like and follow my story. The rate of chapters might slow down a bit, so I just wanted to give you guys a heads up. Not by much, so I'll see you guys next time!