The hangar of the White Base was alive with noise, the clang of tools, the hiss of fuel lines, and the hum of mobile suit generators. Amuro Ray sat quietly near the Gundam's cockpit hatch, tightening the straps on his pilot suit. His eyes lingered on the machine towering above him, the Federation's miracle weapon that had carried him this far.
Kai Shiden leaned casually against a nearby toolbox, arms folded, watching Amuro with a half-smile. "You look like you're about to marry that thing, Amuro. Relax, we're all nervous, but staring at it won't make the battle any easier."
Hayato Kobayashi, crouched beside a crate of spare equipment, adjusted his helmet and frowned. "Kai, don't joke. This is it—the Federation's chance to kick Zeon out of Earth for good. Odessa isn't just another battle."
Amuro gave a faint nod, his voice steady but heavy. "Hayato's right. If we win here, we break Zeon's hold. If we lose…" He trailed off, staring at his clenched hands. "Then everything so far might've been for nothing."
For a moment, silence fell between them, only the distant sounds of the crew filling the void. Then Kai smirked again, though his tone was softer this time. "That's war, isn't it? But hey, if you're the White Devil they say you are, maybe we'll actually live through this."
Amuro allowed himself a faint smile, though the weight in his chest didn't ease. The Gundam behind him gleamed under the hangar lights, ready for the storm ahead.
Elsewhere within the Federation fleet, in the massive hangar of the Daidalos-class ship, Athrun Zala stood before the crimson bulk of the Aegis Gundam. His green pilot suit contrasted sharply with the machine's sleek frame. He studied its lines, its transformable frame, its armament—a weapon designed not just for survival, but for overwhelming offense.
His hand brushed the cool metal of the machine. It was not ZAFT's creation, nor Orb's. It was Federation steel, but now it was his burden. His role.
Footsteps echoed behind him, and Lockon Stratos approached, adjusting his gloves. "So this is the Aegis, huh? Can't say I'm not a little jealous. Looks like they picked the perfect pilot for it, though."
Athrun glanced over his shoulder, offering a polite smile. "Jealous? You've got your own assignment, don't you?"
Lockon's grin widened as he tilted his head toward another corner of the hangar, where the bulky green-and-red silhouette of the Buster Gundam stood ready. "Oh, don't worry. I plan to make a lot of noise with that one. This battle's too important to hold back."
Athrun chuckled faintly, though his gaze soon turned serious again as he looked at the rows of machines lined up in preparation. "It feels strange… to be fighting under the Federation's banner. But if Odessa falls, the war might change completely. We can't afford to lose."
Lockon clapped him lightly on the shoulder. "Then we don't lose. Simple as that. Let's show Zeon what we're made of."
In another part of the fleet, Gary Lin stood on the observation deck of the flagship, staring out at the gathered armada. Ten Big Tray-class carriers and five Daidalos-class ships loomed among the stars, surrounded by swarms of mobile suits and fighters. The scale of it was staggering, even for someone who had already seen war up close.
His reflection in the glass showed calm features, but inside his heart was thundering. Odessa wasn't just another operation. It was the kind of climactic event he used to read about in fan translations and wikis late at night back on Earth. Only now, there was no page refresh, no "next chapter" button if he died.
Then the familiar flicker appeared in his vision, and the System's voice filled his mind.
[Mission Updated.]
[Primary Objective: Secure Federation Victory at Odessa.]
[Secondary Objective: Eliminate at least one confirmed Zeon Ace.]
[Failure Condition: Total defeat of Federation forces.]
Gary exhaled sharply. "No pressure, huh?"
[Correction: Enormous pressure. Probability of survival decreases without optimal performance.]
He smirked faintly. "Glad you're so honest."
[Reminder: You are responsible for the Federation's most advanced weapons. Your contribution has already altered the war.]
Gary tilted his head slightly, lips curving in dry humor. "So I'm basically your unpaid intern."
[Correct.]
That actually made him laugh. "Wow. You're terrible at pep talks."
[Noted. But you must win. Or I'll be disappointed in you.]
He groaned. "Oh great, not only do I have to save humanity, I have to keep my AI waifu from being disappointed."
[Clarification: I am not your waifu.]
Gary muttered under his breath, "Yeah, sure, tsundere.exe."
His eyes drifted down to the hangar deck, where four titanic silhouettes gleamed under floodlights—the Aegis, Duel, Buster, and Blitz Gundams. These weren't gifts dropped into his lap. They were blueprints, bare outlines the System had dumped into his brain. Everything else—the man-hours, the engineering, the jury-rigged solutions when resources didn't match the specs—those were his. His sweat, his sleepless nights, his stubborn will.
His voice dropped to a murmur. "My last trump card… built with my own hands."
[Clarification: Blueprints provided by system. Execution provided by host. Credit ratio is 60/40 in my favor.]
Gary rolled his eyes. "Fine. But if we're doing percentages, I'm claiming emotional damage compensation."
Still, his smile faded as the reality of orders returned. Blitz and Duel weren't coming to Odessa. Jaburo had ordered them shelved, stored away until "perfect pilots" could be found. The logic was sound, maybe even correct—but it still felt like betrayal.
He sighed, leaning against the glass. "Do you know what this feels like? Like grinding for weeks to unlock secret characters, only for the devs to lock them behind DLC. Just… sitting there in the files, mocking you."
[Analysis: User continues to display classic behavior of 'mecha nerd.']
Gary snorted. "Yeah, well, you're stuck with me. And nerds change the world, remember?"
His gaze shifted to the crimson Aegis and the hulking green Buster. His grin tightened into resolve. "Aegis and Buster will do. If I can win this battle, if I can take down at least one of Zeon's monsters… then maybe I'll earn the right to put Blitz and Duel into the field. Not as blueprints. Not as dreams. But as weapons to end this war."
For a moment, the otaku in him cracked through. He spread his hand dramatically, striking a pose against the starlight. "Gary Lin, ace builder-slash-pilot of destiny, reporting for the final boss fight!"
A mechanic passing by looked up, blinked at him, and muttered, "What a weirdo…" before hurrying away.
Gary coughed into his fist, his face warming. "Yeah, maybe tone down the chuuni act in public…" He turned back toward the hangar, though, and his smile lingered—not just the grin of a nerd living his dream, but the steel of someone ready to prove that dream could shape the battlefield.
And if Griveous was waiting on the other side…
Gary's hands curled into fists. "Then it's game on."