After Reid and Mina's late-night secret discussion concluded, she returned to her room, though it was likely she wouldn't sleep well tonight. Having learned about the Atlantic Federation's Mobile Suit development progress from Reid, she would undoubtedly reconsider how to preserve Orb and formulate new plans.
As for Reid, after rejecting Xia Yufang's attempt to warm his bed while no one else was around, he sent her off to the security bunk and peacefully went to sleep. Most of his objectives for coming to Orb were already accomplished. Tomorrow he'd visit Archangel before departing, figuring out how to return to Star Palace.
Archangel had been undergoing repairs in Orb for over half a month—Reid didn't have time to waste here. After all, the system hadn't tasked him with ensuring Archangel's safe return to Alaska Base, which suggested the system considered this final leg of the journey would be perilous but ultimately successful.
The next morning, Reid indeed encountered Mina, who despite her best efforts with makeup couldn't fully conceal the dark circles under her eyes.
However, Reid "politely" pretended not to notice, and if his lips curled upward, it was merely because he'd thought of something amusing.
Seeing this man who'd "kept her up all night" now taking delight in her discomfort, Mina felt her anger rise. Yet there was little she could actually do to Reid. She hurried through breakfast before depositing the man at Dawn Company, then found a lounge to rest.
Reid knew better than to provoke a woman in a bad mood, so he obediently allowed himself to be escorted to Dawn Company, where he finally met the technical director he'd mentioned several times—Erika Simmons.
Here, Reid changed guides as Mina went to rest, with Erika Simmons taking over as his escort.
Reid was naturally at ease with this arrangement. For Orb—especially for Uzumi—if forced to choose between Erika Simmons and Rondo Mina Sahaku in terms of importance, Uzumi would select Erika Simmons without hesitation. She was his most trusted confidante.
Erika Simmons clearly placed great importance on Reid's visit. Not only did she personally greet him at Dawn Company's entrance, but she also shook his hand with unusual courtesy, saying:
"Mr. Reid, welcome to Dawn Company. To be honest, I've wanted to meet you for a long time. Finally, we have this opportunity for proper discussion. As a pioneer in Mobile Suit technology, we'd greatly value your insights."
Reid remained remarkably composed facing this mature, charismatic director. After all, this was the same Erika Simmons who'd sent people to sabotage Star Palace. While he wanted this meeting, he couldn't appear too enthusiastic.
His handshake was brief and perfunctory as he replied formally:
"You flatter me, Director Erika. Dawn Company is Earth's premier research institution. I'm merely here to learn."
Erika Simmons wasn't particularly surprised by Reid's attitude. Fundamentally, this was a meeting between technical leaders from two inevitably competing organizations. The absence of drawn blades or overtly hostile language already represented restraint from both sides.
Thus, Erika Simmons displayed the straightforwardness characteristic of researchers, cutting directly to the point:
"You're too modest, Mr. Reid. However, I've been assigned two tour guide tasks. Would you prefer to visit the Archangel first or the MS development factory at Dawn Company?"
Reid noticed that Erika Simmons seemed completely unconcerned about hiding Orb's MS development. It appeared Kira had already been recruited by her to work on the Natural OS, and they'd achieved results. Otherwise, she wouldn't have offered to show him the Astray performing its sluggish maneuvers.
But then again, it made sense. Kira had already developed the Natural OS for the Gundam Green Astray aboard the Archangel, so adapting it for the M1 Astray would be second nature to him. Achieving results in a single day wasn't impossible.
Thus, Reid decided to postpone viewing the M1 Astray. After all, there wasn't much to see—his organization already possessed all its technology. Visiting would just be a formality. Instead, he'd head to the Archangel first to check on those two debtors who were severely overdue on their payments.
"Director Erika, I'll visit my friends on the Archangel first. It's been a month and a half since we parted ways in space, and from what I've heard, they haven't had an easy time since."
Reid made his choice, and Erika had no objections—the order made no difference to her.
With Erika acting as chauffeur, they drove for ten minutes within Dawn Company's premises before entering a secret factory. Descending at least a kilometer underground, they arrived at an underground dock where the Archangel was undergoing full-scale repairs.
To put it simply, unlike the MS development under Project G—which incorporated many independently developed Atlantic Federation technologies—the Archangel's construction had been spearheaded by Orb's Dawn Company.
Returning to Orb truly was like coming home for the Archangel. In just over a day, Reid could already see the heavily damaged Laminated Armor being replaced. At this rate, over 70% of the ship's armor would be refurbished—maintenance was clearly being handled thoroughly.
However, the Archangel's crew remained restricted from coming and going, including Kira's friends who were originally Orb citizens.
Fortunately, Reid had Erika's face as a pass—none of the guards would dare stop Dawn Company's iron-willed technical director.
Once aboard the Archangel, Reid no longer needed Erika to guide him; he knew the place well. Every Atlantic Federation soldier on board recognized him. After reporting to Murrue at the entrance, Reid was promptly granted permission to board and headed straight for the captain's quarters.
On the way, the first person Reid encountered was Natarle. She'd been constantly worried that Orb personnel might sneak aboard for sabotage, so she patrolled relentlessly. With little else to do these days beyond compiling reports, patrols had become her sole occupation.
Thus, when Natarle saw Reid, her expression turned to shock. She had just opened her mouth to say "Reid"—when he abruptly cut her off with an embrace.
The moment Reid saw Natarle's lips part, he knew she'd ask why he was here. So he hugged her like an old friend, saying aloud:
"Ah, Second Lieutenant Natarle, long time no see."
Then, holding her close, he whispered in her ear:
"Hold your questions. I'll explain everything once we reach the captain's quarters."
With that, Reid released her.
Bargiruel's mind was still struggling to process everything, but out of trust for Reid, she decided not to press further.
As for what seemed like being taken advantage of earlier—well, Bargiruel didn't really feel that Reid embracing her now counted as being taken advantage of. At most, her ears turned slightly red.
After reuniting with Bargiruel, Reid encountered the idle quartet of Sai, Miriallia, Tolle, and Katz along the way. These four students from Heliopolis swarmed around Reid excitedly upon seeing him.
To them, the most tangible difference was this: when Reid had been around, the Archangel could repel ZAFT's assaults effortlessly. The only crisis they'd faced had been resolved by reinforcements from the New Misurugi Republic.
But after Reid left, the Archangel had been constantly on the defensive. Though they'd narrowly escaped each time, aside from breaking through Africa, they hadn't achieved any victories worth mentioning.
Especially at sea, being chased and forced into hiding by ZAFT had become the Archangel's new normal.
So when they surrounded Reid, they bombarded him with questions—was he here to escort the Archangel one last time? Or did he have a way to secretly deliver the Archangel to the Alaska base?
Sai even asked about Flay's current situation, clearly still carrying a torch for her even without Kira's interference in the picture.
Reid could only tell them they were overthinking it. He had no intention of overseeing the Archangel's final leg to Alaska—he was really just here to make an appearance and remind everyone he existed.
As for Flay, Reid gave a brief explanation: she had enlisted in the New Misurugi Republic's military and was currently undergoing hellish training (literally—Ange was personally training her to become a warrior capable of holding her own even in Arzenal).
Fortunately, Bargiruel knew that even if Reid had a solution, he couldn't discuss it in front of Erika Simmons from Dawn Company. She promptly put on a stern face and shooed the group away.
Erika Simmons, aware her presence hindered Reid's communication with the Archangel's crew, tactfully said during Bargiruel's scolding:
"Mr. Reid, I'll wait for you in the Archangel's mess hall. There's still time—feel free to catch up with your old friends."
Reid had no objections. Even if Erika hadn't suggested it, he would have asked her and Xia Yufang to wait outside when they reached the captain's quarters.
So Reid instructed Xia Yufang to "protect" Erika Simmons properly, then proceeded to the captain's quarters with Bargiruel for the final stretch.
Now alone with Reid, Bargiruel became more talkative. Seeing no one around, she asked softly as they walked:
"Reid, did you come to Dawn Company specifically to find us?"
Reid couldn't very well say visiting the Archangel was just incidental, so he replied:
"Not exactly. When you entered Orb, I'd just received a custom warship from the East Asian Republic and was conducting sea trials. But with your war against ZAFT, it wasn't appropriate for me to intervene. So I didn't show myself until the critical moment."
"After seeing you enter Orb's waters, I already had plans to talk with the Orb government, so I found an excuse to come in."
Bargiruel nodded at Reid's explanation. If Reid had been continuously monitoring the Archangel, she would have had to consider what his true objectives were.
But while there were many inconsistencies in Reid's explanation that could only be attributed to coincidence, it was generally acceptable. The next steps would be discussed together with the captain.
Upon arriving at the captain's quarters, Murrue had been anxiously waiting. She looked noticeably more haggard than a month and a half ago—clearly, she had expended no small amount of effort during that time.
Seeing Reid now, Murrue almost felt as if she were looking at a savior. After Reid left, the Archangel had keenly felt the importance of having someone who could make decisive combat decisions. Their makeshift leadership, thrust into the role unprepared, had struggled immensely without him.
This time, Reid didn't initiate the embrace—instead, it was Murrue who hugged him excitedly, making Reid want to complain about her "charging with the ball."
Fortunately, the hug didn't last long. Mu, having received the news, arrived at the captain's quarters just in time to witness the scene and awkwardly asked if he had come at a bad time.
After Murrue embarrassingly let go, Reid punched him lightly in the chest and joked,
"What do you mean 'bad time'? Never seen a greeting hug before? But listen, Mu—if you try to hug me, I'll punch you for real."
Mu, never one to back down, slapped Reid's back hard and retorted,
"Cut the act. You're just playing coy after getting a free pass. And this is blatant favoritism."
After the exchange, the atmosphere relaxed, and the four sat down to begin formal discussions.
This time, however, Reid spoke before the Archangel's trio could, saying directly,
"Alright, seeing you all in decent health puts my mind at ease. At least I don't have to worry about my debtors dying and leaving me with bad debts.
That said, I still can't involve myself in your war with ZAFT. I hope you understand."
By saying this, Reid was preemptively cutting off any request for help from Murrue—this time, he truly had no intention of offering tangible assistance to the Archangel.
But Mu was sharp. Smiling, he countered,
"Come on, Reid. You don't do things without a purpose. Since you're here, you must have something to tell us. Get to the point—good news or bad, it's better than no news at all."
Reid nodded. Mu wasn't wrong—his visit wasn't just a social call. He needed to lay the groundwork for what was to come.
Lowering his voice, Reid said,
"Right. I do have intel. First, the good news—Murrue, congratulations. Your biggest worry is no longer an issue. I've confirmed the Atlantic Federation already has complete Project G data. Mass-production models and second-generation units are nearly finished."
At this, the trio's eyes lit up—this was indeed good news, significantly easing the pressure on them.
But Reid wasn't done. Before their relief could settle, he continued,
"However..."
"But I've also received news that the Archangel seems to have been abandoned by the Atlantic Federation. You haven't received any support from the Earth Alliance along your journey—not because they lacked the capability, but because the Atlantic Federation only wanted you to divert ZAFT's attention to buy time for their MS mass production."
As Reid spoke these words, the expressions of all three immediately darkened. Being treated as expendable was difficult to accept.
Upon reflection, however, it was true that the Archangel had indeed received no support from allied forces throughout their journey.
Even though the Earth Alliance was currently on the defensive in Earth's battlefields, they were certainly not in such dire straits that they couldn't even cross their own borders. Naval forces from various nations still frequently clashed with ZAFT in international waters. How could it be that not a single order or directive had reached them along the way?
But this wasn't something they could dwell on too deeply. If they did, their faith as soldiers might crumble.
So Murrue took the initiative to declare:
"No matter what the Atlantic Federation military does, I will lead the team to deliver the combat data of the Strike and the Archangel to Alaska. That is our mission."
Murrue's words were met with nods of agreement from the other two aboard the Archangel. After coming this far, abandoning a nearly completed mission was simply unacceptable.
Reid, however, had no intention of persuading them further. His purpose in coming was to prepare the Archangel's crew for what lay ahead, so that when they faced cold treatment later, they would be all the more grateful to him. He continued:
"I'm not suggesting you abandon your mission—after all, there's almost no turning back for you now. I'm just warning you that when you arrive at the Alaska base, you might not receive a warm welcome."
Having delivered this spoiler, Reid then turned to Bargiruel and said:
"Oh, Bargiruel, you might want to revise that little notebook of yours. Although Captain Murrue has committed many violations, I doubt you'd want your records to become evidence for the Atlantic Federation's higher-ups to maliciously attack her."
Bargiruel's expression turned conflicted upon hearing this, as it went against her usual way of doing things. Yet she truly didn't want Murrue to be targeted because of it, so she could only reply awkwardly:
"I only record things as they are..."
Reid understood Bargiruel was still struggling with this, so he offered them some reassurance:
"Of course, you don't need to worry about the Atlantic Federation military actually doing anything to you. In the worst-case scenario, I can negotiate a deal with the Atlantic Federation to buy out all three of you. After all, you're all talents needed by the New Misurugi Republic. Get ready to work for me for the rest of your lives.
And things might not turn out as bad as I'm making them sound. I'm just giving you a heads-up."
Here, Reid had essentially revealed his ultimate goal, but the three could only respond with bitter smiles. The thought of being abandoned by their own military and having to be bought out through Reid's political dealings was simply tragic.
Nevertheless, Reid had achieved his objective for this visit—planting seeds of doubt about the Atlantic Federation in their minds, so they wouldn't be caught off guard if betrayed. This way, when he came to rescue them later, they wouldn't waste time demanding proof.
After exchanging a few more meaningless pleasantries, Reid left the Archangel.
During the subsequent tour of the M1 Astray, Reid finally met the awakened Kira. The boy had indeed matured significantly since Reid's departure, though it was unfortunate that Flay had left with him—Kira had lost his chance to become a man.
After inspecting the M1 Astray, Reid noticed the three test pilots continuously evaluating the Mobile Suit's mobility. Frowning slightly, he asked:
"Director Erika, this unit is decent as a mass-produced model, but I have a question—you don't have to answer if it's sensitive. What exactly is Orb's intended role for this Mobile Suit?"
Erika Simmons didn't hesitate before replying instantly:
"Of course, it's to defend Orb's territory."
Reid frowned further and pressed:
"Is that so? But as far as I know, Orb's territory isn't vast, and the terrain isn't particularly complex. If this is a defensive unit, why design it with low armor and high mobility? Are you expecting it to rely solely on evasion for defense? If so, wouldn't bullets and missiles just rain down on your land? What exactly is this Mobile Suit supposed to protect?"
Reid's point was clear—while the M1 Astray was passable as a mass-produced unit, its design fundamentally contradicted its intended role as a territorial defender.
A defensive Mobile Suit should prioritize heavy armor and high firepower, just like those of the East Asian Republic—especially for a small nation like Orb with almost no strategic depth.
Otherwise, in the face of overwhelming firepower, there'd be no room to evade. What good would extreme mobility be if the enemy didn't play fair and only sent small guerrilla units?
Erika Simmons immediately realized Reid was right—she had indeed overlooked practical requirements during the design phase. Without denying her mistake, she promptly acknowledged it and thanked him.
"You're correct. I failed to consider that properly. Thank you for pointing it out, Mr. Reid. Since this unit hasn't been deployed to the military yet, there's been no frontline feedback. This was indeed my oversight."
Reid was satisfied with Erika's attitude, though his critique of the M1 Astray's flaws wasn't out of goodwill toward Orb. He simply wanted Orb to drain more of the Atlantic Federation's military strength in the coming conflict.
After all, the Atlantic Federation's military was largely controlled by the fanatics of Blue Cosmos, who in turn were backed by the Federation's arms manufacturers. In the future, they would likely become his enemies.
Thus, it was in Reid's best interest for Orb and the Atlantic Federation to bloody each other as much as possible—so he had no qualms offering minor suggestions. He continued:
"At this stage, it's probably too late to redesign this unit for heavy armor. So here's a proposal: purchase some of our Chobham Armor. The X100 frame should handle a full set if you don't cut corners. Also, swap the weapons for that hybrid ballistic-and-beam Gatling gun you designed—it's quite effective in practice."
Here, Reid's sole purpose was to make Orb expend more of its national resources on the ultimately impractical M1 Astray. Even if they didn't purchase the Chobham Armor from him, Erika Simmons would surely accept the proposal to increase armor thickness and adopt the Beam-Solid Hybrid Gatling.
The completed manufacturing costs wouldn't be low—enough to significantly drain Orb's reserves once more.