Chapter 30: SEED – Modification
The crew and refugees aboard the Archangel had all learned that they had made contact with the Earth Alliance's 8th Fleet, and preparations were already underway to arrange a rendezvous.
Everyone was overjoyed, eager to reunite with the 8th Fleet as soon as possible.
Tolle Koenig, however, knew another big battle was on the way.
So, he sought out Kira Yamato.
"Kira, can you do me a favor? I want to pilot that recon-type GINN, but I don't know how to use its OS.
Can you modify it for me so I can pilot an MS and fight alongside you?"
Kira looked at Tolle in puzzlement, then said helplessly,
"Oh, Tolle… why do you suddenly want to pilot an MS again?
Besides, we're about to rendezvous with the 8th Fleet. Once we do, we won't need to pilot MSs anymore."
Tolle shook his head.
"If we can receive the 8th Fleet's signal, then ZAFT can definitely receive it too.
Once they decode the contents, they're not going to just let the Archangel go.
They'll most likely launch a full-scale assault before we meet up with the fleet.
After all, once we've joined with the 8th Fleet, destroying the Archangel will be much harder.
The Earth Alliance's strength will grow, so anyone in their shoes would want to eliminate this threat beforehand."
Hearing Tolle's words, Kira lowered his head, silent and thoughtful.
After a few seconds, Tolle continued,
"Kira, if we want to rendezvous safely with the 8th Fleet and never have to fight again, we have to prepare now.
After all, there are only three of us who can actually fight.
So please—help me adjust the recon-type GINN's OS so I can pilot it properly.
Then we can protect the Archangel and our friends together."
Kira finally nodded and relented.
"All right, Tolle. For the sake of our friends on the Archangel and to meet up with the 8th Fleet as soon as possible…
I'll gamble on this with you. Let's go to the hangar together, modify your OS, and tune up our machines."
"Awesome, Kira! Thanks a ton."
Tolle happily slung his arm over Kira's shoulder as they headed for the hangar.
[Hahaha, finally convinced him! Now I can pilot an MS openly. Not that I lied—there really is going to be a big battle soon. Even Flay Allster's father ends up dead. For safety's sake, I'd better step up my MS training.]
When they arrived at the hangar, seeing the maintenance crew resting along with Sergeant Murdock, Tolle asked,
"Uncle Murdock, how's the recon-type GINN modification coming along? Did you swap the arm yet?"
"Brat, we're about to meet up with the 8th Fleet. You guys won't have to fight anymore.
So no, it hasn't been modified—and probably doesn't need to be, since you won't be using it again."
"Uncle Murdock, I think you should finish the modifications sooner rather than later. I have a feeling there'll be a big fight before we link up…"
Tolle repeated the same reasoning he'd told Kira earlier. Listening to it, Sergeant Murdock broke into a cold sweat.
He immediately reported the hypothesis to Captain Murrue Ramius, and both she and Natarle Badgiruel fell silent upon hearing it.
Still, they approved Tolle's modification plan and ordered the work on the recon-type GINN to be sped up.
It was fitted with the right arm weapon unit from the Blitz Gundam, and two mechanical sub-arms were added to either side of the backpack.
The right sub-arm could carry the Blitz Gundam's offensive shield system.
The left sub-arm normally carried the GINN's original sniper beam rifle, but it could also be swapped for the Strike Gundam's shield.
The modifications were completed quickly—so quickly that the recon-type GINN now deserved a new name: the Blitz GINN.
Kira also adjusted its OS to suit Tolle's control style perfectly.
Even with his limitations, Tolle's physical abilities were still slightly above average, so the OS only needed its sensitivity reduced slightly.
As a result, this OS still couldn't be used by a regular person, while Coordinators would find it sluggish.
Tolle didn't mind; he even had Nami copy the OS settings immediately. Now, if he ever changed machines, he wouldn't have to worry.
Blitz GINN
Grade: D
HP: 1200
EN: 200
Mobility: 60
Armor: 300
Terrain Adaptability: Sea–Land B, Air–Space B
Fixed Armaments:
Right Arm – Offensive Shield System: 50mm High-Energy Beam Rifle (1400/5), Triple High-Speed Armor-Piercing Rounds (2100), Beam Saber (1600/6)
Left Arm – Claw Anchor (600), Sniper Beam Rifle (1600/10)
Before long, the Archangel made contact with the 8th Fleet's advance team.
They opened a channel and set the rendezvous time and coordinates.
Among the advance team was George Allster, Deputy Director of the Atlantic Federation's Affairs Division—and Flay Allster's father.
Hearing this, Tolle knew the battle was almost upon them. He returned to the hangar at once to continue intensive MS training in the Blitz GINN.
Kira, seeing this, also came to adjust his Strike Gundam.
Sergeant Murdock drifted over to watch.
Tolle remained focused on training, while Kira glanced at him and asked, "What's up?"
"Nothing," Murdock replied. "Just wanted to see how far along you two are."
"I'm adjusting the offset values and a few other things," Kira said. "But I guess it might not be necessary anymore?"
Murdock laughed loudly.
"Go ahead and do it. Until we're safe, it's still your job.
Of course, you could also volunteer to stay on after."
Tolle lost another simulated battle and grumbled,
"Uncle Murdock, you distracted me and I lost again. What do you think you should do about that?
And don't get too relaxed—you're going to be busy soon."
"That's a good thing, isn't it?" Murdock said cheerfully. "The Archangel is about to meet the advance team.
Then you guys can relax—no more MS piloting, hahaha."
Tolle grinned slyly.
"Uncle Murdock, how about a bet?
If the Archangel meets the advance team without any ZAFT attacks, I'll help your maintenance crew with anything—even cleaning the hangar.
But if we don't meet smoothly and ZAFT attacks us, you help me convert the old Moebius Kai into a backpack unit that works as a general-use MS pack, but can quickly revert to its original form as a mobile armor fortress.
Deal or no deal?"
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