Save the Day Program, once again. (Gundam IBO/Satisfactory SI): Chapter 34

“I still think it is a little bit excessive.”

I smiled at the teenager as I heard those words.

“It is. But, when faced with people too set in their ways, you need to be a bit excessive to shake off the greed and corruption blinding their eyes.”

“You mean scare them silly with a fleet of warships?”

This time, I simply grinned at Kudelia’s words.

“Yes.”

She gave an exasperated sigh as Atra chuckled and simply continued leaning onto the girl while Mika placed his palm on her shoulder to reassure the girl.

Honestly, it was cute how the three teenagers were so close. In fact, ADA and I have a bet going on about when Mika, the dense anime protagonist, will realize that his two female friends saw him as more than just a friend.

I turned to look at the controls of the Skipjack-Class ship we were on, watching as ADA coordinated with the other crews of the ten ships that were officially registered as FICSIT’s Defense fleet.

‘Officially’ being the emphasis. Since Gjallarhorn and Earth would have a collective heart attack if they knew we had more than a few hundred ships parked all the way out near Pluto and in the Ort Cloud. Not to mention the Shoggoth Ships that continuously multiplied under ADA’s strict management and control.

When even an AI is paranoid of its fellow construct’s replication ability, you know you’ve created something fearsome.

Of course, I also know that I can’t show the full capabilities of my ships just yet. At least not until our plan enters the next phase, which will not begin until Kudelia gives her speech and we get to gauge the reaction of the nations of Earth.

That is why these ships are also carrying fifty Mobile Suits each, including four Gundam Frames and their pilots that ADA assigned based on their compatibility scores.

Mikazuki was matched with Gundam Barbatos.

Akihiro was matched with Gundam Gusion.

Shino was matched with Gundam Flauros.

And Argi was matched with Gundam Astaroth, much to Volco’s chagrin.

Of course, compatibility scores were not everything when it came to piloting a Mobile Suit, much less a Gundam. That is why these children were all taught in state-of-the-art pilot schools and graduated near the top of the class. It was only then did ADA allow them anywhere near the Mobile Suit and allowed them to customize the machines to their liking and fighting style.

Something that I still think to have been a grave mistake on her part.

Mikazuki and Akihiro were fine since the changes that they wanted were fairly reasonable.

But Shino! That kid's demands were heresy at its finest for a Gundam fanboy like me.

I mean, who the hell has heard of a hot pink Gundam!? and what the hell kind of name is Rysei-Go? Are you some kind of Power Ranger or Super Sentai? What corny name is that?

Damnit Shino! You are never stepping foot near anything Gundam ever again if I have anything to say about it!

Then again, these Gundam units, and the rest of the Mobile Suit cops of FICSIT, are mostly for show and a cover for our real forces, which are all unmanned systems. So, I guess it is fine.

I sighed and looked out the viewport as the crew started their final checks before setting off from the space dock that FICSIT had set up around Mars a few years ago.

Fortunately, in the past few days since Kudelia officially contracted FICSIT as her sponsor, we’ve had enough time to complete Project: Fallen Host, and everything is finally in place.

Now, all that is left for the pieces on the board to play their part.

This means that, hopefully, the children under our care will not have to see even a little bit of conflict. And even if they did, they would only fight the rabble like a few pirate groups or mercenaries who definitely can’t keep up with the training that the children received and their superior equipment.

ADA said that I was raising them within a gilded cage and that shielding them from reality was nothing more than turning them into my pets.

To that, I can only say bullshit.

These children have suffered enough. They were either slaves of their masters, doing whatever they were told, or were beggars in the streets, when they should have been enjoying their lives without a care in the world.

Honestly, it makes my blood boil to know that something like that was happening all across the Sol System.

Is it wrong of me to wish to change such a fate? Is it wrong of me to try and make sure that they don’t have to suffer again like that?

Is it wrong of me to use the power that I have been granted to try and better the lives of such unfortunate people?

To ADA, it appears to be the case, and on some level, I do agree with her. But still, as long as I am here, I will not allow the children to be placed in harm’s way ever again.

Even if it means I am indeed putting them inside gilded cages, guarded by weapons of mass destruction and an autonomous army.

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The mess hall was bustling with life as people of all shapes and sizes made merry, watching space move by as the FICSIT fleet moved towards Earth.

Many of the crew were former Human Debris, but there was still a large number of civilians from various branches of FICSIT across Mars and the Jupiter Sphere.

It was at the center of this mess hall that a spectacle was taking place.

“Go! You can do it, Akihiro!!”

“My money is on Shino!”

“Ren! Write that down!”

The crowd cheered on as the two teenagers in the center arm wrestled on the table, both of them sweating from the exertion.

Having received the best training that money could buy, the two were no slouches when it came to pure strength, as was evident based on their rather powerful structure.

So it was no surprise that these two were fairly even in terms of strength, not to mention the minor upgrade to their physique provided to them through the new Alya-Vijnana system, the truly secret one that is only given to the employees of FICSIT.

Watching from within the crowd, Kudelia, Atra, and the majority of the staff who were relatively sane could only sigh in exasperation at the men’s antics.

“Why do those two always have to compete in everything?”

“Hehe! I think it is because they are very close friends and see each other as rivals of sorts. Not to mention how both of their piloting scores are so closely tied.”

Kudelia nodded her head at the words of the older woman, Ms. Merribit, who had become one of the many friends Kudelia had made within this company that she frequently visited ever since she was a child.

Then, Merribit smiled mischievously as she looked between Kudelia and Atra before speaking in a conspiratory tone.

“Besides, don’t tell me you two don’t like watching Mikazuki with a serious look and his coat off like that?”

Instantly, the faces of the teenagers erupted in crimson as Kudelia babbled out denials while Atra.exe crashed to a blue screen.

But it was not long before the teenagers retaliated in kind.

Atra gave the older woman and innocent look, one that failed to disguise the malice hidden within those eyes.

Sure enough, the words that came out were the equivalent of a nuclear bomb going off within her heart.

“Is that why you are always finding excuses to stay around Nadi-san when he is working? Because you want to see him without his uniform?”

This time, it was the older woman’s turn to blush in embarrassment. But fortunately, she had more experience with teasing, so she regained her bearings rather quickly.

The older woman chuckled at the two teenagers who gave her a smug look before they were dragged off by the other children towards the center of the group, where Ren was keeping records of the bet while Orga was trying to fix the matches to make the most profit, all in good fun.

The older woman smiled softly, watching the lively atmosphere around her.

Truly, she had made the best decision of her life all those years ago when she took up the job at FICSIT instead of going for the now-defunct JPT Trust in Jupiter Sphere.

Soon, the rowdy bunch calmed down and started to go back to their designated posts, now that break time was over. But the good mood continued within the ships as they made their way to Earth.

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Gundam Barbatos Lupus Rex:

Gundam Gusion Rebake:

Gundam Flauros: