Inside Genesis behind ZAFT Forces' Fortress Jachin Due.
With a single gamma ray strike, they had eliminated over seventy percent of their old rival, the Atlantic Federation's fleet.
At this moment, how could Patrick still be troubled by Wang Hu's earlier rampage through PLANT's homeland, now that he was brimming with pride and satisfaction?
"Thank you for the assistance from the Library."
Fortunately, Patrick hadn't completely lost his senses or become blinded by the impending victory.
Watching Genesis methodically replacing its launch racks, he still knew to engage in superficial pleasantries with the supreme leader of the so-called Library Organization beside him.
The so-called Library was a mysterious organization hidden in the shadows of the CE world, small in numbers but originating from a clan organization in the old history.
Its predecessor, the clan organization, was said to have once secretly nearly controlled the entire world!
Later, for unknown reasons, the entire organization collapsed.
The newly born Library Organization inherited most of its influence and has continued to develop and grow to this day.
To distinguish itself from its predecessor, the organization publicly declared no interest in world hegemony, acting only according to its unique values.
But to Patrick at this moment, this declaration was truly just a declaration.
More likely, it shared some similarities with LOGOS behind the Atlantic Federation!
In short, they were all bastards who couldn't stand to see the world prosper. Whenever any nation seemed poised to reach the world's peak,
these troublemakers who loved fishing in troubled waters for benefits would jump in to interfere.
Otherwise, why would they appear now of all times, approaching PLANT just when it seemed about to collapse?
His eyes lingering on the Library's leader, the Chief Librarian, Patrick wondered if perhaps when his ZAFT Forces were majestically preparing to conquer the world,
the reason the East Asian Army could suddenly emerge and stun the undefeated ZAFT Forces,
even managing to fight their way to PLANT's doorstep, might have traces of the Library behind it.
After all, this Library organization was utterly unreasonable, possessing a technology called Imitators.
Different from the widely known clone technology, the Imitator technology was said to be capable of completely recreating a human original, including memories.
It could be called a one-to-one replication, even capable of modifying loyalty!
Thinking of this, Patrick felt a chill run down his spine. These one-to-one replicated Imitators were simply the world's most unsolvable spies.
Imagine facing an Imitator with complete memories - how could you possibly distinguish it from the real person?
Who knew if they had used this technology to replace people in important positions around the world!
"Not at all, not at all, Chairman Patrick, you flatter me."
Facing the praise from PLANT's Chairman Patrick beside him, the Chief Librarian modestly nodded slightly.
Unaware of what thoughts were swirling in Patrick's mind beside him - or perhaps knowing but not caring.
Just as Patrick had feared, perhaps even the Chief Librarian standing here now was merely an Imitator.
There might be many, many such Imitators within the Library Organization, so what did he have to fear?
"We too are unwilling to see Coordinators, who have become an important part of the world, suffer."
"Of course, we also do not wish to see the flames of war burn and destroy humanity's shared Homeland."
The Chief Librarian's gaze fell upon the screen, focusing on the newly prepared Genesis launcher.
"So, Chairman Patrick, we hope you can continue to uphold what you once promised."
"Of course, of course."
Following the Chief Librarian's words, Patrick naturally knew what the other was referring to.
It was the condition agreed upon when the Library Organization first approached him—to repair Genesis in the shortest time possible.
After using Genesis to destroy the Atlantic Federation Army's main fleet, they would at most eliminate the East Asian Army's main fleet as well.
Then his own ZAFT Forces would cease their advance.
However...
On his stern and square face, Patrick let out two cold laughs where the Chief Librarian couldn't see.
Did he really have to abide by the pre-agreed conditions?
Hadn't they heard the mobilization speech he delivered after destroying the Atlantic Federation Army's fleet?
How could he stop without achieving the Coordinators' domination over the whole world!
His eyes shifting, Patrick began to consider.
He was considering whether to capture this seemingly useless Chief Librarian right now.
After all, Genesis was repaired, and the other party's usefulness seemed to have run out.
And once he led the Coordinators to establish their hegemony, this Library Organization was destined to be eradicated.
Wouldn't it be better to strike first, capture this guy, and extract some information from him?
"Report!"
Just as Patrick was contemplating this betrayal, a loud report suddenly made his entire body jolt.
It was nothing but the saying "once bitten, twice shy."
Past experiences had taught Patrick that whenever such a report was heard, it usually meant bad news.
"What is it?"
Before the eyes of those around him could fixate on him, Patrick suppressed his trembling with immense willpower.
Trying to maintain an air of composure and control, he turned his head, his gaze involuntarily carrying a hint of ferocity.
"You'd better not bring me any bad news," Patrick's eyes conveyed such a message.
"Uh."
The attendant who had entered with the report instinctively took a few steps back, his whole body trembling.
Facing Chairman Patrick's fierce glare, sweat dripped in large beads from his face.
But there was no other way. After receiving this frontline military report, his colleagues had seemingly vanished into thin air.
The poor attendant had no chance to pass off this hot potato, leaving him no choice but to brace himself and come forward.
"Speak. What is it?"
With just a glance, having experienced such situations too many times, Patrick let out two hot breaths through his nose.
He was furious, knowing that nothing good was about to follow.
"It's like this."
A trembling attendant bypassed his own superior and approached the console in the command room, projecting a video recording onto the central screen.
The footage showed the same mysterious white enemy mobile weapon that had previously annihilated an entire defensive line of Coordinator soldiers.
"MA? MS? Meteor System?"
Just like those unfortunate fallen Coordinator soldiers, Patrick stared at the screen with bulging veins, watching the mysterious white unit wreaking havoc as he questioned in confusion.
"Atlantic Federation Army's? No, it should be the East Asian Army's secret weapon?"
"Penetrating our defensive lines alone... is it heading toward Genesis?"
"That's the East Asian Army's Dendrobium. In some aspects, it resembles the auxiliary flight weapon system your forces previously designed specifically for the Freedom Gundam and Justice Gundam - the Meteor System."
"However, the East Asian Army poetically divided it into the Stamen, which serves as the core MS, while naming the weapon arsenal portion the Calyx."
The calm Chief Librarian pointed at the white mobile weapon Dendrobium on the screen as he explained.
"Dendrobium?"
Clenching his fist, Patrick believed the East Asian Army had plagiarized their concept.
Clearly their Meteor System came first, but because of that despicable woman Lacus...
Not only the Meteor System, but even the Freedom Gundam and the Eternal battleship were gone!
Wait—a sudden realization struck Patrick as he looked at the composed Chief Librarian before him.
How does he know so much?
Logically, such classified intelligence about the East Asian Army—information even he, as ZAFT's supreme commander, didn't possess—how did this man know?
Indeed!
Confirming his suspicion once more, Patrick became convinced that the East Asian Army must have previously contacted the Library Organization as well.
This damned organization was clearly placing bets on both sides.
"Send Athrun to sortie. And Nicol too—have them all deploy."
Turning his head, Patrick issued orders to his subordinates. Now that he had confirmed the Library was providing technical support behind the scenes,
Their side would respond with full force!
"The pilot is that East Asian Qilin, Wang Hu."
The Chief Librarian spoke in a neutral tone as he turned to face Patrick.
"We haven't been in contact with the East Asian Army. We simply know quite a lot."
"The Library's collaborators are spread across the world."
"Wang Hu? Wang Hu!"
Patrick only registered the name of the man he utterly despised, completely ignoring the Chief Librarian's subsequent explanation.
"Tell Athrun and the others this is their final opportunity. Failure is absolutely unacceptable! If they fail, they should die on the battlefield."
Ever since Wang Hu had publicly humiliated him on PLANT, then been highly active around Boaz Fortress, and with Creuset—that brain in a tank—suffering yet another defeat,
Patrick had placed extreme importance on this East Asian Army ace. This time, he issued harsh orders that included his own son,
All to ensure Wang Hu's certain death!
The Chief Librarian swept an amused glance over Patrick. Seeing that the other man was paying him no mind,
And was instead single-mindedly focused on killing Wang Hu, he lowered his head in thought before speaking up again.
"Chairman Patrick, since we're all allies now, and for the sake of pleasant cooperation,"
"I believe our side can also contribute some assistance!"
"Oh?"
Patrick, who had previously ignored the Chief Librarian, now became interested upon hearing this.
A source of strength?
With an expectant gaze fixed on the Chief Librarian, Patrick was curious about what other cards the other party had up their sleeve.
"Do you remember Mr. Creuset?"
The Chief Librarian chuckled lightly, took out his phone, and sent a message outside.
Immediately afterward, a battleship in Mirage Colloid state materialized abruptly beside Genesis.
This scene once again sent shockwaves through Patrick's pupils.
"Besides Mr. Creuset, we have other forces that can assist you, Chairman Patrick."
(End of Chapter)