[Hathaway's Flash] Vol.2 Ch.10

Chapter.10 Approach Walk

　The Valiant effortlessly maneuvered through the tight passageway separating Bathurst and Melville Islands before charting a southerly course towards Bynoe Harbour, situated off Darwin's coast.

　Keria Dace and Julia Suga were scheduled to touch down in Darwin yesterday in a light aircraft camouflaged as a civilian plane. However, they would remain unreachable until it was certain that the Valiant, concealed amidst Bynoe Harbour's complex shoreline, was able to secure its next resupply. Given the increased activity of Kenneth's Circe Unit, engaging in any unnecessary communication posed a risk.

　"Word from the professor?"

　"Yes. If the decryption is accurate, a call from Gigi reveals that even Kenneth has alluded to a meeting taking place in Adelaide."

　"Gigi? Oh... From her, huh..."

　As Hathaway gazed at the handwritten note, he felt a pang in his heart.

　Tears might have welled up in his eyes if the note hadn't been scribbled in Chachai Coleman's messy handwriting.

　A soothing breeze wafted in through the Captain's cabin's open porthole.

　"Will things work out?"

　Knowing that the Captain's question carried various implications, Hathaway replied, "In the sense that her mood tends to fluctuate quite frequently, she appears to be an extraordinary young woman."

　Contemplating how revitalizing a good night's sleep could be even amidst sweltering heat, Hathaway absentmindedly rubbed his grimy, perspiration-soaked chest.

　"Is that so?"

　Captain Wedge exhibited no signs of empathizing with Hathaway's feigned indifference.

　"Do you know her? Gigi?"

　"Girls like Gigi aren't exactly uncommon."

　The Captain's comment slightly wounded Hathaway's pride.

　He longed for those he knew to be exceptional. Being characterized so plainly made him feel belittled.

　"I see…"

　When Hathaway handed the message back to the Captain, who burned it with his lighter, a subtle warmth permeated the tabletop.

　"Yes?"

　The Captain answered a knock at the door, and Iram Masam entered the room.

　Hathaway uttered the first thought that crossed his mind to lift his spirits.

　"There's an interesting possibility. Fabio Rivera and his crew might be advancing into Bynoe Harbour."

　Captain Wedge looked at Hathaway with amusement and asked, "How do they interpret the movements of the Circe Unit transport aircraft from the day before yesterday and the day after?"

　"They likely view it as a ruse by the Circe Unit to keep Fabio and his associates confined to the continent. In that respect, Fabio and his men are quite cunning."

　Masam flashed a toothy grin and said, "Since Hathaway's arrival in Davao, communication between Davao and Hong Kong has increased, providing grounds to believe that the Federation government's cabinet meeting shifted to Guangzhou."

　"Besides, Hundley Yeoksan of the Criminal Organization is a shrewd individual. It was probably his and Kenneth's handiwork to mobilize the Man-Hunters."

　"So, today or tomorrow, all the ministers will move to Adelaide."

　"Right. How many were there in Hong Kong?"

　"Roughly twelve. A flight from South America is inbound, and transport forces have been reinforced."

　"What about the Circe's mobile suit forces?"

　"We're uncertain, but it appears a few mobile suits from the European front were also deployed. Perhaps eight?"

　Masam checked the data on his handheld computer.

　"And on our side?"

　"If all goes well, we'll get five more in Gawler."

　"It's a relief, but the enemy's insistence on Adelaide raises questions about their true intentions for holding the cabinet meeting there."

　Captain Wedge, as expected, brought the discussion back to the main issue.

　"The Federation government aims to annihilate us by employing the Circe Unit and the Criminal Police Organization. They're under the impression they're spearheading the operation, hence the choice of Adelaide."

　Hathaway felt assured in his analysis, having observed the petty-bourgeois mindset of the ministers aboard the Haunzen.

　"Is it really that simple?"

　"Yes, they regard Adelaide as a forward base and, more importantly, an optimal site for the Federation government's future capital."

　"I don't get it... Their way of thinking seems narrow-minded."

　"That's precisely why we're striving to overthrow the Federation government, right?"

　As the Captain grumbled, Masam chuckled before the intercom chimed.

　"What is it? Hatha? Yes, he's here... Alright, the pilots are all assembled."

　The Captain relayed the information to Hathaway and Masam.

　Hathaway let Masam leave the Captain's room first, then asked the Captain, "Is Gigi's personality really that common?"

　"I can't say for certain. That's merely what Emerald and Mihesha mentioned."

　"Mihessia is the hypersensitive type. So her judgment isn't dependable."

　Hathaway sought to dismiss the assertion, but in truth, Mihessia Hence's character assessments were quite accurate.

　"Never mind..."

　Hathaway said as he climbed the dimly lit ladder.

　"This is our strategy for resupplying at Bynoe Harbour."

　Masam unveiled the original plan to Hathaway, primarily consisting of provisions to augment the Base Jabber's capabilities and a roster of replacement suits.

　"Excellent. If you believe anything is missing, voice your concerns now. We must relay a message to Lodoicea before entering the bay. Otherwise, we risk revealing Valiant's position to our adversaries," Hathaway instructed, surveying the pilots' Golf, Emerald, Hara, and Rodd. He asked the Base Jabber's crew to examine the list too.

　"So there are no reinforcements for us on the continent?"

　"That's an unrealistic expectation."

　Reluctantly, Hathaway confirmed Emerald's suspicion.

　Although they had been seeking assistance from Quack Salvor, it wasn't a problem easily resolved.

　"But if there are supplies for the Base Jabbers, maybe they brought new people we don't know about," suggested Civet, Captain of the 2 Galcezon.

　"Should we pray to the heavens for that?"

　"It wouldn't hurt," Golf chimed in.

　Regardless, they had support to relocate all mobile suits to Adelaide. If that happened, all they had to do was move from Bynoe Harbour to Adelaide without being caught in the Circe Unit's net.

　"Where will we rendezvous with Gawman and his team from the Ceelack?"

　"We can't link up until we reach Gawler, but there seems to be a surge in mobile suits."

　"Wow! Mafty can't be underestimated either."

　In his enthusiasm, Raymond playfully tapped Emerald's backside, prompting her to swing her hips in response.

　"..."

　Hathaway envied their lightheartedness, a feeling he realized was his own selfishness. Without Mafty or Gigi, he could have maintained a better relationship with Keria.

　His determination to shoulder the weight of this reality was the catalyst for everything.

　"The issue is that this critical juncture lies close to Alice Springs, an Earth Federation Forces supply point. With the right timing, we can strike the Circe Unit's vanguard," Hathaway explained.

　"That also means we might be the ones taking the hit."

　Captain Hendricks of the 3rd Galsezon chuckled at Hathaway's attempt to reassure them.

　"Don't remind us. We lack the resources to deploy extensive reconnaissance..."

　"Hehehe!"

　With no other choice, they all laughed off the concern.

　"I apologize, but our options are simple: reach Adelaide or face defeat. Please endure."

　"What's the reward?"

　"None. Merely the self-satisfaction that we did our best."

　"That's a tough break..."

　Emerald joked, causing young pilots Drab Reid and Belantes Swecken to tense up.

　"Emme, cut it out. Drab and Belantes don't seem to find it funny."

　As Civet Anhern playfully patted the young pilots' backsides, both Drab and Belantes flushed.

　"It's not like that."

　"We're prepared for anything."

　"Good, that's a good mindset. Now, let's carefully consider the situation to dispel any doubts you may have," Hathaway said as he checked the supply and repair status of the suits and delved into the explanation of the plan for being on alert in case of a rendezvous with the supply unit.

　After securing the Penelope to the Kessaria's deck, Lane Aim found himself staring at a bewildering sight.

　"What in the world is going through the Captain's mind!?"

　While Lane understood that those in positions of authority deserved certain privileges and power, there had to be boundaries.

　This was particularly true for Lane, who had been compelled to take Gawman Nobile, a member of Mafty, hostage during their previous mission. The scene before him was utterly distasteful.

　Kenneth had brought a civilian girl to the base of the control tower. It wasn't an issue that there were female members in the Circe Unit or that the girl was a woman. The problem was that the girl was a civilian, and the sight of Kenneth's relaxed face from a distance, a riding whip tucked under his arm, looked like nothing more than a casual date.

　"Quite a change from the Captain's usual company of girls, isn't it?"

　Stepping out of the Penelope's cockpit, Lane posed the question to the Kessaria's bridge crew below.

　"No, she's different."

　Hearing the crew member's mocking tone towards Kenneth, Lane felt reassured that it wasn't just his own bias fueling his resentment towards the Captain.

　"Can you believe the audacity of someone goofing around with a kid in front of their men when they're gearing up for a mission? What's that all about, huh?"

　As the crew member spoke, Lane made his way down to the Kessaria's bridge and settled into a seat beside him.

　The crew member handed Lane the binoculars he had been using.

　"Hmm..."

　Without hesitation, Lane trained the binoculars on the girl standing next to Kenneth.

　"Gigi? That was her name, right?"

　He realized she was the girl Kenneth had been leading around the unit just days earlier.

　He had seen her before in passing but had assumed she was a relative of Captain Sleg.

　However, Gigi had gained a reputation among the unit members as the "Captain's lucky charm."

　She didn't seem to be his mistress, nor did they have a father-daughter relationship.

　"..."

　As Lane observed Gigi's blonde hair sparkle in the sun through the binoculars, he wondered why Kenneth trusted her and suddenly felt that she might be connected to him in some way.

　This newfound sense of kinship was an intriguing intuition.

　He hadn't experienced that feeling with the tall, blonde girl Kenneth had been with the day before.

　If comparing blondes, Mace Flower seemed more beautiful to Lane, and he felt she was within the appropriate age range to be a lover.

　However, he didn't sense a connection with Gigi.

　It wasn't a romantic relationship, but something else... What could it be? Lane couldn't help but ask himself.

　Consequently, Lane spent too much time peering through the binoculars, prompting the crew member who had lent them to reclaim them.

　"She's quite a looker, isn't she? Could she be the Captain's illegitimate daughter?"

　"They don't resemble each other."

　Lane offered a wry smile and secured his seatbelt.

　"Unit Eight, acknowledged! Prepare for launch!"

　The Captain's voice echoed through the Kessaria's bridge.

　Transporting the Minovsky Craft-equipped Penelope to the continent aboard the Kessaria was Kenneth's directive, allowing the pilot some respite before Lane assumed control of it from then on.

　In this regard, Kenneth's thoughtfulness seemed well-placed.

　Even as the Man-Hunters were incorporated under the command of the Circe Unit, keeping Kenneth incredibly occupied, he exhibited a deft balance of strictness and leniency with the mobile suit squad members under his direct supervision.

　From the standpoint of those being guided, there was no dissatisfaction.

　Perhaps that explained it.

　Even though the story of Kenneth bringing in an enigmatic woman named Mace was amusingly shared among the squad members, there was no backlash against it.

　However, according to a reliable source, Lieutenant Ray Lagoid, the mundane story that Mace was a stewardess on the Haunzen and had a verified background was dismissed. Instead, it was believed that Mace was an illegal resident living in Hong Kong and a spy sent by Mafty to gather information from Kenneth.

　In front of Lane's Kessaria Unit Eight, seven Kessarias, each carrying two Gustav Karls, flew in a vertical formation. When they reached an altitude of 5,000, they divided into pairs and fanned out left and right, heading south while undertaking reconnaissance maneuvers.

　The same was true for the following Big Carrier; patrol duties were assigned to all.

　"The annihilation of the Kimberley Unit confirms that Mafty's activities in the Oenbelli region have escalated. There must be a Mafty support base. Find it!"

　Kenneth's stern nature was evident in giving such orders, but without high-performance military reconnaissance satellites like those at the end of the previous century, it was only logical to depend on human observation.

　The deep blue sky and the towering, pure white pillars of clouds stretched out before them.

　Amidst that panorama, Lane's Kessaria flew alongside Unit Seven, heading straight for the Australian continent.