Chapter 128: The Titans Arrive Early
Ryan and Sanders found nothing of note during their patrol and could only return to the Torrington Base.
However, as Sanders was descending onto the deck of the White Chaser, he noticed something unusual.
Near two Medea transport planes, which had seemingly just landed and were unloading cargo, a group of men in dark-colored Federation uniforms stood watching in their direction.
Sanders' years of battlefield experience told him one thing—these men harbored hostility toward them.
Especially toward him.
With a slight sigh, he finally understood why Eli had told him to be mentally prepared when he continued piloting the EZ-8.
A Gundam's presence was bound to attract attention.
Thanks to the light frigate's assistance, the landing process was smooth even as he divided his attention elsewhere.
---
"Who are those guys?"
Stepping down from his mobile suit, Sanders grabbed Io, who was walking past him.
"Has another unit arrived at the base? Who are they?"
Io was listening to jazz on his radio when Sanders stopped him.
But he didn't seem annoyed.
Despite his rebellious demeanor, Io had considerable patience for his teammates.
After all, during their past struggles, Sanders had drawn enemy fire multiple times with his Gundam's presence, allowing Io to pull off daring maneuvers and survive.
Because of this, Io had long made up his mind—he would never pilot a Gundam.
Having fought for six months in Moore's ruins with just a GM Commander, Io reaffirmed that decision.
"I'm not sure who they are, but I heard they're a special operations unit established under the council's orders. What was their name again?"
Io had just overheard their name earlier, but after listening to a few of his favorite jazz tracks, the memory had already faded.
"I don't remember. But you can ask the captain—he's meeting with their commander now to discuss cooperation."
Nodding, Sanders headed inside the ship.
---
Meanwhile, Eli was indeed meeting with the commander of this council-authorized unit, with Colonel Paolo present at his side.
This unit held nearly the same authority as the Undertaker squad, except that their orders came directly from the council's approval process.
Additionally, they were granted investigative authority and equipped with their own dedicated ground forces.
This unit was also the size of an entire battalion, operating mainly on land, and had priority access to supplies—something even the Undertaker squad lacked.
"We hope your forces can assist us in protecting key Federation officials."
Just as Sanders pushed open the lounge door, he heard a man in a dark Federation uniform, seated on the sofa with his back to him, speaking to Eli.
Eli glanced at Sanders, signaling him to wait by Paolo's side, before shifting his focus back to the man in front of him.
This man's appearance was unforgettable at first glance.
He wore an unusual pair of glasses.
It was Bask Om.
The moment he stepped in, Eli immediately realized who he was.
During the One Year War, Colonel Bask Om had been captured by Zeon forces and suffered inhumane torture, which left his eyes permanently damaged. As a result, he had to wear those tinted glasses at all times.
After some preliminary pleasantries, the conversation finally got to the point.
"I see. What exactly do you need us to do?"
Instead of agreeing outright, Eli first sought to understand why Bask had come to them.
Given that his unit operated within Earth's sphere and had no shortage of mobile suits or ground troops, there seemed to be no reason for them to require the Undertaker squad's assistance in security.
"We have intelligence suggesting that Zeon remnants are planning a large-scale operation. To prevent any sudden developments, your strength is essential."
Zeon remnants—like weeds in a field. No matter how many times they were cut down, they just kept growing back.
After an entire year of relentless cleanup operations, they were still capable of launching coordinated attacks.
Bask's calm reply lacked the expected tension of two factions with overlapping authority clashing for control.
Eli turned to Paolo, seeking his opinion.
Seeing Paolo give a slight nod, Eli stood up and extended his hand to Bask.
To Eli's surprise, Bask immediately stood up and grasped his hand firmly with both of his.
"Thank you for your cooperation. And thank you for your efforts during the One Year War and your continued battles against Zeon remnants. On that front, I believe we can find common ground."
Though Bask's eyes were hidden behind his dark red glasses, Eli could sense the sincerity in his words.
At the very least, in the fight against Zeon remnants, Bask was willing to set aside factional differences and work together.
---
Currently, the Federation's political landscape was broadly divided into two camps.
One was the Revil faction, led by Revil himself. Their main influence lay within the Federation's Space Forces and was closely aligned with the Yashima Group. In the council, they held a minority position, supported primarily by former General Gopp.
The other was the Council faction, which lacked a clear leader for now. Their primary influence was on Earth and had complex ties with Anaheim Electronics. Their military presence was maintained by Admiral Jamitov Hymem.
Eli belonged to the Revil faction, while Bask was undoubtedly from the Council faction—something evident from how his unit's authority was approved.
"I'll send you the detailed arrangements later. Prepare for Dozle's arrival in four days."
As Bask left, he gave a slight nod toward Sanders and Paolo before departing.
---
"Captain, who was that just now?"
"Our fellow unit asking for our cooperation. Isn't it obvious?"
Eli sighed, rubbing his temples before collapsing onto the sofa.
"I get that…"
Sanders decided to drop the topic and instead reported his findings.
"Anyway, as expected, we didn't find anything—no suspicious heat signatures or anything."
"Looks like it really is the Tears of the Water Sky…"
Eli muttered to himself in a low voice.
Sanders was used to this.
Their captain sometimes muttered strange things to himself that were hard to understand.
But he still had one last question.
"By the way, Captain, what's the name of that unit?"
As soon as Sanders asked, he noticed Eli's expression turn strange.
"They're called… Titans."