Chapter 301: Winds of Gibraltar (Part 6)

When the negotiation delegation entered the Minerva, in order to show sincerity, a very simple boarding ceremony was held at the request of the negotiation envoy.

As a main member of the Minerva, Athrun also joined the ceremony.

When Athrun saw the mechanical bird "Tori" on Flay's shoulder, Athrun understood that this was the signal Kira hoped he would use to make contact.

He didn't rashly try to make contact with Flay, but touched the FAITH medal on his collar, and after the short ceremony ended, he withdrew from the crowd of onlookers.

And Flay in the delegation also noticed Athrun's departing back. She didn't take any radical further actions, such as finding an opportunity to pretend to be lost, or using some excuses to approach Athrun.

That was too reckless!

Being able to let Athrun see the mechanical bird on her shoulder was enough!

As for what decision Athrun himself made, it was not something she could control.

——————

Not only did the negotiations at the Gibraltar Base fall into a stalemate due to the different positions of the PLANT government and the military, but within the Council located in PLANT's home country, there were also different opinions on whether to cooperate with the conservative faction represented by Li Boyong.

"I think we can try to cooperate. At least for now, crusading against Logos, which holds prejudice against Coordinators, is beneficial to us."

"That might not be the case. After helping the conservative faction crusade against Logos, will the Alliance live in peace with us?"

"I'm afraid it will only make the other party work together more harmoniously. I think we should take advantage of the Alliance's infighting to expand our sphere of influence on the surface."

"Are you kidding? Do you want to expand the flames of war again?"

"Have you forgotten? This war was caused by natural humans using nuclear bombs as if nothing happened!"

The discussion among the councilors gradually became sharp.

"This war was forced by circumstances. Now that there is finally a hope for peace, do you hope that our military headquarters will walk the old path of Patrick Zala again?"

Facing such a sharp accusation, the Chairman of the National Defense Committee, as the highest leader of the ZAFT military, couldn't sit still.

He ignored the other party's questioning and instead changed the topic. "Everyone, it's not that our ZAFT military doesn't hope for peace, but that we need to consider the essence of this natural human civil strife."

The topic about the former Chairman Zala was too sensitive. If he didn't answer well, it would be easy to be caught by the handle, so he ignored the questioning very simply.

After a pause, the Chairman of the National Defense Committee continued: "The speech of Colonel Li Boyong is indeed deafening, but who can guarantee that after he crusades against Logos, he is willing or capable of making the Alliance return to peace with us. The system that has lasted for a hundred years within the Alliance is probably not so easy to shake. If this civil strife is just a reshuffling of interests within the Alliance, it is not worth our participation."

For the speech of this Chairman of the National Defense Committee, the councilors who supported cooperation naturally couldn't agree. "The concerns of the Chairman of the National Defense Committee are indeed reasonable, but if we don't try anything, peace may move away from us. Ultimately, we may have to pay a greater price to exchange for the opportunity for peace we missed."

"Rashly intervening in the Alliance's civil strife may miss the opportunity for peace!"

"Then does it mean that wantonly expanding the flames of war can welcome peace?"

The Council fell into a stalemate again, and everyone couldn't help but cast their eyes on Chairman Durandal in the Chairman's seat.

As a neutral faction that rose after the war, this Chairman was extremely good at reconciling the contradictions between the two factions, using clever methods to obtain the support of both factions at the same time, and was extremely popular among the two factions.

Facing the gaze of the councilors, the "fox" Chairman, who had been closing his eyes and resting his mind, stood up and spoke slowly: "I know everyone's opinions."

"I think the military's concerns are indeed reasonable, but if we miss the opportunity for peace because of this, I am afraid we will be spurned by future generations."

This was a somewhat muddy speech, but no one would think that this Chairman who rose to power at the speed of light after the war only had this level. Everyone was quietly waiting for the Chairman's decision.

"Don't forget, everyone, Logos has committed unforgivable crimes against us Coordinators. If we just watch the crusade against Logos from the sidelines, how will the public view us?"

"Therefore, I think we can not only allow Colonel Li Boyong's crusade fleet to pass through the Strait of Gibraltar, but also take the initiative to propose participating in the crusade mission."

"This..."

The councilors were in an uproar.

The Chairman's meaning is to conduct substantial military cooperation with the Alliance's conservative faction?

Alliance and ZAFT?

This is too bold...

Even the councilors who supported cooperation were afraid that the Chairman's bold move would cause strong backlash from the military.

"Everyone, be quiet." The Chairman knocked on the table and continued to control the rhythm of the Council. "Taking the initiative to crusade against Logos can give the public an explanation and an explanation to the compatriots who sacrificed in the persecution wave of Coordinators."

"This is not acting on impulse, but the obligation that we PLANT, as a country established by Coordinators, should fulfill."

"At the same time, we should let the members of Logos accept the trial of our Coordinators!"

Once said like this, the military side was moved!

If they could really try Logos after capturing Heaven's Base by force, it would be an extremely favorable thing for ZAFT and PLANT.

Seeing that he set a tone and controlled the situation.

The "fox" Chairman showed a smile. "Of course, everything cannot be based on the condition of unilaterally sacrificing our interests..."

What needs to be negotiated next is naturally the specific interest issue.

First, the ZAFT military can allow Li Boyong's Alliance fleet to pass through the Strait of Gibraltar, and the ZAFT military will also send a fleet led by the Minerva to attack the Heaven's Base together.

Secondly, the captured Logos members must accept the trial of PLANT, or at least the joint trial of PLANT and the Alliance.

There is also the consolidation of some established occupied areas of the ZAFT military in this war. For those countries and regions that are willing to break away from the Eurasian Federation and form an alliance with PLANT, the Alliance must not take military intervention.

As for the final peace talks, that will have to wait until Heaven's Base is really captured.

It can be said that PLANT is very clear that if Logos cannot really be pressed to death, peace talks are out of the question.

It can be said that this plan took care of both PLANT's face and lining, allowing the Chairman to successfully reconcile the two factions with differences again.

Soon, this plan was sent to the negotiation venue of the Gibraltar Base and passed back to the heads of the Alliance conservative faction through the negotiation delegation. ===== CHAPTER 302 =====