"Ha... this is serious. How did things come to this..."

Siegel, faced with a situation spiraling toward the worst, ran his hand over his face, trying to think of a way out. But the answer was already clear.

"No matter how I think about it, if the Earth Alliance attacks PLANT with nukes, the only option is for us to intervene and stop them. Because we’re the only ones who know this is happening."

"I don’t doubt your abilities, but the enemy will be attacking with nuclear weapons. I wonder if you can stop them all."

"It will be difficult, but ZAFT won’t just sit back and take it either. And Celestial Being’s Mobile Suits are extremely advanced, so we’ll do our best to stop them. There’s another problem, though. I’m worried about what ZAFT might be preparing. That could become a variable."

When I gave another hint, Siegel asked in surprise,

"Are you saying that ZAFT is also preparing something?"

"Yes. It’s hard to say for sure without enough information, but more Mobile Suits equipped with N-Jammer Cancellers could appear, or if not that, they might be preparing some other weapon. The first time is hard, but the second is easier. And since there are instigators, I’m sure they’re building something."

Siegel, judging my words reasonable, nodded.

"Hmm... a reasonable suspicion. Then tell our people to keep a close eye on PLANT to see if anything is being built."

With that, Siegel and the council members left to gather more information. For now, that was all they could do.

"It’s frustrating not being able to do anything."

Ramias also seemed frustrated by her powerlessness, but Mwu was busy examining the data I had brought and had no time to comfort her. He still seemed unable to accept that Creuset was his father’s clone.

I decided to give them some time to recover from the shock and went to find Kira and Cagalli. I needed to tell them about their parents, the Hibikis.

Kira was in the lounge talking with Frey, so he was easy to find.

"Kira, the truth is... I used you because of my desire for revenge. I couldn’t accept my father’s death. I’m sorry. I really wanted to apologize."

For some reason, Frey was confessing her true feelings and apologizing to Kira. Her hardships seemed to have matured her. Kira didn’t seem particularly angry.

"It’s okay, Frey. I actually knew, to some extent. I’ve liked you since school days. So maybe... even though I vaguely sensed you were using me, I think I chose to accept it, because I didn’t want to lose you. Anyway, I’m glad you’re safe."

"Kira..."

When Frey honestly confessed her mistakes and apologized, Kira also opened up about his deep feelings. Frey then cried in Kira’s arms, and Kira gently patted her back, comforting her.

I watched them for a moment, sharing their inner feelings and understanding each other, then cleared my throat at an appropriate moment and called Kira.

"Ahem..."

"Ah, Jin. What’s up?"

Kira, his face slightly red with embarrassment, separated from Frey and asked me.

"Yeah, I have something to tell you and Cagalli. Could you spare some time?"

"Sure. Then, see you later, Frey."

Kira said that to Frey and followed me. Cagalli was, as usual, absorbed in the Mobile Suit simulator. The practice unit seemed to have become her exclusive seat, with snacks and drinks neatly arranged beside it. She looked less like she was in a Mobile Suit combat simulation and more like a girl at an internet cafe.

"Cagalli, Jin says he has something to tell us."

"Really? Okay."

I took Kira and Cagalli to the living room of my quarters and showed them the data I had obtained from Mendel, telling them about their birth.

"Your father, ’Uren Hibiki,’ was a very prominent genetic engineer at Mendel. He was especially talented in genetic modification of human embryos. When your mother ’Via Hibiki’ was pregnant with you two, it seems he extracted the part that would become Kira from one of the embryos, modified its genes, and then grew it in an artificial womb. He was trying to create a Super Coordinator."

"Then, this data is..."

"Yes, it’s the data I obtained when I went to Mendel this time. I brought it because I thought you two should know the truth."

Kira and Cagalli, shocked by my explanation, began examining the data.

"Why would he do such experiments on his own children?"

"It’s hard to say for sure since I’m not involved. He probably had a desire for research, but perhaps he thought that if he was going to create a Super Coordinator, it would be better if it was his own child."

"I see..."

With that, they looked over the data for a long time. Then Cagalli sighed and said,

"Haah... Kira, I guess we can’t be together."

"Yeah..."

From her words, it seemed Cagalli had finally accepted reality and given up on a romantic relationship with Kira. Kira also seemed to acknowledge the fact.

"Thank you for telling us, Jin."

They thanked me and left the room, both with troubled expressions.

About three days later, Cagalli began clinging to Athrun, asking him about this and that. Her expression was very bright. I couldn’t understand it at all.

’Really... Cagalli, as soon as she accepted things wouldn’t work with Kira, she latched onto another man... Isn’t that too fast?’

As I watched incredulously, Lacus, who was nearby, asked me,

"It’s a nice sight, so why are you looking at them like that?"

"Ah, nothing. My stomach suddenly feels a bit upset."

"Is that so? Then you should take some medicine..."

"I suppose I should."

Just then, Siegel rushed over to me.

"You were right! ZAFT is also secretly preparing a weapon!"

They seemed to have obtained information about ’Genesis.’

"Really? What kind of weapon?"

"Well... ah, no. I think I need to gather everyone and tell them. This isn’t ordinary. If things go wrong, Earth could be destroyed!"

Siegel was restless. Genesis was that dangerous.

Originally, Genesis was being developed by the moderates as a nuclear pulse propulsion system for outer space exploration. But after the hardliners seized power, at the military’s request, it was developed into a laser cannon that fires powerful gamma ray lasers, focusing on the destructive effect of the concentrated nuclear pulses used for propulsion.

When fired, a nuclear warhead cartridge is detonated inside, and the resulting nuclear pulse is focused and amplified through a reflecting mirror, giving it directionality before firing. As a result, the target is completely destroyed, as if hit by the nuclear blast of a nuclear weapon, and the concentrated radiation instantly kills any life within the firing radius.

The problem is its power. If fired at Earth, the energy radiation effect would scorch the entire surface and all living things on Earth would be killed instantly. In other words, it could turn Earth into a hellish planet rivaling Venus.

Fortunately, there is a weakness. Due to the firing method, after one shot, the reflecting mirror, which concentrates the energy of the nuclear explosion, cannot withstand it and melts, requiring replacement, which takes about two hours.

"This is the information we’ve gathered."

Siegel gathered everyone in the base’s auditorium and shared the information about Genesis.

"Impossible..."

"Is ZAFT planning to wipe out the people living on Earth... no, Earth itself?"

"This is insane."

At those words, people were shocked and murmured. Then Cagalli shouted,

"Then this is no time to be standing around! We have to go destroy that thing, whatever it is, right now!?"

"I would love to do that right now. But it’s not as easy as it sounds. The Earth Forces might use nuclear weapons at any moment. If we recklessly go to destroy Genesis, ZAFT’s forces will take a heavy blow. If that happens, we won’t be able to stop the Earth Alliance’s nukes, and PLANT will be in danger. Not only that, if they feel threatened, they might fire Genesis before we can stop it."

"I see..."

"So, after discussion with the council members, we think our best chance is to simultaneously stop the nukes and destroy Genesis while the Earth Alliance and ZAFT are at war. If anyone has a better idea, please speak up without hesitation."

Several people offered other opinions, but they all had problems, so in the end, they decided to follow Siegel’s plan.

Several more days passed, but there was still no significant movement from either side. My interception of Rau Le Creuset seemed to have bought us some time. It felt like we had already passed the point where the original SEED story would have ended.

"Ugh! S-sorry, I need the bathroom..."

Thanks to that, Frey’s pregnancy symptoms were getting worse day by day. Yzak’s mother, Ezaria Joule, who had been watching her, brought her to me. Having given birth herself, she seemed to have a vague sense of what was happening to Frey.

"Since you’re the only one here with medical knowledge, could you take a look at this girl? It seems something’s wrong."

"Really? Then let’s go to the infirmary."

Frey, perhaps feeling that something was off with her body, didn’t object.

"Would you lie down on the bed?"

Arriving at the infirmary, I gestured to the bed. Frey slowly lay down. I brought a device that could scan the human body and scanned her from head to toe.

"Hmm... this is..."

"What? Is something wrong?"

"There is something wrong. Frey, you’re pregnant."

At those words, Frey looked shocked, while Ezaria sighed, as if she had suspected as much.

"As expected... the symptoms were similar to when I was pregnant, so I wondered."

Frey, unable to believe it, urgently asked again,

"Th-that’s a lie... Isn’t it a misdiagnosis?"

I showed her the scan, pointing to the fetus growing inside her.

"It looks like you’re about five weeks."

"Th-then..."

"Hmm... It seems this was an unexpected pregnancy. I think you should talk seriously with your partner."

"..."

Frey hung her head in silence. She seemed to be in a very difficult position. Ezaria sat beside her and patted her on the back. Being a man, I felt it was no longer appropriate for me to continue, so I left the infirmary, entrusting Frey to Ezaria, who had given birth before.

The next day, Frey went to find Kira, and they talked quietly. Judging by Kira’s surprised expression, Frey had probably told him about her pregnancy. Kira then sat in the lounge, lost in thought for a long time.

Kira’s mind was probably in turmoil. He had learned the shocking truth of his birth from me, had separated from Cagalli because of it, and had heard about Genesis and the nuclear threat.

Just then, Athrun, coming to rest, entered the lounge and saw Kira. He approached him and spoke.

"Kira, what’s wrong?"

"Ah, Athrun. Well..."

Rather than agonizing alone, Kira seemed to want to confide in Athrun.

"Wh-what?? That..."

But Athrun was equally flustered upon hearing that Frey was pregnant.

"I don’t know what to do in this situation."

"This is the first time for me too. I don’t know what to do..."

Athrun wanted to help Kira, but being flustered, he wasn’t very helpful. So I went over and spoke.

"So it was you. You got Frey pregnant."

"Jin, you knew too?"

"Yeah, I examined Frey and told her about the pregnancy."

"I see..."

"So, is that why you’ve been sitting here worrying?"

"Yeah... I don’t know what to do. Since we’re on the subject, let me ask. What do you think I should do?"

"Hmm... in a case like this, a man has two choices. Take responsibility, persuade her to have the baby, and support her, or leave it up to the woman."

"Leave it up to her?"

"Exactly as it sounds. Whether Frey chooses abortion or childbirth, you just leave it to her."

At my words, Kira shook his head in opposition.

"I can’t do that. Abortion... then how would I be any different from the extremists we’ve been fighting?"

"Really? Then your mind is made up."

"I suppose so. It seems I shouldn’t be worrying."

Kira, looking determined, stood up and went somewhere. Probably to see Frey.

’As expected, Kira is a good person. Does this mean, unlike in the original, Frey is lucky?’

As I was thinking, Athrun said,

"I’m afraid a situation like that might happen to me. It was so flustering when Kira confided in me."

"If you’re worried about that, practice safe sex and use protection."

At that, Athrun flustered.

"O-of course. I intend to."

I found Athrun amusing, so I secretly took a condom from my inventory, slipped it into his pocket, and lightly tapped it. Athrun subtly took it out to look, then silently put it back. He seemed to be confident that he would eventually need it.

"If you need more, come to the infirmary. I’ll give you some."

"R-right."

Athrun’s face turned red as he answered. He seemed to be having some strange thoughts.

Another day passed, and Kira and Frey came to me together.

"Jin, um... Frey seems to be having a hard time. Is there some medicine to make her feel better?"

Judging by them coming together, thankfully, things seemed to have worked out between them.

"In the early stages of pregnancy, it’s best to avoid medication. It’s a critical period for the baby’s organs and nervous system. If she’s nauseous, it’s better to eat small, frequent meals. Fortunately, there’s plenty of fruit in the base, so bringing her that will help."

"I see. Got it. We’ll try that."

"If you have any more questions, come find me and ask."

"Okay, I will. Thanks for your concern."