After Colony Universe, at the foot of a hill ten kilometers away from New Edwards Base, the five mobile suits of Reid's team were dropped here by the system.
For Une, Xia Yufang, and Xia Yulan, this was their first experience with the system's world-crossing function. Even though the Xia sisters were usually emotionally reserved, they couldn't help but feel excited as they maneuvered their mobile suits to look around, even though the surroundings were just an ordinary hillside.
Une, however, quickly recognized their location and said over the team comms,
"We're near the hillside of the northern off-road training ground at New Edwards Base? So we really are back..."
Reid ignored Une's musings. This mission also had a three-day time limit, which left him completely baffled about the system's logic for allocating time. This battle would take at most half a day—what was he supposed to do with the remaining two and a half days? Or was the system incrementally increasing the duration based on the number of battles?
At least the system had been very generous with the rewards for this battle. All five Gundams were protagonist units, each worth 40 Merit Points.
Seeing this, Reid naturally chose the "No Faction" option. Securing all five protagonist units meant four ten-draws right away, which would fulfill the mission's guaranteed pull requirement. That meant he could reliably obtain an A-rank ally.
So, giving Une time to sort out her feelings, Reid turned to Xia Yufang in the squad comms and said,
"Yufang, activate the Electronic Camouflage System and climb the hillside to scout for any base-like structures nearby. Also, check if there's any combat activity in the area and sync the footage to the others."
The moment Reid gave the order, Xia Yufang and Xia Yulan immediately switched to work mode.
Xia Yufang acknowledged with a "Roger" and promptly activated the Hell King's Electronic Camouflage System before leaping onto the hillside, exposing only the head unit to observe.
To enhance Xia Yufang's reconnaissance capabilities, Reid had equipped this Hell King with more advanced CE universe electronic systems during production, allowing clear visibility even at a distance of ten kilometers.
When the footage synced over, Reid noticed that there were no signs of battle at New Edwards Base yet, though a large number of Leos were stationed there in full combat readiness.
Just as Reid was about to order a perimeter sweep to prevent a Gundam ambush from behind, Xia Yufang suddenly reported over the comms,
"Master, it seems a large transport plane is about to land at that base. Its descent speed doesn't look like a normal landing at all. The base's MS are opening fire!"
Hearing this, Reid quickly turned to the screen Xia Yufang had shared. The cargo bay of the transport plane had already opened, and the XXXG-01W Wing Gundam shot out from inside, diving downward in MA Mode. The Buster Beam Rifle (officially limited to three full-power shots) mounted on the head in MA Mode immediately swept across the Leos below, triggering massive explosions and clearing a scorched, crimson swath of land.
(Note: In the original episode, the Wing Gundam fired two shots before discarding the Buster Beam Rifle. Considering that the base only reacted to the first tremor before the Wing Gundam appeared on-screen, the first tremor must have been caused by the first shot.)
At the same time, the XXXG-01D Deathscythe Gundam leaped out from the cargo bay of the large transport aircraft. Shortly after, the transport plane crashed onto the runway of New Edwards Base, triggering a series of explosions.
However, the guarding Leos no longer had the luxury to worry about the explosions. They raised whatever weapons they had and fired at the two Gundams, especially the Wing Gundam, which was making a low-altitude assault in MA Mode.
Then, Reid witnessed one of the iconic moments in Gundam history.
The five Gundams of the Meteor Project in the After Colony universe, upon their initial descent to Earth, relied on the overwhelming performance advantage of Gundarium Alloy. Coupled with the fact that their opponents at this stage lacked high-powered Beam Weapons, the pilots of these five Gundams had a tendency to charge recklessly through hails of gunfire.
Heero Yuy, the pilot of the Wing Gundam, was no exception. However, even if Gundarium Alloy was nearly invincible, it couldn't negate the sheer kinetic force of physical projectiles. Moreover, Gundams in the AC universe were generally lightweight. Several 360mm heavy rockets from the Leos struck the side of the Wing Gundam's nose in MA Mode.
The impact instantly destabilized the Wing Gundam's flight. The entire machine was sent spinning out of control before crashing into the ground. The Buster Beam Rifle mounted on the nose hit the ground first—like a faceplant—before the entire frame, still in MA Mode, flipped over and slammed heavily onto the ground.
Reid winced just imagining the pain the pilot must have felt. None of these Gundam pilots wore proper flight suits, so after a crash like that, even if a normal person didn't cough up blood, they'd at least be dazed for a while.
But Heero Yuy was famously known as the "Iron Man" in Gundam history. This guy had survived the Wing Gundam's self-destruct at point-blank range wearing nothing but a tank top and only been knocked unconscious for a couple of weeks after a headfirst crash—without even losing any limbs. A hit like this was nothing. As the Wing Gundam skidded across the ground, it transformed mid-fall, rising back up in MS Mode to continue fighting.
That said, Heero wasn't reckless enough to charge blindly anymore—that last hit must have hurt. The Buster Beam Rifle fired again, sweeping through dozens of Leos in front of it.
Seeing this, Reid decided to lay low. That Buster Beam Rifle was too overpowered—none of his units could guarantee surviving a direct hit unscathed. There was no way the Lambda Driver could withstand that kind of firepower. So he deliberately spoke over the team comms:
"Une, the Buster Beam Rifle only has three full-power shots, right? Let's wait until he fires the third shot before making our move."
Une, well aware of the rifle's destructive power, immediately responded,
"Smart choice. Even though the Wing Gundam's Buster Beam Rifle is only half as powerful as the original, without specialized defensive equipment, we can't afford to take a direct hit. At full power, its firepower is only slightly weaker than a warship's Positron Cannon."
However, the Wing Gundam soon fired its third shot—once again due to the Leos' 360mm heavy rockets. Even with its shield raised, the Wing Gundam was forced backward by the sheer impact—its lightweight frame now working against it.
So the Wing Gundam unleashed another sweeping shot, obliterating the squad of Leos armed with 360mm heavy rockets. Then, without hesitation, it discarded the now-useless Buster Beam Rifle and drew its Beam Saber, switching to close-quarters combat.
Of course, at this moment, the Gundam Deathscythe, specialized for close combat, was silently reaping the benefits. The destructive power of the Buster Beam Rifle was too terrifying, so all the Leos' heavy firepower was directed at the Gundam Wing.
As a close-combat specialist, the Gundam Deathscythe was more resilient to damage. Thus, it only faced a group of Leos armed with 105mm drum-fed rifles, allowing it to effortlessly charge through the cannon fodder and unleash havoc.
Seeing that the three shots from the Buster Beam Rifle had been exhausted, Reid immediately commanded,
"Une, Yufang, we're moving out now. We'll infiltrate the main conference building of New Edwards Base under stealth. Une, you should know Treize Khushrenada's exact location, right?"
Une promptly confirmed, replying,
"Of course. My memory is excellent."
After hearing this, Reid continued,
"Once the three of us depart, Ange and Yulan will stay here and provide sniper cover. When Une and Yufang locate Treize Khushrenada, the Gundam Blitz and Hell King will inevitably reveal themselves. I'll also step forward as a guard at that time.
"Ange, Yulan, ignore any attacks from the Leos—I can handle them myself. But if other Gundams appear from different directions with the intent to attack us, you must intercept them. There are still three Gundams unaccounted for, so stay alert and don't let them flank us.
"Also, once all five Gundams have appeared, immediately initiate Minovsky Particle dispersal. Let's give this world a taste of Minovsky Particle shock."
With that, Reid activated the Mirage Colloid System alone. Since this was a stealth operation, there was no need to waste heat capacity.
Seeing Reid vanish, Une naturally followed suit, activating her own Mirage Colloid System. Now, the three stealth units couldn't see or communicate with each other.
But Reid had already accounted for this issue. Une, who knew the way, would take the lead. He could sense their positions through his Newtype abilities and would walk in the middle, while Yulan would follow the footprints he deliberately left behind. This way, the three wouldn't collide despite being invisible to each other.
The infiltration proceeded smoothly. The Mirage Colloid System was something beyond the comprehension of this world's inhabitants. After all, even the future Gundam Deathscythe Hell could only "vanish" in the pitch-black void of space using camouflage—on the ground, it couldn't hide at all.
Thus, the three stealth units effortlessly crossed the ten-kilometer defensive line, as the Leos' attacks were all focused on the Gundam Wing and Gundam Deathscythe.
By now, both Gundams had fully transitioned into close-combat mode, ensuring no stray shots would accidentally hit Reid's team and expose them.
When they reached the main building of New Edwards Base, Reid could already see members of the Earth Sphere Unified Union's dovish faction boarding shuttles.
Une paid no attention to these evacuees. She quickly locked onto her target. The Gundam Blitz deactivated its Mirage Colloid System, activated its Phase Shift Armor, and punched through the building's wall. Then, it positioned its cockpit at the breach—she wanted to confront the three bewildered men inside.
To be honest, Reid rather admired Treize Khushrenada. Judging by his unshaken demeanor in the face of the Gundam Blitz's sudden appearance, he truly had the composure of a man unmoved even if Mount Tai collapsed before him.
It must be noted that while everyone was equally startled by the sudden appearance of the Blitz, most of the executives queuing for the shuttle panicked instantly—none of them wanted to die. Reflexively, they rushed back toward the building, perhaps seeking some false sense of security within its steel and concrete walls.
As for the three who were "directly confronted," Treize Khushrenada remained perfectly composed, calmly observing the Blitz's subsequent movements. Lady Une of this world merely raised her gun, shielding Treize behind her. Meanwhile, General Septum first collapsed onto the ground, then, upon seeing the Blitz approach, let out a scream and fled without looking back.
Neither Treize nor Lady Une of this world had any intention of bothering with such a person. After all, how could human legs outrun a Mobile Suit? Running now was utterly pointless.
Soon, the Blitz Gundam's cockpit was positioned at the building's breach. Une opened the hatch and leaped inside through the gap. Xia Yufang, arriving shortly after, followed suit, jumping directly from the Mobile Suit into the opening.
Meanwhile, Reid deactivated the Mystic Lightning's stealth mode, activating both Phase Shift Armor and the Lambda Driver, ready to engage at any moment.
Setting aside the reactions of those outside, when Une and Xia Yufang appeared before Treize Khushrenada, their faces were obscured by the full-body armored pilot suits Reid had brought from Full Metal Panic, leaving only their physiological features to identify them as women.
Lady Une of this world immediately raised her gun and barked a warning:
"Halt! I won't allow you to approach Lord Treize any further!"
Une looked at her past self and smiled helplessly before removing her helmet to reveal her face.
Treize Khushrenada's expression immediately shifted to one of intrigue.
Lady Une of this world frowned deeply and demanded again,
"Who are you? Why are you impersonating me? I don't recall having any twin sisters."
Faced with her past self's interrogation, Une simply replied with a smile,
"I'd advise against being so neurotic—it makes you seem like you have a split personality. That's no way to win Lord Treize's favor. It wasn't until I left this world that I truly understood that."
At this moment, Lady Une of this world was somewhat mentally overwhelmed. She understood what the woman who looked exactly like her was saying, but she didn't yet grasp it fully. To her, loyalty to Lord Treize, following him, staying by his side, and fulfilling his ideals were all that mattered. So she retorted once more:
"Enough nonsense, woman! What exactly do you want?"
Truth be told, Lady Une of this world was itching to pull the trigger. But she feared that if she fired, the remaining Mobile Suit outside might retaliate with a shot of its own. Her own death was inconsequential, but if Lord Treize were harmed as a result, the consequences would be dire.
Seeing her past self so stubbornly resistant, Une could only sigh in admiration—truly, she was still herself. She abandoned further lecturing, knowing time was limited. She couldn't afford to keep Reid standing guard as a target indefinitely.
So Une retrieved a data drive from her pocket, containing all the records she knew about this world's future events.
However, it only included event logs—no CE universe technology or similar details. Even without Reid's explicit warning, Une had consciously omitted such information.
Holding out the drive, Une stepped forward and said,
"Lord Treize, this is the last personal favor I can do for you. I'm about to embrace a new life. Please step forward and receive this. What's inside represents the future."
The Lady Une of this world moved to take it, but was sharply rebuked by Une.
"I said let Lord Treize take it! Don't overstep your authority!"
Just as this world's Lady Une was about to retort, Treize Khushrenada raised a hand to stop her.
Treize Khushrenada slowly approached and took the USB drive from Une's hand, then asked:
"You're the real Lady Une, aren't you?"
Une nodded, then shook her head and said:
"In this world, the one by your side is Lady Une. As for me... I'm just a failure who never saw the bright future."
Treize Khushrenada nodded with sudden understanding and smiled:
"I see. Thank you, Une."
Une nodded in return:
"Lord Treize, this will be the last time I address you as such. I must follow someone new now. May all your plans succeed this time."
With that, Une turned and leapt back into the Blitz's cockpit. But at the last moment before entering, she turned back to her past self:
"Though I suspect it's futile... listen, my past self. Sometimes you don't need to be so concerned about Treize Khushrenada's reputation. A little force or even drugging would work. We should be selfish sometimes too."
Having said this, Une disappeared into the cockpit and sealed the hatch.
Seeing this, Xia Yufang remarked that she was just here as an observer, then similarly returned to her Hell King's cockpit.
The Lady Une of this world had never felt so embarrassed. If that woman really was her future self, didn't her words just lay everything bare? Would Lord Treize dare drink her coffee now?
However, Treize Khushrenada didn't seem particularly bothered. Seeing that Une had departed, he simply said to those around him:
"Lieutenant Une, let's go. I can't wait to see what this gift from the future contains. Oh, and we should find General Septum too."
Une's matter had been resolved smoothly - she had successfully bid farewell to her past.
Meanwhile, Reid's defensive operation was proceeding relatively well. The appearance of the Blitz had alarmed both the Gundams and the New Edwards Base defenders. However, the Wing Gundam and Deathscythe Gundam didn't immediately attack. First, they hadn't yet broken through the front line of Leos, and second, they now knew other Gundams existed in this world. Judging by the movements of these three new mobile suits, they at least didn't appear to be enemies.
While the Wing and Deathscythe could afford to observe, the New Edwards Base defenders couldn't. Reid's trio had appeared right in the heart of their command center, with all their VIPs literally beneath the feet of these three MS.
Consequently, numerous Leos immediately turned their guns toward the only standing unit - the Mystic Lightning.
But after the Wing and Deathscythe's assault, most high-powered Leos had been destroyed. The remaining ones only carried 105mm magazine-fed rifles.
These rifle rounds posed zero threat to the Mystic Lightning. The Phase Shift Armor could completely resist them, and any vibrations would be neutralized by the Lambda Driver.
However, although Reid had already dissipated the heat generated from activating the Mirage Colloid System earlier using heat sinks, he still didn't want his new mobile suit to endure such attacks.
So he immediately activated the Lambda Driver to form a shield in front of him. These bullets weren't even from an Electromagnetic Cannon, so they were effortlessly blocked by the Lambda Driver's shield.
Of course, Reid wasn't about to just stand there and take hits without retaliating. Any mobile suit that tried to charge at him would be sent flying with a single Beam shot. Against Leos, the power of an ordinary Beam Rifle was more than enough—using something like the Buster Beam Rifle would just be a waste of firepower.
Seeing this strange mobile suit attacking the Leos, the Wing Gundam and Deathscythe Gundam didn't lower their suspicions, but for now, they excluded those three odd mobile suits from the OZ-affiliated forces. They began focusing on breaking through the Leo defensive line ahead. They didn't want their mission objective to be snatched away by someone else.
The same thought occurred to the other two Gundams that had been lying in wait. Seeing the Blitz Gundam and the other small Gundam reactivate, the Heavyarms Gundam and Sandrock Gundam, lurking nearby, could no longer stay idle. If they kept watching, the opportunity would slip away.
Between these two, Duo Longhua Barton, the pilot of the Heavyarms Gundam, was exceptionally ruthless—he didn't care about collateral damage as long as the objective was achieved.
So the Heavyarms Gundam immediately descended from the western hillside and unleashed a full barrage of firepower toward the main building of New Edwards Base, where Reid was located.
(End of Chapter)