Inside the maze-like corridors of A Baoa Qu, the atmosphere had shifted from tense to outright lethal.
Gunshots echoed. Explosions rumbled deeper inside the fortress.
Gary Lin led the group with his rifle shouldered, Samus covering the rear, and their captured Zeon guide trembling between them.
"Command room's this way," the man said, voice shaking. "But I'm telling you—there are lots of officers there. Loyal ones."
Samus didn't slow down.
"Just keep walking. We'll deal with whatever's in the way."
Gary glanced at her. She was dead serious.
A mental note resurfaced: do not piss off Samus.
But before they reached the next intersection, Sayla stopped.
"I'm splitting off here," she said.
Samus blinked. "Why? We need you with us until the jamming is down."
Sayla shook her head, expression tightening with a private resolve.
"My father died because of Zeon politics. And my family… Degwin Zabi may be the only person who knows the truth behind what happened to my family. If he's still here, I need to face him myself."
Samus looked ready to argue—but Gary raised a hand.
"She's right," he said quietly.
Samus turned to him. "You're letting her?!"
Gary nodded, already connecting the pieces.
"If Sayla's going after Degwin… she has unfinished business. And Degwin is old, fragile. She's not running head-first into a platoon. She's going for answers."
Sayla gave him a grateful nod.
Gary added, "Use your gun. Don't hesitate. And if anything feels wrong, fall back immediately."
"I understand," Sayla replied, gripping her rifle tightly before heading down a side corridor.
Samus exhaled sharply as Sayla vanished into the smoky dim hallway.
"You're really letting her do that?, you know that very risk to her alone."
Gary shrugged, checking his rifle's charge.
"It's Sayla Mass. She can handle herself. And right now—Kycilia's jamming is the priority."
He turned back toward their Zeon guide.
"Command room. Lead us."
The terrified man obeyed instantly.
Samus cracked her knuckles, face cold and focused.
"Good. Let's go break the spine of this fortress."
And with that, Gary and Samus resumed moving deeper toward the command center
Completely unaware that Sayla Mass was walking straight toward Degwin Zabi…
…and the truth she'd been denied her entire life.
A Baoa Qu – Hangar
Smoke drifted across the ruined hangar.
Three Gelgoogs lay in pieces, scattered among crushed Zaku frames.
At the center of the wreckage, the Zeon flagship sat cornered—engines crippled, surrounded on all sides.
Alex Gundam leveled its rifle.
Aegis held its beam saber at the ready.
Buster pointed both cannons directly at the bridge.
Inside the cockpit, Lockon exhaled sharply.
"She's not panicking," he muttered. "She's waiting. That scares me more than any Gelgoog."
Athrun scanned the area.
"Waiting for what?"
Lockon grimaced.
"…For the Federation fleet to get close. Then she'll blow this entire fortress sky-high."
Amuro tightened his grip on the controls.
"Then Gary needs to hurry."
Kycilia stood on the damaged flagship's bridge, utterly calm despite the weapons aimed at her.
Her officers fidgeted, terrified—but she didn't move, didn't signal surrender.
She simply watched the hangar doors.
Waiting.
Calculating.
Command Room
A Zeon guard lunged from behind a console—Samus shot him in the knee, Gary followed with a stun-round to the chest.
Three more guards rushed them.
Samus's response was surgical: two shots, one takedown kick.
Gary fired once, dropping the last officer.
In under twenty seconds, the command room belonged to them.
Several Zeon officers raised their hands immediately.
"We surrender! Don't shoot!"
Gary shoved a rifle toward them.
"Turn off the jamming. Now."
One terrified officer scrambled to the panel, trembling fingers slamming the shutdown sequence.
A loud beep echoed.
Then—
The entire fortress' jamming collapsed.
Communications flared back online.
Gary exhaled in relief.
"Finally."
Samus opened the main channel to the Federation fleet.
"White Base, Shirogane, all Federation forces—stay away from A Baoa Qu. Kycilia Zabi planted demolition charges across the fortress. Withdrawal recommended."
---
Federation Fleet – Tianem
Inside his battered command ship, Admiral Tianem nearly collapsed in relief when the static finally cleared.
He heard Samus's warning… and instantly issued the only rational order:
"All fleets—halt advance! Maintain distance from A Baoa Qu! Do not approach!"
His officers repeated the command across every channel.
"Main fleet stopping! All units disengaging!"
Tianem leaned back, a tired smile breaking through.
"Finally… communication restored."
He looked at the tactical screen.
"And that means Kycilia Zabi has lost."
---
Hangar – Kycilia's Reaction
The order from the Federation echoed across open comms.
Kycilia's eyebrow twitched.
Her explosion trap—ruined.
Her timing—destroyed.
Her escape—impossible.
For the first time, her composure cracked. Just a fraction.
"…Those fools shut down the jamming."
Her officer whispered, "Lady Kycilia… we are surrounded. We should—"
"I know," she said sharply.
She straightened her uniform, jaw tight but rational.
There was no path left except surrender.
She stepped forward toward the viewport, raising both hands.
Kycilia Zabi had finally, unwillingly, yielded.
Here is the scene, clear, structured, and emotionally coherent, while keeping the tension of the moment:
A few minutes before jamming down.
Sayla moved down the dim corridor, boots echoing sharply against metal.
Her breathing was steady—too steady for what she was about to do.
She pushed open the intelligence room door.
Inside, Degwin Zabi sat alone, slumped in a chair, face pale and exhausted. His adjutant stood nearby, tense but silent.
Degwin raised his head at the sound.
"…Federation?" he muttered weakly.
Sayla stepped forward, rifle leveled at him.
The adjutant stiffened, ready to move, but Degwin lifted a tired hand, stopping him.
Then he looked at Sayla's face.
Long pause.
Recognition dawned.
"…Artesia," Degwin whispered. "Daughter of Zeon Zum Deikun."
Sayla's grip tightened.
"Yes. It's me."
Degwin exhaled slowly—almost with relief.
"So… you've come to demand the truth."
Sayla didn't move, didn't blink.
"Did you kill my father?"
Degwin closed his eyes, letting several seconds pass.
"I don't know," he said finally. "But Zeon Zum Deikun was a great man… too idealistic, too uncompromising. He inspired the people, but did not understand how the Earth Federation would crush him."
Sayla's voice was low but cold.
"That isn't an answer."
Degwin looked at her with a tired, honest sadness.
"Artesia… I remember you as a bright, innocent child. If your father had lived, I would have preferred a Republic—not a militaristic dictatorship. I regret his death. I regret everything that followed.
Because of this path… I lost Garma, Dozle, and even Gihren."
Sayla stared at him—searching for deception. She found none.
The jamming fell at that moment; the hum of interference vanished like a breath being released.
Degwin noticed, but didn't move.
Sayla lowered her rifle slightly.
"What is your honest feeling toward my father?"
"…Respect." Degwin answered immediately. "And regret. That is all."
Sayla breathed out—tension leaving her shoulders. The desire for revenge, for closure, faded into something quieter. Something sadder.
"…Come with me," she said at last. "To the hangar. You'll be taken into custody."
Degwin nodded with surprising dignity.
"As you wish, Artesia."
He rose slowly, leaning on his adjutant, and followed Sayla out of the room—no resistance, no anger, only the worn-out calm of a man who had already accepted the end.