Chapter 18: SEED – Pursuit and Evasion
After Kira left, Flay Allster turned to Sai Argyle with a puzzled look.
"What was that all about just now? Who is that Kira person?"
Sai explained that Kira Yamato was the one who piloted the Gundam and rescued her lifeboat.
Flay, however, questioned why Kira Yamato would be piloting a Gundam.
Hearing that, Tolle Koenig thought to himself that this woman really knew how to bring up the most inconvenient topics.
Even Miriallia Haw, standing nearby, looked awkward when she heard her say that.
Thankfully, Kira had already left—otherwise he'd be hurt and downhearted again.
Tolle thought to himself how much better Miriallia was—at least she wasn't the type to say such thoughtless things.
Just then, Katz Hawker chimed in at the worst possible moment, saying, "Kira is a Coordinator."
That only made the already awkward atmosphere worse. Tolle silently complained in his heart:
(What a useless teammate—can't do anything right and just makes things worse.)
Fortunately, Sai stepped in to clarify that Kira Yamato wasn't a ZAFT Coordinator, easing Flay's temper—at least a little.
Some time later, a radar operator on the Archangel's bridge raised the alarm.
"Large heat source detected nearby—likely a warship's engine."
The bridge was instantly filled with tension, everyone's nerves stretched taut like a drawn bowstring.
Mu La Flaga said, "Right alongside us? Moving in the same direction?"
Murrue Ramius asked nervously, "Has ZAFT already caught up to us?"
Standing to the side, Natarle Badgiruel denied that the enemy had detected the Archangel yet, continuing to check the data before reporting back.
"But they're still some distance away. The target is preparing to overtake us—it's a Nazca-class warship."
Mu quickly saw through the enemy's intention.
"They're trying to cut us off ahead of time."
At the same time, they detected not just one warship in pursuit—there was also a Laurasia-class behind them.
ZAFT was preparing to pincer the Archangel from both front and rear.
With its engines shut down and drifting forward on inertia, the Archangel was now caught in a dilemma.
An alarm sounded throughout the ship, followed by an announcement:
"Enemy units detected! First combat configuration—military personnel, report to your stations immediately.
Kira Yamato, please report to the bridge."
Miriallia spoke nervously. "I wonder what will happen to Kira…"
Everyone fell silent, until Sai said from the side,
"If Kira doesn't fight, things will be very bad for us."
Tolle grumbled inwardly:
(Sai Argyle, who knew you were such a bleeding heart? You can't fight yourself, so you expect Kira to take the hits. Talking about sending someone to their death as if it's nothing. If Kira weren't the strongest Coordinator, he'd have been dead several times over by now.)
Miriallia turned to Tolle.
"Tolle, are we just going to sit here? Always relying on Kira to protect us?"
Her words gave Tolle a small jolt of unease. If he didn't already know the plot, he might have thought she liked Kira Yamato.
He lowered his head and put on a serious expression as he replied, "Mu La Flaga is right—do whatever you can with the strength you have."
He glanced around, and just like in the original storyline, everyone nodded in agreement.
Knowing the situation was under control, he finally joined the Archangel crew as a reserve soldier.
Now he could openly go to the hangar and practice piloting a Moebius training unit.
Tolle and his group of four went to the bridge to speak with Murrue Ramius, offering to help with shipboard duties.
Murrue agreed to their request and had a soldier escort them to change into military uniforms.
On the way back from changing, they ran into Kira.
Seeing them in uniform, Kira asked, "Tolle, everyone—what's with the outfits…?"
Tolle replied, "We want to help out on the Archangel too."
"Is there a manpower shortage?" Kuzzey Buskirk asked, "If you're going to the bridge, you have to wear a uniform, right?"
Tolle spread his hands and said, "Sure, ZAFT's uniforms look a lot better, and these aren't great—but we can't just let you do all the fighting and rely on you to protect us."
From behind Tolle, Miriallia said,
"Given the situation now, we should at least do what we can—any little bit helps."
The soldier escorting them urged them to hurry along, and after saying goodbye to Kira, they arrived at the bridge to take on communications work.
Mu La Flaga launched first in his Zero Moebius.
Kira followed, ready to launch in the Strike Gundam.
On the bridge, the radar operator warned, "Laurasia-class warship—fifty behind us and closing."
Murrue ordered, "In two minutes, start the Archangel's main engines. Strike Gundam, prepare to launch."
Inside the Strike, Kira heard Miriallia's voice over the comm.
"Kira, starting today, I'll be the battle navigator for MS and MA."
Then she made a V-sign and said playfully, "Please take care of me."
Natarle's voice cut in sternly, "Kira Yamato, the Strike is equipped with the Aile Pack. Once you leave the Archangel, the enemy will move in immediately. Understood?"
Kira nodded. "Understood. Kira Yamato—Gundam, launching!"
The Strike shot out from the Archangel's hangar, activating its Phase Shift armor and soaring through space.
On the bridge, the radar operator reported urgently,
"Three heat sources approaching from the rear—distance sixty-seven. Three mobile suits."
Murrue muttered, "So they've come…"
Natarle gave orders immediately.
"Combat ready! Load missile tubes thirteen to twenty-four—stern heavy missile reload! High-energy beam cannon to standby! Initialize main components and input target data—hurry!"
The radar operator called out nervously, "Unit recognition—X-series: Duel, Buster, Blitz."
Natarle was taken aback. "What…?"
Murrue said helplessly, "I didn't expect ZAFT to put all the stolen G-units into combat this soon."
The air on the bridge grew even more tense.
Hearing that ZAFT's three elites had deployed in the Duel, Buster, and Blitz Gundams, Tolle prayed silently:
(Jade Emperor, Lord in Heaven, God Almighty, Tathagata Buddha—anyone will do—please protect me. Please let things happen exactly like in the original plot, with danger but no disaster. Don't let anything go wrong. I haven't even piloted an MS or MA yet, and I'm not ready to die this early!)