Chapter 20: SEED – Repelled
On the other side, Mu La Flaga's Moebius Zero was still in stealth mode, quietly approaching the ZAFT Nazca-class high-speed battleship.
Meanwhile, piloting the Strike Gundam, Kira Yamato was dodging Duel Gundam's attacks while slowly retreating toward the Archangel to defend it.
At that moment, the Archangel's radar operator sounded the alarm.
"ZAFT's Nazca-class battleship ahead shows signs of targeting us. They've locked on to this ship."
Natarle Badgiruel called out to Murrue Ramius, but Murrue was lost in thought and didn't respond.
Natarle immediately ordered, "Prepare to fire the positron cannon."
Hearing the words positron cannon, Murrue snapped out of her daze and countered,
"Wait! Mu La Flaga's Moebius Zero is still accelerating toward the enemy fleet. Take evasive action instead."
Natarle disagreed firmly.
"It's too dangerous. If we don't fire, they'll attack first."
While Natarle and Murrue were still arguing, the radar operator issued another warning.
"Report! A Laurasia-class battleship is rapidly approaching from the rear!"
Meanwhile, the Strike Gundam was now completely surrounded by the Aegis, Duel, Buster, and Blitz Gundams, cutting off all escape.
The situation was even more dire than for the Archangel itself—and the Strike Gundam's energy reserves were nearly depleted.
At this critical moment, the stealth Moebius Zero finally closed in on the ZAFT Nazca-class high-speed battleship.
Mu La Flaga accelerated straight toward it.
On board the battleship, Rau Le Creuset also sensed Mu's approach and immediately ordered evasive maneuvers.
But it was already too late. The Moebius Zero unleashed all its linear gun fire and wired pods in one barrage, striking the Nazca-class's propulsion system and main guns. Then Mu fired his anchor harpoon, using its pull and momentum to swing the craft around sharply.
The Moebius Zero quickly disengaged from the enemy ship's position, and Mu transmitted a signal to the Archangel: mission successful, enemy ship disabled, returning to base.
The tension on the bridge finally eased. Murrue let out a sigh of relief and said,
"Don't relax yet. Fire on the ZAFT Nazca-class ahead!"
Natarle immediately ordered,
"Positron Cannons One and Two—prepare to fire!"
Murrue quickly added, tense again,
"Notify Lieutenant La Flaga to clear the combat zone immediately. Also inform the Strike Gundam to leave the area at once!"
The gunnery officer reported, "Positron chamber at critical point, energy conversion stable, firing ports open."
Kira, in the Strike Gundam, received the Archangel's warning and pulled back, clearing the positron cannon's firing line.
Twin massive crimson beams erupted from the Archangel's bow, cutting straight across the battlefield toward the Nazca-class. Rau Le Creuset ordered evasive action again, but too late—the positron blast grazed the ship's side, triggering a massive explosion.
The Nazca-class was left completely unable to fight.
The radar operator reported, "Nazca-class vessel is moving away from our course."
Murrue ordered, "Signal the Strike Gundam to return immediately. The Archangel will proceed at full speed toward Artemis."
Kira saw the flare signal from the Archangel and moved to return—but Duel Gundam kept up its relentless pursuit, attacking nonstop.
Buster and Blitz Gundams also moved in to cut him off, surrounding him once more.
Miriallia Haw watched anxiously as Kira struggled against the four Gundams, her worry mounting by the second.
Murrue commanded, "Cover the Strike Gundam!"
But the helmsman replied, "Impossible under this engagement—the Archangel is actually pulling farther from the Strike."
Natarle murmured, "Strike Gundam's remaining power… this is bad."
"I know," Murrue said tensely. "Where is Lieutenant La Flaga? Tell him to cover the Strike's return!"
The Strike, hemmed in by all four Gundams, finally ran out of power entirely—its beam rifle wouldn't fire, and the Phase Shift Armor shut down, leaving the machine gray.
Yzak Joule, in the Duel Gundam, pressed the attack, closing in for the kill.
But then Athrun Zala, in the Aegis Gundam, shifted into MA mode and seized the powerless Strike in its claws.
On the Archangel's bridge, the radar operator shouted, "They've got him! Strike Gundam has been captured—Phase Shift Armor is offline!"
Everyone was on edge—except for Tolle Koenig, who knew Mu La Flaga would arrive at any second.
The four Gundams began hauling the Strike away. Inside, Kira sat frozen, panicked and at a loss.
The radar operator called out again, "Laurasia-class battleship at 280!"
Over comms, Miriallia kept calling Kira's name, praying for a miracle.
Then a transmission from Mu came through:
"Prepare combat weapons! Load artillery now!"
Sure enough, at this moment of crisis, Mu La Flaga's Moebius Zero appeared—opening fire on the Aegis with all linear guns and wired pods.
His attack struck true, forcing Athrun to revert to MS mode and release the Strike.
Furious and embarrassed, Athrun turned his guns on the Moebius Zero, chasing it aggressively.
The Strike took the chance to break away and return to the Archangel, which immediately began laying down covering fire—high-energy beam cannons, large missiles, and single linear cannons—against the pursuing Duel, Buster, and Blitz Gundams.
Natarle ordered, "Don't let them get near the Strike Gundam!"
The three Gundams were forced to fall back under the Archangel's barrage.
As the Strike neared, the Archangel launched its artillery pack.
Under guidance, Kira detached the Aile Striker pack, preparing to switch to the artillery pack—but at that moment, Duel Gundam fired a large shell.
The shell struck the Strike squarely, bursting in a massive, blinding flash.