Chapter 24: SEED – Battle
Tolle Koenig recovered the neo DG cells, then released the Blitz Gundam, taking its right arm and assault shield system before quickly dodging away.
With its right-hand weapon gone, the Blitz Gundam could only use its head-mounted Vulcan cannons, rapidly pulling away from the Strike Gundam.
It quickly moved toward Tolle Koenig's Moebius Kai and launched its left-arm claw anchor straight at him, intending to retrieve its right arm and assault shield system—after all, the Blitz's beam rifle and ultra–high-velocity armor-piercing rounds were mounted on them.
Seeing the claw anchor flying toward him, Tolle Koenig immediately spun his machine 180 degrees to evade, then used the beam saber mounted on the manipulator arm to slice through the anchor's cable, depriving the Blitz Gundam of yet another weapon.
The claw anchor became Tolle Koenig's second trophy from his first sortie.
With its weapons now gone, the Blitz Gundam immediately broke away toward the outskirts of the Artemis military base, preparing to retreat.
At that moment, the exterior of the Artemis base was also under ZAFT attack.
The Buster Gundam and Duel Gundam had already approached the base.
The Duel Gundam, beam rifle in hand, kept taking aimed shots at the fixed defensive turrets on the base perimeter.
The Buster Gundam, meanwhile, unleashed its full firepower—its scatter cannons and high-energy precision rifles firing in relentless alternation.
From time to time, it combined both weapons to fire its anti-armor shotgun or its ultra–high-pulse long-range sniper rifle, wreaking havoc on the base and relentlessly attacking nearby mobile armors and warships.
Spotting the Blitz Gundam, now missing its right arm and weapons, flying out, the Duel Gundam moved in to assist.
It fired its beam rifle at the Moebius and warships near the Blitz, successfully rescuing it.
Under the Duel Gundam's cover, the Blitz Gundam fled straight back to the Nazca-class high-speed warship without looking back.
With its escort mission done, the Duel Gundam joined the fray, opening with a grenade cannon shot that blasted a huge crater into the base's surface, taking out numerous defensive turrets.
It then kept firing its beam rifle at the Moebius units and warships of the Artemis base.
Before long, the Duel and Buster Gundams broke through the base's defensive network, penetrating into the interior.
They spotted the Strike Gundam and the Moebius Kai, and immediately launched a fierce assault.
The Moebius Kai's linear gun was a physical projectile weapon—against a Gundam with Phase Shift Armor, it was all but useless, barely scratching the enemy.
Tolle could only play a supporting role, dodging constantly and taking the chance to collect debris from nearby mobile armors and warships.
The Strike Gundam, in order to protect the Moebius Kai, was forced to fight both the Buster and Duel Gundams at once.
For Kira Yamato—who had yet to awaken his SEED—this was grueling.
He could only keep dodging, occasionally charging in to swing his anti-ship sword, and sometimes firing the beam boomerang from his left shoulder.
Tolle, piloting the Moebius Kai, could only offer minimal support from a distance—firing the linear gun for interference, his micro-missiles long since spent.
The control room of the Artemis base fell under the Buster Gundam's overwhelming firepower; everyone inside had already been reduced to ash—including the Major, who had once harmed Miriallia Haw and been beaten by Kira, along with his unnamed adjutant.
As the battle raged on, the Archangel prepared to break out from another exit inside the Artemis base.
Kira received a retreat signal from Miriallia.
"Kira—Kira, come in. The Archangel is about to depart. And Tolle's missing—he said he went to find you. We don't know what's happened to him."
Miriallia's voice was on the verge of tears. Kira quickly replied, "Miriallia, Tolle's fine. He's here with me—I'll bring him back right away."
The Strike Gundam sped to the Moebius Kai and Kira called out, "Tolle, the Archangel is leaving. Let's get out of here."
"Oh, okay, Kira. But I'm not very good at steering the Moebius—what I did earlier was already pushing my limit. Kira, could the Strike Gundam carry the Moebius along?"
"Sure, Tolle. We'll retreat together. Turn on your comms and say hi to Miriallia—she's really worried about you."
Without further delay, Kira had the Strike Gundam grab hold of the Moebius Kai and race through the base's inner passageways.
The Buster and Duel Gundams were briefly tied down by the base's explosions and the numerous Moebius units, forcing them to fall back and focus on destroying the base interior.
Tolle opened comms to the Archangel. "Do you read me? Archangel, do you read?"
Those on the Archangel were baffled, but Miriallia's voice burst out in excitement, "Tolle! Where are you? Are you in danger?"
"It's fine, Miriallia—I'm fine. I found a slightly different Moebius inside the Artemis base, and I'm on it now. Kira's bringing me back. Don't worry."
Hearing Tolle say he'd "found" something, Murrue Ramius could only cover her forehead in exasperation.
Natarle Badgiruel, however, said sternly, "Ensign Tolle Koenig, follow military protocol. Do not act on your own. Taking weapons and military equipment without authorization is a serious breach of discipline. However, given this is your first offense, you'll be confined for three days when we return."
Tolle protested in disbelief, "Wha—?! No way! I didn't take it—it came to me on its own and dropped me inside. Not my fault! Besides, I've got spoils—Blitz's right arm and both its weapons. If I hand those in, can it offset the penalty?"
Natarle was silent for a moment, then said, "Given your captured spoils, your penalty will be reduced to one day of confinement… and you'll also write a 5,000-word reflection."
"Ugh—still have to write a reflection? Fine, I guess."
Soon, Kira brought Tolle back to the Archangel's hangar.
On the bridge, Natarle announced, "Strike Gundam has landed."
Murrue ordered, "Archangel, depart—maximum speed."
The Archangel quickly left the Artemis base, which was now consumed entirely by flames as explosions ripped through it.
The Buster and Duel Gundams emerged from the firelit corridors, but the Archangel was already far beyond their firing range.
Still, with the Artemis base completely destroyed, Yzak Joule and Dearka Elsman could only return to their Nazca-class warship.