Chapter 387: The Eternal Surrounded
Patrick laughed loudly and said, "With nothing more than a simple computer, adding these data programs can turn all MS pilots into ace pilots.
It really is a cheap way to boost combat power. No wonder Victoria Harbor was taken so easily by the Earth Alliance."
He then spoke to the communications officer, "Connect me to the R&D department. Have them study whether there are any flaws in this data, and see if it can be rapidly optimized and tested across our MS forces."
"Understood, Chairman Zala."
On the other side, the Eternal accelerated at high speed, preparing to pass through the Jachin Due Fortress and head straight toward the L4 space region.
DaCosta also brought Athrun onto the bridge.
Seeing Athrun's right hand wrapped in bandages, Lacus walked up with a concerned expression and asked, "Athrun, your hand is injured. Are you alright?"
After seeing Lacus, Athrun asked in surprise, "Lacus, why are you here?"
At that moment, Tolle stepped to Lacus's side and said to Athrun, "Yo, Athrun. We meet again."
"Tolle! Didn't you go to the Orbital Elevator? How did you end up at P.L.A.N.T.?"
"Because I was guided here by fate," Tolle said with a straight face, spouting nonsense before adding, "Or I could say I got lost and took the wrong route."
Athrun was rendered awkward by Tolle's cold joke, three drops of sweat unconsciously appearing on his forehead.
Lacus covered her mouth and laughed softly. Tolle stared at her charming smile, utterly entranced. He couldn't tell whether she genuinely found it funny or was just playing along with him.
But it didn't matter. Getting a sip of water to quench his thirst was enough—and at least it tasted sweet.
At that moment, Nicol also stood up, floated over, and said to Athrun, "Long time no see, Athrun."
"Nicol." Athrun looked at him, his eyes welling up. He tightly embraced Nicol with his left arm and said excitedly, "You're really alright. That's great—really great."
"Ah, Athrun, I'm fine." Nicol gently patted Athrun's back to comfort him. "It's alright now, it's alright. You don't have to be so emotional."
Seeing the two of them hugging, Liza blushed unconsciously.
Watching from the side, Tolle complained inwardly: Why are you blushing like a teapot? Shouldn't you be jealous that Athrun is hugging your boyfriend? Could it be that Liza has some BL tendencies? That's terrifying.
Before long, Nicol seemed to sense something. After comforting Athrun briefly, he let go and moved back to Liza's side.
"Long time no see, Athrun." Liza nodded to Athrun and greeted him as well.
At this moment, Andrew turned around from the vice-captain's seat and introduced himself to Athrun. "Nice to meet you. Welcome aboard the songstress's ship. I'm Andrew Waltfeld."
He then pointed to the woman beside him. "This is my wife, Aisha Tyleen."
Aisha looked at Andrew with tender affection, then smiled at Athrun and said, "Hello, Athrun. Nice to meet you. Please take care of us."
Athrun awkwardly glanced at Aisha, then at Andrew, before replying, "Nice to meet you. Please take care of me as well."
Tolle then pointed to a seat farther away from Lacus and said, "Athrun, you're injured. Go sit over there. We're moving at high speed right now, so be careful. If there's a sudden impact, making your injury worse wouldn't be good."
"Thank you, Tolle." Athrun nodded and sat down in a nearby seat.
Just then, the radar operator reported, "Large MS force detected ahead. Based on heat signatures, the number of mobile suits is fifty."
Lacus immediately returned to her captain's seat and asked Andrew, "Are they forces from the Jachin Due Fortress?"
"Yes, but we expected them to come," Andrew replied. He then issued an order to the gunnery officer. "Main cannon, prepare to fire! All departments, first combat configuration."
At this moment, Athrun floated to Lacus's side and asked Andrew, "Are there any mobile suits aboard this battleship?"
Andrew smiled helplessly and said, "Unfortunately, there aren't any at all. This ship is the dedicated carrier for the Freedom Gundam and the Justice Gundam."
Lacus then said with a serious expression, "Please open the all-channel communication."
Athrun felt that exposing Lacus now would only make things more dangerous, and said worriedly, "Lacus, what are you planning to do? You shouldn't reveal yourself."
However, the communications officer still followed Lacus's instructions and replied immediately, "Understood. Connecting all-channel communications now."
Lacus immediately issued an all-channel broadcast to the Jachin Due Fortress forces. "Soldiers of ZAFT, this is Lacus Clyne. Although the future we seek is different, and I stand opposed to Chairman Zala,
I do not wish to fight you here. Please allow this ship to pass. And afterward, I ask you all to think again—who we should truly be fighting, and for what purpose we fight."
"Captain, is that Miss Lacus?" Some of the soldiers in the unit began to hesitate. "What should we do?"
However, their commander gave the order to attack. "Don't be deceived! We are under attack orders. If we let them pass, that would be disobeying military orders—we'd be court-martialed. All units, aim at that battleship and open fire!"
Once the order was given, no matter how hesitant they were, a soldier's duty was to obey. They had no choice but to begin the attack.
The GINNs immediately raised their large siege missiles and leg-mounted triple missile launchers, all locking onto the Eternal and launching their attack.
"Being told that so suddenly, their feelings must be pretty complicated," Andrew said, looking at the radar display as the Jachin Due Fortress forces still attacked the Eternal. He sighed helplessly. "Begin interception. Anti-air defense missiles—target the incoming missile clusters. Fire a full volley!"
In an instant, dozens of missile launcher hatches on the Eternal opened simultaneously. Massive numbers of anti-air defense missiles roared out, racing toward the incoming missile swarm.
In the space ahead, fireballs bloomed everywhere as missiles detonated one after another, flames scattering across the void.