Without letting the previous skirmish slow them down, the fleet made quick repairs and resumed its course toward Mendel.
Lacus's new mobile suits had to be delivered to Athrun Zala; as one of Orb's premier high-end combat assets, he absolutely could not be absent from the upcoming battle.
Meanwhile, the Nahel Argama's hangar had finally been restored to order.
"Whew... finally done."
Looking at the neatly organized hangar, Marvin instinctively reached up to wipe his forehead, even though his mechanical body couldn't sweat. Despite his lack of biological fatigue, he felt a wave of exhaustion—the kind that seemed to bubble up directly from the soul.
"Good work, kid!"
A boisterous female voice rang out from behind him.
Hilda Harken, a woman sporting a black eyepatch over her right eye, reached out and slapped Marvin on the shoulder. However, because she used too much force, the impact sent a jolt of pain through her own hand, causing her to shake it out instinctively.
"Damn, kid, you're built like a tank..."
"The structural integrity of my body depends on the materials used. If you strike me too hard with your bare hands, be careful not to break a bone," Marvin replied, waving her off. Hilda's enthusiastic greeting hadn't bothered him in the slightest.
"Speaking of which, the new models were loaded onto our ship too..."
Marvin shifted his attention back to the task at hand, looking at the three somewhat bulky machines standing before him. They were deep blue and black, featuring cross-shaped head sensors. A beam saber hilt was docked on the right side of their flight packs, and an oddly shaped giant bazooka sat on each weapon rack.
"DOM Trooper. They look great, don't they?" Hilda followed Marvin's gaze toward her own unit.
"...Honestly, I still prefer the Jestas," Marvin said after observing them for a while, shaking his head.
"Jestas... you mean those units painted with the strange patterns?"
Hilda's expression turned odd as she thought of the units currently busy outside. While everyone else sported professional, military-grade liveries, those suits were "flamboyant," as if they weren't heading to a battlefield but to some kind of anime convention.
Though, she had to admit, the combat prowess of those three Jestas was formidable—they could easily hold their own against Orb's best pilots.
"What do you mean 'strange'? That's called otaku culture!"
Marvin instinctively defended his comrades. "Don't underestimate the power of the 2D world. The manufacturing budget for those three Jestas was funded entirely by donations from our comrade's VTuber livestream audience!"
(Of course, they had "borrowed" a bit of support from Orb's treasury during construction. Well, quite a bit.)
"2... otaku culture? VTuber?"
Hearing these bizarre terms, Hilda felt a wave of confusion. She felt like she could no longer understand the youth of this era.
But if it could earn enough to build three whole Mobile Suits... was this "VTuber" thing that profitable? Should she try it herself to earn some beer money?
Hilda fell into deep thought. Clearly, the potential revenue was tempting. However, she realized she needed to clarify one thing first: What exactly is "otaku culture"?
-----------------------------------
The fleet successfully arrived at the colonial satellite Mendel. Soldiers were swarming the spaceport, while red-and-white M1 Astrays and Jegans completed their final boarding preparations.
Athrun boarded the Eternal. According to Cagalli, a new machine was waiting for him there.
Compared to the hangars of other warships, the Eternal's bay was somewhat cramped, with each side designed to house only a single unit. Consequently, Athrun immediately laid eyes on a machine that looked strikingly familiar. Standing nearby were Kira and Lacus, whom he hadn't seen in quite some time.
"Athrun." Lacus waved when she spotted him.
"It's been a while, Lacus... Kira." Athrun walked over to them, his gaze drifting up to the dormant suit. "Is that it? My new machine?"
"Infinite Justice... that's the name Roz and Director Erica gave it."
Lacus followed Athrun's gaze and smiled.
"It's a melee-focused unit designed as an enhancement of the original Justice. The frame has been reinforced, and beam sabers have been integrated into the legs, toes, forearms, and head as dedicated close-quarters weaponry," Kira explained, introducing the version of the Infinite Justice that Roz had radically modified.
While Erica's original plan only included the leg blades, Roz had been much more aggressive, installing Aegis-style beam sabers into all four of the unit's limbs.
"As for the new Fatum-01 backpack... Roz added a lot of missiles." Kira's expression turned slightly odd as he recalled the briefing Roz and Erica gave before departure. "According to him, he originally prepared a 'Full Armor' equipment set for the Infinite Justice, but Director Erica vetoed it due to time constraints."
"It's fine. This is already more than enough," Athrun replied, shaking his head as he scrutinized the machine.
Even without the so-called "FA" armor, Athrun could see a staggering number of missile silos integrated into the Fatum pack. They were clearly loaded with specialized munitions.
"We've talked enough. Athrun, why don't you board and see for yourself?" Lacus interrupted his observations. "We don't have much time. You can review the weapon specs while you're calibrating the OS."
"Yeah... sounds like a plan." Athrun nodded to Lacus and headed toward the locker room.
He was eager to find out exactly what this new machine was capable of.
-----------------------------------
"So this is... the Akatsuki Shiranui Pack..."
Cagalli stood in the Nahel Argama's hangar, gazing at the machine shimmering with a golden radiance and the backpack mounted with seven DRAGOON units.
"Compared to the Oowashi Pack you used before, this Shiranui type is much better suited for space combat," Mu remarked, standing beside her. "It's a shame, really. My 'antique' Strike finally has a new pack that fits me perfectly, otherwise, I'd definitely be eyeing your Akatsuki with envy."
Mu had just finished calibrating his Strike. The machine had shed its heavy "Perfect" Full Armor configuration in favor of a pack that looked like a modified Moebius Zero.
This was the specialized equipment Roz had promised him. Unlike the previous over-encumbered mode, this pack featured four wire-guided gunbarrels, designed to draw out every ounce of Mu's skill as the former ace of the Moebius Zero.
Roz had even reinforced the unit's thrusters and optimized the gunbarrel design; even if the wire connections were severed, the pods could still be controlled remotely by the Strike, functioning similarly to DRAGOONs.
"So, are you ready for battle? There isn't much time left for final adjustments."
Despite Mu's prompt, Cagalli—still dressed in her formal black suit—shook her head and looked toward Mayura, who was standing nearby.
"No. I won't be the one fighting. Mayura will pilot the Akatsuki."
"Wait, me?!" Mayura instinctively pointed to herself in shock.
"That's right. You take the Akatsuki, Mayura," Cagalli said with firm determination. "I can't just head onto the battlefield... if we fail, Orb is finished."
Mu narrowed his eyes slightly, observing the girl before him. She was a world away from the person she used to be.
"I must remain in Orb to stabilize the domestic situation... to ensure that if you fail, we have the foundation to rise again."
Having endured so much, Cagalli seemed like a different person. Gone was the hot-headed youth; in her place was a leader who considered the broader picture.
"That sounds awfully pessimistic," Mu chuckled, glancing back at the Akatsuki.
"I've learned to prepare for the worst," Cagalli sighed, casting one last look at the golden machine. "But I have my own battlefield that I must face."
She turned resolutely and walked out of the hangar. She was afraid that if she looked at the Akatsuki for even one more second, she would stay behind and try to pilot it herself.
"I wish you all glory in battle."
That was the final sentence she left behind.
-----------------------------------
The mixed fleet did not linger, departing Mendel and accelerating toward the Gryps front. After the chaos of reorganizing the hangars, a heavy, suffocating atmosphere settled over the ships.
Everyone knew that the place they were heading to was likely to become the "Verdun Meat Grinder" of the C.E. era. The odds of survival were microscopic.
To end this cycle and allow future generations to grow in peace, they had chosen to be the ants standing before the wheels of a juggernaut, hoping to tip the scales between war and total annihilation.
But reality isn't an RPG; the protagonists don't always arrive just in time to stop the clock.
"This is Murrue, go ahead."
Murrue sat in the Captain's chair of the Nahel Argama, scanning through tactical data as a priority comms channel opened.
"This is Lacus. I have critical intelligence."
On the screen, Lacus had lost her usual gentleness. Her expression was grim. "Blue Cosmos has fired the first shot. They used nuclear weapons to destroy a ZAFT forward base. Total war has broken out across the entire front."
The news hit the bridge crew like a plunge into icy water. The nightmare scenario had begun. Nuclear weapons—the very things that had caused "Bloody Valentine" and the destruction of Junius Seven—were a collective PTSD trigger for ZAFT.
There was no doubt now: the coming battlefield would be a descent into madness.
"What about ZAFT's countermeasure? There's no way they don't have one!" Natarle looked up, questioning Lacus urgently. At this point, only Lacus's informants within the PLANTS could provide real-time updates from the other side.
Beep, beep, beep...
Another familiar signal requested a connection. Murrue answered instinctively. A familiar face appeared on the secondary monitor.
"Murrue, this is Halberton."
The General, whom they hadn't seen in months, was no longer using a secure shadow line. He was contacting them openly. "Everything has spiraled out of control. The Eighth Fleet has already sortied."
Halberton sighed, his face lined with exhaustion. "According to my intelligence, the head of Blue Cosmos, Muruta Azrael, has personally joined the fray. They are preparing a nuclear strike against the PLANT homeworlds. The warheads they carry are sufficient for three total saturation bombardments. We are moving to intercept."
"Static... No, General Halberton, do not enter the main battlefield."
Roz's voice cut into the channel. Now fully prepped in his cockpit, Roz was reviewing the data Murrue had been forwarding. His face was set in a hard mask.
"Our current firepower can handle the frontal engagement for now. I need you to make preparations elsewhere."
"Preparations? For what?" Halberton frowned. "We are at the precipice of extinction. If we don't fight now, we're just waiting to die!"
"No... I can feel it. My intuition is telling me there is something else on the Moon." Roz's eyes were fixed on the tactical map, sensing a strange, rhythmic palpitation coming from the Moon, Gryps, and the ZAFT asteroids. "That feeling... it's the same sensation I get from the ZAFT asteroid and Gryps."
The color drained from everyone's faces. While they were people of science and logic, Roz's intuition had a track record of being terrifyingly accurate. If he felt something dangerous on the Moon, it was there. Was it an Alliance secret weapon? Or something else entirely?
"So, what is your plan?" Halberton asked, his tone shifting to one of absolute seriousness.
"General Halberton, please stay in wait near the lunar orbit. When whatever is hiding on the Moon reveals itself—destroy it."
"...I understand," Halberton replied after a long pause. "Don't you dare die before we get there to back you up."
-----------------------------------
At this moment, in a corner of the internet, in a livestream room with a very 2D/anime art style.
In the bottom right corner of the livestream, a girl with various mechanical elements on her body and black hair—clearly themed as a "Mecha Girl"—was swaying constantly, yet she didn't say a word.
"Graduation Stream, just chatting with everyone" was placed at the very top of the room as the title.
Although there wasn't much visual action, lines of bullet comments were flashing in the box on the left at a very high speed. Clearly, the viewers of this livestream had not expected this day to come so suddenly.
"Wife, hurry up and speak! I'm scared when you stay silent ( )!"
"Why the sudden graduation? Did you get doxxed/found out offline?"
"Gua! Nooo! I'll die without my wife's livestreams to watch! I beg of you, keep streaming, we'll do anything!"
-----------------------------------
Line after line, some raving, some wailing; in such a dark era, many people had found a small sense of "happiness" here, only to be told now that this pure land would also cease to exist.
"Alright, it shouldn't be banned this time..."
After a long while, the girl in the bottom right corner spoke. "This time it's a real-life camera stream... Oh, just in time for the Boss's speech. Let's watch it together, everyone."
At that moment, a picture appeared in the previously pitch-black frame.
It was the viewpoint of a Haro linked to a Jesta's head monitor, still displaying several weapon icons.
Looking at the screen, which showed the interior decor of what appeared to be a certain ship's Hangar, all the "DD" (die-hard fans) watching the stream were stunned, sending out a massive wave of question marks that covered the screen.
The girl had even gone as far as to paste a picture of a Jesta Cannon in the top left corner; it had a very 2D/anime paint job, with the stage names of various Haros acting as VTubers painted on each of its parts.
-----------------------------------
"...The speech will be given by the Captain."
Over the broadcast, Murrue's voice faded out.
After a brief moment of silence, Roz Links' voice came through.
"This is the commander of the Nahel Argama MS team, Roz Links."
Sitting in the cockpit of the Unicorn Gundam, Roz didn't know what kind of inspiring words he should say, so he could only speak from instinct. "Next, this ship will head to the Gryps sector to carry out the Gryps campaign."
"The Earth Alliance and ZAFT have already begun fighting there. It is a meat grinder where death is certain. I cannot guarantee that any of you will survive; I cannot even guarantee if I will survive myself."
Roz sighed, but his tone became passionate immediately after.
"However, this is not an operation carried out under the orders of the Earth Alliance, ZAFT, or even the Orb military. It is a battle fought by our own will, to allow our descendants to live in a peaceful world and to stop this world from sliding into the abyss of destruction."
Sitting in the cockpit of the Psycho Zaku, Stellar Loussier, who was connecting to the mobile suit via data cables, looked up.
"The vision mentioned by Durandal of achieving peace by assigning citizens' jobs via computer, the unstable future full of possibilities spoken of by Ms. Lacus... As for who is correct, I don't know the answer either, because I am exploring it myself."
Athrun Zala sat in the cockpit of the Infinite Justice, continuously tapping on the keyboard to calibrate his unit.
"And it is not us who will decide all of this—whether this final result is correct—but the young people of today, and the people of the future."
Listening to Roz's speech echoing throughout the entire fleet, Lacus Clyne smiled.
"But even if we are to hand the right of judgment over to them, we must return alive."
Wearing a blue and black pilot suit, Hilda Harken, leading her subordinates, boarded the cockpit of a Dom Trooper.
"We must uncover the whole truth while putting a stop to this war."
In the Hangar, Marven looked up at the Narrative Gundam in the corner, appearing to be deep in thought.
"As a soldier... and as an adult."
Listening to Roz's words, Murrue and Natarle Badgiruel subconsciously glanced at each other and nodded.
"I look forward to everyone's resolute struggle."
After finishing his final sentence, Roz cut the communication. Sitting in the cockpit, he took a deep breath to calm his emotions.
The sound of the unit's radar scanning rang constantly in his ears. Roz slightly closed his eyes.
Roz could already feel many, many noisy voices.
There were piercing curses, unforgettable hatred, and powerless sighs—all sorts of emotions mixed together, like a chaotic stew of sour, sweet, bitter, and spicy flavors. Roz was the sole diner, tasting the bizarre flavors of this chaotic stew.
"I said it once before... I'm going to change this goddamn world." Roz reached out and gripped the control sticks.
"Whether you look forward to it or reject it, this is for the people of the future. Or rather, this is the original promise between me and Ryan."
Recalling the day he sorted out in the Jegan A Type, Ryan lay there, telling him to stay away from all of this.
But he had gone ahead and made a promise anyway... or was it a promise to himself? He had always been a somewhat awkward guy...
"Unicorn... you'll be by my side, changing this world with me, right?"
After feeling the familiar touch of spiritual energy, Roz opened the "wall of the heart" that had been resisting.
Two spiritual energies merged together, creating a wondrous sensation.
In a daze, Roz saw that white figure. She embraced him tightly, yet seemed afraid that using too much force would cause problems.
"I will always be by your side... always..."
The sensation of a breeze brushed past his ear as a gentle voice drifted in, echoing continuously within the merging spiritual energies.
Without any manual input, the Unicorn Gundam slightly raised its head.
Across the psycho-frame concealed by the white outer armor, a flash of blue light flickered.
-----------------------------------
After the fleet sailed for a short period, it entered the designated combat range.
"Entering designated combat range. Unicorn, Strike Freedom, Infinite Justice, you are clear for launch!"
The three units, all equipped with MA components, were naturally to be the first to sortie; as for the other MS, they had not yet reached the optimal combat distance.
"Roz Links, Full Armor Unicorn, launching!"
Roz took a deep breath and looked up, his expression becoming serious.
As he stepped down on the pedals, a violent sense of impact surged through him. The thrusters of the Dendrobium, which were nearly the size of a battleship's, spat out fierce flames, propelling it forward at an extreme speed.
And not far ahead lay the battlefield, already collapsed into utter chaos.
....................