"Change of plans."
Inori suddenly stopped.
"What is it?"
Athrun asked, puzzled.
"The Earth Alliance and ZAFT are highly likely to be engaged in combat. The Gundam Astray Blue Frame needs to remain in optimal condition. From this point on, the primary power supply will come from the Aegis Gundam, Gundam Astray Red Frame, and Gundam Astray Gold Frame. Once the Red Frame's energy and propellant are depleted, it will be destroyed."
Inori laid out her next instructions.
"Athrun-san," Inori spoke again.
"…What is it?" Athrun had already realized what would come next.
"Next, I will drain the Aegis Gundam's energy and propellant, leaving only the minimum necessary for you to rendezvous with your teammates."
"Ah, that's fine."
Athrun could not ask for anything more.
The fact that she had brought him out alive was already more than enough to be grateful for.
"Additionally, Athrun-san, the Blue Frame is currently low on energy. I will therefore fight in the most energy-efficient manner possible. In other words, your teammates will have no possibility of survival. I am informing you in advance."
"Low on energy…?"
Wait. Why would being low on energy make them more likely to die?
If she was low on energy, how was she supposed to fight?
No!
No, no, no!
"You're… the Strike's pilot?!" Athrun's voice trembled.
[Instant change of expression]
[Hahaha, he figured it out]
[Kira is actually the one fighting, right? Inori is support. She can't pilot a Gundam by herself]
[Why does being low on energy mean they're going to die?]
[Low energy = can't get dragged into a prolonged fight = one shot per enemy is most efficient = enemies can't be allowed a second chance to move = no way to hold back]
[Got it, got it]
"Negative. I am the copilot. I handle target acquisition, locking, ballistic correction, evasion, communications, and related functions. I currently possess only temporary Authorization."
What did that mean?
The Strike… had another pilot?
As Athrun arrived at that thought, the scene cut back to the battlefield.
And there it was—the Strike. Equipped with the Sword Striker and Aile Striker, it had already entered the battle.
"Damn it!"
After the Strike appeared, three more GINNs emerged as well.
Those three GINNs joined the other two and moved on Kira together.
At the same time, two Laurasia-class warships emerged from behind a distant asteroid.
Just as Murrue had judged, those two ships had been lying in ambush behind the Archangel, waiting to cut off its retreat.
The moment the Archangel charged into the battlefield, the two warships moved in to pursue and encircle it.
"Damn it!"
Kira was being tied down by five GINNs.
The GINNs, armed with 76mm assault machine guns and grappling cables, darted across the battlefield like a pack of hunting sharks.
The grappling cables were meant to counter Phase Shift Armor.
They consumed less energy than beam weapons, and with AI assistance, they could produce surprisingly effective results.
"The Strike has appeared!"
Yzak soon received the report as well.
Together with Dearka's Buster Gundam, he had already destroyed the escort ship Law.
That left the Earth Alliance with only the Archangel and the Montgomery.
"Two Laurasia-class ships and two Nazca-class ships?! Just how much is ZAFT spending on this?!"
With no Mobile Suit of his own available, Mu could only handle CIC duties on the Archangel's bridge.
When he saw the astonishing four-warship ZAFT force, he could not help rubbing his forehead.
In a sense, the Archangel really was receiving more than enough respect from the enemy.
No. This was far too much respect.
They were practically terrified the Archangel might somehow survive.
Kira was having a rough time of it.
The Strike Gundam's beam rifle had only just locked onto the lead GINN when a shrill alarm suddenly screamed through the cockpit.
A high-energy beam from the Duel Gundam came in from behind at an angle. Kira yanked the controls, and the machine slipped past the searing particle stream by a hair, though sparks burst from the armor on its left shoulder.
"As I thought, I really have gotten stronger!"
Yzak could feel his heart pounding.
The Strike looked far more battered now than it ever had before!
Kira clenched her teeth and used the Anti-Ship Sword "Schwert Gewehr" to sever the right arm of a GINN lunging in from the side.
But at that very moment, the Blitz Gundam, which had remained cloaked until now, suddenly revealed itself. Its claw carved three gouges across the Strike Gundam's back.
"Too bad!"
Nicol had originally intended to use the grappling cable to restrict the Strike's movement, but the Strike evaded it. The attack only struck the external pack mounted on its back.
"Then leave the finishing blow to me!"
In the distance, the Buster Gundam's 350mm railgun and 94mm high-energy rifle finished charging. The deadly light gathering at both muzzles was dazzling to behold.
Duel was not the only machine that had received an equipment upgrade. Buster's combat power had improved as well!
"Dearka, get out of the way!" Yzak's voice suddenly came over the comms.
"Nani?!"
Dearka had no idea what was happening, but he listened. He immediately aborted his attack and shot upward.
"Lohengrin, fire!"
A crimson beam tore straight through the space Buster had occupied a moment before. Buster was unharmed, but the Nazca-class warship behind it was struck.
That Nazca-class ship had been attacking the Montgomery and was just about to finish it off when the Archangel damaged it instead.
"Young lady, you all right?!" Mu's voice came over the comms.
"No problem, Mu-san!"
Kira panted heavily.
"…Dad! Is Dad's ship all right?!"
Suddenly, a voice reached Kira's ears.
It was Flay.
"Unauthorized personnel are forbidden on the bridge. Get her out of here!" Murrue was exasperated.
Flay was simply too worried about her father, so she had tried to come to the bridge.
But she was clearly interfering with the Archangel's combat operations, leaving Murrue no choice but to have someone take her away.
"—Flay's father?"
Kira suddenly thought of Flay.
Just before Kira entered the battlefield, Flay had looked at her with eyes that almost seemed to be pleading.
Flay's father was on that ship?!
"Kid, focus on the fight!"
Mu was frustrated. If only he could sortie too at a time like this.
Kira then realized the pressure on her had suddenly eased.
But that was not good news.
After the Nazca-class was damaged, both Buster and Blitz headed toward the Montgomery.
Only Duel and the remaining GINNs were still in front of her now.
"No! You can't go over there!"
The Montgomery's Moebius units were destroyed with ease.
"Take out this annoying pest first!"
Dearka raised the railgun again.
No!
No!
Absolutely not!
At that moment, a cold sensation raced up Kira's spine and into the back of her head.
Kira felt her pupils contract. The entire world seemed to sink into thick, viscous gel.
The trajectories of flying rounds, the thruster trails of Mobile Suits, even drifting fragments of metal transformed into countless streams of data, all appearing with perfect clarity in her mind.
The sensation was even more direct than the data Inori normally presented to her.
But the clearest sign was something else.
—The world slowed down.