On the Earth Alliance side, not only the lunar crater base but also the Earth Alliance Council on Earth erupted into chaos upon receiving the news.
"That bastard Azrael ! If he hadn't forcibly pushed through the motion to use nuclear weapons, ZAFT would never have unveiled that thing!"
"He's already dead! Cursing him won't change anything!"
"Where's the Atlantic Federation representative? Why aren't they attending?"
"With Azrael dead, the Atlantic Federation is in complete disarray. Heh, those Blue Cosmos bastards are still scrambling for power, trying to become the next leader."
"A bunch of idiots! Can't they see the threat looming over us? Still fighting among themselves!?"
"We can't let this go! Artemis can't be destroyed in vain!" This came from the Eurasian Federation representative. The Eurasian Federation had maintained its position as the second most powerful faction within the Earth Alliance, not just by being the Atlantic Federation's loyal lackey, but also by possessing Artemis—the only space fortress in the Earth Alliance.
Now, with their patron in turmoil and Artemis gone, both pillars of their influence had collapsed. The Eurasian Federation's standing within the Earth Alliance had plummeted, and they couldn't swallow this humiliation.
"Calm down, Representative Joseph. Anger won't solve anything!"
"You tell me to calm down? How? By waiting until ZAFT's artillery is raining down on us before panicking? It'll be too late by then!"
"PLANT has sent peace negotiations demands..."
"Absolutely unacceptable! We can't let Coordinators trample over us!"
Although no Blue Cosmos members were present, and the attendees didn't harbor the same level of hatred toward Coordinators, they still wouldn't allow Coordinators to dominate them or reduce Naturals to slaves.
"So we must strike back! Immediately! The crater base still has a massive fleet—send them out now!"
"Commander-in-Chief General Sutherland has already fallen in battle..."
"Who currently holds the highest rank at the crater base?"
"Duan Halbaton..."
At the mention of Duan Halbaton, the room fell silent. If it were anyone else, they could simply push them forward. But Duan Halbaton was an exception. Despite his exceptional abilities, he had been consistently suppressed within the Atlantic Federation and never given significant authority. Promoting him now would benefit not only the war effort but also the internal dynamics of the Earth Alliance, as Blue Cosmos sympathizers were still a minority.
Yet, they had reservations. Would the Atlantic Federation seek retribution once it stabilized? A weakened Atlantic Federation wouldn't intimidate other factions, but any conflict would undoubtedly result in mutual destruction.
"Promote him. Let him serve as acting commander of the crater base," suggested the East Asian Republic representative. "I know what everyone here is worried about, but the situation won't wait. Even if the Atlantic Federation seeks retribution, it'll have to be after we win this war, right?"
"...Agreed."
"Agreed."
"Agreed."
...
"Very well, it's decided. According to earlier reports, the 3rd and 4th Mobile Fleets have already deployed. Notify Halbaton of his appointment and emphasize that he must destroy ZAFT's weapon at all costs!"
...
Duan Halbaton was under a state of semi-house arrest at the lunar crater base. Although he still commanded his own forces, they had not received any reinforcements. Now, only ten warships remained, and they lacked MS units, still relying on Moebius mobile armors instead.
Moreover, a fully equipped mobile fleet was always stationed nearby, keeping a close watch on the Eighth Fleet.
But at this moment, Duan Halbaton suddenly received a message from Earth headquarters, informing him that he was now the acting supreme commander of the lunar crater base. He couldn't help but feel a sense of relief—he had finally waited for this day.
Duan Halbaton immediately contacted headquarters to confirm the authenticity of the appointment. Once verified, he ordered the remnants of his fleet to return to base. While warship reinforcements were impossible at the moment, MS units could still be mobilized.
"Prepare for immediate resupply! The 5th and 6th Mobile Fleets are to board and stand by. Once my fleet completes resupply, we depart at once!"
"Understood!"
"Signal the 3rd and 4th Mobile Fleets to disperse and advance from sectors A98 and G25 to avoid being wiped out by enemy weapons!"
"Understood!"
"Gentlemen, this battle will determine Earth's future. I don't care what you thought of me before, but I warn you—do not entertain any treacherous ideas. If you do, don't blame me for enforcing military law. Is that clear!?"
"Clear!"
"Good. Speed up resupply. Once we depart, all personnel are to evacuate the crater base. The 9th Mobile Fleet will provide escort!"
"General Halberton! But—" The entire command staff was stunned. They couldn't understand why Duan Halbaton would order a retreat. This was Earth Alliance's space force headquarters, built at immense cost and far from the front lines. Why abandon it?
"Follow orders! Execute the evacuation protocol, or we'll all die when ZAFT's bombardment hits!"
"...Understood!" (Multiple voices)
Everyone was convinced. Duan Halbaton had already considered that they wouldn't have time to destroy ZAFT's Genesis, and surrender was out of the question. If Genesis targeted this base, they would all perish. Duan Halbaton was trying to save their lives.
Just as Duan Halbaton was about to leave the command center and return to his flagship, the Menelaus, to prepare for departure, the CIC urgently reported: "The 3rd and 4th Mobile Fleets have encountered the Archangel at coordinates S05! An unidentified warship is also accompanying them!"
"What!? Report details!"
"Details unclear, but combat has already broken out!"
"How could this…" Duan Halbaton staggered at the news. The mention of the Archangel made him think of Murrue and the others—his once-promising students. He had heard about what happened in Alaska and that the Archangel had joined Orb. Frankly, he didn't blame Murrue. In that situation, even he would have defected.
Moreover, with Orb, Duan Halbaton believed the crew of the Archangel would surely be given important roles and live better lives. He had only regretted that they might never meet again in this lifetime.
Yet now, they were reuniting as enemies—a twist of fate that left Duan Halbaton deeply moved.
While feeling emotional, he was also puzzled—why was the Archangel here to obstruct them? Could Murrue not imagine the disaster that would unfold if Genesis fired upon the Moon or Earth?
Even if she couldn't, surely Yang Hui would—wait, Yang Hui! Only two ships!
"Are you certain only the Archangel and another unidentified warship are blocking the 3rd and 4th Mobile Fleets? No third ship has appeared?"
"Y-yes, sir."
"Can the identity of the other ship be confirmed?"
"N-no, but the database confirms the presence of four MS units: Freedom, Justice, Rebirth, and Covenant."
"Freedom, Justice, Rebirth, Covenant... That's it! It must be!"
Duan Halbaton had figured it out. Though under semi-house arrest, he wasn't completely cut off from the outside world. He had his own intelligence channels and maintained a secret connection with Wang Liu Mei.
He knew Yang Hui's personal MS was the Dawn Gundam, and that his companions' three Gundams were named Exia, Cherudim, and Virtue. He also knew ZAFT Forces' four MS units were the Freedom Gundam, Justice Gundam, Rebirth Gundam, and Covenant Gundam.
Now, only two of the three ships had appeared, with one missing. Given the vast disparity in numbers and the absence of Yang Hui, Setsuna, Lyle, and Tieria...
"They're planning to infiltrate PLANT territory with a single ship!"
Realizing this, Duan Halbaton immediately issued new orders: "The 3rd and 4th Fleets are to maintain formation and retreat. The 5th and 6th Mobile Fleets are to set sail immediately and rendezvous with them at coordinates G11!"
"R-retreat?" The officers were stunned again.
"Correct! Retreat and preserve our strength. Once the 5th and 6th Fleets arrive, we'll break through their blockade in one decisive push!"
"U-understood."
"Also, seal all nuclear warheads. Their use is prohibited from now on."
"What?! General! That's unacceptable! Without nukes, how can we stand against ZAFT!?"
"Did we fear them before we had nuclear weapons?"
"W-well..."
"Or do you intend to repeat the tragedies of Julius 7 or Artemis?"
"But ZAFT has nuclear weapons..."
"Trust me, they won't get a second shot." Duan Halbaton spoke firmly to the group.
"...Understood!"
Duan Halbaton had ordered the nuclear warheads sealed for two reasons. First, he had always disliked nuclear weapons—lifting the ban was acceptable as a deterrent, but their actual use would spell disaster for all humanity. Second, he had deduced Yang Hui's plan and was betting on his success in destroying Genesis.
This was a last resort. The Earth Forces fleet was too large to infiltrate PLANT territory covertly to sabotage Genesis. Launching an attack from the Moon would require the fleet to breach the defenses of both Boaz Fortress and Jachin Due—a task too time-consuming and resource-intensive to accomplish.
Therefore, Duan Halbaton decided to coordinate with Yang Hui's operation by organizing a fleet to attack Boaz Fortress. This served two purposes: first, using Boaz Fortress as a shield to deter the ZAFT Forces from firing Genesis at the main fleet; second, buying more time for Yang Hui's mission by tying down the fortress's defenders and even part of Jachin Due's defensive forces.
After issuing the orders, Duan Halbaton returned to the Menelaus, locked himself in his room, and took out a secure communicator to send a message outlining his plan.
Whether the recipient would receive it or how they would respond, he didn't know—but he had done everything within his power. The rest was up to fate.
"I hope it's not too late... Yang Hui. The fate of Earth—of humanity—rests with you now."
(End of Chapter)