As the Archangel returned to Orb, passing the departing relief fleet, we were instructed to dock openly at the harbor—a stark contrast to our previous secretive departures. At first, I wondered why we were being so conspicuous, but the sight at the pier provided the answer: crowds of Orb citizens had gathered, their cheers echoing across the water as the ship approached.
Looking out, I noticed massive monitors near the port broadcasting footage of our battle against the Allied Forces. I nodded to myself; Uzumi certainly didn't waste any time.
The screens displayed the Megillot units obliterating Strike Daggers with their Circle Lasers and the Glowsavior effortlessly dominating the late-model GAT-X series.
"As expected of Uzumi. He moves fast."
No matter how much he claimed Orb wasn't isolated or that they had allied with beings from another world, few citizens would have truly believed they could stand against the Earth Alliance. By publicizing this footage, he was showing the people of Orb exactly what the combined strength of their nation and Shadow Mirror looked like.
Normally, such footage would be heavily edited to hide disadvantages, but since we had dominated the entire engagement, there was no need for touch-ups. That was likely why he was able to get it on the air so quickly.
"Axel, a message just came in from Representative Uzumi. He's requesting an urgent meeting," Murrue called out to me from the bridge.
I sighed. I would have loved a moment to rest, but I couldn't blame Uzumi for being impatient given his position. Still... "urgent"? Something must have happened.
"Got it. Tell him I'm on my way. Does he just want me?"
"He asked for Major La Flaga and Kira-kun as well."
"And you, Murrue?"
"Even if it's temporary, the Captain of the Archangel can't just leave her post. We repelled the first wave, but we're still technically at war."
"In that case... Cornelia, are you up for it?"
I turned to Cornelia, who had been watching the harbor alongside me. She nodded immediately.
"I don't mind. Shall we?"
She flashed a smug little smirk at Murrue as she headed for the exit, which left Murrue looking slightly piqued. Mu patted my shoulder with a chuckle, watching the silent play between the two women, before he and Kira followed her out. I trailed behind them with a sigh.
"See you later," I called back to Murrue before the doors closed.
We initially tried to take an electric car to the government sector, but the crowds around the Archangel were so dense that moving through them would have taken hours. We ended up having to contact the government to send a transport helicopter just to get us across the city.
"Sorry to keep you wait—"
I started to apologize as I entered Uzumi's office, but the words died in my throat. There was an unexpected guest waiting for us.
In the room were Uzumi, Kisaka, Cagalli... and one other.
"Athrun!?"
Kira, who had been right behind me, cried out in shock at the sight of his friend.
Indeed, Athrun Zala was standing right there in the office of Orb's Representative. In the original story, Athrun had brought the Justice to Orb's vicinity when the Alliance invaded, eventually joining the fray to save Kira from the Calamity, Forbidden, and Raider. Given the timeline shift, his presence here wasn't entirely illogical, but it was certainly early.
Athrun gave a slight bow as we entered, then looked to Uzumi to speak.
"Axel-kun, you did well. I've seen the footage; the strength of Shadow Mirror is undeniable."
"Glad to hear it. And...?" I turned my gaze toward Athrun, who was still wearing his red ZAFT elite pilot suit.
"He isn't here as an official messenger from ZAFT," Uzumi explained. "He contacted Cagalli personally, wishing to speak with Kira."
"This is our first time meeting face-to-face. I am Athrun Zala."
"Zala?" Mu repeated, narrowing his eyes.
Uzumi nodded. "Yes. The son of Patrick Zala, Chairman of the PLANT Supreme Council."
"I see," Mu muttered, shooting a meaningful look at Athrun. Since I'd shared my knowledge of Patrick Zala's "Genesis" project with him, the name carried a lot of weight.
Athrun, seemingly unbothered by the scrutiny, spoke directly to Kira. "Kira... did you let anyone else touch the Freedom?"
Kira shook his head, understanding Athrun's concern immediately. "No. No one. ...Athrun, did you come to Orb because of the Freedom?"
"That was part of it. But right now, talking to you is more important than the mission. Do you mind?"
"No. ...Representative Uzumi, Axel-san, is it okay if I go talk with Athrun?"
"Fine by me," I said. "Representative?"
"I have no objection. I've heard you two were childhood friends. There is much you likely need to say to one another. Cagalli, take them to a quiet room."
"Right, I'm on it. Come on, you two." Cagalli grabbed both of the stiff, awkward boys and led them out.
The pieces are falling into place, I thought. Even though our current strength was arguably enough on its own, I didn't want the Justice as an enemy. Athrun would be fine in the hands of Kira and Cagalli. I didn't expect him to join Shadow Mirror, but he'd likely align with Orb eventually—just like in the Destiny timeline.
I sat down on the guest sofa in Uzumi's office to get down to business.
"Now, regarding today's battle," Uzumi began once the three were gone.
"In terms of repelling the Alliance, it was a success. However, Azrael, our primary target, managed to escape."
"That is regrettable," Uzumi admitted, "but the fact that Orb did not become a battlefield is a blessing. I cannot ask for more without offending Haumea."
"Haumea?" Cornelia asked, looking at me.
"The local deity," I explained. "The volcano at the center of the island is seen as a goddess. That's the gist of it."
"A fair enough summary," Uzumi noted.
"Religious debates aside," Mu cut in, "what's the next move?"
I let out a long breath. "Losing Azrael is a major blow. It throws our schedule into chaos."
If we had killed Azrael today, we could have dictated the pace of the war. But with him loose, things would likely drift back toward the original script. If I didn't move carefully, there was no telling where or when he might get his hands on the N-Jammer Canceler data.
Which meant...
"We have to let Victoria Fall," I said.
Uzumi's expression darkened. "So we abandon Victoria?"
I could only nod. Without the Azrael variable settled, sabotaging the Alliance's attempt to retake their mass driver was no longer the priority. We had to focus on the bigger picture.
"Then the final confrontation will be in space," Uzumi stated.
"I agree," Mu said, "but now that we're open enemies of the Alliance, where do we go? We don't have a base up there."
Normally, Orb had the Heliopolis colony, but that had been destroyed during my messy arrival into this world. We had no place for repairs or resupply. I had considered setting up a Gate on the Archangel, but Lemon warned me that multiple Gates in one world could cause interference. If we were following the original path, there was only one place to go.
"We either seize an Alliance or ZAFT facility, or occupy a derelict one," I said. "Mendel, in the L4 cluster, is our target."
"Mendel? Wasn't there a massive biohazard there years ago?" Mu asked skeptically. "Is it even safe?"
"It was sterilized with high-dose gamma radiation. I've heard rumors of pirates using it as a hideout, but we'll do a full sweep before we dock. It should be fine."
In the original story, it was perfectly usable. I just hoped this world followed suit. Besides, we had to go there for the truth about Rau Le Creuset and Kira's past... wait.
"Representative Uzumi, do I have your approval for the move to Mendel?"
"If you say it is necessary, then I trust your judgment. I assume you have your reasons?"
"I do. If my hunch is right, Azrael will show his face there. It's our best shot at stopping the N-Jammer Cancelers from falling into Alliance hands. And then there's G.A.R.M. R&D... I think you know what that name implies."
Uzumi's face went pale. He knew exactly what I meant. Ulen Hibiki, the biological father of Kira and Cagalli, had been the lead researcher at G.A.R.M. R&D on Mendel. It was their birthplace.
"...I see. I understand. Then I should leave the Orb detachment in Cagalli's hands?"
"Lord Uzumi!?" Kisaka exclaimed, stepping forward in protest.
But Uzumi shook his head. "This is her destiny, Kisaka. As the daughter of the Lion of Orb, Uzumi Nara Athha."
"Getting a bit dramatic, isn't he?" Mu whispered.
"You're one to talk, Mu," I replied.
"Me? What do I have to do with this?"
"You and Rau have that 'resonance,' don't you? The information to explain exactly what that is... it's buried there on Mendel."
"For real?"
"Whether we like it or not, Mendel is where all the threads of fate converge."
I wanted to dig into information regarding the "Destiny Plan" while we were there, but considering the time and manpower, that might be a bridge too far.
"I understand the plan for Mendel," Uzumi said, "but what of our forces? The Megillot units took losses today."
I did the math. We had lost about 50 Megillot units. Between the GyanLand and the Sea Lion, Orb was safe for now. Plus, the M1 Astray production was ramping up, and they still had their conventional defenses.
"The Archangel will be our flagship. From Shadow Mirror, it'll be myself, Lemon, Cornelia, and Murrue, along with 50 Megillot units. Echidna will stay behind as Captain of the GyanLand."
Unlike the Alliance, ZAFT pilots were skilled. We wouldn't be able to just "unmanned-swarm" our way to victory as easily as we did today. Fifty units was the limit for what the Archangel and the Kusanagi could carry anyway. I considered bringing out the Mass-Produced Winky types, but I didn't want to cause friction with the regular crew who weren't cleared for that level of tech.
"Very well. Orb will provide the Kusanagi. Cagalli will be the Captain, with Kisaka acting as her advisor."
Kisaka bowed, accepting the order. He'd been by her side since her "Desert Dawn" days, so they were a solid team.
"Wait, what's the Kusanagi?" Mu asked.
Kisaka smiled slightly. "An Izumo-class ship built by Morgenroete. It served as the design basis for the Archangel."
"Huh. Big sister to the Archangel, then?" Mu noted, impressed.
I looked at Uzumi. "How long until Orb is ready to launch?"
"We can finalize preparations tomorrow. Can we depart the day after?"
"That works. We only need a few hours on our end, so we'll follow your lead."
"Excellent. Then let us begin the preparations immediately."
With that, our next destination was set: the silent, haunting corridors of the Mendel colony.
Pilot Profile: Axel Almar
Level: 37
PP: 205
Stats: * Melee: 258 | Ranged: 278 | Skill: 268
Defense: 268 | Evasion: 298 | Accuracy: 318
SP: 454
Ace Bonus: SP Boost (Consumes SP to enhance unit performance)
Growth Type: Universal/Special
Terrain Ratings: Air: S | Land: S | Sea: S | Space: S
Spirit Commands: * Accel (4) | Effort (8) | Focus (16) | Direct Hit (30) | Rouse (32) | Love (48)
Skills: * EXP Up
SP Boost (SP Up Lv.9, SP Regen, Concentration)
Psychokinesis Lv.10
Attacker
Gunfight Lv.9
In-fight Lv.9
Will Limit Break
Geass (Grey)
[???] x5
Total Kills: 294
-------------------------------
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