The sound of gunfire wasn't loud—likely coming from the corridors and lobby outside the theater. It came and went quickly, ceasing entirely within minutes. Several men in black suits entered the theater, led by a figure in a ZAFT military uniform.
"Who are you?" Athrun, Dearka, and Nicol aimed their guns at the newcomers.
"It's alright, Athrun, Dearka, Nicol. They're comrades who share our ideals."
Sure enough, the leading soldier stepped into the light, revealing his face. Had Yang Hui been present, he would have recognized him immediately—Dakosta, the former adjutant of Andrew Waltfeld.
"Miss Lacus, it's time for us to go."
"Understood." Lacus nodded, then turned to Athrun, Dearka, and Nicol. "Thank you, Athrun, Dearka, Nicol."
"What exactly is…?"
Lacus didn't explain. She stepped out of their protective circle and approached Dakosta. "What about Mentor Malchio?"
"He has already departed safely."
"Then…" Knowing that Mentor Malchio was safe and that her father had long since left PLANT via a prearranged route, Lacus realized her own presence must have been discovered. It was time for her to leave as well. "Athrun, Dearka, Nicol, thank you for bringing Haro to me."
"Lacus…"
"Before we meet again, I hope you'll see for yourselves what is happening in this world—what is unfolding before us. And who it is that we, all of us, should be fighting against."
As Lacus walked away, her parting words echoed in their minds. Perhaps… they really needed to see the truth with their own eyes. Otherwise… they might not even know whether they could still pull the trigger against their enemies.
The Archangel and the remaining Earth Forces vessels safely returned to Orb under fleet escort. Since they hadn't yet decided to formally join Orb, their status remained sensitive. They couldn't appear openly in public and were instead directed to a secret port for temporary docking.
"Now you can finally rest easy for a while."
"Yeah." The crew fell silent. From the moment they fled Heliopolis, they had been in a constant state of tension. Every brief respite they'd had since then had been in Orb. It made them sigh inwardly—Orb truly was a wonderful nation.
After the ships docked, Uzumi met privately with each vessel's captain. Unlike the previous diplomatic announcement, this time their arrival was unsanctioned, so they couldn't move freely. They had no choice but to remain aboard their ships for the time being.
As for Cagalli… she hurriedly boarded the Archangel, searching for Kira. She had believed him dead, but now that she knew he was alive, she rushed to find him, ready to throw her arms around him. But the moment she saw Flay clinging intimately to Kira's arm, she froze in place.
"Cagalli?"
"You two… what's this?" Cagalli pointed numbly at Flay, who was wrapped around Kira.
"Well… it's exactly what it looks like," Kira replied sheepishly, scratching his head.
Kira reunited with Flay. After experiencing life and death separations, and the forced parting in Alaska, both Kira and Flay had changed. Kira found his path forward and strengthened his resolve, while Flay... Of course, she couldn't completely turn around all at once, but she discovered her dependence on Kira and realized how panicked and fearful she became without him. So her hatred and manipulation lessened, replaced by genuine feelings.
"This... you two... I..." Cagalli seemed deeply shocked, stepping back unsteadily.
"Cagalli? What's wrong?" Kira asked worriedly, thinking she might be sick.
"You idiot!!!"
Tears welling in her eyes, Cagalli turned and ran away, nearly colliding with Yang Hui.
"What's with this girl again... Hmm?" Initially puzzled by Cagalli's outburst, Yang Hui understood everything upon seeing Kira and Flay together.
"Yang Hui, Cagalli she..."
"She's fine. Just intermittent madness—she'll be okay after a while. Don't worry about her." Yang Hui waved off Kira's concern. Though Kira only saw Cagalli as a friend, Flay was right there beside him. It wouldn't be right for him to think about another woman while his girlfriend was present, whether as a friend or otherwise.
Besides, Cagalli's affection for Kira might not necessarily be romantic—it could just be the closeness of shared blood. Better to let her wake up to reality sooner rather than later. Otherwise, if she truly misunderstood and later learned the truth, things would get really messy.
"Is that so?"
"Exactly. But you two... congratulations." Yang Hui teased.
"Ahaha, thanks."
"Hmph!" Flay turned her head away, ignoring Yang Hui. Though she'd matured and understood many things—including that her father's death wasn't Yang Hui's fault—she still disliked him.
"Flay..." Kira felt awkward, caught between his girlfriend and good friend.
"Alright, I'll head out now. You two can rest—I've still got work to do."
"Mm, thanks for your hard work."
"I'm used to it. But Kira, Flay..." As he passed by, Yang Hui spoke over his shoulder to Flay, "...truly, congratulations."
...
Yang Hui left the Archangel and headed straight for the Defense Ministry. He still needed to hear reports on the territorial waters border skirmish and the situation in Papua New Guinea.
"The Morishima and Yamazaki suffered moderate damage, while the Benson, Kirishima, and Ranmaru sustained minor damage. Fleet losses were minimal—the main casualties were in the MS units. The 1st MS Battalion lost eight units, but thankfully the pilots survived with only minor injuries," Togao reported regretfully.
"So... what exactly are you regretting? With those losses, we annihilated the Zodiac Alliance of Freedom Treaty fleet." Yang Hui chuckled at Togao's attitude. Wasn't such a victory enough? This seemed almost excessive.
"Nothing. It's just that this battle revealed our military's shortcomings."
"Go on." Both Yang Hui and Sumeragi listened attentively. Togao was an excellent commander, and frontline feedback was the most valuable.
"Mainly coordination issues between MS units and the fleet. Also, the M1 Astray isn't suited for naval combat."
"Hmm... that is indeed an issue." Yang Hui and Sumeragi were well aware of this. The M1 Astray had only just begun mass production. Although designed from the outset to be modular like the Strike, capable of equipping different Armed Backpacks to adapt to various combat environments, mass-producing the base M1 Astray was already pushing Orb's limits in terms of resources and funding. There simply wasn't enough to mass-produce specialized backpacks as well.
The Armed Backpacks themselves weren't particularly expensive, and Yang Hui could provide the blueprints anytime. But one must remember—most of Orb's resources and funds had been transferred to Ame No Minashira, which remained the priority for allocation.
Moreover, even if they could mass-produce them, Orb lacked the time to train pilots to adapt. Custom modifications for a few aces were feasible, but not all pilots possessed such adaptability. They had undergone extensive training just to master operating the M1 Astray. Introducing additional equipment and unfamiliar combat environments would yield no immediate results.
"For now, we can't resolve the M1 Astray issue. But regarding unit coordination... Sumeragi."
"Already handled. Togao, the Fourth and Fifth Fleets only get three days of rest. Then you'll lead MS units in joint training and submit a detailed report with recommendations."
"Understood."
"What's the current situation in Papua New Guinea?" Yang Hui asked next.
"Progressing smoothly. After the Alaska battle, Carpentaria only retained minimal defensive forces. Most troops from the Oceania Federation's occupied territories were withdrawn. The remaining garrisons barely have any MS—just armed helicopters and tanks. They couldn't withstand our offensive." As she reported, Sumeragi pulled up the tactical map, marking Orb fleet advancements.
The Torres Strait was blocked, with Cape York and Cooktown under threat. Carpentaria Base's defenders dared not move, forced to watch helplessly as Orb forces landed at Papua Gulf before pushing inland.
"What about Port Moresby? Significant damage?"
"None."
"None?"
"Correct. There was no battle at Port Moresby. Guelt performed exceptionally—he recognized the port's strategic importance for supplying frontline troops. Instead of a direct assault, his fleet merely confronted the defenders while our main force landed at Papua Gulf. Then, using special forces and elite marines, he launched a surprise attack from behind Port Moresby with intel support, capturing it without firing a shot."
"Impressive." Yang Hui had to give Guelt credit—feigning an attack while stealthily advancing was masterful tactics.
"The 3rd MS Unit, along with the 7th and 8th Marine Units and 10th Air Strike Unit, have been dispatched as reinforcements. Our accompanying officials are en route too."
"It's mid-May now. Can we secure all of Papua New Guinea by June?"
"Barring unforeseen circumstances, yes. But full consolidation will take additional time."
"...How are the local residents treating us?"
"With open arms, of course. The ZAFT Forces haven't been very popular since occupying Papua New Guinea."
"And their attitude towards Coordinators?"
"Not exactly warm or friendly, but they won't go out of their way to harm them."
"That's enough. We'll expand inland from Port Moresby." As he spoke, Yang Hui drew a circle radiating outward from Port Moresby. "Securing control of these cities is top priority—I mean complete control!"
"Understood."
"By June, the 1st MS Battalion and Special Battalion must return to Orb. All their operations will be handed over to the 3rd MS Battalion along with the 7th and 8th Ground Battalions and 10th Air Strike Battalion."
"Understood. I'll keep track of the timeline."
"Good. I'll leave this to you then—I'm going to see Lord Uzumi."
(End of Chapter)