"Father, this is all your fault!"
"You brought war to Orb!"
The situation deteriorated so rapidly that Uzumi was caught completely off guard, as if it had happened in the blink of an eye.
The East Asian Army had reached the outskirts of Orb's main urban area. Although Orb's Self-Defense Forces fought 'valiantly,'
even at the cost of destroying their Homeland, they couldn't stop the East Asian Army's advance.
Seeing that the situation was beyond salvage,
especially since Orb didn't have Kira's Freedom Gundam rushing to extinguish fires everywhere this time,
it was impossible to repel the initial attack from the Atlantic Federation like in the original timeline.
Therefore, Uzumi no longer remained stationed at the so-called Ministry of Defense to command.
He took the lead, bringing along relevant important figures and his daughter.
They used underground secret passages to reach the Mass Driver located at Kaguya Port.
Although this area had also been invaded by East Asian Army surprise attack units,
the Mass Driver—a treasure the East Asian Army was determined to capture—was here.
As a result, both the intensity of the combat and the speed of advancement were slow.
Moreover, this was also a place where Uzumi had heavily deployed troops, so it could still provide them with some psychological comfort for the time being,
allowing them to catch their breath briefly.
Once they reached a safe place, Uzumi's feelings were complex as he looked at his still ranting, troublesome daughter.
Due to historical reasons, the nation of Orb valued not bloodline continuity but the so-called inheritance of the family name.
So, was Cagalli a suitable heir?
Staring at his daughter with a scrutinizing gaze, Uzumi was no longer a father doting on his child.
He had become a qualified politician.
Before the war, as his daughter, she had openly opposed him and sung a different tune.
She refused to give up until the last moment, running around everywhere trying to delay the East Asian Army's attack.
She was able to immerse herself among the people to gain public favor, and most importantly, there was her relationship with that East Asian Qilin!
"Cagalli." Uzumi was not someone who couldn't accept reality; since his tightrope walk had failed,
it was time to consider what came after. As long as the nation of Orb remained, there would always be opportunities.
Bowing low and acting submissive—in this regard, the five great clans that came to Orb were experienced.
And he believed that when Orb reached a crossroads again in the future, his successors would surely walk the path he had once taken!
Having made up his mind, he slowly and solemnly said to his daughter in front of everyone,
"I leave the future of Orb to you."
"Huh?" Cagalli, who was still cursing her father, was stunned.
What did her father just say?
"I said I leave the future of Orb to you, my daughter Cagalli Yula Athha."
A benevolent smile spread across his face as Uzumi placed his hands on his daughter Cagalli's shoulders.
He repeated the words he had once spoken.
"Father?"
Wide-eyed, Cagalli could no longer utter any other words. She was impulsive but not foolish.
Her father's words were filled with the meaning of a final farewell.
Could it be?
"The world is being split in half by two major powers. Once the world becomes bipolar, the flames of hatred will never be extinguished."
"It will inevitably lead to a brutal situation where one side completely crushes the other."
"I once envisioned using Orb as a bridge to unite all neutral nations as a lubricant between the two poles."
"This would ease global tensions and maintain rationality between both sides."
Seizing the final opportunity, Uzumi elaborated on his ideals.
Though he had already resolved to meet his end, he still desired a favorable legacy.
After all, in Orb's unique national context, a tragic, failed hero was a significant advantage.
He believed most citizens would understand him—and after learning of his intentions—
might even come to revere him. This would be his final gift to Cagalli!
"But Orb…"
Listening to her father's oft-repeated ideals, Cagalli found them grand yet unrealistic.
Put kindly, it was a "lubricant"; put bluntly—
her father was attempting to create a third pole in the world.
Orb, with its limited strength, couldn't shoulder such a burden!
Hadn't he seen the situation outside?
The East Asian Army had effortlessly flattened Orb, like a sandcastle on the shore.
"Cagalli, go to space. You won't be alone!"
Not giving his daughter—whose face clearly showed disagreement and disbelief—a chance to speak,
Uzumi leaned close to Cagalli's ear and whispered softly.
"Someone in space will help you. Also, take this—it's time you learned the truth."
Pulling an old object from his chest, Uzumi tucked it directly into Cagalli's pocket.
"Read it after you reach space. From now on, lead Orb according to your own ideals."
"If possible, heed the advice of that East Asian Qilin. Ensure Orb's survival at any cost."
"People must act in accordance with their positions. You believe this, and so does that Qilin of East Asia."
"If he can aid Orb, then Orb's revival is not just a dream."
"Father?"
The sudden revelation left Cagalli speechless, her questions stuck in her throat.
His subsequent words struck her with even greater impact!
Staring at her father, the girl's attention shifted to the so-called truth.
And someone in space would help her?
Who? Who could it be? The East Asian Kirin, Wang Hu?
What did "at any cost" even mean?
Involuntarily, the girl thought of herself.
Her mind was in chaos—too much had happened today, and Cagalli wasn't the quick-witted type.
By the time she finally sorted through her thoughts and regained her composure,
she was already on the path to the mass driver.
"Where is my father?"
Clutching the pocket where her father had placed the item, she asked those around her.
Though burning with curiosity about its contents, she knew it wasn't the time to openly examine it.
"Representative Asuha is at the Kaguya Port control center."
Likely due to Uzumi's earlier performance—just as he had anticipated—
Orb's unique folk customs, combined with the fact that those remaining were undoubtedly Asuha loyalists,
the attendant answering Cagalli added with reverence in his eyes:
"Representative Asuha plans to stand with Orb to the very end at Kaguya Port!"
"What?"
Cagalli had anticipated this earlier, but when the moment actually arrived, she still couldn't accept it.
"I must go back for Father. The nation of Orb cannot be without him.Attempting to break free and return to bring her father along, Cagalli sadly realized she couldn't break the restraints of those around her.
Under what felt like coercion, the girl was brought to the Mass Driver where Orb's space battleship was already stationed.
The Izumo-class Kusanagi, which would soon be launched into space.
Meanwhile, Uzumi, who had just bid farewell to his daughter Cagalli, stood in the launch control center of the Spaceport.
Staring at the tactical display before him, he seemed to have noticed something unusual.
Though not a professional military personnel, his observations of the East Asian Army's rapid advance from Orb's outer seas and main city area gave him enough experience to furrow his brow and ask:
"Is the East Asian Army plotting something?"
It was no wonder he asked - the East Asian forces that launched a surprise attack on Kaguya Port had arrived even earlier than those attacking Orb's main island.
Yet after all this time, the East Asian troops outside Kaguya Port continued to engage Orb's forces in what resembled child's play.
The Unmanned dragonflies, Rotor Drones, and Unmanned spiders deployed by the East Asian Army on the main island battlefield were nowhere to be seen.
This was too abnormal, too chilling.
Like the eerie calm before a natural disaster, it kept everyone on edge.
No one answered. In truth, the garrison forces at Kaguya Port had already noticed the issues Uzumi pointed out.
They had tried to find reasonable explanations, whether by initiating attacks themselves or setting traps to reveal weaknesses.
Attempting to lure the East Asian Army into their prepared encirclement.
But the enemy remained unmoved. What's more, the Jeda and Methuss units currently facing their forces were clearly the East Asian Army's elite troops.
They couldn't possibly be afraid of us!
"Hmm?" After waiting without receiving any response from his subordinates, Uzumi turned to look behind him.
His sharp, stern eyes scrutinized everyone present. Though not adept at warfare, he was quite skilled in political maneuvering.
His gaze swept across and settled on an officer with a slightly unusual expression.
Pretending not to have noticed anything, Uzumi beckoned a trusted aide.
After whispering something in the aide's ear, the well-aware Supreme Representative of Orb continued watching the tactical screen with his hands clasped behind his back.
Looking at the interwoven display of enemy and friendly attack formations, his expression remained neutral though inwardly he was extremely anxious.
Please, please, please don't let it be what I'm thinking.
But as often happens, the more one fears something, the more likely it becomes.
After the trusted aide received Uzumi's orders and left the central control room,
He hurried to the Mass Driver with a group of absolutely reliable soldiers.
Shockingly, the aide discovered that the bombs placed at key positions of the Mass Driver before the battle...
Now had many unfamiliar faces wearing Orb Self-Defense Force uniforms stationed near them!
Without needing to ask, the aide could guess where these unfamiliar faces came from.
If they weren't special forces infiltrated by the East Asian Army, the trusted aide would have rather eaten the entire Mass Driver whole.
Without another word, the trusted aide drew his gun and fired, rallying the reliable soldiers around him.
At key points of the Mass Driver, the Orb Self-Defense Forces trusted by the Asuha family engaged in fierce firefights with the East Asian Army's special forces.
But the East Asian special forces who had infiltrated earlier were no pushovers. Despite nervously dismantling bombs planted everywhere by Orb forces while simultaneously fending off Orb's attacks, they maintained a swift and controlled combat rhythm.
"Bastard, you traitor!"
Seeing the commotion at the Mass Driver, Uzumi's vision went dark and he nearly collapsed. Bracing himself against a nearby console, he pointed at the previously suspicious officer and shouted, ordering guards to arrest the traitorous officer.
No sooner said than done - since the traitorous officer dared to defect to the East Asian Army, his position in this base must have been considerable. He naturally had some trusted followers of his own. Having been exposed for betraying Orb, his original plan to keep all senior officials in the control room under control before handing them over to the East Asian Army for greater merit was ruined.
Now that he was discovered prematurely, there was nothing left to say. Before the guards could reach him, the traitorous officer dashed outside where his subordinates raised their weapons, exchanging fire with Asuha's loyal guards in the central control room's corridor.
Chaos erupted everywhere.
Gunfire persisted at the Mass Driver while the central control tower of Kaguya Port also echoed with continuous shooting. Even frontline Orb Self-Defense Force soldiers noticed the unusual activity in the rear, causing widespread agitation.
"Athrun, it appears Uzumi is going to fail."
"Yes, Nicol, but we cannot hand the Mass Driver over to the East Asian Alliance!"
Two figures silently observing the entire scene from the distant horizon reached their conclusion.
(End of Chapter)