After scolding his brainless subordinates, Patrick Zala finally calmed down. Watching the Barbatos on the screen as it advanced in a specific direction, a dark premonition rose in his heart.
"That direction... Oh no! Quick, notify the factory! That suit's target is the new model!"
"Yes, sir!"
Patrick slammed his hand onto the table, his expression darkening to the absolute extreme.
"Dammit! Security for the new model should have been seamless. Only the high-level officials of the PLANT Supreme Council knew of it. Who is it? Just who leaked the intel...?"
Regardless of the frantic state of the PLANT Supreme Council, Mikazuki had already arrived outside the factory he had visited the day before. This was the location where the Freedom was housed.
Mikazuki understood the factory's basic structure perfectly thanks to Lacus. He easily reached the top of the factory, which was hidden at the satellite's base.
"Well then, sorry about this. I hope you guys don't get caught in the blast."
As Mikazuki spoke, the 200mm Arm Mortar on the Barbatos's left wrist rotated 180 degrees from its rear stowage to the front. Boom! Boom! He fired several rounds into the ground.
A massive hole appeared, and Mikazuki steered the Barbatos down into it without the slightest hesitation, successfully entering the passage used for MS deployment.
Amidst the ZAFT troops frantically fleeing for their lives, Mikazuki advanced toward the Freedom. Blasting open the hangar doors, he saw a pilot in a ZAFT Red uniform attempting to board the Freedom's cockpit.
However, the man was tossed aside by the force of the earlier explosion.
"Sorry, but I can't let you have this unit," Mikazuki muttered.
Barbatos raised its hand and swatted the man aside like a fly. In that moment, the most humiliated Red Uniform Elite in ZAFT history was born.
With the help of the Clyne Faction, the pneumatic hatch was successfully opened.
Mikazuki shoved aside the gantry and grabbed the Freedom by one of its arms. Opening the thrusters to full power, he instantly burst out of the passage with the Freedom in tow, flying out into the space surrounding the satellite.
The moment he exited, he saw five or six GINNs holding rifles, seemingly having waited in ambush for some time.
Mikazuki narrowed his eyes. Barbatos tightened its grip on the Freedom's right hand and threw the MS away.
"What?"
The GINN pilots were stunned. They couldn't fathom Mikazuki's intent, but what happened next left them with no capacity to think at all.
Having discarded the Freedom, the Barbatos moved as if its shackles had been shattered. Its speed surged violently as it drew the Sword Mace from its back. With a casual sweep of the heavy blade, one GINN was instantly scrapped.
Even as he turned, Mikazuki didn't even need to aim the rear-facing Arm Mortar before pulling the trigger. As the first GINN exploded, the second was hit and also went up in flames.
Barbatos stomped heavily on a distant GINN, leaping high into the air to re-grab the Freedom's arm before continuing its flight.
"Command from Zala! Even if we have to destroy it, we cannot let the new model fall into enemy hands! Take them down!"
Just as the GINNs raised their beam rifles to fire, an alarm blared inside their cockpits. A massive beam of light burst from the satellite's defensive wall, engulfing two of the GINNs instantly.
Barbatos halted its propulsion. Mikazuki, sitting in the cockpit, watched a blue warship emerge from the hole. He looked at the Tekkadan logo lighting up on his screen and smiled.
"You're a bit slow, Orga."
Orga replied with a disgruntled grunt.
"Shut up. Do you think hijacking a warship is easy? Especially when I'm the only one operating the whole thing... though, compared to an MS, a warship is actually a bit easier to handle."
As the Barbatos flew toward the warship's deploying deck with the Freedom, Mikazuki asked, "Are there no crew members?"
"None. Thanks to Lacus, everyone on this ship was tricked into disembarking. It saved us a lot of trouble."
Mikazuki suddenly realized something and asked urgently, "Where is Lacus?"
"Still inside the satellite."
Mikazuki's brow furrowed. "Isn't it more dangerous for her to stay there?"
"Yeah, but she said she has things she needs to do. She can't leave with us right now... well, I'll let her tell you herself. I'm patching her through."
Mikazuki tapped a button on the screen, and Lacus's exquisite, flawless face appeared before him.
"Mika."
"Lacus, what's going on? Aren't you coming with us?"
Lacus offered a small, apologetic smile.
"That's right. I cannot leave just yet. There are things I must attend to. It is time for the Song of Peace to ring out."
"I see."
"Yes. Please don't worry, Mika. I am always... with you. We will meet again soon."
Although Mikazuki didn't know exactly what the Song of Peace Lacus mentioned was, he understood one thing: Lacus was very, very important to him.
"Okay. If you run into danger, tell me. I'll come help you."
Lacus let out a joyful smile. She knew Mikazuki wasn't joking; if she truly told him she was in danger, he would absolutely pilot the Barbatos back to save her.
"Thank you. But Mika, you must remember... take good care of yourself."
Mikazuki scratched his cheek. "I got it."
"Honestly, how dismissive. I'm being serious with you..."
Before Lacus could finish her sentence, an urgent voice spoke from beside her.
"Miss Lacus, it's time to go."
Lacus's expression stiffened slightly. "I understand. Mika, goodbye for now."
"Be careful..."
"I will. Goodbye, Mika."
Lacus waved at Mikazuki before the screen cut to black.
Mikazuki pulled his thoughts back together. He trusted Lacus's abilities. Since she said they would meet again, they surely would.
"Time to head to Earth, Barbatos... Murrue is still waiting for me."
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