The battle raged for nearly two more hours before the Earth Alliance suddenly signaled a retreat. By dusk, all the Earth Alliance Mobile Suits had completely withdrawn from the territorial waters of the Orb Union.
The Freedom Gundam hovered in the air. Inside the cockpit, Kira Yamato watched the receding Earth Alliance fleet and their Mobile Suits, his eyes narrowing. He turned his machine toward the red Mobile Suit that had come to his aid.
"Athrun..."
The red machine also turned toward the Freedom. Inside was none other than Kira's dear friend, Athrun Zala.
"Kira..."
The two machines descended to the ground. The pilots of all the remaining Mobile Suits finally left their stifling cockpits, collapsing onto the earth, drenched in sweat.
Medical units rushed forward to treat the wounded.
Cagalli and the other commanders arrived at the front lines with several trucks filled with water and food to provide relief to the soldiers. The battle had been utterly exhausting, mostly because the Earth Alliance had deployed an overwhelming number of Mobile Suits.
"You all did a great job," Cagalli said. "Even though Orb still doesn't know the reason for their sudden retreat..."
Just then, the Archangel made its landing.
The Freedom Gundam and the red Justice Gundam touched down on the coast. Kira and Athrun used their descent cables to reach the ground and began walking toward each other.
Cagalli's personal guards immediately raised their rifles, aiming them directly at Athrun. Kira shouted hurriedly, "He's not an enemy!"
Cagalli frowned slightly, then raised her hand, gesturing for her guards to lower their weapons. She paid no more attention to Kira and Athrun, running instead toward Murrue Ramius and the others who were emerging from the Archangel.
"What about Mikazuki? Hasn't he returned yet?"
Murrue shook her head, her expression grim. "We can't contact him."
The Sastry landed beside the Archangel at that moment. Cagalli turned to her guards and ordered, "Send out two drones to search"
"No need. They're coming."
An abrupt voice interrupted Cagalli's command. Everyone, save for those from the Archangel, was startled by the sound.
The one speaking was Orga Itsuka. The two main cannons of the Sastry swiveled, pointing their muzzles toward the empty sky.
A pilot sitting in a nearby M1 Astray saw a red dot flash on his radar and shouted to those below, "Unknown signal detected at the one o'clock position! It's approaching rapidly! It's a Mobile Suit!"
"What?"
Everyone was shocked, instinctively looking up in the reported direction. Against the backdrop of the setting sun, a black speck was closing in at high speed.
Ride Mass raised his binoculars and cried out in alarm, "It's that machine Barbatos lured away! Everyone, look out!"
Boom!
The Sastry's main cannons fired simultaneously. However, the black machine dodged the green laser beams with ease. Another beam was even sliced apart by the Graze Ein using its Battle Axe made of Nano-laminate Armor.
"Accomplices of Tekkadan! Accept the judgment of Gjallarhorn!"
Cagalli saw the machine's absurd speed and realized there was no time for their own forces to board their machines and prepare for combat. She screamed, "Run! Get out of here!"
Thud.
But before they could even move, the Graze Ein had already bypassed the Sastry and landed on the ground just a few hundred meters away from the group.
The rectangular camera on the Graze Ein's head shifted down to its chin, revealing a glowing red eye that stared down at the crew of the Archangel and the soldiers of Orb.
"So it is you... the things that sinful child wants to protect..."
Hearing this black machine call Mikazuki "sinful," Murrue frowned and stepped forward, shouting at the Graze Ein, "Who are you? Why are you here?"
"Me? I am a member of the righteous Gjallarhorn, come to judge the sinful Tekkadan! You... what is your relationship with that group of hopeless trash?"
Murrue's frown deepened, but before she could speak, Cagalli cut in.
"Mikazuki is a companion of Orb! I don't care who you are, this is Orb territory. If you want to enter, you follow Orb's rules. Get out of that machine! Now!"
"Companion... I see. So you really are in league with those rats. You are all beyond saving!"
The Graze Ein suddenly went berserk, its red monoeye glowing with a bloody light. It raised its right hand, gripping its Battle Axe, and hurled it straight toward Cagalli.
Everyone's faces paled. The nearby Orb soldiers instinctively moved to shield Cagalli.
"Who told you that you could come here!"
Clang!
The Battle Axe was knocked aside as the towering form of the Barbatos appeared in front of Cagalli and Murrue.
Murrue stared blankly at the Gundam before her. "Mikazuki..."
Orga's voice rang out in everyone's ears once more. "You're too slow, Mikazuki."
"I made it in time, didn't I..."
Inside the cockpit of the Barbatos, Mikazuki Augus's right eye was filled with a blood-like red, his face set in a cold, ruthless expression.
Yet, his gaze remained indifferent as he looked coldly at the Graze Ein standing before him.
"Mikazuki Augus..."
"Attacking defenseless civilians... you people from Gjallarhorn are the ones who are truly corrupt," Orga's voice echoed through the area over the public communication channel. "I think I finally understand why McGillis Fareed wanted to overthrow you. If we in Tekkadan are demons, then you in Gjallarhorn are... demons among demons. Hypocrites who say one thing and do another."
Hearing Orga's words, the pilot of the Graze Ein let out a long, howling roar as he fell further into madness.
"Shut up! How could trash like you, who trampled over Lieutenant Crank Zent's mercy and know nothing of honor, understand the greatness of Gjallarhorn?"
"You people... McGillis Fareed... the revolution you started was a curse upon the world from the very beginning!"
"I saw it all! On the battlefields of Mars, I saw it! You... the demon of Tekkadan, Mikazuki Augus, having his head taken by Ensign Julieta Juris! That was retribution! Justice was served!"
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