The communication ended as arcs of electricity danced across the device's surface before it emitted a final "pfft" and ceased functioning, wisps of smoke signaling its demise.
"Glad it worked when we needed it. That could've been troublesome." Yang Hui patted the remains of the device, relieved it had lasted this long.
"Who was that? Mercenaries?" Murrue asked.
"Yeah. The mercenary group Serpent Tail—exceptionally skilled. I've worked with them a few times. Their mission success rate is currently 100%."
"Wait, you're saying our reinforcements are just a bunch of mercenaries? Can they really help us?" Natarle Badgiruel questioned Yang Hui's decision. "Not to mention, the Archangel and the G Weapons are—"
"Classified, I know. But..." Yang Hui gave Natarle a weary look. "...how long has it been since ZAFT Forces captured four G Weapons?"
"Uh..."
"The data's already been extracted and likely sent to PLANT for research by now. At this point, can we still call the G Project classified?"
"..." Natarle fell silent, unable to counter.
"Besides... professional mercenaries know what to ask and what not to. Serpent Tail is the most disciplined—they focus solely on the job, not prying into the Archangel's secrets."
Serpent Tail and Gai Murakumo—the world's finest mercenary group. Small in numbers but composed of absolute elites, maintaining a mission success rate above 90%. They cared only about the contract, never asking unnecessary questions. That was why Yang Hui felt comfortable working with them.
Otherwise, even if Gai was a protagonist from another storyline in the Gundam SEED universe, Yang Hui wouldn't have trusted him. After all, the tasks requiring mercenaries weren't exactly aboveboard.
"Even so, how much combat capability can mercenaries offer? They... Wait, you mean that Mobile Suit—the one mentioned earlier—?"
"Yeah."
"...I still can't agree with this."
"It does seem unreliable. Mercenary groups don't have the best reputation."
"Decision made. We'll take the shortest route through the debris zone to the lunar base." In the end, Murrue accepted Yang Hui's proposal.
"Captain!"
"Hey now, this isn't a joke."
"I trust Yang Hui. He wouldn't joke about this—he's on this ship too." Murrue explained. "Wasn't the idea to resupply at the junk dealers' guild also hard to accept? Yet we shook off ZAFT's pursuit and got enough supplies. I believe this time will be no different."
"..."
The reasoning left the other two speechless. Perhaps it was a matter of perspective—their thinking tended to follow convention, while Yang Hui's ideas, though seemingly wild, were highly executable.
"Then it's settled."
Murrue immediately informed the bridge to reset the course, and the Archangel set sail.
There was another reason Murrue hadn't shared—she found a sense of security in Yang Hui's presence.
Suddenly attacked, Yang Hui helped her; suddenly becoming the captain of the Archangel, Yang Hui supported her; and now, Yang Hui once again proposed an unbelievable suggestion. Yet, she was still willing to trust him, just as before. She couldn't quite explain this sense of security and trust, but she was willing to follow her heart in making the decision.
"Alright then, I'll go rest for a while. I'm exhausted."
"Mm, you've worked hard."
Seeing this, the other three couldn't say much more. Though Yang Hui wasn't a soldier, he had helped them greatly and had been working tirelessly until now. It was time for him to get some proper rest.
However, after returning to his room, Yang Hui locked the door, took out his PAD, and sent an encrypted message—this was the final trump card he had kept hidden.
...
Just like in the original storyline, as soon as the Creuset Team changed course to pursue the Archangel, a recall order arrived from PLANT's homeland. Due to the collapse of Heliopolis, Orb had issued a strong protest, plunging the PLANT council into a state of tension. They urgently needed both Creuset and Athrun—who had been the only ones present during Heliopolis' collapse—to return for questioning.
"Now, regarding the collapse of Heliopolis on the territory of the Orb Union, this temporary hearing committee is convened…" Siegel Clyne, as the chairman, presided over the meeting and introduced a special guest in attendance. "…For this hearing committee, the representative of the Orb Union, Miss Wang Liu Mei, will participate as an invited member."
"Pleased to meet you all," Wang Liu Mei said, standing up from her seat at the end of the table and bowing to the members.
"So young…"
"She's just a child…"
"Even Orb is finished, sending a child for diplomacy…"
"This is ridiculous…"
...
The other members murmured among themselves, most of them looking down on Wang Liu Mei with disdain.
But Wang Liu Mei didn't care in the slightest. Anger was always the worst way to solve problems. She represented Orb now, and once she demonstrated her true capabilities and secured more benefits for Orb, they would realize how much their faces would sting.
"First, Rau Le Creuset, we will hear your report."
"Yes."
Creuset stepped forward from his seat and provided a detailed report on the collapse of Heliopolis, also submitting combat records as evidence.
"That concludes the full account. After hearing this, everyone should understand that my unit's actions were never intended to attack Heliopolis itself. The root cause of its collapse lies with the Earth Forces."
Once the report was finished, Creuset returned to his seat to wait while the committee members voiced their opinions.
"As expected, Orb is colluding with the Earth Forces."
"They're the ones violating the treaty."
"Does Orb have any explanation for this?"
The pressure now fell on Wang Liu Mei, but to her, it wasn't pressure at all. If it had just been Creuset's one-sided testimony, it might have been manageable. But with the combat records as evidence, it was an undeniable, ironclad fact.
"Altering the combat records? Heh, that will only give Wang Liumei more opportunities to expose your lies. You have the combat data in your hands, but does that mean I can't have it too?"
"I object to your accusations. I oppose your claim that Orb violated the treaty first by colluding with the Earth Forces," Wang Liumei responded calmly, her lips maintaining a faint smile.
"Hmph! The facts are already clear, yet you still deny it. After all, you're just a child..."
"Age is irrelevant here. Right now, I represent Orb. Councilman, may I interpret your words as contempt toward Orb?" Wang Liumei's expression remained unchanged as she addressed the speaker.
"What did you say?!" The councilman slammed the table and stood up. In his eyes, Wang Liumei's unwavering smile was the greatest mockery and insult.
"Order! Councilman Elsman, please mind your conduct."
Councilman Elsman's outburst not only handed the opponent leverage but also disrespected the hearing committee. Siegel Clyne had no choice but to reprimand him sharply.
"Tch..."
"Now, Miss Wang, please elaborate on your stance."
At this point, aside from the chastised Councilman Elsman, no one dared to treat Wang Liumei as a mere child anymore. Even the domineering Patrick Zala began to take her seriously. If nothing else, her unshaken smile alone commanded their attention.
A young girl, surrounded by cunning old foxes—all of them adversaries—yet remaining utterly composed. It sounded almost like a fairy tale.
"First, Orb has never colluded with the Earth Forces nor violated the neutrality treaty. Assisting the Earth Forces in MS development was purely an international trade agreement—a transaction between Orb and the Atlantic Federation, nothing more."
"Don't be absurd! If developing MS is just a 'transaction,' then what isn't?"
"On September 12, CE 69, Orb and PLANT reached an agreement where Dawn Company dispatched technicians to assist ZAFT Forces in refining the mass-produced MS, the GINN. In return, Orb received a substantial amount of rare resources. On January 3, CE 70, Orb and PLANT struck another deal to assist in developing Earth-specific MS, with Orb receiving advance intel on the Neutron Jammer deployment plan as compensation. On February 14, CE 70, out of humanitarian concern, Orb forewarned PLANT about the Earth Forces' impending attack on Julius 7. Unfortunately, due to your side's distrust, the tragedy could not be averted. However, one of Orb's key members managed to evacuate an important family member of someone present, sparing them from harm. The reward? A verbal pledge of friendship from said individual. On March—"
One after another, from minor resource trades to high-stakes rescues of key figures, from MS development to warship construction—each instance was an indisputable fact that no one could deny.
The expressions of everyone present, whether from the moderate or radical factions, grew increasingly grim.
"The above details encompass all collaborative projects between Orb and PLANT, including several instances of joint MS and warship development. My question is: has Orb been colluding with PLANT all along? If so, why did PLANT fail to provide any assistance when Orb came under pressure from the Earth Forces? And most critically—why was Orb's colony Heliopolis destroyed?"
Faced with Wang Liu Mei's interrogation, the room fell silent. No one could muster a rebuttal, as if this hearing committee had become her solo performance while the rest were reduced to mere spectators.
"Regarding the collapse of Heliopolis, Captain Rau Le Creuset has already reported that it was not caused by our attacks, but rather by the Earth Forces—"
"I hold a differing perspective on this matter." Wang Liu Mei interrupted Yzak Joule, a key member of the hardline faction, and uploaded a more comprehensive visual record.
"This is footage I extracted from Heliopolis' wreckage. Compared to the report submitted by Captain Rau Le Creuset, it presents a far more complete picture."
The playback highlighted several critical scenes: ZAFT special forces conducting demolition operations inside Heliopolis, GINN units actively attacking the colony's spaceport command center, and GINNs equipped with heavy siege weaponry infiltrating Heliopolis.
These images utterly dismantled their previous narrative, cutting off any attempt to shift blame onto the Earth Forces.
"This... this is..."
"Therefore, on behalf of Orb, I formally lodge a strong protest against PLANT. We demand a full explanation and appropriate compensation for the destruction of Heliopolis, a colony under the jurisdiction of the United Emirates of Orb."
Wang Liu Mei's resolute voice echoed through the silent conference room—a stinging slap across their faces, a hammerblow striking deep into every conscience present.