"Wait a moment... They should still be quite far from us..."
"But if we can rendezvous..."
"Yes, we can finally breathe easy!"
"Hahaha..."
"Yang Hui, what's wrong?" Both Murrue and Natarle noticed Yang Hui's lack of joy—instead, he looked deeply troubled, which made their hearts tighten.
"Is there something wrong with this encrypted pulse signal?" Natarle pressed anxiously.
"No, it's an Earth Forces encryption. ZAFT can't forge that."
"Then why are you..."
"I just have one concern... Could ZAFT have also detected the Vanguard Fleet's movements?"
"What?!"
Everyone had been too caught up in their excitement to consider this possibility. Now that Yang Hui pointed it out, they realized the gravity of the situation.
"If ZAFT has discovered the Vanguard Fleet's trail, then they're in danger!" Murrue reasoned. A lone, detached Vanguard Fleet would be an easy target for ZAFT Forces—they would undoubtedly try to eliminate it.
"Not only that," Natarle added, "if they really have been detected, the Archangel can't rendezvous with them. Otherwise, our location will be exposed!" She had also realized the implications. Since the full-scale war between the Earth Forces and ZAFT began, Earth Forces fleets had stopped deploying small, isolated units after being overwhelmed by ZAFT's MS.
The Vanguard Fleet Duan Halbaton sent to assist them couldn't be very large. If ZAFT discovered them, wouldn't they suspect this was the force meant to retrieve the Archangel?
If they reached that conclusion, the Archangel's previously hidden trail would be exposed to ZAFT Forces, inviting relentless pursuit.
"...Should we still respond to the Montgomery?" the communications officer hesitantly asked.
"...Yang Hui, what do you think?"
Murrue was torn. On one hand, she wanted to reunite with friendly forces—it was their shared goal and hope, and it would ensure the Vanguard Fleet's efforts weren't wasted. On the other hand, she had to consider the Archangel's safety. If the Vanguard Fleet had been discovered, given ZAFT's military strength, the Archangel wouldn't be able to rescue them—instead, they'd be dragged into the same peril.
Ultimately, she decided to seek Yang Hui's opinion. An indescribable sense of trust and security made her rely on him as their anchor.
Not just Murrue—Natarle, Arnold, and the others also turned to Yang Hui, awaiting his answer.
"...Let's rendezvous. No matter what, the Vanguard Fleet is searching for the Archangel. Whether ZAFT has detected them is still unknown. If we join forces, even if we encounter a ZAFT attack, we'll have more combat strength to resist."
"Great!" Cheers erupted again—everyone had been hoping for this reunion, desperate to no longer be orphans in space.
"But what if they have been discovered? Wouldn't that make things even more dangerous?" Natarle pressed.
"Even if we don't rendezvous, it doesn't mean we're safe. We used an unconventional tactic to shake off pursuit temporarily, but the rest of our route is wide open—it'll be hard to stay hidden. In that case, we might as well join the friendly fleet and bolster our own strength."
"...That's true. But what about the mercenary..."
"Let them continue protecting us. Until we're completely safe, every bit of extra strength means more security, don't you think?"
"Alright, I understand."
Natarle didn't argue further. Without realizing it herself, her iron-fisted military style had gradually softened under Yang Hui's influence. She no longer rigidly adhered to military protocols or stubbornly insisted on her own views, instead learning to genuinely consider others' opinions and adapt her thinking accordingly.
Everyone returned to their stations, working busily as they eagerly anticipated reuniting with friendly forces while praying the ZAFT Forces wouldn't discover them.
But Yang Hui knew—even disregarding his knowledge of original events—the Vanguard Fleet stood an extremely high chance of being detected by ZAFT. Currently, Earth Forces were being completely suppressed in space battles, barely holding onto a few military strongholds without any meaningful counteroffensives. Vast sectors remained under ZAFT surveillance, making it nearly impossible for an entire Vanguard Fleet to search for them conspicuously without being noticed.
Thus, a ZAFT attack on the Vanguard Fleet was practically inevitable.
However, Yang Hui wasn't unprepared. He had Sumeragi's team en route, the preemptively hired Serpent Tail mercenaries, and ultimately... Lacus herself.
In truth, Yang Hui almost hoped ZAFT would attack. Only then would he have the opportunity to return Lacus safely. If Archangel successfully joined the Eighth Orbital Fleet first, returning her to ZAFT and PLANT would become truly difficult.
With this in mind, Yang Hui left the bridge to discuss the matter with Lacus.
...
Meanwhile, the urgently deployed Creuset Team raced toward the debris zone at full speed. To PLANT, Lacus had transcended mere idol status—for many, she represented a spiritual pillar sustaining their struggle against fate.
Should anything happen to Lacus, both PLANT and ZAFT morale would suffer devastating blows.
Yet... Creuset never intended to rescue Lacus. Part of him even wished for her demise, as it would significantly advance his personal plans. Moreover... he'd discovered far more intriguing prey.
Captain Addis summoned Creuset to the bridge to report their findings.
"What is it?"
"Those appear to be Earth Forces vessels... but what could they be doing in this sector?" Captain Addis puzzled over the sector map's markers.
"If Long Legs (ZAFT's codename for Archangel) wanted to reach Earth Forces HQ through this region, what would they require?" Creuset asked.
"So... resupply then? Or possibly an escort fleet!"
"If it's resupply, I suspect Long Legs has already completed that. Yet they remain in radio silence—Earth Forces wouldn't know their status..."
"Then it must be the escort fleet."
"Our position remains undetected, correct? Maintain careful pursuit—we can't lose them," Creuset ordered.
"We're pursuing them? But..." Unlike his ambitious superior, Captain Addis hadn't lost sight of their primary mission—the critical search-and-rescue operation for Lacus.
"The search for Lacus Clyne must continue, but we can't let them escape just for the sake of one girl. I have no intention of becoming a laughingstock for future historians."
"But there's no guarantee Long Legs will rendezvous with them..."
"Even better. Eliminating the support fleet won't take much time. A free military achievement, wouldn't you agree?" Creuset chuckled. Though they only had the Vesalius at present, with four MS units—including an Aegis—destroying the Earth Forces' Vanguard Fleet would be child's play.
"Understood..."
"What are the current positions of the Khamov, the Lacny Team, and the Balt Team?" Creuset asked.
"The Khamov is en route to rendezvous, while the Lacny and Balt Teams remain on standby at their designated positions..."
"Hmm... Order them to join us immediately, at maximum speed!"
"Huh? Is that really necessary?" Captain Addis was even more confused. What was Creuset planning? The Vesalius alone could easily handle the Vanguard Fleet, and even with the Archangel added to the mix, it wouldn't pose much difficulty. Calling in reinforcements now seemed like overkill—using a cannon to swat a fly.
"Bring them in. If my suspicions are correct, that person is likely aboard Long Legs. With him there, no amount of preparation is excessive."
"That person? Who?" Captain Addis was stunned. He couldn't imagine anyone in the Earth Forces who could make Creuset so wary.
"It's unconfirmed for now, but better safe than sorry."
Creuset didn't reveal Yang Hui's identity. For one, he hadn't confirmed it yet, and secondly, until Yang Hui was completely eliminated, he dared not spread this information. Though they'd never met, Creuset knew enough about Yang Hui's capabilities. If word got out that Yang Hui was aboard the Archangel, Yang Hui might turn the situation to his advantage and strike back.
Creuset's heart wasn't with PLANT, but he couldn't stand by and watch PLANT be manipulated. The Heliopolis incident had already been a heavy blow. If Yang Hui dealt another strike, the balance between PLANT and the Earth Forces would tip—something he couldn't afford right now.
"...Understood. I'll contact the Khamov, Lacny Team, and Balt Team immediately."
"Good. We should also prepare ourselves. We might... encounter some trouble."
"...Yes."
...
"That's the situation. Got it?" Yang Hui asked Lacus.
"I understand. Thank you, Yang Hui."
"Will there be a battle?" Kira asked anxiously. Apart from the collapse of Heliopolis, not a single battle had occurred along the route Yang Hui had guided them—something Kira had been grateful for. If things could stay that way until the Archangel was safe, he could disembark, and that would be ideal.
But now... he might have to pilot the Strike Gundam into battle again. Just the thought made him tense, fearful, and resistant.
"Well, can you handle it?" Yang Hui asked Kira.
"I..."
Seeing his hesitation, Yang Hui got his answer. "Stay on the ship and wait safely. Leave the fighting to me—"
"No!"
This time, Yang Hui wasn't using rhetoric to pressure Kira—he genuinely intended to replace Kira in fighting against ZAFT. He no longer wanted to keep exploiting Kira. With his arrival, the future had already changed, and many people and events were no longer the same. There was no need for him to cling stubbornly to Kira alone.
Even if his identity were exposed later, he could minimize the fallout. At worst, he would personally go to PLANT and confront the old foxes of the Supreme Council.
As for Kira... what so-called "Ultimate Coordinator"? Screw that! By the time Kira fully matured, he might not even be stronger than Yang Hui. And what about Graham, Setsuna, Lyle, Tieria, Flit, Asemu, Jehart...? None of them fell short of Kira in terms of potential. There was no need to force Kira into doing things he hated for the sake of his future.
But Kira still grabbed Yang Hui's arm. Kira could tell that Yang Hui was serious this time—he truly intended to pilot the Strike Gundam in his place. The thought of it, along with their earlier conversation, reignited Kira's courage.
"I'll fight," Kira said firmly. "I told you—I'll protect you... and Tolle, and the others."
"...Alright." Yang Hui sensed Kira's resolve and didn't try to persuade him to reconsider. But this time, he had no intention of staying on the warship as a mere spectator.