Yang Hui boarded the shuttle and headed straight for the cockpit, taking the co-pilot's seat.
"Had enough fun?" Lyle asked with a grin.
"Fun? I was working," Yang Hui retorted, rolling his eyes.
"Oh? Just work, and you made it this exciting?"
"Exactly... I won't be doing this again. Too much excitement."
"Haha, wasn't this your own choice?" Lyle chuckled as he started the shuttle and departed from the Archangel. "By the way, that kid earlier—was he the one you called the 'Ultimate Coordinator'?"
"Yeah, Kira Yamato. That's him."
"How's the training going?"
"Forget it."
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"Nothing. I just realized a lot of things. Even though Kira is the 'Ultimate Coordinator,' he's still just a student. He... shouldn't be dragged into our battles. At least not by force." Yang Hui sighed.
"..."
Lyle didn't respond, but a pleased smile spread across his face. Yang Hui had recognized his own change and addressed the issue they'd all been worried about.
The rest of the journey passed in silence as Yang Hui returned to Celestial Being's transport ship. He warmly embraced those who greeted him, especially Sumeragi and Wang Liu Mei, holding them tightly.
"I'm back."
Hearing his soft whisper, Sumeragi and Wang Liu Mei froze for a moment before returning his embrace.
"Welcome back." X2
All their worries melted away. The man they trusted and loved had returned.
After releasing them, Yang Hui got straight to the point. "Is my mobile suit ready?"
"Fully prepped. The only issue is the energy supply—the bits are sealed, and you'll need to manage consumption during combat," Sumeragi reminded him.
This wasn't just for Yang Hui's unit. Setsuna's Gundam Exia, Lyle's Gundam Cherudim, and Tieria's Gundam Virtue were in the same situation. Due to the Neutron Jammer, nuclear engines couldn't be used, forcing them to rely on ultra-compact energy batteries. While their units didn't have the energy-hungry Phase Shift Armor, their weapon loadouts and combat styles meant their energy consumption wasn't any lower than the X Series.
Energy shortages had previously forced them to hold back in battle. Otherwise, Yzak, Dearka, and Miguel wouldn't have been able to stall Setsuna and Lyle, let alone with GINN units providing covering fire.
"Got it. Prep for sortie. ZAFT will be here soon."
"Are we really engaging? The plan's already deviated. If we withdraw now..." Sumeragi questioned.
"Halberton's worth saving. Out of the Atlantic Federation's mess, he's the only reliable one."
"...Understood. I'll revise the plan."
"Good. I'll be careful. As long as I don't get exposed, it shouldn't be a problem."
"Right. Setsuna, Lyle, Tieria—recheck your units and standby for launch."
"Roger." X3
"I'll get ready too. Once the battle starts, position us near the Menelaus... Oh, and Gai's team—let them know my contract's over. They can stick around for fun if they want."
"Pfft—" Sumeragi and Wang Liu Mei couldn't help but laugh.
Still playing around? Don't you know Gai has professional integrity? Since the commission is over, he'd obviously leave immediately!
Besides, with a mobile suit like the Astray Gundam Blue Frame, wouldn't they want to make a quick getaway before being captured by ZAFT or the Eighth Fleet after the battle?
Hmm... seems like they might have the same problem here?
It's different. Leaving aside that we have four mobile suits here, even if others might not notice, veterans like Duan Halbaton, known as the "Wise General," and that old fox Creuset would definitely see through it. They wouldn't act this way.
"I understand. Hurry up and go."
"Right, I'm off."
...
The brief peace, even with Yang Hui's intervention, hadn't changed Archangel's fate. After Flay's descent into darkness and decision to join the Atlantic Federation, Sai and the others naturally couldn't abandon her and chose to stay as well. Kira hesitated before the shuttle, watching the orderly boarding process with conflicted emotions, unsure whether he should leave. A little girl gave him a paper flower in gratitude, while Tolle and the others' farewells only made his heart ache more.
Natarle Badgiruel still suggested using Kira's family to control him, only to be reprimanded by Duan Halberton, who then announced Archangel's orders: the current crew would pilot the ship, bringing Strike down to Earth and heading for the Alaska base.
It was as if an invisible hand had pulled everything back on track.
But... there were differences, though none of them were good, because...
The difference was that the attacking ZAFT Forces weren't just one Naska-class and two Laurasia-class ships—it was a small fleet with Vesalius as its flagship!
Besides Vesalius, there were three Naska-class ships, eight Laurasia-class vessels, and MS units consisting of Duel, Buster, Blitz, Aegis, and no fewer than sixty GINNs of various configurations.
"Large thermal signatures detected! Confirmed: three Naska-class, eight Laurasia-class ships! Green Zone 18, distance 500, estimated engagement in fifteen minutes!"
"Damn it! Of all times!"
Duan Halberton had just returned to the Menelaus when he received the grim news. The sheer scale of the ZAFT fleet made it clear they weren't just after Archangel—they intended to wipe out the entire Eighth Fleet.
"MA units, scramble immediately! All ships, tighten formation! We must protect Archangel at all costs!" Halberton swiftly issued orders, and the Moebius units swarmed out like bees from a hive.
The Eighth Fleet held a numerical advantage, but Halberton's expression remained grim. Against MS units, the Moebius could only buy time, and their rookie pilots were barely competent. Without external assistance...
Wait—external assistance!
At that moment, Halberton's mind flashed to Yang Hui, recalling the four unidentified mobile suits mentioned in Murrue and Natarle's reports.
"Serpent Tail's transport ship is currently retreating at full speed from this sector!"
The report darkened Halberton's expression further—the potential help he'd just thought of was already making its escape.
But the next report improved his mood considerably.
"Celestial Being transport vessel approaching our ship. That is... an unknown MS!"
"What? It's from Celestial Being?" asked Duan Halbaton.
"Yes! Four unidentified MS units have sortied from Celestial Being's transport vessel!"
"Oh! This is excellent news! Wait, four?" Duan Halbaton frowned. The numbers didn't add up. According to Murrue and Natarle Badgiruel's reports, there should only be three. The fourth must be Serpent Tail's MS. Could it be... Serpent Tail hasn't completely abandoned them?
"Wait... incoming message from Celestial Being!"
"Read it out!"
"Requested to assist the 8th Fleet in combat. Will immediately disengage if the battle situation cannot be changed. Message ends."
"Hahaha, excellent!" Duan Halbaton laughed heartily. With just a little thought, it was clear this was Yang Hui's doing. It seemed he hadn't misjudged the man after all!
"Do we have visual? Put it on screen!"
"Yes!"
The image appeared, revealing four unfamiliar MS units that drew gasps of astonishment from the assembled crew.
"This is!"
The blue-dominated Gundam Exia wielded twin swords, with six beam daggers hanging at its waist, radiating unparalleled sharpness. The green-themed Gundam Cherudim carried dual pistols, protected by four movable shields encircling its frame. The white Gundam Virtue appeared heavy and steady, yet the massive cannons in its hands and rapid-fire shoulder guns exuded an aura of destruction, marking it as a terrifying firepower fortress.
And finally... the Dawn Gundam, which hadn't appeared in any reports.
Clad in purple-gray armor, its angular yet slender frame flowed smoothly. Pure white wings spread behind it as it stood above the three angelic units, appearing lofty, sacred, and inviolable—like an omniscient deity dispatching angels to descend and save them.
"Can we establish communications?"
"Attempting now... They've declined!"
"Declined? Keep trying! We must—"
"Enough!"
The adjutant wanted communications to keep trying to contact Celestial Being and bring them under their command structure, but Duan Halbaton immediately stopped this foolish notion.
"Sir..."
"As long as they're our allies, that's enough!"
Duan Halbaton knew exactly what his adjutant was thinking—using authority to control them, not just leveraging their combat power but also detaining them afterward to seize their MS technology. Even though they'd already developed the G Weapon, who would complain about more technology?
This fool—had he truly failed to recognize Celestial Being's true identity? Or was he pretending not to know to satisfy his own greed?
No matter. If they survived this battle, he would immediately remove this man from his team. Duan Halbaton had long realized his adjutant was cut from the same cloth as the Atlantic Federation's higher-ups—planted here to monitor him!
"Yes, sir..."
The adjutant's eyes gleamed with calculation. Duan Halbaton's insistence on executing the G Project had already displeased their superiors. Now he was obstructing his chance for promotion and wealth—no, the Earth Forces' chance to seize greater advantage. Once the battle ended, he would definitely report Duan Halbaton's actions and make him pay!
And...if he could secure this achievement, wouldn't he be able to kick Duan Halbaton aside and become the Commander of the Eighth Fleet himself?
Thinking this way, the Adjutant had already fallen into a strange delusion, forgetting they were currently in an extremely critical situation.
"Stay alert everyone! The enemy is coming! All ships maintain formation, MA units deploy, engage!"