"Captain Flaga, focus on countering the MS attacks targeting you!"
Just as Mu was falling into despair, feeling his life was about to end, Badgiruel's voice came through the comms.
Though Mu didn't understand why Badgiruel would say this, with no other options, he had to take desperate measures!
His hands moved to operate the controls, maneuvering the wired funnel pod to intercept the bullets fired from Dawn's heavy assault machine gun.
In an explosion, the wired funnel pod was completely destroyed as a decoy. At the moment of the blast, a thick beam shot over from a distance.
The scorching beam enveloped the bullets fired by the new Guuru, causing them to explode within it.
"Isn't this operation too risky? What if it accidentally kills an ally?"
Felix was slightly shocked by what he had just witnessed and muttered in amazement. In his heart, he thought:
"This must have been commanded by Badgiruel."
"I wonder if she's incredibly skilled and bold or just resorting to desperate measures."
As he pondered, Felix continued operating the controls. The new Guuru maneuvered in space, its cannon once again aiming at the now isolated Moebius Zero.
Two shots were fired at the Moebius Zero!
Seeing the attack, Mu quickly operated the controls, maneuvering the Moebius Zero to evade.
Just as Felix's finger was on the trigger about to press it, a voice came through the public channel.
"Lacus Clyne is in our custody. Cease your attacks immediately, or we cannot guarantee her safety!"
"So they're pulling out their ultimate move already?"
Hearing the voice in the comms, Felix said with a laugh.
At that moment, Aric's voice also came through the comms.
"Captain, Miss Clyne is really on their ship."
"Captain Griffith, what should we do now?"
Following Aric, Creuset's voice sounded.
Felix shrugged helplessly and said,
"What else can we do? Naturally, we stop the attack. After all, they have a hostage."
Saying this, although Felix's finger remained on the trigger, he didn't press it.
Seeing that Dawn was no longer targeting him with attacks, Mu breathed a sigh of relief. At this moment, he truly felt he had escaped death—especially since, without Badgiruel earlier, he would have been finished.
"Captain, are we just going to stop the attack like this?"
Doulens' somewhat unwilling voice came through the comms.
Felix responded calmly,
"What else can we do besides stopping? Should we continue attacking regardless of the PLANT resident's safety?"
After saying this, Felix controlled Dawn to move toward the Archangel.
Seeing Dawn's movement, Mu's heart tightened.
"Is this guy going to continue attacking regardless of that young lady's safety?"
Saying this, Mu controlled the Moebius Zero to quickly approach the Archangel.
"Using an unarmed civilian as a hostage—is this the kind of person you want to protect?"
Athrun's face was filled with anger as he gritted his teeth and questioned.
After his question, Athrun raised his voice emotionally.
"Answer me! Kira!"
Inside the Strike Gundam's cockpit, Kira was stunned by Athrun's questioning, unable to speak a single word.
Hearing no response from Kira, Athrun took a deep look at the Strike Gundam before piloting the Aegis Gundam away from the area.
Watching the Aegis Gundam depart, Kira tightly gripped the control sticks, lowering his head and clenching his jaw as anguish spread across his face.
——
Moments later, he raised his head to look toward the Archangel.
Pressing down on the pedals, he piloted the Strike Gundam toward the Archangel.
Around the Archangel: "How are you all holding up?"
Felix approached Doulens and inquired.
Hearing this, Doulens replied.
"We're fine."
"Good to hear."
Nodding in response, Felix turned his gaze to the Archangel and adjusted the communicator in his hand.
Soon, he established communication with the Archangel via the public channel.
On the Archangel, Felix's face appeared on the main screen.
"Kira?"
Looking at the face beneath the helmet, Murrue instinctively spoke. Quickly realizing from Felix's attire that it wasn't Kira, she corrected herself.
Lacus, who had been brought to the bridge by Flay, looked up at Felix on the screen and greeted him with a smile.
"Long time no see, Felix."
"Miss Lacus, are you doing alright?"
Responding to Lacus's greeting, Felix inquired about her condition. Lacus smiled gently and replied in a soft voice.
"I'm fine. The people here have been quite kind to me."
"Who are you?"
After Lacus, Murrue looked at Felix and asked sternly.
Hearing Murrue's voice, Felix replied with a cold expression.
"Felix Leo Griffith, the supreme commander of this operation!"
"Why didn't you stop the attack immediately!"
No sooner had Felix finished his introduction than a voice filled with hatred, grief, and anger came through the communication.
Recognizing the voice immediately, Felix thought to himself:
"I remember Flay fainted here in the original story. Why is she standing here now, shouting questions at me?"
Slightly puzzled, he muttered internally.
With these thoughts in mind, Felix responded with a hint of sarcasm.
"Once the attack button has been pressed, do you think we can just stop it at will?"
After speaking, Felix turned to Murrue and said.
"Please do not let irrelevant individuals disrupt our negotiations!"
Hearing this, Murrue glanced at Flay.
Badgiruel immediately picked up the communicator and called out.
"Take Flay Allster away!"
Following the order, the bridge door opened, and two soldiers entered. Without waiting for Flay to say anything, they grabbed her and began pulling her out.
Flay struggled to break free, but her strength was no match for the soldiers, and she couldn't escape their grasp.
"Let me go! Let me go!! Let me go!!!"
"Give her a sedative later and let her rest properly."
Badgiruel watched Flay's hysterical shouting and gave the order to the soldiers. The soldiers nodded in acknowledgment.
"Now that she's been taken away, we can proceed with the negotiations!"
After Flay was taken away, Murrue looked at Felix with a serious expression. Felix nodded slightly and met Murrue's gaze.
"State your terms!"
"Let us leave this place safely!"
"No problem, I can grant you passage. You may leave." Felix nodded, accepting this demand. Having settled the matter, Felix then shifted the topic and asked Murrue, "I've agreed to your request. So, when will you release Miss Lacus?"
As he spoke, Felix smiled mockingly.
"Don't tell me you plan to keep holding her indefinitely!"