Mwu commanded, "Detaching from Heliopolis is the top priority. During combat, avoid damaging the satellite as much as possible.
Activate the High-energy Beam Cannon. Aim at the breach in the outer wall. Load the Large Missiles in bays 7–12 and 19–24 at the stern.
Lieutenant Bajiruru, you control the timing of the launch. Captain Mu, I'll leave manual control of the Linear Cannon to you."
"High-energy Beam Cannon activated. Raise the ship and aim at the breach in the outer wall. Load the Large Missiles in bays 7–12 and 19–24 at the stern."
Natale Bajiruru repeated the orders once more. In an instant, the crew completed a series of preparations, and the entire bridge fell into a tense atmosphere.
Just then, the satellite's outer wall was blasted open, followed by five GINNs and the Aegis Gundam.
Most of the GINNs were equipped with heavy anti-fortress weapons. At that moment, Kira piloted the Strike Gundam out of the Archangel to intercept them.
Natale Bajiruru saw flickering points of light on the bridge display. A loud, decisive voice announced the beginning of the battle.
"High-energy Beam Cannon, fire! Stern Large Missiles, fire!"
Under Natale Bajiruru's command, the Archangel's two main guns fired simultaneously.
The beams shot directly through the hole in the satellite's outer wall and out into space. Four beams nearly doubled the size of the original breach, and only a faint spark could be seen at its edge.
"Confirmed. One enemy unit destroyed. It was a GINN."
Over the long dozen or so minutes of battle, the satellite's surface was left in ruins. What had originally been a single breach in the outer wall had become several.
Kira piloted the Strike Gundam to hold off the Aegis Gundam, the two machines weaving around each other.
Athrun was bent on persuading Kira, so his attacks were not very frequent. Even so, the Aegis's beam gun still inflicted considerable damage on the satellite.
Of the five attacking GINNs, one had been destroyed by the Archangel's main guns from the very start.
Of the four GINNs that broke into the satellite's interior, Kira destroyed one during those dozen or so minutes.
Mu also took out one with the main guns. The remaining two GINNs continued their fierce assault on the Archangel.
Every one of them, including the earlier units, carried anti-fortress equipment and ultra-explosive weapons. Such weapons also caused enormous damage to the satellite.
As though fate had arranged it, one of the GINNs destroyed by Mu—
Just like in the anime, that GINN launched all of its missiles before exploding. All four missiles struck the satellite's central axis.
The satellite was pushed straight to the brink of collapse. If its main axis took another attack of the same kind—
The satellite would definitely collapse immediately, and that moment was not far away.
As for Kira, he had seemed flustered at first. Even with support from the Archangel's main guns, he had not achieved much.
Then, all of a sudden, it was as though someone else had taken over the Strike Gundam. Its movements changed drastically.
It suddenly became much faster, and another GINN was sliced in half at the waist by the Beam Saber.
At the critical moment, the Archangel's main guns, under Mu's control, destroyed the final GINN.
However, the High-energy Beam Cannon also struck the edge of the satellite's central axis. The GINN's explosion became the final straw.
The satellite's central axis completely disintegrated. The entirety of Heliopolis began to collapse, and countless escape pods began launching outward.
In an instant, the entire satellite turned into countless fragments drifting through space.
Kira sat inside the Strike Gundam in utter shock, frozen with fear.
Everyone aboard the Archangel was equally stunned. Their home had shattered just like that.
Athrun's Aegis Gundam had also withdrawn as soon as Heliopolis began to collapse.
The Strike Gundam remained motionless amid the satellite debris. No matter how Bajiruru called out to him, he did not respond. He could only breathe rapidly and stare in terror at the satellite fragments on the cockpit display.
Thor sighed inwardly at the sight.
Ah, we finally survived.
My first time in space, and I ran into a satellite collapse. That was terrifying. War really was cruel.
I'm still not strong enough. I couldn't change this tragedy.
The next parts of the story are much less dangerous than this. I hope everything goes smoothly.
Not long afterward, Kira discovered an escape boat floating among the satellite debris with no power, its warning light flashing.
Seeing this, he piloted the Strike Gundam over and brought the escape boat back to the Archangel.
When the escape boat opened, Kira spotted Frey drifting out among the rescued people.
Kira immediately stepped forward to support her, looking at her shyly.
At that moment, Thor Kni heard the system's voice in his mind. "Host, the artifact's energy is fully charged. You may traverse again at any time."
System, wait a moment. I'll find somewhere without anyone around before I traverse.
Understood, Host.
Thor Kni used the excuse of going to the bathroom, entered a restroom stall, locked the door, and began his second traversal.
His vision went dark, then brightened. He was already in another world.
Thor looked up. He was inside a cylindrical satellite.
One look told him this was some Gundam world. A standard satellite like this was unmistakably something unique to Gundam.
"Nami, have the New DG Cells simulate tiny flying insects and spread out. Check this satellite's specific information.
The current time, and the satellite's personnel list."
"Received, Master."
After Nami's investigation, the satellite was identified as SIDE7, and the time was late June, UC0079.
Amuro Ray's name was also found on the satellite personnel list. There was no doubt about it—it was Gundam 0079.
There were still more than three months before the plot began.
Thor Kni sighed. "This timing really isn't friendly. I can only catch the story right as it begins.
I have to return at the end of October. I can't even wait until December 31, when the One Year War ends."
"Host, traversed world confirmed: Gundam UC World. Era: UC0079. Permissions increased. Traversal duration increased by 30 days. The next traversal duration will be 150 days. Current rank: Private Second Class. Storage space expanded by one times. Current maximum: 120 x 120 x 120 meters. Segmented space expanded proportionally."
Thor Kni sighed and spoke to the system in his heart.
"System, I just came out of a satellite in SEED, and now I've arrived at a satellite in Gundam 0079.
I just went through one Gundam Plunder War, and now I have to go through another. This is way too rushed.
It's such an old anime that I can't even remember exactly when in September Char came here to stage his failed Gundam Plunder War."
"Host, world traversal is completely random. It mainly depends on the Host's luck and has nothing to do with the system."
Before you continue