Chapter Summaries

Xiao Ran and his allies launched a coordinated attack on Heliopolis as Katia's team drew the Nadeshiko and other forces into battle outside. Inside the satellite, Xiao Ran led an assault on the Earth Force transport carrying mobile suits, and Athrun prepared to join him.

• Xiao Ran told Rusty to prepare for Katia's imminent attack, shocking Cagalli with the news that Katia's team was targeting Heliopolis.
• Katia's team approached Heliopolis, and the chief defense commander ordered a response while secretly arranging to draw the Nadeshiko out of the satellite.
• Todaka ordered the Apocalypse and its escort ships to reveal themselves, deploy Ed's and Heine's teams, and surround the Nadeshiko as it sortied.
• Katia's team attacked a chosen section of Heliopolis's outer wall while Ed's and Heine's teams blocked the Nadeshiko, and a battle began under Cruze and Feiying's watch.
• Xiao Ran's group attacked the Earth Force personnel emerging with a mobile-suit transport, and Xiao Ran charged ahead and leaped onto the vehicle's roof.
• Athrun told Yzak, Dearka, Nicol, and Rusty to go with him while the Landing Force squad leader watched over the others.

Xiao Ran led the Apocalypse Landing Force in capturing Mwu and the Earth Force guards at Akatsuki Works, then withdrew with Kira and Cagalli. He contacted the Nadeshiko and demanded that Yurika Mitotsudaira surrender, threatening to destroy Nigal Heavy Industries in thirty minutes.

• Xiao Ran ordered the Landing Force to use tear gas and tranquilizer rounds to subdue the surrounded Earth Force guards.
• Xiao Ran had Mwu taken prisoner, left the other guards behind, and ordered the factory's research materials destroyed before the force withdrew.
• Xiao Ran returned to the Apocalypse with Kira, Cagalli, and the others, while Mwu and the others were placed in separate rooms.
• Todaka reported that the Earth Force warships had been destroyed and that the Nadeshiko remained pinned down by MS.
• Xiao Ran contacted Yurika Mitotsudaira, explained why Heliopolis had been attacked, and demanded the Nadeshiko surrender within thirty minutes or Nigal Heavy Industries would be destroyed.

Xiao Ran threatened the Nadeshiko with the destruction of Nigal Heavy Industries unless they surrendered within thirty minutes. Kouji Kabuto recognized the masked commander and urged the crew to consider surrender, warning that the Hien could wipe them out in minutes.

• Xiao Ran gave Yurika Mitotsudaira thirty minutes to surrender, threatening Nigal Heavy Industries, then ended the call.
• Yurika Mitotsudaira gathered the deployed crew and questioned Kouji Kabuto about the masked man’s claim that he knew Kouji and Sayaka.
• Kouji Kabuto recognized the man from the mentions of the Fury and the moon, but refused to reveal what he had promised to keep secret.
• Kouji Kabuto warned that the Hien could destroy them in five minutes and said the masked man targeted the Federation, not the Nadeshiko unless they sided with it.
• Kouji Kabuto said he would stand with the Nadeshiko whether they surrendered or fought, while Yurika Mitotsudaira clarified that she wanted to understand their choices and the threat.

Xiao Ran demanded the Nadeshiko surrender, while Kouji Kabuto tried to prevent a battle and explain the crew’s uncertainty about Xiao Ran’s aims. Yurika Mitotsudaira requested a face-to-face meeting to learn what Kouji knew, and Xiao Ran agreed.

• Xiao Ran prepared to attack the Nadeshiko after Yurika Mitotsudaira declared that her crew would not surrender.
• Kouji Kabuto urged Xiao Ran to negotiate, but Xiao Ran insisted the Nadeshiko had no choice but to surrender.
• Kouji Kabuto explained that the Nadeshiko’s crew did not understand Xiao Ran’s purpose or why he demanded their surrender.
• Xiao Ran warned Yurika Mitotsudaira that he could follow the Nadeshiko if it jumped and said he could not allow it to remain an uncontrolled factor.
• Yurika Mitotsudaira asked to meet Xiao Ran in person and learn about his identity, Furi, and the Apocalypse Unit, and Xiao Ran agreed.

Yurika Mitotsudaira visited the Apocalypse with Kouji Kabuto and Sayaka, then brought the Nadeshiko under its protection and revealed what she had learned to her crew. She declared that she would stand with the Masked Man against the Earth Force and its abuses.

• Yurika visited the Apocalypse with Kouji and Sayaka, met with Xiao Ran, and returned to the Nadeshiko without explaining their discussions.
• Yurika retook command from Ruri Hoshino and led the Nadeshiko to the Frie-controlled Moon Base behind the Apocalypse.
• Ruri confronted Yurika about her decision, and Yurika revealed that Orb and PLANT had jointly formed the Apocalypse Unit.
• Yurika told the crew that the Frie, Orb, PLANT, and the Apocalypse Unit were fighting threats to Earth, while omitting that the Frie were not Earthlings.
• Yurika admitted that the Nadeshiko could not oppose the united forces and said she feared the Masked Man's power would bring harm to innocent people.
• Yurika condemned the Earth Force for coercion, endangering civilians, and turning children into weapons, and declared that she would join the Masked Man until its crimes were crushed.

After reorganizing his forces, Xiao Ran sent fleets toward Earth and Heaven’s Pillar, where he prepared to confront the Earth Force. As the Earth Force opened fire on the approaching Apocalypse, Xiao Ran’s Dawn and its Tactical Armor had made their first appearance in this world.

• The Earth Force blamed Orb for the Heliopolis intelligence leak and pressured it to join their side, while Asaha watched them grow desperate.
• Xiao Ran reassigned the Nadeshiko’s and Apocalypse’s teams, sending ships to Earth, Orb, Glast Army territory, and Heaven’s Pillar for separate missions.
• After two days of preparations, the Nadeshiko and Death descended to Earth, while the War escorted Cagalli and Athrun’s team toward Orb.
• Xiao Ran brought Dawn and its Tactical Armor aboard the Apocalypse, shocking the crews with the machine’s size.
• The Apocalypse and Plunder approached Heaven’s Pillar and found an Earth Force fleet of over two hundred warships and tens of thousands of MAs, including units built with Nigal Heavy Industries technology.
• The Earth Force launched a long-range barrage at the Apocalypse as Xiao Ran prepared to engage.

The Earth Force’s concentrated barrage threatened to stop the Apocalypse and the Raider from reaching Heaven’s Pillar, so Xiao Ran launched Dawn to face the fleet alone. Dawn crossed into firing range at terrifying speed and began charging a devastating attack as the Earth Force commander ordered everyone to take cover.

• Toda slowed the Apocalypse’s advance and asked Xiao Ran whether to deploy the MS Unit to divide the Earth Force’s firepower.
• Xiao Ran ordered all units to protect the Apocalypse and the Raider, saying he would handle the battle alone.
• Xiao Ran launched Dawn from the Apocalypse and accelerated toward the Earth Force fleet.
• The Earth Force failed to lock onto Dawn as it evaded thousands of attacks and rapidly entered the fleet’s effective range.
• The Earth Force commander sent the MAs and Summer Flower Unit to intercept Dawn, fearing a repeat of the Moon Base battle.
• Dawn merged its weapons and charged a powerful green attack, prompting the commander to shout for the fleet to take cover.

Frey’s Dawn disabled the Earth Force fleet at Heaven’s Pillar, allowing Orb to retake the station and seize the surrendered ships. PLANT and Orb then publicly aligned with Frey against alien threats, while Orb maintained that it would remain neutral in the conflict between Frey and the Earth Force.

• Dawn destroyed the Earth Force fleet’s weapons and disabled its Mobile Units without destroying its bridges, leaving the fleet unable to attack.
• The Earth Force commander failed to order a surrender, but many ships launched surrender flares as the Apocalypse passed and Dawn faced the Orb Fleet.
• Orb retook Heaven’s Pillar and took control of the Earth Force troops and more than two hundred surrendered warships.
• Asaha dispatched hundreds of Orb MS and supplies to Heaven’s Pillar to secure the station and manage the prisoners and ships.
• PLANT announced that it would welcome Frey and cooperate with it against threats beyond Earth, drawing support from pro-PLANT forces.
• Orb declared that it would remain neutral between Frey and the Earth Force while cooperating with PLANT and Frey against alien threats.

The Earth Alliance lost the G Series, Heaven’s Pillar, and much of its territory as Free and ZAFT resumed their war against it. Xiao Ran struggled to govern Free while its forces fought across Earth and space, and the Alliance’s defeat deepened.

• The Earth Alliance realized Orb and PLANT had undermined it, seized the G Series, and cut off its forces in space by reclaiming Heaven’s Pillar.
• Patrick launched ZAFT’s forces against the Earth Alliance on Earth and in space, now backed by Free.
• Ovan joined ZAFT’s campaign from Free’s European Peninsula base, and the three factions fought for a month, leaving the Alliance with only a third of its former territory.
• Orb stayed out of the factional war and sent forces, including the Apocalypse Unit and Nadeshiko, to fight Alien Beasts.
• Orb took the Archangel from the Earth Alliance, refurbished it, and deployed it in its Alien Beast campaign.
• Xiao Ran devoted himself to governing Free, leaving Ovan in command on Earth and Fleu to manage military affairs on the Moon.

Xiao Ran sought trustworthy allies and capable people to help govern Fury, then summoned Mwu Lamias and offered her a place in Fury. Mwu questioned his unusual kindness and hinted at a possible connection to Fury, which Xiao Ran confirmed without explaining further.

• Xiao Ran reviewed reports from the Apocalypse, the Nadeshiko, and Ovan, then decided to summon Mwu, Cagalli Clyne, Kira Yamato, Lacus Clyne, and Ovan.
• After waiting nearly forty minutes, Xiao Ran received Mwu in his office and apologized for keeping her confined for over a month.
• Mwu asked why Xiao Ran had treated her like an honored guest despite being a prisoner, and he said he had brought her back because he did not want her to remain with the Earth Force.
• Xiao Ran asked Mwu to formally leave the Earth Force and join Fury, praising her trustworthiness and ability.
• Mwu joked that one of her parents might have been a Moon Person, and Xiao Ran said she did have a deep connection with Fury but that her own qualities mattered more.

Xiao Ran tried to persuade Mwu to join the Frie, revealing that he was an Earthling who now held great authority among them. He showed her evidence of Earth Force’s crimes, leaving her shaken by what she had read.

• Mwu questioned whether she had Frie blood, and Xiao Ran invited her to join the Frie because he trusted her and believed they needed capable leaders.
• Mwu refused to betray Earth Force, but Xiao Ran argued that it was corrupt and claimed he could replace it with a new government alongside Orb and PLANT.
• Xiao Ran revealed that he was an Earthling and removed his mask, then asked Mwu to trust him as he showed her a tablet of evidence.
• Mwu read evidence tying Earth Force’s leaders to violence against Coordinators, wars for profit, and experiments on children, as well as the influence of Blue Cosmos and LOGOS.
• Xiao Ran told Mwu that Blue Cosmos controlled Earth Force’s upper ranks and that Earth Force supported its secret crimes.

Xiao Ran persuaded Kira to stay in Fury for another week and arranged for him to begin training with a Knight Mobile Suit. As Ovan and Kavina arrived at the Moon Base, they encountered each other outside Xiao Ran’s office.

• Xiao Ran sent the shaken Mwu back after their conversation, then asked Kira whether he had settled in and offered to arrange his return to Orb.
• Xiao Ran persuaded Kira to stay in Fury for a week so he could test his piloting talent, and Kira agreed.
• Xiao Ran told Fulu to have Kira learn to use the Knight Mobile Suit he had once piloted, then planned to teach him personally.
• Xiao Ran considered the people he hoped to gather for Fury and thought Cruze could be useful, though he remained wary of trusting him.
• Ovan returned to Fury, and Kavina arrived at the Moon Base; the two encountered each other outside Xiao Ran’s office.

Xiao Ran brought Kavina and Ovan together, then encouraged them to resolve their past and invited Kavina to join Free as a knight. Kavina had not yet accepted, as Xiao Ran explained Free’s need for trustworthy talent and its unresolved problems.

• Kavina attacked Ovan outside Xiao Ran’s office, while Ovan endured the beating without fighting back.
• Xiao Ran ordered Ovan to have his injuries examined and brought Kavina into his office.
• Xiao Ran urged Kavina to hear Ovan’s explanation and clear up their misunderstanding by speaking with him directly.
• Xiao Ran offered Kavina membership in Free and a position as one of its knights, which surprised her.
• Xiao Ran explained that Free needed capable, trustworthy people because its rapid growth had exposed a shortage of talent and its former ruler had left unresolved problems.

Xiao Ran hired Kavina as a Frie Force pilot while she considered whether to join, then discussed the shortage of commanders with Ofan. He ordered military restructuring and training, and asked Ofan to clear up Kavina’s doubts about the Frie Force.

• Xiao Ran hired Kavina as a Frie Force pilot, and she accepted the arrangement without committing to join permanently.
• Ofan reported the shortage of mid-level commanders and said fewer than one-third of the imprisoned supporters of Glandon could eventually be used.
• Xiao Ran ordered Ofan and Fulu to promote and train commanders from the existing ranks, while knights mentored them and Orb and ZAFT instructors assisted.
• Xiao Ran told Ofan to slow the offensive against the Alliance, continue exterminating Alien Beasts, and ask ZAFT to consolidate its newly occupied territory.
• Xiao Ran said he wanted Kavina to become a knight and asked Ofan to speak with her and explain the Frie Force’s intentions.

Xiao Ran watched Kira rapidly learn to pilot a Knight Mobile Suit and offered him the chance to become one of Frie's Formal Knights. He proposed expanding the Knights Order to twelve members, leaving Kira and Yaqi to prove themselves before its formation.

• After Ofan and Kavina left, Xiao Ran expected Kavina to join Frie once she and Ofan resolved their misunderstanding.
• Xiao Ran visited the hangar and learned from Yaqi that Kira had quickly mastered basic control of the Knight Mobile Suit and adjusted its systems himself.
• Kira said he could not use the machine's full performance, so Xiao Ran told him to train with a more suitable mobile suit and offered him a place aboard the Apocalypse to fight the Alien Beasts.
• Xiao Ran told Kira that the Knight Mobile Suit represented Frie's highest honor and said he wanted Kira to pilot it as a Guardian of Earth.
• Xiao Ran proposed establishing twelve Formal Knights and promised that Kira and Yaqi could become knights if both reached the required level before the Knights Order's formation was complete.

Xiao Ran arranged for Yaqi to train Kira before learning that Lacus had arrived in Furry with PLANT officials to discuss cooperation. After welcoming her and the delegation, he took Lacus to his office to talk privately.

• Xiao Ran arranged for Yaqi to train Kira, expecting her ambition to become a knight to keep them working together.
• Xiao Ran learned that Lacus and PLANT officials had arrived in Furry after traveling through the night.
• Xiao Ran welcomed Lacus with an embrace, then arranged for the officials and their guards to rest at the base.
• Xiao Ran invited Lacus to his office, where she asked about his recent activities and settled onto his sofa.

Xiao Ran asked Lacus to help manage Free, and she agreed while making clear that she wanted to stay close to him. The next day, he brought her and the PLANT envoys to meet Shanamia in Free’s council hall.

• Lacus inspected Xiao Ran’s lavish office, and he explained that it had been inherited from the Earth Force base.
• Xiao Ran asked Lacus to help manage Free because its growing responsibilities had overwhelmed him.
• Lacus tested Xiao Ran about their relationship, and he said he would return to his own world but had little confidence he could return to hers.
• Lacus agreed to stay, requested changes to the office, and asked for her room to be next to Xiao Ran’s.
• Xiao Ran gave Lacus his office, moved into a smaller one, and brought her and the PLANT envoys to meet Shanamia in Free’s council hall.

Xiao Ran left Lacus to manage work at the Moon Base and visited Shanamia, who asked to go with him. Their conversation was interrupted by an urgent report requesting Xiao Ran’s immediate return to the Moon Base.

• Lacus and Shanamia formally signed cooperation agreements between PLANT and Frey after three days of negotiations.
• Xiao Ran left Lacus at the Moon Base to handle affairs and traveled to Shanamia’s private chambers.
• Xiao Ran reassured Shanamia that Lacus was trustworthy and explained his uncertainty about relationships carried over from another world.
• Shanamia asked Xiao Ran to take her to the Moon Base, and he agreed.
• Shanamia’s maid and bodyguard brought an urgent report from the Moon Base and asked Xiao Ran to return quickly.

After learning that the Devil Legion had appeared on Earth, Xiao Ran decided to investigate the new threat in person. He left the Moon Base and reached the Nadeshiko and Mithril's Danner's Son near the East China Sea.

• Lacus told Xiao Ran that the Apocalypse Unit and the Nadeshiko had encountered the same one-eyed enemy in Africa and the Far East.
• Xiao Ran recognized the machines as the Devil Legion and concluded that Devil Gundam had begun operating on Earth.
• Xiao Ran left Lacus and Shanamia in charge of the Moon Base and asked Lacus to notify Fulu and the Nadeshiko.
• Xiao Ran declined Lacus's offer to meet Kira Yamato and told her to have Fulu's disciple and Kira prepare to descend to Earth.
• Xiao Ran piloted Dawn from the Moon Base and found the Nadeshiko and Mithril's Danner's Son floating side by side near the East China Sea.

Xiao Ran met with Teresa Testarossa and Yurika Mitotsudaira to discuss the unknown enemy and reorganized the Nadeshiko and Apocalypse as an independent special fleet. Teresa then bluntly asked how Frye would treat Earth after eliminating the Alliance.

• Xiao Ran arrived aboard the Nadeshiko and learned that Yurika Mitotsudaira and Ruri Hoshino were meeting with Teresa Testarossa.
• Xiao Ran met Teresa and Melissa Mao, then discussed Mithril and the Nadeshiko's limited intelligence about the unknown enemy.
• Yurika Mitotsudaira said she and Teresa had agreed to cooperate and investigate the force behind the enemy units.
• Xiao Ran assigned Todaka as supreme commander and Yurika Mitotsudaira as second-in-command of a new independent fleet formed from the Nadeshiko and Apocalypse.
• Teresa asked Xiao Ran how Frye would treat Earth after eliminating the Alliance, while Melissa Mao prepared to protect her.