Chapter Summaries

Xiao Ran completed the Aegis Dagger’s OS adjustments and joined the operation to seize ZAFT’s new machines at Armory One. After the warship ambushed a Naska-class vessel, he launched and destroyed another enemy ship and its remaining mobile suits, leaving the operation underway.

• Xiao Ran studied the Aegis Dagger’s modes and weapons, then modified its OS to suit his piloting and improve its mobility and firing rate.
• Ian Lee reported that Armory One was in chaos and that the three new machines had been seized, while two MS units headed for the spaceport.
• Ian Lee ordered the warship to fire on a Naska-class vessel, which exploded after the surprise attack struck its center.
• Xiao Ran launched the Aegis Dagger from the catapult and narrowly cleared the rising hatch.
• Xiao Ran transformed into MA Form, damaged a second Naska-class vessel’s thrusters, and coordinated with Ian Lee’s main guns to destroy it.
• Xiao Ran used the Dragon Fangs and Beam Rifles to disable five enemy MS, then watched his subordinate pilots destroy the wrecks.

Xiao Ran waited outside Armory One, questioning why events and Orb’s history differed from what he remembered. When the Three strong ones failed to emerge, he attacked the satellite wall with the Aegis Dagger, drawing ZAFT forces toward him.

• Xiao Ran helped deal with the Naska-class warship and ZAFT mobile suits, then headed for Armory One to cover the Three strong ones’ escape.
• Xiao Ran considered how Orb’s strength, ZAFT’s new machines, and his own identity as Neo suggested that major events had occurred while he was away.
• Xiao Ran noted that Shinn Asuka remained the likely Impulse Gundam pilot and that Kruze could influence Ray against Durandal.
• Xiao Ran grew concerned when the Three strong ones did not emerge from Armory One and restarted the Aegis Dagger.
• Xiao Ran fired the Aegis Dagger’s cannons and Dragon Fangs at Armory One’s outer wall, attracting Zaku Phantoms and Zaku Warriors.
• Xiao Ran kept firing at the wall while sending the Dragon Fangs toward the approaching ZAFT forces.

Xiao Ran destroyed Armory One’s outer armor, defeated the ZAFT squad attacking him, and entered the satellite. Inside, he found Sting, Orro, and Stella’s Gundams pinned down by several unexpected Ace-piloted Zaku Phantoms.

• Xiao Ran used the Aegis Dagger’s cannon to melt a hole through Armory One’s outer armor while the Dragon Fangs held off the ZAFT MS squad.
• Xiao Ran charged the squad, crippled the Zaku Phantom [Slash], and helped the Dragon Fangs disable the rear unit.
• Xiao Ran and the Dragon Fangs destroyed or forced the remaining ZAFT MS to retreat, then flew through the opening into Armory One.
• Xiao Ran saw Sting, Orro, and Stella trapped with the green Chaos, blue Abyss, and black Gaia Gundams in a confined area.
• Xiao Ran identified four unexpected Ace-piloted Zaku Phantoms, including one equipped with a Dragoon-type backpack carrying five Dragon Fangs, as the reason the three Gundams could not escape.

Xiao Ran entered the battle at Armory One and attacked the ZAFT forces while identifying Shinn Asuka and Ray among the pilots opposing him. After disabling Shinn’s Impulse Gundam, he turned toward Ray’s White Zaku Phantom.

• Xiao Ran suspected that four newly arrived mecha were piloted by Participants who were avoiding attacks that could hit ZAFT allies and cost them Merit Points.
• Xiao Ran activated his Innovator Bloodline and Spirit Burst, then used the Aegis Dagger’s weapons and Quick Lock to disable a wave of ZAFT mecha.
• The Three Strong Ones converged on Xiao Ran as Shinn’s Impulse Gundam charged toward him, followed by Ray’s White Zaku Phantom and Lunamaria’s red Zaku Warrior.
• Xiao Ran redirected the Aegis Dagger toward Shinn and clashed with the Impulse Gundam, while Ray shot down two of the Aegis Dagger’s Dragon Fangs.
• Xiao Ran used the Aegis Dagger’s leg-mounted Beam Sabers to cut off the Impulse Gundam’s legs, kicked its cockpit area, and charged at Ray’s White Zaku Phantom.

Xiao Ran overwhelmed the ZAFT forces at Armory One, disabling the Impulse Gundam and White Zaku Phantom before leading Gaia, Chaos, and Abyss away. As the Gadi Ru began its retreat with the rescued machines, a group of pilots recognized Xiao Ran from an earlier mission and resolved to contact him.

• Xiao Ran used the Aegis Dagger to destroy the White Zaku Phantom’s head and leave Lunamaria unable to track his movements.
• Ray and Lunamaria recovered the crippled Impulse Gundam and carried it back toward the Minerva after Ray told them to withdraw.
• The four Zaku Phantom pilots avoided the Aegis Dagger, then identified Xiao Ran as the person who had defeated them in their third Mission World and planned to contact him.
• Xiao Ran led Gaia, Chaos, and Abyss out through Armory One’s breached outer wall while the Gadi Ru retreated under mobile suit protection.
• Ian Lee declared the mission complete and ordered the crews to recover the machines and withdraw at maximum speed.

Xiao Ran escaped the battle aboard the Gadi Ru, discovered that the Aegis Dagger had overheated under his piloting, and considered the fate of Stella, Orro, and Sting. With the Minerva pursuing, he ordered the Gadi Ru to jettison and detonate its Fuel Supply Devices, buying time to escape.

• The Gadi Ru recovered Xiao Ran and the other pilots, then fled the battlefield while ZAFT focused on rescue operations.
• Xiao Ran found the Aegis Dagger smoking from severe overheating and decided it was unsuitable for him to pilot again.
• Xiao Ran watched Stella, Orro, and Sting undergo examinations and resolved not to treat them as disposable tools.
• Durandal arranged for the four participants' Zaku Phantoms to replace damaged Minerva machines and worried about the Aegis Dagger's power.
• The Minerva pursued the Gadi Ru and began firing as it closed in.
• Xiao Ran ordered the Gadi Ru to detonate its detached Fuel Supply Devices, damaging the Minerva and allowing the Gadi Ru to escape.

After escaping Minerva, Xiao Ran watched the Three Strong Ones undergo memory adjustment and assessed the Gadi Ru’s chances of surviving another encounter. He decided to avoid disrupting the Junius 7 events for now and focus on completing Main Mission One, which remained unfinished despite the captured Gundams.

• Durandal learned that Athrun Zala, using the alias Alex, had appeared aboard the Gadi Ru alongside Xiao Ran.
• Xiao Ran watched the Living CPU Technicians use the Cradle, drugs, and hypnosis to adjust Stella, Orro, and Sting’s memories and minds.
• Ian Lee told Xiao Ran that the Aegis Dagger was badly damaged and would need one or two days of repairs.
• Xiao Ran warned that Minerva might catch up and ordered Ian Lee to speed up analysis of the three captured machines, offering to pilot the green one if needed.
• Xiao Ran considered the Debris Belt and Junius 7, then chose to avoid changing the plot and prioritize completing Main Mission One.

Xiao Ran decided to keep the Gadi Ru on its planned course rather than risk being pulled into the Junius 7 crisis before he could change factions or learn what had happened during his absence. As a pursuing ZAFT ship closed in, he prepared to sortie in the modified Chaos Gundam and draw its forces away from the Gadi Ru.

• Xiao Ran weighed returning to Orb against risking Earth Force-oriented Main Missions and chose to keep his current role while investigating the changes of the past two years.
• Xiao Ran concluded he could not stop the coming disaster at Junius 7 and ordered the Gadi Ru to follow its original plan so the Minerva could remain on course to destroy it.
• Xiao Ran and the Gadi Ru maintenance crew added four Dragon Fangs to the Chaos Gundam and connected them to its control system.
• The bridge detected a large heat source closing in behind the Gadi Ru, and Xiao Ran ordered combat stations and had the pilots prepare.
• Xiao Ran planned to sortie in the Chaos Gundam in the Meteor Belt, draw the pursuing enemy's strength onto himself, and leave Stella and Orro to defend the warship.

Xiao Ran lured the Minerva toward a decoy while the Gadi Ru concealed itself among the asteroids, setting up an ambush. As the Minerva came under attack, Durandal exposed Athrun’s identity, and Athrun recognized that the Chaos Gundam was serving as bait.

• Xiao Ran launched the Chaos Gundam as the Gadi Ru hid behind an asteroid and drew the Minerva toward a decoy missile.
• Talia Gladys sent the Impulse Gundam and five Zaku Phantoms after the decoy while keeping Lunamaria and three Gears R units near the Minerva.
• Durandal revealed that the young man traveling with Cagalli was Athrun, then discussed how Xiao Ran had helped clear Athrun and the others of their past crimes.
• Athrun stopped Cagalli from blaming herself and warned the bridge that the Gadi Ru’s apparent absence was a trap.
• The Gadi Ru and five mobile suits appeared behind the Minerva and began targeting it as its forces engaged the Chaos Gundam.
• Athrun identified the green Chaos Gundam as the unit with Dragon Fangs and warned that the earlier Aegis Gundam was not a conventional Aegis-type machine.

Xiao Ran confronted Shinn, Ray, and the four participants in the Debris Belt, using his strength and knowledge of their past to secure their cooperation. The group of four turned their weapons toward Shinn and Ray, leaving the standoff poised to become a fight.

• Durandal recognized that Bogey One’s pilot was exceptionally capable and ordered Talia to recall Shinn and the others as the warship came under missile attack.
• Xiao Ran confronted the Impulse Gundam, Ray’s White Zaku Phantom, and the four participants with the Chaos Gundam, warning that he could defeat them and asking whether they would fight or withdraw.
• Shinn demanded to know how Xiao Ran knew his name, while Ray accused him of trying to disrupt them and Xiao Ran acknowledged Ray’s ability to read people.
• Xiao Ran recognized the four participants as Eshe, Sman, Barnes, and Harvey, and reminded them of their previous defeat at his hands.
• Eshe accepted Xiao Ran’s offer to use their opportunity and follow his orders, and the four Zaku Phantoms turned their guns toward Shinn and Ray.

Xiao Ran persuaded Eshe and the other participants to join his side, then revealed to Shinn and Ray his past ties to them and that Cruze was alive. The confrontation ended with Ray agreeing to help Shinn and wait one month for Cruze to contact him before telling Durandal everything.

• Xiao Ran warned Eshe and the other participants that he had planned to kill them if they had remained his enemies, then welcomed them as allies.
• Xiao Ran told Shinn and Ray that Cruze was alive, had recovered from his illness, and had been unable to contact Ray until now.
• Xiao Ran revealed private details about Ray and Cruze, convincing Ray that Cruze was likely alive.
• Shinn accused Xiao Ran of arranging the helicopter crash that separated him from his family, then disclosed that Xiao Ran had ordered him to infiltrate ZAFT.
• Xiao Ran explained that his memories had been altered and said Shinn had to remain in ZAFT while he dealt with conspiracies connected to a hidden force within PLANT.
• Ray agreed to help Shinn and give Cruze one month to meet him, threatening to tell Durandal everything if Cruze failed to appear.

After Shinn Asuka and Ray returned toward the Minerva, Xiao Ran offered Eshe’s four-person squad a place in the Burning Legion under a permanent-membership clause. Eshe asked what guarantees they would receive, and Xiao Ran promised substantial mission and legion benefits as they began negotiating terms.

• Xiao Ran sent Shinn Asuka and Ray back toward the Minerva, while Ray told Shinn to conceal his identity and report that he had been trapped from the start.
• Ray told Shinn he would join whichever side let him live, and Shinn thanked him before they continued on.
• Xiao Ran requested the four participants’ numbers and sent Eshe’s group invitations to join the Burning Legion, with a clause preventing them from leaving.
• Xiao Ran explained that joining would earn his trust and offered compensation even if they refused the invitations.
• Eshe asked what Xiao Ran could guarantee, and he promised major gains, inexpensive machines, a squad warship, and other legion supplies.
• Eshe demanded that the group never be used as cannon fodder and be removed if the legion faced a massive crisis, offering an agreement against betraying or harming the legion in return.

Xiao Ran accepted Eshe’s conditions and brought her team into the Burning Legion. After discovering the Legion’s four B-class Pilots and two Faction Territories, Eshe and the others recognized the opportunity they had gained and prepared to follow Xiao Ran.

• Eshe demanded safeguards before joining the Burning Legion, and Xiao Ran agreed to her terms.
• Harvey, Sman, Eshe, and Barnes accepted Xiao Ran’s revised invitation and joined the Legion.
• Eshe and her team examined the Legion’s information and were astonished by its four B-class Pilots and two Faction Territories.
• Xiao Ran signaled the Gadi Ru to retreat and told the group to leave.
• Barnes respectfully addressed Xiao Ran as “my lord,” while Harvey enthusiastically pledged to work for the Legion.

Xiao Ran explained the Legion’s rules and benefits to Eshe’s group, then brought them aboard the Gadi Ru after the battle. The group recognized him as the general from a past mission and began discussing how Prometheus had obscured their memories of his identity.

• Xiao Ran told Eshe’s group that Legion support depended on following its rules, earning Contribution Points, and contributing to the Legion.
• The Gadi Ru retreated after Shinn and Ray returned to the damaged Minerva, and Ray claimed that two of the four ZAFT pilots had betrayed them.
• Durandal and Talia accepted Ray’s account, ended the pursuit, and discussed Shinn’s distress after he and Ray left the Captain’s Room.
• Xiao Ran brought Eshe’s group and their four Zaku Phantoms aboard the Gadi Ru, where Ian Lee kept them under guard until Xiao Ran ordered the soldiers to lower their weapons.
• Xiao Ran met with the four pilots, who recognized him as the general from their previous mission and realized Prometheus had made his identity seem like a natural part of their memories.

Xiao Ran assessed Eshe’s team and asked why none of them had reached B-class Pilot despite their strong coordination. Eshe explained that failures and poor evaluations in earlier missions had held them back, leaving Xiao Ran embarrassed because his past conflicts with them had caused those setbacks.

• Xiao Ran judged Eshe, Harvey, Barnes, and Sman to be a capable, well-coordinated C-class team and compared them with the stronger C-class Pilots in his own team.
• Xiao Ran asked why Eshe’s team had not produced a B-class Pilot despite their advantages and teamwork.
• Eshe and the others reacted awkwardly, and Eshe explained that mission failures and low evaluations had reduced their rewards and stalled their progress.
• Xiao Ran realized that his encounters with Eshe’s team had contributed to their earlier failures and felt embarrassed.
• Xiao Ran and Eshe’s team sat in awkward silence as he considered how their misfortune had begun with opposing him in past missions.

Xiao Ran arranged for Eshe and the other three to leave ZAFT and join Orb or D.S.S.D, promising compensation for the trouble he had caused them. He kept them aboard for now because he expected Durandal to make another move, then told Ian Lee to delay reporting their intelligence until the mission was complete.

• Xiao Ran apologized to Eshe's group and promised to arrange their mission assignments and modify their four units after the mission.
• Eshe explained that changing factions would not harm their Main Mission, and Xiao Ran arranged for them to seek out Nataru Bargyll in Orb or join D.S.S.D if that plan failed.
• Xiao Ran told the group that Durandal had orchestrated the stolen-unit incident and asked them to remain aboard because he might need their strength.
• Xiao Ran allowed Eshe and the others to move freely around the warship, except on the bridge and in the hangar.
• Ian Lee questioned Xiao Ran about granting the four freedom aboard the ship, and Xiao Ran said he would report their intelligence after the mission.

Xiao Ran learned that Junius 7 was heading toward Earth and brought his unit to investigate, while recognizing that LOGOS and Durandal each had reasons to let the crisis unfold. He sent Eshe and the others to act under the cover of ZAFT forces, hoping to limit the damage without implicating Earth Force.

• Ian Lee told Xiao Ran that Junius 7 had begun moving toward Earth, and Earth Force ordered the Gadi Ru to investigate.
• Xiao Ran suspected LOGOS wanted Junius 7 to strike Earth and Durandal wanted Earth to descend into chaos, giving Xiao Ran an opportunity to expose their plans.
• The Gadi Ru reached Junius 7 and found ZAFT vessels nearby, with ZAFT units fighting among themselves.
• Xiao Ran told Ian Lee to send Eshe and the other three out under ZAFT markings while preparing Earth Force units as backup.
• Xiao Ran told Eshe and the others that their first mission was to prevent Junius 7 from falling to Earth, and warned that reducing the resulting damage might be the best they could accomplish.

Xiao Ran watched the battle over Junius 7 and waited for a safe reason to intervene as the destruction effort fell behind. The Librarian’s forces appeared, prompting the Minerva to request help, and the Second Archangel suddenly returned from Earth.

• Xiao Ran briefed Eshe and the other three on their mission to break Junius 7 into fragments, gave Eshe letters for Bargyll and D.S.S.D., and sent them to prepare to leave the Gadi Ru.
• Xiao Ran watched ZAFT and unidentified forces fight over Junius 7, while the Gadi Ru calculated that the destruction effort was only thirty percent complete with seventy minutes remaining.
• Ian Lee offered the Gadi Ru’s support, but Xiao Ran initially refused to sortie without orders or a reason.
• Eighteen Librarian G Series mecha arrived and attacked ZAFT, and Xiao Ran suspected their pilots were cloned copies of participants.
• After the Minerva requested help destroying Junius 7’s fragments, Xiao Ran ordered a sortie in the Chaos Gundam and sent Stella and Orro to assist ZAFT without approaching the new enemies.
• Radar Control detected the Second Archangel entering space from Earth, and Prometheus sent Xiao Ran a notification.

After completing his mission to seize ZAFT’s latest unit, Xiao Ran joined the fight to stop Junius 7’s fragments from falling to Earth. He sent the Chaos, Gaea, and Abyss Gundams into battle while preserving his cover, then opened a private channel to contact Mwu.

• Xiao Ran completed Main Mission One, received its rewards, and accepted the Side Mission to prevent Junius 7’s fragments from reaching Earth.
• After learning that the Second Archangel was approaching, Xiao Ran decided not to leave the Earth Force openly and prepared to assist ZAFT while keeping his plans concealed.
• Xiao Ran ordered Stella and Orro not to attack ZAFT forces or the demolition devices, then launched the Chaos, Gaea, and Abyss Gundams from the Gadi Ru.
• ZAFT provided temporary friend-or-foe codes, and Xiao Ran told Stella and Orro to activate IFF before he accelerated toward Junius 7.
• Xiao Ran entered the battle, destroyed several Library members’ units with the Chaos Gundam’s Dragon Fangs, and used his Team Communicator to contact Mwu.

Xiao Ran fought to clear ZAFT’s demolition teams a path through the Librarians while coordinating with Mwu and arranging for the Second Archangel’s crew to join the battle. The demolition effort remained stalled against the Librarians’ ace pilots until Cruze, Luo, and Andrew entered the fight.

• Xiao Ran’s Chaos Gundam destroyed enemy MS and protected ZAFT’s demolition squads, raising the Side Mission completion rate.
• Mwu contacted Xiao Ran from the Second Archangel and explained that she, Luo, Cruze, and the old Archangel crew had come to space to help stop Junius 7.
• Xiao Ran told Mwu not to use the Second Archangel’s two weapons, to leave fragment demolition to ZAFT, and to have Cruze and Luo focus on the Librarians.
• Xiao Ran asked Mwu to bring four people to Orb later and told Cruze that Ray was piloting the white Zaku so they could make contact.
• The Librarians regrouped around the remaining fragment, and their eighteen ace-level pilots kept ZAFT’s demolition operation deadlocked despite Xiao Ran’s attacks.
• Cruze’s Destiny Gundam, Luo’s Red Dragon, and Andrew’s Murasame joined the battle, beginning to shift the balance.