Set Up?
Kane had his ship deploy an MS squad and a Variable Fighter squad. But just as Kane's ship released the units, began to rise, and disengaged its cloaking device, it was immediately exposed to both the Delta Squad and the unknown Variable Fighter squad.
As a third-party Military Strength, or more accurately, a fifth party—the Berserk Syndrome-afflicted Geradi garrison, the normal human defense force, the Delta Squad, the unknown Variable Fighter squad, and now the Fleet's forces—it could indeed be counted as the fifth force to enter the fray.
Under normal circumstances, the Fleet's Combat Squad would immediately notify both sides of its presence to avoid misunderstandings and resulting clashes. Of course, such unnecessary conflict avoidance only applied to the normal garrison troops and the Delta Squad, who were currently fighting amid the city.
However, the unknown Variable Fighter squad made its move the instant Kane's two combat squads—the MS Combat Squad and the Variable Fighter squad—appeared. Before the notification had even fully concluded, they disengaged from the battle and shot into space in a blur, then swiftly entered a FOLD channel and vanished from everyone's sight. Kane, who was floating down slowly toward the ground, frowned slightly and fell into thought.
The mysterious unknown squad's actions had been far too decisive—so decisive that they were difficult to believe. The moment the Fleet's forces appeared, the unknown Variable Fighter squad fled immediately. It seemed they feared the Fleet's strength, or perhaps there was some other reason; in any case, they had no intention of making contact with the Fleet's forces in any form.
But Kane did not immediately make any subjective judgments or guesses as to why that clearly superior Variable Fighter squad, which had only joined the battle a few minutes earlier, had chosen to leave. He