The fleet at Brown City on the Moon had been wiped out, and a large number of privileged figures had been detained there. The chaos in New Zeon and General Revil's disappearance had finally made the Federation's upper ranks feel a trace of unease. General Revil's matter could be set aside for now, but there was no way the simultaneous actions on the Moon and by New Zeon were unrelated.
With a single declaration—this was a provocation, a grave provocation—the Federal Army once again took up the weapons it had laid down. Fleets stationed in space began heading toward the Moon. Whether to rescue the privileged figures detained in Brown City or to strike first at New Zeon's forward base, Granada, during this hasty response and block New Zeon's offensive, the Moon had become an unavoidable key point.
The Federal Army on Earth also began making preparations. Military bases across the world sounded combat alarms. Yet the Earth Federation seemed afflicted with a habit of dragging its feet, always needing to bicker and argue over everything. By the time it issued combat-readiness orders to the entire military, only a little time remained before the deadline Xiao Ran and the others had agreed upon.
On Earth, four fighters—black, white, blue, and purple—were parked upon an endless plain, surrounding the lone Destiny Gundam in a fan-shaped formation. Ozma and the other three were also preparing to leave Earth and return to space.
Cruze stood some distance away with another elderly man whose hair and beard had turned white, yet who still held his head high and chest proud. Together, they watched the crimson sun about to set in the distance.
Cruze suddenly smiled faintly. The mask made that smile seem somewhat mysterious as he calmly said to the old man beside him,