From a distance, Xiao Ran observed the four inexplicably appearing mecha and was almost certain that their pilots were Participants. He had noticed that these four mecha had clearly had opportunities to attack the Three Strong Ones' units, yet ZAFT soldiers who had not evacuated were conveniently still in the line of fire, causing them to abandon several excellent attack opportunities.
That alone was enough to explain things. If Shinn, Ray, or Lunamaria accidentally hit their own people, they might receive some punishment afterward at most. In such a critical moment, unavoidable friendly fire was simply something that could not be helped.
But for Participants, what the commanders of their own faction could acknowledge as unavoidable would never be accepted by Prometheus. Prometheus would never show leniency toward injuring or killing allies. Attacking friendly forces was unforgivable regardless of the circumstances. Whatever Merit Points needed to be deducted would be deducted, especially with those dozen or so ZAFT soldiers gathered together. Hitting them would mean losing thousands, perhaps tens of thousands, of Merit Points. Naturally, the Participants did not dare attack.
Xiao Ran narrowed his eyes slightly. He had not expected Participants to join the very first battle at the beginning of this storyline. After all, the theft of Armory One and the subsequent Satellite Fall had all been orchestrated by that old fox Durandal. If the Three Strong Ones did not escape, the arrangements afterward would be completely disrupted. How could that old fox tolerate such a thing, with four extra mecha suddenly thrown in to intercept them and ruin his own plans?
Xiao Ran even suspected that these four newly emerged mecha had simply acted on their pilots' own initiative. Perhaps that old fox was now considering how to deal with the current situation as well.
"Old fox,