The trip to space had long been decided, and everything had already been prepared. It also concerned Orb's development, so Xiao Ran could not delay it simply because the Archangel had returned. Delaying it for an hour or two was already about the limit. He had no way to keep reminiscing with them here, so he directly brought up what was on their minds.
They chose to talk in Mwu's Captain's Room aboard the Archangel. With Xiao Ran, Mwu, Lacus, Kira, Cagalli, and Andrew all gathered inside, the room was nearly packed full.
Once everyone had taken their seats, Kira and Cagalli instead found themselves unable to ask what they wanted to ask. Seeing the silence in the room and Xiao Ran's occasional glances at the time, Lacus smiled slightly and took the initiative. "Lord Xiao Ran, we left Orb at the time because we had no other choice. Looking back now, it does seem as though we were not calm enough. But under those circumstances, leaving was our only option. Cagalli's marriage, the assassination attempts against Kira and me... all of it made us feel that Orb was no longer safe. Especially given the state of the world, the Ceran family's actions and the appearance of ZAFT's Assassination Unit made Orb even more difficult to understand."
"It was hard not to wonder whether Orb had some other connection with ZAFT or the Earth Force. If that were the case, then Cagalli, Kira, and I would all have been in great danger if we had remained in Orb. That was why we chose to leave."
"But after we left Orb, the changes in the world situation only made us more confused. Your sudden appearance, your swift removal of the faction led by the Ceran Family, and Orb's suddenly closer relationship