Chapter 853: The Difficulty of Reaching Space
Durandal's expression was grave. Having suddenly learned that the Earth Force's ultimate weapon, Requiem, would be fired in less than twenty-four hours, he was extremely tense. The fact that no panic showed on his face was already remarkable. Whether Requiem attacked Orb or ZAFT, it would undoubtedly inflict immense losses and tragic sacrifices upon the side it struck. That would shatter the hard-won stability of the current peace and once again cast the entire world beneath the shadow of the Earth Force's terrifying rule.
Of course, the latter might not have mattered much to Durandal and Xiao Ran. What mattered was that neither of them could allow Requiem to fire. No one dared gamble on that fifty-percent chance that Requiem's first attack would not target their own nation. They could only do everything in their power, regardless of cost, to stop Requiem from being launched.
At a time when the other side needed help, refusing to provide it was equivalent to gambling with the safety of one's own country. Orb's hard power was indeed not weak. It was capable of facing ZAFT head-on and even had a greater chance of winning.
But Orb's soft power was far from sufficient. Unlike ZAFT, which had its own bases and complete supporting facilities everywhere, Orb simply lacked the ability to send troops scattered across various regions directly into space in the shortest possible time. At this moment, even the Second Archangel had no way to ascend directly into space.
After hearing Xiao Ran's request, Durandal nodded without hesitation. "No problem. I'll make arrangements immediately. I'll have nearby units find a way to send all members of Orb's Silver Hand into space. At the same time, I'll contact the major powers and ask them to provide assistance.