CE71, January 28, around 10:15 standard time
"That's impossible!"
Colonel Gerard Garcia's words made it clear how little he believed what he had seen with his own eyes.
But the faint tremor that followed proved an undeniable fact to everyone present:
The supposedly impregnable Umbrella of Artemis had been pierced by an unknown attack from Celestial Being.
"Colonel, how should we respond? Please give us your orders."
Despite his subordinate's urging, Colonel Gerard Garcia remained too shaken to answer.
And while he struggled to collect himself, bad news kept coming.
"Celestial Being's warship is closing on us again!"
"Mobile weapons have launched from Celestial Being's warship! Unknown mobile suits!"
"Celestial Being's flagship is charging its main gun again!"
Under the barrage of bad news, Colonel Gerard Garcia seemed to calm down and began issuing orders.
"Launch every Moebius! Stop Celestial Being's mobile suits at all costs!
"Adjust the Umbrella of Artemis's settings and find a way to bring it back online!
"What are the fortress's shore batteries waiting for? Target Celestial Being's warship and fire everything we've got!"
Judging by those rather blunt orders, Colonel Gerard Garcia was still in a daze and acting on reflex.
Murrue exchanged a glance with Mu. The veteran then pulled a little trick.
"In that case, Colonel, I'll return to the Archangel and sortie in the Moebius Zero."
Murrue saluted Colonel Gerard Garcia after Mu. With his attention fixed on the Celestial Being fleet, Garcia merely waved in acknowledgment.
Before Colonel Gerard Garcia could think better of it, Murrue and Mu left the Artemis Fortress command center together.
Holding an automatic handgrip on the corridor wall, Murrue asked Mu in earnest.
"Captain La Flaga... Major, do you think Artemis Fortress can hold off Celestial Being?"
"I don't think so.
"Celestial Being clearly has more in reserve. Neither its mass-produced mobile armors nor that purple mobile suit has deployed.
"And just call me Mu or La Flaga. Looks like we're going to be fugitives together again."
Murrue could not bring herself to laugh at Mu's dark joke.
"You mean the Archangel should leave immediately and abandon our allies at Artemis Fortress? Mu... Major?"
"What choice do we have?
"Without the Umbrella of Artemis, even with us here, they're no match for Celestial Being in a head-on fight.
"You saw that purple unit in action, and Celestial Being's show of force, didn't you?
"Besides, Celestial Being's target is supposedly the Archangel. Our own safety should probably be our first concern.
"We have to get this ship and the Strike Gundam to Lord Halberton, don't we, Major Murrue?"
Mu's argument was clear and well founded. Murrue had no answer to it.
She had caught another implication in his words, too, but this hardly seemed the time to press him.
As the tremors grew stronger and more frequent, they hurried on and soon reached the Archangel's dock. Lieutenant Natarle Badgiruel was waiting anxiously by the boarding hatch.
"Captain Ramius! Major La Flaga!"
With no time to waste, Mu wrapped an arm around Murrue's waist, kicked hard off the "ceiling," and took a shortcut toward the Archangel.
"Thank you, Major Mu."
"It was nothing. I should be thanking you for the hospitality."
After they reached the boarding hatch together, Mu gave that curious reply to Murrue's heartfelt thanks.
Murrue had no time to dwell on it. She turned to Badgiruel and asked urgently.
"How's the ship?"
Badgiruel reported as she led them inside.
"Thanks to Major Bidaluf and the rest of the Eurasian Federation personnel, we're well supplied apart from the manpower shortage.
"Major Bidaluf also contacted fortress command using the ship's equipment, but they seem too busy to deal with us.
"How bad is it?"
"Terrible. Celestial Being really is attacking, and the mobile suits they sent out first may be more than Artemis Fortress can handle on their own."
Murrue was still choosing her words when Mu laid out the grim situation without hesitation. Badgiruel, true to her military upbringing, kept her composure and turned straight to their options.
"Then, according to the Celestial Being Formation Declaration, the Archangel is their target, correct?
"Do we join Artemis Fortress in resisting them, or put our own mission first and leave now?"
Badgiruel's decisiveness caught Murrue by surprise. She began to wonder if she had been too hesitant.
They reached the Archangel's bridge. Major Bidaluf was at the combat controller's station, trying to contact Artemis Fortress command.
"What do you mean, 'use your own judgment'? Hello? Hello, command?!"
Major Bidaluf slammed the headset down on the console in frustration. Only then did he notice Murrue and the others had arrived.
She returned his hurried salute, took the captain's seat, and presented him with a difficult choice.
"Major Bidaluf, as you know, the situation is chaotic and dire.
"The Archangel will depart immediately. Celestial Being has declared this ship its target, and for the sake of the Earth Alliance's future campaign, we cannot let them take control of it.
"You and your people are welcome to remain aboard. Otherwise, please disembark as quickly as possible.
"All hands, battle stations! Archangel, prepare to depart!"
"All hands to battle stations! Archangel, prepare for departure!"
Having given Major Bidaluf his choice, Murrue issued the departure order without pause.
As Badgiruel, her executive officer, repeated the order, the Archangel's original bridge crew set to work.
Major Bidaluf looked as though he wanted to say something, but in the end he saluted and left the bridge. Most of the Eurasian Federation crew members followed him.
"I'll head to the hangar and prepare to launch."
With the matter settled peacefully and the bridge crew nearly back to its original makeup, Mu turned toward the hangar.
Murrue called after him with concern.
"Be careful, Major Mu."
"I'm the man who makes the impossible possible. Don't worry, Captain Murrue."
Their exchange carried a hint of intimacy, but Badgiruel paid it no mind. She made the call that mattered most to the Archangel.
"Kira Yamato, report to the hangar immediately. I repeat, Kira Yamato, report to the hangar immediately!"
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