Haman's Advance

January 28, CE 71, approximately 10:30 Standard Time.

Inside the hangar of the Gwameir, Haman, dressed in a custom pilot suit, had already boarded her Newtype-use Bigro Custom, which was painted almost entirely in white, and was ready for sortie.

"Haman Karn, Newtype-use Bigro Custom, ready for launch!"

As Haman lowered her head to check the machine, she casually called the flight controller on the bridge, but it was the familiar voice of Luther that responded to her.

"Haman, be careful. Don't do anything reckless. Although he is far from his prime, he is still the 'Perfect Coordinator' Kira Yamato, after all. You will suffer if you are too careless."

Haman was secretly pleased by her lover's concern, though she sounded a bit rebellious in her reply.

"Honestly, Luther, you're being a bit annoying. I know what I'm doing."

Seeing that Haman was growing impatient, Luther said no more and waved goodbye with a wry smile.

With the communication from the intruding Luther terminated, the flight controller's line was restored.

"Miss Haman, the deck is clear. You are cleared for launch at any time!"

"Haman, acknowledged. Preparing for launch now."

After completing the pre-launch procedures, Haman and her Newtype-use Bigro Custom were transferred to the catapult deck.

As the final three green lights illuminated, Haman engaged the main thrusters and announced her departure.

"Haman Karn, Newtype-use Bigro Custom, launching!"

With a powerful surge of acceleration, Haman's Newtype-use Bigro Custom shot out from the catapult deck at the bottom of the Gwameir, quickly clearing the shadow cast by the ship's hull.

In the suddenly widened field of view before Haman, the light-wave defensive belt of the Artemis Fortress was shifting in a strange pattern, though it had yet to patch the gap previously torn open by the Spear of Divine Retribution.

Consequently, to buy time, a significant number of Moebius units were gathering at this breach.

However, these obsolete mass-produced mobile armors of the Earth Alliance were no match for the high-mobility Zaku II units piloted by elite veterans under the personal command of Cima, and they were completely unable to stop the mobile suits of Celestial Being from further damaging the light-wave barrier generators.

On the other side of the Artemis Fortress, the Archangel, having just completed its departure, revealed its "long legs."

"Found you! Let me see for myself the strength of this so-called Perfect Coordinator!"

Unconsciously repeating a catchphrase she had learned from Luther, Haman found her target and piloted the Newtype-use Bigro Custom forward at full speed, turning into a streak of white light.

Seeing such a conspicuous giant approaching, the defenders of the Artemis Fortress shifted their shore-based fire, which had been concentrated on the breach in the light-wave barrier, to focus entirely on the massive, eye-catching white machine piloted by Haman.

However, for Haman, dodging this "clumsy" shore-based fire was no more difficult than eating or drinking.

As for the Moebius units that rushed forward, thinking that as fellow mobile armors they might be easier to handle than mobile suits, Haman didn't really want to bother with them.

"Disappear from my sight, you annoying bugs!"

Obeying Haman's will, all 18 "Bits" swarmed out from their "nest," some striking the heads and others the tails of the enemy units. Combined with eight air-to-air sub-munition missiles fired from two four-tube missile launchers, they quickly cleared the obstacles in Haman's path.

Furthermore, following Luther's previous instructions to Cima to "minimize unnecessary killing," those struck in the head mostly lost their weapons, while those struck in the tail lost their propulsion, with only a few unlucky ones meeting a worse fate.

Responding to the light signal of "thanks" sent by Cima with an "acknowledged," the Newtype-use Bigro Custom dove into the gap in the light-wave barrier and, under Haman's control, circled around the Artemis Fortress, heading straight for the Archangel.

Of course, since she had time to spare, Haman took the opportunity to have her bits clear out any light-wave barrier generators and shore-based batteries she noticed, just to keep them from causing trouble.

The white Newtype-use Bigro Custom's conspicuous and purposeful advance naturally drew a reaction from the Archangel.

Yet, accompanying a mere two railguns and a seemingly large barrage of missiles was nothing more than a single orange mobile armor.

"Am I being underestimated? No, is that Kira unwilling to sortie yet? Interesting. Then I'll just have to force you out! Bits, go!"

Although she had only just reached adulthood, Haman had been assisting Kurisu with research on Newtypes and Newtype-use machines since she was a child under Luther's guidance.

In terms of Newtype ability and the piloting of Newtype-use machines, she was second only to Luther within Celestial Being.

Therefore, even though the Archangel and the Moebius Zero launched a coordinated attack with considerable momentum, Haman handled it with ease.

Haman first used six bits to precisely intercept the threatening missiles.

Then, she used another six bits to directly disable three of the four wired pods operated by Mu, who was essentially "showing off his skills before an expert."

By the time the third wave of six bits charged toward the main body of the Moebius Zero, all Mu could do was "sacrifice" his final pod and the unit's linear gun, narrowly firing his grappling cable to use Haman's Newtype-use Bigro Custom to pivot, before turning his engines to full power and fleeing back to the Archangel without hesitation.

Watching the "stripped" Moebius Zero flee at high speed due to its reduced weight, Haman finally released her finger from the missile launcher trigger and projected a "mental attack" toward the consciousness of Mu, which she could vaguely perceive.

I have no interest in middle-aged men. Hurry up and let Kira Yamato come out to play with me!

Though she didn't know if the other party had received it, the result was that Kira Yamato did not emerge immediately.

Instead, the Archangel, relying on the gap created when Haman had casually destroyed a light-wave barrier generator while approaching, was using its two railguns, a barrage of missiles, and every available close-in weapon system to try and stop Haman's approach, all while its engines were at full power in an attempt to escape the battlefield.

"Since you won't come out, don't blame me for being rude!"

Seeing the Archangel about to escape the battlefield, Haman, who knew that while the Newtype-use Bigro Custom had excellent acceleration, its endurance was not as high as a warship's, grew angry.

Fortunately, Haman still remembered Luther's plan, so she aimed the large mega particle cannon in the nose at the "long leg" on the right side of the Archangel that had just opened and closed.

The beam from the large nose-mounted mega particle cannon accurately struck the Archangel's right launch deck, punching a massive hole through the outer bulkhead, even despite the protection of its laminated armor.

From the billowing smoke, the Aile Pack-equipped Strike Gundam finally flew out, accompanied by the beam of a High-Energy Beam Rifle.

"You're a boy, yet you're so sluggish; you've kept me waiting for so long! Come now, let this young lady witness the strength of the so-called 'Perfect Coordinator'!"

Facing Haman's provocation on the open channel, Kira's response was filled with the sense that Haman was "incomprehensible" and a deep loathing for being forced onto the battlefield.

"Whether it's you or them, why must you all force me onto the battlefield! I've had enough!"