The Archangel, Unable to Escape

January 28, CE 71, approximately 10:30 standard time.

Amidst slight vibrations and swaying, Mu waited in the starboard hangar of the Archangel for Kira, who arrived wearing an Earth Alliance pilot suit.

"Hey, kid, I'm counting on you again this time!"

"What happened? Didn't we already safely dock at Artemis Fortress?"

Clearly, Kira had yet to grasp the current situation, or perhaps, he was unwilling to accept it.

"You saw the 'Celestial Being Formation Declaration' yesterday, didn't you? That 'Celestial Being' has come knocking at our door, intending to take us into custody."

Although Mu only meant it as a joke, Kira provided an unexpected response.

"If that's the case, wouldn't it be better to just let them take us? The collapse of Heliopolis was indeed partly our responsibility..."

"Whoa, hold on. We are the regular military of the Earth Alliance; how could we possibly accept the jurisdiction and judgment of some group that just popped out of nowhere? If we did that, we'd really end up in a military tribunal! As for the situation during the collapse of Heliopolis, aren't you the one who knows it best, kid? Should we have just sat there and let Rau Le Creuset and his lot kill us?"

Although Mu's perspective, based on his own position, was quite logical, Kira did not seem to fully accept it.

"But..."

Mu was about to persuade him further when he heard a reminder from the newly promoted Sergeant Major Murdoch.

"Major La Flaga, communication from the bridge."

"Come listen to this with me, Kira."

At Mu's invitation, Kira did not object and quickly joined him in front of the communication console.

"Major La Flaga, the Celestial Being flagship currently in combat has launched a new large mobile armor, which has broken through the front line and is heading toward the Archangel. Based on the equipment seen in the captured footage, it is speculated to be a so-called 'Newtype' mobile armor similar to the purple mobile suit. Can you launch? What about the Strike Gundam?"

Accompanying Murrue's briefing and inquiry was the background noise of Badgiruel's commands.

"Gottfried, aim quickly! Valiant, target the white enemy mobile armor, fire at full speed! Igelstellung, open fire automatically; set tracking speed and rate of fire to maximum—this is no time to worry about overheating! Load high-explosive shells into stern missile tubes 1 through 8, anti-air cluster munitions into 9 through 16, and anti-beam burst shells into 17 through 24. Fire!"

In truth, Mu could feel the urgency of the situation just from Murrue's rapid-fire briefing, and Badgiruel's desperate tactics only served to confirm it.

Even so, Mu could not force Kira onto the battlefield; besides, forcing a pilot into combat held no tactical value.

"I understand. I'm launching now. What about you, Kira?"

"I don't want to be involved in this war anymore! If 'Celestial Being' says they want to stop the war and create a new future, why can't we just trust them!"

Faced with Kira's intense opposition, before Murrue could reply, Badgiruel, who had also heard Kira's words, could no longer contain herself.

"You! Is that something a soldier should be saying! As the glorious Earth Alliance military, how can we accept the jurisdiction of such an unidentified organization! Stop spouting nonsense and get in the Strike Gundam to launch!"

Just as Kira was about to retort, a high-explosive shell from a Haman quadruple missile launcher accidentally broke through the interception. Although it caused no real damage to the laminated armor, the entire hull shuddered.

"Status report!"

"The left rear stabilizer was hit. Automatic damage control has initiated; damage is minor."

Having overheard Captain Murrue and his friend Sai, who was acting as the combat information controller, Kira's attitude seemed to soften, and Mu quickly seized the opportunity to interject.

"In any case, I'll launch in the Moebius Zero first. It's only one enemy unit; perhaps I can handle it alone. Kid, just go wait in the Strike Gundam as a precaution. Is that alright?"

"I understand."

Faced with the reality of the situation and the compromise offered by Mu, Kira finally nodded, albeit with difficulty.

Seeing this, Murrue reached out to stop Badgiruel, who was about to speak again, effectively confirming Mu's proposal.

"Then I'll leave it to you, Major La Flaga. Kira Yamato, please stand by in the Strike Gundam."

With the military situation critical, neither side wasted more words; Mu and Murrue exchanged salutes and cut the communication.

Mu glanced at Kira one last time, but ultimately said nothing and ran directly toward his machine; after a moment of hesitation, Kira walked toward the Strike Gundam.

Soon, after Mu launched in the Moebius Zero, Sergeant Major Murdoch turned to confirm with Kira inside the Strike Gundam's cockpit.

"Kid, which pack are you using?"

"Please equip the Aile Pack!"

Although he had not yet fully committed to launching, faced with the inquiry from Sergeant Major Murdoch, who had always looked after him, Kira made his choice after a brief hesitation—when facing an unknown and powerful enemy, the Aile Pack, with its superior balance and agility, was clearly the best choice.

After activating the Strike Gundam, Kira skillfully monitored the tactical data link while coordinating with Sergeant Murdoch and his team to equip the Aile Pack. He hoped that Mu would be able to defeat or at least stall the Celestial Being mobile suit as promised; if the Archangel could successfully break away, he would not have to be dragged any further into this war.

Unfortunately, things did not go as planned. Mu's Moebius Zero appeared to be no match for the Celestial Being mobile suit, suffering a defeat the moment they engaged.

At this moment, the Strike Gundam had only just finished equipping the Aile Pack.

"Kira!"

Miriallia, acting as the temporary flight controller, had naturally overheard the previous argument. Although she opened the communication channel under Badgiruel's orders, she only called out Kira's name.

Kira's heart was filled with confusion and inner conflict. Seeing his pained expression, and despite the urging from Badgiruel behind her, Miriallia simply waited silently for her friend to make his decision.

But while Miriallia could wait, the battlefield would not.

Soon, through the external view provided by the reopened flight deck, beyond seeing Mu's Moebius Zero limping back as a "bare-bones" wreck;

Kira also saw that flash of white "ravaging" the area not far from the Archangel, and he could even sense something from "her."

At this moment, the communication channel Mu cut into only served to verify this.

"Kid, it seems the opponent is here specifically for you. And although I didn't open a public channel, her voice seemed to ring directly inside my head. 'I have no interest in an old man, hurry up and send Kira Yamato out to play with me!' That is exactly what she said. Good grief, is this what Celestial Being calls a Newtype? Could it be that Rau Le Creuset and I are also among them?"

Faced with the "joke" Mu barely managed to squeeze out, Kira was overcome with fury!

"Celestial Being talks a good game, but is this all they are actually capable of!"

As if to validate Kira's thoughts, the Celestial Being mobile suit seemed to grow impatient, firing a shot that blasted a massive hole into the flight deck just as it was closing back up.

Watching Sergeant Murdoch, who had always taken good care of him, struggling to organize emergency repairs, Kira finally made his decision.

"Kira Yamato, Aile Strike Gundam, launching!"