In this war-torn age.
Besides the Earth Alliance and PLANT, the two main players in the world, there were also many people drifting through the cracks of war.
For example, mercenaries who worked for money, and Junk Guild salvagers who scoured battlefields for anything useful.
"You've really found me one hell of a job, Erica Simmons."
In a room aboard Home, the Junk Guild's battleship, a woman in a white lab coat and gold-rimmed glasses chuckled as she spoke to the blonde woman on the screen.
"So, what's your answer, Professor?"
On the screen, Erica Simmons asked with a smile, coffee in hand.
"Sure. It'll benefit us, too, won't it?"
The professor in the lab coat accepted with a chuckle, coffee in hand. "Besides, the fact that you came to us means you're truly out of options."
Erica Simmons silently took a sip of coffee, tacitly agreeing.
That was indeed the case.
After learning from Lady Mina that the secret at Heliopolis had been exposed, the Sahaku Family and Morgenroete had indeed been put in a difficult position.
Lady Mina could send troops to support Heliopolis, but there simply wasn't enough time. By the time they arrived from Ame no Mihashira, Heliopolis might already have been reduced to rubble.
And even if there had been enough time, the troops from Ame no Mihashira couldn't stand up to ZAFT's forces in a head-on fight.
Even if they stretched the point.
Even if the troops from Ame no Mihashira helped Heliopolis repel ZAFT's attack.
Ame no Mihashira would still be the one to suffer in the end.
Right now, Ame no Mihashira was insignificant. Neither side in the war paid it any attention.
Because of Orb's declaration of neutrality, Ame no Mihashira could just about be considered a neutral force—a weak one.
In that situation, instead of keeping your head down, you were going to step out and provoke a force capable of going toe-to-toe with the Earth Alliance?
ZAFT, which held absolute supremacy in space, certainly wouldn't mind teaching you a lesson.
"You're silent, so I'll take that as a yes. But let me make one thing clear: don't expect us to fight ZAFT. We know our own limits."
The professor laid out the worst-case scenario first.
"I understand. Just focus on keeping yourselves safe."
Erica Simmons understood. The Junk Guild only salvaged scrap; they had almost no combat capability.
"Then we're all set. I'll head over shortly, and I'll let you know the results as soon as I have them."
After speaking, the professor ended the call, got up with her coffee, and left the room.
"I hope everything goes smoothly. Orb's already backed into a corner."
Watching the screen go dark, Erica Simmons couldn't help feeling unsettled.
Orb had already made an enemy of ZAFT. If it now took a stand against the Atlantic Federation...
January 21, C.E. 71.
The Equatorial Blockade reinforcement operation began.
At ZAFT's Gibraltar Base on Earth, countless Mobile Suits launched from the base and surged toward the mass driver in the East Asian Republic.
January 23, C.E. 71.
The GAT-X Series Mobile Suits, codenamed "G," and a new battleship were secretly completed.
January 24, C.E. 71.
Led by Rau Le Creuset, the Le Creuset Elite Team arrived at the asteroid belt near Heliopolis, Orb's neutral colony, according to their intelligence.
"Orb helped the Earth Alliance develop new Mobile Suits!?"
On the bridge, Athrun and the others looked stunned as they listened to Captain Le Creuset's briefing.
On the radar platform in the center of the bridge, a blurry image showed the indistinct shape of a huge humanoid machine.
Their surprise was understandable.
Orb's declaration of neutrality had caused a major stir around the world.
After all, Orb was just a tiny island nation. When it was the first to step forward and declare neutrality, it was impossible not to attract attention.
And in the days that followed, Orb had indeed upheld that principle.
It hadn't joined the fighting between PLANT and the Earth Alliance.
But now...
"Actually, it was only a matter of time. Orb is on Earth, after all."
Dearka was surprised for a moment, then quickly understood. "Compared to us, the monsters floating in the sky, they'd obviously feel closer to the Earth Alliance, since they're both part of the Earth Sphere."
"Who cares whether they're close to the Earth Alliance or not? They've made their choice, so they'll have to bear the consequences."
Yzak didn't have much of a reaction.
Because he—or rather, his mother—had always thought Orb would side with the Earth Alliance eventually.
After all, not everyone had the right to declare themselves neutral.
Le Creuset observed their reactions, but his attention was mainly fixed on Ino.
"Ino, what do you think about this?"
"What?"
Ino had been staring at the blurry image, lost in thought. He hadn't expected Le Creuset to call on him, and didn't respond right away.
"What do you think about Orb helping the Earth Alliance develop Mobile Suits?" Le Creuset repeated.
At Le Creuset's question, Ino quickly gave the answer a ZAFT soldier was expected to give. "There's nothing to think about. No matter what circumstances led them to do it, Orb chose to help the Atlantic Federation. That's a fact. They're the enemy now, so we might as well just take them."
Come to think of it, he seemed to remember reading somewhere in his previous life that Orb's chieftain hadn't ordered the development of these Mobile Suits. He had no idea if that was true.
"And what about the rest of you?"
Le Creuset nodded with a smile, then turned to Athrun and the others.
"Same as Ino."
Dearka spread his hands.
"Take them."
Yzak answered succinctly.
Nicol glanced toward Athrun.
"Athrun, what do you think?"
Le Creuset also turned to look at him.
Under everyone's gaze, Athrun thought for a moment before answering. "I don't mind taking the Mobile Suits, but could acting so hastily cause a diplomatic incident?"
Athrun had taken a more balanced view. Orb was a sovereign state, after all, and taking action directly under these circumstances could cause trouble later on, diplomatically.
"Give it a rest, Athrun. They've already gone this far, and you're still thinking about diplomacy? By the time you've sorted that out, it'll be too late," Dearka retorted.
"Diplomacy? Athrun, have the Clyne Faction brainwashed you or something!?"
Yzak was also a little annoyed by Athrun's reaction.
In fact, much of the reason Yzak disliked Athrun was his personality.
His father was the leader of the hardliners, yet the son kept siding with the Clyne Faction on so many issues—
Whenever Yzak thought about it, he felt as if Athrun had betrayed him.
"Yzak!"
Nicol quickly spoke up in Athrun's defense. "There's nothing wrong with Athrun's reasoning. Orb is a sovereign country, after all."
"So what if it's a sovereign country? The Atlantic Federation is one. The Eurasian Federation is one. This is war! Why are you bringing up sovereign states? Sovereign states are exactly what we're fighting!"
"But Orb is neutral."
"Neutral, while helping the Earth Alliance build Mobile Suits and battleships? Why aren't they building them for us?"
Dearka took Yzak's side without hesitation.
Dearka's words left Nicol at a loss for how to respond.
"Heh. I think the answer's obvious."
Seeing that the argument had run its course, Le Creuset stepped in with a smile to deliver his verdict. "Whether Orb is a sovereign state or a neutral country, its actions no longer uphold its declaration of neutrality."
Then Le Creuset's tone changed. "Orders!"
At his words, Ino and the others instinctively straightened up.
"The Vesalius and Gamow are to enter Level One alert immediately. The operation to seize the new Mobile Suits will begin in five hours!"
"Yes!"
Before you continue