The Failed Plan

In January, C.E. 71, at this seemingly ordinary yet destined-to-be-extraordinary moment, he arrived quietly at Heliopolis, the space colony belonging to the Orb Union, carrying complex and excited emotions.

This was the heart of the coming storm of war, and also the crucial stage where he would change his fate and turn everything around.

"...It's been a week today."

He murmured softly, his eyes betraying a trace of barely noticeable tension and anticipation.

Ever since learning that ZAFT had begun attacking the spaceport, he had, like a keen hawk, immediately sensed the danger and opportunity within it and rushed without hesitation toward Heliopolis.

Of course, to avoid unnecessary trouble and concern, he had specifically instructed the butler to keep this secret from Mu.

In his plan, everything had to proceed quietly along its predetermined course. There could not be the slightest mistake.

In the original story, once Kira and the others heard that the spaceport had fallen, Heliopolis would immediately suffer a merciless attack, like another tile in a line of dominoes.

Although the news had not yet been reported, his deep understanding of the original plot and sharp instincts told him there was not much time left before the story officially began.

Every second that passed felt like a countdown to fate, quickening his heartbeat with both tension and excitement.

He silently reviewed the carefully devised plan in his mind once more.

First, once ZAFT's assault officially began, he planned to blend cleverly into the panicked refugees and make his way unnoticed to the factory district.

After all, he had been on Heliopolis for a full week. During those seven days, like a diligent scholar, he had engraved every street and the structure of every building in the colony into his mind. Those memories would now serve as a powerful guide for his actions.

Then, the mobile suit he had set his sights on for this operation was the Blitz Gundam.

In his eyes, that machine was like a dazzling yet dangerous star, radiating a unique charm.

Its armament was incredibly extensive. Its advanced weapons were like fangs and claws, giving it formidable offensive power on the battlefield. More importantly, however, it was equipped with the Mirage Colloid system.

The Mirage Colloid system was a fictional special-particle technology that used high-tech means to deflect electromagnetic waves such as visible light and infrared rays.

When the Blitz Gundam activated that system, it was as though it had draped itself in an invisibility cloak, allowing it to conceal its body and deliver fatal strikes to enemies by surprise.

...Though it was described that way, the Blitz Gundam was actually a vicious machine surrounded by controversy and danger.

But in his heart, as long as he could successfully pilot the Blitz Gundam, it would be like holding the key to the door of future victory.

He believed that with the machine's powerful performance, the plot after his intervention would unfold as smoothly as sailing with the current.

And if he could pilot the Blitz Gundam successfully, then the tragic original storyline in which Nicol took the machine to the battlefield and was ultimately killed by Kira Yamato might also be avoided.

The thought filled him with an uncontrollable surge of excitement and purpose.

"...So, where should I eat lunch today?"

As he immersed himself in thoughts of his future plans, noon quietly arrived.

His stomach began to growl, and hunger washed over him like a tide.

He shook his head slightly and pulled his thoughts away from those grand plans for the moment. It was about time to eat lunch. After all, an army marched on its stomach; only after filling himself up could he better face the coming challenges.

Just then, a strange sensation suddenly surged through him.

It was not an ordinary feeling, but something directly within his mind, a strange sensation difficult to describe in words.

Yet it was not unpleasant at all. Instead, he even felt a trace of warmth in his chest, as if receiving a familiar call after a long time apart.

"...Is that Mu?"

A thought flashed through his mind. Mu had finished escorting the ship carrying the original pilots of the GAT Series and had arrived at Heliopolis.

If that was true...then it was today.

Today, ZAFT—the dangerous force led by Rau Le Creuset—would attack Heliopolis according to the original plot.

At last...the story of SEED was about to begin.

His heart was filled with excitement for the challenge ahead, but also with a trace of fear toward the unknown.

Just as these thoughts surged through him like waves, a deafening explosion suddenly rang out like thunder, followed by violent tremors rising from the ground.

The force of the blast seemed capable of tearing the whole world apart, its enormous shockwaves spreading outward in wave after wave like a raging sea.

He instinctively bent down, trying to avoid the sudden disaster.

But the violent shaking made it impossible for him to maintain his balance, and his body swayed as though he were a fallen leaf in the wind.

Still, gritting his teeth, he forced himself to regain his footing through sheer will.

"You've got to be kidding...! So soon...!"

He widened his eyes and shouted in shock. ZAFT's attack had come far earlier than he had expected.

Countless thoughts flashed through his mind. Had the enemy attack been triggered the moment Mu's ship entered Heliopolis?

Or had he simply sensed Mu's presence too late? There was no time to find the answer now.

"Damn it!"

He cursed bitterly. Though full of doubts, he knew clearly that acting came before figuring out the reason.

Otherwise, death was all that awaited him.

The colony was still shaking continuously, like a giant beast struggling in agony.

Without hesitation, he ran full speed toward the factory district.

His feet seemed fitted with springs, every step packed with strength as he dashed through the chaotic streets.

But concern soon rose within him. Could he make it there on foot in time?

He had been on Heliopolis for a week, and because no attack had come during that time, he had unconsciously lowered his guard and grown careless.

When he had first arrived, he had deliberately kept within an area relatively close to the factory district. Yet now, that seemingly short distance felt impossibly far away.

...No, it was too late for regrets.

He sternly warned himself that thinking about such things now would only waste precious time.

Every second that passed could take him one step farther from success—or even cost him his life.

"That is..."

As he ran with all his might, anxiety filling his heart, something suddenly entered his field of vision.

It was a car abandoned during the evacuation. Its door was wide open, and he could see at a glance that the driver's seat was empty.

"...!"

His eyes lit up instantly, without the slightest hesitation.

He immediately changed direction and dashed toward the car like a bolt of lightning.

He quickly climbed in and found that the engine was still running. It must not have been damaged by the earlier impact.

A wave of relief rose within him. Gripping the steering wheel tightly, he stepped on the accelerator without hesitation and sped toward the factory district.

Though the ongoing tremors kept affecting the steering wheel, making the vehicle difficult to control, he steadied the car through sheer determination and practiced driving skill, continuing forward.

His eyes held a reckless resolve. Sweat covered his forehead and slid down his cheeks, but he paid it no mind. All his attention was fixed on the road ahead and the destination he needed to reach.

Once he got sufficiently close to the factory district, he cautiously stopped the car and quickly got out.

He knew that from here on, ZAFT's eyes would likely be watching closely.

If he continued approaching carelessly by car, enemy fire would turn him into a sieve in an instant.

In that case, he could only rely on his own legs, running desperately through gunfire and smoke while carefully avoiding the soldiers' hawk-like gazes and closing in on his objective with all his strength.

His figure looked especially small amid the chaotic battlefield, yet incomparably resolute. Every step seemed to carry his fate and hope.

"...Am I too late?" A bad premonition rose in his heart.

At this point, the plot had already begun in earnest, unfolding like a wild horse breaking free of its reins.

ZAFT forces were fiercely attacking the transport vehicles streaming out of the factory district.

The transport vehicles struggled forward through the bombardment, their bodies repeatedly swallowed by flashes of exploding fire.

There were three transport vehicles in total.

And the Blitz Gundam he had been longing for should be inside one of them.

Anxious desire filled his eyes as he silently wondered, Which one...?

He was about to investigate further and determine which vehicle carried the Blitz Gundam.

Then a massive shadow slowly rose before him.

One, two, three—those enormous and imposing figures stood up one after another, like steel beasts awakening from slumber. They were giant humanoid weapons—MS.

His face turned pale in an instant, despair flooding his heart. "...Is it impossible?"

At that critical moment, he made a swift decision in his mind.

The Duel Gundam, Buster Gundam, and Blitz Gundam had already fallen into ZAFT's hands.

That meant there was no longer any room here for him to carry out his plan.

The plan he had carefully prepared for so long had been ruthlessly declared a failure. It seemed his only remaining option was to flee in disgrace.

He clearly remembered that the factory district had shelters specifically intended for evacuation.

His only option now was to run into one as fast as he could and wait there, hoping for even the slimmest chance of survival.

"Hah...hah...!" His breathing became rapid and ragged, like bellows, unusually clear amid the battlefield's clamor.

Even so, he did not slow down in the slightest. Like an agile hare, he seized a gap in the fierce battle between the Earth Forces and ZAFT and darted into the factory district like lightning.

"Hah...! This ability really is convenient!"

As he wove through the gunfire, he silently rejoiced in the precognitive ability he possessed.

Relying on that unique power, he carefully moved in secret like a ghost feeling its way through darkness, trying to avoid enemy eyes and fire.

Of course, the factory district was far from peaceful. Fierce gunfights had erupted there as well.

Bright blood occasionally splashed into the edge of his vision, its vivid red especially horrifying against the gray surroundings.

Cries of pain rose one after another, echoing in every direction.

It formed a stark and brutal contrast with the peaceful world he had once lived in. At that moment, the peace of his past felt like nothing more than an illusory lie.

"...Wait, what is this?"

As he ran desperately toward the shelter, his eyes suddenly caught a sight he could scarcely believe.

Outside were the Duel Gundam, Buster Gundam, and Blitz Gundam—the three machines.

According to what he knew, only two machines should have remained here: the Strike Gundam and Aegis Gundam.

However—his eyes widened in disbelief. There were actually three machines here.

"Three...why...!"

He muttered blankly, his entire body seeming to freeze under a spell as he stopped without realizing it.

"Hey! Who are you?!" A sharp shout came from behind and to the side.

Alarm bells rang in Xia Ya's heart, and he whipped around. A young soldier in a red ZAFT uniform was aiming a rifle at him. He appeared to be one of their red-clad elites. The soldier had evidently stumbled upon Xia Ya while clearing out remaining enemies. His eyes were sharp, his movements swift, and he pulled the trigger without the slightest hesitation!

It was Rusty Mackenzie! Xia Ya instantly recognized the ZAFT redcoat who, in the original story, should have captured the Aegis Gundam but died here instead. But he had no time to think about the discrepancy in the plot. Death was right before him!

In that split second, Xia Ya's body had already reacted. He forcibly twisted himself, trying to rely on the extraordinary reflexes granted by the Flada Bloodline to evade the shot. But the distance was too short, and his opponent was a trained soldier! He could feel the bullet's scorching wake pass by his cheek!

Damn it! Xia Ya's heart tightened. He had done all he could, but it seemed he still could not evade it completely...

Bang!

A dull gunshot rang out almost at the same time as Rusty's shot, but it came from a different direction.

Rusty, who had been aiming at Xia Ya, jerked violently. A spray of blood burst from his chest. He looked down at his wound in disbelief, then fell straight backward, his rifle clattering to the ground.

Xia Ya stared in shock at the fallen Rusty.

There was no time to think! Rusty's death had removed the immediate danger, but it also meant he had been completely exposed!

Seeing this turn of events, he took off running again without hesitation, as though some powerful force had launched him forward.

At that moment, inspiration struck, and he remembered where he was—and what was about to happen here.

Go to the shelter? The thought remained in Xia Ya's mind for less than half a second before he decisively rejected it.

The shelter might be safe, but it also meant passivity and waiting helplessly for death.

Once ZAFT controlled the entire factory district, whether the people in the shelters lived or died would depend entirely on their mood.

No! He could not leave his fate in someone else's hands!

His gaze fell once more upon that mysterious third MS!

The plan to take the Blitz Gundam had failed, but this unknown machine...might be a new opportunity!

An unexpected variable, a chance that might change everything!

Take it!

He sprinted toward the mysterious machine without regard for anything else.

Xia Ya looked up and, fortunately, found that the cockpit was open!

It seemed the earlier maintenance work had not been fully completed, or perhaps it had been interrupted by the sudden assault.

There was no time to think about why. Xia Ya climbed with both hands and feet, moving like an ape, and slipped into the cold, complex cockpit in just a few motions.

The seat, the controls, the dense array of buttons and screens...everything felt unfamiliar, yet strangely familiar at the same time.

Almost on instinct, his hands settled over the main control stick and the startup switch.

At that moment, the Flada Family's special intuition manifested to its fullest extent, as if the cold machine were forming some kind of resonance with his mind.

He could "feel" the flow of energy. He could "understand" the structure of the system.

He did not read the complicated startup manual. Relying only on that special instinct from deep within his bloodline, he decisively pressed a button.

Hummm—

A deep current-filled hum rose. The cockpit lights came on one by one, the screens began flashing, and streams of initialization data appeared.

Clack—!

The sound of hydraulic rods moving and metal locks sealing shut came from above his head.

The cockpit hatch...closed automatically! The noise and chaos outside were cut off, leaving only the hum of the system starting up and his own slightly hurried breathing.

He had succeeded! At least, he had entered the machine and activated its initial systems!

Xia Ya opened his eyes and looked at the main display before him.

Complex startup procedures scrolled rapidly, while prompts from various system checks kept appearing.

At last, all the streams of information converged and stabilized. A simple yet powerful line of initials appeared in the center of the screen—the initials of this mysterious machine's full name—

General Unilateral Neuro-Link-Dispersive Autonomous Maneuver

G. U. N. D. A. M.

Gundam!

This unknown machine was also a Gundam!

Feeling the slight tremors brought by the steel giant awakening beneath him, as well as the surging power about to erupt, Xia Ya—the young man who had inherited the Flada Bloodline—curled his lips into a cold, confident smile.

The war had only just begun.

And at last, he had obtained a piece of his own.