First Arrival at Artemis Fortress

Inside the cafeteria, the air seemed to have frozen solid. Sai Argyle frowned deeply, his face filled with incredulous confusion and unease. Lowering his voice, he quietly asked the companions beside him, "What exactly is going on...? Isn't the Eurasian Federation our ally?"

He, Jiliang, and Flay instinctively huddled together, their eyes full of bewilderment and a trace of fear they could not hide.

Not far away, seasoned crew members such as helmsman Arnold Neumann and chief mechanic Maddock wore grave expressions, their eyes warily sweeping over the armed soldiers around them and the tight security at the cafeteria entrance.

"The problem is, we didn't transmit an approved identification code..." Neumann sighed, explaining in a low, helpless voice.

His voice was not loud, but in the unusually silent cafeteria, it carried clearly to Xia Ya and the others.

Xia Ya leaned against the cold wall, his arms folded across his chest. Beneath his seemingly calm expression, a sharp gleam that saw through everything flickered in his eyes.

In the world before he crossed over, he had already known all about the tangled factional struggles within the Earth Alliance of the SEED Universe.

Though they were nominally both part of the Earth Alliance, the Atlantic Federation led by the United States and the Eurasian Federation centered around the European nations were, in reality, two massive organizations with independent command structures, different political demands, and separate strategic objectives.

Their relationship was not merely unfriendly; it could even be called downright hostile, filled with suspicion, vigilance, and covert rivalry.

To the Eurasian Federation stationed at Artemis Fortress, the sudden arrival of a warship affiliated with the Atlantic Federation—Heliopolis being a joint project between Orb and the Atlantic Federation—carrying unheard-of new mobile suits and unable to provide valid identification codes was riddled with suspicious points. It was more than enough to put them on edge and make them take the strictest precautions.

"I'm afraid their objective isn't as simple as confirming our identities." Chief mechanic Maddock added heavily, his experienced eyes clouded with worry.

Neumann silently nodded, agreeing with Maddock's assessment. Hearing the meaningful exchange between the two veteran crewmen, Sai and Flay beside him exchanged even more bewildered looks, tilting their heads in confusion. They looked like two startled fawns in an unfamiliar environment.

Jiliang also looked somewhat uneasy. She instinctively edged a little closer to Xia Ya, obvious concern in her clear eyes as she asked softly, "Hey, Xia Ya... is this place really going to be okay?"

She could clearly feel the hostility and danger hanging in the air around them. Instinctively, she sought reassurance from the companion who always remained calm in critical moments and gave her a sense of safety.

Xia Ya turned his head slightly, his gaze falling on Jiliang's pretty face filled with unease. He reached out and gently patted her shoulder, the gesture natural yet soothing. "...Who knows?"

He answered quietly, his tone calm to the point of indifference, yet his eyes held unquestionable confidence. "Relax. At the very least, we won't get taken out by these grunts with rifles."

His attention had long since moved past the predicament before them, toward the real threat that was about to arrive.

More than anyone else, he knew that Artemis Fortress's greatest crisis was not the Eurasian Federation's obstruction, but the elite ZAFT operative lurking outside—Nicol Amalfi, piloting the Blitz Gundam.

The much-vaunted Artemis's Umbrella seemed impregnable, yet it was powerless against the Blitz Gundam's Mirage Particles stealth system.

Once the Blitz Gundam slipped into the fortress through an opening while the defensive barrier was activated, this "unbreakable fortress" would instantly become a slaughterhouse.

At this very moment, Nicol, Yzak, Dearka, and the others were probably aboard the Gamow, conducting reconnaissance operations outside the fortress and nervously making their final mission preparations.

Aside from the imminent attack by the Blitz Gundam, Xia Ya's thoughts briefly lingered on another matter.

He glanced at Jiliang beside him. The girl had relaxed somewhat because of his reassurance, but the worry between her brows had not completely faded.

In his memories of the "original work," it was here that Jiliang suffered an extremely heavy psychological blow after some idiotic Eurasian Federation officer spat, "You're a traitor to the Coordinators," a remark steeped in discrimination and malice. It had nearly become one of the final straws that broke through her mental defenses.

Whenever he thought of that old bastard, who knew nothing of Jiliang's circumstances or why she had been forced to fight, yet carelessly spewed venom out of prejudice and pushed her into the abyss, a cold killing intent flashed involuntarily through Xia Ya's eyes.

Should I find an opportunity later to let that old bastard "accidentally" suffer a little? A dangerous thought flashed through his mind.

Just then, a clear set of footsteps with the distinctive rhythm of military boots approached from afar, shattering the oppressive silence in the cafeteria.

The footsteps had a clear destination: the cafeteria where they were gathered.

A moment later, several Eurasian Federation officers with gleaming insignia strode into the cafeteria, surrounded by a squad of heavily armed soldiers with cold expressions.

At their head was a middle-aged man with thinning hair, a rigid face, and sharp eyes. His gaze swept over every face present like a searchlight, coldly scrutinizing them from on high.

"I am Gerald Garcia, commander of the space fortress Artemis."

He announced it in an unquestionable tone thick with bureaucratic authority, his gaze finally settling on Xia Ya and the other young people who were clearly central figures.

"I'll be direct. Where are the pilots of the new mobile suits aboard the Archangel—the Strike Gundam and the Blaze Gundam—as well as the relevant technical development personnel?"

"Ah...?" Hearing the pointed question, especially the mention of the Strike Gundam she piloted, Jiliang almost reflexively raised her hand to answer.

Her straightforward nature made her instinctively want to tell the truth when faced with such a direct interrogation.

However, a second before her arm rose, a warm yet powerful hand swiftly and firmly caught her wrist again, stopping her.

Jiliang sharply turned her head, looking at Xia Ya beside her with a face full of confusion. Her clear eyes were filled with the question, "Why?"

Xia Ya said nothing. He merely shook his head slightly, signaling for her to remain absolutely silent.

He knew full well that in a situation where they were at the mercy of others, voluntarily exposing himself and Jiliang—the two most crucial "weapons"—along with their operators was no different from handing over their last trump card.

Once the other side obtained that information, it would inevitably lead to endless trouble afterward and might even cause them to lose all chance of resisting or escaping.

When no one answered, the scene sank into an awkward silence. Helmsman Arnold Neumann once again displayed the steadiness of a veteran. He stepped forward and met Commander Garcia's scrutinizing gaze without servility or arrogance. "Commander, why are you asking ordinary crew members like us about this? Haven't our captain and commander reported to you?"

He skillfully tossed the question back. For a subordinate to question a superior commander's inquiry in such a manner was undoubtedly bold, almost rude.

Sure enough, Commander Garcia's expression instantly turned extremely ugly. His brows knit tightly together, obvious anger appearing on his rigid face. His eyes grew even sharper, as though he wished to bore straight through Neumann.

But he was, after all, an old hand long accustomed to official circles and deeply understood the importance of keeping one's emotions hidden.

Only moments later, he forcibly suppressed the anger in his heart and squeezed out a stiff, hypocritical smile, trying to conceal his brief loss of composure as though that flash of anger had never appeared.