Orb's Meeting 3

He paused, giving everyone present time to consider his words.

"This gave them an opportunity in terms of timing. The three newest GAT Series units deployed in the Battle of Orb had sustained some damage, but after emergency repairs, they could be fully redeployed for the upcoming Victoria Campaign. The performance of those three machines was enough to give them an overwhelming advantage over ZAFT's MS."

Then he shifted the topic to the other side.

"Conversely, let's look at ZAFT. They still had not fully recovered from the devastating losses they suffered at JOSH-A Base. Under these circumstances, they simply could not spare enough forces to defend Victoria Base."

He held up two fingers, making a vivid gesture of weighing one option against another.

"Therefore, the PLANT Supreme Council had only one possible course of action—strategically abandon Victoria. They would evacuate as much of their remaining manpower as possible and withdraw their entire defensive line into space. They knew very well that once the Earth Forces recaptured Victoria Spaceport, their next move would inevitably be to advance into space. Rather than waste their strength in a ground battle they had no chance of winning, they would be better off consolidating their defenses in space and preparing for the final decisive battle."

Muruta's analysis was like a carefully woven net, drawing every clue and possibility toward a single point.

"This is the fundamental reason I mentioned earlier why the next main battlefield would inevitably shift into space."

Throughout the conference room, only Muruta's steady voice and the occasional subdued breaths of the attendees remained.

His reasoning was rigorous and tightly connected, laying the future shape of the war clearly before everyone present.

"The scale of the coming battle will be unprecedented."

Uzmi Nara Athha, who had remained silent until then, finally