Mutation 14

Less than five minutes had passed since the battle began, yet the intensity of the fighting had already exceeded everyone's expectations. The forces under Orphee's command were clearly ZAFT elites. Their tactical coordination was tight, and their attack waves flowed together without a single flaw. The assault closing in on the Eternal grew fiercer with every wave, and anxious expressions began to appear on the bridge crew's faces. Warning lights flickered across the consoles while urgent electronic alarms mingled with the crew's tense reports.

"Starboard Hedgehog Array barrels are overheating! We need twenty seconds to cool them down!"

"Interceptor missile reserves have fallen to 60%! They're being depleted too quickly!"

"Open every gun port! Forget precise targeting! Lay down a barrage! Overwhelm them with numbers! Just reduce the number of missiles at the front, no matter what!" Bartfield's voice carried a trace of urgency as well. He knew very well that, against such a large and tightly coordinated MS force, the Eternal might be the most advanced warship around, but it was still only a warship—not a mobile fortress. A warship's interception systems had a processing limit. Once a saturation attack exceeded that limit, the consequences would be unimaginable.

"The interception system can't keep up! Fifteen percent of the missiles can't be intercepted!" The fire control officer's voice trembled slightly.

"Predicted missile trajectories... three will hit the starboard side of the bridge!"

"No, five! They've broken through the final defensive line!"

The limit arrived far faster than anyone had imagined.

On the tactical map displayed on the main screen, several red points representing missiles had already crossed the Eternal's defensive perimeter. They swelled at alarming speed as they raced toward the bridge.

D'Costa and another crew member cried out, their voices a mixture of despair and unwillingness. The display above