A massive Beam Cannon fired directly from the main body of Boaz Fortress. Its beam was astonishingly thick, vaporizing all matter in its path.
The beam struck an Agamemnon Class carrier at the center of the Earth Forces fleet formation, burning a hole dozens of meters wide through its side. Air and personnel inside were sucked out through the breach as if by a pump.
The carrier's flight deck exploded, hurling several Strike Daggers standing by on the deck into space along with the blast.
But the Earth Forces responded swiftly. Several Nelson Class warships turned their bows toward Boaz Fortress and fired their main guns simultaneously.
Dozens of thick beams converged on the same point of the fortress. The rock wall there began to melt, fracture, and peel away. Layer upon layer of armor was shaved off by the beams, exposing the metal structure beneath, which continued to melt.
But Boaz's armor was far thicker than the Earth Forces commanders had anticipated. Even under such a fierce barrage, the fortress's defensive layer remained unbroken.
Seizing the moment while the ZAFT MS were busy dealing with the frontal bombardment, a Strike Dagger charged in from the flank along a daring arc. It broke through layer after layer of anti-air defenses and closed directly on the main body of Boaz Fortress.
Its pilot was an experienced veteran. He guided the Strike Dagger along a zigzag course to evade the fortress's close-defense guns, each turn narrowly avoiding deadly barrages.
His fingers moved nimbly across the controls, his pupils dilated by adrenaline.
Closer. Closer still. The fortress's rock wall was right before him.
He only needed to advance a few hundred more meters before he could attack the defensive facilities on the fortress's surface with his anti-ship weaponry—
But a crimson machine appeared