"The remaining Earth Forces fleet is changing formation. The entire force is advancing!"
Just as the atmosphere grew heavy enough to freeze, Miliaria, the Archangel's CIC operator who had been closely monitoring the retreat route, rapidly entered commands on the console and sent the highest-priority emergency communication to the other three warships, including the Eternal. Her voice rose from extreme tension.
That was the crucial signal announcing the beginning of this brutal war's final phase.
The time had come. Hearing the transmission from the Archangel, everyone on the bridge immediately lifted their heads, all hesitation gone from their eyes.
"Full ship, Condition One! Prepare to sortie!"
Bartfield braced both hands against the communications station and delivered the final order in a cold, grave voice. With those words, the red alarms aboard the three vessels shrieked in unison, piercing the metal bulkheads and carrying the urgent sortie order into every corner of the corridors. Xia Ya and Jiliang exchanged a look, ready to head for their respective hangar posts at once.
They were about to turn with Mu and quicken their pace through the bridge's automatic doors toward the elevators at the rear.
"Xia Ya, Jiliang... wait!"
The call from behind them, carrying a faint sob, stopped them beneath the corridor lights outside the door.
Xia Ya and Jiliang turned around together, their boots making a soft scrape across the metal floor. Lacus Clyne hurried after them with slightly frantic steps. She stopped before them, her hands tightly clasped over her chest, looking as though she wanted to speak but could not.
Lacus Clyne took small, unsteady breaths. Her lips trembled slightly, but overwhelmed by the storm raging in her heart, she could not immediately form a complete sentence.
Xia Ya tilted his head and glanced at Mu, who was already