Two pink Beam Boomerangs carved deadly arcs through space, screeching with piercing energy as they hurtled straight toward Calamity Gundam's cockpit.
Orga let out an alarmed, furious cry and hastily raised the Anti-Beam Shield on his left arm, desperately blocking the boomerangs' slicing attack. Blinding molten flares erupted across the armor's surface.
Then, the crimson machine burst through the haze of energy smoke. Flames blazed from its back-mounted flight unit as it delivered an incredibly heavy armored flying kick, slamming brutally and precisely into Calamity Gundam's chest armor.
The tremendous kinetic impact sent the heavyweight Calamity Gundam flying backward like a kite with its string cut. It tumbled repeatedly through the void before barely stabilizing itself.
"Athrun!?"
Dearka, who had just raised his long-range Beam Rifle behind them, clearly saw the machine through his optical monitor. His usually casual voice was finally tinged with undisguised shock.
The one who had arrived to break the deadlock was Justice Gundam—Athrun Zala, son of Chairman Patrick Zala.
"You... why are you here?!"
As Yzak piloted Duel Gundam and used its shield to desperately hold back Forbidden Gundam's descending Nidhogg, he furiously demanded an answer over the communications channel.
According to military orders, Athrun, as the Special Forces' ace at its core, should have remained at the very front of Jachin Due, serving as the army's blade and shooting down the greatest number of enemies.
Why had he abandoned the defensive sector around the frontline fortress and fallen back behind this homeland defense line, where a direct decisive battle should never have taken place?
"The enemy fleet changed course. Their target is PLANT itself! The moment I saw it, I understood what they were trying to do!"
Athrun's voice came through the communicator, low and restrained, yet trembling uncontrollably.
He had witnessed Boaz Fortress