Jiliang and Her Friends' Decision

The unrest inside Heliopolis had yet to fully subside. Crumbling walls and scattered fires silently told of the fierce battle that had just taken place.

The air was thick with the complex smell of gunpowder, scorched metal, and dust—a shock in itself to residents accustomed to the constant cleanliness of a colony's interior.

But for Jiliang Yamato and her friends—Sai, Tolle, Miriallia, and Kuzzey—the greater shock came from the decision of the female Earth Alliance officer standing before them: Captain Murrue Ramius.

Captain Ramius's voice carried a trace of barely noticeable exhaustion, as though she had just finished a long and difficult assessment. But her next words made everyone's hearts sink instantly. "I'm sorry, but I can't just let you all go."

Her sharp, hawk-like gaze shifted away from the mysterious man who called himself Xia Ya Flaga and fixed directly on Jiliang and the others. There was none of her earlier gentleness or hesitation left in those eyes, only the unquestionable seriousness and decisiveness of a soldier.

This sudden change was like dark clouds abruptly blotting out the first ray of sunlight. The boys and girls, who had only just begun to calm down, were plunged once more into deep confusion and unease.

"...What do you mean?" Sai was the first to break the silence, his voice trembling with disbelief. They could not understand why this officer, who had seemed fairly reasonable before, was suddenly treating them with such severity.

Captain Ramius ignored Sai's question. She looked over the young civilians whose faces were filled with alarm and continued in a tone so calm it was almost cold. "Whatever the reason, you have come into contact with this unit—the Earth Alliance's highest military secret. Under regulations, I must place you under temporary detention."

She paused, making sure every word reached their ears clearly. "Until I establish contact with the relevant authorities and a formal decision is made regarding your situation, you must remain under my command and move with me."

Her words were not loud, yet they struck every heart like a heavy hammer.

A soldier's duty, the iron rules of military secrecy—these cold terms took form in Captain Ramius's irrefutable declaration and echoed through the devastated area.

The color drained from Jiliang and her friends' faces, confusion turning to shock, then shock to deathly pallor.

Incredulous panic washed over them like an icy tide.

To Captain Ramius, her decision was simply her duty, an inevitable choice to uphold military discipline and national security.

No matter how innocent these young people were, or how accidentally they had become involved, the fact that they had witnessed and touched the G Weapons was enough reason for them to be placed under control.

Letting them leave freely would be no different from spreading an enormous security risk. No responsible soldier could tolerate such dereliction of duty.

But to Jiliang and the others, ordinary students living under the illusion of peace, this was a bolt from the blue—a disaster that had befallen them for no reason at all. They had only wanted to find a measure of peace at the edge of the war. They had never imagined they would have anything to do with words like "war," "secrets," or "detention."

"How can this be?! That's way too high-handed!" Sai Argyle's emotions finally erupted. His voice rose in anger, carrying the reckless protest of youth. "How can something like this possibly be allowed!?"

"We're civilians of Heliopolis! This is a neutral colony, isn't it!?" Kuzzey quickly followed, trying to cling to "neutrality" like a lifeline.

In their simple understanding, neutrality meant safety. It meant being able to stay out of it.

"Exactly! Why are your Earth Forces making things like this here? And these Mobile Suits... Isn't your very presence here already strange enough?!" Tolle could not help joining the argument, his words full of accusation and grievance.

The boys and girls spoke over one another, fiercely voicing their dissatisfaction and fear.

They felt they were the victims, dragged into this disaster against their will, yet now they were being treated like criminals. The injustice left them furious and helpless.

They had chosen Heliopolis precisely to escape the mire of war, but reality had ruthlessly dragged them into the heart of an even deeper whirlpool.

Amid the chaotic argument, Xia Ya Flaga, who had remained silent until then, let out a soft sigh.

His gaze swept over the young people whose faces were flushed with agitation, carrying a faint, almost imperceptible pity. "Even so, the world outside is still at war."

His voice was not loud, but it carried a strange penetrating force. Like a stone dropped into a noisy pond, it instantly brought every protest and complaint to a halt.

That sentence seemed to contain a deeper reality, one that transcended the dispute before them.

"Huh—" Someone let out a brief cry of startled confusion.

Just then, before Captain Ramius could fully act on the poised stance of her hand resting on the holster at her waist, Xia Ya spoke first.

He could feel the tension in the air. If it was not eased, the conflict could easily escalate.

"...I understand how you feel. You're very dissatisfied, aren't you?" His tone was calm, and he looked at Jiliang and the others with sincere eyes. "But she's telling the truth. The military has its rules, especially in times like these. Right now, the wisest choice is to follow her arrangements for the time being."

He paused, emphasizing his next words as he tried to offer them a little hope. "Please rest assured, this was an accident, and the full truth will eventually be clarified. Believe me, it won't have any bad effect on you."

There was a reassuring calm in his eyes, as though he had already foreseen the outcome.

Jiliang and the others stared at him blankly, their youthful impulsiveness temporarily suppressed by his steady presence.

Xia Ya then turned to Captain Ramius, who stood closest to him, and gave her a gentle, almost pleading smile. "Right?"

Captain Ramius met his gaze and froze slightly when she saw something in those deep eyes.

Her expression, which had been tense all along, seemed to soften a little after Xia Ya's question and that smile.

She nodded lightly, then faced Jiliang and the others. Her tone clearly softened as well. It was no longer the purely commanding tone of a soldier, but carried a sincere willingness to explain.

"Mm... yes. I do not intend to punish you as criminals." She chose her words carefully. "It's simply that, as a soldier, I cannot allow you to leave freely when I know nothing about your circumstances. This concerns the safety of many people. I will do everything I can to explain the situation to my superiors and strive to help you return to your original lives as soon as possible." She glanced at Xia Ya and added, "Until then, I hope you can..." She seemed about to say "remain under my custody," but changed her wording at the last moment. "...temporarily move together with him. I will ensure your safety."

The "him" she meant was, naturally, Xia Ya Flaga.

Hearing Captain Ramius's changed attitude and her explanation that she did not intend to treat them as criminals, Tolle and the others, who had been so indignant moments ago, visibly lost some of their momentum. The weight of reality pressed down on their young shoulders, forcing them to seriously consider their current situation.

"...Whatever the circumstances, the fact remains that we came into contact with classified information." Captain Ramius continued, her voice carrying the helplessness unique to a soldier. "If I could let you go immediately, I certainly would. But I can't do that now."

"...Then I guess this is the only way." Tolle and Sai exchanged a look, each seeing deep helplessness and a trace of fear in the other's eyes.

Tolle sighed and said quietly, "And in a situation like this, maybe staying with military personnel is actually safer..."

Miriallia nodded softly in agreement. Though she still felt wronged and unwilling, compared to facing the unknown enemies that might be outside on their own, temporarily relying on this mysterious warship and these soldiers seemed to be the only relatively safe choice.

They were forced to accept this cruel reality.

Seeing that the youths were no longer resisting so fiercely, Captain Ramius's taut nerves relaxed slightly. A faint, almost imperceptible relief appeared on her face—the ease of having shed part of her burden.

"Thank you for understanding," she said softly. Her gratitude was sincere.