Life Was Hard, and the Captain Could Only Sigh

"Setting aside the Rodinia Research Institute, it seemed the higher-ups had already classified Stella as a combat loss."

The officer sent by the base command center was relaying the orders to Prea. "At the same time, to replenish your combat strength, Canard, Swen, and Mudy from the former Huajin Squad will also be assigned to your unit."

"What happened to Stella was my momentary oversight..."

Prea expressed his apology, apologizing for his mistake.

It had indeed been an oversight.

At the time, he had been too focused on figuring out the Institute's secrets and had overlooked Stella's abnormal condition.

In response to Prea's self-reproach, the messenger officer tried to console him. "Don't say that. You put them to such good use. I'm sure Mr. Gibril won't blame you."

"Heh, I'll take your word for it."

Prea chuckled at that.

Gibril—just a tool with a bit of brains.

But now, the combat power available to him had been reduced rather severely.

Auel had died, Stella had gone missing, and only Sting remained of the Gundam Calamity Trio—

Although three more people were joining them, compared to ZAFT, their own forces were now far too weak.

"Looks like the task of carrying the banner will still have to be left to Orb."

As he muttered, Prea thought of that idiot named Yuna.

Still, there was no telling what ZAFT would do. After all, now that things had developed to this point, there was increasingly more room to maneuver.

Durandal, Hills, Matisse—

Who knew what those three were plotting? He would have to be careful from now on and make sure he did not get dragged in by them through one careless move.

Though he had already been dragged in—

In the tranquil blue world, countless white flakes drifted down.

They called it