Dawn

Heaven's Pillar.

The tightly sealed blast doors slowly opened.

The steel angel with wings slowly emerged, propelled by the catapult.

"Noel Cassia—ZGMF-X22A Eternal Covenant—launching!"

With the aid of its thrusters, the steel giant shot straight into the distance.

"MS heat source approaching detected. Signal identified—ZGMF-X22A! It's that unit!"

At that very moment, the ZAFT forces stationed in space discovered the Destiny Gundam.

"MS units, sortie immediately!"

The commander promptly issued the combat order. "Also have our allied forces deploy for support. The rest of you, surround Heaven's Pillar! If they make any unusual moves, annihilate them immediately!"

As Orb's former space elevator, how could Heaven's Pillar possibly be left undefended by ZAFT?

If Heaven's Pillar had not once issued the Heavenly Pillar Declaration of Independence, and if Gibril had not been on Earth, an army would already have been pressing down on it just like on Orb itself.

Even so, ZAFT and Earth Alliance forces had deployed a considerable number of troops around Heaven's Pillar.

Beep, beep, beep—

"Oh? That's quite a lot of them."

Inside the Eternal Gundam's cockpit, Noer could not help teasing as he looked at the numerous red dots appearing on the radar.

"Let's break through as quickly as possible. Orb is still waiting for us."

Lacus, sitting sideways in Noer's lap, also saw the tide of red flooding across the radar. There was not the slightest hint of panic on her face as she spoke calmly.

"Hold on tight."

As Noer spoke, Eternal Covenant's speed abruptly surged. The booster engines mounted on its legs detached as scarlet armor covered the unit.

Lacus tightened her arms slightly around Noer's neck and rested her head against his chest, doing her best not to block his view.

"That's—huh!?"

"This is—Destiny!?"

"..."

Ahead, the ZAFT MS unit sent to