War clouds on the journey home

On February 14, Cosmic Era 70, the staggering news that the Earth Alliance had declared war on PLANT and Junius Seven had suffered a nuclear attack swept across the Earth Sphere like a cosmic storm. The Lakeglow Hotel in Zhouhang, capital of the East Asian Republic, instantly went from a welcoming haven for cultural exchange to a lone boat amid raging waves. The moment Mei Hock confirmed that the Bloody Valentine tragedy had unfolded on schedule, the stone weighing on his heart finally dropped, stirring endless ripples of sorrow mingled with relief. Although the warning he had delivered through secret channels might have had some effect—the casualties on Junius Seven were still unclear—the wheels of war had already rolled mercilessly over the wreckage of peace, and the torrent of history surged forward with greater ferocity.

Panic and chaos spread like a plague through the streets outside the hotel. The East Asian Republic's military and police swiftly took control of the main districts, and shrill sirens rang without pause. When the hotel manager appeared again, his face was even paler than before, his tone urgently brooking no argument. "Captain Hawke, you've seen the situation. Our highest authorities have issued a direct order: to ensure everyone's safety, your party must leave our territory within three hours! We've arranged a special route."

Just as Akira prepared to activate the backup "Nightingale" plan and risk evacuating through the Old River private spaceport, an unexpected opportunity arrived. A team in the black uniforms of the East Asian Republic's Intelligence Bureau reached the hotel, their movements crisp and efficient. Leading them was a female officer around twenty-seven or twenty-eight. She stood straight, her ear-length hair immaculate, her features delicate but her gaze as sharp as a hawk's. Her shoulder insignia marked her as a major. Most strikingly, Akira's fully active ACCORD ability clearly detected the highly optimized physiological signals unique to a Coordinator emanating from her. Though she did her utmost to conceal it, that sense of coordination and energy was entirely unlike a Natural's.

"Captain Mei Hock?" The officer gave a regulation salute, her voice calm and devoid of unnecessary emotion. "I'm Major Li Bing of the East Asian Republic Intelligence Bureau's Special Operations Division. I've been ordered to help you and Miss Clyne leave the country safely and swiftly." She handed over an encrypted electronic directive bearing an extremely high-level authentication code.

Akira's ACCORD instantly analyzed her microexpressions, physiological readings, and vocal fluctuations, judging her words to be 98 percent truthful. East Asia's leadership's decision to send a dedicated officer at this moment—and a Coordinator officer at that—held unusual significance. It was both a welcome act of goodwill in a desperate hour and a subtle signal to PLANT, in the opening stages of war, that channels of communication would remain open. It might also have been an investment and an opportunity to observe.

"Thank you for your country's assistance, Major Lee." Akira returned her salute, his tone steady. "We need to return to the Peace Messenger as soon as possible."

"The route is ready. Please follow me." Li Bing acted decisively, without a moment's delay. Her team swiftly and professionally took over security inside the hotel, then led Akira, Lacus, and the Silver Wing squad through a little-known service passage and into an unmarked black armored hovercar.

Escorted by Intelligence Bureau vehicles, the convoy glided silently into Zhouhang's intricate underground traffic network. The atmosphere inside the vehicle was somber. Lacus clasped her hands tightly, her knuckles white, clearly still struggling with the shock and grief of Bloody Valentine. Sitting in the front passenger seat, Li Bing watched Akira through the rearview mirror and suddenly spoke, her voice as calm as ever. "Captain Hawke, there's no need to be surprised. In my country, ability matters more than birth. My loyalty is to the East Asian Republic, not to any narrow ideology." She paused, then added, "Our highest leadership believes that reason and communication are vital in this inevitable conflict. We hope today's cooperation will be a beginning."

"A wise choice," Akira replied briefly. He understood that Li Bing's presence and her words represented a pragmatic faction within the East Asian Republic. They recognized the value of Coordinators and foresaw the potential dangers of an Earth Alliance dominated by Blue Cosmos. This goodwill might prove crucial in the future.

The convoy finally stopped deep inside a concealed site that appeared to be an abandoned subway maintenance station. A disguised, small high-speed transport capable of short-range atmospheric flight already had its engines running. The entire transfer was efficient and discreet, amply demonstrating the capabilities of East Asia's intelligence services.

"This is as far as we can take you. Good luck, Captain Hawke, Miss Clyne." Li Bing shook Akira's hand in farewell, her palm dry and firm. Before turning to leave, she spoke quickly in a low voice. "Watch out for the 'vultures' in orbit. They have keen noses." She was clearly referring to Earth Alliance forces that might intercept them.

The transport broke through the clouds, leaving the chaotic Earth below for the moment. When the elegant hull of the Peace Messenger appeared outside the window, Akira breathed a little easier. Yet the instant the transport docked with the Peace Messenger and his party stepped aboard, a piercing tactical alarm sounded throughout the ship!

"Warning! Long-range radar has detected rapidly approaching contacts! Identified as the Earth Alliance Forces' 13th Patrol Squadron! Three Drake-class frigates, equipped with one squadron of linear-cannon combat Moebius units! Estimated time until effective firing range: twenty-five minutes!"

"So they came after all!" Akira's gaze sharpened. The radicals of Blue Cosmos would never pass up this perfect opportunity to "capture" the former PLANT chairman's daughter and strike a blow to ZAFT morale.

"All hands to battle stations! Maximum engine power! Set course for L4, heading for the rendezvous point with the Silver Wing!" Akira swiftly took over from the somewhat flustered civilian captain and issued orders directly. There was a strange, steadying power in his voice, and the bridge crew quickly found their anchor.

The Peace Messenger's civilian engines delivered thrust beyond their design limits, but it was nowhere near enough. The Earth Alliance Forces' warships closed in at an even greater speed.

"It won't work! The speed difference is too great! They'll be within missile range soon!" the navigator reported anxiously.

Akira glanced at the star chart, then at the pale-faced Lacus beside him. He drew a deep breath and made his decision. "I'll buy us time. Captain, command of the ship is yours. Hold this course, no matter what!"

"Akira!" Lacus cried, her blue eyes full of worry.

"Don't worry. This is my job." Akira gave her a reassuring yet resolute smile, then turned and rushed toward the hangar. His personal machine-a specially modified Ginn Custom painted silver and blue, known as the Silver Wing Angel-was already prepared.

"Akira! It's too dangerous! They've got an entire squadron!" Heine's anxious voice came over the communications channel.

"Follow your orders, Heine! Protect the ship and Miss Clyne!" Akira's voice left no room for argument. He settled into the cockpit, activating his ACCORD ability and SEED Factor simultaneously. The world instantly slowed. Every action, every stream of data, became perfectly clear.

The Silver Wing Angel shot from the Peace Messenger's emergency launch port like a bolt of silver-blue lightning, charging against the direction of their escape toward the pursuing enemy ships.

The battle erupted in an instant. Twelve Moebius fighters lunged at the lone mobile suit like sharks scenting blood. Akira's Silver Wing Angel wove through the hail of fire, its movements as fluid as a dance. Every precise burst from its 76mm Heavy Assault Machine Gun either cut off an enemy fighter's attack route at exactly the right moment or struck its thrusters or weapon mounts, taking it out of action. He did not insist on destroying them; his primary goals were delay and deterrence.

His ACCORD ability let him process threats from multiple directions at once and anticipate the enemy fighters' attack trajectories. The comprehensive boost from his SEED Factor made his movements blindingly fast. One Moebius tried to ambush him from a blind spot, but the Silver Wing Angel executed an incredible pivot in place. Its Heavy Slash Blade swept past with a shrill howl, slicing the enemy's linear-cannon barrel clean off! Another tried to launch missiles, only for Akira to shoot apart its missile bay first. The resulting ammunition explosion engulfed the fighter itself in a fireball.

"Is this guy a monster?!" Shock and fear filled the Earth forces' communications channel. Akira's mobile suit was like a ghost on the battlefield; every appearance brought another Moebius down or left it unable to fight. He made full use of space debris and wreckage for cover, relocating after every attack and pushing his mobility to its limits.

Yet one fighter could not hold off so many, and the enemy's primary target was the Peace Angel. Beset by an entire squadron while also having to keep the Peace Angel's engines from being hit, Akira's machine began taking repeated impacts, dazzling sparks bursting across its armor. Alarms rang one after another inside the cockpit. The left arm's drive system was damaged, and the right thruster's efficiency was falling. Sweat soaked the hair over his forehead. The intense concentration and effort of maintaining his SEED state were beginning to drain his stamina.

"Five left... but only 30 percent energy... and the armor..." Akira gritted his teeth and held on, his vision beginning to blur. He glanced behind him. The Peace Messenger had shrunk to a tiny speck, but the three pursuing Drake-class ships had closed to heavy-missile range.

Was it going to end here? I can't accept that...

At that critical instant, a thick beam of energy suddenly shot from the distant void, precisely grazing the bow of a Drake-class frigate and reducing its forward weapons array to dust!

"This is the ZAFT Laurasia-class warship Silver Wing! Earth Alliance forces, cease your attack immediately, or we will regard it as an act of war and sink your ships!" The Silver Wing captain's steady, commanding voice came over the communications channel.

Several new contacts immediately appeared on radar-the Ginn mobile suit squad carried aboard the Silver Wing! Heine led the charge, his custom yellow machine plunging into the enemy formation like a blazing meteor.

"Captain! We're here! Hang on!"

The reinforcements instantly turned the tide. Seeing that the battle was lost, with the ZAFT warship's firepower far exceeding that of his frigates and his mobile suit squadron badly mauled, the Earth Alliance Forces' commander could only grit his teeth and order, "All units, retreat!"

The surviving Earth Forces warships and mobile suits turned away in disarray, disappearing into the shadows of the asteroid belt.

Akira let out a long breath. His taut nerves suddenly relaxed, and exhaustion washed over him like a tide. He guided his battered machine slowly toward the vast Silver Wing, which felt like a home port.

Once his machine had been safely brought into the Silver Wing's hangar, Akira dragged his exhausted body out of the mobile suit. Lacus was the first to rush over. Ignoring the surrounding crew's stares, she threw her arms tightly around him, her slender body trembling with lingering fear.

"Thank goodness... you're all right... thank goodness..." Her voice caught with sobs, and her warm tears soaked Akira's flight suit, already stained with smoke and sweat.

Akira gently patted her back and said softly, "It's over. We're safe."

Just then, the bridge relayed the latest military bulletin. Its contents stunned everyone: the Junius Seven Space Colony had indeed suffered a nuclear attack, but less than an hour before it happened, a sudden, large-scale counterterrorism exercise had evacuated the vast majority of residents into reinforced shelters in the satellite's core! The nuclear blast had mainly destroyed the satellite's surface structures and agricultural areas, while more than 240,000 residents inside the shelters... had miraculously survived! However, the satellite's life-support systems were severely damaged. With its agricultural modules completely destroyed, a food crisis was imminent.

For a moment, the hangar fell utterly silent. Then thunderous cheers erupted! The joy of survival against all odds spread to everyone. Lacus abruptly lifted her head. Though tears still streaked her face, an incredulous smile had already blossomed, radiant as sunshine after rain. A moment later, the immense emotional upheaval nearly left her limp, and Akira hurried to support her.

The latter half of the bulletin, however, made Akira's heart sink. To counter the Earth Alliance's nuclear threat and ensure PLANT's safety, the PLANT Supreme Council-now completely under Patrick Zala's control-had held an emergency vote and formally decided to deploy and activate Neutron Jammers on Earth in the near future. This meant that nuclear energy on Earth would be completely suppressed, bringing a global energy crisis, economic collapse, and countless deaths...

Akira knew the brutal consequences of this decision. He knew it would drive the conflict between Naturals and Coordinators toward an even more irreconcilable state. But he understood even more clearly that, under the present circumstances, this was PLANT's only choice if it was to survive. He had no power to change the decision, and a profound sense of helplessness seized him.

After calming the excited crew, Akira escorted the nearly limp Lacus back to the cabin assigned to her aboard the Silver Wing. Overwhelming joy and the worries that followed had pushed her almost to a breakdown. She curled up on the bed, silently shedding tears, relieved that her people had survived yet terrified of the greater tragedies the future might bring.

Akira sat beside the bed, his heart aching at the sight of her vulnerability. He gently took her cold hand and said softly, "Lacus, as long as we're alive, there's hope. Tragedy isn't inevitable. If we're strong enough, if we keep going... one day, we'll find a way for everyone to live in peace."

Lacus seemed to hear him. Her hazy blue eyes gazed at him as though searching for someone to lean on. Looking at her beautiful sleeping face, tears still clinging to her long lashes, Akira felt an indescribable emotion well up in his heart. He lowered his head and pressed an exceptionally gentle kiss to her smooth forehead.

"Sleep peacefully, Lacus..." In a voice only he could hear, he made a weighty promise. "I'll help you... help us build a truly peaceful world."

As though sensing the warmth and resolve of that promise in her sleep, Lacus's tightly knitted brow eased slightly. She nestled closer to Akira, her breathing growing slow and steady, as if she had found the only safe harbor in the storm. His whispered words settled faintly like a seed in the deepest reaches of her consciousness.

Akira sat quietly beside the bed, watching over the sleeping girl until the stars beyond the viewport gradually brightened with the lights of PLANT's Space Colony group. Their long flight was finally nearing its end, but stronger undercurrents and heavier responsibilities awaited them. The story of Mei Hock and Lacus Clyne, and their journey to change this world, had only just begun in earnest.