At midnight on April 1, Cosmic Era 70, the trigger of history was silently pulled.
When Patrick Zala announced the launch of "Operation Uranus" before the PLANT Supreme Council, hundreds of Neutron Jammer deployment pods stationed at concealed points in near-Earth orbit slipped soundlessly into Earth's embrace like messengers of death. With neither exhaust plumes nor signals, they descended precisely toward designated geologically stable regions or deep-ocean trenches, concealed by the planet's shadow and its complex electromagnetic background.
The Silver Wing, a modified Laurasia-class ship, floated silently at a gravitational equilibrium point somewhere between L1 and Earth, like a giant whale lurking in the shadows. On the bridge's main screen, faint points of light representing countless jammer beacons winked out one after another-not because they had failed, but because they had successfully reached their designated depths and activated their self-concealment protocols.
"Neutron interference field generation confirmed. Intensity has reached 95% of the theoretical value. Coverage... global." Katherine Lee's voice broke the silence on the bridge, carrying a trace of clinical coldness, though her knuckles had turned slightly white around the control stick. "We've detected sharp drops in power output at multiple Earth Alliance nuclear facilities. Several military communications channels have fallen into chaos."
Mei Hock stood at the center of the bridge, his gaze steady on the blue planet, which seemed to have an invisible hand clamped around its throat. His ACCORD ability gave him no warning, but a vast, civilization-wide sense of suffocation faintly touched his perception across the distant reaches of space. They had succeeded, at the cost of the energy nightmare and societal collapse that would soon engulf Earth. This had always been part of history, but personally setting it in motion still left him with complicated feelings.
"While the interference field takes effect, the Earth Alliance military's command structure, early-warning network, and strategic nuclear forces will be at their most confused and incapacitated." Akira's voice betrayed no emotion as he issued the central orders for the operation's second phase. "Sower units, commence operations. Target: the eastern Eurasia Continent, designated infiltration zones A through G. Operational principles: silence, concealment, dispersal. Your mission is not to fight, but to take root."
The orders went out over a top-tier Quantum Encryption Channel. Several large, high-speed ZAFT stealth transports, already waiting in Earth's shadow, began gliding toward the edge of the atmosphere. These vessels, known as Ghost Ships, had specially shaped hulls with extremely small radar cross sections. Taking advantage of the global electromagnetic disruption and the gaping holes in the air-defense network, they dove like cunning salmon toward their designated coordinates deep within the continent.
Their holds carried not bombs, but camouflaged reentry pods loaded with fully prepared ground-combat Ginns-partially modified to improve ground mobility and environmental adaptability-and several elite pilots. The Ginns had been painted in camouflage suited to their destinations: gray-white for the Siberian tundra, ocher for the Central Asian deserts, dark green for the forests of Northern Europe. Each mobile suit, together with its pilot, essential maintenance equipment, and supplies, formed an independent sleeper unit.
"Report: Zone A's Snowy Owl squad signal has disappeared... confirmed successful atmospheric entry. Parachutes and braking rockets are operating normally. Estimated landing deviation is under 500 meters."
"Zone C's Lynx team encountered sporadic antiaircraft fire. Evaded without exposure. Continuing descent."
"Zone E... encountered sudden stratospheric turbulence. Two reentry pods have deviated from their designated trajectories... activating emergency navigation... signal lost!"
Akira calmly handled each report. "Activate the Albatross contingency plan. Locate and recover the personnel who went off course in Zone E. Abandon some heavy equipment if necessary; personnel safety takes priority. All other units, proceed as planned. Maintain radio silence after landing and use the prearranged ground relay nodes for minimal status reports."
His command amounted to more than simply issuing orders; it was closer to playing a multidimensional game of chess. His ACCORD ability constructed complex models in his mind: Earth's rotation, atmospheric circulation, known surviving air-defense positions, and even projected curves of how the Earth forces' confusion would change over time. He had to select the safest entry route and timing for every seeding squad, calculate concealed movement routes after landing, and plan emergency communications. The exposure of any squad could draw a concentrated assault from the remaining Earth forces and jeopardize the entire seeding plan-whose objective was to plant dozens of highly mobile MS strike teams deep within the Eurasia Continent, providing unexpected support from behind enemy lines and diversionary forces for the approaching Casablanca operation, aimed at capturing Gibraltar Base and controlling the Mediterranean Sea.
Most of the seeding operations were completed successfully amid the chaos. Reentry pods landed in wastelands, dense forests, and valleys, then quickly dismantled themselves or buried themselves. Under their pilots' control, the Ginns used the cover of darkness and terrain to move into previously scouted natural caves, abandoned mine shafts, or the depths of dense jungle, where they concealed themselves under thorough camouflage. The pilots would remain hidden for weeks or even months, relying on their supplies and possible clandestine supply points, waiting like hibernating venomous snakes for the signal to awaken.
Yet accidents were inevitable. Near the designated hiding place of a two-unit team code-named Anvil-an abandoned mine in the Ural Mountains-a remnant Eurasian Federation armored force had unexpectedly set up camp after disrupted communications prevented its timely retreat. Though the enemy's own command was impaired, its substantial numbers posed an enormous threat to the two Ginns about to land.
"Anvil can't go to ground as planned. Requesting instructions." Heine's voice came through; he was coordinating operations in that region.
Akira quickly pulled up the latest blurred reconnaissance satellite images of the area, taken several hours earlier, along with Anvil's real-time descent data. ACCORD simulated several options in an instant.
"Forcing an infiltration is rejected. Change Anvil's mission." Akira made his decision. "Order them not to conceal themselves after landing, but to launch a brief, ferocious assault. Objective: destroy or drive off the enemy armored units in the valley west of the mine. Once they've created sufficient chaos, they must not get bogged down. Withdraw immediately to the southeast along alternate route B, leaving as many signs of their passage as possible. Then... execute the Deep Dive procedure here"-a remote glacial lake area on the map-"(submerge the machines and place them in standby, with personnel surviving on an absolute minimum). They must strike fast and hard, with enough force to convince the enemy they've encountered a ZAFT airborne assault team, not a sleeper unit."
"Understood! Draw their attention away!" Heine grasped the intent.
Moments later, brief but intense gunfire and the flashes of explosions erupted in the distant Ural Mountains. Two Ginns descended from the sky and, with expert coordination and overwhelming firepower, instantly stunned the unprepared Earth armored force. After destroying several tanks and supply vehicles, they withdrew without hesitation and vanished into the mountains. The panicked Eurasian Federation unit reported a "large-scale ZAFT airborne assault" to its superiors-if it could reach them-and completely overlooked the silent seeds truly infiltrating other areas.
Another incident occurred on the Eastern European Plain. A Ginn's reentry pod suffered a failure in its cushioning system, and the excessively hard landing severely damaged the machine's leg hydraulics, leaving it unable to travel the long distance to its designated hiding place.
"Captain, Unit D-11 cannot complete its concealed movement. Remaining here is extremely risky," the pilot reported, his voice still fairly steady.
"Execute the Cicada Shell Escape contingency plan." Akira did not hesitate. "D-11, follow my instructions. Proceed to alternate coordinates K-7"-an isolated swamp far from human habitation. "Once there, activate the machine's self-destruct sequence in core-meltdown mode and destroy all sensitive equipment and weapon mounts. Take the necessary gear and follow the designated escape route to Albatross rendezvous point seven. Someone will meet you and get you out of the area, or help you go underground. Remember, people matter more than machines."
Incidents like these were only minor ripples in the overall operation. Supported by Akira's almost predictive precision in command and the contingency plans, the vast majority of the seeding units successfully went underground, disappearing into Earth's vast embrace like drops of water soaking into a desert.
"Sower operation, 89.3% complete. No hiding locations exposed. Losses: two mobile suits-one lost in combat, one self-destructed. No personnel killed, three lightly wounded. Two teams have entered deep concealment pending assistance." After the final squad sent back the encrypted signal, "Seed planted," Katherine compiled the reports.
Akira gave a slight nod. This was better than he had expected. Dozens of MS teams, nearly two hundred of the most elite Coordinator soldiers, were now embedded like venomous barbs at key locations across the Eurasia Continent. In the coming Casablanca operation, they would be lethal daggers thrust into the enemy's back, as well as vital pieces for disrupting the Earth forces' rear and tying down their troops.
"All Ghost Ships, withdraw from Earth's gravity well immediately and return to the designated assembly point along dispersed routes. Silver Wing, prepare to relocate." Akira issued his final orders. The Laurasia-class warship gracefully adjusted its attitude, lit its main engines, and began accelerating, gradually leaving the blue planet trapped in "silent death" behind.
"Set course for Jachin Due." Their destination was not the PLANT homeland, but the increasingly busy, colossal military fortress at L4. It would serve as the command hub and forward base for ZAFT's future space offensive, and as the starting point for the next stage of Mei Hock's role.
The soft hum of routine flight returned to the bridge. Akira turned and took one last look at Earth on the main screen, shrinking beneath a faint gray haze that symbolized the neutron interference field. The seeding was complete. Next came waiting, and preparing for the harvest. Gibraltar, Casablanca... the wheels of history were rolling toward their predetermined course, while he was trying to fit that enormous vehicle with a small steering mechanism of his own.
Trailing a blue wake, the Silver Wing sailed into the depths of the stars, toward Jachin Due, where still more flames of war would soon ignite.
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