The night over Alaska was torn apart by war. Bitter winds swept across the frozen wilderness, carrying smoke and the scorched stench of wrecked machines. Mei Hock stood at the center of the bridge aboard the Silver Wing, the temporary flagship in low Earth orbit. Air from the vents stirred the hem of his white commander's uniform as he watched the Holographic Battle Map, which displayed both the surface and orbital situations. His fingers swept across the virtual panel, sending precise orders like blades through encrypted channels to every combat unit in ZAFT's space fleet and ground forces.
"Launch the all-out feint according to plan!" Akira's voice was steady and powerful, utterly composed yet carrying unquestionable authority. "First and second space fleet groups, concentrate fire on the air-defense array around Alaska Base. Open a breach within ten minutes and draw the base's central air defenses toward you. Third and fourth ground Mobile Suit battalions, attack simultaneously from the western Aleutian Islands and the southern shore of the Bering Strait. Focus on the Earth Forces' outer fortifications. Leave clear signs of an offensive so the enemy thinks we're trying to break through their central defenses. Silver Wing Special Forces, move with me. Prepare to infiltrate and await the covering signal from our forces."
"Understood!" The commanders answered in unison, their voices over the communicators filled with absolute trust in Akira. After his battlefield relief operations over the past several days, Mei Hock's title, the Silver Wing Angel, had been etched into every ZAFT soldier's heart. His command skills and battlefield judgment had turned the tide again and again, making him a pillar of morale for the ZAFT military.
The moment the orders went out, ZAFT unleashed the thunderous force of a lion that had long lain in wait. In space, dozens of Nazca-class and Laurasia-class warships opened fire together. High-energy beam cannons and heavy missiles rained down on the defensive satellite array surrounding Alaska Base. Brilliant beams slashed through the darkness of space, followed by successive violent explosions. A massive breach tore through the once tightly organized satellite array. Debris scattered like meteors, plunging into Earth's atmosphere and burning in brief streaks of fire.
Inside the base, the Earth Forces' air-defense command room descended into panic. Dense red blips flooded the radar screens as shrill alarms rang out. "We're in trouble! ZAFT's main fleet has launched an all-out attack! All air defenses, open fire! Hold the breach!" the commander roared. Countless defensive guns swung toward the ZAFT fleet in space and fired wildly, weaving beams and shells into a dense web in an attempt to halt the offensive.
The ground battle was just as brutal. Hundreds of Ginn and GuAIZ Mobile Suits surged forward like a torrent of steel. Their heavy footsteps thundered across the frozen ground as they slammed into the Earth Forces' outer fortifications. Shoulder-mounted beam cannons and handheld beam rifles fired relentlessly, destroying bunkers and trenches one after another. Explosions hurled snow and soil into the air, raising enormous curtains of smoke and dust.
The Earth Forces soldiers resisted desperately. Sheltering behind surviving fortifications, they fired rifles and antitank missiles at ZAFT's Mobile Suits, but their efforts were futile. Even so, they refused to retreat a single step. They believed the Atlantic Federation's main forces were merely pinned down elsewhere by ZAFT's diversionary troops. If they held on a little longer, reinforcements would arrive, turn the tide, and save the strategically vital Alaska Base.
"Reinforcements! We need reinforcements!" An Earth Forces soldier lay in a trench, shouting into his communicator. A bullet had grazed his arm, staining his uniform red. "The outer defenses are about to fall! Requesting immediate support from the main force!"
"Hold on! The main force is already on its way. They'll reach the battlefield in another half hour!" His superior's perfunctory reply carried barely concealed panic, but no actual arrangements for support followed. The soldier noticed nothing wrong. Gritting his teeth, he raised his rifle again and fired at the approaching ZAFT Mobile Suits, his eyes shining with despair and defiance.
By then, ZAFT's ground forces had broken through three successive outer defensive lines and were only a few kilometers from the base's central sector. As the battle progressed, however, an anomaly became apparent. Most of the defenders wore East Asian Republic or Eurasian Federation uniforms and piloted standard Mobile Suits bearing those countries' insignia. Atlantic Federation troops were few and far between.
"Report, Lieutenant Colonel Hawke! We've breached the Earth Forces' third defensive line. Less than twenty percent of the troops resisting us are Atlantic Federation soldiers. The rest belong to the East Asian Republic and Eurasian Federation. We've found no sign of the Atlantic Federation's main Mobile Suit formations!" The third ground battalion commander's puzzled voice reached Akira through his communicator. "Prisoners say they haven't heard from the Atlantic Federation's main force for a long time, and promised reinforcements have repeatedly failed to arrive."
Almost simultaneously, the naval fleet sent a similar report. "Lieutenant Colonel, while bombarding the air-defense array, we encountered only a squadron-sized Atlantic Federation force, approximately twelve warships. The others are East Asian and Eurasian escort fleets. There's no sign of the Atlantic Federation's main fleet!"
Akira's fingers paused. A sharp glint crossed his eyes, confirming what he had already anticipated. The Atlantic Federation had never intended to send its main force to support Alaska Base. It had left East Asian Republic and Eurasian Federation troops in Alaska as bait for ZAFT's main force while quietly pulling back its own troops and staying out of the fighting.
"Just as I thought," Akira murmured, his lips curling in cold derision. "The Atlantic Federation's leaders would sacrifice their allies to preserve their own strength. They discard them and leave them to fight until they die. Utterly despicable."
He immediately issued new orders over his communicator. "Notify all ground and space forces to slow the offensive. Don't rush to breach the central defenses. Focus on pinning down the East Asian and Eurasian troops and avoid unnecessary casualties. Intensify prisoner interrogations to confirm the Atlantic Federation's deployments and weaknesses in Alaska Base's internal defenses. Also, order the third space fleet group to circle quietly behind the base and monitor the Atlantic Federation squadron. If they show signs of withdrawing, don't stop them. Just keep close track of them."
"Understood!" Every unit acted at once. ZAFT's offensive slowed, shifting from a thunderous assault to a measured advance that pinned down the defenders while gathering more intelligence. The Earth Forces soldiers remained unaware. Believing their resistance had forced ZAFT to slow down, they clung even more firmly to the conviction that reinforcements were coming and desperately held their remaining lines.
Inside the East Asian Republic's frontline headquarters, a major frowned deeply at the reports before him. ZAFT's sudden slowdown was too strange. The Atlantic Federation's main force still had not arrived, and communications were growing increasingly faint. An ominous feeling spread through him.
"Major, ZAFT's offensive has suddenly stopped. They're only pinning us down from a distance, not advancing," a staff officer reported. "We've also completely lost contact with the Atlantic Federation's main force. Repeated attempts to reach them have received no response. We suspect they've already withdrawn from this sector of space."
The major's expression immediately darkened. He recalled his earlier communications with home. The General Staff had warned him that the Atlantic Federation's leaders were ambitious and untrustworthy, telling him to preserve his forces and wait for a suitable opportunity to withdraw. "It seems the General Staff was right. The Atlantic Federation has abandoned us," he said gravely, a cold glint in his eyes. "Notify all East Asian units to prepare to retreat and watch ZAFT's movements closely. Once the signal arrives, withdraw immediately and return to our own territory."
By then, Akira had completed his preparations to infiltrate the base. He wore a specially designed black stealth combat suit, with a beam pistol and military knife at his waist. Ten elite members of the Silver Wing Special Forces stood behind him. All were top-tier Coordinators selected through rigorous screening, skilled in stealth, close combat, and emergency operations. They were his most trusted subordinates.
"The covering signal has been sent. The third ground battalion has launched a frontal diversion, and our space forces have tied down the base's central air defenses. All outer defenders are focused elsewhere. The infiltration window is open," the special forces captain reported quietly and respectfully. "We've confirmed the maintenance entrance on the base's western perimeter. It's an abandoned ventilation maintenance passage leading directly inside. No Earth Forces guards have been detected there."
Akira nodded, his gaze sharp as an eagle's. "Move out! Be quick and silent. Don't expose our position. Once inside, follow the planned route. Our target is the underground Cyclops System Control Room. We must photograph evidence of the system's existence. Avoid internal security. If we encounter small patrols, eliminate them quickly. Don't get bogged down."
"Yes, sir!" the ten operatives answered together, their movements perfectly coordinated and free of unnecessary noise.
Akira and his operatives boarded a Small Stealth Shuttle and departed the Silver Wing in low Earth orbit, slipping toward the abandoned maintenance entrance on the western side of Alaska Base. Running its stealth systems at full capacity, the shuttle evaded Earth Forces radar and patrols and landed less than a kilometer from the entrance.
They quickly jumped out, crouching low as they slipped toward the entrance under cover of the frozen wilderness and wrecked machines. Bitter winds lashed their faces, but none of them flinched. Focused and resolute, they followed close behind Akira.
A hundred meters from the entrance, Akira suddenly raised a hand to halt them. His ACCORD Ability stirred quietly, allowing him to sense two Earth Forces soldiers patrolling near the entrance. Armed with rifles, they watched their surroundings warily.
"Two patrolmen on the left, eighty meters away. Moderate alertness," Akira whispered. "One and Two, circle around from the left and draw their attention. Three and Four, take the opportunity to eliminate them quickly. Keep it clean. Leave no traces."
"Understood!" The four operatives moved at once. One and Two slipped left behind the wreckage and deliberately made a faint noise. The patrolmen immediately raised their rifles and looked toward the sound, advancing step by step. Three and Four then darted out from the right like phantoms, driving their military knives precisely into the backs of the soldiers' necks. The men fell before they could scream. The operatives quickly dragged their bodies behind the wreckage.
"Cleared. No traces," Three reported softly.
Akira nodded and led the others onward, soon reaching the abandoned maintenance entrance. Rust and dust covered its metal plate, which still bore signs of battle. It plainly had not been used in a long time. The operatives quickly lifted it, and cold, damp air washed out of the passage, carrying the smell of machine oil and dust.
"No abnormalities inside. Airflow is normal. The passage is clear," the operatives reported quietly after checking with their detectors.
Akira entered first, followed by the special forces operatives one at a time. The passage was narrow and dim, permitting only single-file movement. Wires and pipes covered the walls, and faint dripping sounds echoed through it. The floor was slippery, littered with dust and debris. Crouching low and keeping their steps measured, they advanced swiftly using their helmet-mounted night vision, making as little noise as possible.
The maintenance passage wound like a snake through the outer defenses and directly into the base. Along the way, they encountered three internal Earth Forces patrols, each consisting of two soldiers. Akira used his ACCORD Ability to anticipate their routes and guide his team around them. When one patrol proved impossible to avoid, they struck swiftly, eliminating the soldiers before they could react. Their presence remained undiscovered throughout.
About half an hour later, they reached the passage's exit at a bend in an underground corridor, less than five hundred meters from the Cyclops System Control Room. Akira signaled a halt and studied the surroundings through a gap in the exit. The corridor was broad and brightly lit by stark white lamps. An Earth Forces soldier with a rifle stood guard every fifty meters, considerably more alert than the outer patrolmen. Small transport vehicles occasionally passed through, making the corridor seem busy.
"Internal security is tight. There's a guard every fifty meters, and transport vehicles are passing through. Advancing directly is too risky," the special forces captain whispered with concern. "We need a way to distract the guards before we can reach the control room."
Akira considered briefly, then an idea flashed through his eyes. "Five and Six, go to the transport parking area ahead. Quietly sabotage a vehicle's wiring. Cause a breakdown and brief confusion to distract the guards. Seven and Eight, use that opening to clear the guards on both sides of the corridor. Don't linger. Once it's clear, meet us up ahead. Everyone else, come with me to the Cyclops System Control Room. Move fast. We need the evidence before the confusion ends."
"Understood!" The operatives split up at once. Five and Six slipped into the transport parking area and, while the guards were distracted, quickly damaged a vehicle's wiring. They then withdrew behind a bend in the corridor.
Bang! A small explosion sounded. The sabotaged vehicle broke down, its engine stalling as black smoke rose from it. Its alarm immediately began blaring. The guards rushed toward the parking area to investigate the malfunction and restore order, plunging the corridor into brief confusion.
"Now!" Akira barked quietly, leading his team out of the maintenance passage and toward the Cyclops System Control Room under cover of the commotion. Seven and Eight struck, firing their beam pistols with precision. Guards on both sides of the corridor fell before they could react, clearing a path for Akira and the others.
They raced onward, avoiding passing transports and confused guards, and soon reached the control room entrance. Two elite Atlantic Federation soldiers stood watch, carrying heavy rifles and wearing grenades at their waists. Their extreme vigilance made it clear they were part of the core force protecting the Cyclops System.
Akira signaled a halt and exchanged a glance with two operatives. Understanding immediately, they slipped to either side of the entrance. As the guards' attention turned toward the corridor's commotion, they attacked. Accurate beam pistol shots struck both soldiers in the chest. They collapsed without a scream.
Akira led the team inside, closed the door, and activated the internal shielding system to prevent the soldiers outside from noticing anything wrong. Everyone was stunned by the sight before them. A vast console occupied most of the room. Countless indicators blinked red, while screens displayed complex data streams and energy readings. Above the center of the console, a huge virtual projection showed the Cyclops System's core structure. Beneath it stood a prominent countdown display reading "03:27:18"-less than three and a half hours until activation.
A massive energy core stood in the center of the room, glowing faintly red. Wires and pipes surrounded it, and continuous pulses of energy radiated a suffocating pressure. This was the Cyclops System, the weapon of mass destruction secretly developed by the Atlantic Federation. Once activated, it would indiscriminately destroy every living thing inside and outside the base. Combatants, innocent civilians, and prisoners alike would turn to ash in the explosion.
"Quick! Photograph the evidence!" Akira recovered and issued his orders. "Use your helmet cameras to capture the console screens, the energy core, the countdown, and the system's core structure. Make sure everything is clear. Every piece of evidence must be legible. This is the key to exposing the Atlantic Federation's plot."
"Yes, sir!" The operatives immediately took out their equipment and began photographing everything, shutter clicks filling the quiet room. Akira activated his communicator's high-resolution camera as well. While recording, he examined the console's data streams for further information on the Cyclops System. He also memorized the countdown and silently worked out their withdrawal plan.
Just then, the control room door was shoved open. Hurried footsteps rang out, and a figure stumbled inside, aiming a beam pistol toward the center of the room. It was Mu La Flaga. Bloodstained bandages wrapped his left arm, his sleeve was torn, and fresh blood lingered at the corner of his mouth. He had clearly been wounded during his infiltration. His eyes burned with anger and confusion. A short distance behind him, a dark figure approached slowly-Rau Le Creuset.
Mu had not noticed Akira or the special forces. His gaze remained fixed on Rau Le Creuset, his voice tight with suppressed fury and bewilderment. "Rau Le Creuset, it really was you! I knew something was wrong. Command kept brushing me off from the start, saying reinforcements were on the way, that they'd arrive in another half hour. But I just took a detour to the base's ground command center, and it was empty! All communications had been cut off, and the command staff had already evacuated. They never intended to send reinforcements, did they?"
Rau Le Creuset stopped, an unsettling smile on his face. His black combat suit accentuated his upright figure, but his eyes were filled with cold madness. "Mu La Flaga, you've finally realized it. The Atlantic Federation's leaders never intended to support this place. All of you, including their East Asian and Eurasian allies, were nothing but bait to draw in ZAFT's main force."
"Bait?" Mu's voice trembled, anger mingling with despair. "Those soldiers, everyone fighting desperately to hold the line, were just bait? The command center is empty. They fled long ago and left us here to die?"
"What else would you expect?" Rau Le Creuset scoffed, walking slowly toward the console. His eyes swept over the countdown and energy core, his voice tinged with fervor. "Why do you think the Cyclops System exists? For this moment. Once ZAFT's main force and all of you bait gather here, they activate it and eliminate every threat at once. That's the Atlantic Federation's plan."
"They're insane!" Mu roared, clutching his beam pistol until his fingertips whitened. "There are innocent soldiers here, and prisoners who surrendered! If they activate it, they'll all die! What the hell is command thinking?"
"Thinking?" Rau Le Creuset turned, his smile growing stranger. "That's what war is. Win or die. Innocent people are merely stepping stones to victory. Mu, you're too kind. That kindness will leave you dead without even a grave."
As the tension peaked and Mu was about to pull the trigger, Rau Le Creuset suddenly noticed Akira, the operatives, and their recording equipment. Surprise flashed in his eyes before coldness returned. "Oh? I never expected ZAFT's Silver Wing Angel to infiltrate this place with a team and photograph evidence of the Cyclops System. What a surprise."
Akira said nothing, staring coldly at Rau Le Creuset with his beam pistol trained on him. Just then, the energy core flickered. Its red glow intensified, the countdown digits changed more urgently, and data raced across the screens. A suffocating wave of energy spread through the room, making it tremble. Everyone's attention snapped toward the core and countdown, their faces filled with shock. None had ever witnessed an energy reaction of this magnitude or imagined that the Atlantic Federation had actually built such a terrifying weapon.
Rau Le Creuset seized the rare opportunity. With a cold smile, he spun around while everyone was distracted and darted toward the corridor outside, moving like a phantom without a moment's hesitation. By the time Akira and Mu reacted, he had vanished around a bend. Only hurried footsteps remained, fading into the distance.
"You're not getting away!" Mu roared, starting after him, but Akira reached out and stopped him.
"Don't chase him." Akira's voice was steady, though urgency edged it as he watched the countdown. "We can't waste time pursuing him. Right now, we need to take the evidence back to the ground command center, open an all-channel broadcast, expose the Atlantic Federation's plot, and tell every force to evacuate."
Mu stopped and turned toward Akira. The fury in his eyes slowly gave way to gravity and agreement. He knew evacuation mattered far more than pursuing Rau Le Creuset. "All right!" He nodded firmly. "I'll notify the Archangel and the Earth Forces."
Akira nodded in approval. "Good. Everyone, pack your equipment and bring the evidence. Move out immediately. Be quick, don't get bogged down, and avoid all patrols. Get back to our entry point as fast as possible!"
"Understood!" the operatives answered together. They quickly packed their recording equipment, backed up the evidence, and followed close behind Akira toward the corridor outside.
"Don't chase him." Akira's voice was steady, though urgency edged it as he watched the countdown. "Rau Le Creuset most likely came to confirm the Cyclops System's activation status. We can't waste time pursuing him. We'll split up. I'll take my team back to ZAFT's ground headquarters and expose the plot over an all-channel broadcast. Find a fighter as quickly as you can and take the news to the Archangel. Tell Captain Murrue to evacuate immediately."
Mu stopped and turned toward Akira. The fury in his eyes slowly gave way to gravity and agreement. He knew every second mattered, and splitting their efforts gave them the best chance of preventing disaster. "All right!" he said firmly. "I'll find a fighter and reach the Archangel as soon as possible. Make sure you expose the truth quickly and tell everyone to evacuate!"
"Don't worry. We'll each do our part. We have to stop this disaster." Akira nodded and patted Mu's shoulder, then addressed his operatives. "Everyone, secure the evidence and follow me. Retrace our route, leave the base as quickly as possible, and head for ZAFT's ground headquarters!"
They separated immediately. Holding his injured left arm, Mu used his familiarity with the base to race toward the fighter parking area. Amid the chaos, many aircraft stations were poorly guarded, giving him an opening. Akira led his operatives back through the maintenance passage, using his ACCORD Ability at full strength to anticipate patrol routes and evade every guard. They encountered no further conflict.
Despite a few tense moments, the team passed safely through the underground passages and reached the maintenance entrance on the perimeter. Their Small Stealth Shuttle remained concealed where they had left it. They boarded quickly, and at Akira's order, the shuttle activated its stealth system and sped toward ZAFT's ground headquarters. The headquarters was on temporary alert, but upon learning of his return, it immediately cleared a route to receive them.
Akira headed straight for the communications hub without stopping and activated an all-channel broadcast under ZAFT's highest authorization. His repeated battlefield victories had made the name of Mei Hock, the Silver Wing Angel, known to every ZAFT soldier. Even many Earth Forces soldiers had heard of this calm, decisive ZAFT commander who did not slaughter innocents.
Akira took a deep breath, stepped before the communicator with a resolute gaze, and pressed the transmission button. His steady, powerful voice carried unquestionable authority through communicators across the entire Alaska battlefield. ZAFT and Earth Forces fleets in low orbit, ground troops on the surface, and the surviving soldiers inside the base could all hear him clearly.
"This is Mei Hock, acting commander of ZAFT forces in the Alaska theater, the Silver Wing Angel. Today, I will expose the Atlantic Federation's monstrous ambitions and vile deception to everyone on this battlefield!"
A brief silence swept over the battlefield. ZAFT soldiers stopped what they were doing, their expressions solemn. Their faith in Akira was absolute, and they would obey any order he gave without question. Earth Forces soldiers, including East Asian and Eurasian troops, turned their attention to the broadcast in confusion and shock. Many had already begun doubting the Atlantic Federation's promises of reinforcements.
Akira continued without pausing. "Hidden beneath Alaska Base is a self-destruct device secretly installed by the Atlantic Federation. When its countdown ends, the entire base will be destroyed, consuming every life inside and outside it indiscriminately! The Atlantic Federation's leaders have already evacuated in secret. They never intended to send their main force as reinforcements. They have used the East Asian Republic, Eurasian Federation, and their own remaining frontline troops as bait to draw in ZAFT's main force, leaving us all here to die!"
He pressed the playback button, transmitting the evidence they had recorded of the Cyclops System, including the self-destruct device's interconnected structure and images of the deserted command center. Every piece was clear and irrefutable. "As you can see, the command center was abandoned long ago. The Atlantic Federation's leaders are trading our lives to preserve their own strength. Such vile, cruel people don't deserve to call themselves soldiers, much less claim victory!"
"I now formally order all ZAFT units to cease fire immediately. Abandon the offensive and withdraw from the Alaska battlefield in an orderly manner along the planned routes. Proceed to the designated rendezvous points. Do not stop. Do not continue fighting!"
ZAFT moved the instant the order was given. Ground Mobile Suit units and warships in low orbit ceased their attacks and withdrew according to Akira's instructions, coordinated and orderly, without a trace of confusion. To ZAFT's soldiers, Mei Hock's orders were the highest authority. That trust came from the countless times he had stepped forward on the battlefield and from the value he placed on their lives.
After hearing Akira's broadcast, East Asian Republic units immediately received orders from home. They stopped resisting and swiftly withdrew toward their own territory in Mobile Suits and warships. Their soldiers were filled with both anger and relief-anger at the Atlantic Federation's betrayal, and relief that Akira had exposed the truth in time to give them a chance to survive. Their withdrawal remained orderly and calm.
Meanwhile, Mu successfully found an intact Earth Forces fighter. It had been abandoned amid the confusion but could still start normally. Enduring the pain in his left arm, he quickly climbed aboard, started the engine, and sped in the Archangel's general direction. He flew through the smoke, avoiding scattered wreckage and lingering gunfire, and soon reached the ship's berth.
"Archangel! Archangel! This is Mu La Flaga, requesting permission to land! I have an emergency report!" His voice came through the fighter's communicator, tired but still urgent and forceful.
On the Archangel's bridge, Captain Murrue Ramius was watching the battlefield situation gravely. Upon hearing Mu's transmission, she immediately ordered, "Open the landing approach at once! Bring Major Mu in!"
The fighter landed safely on the Archangel's deck. Mu immediately headed for the bridge. The moment he saw Murrue, he delivered the truth without pausing to rest. "Captain Murrue, we have an emergency! The Atlantic Federation has a self-destruct device beneath Alaska Base. When the countdown ends, it'll destroy everything. Command used us all as bait. The main reinforcements aren't coming! Mei Hock has opened an all-channel broadcast to expose the plot. We need to evacuate immediately and head toward Orb!"
Murrue's expression changed sharply, her eyes filling with disbelief. She recalled the irregularities in her earlier communications with Atlantic Federation command and understood everything at once. "Launch the Archangel immediately! Engines to full power, set course for Orb! Notify all crew to remain at their posts and expedite evacuation!" She issued the orders without hesitation. The Archangel started up, eased away from its berth, and sped toward Orb.
The evacuation order gradually became clear. ZAFT withdrew first in orderly formation, followed by the East Asian Republic. The Archangel, with Mu aboard, steadily left the battlefield. The Eurasian Federation and Atlantic Federation remnants came last. Eurasian morale had already collapsed. After hearing Akira's revelation, their forces descended into confusion as soldiers scrambled to escape, with minor stampedes and collisions breaking out.
Most moving of all were the Atlantic Federation's frontline remnants. These soldiers were decorated elites, proud and defiant, notorious troublemakers. They had risked their lives and fought bloody battles for the Atlantic Federation, never imagining that their own leaders would ultimately abandon them as stepping stones to victory. Standing on the frozen battlefield, they shouted and cursed in fury, their eyes filled with despair and resentment, with nowhere to go.
Akira watched the scene on a holographic screen at ZAFT's ground headquarters, a complicated look crossing his eyes. He knew these soldiers were victims of war too. They should not have to pay for the Atlantic Federation's ambitions with their lives. He immediately opened an encrypted channel to the Archangel and contacted Captain Murrue.
"Captain Murrue, this is Mei Hock," he said steadily and firmly. "The Atlantic Federation's frontline remnants have been abandoned by their leaders. They're innocent victims. I ask you to take the Archangel and bring those surviving soldiers aboard. Evacuate them with you. Give them a chance to live."
Murrue fell silent briefly. She thought of those desperate soldiers, Mu's words, and Akira's earlier actions. Finally, she nodded and answered firmly, "All right. I agree. The Archangel will alter course immediately, head to the Atlantic Federation remnants, and take them aboard."
At the height of their despair, the defiant Atlantic Federation survivors heard that the Archangel was willing to receive them. Hope rekindled in their eyes. Though still furious, they lowered their weapons and gathered toward the ship to be taken aboard.
Before long, the Archangel had taken aboard every Atlantic Federation survivor willing to evacuate. It restarted its engines and accelerated toward Orb. The Atlantic Federation's remaining fleet and part of the Eurasian fleet followed alongside it until the Archangel had completely cleared the danger zone around Alaska.
At that moment, Kira Yamato was racing toward Alaska Base in the Freedom Gundam. He had learned that ZAFT was attacking Alaska and that the Archangel was stationed there. Filled with anxiety, he pushed his speed to the limit, hoping to reach Alaska quickly, stop the disaster, and find Mu and Murrue.
Kira's heart was filled with confusion and pain. He did not want war or countless senseless deaths. He had always wanted to protect those he cared about, yet repeatedly found himself powerless. This time, he was determined to reach Alaska. Even if he could not stop the explosion, he would find Mu and Murrue and make sure they were safe.
Yet when Kira finally reached the Alaska battlefield in the Freedom Gundam, the sight before him left him utterly stunned.
The fierce fighting was gone. There was no thunder of artillery, no shouting soldiers, only devastation. Wrecked machines, shell casings, and abandoned weapons littered the ground. Bitter winds swept snow and smoke across the desolate landscape. ZAFT's fleet, the East Asian Republic's forces, the Archangel, and the Atlantic Federation remnants had all evacuated without a trace. Only the empty Alaska Base remained, standing alone on the frozen wilderness in deathly silence.
"How could this happen?" Kira murmured in disbelief. "Everyone's gone? What about Mu? Captain Murrue? Where are they?"
He flew the Freedom Gundam slowly over the battlefield, searching for Mu, Murrue, or any sign of life. His ACCORD Ability, which had only recently begun to awaken, stirred quietly. Yet he sensed only lingering energy fluctuations and the smell of blood in the air. No trace of life remained.
Confusion and despair filled Kira. He had rushed here with everything he had, hoping to stop the disaster and protect those he cared about, only to discover he was too late. Everyone had already evacuated safely, leaving him alone on this silent battlefield, helpless before the empty base. He did not know that Mu and Murrue were already aboard the Archangel bound for Orb. He did not know that Akira was leading ZAFT's troops toward their designated rendezvous points. Least of all did he know that a devastating explosion was about to strike this barren land.
Far away, in the Atlantic Federation's high command room, several generals in senior officers' uniforms stood before a holographic screen, watching Alaska Base coldly. Their faces held no remorse, only satisfaction and cruelty.
"Excellent. All the bait has been left in Alaska, and ZAFT's main force was successfully drawn in and has withdrawn. Our objective has been achieved," one general said coldly, his voice vicious. "The self-destruct countdown has less than ten minutes left. Activate it and reduce every trace to ash!"
"Once those abandoned remnants and the base's traces are destroyed, the international community will have no evidence, even if they suspect something," another general agreed with an indifferent smile. "When the war ends, we'll shift all responsibility onto ZAFT. Everything will be perfect."
The other generals nodded. None cared whether the abandoned soldiers lived or died. In their eyes, those people were merely insignificant stepping stones to victory.
The instant the countdown reached "00:00:00," the lead general pressed the self-destruct activation button without hesitation. His voice was utterly cold. "Activate the self-destruct device. Wipe Alaska off the map!"
The device beneath Alaska Base activated fully. A suffocating surge of energy erupted from within and swept across the Alaskan wilderness. A deafening explosion followed, shaking heaven and earth. A gigantic fireball instantly swallowed the entire base, its dazzling light illuminating the night sky. Even from distant space, the destruction was clearly visible.
The blast unleashed a terrifying shock wave across the battlefield. A massive crater was blasted into the ground. Wrecked machines, shell casings, and fragments of the base were hurled away and instantly reduced to ash. Snow and soil rose in enormous curtains of dust that blotted out the sky, leaving the once-frozen wilderness unrecognizable.
Kira piloted the Freedom Gundam, sitting alone in its cockpit as he stared at the barren crater. Confusion and despair engulfed him like a rising tide. In the end, he had arrived too late. He had failed to stop the destruction and had not even confirmed Mu and Murrue's safety with his own eyes. Endless guilt and helplessness spread through him on the silent battlefield. While he remained lost in uncertainty, a covert message arrived containing only a few words: "The Archangel is in Orb." It immediately restored his resolve, and he flew the Freedom toward Orb.
Meanwhile, Akira stood before a holographic screen at ZAFT's ground headquarters. He lowered his communications terminal and watched the images of Alaska Base exploding, a complicated glint in his eyes. He felt anger at the Atlantic Federation's despicable actions, sorrow at war's cruelty, and regret for innocent lives. He knew this explosion was not an ending, merely a reflection of the long war. He still had to stand firm and continue forward on the battlefield, for PLANT's survival and to protect innocent lives.
ZAFT's fleet had successfully reunited with all its ground forces and was withdrawing in orderly formation toward the designated rendezvous points. Carrying Mu and the rescued Atlantic Federation survivors, the Archangel proceeded steadily toward Orb as Murrue comforted the despairing soldiers and gave them renewed hope. The East Asian Republic's troops had safely reached their national border, finally able to return home. Though disorganized, the Eurasian Federation's forces had also escaped the danger zone and were slowly withdrawing toward the Eurasia Continent.
The smoke over Alaska gradually dispersed, leaving only the enormous crater to bear silent witness to the war's cruelty and the Atlantic Federation's ambition. The plot and evacuation surrounding Alaska Base had finally come to an end, yet they had also sown the seeds of what would follow in the war.
Before you continue