Crossing Orb: Newtype Commander

January 25, CE71, Heliopolis Institute of Technology. Char stood outside the computer lab window, watching the busy students inside. The last time he was here was last May, when Kira was just an unknown freshman; now he was a core member of the GAT series OS development team. The gears of fate had begun to turn, and he could only choose to propel them forward or bring them to a halt.

He pushed open the door and entered the lab. Kira sat at his workstation in the corner, the code on the screen in front of him more complex than before, his fingers flying across the keyboard faster than they had been six months ago. His expression was focused, but there was a weariness in his eyes that didn't match his age. Since being "recruited" by the professor, he had been working until late at night almost every day.

Kira.

Kira jerked his head up, his amber eyes widening upon seeing the newcomer. "Commander-in-Chief Athha?"

"Just passing by, thought I'd drop by." Char pulled up a chair and sat down. Kira turned off the code on the screen—although Char had already seen it; he didn't need to look at the code itself, he only needed to read the rhythm of Kira's keystrokes to know what he was doing. It was the core module controlling the OS from the MS.

"It's okay if it's not closed. I don't understand the details."

Kira hesitated for a moment, then didn't reopen the screen. "What brings you to Heliopolis? Is there a project for Dawn?"

"An inspection." Xia wasn't lying, but he didn't say it all. "I also came to see you. I invited you to intern at Dawn Society last time, but you didn't come."

Kira lowered his head. "I'm sorry, I... I have a project assigned by the professor here that I can't leave."

"I understand. There will be other opportunities in the future."

Several familiar faces gathered around. Thor Kenneth was the first to rush forward, his smile as bright as ever. "Mr. Athha! Long time no see!" He extended his hand, which Char shook. This cheerful and outgoing boy was unaware that the land beneath his feet was about to become a battlefield. Sai Agers adjusted his glasses and nodded politely. He was a student leader, academically excellent, and a strong organizer. Char remembered that in the original timeline, he had liked Frey, but in the chaos of war, that feeling never blossomed.

Milia Hau stood a little distance away, holding a camera, looking somewhat shy. "May I take a picture?"

"Can."

She pressed the shutter button, and in the photo, Char was dressed casually, with a slight smile in his deep red eyes.

"Are you all studying computer science?" Xia asked.

Thor nodded: "I'm Kira's roommate, and Sai and Miriam are in the same class. We often work on projects together."

"Kira is a genius." Sai's tone was filled with genuine admiration. "Without him, the content of that project simply couldn't have been written."

Char looked at Kira, whose expression was somewhat uneasy. He hadn't yet learned to accept praise, nor was he aware of his true worth. Char silently thought to himself—he would soon find out.

As Char left the lab, he encountered Frey Alster in the corridor. She was wearing her school uniform, her long, reddish-brown hair cascading over her shoulders, and she was carrying several books. Upon seeing Char, she stopped, a complex emotion flashing in her blue eyes—surprise, grievance, and a hint of unspoken expectation.

"Commander-in-Chief Askha"

"Miss Frey. It's been a long time."

Frey bit her lip, seemingly wanting to say something but swallowing it back. "You've come to Heliopolis...on official business?"

"I guess so."

"So... how long will you be staying?"

"A few days."

Frey lowered her head and remained silent for a moment. She thought of those days in Orb—waiting for him for two hours in the corridor, his gaze never lingering on her at the dinner party.

"Commander-in-Chief Askha," she said softly, "may I...have a few words with you alone?"

They walked to the window at the end of the corridor, where the man-made landscape of Heliopolis stretched out before them. The streets, parks, and residential areas in the distance—everything looked so peaceful, as if war only existed in news footage.

"I like you." Frey looked up, her blue eyes meeting his directly, her voice trembling slightly. "I know you think I'm too young, that my feelings are just admiration. But it's not admiration. I like you, from the first time I saw you at the airport."

Char paused for a moment. He could refuse, offering a plausible reason—age, status, war. But he looked into Frey's eyes, into those blue eyes that held a stubborn light. She was afraid, afraid of rejection, yet she had spoken. That courage deserved respect, not as a "response," but as "understanding."

"Miss Frey, thank you for your kindness." His voice was soft, "but I cannot accept it. Not because you are young—though that is one reason. It's because my life is too dangerous, constantly facing assassination, war, and death. I cannot let anyone be put in danger because of me."

Frey's eyes welled up with tears. "I'm not afraid of danger—"

"I'm scared," Xia interrupted her. "I'm scared someone will get hurt because of me. You're a good person, and you deserve a better life. Not hiding in war, not having a sense of security that you could lose at any moment."

Frey lowered her head, and tears finally fell. Char took a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to her. She took it and clutched it tightly in her hand.

"Do I... do I still have a chance? In the future?"

Char remained silent for a long time. "When the war is over. By then, who can say for sure what the future will hold?"

Frey raised her head, a hint of a smile through her tears, and nodded vigorously.

That evening, Char convened a small meeting at the Dawn Society's branch in Heliopolis. Only Erika and Mina were present, and the topic was "how to deal with the impending storm in Heliopolis."

"ZAFT has already located this place," Char said bluntly. "Their intelligence network is not just for show. The existence of the GAT series cannot be hidden for long; a surprise attack is only a matter of time."

"Your assessment is—in the near future?" Erica asked.

Within a month.

Mina's red eyes narrowed slightly. "You want Kira to pilot the Strike? To push that boy onto the battlefield?"

Char didn't answer directly. "He has talent. Talent that can't be acquired through training. Give him a mobile suit, and he can create miracles. Orb needs his abilities. Not as a soldier, but as a 'variable.' Someone who can change the course of the war."

"Are you sure he'll help Orb?"

Char recalled the rhythm of Kira's keyboard tapping, that focused and pure sound. "Right now, he's not clear about his own heart. When he does, he won't reject the possibilities Orb offers."

After the meeting, Char sent George Alsta a encrypted message: "The situation in Heliopolis is unstable. I suggest Frey leave temporarily. I will take care of her if she doesn't want to leave."

A few minutes later, a reply came: "She said she wants to go with you. Please take care of her, Commander-in-Chief Askha."

The next morning, Char met Frey in the office of the Dawn Society's branch. She was dressed casually, with a suitcase beside her, and although her eyes were still a little red and swollen, she seemed to be in good spirits.

"Miss Frey, since you don't want to leave, you can come with me for now, but you must follow my arrangements."

Frey lowered her head. "Commander-in-Chief Ashar... Father told me last night. He said that if I don't want to leave, you will protect me for my safety."

Char did not deny it. "Your father is a very good partner."

Frey looked up, her blue eyes holding a light Char had never seen before—not girlish innocence, but something more mature. "But I won't give up. I'll make myself better, more mature, and more worthy of your love. After the war, I'll ask you again."

Xia gave a wry smile. "Okay."

The spaceship, having left Heliopolis, cruised slowly through the starry sky. Char sat by the porthole, gazing at the stars. Frey sat beside him, holding a book but not reading; she simply looked out the window quietly.

"Commander-in-Chief Asha," she whispered, "is the starry sky of Heliopolis the same as that of Orb?"

Char thought for a moment. "We're all in the same universe, the only difference is that Orb is more real. You're still young, and as you see more, you'll develop your own judgment."

Which one is more beautiful?

"The real kind. Because it's the history of the sun, planets, and the Milky Way—billions of years. Every star has its own story."

Frey fell silent, then gently rested her head on Char's shoulder.

In January of CE 71, the countdown to Heliopolis began. Char knew the storm was coming; he couldn't stop it, but he could plant seeds within it. Kira Yamato, Tohru, Sai, Milia, Mu la Flaga, Natalie Bakiruru, Murrue Lamias… these names intertwine in the original timeline to create a tapestry of war and peace, sacrifice and hope. He couldn't change everyone's fate, but he could at least lessen the suffering of some.

That's all he could do.