Crossing Orb: Newtype Commander

Inside the fortress, in the passageway area.

"Nicole, the assault has been launched," Aslan's voice came through the communicator. "It's approaching you."

"Roger that." Nicole pushed the joystick, and the Swift Gundam veered towards the side passage. "I'll avoid it. My mission is to destroy the Archangel."

"No—your mission is complete." Kruze's voice cut through the communication channel. "The barrier generator has been destroyed. Your mission is over. Now, retreat."

"But Captain—"

"That's an order."

Nicole gritted his teeth, but still changed course. The Thunder Gundam's thrusters ignited, and the mobile suit flew towards the outer wall of the fortress. But as he rounded a bend, a white figure blocked his path.

Strike Gundam.

Kira sat in the cockpit, his amber eyes fixed on the Swift Gundam ahead. Due to the prolonged activation of the Mirage System, the Swift Gundam was running out of energy and could no longer maintain the Mirage System.

"I see you," Kira said calmly.

Nicole's pupils contracted. He didn't speak, only gripped the control stick tighter. The Swift Gundam's right hand moved to the beam saber at its waist, and the orange beam silently lit up.

The Strike Gundam also drew its beam saber. The two mobile suits faced off in the passageway inside the fortress, less than a hundred meters apart.

"Kira!" Athrun's voice came through the communicator, "Don't fight! Nicole—retreat!"

But it was too late.

The two mobile suits charged at each other simultaneously. Beam sabers clashed in the vacuum, orange beams tracing two bright arcs in the darkness. The Strike's blade swept over the Thunder's head, while the Thunder's blade grazed the Strike's shoulder armor. Sparks flew, and fragments of armor scattered.

Nicol pulled the control stick, and the Swift Gundam suddenly retreated, creating distance. He didn't linger—the thrusters sped up, and the mobile suit fled towards the outer wall of the fortress.

Kira didn't give chase. He watched the machine disappear at the end of the passage, a complex emotion flashing in his amber eyes.

"Kira, why aren't you chasing him?" Thor's voice came through the communicator.

"My mission wasn't to shoot it down," Kira said calmly. "My mission was to protect the Archangel. It's gone, that's enough."

Archangel, bridge.

Char stood by the porthole, gazing at the starry sky outside. The golden machine was returning from the debris field, its silver-gold armor shimmering faintly in the starlight. Remote control activated successfully; the machine's thrusters spewed blue flames as it rapidly approached the Archangel.

"Commander-in-Chief Ashar, the golden machine has entered the recovery range," Natal's voice came from the fire control console.

"Put it in the hangar. Prepare for departure."

"Yes."

Char turned around and looked at the space map on the tactical table. The twenty-three red dots of the Kruze team were approaching, less than five hundred kilometers away. Duel, Storm, and Aegis—three G-series tanks—were at the forefront, followed by twenty GINN tanks.

"Captain Ramias, is the Archangel ready to leave port?"

"The engine is warmed up. It's ready to go," Maru said calmly.

"Then let's go. Now."

The Archangel's thrusters ignited, and the ship slowly slid out of the dock. The passageways inside the fortress were narrow and winding, but Natal's steering skills were impeccable—the giant ship nimbly navigated the passageways, avoiding every obstacle.

The golden aircraft flew through the debris belt and landed precisely on the hangar deck. A robotic arm extended and secured the aircraft to the maintenance rack.

Char turned and headed towards the bridge exit. "I'm going to pilot the gold-plated machine."

"Commander-in-Chief Asha—" Maru called out to him.

He stopped, but didn't turn around.

"careful."

Char's lips curled into a slight smile. "I will."

The outer space of the fortress.

Kruze stood on the bridge of the Wesalis, staring at the Artemis Fortress on the holographic screen. The light barrier had completely disappeared, and there were multiple signs of explosions on the outer walls of the fortress, with thick smoke billowing from the cracks.

"Captain, Thunder is returning to base," the adjutant reported. "The Strike Gundam pursued for a distance but gave up."

"Where is the Archangel?"

"Departing from the dock. Heading towards the southern debris belt."

Kruze's lips curled into a slight smile. "As expected. Commander-in-Chief Ashar won't wait to die in the fortress. He'll run, run into the debris field, into the territory of the Allied Forces. Order all teams to intercept the Archangel. Don't let it enter the depths of the debris field."

"yes!"

On the holographic screen, red arrows began to move. Duel, Storm, and Aegis—three G-series tanks turned onto the Archangel's course, followed closely by twenty GINNs. They were faster than the Archangel, and the distance between them was rapidly closing.

But at that moment, a golden point of light flew out of the Archangel's hangar.

Kruse's pupils contracted.

Gold-colored machine.

Char Langlad Asha.

"Commander-in-Chief Asha, you certainly didn't hide in the back," Kruze said with a hint of admiration. "But can you hold us off alone?"

The golden machine traced a golden arc in the vacuum, blocking the path between the Kruze team and the Archangel. Hovering in the starry sky, its golden armor gleamed coldly in the starlight. The beam rifle was raised, its muzzle aimed at the Duel Gundam charging at the forefront.

"Yzak, watch out!" Aslan's voice boomed through the communicator.

The golden machine fired. An orange beam shot from the muzzle, precisely aimed at the Duel Gundam's cockpit. Yzak jerked the control stick, and the Duel Gundam veered off course at the last moment. The beam grazed the shoulder armor, leaving a charred mark.

"Damn it—!" Yzak's voice was filled with rage.

The golden machine didn't stop. It weaved through the barrage of bullets, its beam rifle firing continuously, each shot precisely aimed at the cockpit of a GINN. Not destruction, but suppression—keeping them at bay from approaching the Archangel.

Artemis Fortress, Command Center.

Colonel Garcia stared at the holographic map of space, his expression shifting from anger to despair, and from despair to madness. The light barrier was shattered, ZAFT's fleet was outside, the Archangel had escaped, and even that unknown golden machine was wreaking havoc on the battlefield.

And he had nothing left.

"Colonel, the MA squadron has already launched." The adjutant's voice trembled slightly, "But—ZAFT's mobile suits are far superior to my MAs; the MAs are no match for them—"

"Then send out warships!" Garcia roared. "All warships, launch! I'm going to tear those ZAFT monsters to shreds!"

The adjutant hesitated for a moment, but still relayed the order. Three Nelson-class warships, still intact, slowly sailed out of the fortress's dock, their cannons aimed at the distant Kruze squadron.

But they didn't last three minutes.

The Duel Gundam charged forward from the front, its beam rifle firing continuously, piercing the bridge of a battleship. The Blitz Gundam deployed from the flank, its high-energy beam cannon blasting through the engine room of another battleship. The Aegis Gundam transformed into its MA mode, soaring over the last battleship at incredible speed, its beam saber slicing through its armor.

Three warships sank in three minutes.

Garcia slumped in his command chair, his face ashen and his lips trembling. He stared at the burning wreckage of the warships on the screen, his eyes filled with terror.

"It's over...it's all over..."

Artemis's MA squadron fared no better. Dozens of Möbius were shot down like flies under GINN's onslaught; some were pierced by linear rifles, some were cleaved in two by thermal axes, and some were simply smashed to pieces in the debris field.

ZAFT's mobile suit forces launched a one-sided massacre outside the fortress.

The debris band has an edge.

The golden machine gun weaved through the barrage of bullets. Char's breathing was rapid, but his hands remained firmly gripping the control stick. The Archangel was sailing deeper into the debris field, the distance between them gradually increasing.

"Commander-in-Chief Ashar, the Archangel has entered the safe zone," Natal's voice came through the communicator. "You can retreat now."

"Understood." Char pushed the control stick, and the golden machine's thrusters sprang to full power, transforming the machine into a golden meteor as it flew towards the Archangel.

Kruze stood on the bridge, watching the departing golden mech, a slight smile playing on his lips behind his mask.

"Captain, aren't we going to give chase?" the adjutant asked.

"We're not going to chase them anymore." Kruze turned around. "The Archangel has already entered the depths of the debris field, and those two machines are still there. Continuing to chase them will only increase unnecessary losses. Besides—we've already got what we needed."

"What?"

Kruze didn't answer. He walked to the holographic screen and looked at the ruins of Artemis Fortress—once the pride of the Eurasian Federation, ZAFT's nightmare. But now, it was just a broken rocky celestial body, slowly rotating in the starry sky, like a shattered tortoise shell.

"Will the fall of Artemis," Kruze said softly, "withdraw the Eurasian Federation from the war? No. But it will curb their arrogance a little. That's enough."

He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.

"Order all teams to retreat."

"yes!"

On February 14, CE71, the Battle of Artemis ended.

The light barrier was breached from within by the Swift Gundam, causing the fortress's defenses to collapse. ZAFT's mobile suit forces annihilated the Eurasian Federation's mobile armor squadron and three warships outside the fortress, suffering negligible losses themselves. The Archangel, under the cover of the Gold Frame and the Strike Gundam, successfully broke through and sailed deeper into the L4 space zone.

The Eurasian Federation's space strategy suffered a major blow, and Colonel Garcia was dismissed and investigated. The fall of Artemis further highlighted the divisions within the Earth Union.

Bridge of the Archangel.

When Char walked onto the bridge, everyone looked at him. His military jacket was soaked with sweat, but his deep red eyes remained clear.

"Commander-in-Chief Asha" Maru stood up.

Char waved his hand and sat down on the sofa. "Where's Kira?"

"In the hangar. He's inspecting the damage to the Strike Force," Natal replied.

Char nodded, leaned back on the sofa, and closed his eyes. His Newtype abilities became exceptionally sharp at that moment—he could sense the emotions of everyone on the ship. Murrue's worry, Natalie's tension, Mu's exhaustion, Kira's confusion, and the fear and hope of the survivors.

"Commander-in-Chief Asuka," Maru's voice was soft, "thank you."

Xia opened his eyes and looked at her. "You're welcome. This is our mutual choice."

Outside the window, the debris field, illuminated by starlight, resembled a silvery-white desert. The Archangel sailed slowly through this desert, carrying over eight hundred weary souls towards an unknown future.