With enemies encountered in the sea, the sky was naturally not going to be peaceful. A formation of Dopp Fighters and Zaku IIs riding on Dedai YS Flyers had already met the Federation's Airborne Unit in the sky.
"Detector contact! 124 Zeon Dopp Fighters, 60 Zaku IIs!"
"All hands, level-one combat alert! MS units, launch immediately! All weapons armed, load anti-air shrapnel into the Missile Launchers." Upon spotting the enemy, Natarle Badgiruel immediately gave the order. "Inform allied forces to let us handle the central front. Tell them to stay out of this ship's line of fire."
"Understood. MS units, please launch in sequence..."
"Activate 'Gotterdämmerung' and 'Valiant.' Lock onto the Zeon Airborne Unit. Activate 'CIWS Array,' set to automatic targeting..."
"Loading all Missile Launchers with anti-air shrapnel..."
"Line of fire is clear..."
"All cannons, fire!"
Thick beams shot out, tearing through the sky before the enemy could react and slicing the enemy formation into several pieces. Whether they were Dopp Fighters or Zaku IIs, none were spared from being devoured.
Electromagnetic cannon shells, wreathed in golden lightning, charged forward, unstoppably blasting everything in their path to smithereens.
Following that, a dense rain of missiles arrived, exploding in front of the enemy forces. Countless tiny projectiles swept across the entire "wheat field" like a plague of locusts, leaving a shocking and gruesome scene in their wake.
"...Captain, I have a question," said Liddell Wolf, who had already launched, to Jung.
"What is it?"
"Is there any need for us to launch?"
"..."
The four squads in the air fell silent. Looking at the tattered Zeon Army formation after the Luna's wave of covering fire, it seemed... like... they really weren't needed, were they?
"Stop letting your minds wander! The enemy is approaching. Spread out!"
"Understood!" came the chorus of replies.
The four squads dispersed, splitting from a single focused arrow into several equally sharp, smaller arrows. They plunged into the chaotic Zeon Army and began to hunt their targets at will.
"Was there any need for us to come along?" The question Liddell Wolf had raised earlier now appeared in the minds of the Federal Army's regular aviation wing.
Never mind the Luna's terrifying firepower—it was, after all, the newest state-of-the-art aerospace amphibious warship, a giant among cranes even in the Space Fleet. Ignoring the unseen Missile Launchers, its body bristling with menacing cannons left no doubt that it was a terrifying war machine.
Then there was the performance of the airborne MS units. Facing an enemy several times their number, they moved with ease, killing with impunity and cutting down enemy mobile suits like chopping vegetables. The red dots representing enemy units on the detectors decreased at a visible rate.
"Captain, should we still go in?" a pilot of an FF-4 Toriace asked his superior officer.
"...Let's see if there are any that slip through the net. If any enemy units get close to the Luna, we'll be responsible for intercepting them."
"Understood..."
"But they're really amazing. I wonder when I'll be able to pilot an MS."
"It should be soon, right? I heard the North America Theater has already deployed MS units."
"I can't wait. With an MS, I could also give those damn Zeon a good thrashing!"
"Me too!"
...
The air strike wing, originally the protagonists of the battlefield, had now become the audience, unable to even play a supporting role. It wasn't that none of the Twelfth Independent Technical Division's airborne units were letting enemies through. Rather, as soon as an enemy broke through the airborne MS units' blockade, they were either met with the judgment of a beam, the thunderous might of an electromagnetic cannon, or were shredded into a sieve by the dense CIWS Array barrage upon approaching the Luna, giving the fighter units no time to react.
This made the spectating air strike wing burn with envy, jealousy, and resentment! A soldier who doesn't want to be a general is not a good soldier. Who didn't want to paint a small star on the nose of their machine? They envied the Twelfth Independent Technical Division for having such a powerful warship and MS, were jealous that they were stealing all the glory, and hated that they weren't skilled enough to join the Twelfth Independent Technical Division.
"Captain, do you know what the requirements are to join the Twelfth Independent Technical Division?"
"What? You're going to abandon me already?"
"Ahaha, of course not. You can come with us, Captain."
"Get lost! I wish! But I don't know either."
"How can that be~?"
"I've got it. I'm on good terms with a young lady in the logistics department. Maybe I can get some information."
"I'll leave it to you, then! If you find out, I'll wash your socks for a month!"
"I'll take care of the underwear!"
"Ugh~ You guys are disgusting..."
Seeing the performance of the Twelfth Independent Technical Division, these frontline combat soldiers naturally yearned for it—they yearned for the same superior equipment, for more glory, and to fight alongside the strong, rather than being spectators on the sidelines.
Among them, a handsome, blond soldier's eyes burned with a flame more intense than anyone else's.
"I must join this unit!" Techisan Demetri made up his mind.
...
Half an hour later, not a single trace of the Zeon Army could be seen in the sky. They had all been reduced to fragments and wreckage, falling into the sea and sinking into the dark abyss.
"Captain, a message from the naval fleet. They have reached the designated position and are beginning to lay the minefield."
"What's the situation in the water?" Natarle Badgiruel asked.
"It's over. The Zeon aquatic MS units have been completely wiped out. A total of 45 Z'Goks, 27 Acguys, and 3 Yukon-class submarines have been eliminated."
"Order the 2nd and 3rd Squads to return to the ship for resupply. The 4th and 6th Squads will accompany this ship and lower altitude. They will rotate out once the 2nd and 3rd Squads have finished resupplying."
"Understood!"
Receiving the order, Jung and Kajima Yuu led their squads back to the Luna to resupply. The squads led by Russ and George escorted the Luna from the front, rear, and sides, following it as it descended in altitude until they were below the clouds and could see the naval fleet with the naked eye.
"Contact the Major. Ask if they require resupply."
"Understood... Major, this is the Luna. Do you require resupply?... Understood... Captain, the Major says they do not require resupply at this time. He has ordered that once the minefield is laid and allied forces have safely withdrawn, we are to turn and head for Cochinchina."
"How much longer until the minefield is complete?"
"An estimated fifteen minutes."
"I understand. CIC, keep a close watch on the Radar Detection System. Don't miss a single thing!"
"Yes, ma'am!"
...
Fifteen minutes passed quickly. Perhaps Zeon was scared, or perhaps they had other plans. After the first wave of enemies was annihilated, Zeon did not appear before the Federation again. The naval fleet's process of laying the minefield was exceptionally smooth.
"Our headquarters' mission is complete. We are returning to the island base immediately. Major Yang Hui, will your unit be accompanying us?"
"No, my unit will proceed to Cochinchina to intercept the enemy landing."
"Major, are you saying Zeon will land from Cochinchina?" The naval fleet's Commander-in-Chief was startled by his words. Most of their forces were deployed along the northern coastal defense line; they hadn't stationed many troops along the coast of Cochinchina. If Zeon really landed there, the Federation would be attacked from both the front and rear.
"It's a possibility. At the very least, the reinforcements from Australia are definitely more than just this."
"Understood. I will report this situation to Colonel Leia immediately. I wish your unit the fortunes of war."
The naval fleet departed. The Luna, under the dual protection of its airborne and aquatic units, advanced toward Cochinchina.
"Major, if it's as you predict, the forces in the direction of Cochinchina are definitely Zeon's main force. We certainly won't be able to stop them on our own," Natarle Badgiruel said to Yang Hui.
"Yes, I know. That's why the Luna will land at Vinh and establish a defensive line with the allied forces from the island. Have the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 6th Squads switch to Aquatic Specialized Backpacks. I will take them to buy you time."
"Understood." The communication ended, and Natarle Badgiruel immediately relayed Yang Hui's orders. The airborne MS units all returned to the ship, and all maintenance personnel entered a state of frantic activity, changing the equipment on the Astray Gundams with maximum efficiency.
"Fort, there's a problem with the Falcon 9's connection conduit. Go take a look!"
"Alright, I'm on my way!" Ford Romfellow had just finished working on one mobile suit when he immediately received a new task.
"Yo, Fort." As Ford Romfellow began to adjust the Falcon 9, Jung, Kajima Yuu, Russ Kessel, and Giorgio Miguel walked over to greet him.
"What are you guys doing here? Aren't you preparing for the sortie?" Ford Romfellow asked Jung and the others, his hands never stopping as he adjusted the Falcon 9.
"Our mobile suits will be ready in a few minutes. We came to see you."
"You guys should hurry up and get ready. You're about to launch. This time, you'll be facing Zeon's main force head-on."
"Hey, I say... are you really treating yourself as a maintenance crewman?" Russ Kessel slapped Ford Romfellow on the back, annoyed.
"Hiss~! We're just talking, don't interfere with my work!" The slap wasn't light, making Ford Romfellow suck in a sharp breath. "I don't want to, but this is my punishment from the Major. I have to accept it."
"Tch." Russ Kessel scoffed and pulled Ford Romfellow up from the ground. "Hurry up and change your clothes, or you'll miss the sortie."
"Huh?" Ford Romfellow froze on the spot.
"What are you 'huh'-ing about? Go!"
"Is this an order from the Major?" Ford Romfellow pointed at himself, dumbfounded, suspecting he had misheard.
"Would I dare to falsely relay the Major's orders?"
"No!"
"Then what are you standing around for? Go!"
"Ah? Oh, I'm going right now! Hey you, take over my work." After handing off his maintenance task, Ford Romfellow left like the wind.
"That guy." Jung and the others shook their heads with a smile. "Russ, you're going to relay a false order from the Major. How do you plan to die?"
A fearful expression did not appear; instead, a faint smile graced his lips. "The Major often says that an excellent commander must maintain a tacit understanding with his superiors. The Major didn't say it, but he must have been thinking it."
"Are you sure?"
"Weren't you thinking the same thing?"
"Hehe, just letting you test the waters."
"...I was too hasty!"
"Hahaha..."