"Didn't expect that after such a short time, we'd be meeting again."
Just after transporting the Jesta and a pile of parts to the factory Cagalli told him about, Roz Links saw Erica Simmons standing at the entrance, though he had no idea when she arrived.
In the adjacent factory hangar, a transport craft capable of carrying an MS was parked, ready to depart at any moment.
"I've heard the situation from Cagalli already. That girl really can't keep a secret, huh."
Erica stood before Roz, left hand on her hip, sighing.
"No helping it. She's the highest-ranking person I know in Orb. Telling her was my only choice."
Roz shook his head and looked toward the sky outside the factory.
"We don't know where the attack will come from. We can only prepare early."
"It's a pity—the M1 Astray's OS is still being written and optimized. It can't sortie. And as for the Jegan blueprints you gave us, we're still modifying the production line."
Speaking of this, Erica let out a regretful sigh.
"What a perfect opportunity to collect data, and it's gone just like that."
Roz stayed silent for a long moment. Just when Erica thought the conversation was becoming awkward and wondered if she should switch topics—
"Trust me. You really don't want to be in that battle. I have a very strong feeling about it."
Roz spoke his premonition while looking directly at Erica, his expression serious.
"A premonition, huh… Then I'll believe you for now. Everyone says your instincts are pretty accurate."
Hearing such an unreliable-sounding statement, Erica could only smile helplessly and shake her head.
As an MS development director, she normally didn't believe in things that sounded this superstitious—but after hearing Murrue and the others describe Roz's track record, she was willing to trust him this once.
"…Tomorrow afternoon, the Archangel will finish repairs and depart. You're not going to see them off?"
"I've already said my goodbyes. All that's left is for each of us to move toward our own goals."
Roz turned around and headed toward the factory interior.
Inside, the Haros had already fully taken over control of the factory's mechanical arms and were performing routine checks on the Jesta.
"To face the battle ahead, I need to give everything I've got."
"Christina, prepare the Cannon equipment!"
-----------------------------------
The next afternoon, on Onogoro Island, inside the dock where the Archangel was located.
"Then, the entire transaction has been completed. I wish you a smooth journey, Captain Murrue."
Looking at the Archangel beside her, Erica seemed a little reluctant after realizing that she had to return Kira.
After all, Kira had only been here for a few days, yet he had already completed so much of the M1 Astray's OS. If he stayed a little longer, strengthening the OS wouldn't be a problem at all.
However, from the way Murrue was looking around, Erica noticed something.
"Stop looking. He said something like he's already said his goodbyes, and that next he has to continue moving forward or whatever… then went back to fiddle with his machine."
"…I see. That really does sound like something he would say."
Hearing Erica's confirmation, Murrue could only sigh and accept it.
"Then next, we must set sail. We can't let him look down on us."
"You two… unexpectedly match well?"
Erica scratched her head and showed a smile.
With the Archangel's crew and supplies recovered, it set out again.
The difference was that for the rest of this journey, Roz did not follow beside them.
"Ten minutes until we reach Orb's border waters."
"The Orb military has already withdrawn!"
On the bridge, Sai continuously reported the current situation. Clearly, compared to when he first handled CIC work in a panic, he was now fully comfortable with the role.
"ZAFT will absolutely continue to intercept us once we leave Orb's waters."
Murrue understood very well the predicament the Archangel was facing. "Without Roz, our available combat strength has already been weakened. Kira, can you hold on?"
"Mm. Don't worry, Captain Murrue, I'll be fine."
Sitting in the Strike Gundam's cockpit, Kira repeatedly took deep breaths.
Just thinking about facing countless white DINNs and four Gundams made his palms sweat unconsciously.
"Radar has detected a ZAFT fleet… wait, there's a large unknown submarine underwater approaching at high speed!"
The radar operator looked at the sonar results, somewhat in disbelief.
-----------------------------------
In ZAFT's sonar detection equipment, a massive unknown warship also appeared, approaching the area at extremely high speed.
"Even though Orb has a frontline base here, this isn't an Orb submarine, is it?"
Aboard one of the warships, Rau Le Creuset looked at the detection results, his eyes behind the mask narrowing slightly.
"Rather than that, has there ever been a submarine this large on Earth?"
"Should we attack?"
Standing beside him, Athrun looked confused at the situation before him. They had come to pursue the Archangel—so why was a third-party force appearing?
Although Creuset outwardly showed some concern over this third-party force, inside he was delighted.
At this moment, Creuset practically wished Orb's homeland would explode right now, so that the war would grow even more intense.
"…Wait. It's clearly just a submarine—so why is it charging toward the shallows?"
Seeing the course of this "unknown submarine," Creuset showed a puzzled expression.
-----------------------------------
Underwater, a massive streamlined MA was speeding toward Orb.
"Finally… almost there."
The pilot, wearing a black pilot suit, did not appear in good condition.
But as he watched the distance to the target marker shrink, and felt the power of the giant MA he controlled, he became inexplicably excited.
Seeing that the map indicated a frontline base nearby, for some reason, a daring idea suddenly came to him.
"Let this frontline base be the celebratory cannon for our debut! Shamblo! Forward!"
With the sea surface being torn open by the giant MA, its crimson streamlined armor appeared before both the Archangel and ZAFT.
"ZAFT's emblem? Do we even have a machine like that?!"
Seeing the familiar emblem painted on the machine, Athrun exclaimed in shock.
"No idea. Maybe it's some—"
Just as Creuset frowned, trying to guess something—
The Shamblo completed its posture transformation. The streamlined armor shifted into sharp shoulder armor, extending two thick legs.
The egg-shaped rear section continuously vented gas, allowing it to hover slightly like an air cushion. From beneath the shoulder armor, legs extended, with treads emerging at the bottom to drive the machine forward.
Its sharp head lifted like a swan, the mono-eye inside scanning everything within Orb's frontline base.
The two circular cannons on its shoulder armor opened, and under everyone's shocked gaze, they fired thick beams—easily destroying Orb's frontline base.
"This is… this is the power of the Shamblo!"
Watching Orb's frontline base turn into a sea of fire in an instant, the Shamblo's pilot felt his brain tremble from the thrill.
-----------------------------------
"Two minutes until we reach the combat airspace."
Above the clouds, a large transport aircraft lowered its altitude to the appropriate level.
"The Archangel and ZAFT are already fighting. We can't stay here. This is a one-way flight straight to hell, Mr. Roz Links."
"Mm, understood. Begin the drop procedure."
Sitting inside the Jesta's cockpit, Roz looked at the last images sent from the frontline base and unconsciously tightened his grip on the controls.
Inside the transport's cargo bay, the Jesta was securely held in place by specialized restraints, its red visor already lit.
At this moment, the Jesta had fully equipped its Cannon Pack, and even had four additional mechanical arms mounted to its backpack via universal connectors, used for carrying shields and rocket launchers.
As the transport's internal machinery moved, the rear hatch opened. The Jesta was shifted to the rear of the aircraft, lifted off the metal floor, and suspended in mid-air.
"Phew… Roz Links, Jesta Cannon—launching."
"Roger. Releasing the unit. Enjoy your trip to hell!"
With the Jesta's shoulder locks disengaging, the Jesta was caught by gravity and began falling toward the ground.
Roz stepped on the foot pedal. The backpack thrusters and body verniers activated, quickly stabilizing the machine as he dropped toward the massive deep-crimson MA below.
Meanwhile, the transport smoothly retracted its docking rig and sped away from the battlefield.
"Shamblo…"
Looking at the gigantic machine before him—almost identical to the one in his memory—Roz narrowed his eyes.
His fingers tapped the control sticks, and the two electromagnetic rocket launchers on the Jesta's waist began firing high-explosive rockets in rapid succession.
"I won't let you pass!"
.................