Crossing Orb: Newtype Commander

L4 edge of space, Archangel.

The Archangel sailed alone through the stars for nearly two days. Since receiving supplies from the Junius 7 wreckage, the atmosphere on board had noticeably improved—the mess hall had resumed serving hot meals, the medical bay had enough medicine to treat all the wounded, and the children no longer had to go to sleep hungry. But everyone knew this was merely the calm before the storm.

Kruze's fleet remained at the edge of the radar warning line, like a pack of wolves lurking in the shadows, following their prey. They didn't approach, didn't attack, but simply followed, waiting for the moment their prey would make a mistake.

Char stood at the porthole on the bridge, his deep red eyes fixed on the boundless starry sky outside. His left shoulder had almost fully recovered.

"Commander-in-Chief Asha, the advance force of the Eighth Fleet has sent a message." Natal Bakiru's voice came from the fire control console, steady and clear. "Two Nelson-class battleships—the USS Montgomery and the USS Post—are on standby ahead. They are ordered to escort us into lunar orbit."

Maru Lamias rose from the captain's seat, a relieved glint in her brown eyes. "Finally...finally, reinforcements have arrived."

The atmosphere on the bridge relaxed somewhat. Thor leaned back in his chair and let out a long sigh; Milia put down her camera and rubbed her aching shoulders; Sai adjusted his glasses, a slight smile playing on his lips. But Char remained uneasy. His brow furrowed slightly, his deep red eyes fixed on the green dots representing the advance force on the space map, a sense of unease stirring deep within his consciousness.

"Captain Ramias," Char turned around, his voice calm, "keep the advance force on alert. Kruze won't let us rendezvous with them easily."

Maru's smile froze. "You think Kruze will attack?"

"It's not 'will'." Xia walked to the tactical table, swiped his finger across the screen to show Kruse's last known location, "It's 'already'. He's waiting for us to let our guard down."

M. La Fraga rose from his executive officer's seat, walked to the tactical table, and stared at the ghost hovering at the edge of the radar. "Commander-in-Chief Askha is right. Kruze hasn't attacked for three days, that's not normal. He must be planning something."

Natal's fingers flew across the control panel. "Expand the radar search area... No unusual signals. The debris field is too congested; if Kruse's team keeps their radio silence, we'll have a hard time finding them."

"Then let's assume they're already on their way." Char straightened up, his crimson eyes sweeping over everyone on the bridge. "Notify the advance force to change the rendezvous point. Don't wait at the original coordinates; have them move in our direction. Shorten the rendezvous time and reduce the window of opportunity for exposure."

"Yes." Natal immediately began to relay the orders.

Murrue looked at Char, her brown eyes filled with complex emotions. "Commander-in-Chief Athulhu, you always plan for the worst."

"As commanders, we must consider everything, including the worst-case scenario."

The time for the Archangel to rendezvous with the advance force has been reduced from four hours to two hours. Two Nelson-class battleships—the USS Montgomery and the USS Post—are approaching the Archangel at maximum speed. On the bridge, the voices of the communications officers rise and fall, and the green dots on the tactical map move slowly.

But at the other end of the L4 spacecraft, deep within the debris field, the Kruse team is waiting.

Bridge of the USS Wesalis.

Kruze sat in the captain's seat, his eyes behind the mask fixed on the holographic map of space. The Archangel's trajectory, the trajectories of the two Nelson-class battleships, and the position of the main force of the Eighth Fleet—all the fragments pieced together in his mind to form a complete picture.

"Captain, the Archangel has changed course," the adjutant's voice came from behind. "They're closing in on the advance team. Rendezvous is expected in two hours."

Kruze's lips curled into a slight smile. "Just as I expected. Ashar won't wait to be attacked at the original coordinates. He's shortening his exposure window."

"What do we do then? What if we let them reunite—"

"Then don't let them rendezvous." Kruze stood up and walked to the holographic screen. "Order all teams to attack. Target—the Archangel and those two Nelson-class battleships. Sink them all."

"yes!"

The atmosphere on the bridge suddenly tensed. Confirmations came through the communication channels from each MS squad: Duel, Storm, Aegis, and Thunder—all four G-series MS were deployed. Twenty GINNs followed closely behind, leaving twenty white trails in the vacuum.

Kruze stood in front of the holographic screen, staring at the moving red arrows. His gaze fell on the Archangel's flight path, and a slow smile crept onto his lips.

"Char Langlad Ashar," he whispered, "what will you choose? Protect the Archangel, or protect those two warships? Whichever you choose, I will destroy the other."

Bridge of the Archangel.

The alarm shattered the silence.

Natal's voice came from the fire control console, tinged with tension: "Captain, a large number of enemy signals detected ahead! Distance—8,000! Quantity—20 GINNs and four G-series! Approaching at high speed!"

Maru's pupils contracted. "Kruze... he really came."

"Not only that." Char's voice came from the tactical table, calm and cold. "He's set a trap between us and the advance force. No matter which direction we move, we'll run into his main force."

Mu leaned back in his chair and whistled. "That masked man is really persistent."

"Captain Bakiruru, where is the advance force?" Maru asked.

Natal's fingers flew across the console. "Distance—12,000. They're closing in at full speed, but at the current relative speed, Kruze's team will reach attack position first. Expected—Kruze's team will be within engagement range in fifteen minutes."

Fifteen minutes. The air in the bridge seemed to freeze.

Char stood up, a cold light burning in his deep crimson eyes. "Captain Lamias, the Archangel, full speed ahead of the advance force. Do not slow down, do not turn. Charge straight ahead."

"What?" Maru's voice held a hint of surprise. "A direct assault? Kruze has twenty GINNs and four G-series machines—"

"I know," Char interrupted her, "but if we turn around, we'll expose our advance force to Kruze's fire. The two Nelson-class battleships don't have enough MS escorts, and if they're surrounded by the G-series, they'll sink within ten minutes."

Maru stared into his eyes, those deep red eyes held no fear, only a calm, almost cold, clarity. He knew what he was doing, and he knew the price to pay.

"Alright." Maru took a deep breath. "Captain Bakiruru, full speed ahead. Notify the advance team to maintain their course and not slow down. We will break through Kruze's blockade from the front."

"yes!"

The Archangel's thrusters were firing at full power, leaving a white trail in the starry sky. Inside the hangar, the golden mobile suit and the Strike Gundam were making final preparations for sortie.

Hangar.

Char stood at the foot of the golden machine, gazing up at it. The quantum communication module on its head was still flashing.

"Commander-in-Chief Asuka, the gold machine's maintenance is 90% complete," a technician's voice came from behind. "The thrusters and weapon systems have been fully restored."

"That's enough." Char climbed into the cockpit and slid his finger across the touchscreen.

The cockpit door closed, and the panoramic screen lit up. Char placed his right hand on the quantum interface, and VEDA's voice echoed in his mind: "All systems of the Gold Machine are normal. Minovsky nuclear reactor output power is at ninety percent. Weapon systems are at full energy."

"Thrusters activated, warm-up complete. Awaiting sortie order."

"Instruction recorded."

Char leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes. His Newtype abilities became exceptionally sharp at this moment—he could "sense" the location of the Kruze team, "sense" the emotions of each GINN pilot, and "sense" the murderous intent hidden among the four G-series tanks.

"Kira." He pressed the communication button.

"Here," Kira's voice came through the communicator, calm and firm.

"Is the Strike's air combat backpack ready?"

"It's installed. The thruster output has been increased to 120%. The maneuverability is sufficient."

"Alright." Xia opened his eyes, a cold light flashing in his deep red pupils. "Remember—our mission is to cover the Archangel and the advance force's breakthrough. Don't linger in battle, don't pursue. Come back alive."

"I've got it."

On the catapult deck, the Strike Gundam stood on the launch rail, its silver-white armor reflecting a cold gleam in the red light of the emergency lights. A wing-shaped combat backpack hung on its back, its massive thrusters gleaming faintly blue in the darkness. Kira sat in the cockpit, hands gripping the control sticks, his amber eyes fixed on the starry sky ahead.

He thought of Athrun. They had once enjoyed a brief period of peace. But now, that peace was over. The Kruze team was closing in, and Athrun's Aegis Gundam was among them. The next time they met, they would fight again.

"Kira Yamato, Strike Gundam, sortie!"

The catapult activated, propelling the mobile suit into space with immense thrust. The Strike Gundam emerged from the Archangel's hangar, leaving a white trail in the starry sky. The golden mobile suit followed closely behind, its golden armor gleaming coldly in the starlight.

Ahead, the twenty-three points of light from the Kruse team are approaching.

Distance – 5,000 kilometers.

The battle has begun.

The first engagement took place in space, three thousand kilometers from the Archangel. Twenty GINNs deployed in skirmish lines, firing simultaneously from different directions. The linear rifle shells traced dense trajectories in the vacuum, like a net being pulled in.

The golden machine weaved through the barrage of bullets. Char's hands danced rapidly across the joystick and touchscreen, each command precise to the millisecond. The beam rifle fired continuously, each shot hitting the cockpit of a GINN with pinpoint accuracy, preventing them from approaching the Archangel.

"Golden machine, left wing!" Kira's voice came through the communicator.

Char pulled the control stick, and the golden machine swerved sharply. A GINN rushed in from the flank, its rifle muzzle pointed at the back of the golden machine. The beam rifle was raised, and the beam pierced through the GINN's cockpit at the last second. The explosion exploded silently in the vacuum, sending fragments flying.

"Thanks," Xia said calmly.

"You're welcome."

The Strike Gundam deployed on the other side. Its wing-shaped combat backpack thrusters blasted at full power, propelling the machine through enemy lines at astonishing speed. Beam rifles fired in rapid succession, each shot precisely striking a GINN's joint or thruster. Not lethal attacks, but paralysis—incapacitating them without killing the pilots.

Kira didn't want to kill. He knew he would have to face this choice sooner or later, but at least he could choose not to.

But the G series won't give him a choice.

The Duel Gundam charged in head-on, its beam rifle aimed at the Strike's cockpit. Yzak's voice boomed through the communicator: "You're the Coordinator traitor? Die!"

Kira pulled the control stick, and the Strike veered off course at the last moment. The beam grazed the shoulder armor, leaving a charred mark. He pressed the communication button, his voice calm: "I'm not a traitor. I'm just protecting those I want to protect."

"Protect?" Yitzhak sneered. "You're protecting those natural persons who slaughter our fellow citizens! You're a traitor!"

The Duel Gundam's beam saber was drawn, its orange beam illuminating the vacuum. Yzak pushed the control stick, propelling the machine toward the Strike Gundam at incredible speed. Kira did not back down; the Strike Gundam's beam saber was also drawn, and the two machines clashed in the starry sky, sparks from the colliding beam sabers flashing in the darkness.

"Kira, watch out!" Char's voice came through the communicator.

The golden mobile suit charged in from the flank, its beam rifle firing in rapid succession, forcing Yzak to retreat from the duel. But the Blitz Gundam launched an attack from the other side, its high-energy beam cannon's orange beam tracing a deadly arc in the vacuum. The Strike Gundam raised its shield, blocking the attack, but the impact caused the mobile suit to lose its balance.

"Kira!" Thor's voice came through the communicator, filled with tension.

"I'm fine." Kira pushed the control stick, and the Strike regained its footing. "Commander-in-Chief Asuha, how long until the advance team arrives?"

"Ten minutes," Xia's voice was calm. "Hold on."

On the bridge of the Archangel, Murrue stared intently at the dense clusters of lights on the radar screen, her brown eyes filled with tension. The battle had been raging for ten minutes. The Gold Strike Mobile Suits and the Strike Mobile Suits were desperately holding off the Kruze squad's attack, but the numerical disparity was too great. Twenty GINNs plus four G-series mobile suits, while they only had two MS.

"Captain Bakiruru, is the main gun ready?"

"Ready," Natal's voice was steady. "But the Golden Machine and the Strike Fighter are still in the combat zone. If we open fire, it might cause damage—"

"Then use missiles. All missiles, lock onto the enemy's GINN. Fire!"

Missile launchers opened, white contrails tracing deadly arcs in the vacuum. Ten missiles were launched simultaneously, hurtling towards the GINNs besieging the Golden Machine and the Assault Unit. Three were intercepted, seven hit their targets. Explosions erupted in the starry sky, debris flying everywhere, and seven GINNs were instantly transformed into fireballs.

But more GINNs emerged from the shadows of the debris field. Kruse seemed to have an inexhaustible supply; for every one destroyed, two more would appear.

"Captain, communications from the advance team!" the communications officer's voice came through. "Captain of the USS Montgomery: 'We are on our way at full speed. Hold on.'"

Maru bit her lip, her fingers gripping the armrest tightly. "Tell them not to enter the enemy's encirclement. Maintain distance and provide naval support with gunfire."

"yes!"

At the other end of space, two Nelson-class battleships were closing in on the Archangel at maximum speed. Their guns fired incessantly, attempting to provide fire support for the Golden Machine and the Strike. But the distance was too great, and accuracy was limited; most of their shells missed.

"Captain, enemy mobile suits spotted ahead!" the radar officer on the USS Montgomery exclaimed. "Number—six GINNs! Approaching at high speed!"

"All ships, engage the air force!" The captain of the USS Montgomery—a middle-aged man in his forties—said calmly, "Don't panic. There are only six of them, and we have our naval guns."

But the six GINNs were far more maneuverable than the Nelson-class battleships' anti-aircraft firepower. They weaved through the barrage of naval gunfire, their linear rifle shells exploding on the hull, sending sparks flying. The first volley penetrated the bridge armor of the USS Montgomery, and the second volley hit the engine room of the USS Post.

"Captain! The bridge of the USS Montgomery has been hit! The engines of the USS Post have been damaged!" The communications officer's voice was filled with panic.

Murrue's pupils contracted. "Captain Buggyuru, send the Golden Machine to support the advance force! We can hold out here!"

Char's voice came through the communicator, calm and firm: "Roger that. Gold machine, turn around. Kira, the Archangel is yours."

"Understood!" Kira's voice was equally firm.