Chapter 65: Don't Be Afraid, Charge Forward and You'll Win 

An hour had passed since the Archangel left the wreckage zone of Heliopolis. The plan for silent flight was proceeding smoothly, with only half the journey remaining to Artemis Fortress.

The ship remained on its second combat alert. After comforting the "child" (Flay), Ange returned to her Mobile Suit to standby. Reid, meanwhile, kept his communication line with the bridge open the entire time.

However, this hour of rest was crucial. The NT-X's battery was nearly fully charged, and Mu's Custom Flag, following Reid's suggestion, had all unnecessary wings removed for space combat—only the thrusters and the specialized left arm were repaired. Though the Mobile Suit's exterior was still battered, it was at least operational now.

Kira's friends, having witnessed the collapse of Heliopolis, decided they had to do something, just like in the original timeline. They joined the Archangel's CIC as volunteers, finally freeing Bargiruel, the deputy captain, from having to double as a communications officer.

Everything seemed to be improving, but the inevitable was coming.

As the Archangel emerged from a debris field (formed from the wreckage of both sides' machines), the ship's radar suddenly blared with alarms. The communications officer immediately began reporting:

"Thermal signature detected to the port side of the Archangel, distance 200 (no specific unit found, defaulting to kilometers). Heat pattern matches a Nazca-class Battleship! It's faster than us and has already cut ahead!"

Before Bargiruel could respond, Reid cut in:

"Just one ship? Double-check!"

No sooner had Reid spoken than the radar operator continued:

"Laurasia-class heat signature detected 300 behind us! No other contacts—just these two battleships!"

Hearing this, Mu chimed in:

"Hey, hey, doesn't that mean we're sandwiched between them?"

Reid immediately countered:

"Not yet. Both ships are still at a distance. Captain Murrue, since we're already detected, there's no point in silent running. Max out the engines—the Laurasia-class can't keep up with the Archangel's speed. As for the Nazca-class that's ahead of us, we'll close the distance ourselves! The Archangel is far more advanced than a Nazca-class. Plus, the Nazca-class has almost no lateral attack capability. In a head-on fight, the bold win—we just have to charge and we'll take it!"

With Reid's explanation, the specifics didn't need elaboration. Mu couldn't help but quip:

"So we're doing battleship gun duels? That's such an outdated tactic—never thought I'd experience it today."

Murrue was well aware of the Archangel's technological superiority. In theory, without Mobile Suit interference, the Archangel could easily overpower a Nazca-class that lacked even Laminated Armor.

But Creuset's team had a fearsome reputation, and with several Gundams stolen, Murrue and Bargiruel had been overly cautious during the Archangel's escape, terrified the ship might be sunk. In reality, if they had just charged forward, they might have been surprised to find the enemy was even more afraid of them.

Like now. Following Reid's suggestion, Murrue decided to take the gamble and gave the order:

"All hands, first battle stations. Engines ignited, full speed ahead towards the Nazca-class ship at port bow. Lohengrin (Positron Cannon) pre-charging, Valiant cannons ready, anti-ship missiles prepared. Second Lieutenant Natarle, I leave the firing timing to you."

As Murrue issued her commands, the Archangel immediately activated all engines, accelerating at full power toward the Nazca-class vessel. The two 225cm twin high-energy beam cannons couldn't reach due to beam attenuation issues, but the 110cm linear electromagnetic Valiant Mk-8 had no such limitations. Under Natarle's orders, they fired directly at the Nazca-class's flank.

The captain of the Vesalius was sweating bullets. The moment Archangel's engines ignited, he knew they were coming for him. But the Nazca-class's two main guns could only fire forward, leaving them unable to counterattack against enemies approaching from the side or rear. He could only continuously order evasive maneuvers while trying to turn the ship around - the frustration of being unable to fight back was unbearable.

However, the Archangel had Natarle aboard. Though lacking combat experience, her tactical eye was razor-sharp.

The moment engagement began, Natarle knew they would win decisively without Mobile Suit interference. She gave the Nazca-class no chance to turn around, with the Valiant cannons preemptively firing at potential turning points while the main anti-ship firepower came from large anti-ship missiles.

The Vesalius could only rely on rear-mounted anti-air machine guns to defend against the missiles. Fortunately, the Archangel hadn't closed distance yet, and the Valiant's accuracy suffered due to the extreme range and mediocre gunners. Yet even so, the Vesalius barely survived multiple close calls, with electromagnetic rounds grazing its starboard side and alarms blaring - it was on the verge of breaking.

Forget about turning around - those few seconds of vulnerable broadside would make them a sitting duck.

The Vesalius captain's assessment was correct. If he dared stop to turn now, the next volley wouldn't be electromagnetic rounds but a Positron Cannon blast that could obliterate the Vesalius in one shot.

Seeing the dire situation, Creuset had no choice but to command: "Prepare my CGUE. Athrun will pilot the Aegis and sortie with me - we must intercept their anti-ship missiles. Contact the Gamov at our rear and have Isaac, Dearka, and Nicol quickly support us in their captured units."

"After Athrun and I launch, Frederick [Vesalius captain] must find a way to turn the ship around. I underestimated this Atlantic Federation warship - never expected such firepower. And such decisive command... Could this be Reid Isaac's doing again?"

Creuset's question would go unanswered. He had originally avoided the frontlines knowing his current mobile suit stood no chance against Princess Angelise, but now circumstances forced his hand. Otherwise, the Vesalius might not survive the day.

Aboard the Archangel, Natarle clicked her tongue in annoyance when she saw the Nazca-class deploying mobile suits. "So much for warship combat," she muttered, frustrated that her first victory was being snatched away just as it seemed within grasp.

Meanwhile, new signals appeared on the thermal radar...

"Three Mobile Suits launched from the rear Laurasia-class! Thermal pattern match confirms—Duel, Blitz, and Buster!!"

Upon hearing this, Murrue immediately erupted in anger, cursing,

"Damn it, they really sent out the stolen units."

However, Bargiruel had no time to care about Murrue's mood and directly stated,

"Captain, given the speed of Duel, Blitz, and Buster, they can catch up to us. We should deploy our Mobile Suits as well!"

Snapped back to rationality by Bargiruel's reminder, Murrue swiftly ordered,

"Continue missile fire to cover the Mobile Suit launch. Commander Reid, Duel, Blitz, and Buster are approaching from the rear, while Aegis remains ahead. Exercise extreme caution. I'll have CIC send you the specs of all four units immediately."

Reid was inwardly exasperated by Murrue's words. What's the point of sending data now? I'm about to sortie—when would I even have time to read it? If I hadn't already known the capabilities of these units, you'd have gotten me killed...

Still, Reid understood that Murrue was simply inexperienced. She likely hadn't even considered that the stolen units' combat profiles should have been shared with him earlier. After all, tactical data wasn't classified development intel—there was no reason to withhold it when they were about to face these very units piloted by the enemy.

Choosing not to dwell on it, Reid switched to the team comms and said,

"Once we're out, Strike will engage Aegis. Mu, can you handle Creuset one-on-one in your Flag right now?"

Mu, never one to back down, replied confidently,

"Who do you take me for? Back in Heliopolis, I fought Creuset until I was nearly out of ammo before he even joined the fray. Now that I'm fully stocked, it's time to settle the score."

Reid knew Mu wouldn't lose to Creuset quickly—the Union Flag's mobility alone ensured that.

He continued,

"Good. Ange and I will handle the three units coming from behind. Mu, Kira's still a rookie—keep an eye on him."

Then, Reid opened a private line to Strike's cockpit and added,

"Rookie, this is a secure channel. I know you're acquainted with Athrun Zala, Aegis's pilot—your little aerial duet back in Heliopolis wasn't exactly subtle. I won't force you to fight someone you know. But you must keep him occupied. Prevent him from attacking anyone else. Can you do that?"

Kira was startled that Reid knew about his connection to Athrun. Then, he felt a surge of gratitude—Reid was willing to keep it confidential. If the captain or executive officer found out, he'd probably be confined. Firmly, he answered,

"No problem, Mr. Reid. I'll keep Athrun occupied."

Reid was satisfied. He didn't need Kira to do anything more. Just keeping Athrun locked down would be a major contribution. At this stage, the battle's outcome might hinge on which of these two friends had the better persuasion skills.

With preparations complete, Reid—guided by the new MS combat controller, Miriallia—was catapulted out of the Archangel.

The moment he reached open space, Reid didn't hesitate. He immediately accelerated toward the Archangel's rear. The Nazca-class could be left to Kira, Mu, and the Archangel's main crew—he and Ange had to intercept the trio behind them.

Ange soon caught up, sending a private transmission:

"Reid, same rule as before—avoid destroying these three if possible. How do we play this?"

Reid pondered for a moment before responding:

"Ange, your mobile suit is mostly armed with physical ammunition, so don't worry. Unless you hit the cockpit directly, the impact won't kill them. Just target areas like the thrusters to force them to retreat."

"As for me, I'll focus on suppression fire. For primary targets, let's go with the Blitz Gundam first. However, its Mirage Colloid System is dangerous, so we'll maintain high-speed movement to avoid ambushes. (The Blitz can't use thrusters while the Mirage Colloid is active due to heat dissipation issues—it can only drift using verniers.)"

Ange immediately replied after hearing this:

"Understood! I can already see their mobile suits. Let's go! Time to give these ZAFT second-generation pilots a surprise!!"

Seeing Ange's excitement, Reid naturally matched her energy. On his monitor, three Gundams were now visible—the Duel, Blitz, and Buster—advancing in a formation with the Duel at the front, Blitz in the middle, and Buster bringing up the rear at high speed.

As an opening greeting, Reid deployed two Bits as shoulder cannons. Without precise aiming, he unleashed a charged sweeping barrage directly into the space between the three enemy units.

Alarms blared simultaneously across the Duel, Blitz, and Buster as they detected the lock-on. Isaac immediately shouted over the team comms:

"Heavy Particle Beam Cannon incoming! Everyone evade!!"

Isaac didn't really need to say anything—the other two weren't fools. All three mobile suits instinctively dodged in three different directions.

Reid was stunned. Didn't ZAFT's military academy teach coordinated squad tactics? Splitting up like this in open space beyond the debris zone was practically inviting the enemy to pick them off one by one.

Seeing this, Reid didn't hold back. No communication was needed between him and Ange. Ange immediately transformed her unit into MA mode and charged at maximum speed toward the Blitz—just as Reid had said, the Mirage Colloid System posed the greatest threat among the three. Neutralizing it early would be ideal.

Meanwhile, Reid deployed his Bits to barrage the Blitz from multiple angles, forcing it to max out its thrusters in constant evasion—creating the perfect opening for Ange to close in.

Of course, Isaac and Dearka weren't about to let Nicol take all the heat.

The Duel's current weapons couldn't reach Reid's position, leaving Isaac no choice but to charge recklessly toward him. As for the Buster, its combined Hyper Impulse Long-Range Sniper Rifle could still hit Reid. Without hesitation, Dearka merged his two weapons into the 94mm High-Energy Beam Rifle and took a sniper shot after evading.

Such an obvious snipe was easily dodged by Reid. By now, the Blitz had entered Ange's effective range, so Reid shifted focus. The Blitz was now locked on by a hunting lioness—good luck to its pilot.

Reid recalled his Bits and, capitalizing on the Buster's sniper cooldown, activated rocket thrusters to charge straight at the Duel.

Seeing the New Misurugi Republic's mobile suit rushing head-on at high speed, Isaac thought this suited him perfectly. He holstered his beam rifle, drew his beam saber, and prepared for what he considered a true man's duel.

But Reid had no intention of engaging head-on—this wasn't some medieval knight's duel. Seeing the Duel not firing a single shot at him but instead drawing its sword, Reid smirked. Just as he nearly closed the distance, he launched three decoy balloons from his fingers.

Isaac, fully focused and ready to clash blades, suddenly found his display flooded with balloons, throwing off his lock-on. Infuriated, he shouted, "Cheap tricks!" and slashed through all three balloons in one swing.

But the moment he did, he regretted it—Reid's Mobile Suit was already in his face. There was no time to counterattack or even evade.

Isaac really owed his life to having a good mother. Though Reid had also drawn his Beam Saber and secured a perfect opening, he didn't aim for the cockpit. Instead, as he streaked past the Duel at high speed, he cleanly severed its right arm. Then, executing a sharp reverse, he delivered a powerful kick to the Duel's lower back, sending Isaac reeling inside the cockpit.

Watching Isaac get taken down in a single exchange, Dearka panicked. Hearing Isaac's pained roar over comms, he abandoned caution and charged at Reid while firing his 350mm Anti-Armor Shotgun Launcher, heedless of potential friendly fire.

Reid knew the Buster's shotgun was just trying to force him back—solid rounds were less likely to accidentally hit the Duel. So he obligingly "retreated."

As the Buster regrouped with the Duel, Dearka listened to Isaac's furious cursing about the enemy's underhanded tactics, at least relieved that his comrade wasn't seriously injured. But the Duel was effectively out of the fight.

As for the Blitz, from Dearka's perspective, it was being juggled like a ball by the Empress Custom Flag. If not for the Phase Shift Armor, the pilot would've been finished long ago. Beam shots couldn't land, and any attempt to close in was countered by the Flag's swift MA-mode retreat. So Dearka immediately contacted the mothership.

"Captain, we're under attack by two New Misurugi Republic units. The Duel is damaged, and the Blitz is pinned down. We won't be able to assist the Vesalius."

The captain of the Gamov, unwilling to risk the lives of these three young elites under his command, immediately signaled a retreat upon receiving Dearka's transmission, abandoning the Vesalius to its fate.

Seeing the enemy's retreat flare, Reid recognized it as their surrender in this skirmish. He called out to Ange,

"They've signaled retreat. Let them go, Ange. But stay alert for any last-ditch attacks—pull back first."

Ange obediently disengaged from the Blitz.

Nicol, piloting the Blitz, had been nearly concussed by Ange's missiles and electromagnetic bullets. Relieved at the sudden disengagement and the retreat signal, he immediately turned tail.

Reid, too, distanced himself. The Buster, seeing this, wasted no time dragging the Duel away before the enemy reconsidered and blasted them with a heavy particle beam.

Meanwhile, the main battle had already been decided. The Gamov's captain hadn't truly abandoned the Vesalius—after recalling their Mobile Suits, he promptly informed the frontlines that reinforcements were no longer coming.

Over at the Vesalius, Creuset was handling Mu with relative ease, while the Aegis and Strike remained locked in their deadly dance.

But the Vesalius was on the verge of being sunk by the Archangel. As the distance closed, the Archangel's twin 225cm high-energy beam cannons roared to life, forcing the Vesalius to make drastic evasive maneuvers.

Seeing the battle situation turning severely against them, Creuset gritted his teeth and issued the order:

"Vesalius, clear the path to Artemis Fortress. Head for the debris field to port at maximum speed!!"

The moment Creuset gave the command, the Vesalius adjusted its course without hesitation, swiftly turning to port and fleeing at high speed.

Onboard the Archangel, Bargiruel saw their prey slipping away and was about to order pursuit.

But Murrue, still composed, commanded decisively:

"Don't chase the Nazca-class. Our priority is reaching Artemis Fortress. Keep harassing them with missiles and the Valiant. Fire the recall flares - bring all Mobile Suits back. This victory is ours!!"

(End of chapter)