"Yes!" Felix responded verbally before asking Patrick, "Mr. Chairman, what should our Griffith Team do next?"
"The war has been going on for some time. To accelerate its conclusion, I plan to launch a larger military operation against the Earth Alliance Forces to force them into compromise and acceptance of all our demands."
Hearing the question, Patrick looked up at Felix and calmly expressed his thoughts.
Upon hearing this, Felix thought to himself:
'The Alaska Battle!'
"Your Griffith Team is ZAFT's most elite unit. You'll participate in this military operation, and you'll also serve as the overall commander for this mission."
While Felix was still thinking, Patrick's voice continued. The sound pulled Felix from his contemplation. Looking at Patrick, Felix stood up and saluted.
"Please rest assured, Mr. Chairman. I guarantee the mission's completion!"
"I believe in you."
Looking at Felix, Patrick's expression softened slightly as he nodded and expressed his trust.
While speaking these words of confidence, Patrick waved his hand in dismissal.
Seeing the gesture, Felix lowered his arm and turned to leave.
After exiting Patrick's office, he exchanged a few brief words with the secretary outside before departing.
Gazing at the scenery of Aprilius City District 1, Felix smiled slightly.
"Time to go home for a visit!"
...
"April 15th already."
Huddled in his apartment playing games, Felix accidentally glanced at the calendar display. Seeing that today was already April 15th, he seemed to remember something and couldn't help but sigh.
Then his focus returned to the screen. Gripping the controller, Felix continued playing his game.
While characters jumped across his screen, events were unfolding on Earth as well.
On a small island near Orb's territorial waters
The Zala Team that had pursued the Archangel engaged them in battle.
"Damn it, insufficient power!"
Looking at the readings on his instrument panel, Athrun showed unwillingness and growled in frustration.
On the exterior of the Aegis Gundam
Due to the power shortage, the PS Armor automatically deactivated, causing the red coating to revert to its original gray appearance.
"Athrun, move aside!"
A familiar voice rang out.
Hearing the voice, Athrun looked forward. At first he couldn't see any MS, but the next moment he saw Nicol's Blitz Gundam deactivate its Mirage Colloid System, its remaining arm gripping Lancer Darts Hypervelocity Penetrators as it charged toward the Strike Gundam.
"Nicol, be careful!"
Watching Nicol's maneuver, Athrun had a bad premonition and called out to Nicol through the comm system.
In the Strike Gundam cockpit
Kira watched the approaching Blitz Gundam, thought of Athrun's face and their encounter in Orb, and realized this MS's pilot was Athrun's friend.
Though Kira wished to avoid combat, the imminent attack forced his hands to instinctively execute evasive maneuvers.
"Nicol!"
Athrun's face instantly paled when he saw the Armor Schneider in Strike Gundam's hand, crying out Nicol's name in alarm.
Nicol had also witnessed Strike Gundam's movement and the condition of that Armor Schneider.
"I can't stop it now!"
With extreme tension written across his face, Nicol spoke rapidly while his hands never ceased operating the controls. The sprinting Blitz Gundam leaned forward even more under his command.
This emergency maneuver caused the Armor Schneider, originally aimed at the cockpit, to strike the chest area above the cockpit instead.
Powered by the Beam Saber component, the Armor Schneider cut deeply into the armor.
Inside Strike Gundam's cockpit
Kira stared blankly at the Armor Schneider's position, his hands moving subconsciously. Strike Gundam released the weapon and took two steps backward.
Inside Blitz Gundam's cockpit
Seeing the electrical sparks erupting in the cockpit and the damaged ceiling above, Nicol ignored the pain from fragments cutting and piercing his body, quickly pressing the hatch release button.
He unfastened his seatbelt with maximum speed and rushed toward the opening hatch, escaping outside.
After emerging, Nicol glanced at the eight or nine-meter drop and chose to jump without hesitation.
BOOM!
A violent explosion erupted.
The powerful blast wave affected Nicol, who had just leaped from Blitz Gundam.
His body flew uncontrollably forward.
"Nicol!"
Witnessing Blitz Gundam's explosion, Athrun's eyes widened with rage as he screamed hoarsely. His crimson eyes fixed on Strike Gundam before him, hands gripping the control sticks tightly while he gritted his teeth with hatred.
"Kira!!"
Though he spoke through clenched teeth, his hands rapidly opened Aegis Gundam's cockpit, unfastening his seatbelt while calling to the mothership through communications.
"Send rescue teams immediately! Hurry!"
While shouting for rescue, Athrun rushed out of the cockpit.
...
"Kira, return now!"
A voice sounded from within Strike Gundam's cockpit.
The dazed Kira was awakened by the voice. Seeing the exploding Blitz Gundam before him, he gripped the control sticks tightly, his face filled with deep self-blame and regret as he repeatedly murmured.
"I didn't mean to! I didn't mean to!"
"Kira! Return now!"
Miriallia's urgent voice came through again.
Hearing the call, Kira took one last deep look at Aegis Gundam, gritted his teeth, and turned to pilot Strike Gundam away from the scene.
...
On the ground
Athrun casually discarded his helmet onto the ground, sprinting toward Blitz Gundam's explosion site.
"Nicol! Nicol!"
His shouts echoed repeatedly across the terrain.
...
THUD!
A fist the size of a sandbag landed heavily on Athrun's face.
The powerful impact sent Athrun sprawling to the ground.
Feeling the pain on his face, Athrun hung his head without reacting, lying on the ground like a soul departed.
Seeing Athrun in this state, Yzak remained unsatisfied. Bending over, he grabbed Athrun by the collar, lifting him up only to deliver another brutal punch to his face.
His eyes crimson with rage, Yzak shouted furiously at Athrun.
"Bastard! Are you satisfied now?"
"He's your friend, but aren't we your friends too? Would you be satisfied only after watching us either lying unconscious in the emergency room or directly killed by that friend of yours?"
"Nicol always considered your feelings in everything, but what have you done? How the hell can you face Nicol?"
Even as he spoke, Yzak still felt his anger wasn't fully vented. His fists continued raining down on Athrun without pause.
"Alright! Stop hitting him. If this continues, you're going to beat Athrun to death."
Seeing Yzak's outburst and Athrun's battered state, Dearka could no longer stand by doing nothing. He stepped forward and grabbed Yzak's fist.