The events at Heliopolis had already spread throughout the international community after the Archangel managed to escape.
Fortunately, Heliopolis was not shattered into pieces by the ZAFT fleet’s assault.
Instead, it luckily retained its overall structural integrity, temporarily averting the risk of collapse.
Thus, from the perspective of the international community, Orb, as the victim, merely stepped forward to condemn ZAFT for wantonly attacking a neutral nation and severely undermining international order.
After that, Orb only dispatched numerous rescue teams to Heliopolis to carry out subsequent relief operations.
Meanwhile, the ZAFT fleet, as one of the warring parties, withdrew from the space sector where Heliopolis was located after retrieving the troops that had infiltrated the colony for reconnaissance, taking the immobilized Vesalius with them.
“How impatient they are!”
On the bridge of the Vesalius, Rau Le Creuset, who had personally led the team into Heliopolis to investigate, watched the ships arriving from all directions under the guise of rescue missions and sneered coldly.
Beside him, Adess shook his head.
“Those Orb citizens are likely to be disappointed.
Their Dawn Factory has been completely destroyed.”
“Indeed!
Even I didn’t expect the Earth Alliance forces to be so resolute in utterly destroying that factory.
After all, it was a crucial development site for the Earth Alliance’s important G-Project.”
Rau Le Creuset crossed his arms, his smile widening.
“I believe Orb also hoped to rely on the advantages brought by the G-Project to gain the capability to develop Mobile Suits.
But now, it’s all over.”
“Could there really be someone so decisive aboard that new Earth Alliance warship?”
Although Adess understood what Rau Le Creuset meant, he found it hard to believe who would have the audacity to simultaneously destroy the Mobile Suit plans of both the Earth Alliance and Orb.
Of course.
The Archangel had already escaped from Heliopolis.
Given the current situation, the Earth Alliance might still retain the possibility of manufacturing new Mobile Suits.
But for Orb, it would likely be far more difficult.
“It doesn’t matter, Adess.
Regardless of who it was, the Earth Alliance will still meet its defeat.”
Rau Le Creuset said solemnly.
“Of course.
For now, we must return to deal with the inquiries from the higher-ups and restore the Vesalius’s mobility.”
The departing ZAFT fleet was observed by Rondo Mina Sahaku and her companions, who were mingling among the rescue ships.
As the heir of the Sahaku family and the true mastermind behind the Dawn Factory, Rondo Mina Sahaku had rushed to the scene immediately upon learning of the incident at Heliopolis. This chapter is updated first at novelping.com.
Unexpectedly, she encountered the ZAFT fleet that had just withdrawn.
“Have someone investigate who is commanding this ZAFT fleet.”
Rondo Mina Sahaku gazed out the window at the ZAFT ships, now reduced to distant specks of light, and calmly issued the order.
“Yes, Lady Mina!”
“Also, has everything about the incident at Heliopolis been clarified?”
Rondo Mina Sahaku withdrew her gaze, her cloak rustling as she returned to her seat and looked toward her secretary.
“Yes.
The factory has been almost completely leveled.
The secret production lines hidden deep underground were also destroyed by explosions.
Several Mobile Suits that had already rolled off the assembly line were wrecked.
Preliminary assessment indicates there is no possibility of repairing these MS.”
The secretary carefully reported the information they currently had.
“So, you’re saying our plan has already failed?”
Rondo Mina Sahaku closed her eyes and asked calmly in return.
“From the situation at the scene, that does seem to be the case.
However, perhaps we can salvage what we can from the wreckage of those new models for repairs.”
“Is that so?
Then what about the database in the factory’s central system?”
Rondo Mina Sahaku’s follow-up question left the secretary speechless.
“You see, without the design blueprints and related data, our plan to develop our own Mobile Suits using Earth Alliance technology has been dealt a fatal blow.”
Rondo Mina Sahaku opened her eyes and continued, looking at her secretary.
“Even if we manage to dig those wrecks out of the ruins, what then?
They’re just meaningless piles of scrap!”
Faced with Rondo Mina Sahaku’s words, the secretary wanted to argue but couldn’t find any grounds to do so.
Because this was an indisputable fact.
Without the design blueprints from the central system, everything was just empty talk.
“However, we might still have one opportunity.”
Rondo Mina Sahaku felt this trip to Heliopolis hadn’t been in vain.
On the contrary, after seeing the opening the Archangel had deliberately created in the transparent zone to escape Heliopolis, a plan began to form in her mind. This chapter is updated first at novelping.com.
Among the many reports coming back from Heliopolis, one person caught Rondo Mina Sahaku’s attention.
Leon Vance.
A super genius from the East Asian Republic.
The astonishing thesis he published at age 10, and the mechanical cat developed based on that paper’s technology, had made this super genius the focus of much attention.
It had even sparked social controversy over whether Leon Vance was a Natural or a Coordinator, which only gradually subsided after the East Asian Republic officially confirmed he was a Natural.
Having settled on her plan, Rondo Mina Sahaku no longer concerned herself with the aftermath at Heliopolis.
In her estimation, it was likely Leon Vance who had preserved Heliopolis while completely destroying the factory.
The reason was probably that Vance didn’t want some of his unique development technologies to leak.
On this point, Rondo Mina Sahaku deeply agreed.
However, the factory’s destruction might serve as a bargaining chip.
“Let’s go!
We’re returning to Ame-no-Mihashira.
We’ll leave this place to the domestic rescue teams.”
“Yes!
Lady Mina.”
“Hss…”
As Rondo Mina Sahaku was leaving Heliopolis with her people, Leon Vance, who was maintaining the Sky Raider Gundam, suddenly shivered, startling Kira who was assisting him.
“W-what’s wrong?
Ensign Vance.”
“Nothing.
Just felt a chill down my back, like someone’s watching me.”
Leon Vance shook his head, tightened his collar, and shrugged as he spoke.
“It sounds like something terrible might happen!”
Kira showed a faint, helpless smile.
“Maybe so!
Perhaps those ZAFT guys are cursing me, wishing me a miserable death!”
Leon Vance didn’t seem bothered by it.
From the moment they clashed, it had become a fight to the death.