No one's POV
It's been a few days, and multiple events have been taking place during that time. The Earth Alliance claims that ZAFT is responsible for "the drop of Junius Seven incident" and makes an announcement to the world labeling the PLANTs as a threat. At the Alliance's lunar base, preparations for war progress. At the meeting of the Supreme Council of PLANT, the debate becomes tangled. The mainstream opinion was to mobilize the military, but Durandal insists on negotiating for peace. But with the forthcoming attack from the Alliance, the National Defense Commission decides to mobilize ZAFT to protect the PLANTs.
The Earth Alliance declares war to the PLANTs and the fleet moves forward. Yzak and Dearka's ZAKU intercept but they realize they're fighting decoys.
A secret attack fleet of Windams fire their nuclear missiles at PLANTs. The ZAFT's battleship, however, intercepts and fires its new weapon, the Neutron Stampeder.The PLANTs were able to survive their utmost crisis.
After which, The Supreme Council of the PLANTs decide to attack the Earth Alliance surrounding Gibraltar and Carpentaria as Durandal states,, that this invasion is not a retaliation but rather the "exercise of an aggressive right of self-defense," and tries to prevent the war from spreading.
At the same time, the Orb government is about to conclude an alliance with the Atlantic Federation. Cagalli insists not to ally with them, but then was asked to "consider the safety of Orb's citizens as a top priority instead of traditions, justice, or a just argument." She had no choice but to back down.
As the Minerva's repairs had been finished, an anonymous warning to the Minerva was sent, warning them off the soon to be alliance between Orb and the Atlantic Federation.
Hearing this, Talia decides to leave Orb and the Minerva departs the following morning. However before their departure. Currently, Nhazul, Lunamaria, Shinn and Rey were walking down the hall, as they prepared to leave.
Shinn: So when does this ZAFT drop take place?
Nhazul: No clue.
Lunamaria: All that's clear is that Orb is now an enemy. And I kinda liked this nation.
Nhazul just rolled his eyes, along with Shinn scoffing, as Lunamaria realized what she said.
Lunamaria: Oh, sorry. This must be hard for you two.
Nhazul: It's whatever...
As the four were walking, they ran into Cagalli, who was being accompanied by her bodyguard. Upon seeing her, Shinn just looked at her annoyed.
Shinn: What are you doing here?!
Cagalli: ...
Looking at Cagalli, Nhazul just narrowed his eyes.
Nhazul: Joining an alliance with the same people who attacked your nation to begin with. So the deaths of everyone who believed in your stupid ideals truly are trivial, huh?
Cagalli looked at Nhazul with a guilt stricken look.
Cagalli: No, this isn't...!
Nhazul: This isn't what?
Cagalli: ...
Nhazul: I thought so.
Nhazul proceeded to walk past Cagalli, with Shinn following close behind him. Cagalli turned to him, calling him, trying to get him to understand.
Cagalli: Nhazul! Please! This... This isn't what I wanted to happen...!
Nhazul didn't respond, as he continued to walk away, along with Lunamaria and Rey following behind them as well. As he continued to walk, Nhazul glanced back at Cagalli, seeing her genuinely grieve stricken face.
Nhazul: ...
As he continued looking at her, Shinn spoke up, clinching his fists.
Shunn: If they've decided to become our enemy, we'll destroy this godforsaken country!
Nhazul turning away from Cagalli faced forward and responded to Shinn's comment.
Nhazul: Yeah.
(Timeskip)
Elsewhere, Operation Spear of Twilight had officially commenced. As the order went out, each ship dropped the reentry capsules attached to its underside. There were more than two dozen on each ship, each pod carrying three mobile suits,
totaling nearly a hundred additional MS launching from each ship.
On Earth, the Alliance fleets detected the pods as they began entering the atmosphere and scrambled their forces to counterattack. At the same time, each base deployed their own aerial forces and engaged the Alliance mobile suits. The battle had begun.
With the Minerva, Once the final checks were completed, the Minerva left Orbs port and began sailing out of Orb's territorial waters. Fully supplied and repaired, its pilots were in the ready room, suited up and on five-minute alert. Meanwhile, Yuna Roma Seiran was at Orb's military HQ, watching the ship leave.
However, an Earth Alliance fleet awaits them right outside Orb territorial waters, along with an Orb fleet behind them, preventing them from returning. Seeing this, the ship went to Condition Red, as it prepared for battle.
Nhazul: What?
Shinn: Red? Why Red?
Lunamaria: I don't know. Why are you asking me?
As Nhazul, Shinn, Lunamaria and Rey made their way to the hanger, they could hear Talia beginning to speak to everyone on the ship through the intercom.
Talia: This is Captain Talia Gladys to all crew members. Directly ahead of us is an Earth Force fleet, which includes four carrier groups... and spreading out behind us is an Orb Forces fleet, thought to be border guards.
Lunamaria: Four carriers?!
Shinn: Orb's behind us?!
Talia: We believe that the Earth Forces were aware of our departure and set up a trap. While Orb has decided to shut the door behind us. We have no alternative but to break through the Earth Forces fleet ahead of us! The battle about to take place is expected to be more severe then we have ever experienced. But we must get through here no matter what. Take pride in being a Minerva crew member and never give up. I'm counting on all of you to fight hard.
Upon finishing her speech, Nhazul just narrowed his eyes, making his way towards Sabre. The Impulse and Sabre were the first out the catapults, quickly followed by Rey's ZAKU Phantom and Lunamaria's ZAKU Warrior. The instant Sabre and the Impulse were out of the catapult, they both shot forward into a formation of enemy Dagger-Ls, which scattered and fired. With Lunamaria and Rey, the two took up defensive positions on each side of the Minerva.
Rey: Don't fall into the ocean, Lunamaria! I won't be able to help you out if you do!
Lunamaria just looked at Rey annoyed.
Lunamaria: How mean.
Nhazul took out two of them, along with a third, being blasted by Sabre's beam rifle.With the Impulse, with the first shots from it's beam rifle, managed to take out two of them. Dodging an attack from the leader's Windam he counterattacked, blasting off its shield arm first, then taking it in the torso.
With Rey's ZAKU Phantom, alternating between his beam rifle and the high-speed beam gatling guns on his Tempest Wizard to attack enemy MS that approached; He took two of them out with the latter; the lead unit dodged the attack, however, forcing him to take it out with the rifle. Lunamaria's ZAKU Warrior, she targeted them with it's missile launcher, firing a volley of projectiles that blew them to pieces.
Whatever way possible, they had to contain the overwhelming numbers of mobile suits, and as Nhazul and Shinn were whittling away their numbers, along with Lunamaria and Rey defending the ship.
Nhazul: You need to try a lot harder then that to take me down!
Sabre proceeded to cut through multiple Daggers at once, destroying them with it's beam saber.
Shinn: This isn't over!
Holstering it's beam rifle, Impulse drew one of it's two beam sabers. Targeting one of the formations attacking the Minerva, he dodged a shot from one of the Daggers; closing fast, he slipped inside the enemy pilot's guard and hacked open its torso, killing the pilot.
Shinn: We're not about to be defeated here! Especially by you motherfuckers!
Sabre quickly picked off both as the enemy Windam blocked by Shinn's beam saber with his railguns. Shifting his position, Shinn delivered a hard kick with the Impulse's leg that impacted the enemy MS's front waist, throwing it off-balance just long enough for him to slip his own blade into its cockpit hatch.
Then there were the enemy ships, which fired a massive barrage at the Minerva. Turning to starboard, allowing the maximum number of CIWS turrets to lay down a hail of suppressive fire that stopped the vast majority of the incoming missiles. Two of its three dual beam cannons, along with the heavy triple-barreled cannon on its upper bow, fired at the enemy ships, taking out two more.
As Sabre and Impulse continued to engage enemy mobile suits; Nhazul was engaging them in close-quarters, using Sabre's dual beam sabers, hacking into another Dagger L, and when one tried to attack from behind, Sabre quickly spun around, cutting off it's legs,
before cutting it in half. Looking over, Nhazul saw more and more mobile suits were launching from the carriers.
Nhazul: There's just no end to them...!
With Lunamaria and Rey, they were likewise firing at everything that came within range, but it seemed like there was no end to them.
Lunamaria: Look how many there are - this is ridiculous!
Rey: Keep the chatter down, we don't have time for it!
As the battle continued on, the Alliance proceeded to launch what appeared to be a new version of an Mobile Armor , surprising everyone.
Nhazul's thoughts: A Mobile Armor?! if that monster gets ahold of the Minerva, we're finished!
Suddenly, a diamond-shaped hatch along the Minerva's sleek bow slowly opened as a large cannon barrel slid out from inside the ship. The barrel began glowing bright white as energy gathered. Firing off the Tannhauser. However, the Mobile Armor had rotated forward, turning its triangular back towards the Minerva. A field of energy appeared and stopped the beam, but the massive amount of energy forced the mobile armor back several hundred meters. Two ships were annihilated by the beam as it passed. When the smoke cleared, the Mobile Armor still intact, once again completely shocking everyone.
Nhazul: What...?
Shinn: It deflected it? Even the Tannhaüser...?
Upon blocking the the Tannhauser, the Mobile Armor had righted itself and accelerated towards the Minerva, its two front arms straightened as it targeted the ship.
Nhazul: Like hell you are!
Sabre shot straight ahead of the enemy Mobile Armor, which was forced to break off its attack to avoid having both arms sliced off by the Sabre's beam saber.
Shinn: The hell's with this thing's mobility?!
The Mobile Armor extended two claws built into its front arms, which began to oscillate at high speed, glowing red. The Mobile Armor charged forward, aiming to catch Sabre around the torso. Nhazul dodged the attack, then had to block a volley from an array of cannons mounted laterally along the Mobile Armor's main body. Joining in, Shinn shot upwards above it, firing Impulse's beam rifle twice as he did so. The positron reflector activated again, blocking his shots.
As the battle continued on, suddenly everyone received a transmission from the Orb Fleet.
Orb Fleet: Attention, ZAFT warship Minerva. Your present course is taking you into the territory of the Orb Union. Our nation will not permit your ship to enter our waters - turn back at once!
As the ship closed in, the Orb fleet opened fire, their shots striking the water around and immediately ahead of the ship. Seeing this, Nhazul just narrowed his eyes irritated.
Nhazul: They're really...attacking us...?
Shinn: NHAZUL!!! BEHIND YOU!!!!
Having return to the battlefield, Nhazul looked and saw the precious few seconds of inattention allowed the Mobile Armor to catch up to Sabre, slamming it's claw into it, damaging it and sending it crashing to the water, the force from the attack made him slam his head on the control panel. As he soon began to lose consciousness, his mind began to wonder.
Nhazul's thoughts: Is this is? Is this really how it's going to end...?
Images flashed before Nhazul's eyes, memories. His parents before their deaths, Zane, Lillie... Shinn, Rey, and Lunamaria... But lastly of the Freedom Gundam. Seeing it, Nhazul's eyes shot wide open, resisting the urge to pass out.
Nhazul: NO. I can't...I WON'T LET IT END LIKE THIS!!!!! NOT UNTIL I DESTROY IT!!!!
Almost instinctively, before he even realized he'd done it, he slammed the throttles to their stops. The Sabre rocked to a stop a scant few feet from the surface of the water.
Something was happening to Nhazul, something he couldn't explain. His mind was miraculously clear, clearer than he'd ever felt; Orb, the Alliance, all of that didn't matter at the moment. The only thing that mattered was that no matter what, he would survive; and he would defeat any enemy who threatened his survival, that of Lunamaria, Shinn and Rey, and all the others.
The Mobile Armor aimed its four arms down at the Sabre and fired the multiphase beam cannons each held. But its motions seemed sluggish, as if it was slower than it'd been; Or perhaps, Nhazul was better aware of its motions somehow. He shifted the Sabre's position ever so slightly, and the four beam missed, throwing up a cloud of steam that hid him from view as they hit the surface.
Rocketing out from the steam, the mobile armor fired its cannons again at Sabre, but Nhazul knew exactly what to do. Using his superior speed and newer awareness, proceeded to dodge every single shot, almost without even thinking about it, getting closer and closer. Before the Mobile Armor could evade,
the Sabre proceeded to cut through the Mobile Armor, as it fell to the ocean, where it exploded.
Nhazul: Shinn! We're ending this here and now! Destroy the Fleet ships! I'll handle the Mobile suits!
Shinn didn't even argue or talk back, going along with Nhazul's orders.
Shinn: Right! Minerva! Send out the Silhouettes!
Not long afterwards, Shinn docked with it before ejecting the Force Silhouette, which returned to the ship.Docking with the new equipment caused the Impulse's color to change from blue to red. Drawing from it's back the two "Excalibur" anti-ship beam swords, he docked their hilts together as the Impulse fell towards the remaining Alliance ships.
The Mobile suits seeing this all attempt to attack Impulse, but just as quick, they were all cut down by Sabre. Pushing the Storm Silhouettes thrusters to the absolute max,
it proceeded to speed around in the sky, cutting down any and all that stood in it's way, leaving a trail of explosions in it's wake.
With the Impulse, it landed on the deck of the first ship - a cruiser -
and hacked open the dual beam cannon on its bow before driving one of his heavy blades across its bridge. The cannon's explosion caused massive damage to the ship's bow, and it slowly began to sink. Due to Sabre covering Impulse, it had no difficulties taking out the ships.
Lunamaria: Nhazul....
She'd always known Nhazul was a good pilot, ever since their days at the Academy in the PLANTs. But she'd never seen such speed and efficiency. She couldn't believe it.
Looking back from his own ship, Colonel Todaka was equally shocked at this incredible display, not just for the skill it showed but the sheer brutality of the assault.
From Orb's military HQ, Cagalli stared, dumbfounded and terrified. Never, ever had she seen anything like this. As Both Sabre and Impulse made quick work of the Earth Alliance, down right annihilating them, bringing the battle to an end, leaving both sides in awe.