INNOVADE BASE-HANGAR
Erena closed the phone after talking to Haruka.
"I heard all of that," Tsubasa said, walking into the hangar. "You took action without my permission."
"That's because you're too hesitant," Erena replied. "We need Honoka for our cause, and this now brings us an opportunity to recruit her. She now places the blame on the explosion to Celestial Being. We just have to convince her even more."
"Look, I thought we talked about this. We are going to bring the change on our own. We don't need Honoka, we can do fine as we are-"
"Don't give me that crap," Erena replied. "You just don't want Honoka being dragged into this because of your feelings and what happened in the past. But we need her now. She's the only one who can pilot that," she said, pointing at the unfinished Gundam.
"Fine," Tsubasa replied. "I shall be the one to talk to her personally then."
As Tsubasa exited the hangar, Erena checked her phone again.
"Yes, this is me. How about the other package? Good, make sure she's well taken care of…"
The Innovade's base was located in an island chain off the west coast of the Philippines. Although there was a territorial dispute involving this area, the development of solar energy has made the resources here lose much of their value. From outside, it could be seen as a white house. Inside it was an expansive living room, with a huge sofa and a TV set which Tsubasa used to monitor the events concerning Celestial Being.
Right now the TV was off though. Tsubasa just needed to think. She remembered the events that happened long ago, back when this place used to be connected to Celestial Being.
"Tsubasa!"
Honoka gave Tsubasa a big hug. The two always got together well, and it was no surprise that the two eventually fell for each other.
"Honoka. I guess you missed me."
"How was the mission?" Honoka asked.
"It was fine," Erena said, with Anju tailing her from the back.
Tsubasa ,Erena, and Anju were part of the unit A-Rise, a group used by Celestial Being to test drive new units. Honoka, meanwhile, was assigned commander of this base.
"Tsubasa in particular did splendidly well," Anju said.
"Oh, that's awesome!" Honoka replied.
"Well, that's natural!" Tsubasa said. "After all, we are the best, better than any human."
Honoka, Tsubasa, Erena, Anju, and others like them were not actual people. They were innovades-cloned from a genetic template by Celestial Being and can serve many different purposes. Still, from the outside they looked on different from a normal human being.
Later on, Tsubasa and Honoka were at the house's balcony.
"I've been thinking about this, Tsubasa… why are we doing all this? To help humanity? I just finished a mission in a war-torn country and I find it hard to believe that we are supposed to help them. They have the potential, yes… I can sense that many of them want to change for the better but it seems there are others who want only conflict."
"Don't be naïve, Honoka. We are better than them, stronger than them. We are the future of humanity. You'll see."
Honoka gave it some thought. "That may be but we can't just write off humanity just yet. Someday I'd like to live with them, see how it's like."
"Well with what we're doing, there's no chance of that," Tsubasa replied. "Aren't you happy with our current life now?"
"Don't get me wrong, I am… I just want to know how it is for them."
"You really are a strange one, Honoka," Tsubasa said. "Maybe that's why I fell in love with you."
Later that night, Tsubasa returned to that spot to gather her thoughts.
"Humans, have potential? Honoka is too naïve."
"I believe your girlfriend is right," a voice said.
Tsubasa saw someone else enter. It was a tall girl with piercing green eyes and twintailed violet hair.
"After all, that is the original plan; we help humanity evolve to new heights, to prepare them for what is to come."
"I say that plan has gone to hell," Tsubasa replied. "Just look at the situation now. Humanity is hopeless. Only we can change that. We can rule."
"Too bad. Tomorrow a new batch of Meisters is going to be brought here for training. I am to join them to supervise them."
"What!?"
Tsubasa stormed off in anger.
In the corridor, she was met by Anju and Erena. "We heard it all," they said." We agree with you."
In the living room, Tsubasa gathered her friends; Honoka, Erena, and Anju, and told them of the plan.
"I say the original plan of helping humanity is wrong. We are better than them, stronger. We'll sever ties with Celestial Being and take this island for our own."
"Great idea," Erena replied.
"You're with us, right, Honoka?" Anju asked.
Honoka hesitated.
"ye-yeah.."
"Then it's settled!" Tsubasa said. "Prepare in your mobile suits. Tomorrow we attack."
Honoka was full of doubt. Was this really the right thing to do?
"You know it's wrong."
Honoka saw the purple-haired girl.
"Hi, I'm new here. My name is Nozomi Toujou. And I think like me, you don't like what's happening."
"I… just don't get it," Honoka said. "Tsubasa used to be so kind…"
"Pride changes people," Nozomi replied. "Don't worry. I have a plan."
FOLLOWING DAY
The plane carrying the three new pilots was already en route to the island.
Suddenly it came across gunfire.
"What was that?" the pilot asked.
"Identifying the enemy… Gundam Sadalsuud? Why is the base attacking us!?" the copilot panicked.
"Is everything okay?" One of the new pilots asked, a black-haired girl."
"Don't worry, everything will be fine-"
"New opponent approaching! Identifying… Gundam Abulhool!?"
"What is happening here?" the pilot asked.
Erena leaned back in the cockpit of the Gundam Sadalsuud. The Gundam was a testbed of ranged weaponry and sensory equipment, allowing her to instantly detect her target and snipe at it from a distance. She saw the Abulhool, in it's jet-like alternate mode, now take off to attack the plane.
Anju smiled. The Abulhool was built for speed and maneuverability. There's no way for her to loose against this unarmed plane."
Suddenly she was interrupted by another shot, coming from a different direction.
"What the-" she instantly tried searching for the enemy.
Although the base was located in one of the islands in the island chain, a number of other islands had also been repurposed as bases and hangars. It is from one of these that the shot originated from.
"How did you like a shot from my Gundam Virtue Physical?"
It was the voice of Nozomi Toujou, a newcomer Innovade who had just arrived on the island.
"I won't let you harm them."
The Gundam Virtue Physical fired another shot, but the Abulhool dodged it.
"You caught me off guard, but now I can easily dodge your shots!" Anju said.
"Anju, behind you!" it was Erena. "My sensors detected something!"
Bursting from the water was the 0 Gundam, a prototype mobile suit. Catching Anju by surprise, it sliced off one of it's wings and watched as the Abulhool crashed into the water.
"I'm sorry, Erena, Anju," Honoka said. "I can't allow you to proceed with your plan."
"What?" Tsubasa heard Anju's report.
Honoka and Nozomi were against them?
"Why, Honoka…"
She suited up and went to the cockpit of her Gundam.
Nozomi contacted the plane. She had now taken flight, guarding the plane while Honoka kept Erena busy.
"Get out of this island now," she said. "I'll cover you."
"Who are you?" the pilot asked.
"I'm Nozomi Toujou. I was supposed to join you guys as a pilot. Just get out of here, go to these coordinates," she said, patching a set of coordinates through.
"O-okay," the rattled pilot said.
"Now that that's done.."
Nozomi saw Honoka engaged in combat between two suits; the Sadalsuud and Tsubasa's Gundam Astraea.
"Why, Honoka?"
Tsubasa asked.
"I'm sorry. I can't go along with your plan. It's wrong. Humanity still has a chance, no matter how slim it may be."
The two Gundams clashed swords. Eventually Tsubasa retreated to give Erena a clear shot. Honoka, however, dodged them all and returned fire, destroying the Sadalsuud's bazooka.
"What-she's good!" Erena said in surprise.
"Impossible, no one's better than me!" Tsubasa said.
She attacked, drawing her beam saber. Honoka countered and managed to disarm Tsubasa, slicing up the Gundam Astraea's arms.
"I'm sorry, Tsubasa," Honoka repeated, before joining Nozomi in escaping.
Later on, when analyzing the battle, Tsubasa realized that Honoka was incredibly gifted in mobile suit piloting. According to simulations she's the only one who can pilot the gundam they are making with the required skill.
Tsubasa didn't want to drag Honoka in this fight, though; after the fight, she found out that Honoka had somehow managed to live with a human family, the Kousakas. She decided to respect Honoka's decision. However Erena was right. Now wasn't the time for hesitation.
Her phone rang. She looked at the number.
"Hello, Honoka. I haven't heard from you in a long time."
The various Gundams seen here were all prototype gundams from which the Gundams used by the present day Celestial Being would be made.