New Phase 25
(written by ZGMF-X28A Nu-Liberty)
The Archangel was being assaulted on nearly all sides. The Aegis, Duel, Blitz, Buster, and Panzer pursued the ship while riding on hovering platforms called Gulls. As the ship took more hits, thick dark smoke rose from numerous spots on the hull. La Flaga was flying in the Skygrasper and engaged the Buster, trying to divert its attention away from the ship. But he had to be cautious as well, for one hit from the enemy's primary weapon could easily bring him down. Meanwhile the Strike had taken a firing position on the deck and fired on the enemies that swooped in close. Equipped with the Aile Striker pack, Kira would quickly take off and drive away the enemies and return to the ship.
"Igelstellungs five and six have been damaged!" Chandra reported.
"Align the Wombats and aim for the Gulls!" Natarle commanded. While the enemy mobile suits had Phase Shift armor, the Gulls did not. That was the key.
Kira heard the instructions and began to target the Duel as it attacked the engines. He adjusted the scope and squeezed the trigger. The beam cut through the Gull, sending the Duel flying. Only now it was coming straight at Kira. The Duel then pulled out one of its beam sabers and attacked. The next instant however, its saber was damaged by Kira's own, as he had severed it at the hilt. The Strike then leapt to engage the Blitz, which had swooped in to assist the Duel. Unable to dodge, the Blitz took the full force of the hit, and was knocked off its Gull. After it fell, Kira sliced the machine in half before heading back to the ship once more. Now there was only three left, one of which was the red mobile suit he knew Athrun piloted.
"This battle is taking place twenty kilometers from our border, far too close for comfort in my opinion."
Men and women sat at a long table and watched the newscast closely. Live images of the battle were being sent directly to Orb's Security Council. Around the table sat each province's lords and other close associates. Homura, the current Representative Lord kept quiet and took a quick glimpse to his left. There sat his older brother, Uzumi Nara Attha, the former lord. He had held the position prior to abdicating in the wake of a controversial scandal. He too remained silent as more images were broadcasted.
"This is intolerable!" cried on lord.
"We must keep them away at all costs!" exclaimed another.
The United Emirates of Orb, sometimes called the Orb Union, or simply Orb, was a neutral nation comprised of a group of twenty islands located just below the equator. In spite of the country's small size, it was wealthy thanks to several industrial powers.
Homura wasn't certain of what course of action to take. He turned to his brother. "What is your opinion?"
Uzumi cleared his throat. "Our nation mustn't make any exception in regards to our neutrality. They must not be allowed to cross our border." In spite of his abdication, he still unofficially had power. He turned his attention back to the screens.
The ship quaked under the intense fire and Cagalli had to grab the wall to keep her balance as she made her way to the bridge. Regret filled her as she knew Athrun was piloting one of those machines. She swore under her breath and knew that would've happened if she let him go. But then again, she couldn't bring herself to kill him in the first place. She finally made it to the elevator and stepped in.
"Cagalli, wait!" Kisaka shouted behind her, "What are you doing?"
"I have to contact Orb!" She replied, punching a button. With that, the doors closed and the elevator headed upward. In no time the doors opened again and a numerous voice rushed in.
"There's an Orb fleet forming along the border!"
"Yes, the cavalry has arrived!"
Everyone on the bridge sounded hopefully, but Murrue knew better. The Orb fleet wouldn't be coming to help them. "Change course to fifteen degree to port!" she ordered.
Neumann was dumbfounded. "But that'll take us away from Orb!"
"If we get any closer, then they will open fire on us." Murrue solemnly said.
Sai, Tolle, Miriallia, and Kuzzey stared at the captain in bewilderment. They, like many others of the crew, were citizens of Heliopolis and therefore Orb was their homeland. But from Orb's point of view, they were aboard a military vessel that belonged to the Earth Alliance. If they crossed into Orb's territory, it would be seen as an act of war.
"Orb isn't our ally, remember that." Murrue went on, "They won't violate their neutrality to help us."
Cagalli then rushed over to Murrue. "Don't worry, head straight in! You have to let me contact Orb!"
Before the Captain could reply, Pal announced that the ship was being hailed by the Orb forces. The primary monitor flashed on and everyone could see the captain of the Orb flagship.
"Attention Earth Alliance and ZAFT combat units!" he announced, "Under our neutral status, we cannot allow armed vessels to enter our territory. Should you continue on your present course and cross the border, we will not hesitate to exercise our right of self-defense and open fire on any and all intruders."
The crew was in disbelief. They couldn't fathom why a nation that helped build the Archangel now would deny it entry. Kisaka had made it to the bridge and heard the announcement as well. Cagalli clenched her fists in frustration and she went over to the communications center.
"Never mind that! Keep going and head right for their territorial waters!" She then snatched Kuzzey's headset and shouted to the Orb captain. "The Archangel will stay on course to enter Orb's territory, but it is not, I repeat, not to be fired upon. You will not attack under my authority!"
"Oh, really?" the Orb captain demanded, "And you exactly are you then?"
"My name is…Cagalli Yula Attha, daughter of Uzumi Nara Attha."
Half the bridge let out a gasp while the other was stunned silent. They couldn't believe that Cagalli, such an uncouth, brash, and hardheaded young woman, was the daughter of Orb's former leader and a member of the esteemed Attha family.
The Orb captain stammered before he finally said, "Do you have any proof of your identity?"
Before Cagalli could answer him, the screen went black and the ship rocked from an explosion on the aft of the ship. Outside, the Buster and Panzer attempted to disable the Archangel before it could slip into Orb's territory. The Skygrasper counterattacked and the Buster turned its sights on the small craft. La Flaga managed to dodge the beam that was fired at him, but pulled back. However, now it was the Strike that launched a counterattack. It fired and scored a direct hit to the Gull the Buster stood upon. But in that split second, the Panzer rushed forward and opened fire with its mortar launcher. The projectile struck one of the Archangel's engines.
The force of the explosion threw Cagalli back, but Kisaka broke her fall and grabbed her tightly. The rest of the bridge was in pandemonium as alarms shrieked and damage reports came pouring in.
"Engines one and two are hit!"
"Propulsion levels are falling rapidly!"
"We can't maintain altitude!"
Murrue wasn't sure as what to do now until Kisaka got along side her.
"If we're going to sink, we might as do so within Orb's territorial waters." He whispered, "But don't worry, the gunners are very accurate and they can hit anything. However, they can also make it look like they did hit something."
Murrue was puzzled by that comment for a moment, but she then understood want he meant. "Got it." She nodded. She turned to Neumann. "Lieutenant, feign loss of navigational control and guide us into Orb's territory! Send out a distress signal and inform La Flaga and Ensign Yamato not to fire on the Orb ships!"
Neumann did as ordered. The ship listed to the side and plunged into the water, and directly in front of the Orb fleet.
Athrun couldn't believe his eyes. He watched as the Orb fleet fire a barrage at the Archangel. The ship disappeared from view beneath enormous spouts of ocean spray. He tried to pursue the ship further, but the moment he did, a number of shells came at him. He cursed under his breath and lowered his rifle, as he was running low on power. The only thing he could do was just watch as the Archangel was pounded by the artillery. As he looked on, many thoughts flooded his mind. First there was the fact that Kira had certainly become more skilled than he was the last time they fought. Then there was one voice, Cagalli's voice. He had heard her over the open channel. While he could hardly believe it, he knew it really was the girl he had met back on the island. He wondered how she could be Orb royalty. But there wasn't time to focus on that subject. He and the others turned around and went off to return to their mothership.
"Well, that certainly was an outrageous farce, but there wasn't any other way." Uzumi vacantly stated. Everyone in the room knew the reason things turned out the way they did only because his daughter was aboard the ship.
"So what now? What about the official announcement?" someone asked.
"There's already a draft." An aide handed it to Uzumi, who skimmed the document.
"It'll suffice. I will take care of this matter. I am going to speak with Morgenroete and the ship's officers."
Homura nodded and rose, signaling an end of the session. The lords and their aides began to file out. Amidst the exiting, someone declared, "This is a complete disaster."
"And who is to blame for this disaster?" Uzumi asked, bringing an abrupt silence to the room. Everyone knew that a number among them was at fault.
"This location cannot be spotted by a satellite." Kisaka informed Murrue as the Archangel was escorted towards a massive underground cove where there was a secret docking bay. "Onogoro Island is where Morgenroete creates many of its advanced ships and other technology."
Murrue turned to him. "Isn't it time that you tell us who you really are?"
Kisaka smirked, but then stood at attention. "I am Colonel Ledonir Kisaka, Orb Land Forces, 21st Special Airborne Division." He tilted his head towards Cagalli. "And her bodyguard."
"So she's the real thing?" Miriallia whispered to Tolle.
"I guess so."
"What are we to do now?" Murrue asked.
"You'll know once the Lion arrives." Kisaka answered.
"Who's the Lion?"
"That's the nickname of Uzumi Nara Attha. There are those who call him 'The Lion of Orb.'"
Yzak flung the document on the table. "Do they really expect us to believe this BS?" he exclaimed, referring to Orb's official press release. "We're being made to look like idiots." He shot a glare at Athrun.
The Zala Team now gathered inside the briefing room of the Cousteau, a ZAFT submarine that was hiding just outside of Orb's territory.
"For all we know, the legged ship has already slipped out and gotten away." Dearka added.
"Dearka…" Nicol scolded.
However it was to be expected that Yzak and Dearka would be this aggravated. The Archangel had once again slipped out of their grasp, and they had very little reason to actually the press release. After all, Heliopolis was a colony that was owned by Orb and was used to illegally manufacture mobile suits.
"Look, it doesn't matter what we believe." Athrun said, looking at his copy of the document. "We can't refute this as long as this is Orb's formal statement."
"What?" Yzak yelled.
Meanwhile Cade was using a PDA-like device and showed it to his teammates. "Do you know what this is?"
"Yeah, it's what I'll use to knock your damned teeth out!" Yzak growled.
"No, it's a map of Orb's territory." Cade shot back, "There are some places where that ship could be hidden. Now there's no way the ship could make it to Alaska after the damage we gave it, so it has to be in Orb somewhere."
"If that's the case, why don't we just move in, locate and destroy the ship, and then leave?" Dearka asked.
"What, and spark an international incident?" Cade retorted, "Remember, this isn't like Heliopolis. If we barged in, it'd be the five of us against whatever they can throw at us." While Orb's military wasn't exactly large scaled, they did possess some of the most state of the art technology. "And have you guys forgotten that they helped build the mobile suits we're now using?" Neither of them answered and he turned to Athrun. "Come on, Commander, you know I'm right."
Athrun did agree with Cade, but he was aware Yzak wouldn't be pleased with his decision. "Carpentaria will keep up pressure on Orb's government through the diplomatic channels." He watched Yzak roll his eyes. "In the meantime, we'll infiltrate Orb ourselves and conduct a reconnaissance mission."
After a long pause, Yzak threw his hands in air. "All right, if that's the best we can do." He said, giving up.
"It is." Athrun assured.
"Sounds like a good plan to me." Nicol said.
"Yeah, whatever." Dearka muttered. He then stood and left the room.
Yzak followed him out, but stopped at the door. "I'll follow your commands, Athrun, but remember when everything is said and done, I am the one who gets to take out the Strike."
"Who'd of thought that we'd come back to Orb this way?" Tolle asked.
"I know." Miriallia sighed. Part of the crew had gathered in the mess hall. As he walked by to get a drink, Kira could overhear part of the conversations. Even those who were born and raised in Heliopolis their homeland, as the colony was owned by the nation.
"What do we do now?" Kuzzey asked.
Sai shrugged. "I don't know. All I know is that we aren't allowed to leave the ship."
"They say it's for security measures." Tolle added.
"But why?"
"There is a war going on." Neumann reminded them, "To them, we're foreign troops."
"My parents are living here now." Miriallia muttered quietly.
Many of the survivors of Heliopolis, including most of the crew's families, had been safely relocated to Orb. Kira left the mess hall and thought over the last time he saw his parents. He had overslept after a night of staying up later to work on some project, then ran out without saying good-bye to them. Typically, that was a normal morning, except the events of that day turned into anything that wasn't normal.
He returned to his room to find Flay lying on the bed, flipping through various channels on the TV. Birdy hopped around her. Kira suddenly felt sad for some reason. He handed her a drink and sat down beside her.
"Did you want to take a look outside?" he asked.
"No." she answered, sounding bored.
"Are you still feeling seasick?"
"Kind of."
They sat in silence for a moment. Kira thought that she was angry with him about something. "There's a chance we'll get leave while we're here. Do you have any family you'd like to see?"
"My parents are dead." She reminded him, "I don't have anyone else."
Her words stabbed him like a knife. Her father had died because he couldn't protect him. She then leaned on his shoulder. The fact was, he reasoned, that she wasn't angry, but deeply sad. She was now home, but there wasn't anyone to greet her.
"As you are well aware, Orb is officially neutral." Uzumi said as he spoke with Murrue, Natarle, and La Flaga.
"Yes, we know that." Murrue nodded. As she sat across from the former lord, she began to understand how he earned his nickname. He had a fierce but proud presence about him. In fact, the Attha bloodline had produced many wise and noble leaders and Uzumi was no exception.
Originally Orb was created by a number of different clans joining together, but the Atthas had much of the influence. It was under their leadership that Orb transformed from a tourist destination to a great economic power with the development of high-tech enterprises.
"Our official reports will say that our forces pursued your ship prior to your escape from our territory." Uzumi continued.
"Yes." Murrue replied.
"I'm sure that no one will wonder if you saved our ship because your daughter was onboard as well." La Flaga sarcastically said, smirking.
Uzumi scoffed. "Do you believe that the fate of a country and the life of a foolish daughter weigh the same to me?"
"My apologies."
"I have followed your exploits." Uzumi then said, "Much as happened since Heliopolis, and in many ways it's our own fault. However, there is a number of us, myself included, who sometimes wishes that your ship and the mobile had been destroyed along with the colony."
"What-?!" Natarle started to say.
Uzumi raised his hand. "I simply meant that they've been the cause of some strife lately."
"That may be true, but it doesn't change the fact that we are here now." Murrue pointed out.
Uzumi breathed a sigh. "We preserve our neutrality because we don not wish to make an enemy of either the Naturals or Coordinators. That's why we welcome both here."
Shunned by other nations, Coordinators sought sanctuary in the PLANTs or in any nation, such as Orb, that would accept them. As a result, Orb had an integrated population which proved that Naturals and Coordinators could live side by side in peace. However Orb's neutrality came at a grave price which was paid by maintaining a strong military force.
Uzumi sat up. "We will repair your ship, but only if a number of conditions are met." He said, "First, we would like copies of the Strike's combat data. Second, we want the Strike and the pilot Kira Yamato to be taken to Morgenroete temporarily."
"That's impossible!" Natarle exploded.
Uzumi shrugged. "It's your choice. I'll be waiting for your answer."
A short time later, the officers gathered back on the ship to discuss the proposal.
"We cannot agree to those demands!" Natarle raged, "They are completely unacceptable!"
"Well, what else can we do?" La Flaga asked, "We all can't swim to Alaska, now can we?"
"How can we be certain they'll honor their terms?" Natarle asked.
"If they wanted the Strike right now, they could've easily taken it." La Flaga replied.
"They must be under pressure by ZAFT." Murrue said, "They can't show any signs of siding with us, otherwise ZAFT may declare war on them."
"So what?" Natarle demanded, "They are an Earth nation, they should be in this war!"
"Then what about their Coordinator population?" La Flaga asked, "Would you have them side with ZAFT or stay and face something terrible?"
"In any case, they're only helping us so that they can get something in return that's more valuable than money, and that's technical information." Murrue said, twisting a finger through her hair. "They're taking a great gamble in hopes of reaping an even greater reward. We'll agree to their terms."
While she had La Flaga's support, Natarle was another matter. She leaned in close. "I'll do whatever you say, Captain, but know that I'll bring this with high command." She stood and left the room.
When the door shut, La Flaga turned to Murrue. "You're going to get an earful once we reach JOSH-A."
Murrue smiled. She was aware that Natarle had a list of grievances about some of the ways she commanded the Archangel, but if they survived long to get put on trail, she'd welcome the opportunity to defend her actions. She suddenly tired and La Flaga could see it.
"You should take a chance to get some rest." He said, giving her shoulder a gentle pad. He then left.
An argument could be overheard coming from Cagalli's stateroom. Several crewmembers gathered outside, trying to listen in.
"No, I am not wearing this!" Cagalli said.
"It is the proper thing for your social position." Kisaka countered.
"But I hate it!" she complained.
"It doesn't matter whether or not you like it, you're wearing it and that's final." He insisted. "Now let's go."
The door opened and the bystanders were stunned by Cagalli's appearance. No longer in her usual cargo pants and t-shirt, she now wore an elegant gown. She looked sullen as she walked down the corridor, with Kisaka following. He tried to take her hand, but she shook free.
"I can walk by myself."
"No." Kisaka said, taking her by the arm. She finally gave up and let him escort her.
The crowd was surprised by her change in appearance. As they turned around the corner, she spotted Kira and Flay heading for the mess hall. Of course Kira wasn't surprised by her look, as he had since her in a similar ensemble at Andrew Waltfeld's headquarters. Thinking back to the humorous exchange they had when he commented that she was a girl and her getting upset at it, he couldn't help but laugh.
"What's so funny now?" Cagalli demanded.
Kira smiled. "Nothing, your highness." He bowed and she turned away, humiliated further.
When he stood back up, he found Flay was once again glaring fiendishly at Cagalli. He couldn't understand why she hated her so much. They never spend any time together and Cagalli hadn't done anything to Flay. Kira then thought of something else. Now that Cagalli's secret that she was a princess was out, he might not be able to speak to her as comfortably as they had. In fact, he feared that he may never get the chance to see her ever again. He suddenly felt a sense of loneliness.
In the morning, technicians had arrived and began work repairing the Archangel. Natarle and Neumann watched as they worked. They scrambled over the hull and worked with precision skill.
"They're certainly fast, aren't they?" Neumann asked.
"Yeah." Natarle sullenly replied. She wasn't pleased that this repair work was the result of giving up precious combat data.
Neumann picked up on her bad mood and decided not to say anything else.
Murrue stepped inside the bridge. "Good morning." She offered.
"Good morning, Captain." Natarle saluted. "The technicians from Morgenroete have arrived and work is already underway."
"Excellent. Where's Ensign Yamato?"
"He and the Strike are being escorted to the factory."
"Very good. You're relieved." Murrue walked past, but Natarle stayed on deck. "Is there something else you need to say?"
"Captain, may I have permission to perform a thorough inspection and possible adjustments of our internal systems while we're in port?"
"That'll be fine. You have permission."
Neumann held his breath at the tension between his superior officers. He didn't exhale until Natarle left the bridge. The two had different outlooks at commanding a ship. Whereas Natarle took a tough stance, Murrue was more easygoing and approachable. Some considered it a sign of weakness, Natarle certainly did. But at the same time, Natarle was able to make snap decisions and wasn't burdened by her emotions. On the other hand, she was more inflexible when she made up her mind and hated to be proven wrong. They were definitely different, but maybe that was the reason they had been able to survive this long. As he went back to his console, Neumann hoped they'd be able to make it to Alaska.
Down in the dock, the technicians busily worked to repair the damage the Archangel had sustained in the last battle. A top priority was the engines. Kisaka had come down to supervise the work. As he walked about, he heard a familiar voice call out.
"Hello, Colonel, sir!"
Kisaka turned to find a familiar face. The youth was roughly Cagalli's age and he wore similar clothing as the rest of the technicians, apart from that his uniform was a dark cream color and the sleeves were rolled up. His slivery-blue hair was pulled back in a ponytail and goggles rested on his forehead.
"Hello, Michael."
Michael wiped his hands clean and said, "I heard that you and Cags had quite an adventure in Africa."
Kisaka nodded. "You could say that."
"I also heard about Tassil. You have my condolences, sir."
"Thank you."
"Oh, by the way, I heard that the pilot of that mobile suit, the Strike, is a Coordinator."
"Yes, it's true."
Michael nodded. "I certainly you like the chance to meet him. He sounds like an interesting guy."
Kira slowly moved the Strike through an archway and into an elevator large enough to accommodate a mobile suit. The door shut and the elevator descended. When it opened, Kira looked around in amazement when he found himself in a vast underground factory.
"This way." His guide, Erica Simmons' voice said over the intercom as she directed him over towards a maintenance bed. Once he parked the Strike, he exited the cockpit.
Erica was in her thirties, casually dressed in a short jacket and jeans. She smiled at Kira. "We can do complete work on the Strike here."
"Okay."
"Now if you'll please come with me." She said, walking at a brisk pace. "There's something I'd like to show you."
They walked past a number of other corridors before reaching another gate. When it opened, Kira gasped at what he saw. There stood a line of mobile suits that resembled the Strike.
"Amazing." He said.
"Do they surprise you?" a voice said. Kira and Erica turned to find Cagalli, back in her usual clothes, walking up to them. "The Strike and the others weren't the only mobile suits being built at Heliopolis."
"This is the M1 Astray model." Erica said, running her fingers across a computer's keyboard, bringing up blueprints of the unit.
Kira glimpsed at the blueprint and then back at the actual thing. He looked closer and saw some considerable differences between the M1 and the Strike. The vernier thrusters on the M1's backpack did resemble the Gundam's Aile Striker pack, with the addition of wings, possibly for providing better maneuverability. "So what does Orb plan to do with these?"
"They're for Orb's defense." Erica answered, "There is a price for maintaining neutrality."
"Yet Orb shouldn't need this kind of firepower. No, once we didn't even need this kind of technology." Cagalli corrected herself. "That was until my father betrayed us."
Kira was shocked, not entirely sure if Cagalli's words were serious. She turned and then he noticed that her left cheek was slightly red and swollen.
"You know that's not what happened." Erica said, "Lord Uzumi didn't know that Heliopolis was assisting the Earth Alliance in developing the GAT series mobile suits."
Cagalli scoffed. "Then as the nation's supreme leader, he should've known." When she first saw the Strike at Heliopolis, he called her father a traitor. Now Kira understood why that was.
"So what, didn't he take responsibility and step down?" Erica countered.
"Only after he turned over his duties to my uncle, who listens to whatever he says. In the end, nothing's changed whatsoever."
"You can be an ungrateful child sometimes. It's a wonder you got only a slap across the face."
Cagalli looked embarrassed and her hand went to where she had been struck.
Erica turned back to Kira. "Shall we continue?"
Kira followed after her, taking one last glance at the line of M1 Astrays. He wondered if Orb would ever have to use those to defend themselves. He certainly hoped that they would never have the need to. The three of them stepped into another elevator and descended further down. They then emerged into a lab overlooking a spacious arena. A trio of additional M1 Astrays stood inside.
Erica went over to an intercom. "Asagi, Juri, Mayura!"
"Hey!" answered three high-pitched voices.
Kira was surprised that girls were piloting the units.
"Lady Cagalli?" Asagi called.
"Hey, you're right, she's finally back!" Juri added.
"Welcome back." Mayura said.
"Yeah, thanks." Cagalli answered gloomily.
Kira was astonished that the shrill girly voice belonged to actual mobile suit pilots, but Erica and Cagalli seemed used to it.
"So who's that next to you?" Mayura asked, "He's cute."
"It looks like Juri isn't the only one who's been spending time with a cute boy." Asagi added.
"Yeah, but he isn't as cute as Lowe." Juri said.
"Will you three knock it off?" Cagalli snapped. The girls giggled in delight, none of them seemingly concerned of her social rank. "You guys are going to pay for this later."
"Okay that's enough." Erica said, "You three begin the drill."
"Roger!" the trio answered.
At first Kira wasn't sure what they were trying to do. The three Astrays walked about, thrusting their arms, and stomping their feet, but their movements were slow and jerky.
Cagalli slumped. "Nothing's changed at all."
"But they're twice as fast as before." Erica informed her.
Kira was stunned by that statement. He couldn't imagine how the machines could be any slower.
"At that speed, they'll be easy targets." Cagalli criticized, "They'll only be useful if you want the enemy to shoot them."
"Hey, you don't have to be so mean!" Asagi said.
"Yeah, you don't know how much work we've put into them!" Mayura added.
"And neither will the enemy, nor will they care." Cagalli shot back.
"At least we can get them to move!" Juri countered, "Let's see you try this!"
"Fine, just let me show you!" Cagalli exclaimed, but Erica put a restraining hand on her shoulder.
"Miss Cagalli is right, you know." She said, "They've still got a way to go."
Kira now fully understood what La Flaga had meant when he once talked about Naturals trying to pilot mobile suits. It was simply too difficult.
Erica then turned to him. "That's why we need your help." She said, smiling. "We need you to help us work on an OS that would allow Naturals to pilot mobile suits on an equal scale as Coordinators."
Kira had already figured out why he was escorted to the factory alone. They didn't want outsiders, much less Earth Alliance soldiers, to see their secret military installation. The sole reason he was brought was that they needed his technical skills. Murrue had told him about Orb's offer and he agreed to it, knowing that it would be the only way to get the Archangel repaired so they could continue on.
The eastern sky was turning faintly red in the early morning. A small fishing boat floated off the shore of Onogoro. There really wasn't anything conspicuous about it; apart from that the fisherman kept checking his watch as if he was waiting for something. Eventually the boat tilted slightly. A hand reached out of the water and grabbed the boat's line. The fisherman smiled and helped the wetsuit-clad person on board. Four more people appeared beneath the water's surface. They each climbed onto the boat and removed their scuba gear. The first on board extended his hand to the fisherman.
"Athrun Zala of the Zala Team."
The fisherman shook hands with Athrun. "Gentlemen, welcome to Orb, the country of peace." He smiled.