Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate or Gundam SEED Destiny
PS. This is unbeta read, sorry
.
.
Chapter 3
Shift in the Balance of Power
.
.
.
Orb Battleship Archangel
This is the first time in thirteen years that the Archangel returns to Artemis base, ever since that fateful day when the Archangel fled the Eurasian Federation base in a rush after Zaft's Le Creuset team were able to infiltrate the base defenses and destroy it from within.
Today however, an obstacle is keeping them from getting closer to the base and though it's nothing that dangerous but it is quite annoying. That if you are a person living and working in a major metropolitan city, where there is one part that people find it a hassle, when one drives to work…and that's a traffic jam.
A Traffic Jam isthe result of too many cars and not enough roads and sometimes it causes the occasional traffic accidents that translate to traffic congestion. Traffic congestion on this occasion is the results of multiple accidents caused by multiple ships entering the assigned spaceways, and rushing to get where they want to go.
Keeping traffic open while maintaining security in New Manhattan falls under the jurisdiction of the AB-STCC or Artemis Base, Space Traffic Control Center, the numerous control towers manages all movements of spaceships from civilian and military that goes in, out and around the orbital group.
In place since its opening, this department handles the enormous influx of ship traffic on a daily basis, and today tow ships from their department tow away several ships involved in a multi ship collision and restoring the lanes again and she can't order her helmsman to bypass the area because it was not allowed
"Whoever said that space was vast, they should drag out to airlock and spaced" Admiral Murrue Ramius of the 3rd Orb Fleet remark is tapping her fingers in agitation as she watch the people from the traffic department tow away another ship blocking the road so to speak, and then after moving a few hundred kilometers they slow down as they pass thru a space dock size structures which is actually a supersize version of an x-ray scanner for ships.
The scanners are one of many security precautions that keep away unwanted surprises, especially when visiting foreign vessels are concerned.
The scanning didn't take long and then they went to park at security zone where they must wait for a signal to move again. Meanwhile the crew get to watch, a fleet of kilometer long trains of cargo carrier's with modified rotating sections, move pass in front of the Archangel, heading for deep space, it's destination is either Mars of Jupiter.
Three hours stuck in traffic and Murrue is getting irritated and just close to start cursing about the overdoing AFSF security precautions. She thought that diplomatic missions like this are suppose to be given priority, and now she's thinking that the AF had the sick joke of treating them like any ship in the space lanes.
"Message from traffic control Admiral," a communications officer reported "We just got clearance to enter Artemis and they are sending an escort to lead us in"
"Finally!" She yelled relieved as she felt a dash of road rage if they stay here for another second "Helm break away from the lanes and follow our escorts in, NOW!"
The helmsman didn't argue with the irritated Admiral who seem to have too many caffeine drinks and going back and forth to the bathroom after 3 hours of waiting.
"Aye Admiral" the helmsman said quickly focused on his driving while another notices a ship as big as life and guarding the entrance to Artemis.
"Will you look at that" he said pointing at a military ship guarding the entrance of New Artemis, a new class of ships of the Star Forces that no navy in the Earth Sphere would be insane enough to pick a fight.
A new monster of a vessel meant to replace the aging Agamemnon-class flagships, the BBC-500 Nimitz- class (BBC stands for Battleship/Carrier) and this ship is christened the Lexington that just recently joined its sister ships the Nimitz, the Yorktown, the Hornet and the Enterprise.
Fromwhat Murrue knows from Orb Intelligence, the AF built only 5 BBC-500 Nimitz- class that they know of, and they are huge thousand meter long ships, over four hundred meters in width and over one hundred meters in height and in the inspired deck layout of a world war two American Iowa-class naval battleship with a body of an F-19 Stealth inspired hull design
It's Armaments:
One double barrel, Lohengrin positron blaster cannons at the front of the ship,
Two, upper deck three turrets 300cm heavy plasma cannons main guns facing forward
Nine, three gun turret Gottfried Mk.71 225cm high-energy beam cannon secondary guns, four at forward, two behind and three below
Four, two gun turret Valiant Mk.8 110cm linear cannon, 2 mounted on the left and right side of the ship facing forward.
Six, 12 VLS ship-to-ship missile launchers
Thirty, dual railguns mounted all around the ship (capable of accelerating a Trinium hard point tip projectile round to Mach 5 at a range 250 miles firing ten thousand rounds per minute)
Forty, Igelstellung 75mm automatic multi-barrel Close In Weapon System or C.I.W.S.
Most of the weapons are based on the Archangel class but upgraded, its new armored hull is made out of a 10 meter thick new alloy the AFSF called 'Ti-Trinium' (Titanium/Trinium combined) a metal that said to be near indestructible develop by the AF and exclusively used only by new SF ships plus an anti-beam coating for extra protection should its main protection fails, which is a new energy shield that's different from lightwave and positron barriers because it encompass the whole ship in a sphere and capable allowing the ship weapons fire thru as it shields the ship from enemy weapons fire.
The Nimitz-class is propelled by four small aux ion drives and two main linac drive and despite its size; the Nimitz class are the fastest ship in the Earth Sphere capable of maneuvering as good as the Archangel.
There is even a rumor that the ship is capable of atmospheric reentry, but that is unproven.
The Information they have come from what they can see and from reliable contacts in the AF along with some samples from black market arms dealer. But what they don't see is what kind of technology running those ships and that is information they don't have, for the AFSF guarded their technology well, especially the power source that feed the power hungry systems, a new type of fusion reactor that produces energy several times higher than the current reactors.
The Nimitz mobile suits and mobile armors compliments numbers over 50 of different types with twenty different vehicles on board its two hanger bays, which makes the Nimitz capable of taking on a battlefleet or two, alone.
The Nimitz technological superiority overshadows every ship in Earth Sphere including an Archangel-class, Zaft Minerva-class and even the new Zamouth Garr-classthat Zaft been building doesn't hold a candle to the Nimitz.
That ship and several other new classes are quite formidable and the AF started building more of these new ships like the Nimitz along with new Mobile Suits and Mobile Armor as part of the AF military modernization program, ever since they got back into space.
Their presence in space was not however welcomed by everyone. Reasons why the Second Armory One Incident happened and used it to discredit a nation chance of recovery.
After the war and the signing on the Treaty of Aprillius, the AF military power was drastically limited especially in space, where they limited to have only 20 spaceships, namely 3 flagship carriers, 6 battleships and 12 escorts and less than 100 mobile suits with minimum defensive armaments and no offensive ones.
The Second Armory One Incident was when the AFSF was falsely accused of theft when an unknown group, stole weapons and mobile suits in Armory One, causing massive damage to the facility as they left...much like what happen in CE73, committed by Phantom Pain, officially known as the EAF 81st Independent Mobile Battalion of the Earth Alliance.
Zaft was very quick to blame the incident to elements of Blue Cosmos and their (supposedly) sponsors the Atlantic Federation Space Forces, where Zaft shows a Drake ship with AFSF markings, leaving Armory One space.
After that announcement, world protest against the AF began and adding fuel to the fire, politicians from the Plants, Eurasia and East Asia started shooting their mouth off and stirring trouble by voicing their displeasure, saying that the AF presence in space is a sign of the return of Blue Cosmos and that the AF is the breeding ground for racist terrorist monsters.
Many nation who voice their opposition to the AF space presence, demanded that they hand over their new orbital group for security reasons, until an inquiry is made that exonerates their guilt or innocence of the crime and this did not go well with the AF government.
Eurasia also added that, the AF government returns the rebuilt Artemis to them, saying that they have stolen it, which is a lie. The AF shot back at them saying that they have no right to order them around and that Zaft was too quick in accusing them of a crime they didn't commit.
The AF also voices their criticism at the arrogance and the audacity of those demanding them to hand over their country's sovereign territories, saying it was out of line and that they supposedly stolen Artemis base which was abandoned and let it drift off into deep space where it is impossible to salvage.
The explanation didn't seem to matter to the politicians in Eurasia, and now the AFSF fears a possible threat of invasion. So they mobilized every ship they have including every civilian ships they have armed-up and sent out on patrol to block any military ships not from their fleet.
In order for the situation not to escalate, Orb mediated a peace conference to settle things peacefully. There at Orb, the AF question Zaft as to how a group of thieves they believe to be members of Phantom Pain could enter one of the most secured military installation in Zaft and steal what they want, and so easily at that.
One may think that, security would be much tighter after the last time Phantom Pain made a visit, so how could they go in and got out this time?
The peace conference went on and on, giving the AF precious time to track down the real thieves and it was also at this time that a Zaft and Eurasian commanders, took matters in his own hands and decided to take a group of 15 warships and 60 mobile suits, supported by 11Eursasian warships and 30 mobile suits in an attempted quick strike at New Manhattan.
However, a blockading fleet of AF warships, armed vessels and their MS and MA stood in their way and repel them but at great cost.
A short time later, the AFSF presented proof of their innocence by handing over to the Orb fleet, the stolen weapons and mobile suits and the true perpetrators who turn out to be Zaft officers and soldiers.
The incident of Armory One was resolved but the threat to New Manhattan did not end there, and in a state of the nation address of newly elected President Henry Hayes, he pointed out in saying, 'how easily the world public was swayed to believe in a lie, of how quick they are to make judgment of our country, never giving the benefit of the doubt but most likely, not caring of whether we are innocent or not for they all believe that we are guilty'
Hayes was outright vocal and took offense of many politicians calling his country a 'breeding ground for racist terrorist monsters' even though many members and supporters of the terrorist group are either in prison or in exile and in hiding outside the country and are not welcome in the Atlantic Federation.
He pointed out that, the only member of the Atlantic Federation which is America, have been fighting and struggling for the rights and liberty of all man, of all people and even during the darkest times of their history, when the majority of the Federation was taken over by Logos and Blue Cosmos radicals, many men and women of America has not forgotten their heritage and fought on despite the odds stack against them.
What mistakes they made they have paid in blood and tears; their debts to the world have been paid ten times over and will no longer keep on paying for it.
Hayes accuses the other nations attempt to seize or destroy the only means to raise the country out of a pit of despair, have clearly shows their intent of making sure their country will stay in that pit, and when Zaft and Eurasia sent a fleet of ships to New Manhattan confirms their suspicion, and that their excuse that their commanders went rogue was a lie meant to clear their nation of any wrong doings should the attempt fails.
He made his people aware of the great importance of their new orbital group for their country, though primarily for acquiring space resource on their own, will free the country on relying too much on the other countries for needed resources which they find too expensive to acquire. New Manhattan is the key for the country's population to have opportunities to prosper and to grow in the newly opened frontier.
The Star Forces opened a new gateway for them…and they are protecting it with their lives.
Hayes shows the battle scene of the SF fleet, of so many AF soldiers manning their outdated warships and armed cargo ships, heroically blockading an invading Zaft and Eurasian fleet heading for New Manhattan, and despite being able to repel the invaders it was a costly battle for them in both resources and people.
He blames the Treaty of Aprillius where the prohibitions and limitation imposed on their military makes them susceptible to invasion and they took advantage of their country's limited space power.
They can rebuild the fleet, but it will be a different kind of space fleet… a Star Force.
Hayes pointed out that New Manhattan no, the Atlantic Federation and its entirety is still at risks of another invasion and that their brave and dedicated men and women in service are still standing guard and ready to fight, bravely and courageously to protect the country, despite having both of their hands tied behind their backs.
He asks everyone for their support to free up those tied up hands.
The people responded in kind, bringing solidarity to the goal of strengthening the country.
Hayes declared that the Atlantic Federation, is officially abandoning the Treaty of Aprillius, the very rope that tied their hands has been removed and soon, scenes of parading AF soldiers are seen being cheered on by the population. Military enlistment offices shows an increase of men and women signing up but mostly veterans reenlisting, and in the rearming of the AF military, factories of several companies that once makes weapons of war have open up and started recalling and rehiring workers by the tens of thousands.
The AF Industrial Military Complex was back in business
The rest of the world saw this and made everyone feel a chill running down thru their spine, as the realization that they have pushed something into existence and it pushes them back, hard.
Many leaders and heads of state condemned the AF abandoning of the treaty and immediately, the Plants, the Eurasian Federation and East Asia Republic have called for a trade embargo and economic sanctions to stop the AF military buildup.
Few nations heeded the call and some are undecided on what to do, however, many people started to see the AF actions as a reaction to the attempted invasion of their territory.
Only 6 of the 10 nations imposed the trade embargo and economic sanctions on the AF, and immediately those 5 nations ordered their military to begin an air, sea and space blockade in order to force the AF heads of state to comply with the Treaty of Aprillius.
The Plants, Eurasia, East Asia Republic, Oceania Union, the African Community and the Commonwealth States of America (former AF member nations), will not allow the AF to have a continued presence in space and the AF are well aware of this and has a readied response.
Three months after the AF declared their withdrawal to the Treaty of Aprillius; a massive fleet of 100 Zaft and Eurasian ships combined was seen crossing the AF border and heading towards New Manhattan. They carry with them, a warrant of arrest for all Star Forces commanders and the seizure of the AFSF assets and all of New Manhattan orbital habitats, signed and approve by the leaders of 5 nations.
At that time, the Pasadena an AFSF vessel on patrol (Drake-class) watches this violation of their territory and confronted this fleet alone, hoping to delay their approach to New Manhattan just enough to get their defenses up and send something to block their path.
What were sent their way was hardly called a fleet. 15 ships, 12 are a mix of patched up Drake and Nelson class ships and armed vessels. However, there are 3 ships among them that are new class, and what's surprise allied fleet is that the three possess some form of stealth field, and it took a visual scan to see them at 10,000 meters.
Later on, the three ships were identified as, two Battlecruiser's called BC-309 Cerberus class, names the Honolulu and St. Louis and the other one is a Battleship/Carrier class the BBC-500 Nimitz class name the Nimitz, and this is the first appearance of a new kind of warships from the Space Forces.
Leading the rag tag fleet was Colonel Jack O'Neill of the AF Space Forces and he is a well known thorn to Zaft backside, an individual whose notoriety during the war was bringing down mobile suits by conventional ground forces quite effectively and a major help in developing anti-mobile suit devices.
He sent a message to the lead Zaft ship, saying that they are well aware of why they are here and eloquently said 'bite me' and that 'the AF do not recognize the crap, written on a piece of bathroom tissue paper' (authority) and asks them nicely to 'back off' with gun ports open but strangely, no radar or laser targeting designatorsactively targeting them.
Leading the Zaft and Eurasian combined fleet was Admiral Kira Yamato, now as good as Kira was in piloting Strike Freedom during the wars, he is an inexperience fleet commander with very little combat training in commanding a fleet that large, and that is a problem.
Without Kira's orders, 10 Zaft ships attempted to force their way thru the blockade with a surprise attack by firing their missiles and beam weapons at point blank range at the 3 new ships facing them.
From the smoke and fire of the massive weapons strike came the three new ships that was protected by a spherical barrier and was returning fire while moving at speeds unheard of. Meanwhile the rest of the Star Forces fleet pulled back to do long range battle and let the three new ones do interference along with their new line of mobile armor and mobile suits.
Zaft and the Eurasian forces have found themselves being cut down by the three ships that move like a fighter, carrying the firepower of a battlefleet, with armor and energy shields that shrugged off beam weapons and kinetic attacks like they were nothing.
The three ships also uses a different kind of targeting system that N-Jammers have no affect on and because of this, accurate targeting lock being fed on the rest of the Star Forces, they devastated the Zaft and Eurasian fleet.
Even mobile suits were ineffective against the three ships as there is no weapon in their arsenal that could break thru the defensive capabilities and the powerful shield that completely protects their ships.
The battle lasted an hour and ended in Zaft and Eurasian forces in retreat, leaving the field with dead ships and mobile suits, most of which came from them.
O'Neill generously allowed them to leave the field unmolested while the rest of the fleet begin a search and rescue operation for both friend and foe survivors.
It started there, that the balance of power has shifted.
A week after the battle, six nations have started panicking when they saw the battle and how it ended with the routing of 100 ships against 15 where 3 new class of ships have done most of the damage, and as they try to figure out what to do next, the Nimitz appeared at 200 kilometers from Armory One and in plain view of Zaft patrol ships, and before they realize it, the Enterprise began firing 20 conventional missiles at Armory One but remote detonated them just 100 meter before impact and then the Enterprise left the area at speeds that the Zaft ships and mobile suits are unable to match.
The incident was broadcasted live by the Enterprise itself, and President Hayes appear afterwards saying that it was a live fire combat exercise in order to prepare for the upcoming war should the five nations try to force the issue of seizing New Manhattan again.
Hayes warned the 5 nations that they will not use the AF leaving the Treaty of Aprillius as an excuse to justify their invasion of New Manhattan and should they send another fleet whether it was sanction or not, the AF Space Forces will respond in kind by striking at key military target (not civilians) of the offending nation or nations both on Earth and in Space.
Hayes pointed out that, Armory One is a legitimate military target, the equivalent to that of the EAF Heaven's Base on Earth but its only difference is that, it doesn't have a large civilian population around it like, Armory One. Hayes says that it was hard for him to approve on labeling Armory One as a primary target, because Zaft place a large civilian population around their own industrial military complex, for should the AFSF really destroy it, the AFSF will in no doubt, be accused of committing another Julius 7 if they fire a live round at it.
To the Plants council and Zaft and most of the residents in the Plants, Hayes sounded like he's saying that they are purposely placing civilians in harm's way as a means to create sympathy for the victims while condemning the perpetrators of the act, much like what happened when Julius 7 was destroyed.
Hayes made it clear that they will not start another war but will certainly end it. Also, he advise them to put a leash on their small population of so called patriotic wannabe and hooligans on government payroll who fancy themselves as doing god's work or the hand of justice crap, warning them that there will be consequences, for the AF do not tolerate acts of terrorism.
Orb, once again, mediated another meeting to settle another volatile situation because everyone is getting nervous of another war about to happen again. It was there that representatives of the AF gave their counterpart two choices, war or peace.
If they choose War, then the AF will go to war and that will most likely end in Mutually Assured Destruction, where according to the AF representative, they are well aware of several hostile nations arsenal of nuclear weapons equip with N-Jammer Cancellers poised to strike at their country and if they attack the AF first, then the AF will have no choice but to strike back in kind, especially with their new Mark III super nukes with a yield of 1,000 megatons.
To convince the others of their claim, the AF detonated two, Mark III far, far outside of the Earth Sphere while being observed by the civilian run DSSD or Deep Space Survey and Development Organization and they gave the AF validity to their claim which is by now made everyone uncomfortable.
If they choose Peace, then the AF will be at peace with them, so long as they agree to certain terms for the peace now on the table.
The first 5 on the list of terms for peace:
The first is the null and void of certain parts of the Treaty of Aprillius, mainly the limitation imposed on their military.
The second is the Eurasian Federation relinquish all claims to Artemis Base
The third is the lifting of the economic sanctions and trade embargo on the AF and allow fair trade on anyone who wishes to do business with them without fear of reprisal from hostile governments.
The fourth is for the Plants and Zaft to hand over the leaders of the terrorist group that ordered the attack on the Gerard K. O'Neill Project attack to AF custody.
The AF is well aware of the identities of the people who not just destroyed their mass driver but also brutality murdered thousands of people working on the project and that Zaft Command ordered the hit using a Black Ops unit.
The AF representatives showed their evidence to the Plants representatives, showing the people who committed the crime and the detailed plan on how they are going attack the site, and also, a disturbing look on a live feed recorded inside a combat information center of a Zaft Vosgulov class submarine, identifying all nine mobile suit pilots that participated on the attack including the leader, a colonel, two lieutenants manning the bridge and one orchestrating the attack at the CIC (combat information center)
The fifth is an apology and compensation for the families who lost a love one in the Gerard K. O'Neill Project attack
Reluctantly, all of the terms for peace have been approved. The Plants representatives have agree to hand over three of the terrorist group to AF authorities, and this is because nine of them, namely the pilots and their commanding officer at that time…had an untimely demise due to an accident.
Accident, to be specific…they found themselves in the vacuum of space without a space suit.
Plants Supreme Council promises an apology and compensation to the victims of the terrorist groups that Zaft have been sheltering.
When Zaft handed them handed over, they were identified as members of a Black Ops unit that made an unauthorized mission that no one in higher ranks was aware of what they did.
The AF doesn't believe that explanation for a moment, but have to accept that answer in order to avert a war they don't want but got what they wanted…
Victory
Four years later
Today no one can see the stagnation and depression that once crippled the Atlantic Federation. The economic recovery pushes out the stagnation and depression at an incredible pace, that the resources, advance technology and manpower of the Atlantic Federation, expanded their territory to include the other planets of the solar system, namely Mars, the Debris Belt and Jupiter.
The AF generously offered trade deals, sharing of knowledge and technology and territory for the nations that remain neutral four years ago and this brought everyone an economic down pour that benefitted everyone.
The countries once hostile to the AF are now trying to gain good relations with them, now that most of the leadership that caused uproar four years ago, got voted out or forced to step down from office. The new leaders are focused on mending fences, for they wanted to change their hostile stance because after four years, the policies made against the AF became counterproductive, and though they have lost nothing, they have gain nothing as well.
In the four years, the AF continued colonizing the solar system, gaining more territories as they push further and kept sending more of their citizens into the frontier and if more of their AF citizens are there, the stronger their claim will be in every resource rich sector of the solar system.
Currently, Orb's relationship with the AF is one of trade and sale of technology. Now Orb wanted joint research and development, better cooperation, joint missions on deep space exploration, resource mining and more.
Orb having good relation with the AF have gotten them the best deals for the past four years, mostly in New Manhattans space construction section which benefited both parties immensely. One of the examples is the building of brand new space colonies, where Orb companies are actively building 7 of the 15 under construction, 2 in New Manhattan, 3 on Mars, 1 at the Debris Belt and 1 on Jupiter where Orb was given the payment of a mineral rich asteroid field with their own established colony now flourishing.
Orb, the Kingdom of Scandinavia, Equatorial Union and the South African Union have benefitted tremendously in doing business with the AF and intends to see it continue even as the AF opens their doors to the other nations on Earth.
This is why the Archangel is here and why Murrue is chaperoning diplomats to Artemis where one group wants to make sure that their good relations continue while the other wants to have relations.
Murrue has no doubt that that latter group will be trying to offer the AF anything they want from money, technology to falling short of kissing their ass if they have to, as they have the feeling of being left behind, which urges them to catch up quick.
Murrue bumps into one of the Orb diplomats who will handle Orb's business and he looks tense
"Nervous Mr. Argyle" Murrue asks
"Just a little Admiral 'sigh' no pressure she says" he mutters in remark
"She"
"Lady Cagalli that's who" he answered "there is alot riding on this meeting Murrue"
"We benefitted a lot in building those space colonies for them; hopefully we get the chance to do more than just building space colonies for them" he said "They are holding back a lot of things from us, sharing only when it benefits them first and not allowing us to join in on numerous ventures such as joint exploration, research and development"
The head of Orb diplomatic representative Peter Argyle (Sai Argyle father) looks outside when they pass by one of the Archangel's observation deck. He looks out to see the very place that saves a nation from falling apart, as well as the stepping stone to the rest of the solar system.
"Four years ago, the AF had a struggling economy, a government nearly broke and the highest unemployment problem in the whole world followed by the highest crime rate ever recorded; today they have a government with money for public works, paying their debts, a stable economy and having the highest labor shortage in the world"
"Look at this place" he said "everything we see, screams 'new and highly advance' and what they have been sharing with us are trinkets compared to what they really have"
"And what exactly would that be Ambassador?" asks by a woman in a business suit approaching them
"Ambassador Ezalia Joule" Murrue said
Now among the members of the Plants representatives is a former Plants Supreme Councilwoman Ezalia Joule now an ambassador who is trying to get back to the good graces of the council and maybe rejoining them because recently a number of councilors have found themselves unpopular among the masses.
Ezalia, once Patrick Zala supporter have been out of public and out of sight ever since Patrick Zala tried to kill an entire planet and whether she knew it or not, her continuing presence in the council did not sink well with everyone.
She spent the next decade rebuilding her reputation and if she does well in this meeting then she could get assigned to a higher office in the government except councilor, and that position is still out of her reach, for the time being.
"A future, in the new path" Argyle answered "It's one they made for themselves because; they find the path we force them on...has no future at all"
"You mean the one that Ms Clyne put them on 10 years ago?" Ezalia asks
"That was not her fault!" Murrue said defensively this time "It was those traitorous idiots fault"
"If that was true then why didn't she objected?" Ezalia said back "she just stood there while those IDIOTS as you call them, took control of that conference and nicely directed Ambassador Hayes hand to sign that treaty"
"She couldn't...she," Murrue couldn't answer 'despite everything, the other nation's representatives did what they want to do, and that's...'
"I saw the records and video files of that peace conference Admiral Ramius, and what I saw was a group of willing people, doing what they believe was right, making amends for the wrongs committed, compromising, agreeing to most of the demands which to them was reasonable"
"Then those idiots whom Lacus left in charge, took advantage of the AF representatives, played them like a harp and shove a treaty on their face which practically strip them of their dignity and made to take the blame on everything, so that the others can say to their people 'it's not our fault but theirs' and from then on, the AF situation went from bad to worse...we all thought that it was the end of the Atlantic Federation when every member walk out and formed a commonwealth of their own."
"Still, one member kept the name alive for some reason and somehow they manage to pull out a miracle. And since then, nothing has been the same" Argyle remark
"Yes," Ezalia agrees "Nothing has been the same"