Neo-Heliopolis was normally a peaceful sort of place that didn't have explosions occurring from within the highest security base ever constructed or jet planes scrambling in a frantic search for a giant robot that had turned invisible as soon as it reached open air. In fact, it was so peaceful that, unlike all the other Nations out there, there actually is no such thing as the most skilled Mobile Suit pilot, singular, on Neo-Helopolis. There may be some people out there who would enjoy the humanity-affirming idea that at least one organized human settlement didn't train a military Mobile Suit pilot in secret. Most assuredly, none of the denizens of Neo-Heliopolis fell into that category as of the last 10 minutes since the explosion and fire fights happened.

One usually wouldn't think a giant robot would be something easy to lose, but the YGDL-X06 SABOTEUR had the most advanced Illusio-Colloid armour ever created. It wasn't just an invisibility cloak; it was undetectable by every scanning technology from the last century. In addition to invisibility, Illusio-Colloid could outwardly project any image the pilot conceives of. Done masterfully, it could hide the imprint it leaves when landing on sand, or flying through water. The only significant drawbacks of Illusio-Colloid, besides the heavy resources required to make it, are its significantly lower strength compared to Hyper-Phase Shift Armor, its inability to be used while firing any sort of weapon, and its persistent and overwhelming odour of burnt bacon. Of course, that last point isn't relevant in Mobile Suit combat.

"Will you both shut up!"

It turns out that the highest security base ever constructed was made that way due to the fact that not one, but two OS spheres were sealed inside it next to the Saboteur. It seemed most sensible that the Red OS orb would work best with the Mobile Suit with a default red exterior, so the plan was to have the red one activated on the center console with the blue one left to the side. It didn't work out as planned. Now both of them were screaming at each other.

"Athrun?"

"Kira?"

"ATHRUN!"

"KIRA!"

"AAAAATHRUUUUUUUUUN!"

"KIIIIIIIIRAAAAAAAA!"

"Manual Override OS Athrun Zala mute!"

"ATHRUN! …Athrun? AAAATHRUUUUUN! *ahem* Manual Override OS Athrun Zala unmute. ATHRUN!"

"KIRA!"

"What? That's not fair!"

The red haired pilot of the SABOTEUR plugged her ears against the tiny robotic name screaming voices. Her attention wavered from maintaining the Illusio-Colloid cloak. In a heartbeat, fighter jet fire was upon her immediate and half a dozen projected locations. Swerving about as the SABOTEUR entered speed mode by transforming into a jet, the second most successful Gundamjacker of the four shot off over the ocean to evade enemy fire.

The Mobile Suit of the most successful Gundamjacker of the four opened the golden clamshell its arm shields formed to protect itself from the fall from orbit. Finding itself amidst an ocean of sand and shattered glass, the OS Sphere quickly identified its location as the Sahara. The OS Sphere also reluctantly reported that the location of the EQUILIBRIUM was yet to be found. That could be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on if the SENTINEL was somewhere that could be found more easily.

The masked man picked up his communicator.

"Green Machine, are we go yet?"

After a few annoying seconds, the response came through.

"Gold Control Sir! I think we're getting somewhere. The OS Sphere came online a minute ago. It's stopped acting depressed and is now just catatonic. Its ears twitch sometimes. I'm trapped inside and ORB forces are bound to be here any second."

Mr. Control's leer of frustration was felt but not seen by the gold OS Sphere bobbling around aimlessly on the SENTINEL's dashboard.

"I did not expect the weapons to have so much…personality. OS Sphere, Manual Override. Reactivate and plot course to New ORB. And stay muted."

If the OS Sphere had teeth, it would have gritted them as it unwillingly carried out the commands.

Meanwhile, also on Earth but on a different side of it, the UNITY approached the unnervingly silent second most secure base ever built in New ORB. Captain Amano watched intently from the Mobile Suit's cockpit.

"Attempt to open communications with the Commando."

"Haro! Yes Ma'am."

The white OS Sphere bobbled a bit before the following message was heard inside the otherwise dormant cockpit of the Mobile Suit.

"Commando! This is New ORB forces and the Mobile Suit Unity. Identify yourself immediately!"

The previously catatonic black OS Sphere seemed to come to attention. It finally spoke, to Green Machine's conflicted relief.

"Haro! …Haro! …What? Who turned out the lights? Haro? Tell me where I am right now!"

Having heard from all the others, the slowest of the gundamjackers wasted no time at all in commanding the take-off.

"Manual Override OS Shinn Asuka, Green Machine, COMMANDO finally launching!"

"Haro! What's going on! Why do I keep saying that? Haro!"

The YGDL-X04 COMMANDO roared to life inside the depot. Inside the UNITY, Captain Amano and her OS sphere heard all of that.

"Is his name really 'Green Machine'?"

"I've been asleep for a few centuries Ma'am, names have gotten weirder since then."

"Your names were Mu la Flaga and Neo Roanoke."

"Haro! My point stands."

"Never mind that. Prepare to engage!"

Inside the COMMANDO, Mr. Machine and his OS sphere heard all that. There was no visual indication whether communications channels were open or closed. Some engineer should have probably thought of that. Regardless, the black OS sphere began spinning mercilessly upon hearing a certain name.

"Haro…Ha…ro?! What? That's right! I was put here to stop war from happening ever again!"

The voice of the white OS sphere crackled through.

"Mr. Black. Shinn. Kid! I don't know who you are in there but you got to believe we're on the same side here!"

Green Machine tried to find a button to close communications but the labeller was just as lazy as the engineer. Instead he decided to take the verbal approach.

"Don't listen to him! New ORB reactivated their Mobile Suits first. We have to take them down now before things escalate."

The black OS sphere bobbled about like a puppy that had just fallen onto a toddler.

"ORB! I knew it! Mr. White, you're going down! GRAAAAAAAH!"

And with the OS sphere's tiny digital Haro-voiced roar, the COMMANDO let loose an enormous energy pulse that shredded a pathway through all the roofs of the base before flying outside to face the UNITY. Its cold black frame hovered at attention with its Hyper-Phase Shift Armour wreathed with a mildly glowing film of absorbed energy. The first signature feature of the YGDL-X04 COMMANDO is a side effect of its special Superblack HPSA. The inky blackness of this armour is so extremely dark and brooding that it does not reflect 99.9% of light or energy that strikes it. Looking at it is like looking into a starless night sky in the countryside wearing sunglasses. This results in a near immunity to pure energy weapons such as most blaster shots. The energy is instead collected and used for a myriad of combat purposes, which includes the COMMANDO's other signature feature. This would be how the large speaker-esque grills embedded on the Mobile Suit's body, and the two megaphone-shaped cannons on either of its arms, are used to fire devastating pulses of collected energy that can literally disintegrate targets. It is similar to advanced sonic weaponry, only this works in space.

Fortunately for Machine, Mr. Black was handling combat. This gave him some time to find the "communications off" button and then report in to Control.

"Gold Control, this is Green Machine. The COMMANDO is accounted for."

His report was greeted with static. That probably wasn't a good thing. Or a bad thing. It depends since he's a villain.

In a desert on a different side of the Earth, the SENTINEL turned out to be somewhere that could be found more easily.