Chapter 7: R.O.B Chapter 6: Heliopolis

"The refugee camp in Africa has been suffering from a chronic lack of food and aid items, putting the lives of 1.2 million people at risk." The report came from a male field reporter as the cameraman panned to show the debilitated state of the African refugee camp. The situation there is hopeless due to the lack of electricity and the harsh condition of the country. Not to mention the ongoing war that renders most aid organizations unable to alleviate the provide them with precious supplies.

If the feebleness of the African kids, shown on the video feed, is to go by, then the refugee camp is running on a timer. So far, Orb has been showcasing a willingness to help but they're still being blocked by the Earth Alliance and the Zodiac Alliance of Free Trading ongoing battle. It will take a while till they can send establish a proper supply line into the territory.

As Viola is typing lines of codes away, hard at work with only one hand while her other is playing around with a knife, it's the same one she used while combating the bug back in Serafall's and Yasaka's world. Ignoring the exasperated look from the brown hair, purple eyes teen in front of her. Viola continues to work and play at the same time with her eyes closed.

"You know, I am honest to God confused sometimes on whether you're blind or not, though you've stated that your eyes are perfectly fine." A wry smile graced the male teenager's face as he said. "Yet, you're messing around with your eyes closed all the time, and somehow doing everything perfectly without a mistake."

Smirking, Viola responds. "It comes with experience, Kira. You can be just like me if you train hard enough... After maybe a few years."

Shaking his head with a wince, Kira Yamato answers. "No thank you. I don't want to be a monster like you."

Faking a hurt expression, Viola says. "Oh my~! You're wounded my maiden heart."

Kire deadpans. "Said the idol that boldly stated she swings the other way. You have no idea how many hearts you've broken that night."

Smirking, Viola asks. "Does that include you?"

Rolling his eyes while still paying attention to his coding work, Kira answers. "Thankfully, no, for I've been hanging around you for long enough to know that it's but a fool's errand. I'm still surprised that your fanbase actually grew bigger after that public announcement. Most probably because of the many girls that have been swooned by your tomboyish look."

"Well, I strive to impress, though I can dress to be more... Ladylike should the occasion require it." Viola stated with a small smile.

Kira opts not to respond but still shakes his head. His ears perk up as the news channel feed, minimized to a corner of his laptop, changes to a live feed from Kaohsiung, the capital of Taiwan.

"We'll now be bringing you images from the Kaohsiung front where heavy fighting is taking place." The female anchor said with a hand clasping her headset. "According to the information we just received, the ZAFT forces have approached within six kilometers of Kaohsiung."

With a part of his attention now divert to the report, Kira is a bit surprised when his mechanical bird lands on top of his laptop screen. "Tory?" Kira has a small smile on his face when he sees the green and yellow bird.

Viola is also much the same when she stores her knife somewhere before holding out her palm. The mechanical bird then turns around before hopping onto Viola's outstretched palm, tilting its head cutely as it watches Viola continuing her coding assignment.

It's at this moment that someone approaches them, calling out. "Kira! Viola!"

Kira turns over to look, seeing the new arrivals, he can't help but show a smile while Viola, now with her job done, waves without looking at them.

"So this is where you two have been hanging out, Professor Kato was looking for you two." The male, Tolle Koenig, said with a wry smile. One that Kira soon mirrors when he registers what his friend just said.

Slumping in defeat, Kira says. "Again?" His voice signals that he is giving up on life.

The girl next to Tolle chimes in with a smirk. "He's asked us to bring you to him immediately." With a curious tone and a small smile, the girl, Mirillia Haw asks. "What is it about now? Are you two helping him out with something again?"

Kira opts for a complaint instead. "Darn... I still haven't finished with the stuff he handed me yesterday."

He then takes a look at the paper files he is holding in hand, giving up partway as he reads through a bunch of formulas, Kira leans back on the patio railing, leaving Viola to explain.

"Well, it was programming for the motor of the power loader the professor is working on. It's a job requiring some finesse otherwise the power loader will injure someone."

Mirillia is about to reply when a strained warning comes out of Kira's laptop. "It's begun! Hurry! Hurry! Run away! That's way is just as dangerous!"

Hearing that Tolle and Mirillia curiously approach, with Toelle asking as he takes a peak at the news. "Oh? Some breaking news?"

Viola replies as she shut down her coding program, and with that her laptop. "Yeah. Kaohsiung, apparently."

Tolle and Mirillia nod while Kira enlarges the video feed for them. It now shows a news reporter wearing a bulletproof vest, behind him are two mobile suits landing on the ground with their guns trained on what's most probably the Earth Alliance force that isn't shown on screen. "Here, about seven kilometers away from Kaohsiung, the sound of severe battles continues to echo."

Seeing the feed, Tolle can't help but exclaim. "Woh... If these were scenes from last week, they would have already taken Kaohsiung by now."

With a grim look on her face, Mirillia comments as Kira turns off his laptop before pressing a button on top of the screen, making the screen retract down into the laptop body. "Kaohsiung isn't that far away from Yalafath, isn't it? Will our homeland be alright?" Yalafath is the capital mainland of Orb Union, a country in the South Pacific so Mirillia has the right to be afraid.

It's at this moment that the mechanical bird, Torii, on Viola's palm takes flight after she pats its head. "Tory!"

Kira watches it fly into the orbital colony sky while Viola comforts Mirillia by saying. "It will be alright, although we're closed, Orb is a neutral party. Unless the leadership decided to intervene in the mess that is."

Tolle adds in with a positive voice. "Yup! It's unthinkable for Orb to become a battlefield."

Hearing them say that, Mirillia has a more hopeful outlook. "Yeah, that's right, isn't it? Then I guess we're okay."

As for Kira, he's lost in thoughts before Toelle approaches, and this causes him to freak out in surprise. With a smirk, Tolle asks. "What're you thinking about? Come on, let's go since the Professor is waiting."

Viola and Mirillia chuckle at the jumpscare Kira received before all of them pack up and move out from the patio.

While this happens, a different kind of moving out is occurring on another side of the colony.

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With the final docking procedure completed, the Earth Alliance Marseille III-class cargo ship receives the all-green to have its crew and cargo offloaded onto Heliopolis.

The Captain of the vessel addresses the bridge crew with a relieved smile. "The ship has safely completed its final mission." Turning over to the blonde Lieutenant standing to his left, the Captain says. "You've served well as an escort. My gratitude, Lieutenant La Flaga."

Directing his blue eyes while also wearing a flight suit of similar color, Lieutenant Mu La Flaga courteously answers. "Don't mention it, sir. I'm just glad we've arrived without incident."

Knowing that they've been tailed by ZAFT vessels, Mu asks. "Do we have a status on the ZAFT vessels in the vicinity?"

The Captain answers the Lieutenant, dismissing his concern at the same time. "We've tracked two ships but don't worry. They can't do a thing once we're docked at Heliopolis."

Understanding the irony of the situation, Mu snickers. "Because it's a neutral party? What a joke."

They both share a laugh as they both know the nature of their mission. The Captain then goes on to say. "But thanks to that, we've been able to proceed this far. Orb is still a nation of Earth, after all."

With that said, he turns to address the group of elite pilots on his right. "You can go now." They salute each other as the pilots move to disembark.

Looking at their departing backs, Mu asks. "Are we sure that they can handle those things?"

The Captain laughs, proudly saying. "They're young but they're all Top Gun pilots, they should be fine. But you, on the other hand, will stick out like a sore thumb out there."

Knowing that he, himself, is piloting a striking red Mobile Armor, Mu can't help but smile wryly.

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Around the same time, hidden behind an asteroid. Two ZAFT vessels await further orders from their commander as they have successfully deployed stealth shuttles. Like the high-tech machines they are, the shuttles approach the colony Heliopolis undetected.

Aboard a Nazaca-class destroyer, a commander with blond hair and wearing a white uniform addressed the Captain of the vessel. "Don't look so disappointed, Ades."

Turning over to look at Commander Rau Le Creuset, Captain Ades responds. "Well, I guess it won't be too late if we hear back from the council, no?"

Shaking his head while picking up an image taken by ZAFT's spies, Creuset proceeds to float the image over to Ades. The picture shows a deactivated Mobile Suit, a prototype that is presented on Heliopolis. "It will be too late by then, my sixth sense is telling me that."

Creuset then continues with a neutral tone. "If we let things slip now, we would eventually have to pay the price with our lives. The Earth Forces' new mobile weapons, we must seize them before they're moved from here."

The Captain sighs but is convinced by Creuset's reasoning.

ZAFT must maintain its dominance over Mobile Suits for they are the only thing that allows ZAFT to outmatch Earth's superior numbers.

On the live feed from the shuttles they deployed, the shuttles have made contact on Heliopolis's surface with their inflatable cushion, softening their landing on the colony.

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On their way to the autocar station, functionally just like a bus station but free and automated, Viola and her group come across three females that are in a hot discussion.

"I'm telling you it's not like that!" The redhead girl protested, albeit weakly at the pair of friends. She then notices the approaching Viola and the rest. "Are? Viola! Mirillia!"

Viola waves while Mirillia skips over. "Hi!"

Seeing them, the redhead's friends jump over to Mirillia, saying in a teasing voice. "Hey, I'll bet that you know about this."

Yet, Mirillia tilts her head, asking. "Know what?"

Despite the redhead's protest, the friends break the news to Mirillia's group anyway. "Flay received a letter from Sai Argyle!"

As the girls' group flustering about because of the news, Viola can only pat Kira on the shoulder, comforting the shocked teen. "You're a good man, Kira."

Turning over to look at the nonchalant Viola with dead fish eyes, Kira doesn't know how to respond to that.

Tolle is about to say something when a cough comes from behind them. They turn around to see a group of three adults, dressed in formal clothing, with the leading lady saying. "If you're not going yet, mind if we move out first?"

Tolle can only reply, a bit embarrassed that they're blocking the auto car station with their shenanigans. As the girls' and boys' groups sidestep to let the adults board the just-arrived autocar, the lady can't help but take a look over Viola inquisitively. Though the shade she is wearing covers up her expression, Viola can feel her curiosity, so, she gives the lady a wave as the autocar starts driving away.

The lady in question, however, is surprised by the fact that Viola could sense her gaze even though she appeared to be blind.

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After that occurrence, Flay's group parts ways with Mirillia's as they board another autocar to head to a mall. This leaves Viola and the rest to continue on their merry way but not before Tolle puts his hands on Kira's shoulders.

"So the Sai Argyle wrote a letter to Flay Allster." With a faked serious expression, Tolle encourages Kira by saying. "Though he will be a strong rival, I've no doubt about your ability to turn things around, Mr. Kira Yamato."

With his eyes twitching at Tolle's insinuation, Kira tries to explain amidst his friends' giggles as they continue on with their trip to the Professor.

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On the autocar, the lady from before is pondering about Viola, for some reason, the purple-haired girl intrigues her a lot. There's just something off about her, something very familiar. It's at this moment that she remembers that Viola is the Orb Union's idol, one that has showcased many talents and a way to grasp the hearts of the masses, regardless of country and ethnicity. Thinking to herself that it's such a small world to come across the girl, the lady turns to take in the passing scenery. She can't help but comment, letting her escorts hear. "This place is so peaceful."

One of the escorts turns around. "Yes?

"Just think, there are people of that age fighting on the frontline." She explained, mentioning the group of teens from before.

Nodding at her words, the escorts let her be with her own thoughts. The lady appreciates the silence as she removes her shade, showing her black eyes. Her short black hair flows freely in the wind as the rest of the drive to the military installation on Heliopolis happens in silence.

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In the Zero-G environment outside of the colony, squads of special operatives depart from the stealth shuttles before making their way to the colony's airlock. After disabling the security measures, they proceed to infiltrate the colony silently with their maneuvering units.

With his gaze hidden by a silver mask he is wearing, nobody knows what Creuset is thinking right now. But one thing is for sure, the peaceful time in Heliopolis is approaching its end.

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As the door to Professor Kota's workshop slides open, Tolle steps in with a greeting to the rest of the crew working on a mechanical suit inside.

A teen working behind a bunch of circuit boards leans over and gives them a greeting. "Oh! Kira, Viola too, you've finally arrived." The glass-wearing blonde is Sai Argyle, the so-called rival of Kira.

Not sure how to react, Kira suddenly notices an unfamiliar figure in the workshop, standing off to the side. Wearing a black beret and brown coat, the figure with blonde hair gives Kira a nod before returning back to their previous pose. It's unknown what their gender is but Viola can easily determine the blonde to be a girl.

Moving on from the strange guest, they all move to their workstations with Tolle leaning over to another friend of theirs, Kuzzey Buskirk. Tolle asks with a whisper as he leans in. "Hey, who is that?"

Kuzzey looks up from his computer, answering. "Oh. It's a guest for the Professor. He was apparently told to wait here." Completely misidentifying the girl's gender in the process.

Can't blame them as the girl is sporting a much more tomboyish attire than Viola's. Kira chimes in with a question of his own. "And? Where's the Professor?"

Sai shrugs, saying. "No idea." Before standing up and walking over to hand Kira a data chip. "But he did hand me this for you and Viola to work on."

"Heh... What's this? More works for Morgenroete?" Sighing, Kira accepted the chip.

Viola responds as she sets up her laptop on the side. "If that's the case, we may as well get paid by the quality of our jobs. It's tough work, after all."

Slouching his shoulders, Kira mutters wistfully. "Were it so easy..." He scanned the chip, easily figuring out what the chip is for by scanning its name and serial numbers. "This is nothing special. It's regarding the improvement of the frame setup module. Simply a program analysis."

It's at this moment that Tolle chokes Kira from behind, urging the latter to ask Sai about the letter. Kira struggles at this while Sai can only watch on, confused by their acts.

Viola and the rest shake their heads at their antics before moving on with their work.

The colony is still peaceful, not knowing the of the enroaching danger.

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"It's time." Creuset announced as the hidden bombs have been planted inside crucial areas of the colony by the operatives.

The helmsman responds. "Weigh anchor! Vesalius, taking off!"

As the main drives from the Nazca-class and Laurasia-class vessels come to life and burn a course toward Heliopolis, the neutral colony warning system comes to a red alert as the armed vessels go past the perimeter buoys.

The operators from Heliopolis's command center try to hail the ZAFT ships. "This is Heliopolis. Approaching ZAFT vessels, please respond." They tried many times, failing to receive a respond.

The Chief Controller comes up and takes the mic. "Stop the alarm. ZAFT vessels, your action is violating the treaty between our two nations! Turn around at once! I repeat, ZAFT vessels, turn around at once!"

The response the Controller received is a burst of jamming signals from the two warships. With cold sweats on his back, the Controller announced. "Damn it! This is clearly an act of hostility! Alert the military and see if you can break past the interference!"

Per his command, Orb personnel scramble to fulfill it. Minutes later, another report comes in.

"Inbound mobile suits!"

"FUCK!" The Controller slammed a fist onto a console, now fearing for the family he has aboard Heliopolis.

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"Enemy?" Mu floated over to the sensor operator.

The Captain replies with a tense voice. "Two warships, a Nazca and a Laurasia. We confirmed two squads of MS deployed right before the jamming wave."

Hearing the bad news, Mu can't help but curse. "Damn it! Have Luke and Gail stand by in their Moebius units for now! I will sortie immediately!"

"Good luck!" The Captain offered his parting words as Mu put on his flight helmet.

On a different docking bay that is housing a white and red battleship. Earth Alliance personnel scrambles to get the vessel ready with the Commanding Officer saying.

"Do not panic otherwise we will play out right into their hands! Let Heliopolis handle the situation while we prep Archangel for launch! If need be we will deploy in combat!" Turning over to the officers behind him, he says. "Get Lieutenant Ramius for me and tell her to double-time the transporters for the G-units now!"

Surprisingly, it's the lady from before, now wearing a white officer uniform, that gives a salute. "Yes, sir!"

Less than five minutes left.

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"Move in once we crush the opposition." Creuset ordered to which the Captain of the Vesalius answered.

"Roger!"

On their sensor, the two squads of GINNs have just begun engaging the armed shuttles deployed by Heliopolis command.

As the saying that ignorance is bliss, Heliopolis citizens still carry on with their daily lives without knowing that they're losing the space battle outside. The armed shuttles proved to be no match for the superior ZAFT Mobile Suits. And as the timer reaches zero, the entire colony is shaken wide awake.

The bombs planted by Creuset's spec ops detonate at the same time, destroying Heliopolis space command and the Archangel's docking bay, this eliminated the high-ranking officers from both sides of the equation for ZAFT.

Mu La Flaga and his two wingmen deploy from the transport ship as their home vessel is moving out from its berthing. Despite their opening salvo, however, ZAFT is able to send a squad of MS into the colony's internal.

Flying inside Area & of the colony, the Mobile Suits have no doubt alerted the populace of ZAFT's presence. Further deeper inside the colony, ZAFT operatives, overwatching a forestry hill, have finally spotted their prizes, the G-units.

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After experiencing the shock made by the ZAFT's bombs, Sai and the rest can't help but question whether it was an asteroid or not. Yet, the consecutive explosions and rocking of the entire colony prompt them to head outside and check the situation.

Sai opens the door leading to the stairwell when he comes across his fellow classmates and coworkers. "What's the matter?"

The reply comes out as a shock to them all.

"We're under attacked by ZAFT!"

"NANI!?" The group of friends exclaimed in shock.

Only Viola remains calm in this situation, she can't help but sport a wry smile while saying. "So it has begun."

The Professor's guest gazes at Viola, not knowing why she's so calm like that. She doesn't have the chance to ponder anymore when the guy from before states. "Mobile Suits have entered the colony!"

This alerted her and, much to Kira's shock, she runs off in a different direction. "Hey, you!"

Kira runs after the guest with Viola following behind him, understandably not willing to let the teen put himself in harm's way. Yet, as Kira runs after the back of the guest, an explosion that rocks the building happens. This collapse the hallway that Kira and the guest just run past and when they stabilize themselves, Kira realizes that the returning path is blocked with Viola unable to follow them. He can't help but curse under his breath before chasing the guest, once again, a part of him, somehow, is warning him to not leave the guest alone.

Back to Viola, after the path forward is blocked, she runs off in a different direction, leaving behind a single line to the friends calling out her name. "You guys evacuate while I'm going to get Kira back!"

Along the way though, Viola can't help but complain to Yahweh.

"You know, never thought the so-called vacation will be cut short like this. I assume that you already know about this development beforehand?"

[Yup! Now good luck and have fun!] Came the merry reply from Yahweh, causing Viola to sigh. Now she has to find away to make sure these kids get out of this mess, preferably alive.

 

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