Four mobile suits of varying forms were streaking across the sea, racing toward a single destination.
Thanks to Sumeragi's route adjustment, they had even managed to bypass a UNION transport plane that had suddenly appeared on a collision course with them. Aside from one person who had been itching for a scrap with a Gundam, it was a satisfactory outcome for everyone involved.
"We're finally about to meet the people from that Gundam and that battleship..."
Inside the machine that had transformed into a flight mode resembling a jet, Allelujah felt a surge of tension.
"Veda searched back through a hundred years of records and couldn't find a single shred of evidence that they've ever operated on Earth."
Lockon Stratos, piloting the Dynames, chuckled with his usual easygoing air. "Maybe these guys are actually aliens."
"What do you think, Setsuna? Want to make a bet? I'll put down five dollars."
As he spoke, Lockon turned his head toward the blue-and-white machine flying beside him.
"That feeling... there's no mistake."
Seated within the blue-and-white Exia, Setsuna constantly replayed the scene of seeing the Penelope. His hands tightened slightly on the control sticks.
"That machine of theirs is definitely a Gundam."
"On that judgment alone, I disagree."
This time it was Tieria who spoke, piloting the bulky Virtue. "Only machines like those of Celestial Being, which utilize a Solar Furnace, can be called Gundams!"
"Alright, alright, everyone, how about we drop this topic for now?"
Seeing the team atmosphere turning stiff again, Lockon gave an awkward laugh and shifted the subject. "Allelujah, how far to the rendezvous point?"
"Ten kilometers to the rendezvous point... I can already see Miss Sumeragi's speedboat."
Allelujah, clearly not wanting to dwell on the previous argument either, answered Lockon's question smoothly.
"Good... everyone decelerate, maintain speed with the speedboat!"
Lockon issued the command as the magnified image on his screen showed Sumeragi in her Celestial Being uniform, Wang Liu Mei in her dress, and Wang Liu Mei's personal bodyguard, Hong Long, at the helm.
As the most "normal" person among a group of problem children, Lockon essentially functioned as the team leader; even the rigid Tieria acknowledged Lockon's capability in this regard.
The four units began to slow down and lower their altitude until they were positioned to act as cover for the speedboat. After all, a Gundam could tank a few hits, but if the speedboat took even one shot, it was game over.
"Static... Sorry, everyone. I know you've just finished a battle and had to rush straight over here," Sumeragi's voice came over the comms. "But regardless, we need to confirm their objectives. The performance of their machine is simply too high."
"With power like that, if we don't confirm their intent, it's hard to say how much Veda's plan might be affected."
"Don't worry, Miss Sumeragi."
Lockon quirked an eyebrow at her words. "We're well aware of that. Besides, our curiosity has been piqued too."
"Furthermore, we're comrades on the same front. We'll support your actions just as we execute the tactics you give us."
"Everyone, let's end the pleasantries there."
Allelujah frowned instinctively as he watched the radar on his instrument panel, which was emitting a warning that was rapidly increasing in frequency.
"Something is coming. It's moving fast!"
As Allelujah finished speaking, everyone heard a sound—familiar, yet hauntingly strange.
It was the eerie, monster-like scream of the Minovsky Flight system in operation.
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The Penelope's massive, monster-like silhouette appeared from their left. After closing to a certain distance, it stabilized its altitude and began flying alongside the Celestial Being group.
For the first time, the members of Celestial Being were free from the limitations of long-range camera lenses. With their own eyes, they took in the Penelope's exterior, observing the details of its frame bit by bit.
That remarkably standard Gundam face, paired with a chassis that resembled a gargantuan beast, gave them a sensation that was eerie yet somehow fused into a strange harmony.
The howl of the Minovsky Flight system, intermingled with the rhythmic pings of their internal radars, echoed in everyone's ears.
"Truly... a monster of a machine."
Seeing the Penelope before her, Sumeragi instinctively pressed the headset on her right ear. "Feldt, has Veda analyzed anything new from this close range?"
"Miss Sumeragi, according to Veda's estimates, the height of this unit is 32 meters."
Over the comms, Feldt's voice remained calm, yet it carried a trace of subtle shock.
"Hey, hey, you've got to be kidding me..."
Staring at the Penelope's scale, Lockon swallowed hard, his voice laced with disbelief. "This thing... isn't it half a body taller than the Exia? What kind of monster is this?!"
"Furthermore, according to Veda's conjectures, this machine—which utilizes an unknown flight system... may be powered by nuclear energy."
Feldt's words caused the once-noisy communication channel to fall into an instant, dead silence.
"This is... such a profanity!"
Finally, Tieria spoke through gritted teeth.
In his view, a machine like a "Gundam" should be sacred, powerful, and pure. To a fundamentalist like him, only the Celestial Being units equipped with Solar Furnaces deserved the name.
The Penelope not only lacked a Solar Furnace but relied on nuclear power—a realization that shifted the radical Tieria's view from mere "dislike" to explicit "loathing."
"When the communication begins in a moment, everyone please disable your external speakers to avoid any unnecessary misunderstandings."
Sumeragi understood exactly what kind of "problem children" she was dealing with. She had to muzzle them first to prevent any diplomatic incidents.
"Understood. Everyone check your external audio. Keep the grumbling to our private channel; don't mess this up for us later," Lockon said, checking his own settings.
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While the members of Celestial Being were busy observing the Penelope, Roz, behind the controls, was also taking the measure of their machines.
He had no idea how lively their private comms channel had become, but even if he had known about Tieria's remarks, he wouldn't have cared.
Back in the SEED world, the curses and vitriol his enemies hurled at him were ten times harsher than anything Tieria could muster; to Roz, Tieria's disgruntled complaining was no different from a child throwing a tantrum.
His panoramic cockpit constantly opened new windows, zooming in and out on specific sections of the Celestial Being group. His objective for this sortie was to guide their course and confirm whether they harbored any hostile intent.
From what he could see, despite the fact that they were armed, they didn't seem to want a fight—though there was one individual with a particularly strong brainwave signature who seemed to be acting like a manic patient, radiating a strange sense of dissatisfaction toward the Penelope.
He wondered if Murrue and Natarle were ready. Originally, Roz had intended to handle the negotiations alone, but both women had insisted on joining him to meet Celestial Being, claiming they needed to "keep up appearances."
To be honest, Roz would have preferred they stayed back to rest. In the woods earlier, Natarle had actually let loose even more than Murrue. By the time they headed back, both of them had legs like jelly; they didn't exactly look fit for work. Natarle, in particular, had to be carried back by Roz.
Roz shook his head, clearing the distracting thoughts from his mind as he focused on the task at hand.
"Static... Roz, we're ready on this end. You can bring them in."
Natarle's image appeared on his comms screen. Although she had changed back into her Nahel Argama uniform and looked as sharp and capable as ever, the lingering flush on her cheeks betrayed the fact that she hadn't completely calmed down yet.
"Are you two really okay...?"
Roz fell silent for a moment as he looked at her. "Maybe you should just go rest. I can handle this on my own."
"No... right now, we are your representatives. That is the very reason for the Nahel Argama's existence." Natarle patted her cheeks firmly, trying to force herself back into a state of composure.
"...I understand. Just don't push yourselves, you or Murrue, okay?"
Roz sighed. He knew how difficult it was to dissuade Murrue and Natarle once they'd made up their minds—especially Natarle, who could be as stubborn as a rock.
The Penelope accelerated slightly, moving to the front of the Celestial Being group, and began leading them forward at a steady pace.
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The meeting site was not the beach where they had vacationed, but a newly scouted coastal cliff. It stood at a significant height above the sea level but offered a wide, level surface—perfect for the upcoming dialogue.
Since Roz had decided this would only be a brief, preliminary talk, the Nahel Argama didn't over-prepare the site. Only two security squads were left to maintain a presence, while the rest of the crew remained on standby aboard the ship.
At this moment, the Nahel Argama deactivated its Mirage Colloid system. It was a display of power—a "deterrent" meant to advise the newcomers against looking for trouble.
As the Penelope touched down behind Murrue and Natarle—who had both changed back into their uniforms and regained their composure—the Celestial Being mobile suits followed suit.
"They are..."
Lockon, piloting the Dynames and carrying Sumeragi's group in its hands, stared at the scene before him, his eyes widening instinctively.
"Soldiers..."
Wang Liu Mei spoke up then, evaluating the crew of the Nahel Argama.
"And unlike the troops of the three major powers, these are soldiers who have endured countless brutal battles... I have no idea where they could have come from."
"Regardless, they clearly have a deep connection with the 'Raven'," Sumeragi observed, watching Murrue and the others closely. "The emblem on their left breast is that burning Raven."
"This is getting more and more interesting..."
Upon hearing Sumeragi's words, Wang Liu Mei broke into a smile.
Once the four Celestial Being mobile suits had stabilized their positions and the Dynames had lowered the passengers to the ground, the Penelope's cockpit hissed open.
Under the curious gazes of the Celestial Being members, Roz—clad in his pilot suit—descended to the ground via a lift wire.
On his chest, the Unicorn emblem surrounded by burning wings shimmered brilliantly in the sunlight.
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