Editing KSGU:Volume 9 Chapter 2 (section)

===Part 9===
“How…? Why!?”

There was a wail-like voice heard, “What’s the matter?” Otto was the first to respond, and Mineva stared at the communication console from beyond his shoulder. “RX-0, Banagher! Answer me!” Ensign Mihiro shouted as the back profile of her putting her hand on her head entered Mineva’s sights.

“Y-You’re saying Ensign Riddhe’s attacking you!? What’s going on!?”

It seemed Otto’s voice had yet to register in her ears as she worked to adjust the angle of the laser communication. Her voice was completely different from before, and Mineva heard her own heart jump violently. “It’s Ensign Riddhe…!?” Otto too raised his voice.

“It means Londo Bell has arrived? Where’s the “Unicorn”?”

“Too much debris, the sensors can’t catch up. It seems to be fighting a single enemy unit.”

The sensor operator responded. If the optical sensors could not catch up to their movements, there was no reason why the laser communication could. Mineva stared at Mihiro’s back as the latter frantically adjusted the frequencies, seeing the voice that could have been picked up before the battle occurred. “Ensign Mihiro, the report, first!” Liam growled, causing Mineva’s shoulders to jump. “Y-Yes…!” Mihiro instinctively straightened her back, and turned her still unrecovered expression at Liam,

“It’s still uncertain. All I hear is Ensign Riddhe, and the “Banshee” attacking or something…”

The pale face let out this voice, causing Mineva’s heart to race again, her fingertips trembling violently as she shuddered this time. As she looked up at the main screen in shock, “The “Banshee”…?” Otto murmured. “It’s the second “Unicorn”.” Aaron interjected,

“Why is it at such a place…wasn’t it destroyed on Earth?”

“That should be the case. When it sank together with the “Garuda”…”

But Zinnerman, now at the cannon operator seat, did not witness it personally, and he hushed himself as he turned his pale face to the front. Mineva felt her body, seated on the commander seat, shivering along with her bones. Nobody present knew what happened to Riddhe after he landed on Earth, and even if they did, they would not be able to link those events with this current situation. Mineva wondered about these things only she knew of as her eyes landed on her palms, covered in the normal suit fabric.

''These were not the hands to hold''—these hands had made a decision to shake off the hand that was reached over to her. The “Garuda” was fading fast, and he had that anguished expression of being seemingly cut off from the world. He bore the destiny of his family to prevent the “Box” from being opened…and more. He wanted to grab the hand he did not manage to grab, and made a pact with the black “Unicorn”—

This was an instinctive notion, and not born out of thought. ''If this is the case, I’ll have to bear all responsibility.'' Mineva felt that she could not just idle around at this place, but her mind could not think of what to do. As she looked around the bridge, Lieutenant Commander Conroy’s voice rang through the wireless communicator, (ECOAS 920 notifying the Bridge, Base Jabber is ready to launch), causing her eyes to widen.

(We’re ready to launch anytime. Please notify us of the situation.)

“This is the Captain. The situation’s sticky now. Remain on standby for now.”

(New “Sleeves” reinforcements?)

“Not sure.” Otto gave a vague answer. The ECOAS squad, which was planned to reach “Industrial 7” first, had finished its preparations to launch. The SFS was dragged to the deck, ferrying the mobile suit called the “Loto”, and the armed personnel were definitely on standby inside. Once Mineva thought about this her body took action on its own, and she stealthily left the commander seat. “Has the mobile suit squadron reached the “Kshtriya” yet!? Marida’s still wounded!!” “They’re rushing over now!!” With her back facing Zinnerman and Liam’s shouts, Mineva left the bridge without meeting anyone.

She still had no idea of what she could do. Perhaps her action would cause the situation to be more chaotic, but her heart was filled with the notion to stop them, and with bated breath, she stepped off the corridor floor, got into the elevator, and pressed the button leading to the mobile suit deck level. (If the “Unicorn” is being held up, I guess we’ll have to hurry to “Industrial 7” first. If we don’t move fast, the “Rewloola” is going to catch up to us.) Conroy’s anxious voice rang through the wireless communicator, causing her tense skin to shudder.