Editing KSGU:Volume 9 Chapter 2 (section)

===Part 7===
The 2nd main cannon equipped at the belly of the ship let out a trail of mega-particles after the 1st main cannon on the bow was fired. The arrows of beams released from the “Nahel Argama” carved out pink trails, and weak lights of explosions appeared on the other end of space.

It was the light of a direct hit—''is something shot down?'' Marida felt a killing intent vanish as she immediately gathered her concentration on the enemy ship at her left.

The “Nahel Argama” had disguised itself as a ship unable to steer, and lured the enemy ships to gather in a clustered formation. Once it got into firing range, it immediately removed its disguise, and the enemy was gathered in the same firing area as planned. After the command ship in the center was shot down, the enemy ship on the right became the new target. Marida felt the mothership turn its cannons as according to plan from the back, and gathered her consciousness on the enemy ship several hundred kilometers to the left. It was too distant, and as Marida’s sights were blurry due to excessive fatigue, she did not know if she could reach there in time.

“Funnels!”

She endured the pain surging from her flank as she focused on controlling the funnels in her field of perception. The funnels—small automatic cannon pods, had dwindled in numbers to 7, and after being on standby near the enemy ship, they lit their thrusters and surrounded the last Musaka-class. There was only one chance. If she failed, the enemy would have a chance to counterattack, and the “Nahel Argama” would be attacked. Marida focused on the funnels that would escape her field, and glared at the Musaka-class, which was faltering after the command ship was shot down. She felt pain in her temples, her perception field was blurry, and her impression of the enemy ship was becoming vague.

“Hit them…!”


She held onto the ball-shaped control tightly, and eked out a voice from her gritted teeth. The 7 funnels released beams in unison from the tip of the cylinders, and Marida saw the engines of the Musaka-class being shot through from all directions. The explosion from within knocked the rear main cannon upwards, and the debris flying away due to the shockwave hit the funnels. Her perception field was engulfed by the incandescent light, and her consciousness was forced back into her body as she could spot a small flicker of light from far away.

Marida’s strength seeped from her inadvertently straightened body, and she lowered her face. As she panted hard, her shoulders moving up and down, “Marker 15 “Musaka” is now silent.” The sensor operator’s voice rang from the wireless, and she turned the “Kshatriya” monoeye to the back.

(Marker 14 has a large breach. It seems they’re retreating.)

(Turn the ship back and revert back to the original planned path. The mobile suit squadrons are not to relax. There are still enemies around.)

Captain Otto’s voice rang. Marida directed the funnels back to her in a corner of her mind as she expanded the visual of the “Nahel Argama”, located, 10,000km behind her, on the expanded window. The ship, which had already lost its portside catapult deck for a long time, had burn marks all over its white armor, and the right side of the wing-like solar panels was snapped. One of the “Loto” assigned to the ship had ran out of ammunition, and Kwani’s severely damaged “Geara Zulu” was kept in the ship. Including the “Stark Jegan” that was shot down, one could say that they lost quite a lot of forces. In this current situation, the only units they could activate were a “ReZEL”, a “Loto”, and Evan’s “Geara Zulu”. They lost 50% of their fighting strength defending a single ship for more than 2 hours.

However, the damage they dealt to the enemy was definitely no less than 50%. Most of Tennyson’s fleet was drifting around due to the loss in control over the steering, and there was nothing that could prevent them from moving forward towards “Industrial 7”. ''The “Unicorn Gundam”, Banagher, how are they now?'' She opened her visor and wiped the sweat off her face, resting the back of her head on the headrest hidden in the Psycommu. As she endured the pulsating pain in her temples and intended to respond to Banagher’s thoughts, (Marida) a voice caused her eyes to widen.

(Good work. Return to the mothership first. We can’t replenish the funnels for now, but at least we can do some emergency repairs.)

It was Zinnerman. ''Master,'' she swallowed the words she nearly let out, “But the “Unicorn”…” Marida responded. She wondered when he entered the bridge, (That guy’s going to be fine.) but the familiar voice echoed, easing the pain in her temples slightly.

(He was caught in some strange weapon, but it seems he broke through it. He’s now fighting against an enemy unit.)

“An enemy unit…?”

(There doesn’t seem to be any other enemy unit from what we can see here. The “Nahel Argama” will immediately catch up. Return to the ship to rest. You’re still not in the best of conditions now, right?)

His empathy of her emotional toils were conveyed to her in a deliberate aloof tone meant to hide his embarrassment. His voice sounded no different from usual, but this was not the voice of someone who would remain amidst the darkness. She understood that Zinnerman had taken this step too, but at the same time, felt something was amiss with the one enemy unit, and looked towards the direction Banagher was at. There was still more than 1,000km till “Industrial 7”, and there was still an enemy standing in the “Unicorn Gundam” path, taking it on alone.

A chime rang as a flash appeared, causing the skin under the pilot suit to be covered in goosebumps. This light was intense yet cold, and dissipated the heat Zinnerman’s voice had brought as the stare from the mask caused her chest to freeze—

“It’s him…?”

There was no time for hesitation. Amongst the battle up till this point, she still had yet to sense any pressure from that man. That man waited for the “Unicorn Gundam” to brea through the fleet, and conserved his strength instead of taking part in the battles. Marida sealed her visor and again grabbed onto the ball control. “I’ll make a move first.” Upon hearing her voice, “Marida…!” Zinnerman yelled.

“The “Unicorn” is fighting Full Frontal. That’s not an enemy Banagher can win on his own.”

(We’ll send another unit over. You’re already at your limits. Come back.)

“I’m going.”

(Marida! Are you not going to listen to my orders?)

“I’ve already received your final command.”

''Follow your heart.'' (Marida…) The groan finished as Zinnerman was left speechless. Marida sensed his stare coming from 10km behind, and stepped on the pedal. The “Kshatriya” opened its binders and started to accelerate, fading away quickly on the expanded window of the “Nahel Argama”. She also felt Zinnerman’s stare become distant, and her body started to cool, but the feeling of being supported from behind by someone did not decrease in the slightest. She was driven by a strength more poignantly detected than before as the massive body of the “Kshatriya” advanced amidst the sea of debris.

''Since I’m being supported, I too have to support others equally.'' Marida called back the funnels, now reduced to 6, back in, and hurriedly moved forward. The place she yearned to head to let out a flash, leaving an afterimage in her eyes. ''Fire and ice is clashing,'' she mumbled these words that subconsciously surfaced in her thoughts as she drove the “Kshatriya” to where the light was.