The soft hiss of medical machines was the first thing Nura heard. The smell was clean—too clean—and the faint gravity tug told him he was no longer on Earth.
When his eyes opened, a pale light streamed in from the tall viewport beside his bed, revealing the curve of the Moon's surface beyond.
> Kaedin: "Nura! You're awake."
Kaedin was at his side in an instant, relief clear in his voice. Behind him stood General Kurein, arms crossed, his ever-calm expression betraying only a small smile.
> Nura: "…Where… am I?"
> General Kurein: "The Lunar Orbital Platform. We're inside one of Moon Queen Guinevere's safe zones. You were out for nearly a day."
Nura slowly pushed himself up, ignoring the dull ache running through his body.
> Nura: "…Is everyone safe?"
> Kaedin: "Yeah. The civilians, Earth Federation soldiers, Rebel troops—everyone from the elevator made it up in one piece."
Nura exhaled slowly, shoulders dropping.
> Nura: "…Good."
Then he frowned, scanning the room.
> Nura: "Where's General Halsten?"
> General Kurein: "He's in a meeting. Representing both Earth Federation forces and the civilian factions… with Moon Queen Guinevere herself."
Nura leaned back slightly, the words sinking in.
> Nura: "What's the situation now?"
Kurein's tone remained steady, but the underlying weight in his voice was hard to miss.
> General Kurein: "Camelot's forces still control most of Earth. The Moon is willing to offer us temporary refuge—but negotiations are… delicate. What happens next will depend on what's decided in that meeting."
Nura glanced at Kaedin, who simply nodded grimly. The war wasn't over. Far from it.
---
The council chamber of the Moon Kingdom was vast, its high vaulted ceiling carved from silver-white stone, shimmering under the pale glow of suspended crystal orbs. At the far end sat Queen Guinevere, her posture regal yet calm, golden eyes reflecting a quiet authority.
General Halsten stood at the center of the marble floor, helmet tucked under his arm, the faint hum of distant lunar machinery filling the silence.
He bowed slightly before speaking.
> General Halsten: "First, on behalf of the Earth Federation, the Rebel Faction, and the civilians you've accepted into your lands… I express my deepest gratitude, Your Majesty. Without the Moon Kingdom's sanctuary, many would have perished."
Guinevere inclined her head in acknowledgment, her tone cool yet sincere.
> Queen Guinevere: "We offer refuge to those who need it, General. That is not a favor—it is our duty."
Halsten drew a slow breath.
> General Halsten: "Then… I must speak plainly. We request the Moon Kingdom's assistance in liberating Earth from Camelot."
The Queen's expression didn't change, but her presence alone filled the chamber with an almost crushing weight.
> Queen Guinevere: "You speak of war so easily. Do you know the cost?"
Halsten's brow furrowed.
> General Halsten: "With respect, Your Majesty… I've fought Camelot's Knights firsthand. I've seen your forces. You have Gundams—powerful ones. I though Gundam was supposed to be taboo and why hide that strength when the Earth is burning?"
A faint smile touched her lips, but it wasn't amusement—it was the smile of someone who had heard this plea many times.
> Queen Guinevere: "We did not hide. We know Gundam was taboo because of the promised tragedy of "Gundam Malaya" we made 3 centuries ago. Firstly, The Moon Kingdom has had the power to build Gundams for centuries. They were forged by our ancestors, long before I was born. We never released this knowledge to the public—not out of greed, but because we understood the danger. Only when Camelot revealed itself did we awaken them."
Her words echoed in the chamber, heavy and absolute.
> General Halsten: "Then use them. Fight alongside us—"
> Queen Guinevere: cuts in, voice firm "—No. Sending my people to die in a war they did not start is reckless. All I want is peace. If Camelot, the Colonies, or Mars come for the Moon, I will first seek diplomacy. Always."
Halsten clenched his jaw.
> General Halsten: "…Then why bother build Gundams and even breaking that taboo?"
Guinevere's gaze softened, though her tone remained steady.
> Queen Guinevere: "Because it was never my choice. Our ancestors built them—not as weapons of conquest, but as guardians. Moon Kingdom Gundams are lack 'Malaya System.' They are machines, nothing more. Strong, yes… but not cursed with the same hunger for dominance."
Halsten's expression tightened. His tone grew urgent.
> General Halsten: "Your Majesty, with your Gundams and our forces united, we could—"
The Queen turned to her side, speaking to her attendant.
> Queen Guinevere: "Show the General to his quarters. The meeting is concluded."
The tall double doors swung open, the white banners of the Moon Kingdom fluttering faintly from the draft.
Halsten took a step forward, voice ringing with frustration as the attendants moved to escort him out.
> General Halsten: "But Your Majesty—!"
His words were swallowed by the closing doors.
---
The echo of Halsten's frustrated "But Your Majesty—!" still seemed to hang in the air, even though the heavy doors had long since sealed behind him.
Elsewhere in the Moon Kingdom's sprawling spaceport district, Nura stood with his hands tucked into his jacket pockets, watching the glimmering expanse of Earth through the great glass dome overhead. The scars of war were visible even from here—dark clouds churning over continents, faint flashes of orbital battles still raging in the distance.
Beside him, Kaedin adjusted the straps on his pilot suit, looking equally restless.
> Kaedin: "You've been quiet since we landed. Something eating at you?"
Nura exhaled slowly, his gaze never leaving the Earth.
> Nura: "Halsten's meeting… didn't go the way he hoped, did it?"
Kaedin gave a small, humorless laugh.
> Kaedin: "If it had, we'd already be seeing Moon Kingdom Gundams lining up for deployment."
There was a pause. The sound of distant maintenance drones hummed in the background, mingling with the faint vibration of the elevator infrastructure that reached skyward toward space.
> Nura: "Camelot's almost got the Earth under their heel. And now… we're stuck here."
Kaedin glanced at him, sensing more than just frustration.
> Kaedin: "You're worried about Thanatos?"
Nura's eyes narrowed slightly.
> Nura: "…Whole legs gone. Even if I wanted to launch right now, it'd be suicide. And yet…"
His voice trailed off. The memory of Thanatos's Malaya System—the raw, unnatural surge of power that had flowed through him—stirred in the back of his mind like a dangerous whisper.
> Nura: "…I still want to know what it really is."
Before Kaedin could reply, the overhead loudspeakers crackled to life, announcing:
> PA System: "Attention. All Earth Federation and Rebel personnel—prepare for inter-faction briefing in Hangar Six."
Kaedin groaned.
> Kaedin: "Guess Halsten's not done talking yet. C'mon, let's see what kind of bad news we're in for."
As they turned toward the lift, Nura cast one last look at the distant blue-and-green sphere beyond the glass.
---
The hangar was quiet except for the faint hum of power lines running across the high ceilings. Rows of Federation and Rebel personnel stood in front of the elevated briefing platform, the cold silver walls reflecting the sterile glow of overhead lights.
General Halsten stepped forward, his expression as rigid as his posture. He scanned the room once before speaking.
> Halsten: "I'll keep this simple. I met with Her Majesty, Queen Guinevere, yesterday. The answer was… not what we hoped for."
A low murmur spread among the soldiers, but Halsten raised his hand and the room fell silent again.
> Halsten: "The Moon Kingdom will not commit to aiding Earth against Camelot. No military assistance. No Gundams. They've chosen neutrality, for the sake of keeping their people alive."
Faces shifted—anger, disappointment, and resignation mixing in equal measure.
> Halsten: "But… they will extend hospitality. Every one of you is permitted to stay here, as civilians. You can live normal lives under the Moon Kingdom's peace. Or—"
His voice hardened slightly.
> Halsten: "—you can enlist as soldiers of the Moon Kingdom's defense forces. Queen Guinevere has permitted it for those willing to serve."
He let the words settle in the heavy silence that followed.
> Halsten: "The choice is yours. Stay and live quietly, or take up arms again—under a new banner."
General Kurein stepped forward from the Rebel side, his voice firm.
> Kurein: "On behalf of the Rebel Faction, we'll decide our own path. We've always been a separate force from the Federation. That hasn't changed."
Halsten gave a slow nod.
> Halsten: "Understood. Rebel Faction has its own command structure. You'll handle your people as you see fit."
He turned back to the Earth Federation soldiers—many of them bruised, exhausted, some still in medical bandages.
> Halsten: "As for the remaining Federation personnel… the decision is personal. I'm not ordering anyone. If you want to fight, fight. If you want to rest, rest. But decide soon."
His gaze swept across the assembly one last time.
> Halsten: "That's all. Briefing over. If you've made your choice, meet me later in the command office. Dismissed."
The crowd began to break apart into small knots of conversation—voices low, movements slow, the weight of choice settling on every shoulder.
From the far side of the hangar, Nura stood silently next to Kaedin, his mind turning over Halsten's words. The path ahead was clear enough—he just wasn't sure which one he'd take yet.