Elysium Colony still smelled of smoke. Even after hours of ventilation and filtration, faint traces of burned metal and ozone clung to the hallways. Technicians moved quickly, patching hull breaches, securing damaged systems, and stabilizing the colony's orbit. The sirens had finally silenced, leaving an eerie quiet in their place.
Leon Hartmann stood at the edge of Hangar Bay Three, gazing at the RXG-01 Aegis. Its armor had been partially repaired overnight, panels polished, cracks reinforced. The Gundam gleamed faintly under the soft hangar lights, a white sentinel in the semi-darkness. Despite its pristine appearance, Leon felt the weight of yesterday pressing on him, a reminder that surviving the first battle didn't mean the war had ended.
Mira Solenne approached, her boots echoing softly on the steel floor. "You're still staring at it," she said, shaking her head.
Leon didn't reply immediately. "I keep thinking about what happened… about the way they moved. Fast, precise… coordinated. Not just any Vagan suits."
Mira followed his gaze. "You're talking about an ace. You saw the pattern in their attacks, didn't you?"
He nodded slowly. "They weren't testing. They were hunting."
Rolf Brenner's voice came from behind them, calm but edged with concern. "Intelligence confirms it. The Vagan have deployed a new operative. Name unknown. He's already shown unusual skill in recent skirmishes near outer colonies."
Leon clenched his fists. "So it's only a matter of time before he comes here."
Rolf didn't answer immediately. He glanced at the Aegis, then back at Leon and Mira. "And when he does, we need to be ready. Not just the Gundam, but the crew as a whole. I don't care if the suit is new or your nerves are raw. You have to fight together. That's the only way to survive."
---
By mid-morning, the Argonaut was in orbit above Elysium, patrol routes set along the colony's perimeter. Leon, Mira, and Bastion pilot Rika Hartmann moved quietly in formation, the three Trident units spread to cover as much ground as possible.
Leon piloted the Aegis, hands steady on the controls, eyes scanning every corner of space for anomalies. Mira in Valkyrie darted ahead, using her speed to probe the outer edge, while Rika in Bastion covered the rear with heavy cannons at the ready.
"Keep your eyes sharp," Rolf's voice came over the comm. "They're fast, but we've learned from yesterday. Don't underestimate them."
Leon's grip on the control handles tightened. "Understood."
Minutes passed without incident. Then, without warning, space itself seemed to ripple. Leon's sensors blinked, warning alarms flashing briefly. Mira called out immediately, voice tense. "Contacts! Three units, coming in fast from the colony's shadow side!"
The Vagan suits were sleek, black, and merciless. They moved with precision, spinning and flipping through space as if gravity were irrelevant. Leon recognized the pattern instantly — the new operative. He felt a chill run down his spine.
"Form defensive line!" Rolf ordered. "Leon, Mira, hold positions. Bastion, cover our exit routes."
Leon adjusted the Aegis' thrusters, keeping his shield raised. The first Vagan unit fired, energy beams streaking toward the colony. Mira dodged and returned fire, Valkyrie's daggers slicing at one suit, forcing it to flip away. Bastion's cannons erupted, twin beams cutting through vacuum to intercept the other two.
One of the black suits twisted violently, spinning to face Leon directly. He locked onto the enemy, eyes narrowing. There was something different about this unit — its movements were deliberate, calculating, almost taunting.
"It's him," Leon muttered. "The ace."
Mira glanced over. "You're sure?"
Leon didn't answer. He boosted forward, Aegis thrusters blazing, meeting the Vagan suit head-on. "Engaging," he said, almost to himself.
The Vagan pilot's skill was undeniable. Beam strikes came faster than Leon expected, forcing him to maneuver constantly. Valkyrie and Bastion worked in tandem, covering flanks, but the ace was always one step ahead, predicting their moves.
Leon gritted his teeth. Every instinct, every simulation, every training drill became a blur. The Aegis moved fluidly, responding to his thoughts, his will, and the small guidance assistance from the onboard OS. The Vagan suit twisted, flipping behind him, firing directly at the colony's core. Leon slashed the shield across its path, blocking the beam. Sparks erupted in a flash of light, heating the cockpit.
"Leon, flank left!" Mira's voice came sharply. "I've got its right!"
He obeyed instantly, thrusters screaming, moving the Aegis in tandem with Valkyrie. Bastion unleashed a heavy artillery barrage, forcing the Vagan unit to twist mid-air, momentarily vulnerable. Leon seized the chance, firing point-blank into a gap in its armor.
The Vagan pilot staggered back but didn't retreat. Instead, he flipped again, spinning with precision and aggression that made Leon's heart pound. Every exchange, every beam, every maneuver was a test of skill — of reflexes, strategy, and resolve.
---
Minutes stretched like hours. The ace pilot was relentless, a dark mirror reflecting what the Aegis could do, pushing Leon to limits he hadn't reached before. And yet, despite the danger, there was a strange exhilaration, a clarity that only came from fighting someone who could match your every move.
Finally, Leon saw an opening — the Vagan suit overextended while dodging Valkyrie's attack. He focused, calculated, and fired the beam rifle. The shot struck true, hitting the Vagan suit's armor seam. The enemy unit twisted, sparks flying, then warped away.
Leon exhaled, chest heaving. Mira's Valkyrie hovered beside him, engines glowing faintly from overexertion. "Is… he gone?" she asked.
"For now," Leon said, voice tight. "But he'll be back. And next time… he won't hold back."
Rolf's voice came over the comm again, calm but with a note of warning. "Report on your units."
"All three functional," Leon replied. "Damage minimal. But he wasn't playing around."
"Good," Rolf said. "We'll need repairs and recalibration before the next encounter. And we need to understand his tactics. He's fast, smart, and deadly. He's not like the others."
Leon felt a chill run down his spine. The ace pilot wasn't just a threat — he was a challenge, a reflection of what war demanded from them. And now, Leon realized, it was no longer enough to be ready. They had to evolve.
As the Trident units regrouped, Leon allowed himself a moment to look out at the stars. Somewhere in the void, the Vagan were watching, calculating. And somewhere else, far across the solar system, the first seeds of Flit Asuno's journey were quietly unfolding, oblivious to the chaos building in Elysium.
For Leon, Mira, and the Argonaut crew, the war was just beginning. And the ace pilot had already made it personal.