"We certainly didn't have that kind of luxury did we?" He agreed to her place as a pilot. When she recognized his real reason for this conversation he confirmed, “I was worried you thought I might have taken advantage of a moment like this. Or I suppose for what you’ve been worried about.” At her final request Mercurio gave a brief gaze into her eyes. There was no need for an answer when the two had their promise made right in that moment. It was a short silence before he embraced her into a kiss and permitted that moment to be their sealed moment of trust.

Cao found one of the nearby captains evaluating his line of troops he had when she asked, "Have the sniper squadrons managed to rally themselves to support the flagship?"
He turned to her answering, "We've got a decent number of them. Unfortunately we don't have the quality right now. Most of them haven't even touched a mobile suit outside of repairs."
She understood this and found one of the newly picked pilots who seemed less than happy about going in. She ordered him, "Private. Please return to the battle stations of the broadside cannons. They need you there more than me."
The man didn’t show any protest when he saluted, "If... If you say so." He went off to the hallways when he was given the room.
The captain tried to understand her decision, "You're dedicated to remaining out there then? We don't exactly have the time to replace your condition."
Cao confronted this concern when she promised, "I still have one good eye. It should be all I need to hit the right spot against those things."
The captain saluted to her when he agreed, "In that case we certainly could do better with the best. Good luck out there Private."

The forty-five minutes it took for the final preparations passed when Dana ordered the pilots, "Let's get ready to move out. The enemy has begun to rally around our position and we'll be facing the same numbers as before."
Zachariah saw the others preparing for the launch when he made his way towards his Panther asking, "I take it it's not going to be easy like last time is it?"
"Without the virus system it's about to be a little piece of hell in space. If we're lucky the Gundams should be able to handle them."
"I'll be out there to offer what support I can sir."
"Just don't try anything heroic."
The conversation was cut short when a voice on the intercom reminded the pilots in waiting, "All pilots prepare for launch. All pilots prepare for launch."
Mercurio had his space suit prepared when the minutes began to count down towards the next attack on the Sol Invictus. He saw Dana standing next to the Artemis in bird mode when he asked, "Captain. With your permission, I'd like to see Architect I's message a final time."
Dana considered the request and decided it wasn’t going to be anything demanding when she answered, "Sure thing."
Mercurio found the message system within Artemis’s cockpit when he added a finger print scanner installed back on Earth. As soon as he found the message a holographic message of Architect I standing before him. "Mercurio. If you have received this message, I am gone. For whatever reason I have gone down with the intention of revealing those in the Earth Sphere who have attempted to insight this new war we are now part of. When we last met it seemed that you would be loyal to the Earth Sphere until the very end. Understand that if you are to one day face the Earth Sphere leadership with the truth that I have so far uncovered, there will be many who would rather see you dead than see peace return. As I have implied before however, I will not live to see this day come around. There is however one hope I have maintained since my days here. The hope that there are children of the past who do everything to maintain what was accomplished even if it is done by destroying some successes made in their time." As he lifted his hand the Architect showed the plans of the twin buster rifle just recently used in the battle from before. "These are plans for the Artemis Twin Buster Rifle. These plans will give you the means to defend yourself against any number of enemies who will challenge you and will mark the past coming to our period in full circle." He dropped his hand when he continued and delivered a final piece of his message, "As far as what we have seen in this past decade Mercurio, I wish to leave you with a question. Are you fit to be a successor to the achievements made in the past or are you merely a shadow? Regardless of your answer, will your place in this war be enough to make others see what it is that you have longed to achieve for humanity? Will you consider this as your mission in life and see it as the true reason to end conflict?" The message faded from the cockpit.

One of the strategists overlooked the final battlefield and announced, "We have deployed our entire remaining mobile suit forces Admiral. It's an all or nothing campaign now."
Norma had herself braced in her commanding seat when she ordered, "It's time to see our efforts pay off for something. See that the OZ mobile suits are given their support and prepare to fire all broadside cannons."
“Roger that sir. We’ll have as many survivors come out of this as possible.”
The other strategist maintained is pessimism when he commented, “If there are to be any today.”

"Their desperate last act has begun." Franz saw as the last remaining number of Coalition mobile suits made their way to the superweapon. The Gundams were about to lead them in tow and knew this would be the definitive final battle between his forces and this first attempt to break the Invictus. He turned to the computer when he ordered, "Prepare the Sol Atlas to lead the forces. Don't let any of the mobile suits reach within range."
The computer screen displayed the Sol Atlas in progress of being charged and up to battle standards before the computer screen confirmed, 'Engaging all primary defenses.' He saw his battle map display the Sol Thero units make their way around the entrance of the Sol Invictus that had been formed. It had now become an eye of hell gazing its imposing might upon the far off distant home planet.
"Before me now stand only mere insects who hope to avert this progress." Franz told himself.

Mercurio prepared himself in the cockpit when he answered to his launch confirmation, "Mission Accepted." With the launch given the Artemis in bird mode took off from the launch bay and Mercurio immediately entered the request for Zero System. It was mere seconds before the control systems and manuevers were imprinted into his mind and the Gundam was prepared to begin its next encounter. The Sol Theros waited for him around the weapon while the assault began.
Gawel was in shock when he heard the news from Zachriah asking, "Seriously? Yuy and the Captain switched Gundams?"
"That's what I got to see."
"Hope nobody was bluffing about how Zero System is supposed to turn pilots into super soldiers in an instant."
"I don't think that's the only thing." Zachriah said as he watched the Artemis closing. "It's possible he's out there about to realize something he didn't have a chance to strive for." He prepared his own Panther when he reminded, "Get ready for the launch. Support the sniper squadrons at the left broadside."
Gawel had his Panther closing when he confirmed, "I got the mission."
The Golem made its way to the launching bay when Oleg announced, “The Golem is ready to lead.”
The Uriel was next when Dana reported, “Captain Houston here. Uriel is taking off.”
Zachriah had his Panther prepared alongside Gawel’s when he followed, “Maddox here. Heading out with Majewski to support the snipers.”
“Form up on me. This is Private Nhung. I’ll make sure the new guys have their support.” Cao reminded them.

The final assembly of Coalition and OZ mobile suit squadrons made their way towards the Sol Invictus and made a defiant flight towards Kecker’s defenses. Mercurio saw the enemy forces before him and announced to the gathering forces, "We're heading out now. And we're not alone!" He said this as he felt the powers of the past coming forth to his support. Architect I’s hope had some merit where there was a new generation, it would be up to him to maintain the progress of the old. He heard this through every pilot who brought forth their promise.
Dana promised to the enemy, "It's too bad those mobile dolls can feel fear. They're about to see why we made it this far." She said this and the spirit of Duo Maxwell resonated through her…
Oleg answered his entry, "They want to make a final stand against us? I'm not letting them have a chance to return and report about it." He said this and the spirit of Trowa Barton resonated through him…