Hearing the surrender over the comms, Felix frowned slightly.
"Captain Griffith! Captain Griffith!"
"You were with ZAFT before?"
Listening to the voice addressing him as Captain Griffith, Felix asked with some uncertainty.
'Could this be Elijah?'
He wondered inwardly.
The voice came through the comms again into the cockpit.
"Yes! Yes!"
Hearing this, Elijah nodded repeatedly, acknowledging his former affiliation with ZAFT. As he did so, a mix of bitterness and relief washed over him—bitterness that his past identity had saved him and his comrades, and relief that he had once been part of ZAFT.
Observing the MS on the screen, Felix ensured the battlefield was under his control before temporarily halting further attacks.
Elijah and Gai Murakumo breathed a sigh of relief.
While grateful to be alive, Gai Murakumo stared at the debris floating in space, his eyes reddening with hatred.
Gripping the control stick tightly, Gai Murakumo vowed silently.
'I'll remember this.'
"Captain Griffith, we're willing to hand over what we seized. We hope you'll spare us."
In contrast to Gai Murakumo's simmering resentment, Elijah spoke with humility and anxiety, making his plea to Felix.
Hearing Elijah's request, Felix smiled wryly.
"I'm curious—how did you know it was me?"
"I guessed."
Elijah replied without hesitation, looking at the MS on the screen.
Felix chuckled at Elijah's answer, but his expression soon turned stern, his voice sharpening.
"Do you know that mercenaries aren't protected by international law?"
The harsh words struck Elijah and the others, their faces paling instantly.
Without pausing to compose himself, Elijah quickly spoke up.
"Captain Griffith, we were acting on a request from Chairman Clyne for this mission."
"Slandering Chairman Clyne?"
Felix sneered in response.
Elijah hurriedly defended himself.
"Captain Griffith, I'm telling the truth! I swear it! We have evidence."
"Show me the evidence."
Hearing the tension in Elijah's voice, Felix smiled faintly.
Elijah relaxed slightly, thinking:
'If we can still communicate, there's hope, there's hope!'
With that thought, he quickly contacted Gai Murakumo.
"Gai Murakumo, hurry and produce the evidence, or we're all dead."
"Understood."
Gai Murakumo replied indifferently.
Looking toward the mothership, Gai Murakumo contacted Liddell.
"Liddell, play the relevant recording."
"Got it."
Liddell responded to Gai Murakumo, then added over the comms.
"Gai Murakumo, should we make a move?"
"With what? Can you take him out with one shot?" Gai Murakumo retorted angrily at Liddell's aggressive suggestion.
Challenged by the counter-question, Liddell dared not utter another word and obediently retrieved the recording as Gai Murakumo demanded.
Upon receiving the recording, Gai Murakumo forwarded it to Elijah, who in turn transmitted the communication to Felix.
"Captain Griffith, please listen to this recording."
With that, Elijah fell silent, awaiting the outcome.
As Felix listened to the recording, he simultaneously communicated with Aric via comms.
"Come over here now!"
"Yes!"
Aric's reply echoed through the comms.
Several minutes of calm passed before the Athena came into view of everyone.
The launch bay doors opened, and Heine led the team out.
Following Felix's instructions, they took up defensive positions around the Serpent Tail mothership and near Gai Murakumo's location.
Observing the Griffith Team members, Elijah inquired once more over the comms.
"Captain Griffith, weren't we right?"
"Everyone, exit your MS cockpits now."
In response to the query, Felix coldly demanded over the comms.
After issuing the order, Felix continued with another command.
"Retrieve the Warrior Gundam's head from that wrecked MS."
"Yes!"
Heine's acknowledgment followed.
Spotting the Blue Astray ahead, Heine maneuvered his CGUE closer to it.
The CGUE reached out and retrieved the Warrior Gundam's head.
Watching the CGUE's actions, Gai Murakumo seethed with anger but dared not protest, forced to let the CGUE take the Warrior Gundam's head.
"You can't take that!"
A voice suddenly rang out over the public channel.
Hearing the voice, Heine scanned his screen but continued piloting the CGUE back toward the Athena.
Inside the Genesis Gundam cockpit
Felix chuckled at the remark and asked mockingly,
"Who do you think you are?"
"You can't have that item."
Unfazed by Felix's scornful tone, Praya remained resolute, speaking while activating the Warrior Gundam.
He attempted to reclaim the Warrior Gundam's head.
Seeing this, Felix mobilized the Genesis Gundam.
On the weapon selection dial, two Scorpio Beam Sabers were selected. The Genesis Gundam holstered the Sirius Beam Rifle at its lower back and drew the beam sabers with both hands.
Charging toward the Warrior Gundam, the Genesis Gundam swung its dual sabers—one tracing a semicircular arc to sever both of the Warrior Gundam's arms, the other sweeping horizontally to cut off its legs.
"Collect all Warrior Gundam components and return them to the ship."
The Genesis Gundam sheathed its sabers at its waist, and Felix issued the command over the comms.
The Genesis Gundam turned in space, its gaze fixed on the Serpent Tail members. Its gleaming eyes struck like a blade, cutting deep into their hearts.
"Did you not hear my order?"
A sharp voice rang out once more.
Elijah flinched, his mind offering no resistance as he immediately complied with Felix's command.
The MS cockpit hatch opened, and Elijah, clad in his combat pilot suit, emerged with his hands raised in surrender.
Inside the Blue Astray cockpit
After a brief internal struggle, Gai Murakumo followed suit.
One by one, the remaining surviving MS pilots of Serpent Tail mimicked Elijah and Gai Murakumo's actions.
Seeing that the members of Serpent Tail were quite obedient, Felix smiled.
A few minutes later,
In the central hangar of the Athena.
Emerging from the cockpit of the Genesis Gundam, Felix saw Gai Murakumo, Elijah, and the others standing there stripped down to their underwear.
"What exactly do you want?Gai Murakumo glared at Felix, his face filled with anger as he raised his voice in questioning.
Removing his helmet, Felix glanced coldly at Gai Murakumo and replied in an icy tone,
"Naturally, to ask for more detailed information. Otherwise, what use would keeping you around serve?"
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