The commotion inside Heliopolis had not fully subsided, with shattered walls and sporadic flickers of fire silently recounting the fierce battle that had just taken place.
The air was filled with a complex scent of gunpowder, burning metal, and dust, which itself was a shock to residents accustomed to the constant clean environment inside the colony.
But for Kira Yamato and her friends—Sai, Tolle, Miriallia, and Katz—a greater shock came from the decision of the female military officer in Earth Alliance Forces uniform before them: Captain Murrue Ramius.
Captain Ramius's voice carried a hint of imperceptible fatigue, as if she had just concluded a long and arduous assessment, but her next words instantly plunged everyone's hearts into despair: "Although I'm sorry, I cannot allow you all to just disperse."
Her gaze, sharp as an eagle's, shifted from the person she had just been speaking with—the mysterious man who called himself Xia Ya Flada—and directly fell upon Kira and her friends. There was no longer any of the previous gentleness or hesitation in her eyes, only the undeniable seriousness and resolve of a soldier.
This sudden change, like dark clouds abruptly obscuring a ray of sunlight that had just appeared, plunged the young men and women, who had just begun to calm down, back into deep confusion and unease.
"...What do you mean?" Sai was the first to break the silence, his voice trembling with disbelief. They didn't understand why this officer, who had seemed somewhat reasonable, would suddenly treat them with such sternness.
Captain Ramius ignored Sai's question. She looked around at the group of young civilians whose faces were filled with panic and continued in a calm, almost cold tone: "Regardless of the reason, you have come into contact with this mobile suit—the highest military secret of the Earth Alliance Forces. According to regulations, I must place you under temporary arrest."
She paused, ensuring every word clearly reached their ears: "Until contact is made with relevant units and a formal decision is made regarding your situation, you must obey my command and act with me."
These words were not loud, but they struck everyone's hearts like heavy hammers.
The duty of a soldier, the ironclad rules of military secrecy—these cold words materialized into Captain Ramius's irrefutable declaration, echoing through the ravaged area.
The color drained from Kira and her friends' faces instantly, turning from confusion to shock, and then from shock to a deathly pallor.
Unbelievable panic, like a cold tide, engulfed them.
For Captain Ramius, her decision was her duty, an inevitable choice to uphold military discipline and national security.
No matter how innocent these young people were, or how accidentally they became involved, the fact that they witnessed and touched the "g-weapon" itself was sufficient reason for them to be controlled.
Allowing them to leave would be tantamount to spreading a huge security risk, an dereliction of duty that no responsible soldier could tolerate.
However, for Kira and her friends, ordinary students living in a peaceful illusion, this was like a bolt from the blue, a complete and utter unprovoked disaster. They only wanted to find peace on the fringes of war and never expected to be associated with words like "war," "secret," or "arrest."
"How can this be! This is too overbearing!" Sai Argyle's emotions completely erupted, his voice rising with anger, carrying the desperate protest unique to teenagers, "How can something like this be allowed!?"
"We are civilians of Heliopolis! This is a neutral colony, right!?" Katz followed closely, trying to grasp the straw of "neutrality."
In their simple understanding, neutrality meant safety, meaning they could stay out of it.
"Exactly! Why would your Earth Alliance Forces create something like this here? And these Mobile Suits... your very existence here is strange enough, isn't it!" Tolle couldn't help but join the argument, his words full of accusation and grievance.
The young men and women spoke one after another, vehemently expressing their dissatisfaction and fear.
They felt they were victims, forced into this disaster, and now they were to be treated like criminals. This injustice made them both angry and helpless.
They chose Heliopolis precisely to escape the quagmire of war, but reality ruthlessly dragged them into an even deeper vortex.
Amidst the chaotic arguments, Xia Ya Flada, who had been silent, let out a soft sigh.
His gaze swept over the flushed faces of the agitated young people, carrying a hint of imperceptible pity, and he said in a low voice: "Even so, the outside world is still at war."
His voice was not loud, yet it had a peculiar penetrative power, like a stone thrown into a noisy pond, instantly halting all protests and complaints.
That sentence seemed to contain a deeper reality, transcending the immediate dispute.
"Huh—" Someone let out a short, questioning gasp, filled with bewilderment and incomprehension.
Just then, before Captain Ramius's hand, poised on her waist holster, could fully act, Xia Ya spoke first, taking a step ahead.
He could feel the taut string in the air; if not diffused, the likelihood of conflict escalation was extremely high.
"...I understand your feelings very well; you must be very dissatisfied," his tone was calm, and his gaze sincerely met Kira and her friends, "But she is telling the truth. The military has its rules, especially in such extraordinary times. Now, the wisest choice is to temporarily follow her arrangements."
He paused, emphasizing his words, trying to give them a glimmer of hope: "Please rest assured, the incident was accidental, and it will eventually be clarified. Trust me, it will not have any negative impact on you."
His eyes held a convincing calmness, as if he had already foreseen the outcome.
Kira and her friends stared at him blankly, their youthful impulsiveness temporarily suppressed by his steady demeanor.
Xia Ya then turned to Captain Ramius, who was closest to him, and a gentle, almost pleading smile appeared on his face: "Right?"
Captain Ramius met his gaze, seeing a certain meaning in his deep eyes, and was slightly taken aback.
Her previously tense expression seemed to genuinely soften a little after Xia Ya's question and that smile.
She nodded gently, then turned to Kira and her friends, her tone visibly softening as well, no longer the purely military, commanding tone from before, but with added sincerity in her explanation.
"Hmm... yes. I am not trying to treat you as criminals to be punished." She carefully chose her words, "It's just that as a soldier, I cannot let you leave freely without knowing anything about your situation. This concerns the safety of many people. I will do my best to explain the situation to my superiors and strive to get you back to your normal lives as soon as possible." She glanced at Xia Ya and added, "During this time, I hope you can..." She seemed to want to say "accept my custody," but changed her words at the last minute, "...can temporarily act with him. I will ensure your safety."
The "him" she referred to was, of course, Xia Ya Flada.
Hearing Captain Ramius's change in attitude and the explanation "not trying to treat you as criminals," Tolle and the others, who had just been agitated, visibly calmed down. The weight of reality pressed on their young shoulders, making them seriously consider their current predicament.
"...Regardless of how it happened, it is a fact that we came into contact with classified information," Captain Ramius continued, a hint of a soldier's unique helplessness in her voice, "If I could let you go immediately, I would certainly do so. But not now."
"...It seems there's no other way." Tolle and Sai exchanged glances, seeing deep helplessness and a hint of fear in each other's eyes.
Tolle sighed and whispered, "Besides, in this situation, it might actually be safer to stick with the military personnel..."
Miriallia nodded gently, quietly agreeing. Although her heart was still filled with grievance and unwillingness, compared to facing unknown enemies that might exist outside alone, temporarily relying on this mysterious warship and these soldiers seemed to be the only and relatively safe option.
They were forced to accept this cruel reality.
Seeing that the young people finally stopped their fierce resistance, Captain Ramius's tense nerves also relaxed slightly, and an imperceptible hint of relief appeared on her face—a sense of ease from shedding some pressure.
"Thank you for your understanding." She said softly, her gratitude sincere.