第八章「遺産」1
CHAPTER.08 – LEGACY (1)

　Arlette, back in the lab, slid herself into the hangar hidden in the back.

　She stared into its depths, following the illumination of his light.

　A massive, unusual mobile armor stood within it.

　Its battle-ready silhouette had sharp, deep crimson angles reminiscent of the red dragons of legend. The binder extending out of its back would be its tail.

　Arlette kicked off the floor and approached the cockpit.

　She quickly ran her fingers over its electrical parts, and the hatch slowly opened with a muffled thud.

　She slid into the cockpit and connected to the terminal.

　It contained Char Aznable’s ID that she took from the Sazabi.

　”Captain…”

　A green light flashed on before Arlette, who sat staring intently, as though praying.

　The unit recognized Char’s ID and accepted her as the pilot.

　One after another, the gauges lit up, and the panoramic monitor displayed the surrounding landscape as a simplified computer-generated image.

　”It was still here…”

　As Arlette looked down at the console, her gaze wavered, slightly sentimental.

　AMA-X4, Ahava Azieru.

　That was the unit’s name.

　Arlette reminisced about her time working on the development of this unit as she checked over the gauges.

× × ×

　”So this is the Maharaja Khan Memorial Research Institute…”

　It was sometime in Universal Century 0088, shortly after the end of the Gryps War, when Arlette joined the lab as an engineer and Danton as a test pilot. The two had joined AEUG during the Gryps War, along with Char, who had changed his name to Quattro Bajeena. At the time, the AEUG had many people who were once apart of the former Zeon, so it seemed quite natural for them to join ranks.

　It was there, too, that Arlette thoroughly demonstrated her talents as an engineer and contributed to the development of the AEUG’s various mobile suits behind the scenes, but that’s another story. Eventually, the Gryps War came to an end with the collapse of the Titans, and Quattro returned to being Char Aznable. However――

　Arlette and Danton were given a new mission from him.

　They were told to go to the Axis and take refuge under Haman Khan.

　There were several years between the end of the Gryps War and Char’s reappearance on the stage as Neo Zeon’s leader. There are many theories as to where he hid himself during that time, but it is still a matter of debate――

　Char had Arlette and Danton go off on their own during that period to hide out in the mobile suit development labs on Axis. One first reason was that it was preferable to have few people around you, to live in seclusion. Another reason was to get Arlette exposed to Axis mobile suit development. After the end of the One Year War, Axis, which had hidden itself in the asteroid belt under Haman Khan’s leadership, had established its own mobile suit development system.

　He wanted Arlette to learn from them.

　”Will you do it for me? Arlette Almage.”

　”Yes.”

　Arlette never turned down Char’s requests.

　”I will too.”

　Danton had no reason to refuse either.

　By then, watching over Arlette had become a part of his daily life.

　Thus, they joined the Maharaja Khan Memorial Research Institute, Axis’ mobile suit development facility, as engineers and test pilots. It would be a lie to say that Arlette, who was leaving Char’s side for the first time since the One Year War, was not worried. While her relationship with Char was a secret, her talent was already widely known among the engineers. This, however, did not lead to them being ostracized or persecuted. The AEUG technology she brought with her was judged to be useful in Axis innovation.

　Arlette was given unparalleled authority as an engineer, and Danton was assigned as her direct test pilot to develop new weapons. The Ahava Azir was a testbed for new psycowave technology being built in secret before Arlette came to Axis, further advancing the development of the psycommu, which was still in its infancy. The Ahava Azir was equipped with what later became known as a psycho frame.

　In other words, this unit was a Newtype use exclusive unit.

　Arlette was once shown to have the potential as a Newtype, having been raised in the Flanagan Institute facilities. Her potential as a pilot was never put to use, but there was never any doubt about her talent. Her background brought her to work on the development of the Ahava Azir for a time.

　She never dreamed that she would be able to move this unit herself.

　But now she has no choice.

　It should be possible.

　No, it has to be.

　Arlette was the only one who could move this unit at Axis.

　She grabbed the arm rakers with intent.

　”Please, Captain…” she quietly whispered and gripped down.

　”Give me your strength.”

　Ahava Azir’s monoeye emitted a dazzling light, as if in response. The door of the hangar opened with a rumble. Each part lit up, and the dragon-like unit slowly rose into the air. The mounting arms retracted, and the cables connected to the fuselage were torn off one after another.

　”…!”

　She pushed into the arm raker with a look of intent. The crimson unit let out a roar and danced off into the pitch-black expanse of the universe.

× × ×

　”That’s…!!”

　Mehmet and the others were making their way along the surface of Axis to meet up with the landing craft and stared up in amazement at the massive figure that flew over them at high-speed. It seemed to have taken off from the lab they had just left.

　”Arlette…?”

　It had to be her inside. She couldn’t intend to fight using that, could she? She didn’t have any training to be a pilot.

　”What is she…?!”

　But all they could do was stand there and watch. They had to rendezvous with the craft as soon as possible and make preparations to escape Axis, along with meeting up with Danton and Arlette.

　”Let’s go. While they’ve got the attention of the enemy,” Memet said to his men and began to advance faster.

× × ×

　Around the same time.

　After Danton defeated Walter Fermo’s Byarlant Isolde, his twin brother Quantan Fermo’s Gundam-type – the Tristan – appeared in front of him. But he looked much different from how he had when they met inside Axis. Equipped with the armed base Kurwenal, Tristan had become a giant weapon, its entire body covered in armaments.

　”You have a different suit… But it’s you, isn’t it, the pilot of the wannabe Zaku.”

　Gazing at Danton’s R-Jarja on the panoramic monitor, Quentin’s face twisted into a smile of delight. His eyes were those of a predator with his prey. He licked his dry lips and yelled.

　”I’ve been waiting for you!”

　The massive Kurwenal charged toward the R-Jarja, the hatches on the missile containers mounted on the front of the unit burst open, releasing a barrage of missiles into space.

　”Kuh!”

　Danton reacted reflexively and pulled the lever before he could see it coming. He turned all of his thrusters and danced around all of the missiles heading toward the R-Jarja.

　But――

　”Not too shabby!”

　The R-Jarja lost the variable shield on one of his arms in the previous battle with Isolde. It has lost most of its maneuverability.

　”But, I’m not letting you get away!”

　The Kurwenal cried out as it made its approach.

　Just as its guns were taking aim at the R-Jarja, a bright light glared out and lit up the darkness.

　”――!”

　”What!?”

　A high power beam cut through the space opened between the two units.

　”You…!”

　The Kurwenal turned in rage, its hunt disturbed. It saw a shadow followed by a red trail of light, charging toward it. A second beam was fired.

　”Hah!”

　The Kurwenal cut it away with its massive beam saber unit. The scattered mega-particles turned into bits of light and danced around them. A massive crimson shadow appeared from beyond them. Danton was so surprised to see it that he could do nothing but whisper.

　”Ahava…Azieru…?”

　”Danton…”

　There was no mistaking the voice coming through the static on the transmitter. It was Arlette, who he was supposed to be protecting.

　”It’s okay… I’ll protect you.”

× × ×

　Danton looked up from the cockpit of the R-Jarja in surprise at the crimson giant that appeared before him.

　”Ahava Azieru…?”

　It was a unit that was under construction while he was at Axis. They had left Axis when it was still being made, so he never had a chance to see the final product. But there was no mistaking it.

　Someone started it.

　But who?

　There was only one answer.

　Only one person in all of the universe could operate the Newtype unit.

　”Arlette…”

× × ×

　”Danton!”

　Arlette desperately clutched the arm raker inside the Ahava Azieru.

　When was the last time she got into mobile armor like this?

　The intense G’s pushing on her body, the dizzying, flashing lights of the console, and most of all, the pressure of controlling a weapon designed to kill tortured her mind.

　”Danton… I didn’t realize it was always like this.”

　Her hands grew sweaty as they gripped the arm rakers. The person she was at that time, the person deemed unfit to be a pilot, could not have stood here now. She was told that she had no place on the battlefield. Char made a place for her as an engineer, and Danton had always protected that place.

　He was always by her side as her test pilot.

　Now it was time for her to protect him!

　She pushed down on the arm rakers with everything she had.

　Her back thrusters roared, and the Ahava Azieru maneuvered toward the Gundam before it.