 Like a delicate leaf torn from its branch by the violent winds of a storm, the fragile flower that was Heliopolis fell from the sky amidst the flames of battle and the cries of friendship ending. The colony destroyed, Kira and the Archangel crew find themselves tasked with a desperate flight to Artemis, the Eurasian fortress asteroid that they hope will give them supplies and take them in until they can make a run for the Earth Alliance Headquarters on the Moon. In order to do this, Murrue Ramius, now captain of the Archangel, must guide the ship on a silent run, to try and sneak past Rau Le Creuset and his waiting duo of ZAFT ships. On his way back to the Archangel, Kira retrieves one of the Helipolis escape pods and brings it back to the ship, despite protests. Onboard is Flay Allster, one of Kira s friends who did not escape with him. Having rescued her and two dozen others from certain death in the depths of space should make him happy, but as he is once again approached by Mu La Flagga to pilot the Strike Gundam in future battles, Kira s thoughts are on the increasingly blurred line between civilian and soldier, and how close he has already come to crossing over it. Meanwhile, on Le Creuset s ship, Athrun tells Rau that Kira, his childhood friend, is the pilot of the lone Gundam that ZAFT could not capture in the battle at Heliopolis. Although sympathetic, Le Creuset tells Athrun that friend or no, as an enemy he must be shot. Certain that Kira is fighting for the Earth Alliance against his will, Athrun persuades Rau to let him try and talk Kira into joining ZAFT, the next time they meet. But if he is to fail, and Kira cannot be convinced, Athrun promises that he will be the one to deliver the fatal shot...