2025-01-26: The World Revealed

• Cutscene: The World Revealed
• Cast: Gilbert Durandal, Lord Djibril, Ribbons Almark, A mysterious Clawed Man, Alteur Steinbeck
• Where: Worldwide Broadcast
• Date: January 26, 0100 (2025)
• Summary: Gilbert Durandal makes an announcement, others react.

The broadcast begins with a shot of a long, dark-haired man sitting in a well-lit office. To those who follow politics, it is Gilbert Durandal, NUNE's current Councillor of Settlement Issues, and Chairman of PLANT. "Greetings, people of the Earth Sphere," He begins, with an assuring, if not gentle, smile. "I have come to address you all today because there is an important matter I wish to be known by all."

"We are all aware of the sorry state our Earth Sphere has been in for the past year. We have faced a multitude of terrorist attacks, and even a horrific colony drop - nearly followed by a tenfold repetition of the Junius Seven incident. Even as I speak, the world has once again only barely survived from a disaster beyond our comprehension. And yet there are those among us who still wish to stoke the flames of human conflict in light of this.” His smile fades as he recounts this. "As we enter the first centennial of the Universal Century, one must wonder why these events must repeat on end. Whether tragedy is simply destiny." He folds his hands as he ponders such things.

"And if you are residing on Earth, you may recall the answer you have been given. To fear, to hate... to retaliate. But where do such answers come from?" He sprawls his arms out as if to pose the question directly to the viewers. "Who stands to profit from such tragedy? If we instinctively reach for our weapons when we are wronged, we must look to those who hand us the weapons in the first place." His expression turns stern, and in the Britannian capital, Pendragon... in their mansions, some men begin to panic. “Yes," Durandal directly faces the camera. "I am speaking of the profiteers of war... the merchants of death: Logos!" As if perfectly timed with his speech, the names and faces of members of the organization appear on the broadcast.

"Djibril!" Sneers Bruno Azrael over video call: the head of the Azrael Conglomerate, uncle of the infamous Murata Azrael from the first Bloody Valentine War. "What is the meaning of this?!" Lord Djibril, leader of Logos, also begins to panic. "I don't know! I can't stop the broadcast, those damn Coordinators! Do something about it!"

Durandal continues. “The cowardly businessmen who hide behind the name Blue Cosmos. They have given you your enemy to hate... and sent your youth to die aiming nuclear fire at it!" His voice turns harsh, imperialistic... yet pained by the tragedy of it all the same. "Having made the devil's contract with Romefeller, they held the strings of the Gaia Sabers and turned the nations of the Earth into their personal army.” He shakes his head. “It is truly a shame… three years ago, a Box was opened, representing hope and possibility for all who call the Earth Sphere home. Even still, this world has operated much the same since: callously dividing conflict between the acceptable and unacceptable, bleeding the unacceptable to line their pockets." He does not name the Benerit Group here, focusing his ire on Logos… but after their treatment of PLANT, it is clear who that line is targeted towards.

Durandal sits back down. "But why am I telling you all this? Because I believe the people of Earth deserve to know, if only to make an informed decision." But indeed, there is much Durandal is leaving out of it - it would be much more difficult to prosecute Logos and Romefeller with ZAFT's collaboration with the equally militaristic Jovians in the equation. It is enough that he made his own people aware of such matters. "And I believe the people of the Earth share in my dream for a better future. Only together can we make it a reality. Just as we have overcome the Crossbone Vanguard through unity, this is merely another step closer to the peace we all desire." He shifts an outline in his hand.

"Beginning this week, a select number of SAL forces will be reinforcing the Gilbraltar Base, to assist in apprehending such individuals and bringing them to justice for their war crimes." This of course, is in brazen violation of the terms of limited deployment to Earth laid out by Cathedra. Durandal does not address this - after all, it is merely the war criminals he wishes to punish, and he is already in the process of winning 'permission' to do so with his elite FAITH team. He even hopes that perhaps after unveiling these crimes, Cathedra might even be willing to work with him - after all, he knows they’ll act to ensure this conflict does not spiral into a Second Bloody Valentine War. “My people will be submitting evidence of wrongdoing to NUNE’s Supreme Council shortly.” Though who's to say NUNE has much longer? "Thank you."

The general mood of the Logos video call remains an uproar, assurance, many considering going into hiding with their names and faces leaked. “Dammit! Where’s Treize, I knew we couldn’t trust those Romefeller bastards!” Another pipes in, “I’m out of here, before my assets go up in flames!” On the other hand, Djibril's uncanny sense of calm has returned. "So I see Durandal has decided to play all his cards. How amusing is that?" He strokes his black cat, sleeping peacefully in his lap. "If he thinks the element of surprise is enough to dethrone us, he is sorely mistaken. Britannia will never bow to his demands, I have no doubt their leadership will continue to extend their offer of protection as long as they rule. It is a mutually beneficial relationship." Djibril continues speaking, playing with his glass of wine. "And if the Coordinators will resort to force like the bloodthirsty monsters they are, we will show them our own. How is progress on the development of Project Destroy?" He smirks. “/If/ it comes to that. After all, we’ve yet to see what that Boosted Songstress girl is truly capable of.”

One young man in the video call, with bright green hair, says nothing, his expression suggesting amusement. ‘Foolish human infighting,’ he thinks, ‘It will be meaningless once I unite this world under my hand.’ He does not share such thoughts with the androgynous individual with short purple hair beside him.

A man with a sharp, pointed claw sits serenely, the expression on his face impossible to read. Wouldn’t it truly be wonderful if the people of this world could join hands for a singular purpose?

Another silver haired man smirks. It is the perfect opportunity to correct the mistakes of this world, now that the Generation System is open to the influence of those who understand the nature of the kalpic cycle it runs on. These men have used his Gaia Sabers as their personal army for too long, they don’t even understand the significance of the name.