Ep 9. A Powerful Nation's Dignity

Lockon Stratos and Allelujah Haptism, members of the paramilitary organization Celestial Being, find themselves on the run after their Gundam units sustain significant damage during a mission. In their search for repairs, they stumble upon a military base belonging to the Republic of Azadistan, a small Middle Eastern nation currently embroiled in political turmoil.

Following a tense standoff, Lockon and Allelujah manage to convince Azadistan's military commander, Kurozaki, to allow them to use the base's facilities for repairs. While waiting for their Gundams to be fixed, the Celestial Being pilots witness firsthand the devastation wrought upon Azadistan by the faction opposing their government – the Human Reform League.

Unlike Celestial Being, whose goal is the total elimination of war through the use of superior military force, the Human Reform League seeks to maintain the status quo by suppressing any and all uprisings within and without their borders. Their method of doing so is as brutal as it is efficient: the deployment of mobile suits equipped with experimental weapons capable of leveling entire city blocks in mere seconds.

Despite their massive technological superiority, Celestial Being is unwilling to intervene in the affairs of a sovereign nation without a clear mandate from its inhabitants. Lockon and Allelujah are content to simply wait until their Gundams are repaired and then move on to their next target. However, a chance meeting with one of Azadistan's youngest citizens changes everything.

Marina Ismail, the young princess of Azadistan, happens upon Celestial Being's members while they are on a walk in the desert. She is initially wary of the two strangers, but quickly warms up to them after they prove themselves friendly and harmless. Marina is also the only person who seems to have a clear understanding of the role Celestial Being could play in helping her country.

Frustrated that her people's pleas for aid from the international community have gone unanswered, Marina sees Celestial Being as a possible ally in her fight against the Human Reform League. She appeals to Lockon and Allelujah, asking them to help her convince her father – Azadistan's king – to allow Celestial Being to intervene in the conflict.

Despite their reservations, Lockon and Allelujah agree to speak with the king. They are joined by Setsuna F. Seiei, the third member of Celestial Being's Gundam team. Setsuna is also from a Middle Eastern country, and his own past experiences with war and oppression give him a unique perspective on Azadistan's plight.

The three Gundam pilots meet with Azadistan's royal family, making a passionate case for why Celestial Being is Azadistan's best hope for a swift and peaceful resolution to the conflict. They are met with skepticism and hostility from some members of the court, who view Celestial Being as nothing more than another group of foreign aggressors looking to impose their will on a weaker nation.

Despite the resistance, Marina's own conviction and the pilots' eloquent arguments ultimately sway the king to agree to allow Celestial Being to intervene in the conflict. The episode ends with Lockon, Allelujah, and Setsuna returning to their Gundams, newly repaired and upgraded thanks to Azadistan's technological expertise. They prepare to launch into battle against the Human Reform League, knowing that the outcome of this fight could determine the fate of an entire nation.