Third Neo Zeon War

The Third Neo Zeon War (aka Laplace Conflict) is a series of battles between the Earth Federation and the Neo Zeon faction nicknamed "The Sleeves" during the year UC 0096, three years after the end of the Second Neo Zeon War led by Char Aznable. The two factions battle over possession of a mysterious object known as "Laplace's Box" and its "key", the RX-0 Unicorn Gundam. Although the contents of the box are unknown, the importance of Laplace's Box to both sides is significant since the box is rumored to be the only thing capable of destroying the Earth Federation.

Passing The Box
The influential Vist Foundation, the caretakers of Laplace's Box, started the chain of events leading to the conflict by secretly contacting the Sleeves regarding their wish to pass Laplace's Box onto them. Unable to refuse the offer, the Sleeves agreed to meet at Industrial 7, a colony at Side 4 and sent Suberoa Zinnerman and his ship Garencieres to Industrial 7 in order to lead negotiations personally. An initial skirmish began when a Clop-Class Cruiser attacked the Sleeves ship while en-route to the exchange with a small squadron of mobile suits. With the aid of its NZ-666 Kshatriya, the Garencieres was able to brush off the attack and continued on its way.

Meanwhile, at Industrial 7, the Vist Foundation prepared for the exchange by completing the development of the RX-0 Unicorn Gundam. The mobile suit was to be the 'key' to Laplace's Box and meant to be given to the Sleeves as a test of whether they were worthy of the box's contents. However, unknown to both sides, Anaheim Electronics executive Alberto Vist informed the Earth Federation of the exchange and in response, the Federation dispatched the Londo Bell taskforce and its ECOAS Special Forces to seize Laplace's Box during the negotiations. The Federation waited as the Sleeves arrived and as the negotiations began, Londo Bell made its move.

Battle at Industrial 7
While moving in, the element of surprise was lost when a lone AMS-129 Geara Zulu opened fire on the approaching Federation forces. The battle quickly escalated as the fighting between Londo Bell and the Sleeves began moving into the colony's interior. As a result, the negotiations between the Sleeves and the Vist Foundation collapsed and while the Sleeves fought to escape what they saw as a trap on the Vist Foundation's part, the Foundation raced to secure the key and destroy all traces of it. High numbers of casualties and massive destruction ensued as the battle continued to unfold. Ultimately, the key would wind up in the posession of Banagher Links, a civilian. Banagher would take the Unicorn and battled against Marida Cruz, the Kshatriya's pilot, eventually forcing the latter to retreat after the Unicorn transformed into a Gundam and overpowered the Kshatriya. As Zinnerman and his crew successfully escaped Industrial 7, Marida received instructions to retreat, effectively ending the battle.

Battle of Palau
After the Battle at Industrial 7, the Londo Bell taskforce, along with ECOAS took possession of the Unicorn after the Sleeves retreated. While hiding in an asteroid field, the Nahel Argama is found by the Sleeves and comes under attack. This time, the Sleeve attack force is led by Full Frontal, who is believed to be "The Second Coming of Char", and his Royal Guards led by Angelo Sauper. The Nahel Argama struggles to defend itself against Frontal's MSN-06S Sinanju as Frontal easily defeats the ship's mobile suits in battle. The battle is quickly halted when ECOAS commander Daguza Mackle reveals to the Neo Zeon forces (and to the Nahel Argama crew) that Audrey Burne - a civilian they rescued from Industrial 7 - is in fact the Princess of Zeon and the last surviving member of the Zabi Family, Mineva Lao Zabi. Daguza offers to return Mineva in exchange for safe passage to Von Braun. However, Frontal does not believe that Audrey is actually Mineva and demands everything the Nahel Argama has that is related to Laplace's Box, including the Gundam. Failing to comply within three minutes, he threatens to destroy the ship unless his demands are met. Eventually, negotiations break down and with little choice, Banagher launches in the Unicorn to battle Frontal and give the Nahel Argama time to escape. Aided by Riddhe Marcenas in a RGZ-95 ReZEL, the two are able to push back Frontal but when Marida and her Kshatriya intervenes, the Sleeves manage to disable the ReZEL and capture the Unicorn. With the Unicorn in their possession, the Sleeves withdraw and return to their fortress at Palau, a mining asteroid at Side 6.

Operation Billiard
With both the Unicorn and Banagher taken to the asteroid base of Palau, Londo Bell in conjunction with two ECOAS teams devise a rescue mission to recover both. The two ECOAS teams led by Daguza Mackle covertly land on the surface of Palau and plant explosives on Palau's connecting bridges. A disguised soldier infiltrates Palau to hands a captive Banagher instructions to head to the 14th space gate, where the rescue team is waiting. After the explosives are detonated, the two halves of Palau are separated. The SCVA-76 Nahel Argama then fires its main cannon at the base to push the two disconnected halves together in a billiard effect. This effectively seals off Palau's military base and damages much of the Sleeves' forces. The operation was successful when Banagher and the Unicorn escape, as well as capturing Marida and the Kshatriya in the process. Audrey and Riddhe, along with his new MSN-001A1 Delta Plus, disappear during the battle.

Clash at Laplace
After rescuing Banagher and the Unicorn, the Nahel Argama makes it way to the ruins of the Laplace space station in hopes of finding Laplace's Box there before the Sleeves do. Daguza suspects that the Unicorn's La+ program will unlock the box once it reaches Laplace at Midnight Granwich Mean Time, at which time Laplace will pass through 0 Degrees Latitude and Longitude. The Unicorn arrives at the coordinates at the proper time, but instead of opening the box, the program begins broadcasting the UC inauguration speech made at Laplace in UC 0001.

In the meantime, the Sleeves have tracked Londo Bell to Laplace and see that all of the Nahel Argama's forces have left for Laplace. Zinnerman's team on the Garencieres decides to take advantage of this to attack the ship and rescue Marida. Gilboa Sant volunteers to lead the raid and the attack is launched. Banagher senses the impending attack and tries to hold off the raid while the Nahel Argama's forces hurry back. However, Full Frontal and his Royal Guards soon arrive and fights Banagher to get the Unicorn's NT-D to activate, believing that doing so will unlock the Box. During the fight, Daguza is killed by Frontal and as Banagher and Frontal battle each other, Laplace begins to disintegrate and enter Earth's atmosphere around them. The fight ends when Gilboa takes a shot meant for Frontal and while Frontal escapes, Banagher falls to Earth along with the remains of Laplace.