After leaving the radar room, He Kui gazed at the dimly lit interior of the colonial satellite. Just as he was about to grab a bite, his wrist communicator interrupted his thoughts.
"Councilor Zala, hello."
"Apologies, did I disturb your rest?" Zala greeted him, sounding unusually personable.
"No, I was just about to eat."
"Then I'll keep it short."
Right now, He Kui was considered invaluable, and Zala tolerated his somewhat casual attitude, only rolling her eyes before continuing.
"The Atlantic Federation launched an attack on South America two days ago. Our Odin's Spear is no longer effective against the new variant of Daggers they deployed. We have a temporary mission request—could Director He upgrade the EMP strength of the Odin's Spear?"
He Kui thought it over. "If I increase the strength any further, our own units might not be able to handle it."
"No problem. Our plan is to design a mobile suit specifically equipped to both withstand and release EMP waves," Zala explained.
The idea was simple yet powerful: a unit that could penetrate enemy formations and unleash EMP at their core would be a game-changer.
"Does it have to be a mobile suit?"
"Warships are too large, and we want to maximize the area of effect on enemy units."
It was clear that after witnessing the power of the Odin's Spear, Zala, whose primary focus was weapons development, was hooked.
"Once it's complete, we'll prioritize your company for any relevant contracts. We can even fund a light shield system installation for your asteroid base, and expand your team as a military contractor."
Hearing this, He Kui's eyes lit up like a hungry wolf catching the scent of fresh meat. Free base upgrades were irresistible, especially as it would significantly boost the asteroid's defenses.
Enhancing the Odin's Spear's performance, however, posed a challenge. He Kui had already considered converting it into a directed-energy weapon, but perhaps adding nanobots could improve its capabilities?
After ending the call, he delved into the possibilities. Theoretically, nanobots could act as carriers, storing and releasing electromagnetic energy. By coupling them with illusion particles, they could attach to enemy targets and deliver their payload directly. Instead of trying to break through defenses, they could bypass them altogether.
However, there were limitations. The small energy capacity of each nanobot meant external power would still be needed. They could potentially generate power by converting the enemy's internal heat into electricity, but creating that many nanobots with efficient energy storage and release capabilities wasn't something that could happen overnight.
While he could research it independently, it would take considerably more time. Zala's request, however, held priority.
Recently, he had been struggling with certain aspects of the magnetic coating tech from Z Gundam. Without Minovsky particles as a foundation, he couldn't stabilize the magnetic monopole particles.
Unfortunately, Minovsky particles didn't exist in the SEED universe, much like illusion particles were absent in UC. He Kui could experiment further, but true progress would take time.
So, he saw two options to advance his career: first, develop cellular-level nanobots; second, successfully create the EMP unit Zala had requested with field modulation.
With his ongoing research, it was unlikely the National Defense Committee would let him leave PLANT. Both to protect and prevent any potential defections, his presence on the satellite was secure.
Thankfully, he had Aegis to operate remotely. Otherwise, being confined here would mean nothing but defensive measures.
As he pondered his plans, his wrist communicator vibrated again.
"He Kui! Dinner's ready!"
Su Lei's sweet voice came through, bringing a smile to his face.
"You haven't eaten yet?"
"We were waiting for you!"
"Be right there."
He Kui laughed, standing up to leave. In reality, both of his paths aligned: achieving EMP within nanobots required advancements in the nanobot tech itself.
Zala hadn't given a strict timeline, so for now, he'd focus on the South American mission and secure funds before delving deeper into his research.
That President in South America seemed cautious of PLANT as well. Should they both learn enough about each other, there was potential for a more profound collaboration.
If things worked out, South America might just become the first terrestrial base for his "Pallas." And if things went smoo
thly, setting up a few more bases on Earth would only benefit him.