From the chaotic battlefields of South America, He Kui returned to the vibrant peace of Orb. Although the peace here was fragile and temporary, it was a stark contrast to the perpetual tension of war.
He Kui mused on how long this calm might last as he entered his room. According to his reconnaissance bird's report, the Winslets were playing games together in the hall, oblivious to the gathering storm on the horizon. Gazing out the window, he found himself lost in thought.
If the Atlantic Federation attacked, the Winslet father and daughter would inevitably become targets. Just the fact that Mr. Winslet had made his daughter a Coordinator could be risky, even if he kept it hidden. The Atlantic Federation might target them without hesitation, especially since they were now settled in Orb, a move that blurred their allegiance.
In his mind, protecting the Winslets aligned with both his mission and his principles.
If things went as expected, Kira's family would likely camp near the Orb mass driver, unknowingly missing the evacuation warning, and would be swept up in the attack. Despite some shifts in the timeline, the Atlantic Federation's primary objective would remain the same: they were after the mass driver.
If the three Enhanced pilots arrived, He Kui doubted he could stop them, even with his main body present. Those three could overpower even Freedom, which meant their piloting skills exceeded elite level. Although such pilots had their weaknesses, their flaws were negligible when they were operating at peak capacity. The Blue Cosmos wouldn't have deployed them to the front line if they weren't the best.
Tomorrow's banquet might give him a chance to see Cagalli. Perhaps through her, he could reach out to Kira—he'd need Kira's help to stand a chance against those three machines.
Returning to the radar room, He Kui disconnected from Aegis and reoriented himself. The dark, silent room was filled only with the soft hum of the radar system, a setting he found strangely unsettling after being out in the field.
"He Kui, welcome back!" Su Lei greeted him as he walked in, hugging him warmly.
It was midday, and she was busy designing a new radar system.
"Shi He hasn't returned yet?" he asked.
"Thanks to someone, she's stuck at May City working on upgrades," Su Lei said, casting a playful glare at him.
"Sorry, things were tight," he apologized with a smile, offering her a tiny, newly-crafted surveillance bird.
"Oh, I was just teasing!" Su Lei replied, delighted as she took the gift.
He Kui noted with satisfaction that his knowledge of Information Engineering was steadily advancing. Reaching an S-rank would not only improve his control over systems but also enhance his understanding of quantum communications—critical for Aegis's systems and AI research.
With field modulation fully completed, he would need to make a trip back to May City.
"Your radar skills just keep getting better!" Su Lei remarked as she examined the tiny surveillance bird. Unlike the obvious designs of the owl and hawk models, this one was small and unassuming, yet its reconnaissance and stealth capabilities were over three times more effective than the others.
"Just keep refining your sensor tech at your own pace," He Kui replied. None of this technology had been disclosed to PLANT. Given the pervasive intelligence leaks, it was better to hold back the core advancements, publishing only secondary versions. That way, his own tech stayed a step ahead, while others assumed he was still "stuck" in development.
"…He Kui," Su Lei began hesitantly, "maybe this is strange to say, but…do you really distrust Miss Lacus that much?"
Beyond their rivalry, Su Lei respected Lacus's vision.
"Not exactly," He Kui replied, shaking his head. The deeper he delved into genetic science, the more he sensed a mystery about Lacus. Her natural charisma, a gift no other Coordinators possessed, had always struck him as uncanny.
"I'm sorry."
"There's nothing to apologize for." He Kui reassured her gently, "One day, I'll bring peace, and we'll travel across the galaxy together."
"You said it," Su Lei whispered, cuddling closer.
"I did."
"Are you hungry? Shall we go join my parents for a meal?"
"Sure," she replied with a soft smile.
After enduring another round of teasing from her parents about grandchildren, He Kui returned to May City with the completed field modulation technology.
"In our simulations, adjusting the energy flow through the field modulation increases energy output by 10%, with significant efficiency gains," He Kui reported to Amphy in the underground lab, standing beside an energy-depleted Ginn.
"If we implement this in our nuclear power plants, it'll boost our production capacity and military strength."
"That's excellent!" Amphy replied, clearly pleased. "This tech will also greatly enhance our sustained combat abilities."
The tech had potential applications for nuclear machines as well. Though less direct than weapon upgrades, the strategic impact was clear. Amphy found himself increasingly impressed with He Kui's talents, even musing that if he had a daughter, he would consider He Kui as a son-in-law. In time, he was certain, the Supreme Council would have a place for He Kui.
"The field modulation has already been tested on the Liberator, yielding a 5% increase in output, though the hardware limits further gains."
"Understood," He Kui replied.
Amphy pondered what reward would suit He Kui, though finding an adequate one was proving difficult. Upgrading Freedom and Justice with optical shields was too costly, and their current deployment on Earth precluded a recall. Meanwhile, He Kui's current research was critical, meaning he couldn't be sent elsewhere.
"He Kui," Amphy finally said, "would you be interested in a position as a technical advisor to the Defense Committee?"
"What role exactly?"
"Technical advisor," Amphy explained, "providing support, research evaluations, and strategic insights for defense operations. It's a rank equivalent to a commander."
"I accept," He Kui responded. Although the position didn't grant direct authority, it would allow him access to more information, and potentially influence major military strategies.
Unintentionally, Amphy had offered He Kui exactly what he needed.