Build Gundams Ch 27

One month following King Thales's visit, Skywing Armaments' factory production department housed multiple production lines. Two, in particular, stood out: one dedicated to the assembly of tanks, and another focused on the production of drones.

Despite not acquiring any Gundams during his visit, King Thales had not returned to the Kingdom of Iron Ridge empty-handed. He had secured two valuable assets.

He was particularly impressed by the combat capabilities of the drones. Their ability to perform reconnaissance and strike missions, operate as a cohesive swarm, and engage in full-scale combat scenarios, aligned perfectly with the Kingdom's defense strategy.

Upon his departure, King Thales had left his daughter, Princess Robina, in the care of Antares Mercenary Group, along with three of her female bodyguards. Their primary mission was to ensure her safety and well-being during her stay.

Despite her royal status, Princess Robina possessed a deep fascination with military technology, particularly Mobile Suits. Her enthusiasm was infectious, and within a month, she had formed close bonds with many individuals at the Antares Mercenary Group's main base.

"These cookies smell divine, Princess Robina!" Reika exclaimed, her eyes fixed on the tray of cookies in Robina's hands, admiring their various shapes and intricate designs.

"Please, Miss Fujimoto, have a taste," Robina replied, offering the tray with a warm smile.

"Well, if you insist, Princess, I won't refuse," Reika said, selecting a cookie. "Mmm, it's both delicious and perfectly crispy."

Several others in the vicinity also eagerly accepted a cookie, savoring the princess's baking skills.

Robina glanced around the room, her curiosity piqued. "I haven't seen Ryuuichi around today. Do you know where he is?"

"The Chairman is personally conducting performance tests on the GP04 Gerbera," Sakura replied.

"Oh, really? Is he now?" Robina said.

"Hey, everyone, come take a look! The Chairman's piloting skills are truly exceptional!" Avina announced, holding up her tablet for all to see.

The Ace Pilots, along with Princess Robina and a few other technicians, gathered around Avina's tablet to observe the GP04 Gerbera's performance test.

On the screen, the GP04 Gerbera accelerated to its maximum speed, executing a series of high-speed evasive maneuvers within the Meteorite Zone. The drones tasked with filming the test struggled to keep pace with the Gundam's incredible velocity.

The drone cameras could only capture glimpses of the GP04 Gerbera as it weaved, dodged, and turned through the dense clusters of meteorites, resembling a meteor itself.

At the forefront of its trajectory, blue beam shots occasionally erupted, striking the target markers placed on various meteorites with pinpoint accuracy.

As the GP04 Gerbera entered another section of the Meteorite Zone, it encountered a barrage of attacks from numerous drones and GM Mobile Suits, all controlled by the MD System.

Under Ryuuichi's expert control, the GP04 Gerbera deftly evaded the incoming meteorites, while simultaneously dodging the attacks from the drones and GMs, launching well-timed counterattacks. Any drones or GM Mobile Suits that sustained a hit would automatically disengage from the exercise, following the pre-programmed parameters of the test.

The personnel in the command room, along with the Ace Pilots observing on their tablets, expressed their admiration for Ryuuichi's piloting prowess.

Finally, Ryuuichi piloted the GP04 Gerbera to successfully break through the encirclement and reach the designated target location, officially concluding the performance test.

"The Chairman is truly amazing! I can't believe he could pull that off," Sakura said, echoing the sentiment of many others.

"It's a bit odd, though, isn't it? If the Chairman can do everything himself, why does he even need us to conduct these tests?" Reika added, voicing a common question among the pilots.

"If the Chairman had to do everything himself, what purpose would we, as employees, serve?" Avina mused aloud, her expression thoughtful.

"Speaking of the Chairman's newly developed..." Pani began, but was cut short as Hayato glared at her, causing her to abruptly swallow her words.

Hayato glanced in Princess Robina's direction, subtly reminding Pani of the sensitivity surrounding certain topics.

Robina, however, remained completely engrossed in the video playing on the tablet, seemingly oblivious to the exchange between Pani and Hayato.

With the cookie tray still in her hands, Robina made her way toward the hangar, where Ryuuichi was preparing to return after completing the GP04 Gerbera's performance test.

Among the three female bodyguards who had been discreetly following the princess, Diana, the most agile of the three, handed a towel and a bottle of water to Robina, while she herself took the cookie tray from her.

Ryuuichi piloted the GP04 Gerbera back to the hangar, smoothly landing the Mobile Suit on the designated platform. After exiting the cockpit, maintenance personnel immediately began preparing to service the Gundam.

Ryuuichi noticed Princess Robina approaching him, a warm smile gracing her lips.

"You've worked hard, Chairman," Robina said, offering the towel and water bottle to Ryuuichi.

"Thank you, Princess," Ryuuichi replied, accepting the items. He wiped the sweat from his brow with the towel in one hand, while taking a long drink of water from the bottle with the other.

Robina retrieved the cookie tray from Diana, holding it out toward Ryuuichi.

"Please, try one of the cookies I baked."

"Thank you," Ryuuichi said, picking up a cookie. He took a bite, savoring the sweet taste, before preparing to leave the area.

"Chairman..." Robina called out, her voice slightly hesitant.

"Is there something you need, Princess?" Ryuuichi asked, turning to face her.

"I was wondering... is it possible for me to pilot a Gundam?" Robina asked.

Ryuuichi glanced at Robina, then scanned the surroundings, noticing the Fujimoto sisters not far away, their expressions hinting at amusement and curiosity.

Ryuuichi gestured toward the Fujimoto sisters, beckoning them to approach.

The two sisters quickly made their way over to Ryuuichi and Robina.

Ryuuichi pointed toward the Original Gundam, which stood nearby, then looked back at Robina and nodded at the Fujimoto sisters, subtly conveying his intentions.

The sisters understood his silent command.

"Princess, if you would be so kind as to follow us," Reika said, leading Robina toward the Original Gundam.

With the matter settled, Ryuuichi departed the hangar, returning to his office to review the data report from the GP04 Gerbera's performance test.

The Fujimoto sisters escorted Princess Robina to the Original Gundam's cockpit. Reika exchanged a few words with the hangar manager, ensuring that the necessary preparations were made.

"Please, Princess, step inside," Sakura said, gesturing toward the open cockpit.

Robina eagerly entered the Original Gundam's cockpit, inserting her personal chip card into the designated card slot.

The chip card was a result of Robina's request to pilot an MS. After a few days after her stay, she was given a simulated test, the card was programmed with her pilot information and used for identification.

As the Original Gundam launched, Robina settled into the cockpit, studying the controls and displays. She couldn't help but compare the advanced technology to that of the GM Mobile Suits she had previously piloted.

"The propulsion and reaction speed are on a completely different level compared to the GM," Robina mused, her voice filled with awe.

During the subsequent tests, Robina piloted the Original Gundam through a series of evasive maneuvers and simulated combat scenarios, demonstrating her remarkable piloting skills.

The Fujimoto sisters observed Robina's performance on a nearby tablet, their expressions conveying their approval.

"Her piloting skills are quite impressive," Reika said, acknowledging Robina's talent.

"If the Princess were a member of our Mercenary Group, she would certainly be a strong candidate for a Gundam pilot," Sakura added.

"I was surprised when I first saw the Princess piloting a GM. I didn't expect someone who looks so delicate to have such a natural talent for piloting Mobile Suits, even surpassing some of our experienced MS pilots," Reika said.

Both sisters gave Princess Robina's MS piloting skills high praise, recognizing her potential as a valuable asset to the Antares Mercenary Group.

Suddenly, a voice echoed from behind them. "You two, your training time is almost up. Report to the assembly point immediately."

The Fujimoto sisters quickly turned to acknowledge their superior's command.

"Understood, sir," Reika replied.

The two sisters hurried toward the designated assembly point.

"Speaking of which, the series of training exercises the Chairman implemented have greatly improved everyone's physical fitness and reaction times," Sakura said.

"I also heard that the Chairman is planning to have other MS pilots undergo the same training, hoping to cultivate a new generation of Ace Pilots," Reika added.

"In that case, we must work even harder and continue to improve, or else we might be replaced as Ace Pilots," Sakura replied.

Back in his office, Ryuuichi reviewed the data report from the GP04 Gerbera's performance test, a satisfied expression on his face.

Since the successful development of the first Minovsky Ultracompact Fusion Reactor and its installation in the GP04 Gerbera, the Gundam's overall performance had exceeded the specifications on the blueprints by 10%. The GP04's combat endurance had also been significantly extended, with energy-based weapons no longer causing the unit to experience power loss during prolonged engagements.

Although the first Minovsky Ultracompact Fusion Reactor had been successfully developed, it suffered from one major drawback: it could not be mass-produced using current technology.

Ryuuichi, however, was not concerned about the mass production limitations, as he had no intention of mass-producing the reactor in the first place. His primary goal was to equip the technology on his Gundams, enhancing their combat capabilities and solidifying their dominance on the battlefield.

This technology seems to be called Superconductive Communication, which can be immune to technologies similar to Minovsky particles. In that case, radar searches will not be affected. More importantly, for our side, we can communicate with each other and cooperate in combat. Conversely, the enemy, after their radar search becomes ineffective, may become like headless flies, and their combat will be very difficult.

With his mind made up, Ryuuichi immediately began his research into Superconductive Communication technology, eager to implement it on his Mobile Suits and further enhance their combat effectiveness.