Under normal circumstances, after such a major incident at the orbital station, Sergei should have returned to a ground base for a formal debriefing. However, right now, he had more pressing matters to attend to.
Inside a laboratory on the orbital station, the white-haired girl named Soma Peries, who had previously piloted the Tieren Taozi, lay quietly on a medical bed. The cold white surgical lights shining down on her gave the scene a chilling atmosphere.
"What happened to Second Lieutenant Soma?"
Standing in the room, Sergei looked at the girl on the examination table with a deep frown. It was unclear whether his expression stemmed from his distaste for this facility or his concern over Soma's loss of control.
"Why did she suddenly go berserk?"
"Regarding that..."
A researcher in a white lab coat, currently wearing an AR headset, looked over the data scanned by various instruments on his tablet. He took a moment to organize his thoughts. "In fact, we have conducted a comprehensive physical examination of the Second Lieutenant, and we haven't found a single anomaly."
"The reactions and parameters of the synapses and glial cells in her brain are all within normal ranges."
"Then why did it happen?" Sergei looked at the researcher, his tone becoming extremely stern. "She launched continuous attacks against the orbital station and didn't stop even after the gravity modules were disconnected."
Suddenly, a monitor to the side flickered on, playing back the footage from the Tieren Taozi's test flight.
"I've analyzed the combat data from the Taozi. The Second Lieutenant's Quantum Brainwaves showed violent fluctuations. If I'm not mistaken, it's likely there was someone else on the orbital station who, like the Lieutenant, has undergone glial cell reinforcement."
As the researcher swiped through his tablet, various machine data points appeared on the screen.
"So you're saying there's another Super Soldier like the Lieutenant on the orbital station?"
Sergei did not relax upon hearing the researcher's deduction; instead, his frown deepened. "Then what about her subsequent attack on the new machine? What was the reason for that?"
Setting aside why another "Super Soldier" would suddenly appear on the station, Soma's highly aggressive and targeted assault on the Banshee Norn was enough of a headache for Sergei on its own.
"As for that... I'm more inclined to call it survival instinct."
Discussing a topic that clearly interested him, the researcher pulled up Soma's data from that specific window of time.
"As you can see, a powerful Quantum Brainwave suppressed the Lieutenant's own waves, triggering a profound sense of terror within her."
"In the ensuing clash, a massive physical impact coupled with a surge of Quantum Brainwaves forced the Lieutenant into a state of unconsciousness."
Sergei remembered that part of the event vividly.
The front armor plate of the Tieren Taozi, which had a clearly visible fist-shaped indentation hammered into it by the Banshee Norn, was currently lying in the hangar of the orbital garrison base, being scrutinized by a team of analysts.
However, thinking of that perfectly rectangular fist, Sergei suspected they would find it difficult to extract much useful information.
"So, the person inside that machine... is an even more powerful Super Soldier?"
While he was grateful to the pilot for saving so many lives and stopping the mistake he and Soma had almost made, Sergei's professional integrity compelled him to keep searching for clues regarding Shinn's identity.
"Not necessarily. The way he suppressed the Lieutenant's brainwaves didn't involve resonance; it was simply sheer strength, forcing her into a desperate 'fight-or-flight' state."
The researcher shook his head, offering his own professional conclusion. "I'm truly curious... just who exactly is sitting inside that machine?"
"That is not for you to concern yourself with. Don't start entertaining unrealistic ideas."
Sergei cut the researcher off before his train of thought could go any further. He knew all too well what kind of outrageous requests these scientists would concoct once they found a new "specimen."
But if they were to meet on the battlefield in the future... with that kind of performance and such a powerful pilot, could a "Super Soldier" truly hope to defeat them?
-----------------------------------
"Their military strength seems even more formidable than we imagined..."
On the bridge of the Ptolemaios, the crew had gathered to watch the various video feeds transmitted by VEDA. Reviewing combat data had become a standard procedure, and everyone was intently studying the footage captured from multiple angles.
When the video showed the bow of the Nahel Argama briefly deploying to fire four positron cannons to create the interference corridor, everyone's expression darkened.
If Celestial Being's mothership, the Ptolemaios, was merely a transport vessel, then the Nahel Argama was showing a glimpse of its true nature as the centerpiece and vanguard of a battle fleet.
"Are those... positron cannons? To integrate four of them into such a small space?" Ian, the chief mechanic of the Ptolemaios, swallowed hard as he watched the Nahel Argama climb from the sea and open fire. "It's a fortress built entirely for war."
"Furthermore, their machines can use self-developed gel to perform single-unit atmospheric entry."
Sumeragi pulled up several blurry but distinguishable photos of the ReZELs. The anti-ablative gel coating their undersides, partially solidified from atmospheric friction, was particularly striking.
"A Gundam can do that too..." Tieria reflexively retorted.
"But don't forget, Tieria, those three are mass-produced units," Sumeragi countered with her own deduction. "It's possible they possess many more machines like them. The tactical options available to them are staggering."
She couldn't help but sigh. Even with her strategic brilliance and the Gundams' technical superiority over Earth's current forces, the fact that they only had four Gundam Meisters remained a glaring weakness.
It forced her into high-risk tactics and kept the four pilots on a grueling, year-round sortie schedule to fulfill VEDA's plans.
"I'm so jealous... I'd love to have troops like that," she muttered, leaning against the railing. her thoughts drifted back to her first meeting with Roz and the others.
"At the very least, they're allies for now. Isn't a strong ally a good thing?" Chris asked, not quite understanding Sumeragi's conflict.
"If they are willing to negotiate with us as equal allies, we must possess the strength to match them," Sumeragi explained. "But right now, the gap in our power is a bit too wide. I'm worried that this alliance might shift into something else..."
After pondering for a long while, she snapped back to the present.
"We are about to begin our operation against the PMC and Moralia... Send an invitation to the Ravens."
Having formed a plan, Sumeragi continued, "Also, remember to prepare those specialized equipment sets. We can't let them steal all the spotlight."
"Understood, I'll arrange the transport immediately." At her words, Ian instantly thought of the four sets of completed armaments sitting in the warehouse.
"Will they come? This operation is primarily to annihilate the PMC..." Chris asked, feeling a bit uncertain. Everyone knew the Ravens were targeting specific individuals hidden within the AEU, and Moralia was quite a distance from AEU territory.
"There is AEU involvement there. They will definitely agree to come; it's an open gambit," Sumeragi explained, already mentally calculating which two bottles of wine to grab from her stash later.
"Sumeragi, how devious..." Even Feldt, usually as cool as ice, couldn't help but chime in.
"Sorry... I guess I'm just that kind of devious woman."
....................