Who is Playing the Love Development Game in Gundam

"Are you ready?" Joule asked.

He Kui nodded. Five minutes was a manageable timeframe. On the battlefield, every second counted, but five minutes could be enough.

"But are you sure this system is identical to the one used in the lunar base?"

"We're fairly certain," Joule replied with a sigh. There was growing internal pressure to end the war quickly and show results to silence public dissent. Although Patrick could theoretically act as a dictator, nobody wanted to stoke public outrage. In an unstable environment, it would be all too easy to face setbacks on the battlefield.

"I understand."

The plan was simple: send a large force to apply pressure. The enemy would have no choice but to engage, and ZAFT's new ships with photon shields could withstand the positron cannons for a time. Moving quickly, they could capture Ptolemaeus Base before the Federation could respond.

"Does this virus have a corresponding firewall to defend against it?" Amafi asked. Impressed by He Kui's technical prowess, he was quick to bring up the need for defense. They wanted both the shield and the sword in their control.

"Yes, it does."

He Kui had anticipated this question. He pulled out his personal device, input a few commands, and uploaded a line of code to the original system. In moments, the system defenses were restored, overwritten, and no longer susceptible to the quantum virus.

"I'll provide both the offensive and defensive codes to ZAFT," He Kui said before anyone could speak. The truth was, he'd already taken leave to refine these in private. They had seen him achieve the impossible enough times not to question his sincerity.

Joule stood up, her gaze sincere. "Once again, you've done so much for us, Director He Kui."

"It's all for PLANT and ZAFT," He Kui replied.

The admiration in the room was palpable. Joule herself allowed a rare smile, satisfied with his answer. Even Iron Wall, watching from behind, was practically beaming. He Kui had, once again, exceeded their expectations.

But He Kui wasn't done. "However, I have one request."

Joule's smile faded, and her expression turned serious. She hadn't yet agreed to anything, in case he requested too much.

"I want permission to pilot the Liberator and to conduct a real-world test of the Mobile Shield pack," He Kui stated. "If I'm going to the moon, I want to be able to protect myself."

With the various layers of activity recently, He Kui hadn't yet tested the shield in real combat. Designed for use in space, it couldn't be tested effectively on Earth. If approved, He Kui would use the excuse of a "combat trial" to make the Liberator and Mobile Shield his own, bringing them back from the moon as part of his personal fleet.

"Permission granted for the Liberator," Joule replied, relieved it was such a simple request. She'd expected something more complicated and was prepared to negotiate, but allowing He Kui to use the Liberator seemed reasonable. Based on his performance on Earth, he was competent enough, if a bit unconventional.

"Thank you," He Kui said with a smile.

After so long, he'd finally have the chance to test the Mobile Shield in combat. With motherships protected by photon shields and a nuclear-powered mobile suit, he'd never fought under such favorable conditions. As long as someone like Creuset or Kira at full strength didn't intervene, he would be safe.

He Kui left the meeting with satisfaction written all over his face.

"It looks like we'll be fighting together again," Iron Wall said, excited at the chance to see battle. Following He Kui, he knew they'd be assigned the most advanced machines. Even if he wasn't using a Gundam, he'd at least get a high-grade GAT-X.

"Don't worry, Director He Kui, I'll keep you safe!" Iron Wall declared confidently.

"I'll do my best too!" Lica added, raising her hand in enthusiasm.

"Thank you both," He Kui chuckled. After saying his goodbyes to Joule and Amafi and declining lunch with Curadis and Erin, He Kui made his way to the design bureau's underground hangar.

After passing through multiple checkpoints, he was finally greeted by the sight of the Liberator. Its gray frame had an added feature: ten disk-shaped structures, similar to a Dragoons system, attached to its back. These shields had been through rigorous lab testing and were now ready for live combat.

"What is that?" Lica asked, noticing the modifications.

Since Iron Wall and Lica were trusted enough, He Kui explained the system briefly. He explained that the Mobile Shield functioned like a maneuverable version of the photon shield, offering a stronger defense.

"You mean it's like a mobile photon shield?" Iron Wall said, eyes widening. Even though he still preferred a mono-eyed mobile suit, the power of this new system was undeniable.

"It can even block positron cannons?"

"As long as it has power," He Kui replied.

The shield did have limitations — energy consumption was a major one. After blocking a few shots, it would need time to recharge. Nonetheless, the advantages vastly outweighed this drawback.