Yang Hui arrived at Tianem's office and noticed Natarle Badgiruel sitting to the side. He had a general idea of why Tianem had summoned him.
"Your people are truly full of talent, Major Yang Hui," Tianem remarked.
"You flatter me, General Tianem."
"I'm quite curious, Major." Tianem stood up, gazing through the one-way glass behind him at the warships undergoing intense modifications and upgrades, yet speaking to Yang Hui. "Excellent Mobile Suit pilots, outstanding ship captains. With all these preparations, what exactly are you planning to do?"
"That's a top Federation secret, General Tianem. If you wish to know, you may inquire with General Revil."
"I already asked, and the answer I received was simply 'you can trust him for now.'"
"Heh." Yang Hui shrugged. Revil's response was quite meaningful, with the key word being "for now." This indicated to Tianem that Yang Hui's interests currently aligned with theirs, but his ultimate goals were unclear—he could be utilized but also needed monitoring.
"Lieutenant Badgiruel, you're now a Captain."
"General Tianem, isn't this inappropriate? Poaching right in front of me?"
"I'm not like those fools who leave talented personnel unused."
"Impossible, General Tianem. Natarle is not only the dedicated captain of the Twelfth Independent Technical Division but also my beloved." Yang Hui directly refused Tianem's proposal.
Initially, he had considered having both Murrue and Natarle join the Federation Space Force. With their abilities, they could quickly rise to high positions within the Space Fleet, potentially each commanding their own fleet.
However, he later reconsidered due to the complex internal factional struggles within the Federation and the extreme danger posed by the devastating defeat at the Battle of Loum, ultimately abandoning this idea.
"Hmm... I understand." Tianem could have countered any other excuse, but Natarle's status as Yang Hui's lover completely blocked his path.
Natarle was currently the reserve captain of the Twelfth Independent Technical Division. Once the first Qilin-class experimental warship was completed, it would be handed over to her command.
During this interim period, her rank remained Lieutenant. Tianem had recognized Natarle's capabilities and wanted to transfer her to his command, using his privilege to promote her rank and groom her as a potential fleet commander. This shouldn't have been difficult under normal circumstances.
But Yang Hui held significant authority, and Natarle being his lover meant she couldn't be treated as an ordinary soldier.
"Do you have any other recommendations?" Tianem asked.
Tianem had observed that the personnel Yang Hui specifically selected for the Twelfth Independent Technical Division were all quite exceptional. For instance, those test pilots made him quite envious.
Simulation training technology had begun spreading throughout the military. Anaheim Electronics' first order had been delivered. Although mass production of Mobile Suits remained unresolved, pilot training needed to begin immediately. Otherwise, completely inexperienced rookies operating MS units would contribute nothing to combat effectiveness.
Among these developments, a batch of simulation training pods had been allocated to Tianem's command. Luna II had already begun selecting and training Mobile Suit pilots.
However, Tianem noticed that although they had started from the same baseline, the test pilots personally selected by Yang Hui were progressing much faster than his own subordinates.
Thus, Tianem suspected that Yang Hui possessed a special intelligence system, and it was through this system that Yang Hui could identify overlooked talents within the military.
"Pay more attention to those who have been unjustly accused of crimes, as well as the disheartened veterans."
Yang Hui stopped at that, not giving Tianem specific names but pointing him in a general direction.
First, Yang Hui himself coveted the aces within the Federation and wouldn't hand them over to Tianem—even if Revil himself came asking, Yang Hui would still compete for them.
Second, Tianem hadn't yet fully trusted Yang Hui and remained wary of him. If Yang Hui directly provided names, Tianem would likely suspect him of ulterior motives, attempting to plant his own people within the Federal Army. Thus, this approach also served as a reassurance.
"Is that so? Heh, I understand." Tianem's lips curled slightly. He grasped Yang Hui's meaning and was satisfied with his approach. If Yang Hui had directly given names, Tianem wouldn't have believed him and would have reported the matter to Revil while launching an investigation into those individuals.
However, Tianem found the two directions Yang Hui pointed out to be reasonable. He was well aware of how severe factional infighting and corruption were within the Federation. While his own unit was relatively unaffected, many commanders in other sectors were mere puppets installed by clueless nobles and politicians, interested only in indulging in pleasures without any real capability.
Beneath them, many excellent soldiers had their talents buried due to these circumstances. Some were even arrested, imprisoned, or executed under false charges.
"General Tianem, is there anything else?" Yang Hui asked.
"Hmm... I've reviewed the technology you submitted. It's excellent. Shouldn't the fleet's refit be accelerated?"
"We're already moving at the fastest possible pace, General Tianem." Yang Hui sighed helplessly regarding this matter. "I also wish to complete the fleet's refit as soon as possible, so you can sooner curb Zeon's arrogance. But do you know? After the achievements of the [Qilin-class] and M1 Astray were reported to the Military Committee, those old fossils demanded we complete the [Qilin-class] construction and cost reduction at maximum speed. If not for General Revil holding the line, even the development of the M1 Astray would have been shelved."
The Federal Military Committee, formed by the various major families of the Federation, was the core power institution of the Federal Army and the largest conglomerate of interests and parasites within it. If not for Revil's ruthlessness and firmness, no one could have kept them in check.
"Hmph! Those old fossils."
"So if you want to speed things up, we'll need manpower and supplies from Earth..."
"I believe you could provide some assistance." Tianem was referring to Anaheim Electronics—a private enterprise independent of the Federal Army with autonomous rights. Although Anaheim wasn't yet the future behemoth, its scale was already substantial. Its lack of fame in the military industry was solely due to a shortage of technology; its factories and production lines were more than adequate.
"What a coincidence, General Gopp has placed several large orders. The demand for basic military equipment is substantial, and he's also instructed Anaheim to reserve production lines in advance. Once the mass-produced MS and simplified version of the [Qilin-class] show results, production will begin immediately."
"..." Tianem covered his face in frustration, sighing inwardly that this was exactly what he'd expect from General Gopp - the man had already thought of every approach he could imagine.
"As soon as possible, Major. We're running out of time."
"Naturally."
Yang Hui and Natarle Badgiruel took their leave from Tianem, as they both had numerous tasks awaiting them.
"How have your studies been these past few days?" Yang Hui asked, holding Natarle's hand.
"I've gained a lot. This world's fleet tactics are incredibly advanced, and even excluding MS coordination, their warship tactics are remarkably complete and excellent."
Natarle hadn't been idle during her free time. Her warship command abilities were outstanding, and she possessed the potential to command an entire fleet.
To be honest, neither the Gundam SEED world nor the Gundam AGE world could compare to the UC world in terms of large-scale fleet tactics (Flit and Argreus specialized in precise micro-management, which felt somewhat limited in large-scale fleet operations). That's why Natarle had come to Luna II and, with Tianem's permission, been learning fleet and warship tactics from experienced veteran captains.
"Indeed, the Federation's MS field may be virgin territory, but in fleet expertise, Zeon can't even come close."
"Murrue should come here too."
"Yes, but the timing isn't right yet. Besides, I have other plans for Murrue - she might not join our unit."
"Understood."
"Alright, stop keeping such a stern face all the time." Yang Hui pinched Natarle's soft cheek. "It's only been a few days, and the title 'Ice Goddess' has already spread throughout Luna II."
Natarle's face flushed red as she nervously glanced around to make sure no one was watching. She sighed in relief before giving Yang Hui an adorable, resentful glare.
"Hahaha, let's go. I suspect we'll be receiving orders from Revil soon enough."
"Mm."
...
In Yang Hui's room, Natarle drifted through sweet, spring-colored dreams while Yang Hui sat before his computer in a bathrobe, browsing through experimental unit data and considering simplification directions.
"The electronic equipment doesn't need to be so comprehensive - basic equipment will suffice. We can design a specialized reconnaissance backpack to replace some functions. As for armor... Gundarium Alloy Alpha is indeed too expensive to produce. We don't need full-body coverage - just the cockpit and critical joints. Then the weapons... This should work."
Converting custom machines to mass production was something Yang Hui had done multiple times before, so he worked with practiced ease, quickly completing the mass-production version plan. Then...
"Murrue." Picking up the Quantum Communication Device brought from Prometheus Fortress, Yang Hui directly contacted the secret base.
"Yang Hui, any instructions?"
"Can't I just miss you?"
"Stop joking~ What's the matter?"
"Why are you becoming more and more like Natarle?"
"Get to the point!"
"Alright, alright. Go to my room and access confidential file number two - you know the password. The design blueprints inside can be put into production at the factory now."
"Understood."
"There are two more things. First, I'll have Natarle Badgiruel organize and send you the tactical exchange she had with the Federation captain for you to study. Finally, have Kira and the others make their preparations."
"No problem."
The communication ended. Yang Hui looked at the blueprints and data on the computer screen, a somewhat sinister smile appearing on his face.
"Everything is ready on this side. It's time to start on the other end. The Christmas present is prepared—just waiting for you to come collect it."
(End of Chapter)