"Lord Yang Hui, are you enjoying the visit?" Durandal greeted with a smile, secretly impressed by Yang Hui's impeccable timing—arriving just as everything was perfectly prepared for the fleet review.
"I was, until..." Yang Hui's lips curled slightly as he glanced at Athrun, who was carrying two large bags of Space Chicken Skewers, "...someone's poor memory ruined the mood."
"Ah..." Durandal froze, momentarily at a loss for words. By convention, shouldn't Yang Hui have replied with something like, "Very much, thank you for your hospitality," followed by mutual pleasantries before moving on?
"...Ahem." Durandal cleared his throat to mask his awkwardness, quickly regaining his composure. "I'm glad you're satisfied, Lord Yang Hui."
"Thank you for your hospitality. I believe we could expand trade in agricultural and livestock products."
"Ah, haha..." Durandal glanced at the beleaguered Athrun behind Yang Hui, the aroma of grilled skewers wafting from the bags making the situation obvious. "That can certainly be arranged. I'll have someone contact Orb for negotiations. This way, Lord Yang Hui."
"After you."
Following Durandal's entourage, they didn't enter any buildings or board vehicles but instead walked through Armory One on foot, observing the ZAFT Forces' newly assembled MS units.
"Impressive—ZAFT never disappoints." Yang Hui whistled at the sight of the fully organized Zaku Warrior and Zaku Phantom units.
"You flatter us. This was also thanks to your suggestion—scrapping other MS development plans and focusing on enhancing the Zaku Warrior's Armed Backpack. Not only did it cut costs, but it also streamlined production and boosted output."
What a sly fox... Yang Hui mused inwardly, realizing Durandal had caught both implications in his remark.
"I'm merely more familiar with military equipment than you, Chairman. The three essentials for mass-produced units are low cost, easy maintenance, and balanced performance. Once you account for these, the answer becomes obvious."
"Balanced performance?" Durandal, having never served in the military, was indeed less knowledgeable about weaponry. He asked earnestly—after all, as the highest authority, he didn't need mastery in every field, but he had to grasp enough to avoid being misled by subordinates.
"Exactly. Balanced performance allows average pilots to handle the units comfortably. Superior performance often means greater difficulty in operation—wasn't that the case with your earlier development, the Gells?"
"...I see. Thank you for the insight."
"No need for formalities, Chairman Durandal. These aren't profound concepts—just spend some time chatting with the troops, and you'll understand."
"Is that so? It seems I still have much to learn. Though... I must admit, I envy you, Lord Yang Hui. With two brilliant partners and so many reliable aides, you have the luxury of focusing on grassroots concerns."
Yang Hui's brow arched. Durandal's words were no compliment—while ostensibly praising Yang Hui and criticizing his own people, he was actually stirring resentment toward Yang Hui while motivating his subordinates.
Moreover, it was a veiled jab at Yang Hui for supposedly neglecting his duties—a triple-edged remark.
"The feedback from the grassroots is the most important and genuine. Only by understanding their needs can we formulate policies that better align with national development," Yang Hui responded calmly.
"Indeed, as expected of Chairman Yang Hui."
"You flatter me."
The group continued their tour, passing by formations of Zaku Warriors and ceremonial GINNs arranged in welcoming lines, eventually arriving before the day's main attraction.
"This is ZAFT's newest and most advanced warship, the Minerva. Though it may not compare to your Qilin-class vessels, it still represents the pinnacle of ZAFT's technological achievements," Durandal boasted, though he was well aware of the gap. Under Yang Hui's leadership, Orb's military capabilities had advanced too far ahead—closing that gap in a short time was impossible.
"Impressive," Yang Hui acknowledged with a nod. According to intelligence reports, construction had begun four months ago, concurrent with the Next Generation MS armament plan. Completing the Minerva's construction and assembling a fully operational Zaku Warrior unit within such a short timeframe was a testament to PLANT's exceptional military R&D and industrial capabilities.
After all, PLANT and Yang Hui were different. Yang Hui could simply pull blueprints from his mind, modify them, and put them to immediate use, whereas PLANT had to develop and design everything from scratch.
"Your approval is the highest praise," Durandal said, speaking on behalf of PLANT's researchers and production teams. Yang Hui was, after all, a titan in the field of scientific development.
"Still... it's a shame," Yang Hui shook his head. He didn't care whether his words might affect their collaboration—his relationship with Durandal wasn't the superficial partnership typical of politicians. Since they were working in earnest, honesty was essential to achieving the best possible outcome for both sides.
"Is there an issue?" Durandal inquired, knowing Yang Hui wouldn't offer criticism without reason.
"You shouldn't have showcased it publicly just to show off. Keeping it hidden and revealing it at a critical moment could have delivered a decisive blow to the enemy," Yang Hui replied.
"...You're right," Durandal conceded, though he had his own rationale. "But this is just the warship. The specialized MS units assigned to it won't be so easily exposed to public view."
In Durandal's eyes, the warship's exposure was inevitable. Though he had followed Orb's example by conducting multiple internal investigations and purges, spies were an ineradicable presence.
The construction of a warship was no small undertaking—it was bound to attract the attention of intelligence operatives. Holding a commissioning ceremony or not made little difference. Moreover, revealing only part of their capabilities could serve as a deterrent.
To Durandal, complete secrecy meant no one would know, and thus there would be no deterrent effect. But partial knowledge—that was the most potent form of deterrence.
"Fine, as long as you know what you're doing." Durandal was a partner, not a subordinate or an ally. Yang Hui had offered his advice—whether it was taken was up to the other man.
I wonder if Durandal's elite force has any new Mobile Suits besides the ones I remember.
"Now, Lord Yang Hui, please follow me—"
"Boom—"
"What's going on? What happened!?"
Just as Durandal was about to lead Yang Hui and Athrun aboard the Minerva to officially begin the fleet review and the Minerva's launch ceremony, a sudden explosion erupted not far away, flames shooting into the sky.
Watching the scene, Yang Hui raised a hand to shield himself from the blast wind, a faint smile of interest curling beneath his concealed lips.
"As expected, the farce has begun. How amusing."