Clearly, the Earth's environment was capable of producing Solar Furnaces, but why were Celestial Being's units so precious that their recovery priority was set so high?
The answer lay in the internal pressure-boosting components and the TD Blanket used to fill topological defects.
The TD Blanket, in particular, was the key to particle compression and could only be manufactured in the environment of Jupiter.
With these two components integrated, the red particles—which had a significant impact on the environment and the human body—would transform into relatively harmless green particles.
Without a TD Blanket to regulate the particle compression rate, any attempt to boost pressure would turn the red GN particles into a potent source of contamination, severely affecting the environment, the pilot, and anyone in the vicinity.
"If Celestial Being's Solar Furnaces are 'True Drives,' then this unit of yours, labeled GN-T, is at best a 'Pseudo Drive,'" Roz explained.
Using his hand, Roz pointed out the gaps in the GN-T Solar Furnace to Graham. "This furnace generates particles slower than Celestial Being's; it requires frequent charging, and during prolonged or high-intensity use, there's even a risk of the furnace exploding. Add to that the hazards to the environment and the human body..."
"You know, don't you? Your piloting style might actually cause this furnace to detonate on your machine."
"After all, the person who provided these things is a traitor to Celestial Being. He likely lacks the capability to obtain True Drives. Currently, the only way the three major powers can close the gap with Celestial Being is by using these machines equipped with Pseudo Drives."
Graham didn't particularly care that Roz had trashed the Pseudo Solar Furnace installed on his Flag as worthless.
"Speaking of which, you certainly know a lot about this type of power reactor."
"Because we are currently engaged in cooperation and exchange with Celestial Being. Given the specialized manufacturing environment of the Solar Furnace, they don't mind revealing a bit to me, so naturally, I've learned quite a lot."
Roz gestured to a Haro on standby—remotely operated by some member of the maintenance crew—to begin reassembling the Solar Furnace. "Actually, I should thank you. The joint military exercise of the three powers has brought us closer to Celestial Being."
"I've had a question I've been curious about..."
Hearing Roz's words, Graham wasn't angry. Instead, as if a thought had occurred to him, he looked at Roz.
"What exactly is the goal of Celestial Being's operations? What is Aeolia Schenberg really planning?"
This was a question that had troubled him, Billy, and Professor Eifman for a long time. Based on Celestial Being's actions, they clearly had an objective, but no matter how much they racked their brains, they couldn't deduce the motive.
"...You should be aware of the Jupiter Exploration Fleet incident, right?"
Roz didn't answer directly but pivoted to another topic.
"Yes, when Celestial Being first appeared, that matter was brought up because it concerned Aeolia," Graham replied, somewhat confused. "But it was quickly forgotten. Is there a problem?"
The next words from Roz made Graham's eyes widen instinctively.
"Aeolia Schenberg discovered a wormhole there. On the other side is an extraterrestrial civilization."
Roz nodded, dropping a bombshell. "You should understand, shouldn't you? Given the current fragmented state of Earth—full of intrigue and constant warfare—what would happen if we encountered an alien civilization?"
"Human society on Earth would be torn apart... or Earth, along with humanity, would simply be destroyed."
At the thought of such a scenario, a cold sweat broke out on Graham's back.
"Then you should know very well: what is the fastest way to make isolated or even hostile individuals and organizations unite?"
By now, Roz had completely seized control of the conversation's rhythm. He posed the question to Graham, leading him to think.
"...A powerful external enemy."
"That is the reason for their actions."
Roz looked at the Over Flag, which had been mostly pieced together and now showed its rough silhouette. "Regardless of how we face those aliens later—whether through combat or peace talks—Earth must first become a unified whole. Their acting as a powerful third-party 'enemy' is a means to that end."
"Martyrs... is that it?"
Graham sighed softly, a feeling of respect for Celestial Being's ideals welling up within him.
Just as Graham was lost in thought, Roz's communicator rang.
"This is Roz..."
Roz smoothly pulled the device from his pocket and held it to his ear.
A moment later, his expression became peculiar.
"A new, unreleased speech from Aeolia has appeared?"
-----------------------------------
At this moment, within a hangar at the Union branch of the Joint Base.
Professor Eifman was busy tuning a GN-X.
Since the appearance of the GN-X and its related technical documents, the three major powers' research into these machines had progressed by leaps and bounds—one might even call it an explosive growth.
It was rumored that several new armaments had already been developed, and the massive factories organized by the Alliance had already seen the first batch of fifty GN-X units roll off the assembly lines and head toward the Joint Base.
The unit Professor Eifman was currently calibrating was one of those newly arrived GN-X units.
Just then, Billy walked into the hangar, looking visibly dejected.
"...Professor," Billy said after a long silence, "this is the combat report regarding the joint operation to suppress the Ravens."
"Three injured in the Flag Fighters, one confirmed dead. Graham's status is MIA."
Staring at those three stark English letters, "MIA," Billy felt as if he were looking at his best friend's corpse.
This was a tacit understanding within the UNION, a sort of "traditional skill" passed down through the ages.
Back in the era before the UNION became a massive federation, the high-ranking military officials of the United States within the bloc would label soldiers who died in battle but whose bodies couldn't be recovered as "MIA".
Although the technology had improved significantly in the UNION era, the "MIA equals KIA" convention remained in the paperwork.
"I see."
Professor Eifman merely glanced at the report Billy handed over before setting it aside.
"Professor, why...?"
Seeing the professor's nonchalant attitude, Billy was stunned.
"Billy, you and I both know Graham. What kind of man do you think he is?"
Eifman stopped his work and turned the question back to Billy. "He's hot-blooded, upright, and has his own pursuits... More importantly, he has a heart as pure as gold."
"To Celestial Being, or to the Ravens, he is the perfect recruitment target. If he were captured, they would certainly try to win him over. Even if he were heavily injured, they would heal him."
Professor Eifman began to analyze his thoughts, and as Billy listened, his eyes widened. "Furthermore, according to the news I've received, they didn't recover the wreckage of Graham's Flag. Given the performance of Celestial Being's machines, they have absolutely no need for a Flag."
When Eifman had previously analyzed Celestial Being's data, it coincided with the time the Trinity siblings had been crippled by Shinn. However, it was rumored that the guards had recently caught several "spies" attempting to assassinate him, which had made Eifman much more cautious in his movements.
"I have my own analysis of Celestial Being; it isn't just a surface-level understanding like others."
Eifman trusted the student he had taught and now worked with. "Everything originated from the Jupiter exploration mission. Celestial Being is intentionally framing themselves as the 'Enemy of the World'."
"...They want the three powers—no, the entire world—to achieve unification."
Billy, being Eifman's student, was naturally no fool. With a little nudge from the professor, he quickly connected the logic.
"They definitely found something on Jupiter that made them desperate to link the people of Earth into a single entity."
Eifman, leaning on his cane, walked over to Billy and patted him on the shoulder.
"Relax. You might even see that boy Graham piloting a Celestial Being machine to fight the three powers in a future battle."
Eifman chuckled, cracking a somewhat "hellish" joke.
But it wasn't impossible. Green GN particles were the hallmark of Celestial Being. If Graham were absorbed into their ranks, his machine would inevitably use the most "orthodox" GN particle technology—perhaps even a true Solar Furnace.
"That joke... really isn't helping me feel better."
Hearing the professor, Billy's mood shifted from low to something more complex—his inner grief was forcibly dispersed, leaving him in a state where he wanted to laugh but couldn't quite manage it.
"Besides, the ship where Graham went down... hasn't it been under the constant surveillance of the Joint Alliance? It's not like it can just fly into the sky."
-----------------------------------
At this moment, on the Moon, at the location of VEDA.
"We've been played..."
Alejandro frowned deeply as he looked at the information Ribbons had shared with him.
Just moments ago, right after they finished cracking VEDA's access rights and gunning down Aeolia in his life-support pod, a broadcast began. Simultaneously, the data for all members of Celestial Being was deleted from VEDA.
Furthermore, it appeared that a "black box" embedded during the manufacturing of the Solar Furnaces had been activated, completely unlocking their performance.
"Even without Celestial Being's intel, we can still use VEDA for many things. Is that considered good news?"
Ribbons operated the console for a moment before looking toward Alejandro. "Aeolia's trump card has appeared. So, where is yours?"
At this point, only the two of them remained. Four-Eyes, who had been there previously, had been sent back to the spaceship.
Since Four-Eyes was also a hacker, Ribbons had specifically scanned VEDA several times to ensure no backdoors were left behind.
"Hmph... how could the Corner family not have a trump card?"
Alejandro sneered, glancing at Aeolia's corpse in the life-support pod—now sporting the same "style" as JFK.
"It is nothing more than unlocking the Solar Furnaces' performance. In the face of absolute numerical superiority, it is merely a mantis trying to stop a chariot. Besides, with the full deployment of the GN-X, my own machine can finally be brought out."
"It is time to reveal the weapons I have kept buried."
"Oh? A new weapon even I don't know about?"
Hearing Alejandro's words, Ribbons also showed interest.
"The petty squabbles between humanity and Celestial Being have dragged on for too long. How could the Corner family's ambition be realized like that?"
Alejandro spread his arms as if standing on a magnificent stage and opened an image. "I must use the long-buried Sword of Damocles to deliver equal judgment upon them."
At that moment, within thirteen large nodes of the Solar Power Generation Wing—nodes whose construction had been contracted to the Corner family—lay a hidden secret.
A massive cannon barrel, coupled with six Pseudo-Drives and large GN particle storage tanks, was buried within each.
The nodes' own high-output solar power generation systems were simultaneously transmitting power to the orbital elevator while charging the nodes' internal systems.
"VEDA is our passport; the Sword of Damocles is our key."
Saying this, Alejandro looked toward Ribbons, who maintained a practiced, formulaic smile. "This is the cornerstone for our hegemony!"
..................