Due to the deaths of eight high-ranking officials participating in the Adelaide Conference during a Mafty attack, the conference was forced to be postponed.
It would not convene again until successors were selected for those eight positions.
Consequently, Kenneth, that unlucky soul, had to endure investigations while simultaneously restructuring the Circe Unit, striving to root out all the bad habits left over from Kimberley's tenure in the shortest time possible.
During these few days, Hathaway, who had previously been in contact with Kenneth, also returned to Manado to undergo investigation.
However, likely because Kenneth had put in a word, the inquiry into Hathaway was as perfunctory as it had been in Davao, appearing strictly formulaic.
Meanwhile, the various large and small attacks carried out by the Mafty organization across the globe did not cease.
Attacks in the Pacific region continued, and they successfully assassinated another high-ranking official.
This indirectly weakened the suspicion that Kenneth was the one leaking the officials' travel routes, causing the Bureau of Investigation to shift their focus toward other related individuals.
As for the woman named Gigi Andalusia, the Federal Bureau of Investigation found no issues on her end, though the agents sent to interrogate her reported: "This woman is dangerous."
None of this, however, had anything to do with Roz for the time being.
-----------------------------------
Ever since receiving the Zorin Soul, the workshop adjacent to the Nahel Argama's hangar had entered a non-stop, three-shift work cycle.
By now, the Zorin Soul had been stripped down to nothing but a skeleton.
Compared to its previous state, many metal structures of the same material as the frame had been added, and parts of the skeleton had been modified, causing the machine's volume to expand.
It no longer bore any resemblance to its original MS form.
A vast array of equipment—some from the original Zorin Soul, some modified, and some newly manufactured—lay on the ground alongside red outer armor, waiting to be installed onto the machine.
The original cockpit had also been changed from the waist-abdomen position to the head after the installation of a Psycho-Frame identical to the Banshee's, and portions of the machine's skeleton were now embedded with Psycho-Frame components as well.
If the Char from the Courtyard were to see this skeleton of the "Zorin Soul," which had long since lost its original shape, he would inevitably recognize it as the frame of a machine named "Nightingale."
The original machine height had grown from 20.8 meters to 22.5 meters; if one included the height of the wing-like shoulder binders, it reached 27.8 meters, making it roughly as tall as the Xi Gundam.
The machine had transformed from its original wide build into something elongated and narrow; it looked nothing like the original Zorin Soul, yet it did indeed retain the Zorin Soul's core frame.
This was why Roz required a fourteen-day construction period. Had it been a simple matter of fitting external armor and equipment, a few days would have been enough for the workshop to complete the fabrication.
However, partly to protect Char and partly to ensure a "fair duel," Roz had decided to perform this current modification that went deep into the bone.
"When it comes down to it, the only reason this machine can operate within the atmosphere is entirely due to the quasi-space environment created by the GN Drive, right?"
At that moment, Christina stood beside Roz, who was currently installing the GN Drive into the Nightingale, holding a set of blueprints with a somewhat strange expression. "No matter how I look at this machine structure, it doesn't seem like something that could operate in Earth's gravity."
"The Nightingale was originally designed for space combat," Roz said, dressed in a tank top and cargo pants. After the GN Drive was installed onto the designated frame, he reached into his cargo pants, pulled out a wrench, and began tightening bolts. "The GN Drive can simulate a space environment. It is indispensable if the Nightingale is to be piloted in Earth's environment."
Roz had no intention of removing the Minovsky Craft either; its ability to shield against and counteract high-altitude gales was still very important.
Regarding the GN Drive installed on the Nightingale, considering the slight possibility of it being seized, Roz had specially installed a structural lock.
If an attempt was made to dismantle it without secret key authentication or by failing to follow Roz's specific disassembly logic, the local network control device would detonate the GN Drive, blowing the solar furnace to smithereens.
It wouldn't be hard for Anaheim to crack an electronic key, but Roz's "Ork-like" unconventional engineering logic was the greatest obstacle to them ever dismantling the GN Drive.
Even for an "artificial genius" like Christina, the blueprints for the structural locks were completely incomprehensible; she could only grasp the general idea through Roz's explanations.
The Nightingale had now reached the assembly stage. The original shield was replaced with the Nightingale's signature shield, and the electrochemical gun was discarded in favor of a Large Mega Beam Rifle.
Within the two wing-like shoulder binders, ten sets of recoverable funnels equipped with small GN particle storage tanks were slated for installation.
The three propellant tanks originally on the back were converted into launch racks for the Zorin Soul's funnel missiles.
As for the triple-claw type funnels—which couldn't be recharged due to their hurried manufacture—and the long-wing funnels that mostly served as aerodynamic components, Roz discarded them entirely since they were unusable in Earth's environment.
Regarding the loss of aerodynamics from removing the long-wing funnels, as long as the numerous electric propulsion components on the Nightingale were powerful enough—combined with the GN Drive's environmental simulation—the slight drop in aerodynamic performance wouldn't be an issue.
"The problem Mafty faces now is: will they even understand how to maintain this MS?"
Cindy, who had just finished supervising the maintenance team in assembling the machine's components, walked over to Roz's side. "Or rather, do they even have a maintenance team large enough to service the Nightingale?"
"Regarding that, I've specially prepared a maintenance manual for them."
Without looking back, Roz reached out and pointed to a book and a mobile hard drive resting on the workbench.
"A single book can cover it?"
As the head of the maintenance team, Cindy instinctively furrowed her brows. Based on the blueprints she'd seen, the list of specifications should be enormous.
"No, that book is just the index containing the items for basic and complete maintenance."
Roz finished tightening a bolt and shook his head. "The actual content is on the hard drive."
Hearing this, Cindy nodded. That made much more sense. It would be illogical for a machine like the Nightingale to have a maintenance checklist as short as a Jegan's.
But while Roz and Cindy seemed relaxed, focusing on assembly and maintenance details, Christina remained frowning, seemingly worried about something.
"But if this Nightingale reaches its design specs and is delivered to Char... can the Sinanju actually beat it?"
After a moment of thought, Christina voiced the concern weighing on her mind.
It wasn't without reason; compared to the original version, this Nightingale, integrated with a vast array of other technologies, was significantly more powerful.
However, Roz was prepared for this question.
"I've already taken that into account."
Roz pulled a tablet from his pocket and handed it to Christina. "That's why I've simultaneously prepared an enhancement plan for the Sinanju."
"After all, if the Nightingale is appearing by my hand, how could I forget the other one?"
"The other one..."
Christina took the tablet and looked at the drawing of a machine with a purple-and-white color scheme—different from the original. She fell into deep thought.
That serious expression even made Cindy lean over to carefully examine the image on the tablet.
"When the time comes... I expect I'll be quite busy. I'll have to count on you for these reinforcement components."
After saying that, Roz very proficiently finished connecting the GN particle conveyor belt and turned to look at Christina and Cindy.
"Yeah, don't worry. When have we ever let you down?"
Cindy smiled, her right arm draped over Christina's shoulder while her left hand gave Roz a thumbs-up.
Beep-beep-beep... Beep-beep-beep...
At that moment, Roz's communicator rang.
Seeing the name on the display, Roz picked up the call.
"What do you need from me, Char?"
"Just checking on the progress of my machine, Roz."
Currently, Char was standing on a platform of the abandoned offshore structure used as a Mafty base.
He was observing the azure, seemingly unchanging sea through large windows that had become slanted floor-to-ceiling glass due to the building's partial collapse.
Seagulls flew nearby to hunt, their cries forming a sharp contrast with the various assembly sounds coming from Roz's workshop.
"Fourteen days means fourteen days; delivery will be on time."
Roz furrowed his brow slightly. "But knowing you, calling me this time shouldn't just be about that."
"New York. The Earth Regional Joint Conference. I intend to recreate the Dakar speech."
Char watched a seagull glide over the water and took a sip from his water bottle. "Regardless of whether it has an effect, I must do it. We have just finished setting the plan."
"And so?"
"We don't have that many MS units, nor do we have enough ace pilots to guard the venue."
At this point, Char curled his lips into a smile, finally revealing his true intentions. "So, I'm counting on you, Roz."
"After all... according to intelligence, the Federation military commanders in the American region aren't as merciful as the commander of Kimberley—no, I should say the Circe Unit. They might just order their forces to shell the venue directly."
Char set down his water bottle, his expression appearing as if he were looking directly at Roz across the vast distance.
"By then, besides the high-ranking Federation officials inside, there will also be plenty of reporters and civilians."
"Char... you bastard."
Roz fell silent for a moment before cursing. "...I'll be there. There's no need for you to use that tone with me."
"Because, even though I know you wouldn't let me die, I can't be certain whether you would ignore the lives of those civilians."
Char exhaled, the tension that had been coiling inside him finally relaxing. "After all, you are Amuro, yet you are not Amuro."
"Char! You arrogant prick! What do you think I take life for?!"
After shouting at Char, Roz cut the communication.
Roz remained silent for a beat, then stepped down from the maintenance gantry where the Nightingale's skeleton was secured and walked into the Hangar.
Gazing at the Sinanju standing before him, Roz spoke.
"Kara, it's time for our appearance..."
Roz looked at the Sinanju's dark visor, its mono-eye monitor currently extinguished. "Are you ready?"
Suddenly, within that pitch-black visor, a single green mono-eye flared to life, looking down at Roz.
The machine made no further movement, yet Roz could clearly feel the aura radiating from the Sinanju—an emotion of being ready for battle at any second.
.........................