You just never asked

[abugslife]

[Hetepheres eventually returns from Macross to her office in Alhambra by TSEN. And it might not be easy to see at a first glance, but she looks tired. Regardless, time for rest will come later, because now she has an announcement to make. One of her scarab-like helpers gives her a cup of something to drink.]

I never expected the giants to reach Earth. But at this point, it is a safe bet that what are they after is your ship, the Macross. The ship that is currently around the orbit of Uranus.

Some of you might have heard about it, and it is true; my people encountered these giants before. As well as Decepticons, and Wulgaru, and Aerogaters. We barely know much more about them than you do; our contact consisted mostly of exchanging projectiles, not words. Regardless, if you have any questions, I will try to answer them to the best of my ability.

[She can be easily reached through the network or in person.]

Comments

[kill_all_vagans]

... But not the UE?

[abugslife]

No. This is an enemy we have never encountered. They have to be from some other part of the galaxy entirely.

[kill_all_vagans]

... But close enough that the Wulgaru are able to get along with them, judging by what happened at Nora.

[abugslife]

Indeed. This is the first time I saw the Wulgaru cooperate with another species. Perhaps there is some kind of connection between the two...

[kill_all_vagans]

[And then something dawns on Flit.]

Maybe... maybe I could use my algorithm! The one that predicted the Vagan's attack on Nora! I never thought of applying it to the Wulgaru... and it could be something like a pattern within a pattern... like how if you count by "3s" you'd also hit all the numbers you'd hit if you counted by "6s"!

The UE only attack once every seven years, but it could be different with the Wulgaru!

you left one Vagan there

[abugslife]

The Wulgaru obviously attack more often than that on their own. Together with the UE, we shall see...

Have you really created an algorithm that predicts when and where the UE will attack? And it is accurate? This is quite astounding. Either they are more structured and predictable in their actions than most of our sapient enemies, or the prediction you made borders on divination. See if you can use it for other enemies, perhaps.

And since you responded I can't edit it! *shakes fist*

[kill_all_vagans]

It wasn't easy... especially with such a small data pool to work with. And before the UE attacked Nora there was always the risk that it wouldn't be correct...

But I studied every single detail I could from those first two attacks. The types of colonies Ovan and Angel were, their location relative to the Earth and other celestial bodies at the time of the attack, every possible detail I could.

Revising it to work with other enemies would take time though; the cycle was based around years, not weeks or days. Not that I won't try.

just as keikaku

[abugslife]

Wouldn't a faster cycle give you more samples to work with?

[kill_all_vagans]

I'd have to sort through relevancy for that information though. Not that it'll keep my from trying.

[abugslife]

Don't blame yourself if you fail. You have already accomplished more than most kids your age ever will.

...What is your age anyway, exactly?

[kill_all_vagans]

I'm fourteen. Spent about half my life working on the AGE-1 too.

[abugslife]

Amazing.

You take enough rest from your work as well, I hope? Being completely single-minded at your age might not be healthy. Do not let Gundam consume your life.

[Or you might turn out to be like that degenerate Sei.]

[kill_all_vagans]

That's one of the reasons I put time into making the AGE Builder...

Rather than waste hours brainstorming equipment for the Gundam, the AGE System's put to that task, and the Builder can produce the weaponry it figures is best at whatever the task is. It does a lot to help free up time for me.

[abugslife]

And what weapons has this incredible builder system created so far?

[kill_all_vagans]

So far just the Rolling Lance -useful but only in specific situations- and the DODS Rifle... which could do a lot to strengthen the ESUN's Genoaces once the technology's fully reverse-engineered and made into something more practical for mass production.

[abugslife]

That is good to hear. The names alone, however, do not tell me much, beyond the fact that the former is presumably a kind of lance and the latter a rifle.

[kill_all_vagans]

Well... the Beam Rolling Lance is sorta like-

[Okay, out with it Flit.]

... It's like a beam pinwheel. Or pizza cutter almost. But UE mobile suits have been very hard to damage, at least with commonplace weaponry, and the lance's design lets it add additional shearing to a hit. More than just getting slashed by a beam blade, the blade itself is moving as well, with another one coming behind it. It's a step up from the AGE-1's beam daggers at the very least.

And the DODS Rifle applies a similar idea to its beam too... having the beams have a spiral, drilling path... like rifling for a conventional gun even! It helps it stay focused and give greater penetrating power, and from what it could do to a UE suit even with a glancing blow -to say nothing of what it did to groups of Wulgaru machines-... it's a huge step up from a Genoace's beam spraygun.

... Just a bit too expensive to mass-produce.

1/2

[abugslife]

...

It does sound to me like the Build system has an unusual fondness for spinning weapons.

2/2

[abugslife]

Whatever algorithm runs it, it clearly knows what it is doing.

[kill_all_vagans]

My mother knew what she was doing when she made the AGE Device, that's for sure.

It's the cornerstone of everything connecting to the AGE-1; piloting it, sorting through the data it gathers, determining the best responses to it...

[That smile weakens as he pulls out the device and just looks at it.]

She said that it'd be the key to saving everyone. And so far it hasn't led me astray.

[abugslife]

She must have been proud. Not just of the AGE Device, but of you, as well.