Crossing Orb: Newtype Commander

March CE67, Orb "Heavenly Pillar" base.

This is a hidden secret facility. The entrance is disguised as an ordinary supply warehouse, but it extends into three underground levels. The lowest level is the MS assembly workshop, covering an area of ​​over 10,000 square meters with a ceiling as high as 30 meters, enough to accommodate several mobile suits for assembly at the same time.

The atmosphere in the workshop was different that day. Everyone held their breath, their eyes focused on the three production lines in the center of the workshop.

Along the first line, ten silver-gray Zaku mobile suits stood in neat rows. They were sturdy and heavy, with broad shoulder armor, and their single-eye monitors flashed red as they were being adjusted. Each one exuded a simple, almost rugged sense of power.

On the second line, there are five more streamlined mobile suits—the GM. Unlike the Zaku, the GM has a standard dual-eye sensor layout on its head, a more compact overall design, and sharply defined armor ridges, exuding a sharp, modern weaponry feel.

On the third line, there is only one machine.

It stood silently on a high platform at the far end of the workshop, shrouded in a black curtain. Even when obscured, its silhouette exuded a distinctive presence—a taller head, broader shoulders, and longer limbs. It was neither as rugged as the Zaku nor as sharp as the Gim, but rather radiated a calm, almost majestic aura.

Char stood below the platform, gazing up at the machine shrouded in a curtain. Beside him stood Erica, Kato, Rin Sato, Christina, Ron, and Li Yuehua—the entire core team was present.

"Lord Char," Erica's voice trembled slightly, "all the prototypes of Project 'Sword' have been taken offline today. Ten Zaku, five GMs, and..."

She paused, then took a deep breath.

"And the Gundam prototype - 'Sword Gundam RX-78-1'."

Char nodded, remaining silent as he stared intently at the machine before him.

Kato stepped forward and handed him a remote control.

"please."

Char took the remote control and pressed the button.

The curtain slowly fell.

1.2 RX-78-1

The lights in the workshop reflected a cold gleam onto the machine.

The Sword Gundam RX-78-1 stands 18.5 meters tall, weighs 43.4 tons, and has a full load weight of 60 tons. Its armor has a unique silver-white hue—not ordinary paint, but the original color of Luna Titanium Alloy. This material is the result of secret research by Kato's team over the past two years; it is more than three times stronger than ordinary titanium alloy and offers astonishing protection against projectile weapons.

The mobile suit's torso is broad and compact, with the cockpit located in the center of the chest, covered by openable armor plates. A beam saber hilt hangs on each side of the backpack, its silver blade reflecting a cold light under illumination. The head features a standard dual-eye sensor layout, with the main monitor designed as a V-shaped antenna, prominently displayed above the forehead—a signature design of the Gundam series, which Char retained almost without hesitation when drawing the design blueprints.

"Lunar Titanium Alloy Armor," Kato stood at the foot of the mecha, gazing up at the steel giant, his voice filled with pride, "its defensive capabilities are three times that of the armor materials currently used by Dawn Corporation. Although the cost is high, it's worth it for a flagship mecha."

"The learning computer has been installed," Christina added. "The initial database consists of simulated combat data provided by Lord Char. As practical testing progresses, the system will automatically optimize the machine's response parameters."

"The core regulator system has also passed testing," Ron pointed to the cockpit. "The cockpit module itself is a small fighter jet—the FF-X7 Core Fighter. In an emergency, the pilot can evacuate in the Core Fighter to maximize the survival rate."

Char walked around the machine, his gaze sweeping over every detail. He noticed the magnetic coating on the arm joints—a newly installed technology that could reduce the machine's reaction time from 1.5 seconds to 1.1 seconds. He saw the charging port for the beam saber on the backpack, the latch for the beam rifle mounted on the waist, and the reinforced structure of the shield mounting points.

Everything was running in his mind, corresponding one-to-one with the blueprints of the UC era.

"What about the weapon systems?" he asked.

"The beam rifle XBR-M-79-07G has an output of 1.9 megawatts and uses E-CAP technology. It can fire 12 to 15 rounds when fully charged," Rin Sato replied. "The shield is made of Luna titanium alloy composite structure and weighs 10 tons. There are two beam sabers with a rated output of 0.38 megawatts. In addition, there are optional armaments such as rocket launchers and meteor hammers."

Char nodded.

"This afternoon," he said, "we will conduct the first maneuver test."

Afternoon, at the testing ground.

The test site is located in a basin surrounded by mountains in the northern part of the Shuguang Society campus. The ground is paved with high-strength concrete, and sensors and high-speed cameras are deployed all around. The control center is located inside the mountain at the edge of the basin, where thick rock layers provide natural protection.

Char changed into his pilot suit and walked toward the Zaku parked in the center of the test track.

This was the Zaku's first maneuver test. Although he had simulated the feeling of piloting a mobile suit in his mind countless times, this was the first time he had actually sat in the cockpit and held the control stick.

The cockpit is small, but well-laid out. The main display is a wraparound panoramic screen, providing a 360-degree field of view. The joysticks are located on either side of the seat; the left hand controls direction and attitude, while the right hand controls weapons and propulsion. Foot pedals are used to assist with attitude control, and there are additional joysticks at the knees for fine-tuning.

"Lord Char, all systems are working properly and can be started." Erica's voice came through the communicator.

Char pressed the start button.

The Minovsky nuclear reactor started with a deep, powerful sound, like the heartbeat of some ancient behemoth. The cockpit lights came on, and the main display showed the external view of the aircraft. Sensor readings jumped around the edges of the screen—altitude, speed, attitude, energy output, armor status… everything was normal.

"Zaku, Char Langlad Athha, launch!"

Char pushed the joystick, and the Zaku took its first step.

The ten-meter-tall steel giant took a step forward, causing the ground to tremble slightly. The technicians in the control center held their breath—this was the first time in Orb's history that a mobile suit had been piloted.

"Gait is stable," Xia's voice was calm. "Joint response is normal, and the posture control system is functioning well."

He began to accelerate. The Zaku went from walking to jogging, and then to running at full speed. The 17.5-meter-tall machine raced across the test field at nearly 100 kilometers per hour, the ground vibrating beneath its feet, and the dust it kicked up leaving a long trail in the air.

"Test maneuverability." Char pulled the control stick, and the Zaku suddenly turned sharply to the left.

Inertia pressed his body against the right side of the seat, but his hands remained firmly on the control stick. The Zaku's leg joints rotated smoothly under the influence of the magnetic coating, and the machine completed a ninety-degree turn with astonishing agility.

"Left turn complete. Test the next maneuver."

The Zaku soared into the air, rolled once, and landed steadily. Char's movements were fluid and seamless, without the slightest hesitation. Under his control, the Zaku didn't resemble a cumbersome machine, but rather a living giant—rugged, powerful, yet agile.

In the control center, Kato stared wide-eyed at the data on the screen.

"This level of precision..." he murmured, "is beyond what a human could achieve."

Erika remained silent. She stared at Char's operational log on the screen; the reaction times of the data were unbelievably short—the machine responded almost instantly upon receiving the action command. This wasn't a problem with the machine, but with the operator. Char's reaction speed had surpassed human limits.

"Newtypes," Erica whispered, in a voice only she could hear.

After the Zaku test, Char switched to GM.

Unlike the ruggedness of the Zaku, the GM offers a more refined driving experience. Its 1250 kW powertrain provides more abundant energy, resulting in faster response times and more precise attitude control.

Char piloted the GM on the test track, performing a series of highly difficult maneuvers—high-speed serpentine maneuvers, sudden stops and turns, and jump evasions. Every movement was clean and crisp, without any unnecessary swaying or delay.

"The GM outperforms the Zaku," Char said in the communications, "but it's also more expensive. As a mass-produced machine, the Zaku has a better cost-performance ratio. The GM should be positioned as a commander's machine or an elite machine."

"Understood," Erica replied. "The data is being recorded."

Char pushed the joystick, and Jim accelerated sharply, tracing an arc across the test range before coming to a screeching halt in front of the target. He pressed the trigger with his right hand, and the beam gun fired an orange beam that precisely struck the bullseye three hundred meters away.

The target was penetrated, and its edges melted into red molten iron.

"The beam spray gun's power is as expected," Char said, "but its effective range is too short and needs further optimization."

"It's on record," Erica said. "Lord Char, the tests for Zaku and Jim are complete. Next..."

She paused for a moment.

"Next up is Gundam."