Alexei Kulagin.
He was a pivotal figure in the history of the Macross world.
After the ASS-1 warship, the predecessor of the SDF-1, crashed on Earth, Alexei Kulagin, as one of Earth Human's top scientific and technical personnel, was among the first to board the ASS-1 for exploration and research.
Subsequently, after humanity developed OTM Variable Structure Technology from the technology acquired from the ASS-1, Alexei Kulagin, as the chief designer of a three-nation joint development project, successfully used this technology to develop a new generation of variable warplanes—the SV51.
At the same time, the SV51 entered combat much earlier than the Earth Unification Army's VF-0.
Therefore, the SV51, born from the three-nation joint development project led by Alexei Kulagin, dealt a huge blow to the Earth Unification Army during the Unification War, and the situation was only reversed after the Earth Unification Army's VF-0 entered service.
Although the Earth Unification Army ultimately won the victory.
It is undeniable that the existence of the SV51 greatly delayed the Unification War process for Earth Human and inflicted significant blows on the Earth Unification Army in various aspects.
Roy Focker, who had participated in the battle where the Bird Human, a super high-tech product left by the Primitive Civilization, appeared, and had engaged the SV51 multiple times, was very clear about this.
It was even unforgettable.
As one of the participants in that battle, Roy Focker's former instructor, D.D. Ivanov, a man who joined the anti-Unified Army as a mercenary, flew an SV51 and fought Roy Focker until he was shot down by the Bird Human.
“What’s wrong? You say you don't care, but you actually care a lot about the existence of the SV51?”
Shelyayev shifted his body, adopting a more comfortable sitting posture, and teased his close friend.
“No. I'm just concerned whether the SV51 can handle space combat. After all, this is no longer the battlefield of the Unification War.”
Hearing this, Shelyayev immediately fell silent.
The reputation of the SV51 was indeed formidable among veteran soldiers who had participated in the Unification War.
However, it is undeniable that most of the SV51's airframes were designed for combat within the atmosphere.
But now, the battlefield the SDF-1 faced and was in was the boundless expanse of space.
Shelyayev and Roy exchanged glances, both harboring doubts about this.
He Ming naturally agreed with this point.
However,
what appeared before his eyes did not seem to be an SV51.
As the curtain was lifted, a dark gray warplane appeared before him.
From its aerodynamic design, it was clear that this was a variable warplane designed based on the famous SU-27 from human history.
At first glance, He Ming almost blurted out the name of the warplane before him.
But then, in the next second, he closed his mouth.
Because he noticed something unusual about the latter half of the fuselage.
The airframe in his memory was relatively slender, especially the latter half, which, after transforming, would become a pair of long, slender legs.
However, the airframe before him seemed slightly shorter and stouter.
And the latter half, especially the engine area, was even more noticeable.
“Oh? You noticed it?”
Hearing this, He Ming turned around and saw a middle-aged man with his sleeves rolled up, the first and second buttons of his shirt casually undone, holding a document, observing him.
“Hello! I am He Ming.”
He Ming greeted him proactively.
The man nodded and handed the document to He Ming.
“Sign this document! Then, change into the flight suit over there.”
He Ming blinked, feeling somewhat bewildered.
On the way here, the investigators hadn't revealed much about the upcoming arrangements.
They had only briefly mentioned that they wouldn't pursue his unauthorized piloting of the VF-1, and after asking him to cooperate with the subsequent arrangements, they brought him here.
Judging from the middle-aged man's demeanor and the warplane behind him, could it be that he was to be the pilot of this warplane?
Seemingly sensing He Ming's confusion, the middle-aged man shrugged and then explained.
“It seems those guys haven't explained the situation to you. So, to avoid any misunderstandings, I'll clarify.”
He Ming put down the document in his hand, nodded, indicating that he was listening intently.
“Please speak!”
“I am Alexei Kulagin. Perhaps you've heard my name, but that's not important. Right now, what you need to do is sign your name on this document and become its pilot, the SV52, to participate in this war.”
He paused, and the middle-aged man pointed to himself.
“Of course. In the upcoming battles, I will participate in the maintenance and upkeep of the SV52 as a mechanic.”
“SV52?”
Signing the document and becoming a warplane pilot was no problem for He Ming.
He came for this very purpose.
However, the SV52 was the warplane behind him?!
In He Ming's memory, after the Unification War, the only two remaining SV52s were taken over by the Unified Army, and eventually, during the invasion of the Zentraedi's Main Fleet, they were destroyed along with ground facilities.
“Hmm? You seem surprised that the SV52 would be here?”
Kulagin smiled, also noticing He Ming's surprise.
“The two SV52s taken over by the Unified Army were not the true SV52s; they were merely airframes perfected by the anti-Unified Army based on the original design plans. In my opinion, they were just an extended version, or perhaps the final version, of the SV51.”
Saying this, Kulagin pointed to the gray warplane behind He Ming.
“Now, the one behind you is the true SV52. The true SV52, designed and manufactured with space combat as its premise.”
“The true SV52?”
A surge of eagerness rose within He Ming.
Perhaps it was because a legendary figure like Alexei Kulagin appeared before him,
Perhaps it was because of the legendary SV52,
In any case, He Ming, at that moment, abandoned his hesitation, acted decisively, and quickly signed his name on the document.
Kulagin was somewhat surprised now.
He had thought He Ming would hesitate, but he hadn't expected him to sign his name so quickly.
Kulagin did not know that after the First Interstellar War, he would be one of the founders of General Galaxy, a leading warplane design and production giant that would influence the future of aerial combat and control the design and manufacturing of several generations of cutting-edge warplanes.
Naturally, he wouldn't know the reason why He Ming dared to be so decisive.
“All right! So, are we starting the test now? Or is it actual combat?”
He Ming handed the document to Kulagin.
Kulagin blinked, calmed his inner surprise, and nodded.
“Now we need to conduct an ignition test. After you change into your flight suit, board the SV52 and prepare to start the engine. I will guide you from the side.”
“Understood!”
After the instructions were clearly given, both parties acted very quickly.
Before long, He Ming, now in his flight suit, was already seated in the SV52's cockpit.
Just as when he sat in the VF-1's cockpit before, as soon as He Ming's gaze touched buttons, screens, and other areas in the cockpit, he had a feeling of innate knowledge, fully understanding their existence and meaning.
【Confirmable Boarding the aircraft: SV52.】
【Confirm Pilot Skill, complete.】
【Confirmable Boarding the aircraft: SV52 has not yet been registered for ownership.】
【Confirm registration of ownership?】
The mysterious voice appeared again, bringing with it a question that concerned He Ming.
Ownership registration?
Was this to claim the SV52 as his own?
“How does it feel?”
Beside him, Kulagin, standing on a ladder, observed He Ming's movements in the cockpit.
“Very good. Am I the first pilot to sit in the SV52's cockpit?”
He Ming gave a thumbs-up, making a small joke, temporarily pushing the confusion brought by the mysterious voice to the back of his mind.
He was currently on the SDF-1, the Earth Unification Army's last warship, and also He Ming's only means of survival in this universe.
Therefore, He Ming did not want to make a rash decision under these unclear circumstances.
Of course.
If circumstances permitted, He Ming would not hesitate to confirm ownership.
After all, this was the most advanced variable warplane!
“Hmm? Probably. But that depends on the subsequent situation and the arrangements from Captain Global.”
Kulagin did not make a definitive statement.
He Ming had no objection to this either.
If simply signing that document could make him a member of the Unified Army and a pilot assigned to the SDF-1, then the mysterious voice would have already sounded in He Ming's ears.
Since it hadn't appeared yet, there were probably other factors to be completed later.
“So, all I need to do now is start the engine?”
“Of course. However, the subsequent arrangements will depend on the situation after the engine is started.”
Kulagin's answer was also as expected.
Engine startup.
System self-check.
He Ming followed Kulagin's instructions, completing each test item step by step.
After a series of operations, the thermonuclear engine finally entered a stable operating state and smoothly transitioned into optimal operating mode.
He Ming again gave a thumbs-up to Kulagin, who was standing by the control panel.
However, this time it was a little different.
Kulagin understood.
He then responded to He Ming with a gesture to temporarily shut down the engine.
He Ming nodded.
Subsequently, the roar of the engine gradually subsided until it no longer produced loud noise, then Kulagin gestured to wait for a moment, picked up the communicator beside him, and made a call.
Several minutes later, Kulagin's expression gradually grew serious.
“He Ming. The startup test just now was pretty good. Now, are there any problems with entering the flight phase of the test?”
“No.”
He Ming's answer was very direct, causing Kulagin to nod.
“Then, we will now enter the flight test phase. Someone will meet you shortly and assist you with the flight test. I will be watching from here.”
“Understood!”
Amidst the roar of the launch platform, the SV52 carrying He Ming slowly ascended into the launch channel, leaving only its back view to greet Roy and Shelyayev, who had rushed over.
“Professor Kulagin. That young man?”
As old acquaintances who had gone through the Unification War together, Roy and Shelyayev were no strangers to Kulagin.
On the contrary, sometimes Kulagin would even communicate with these elite pilots to find inspiration for new warplane designs.
“He went out.”
Kulagin pointed to the slowly closing ceiling.
The SV52 had already entered the launch channel along the launch platform's trajectory, and it would presumably undergo its first flight test soon, as arranged by the command center.
“This…”
The news Roy received was that He Ming would cooperate with Kulagin for a ground startup test.
How did it turn into a flight test?
“Hahahahaha! I didn't expect you, Professor, to be so impatient!”
Unexpectedly, Shelyayev burst into laughter, causing both of them to stare at him.
“What? Did I say something wrong? Just a rookie, a greenhorn, and you're pushing him out like this for a flight test? Even if we're in space now and don't have the trouble of taking off from the ground, if he hits something, let alone the SV52, that guy will probably suffer for a while, right?”
Kulagin chuckled, offering no explanation, and casually took a document from the control panel, tossing it to Shelyayev.
It was the data report extracted from the VF-1 He Ming had piloted.
Although not comprehensive due to time constraints, the data report for critical areas was as detailed as possible.
“Captain Shelyayev's concerns are perfectly understandable. However, I can't imagine a situation where a young man who can pilot a faulty VF-1 through a battlefield and even provide fire support for the Second Defense Force would be stumped by a simple flight test.”
“What?!”
Before his eyes were the constantly disappearing channel lights below.
In his ears was the roar of the launch platform.
He Ming sat quietly in the SV52's cockpit, silently adjusting his emotions and body, waiting for the moment of takeoff to arrive.
This was different from piloting the VF-1 before.
Currently, He Ming did not need to pilot the SV52 for combat, nor did he need to perform any missions with it.
His only task was to pilot this variable warplane, to soar through this space, and to understand the SV52, comprehend the SV52, and become a partner for life and death with it.
“Shhh…”
Inadvertently, a faint static sound came through the headset.
It was a communication link.
He Ming lowered his gaze and raised his hand to press the blinking communication button.
“This is delta 1. SV52, respond if you hear me!”
Then, a female avatar appeared on the display.
Brown long hair,
A serious expression,
A white military uniform,
Presumably, this was Hayase Misa.
He Ming replied.
“This is SV52. delta 1, please speak!”
“SV52 Flight Test Pre-plan One, approved. Launch channel 03. Flight path 132, time 0910. Flight duration 60 minutes. Respond if you receive!”
“Understood! Launch channel 03, flight path 132, time 0910, flight duration 60 minutes.”
He Ming repeated it.
“Additionally, please note that a reconnaissance team will be returning at 0945. Please be sure to pay attention to the situation near the flight path! If necessary, you must terminate the flight test and return immediately!”
“Understood!”
In the back and forth, the SV52 had already arrived at the launch platform, and with the assistance of the already prepared maintenance crew, auxiliary engines were installed.
This made He Ming feel both surprised and expected.
It seemed that even without his intervention, this SV52 had already been prepared for deployment.