That afternoon, at the main Colonian Military Base in Neo-Veridia, the air felt tense and heavy. The defeat of the Bishop Mobile Suit—the Colony's new pride—was broadcast live and served as a severe slap to the Colonian authority.
In the central command meeting room, the Colony High General led the meeting with a grim face, surrounded by military commanders and lead engineers. Professor Armen Itsuki, though professional, looked pale from shame and frustration. On the large screens encircling the room, the faces of the Colonian Kings from various main Colonies (Mars, Venus, and Jupiter) were displayed, each observing with clear dissatisfaction.
"A pathetic report," the voice of the King of Mars sounded cold and authoritative through the speaker. "The unit we expected to secure military superiority was crippled by an old Mobile Suit that should have been historical garbage."
"We have evaluated the Bishop's defeat, Your Majesty," reported the High General, trying to maintain his composure. "The Bishop's weakness was not in the engine or weaponry, but in the pilot's reaction speed factor. The White Mobile Suit moved in a way that was impossible for an ordinary Colonian pilot to anticipate, even an elite pilot like Lieutenant Lingrave."
"No Mobile Suit is 'impossible' if its technology is outdated!" the King of Venus cut in sharply. "Professor Itsuki, didn't you yourself confirm that the unit is a prototype from Klaus Kimeza?"
Armen bowed his head for a moment. "That is correct, Your Majesty. It is a direct derivative of the technology developed by Klaus Kimeza. And I believe their advantage lies in how they combine a powerful particle engine with an extremely lightweight frame. Technology we have never fully replicated."
The King of Jupiter, who had been silent all this time, finally spoke. His face was filled with hidden ambition. "If that is the case, why don't we go back to the source? We have the original technology in our hands. We have its creator in our prison. We have the Grai Gundam confiscated from the base 15 years ago."
Immediately, a silent consensus was formed among the Colonian Kings. Although behind the scenes they were hostile to each other, competing for supreme power and resources, this humiliating defeat had united them in one goal: to master the White Mobile Suit's technology.
"We agree," said the King of Mars, his voice now full of determination. "We will activate and fully fund the project for a counter-unit to the White Mobile Suit. We will no longer mess around with the expensive Bishop prototype. We will use the basis of proven superior technology, the technology created by that traitor."
The King of Venus added, "Starting today, all necessary military and technical resources will be allocated without limit. We name it Project Grai."
Project Grai was officially approved. Its goal: to create a counter Mobile Suit with incredible power, speed, and weaponry, that equaled or even surpassed the mysterious White Mobile Suit's capabilities.
Professor Armen Itsuki, the creator of the Bishop, felt submerged in rejection. He was the Colonian technical head, but now he was forced to work based on the enemy's design that he despised.
"Your Majesties," Armen interjected cautiously. "To create a unit that powerful, we will need extraordinary manufacturing supplies, a special frame, and the cost will be extremely high. This will drain the Colony's treasury."
The King of Jupiter waved his hand arrogantly on the screen. "We do not care about the cost, Professor! We care about dominance. If that unit can destroy the Bishop in an instant, imagine the power we will have if we mass-produce it. Proceed with Project Grai! We want results in two months!"
Armen could no longer argue. He knew that the Colonian Kings were not only driven by fear or pure military ambition. There was a hidden agenda. They were racing to obtain the most powerful Mobile Suit, not just to fight an external enemy, but to destroy their own Colonian rivals in the future and seize full control of the Council of Kings. Project Grai was the seed of a future Colonian civil war.
Project Grai and the Awakening of the Grai Gundam
With the Kings' approval, Professor Armen Itsuki immediately took full control of the Mobile Suit confiscated 15 years ago.
"Bring the Grai Gundam to the main analysis hangar!" Armen commanded. "We will dismantle it down to the smallest bolt. We must know why this unit and its twin are capable of operating with an engine twice as powerful as ours!"
Armen Itsuki and his team began studying every aspect of the Mobile Suit piloted by Klaus Kimeza. They projected the diagram of its particle engine. "Professor, their energy source is not just standard Colonian fusion. There is an added particle core that allows it to collect energy exponentially. This is a very unstable technology, but it produces unrivaled thrust and weapon power."
Armen Itsuki realized the painful truth: he had spent 15 years chasing the shadow of Klaus's technical superiority, only to be forced to copy the traitor's work.
"Focus on the joint frame!" Armen ordered in frustration. "The Bishop was defeated because of agility. This frame... they used a mixture of Earth metals that are extremely lightweight yet durable. We must copy the mixture ratio and this flexible joint design. We will create a new unit frame, which we call Archon, based on the Kimeza design. This unit must erase that White Mobile Suit forever."
Project Grai, which officially aimed to protect the Colony, had now de facto become a weapons factory for a future Colonian internal war.
Klaus Kimeza's Inner Conflict
Deep below the base, in a cold and isolated detention facility, Klaus Kimeza—the originator of all this technology—felt a different wave of energy.
He was inside a sophisticated prison, cut off from the outside world, and for 15 years he had undergone various procedures, including intense brainwashing. The goal was to erase his loyalty to Earth and transform him into a technical asset for the Colonians. However, the effect of the operation was never perfect. Klaus's spirit was too strong, and his determination was too firm, especially concerning his wife.
Although his mind sometimes felt hazy, he still held memories of Airi. He had never seen his children's faces, as Airi was heavily pregnant when they separated on the day of his capture. He also didn't know the twins' names. However, the memory of Airi's pregnancy and the promise to protect them was his last line of defense. Every time a Colonian nurse or technician came in and tried to ask questions about the Mobile Suit design, Klaus would allow the brainwashing fog to take over, giving superficial technical answers while guarding vital secrets.
Klaus knew that if the Colonians discovered the AIRIS system—the AI he created specifically for Airi and embedded in the White Gundam—they would be able to fully replicate the White Gundam's superiority. So, he blocked the memory of the AI in the deepest layers of his mind.
As he watched the Grai Gundam being dismantled on the monitor, he didn't just see the destruction of his work; he saw a threat directed at Airi and the children he had never met. The new unit that would be born from Project Grai would be a much stronger enemy than the Bishop.
"Airi... Forgive me," he whispered to himself. He knew the technology would now be misused.
However, the recent defeat of the Bishop gave him hope. If the White Mobile Suit, the twin of the Grai Gundam, was still operating, then Airi and their children must be out there.
Klaus smiled faintly, though his eyes were filled with tears. He closed his eyes and prayed with all his remaining strength, resisting the effects of the brainwashing.
"Hold on a little longer, my Love. Wait for your Father. I will get out of here and find you."
Klaus Kimeza knew his time was running out. Project Grai would not wait. He had to sacrifice his mental security to once again become a husband and a father. Project Grai, which was supposed to be the Colony's savior, had now become a countdown to a greater conflict.
To be continued....