In the federal military's tender for the purchase of individual machine guns, the Clumberg-Heysen factory won the freestyle assault rifle by an indisputable margin, and after final negotiations, the Grumman Group announced that it would pay an exclusive partnership fee of 6,000 gold crowns to the patent holder of the design, the design team centered on the Governor of Lorraine, Long Clumber Haisen, with an additional royalty of 0.075 gold crowns per assault rifle. This means that if the production reaches 1 million, it will bring them a huge income of 75,000 gold crowns.

Becoming a wealthy party overnight, Weiss made a decision that shook the whole of Lorraine: he used all of his personal funds to build the Free University of Lorraine, and promised that the university would remain a public good in perpetuity - minus government subsidies and charitable donations for normal operation, and the shortfall would be tuition.

Science and technology rejuvenate the state, education first. After determining the plan for the construction of the Free Lorraine University, Weiss put forward a local proposal in the name of the state government: to establish a university town in the south of Mason to form a large-scale and intensive effect of educational resources, and the existing list of schools includes the Free Lorraine University, the Mason Technical College, the Falkesen School of Business, the Mason Institute of Literature and History, the State Technical School, and so on. Among them, in addition to the newly built Free University of Lorraine, the Falkson Business College and the State Technical School originally located in this area, and need to relocate or establish a new campus, the Lorraine State Government will come forward to mobilize the Lorraine Industrialists Union, the Lorraine Financial Association and other chambers of commerce and associations to solve the funding problem......

One day in early winter, the warm sun hung high in the sky. On a lawn south of Mason, the groundbreaking ceremony for the University of Lorraine Libre is ready. As the initiator of the donation to build this comprehensive university, Weiss was dressed in a formal suit and in good spirits, but he is not the most striking protagonist today. Federal Education Minister Hanks arrived from Liberty City, and Weiss was somewhat surprised to be able to invite the Minister of Education, known as a poet. After choosing a date for the laying of the foundation, he wrote a letter to Hanks and reported to him about the situation at the Free University of Lorraine. Prior to this, the relevant filing procedures had already been sent to the Ministry of Education, and Hans should have been aware of this. Since this is not a public university, it is not usually attended by high-level government officials.

Hanks's arrival made it clear that he wanted to encourage all walks of life to build new educational institutions, develop educational resources, and inject more development vitality into the post-war federation. Moreover, this is the largest educational institution that a governor-level government official has privately funded, which in itself is worth encouraging and promoting, and Hanks heard that Lorraine had a new look in a short period of time after the arrival of the new governor, and he was curious to come and see it in person. So with this special trip.

The title of poet of the Minister of Education was not just a joke, but a veritable one—he had been writing poetry and prose since his youth, most of which was free-form poetry, which he published in the hundreds, most of them when he was in obscurity, and the number of poems published in high positions decreased dramatically. It's not because he doesn't have a sense of it, or because he's busy with official business, but because he began to change his pen name, so that those newspapers and periodicals don't only look at fame and don't care about quality, and the good ones are posted in a conspicuous position. From this point of view, as the poet Minister of Education, Hanks has an upright and selfless heart.

At the groundbreaking ceremony of the university, Hanks showed his profound skills, and he praised the people of Lorraine with an almost ornate arrangement, and made a beautiful prospect and blessing for the efforts of education.

In contrast, although Weiss's speech is full of emotion, simple and vivid, it lacks the literary and historical background, and the atmosphere of calmly dismissing the scriptures. It's like a person in a clean and neat dress, in front of a person with an otherworldly temperament.

There is a way to specialize in the art industry, Weiss did not feel discouraged because of his gap in literature, art and temperament, in fact, the real doers are silently dedicated, silently pragmatic. Taking the opportunity, he took Hanks around Mason and the surrounding area to learn about the state of education in Lorraine, which would help them apply for subsidies and incentives from the federal Ministry of Education in the future.

On the way, the two couldn't help but have a small talk, and Hanks suddenly talked about Nikolai, and he asked: "You and the daughter of the president of Lebor are said to be comrades-in-arms in the army, and they have a good relationship in peacetime?" ”

Weiss was a little wary of not knowing: "We are comrades-in-arms, and we can be regarded as friends who have a common topic in flight technology. Recently, there has been some cooperation between Star Group and the industry of the Clumber sea cucumber family, so we have more opportunities to get together. ”

Hanks saw Weiss's crampedness, and instead of digging deeper into the relationship between the two, Hanks said, "Then do you know that he went to the hospital?" ”

Weiss was shocked: "What happened?" ”

I said in my heart, could it be that I was attacked again? But President Leibold has announced that he will not run for next year's presidency. He is too old to continue his responsibilities. However, thanks to his outstanding contributions before and during the war, he already had his own statue in Liberty Square. This is the greatest affirmation of his merits by the people.

Hanks sighed and said, "I heard it was because of the test flight." ”

Isn't she no longer on test flight duty? Weiss was puzzled.

"I don't know the specifics, I just heard about it before I came. I think you comrades-in-arms have a deep friendship, and maybe you will get the news as soon as possible. Hanks said.

"No, not really." Weiss said with some regret.

The rest of the trip was lackluster, and after seeing off the Minister of Education, Weiss hurriedly asked the director of operations of the Star Group, who had come to Lorraine to discuss cooperation. The other party replied that Nikolai was fine and was currently hospitalized at the Rehabilitation Hospital in Liberty City.

After taking care of the business at hand, Weiss took the train to Liberty City overnight. After arriving, he didn't do anything else, and went straight to the hospital, and then saw this unlucky guy with his head wrapped in a dumpling and his arm tied with a sling on the hospital bed.

"How many times have we met like this? Either you're lying on a hospital bed, or I'm on a hospital bed, or we're lying on a hospital bed together. ”

Weiss's black humor made Nikolai smile, but the expression on his face involved the wound, and he gritted his teeth in pain.

"Test flight accident?" Weiss asked straight to the point.

Nikolai hummed in response.

"But your father forbade you to do this, and now that you're like this, he shouldn't take you home from the Star Group, right?" Weiss speculated.

Nikolai looked helpless.

"I don't understand, you don't need to go on a general test flight, could it be that there is a very difficult test flight of a new aircraft?"

"It's a bit of a special situation." Nikolai said in a deep voice, "Remember the time of the war, when we snatched a heavy fighter from a Norman spaceship? ”

"Of course I do. You flew the plane away, and I fell out of the air and almost died. Later, you landed like a fool and rescued me, and that experience could have been made into the most classic movie! Weiss replied.

Nikolai's eyes seemed to shine: "The kind of aircraft that we have successfully copied, and improved." I was the only Fed pilot to fly that type of aircraft in actual combat, and of course the captured enemy prototype was repaired and then made a series of test flights. Not long ago, Star Group successfully manufactured an improved prototype, a total of two. During the test flight, it went well at first, but later, for unknown reasons, the No. 1 plane crashed, and the pilot was martyred on the spot. We've invested a lot of time and money in this, and if something happens to the second machine, there could be an insurmountable obstacle to this important research here, so I piloted the second machine myself to test it. Overall, it's very good, but it's likely that there is a problem with the pneumatics or other program-controlled system, and it gets out of control during high-speed maneuvers. ”

In this era before wind tunnel experiments, the prototype needs to be tested repeatedly by test pilots before it can be perfected. Because of the simple structure of the early aircraft, as long as it can fly, it can be explored and improved in the process of use, but with the development of technology, especially this mechanically complex fighter, testing has become more cautious and important.

"Thank you for coming to see me." "Still, some of the things that have been agreed upon will not change." ”

Weiss scratched his head: "You're all like this, why would I ask you to wear women's clothes to show me?" ”

Nikolai glared at him, not knowing how to answer for a long time. Then, the two laughed in unison, laughing unbridledly.

"Tell me about your new plane!" "I'm not an expert on this, but I know a little bit about mechanics and aerodynamics. And you know, I sometimes think differently than the average person. It's a ...... I guess it's called talent! ”

"If it weren't for your talent, the Normans wouldn't have taken you to the flying ship, and we wouldn't have taken that risk." Nikolai said.

Of course, there was no blame or resentment in this, she asked Weiss to move the stool next to her, and said in a low voice, "This is the top secret of the Star Group, and it is also the top secret of the Federation Army. The new fighter was designed by the Normans, with Star Stones for floating power, but in small quantities, which would ensure the aircraft's maneuverability. More importantly, we have equipped these new aircraft with the latest radio equipment, and once they are put into service, the flight units equipped with these new fighters can form close air coordination. We believe that it is the ideal equipment for defensive interception and escort, and that we are sufficient to defend the airspace over the Ulster if there are enough of them. It also has a powerful ability to carry 1,000-pound heavy bombs for high-speed penetration attacks. In the case of bomb loading, its mobility will be affected, but its speed will not be reduced, as long as the bomb is dropped, it can break away from the enemy's fire defense circle and interception circle through dexterous maneuvering. The military expects this aircraft from the military, and we hope that he will be able to be as brave and tenacious and capable as a real hunter. ”

"Judging from the previous test flights, it seems that there are still some problems with its materials - the main body uses armor steel plates to provide good protection, and some important parts try to use new alloy materials, but the strength of these alloy materials seems to be lacking, which led to the accident, and it may also be that there are congenital problems with the materials used in the transmission. In general, I think that's it. ”

At this stage, although Star Group has carried out substantial cooperation with the Clumber-Haisen plant on new metal materials, due to the late start, it is still in the experimental stage, and the new materials they have researched have not yet been provided to the design and production of Star Group's aircraft. The new materials mentioned by Nikolai may be provided by the Longmaier Group, or they may be obtained from other channels, such a behemoth as the Star Group, it is impossible to fix a material supplier, but multi-channel cooperation, the best choice.

After thinking for a while, Weiss asked, "What about the test data of the strength, toughness, and fatigue resistance of those new metal materials you use?" ”

Star Group's materials are technically tested during the design and experiment stage, and then calculated by engineers, which is a very advanced practice in this era, but it is not immune to the limitations of material science and computing power, and there are still some shortcomings in terms of practicality. Weiss pointed out the problem, and Nikolai muttered: "Judging from the data at the time, there should be no major problems, but one of the consultants pointed out that the way we calculate fatigue is flawed, and one of the important factors is still controversial, but it will take a long time to determine this coefficient, and our work cannot all be stopped and wait indefinitely." ”

Weiss and Nikolai talked about recent events, including the University of Lorraine Libre and the Governors' Conference, including the poker skills he learned from the governors, and the governors' discussions on the strategic situation.

"There are some things I was going to tell you the next time we met. Because of an accident, the meeting was advanced, and now it's the same. "Nikolai said," the aviation force has recently undergone a strategic reorganization, the status and role of the aircraft force have been enhanced, and the positioning of the flying ships has also undergone key adjustments, and there is reason to believe that in the future, the role of the vanguard and main force will be the aircraft force, and the fleet will mainly provide support and assistance. This is a positive sign because we are always at a disadvantage when it comes to star source resources. We should not attack the strong with the weak, but should focus on the development of aircraft technology. In this way, the aircraft unit can obtain a corresponding amount of star source stone resources in the strategic development to develop our new aircraft. After this reshuffle, the previous doctrine of strategic bombing received more attention. In fact, the military is considering the layout of strategic bombing. Maybe it won't be long before they get going. As you have mentioned, the military should establish a series of sufficiently secrecy and fortified military airfields in the western federal states in case of an emergency and to preserve as much strength as possible in the event of a fierce confrontation. In addition, with the support of Xingyuan Stone resources, we can start to develop bombers with a larger range and bomb load. Of course, they should not be bulky guys with traditional armor, we need stable new metal materials. In response to this strategic change, I had a conversation with the senior management of Star Group, suggesting that they open a new production line in the west while retaining the eastern production area. They agreed with my suggestion in principle, but the specific arrangements need to be discussed in detail. ”

"The people of Lorraine welcome the Star Group to come and invest." Weiss half-jokingly said, "We already have a university city, and there will be a mechanical city, a chemical city, and an aviation city." In the era of rapid development, the scale and intensification of industry can improve the original production efficiency a lot. The occupation of resources and the impact on the environment can also be centrally managed and controlled. ”

With Nikolai, except for a few special circumstances, the two always have endless topics to talk about. When discussing professional and technical issues, they can extend their thoughts to the future for a long time, and when discussing things that are not related to work, they also have many common memories and common values. Of course, the two very different experiences are complementary enough, for example, in politics and the interpersonal relationships of the upper class, and Nikolai can also tell Weiss a lot of things to be aware of when he becomes a governor.

Lorraine's affairs were basically on track, and Weiss didn't have to worry too much about the trivialities. Before he came, he told the state government staff that if there was no special urgency, he would stay in Liberty City for a few days, and if there were any special circumstances, they would send him a telegram. So, he was able to stay here with Nikolai for a few days. In the past few days, except for some inconvenient times when there will be embarrassment, in the vast majority of cases, Nikolai is still happy.

On the fourth day. Weiss was peeling fruit for Nikolai when two men in dresses with serious expressions came outside the door. They wanted to clear the field, but Nikolai told them, "No, this is the governor of Lorraine, a good friend of mine." ”

Moments later, President Lebor appeared at the door of the hospital room. He is still as radiant as ever, but the white hair and furrow-like wrinkles on his head still make people feel the cruelty of the years. Whether it was the reform struggle before the war or the efforts to turn the tide during the war, all kinds of pressures and contradictions piled up on this old man, and he sorted out the complicated things with rare courage and skill, so that the Federation continued to move forward under the track of freedom.

Weisby greeted the president of Leibor respectfully, having met twice before that. Once Weiss was received as a war hero, and once as the new governor of the state to exchange work with President Leibald. The latter happened just over a month ago, so Lebor will be no stranger to the president.

"Mr. Clumber-Haysen!" President Lebor took the initiative to shake hands with him and said, "I admire your magnificent transformation from a soldier to a politician, and I have always hoped that Nikolai would be able to follow this path as well, but she resolutely refused." It wasn't her dream to be a great politician, but it wouldn't hurt him. ”

Weiss looked back at Nikolai: "Having learned this lesson, I believe that she will be more cautious in her future work." ”

"From now on?" President Leibold muttered dissatisfied, and then he said to Weiss, "I have a few words to say to Nikolai, and I'll delay you for a few minutes." ”

Weiss exited the room playfully, and waited not far from the door. After a while, he heard some voices coming from inside. President Lebour's voice remained steady even when the volume was raised, but Nikolai was a little excited. The two guards standing in the doorway were like sculptures, completely unaffected by the sounds, and Weiss tried to show as calmly as possible.

After about five minutes, the argument inside stopped. President Lebor reappeared at the door, and he nodded to Weiss. Before leaving, he said in the posture of an old father: "Help me persuade her that those dangerous jobs are not for her." ”

"I will." Weiss replied. When Mr. President was gone, he entered the room and gently closed the door. Nikolai is wiping away tears, and it seems that there is an irreconcilable contradiction between the father and daughter's family and professional concepts. He didn't know how to comfort Nikolai, so he sat silently beside Nikolai and gave her the best support he could with a friendly look.

When his mood had calmed down, Nikolai raised his head and said, "Sometimes I really envy you, I think the Lord and Lady are very tolerant and open-minded. In the Federation, everybody thinks their President Lebor is a good man, but here I am as stubborn as a stone. Sometimes I really want to run away from home and hide in a place where no one knows me, even if it's just to help someone fix the machine, it's better than being disciplined here.

Weiss continued this stubble and jokingly said, "I'm just short of people to fix machines." ”

"I'm afraid I'm going to lose my job." Nikolai looked at Weiss with a wry smile, but there seemed to be no pain in her eyes as if she was unemployed.

Weiss smiled: "Don't worry, I have a lot of jobs here. I just don't know if President Leibold forbids you to fly any kind of flying machine, even an old and slow pesticide spraying plane......"

"Yes." Nikolai replied, "In his opinion, nothing that can fly will work." ”

"Then you can only engage in the research and design of aircraft technology." Weiss said.

"If I could, I wouldn't have been kicked out of Star Group. You also know that pure design research must be combined with practice, how can you find out the shortcomings of its design and improve it without flying it? Relying on the description of the test pilot, after all, there is no real experience of my own experience! Nikolai said seriously.