Ray nodded at the mechanics and Ryo both, planning to stick around and make sure everything went smoothly. Not only was the Zeta Plus quite complex for a mass production machine, so much so it was quickly deemed too expensive and discontinued in the eternal search to save every possible penny, this particular unit was both made up from disparate parts from a number of the line's variants and specifically tuned to his own liking. He wasn't about to let anyone monkey around in it too much without him to supervise, it's why he made sure to keep the machine was always nicely locked and its safety features engaged when he wasn't planning on piloting.

He shrugged at Ryo when he mentioned OMNI and their people. He had no real idea what the hell OMNI was, and in fact had only joined up with Mariemaia's group because they didn't shoot at him the minute they met. As far as he could tell, they were essentially a Zeon-type group that took over the Earth after a wide-scale disarmament brought about by a large-scale war, exactly the kind of shits that made peace impossible. "Well, I don't know what OMNI is or why I should care here of all places, but I do plan to stick around for work on the Plus so I guess we think alike there. Gotta keep the younguns in line".

Of course, talk of a child pilot didn't sit well with him, but coming from Universal Century it was not at all surprising. "As for the child pilot, well, that just ain't..." he was interrupted by the newcomer, a blonde man who seemed particularly excited about the Plus for some reason and who Ray inferred was one of the newcomers. "Lookin at him kiddo, and damn straight it's a beauty. Zeta Plus series, been in service for close to a decade and two major wars now and never been better. The name's Ray, and you are?"