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Any German speakers willing to help me out with the rare Richter line? I'd use Google Translate, but you know from someone who speaks it is far more accurate. Willing to help? PM me.

Oh how often I fantasized for an amazing story where the modern or sci-fi gets mashed with medieval, but alas, it's a very rare thing to find. Oh well, I'll have to try to make mine the story I've been searching for.

Warning, this chapter's a bit time-skip happy.

This Is Not A Story Where A Titan Wins Against A Knight; But A Story Where We Show Tech As A Might!

Chapter 2: Plans And Precaution

Richter took in a deep breath of cold air. It was a strange sensation, to Phase here, but here he was, breathing in the frosted air of another world that may or may not be from another dimension. Marder explained the science behind it, but Richter didn't listen, he didn't need to.

He looked down to the gawking men he was sent here with as the first pathfinders, although that title may belong to Ash. "All logistical troops, begin clearing the zone, mark this as the first outpost, and prepare for the big delivery," he ordered. "Officers, listen to the foremen, and make a perimeter based on their calculations, no arguments. The Titans given the role are to help the logistics teams to clear and level the area, the rest with the soldiers to form a defensive perimeter." He placed his helmet back on, shut the hatch of his Atlas Titan, and picked up his autocannon. "Now, get to work."

The few dozen men there shouted their response, and scattered to fulfil their roles. Some wore armor and held their rifles, yet most wore utilitarian uniforms, made for carrying tools rather than weapons, but they still had their sidearms should anything happen.

Richter looked at the floor he was standing on before stepping off it, the large, metal, square plate that was used to hold the men and vehicles, the same that he himself and this group stood upon to come here. But more than that, it was a mark. A square mark with a terminal near the edge, but a mark none the less.

"Clear the area for the next arrival!" an officer shouted, causing some men to jump back into the vehicles that held supplies and leave the plate. The combination of Samsons and Gremlins moved quickly off the platform, for in a minute or so, the next group would arrive with more men and resources. Once they were off, three Titans came and removed the massive metal plate in preparation for the next one.

Off the side, he saw another Titan with a special saw cut down a tree in less than a second, and tossing it to a pile for it to be used later. There were a dozen Titans clearing out trees or rocks to level the area, and half a dozen Titans on standby waiting for their roles, their intended pilots listening to the foreman on how far the perimeter should expand in its first stage.

Pilots nodded and jumped into their Titans, then scattered to move with their group of IMC grunts. Richter nodded in approval at the speed his Apex Predators moved.

An odd sound happened, causing him to look at where the plate once laid upon. There was another Phase platform with more men in vehicles, along with resources, and Titans. Though this time they brought with them a Goblin dropship. He knew what this specific one was for.

"Clear the Phase zone!" the same officer from before shouted, snapping the dazed men from their teleportation stupor and having them scramble out of the vehicles they were in, and the drivers getting their vehicles off. Seconds later, the dropship's thrusters began to burn, lifting it, before it jumped into space to release its cargo.

It was a slower method to deploy a satellite, but it'll have to do for now. Besides, it was the first of several more to come, so they'll have to get used to having their network incomplete and questionable for a while before they get complete coverage.

Looking back to the pre-outpost construction, with only a few minutes and a few Titans, the logistics team already leveled a decent part of the area and cleared it out of trees and boulders, enough for a few men to mark where certain areas and buildings would be. That didn't include the subterranean part of the would-be base, though.

The strange sound again caused him to look again at the landing zone, and this time the group was made up of MRVNs and other units trained or made for construction, along with resources and machines to either drill or erect buildings.

All this made him wish for a battle to come soon.

"Any enemies I can fight near here?" he asked his AI. Construction and making a base was fine and all, but the real job of a pilot and his Titan was to battle. The better fighter stood over the weaker one. That was the life of a pilot.

"Negative, and the other Titans in the area detect no signs of hostiles," his Titan said, her female voice prominent inside the cockpit. "I was told by Commander Kuben Blisk to suggest you curb your bloodlust by patrolling." He snarled at the proposition. His skills were honed for a fight, not to walk around looking at trees!

Another weird sound, another group that came. Machinery, men, resources, more Titans, blah blah blah, all the same after the first two. Still, with unmuted boredom, he turned to see them anyway. . . Ah, they were the ones responsible for clearing out the area for the big delivery that'll come at the ending of stage one.

Good, they were nearing the next stage, though that one would take far longer than the first stage of the new initiative. It ought to be since it was the actual construction of the base. With the new MRVN's and construction drones, including more that'll be coming, it might take a week or two to finish building the walls a kilometer in diameter around the center, and then begins the base construction.

It shouldn't be long now, as already the army of Titans and lumberjacks were tearing out the forest by the hundreds, with the MRVNs rolling them out of the way for whatever use they might get out of them. All in all, they were halfway done with clearing the area before beginning stage two, but that still meant the big delivery was good to arrive.

"Richter," one of his officers called him through the radio. "These engineers say that we're good for the big one. I'll be sending a MRVN to Typhon to give them the word."

Richter grunted in approval at the speed. "Sehr gut. Send it, and make sure the area is clear when it arrives to avoid costly mistakes." The officer gave the affirmative before signing off.

Looking to the plate that wasn't removed, he saw one of those tin men walk its way to the plate's terminal, input a code, and vanished off the face of the planet with a quick salute. He thought they might have a minute before the big delivery arrived.

"It's coming," Richter said to the radios of his allies. "Anyone who doesn't want to die, move to the tree line." In his Titan still, he ran to the edge of the clearing his troops made, and waited.

The big delivery was what they called it, mostly from the size of what's coming. There's much power to show in this land, according to the intel the IMC had. Swords, shields, arrows, and catapults being the only thing the denizens of this world had to fight them should it come to be, and the IMC had much more in store if such an occasion those weapons turned on them.

It almost made him laugh, but instead left him annoyed. There'd be no good fight in this land, no one worthy for a duel existed here. When the sound of Phasing happened, he knew there were also none worthy of a fight against this one.

The IMS Malta popped into view, a massive vessel that would serve as the flagship for the initiative here. A beauty of a ship, and a hundred times as deadly with its weaponry. Its complement of fighters, bombers, soldiers, and ground vehicles would prove their own lethality should an invasion be needed, and it was about to take its position for the duration of its stay.

Richter was far enough to be safe, but the gale of air from the thrusters that hit forced his Titan to brace. It was enough to send soft snow flying at him, but the crew of it knew to be quick. The pseudo-storm lightened when the Malta angled itself, and disappeared entirely with it jumped into orbit. He did not relax, however.

"Brace for the next one!" one of his officers shouted.

It was just as he said it, the IMS Draconis Phased in front of him. While this one was much larger, it wasn't as tall as the Malta, but it being a heavy transport ship allowed it to hold three times the supplies. It was accurate to say they won't be starving or lacking in materials anytime soon with this one around.

Same as before, a tidal wave of wind hit Richter's Titan, but he was prepared this time. Just like with the Malta, the Draconis angled itself then jumped into orbit before their very eyes.

With the Malta, they had orbital support of every variety, and it would serve as the command center until the ground base was built. It would serve also as the base of all military operations until then.

The Draconis held few weapons of its own, but its logistical use outperformed that of the Malta. Though it would be important for Marder's research teams as it was their base until a ground one was built.

All the firepower and utility was good, but Richter knew those ships' most important aspect, why they were important to him and the Apex Predators. As long as the Malta or Draconis were in orbit, Titanfall was available. That's what's most important, to send him a fifty-ton machine from the heavens!

Alas, what'd be the point if there was no one to fight? Richter sighed in disappointment. He turned to his small army and ordered through the speakers, "back to work, we have a base to build. Schnell!"

Lord Eddard Stark, Warden of the North, had much on his plate already. The harvest had been slow as of late, rain turned to snow, and game had lessened for the hunters. It only meant on thing, winter was coming, and he had to prepare for it, more so since this was the longest summer in recent history, which meant an even longer winter.

So these letters from the Night's Watch were rather worrisome, although that was normal as wildlings tended to travel and raid more as the seasons turned. Though the contents of their most recent letters weren't what he expected.

"Has Lord-Commander Mormont gone senile?" he whispered to himself, but doubted it. It hadn't been long since he last saw him, so he couldn't have lost his mind just yet. Though these tales of odd sounds from the woods had been coming for weeks, and only as of late had the Watch said of large insects, or fairies on one account from Shadow Tower, flew around the woods, humming loudly as they flew just out of sight of the Rangers between the trees.

And this was after the reported sound all these letter started. The commander reported a massive howl that lasted for naught but a second before it disappeared, then a second howl started as quick as the first one before that disappeared as well. The Rangers searched the woods, but found nothing, though Joer said the sound might've come from deeper into the haunted forest or even beyond it.

He knew the old bear, he was no liar. Joer was an honorable man, the blood of the First Men and the North flowed through him as the Starks themselves. Less could be said about his son, however, but that was besides the case.

The commander asked to prepare Ned's bannermen as a precaution, and send men to the Wall for reinforcement, but that wasn't so easy. Ned respected the man greatly, but he couldn't order men to take the black against their will. That was a lifelong commitment, and not an easy one.

Still, he'll find some men from the dungeons and send them to Castle Black. The bear wouldn't like it, but it was all Ned could do. Joer might send a raven to Jon Arryn at King's Landing and ask for the same as of Ned, although knowing Mormont he likely already has. Still, Ned will send a letter imploring Jon to send the Watch their prisoners. That den of vipers would have scores of them, surely.

He dropped the letter on his desk, leaned back, wiped away the stress from his face and sighed. "Something's coming," he said to himself tiredly. He'd wager his honor that Commander Mormont sensed it as well, he just hoped they were wrong. He'd hear some more answers next time Benjen visits, Gods knew Joer would have asked him to try convincing Ned anyway.

"Ned, are you in here?" That was the unmistakable voice of his wife. "There you are," Cat said when she entered his solar, and walked over to him. She must've seen his exhaustion, as she decided to rub his shoulders. "I see the Night's Watch are asking for men again, but why is it troubling you so?"

Ned did find himself relax at the comfort and loving touch of her. "Winter is coming," he replied, and nodded for her to stop, which she did and he thanked her for it. "There's so much to be done, and these happenings going on passed the Wall is worrisome." Hopefully the Wall would keep whatever it was over there, but there was no guarantee. Was it the Others?

"You Northerners," Catelyn said without any heat. "Maybe one day you'll appreciate a day without worrying about winter every second of the day." He smirked at his wife's words. Regardless of what she said, she, a Tully, was as hardy as any Stark. She picked up one of the letters from Commander Mormont. "More men. Odd sightings and sounds. This has been going on for weeks, Ned. Perhaps you should just tell the old bear you sent as much men as you could. Gods know you did at the first letter."

Lord Stark sighed again. Did he really send them men? Thieves, murderers, and rapers, are those what constitute as men of the Watch? It was a noble thing to do, taking the black, but now it was a haven for criminals and the occasional naïve lordling. Jon, his. . . son, wanted to join them, but he's still a boy barely of thirteen. To experience so little yet to want to throw the possibilities away. . .

"I'll have Ser Rodrik search the dungeons once more for men to take the black. I'll even have Mikken and his boys forge some new swords and armor as well, and I'll send to House Forresters a request for some ironwood shields for the Watch." It's all he could do without demanding of his men to abandon their homes and families.

Cat kissed him on the cheek. "Come on, Ned, you honor-bound fool. Food is about to be served in the hall, and I would rather not keep our children waiting."

"I'll only be a minute," he said, earning a peck on the lips before his wife left the solar. For what felt like the thousandth time, he sighed. Perhaps he was worrying too much, but he couldn't help but sense that foreboding feeling. He tried to convince himself it was the harsh winter to come, but it didn't feel right.

Something's coming. He just hoped they were all prepared for it.

"You want us to begin stage three?" Slone asked. "This is too soon. The base hasn't been fully built yet, and you want us to begin activating harvesters we haven't built yet?" She herself was inside the comms room that had only recently finished construction, yet the captain of the Malta said it was time to mine for ores.

"Then build them," the holographic projection of Captain Ghadir of the IMS Malta said. "General Marder has ordered us to begin stage three when our resources reached a certain point. We're not low on anything, but I believe it's to see if anything could be extracted and see if we can be self-sufficient. Regardless, orders are orders." Couldn't really against either of those points. Orders were indeed orders, and she was paid to act them out.

"And I wasn't told of this because. . ." The captain shrugged. "Right." Slone didn't appreciate sudden changes, not one bit. "We deployed scanner drones to check for mineral deposits, which wasn't damn easy with all that fucking snow, but found a few likely candidates. I hope you'd have your nodes ready when we beam them up." The captain scoffed. "Good. I'll contact you when we have a harvester ready to activate. Slone out." He signed off with a nod and a grunt.

Well then, time to order some MRVNs and a security detail to start building the damn machine to search the earth for something that may or may not be there. Though the drones managed to find some likely hot spots for precious metals, but with all the ice and snow, it wouldn't be a surprise to find nothing.

'Speaking of the ice and snow, why is it so bloody cold!?' she thought as she exited the comms room. She was still inside the unfinished command center that had a roof and heating, but being out there was a damn winter wonderland throughout the day and night. Her winter pilot gear allowed her protection from the cold, and she'd been thankful for that, but she'd still get the occasional chills.

She more than once passed a MRVN welding a wall, fixing electrical wiring, or installing plumbing, and all it had her think was how much longer it would take to turn this icy shithole into a functioning base. Though if rumors proved true, there'd be a second construction of a base somewhere on the planet.

"Slone," greeted a familiar voice. When she turned to see who, it was Richter. "New mission?" He's been here longer than her, and if she knew him, Richter was getting antsy for something other than watch MRVNs install insulation on a new barracks or other.

"We're moving to stage three." He gave her a quizzical look. "Sooner than planned, I know, but they're orders. So prepare a security detail, you're going out to protect MRVNs build a harvester outpost."

"Warum ich? Why me?" He didn't sound annoyed, so that's a good sign. He might be a mad, ear-collecting bastard, but he was a formidable pilot, one who didn't like watching the paint dry. So he might as well watch the paint from a different outpost.

Slone shrugged. "You can sit here and look at the MRVNs, or you can take a couple of Samsons, and go to a spot for a harvester. Who knows, you might even find a bunch of those wildling people we've been briefed on and fight them." That, and she really didn't want to be out in the cold just yet. Not with only three days to get accustomed to the damn place. She needed some more time.

The man grunted, and scratched his scruffy neck in thought at the prospect of a fight. The recon drones found a few small wildling encampments, as well as some Night's Watch patrols, but they were still too far to find the IMC base on foot in deep snow. Still, it was only a matter of time before first contact, and that can mean a battle.

It wouldn't be problem either way, but they weren't here to fight, only to find the source of that weird energy signature Ash found. Maybe Marder was curious about it, so when space was available for minerals and such, it'd instead store materials of this world for study. That sounded like something that scientist prick would do.

"I'll go," Richter said, snapping her away from her thoughts. "I'll gather the soldiers, you send me the map and details for the harvester points." Slone nodded. She could do that. "However, the light from the harvesters will act as a beacon for the nearby natives, so prepare for first contact." He turned and walked off, but she followed behind him.

Slone had thought about that, and that was why they were supposed to do this after the fortifications have been built. Hell, the harvesters were part of stage two, three being activating them. But no, Marder wanted his energy intel, so they now have to push ahead of schedule and build them. Fucking scientists.

After some hallways and an elevator ride, the two pilots reached a gate to leave the command center. And just like before, Slone got that chill when that door opened. She quickly put her helmet back on, not that it stopped the odd chills now and again.

There's just something weird about this place.

Outside, the army of MRVNs were tirelessly either building that new hangar, another landing pad for their Goblins, or that barracks and garage for the soldiers and spectres. However, their most important role was completed, especially due to the location of the base, being the same spot Ash phased into for the first time. Northeast from the location called Castle Black, northwest from Eastwatch By The Sea, and, recently found by the drones, southwest of the wildling fortification of Hardhome. While normally worrisome for being surrounded, it wasn't from this place thanks to the base's fortifications.

A twenty meter high, hexagonal wall surrounded them with cannons jotting out of the corners, and myriad of other guns in between. No one was coming in, not if their cannons had anything to say about it.

They were protected with the black, titanium-alloy wall, so all they had to do was build the facilities. Though that part was soon to be in tandem with harvesting precious ores, slowing them down, though likely only a week until the first harvester was built.

"Prepare an outbound group," Richter said to some IMC officer through the radio, to which Slone tapped in to hear. "Thirty IMC men and three of our pilots and myself should do. We're going into stage three."

"We're activating stage three? Isn't it too soon?" the officer asked puzzled, not that Slone could blame him. Richter explained the situation. "Alright, I'll have wheels up in ten minutes with the men and resources." He signed off.

"You think we'll go to war with the natives here?" Slone asked as they were walking to a barracks. These knights or such were nothing to be afraid of, their sticks and stones wouldn't match the power of an R-201 carbine, and that was a standard issue firearm, while full plate was among the rank of knight. 'Knights? What a world we're in.' And dragons actually existed in this place? Though Marder dismissed that as stories, and she probably should as well.

Richter shook his head. "A war would involve a fight. There would be no fight here, not when the people here are weak. If they go to meet us at the field against us, it would be a war that would last for only a minute. The victor would be clear at first Titanfall, if we even reach that far ahead." He spat to the side in disappointment.

She hummed at the thought. The IMC initiative here didn't involve a fight or a war, only protocol should things turn violent. Which was essentially 'Kill everyone in your way, but don't slow down the initiative', but in more legalese and bullshit. Regardless, Richter was right.

If these people wanted to put a wall of men in front of them, then they'll just smash through their flesh with titanium-alloy. There's nothing stopping the IMC from taking what they wanted, even if these people actively tried, then they'd just fly over them.

Or slaughter them. One or the other.

When they entered the barracks, it was a flurry of activity. IMC grunts were suiting up for the journey with Richter, some men and women strapping on their vests and webbing after they put in their thermal clothes, although there would be more to be put on afterwards.

"Richter." The officer he spoke with before came to them. Slone didn't know his name, nor did she bother to. "The men should be ready soon, and I'm having MRVNs load up the Samsons for the mission and should be ready in a minute. Did you select a location yet?"

Richter looked to Slone and nodded, so she went to the nearest computer terminal and brought up a map of the area north of that giant ice wall. Working with her helmet, she sent the harvester point map the terminal and superimposed it. She didn't need to look to know the two were beside her and looking at the screen.

"We've found a few promising points to mine," she said, and start pointing to each of the dots, which showed the details of what they'd most likely find. "Here we can extract iron, aluminum, and gold, but it's close to this house where one man and several women live in." She pointed to another, more north of that house. "This one has aluminum, copper, and some natural gas we can refine into something more." Then she pointed to a spot more south, closer to spot labeled 'Castle Black'. "This one though, this one's special." She smirked, and pressed on the dot.

Richter grunted in approval at the details that popped up. "Uranium and ilmenite. We found our first harvesting spot," he said with finality, and transferred the information to his helmet, and a data pad nearby. That one, the officer took for himself. "There is no 'maybe' anymore, there will be first contact."

Both the officer and Slone nodded. Ilmenite was used for titanium production, and uranium for myriad of other reasons. Though it was relatively close to the Castle Black, only a hundred kilometers between it and the future outpost, it was too sweet a spot for ores to ignore.

The officer turned to see his troops equipped and ready. "Men, saddle up!" he ordered, earning a loud 'Yes sir!' before the thirty men and woman marched into the connecting garage through a side door. He turned to the two pilots. "What about the construction materials and MRVNs?"

Slone was the one who answered. "The Malta will be sending Goblins with those, so just secure the point, and they'll drop those to you." The officer nodded before he walked off. Well, with the men ready, all that's left were the pilots, though she's sure Richter would handle that himself.

He walked outside back through the door they came in with and out to the snow. She got the chills again, and it bothered her more than it should. Again, something was just bizarre about this place, but she kept her mouth shut. Bizarre or not, this was a paycheck, a job, but did other people feel it, too? She could imagine Ash passively mock her to her face if she complained about something so 'irrational'.

Instead of thinking about it, she watched as eight Samson vehicles rolled out of the garage near them. Two attack Samsons with heavy turrets, four standard Samsons that held some supplies for the road or contingency in the beds of them, and two transport that held ten men each while the others held four or five. Above them, she saw four assault drones, they'd be the scouts to find a clear path, or even clear it themselves with its laser turret.

She was perhaps too distracted by the vehicles, so much so Slone didn't hear Richter call three Apex Predator pilots to them and explaining the situation. Maybe she ate something that held some of Kane's product before coming here. That might've been it.

Slone watched as Richter entered a vehicle, while the three others entered in different ones each. He nodded to her as a farewell, and she did the same. He closed the door closed behind him, and the vehicles drove off, each of their six wheels engineered to handle all terrain helping greatly in making way on snow.

It'll likely take two or three days of continuous driving to reach the point, and another week for the MRVNs and drones finish building the harvester and outpost. That means they have until then before Westeros knows they're here.

What that would entail Slone wasn't sure, but if it became violent, it'll get bloody.

Just not on their end.

Jaremy Rykker patrolled the top of the wall in the dead of night. He, a ranger, patrols the walls like some green sop the Watch gets for new recruits. This was a job given to those rapers sent to them, not him, but alas, he has to follow the command of Commander Mormont. He spat over the Wall in disdain.

More than once he almost slipped as he kept himself walking. He'd have to tell the Builders to spread more pebbles. 'How fortunate for the next one to patrol, but not me,' he thought with irritation. With his luck, they'd send him to do it.

Gods, he swore he'd haunt the old bear till his dying days if he fell off.

The Watch recently acquired some more rapers and thieves from Winterfell and even King's Landing, so there should be plenty of summer-born bastards to do this, but no, they needed training. Training! He was here freezing his cock off because those bastards don't know how to hold a sword or blow a horn!

He'd stomp on the ice, but thought better of it lest he slip off the Wall. The fact he kept walking to make sure his blood circulates and not freeze didn't help the matter. Though he could thank the seven for not having the heavens piss on him with rain and snow.

In fact, the day itself was clear, fog was thin or nonexistent, and he was thankful that extended to the night as well. Peering out beyond the Wall, there were trees, just as there were they day before and before that. Perhaps he should report two missing trees in his report to take the piss out of the commander.

Jaremy laughed a little at his own joke. That was one way to make these patrols more permanent, so he'd best avoid that.

He took a slow, deep breath. The frosty air stung when breathed in too quickly, he learned that on his first day rather fast. In fact, here comes one of those new recruits running now, the damn fool.

"Slow down, you stupid-" Rykker didn't finish sentence as the bloody fool grabbed onto his arms, panting heavily from his run. "Get off!" He pushed him away, dropping him on his arse.

"Th-Th-The-!" Was it so cold that he needed to stutter? Fucking summer-born. Too weak. Ser Alliser would enjoy hardening this bastard.

Jaremy slapped him across the face. "Spit it out or go back to your post," he shouted angrily. The slap seemed to have worked, though his panic was still far too evident in his eyes.

The boy swallowed hard. "The ffff-" He swallowed again. "The forest! Th-There's-" The boy stopped talking after that, and just snapped his head to look at what it was that gotten him so craven. His face formed back to what it was, jumped up, and ran passed Jaremy.

"What was that fool spouting?" Rykker asked himself, and turned to look at the forest, but there was nothing. Only until he looked into the distance did he spot it. "By the seven!" he exclaimed, and ran to the lift, caution be damned!

He reached the lift quick enough, and saw the boy from before standing there quivering, if from the cold or fear, he wasn't certain. Thought he couldn't entirely blame him.

That thin beam of blue light could not be natural!

Uh oh, Stage 3 has commenced, and the harvesters light brought forth some attention! What comes next!? Find out in the next chapter, The Wolf And The Iron Giant!

I'm sure you can tell this was me giving you time of what's happening in the GoT world, and also trying to give the story a military feel, kind of like an RTS.

Reviews are appreciated, it's how we know we writers got the desired effect. Also, German-speakers, please help me with the rare German Richter line!