Mobile Suit Gundam 00: Create the Future
Chapter 2: Those Who will Change the World
September 18, 2314 A.D: Ptolemaios Hangar One
The Flag landed gently into the docking bay. Lyle stretched in his cockpit, glad to finally get out of the mobile suit. Taking a look from his screen, he noticed Feldt waiting patiently for the two of them. He jumped out quickly, landing smoothly. Turning, he saw Setsuna glide down from the Flag. The two then made their way towards the pink haired girl.
"Good work you two," Feldt said, handing Lyle a drink and holding another for Setsuna.
"What great service. You're turning into one fine woman you know," Lyle said. His words seemed to fall on deaf ears as Feldt's attention was drawn towards Setsuna, who moved past her without even sparing a glance. It was as if her presence didn't even register to him.
"How'd the mission go?" she asked, still keeping up a cheerful attitude.
"We were able to prevent anything from happening thanks to Veda. I'm going to report this to Sumeragi," Setsuna headed towards the door as soon as he finished, not even giving either of them the slightest bit of attention. Lately, that was typical behavior from Setsuna.
"Your drink..." Feldt's words were ignored as Setsuna left the two of them. Lyle took a good look at Feldt. The girl was trying her best to show her affection towards Setsuna. Unfortunately for her, those types of feelings didn't seem like something he could understand.
Lyle sighed. "That guy can be such an idiot sometimes."
"Setsuna's just tired from the mission," Feldt mumbled halfheartedly. Lyle could tell she didn't even believe her own words. Could Setsuna really not be able to tell how the girl felt about him? Honestly, the entire crew could see how obvious it was. Weren't Innovators supposed to be more aware of their surroundings?
"You picked yourself a tough target, Feldt. It'll take a lot to get the message through that head of his, especially with the way he's been lately,"
"It's all right. We have to focus on our missions. There's still things we need to take care of first."
"You can't just give up like that. If you're serious about him, make a move. If you wait until it's too late, you'll end up regretting it. Trust me, you don't want to wait until the last minute to tell someone how you feel," Lyle said with a bittersweet smile on his face.
Feldt looked at Lyle, a puzzled expression on her face. It took a moment before she realized what he was talking about. "I'm sorry Lyle. I shouldn't hav-"
"What are you apologizing for? I'm the one bringing it up," Lyle replied. "Listen, Feldt. Anew and I had something special. I just wish I told her how I felt sooner. So, don't make the same mistake I did. Don't keep those feelings of yours all bottled up."
"…Do you hate Setsuna for what he did?" Feldt asked tentatively, avoiding his gaze. Lyle was slightly surprised by the question, both by the fact that Feldt had asked it and that he had a hard time answering her. He remembered the aftermath of that battle and his intense desire to take Setsuna's life. It was only after they had taken back Veda that he learned the truth from Tieria. Anew had been controlled by Ribbons Almark. There was nothing any of them could have done at that moment.
Lyle leaned against the railing, taking a sip of his drink before answering. "Not an easy question to answer. After what happened, I seriously considered killing him. I guess you could say I've forgiven him as much as I can. He knew I wouldn't be able to finish Anew and he promised to do it for me. I'd be lying if I said that I'm completely all right with what he did, but Setsuna did what he thought was right and saved me. I just can't hold it against him."
"You and Anew understood each other, didn't you?"
"Yeah, we did. We didn't even know each other for that long, but I feel like she was the only person who took the time to get to know me. Even though she was an Innovade, we were happy together. And because of her, I can actually believe that people can learn to understand each other."
"Lyle, I'm sorry. You probably don't want to talk about this," Feldt said. Lyle placed his hand on her shoulder. She shouldn't feel the need to apologize. There was nothing for her to be sorry for. Feldt seemed to understand his actions and gave him a small smile. Lyle appreciated the sentiment. Funny, the last time they were alone in the hangar had ended with her slapping him in the face.
"Just hurry up and make a move. Everyone's already placed bets on how long it'll take for you to get him. Do me a favor and get it done in a week. I'm counting on you."
"Don't tease me like that," Feldt said, giggling a little.
"I'm being serious. Anyway, there's no point in hanging out here. We should get going. Once I give my report, Lockon Stratos will be off duty," Lyle said as he headed towards the door.
Ptolemaios Bridge
"You did a fine job today. Now if only the Federation would make an effort to help the people in the colonies," Sumeragi said. She was glad to hear that the mission had gone off without a hitch. While Sumeragi knew that Lyle and Setsuna were more than capable of handling this sort of mission, there was always a chance something could have gone wrong.
"It's only been two years since the new administration took over. For now, it's our role to take care of the minor problems," Setsuna replied.
"We could always bring out the Gundams and use them as deterents," Mileina said from her seat.
"Mileina, right now the government is pushing for reconciliation. It would disrupt their efforts if we aggravated things," Sumeragi explained. With the lack of any major conflicts since the battle at Lagrange 2 two years ago, the use of the Gundams was unnecessary. Besides, as Setsuna said, they needed to give the Federation a chance to establish themselves.
Lasse spoke up. "Yeah, that's right. It's probably best we just wait quietly and remain vigilant. Until the day we're needed again."
An alert from the computer caught their attention. The crew waited for Feldt to tell them what was going on.
"It's the periodic report from Veda," Feldt told them as she gazed at her screen. "The Federation forces are engaged in the removal of a spacecraft headed towards the Earth's sphere."
"A spacecraft removal" Lasse asked.
Sumeragi felt a need to know more. "Do we know where it came from?"
"Yes," Feldt replied as she examined the data. "It's from Jupiter."
"Can we get detailed data on that spacecraft?" Setsuna inquired. Sumeragi was surprised to see that Setsuna found interest in the issue. He had been relatively quiet since their battle two years ago. Feldt and the others also seemed to see the spark of interest in Setsuna. Then again, if the ship was from Jupiter, there was a chance that it was involved with Celestial Being. This could be something that they needed to get involved in.
"I can try," Feldt replied as she diligently returned to her work.
Lasse turned to look at Setsuna. "Is something bothering you?"
"Let me know as soon as you find anything," Setsuna told him hesitantly. Without another word, the young man quietly exited the room.
"There's something strange about Mr. Seiei lately," Mileina said gloomily. Sumeragi knew that the girl was right. Ever since Setsuna had learned more about his abilities as an Innovator, he closed himself off from everyone. He just wasn't the person they knew from a couple years ago. Back then, he was more assertive and acted like a leader to them. Now, he just distanced himself from the rest of the crew. Sumeragi hoped that his behavior was only temporary.
"Setsuna's become an Innovator, one of the new breed of humans Aeolia Schenburg predicted would appear. He might be feeling something the rest of us couldn't possibly understand," Lasse explained. He seemed have a better idea on what was going on with Setsuna than the rest of them.
"Mr. Aeon, what makes you say that?" Mileina asked.
Lasse smirked as he turned his attention back to piloting the Ptolemaios. "To be honest, I don't know. I just have a hunch. Whatever it is, we should trust his judgment. After everything we've been through, Setsuna won't let us down."
"I just wish he wasn't so depressing to be around. He doesn't even talk to any of us unless its mission related. I like him better the way he used to be."
"Mileina, give him time and he'll come around," Sumeragi said. Once Setsuna had come to terms with being an Innovator, he would once again open up to them. Until then, they just had to be there for him and wait until he adjusted to whatever changes he was experiencing.
Lasse chuckled. "Besides, you didn't know the old Setsuna. This is basically how he used to act all the time."
"Lasse and Miss Sumeragi are right, Mileina. We need to trust Setsuna," Feldt said as she began going over the data Veda had sent.
"Of course you would say that," Mileina grumbled.
"What was that?"
"Oh nothing! Just talking to myself," Mileina quickly rushed back to her work in order to avoid any further conversations with Feldt.
Sumeragi watched as the three as they worked diligently. With all the hard work they put in, she wished that she could give them more opportunities to relax and enjoy their lives. Sumeragi knew that Feldt and Mileina had spent their entire lives as part of Celestial Being. Lasse's past was a mystery, but the tactical forecaster had a suspicion that he was also recruited long before their armed interventions began. They were still young and had so much ahead of them. Surely they could at least go out for some fun once in a while. Perhaps she should find a way to let them live a little.
HRL Orbital Elevator Tenchu: High Orbit Station
Marina watched as Federation soldiers took the man who had tried to kill her. Although he had pointed a gun at her, Marina saw the hesitation in his face when she mentioned his family. After she spoke with him, Marina learned how important his family was to him. She had no ill will towards the man and only hoped that he would be able to see his family again.
Looking around, Marina spotted Shirin approaching her. Her friend and advisor had made sure the Colony Corporation's actions were reported to the Federation. In all honesty, punishing the Colony Corporation wasn't what she would consider a top priority. All Marina wanted was to reunite those workers with their families.
More importantly, Marina began thinking about the people who saved them. She couldn't help but believe that it was Celestial Being. Was it really them or was she just over thinking it? There hadn't been any sight of Celestial Being or the Gundams in the last two years. Had they actually been fighting in secret al this time?
"The Federation will confront the Colony Corporation over what has happened. They couldn't have been any more obvious. At least now the negotiations will move in our favor," Shirin said. She paused as she noticed the look on Marina's face. "Is something wrong?"
"Shirin, that was Celestial Being, wasn't it," Marina asked. Shirin was caught off-guard by Marina's question.
"I believe so. The voice of the man who saved us was a former member of Katharon. It seems he has remained with Celestial Being. Does it concern you that much, Marina?"
"It really was them. That means he is still fighting," Marina whispered to herself. Her mind could not let go of the fact that Setsuna still had to fight. Even when the world had chosen a more peaceful path, Setsuna still lived a life of conflict. Marina wondered why he would do so or if he even had a choice.
Both of them had seen the devastation brought by war. She knew that Setsuna wanted peace as much as she did. They both understood how precious peace was and why it was worth striving for. Unfortunately, after living a life of battle, Setsuna didn't seem to have any other way to live. It was as if he took it upon himself to fight so others wouldn't have to. But if he was fighting to bring happiness to others, would he be able to find his own?
"There's no reason to dwell on the matter. There is nothing we can do about Celestial Being." Shirin told her.
"But the world has changed. Why should they have to fight? Are they going to spend the rest of their lives fighting?"
"The only ones who can answer that question are Celestial Being."
"It's such a painful way to live," Marina said.
"We are still alive because they still fight," Shirin reminded. Marina knew that she was right. Even so, the world had moved towards a more peaceful future. What would Celestial Being do if there was no longer any fighting?
"Marina, I believe it's time we depart for Azhadistan," Shirin said, motioning for Marina to follow her to their shuttle.
"Yes, of course," Marina replied. An awkward silence drifted between the two as they made their way to the shuttle. Shirin turned around, drifting down the path. After knowing her for so long, Shirin always seemed to know when Marina was distressed.
"Marina, I've reviewed your schedule and you should be free once we arrive at the kingdom. You could visit the children if you want," Shirin said. Hearing those words surprised Marina. Shirin was usually more focused on business and politics. For her to recommend her to visit the children was a sign that she was truly worried for Marina. Marina thought about the offer. It had been some time since she visited and seeing them always lifted her spirits.
"I think I will. Thank you, Shirin."
"I only ask that you don't make a habit out of it," her assistant replied curtly.
Union Territory, Colony Corporation Earth Headquarters
"Are you telling me that even with three GN-XIII's and a man on the shuttle you still weren't able to take out the Azadistan princess?" Julius Vardon, president of the Colony Corporation, shouted, slamming his hands down on his desk. The Colony S0E representative had called in, reporting the failure to take out the princess of Azadistan.
"With all due respect, no one could have predicted that a Flag could have destroyed those units and there was also someone on the shuttle who was able to apprehend the assassin we had."
"It was a damn Flag! Something that outdated should have been taken care of easily. And there should have been more than enough time for the assassin to take out the princess. Now the Federation will get involved."
The representative on the screen couldn't hide his discomfort. "Again, I apologize. Do you want us to deal with him?"
"Don't bother. He's already under Federation custody. Just try to keep everything under control," Julius ended the transmission and rubbed the bridge of his nose. Past fifty years of age, Julius wondered how much stress his body could take. Streaks of gray could be seen in his blonde hair. How he wished he could place all the problems onto someone else.
The assassination should have gone off without a hitch. Now there was an even greater chance of losing the Azadistan workforce. And the Federation wouldn't let the Colony Corporation off easily. Even if the new government had a policy of pacifism, they would watch the colonies more closely and be sure to enforce their guidelines.
"You're screwed. You're screwed."
Turning, Julius looked over at the purple robotic ball on his desk. It took all of his self-restraint to resist the temptation of smashing the annoying thing. Whenever this thing had this personality, all it seemed to do was find ways to irritate him.
It had been nearly a year since he had received the thing that called itself Haro. At first he thought it was some kind of prank. The thing seemed more like a children's toy. From the moment it turned on, all it did was antagonize him. Then that voice appeared. With that person's help, the Colony Corporation was able to prosper more. However, their economic growth was not so high as to be suspicious. In exchange for his help, the Haro sent instructions for Julius to follow. If he continued to follow those instructions, Julius was promised a future as leader of a new world.
His benefactor had given him instructions to build mobile suits within the colonies, along with other machines. If the Federation ever caught wind of such actions, they would take action on the Colony Corporation. Julius knew that his actions were risky, but his benefactor had given him the latest information on mobile suit development. If they played their cards right, even the Federation wouldn't be able to stop them.
"They got you now. They got you now."
"Shut up, you little bastard!" Julius shouted, as he grabbed the Haro. "Say another word and I'll break you down to your last circuit."
"That wouldn't be wise," the purple Haro said, now using a more robotic voice instead of its playful one. Julius dropped the small robot in surprise.
"It's you. Did you have something to do with this?" Julius shouted. His face was livid. His anger was making him lose his self-control.
"What would I gain from this? You acted too rashly and are now paying the consequences."
"You could have warned me or stopped whoever it was that took out my GN-XIIIs."
"It was too much of a risk to help your little group of assassins. In fact, had I provided assistance, it could have led to my discovery. It would have been suspicious if your assassination attempt had actually succeeded. There was no good reason for me to be involved. You have only yourself to blame. If you are curious, I do know the ones who saved the Azadistan Princess."
"Who was it?"
"Celestial Being," the Haro said. Julius felt his blood run cold. If Celestial Being was able to link the Colony Corporation to the assassination attempt, he was finished. He knew what they were capable of and nothing he had would be able to stop them. They didn't have the numbers or technology to take on the Gundams.
Falling back into his seat, Julius gave a small chuckle. "So that's who were dealing with. I didn't expect us to see them so soon. I was even hoping that they didn't exist anymore. At least I know now that even you are afraid of Celestial Being."
"Don't be mistaken. For now, Celestial Being won't actively pursue the Colony Corporation. Besides, conflicts with Celestial Being are all part of the plan. It's only a matter of time before we engage them in combat. I'm sending you new construction plans. See to it that your workers begin immediately. Now if you'll excuse me, there is another matter I have to attend. Try not to lose any more of our mobile suits," The purple Haro went silent.
Julius took the time to try to digest the information. He began to wonder if it was wise to ally himself with such a renegade. There was no denying that he had gotten himself in over his head. But if they could pull this off, he wouldn't have to worry about the Federation. He could build and lead colonies that were independent from the Federation. There was no turning back.
Celestial Being, Computer Room
The room was dark, illuminated only by holographic screens and computer terminals. Kati followed her escort with Patrick trailing behind her. Throughout the tour of the Celestial Being, Kati had been anticipating this moment. As impressive as the rest of the ship was, this room was the area she was most interested in. The room occupied by Descartes Shaman, the first Innovator recognized by Veda.
Soon after they had detected the Europa, Kati was able to come up with a plan to destroy it before it reached Earth. All it took was a basic plan, elementary for even novice tactical forecasters. The crew on the Volga class battlecruiser would be able to perform the operation without her. While they took care of the operation, she now had the chance to see the Federation's first Innovator.
Since she had received her orders to come aboard Celestial Being, Kati was interested in meeting Descartes Shaman. The reports she read describing the abilities of Innovators were fascinating. She had never met him in person and had nothing to judge his character on. This mission would give her the opportunity to see him with her own eyes. She would learn what kind of man Descartes Shaman was and what an Innovator was like in person.
Stepping forward, her eyes scanned the man. She noticed that he wasn't dressed in a military uniform. Her eyes honed on the restraints around his limbs and neck. It seemed odd to her. Were they really necessary? Kati focused her mind back onto the matter at hand. This was her chance to speak with Shaman.
"So you're the one. A purebred Innovator confirmed by Veda," Kati said calmly. Shaman gave no response. It was clear that Descartes was awake and was choosing to ignore her.
"Well say something. Introduce yourself to the Colonel!" Patrick shouted as he raised his fist towards the man.
"That's General," Kati reminded, slightly annoyed. At this point, Kati knew it was pointless to remind him. To her husband, she would always be his Colonel.
"Oh, right. Sorry."
"Captain Descartes Shaman," the man said suddenly, his eyes still closed. "The brass tell me I'm an Innovator."
Kati could practically feel the venom dripping from his words. "Quite an impertinent one."
"You tend to get a little rotten on the inside when people treat you like a guinea pig," Shaman said, tugging at the restraint around his neck.
There was a moment of silence. Then Patrick asked a question. "So what is an Innovator?"
"You don't even know that much?" Sometimes Kati was amazed Patrick came as far as he did in the military. Someone with his rank should have known about Innovators at this point.
Her husband rubbed his head sheepishly. "What can I say. Reading reports isn't my thing."
While one of the Innovades explained the abilities of an Innovator, Kati focused her attention on Captain Shaman. She felt slightly disturbed to see the man restrained in this room. Even if the military needed to investigate the abilities of an Innovator, caging Shaman in this manner seemed to go too far. He clearly resented the way he was treated by the military. Loyalty was an irreplaceable trait in a soldier. He was a captain of the military and should have been treated as one.
"Do you believe that the appearance of Innovators was part of Aeolia Schenburg's larger plan?" Kati asked. It was Aeolia Schenberg who had planned the creation of GN drives and the Gundams. Kati wouldn't be surprised if the man had predicted the appearance of Innovators.
"In my opinion? Yes, m'am, I think so."
"Reporting. The patrol fleet indicates that all GN missiles have hit the target," one of the Innovades announced. The mission was going as expected.
"Roger that. Confirm the angle change in the spaceship's course then return to-"
"They'll fail," Shaman announced casually.
"How would you know that?" Patrick shouted. Kati found herself and her husband on same the train of thought. Even if Shaman was an Innovator, he wasn't prescient. Was he toying with them for his own amusement? There was nothing to suggest that the operation would fail.
"Oh, I don't have a logical reason," Shaman explained, tapping a finger to his forehead. "I just have a this. Call it Innovator's intuition."
"Another report. The exploration ship's course has changed but less than twenty percent of what was expected. At that angle, it's still on course to enter the Earth sphere."
"That makes no sense! They fired more than enough particle missiles at it. What the hell is going on?" Kati snapped. Shaman's words were right. Her mind was scrambling to come up with a solution. There were soldiers on the ship; surely they could send them in mobile suits. But was there enough time? More importantly, would they have the power to destroy the exploration ship?
"I'm heading out," Shaman announced calmly.
"You are?" Kati asked. If Shaman was heading out, then that would mean that he was taking the new mobile armor. Despite herself, Kati felt intrigued by his declaration. This might be the opportunity for her to see just what an Innovator and the Gadelaza could do.
Shaman turned to look at her, his eyes glowing. "Of course. You do want to see what Innovator's are capable of, don't you? And yes, naturally I'll be taking the new model just as you're hoping."
"I see. So you're reading my mind."
"It's what guinea pigs do," Shaman said nonchalantly, never breaking eye contact. Turning to her escort, she gave him a nod, signaling her approval. The restraints holding Shaman were released and he was escorted out of the room by an Innovade.
The arrogance and condescension Shaman displayed was unsuitable for a soldier. Kati had been able to straighten Patrick out, for the most part, but Shaman was a different case. His behavior stemmed from being an Innovator and being used as a lab rat. His resentment could lead to problems in the future. She would make sure steps were taken to change his current situation.
She still needed to learn more about him. It was too early to decide what kind of soldier he would be. Even so, Shaman had the potential to become a great soldier of the military. At least now she could see what Shaman was capable of in the new mobile armor. After this mission, Kati would be sure to keep an eye on Descartes Shaman
Celestial Being, Passageway
With helmet in hand, Descartes stood on the passageway transport that was taking him to the mobile suit hangar. It had been quite some time since he had been suited for battle. The pilot suit he was wearing was designed to amplify his quantum brainwaves. With his already experienced use of quantum brainwaves enhanced, piloting the Gadelaza would be child's play.
He spared a glance at the Innovade next to him. The Innovade escorting him hadn't said a word. It came as no surprise that they would send an escort with him. They couldn't let their precious lab rat out of their sights. Though considering that he was about to sortie, Descartes had a feeling he would see the Innovade who promised him freedom. It had been over a month since that day. A familiar shift in the Innovade's quantum brainwaves alerted Descartes.
"So you've come back. I was beginning to wonder if I would ever see you again," Descartes said, smiling.
"I offer you my sincerest apologies. If I were to act recklessly, I could be tracked and discovered. I hope you can understand my situation."
"What's done is done I suppose. By the way, you wouldn't happen to have anything to do with this spaceship, do you?"
The Innovade smirked. "What if I did? Would it really matter?
"I suppose it doesn't. However, my instincts tell me that this isn't an ordinary ship. Care to explain?"
"Your abilities never fail to impress," the Innovade said. "The Europa was used by Celestial Being long ago. It was used in the development of their GN drives. The Jupiter operation was used as a cover."
Hearing that Celestial Being was involved piqued Descartes' interest. Whenever Celestial Being was involved, things were far from uninteresting. "Are they still around? There haven't been any sightings in the last two years."
Descartes felt some a twinge of anger coming from the Innovade. It seemed that he had connections to Celestial Being. The mystery of the Innovade just kept growing.
"Don't concern yourself with Celestial Being yet. Enjoy the chance you have to take the Gadelaza out on a mission," the Innovade said. Descartes wanted to find out the Innovade's relationship with Celestial Being. After a moment's thought, he decided to put the subject on hold. At least for now.
"There wouldn't happen to be anything of importance on this ship, would there?" Descartes asked.
"There isn't. Feel free to do whatever you please. In fact, I look forward to seeing the Gadelaza's power," The transport stopped in front of the hangar door. Descartes stepped off, ready to show off the power of a true Innovator.
"I'm happy to hear that. I'll be sure to give you a good show," Descartes said. Without another word, he put on his helmet and stepped into the hangar. There were many who were eager to see him use his Gadelaza. Descartes would be sure not to leave them disappointed.
Andrei Smirnov fired ineffectively at the Europa. The GN missiles had missed the exploration ship, leaving his squadron as the only option to destroy it. However, their GN-XIVs were low on particles. With their energy reserves low, they were unable to do any significant damage.
"The ship is too big," one of his squad mates yelled.
"Don't give up," Andrei shouted as he continued to fire his beam rifle. Even with the long range add-on, his shots had little effect.
"Damn it. Using most of our particles for thrust, we don't have enough," Andrei said to himself. How did things turn out like this? He was a soldier of the Federation army. There had to be something that he could do.
The GN-XIV's sensors went off, drawing Andrei's attention away from the exploration ship. "A friendly machine?"
Andrei looked as he saw the unit approaching the combat airspace. His eyes widened as he recognized the unit as the Gadelaza. They sent Captain Shaman? Andrei watched closely, wanting to see what an Innovator was capable of. With their units low on power, the mission depended on Captain Shaman.
Moving towards its target, the Gadelaza switched itself into battle mode and sent several large GN Fangs. From those Fangs, smaller ones launched and made their way towards the exploration ship. Andrei watched in awe as the Fangs tore and blasted the exploration ship as if it was nothing. At the speeds they were moving at, all he could see were orange blurs and the explosions that followed them. Captain Shaman was breaking the ship down. In a short amount of time, Captain Shaman had done more damage than the entire operation force.
Andrei could only look on in awe. "What incredible abilities."
The Fangs retreated from the damaged exploration ship. Smoke poured out of it in its damaged state. Andrei saw the Gadelaza unleash a charged blast on the target, obliterating it. There were still fragments of the ship drifting towards Earth, but those would most likely burn up in the atmosphere. Captain Shaman had completed the mission on his own.
"So that's the power of a machine made for Innovators," Andrei whispered to himself. Never before had he seen such raw destruction be done by a single unit. Captain Shaman was a one-man army. This mobile armor might even have the power to take on the Gundams. Andrei was glad to know that he and the rest of the military wouldn't have to take on that mobile armor.
Union Territory, Earth Sphere Federation Government Headquarters
The President sat at her desk, listening to the reports from the Vice President and an official in the room. Among the daily reports, she was waiting to hear how the mission dealing with the exploration ship had gone.
"In regards to Lagrange 3, we have word from ambassador Bakhtiar about interference from Colony Corporation. I recommend we dispatch the military." the official suggested.
"No, if we use force we'd be no different from the previous administration," the Vice President responded.
"Reissue an official document listing our demands to the Colony Corporation so we can hold discussions," the President ordered.
"With all due respect, aren't we being to easy on them? I'm not against a conciliatory policies, but these concessions could make them arrogant."
"The main ingredient for conciliation is patience. Rushing things would only add further stress to the situation. That was where Celestial Being made it's fatal mistake," the President explained. Even if they had the military power to punish Colony S0E or the ColonyCorporation, not much good could come from it. The new administration needed to show that they were different from the one that was under the control of the A-laws.
The doors to the office open and in walked the President's secretary. Redire Novo was a purple-haired Innovade who was placed into the President's service. "We've received a report that the exploration ship headed for Earth sphere has been removed. According to the report Captain Descartes Shaman carried out the mission."
"Ah, Captain Shaman. He is the first recognized Innovator."
"Yes and the research team has requested that the Captain take part in more operations so they can gather further data on him. It is likely that we will see an increase in people with the potential of reforming into Innovators. For that reason, the researchers would like to establish a model case quickly."
The President calmly took in the information. "If the Innovator population increases, it will expose just how different their abilities are from normal humans which could create friction. We need to make preparations for that eventuality."
There had to be a way to prevent a violent backlash. They had to find a way to ease the public into accepting the Innovators. If they worked carefully, there was a chance that Innovators could be integrated into society. There was little chance of an absolutely peaceful integration. There would no doubt be people who were against Innovators. Still, the Federation needed to do all it could to minimize the tensions between humans and Innovators.
"Madam President, our first course of action is to locate individuals who show signs of becoming Innovators," the Vice President advised.
The President nodded. "I agree. However, we must handle the situation delicately. This isn't a something we can afford to handle recklessly."
"Well at the moment, there's no need for this to get out into the open. We still have yet to confirm the existence of another Innovator other than Captain Shaman. Perhaps our best course of action would be to remain silent on the matter."
"No, that would only make things worse. Innovator abilities will eventually be discovered and the public would feel betrayed. Hiding the truth would only lead to a more violent backlash," the President said. Not only would the normal people turn against Innovators, they would also turn against the government. After spending the last two years rebuilding the Federation, the President wouldn't let such a tragedy occur.
Redire turned towards her. "Do you have any suggestions, Madam President?"
The President was silent as she thought deeply. "We'll announce the existence of the Innovators and hold a press conference. We'll have Captain Shaman make a public appearance. The conference should be held next month."
"That soon?"
"Until we see how the public reacts to the idea of Innovators, we won't be able to know what sort of actions we must take. We should discuss the details with the other member nations. And be sure to alert the leaders of non-Federation countries."
The three exited the room, leaving the President alone with her thoughts. She turned and stared out the window, gathering her thoughts. Just as Celestial Being and their armed interventions led to the unification of the three national superpowers, just as the fall of the A-laws led to this new Federation government, the emergence of the Innovators would bring a new reformation. Where that reformation would lead to would depend on their actions.
Pacific Islands, Hidden Base
Footsteps echoed down the empty hallway. The island base had once been used by Celestial Being during the first year of their armed interventions. After Operation Fallen Angels, Celestial Being had abandoned the base. After years of abandonment, the base was once again occupied. A young woman was walking down in the hallway.
The woman stepped into the lounge room, plopping herself onto the couch. She ran her hands through her shoulder-length black hair, finally relaxing after a day of training. After spending time training in space, she and her companions were sent to this island base on Earth. In order to remain completely hidden, their training was now done with simulators.
In front of her was a table with a built in screen projector. She had recently received a video file from that person. With her training done, now was a good time to watch it. The file was related to Descartes Shaman, the Innovator they needed.
The woman's personal terminal went off. Taking a look at who was calling, the woman smiled upon seeing the I.D. It was about time. She opened up communications, her screen displaying the words sound only. She had yet to see the face of the person who had hired her. "Hey there, you finally called to check up on us."
"I'm sure that you are able to take care of yourselves. I hope your training is going well."
The woman chuckled. "Well, there's only so much we can do with simulations. I'm starting to miss training in space. Besides, we already have combat experience. Do you really think that training is going to help us out that much?"
"Of course it is. It's only a matter of time before we begin moving. I want your skills to be at their best when that happens. You'll need to make sure you can use the new system I gave to you."
"I think I have it down pretty good. You can't expect us to keep waiting forever. How long before we can actually do some real work?" the woman asked. As she spoke, the woman played the video recording on the screen in front of her. She watched as she saw the Innovator's mobile armor begin to destroy the spaceship.
"It won't be long now. We still need to increase our numbers and mobile suit force. You must be patient. Have you had a chance to watch the recording I sent you?"
"I'm watching it right now. So this guy is the real deal, huh? That's a pretty scary unit he's got. You're sure he'll be on our side?" the woman asked. On the holographic screen in front of her, the Innovator finished off the spaceship with a charged blast.
"I guarantee it. Descartes Shaman is completely willing to lead us. Everything is going far better than I had expected. As long as you keep in touch with your old comrades, the plan will proceed without fail."
"I guess I'll have to take your word for it," the woman said. "That just brings up one more question. What about the other one?"
"There's no need to worry. I know exactly how to handle him. With what I have prepared, he won't be a threat to us."
Author's Note: There's another chapter down, though a little rushed. Thanks to the readers and reviewers who checked out this story. Your time and feedback is appreciated. Sorry for the lack of action scenes, but I'm trying to focus on building up the story. There should be a battle with a Gundam in either the next chapter or the fourth. I should also say that the ELS won't be making an appearance. I was originally going to use them, but their abilities just wouldn't work with this story. Also, I will have a few OC's or OC-ish characters. I'll avoid doing so if I can.