S1-12
Captain down
10:38 AM
11/24/2283
Planet Zolac
Smuggler's Cove
Music
Titanfall - OST 01
The IMC was investigating a Militia signature at planet Zolac at the edge of the Yuma system, the location of Smuggler's Cove.
"All IMC forces, search the area!" Dane ordered. Eagle-Eye 9-1 looked through every nook and cranny with the Titans waiting in Widows.
Music
Metroid Other M - Nightmare Battle
All of a sudden, a Militia fleet appeared and opened fire on the Widows and Drop Ships. "ALL IMC UNITS, GET OUT OF HERE! YOU'RE UNDER ATTACK!"
Out of various Widows came familiar energy fields, being projected from extended mechanical arms. Vortex Shields, absorbing the massive cannon blasts and sending them right back while the Widows steadily descended.
"I'm sorry, sir. We can't." A Grunt transmitted. "It's not an option we can take, whether we want to or not." The Widows landed, releasing the Titans as the Drop Ships went on both the offensive and the evasive.
Militia Pilots and Titans dropped in, attacking the IMC units on the ground. The IMC Titans came just in time as they all acted upon protocol 3, deploying Particle Walls and projecting Vortex Shields to protect their Pilots. The Pilots embarked, having taken no casualties... yet.
Music
Metroid Other M - A Daring Tactic
"Wait... IMC Drop Ships, lure the Militia Flag Ship's fire down here! Make them take out their own units!" Michael ordered.
"Genius." Dane commented.
"Solid copy!" The IMC Drop Ships ceased fire and descended closer to the attacking Militia Titans. The blasts fired by the Militia Flag Ship missed the IMC Drop Ships and destroyed the Militia Titans.
Music
Metroid Other M - Final Mission Resolve
"Michael, you're the most creative IMC Pilot I have ever encountered!"
"Thank you, Captain! Michael W Johnson to IMC HQ, we need major assistance here!"
"IMC Vice Admiral Spyglass here. The IMS Sentinel is en route."
Michael gawked at this. "The SENTINEL?! I thought the IMS Sentinel was destroyed!"
Blisk was on the line. "Don't underestimate the capabilities of the IMC! I know I won't do that ever again."
"Copy that. Eagle-Eye 9-1, we've got-" Michael was interrupted by another Pilot.
"We know! We heard!"
More Militia units were pouring out of the Flag Ship, and the IMC was being pushed back. With the Militia taking a major lead in the fight, the IMC forces were starting to retreat.
All of a sudden, a massive spacecraft appeared in the sky, easily bigger than the Militia Flag Ship. The IMS Sentinel had arrived, and opened fire on any and all Militia units in sight.
"We're already taking them out!" The IMC units on the ground split up to deal with any hiding Militia. Some were victorious, some were not.
IMC Pilot [XO-16 Chaingun] Militia Atlas
IMC Pilot [XO-16 Chaingun] Militia Pilot
IMC Pilot [Arc Cannon] Militia Ogre
IMC Pilot [Arc Cannon]Militia Pilot
IMC Pilot [Termination] Militia Stryder
IMC Pilot [Termination] Militia Pilot
IMC Pilot [40mm Cannon] Militia Ogre
IMC Pilot [40mm Cannon] Militia Pilot
Militia Pilot [Termination] IMC Ogre
Militia Pilot [Termination]IMC Pilot
Militia Pilot [Quad Rocket] IMC Stryder
Militia Pilot [Quad Rocket] IMC Pilot
Militia Pilot [Triple Threat] IMC Atlas
Militia Pilot [Triple Threat] IMC Pilot
"We're taking casualties!"
"I am aware of that, Michael!" Dane replied.
Music
Metroid Other M - Brug Mass Battle
"[Warning: I'm detecting a hostile Pilot on the hull.]" Dane disembarked, taking out his EVA-8 Shotgun.
The Militia Pilot was ready for this and unloaded with an R-97 SMG. The shots hit as Jeeves smashed the Pilot into the ground.
CZ-9247 [Auto-Titan melee] Militia Pilot
...but the damage had already been done.
Jeeves was heard over the comms. "[Michael W Johnson, you are required at my location.]"
"On our way!" Michael, in Vanessa's cockpit, rushed to the marked location, with Sid following close behind. Upon seeing the IMC Atlas-class Titan, a thought crossed Michael's mind. "Oh no..."
Music
Pirates of the Caribbean At World's End - The Heart of Davy Jones
The Pilot disembarked, seeing another IMC Pilot on the ground. He rushed to his squad leader's side, his helmet visor retracted.
Dane's transparent helmet visor revealed blood coming from his mouth. "Jeeves... transfer authorization to new Pilot..."
"What?! No, no no no no no no no! Dane, don't do this!"
"Link... Cha- ~cough, cough~ Charlie-Zulu... Nine-Two-Four-Seven..." Seeing Michael, Dane grabbed the Pilot's remaining human arm, the left arm. "Michael... take my Titan... finish the mission... Take care of each other..." And with that, Dane fell back down, opening a communication channel to all IMC units in the area. "Eagle-Eye 9-1... this is Captain Dane C Smithsonian... I'm afraid I can no longer lead you... I am appointing Michael W Johnson as Captain of this squadron..."
"No! Don't!"
Dane smiled at the Pilot. "Michael... I know you can do it... ~cough, cough, wheeze~ I believe in you... And Jeeves?" The Atlas-class Titan leaned in closer. "I hereby authorize activation of... ~cough, cough~... of program Omni-10... I trust you... Good luck... my friend..." With the last of his strength expended, the life in Dane's eyes died out as he died as well.
Militia Pilot [R-97 Compact SMG] Dane
"[You will be missed, old friend. Activating program Omni-10.]" The jade green light of the Atlas-class Titan blinked out, going dark. After what seemed like minutes, the Titan reactivated, the jade green lights blinking back on.
Music
Metroid Other M - Brug Mass Battle
"[THE MILITIA WILL PAY FOR THIS!]"
"Whoa!"
Jeeves, now seemingly in a fit of anger, hunted down every Militia unit in the area, tearing or ripping them apart like a beast... or rather a human being, seething with rage.
11:29 AM
11/24/2283
Music
Metroid Other M - An Unfortunate Discovery
There were no Militia units left in Smuggler's Cove, only their splattered corpses and smoldering remains.
"Holy crap... What the heck just happened?"
Spyglass came on the line. "Dane Smithsonian has been working on a custom program to enhance an AI by integrating emotions, traits, and speech patterns, ultimately making it more like a human being. It was identified as program Omni-10."
"And Dane gave Jeeves authorization to activate it."
"The program was inactive, but it was gathering data, recording information, until it was ready."
"I guess it was ready?"
"Correct, but only for seven hours. It has been gathering data for five years."
"Whoa."
Music
Metroid Other M - Cryosphere Depths Theme
"[Michael Johnson.]" Michael turned around, seeing that Jeeves was looking directly at him.
"Uh..."
"[I should connect to your neural link. It was... Dane's final order to me.]"
"Um... OK?"
Jeeves lowered a hand and opened his cockpit, allowing Michael to hop inside. "[Proto-]"
"Don't. Just connect to my neural link."
"[Alright. Connecting to neural link.]" There was that small twinge at the back of Michael's head again. "[I'm connected to your neural link now. I'll send a copy of program Omni-10 to Vanessa and Sid. I've also noticed that you're right-handed. Hang on.]" Jeeves switched the trigger of his Plasma Railgun from his left hand to his right, the same hand Michael uses. "[OK. My Rocket Salvo and Vortex Shield are online, and the neural link connection's all done. You can get out whenever you're ready.]"
Michael opened the cockpit, landing on the Atlas-class Titan's hand before being lowered to the ground. "I didn't want this to happen to Dane."
"[To be honest, neither did I. I never wanted this to happen.]"
"Rest in peace, Dane C Smithsonian. We'll miss you."
12:13 PM
11/24/2283
Planet Vez-2 - IMC HQ
Titan barracks
Music
Assassin's Creed 2 - Salvation of Forli
Blisk was in the Titan barracks, getting information from Jeeves's data recorder. "CZ-9247, as it turns out, your original Pilot was KIA."
"[Yeah... He's dead... but I'm now linked to a new Pilot, Michael W Johnson, under Dane's final orders.]"
"And Dane Smithsonian authorized the activation of... 'program Omni-10'?"
"[An experimental program, designed by Dane C Smithsonian, to restructure my AI processes to match that of a human being. I've been collecting information for it through our neural link. The neural link itself was used to complete the program.]"
"I assume you'll think like him now?"
"[Well, it's entirely possible, since the recorded data was acquired from my neural link with Dane alone.]"
"So, now that you're linked to Michael W Johnson, will those AI processes change again?"
"[Dane did once say that I could make my own personal alterations to the program once it was activated, so I can do that.]"
Suddenly, a certain Pilot entered the Titan barracks.
"Michael, what are-"
"I heard everything."
"How?" Blisk wondered, only for Michael to simply tap his own head. "The neural link. Of course."
"The program was also copied and sent to Sid and Vanessa, but those aren't active, which means they're still gathering data from my neural link."
"What?!"
"[Dane's authorization.]"
"To spread an experimental program to other Titans?!" Blisk questioned.
"[If it ain't broke, don't fix it.]"
"Right... Dismissed!"
{ Titan personalities }
SN-6726 / Vanessa - [protective; coordinated; creative]
VF-2968 / Sid - [aggressive; stoic]
CZ-9247 / Jeeves - [calm; focused; intellectually superior]
Well, that one turned out a bit morbid...
I'll... see you next time.
And yes, I'm putting unique Titan personalities in this story. Just comes with the new Titan AI program.