I am sorry for how long this took to put out, between vacations in June, my work having me sometimes work 5 out of 7 days, and my own hobbies outside of writing, it took me some time to complete. But here it is. Chapter 21!
Gundam belongs to Bandai. Mass Effect to EA. Star Trek to Viacom. I own none of the material mentioned here.
Unchanged Dialogue = Primary Focused Character
Bold Dialogue = Radio Transmissions
Italisized Dialogue = Additional Characters
0121.11.08
Serpent Nebula - Citadel
Council Chamber
Galactic Council
Councilor Tarvos
She had steeled herself when the "human" had returned after their deliberation a month later. The man that they had selected for this, as who had talked with them last month, now stood before the collective Councilors within the chamber. Though the features of the man before them held a lot of consideration towards something, he kept his face as featureless as possible. Valern and Sparatus both watched with anticipation. Then the old looking Human spoke.
"Councilors of the Citadel Alliance. The United Earth Alliance, the Federation of Colonies, and the Zeon Empire, alongside those minor empires and nations within the wider Umbrella of the United Earth Alliance, have decided upon a decision in regards to your offerings. With votes within the House of Words as of six days ago. We have decided to reject joining with the wider Citadel Alliance."
That caused a hushed silence to fall upon the Council Chambers as the three looked towards him, then towards each other, Sparatus was the first to speak as he pushed out of his chair, hands slamming down atop the podium.
"You would reject the galactic community and all the benefits that come with it? Are you mad? You likely have the Batarians breathing down your necks, they have come in claiming you fired on their ships first."
Tarvos didn't believe that. She never would have. The Batarians were many things, but telling the whole truth? That was something they never did. She knew the other Council members didn't believe that either. There was no telling when a shooting war would break out. The council needed to try and get the humans to not act hastily. They knew from their contacts across the Citadel, that the Humans that had so far visited were showing aggression towards several aliens. They likely still had a lot of xenophobia in regards to aliens. Given their supposed second contact was with the Batarians, that made sense.
Yet Ofaerr continued with a raised hand.
"Nay lad, there are several stipulations within your agreement to join that the United Earth Alliance can not in good faith accept as it would violate several of our overall laws and constitutions within several minor and larger nations under the Charter of Aligned Nations*."
Well that was confusing, but also interesting at the same time, that the Humans would somehow violate the rights of its citizens by… no…
Tarvos would suck in a breath as she spoke, drawing all the attention in the room.
"You either utilize Genetic tampering or AI in the wider Aligned Nations…don't you?"
That caused both Councilors to snap their heads towards the human with some confusion and even a little amount of fear. They already had Monarchies and Empires across their wider spectrum, with things like democratically elected officers fewer apparently. Based on comments made by humans. This was after all a species which had worked to do away with such centers of corruption, only to invite the corruption of outdated, in her eyes, governing systems.
"Nailed it. Ambrosia! Step forward and Introduce yerself."
He motioned for one of his guards, who had been waiting behind him, dressed in what appeared to be some kind of large ruffled black and white dress. Long sleeves with a part of the top of the dress exposing the rims of her cleavage, and a frilled white cloth running atop her head. This one had been allowed passed security, simply saying that she was here to speak for the Earth Alliance as well. Then she opened her eyes, and revealed them to be a pail green. Her skin had a slightly darker coloration, though when asked, they were told that she was "tan". Hailing from the Phillipian Kingdom.
"Thank you for the chance to speak. I am Ambrosia of the Phillipine Kingdom of Earth, and am a member of the Synthetic Nation as well. We, being what is known as Neo Mobile Dolls, are given full rights as sovereign citizens of the United Earth Alliance and its Aligned Nations. Including the rights to self govern, vote, and apply for work. Though we are artificial and made of code, we are treated as though we are humans as well."
It took all of Tarvos'es composure to not stand up and launch a Biotic blast towards them. The fact that this thing was not only a synthetic life form, some kind of asaranoid AI, but the gall of the human diplomat to bring it here. She saw several guards reach for their own weapons, before Valren held up a hand and looked into Ofaerr's eyes.
"This is a very dangerous game. We could have you both shot for breaking a fundamental charter of the Council Laws. AIs are strictly prohibited and for good reason. They are untrustworthy, prone to Rebellion, as shown with the Quarian Species, whos Ai workforce, the Geth, turned on them, and drove them from their homeworld. They are now a nomadic nation, whos cut ties to the Citadel."
What wasn't said was the damnation of the Council at the time by cutting ties with them, rather than the other way around. Unless the Humans got in touch with the Migrant Fleet, they wouldn't know about the lie. Though the synthetic before them didn't bat an eye as she stayed beside the human, watching, though she made no movements otherwise.
"Aye, and I will have to confirm that for myself. The next point of contention is that a good third of our population is genetically augmented. We refer to them as Coordinators. While The other half are normal humans, you have likely been informed of New Types and Innovators. Both are both branches of humanity if you will."
It just kept getting better and better. It was no wonder that they had otherwise rejected their offering to join. This collective society was seemingly a vast contradiction to the Council's Views. Though even as the three processed this, Ofaerr held up a hand as he tucked the other one behind his back.
"Now I didn't say we had all rejected your proposal. There is a small collective that has otherwise decided to agree to the terms of your wishes, and as such has succeeded from wider Humanity."
The Humans weren't agreeing on everything? Well that might be the right step in correcting things. Even if they were still young, they would in the end damn themselves if they didn't adhere to the Council. Though, given the look that the man was giving the other human that had stepped up to the podium, he was more than likely prepared to kill. There was a lot of contention there. The man was young, lacking the aged features of the few humans she'd seen. A member of the newest generations then. Bright brown eyes and brown hair atop a pale complexion of skin.
"Thank you for the chance to speak with you, Councillors, I am sure we can speak at greater length in the future. My name is President Clark, President of the Systems Alliance, which opposes the current ruling body of the wider humanity. We are willing to accept the Ruling of the Council in exchange for joining the wider Galactic Community. We reject the archaic views and practices which have seen a return to the wider sphere of humanity over the last twenty years. As such, we are willing to accept your verdicts and laws. In exchange, we are willing to share with you several pieces of technology that the others would not."
Oh the anger from the older man was now front and center, along with the Thing's, own scandalous face. The fact they had spent money and research in giving the thing the ability to otherwise alter its facial features was highly disconcerting. Ofaerr looked as though he was about to throw a punch. Obviously, this wasn't what he had in mind, he likely knew this President Clark was willing to join the Citadel, but the offering of technology was not one he had counted on, or one that they had discussed before. Clark himself held a smirk as he regarded the old man behind him.
"This is an acceptable exchange. The development of Ai and Genetic Modification are banned within the System Alliance, in exchange for the trade of technology. You will be able to trade openly on the wider galactic market at reduced rates in exchange for the new technology that you bring to the table."
Ofaerr looked ready to murder, before he breathing in and letting it out.
"While we may not be accepting these laws, we are still open to trading with the council. Though we can't accept to violate the rights of our citizens, we can at least keep things civil between our nations."
The look that Clark was giving the older man was nothing short of condescending. Oh, there was quite a bit of bad blood there between the two parties. That may be a point of conflict between both humanities. Though Tarvos was a shrewd Asari, she wasn't about to lose this chance to potentially weaken the newest member of the galactic community and get them reliant on the Asari as a whole.
She released a sigh, masking the enjoyment she was getting watching everything that was currently ongoing before her. So she stood up and nodded to the others within the room.
"I think that is enough for the moment. This meeting of the Galactic Councils is currently on recess so that all parties may have a moment to talk amongst ourselves and deliberate the coming decisions."
With that, she turned to leave, along with her two fellows behind. Turning, she watched the humans and the Thing follow out through the other door at the entrance to the Council Chambers.
0121.11.08
Serpent Nebula - Citadel
United Earth Alliance
Diplomat: Ofærr Stjarnagram
It was taking everything that he had not to take President Clark's head off as the man smugly walked ahead of him. He could feel the very air of triumph the young man exuded. American by birth, as always, the nation had held that stupid arrogance that they had developed since the Second World War and even all the way up to the End War. Their propaganda machine had never ceased, even after the nation had been struck with the atrocities they committed against both Zaft and Zeon.
"You are playin a damn dangerous game lad. Do ya have any idea what you could kick off by arming these aliens with Beam weapons?"
He stepped up and got around the young, and, thinner man. Towering over him and far surpassing the civilian in mass. Yet he never lost that air of confidence. Even as he looked back up towards him.
"Yes, I do know. I and many others within the Systems Alliance watched as humanity slid back into barbaric practices such as Monarchism and Nobility. Religion making a comeback. We should have continued on. You helped make all this possible by your own admission. We reject your rule and your rights as humans. Just as you embrace abominations such as Mobile Dolls, or have you forgotten how they butchered so many during their first unveiling?"
How could he forget them? He fought tooth and nail against them for nearly two years. Their assault alongside the Earth Federation on Scandinavia all those years ago following the Devil Gundam's attack on Mars had reminded him of the teeth Mobile Dolls possessed.
"I know greater than you tah dangers that Mobile Dolls pose. Which is why I trust ones like Ambrosia or those that I fought alongside in Shanxi. Against the Rebels years before. I know better than ya. So I trust em."
He placed a hand on Ambrosia's shoulder. Giving it a soft squeeze again, which caused her to smile and Clark to snarl and shove past him, as best he could. A civilian had very little actual ability to really push a soldier around, even one as old as him. Weaklings, the lot of them.
"You had best hope that the Empresses stay on their side of the line and do not attempt to interfere with System Alliance Policies and Politics."
If he had his way, He'd have likely just put him down and crushed the Systems Alliance as it should. Rumors had already begun circulating about refugees fleeing that sector of space, mainly Coordinators and Neo Mobile Dolls. They were likely already starting to put the Citadel's Policies into place long before they had arrived.
The old man breathed through his nose as he eyed the young man before he spoke.
"And ya best hope you don't give me reason to come pay ya a visit. If ya violate tah Rights of yer Citizens. I will bring the Alliance down on ya. Hard."
The two stared at one another, then the other snorted and turned to leave. Not saying anything. The old man had said his peace. They'd leave on separate dropships. There was going to be trouble back home over this. Finally, after the Diplomat moved out of sight, the old man released a breath.
"Damnation…I thought we'd dealt with them. Seems they don't yet just lay down and die."
Ambrosia blinked and looked up at him in confusion.
"Blue Cosmos Las. Logos. Romafeller. Call em what ya like. Seems they didn't die out."
For being a synthetic, she showed enough emotion to blanch. Causing him to snort but nod his head. This is a dangerous situation now. He remembered how badly the Atlantic Federation had become under their grooming eyes as mass murderers. Each time they tried wiping them out, they just sprang back up. At least they had seemingly rid the earth of them. Perhaps not as well as they'd have liked.
"I could be wrong though. But I doubt it."
He breathed before starting back towards their assigned rooms. Eye shifting towards the Citadel Security. Though they had visits to hide their faces, the Turians were clearly watching Ambrosia. He was already beginning to regret even reaching out to these people.
0121.11.08
Serpent Nebula - Citadel
Citadel Spectors
Location: Unknown
Saren sighed as he held his arms behind his back. The recent foray into human space still sat with him. Even after discreetly transmitting what he'd seen back through the Sub-Dimensional Relay back home. The Great Link may not exist here but the others were curious as to this reality. They possessed a lower technological threshold but were infinitely larger in terms of area they occupied across the galaxy.
Humanity however was unlike what he expected. It was, backwards, towards, advanced, primitive, all rolled into one massive confusing mess that left him conflicted. This reality showed it was ripe for conquest. The relays worked in their favor.
Though, recently, without the Great Link, he'd felt a calling. Being back in the Citadel only helped to amplify those feelings. Now though, he needed to focus on the now. Councilor Tarvos was talking to him. Hopefully soon he could drop the facade. His time amongst these single forms soon should come to an end.
His musings are interrupted as the Specter Handler placed a data pad down before herself. The Asari Matriarch is there to record the upcoming debriefing.
"Now what did you see while on the human planet, Specter Saren. We now know they possess Artificial intelligence ."
Oh so that's why the Councillors were on edge. Though he understood to an extent. Ai was something that the Founders had never really delved into despite their advanced technology. It likely was just natural. Why rely on something like that? It was almost primitive. Though he shook his head either way.
"That is correct, I did see some of their automaton soldiers, and I think they were civilians. Of all things. It was a strange situation and I didn't have much time to see what all their society was like outside of the free time I had while confined to a cell."
Though he had ways to get out, he also knew how dangerous that would have been should he had attempted it. Though given the amount of technology that had been monitoring him, he likely would have been spotted the moment he tried. In this regard, he respected the humans of this reality compared to his own home reality. Though they were still unevolved savages and brutes.
"I see, was there anything else you wish to report? Perhaps about your previous captors?"
He was wondering when they were going to get to that as well. There had been a Lot that he had overheard and seen upon being "captured" by the batarians. Mainly things that would likely set the Citadel races ill at ease. Though the more conflict they experience, the easier the galaxy will be harvested-
He stopped, his eyes narrowing as he ran that last back through his mind. That wasn't right. He was snapped out of his own confusion by the eyes of the Handler. He didn't even bother to ask her her name.
"The batarians had been gearing up for something, of that I am sure. When I was brought in for harvesting in the Terminus, a small outpost for pirates, well, the last time we had intel there, it was small. What I saw supported a full fleet and base had replaced what was once a small time outpost. It held a fleet of several thousand, likely the fleet which had struck the human world. Alongside it were numerous space stations and forts across the planet. I think I saw an old Turian Terraformation machine being assembled on one of the moons. They are likely to turn it into a fully fledged assault point into the rest of the Traverse."
Even if he didn't think they would have posed a threat to the Dominion, there was no reason to assume they couldn't drown them in ships and bodies till they were torn apart beneath the assault of numbers alone. Then there were reports of the Quarians and their new allies. He knew the reports, he knew what he had seen in them.
Borg.
A borg cube was in this reality. He watched the handler jot down the information and detail it in the report for the councilors. He would not reveal the existence of a force that even scared the Great Link and Founders. There was no telling to what they would discover if they went looking for-
There it was again, a thought that had no place being within his head. Why should he care if the Council went snooping in the dark places of the galaxy and unearthed something? The borg were a present threat that might even derail the plans of the Dominion should they seek to claim this galaxy.
Yet he held his tongue for reasons he could no longer understand. Something was happening. Something to him, and for the first time in his unnatural life, he was scared.
Not that the Handler saw any of that.
"I will have to bring this to the council, it is likely we will be seeing conflict with the Batarians. You should expect more missions in the near future as a result. Dismissed."
He would stand and nod, turning to leave the room. This left him with a lot of questions to contemplate, and not enough answers. Though he knew for sure of only one thing. He was not well. Perhaps the years away from the Great Link was starting to affect him in ways he couldn't even begin to explain and it frightened him to extents he couldn't explain.
0121.11.08
Earth: Sol System
House of Words
Empress Relena Yuy Peacecraft
The Empress of Humanity looked out from the decking as the half asleep form of Heero Yuy lay in their shared bedding. The empress was scared, for the first time in twenty years, she truly felt that life had thrown her a curve ball that she didn't know how to deal with. War looked inevitable as the old machine that was mankind's fighting fire started to awaken in an intensity not seen since the end of the End Wars.
The Batarians had proven nothing if not monstrous if the records recovered by the Neo-Mobile Dolls on the Citadel were any indication. Though the information that they had gleaned had left a lot of confusion and a lot of data they needed to parse through. After all, the age of the station didn't match what the Citadel Council Said. A lot of information didn't match up with historic records.
The batarians were everything that Blue Cosmos was and more so. To the fact that they proved to be worse in many ways. Slavery, butchering, piracy, black market, and many other documented crimes of the people that held sway over the whole of the Terminus Sector of the Galaxy. She and Lacus had to make a choice, one before their children came of age to ascend to the throne. The near forty year old woman placed a hand upon her stomach.
Though another hand soon gripped hers as Heero would stand beside her, silent as ever, she barely even heard his approach or the shifting of the bed. Lords knew he was the cause of its current creaking and the need for replacement beams.
"Something on your mind?"
His voice was comforting, even if it lacked any emotion. Just another reason she cursed the men that had turned her husband into the killing machine he had been during the Morning War. Yet she held his hand either way, she loved him unconditionally after all.
"Yes, but I know the next call will not be one many will look fondly upon. It may even require you and the others. We face an enemy that may well be the final end to our peace. Their attack, the calls from the Citadel, the retiring of our Lord Commander. The breaking away of what will become the Systems Alliance. We stand at a crossroads. Mankind may once more be going to war."
He held her hand, the idea of him getting back into Wing Zero Albion did nothing to comfort her. As powerful as the machine was, the odds this time painted a picture that meant their enemy may well outnumber their ships one hundred to one. They would be forced to shift into a war time economy which would prove disastrous in the event that nothing came out of small border skirmishes with the aliens.
"Then we will meet it together, as we did during the End War. I'll be there, right beside you after all."
She took comfort in that, and him, though she allowed herself a small smile as she ran her hand across his chin and cheek, feeling the stubble that ran across it.
"Then…I think a retaliatory strike is called for, don't you? They struck us, so it is only fair that we do the same…"
She may be a patient woman, advocating for true pacificity, but she also knew that the open hand will be repaid with a raised fist or worse. So she would respond in time. She would not have a repeat of the burning of her kingdom. Pacificism had its place, but they needed to show they were not helpless in the face of untenable odds.
"Tomorrow, we call the Alliance and the Lords. We will make an example of the Batarians, even if it costs us. We need to stand our ground in the face of their unprovoked aggression and establish ourselves."
Heero would merely nod, there was understanding there, the two old war vets holding one another as the moon started to rise, casting their home into light, the light of an uncertain future.
Date Started: 05/23/2023
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Date Finished: 08/4/2023
There we go, chapter 21 is officially finished. Sorry for the wait!
I have actually been working on a few other stories but in bits and pieces, on top of my own book and this story.
Information
Modern Models: For post Timeskip, meaning between 0100 and 0121, the Gundams, Mobile Suits, Mobile Armors, Ships, and Weapons are going to be the same ones from 00, AGE, IBO, and the newest series. You will, as expected, see old models from everything before, as we irl have seen, still use it if we can and aren't hurting for money. So Leos fighting alongside those of Muramasas.
Charter of Aligned Worlds: The Charter of Aligned Worlds is a detailed list of smaller human colonies that have not joined with one of the three major power Blocs, thus allowing them to have more autonomy and production not defined by charters and regulations of larger nations.
Reviews
The crimson trucker: So yes the Unicorn and Banshee will be making an appearance in the next few chapters. As will as others. So look forward to it!
operation meteor: I am glad that so far you have been enjoying the political side of things for humanity, it is about to get increasingly more dirty as a result of the recent split. Blue Cosmos may not be as dead as we'd hoped and have gotten back to their routes. As powerful as Terminal was and the power it wields, there is something to be said about an enemy that can infiltrate and control a global power compared to them.
MEleeSmasher: Yes, humanity will more then likely stay out of the politics but economically they may start tapping into the resources that the wider galaxy can provide. I mean, one of the big negatives for Gundam ships is the reliance on a mechanism to get them into space. With Mass Effect Cores, that can eliminate the need for Mass Drivers to get their ships into orbit. Not to mention combining the economically efficient mass effect weapons with their own weapon systems to achieve a hybrid styled.
