The FA-79Ez Gundam Fully Armed, created by Mikkoron, is the Gundam that GDI will be using.
Date: Ad 2077/CE 70, February 15th, 5:00 PM
Press Room, Eurasian Federation Capital Building, Brussels
"Ladies and Gentlemen, the President of the Eurasian Federation"
"Good evening. Julia Borski's voice rang serenely over the gathered crowd of press personnel. While it is usually the foreign minister's job to announce the signing of treaties, she didn't let it concern her at all, especially not when this announcement is so important to the future of her nation.
"As we are all aware, roughly two weeks ago, an unprecedented natural disaster, the Tegmark event, struck without warning, causing thousands of casualties and displacing hundreds of thousands more. However, that is not all that the event brought us. Many have speculated about the strange soldiers aiding our forces in Italy, and more have pondered the massive military forces that appeared worldwide. Well, for the last week, my administration, with the full backing of the European senate, has been in negotiations with the leadership of these forces and, as of two days ago, finalized a treaty that ensures peace between our two nations and promises humanitarian aid to those affected by the disaster."
"With us is Supreme Commander Verena McNeil, the acting leader of the newest member of the solar system, the Global Defense Initiative. She will be joining us for this conference and will be available to answer questions later."
"Before we start, I would like to say a few words to the people—no, to my fellow citizens." Julia continued, taking a few moments to gather herself: I know that the past two weeks have been trying times for us all, however, but know that the thoughts and efforts of the Eurasian people are with you. To those affected by the disaster, know that we will continue to move forward in
Uzumi Nara Athlha, also known by many as 'The Lion of Orb, sat watching the television in his office, focusing intently on every word of the speed for any sign of its true purpose as it was broadcast live from the other side of the world.
He was much more relaxed than he had been for the past two weeks. After a week of conspicuous silence from their new neighbor, the Global Defense Initiative, a diplomatic communiqué finally arrived, forwarded by the Eurasian Federation, about the possibility of an international conference between the GDI and the rest of the world. After a week of expecting a surprise invasion, he was relieved that the new power appeared to seek peace and diplomatic relations with the rest of the world instead of invading like some aliens out of a B-grade movie.
The military was still on high alert, though. He'd left them orders not to take any actions unless clear hostile action was taken, and, for now, at least, their new neighbor seemed content to reciprocate that gesture. However, satellite reconnaissance of the new landmass that belonged to their new neighbor showed a heavy presence on such a scale that more than one analysis had assumed that it was a massive military build-up before discovering that it was the same level of force as transferred through the event.
He took another sip of coffee and sighed.
Orb's safety was built around distance, neutrality, and an army that could at least bloody the nose of any attacking force. However, with a new unknown player right next to their heartlands, two of Orb's defenses were effectively neutralized, leaving the army, which by all indications was outclassed in every way by GDI's, as their only deterrent.
If any of the superpowers wanted to invade, the most Orb could hope for was to bloody the invasion force enough that public pressure could force the invasion force to withdraw. As it is, any determined attack would shatter Orb's military like a sheet of glass. That was one of the reasons he authorized the G-project. However, the speed at which recent events are occurring...
"...It is my pleasure to announce that over the weekend, my administration signed a treaty with the Global Defense Initiative concerning the situation in Italy and the Mediterranean region. The Isola di Capo Rizzuto treaty," President Julia continued on the high-definition screen," Was signed in response to the highly toxic and self-replicating crystal, Tiberium, which is even now spreading through southern Italy."
"This treaty will give our forces and GDI the authority needed to ensure the safety of civilians in the affected region. As a gesture of goodwill by GDI, the treaty also has provisions for GDI to provide medical and humanitarian aid to Federation civilians who are caught in the disaster. It also establishes a Special Joint Zone where our governments can work side by side..."
Meanwhile, in a certain office not far from the white house at the heart of the Atlantic Federation, James Taylor Robinson—or just James, as he preferred to be called—raised his glass of whisky in salute at the world-class diplomatic maneuvering the Eurasians were pulling off, even as he kept an ear glued to the live broadcast.
As a former diplomat himself, he had to admire the way that his counterpart across the Atlantic seized the crisis and turned it into an opportunity in an attempt to veer her country away from the oncoming war with the PLANTS.
Oh, he had no illusions about how much the Eurasian military will be left available to the Earth Alliance after they get 'tied up' in this new special joint zone, nor was he blind to the fact that if this Tiberium was as dangerous as all indicators point it to be, it would be a perfect excuse for the Eurasian Federation to sign a conditional ceasefire with ZAFT for the duration of the containment effort, no doubt...
He knocks back his whisky, thinking of his latest minor setback in the Great Game and lazily pondering a way to neutralize his nominal partner's newfound gains. "Of course, now that I think of it, the Alaska Declaration does have quite a few loopholes."
His thoughts were interrupted as a young-looking lady marched onto the podium by President Borski's side on the screen.
"Good evening. My name is Verena McNeil, and I am the supreme commander and the acting director of the Global Defense Initiative." The woman spoke in a clear yet powerful voice. Judging by her posture and presence, it was obvious to James that she was used to this type of thing.
"Before I begin, I would like to thank President Borski and the people of the Eurasian Federation for their kindness, honesty, cooperation, and restraint in our dealings in the days since the event. It is an honor to work with you, and I know that the Global Defense Initiative owes you a debt of honor."
James turned his head slightly to get a better look at the newest player in the solar system. "Not bad," he thought out loud, "not bad at all."
"...ith, the last two weeks had been a trying time for all of us newcomers ripped into an unknown world teetering on the brink of war, and for all of you, victims of an unexplainable calamity that introduced an implacable foe to your world. Even as I speak, Tiberium is spreading through Italy and the Mediterranean Sea, causing still more death and suffering."
However, with the help of the Eurasian Federation, as exemplified by the Isola di Capo Rizzuto treaty, we hope to contain that scourge of humanity. With the help of the Eurasian Federation, the initiative seeks to extend the open hand of friendship to all who will accept it. Even as I speak, the diplomatic corps of the GD-"
James smiled as he listened to the supreme commander's speech. It would appear that the Eurasian Federation had gained a capable and dangerous ally of sorts, he decided as he listened to her explain the details of the treaty. It was the logical course, considering their neighbors, the African community, were a cesspool filled with scum of every flavor imaginable and allied to ZAFT to boot.
Lazing back, he poured himself another shot from the bottle nearby. While professionally he congratulated his colleagues across the Atlantic for their diplomatic success, his personal feelings were another story altogether. He was no fool by any means, unlike some of his...underlings. He knew perfectly well what the implications of this treaty would be for Blue Cosmos's plans and the path of his nation. If the Eurasians managed to pull off a cease-fire with the PLANTs, he had no illusions about where that would leave the Atlantic Federation and Blue Cosmos, especially considering the historic antagonism between the two superpowers and the technological advantage that ZAFT held. And the worst thing is, he can't do anything about the treaty, not directly at least.
He sank back into his chair with an annoyed huff, his earlier good mood dissipated by his mounting annoyance. He'd read OMNI's report on the technological and estimated military capabilities of GDI, and it was disturbing, to say the least. Judging by the observed strength of GDI, any conflict between them and the Earth Alliance will leave the alliance with barely a shadow of its military strength and an easy target for any two-bit power, much less ZAFT.
Taking one last gulp, he sighed. He would have preferred it if they were the ones who had made contact with GDI first, the first to color their initial view of the world. With an alliance between the Atlantic Federation and GDI, ZAFT will be easily crushed, and the PLANTs will be forced to return the economic wealth that was rightfully the property of the earth.
However, as he listened to the Supreme Commander speak of peace and diplomacy, he changed his mind. At least his latest crisis will further weaken the Eurasian Federation, which is already reeling from their massive investment in the PLANTs going up in smoke, and keep them out of his way.
And perhaps that was a change he could take advantage of. He'd been successful in delaying that ill-advised project before it could ruin anything important, and he kicked off this war before his own project was ready, but the few close calls that occurred still make him break out in a cold sweat. He was pretty sure that he pissed that asshole off royally, but he couldn't really care less at this point; controlling the G-project and ensuring its success is the most important thing now. A vicious smile appeared across his face at the reminder of his pet project.
"Let's see how many of those old arrogant fools will come crawling when I show them the technology to mass produce mobile suits, which will allow every Earth soldier to utterly crush anything ZAFT has fielded so far."
A part of him found it ironic that in the G-project, coordinators are the ones creating the tools for their brethren's downfall, but yet it felt entirely natural. After all, what are the coordinators but tools, born and bred to ensure the glory and advancement of humanity? And if a part of humanity must be sacrificed to ensure the advancement of the greater whole, so be it.
After all, all of this is for the sake of a blue and pure world and her children's path to the stars.
It was an open secret that Central Intel Operations, ZAFT's intelligent division, couldn't find its way out of a wet paper bag on Earth, although that is not surprising to anyone considering that their allies on Earth were useless. The African Community, for example, while processing some military capability, seems to alternate between collapsing into anarchy, imploding into civil war, or launching a massive pointless religious war against the world (and itself) depending on the day of the week. Sure, there were a few countries in that shithole that were actually competent, like Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Egypt, but for the most part, they were the exception, which proves the rule. The other allied nation was the Oceania Union, which, while politically the complete opposite of the North African Community, suffers from a lack of power projection and isolation.
Just about the only good things that could be said about the two were that the former was a difficult place to operate in, regardless of affiliation, and the latter was a safe haven that allowed ZAFT to set up a base of operations for its terrestrial forces, granting them a foothold on the surface.
Thus the first inkling that CIO and ZAFT had of what the media was calling the Tegmark event was a sudden spike in fragmented and contradictory media reports all over the Earth sphere, followed by a frantic ZAFT admiral screaming his head off, demanding to know why intel and high command had not warned him about a fleet whose capital ships alone outnumber his entire task force by at least 30:1.
Understandably worried, the ZAFT high command ordered a full alert and mobilization, preparing for the inevitable invasion. However, what the military ended up doing for the next two weeks was waiting nervously for an attack that never happened, almost shooting down Councilor Zala's shuttle in one particular incident. While the military sat around doing nothing and being mostly useless, the Central Intelligence Operations spent that time listening to the chaotic news flowing out from Earth. That, when combined with data from spy satellites and the small handful of agents in Africa, was still unable to give a clear answer to what was happening to the Council. Still, it was enough to form a general picture.
As time went by, information started to trickle in. There was the cloud formation, which was impenetrable to nearly all sensors over Italy; a massive island in the Pacific Ocean next to Orbit with enough weapons on it to start World War IV; and a gigantic, unidentified fleet defending several stations in Orbit. When combined with the CIO's own analysis of the various new media, especially those from Europe and reports from its agents in Africa, it gave enough information to begin to paint a picture of what was happening on the ground.
And the reaction of the council when they delivered their findings hasn't been pretty. Even now, despite all the evidence to the contrary, half of the council is still convinced that the events of the past two weeks were some kind of Earth Alliance trick, while the other half is uncertain.
Hence, when the Eurasian Federation declared they would be holding a press conference on the Tegmark Event, the Council decided to watch the broadcast during their emergency summit, allowing them to decide on their course of action then and there. Thus the Council now found itself watching the holographic display in the center of the Council room silently, intently following the development of events in their ostensible enemy.
And now that we are here in your reality, our only path is forward, hopefully towards a future of peace and prosperity." The natural pause before going on However, with the recent tensions between this Earth and its colonies, that may well be impossible. That does not mean we are not willing to give peace a chance. As of now and for the foreseeable future, GDI will remain neutral towards both the Earth Alliance and the Colonies and will be willing to act as a mediator between the two parties should they request it. That said, any act of aggression will be dealt with...accordingly."
She paused to take a sip of water, and for a moment, a brief hint of sorrow and regret washed over her features before she faced the camera again. "When the United Nations founded the Global Defense Initiative, they entrusted us with upholding the ideas of their charter and the United Nations Global Defense Act, and for the last century, we have done our best to carry out this duty. This event does not change this."
"As of now, our primary concern is ensuring the survival of the human race, and that is the only duty we intend to fulfill. Thank you for your time. I will step aside for President Borsk." The naturalist finished coldly.
The president stepped forth and said, "Now there have been many who doubted these reports, especially the recent stories coming out of Italy, but I assure you that the situation is entirely serious. As of two hours ago, my administration has released all data it has compiled on the Tegmark event and on the effect of Tiberium to all scientific institutes globally for independent verification."
A significant number of council members frowned at this statement before turning to stare at the science minister, who shrugged helplessly.
"In addition, as part of this treaty, my administration has agreed to hold a solar system-wide conference, where the Eurasian Federation, GDI, and the various nations within the solar system can talk and establish solutions for current and future issues." The president paused to give everyone a little time to consider the meaning behind her words. "This course of action was taken after my administration considered every possibility and with the support of the Eurasian Senate. Furthermore, the Senate has also made the decision to withdraw all Eurasian forces from the Earth Alliance until the end of this crisis, as per Article 6A of the Alaska Declaration. In addition, my government will be ceasing all offensive operation actions against the PLANTS for the duration of this state of emergency."
All around the room and the world, a moment of silence stretched out as people digested the statement before reacting, some with jubilation, some with relief, some with disappointment, and some with rage. Undeterred, President Borsk continued.
However, in light of our long friendship and the common ties we share with the other members of the Earth Alliance council, we will not leave them to face a belligerent ZAFT alone. Elements of the Eurasian Defense Force 2nd Fleet and the 7th Army Group will be transferred to the Earth Alliance command effectively immediately."
"The invitations for the conference will be sent to all nations throughout the solar system. The conference itself will be held at (New) Sydney Cove in the Pacific, within the GDI territory. Through unconventional means, GDI is the only unbiased polity in the Solar System, and the only neutral meeting ground is still rebuilding from the Copernicus tragedy. Given the state of war between PLANTS and Earth, the Initiative had, in the interest of peace, agreed to hold the conference on their territory on the eighth of May, to allow the Martian Confederation time enough to send a representation and to avoid any possible repeat of the Copernicus terrorist bombing."
The natural paused again, and the councilors unconsciously held their breath until she spoke again. "And finally, before I step aside again to make room for the Supreme Commander to answer questions, I have one final topic to talk about, and it deeply pains me. GDI informed my administration that Tiberium does cause mutations in humans who survive unprotected exposure to it. As such, while my government will be coordinating with GDI to move civilians out of the JSZ and into..."
"Are we going to send anyone to the conference?" The representative of Maius City on the National Defense Committee asked as the holographic TV muted, allowing everyone to speak without raising their voice.
"This development is unexpected, but we can use it to end the war before it gets out of hand. After all, we weren't responsible for the Copernicus city bombing that wiped out the last peace talks." Councilmember Herman Gould replied eagerly.
"It could be a trap." Councilman Jeremy Mazwell, a member of the legislative committee, countered harshly.
"I doubt it." Seigel Clyne, the Chairman of the Supreme Council, said, "It would be foolish for them to try anything now. According to the information we have, we're talking about a military organization of the United Nations, and one that was faced with a serious internal problem at that. To try anything now and attract more problems for themselves would be foolish."
"You mean Tiberium?" Patrick Zala, the chairman of the National Defense Committee, asked, staring at the holographic display of the world that replaced the TV feed.
"We know nothing about it, but we'll likely be learning more about it from the earth's media. I'll make sure that Intel keeps an eye out for it."
Everyone in the room paused, waiting for Zala, the only true neutral on the council, to speak. He was also the one member respected by both sides of the council, both for his leadership skills and his ability to handle people. As such, when he spoke, the other members listened and rarely questioned him.
"The Supreme Commander claimed that GDI was founded by the United Nations. Do you all honestly think that a military organization founded by the UN will tolerate war when there is a clear threat to the planet?" The silence was answered with enough of an answer as each member considered the meaning behind the question.
"Her intentions are clear enough, continued Zala. "I agree with the chairmen; it would be foolish for anyone to try anything, especially in a location controlled by the United Nations." Zala paused for a moment to drink a glass of water. " Also, the withdrawal of the Eurasian Federation from the Earth forces will weaken the Alliance by 35 percent, but more importantly, it means the removal of three fleets from the Earth forces."
"Does anyone else have anything to add?" Segiel asked the council, only to receive silence for an answer. "Then there is no objective in sending a diplomatic party to this conference?"
"None. The PLANT's must be represented at this conference; to do anything else will give our enemies an advantage." Zala answered for everyone as he considered the military situation and his plans for it. Although Zala didn't show it to the outside world, he was a worried man, as just a day before he had received a video. The video in question was from CIO, a recording from one of their spy satellites showing a capital ship belonging to the UN organization leaving the atmosphere without the aid of a mass driver, a technology that, if it became widespread, would dramatically change the balance of power between Earth and the PLANTs.
More importantly, it worried him as it meant that ZAFT's operations plans against the Earth forces were worthless as wet toilet paper against these newcomers.
Back at the press conference on Earth, Supreme Commander McNeil steps towards the microphones, her eyes scanning the crowd with a slight predatory smile on her face.
"Does anyone have any questions?" McNeil asked as hands shot into the air in response to her question while cameras flashed and reflected off her unnaturally green eyes.
"Yes?" McNeil said, pointing at a random person.
"Thank you, Director. My name is Albrecht Bora from the Herald Times. Can you elaborate on the circumstances that led to your United Nations going to such extremes as to form something like the Global Initiative?"
"The Global Defense Initiative's roots lay with Operations Group Echo: Black Ops 9, a United Nations special operations group formed in the aftermath of the Second World War, a war that left an estimated 80 to 102 million soldiers and civilians dead and almost left many parts of Europe a poisoned, radioactive wasteland. Indeed, the United Nations was established by what remained of the Allied nations in order to rebuild the world after the war. As for the Global Defense Initiative itself, it was formed in the 1990s out of Operations Group Echo when it became apparent that a small special operations task force, while very efficient, did not have the resources needed to stop every war in an increasingly globalized world." McNeil finished, only to look up at the surprised and pale faces of her audience.
"Are you saying that your second world war almost went nuclear? But Nazi Germany...Hitler...Impossible..."
"Hitler?" McNeil repeated it blankly. "Ah, my apologies, in my world, the Second World War broke out in 1946 between the Allied Nations and the Soviet Union instead of against the Axis powers in 1939 in your timeline, and World War Three was fought between the Allied Nations, the Soviet Union, the Empire of Japan, and the Celestial Empire of China. GDI will make the history of our world available soon, and I am sure that historians will find the differences in our histories interacting, but does that answer your question?"
"Yes...Thank you." The reporter sat down while the acting director pointed at another questioner.
"Thank you, Supreme Commander, My name is Renee Steele, and I work for the Daily Star. You mentioned that Tiberium causes mutations in humans who are exposed to it, and as the President said, it terraforms the planet into an environment that is habitable to these... Scrin. So my question is, Does Tiberium have any other uses aside from being a terraforming agent?"
The smile on the Supreme Commander's face narrowed as she finally answered. "Yes, Tiberium causes mutations in humans who are exposed to it, and as the president said, it terraforms. McNeil paused for a moment, still with a smile on her lips. Initially, I was advised not to share this knowledge, but I firmly believe that it's a mistake, and I would like to avoid repeating history. Tiberium isn't just a terraforming agent. It's also an energy source."
"This is one of the main reasons behind the First Tiberium War: the Brotherhood of Nod encouraged third and second-world nations to embrace Tiberium and use it to provide cheap energy at the cost of spreading Tiberium. This move was nothing more than a sham designed to drive a wedge between them and the first-world nations whose scientists proved how dangerous Tiberium really was. Those nations were overrun by Tiberium, and the Brotherhood of Nod in short order took control." The supreme commander finished Seeing that the reporter was done, McNeil moved on, picking out the next reporter.
"Allen Howard of the Washington Daily: What are GDI's intentions now that you find yourselves here in our reality?" The reporter paused to look at his notes before looking up again, slightly nervous, as the director's cold green eyes bore into him.
"Our intentions are simple; we plan to confine Tiberium to Italy to the best of our abilities and relaunch a number of programs."
"And these programs are...?" Allen continued, hoping to get an answer.
"GDI's plans in the near future are to build a special system to halt the spread of Tiberium and to establish settlements on the Moon and Mars." A few members of the press coughed in shock, and the rest of the world more or less followed: " The settlements on the Moon and Mars will be used as a base of operations for our astroid belt mining operations, which we hope to restart as soon as possible in order to provide us with the raw materials needed to fund our deep space programs."
"Just one more question: couldn't these programs be taken in the wrong way? Especially with the current state of war that exists between the Alliance and PLANTS?" Allen asked, slightly less intimidated.
"Perhaps, but one of GDI's primary mandates has been to ensure the continued survival of the human race, and however low the chance of a war between the Earth and PLANT causing human extinction, we would rather not take the chance," McNeil replied.
"But isn't that unrealistic considering the situation right now, and shouldn't GDI's focus be on combating the spread of Tiberium?"
"Combating Tiberium requires international cooperation and quick actions; we've already taken quick actions with the European Federation to contain Tiberium to the best of our capability, but there is no certainty that we'll be successful until later in the year. At the moment, we have contacted the African Community and are seeing if we can establish a similar treaty with them; beyond that, there is not much we can do on the Italian front." McNeil answered.
"Thank you, Madam Director." Allen sat down and wrote on his datapad. "Yes?" McNeil said, pointing at the next person.
"My name is Lauren Walker, with the Earth Broadcast Network. The president mentioned that the Special Joint Zone can be increased due to the nature of the treaty. Will it be increasing any time soon?"
"Tiberium is extremely prolific, and this event is the best chance we've had in decades to eliminate it completely. In our reality, the Tiberium had effectively and thoroughly saturated the earth's crust. Here, however, the red zone is only a roughly six-kilometer hemisphere around the tower, giving us a chance to dig underground and place sonic emitters to stop it. This program was launched a week ago. The real problem we have is the possibility that Tiberium has been spread via the air currents."
"So the answer is yes; at the current rate, we will most likely be forced to increase the SJZ again to ensure the safety of the public until the Control Network is online. Keep in mind that the region around the tower is being turned into yellow zones, a region that, while survivable to human life, is tortured by almost daily hurricane-class storms and radiation emitted by Tiberium." McNeil said before quickly launching into a more detailed explanation of the differences between red, yellow, and blue zones. When she was finished, another question was waiting for her.
"Are there any plans for civilians to be returning to their homes, and if not, are there any plans to deal with their displacement from their homes?"
"Yes, as part of the treaty, we'll be aiding the Federation with setting up new housing, medical aid, and so forth for the civilians displaced by Tiberium."
"It was mentioned earlier that Tiberium causes a mutation in humans. In CE 16, the international community established a protocol that prohibits genetic modification of any kind to be done on humans. Admittedly, that can't be blamed for the change, but have you or the president considered the issue?"
"GDI has always considered humanity's continued existence to be more important than any issue of gene alteration." The Supreme Commander replied emotionlessly as, hidden from the cameras, her left hand began to literally crush the steel podium while the smile that had been on her lips froze for a moment before returning. "Are there any more questions?"
Seeing none, the press conference ended as the Supreme Commander stepped aside and reporters began to scramble to finish their story as soon as possible and publish it in time for the prime-time news slot.
Rau Le Creuset smiled as he watched the press conference on the earth-ending holographic display before him. It was an interesting and rather informative experience for him as he watched the GDI general speak. He noticed a number of interesting details about her, but what stood out the most for him were the Supreme Commander's eyes. They were a little too green, Reu thought, much too green to be entirely natural...
Naturals from another reality who cared little for the differences between their genes Interesting, but are they truly any different? There was no telling without seeing them in action, putting their words into action. Something else he found interesting was the stance and appearance of the Supreme Commander. He could feel the aura and presence of war radiating from her as he watched the conference.
Rau considered the Supreme Commander's words from earlier, and at the deepest level within the man, he found them stimulating. All the scientific knowledge that he knew only hinted at the possibility of alternate realities to actually encounter another version of humanity, one that had experienced a history completely different from their own and produced a United Nations that was stronger and willing to go as far as to create its own military to enforce the peace. It was humbling in a sense.
And curious that the United Nations of two different realities could take such different paths. It made him wonder: will he be any different if he walks down the path of another reality?
That moment of whimsy didn't last long, as his mind pushed the thought aside. There was no point in wondering about the "What ifs" of other realities when the only one that mattered was this one...
"Were they really different from the naturals and coordinators of this reality...?" He contemplated, "While they seem not to possess the hate that engulfed humanity, that is evident enough from the Supreme Commander's words, but to stop the hate and the fires of war from consuming humanity...would their threats be enough?"
Only time will tell, Rau decided in the confines of his mind as the rather unnerving smile widened on his lips. Only time can tell, and he will enjoy watching it all.
On Mars, the president of the Martian Confederation was silently contemplating the meaning behind the satellite transmissions from Earth. It was a little-known fact that both the Confederation and the Deep Space Survey and Development Organization (DSSD) maintained a joint satellite relay network, which allowed both to keep up with events on earth. Back when Mars was newly colonized, there had been occasions where the joint program had been of great benefit to both organizations. Such as now.
Although technically, the civilian population leaned toward ignoring Earth and leaving the trouble that brought them here behind, he knew that such a thing was impossible. President Heyday Fereydoun knew that, like Orb, Mars was no different, and any determined move by the Earth against them would likely end in a costly victory for the invading forces.
And now there was this insanity, Heydar thought—a nation from an alternate reality and an organization that was the military arm of the United Nations? It was madness, but... he'd initially hoped that these events would once more leave Mars alone, but the moment the solar system-wide conference was called for, it caught his interest. Later on, when the GDI revealed the scope of their other programs, it captured his attention even more, as up to this point no one on the Earth Sphere had considered such ambitious programs.
The only organization that even came close was the underfunded DSSD.
Heydar decided he had to send someone, just as his secretary entered bearing bad news.
"Sir, the chamber is demanding a meeting right now."
"Tell them I'm coming right now," Heydar replied as he rose from his seat. This was going to be an utter bitch of a meeting. I was hopeful it wouldn't be as bad as the initial emergency meetings weeks ago when the madness on earth first happened.
Hidden in the perpetual twilight of the red zone, a shadow team glided stealthily from cover to cover, making their way towards the yellow zone beyond the red zone around the tower. Shadow Team Zulu was one of many teams working to place the sensor network beyond the red zone that the brotherhood was calling home. The coverage of the networks of sensors so far has been spotty, with the furthest sensor being only 10 kilometers inland.
Zulu team has already placed their sensor pods and is currently on recon duty. As such, they moved cautiously, slinking from cover to cover like ghosts until they reached high ground where they could get a better view of the surrounding landscape. Although GDI wasn't aware of Nod's presence, each team had been given orders to keep it that way and not give GDI any reason to look, so as such, all movement was slow and cautious, with the bare minimum usage of electronics.
As for the network, each sensor was designed to operate as one massive network, transmitting data from one to another using nearly undetectable tight beams until the information flowed into Nod's only base to be transferred during the event. The situation wasn't odd for Nod, a man thought, hidden away in the red and black shadows of the Nod base as a gleeful smile crossed his lips.
Behind the man and material could be seen being directed in some arcane ritual. The ground shook as these men and women worked, and yet this didn't worry the man at all.
Deep within the depths of space, 1543 light years away, a message was received at the core of a local Ichor mining operation from an unknown sender on the edge of the threshold network. Located at the edge of Scrin space, the managing AI of the operation dutifully checked the intended addressee and recipient, and that is when the AI ran into its first set of difficulties. It notified Supervisor 8923, at which point it was ordered to search their records for the identity of the sender. It checked everything for the last couple of cycles and eventually all of their records, but still, it didn't find it.
Yet it was able to determine that the clearance code and the threshold frequency were within the acceptable range; indeed, the Unknown Threshold's clearance level appears to be for a mining base facing significant military opposition, an unheard event in Scrin history.
So with a little answer to his questions, Supervisor 8923 passed the information to HQ and took the precaution of remotely locking down the unknown threshold tower.
Unknown to the Supervisor, a second message was sent from the tower carrying with it the highest authorization available in the Scrin empire, and it was forwarded by the civilian Hub AI network without question, bouncing it from Hub to Hub until it reached the homeworld and entered the military AI network, where it was flagged and checked before finally being delivered to the supreme leader of the Scrin race.
The Overlord.
ZAFT Centrail Intel Operation (CIO):
Oppose Militancy and Neutralize Invasion (OMNI) Enforcer
Better known to the public and the media as the Earth military or Earth forces, this organization is a military alliance controlled by the Earth Alliance Council, a governing body made up of representatives from each member state of the alliance and led by a Secretary-General. OMNI possesses a military that is far larger compared to our own, as it commands the combined might of the various member nations military forces. The military branch is headquartered at a heavily defended location in Alaska, known as the Joint Supreme Headquarters Alaska (JOSH-A), while the Council is headquartered in Washington, D.C., the capital of the Atlantic Federation and the former United States of America.
Analysis of the New Earth Alliance from public sources shows that it's somewhat similar to the former United Nations Security Council in structure and function, with each member having a vote and veto in determining the course of action of the alliances.
OMNI Enforcer integrates the majority of all the member nations' space and portions of their terrestrial forces into a single organization. However, unlike ZAFT, the Earth Forces is still a newly founded organization that is still dealing with the problems of integrating its various military forces into a single functioning organization.
Excerpt from the print edition, The Pacific Press, December 5th, CE 69.
A House Divided by Genetics by Tal Sven, Options
When the most powerful nations on Earth signed the Alaska Treaty, it effectively deposed the United Nations as a relic of the past. Yet another example of an organization that was founded to maintain peace but failed, just like the League of Nations before it failed in an increasingly hostile world in the early to mid-20th century.
The world has come a long way from the initial colonization of space launched by the United Nations at the dawn of the 21st century and only a year after the end of the Reconstruction Wars. This new space age was only made possible by the United Nations coordinating the various newly established world orders for the colonization of space.
Yet even as the specter of the past century faded with the influx of cheap resources from space, new problems arose as new divisions appeared, and these can be seen no more clearly than in the present situation, a state of war between PLANT and the newly established Earth Alliance. It can also be seen in the continued support from certain public figures, such as American politician Ryan Shaah and extremist organization spokesperson Lia Berenice.
The move to sign the Alaska treaty had, in effect, cut out the PLANTS from any means of political influence on Earth and enlarged the gulf between naturals and coordinators. And thus, it is no surprise that Mars has become a desired location for those who wish to escape from the hostilities that engulf the Earth Sphere.
Unfortunately, with both sides unwilling to back down, any possible move will only widen the gulf between naturals and coordinators, so the question then becomes: is there any possibility of a peaceful solution in the future, or will blood be shed in another bloody reminder of the price of peace for humanity?
The G-project.
Extract from Head Scientist Jack's private notes
...am satisfied with the project. We've successfully created machines that outperform ZAFT's Mobile Suit in all margins. These new machines have been named the General Unilateral Neuro-Link Dispersive Autonomic Maneuver System, or as I prefer to call it, a Gundam. But enough of that. What I'm really proud of is the technology that we've developed, especially the beam weaponry, which up until this time could only be mounted on ships or bases and never on something as small as mobile suits. This alone is enough to change the battlefield, granting a weapons platform like the Gundam the ability to carry anti-ship weapons, making them much more effective against ships.
Moving on, other breakthroughs include phase shift armor, a development that could possibly spell the end of kinetic weapons; Stricker Packs, which allow an MS to change its armaments to suit the battlefield; Mirage Colloid technology, which itself is a major breakthrough; a beam sword; and the Lohengrin position blaster guns. These breakthroughs have led to the development of five unique MS and a new class of ships that we've named the Archangel Class.
I have to admit that it saddens me quite a bit that fighters will soon be a thing of the past, but progress is progress. However, I still have no idea why the funding for the Pendragon project, which will fully integrate all our new developments throughout our more conventional forces, was cut.
GDI Integrated Combat Suit (ICS)
GDI Engineering: Standard Infantry Armor
The ICS armor is a lightweight armor designed to replace the previous armor used by GDI infantry, which lacked many of the advanced features seen in Zone Trooper armor, of which the most important was the lack of sufficient T-armor to protect the wearer from Tiberium during extended operations. This design flaw led to the increasing use of zone troopers in place of standard GDI infantry towards the latter half of the Third Tiberium War.
It wasn't until after the TW3 that General Michael McNeil requested G-Tech for a smaller but streamlined version of Zone Trooper power armor for regular infantry. Four years later, G-Tech, along with Mitsubishi, Dai Nippon/Skunk Works, and FutureTech Labs Corporation, developed the Integrated Combat Suit, or ICS for short.
The ICS is a self-sealed armor designed with similar internal features to Zone trooper armor, such as inbuilt automatic medical systems, rebreather systems, a HUD with night vision, thermal, and active illumination, an integrated jump jet pack, strength enhancement, and a class 0 EVA.
The Combat Suit has an archetypal form, derived from synthesized and natural sources, mostly predatory animals such as manta rays, raptors, and large cats (leopards, jaguars, etc.), while maintaining GDI's policy of "Seeing the Soldier" in the equipment, not hiding the human. In a technological sense, it is composed of a Mitsubishi Hyperlite augmentation rig mounted on a Kevlar5 elasticized polymer core with a Dai Nippon/Skunk Works Gillie rebreather system that filters out sand and toxic particulate while compressing oxygen into a breathable atmosphere inside the sealed suit and hardpoint mounting system.
There isn't much difference between Zone Trooper, Raider, and ICS systems in terms of internal features. allowing up to 75% commonality between the three systems, the main difference between the systems is simply the weight of the armor and the amount of protection and enhancement they possess.
The Integrated Combat Suit, while less armored and lacking the ability to carry super heavy weaponry (like the Rheinmetall MK72A3 railgun on the Zone Trooper MK3 prototype armour) as compared to the much heavier Zone Trooper and Raider armor, is much lighter and faster. This can be seen in the ICS's ability to run at a sustained speed of 25 miles per hour and use its integral jump jets to jump higher than the other two suits, a legacy of the Commando armour from 2047.