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
Italicized Dialogue = Additional Characters
0121.11.12
14th Autonomus Neo-Mobile Doll Combat Squad
Operation Midway Fleet*
Ulysses's Folly: EDI-402 Laohu-Kai*
Shadow Sea Relay
Neo Mobile Doll, Abigail William von Endrota
Neo Mobile Doll, Luvinia William von Endrota
OZ-04MD Virgo III: (Necro)
Two months, two months since Shanxi, two months since her world was turned upside down by the reveal that there were aliens outside of the ELS. Two months since the second half of her mind had been violently awoken by some unknown alien. She'd kept quiet about it, refusing to open up anymore.
Two months since she'd been saved from a premature deactivation by her own mind. The other side, the other program, had been dormant so far, but she could detect it now taking up a section of data banks within her mind that had otherwise had minimal space obstructed. Now though, she had a friend, to an extent. Someone to talk to when the programming activates during times of stress.
Which was a lot nowadays going by the number of meetings and the routine checks by engineers and other Mobile Dolls. She was eternally grateful to have Luvinia by her side all these months. The two artificial humans had met not long into their forming processes years ago and developed a bond. Then they developed feelings, and then feelings for one another. In a way, they had been side by side with one another since their first steps into actualized human beings.
Which was what made it all the harder for the both of them when they both lost their homes within the Shanxi quadrant following the separation of the Systems Alliance from the United Earth Alliance. Without a home, without a place to properly live, and ejected, along with most Neo-Mobile Dolls and other altered humans from Systems Alliance Space, they were suddenly overnight turned into refugees.
They, along with millions of others, were forced to flee the newly christened territory of the Alliance and into UEA territory, alongside the nobles placed in control of planets. Though rather than just be abandoned, both found themselves receiving an unexpected hand. Duke Isenho von Endrota, now losing the home his wider family had claimed upon discovering Shanxi, reached out to many of those whom the Systems Alliance had displaced upon claiming the system when they elected to leave the UEA. They were welcomed into the family, in fact, suddenly the family had grown massive as the Duke and Duchess accepted many of the refugees to their own families holdings.
It had been a turbulent last few months, and a lot of resentment had been brewing within the displaced communities of augmented or evolved human refugees. This had been the same for both of the Williams. Then came the back channel communications between the now retired, deposed, High Lord Commander, and the two mobile dolls. He'd known them for a few decades, having overseen theirs and many other Neo-Mobiles transitions into civilian and military sectors following their decade of observation.
He liked to keep in touch with them. Though they were still in the military, they had holdings within the civilian world and monetary gains. It was why the two had set up their own future home on Shanxi a year after it had been colonized. The two wanted to move out of the core worlds and to the frontier. Abigail wanted to be a gardener, and Luvinia wanted to be a school teacher.
One night, during communications between them, the same generation of mobile dolls, and a surprise appearance from the now returned High Commander (read; deposed), a discussion was struck up, one which hinted towards a military build up. For hours the group chatted, as they had during their days in the academy, while the old man sat in, tossing a line in now and then. As their friends began signing off, Ofaerr had asked Abigail and Luvinia to stay, saying he had something important to talk to them about.
0121.10.05
Endrota Noble House Capital: Venus
She watched the screens of near a hundred slowly fade to black across their shared computer, her arm slipping into the grasp of her wife, even as their Academy friends gave their goodbys one by one. Eventually, leaving just three still on the computer. There was still that feeling of helplessness from the two, even with the Duke's influence, they were left adrift in emotions as the thought that their dreams would have to be put on hold due to the whims of the Systems Alliance, before the old man decided to speak.
"Thanks fer sticken around lasses, sorry to keep yah but I wanted tah ask what yer plans are currently, not just what yah told the others, but, what the Duke plans? I can only guess that you two have been filled in with what he wants. Heard from my own sources he's been badgering the Assembly with war."
He wasn't wrong, the Duke had been pushing for Earth to address the unprovoked attack and the enslavement of the citizens who were under his protection. Abigail had admitted to Luvinia in their quiet moments together, that she sympathized and even wanted revenge for the killings and the brutality that the Batarians had inflicted on the people of Shanxi.
"We have yes, he's disclosed to us that he wants for the House to be the first to strike a blow against them."
It left a bad taste in their mouth but they understood, based on their logic banks the feelings behind them. One couldn't just abandon and forget the atrocities inflicted upon them.
"I have pulled some strings, if you two want to get involved."
That left them both in silence as their minds communicated with each other, contemplating the offer. Should they get involved? This was a pandora's box that Humanity could be sitting on the edge of. Should they open it, there would be no going back.
= We shouldn't. What did the Old Systems fight for if not to allow us the chance to choose to reject war? =
= _ If we don't do anything we risk loosing everything. The Duke, the Home we now sit in. Even our place amongst the military. You are on shore leave, but, they gave you the option to leave. If you accept, I may not ever see you again. I almost lost you on Shanxi. _=
= Then come with me Luvinia. I know you took a minor class in combat during the Academy, on top of your direction into finances and logistics. I could use you at my side during this. I don't want to be alone again. =
=_ Abby, are you asking me to kill aliens? _=
= No, I am asking you to guard my back. I can take the sins and the stains onto my soul. Please. I want our home back. If this is successful, maybe the Duke can reclaim Shanxi and we can get our home back. =
That was a massive temptation for both women. They understood that Shanxi had been given to the Systems Alliance on the grounds that the military and the Duke had nearly lost it to alien hands. A technicality given that it was a complete ambush and they were numerically outnumbered, but the general public didn't see that. They didn't understand the broader scope of the situation. Only the cause and effect.
=_ What can they even do? We've seen the size of the Batarians. They could crush us. _=
= They would crush us if we don't do anything. Please. Luvinia. I know we can win. I can win. If you are beside me. =
=_ Don't…Abby….Fine. Fine. Only if I can pilot alongside you. _=
= Yes! I love you Luvi! =
The two, having a conversation last but seconds, turned back towards the deposed Lord Commander and nodded their heads. Causing him to slightly smile. Then, their screen became completely obscured by a new image. Causing both women to feel their jaws nearly drop as they inspected what they were being tasked and given.
"Aye. Its under production now. Call it tha hunch of yer old teacher, but I thought you might like this later down tah line. Currently, I have ah modified Virgo III bein shipped to Venus for tah two of you to utilize."
"All Hands, brace for Realspace Arrival."
"I Repeat. All hands, Brace for Realspace Arrival."
Even now, the two of them stood within the break room of the starship. Part of a coalition from Earth. A fleet of vessels from half a dozen Noble Houses and at least a single Unite Earth Fleet numbering thirty. In total, a fleet of nearly seven hundred ships had departed from the recently discovered Maroon Sea Relay within UEA Territory to the north of their holdings. Ships both old and new. With aging Nelson class by the dozens, converted into screening vessels, to more recent Squid-Class vessels. Those elongated red ships of Zeon.
Abigail and Luvinia watched the passing stars of the sizable fleet. How many weren't going to come home from this? They couldn't help wondering, even as they finally punched out of Quantum space and into Real space. Word had spread amongst the fleet that they would hold and draw the Batarians in to an attack, rather than act as the primary aggressors. This way, giving them possible deniability. Not that they expected the Council to come down on the slavers.
Humanity used gene alteration, AI, and nuclear weapons. The Council would likely out of necessity due to their own rules, come down on any side facing the humans from the get go. It was likely the primary reason that mankind had not joined them to begin with. The Systems Alliance already had expunged much of those whom the Citadel had rejected. Hence the UEA's current refugee crisis that is still ongoing. New worlds needed to be brought into the Alliance to help free up breathing room on over stressed colonies.
Even now, as hangers across the fleet started opening to expunge mobile suits ranging from the dreaded GN-X series with their GN Drives, and the massed bodies of older model GNs and Zakus, given over to the brand new Drone Funnel System*. Unlike Mobile Dolls, these weren't thinking machines. They were more akin to New Type/Coordinator Funnel Systems but for Mobile Dolls.
The speakers across the ship would suddenly blare to life as soldiers stopped what they were doing, and a general readiness alert status as the soldiers began manning battle stations and pilots ran towards their hangers.
"Looks like this is it Luvinia…"
"I know Abby…"
Both still held reservations despite their minds understanding the necessity to the actions that mankind was taking. They started down the hallway at a slower pace, letting other more eager pilots move ahead of them. Though Luvinia was in herself a civilian model Neo-Doll, it was much easier for a doll to be allowed to enter military service then it was a human or altered human. Given the ability for their brains to download the knowledge necessary for the fighting. The two made their way down, bypassing many empty rooms, many of which may well remain empty till the ships could return to friendly lines.
They would eventually enter into the hangar, finding a pair of ZM-S06G Zollidias and a squad of squad ZM-S06S Zoloats. Nine Zoloats to each Zoliidias. To act as Commander mobile suits. A full three squads of LM111E03 Gunblasters were set against the opposite wall, with three LM111E03+SD-VB03A Gundash Blastors to act as commanders of their squads.
Then there is their Mobile suit in this section of the ship. A modified Virgo III. Designed for a crew of two, back to back. It's Back now sporting a series of Funnels. Like the Virgo III, its shoulders sported the oversized pauldrons and planetary Defenders, but in addition, it had two more given. The entire mobile suit had received increased armor and came with a secondary GN Drive backup Reactor should the Fusion Reactor go offline.
The two started to dress inside their own Pod, where sat a series of Nemos and Zaku 3s, meant to act as their own Drone based system for Luvinia to control and direct when the fighting got hot.
"So this is it Luvinia…are you ready?"
"I'd be lying if I said yes Abby."
Hands intertwined with Luvinia as the smaller blond smiled, pulling her close and gently planting a kiss upon her lips. Then a hug. Both were scared, despite being artificial entities. They still felt fear, they still felt apprehension. The local server for Dolls was rife with similar feelings about this upcoming conflict. After all, this was potentially going to be a suicide run by humanity after their pide had been bruised by the Aliens.
There was some silver lining to this, and that was that the Batatrians may not even bother to arrive and the whole operation would be called off. Though she doubted that. She very much doubted that.
"It's time Lulu. Come on."
The mood within the hanger was somber as both women rose into and took up positions in the dual cockpit. Unlike normal human cockpits, These machines, modified for the program*, lacked any kind of seating. Inside of the machine, both of their artificial bodies slumped against the wall as the eyes of the Mobile suit ignited. Then the Squad of Six Nemo-Kais, three Serpents, and several Zaku 3s. All to act as their screen and additional protection.
Slowly, as the launch bay is pressurized by air pulled into the ship and stored, the top of the hangar would start to open, two doors peeling to the right and left. Each and every one of the ships hangers would do the same, allowing for its complement of fifty mobile suits to begin exiting into the void. Their Virgo III to be the latest to exit, followed by their Drone Mobile Suits. Taking up positions around them. Then the call signs began to flow over the radio.
"Squad, Devil's Angel, Reporting."
"Squad, Dog's Master, Reporting."
"Squad, Heaven's Disaster, Reporting"
This continued for some minutes before it eventually came time for the two to add their voice. So they would.
"Squad, Skynet's Girls, Reporting."
If Abigail could glare at the chuckling of the other squads and even her wife, she would. It was a good thing she couldn't after all. The name had been a decision by Command and doubled by Luvinia for ironic purposes. Given the role the Virgil and Taurus had played in the End Wars, plus she had the sinking suspicion that Luvinia had submitted the name for command's approval after they had binge watched the first three Terminator movies.
The sound offs continued for a few more minutes, before the Captain of the Ulysses's Folly, one Andrew Bartold, spoke up on all channels.
"This is Captain Andrew to all squads. We have been tasked with, when the four eyed bastards show up, to protect the carriers and repair ships. Command expects this to be a protracted battle and we will need to defend rearmament ships and supplies so our front doesn't collapse."
Confirmations began to bleed through as the fleet formed into rough clusters of some thirty ships in groups, centered around a flagship and a block of heavier ships. Drone Ships in numbers that proved eye watering to count, made up defensive screenings for the larger ships. Given the events of Shanxi, humanity had learned to fear the Batarians swarm screens to allow their larger ships to get in close. So aging and outdated ships had been given over to Drone Networks within the Neo-Mobile Doll Network to control and direct. Mainly to take hits or to launch interceptions on enemy munitions. Filled with mindless self repair machines and rooms stocked with replacement parts for them to repair damages, mankind had decided to recycle the obsolete rather than outright scrap.
"Prepare for the Mirage Colloid Field*. Stay within it till the affected zone till the alien bastards flip the trap."
Across the Fleet's broken up elements, from Elements One through Twenty Four. Hangers would open and Mobile Suits would fly some hundred kilometers from the edge of the fleet, holding between them a strange satellite. Upon reaching the optimal position, they would disengage while one would tap its built in console to activate it. Over the next five minutes, this process repeated at least a thousand times. Each of these machines would begin to transmit signals as the fleets prepare themselves.
"All Ships. All Ships. This is High Admiral Tung of House Hu'cha. Mirage Colloid Field Deploying. Go Radio Silence until Flagships of your Respective Forces have fired."
Small metal spears would jut from the many sides of the satellites, angling in the direction of the nearest satellites. Before energy charged across them from tip to base, then they shimmered, and vanished. This field began to spread out from one another, interlocking as the space between grew to match the far distant space that existed beyond the fleet. Then, over the next minute, the full area surrounding the fleets obscured them entirely, rendering seven hundred and twenty ships completely obscure to all but enhanced and dedicated sensors to detect their radiation and special particles that humanity used in their vessels and war machines.
In a minute, the formerly filled system now hosted not but empty space.
0121.11.12
152nd Batarian Raid Fleet: Tyrant's Mercy*
1st Punative Fleet: Ape's Death
Bane of Slaves: Eeluram Class Dreadnaught
Caleston Rift Relay
Admiral Chal'apa
The Caleston Rift Relay, the Hegemony's foremost outpost and staging party for their raiding groups out of the Terminus Systems. This one in particular had been fully claimed by the Batarians after a brief skirmish with a local empire which they had broken and enslaved thousands of years ago. So long in fact that none of the Hegemony even remembered their names. However the fleet was not just there to act as a guard dog. Recent activity from the mysterious Mon'tario Race had seen an uptick in attacks on several holds within the southern sections of the Terminus. Now though, a new threat had emerged for them.
That of the Humans. These mammals had picked a fight through their existence with the Gate Keepers of the Terminus and have shown themselves to be avid fighters based on accounts from the last fleet to square off with one of their own. At the moment however, the fleet was in the midst of doing shake downs of the newest weapons from the Hegemony. Freshly shipped from the Slave Breaker Camps within its interior and specific weapon systems.
However, on this day, news and feeds within their monitoring station within the Shadow Sun System had sent the whole fleet into a tailspin as signatures matching those of the Humans began to filter in and the fleet as a whole went onto red alert. The Batarians were far from fangless, despite what the Turians might think. The fleet within the five solar systems that were directly connected or near the Relay itself. They were beginning to mobilize and prepare to deal with what they thought were gnats.
Smaller Secondary Relays would act as connection points between the five nearby solar systems and that of the Primary Relay. Now though, they were acting as deployment points for the formation of an assault fleet. Given that the humans' energy systems meant that their scanning equipment couldn't make heads or tails of the number of vessels that the humans had deployed, they were creating a punitive fleet of one hundred to effectively put the humans in their place.
With the Bane of Slaves, acting as the flagship of the fleet, an additional twenty Kesh'heel Cruisers,Salarian Cruisers, Turian Condor Cruisers, and Asari Cybaen Cruisers acting as the heavier hitters. A pair of aging Asari Nefrane Heavy Cruisers to act as long distance support. With some twenty seven Destroyers ranging from Batarian Hel'ta and Turian Elanus Destroyers, to Asari Vaeeno Destroyers*. With fifty frigates ranging from the Batarian Yu'garr, to the Salarian Tel'nar, to the Turian Gannet, and rounding it off with both light and escort ships of the Asasri's Nofreya and Vak'tyr Frigates. The Fleet as well consisted of over a hundred Corvettes from the Asari built Oseros Corvette and the Turian Accipter Corvettes to act as general fighter intercept role and the human's strange choice to use asaranoid shaped piloted machines. Intermixed were hundreds of Batarian fighters and multi-role fighters for missile and torpedo intercept.
In all, the fleet blanketed the area surrounding the Major Relay, with the newly crowned Admiral of the 1st Punative Fleet built out of aging vessels of the actual fleet, addressed his new command.
"This is Admiral Chal'apa of the First Punitive Fleet. It seems the bastards of the Asari have grown bold following the losses a slaver fleet took in their system and the worst that the Hegemony could produce. They've thought to try and take territory within what is Batarian Hands! I say we show them their folly and deal them a blow they won't soon forget! Slave Masters. Prepare the Weapons."
As the Fleet begins to move towards the Relay, within Hangar bays inside of the Cruisers play host to the newly shipped weapons. Tarps cover them and stasis tubes sit directly beside the large tarp covered form. The crew kept a wide breath from the still forms and the tubes. After all, there were just some things the Hegemony's ground troops would never understand about the ever shifting rules of wear and engagement.
With the strong pull of the Mass Effect field from the center of the Primary Relay, the ships of the fleet begin to be flung off. Boarding parties were already preparing their weapons, thinking that this might be a small colonization effort by the humans. Nothing had yet come down to the main forces from the Admiralty of the 152nd. Yet on the bridge, nerves were on edge. These weren't the supremacists of the Slave Raiding Fleets. These were hardened Batarians and professional Soldiers, not the dregs that the Military Complex pushed into different positions where their actions could be put to their best uses.
And the soldiers on the bridge were worried. They had reviewed the footage of the cameras of both the Ground based and those in orbit before, during, and after the siege of Shanxi. The humans and their abominations fought with ferocity. High Command still considered the Break Through by a lone machine against a force of nearly a thousand starships in orbit nothing short of impossible. As this one machine literally hacked its way through fighters and through starships as it rushed towards the surface. A Secondary Captain would break the admiral out of his thoughts with a cough into his hand.
"Sir, if I may. What is the plan? In the event this is an actual war fleet and not just some colonization effort by the apes?"
It had been some weeks and the general derogatory term had started spreading when the evolution of humanity and some of its history were pried from captured data centers taken out of wrecks or from prisoners sent to slave processing camps in the months following the Shanxi Siege.
"I can understand your worry, Captain Hal'kep. It is why I am commanding the Captains across the fleet to immediately deploy our intercept and fighter craft the moment we come out. In addition, break apart the formation and move to try and keep from letting their particle weapons from getting a lock."
The fact the apes had direct energy weapons and hadn't phased out ballistic weapons still confused the wider species of the Citadel. Most just put it down to pragmatism. Not putting all your eggs in one weapon system. The commands were met with some amount of agreement from his command staff. Then with a shudder, the fleet would exit out of the corridor that the Relays had generated. Already, scores of Fighters and Interceptors began to flood free of hangar bays while the ships took up loose positions, all in preparation for the firing.
Yet nothing came. As the ships drifted and bled off momentum following the exit from the relay, they found nothing.
"Sensors are coming online…nothing Admiral. We are detecting the Humans Nuclear Energy and what they call "Minofsky Particles", but nothing else yet. They just seem to be free flowing and our sensors can't pierce far enough through to detect any spaceship."
Chal'apa leaned forward in his seat with a frown, fingers templed while he read through incoming tactical information. Then as he looked over several additional pieces of information, his eyes caught something.
"Sensors, what is this third background radiation we are picking -"
0121.11.12
14th Autonomus Neo-Mobile Doll Combat Squad
Operation Midway Fleet*
Shadow Sea Relay
Neo Mobile Doll, Abigail William von Endrota
Neo Mobile Doll, Luvinia William von Endrota
OZ-04MD Virgo III: (Necro)
Luvinia watched as the various and unusual ships punched out into real space, as though flung forward with small spatial quakes to herald their arrival into real space. They were clearly all designed by different nations and species given the different profiles for the ships and the emerging smaller craft. Her mind was suddenly enveloped in what amounted to a hug for Neo-Dolls as her wife "held" her close.
= Hey. If you want. I can handle this. Just close your eyes and focus on keeping me safe, ok? =
= No Abby, I asked to be brought into this. I saw your memories. I can't let you carry this burden anymore than you have. I should have been there with you when you entered into the Military. I should have been with you in Shanxi. =
Even with their minds in command of the Virgo III, their bodies moved as though they weren't. Both placed upon each other as the Mobile Suit received telemetry and targeting data from their flagship. Over a strange multi-winged destroyer. Their Dolls started to move and form up around them as Luvinia directed their basic Ais towards the protection of their Mistresses.
= Then please watch my back the command is about to come. I love you Luvinia. =
= And I love you Abigail. =
Their Mega Beam Cannon would lift up from where it had been resting at their own hip, locking onto the Destroyer's bridge when the order came from the High Admiral.
"All Ships! Open Fire!"
And with that, a thousand mobile Suits, Dozens of Mobile Armors, and Seven Hundred SpaceShips locked on and fired, beams of green, red, and yellow streamed from their barrels.
Author's Notes!
Date Started: 11/24/2023
Well this is a rather quick chapter to hold me till I get into the meat of the next chapter. Operation Midway.
Date Finished: 11/24/2023
Information Added since the Last Chapter.
Troop, Mobile Suit, and Vehicle Transports:
Wet Ships:
Fighters:
Ground Vehicles:
Heavy Vehicle/Land Ships:
Mobile Suits:
Special Units:
Gundams:
Mobile Armors:
Space Ships of the Line:
Space Stations:
Information
Operation Midway Fleet:
OperatioN Midway is a retaliatory strike against the Batarian Hegemony, masked as a trap to draw them into attacking first. The fleet is quite sizable, now that the nobility of humanity has felt a backhand to one of their own. A dozen noble houses have amassed a force of nearly seven hundred vessels ranging in age from modified One Year War vessels all the way up to the newest from the Shipyards of Mars and Titan.
Drone Funnel System:
The Drone Funnel System is a newly implemented system for Neo-Mobile Doll pilots within Mobile Suits and Armors. As with the New Type Funnel System, it is intended for the pilot to take control of multiple bodies and weapon systems to be used in combat. However, unlike them, the Neo-Mobiles take control of squads of Outdated or last-generated Mobile Suits/Fighting Vehicles. Given their enhanced processing power, they are able to direct subroutines within their minds to effectively manage their minor armies and apply them. Leading to even outdated squads of Zaku 1 and 2s outclassing current model Coordinator Zoloats.
EDI-402 Laohu-Kai:
The Laohu-Kai is a simple but effective universal upgrade to the aging Laohu design that has become so prominent amongst the various factions in human space. They are largely unnamed and only utilize to transport and facilitate the transport of large groups of mobile suits. Each of their extended diamond like container pods, located on each side can house one mobile suit in each container, making for 15 mobile suits. The Kai, with upgrades and additional space added, expanded. It now measures a Kilometer long and has enough space for upwards of fifty mobile suits. Other models have been entirely redesigned for drone-based missile dreadnaughts. Their Mobile Suit containment pods given over to massed missile batteries hidden within each.
Mobile Doll Mobile Suits:
Unlike Mobile Suits for Humans, New Types, and Coordinators, the machines gifted to Neo-Mobile Dolls can be further enhanced at the discretion of the pilot to allow to either physically enter the machine and pilot via its body, or to possess the system directly within and to leave their artificial bodies to direct the machine through their minds as opposed. Some Mobile Dolls do this while still on the ship to protect their bodies from damage during the fighting.
152nd Batarian Raid Fleet: Tyrant's Mercy:
The 152nd Raid Fleet is, unlike the last fleet which humanity had encountered, an actual military fleet of the Hegemony. This fleet, boasting a staggering two thousand vessels, is made up of aging last generation ships, claimed and salvaged Council Race ships, and what vessels they had bought through legitimate channels before connections broke down between the Hegemony and the Council. This massive fleet is meant to hold the connection between the Traverse and the Terminus from incursions from the very real Mon'tario which still possess holdings outside of the network and have been known to hijack relays during their war with the wider galaxy. They are as well used as a drop off point for slaves.
Asari Vaeeno Destroyers:
The Vaeeno is technically a light cruiser within the Asari Navy, but it has been modified to act in the role of a Destroyer within the Batarian Navy.
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Coment9: No you didn't, the Systems Alliance is a relatively recent formation as the Political side of meeting with the Galactic Community and the Citadel rocks Humanity. Those whom rejected the way that humanity had restructured itself, the return of monarchies and the like, while secretly being flamed by the returned Blue Cosmos and several other factions, peacefully split from the United Alliance and formed a break away state out of released territories.
Monster King: I am glad that you are enjoying the story so far!