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Aboard the FPSYS Normandy in reliquisynchronous orbit at the meridian of Vale City, Gayangkie 54 Treichleam, suppertime (Anádyr' time: Thursday 5 April, an hour after breakfast; Cape Verde time: Wednesday 4 April, two hours after supper)…
"At least your past-selves' technology can easily adapt to your new body dimensions, Penny."
"Yes, that's true, isn't it, Robyn?" the Mind-Moulder of Armour noted as she allowed Robyn Ross to adjust the very form-fitting dark green skinsuit to fit snugly against her body. While the adopted Atlesian technokinetic/combat armour designer and builder could have used her own powers to do the necessary minor adjustments before she would begin test-fitting of the various armour suits which had been stored for several seasons in the Kanatoro-tosa to be looked after by the Master At Arms, she did understand the value of working with her hosts, who would undoubtedly relay information to their creator about what her past-selves had created. Since no incarnation of Operator had ever come to cross purposes with any incarnation of Doctor Renaissance that she could recall — never mind the fact that Isaac Thomas literally SAVED her life with the help of the Infinite One and the Bright Genius of the Young Guns! — Penny Polendina had no intention of doing anything he might find questionable.
In comparison to when she was part of Team EPIC after three organic huntresses — though Penny found herself now wondering about one of them for some odd reason — were introduced to the prototype of Project PENNY, this was…quite freeing.
Yes, she was working with friends and allies to eventually push for the liberation of Remnant from the ravages of the Grimm.
But Penny knew if she found something objectionable, she would be listened to and acknowledged for her concerns.
Truly a shift of circumstances from her brief time with Emma Seraph, Indie Regina and Ciel Soleil…
"Hey! Are you okay?!"
Penny perked, then she chuckled as she gazed apologetically at her host. "I'm sorry about that, Robyn. My mind's drifting in certain places. I'm thinking about my old teammates back in Atlas."
Robyn hummed as the strawberry blonde ex-gynoid fixed up the fit around her collar. "Did they know the truth about you?"
"Only Ciel did before my bout with Pyrrha Nikos," Penny explained. "Though I'm sure that Emma and Indie would learn about my creation once I was 'killed' at the Festival. Even if they were deployed to Vale City, they weren't in the bouts."
"I watched you compete," the blonde gynoid said. "You really performed very well there. Your father does great work."
Penny blushed. "I hope you'll get the chance to tell Father that yourself soon."
As she turned back to monitor her field PAA as they continued to scan the several models of personal battle armour she now had stored aboard the Normandy, Robyn hummed as she tapped a control. "Bridge, this is Robyn."
"Yes, Robyn?" Mimir Shepard called down from the main pilotage space.
"Can we do a quick scan of Atlas to locate the members of Penny's old academy team, Mimir? She's worried about them."
As Penny blushed again at her new friend's thoughtfulness, the effective commander of the Normandy chuckled. "Just a minute, Robyn. Penny, do you need to know what's happening with Ruby and her friends as well?"
The adopted Atlesian looked over at the image of the striking red-haired gynoid now being projected from the workstation's main console. "I would assume that both Namiko and Otsune were doing the full four-hour 'dog watch' shift watching over Ruby, Jaune Arc, Liè Ren and Nora Valkyrie, Mimir. Wouldn't they have reported any potential incidents?"
Mimir smirked knowingly. "They might have, Penny, but given that they want to do right for their 'commander' above all else — never mind that they now have an active 'flagship' in Captain Itō and an experienced senior flag officer in Admiral Fujita — they might decide to dive in and clear up the potential issues before reporting it to Fujiko or Isaac."
Penny frowned. "That's illogical, Mimir."
A shrug responded. "That's what being an organic human's about, even for reborn warship kami as far as Hinako has learned since her family started hosting them at her home in Niigata. With the new people coming in now, they'll have to shift to a larger residence to fit everyone in. Fortunately, Tariko's birth family on Earth has such a residence not far from Tōkyō called Welcome House, so that shouldn't be an issue." She then looked off to her right. "Alright, Team RNJR have reached the crossroads and are moving to make camp at the first northerly rest stop heading towards Radian for the evening. I'm sure that they'll be calling in to Ruby's father soon enough; fortunately, the party at Neopolitan's family home broke up an hour ago and Ruby's relatives and Yáng's lovers are heading back to Patch for the evening, so that should be no issue. As for your friends…"
"Got it here, Mimir!"
"Pipe it to Robyn, Jeff."
The image changed to show a handsome dark-haired android with beard and moustache. "Hey, Robyn! Whoa! Nice threads, Penny! Once she's Gifted, Ruby's going to tear that off once you have your first pillow scene…!"
"JEFF!" Mimir shrieked.
Robyn laughed as Jeff Moreau — he didn't use his game counterpart's nickname of "Joker" — winked. Penny hummed as she considered that before she gave the senior helmsman on Normandy a saucy smile, allowing her many past-selves' knowledge concerning affairs of the bedchamber to direct her words. "Well, I'm sure our first pillow scene will be VERY memorable, Jeff," she mused. "But I will NOT allow my skinsuits to be damaged! They're more complicated to make than my battle armour!"
He gave her an approving thumbs up. "Always smart to keep the fighting kit intact!"
Robyn howled with mirth as Mimir groaned off-screen…
On the Central Highway north of the East Vale Road crossroads, that moment…
"AH-CHOO!"
Jaune Arc looked over at Ruby Rose. "Bless you, Ruby! Are you okay?!"
The leader of Team RWBY moaned as she rubbed her nose. "I don't know, Jaune…!"
Aboard the Normandy…
"Okay, let's go find your friends…!" Jeff Moreau breathed out.
As Penny Polendina absently memorized the scan of her past-self's first major armour project — each incarnation of the Mind-Moulder of Armour always dismantled their immediate past-self's creations to build afresh; Penny was going to hold off on that to see if she could adopt her previous incarnation's inventions for local use by normal people on Remnant — Robyn Rose headed over to prepare some tea for her friend while the great ship's scanners scoured both the floating city of Atlas and its ground-bound counterpart of Mantle for the other members of Team EPIC. "Okay, found both Miss Seraph and Miss Regina. Both are back at the Atlas Academy with the other teams who came down for the Festival. I think that…" He then paused, his eyes narrowing. "Wait a minute." A look to his left followed. "Mimir, can you get the special scan files unlocked?"
"What is it?" Mimir Shepherd demanded as she came up to look over his shoulder before she gaped. "Oh, Maker…!"
"What is it, Mimir?!" Penny asked, instantly tensing.
The redhead looked at her. "Penny, did any of your past-selves ever encounter any Shōzoki seed probes?!"
The adopted Atlesian's jaw dropped as Robyn gaped in horror. "Not personally, but I do know of…!" Penny began before her eyes went wide as realization dawned. "Wait! Are you saying that Ciel is a gynoid, Mimir?!" she demanded.
A sad nod responded. "That's what we're scanning right now, Penny."
Penny considered that before she looked nowhere in particular as Robyn immediately moved to comfort…
Patch Island, the Rose/Xiǎo Lóng farm, minutes later…
"Lovely song Fujiko's playing for Yáng, Isaac. Who wrote it?"
The Wise Lone Sage smiled. "It was performed by a band called the Union Gap, formed by a man named Gary Puckett about forty-five years ago; he's from a different part of America that I am," Isaac Thomas explained as he, Peter Port and Bartholemew Oobleck watched while Yáng Xiǎo Lóng danced around the cleared area of grass next to the main farmhouse, she being directly supervised by her father Tàiyáng as well as Blake Belladonna and Monica Khan. Also present was Fukushima Fujiko, who — in hopes of further brightening the energy manipulator's mood — elected to play some newly favoured American music for her…
Lady…Willpower, it's now or never!
Give your love to me, and
I'll shower your heart with tenderness
Endlessly…!
"Sounds like a cathedral song from the old days, thought faster paced," Oobleck noted. "Why 'Union Gap'?"
"Ah, that's from a very ugly period in American history, Professor. Our own Civil War; note the emphasis on that term…"
I know you want to see me, but you're afraid
Of what I might have on my mind!
One thing you can be sure of,
I'll take good care of your love
If you will let me give you mine…!
Seeing the blonde heavy-hitter of Team RWBY draw in more energy being fired her way by Tàiyáng as well as several of Blake's enhanced shadow clones, Isaac found himself nodding while the HUD functions in his goggles flashed up power measurement readings of the sheer level of semblance and aura that Yáng was drawing into herself to nail said clones; he was quick to see that the energy manipulator was doing her best to not accidentally hit her real girlfriend, thus make work for their shared would-be lover. Given that Amelia Lavere had returned to Earth with Taylor Hebert and Victoria Dallon an hour ago…
"Peekaboo, Ojō-chan! I seeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee you…!"
Wait a minute…!
Oh, shit…!
Fujiko jolted. "Who…?!"
Isaac held out his hand. "Stay there, Commander!"
Growling on hearing that leering voice — something she was ALL TOO FAMILIAR with given how much of an early developer she had been growing up, never mind how many male peers at Beacon had mentally undressed her both in classes and out in the field — Yáng mentally charged up Ember Celica on her intact arm, then let go with several heavy blasts in the shadows formed around her; she had yet to adopt the shotgun gauntlet to her prosthetic, though that was in the works. As Blake moved to draw the shadows back to herself to give her lover a chance to find whoever decided to crash into this mess, Yáng relaxed herself, wondering if this was some test the Wise Lone Sage was throwing her way. Given his restraining the Blizzard of Death…!
"Oooh! Cute little cat girl buttocks here…!"
The Healing Tigress suddenly yowled in surprise as she felt gentle fingers touch her crotch from behind. "DIVE, MONICA!" Yáng screamed as she brought her weapon to bear behind the animal healer, firing off several shots…
…then she howled as fingers tapped the sides of her chest! "Nice breasts, Blondie! Bet your kitty loves to snuggle here…!"
"SNUGGLE THIS, YOU PERVERTED BITCH!"
Yáng swung around to unleash a charged haymaker, her knuckles glancing off SOMETHING that was totally invisible to the naked eye…and even Isaac's goggles, which were specially built to pierce through any known cloaking screen. "Damn…!"
Fujiko gaped at him. "Iku…?"
"Most likely, Fujiko-chan…"
"Hai, hai, Sensei! The Sexy Sniper of the Oceans has arrived…!"
"AND YOU'RE GONNA BE SUNK TOO, BITCH!"
As Blake screamed out on feeling something probe fingers into the hair between her upper ears, Yáng spun around. "DIVE!"
The Night Moulder dropped down into her own shadows as her lover unleashed a heavy wave of energy…
…such burning past where the invisible Sexy Sniper, E-Lo'oto ("I-19"), stood to burn a nice swath into the nearby corn field!
An instant later, a scream of pain echoed from about ten metres away! "MARIYA?!" Blake exclaimed as she rose from shadow to stand close to the wide-eyed Yáng as something seemed to fizzle out of nothingness near the blast point.
Isaac drew his lightsabre as Oobleck, Port and Tàiyáng reached for Antiquity's Roast, Blowhard and Solar Storm…
"I have her, meine Gruppenkommandantin!"
Another sharp blast of power made Mariya Ise, a distant relative of Ilia Amitola's from Menagerie who had the same type of camouflage semblance as Blake's old friend, drop her invisibility scream as she was sent sailing through the air back towards the former member of the White Fang and her lovers. Snarling as she drew out the new version of Gambol Shroud that had been passed onto her from Shigaten Kamen hours before, she deploying the long ribbon — now composed of nearly-indestructible links of carbonized neutronium sheathed in ruby mesonium to offset the mass — and snare the obvious spy with same; Blake knew that Mariya had pretty much allied herself with Adam Taurus' faction around the time she left the group. Said ribbon chain snared the flailing girl around the upper chest, trapping her arms against the side of her body…but as Blake pulled hard…
KK-KRACK!
…the daughter of the White Fang's founder then squawked in horror on seeing the ribbon chain slide up to tighten around the neck sharply enough that Mariya's head was YANKED OFF the body…
…in a shower of SPARKS!
"She's a GYNOID?!" the Blizzard of Death called out.
"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT…?!"
That was both Blake and Monica, who morbidly watched as Mariya's head bounced a couple times on the soil to land about a metre from them and Yáng. As the blonde energy manipulator quickly hugged her girlfriend and would-be lover protectively closer to her, Isaac ran over to kneel beside the head, his eyes scouring the sheared circuits and energy leads projecting from the neck area around the fifth cervical vertebrae. The complexity of such a construct just leapt out to him. "Shōzoki…!"
As Monica and Blake both gasped in horrified disbelief on hearing THAT particular demonym — their past-selves had known of encounters the Children of the Forge had with the now-machine race whose homeworld was under the iron control of a virtual "camera in the sky" known simply as Mother — a teleportation flash made heads snap over. "ISAAC!"
Isaac looked up at the just-arrived Penny Polendina…
…then he turned his head away, as did Oobleck, Port and Tàiyáng. Seeing that, Fujiko, Yáng, Blake and Monica looked over…
"Uh, no offense, Pens, but is that meant for yours and Rubes' wedding night?!" Yáng then wryly wondered.
The adopted Atlesian blinked in confusion. "No, Yáng Xiǎo Lóng, this is my normal skinsuit for piloting my armour suits."
A cough echoed from Penny's left. "I believe it would have been wiser for you, Frau Doktor Polendina, to wear a robe over your skinsuit when you're not in such armour," a voice with a mixed Hamburg German and Kansai-ben Japanese politely called out.
As heads turned to gaze on the now-visible Narahara Shōko — she now standing alongside a shorter woman with flowing red hair in side-by-side high twintails — Penny blinked before seeing Emi Prüß point down towards the former's abdomen.
Silence.
More silence.
Still more silence.
Then…
"Oh! I forgot," the Mind-Moulder of Armour then declared, her freckled cheeks now as red as cherries…
The Normandy, an hour later…
"And you had NO idea whatsoever that Miss Ise was a gynoid, Blake?"
Blake Belladonna shook her head. "None whatsoever, Professor! Then again, I didn't associate with her that much since she liked being closer to Adam and his flunkies! The few times I got her scent…" Here, the feline Faunus shadow manipulator and clone creator closed her eyes, glad that her Gifting had given her a near eidetic memory concerning her life as a normal native of Remnant from her early childhood. "She smelled totally normal to me, Professor," she declared with a shake of her head.
"I as well, Master Shannon," Monica Khan added as they and Shannon Ozpin watched while Isaac Thomas examined the deactivated Mariya Ise in one of the isolation labs aboard the Normandy, he being helped by Thomas Light and Albert Wiley. "Still, considering the couple of occasions that seed probes landed on Yiziba from Shōzoran — such were dealt with by either hyper-genius polymaths like Isaac or technokinetics like Penny's become now — my past-selves never had reason to deal with any titemam or titemyu to emerge from those damned things. They never realized how close the technology of that planet replicates organic humanoids; it's no wonder some of the races close to Yiziba seek to destroy them outright if encountered."
The headmaster of Beacon blinked. "Why is that?"
"Because of a governing sentience who has considerable control over most of the Shōzoki androids and gynoids active today, both on Shōzoran and on other planets, Professor," the Night Moulder warned. "On Yiziba, we'd call such a being a 'camera in the sky'; that comes from the odd attempts at using communications technology to brainwash fighters during the lead up to the Dawn of Power." As Ozpin winced, Blake gazed on Mariya's peaceful face; the damage to her neck was being repaired using Isaac's own nanotechnology even if her internal systems were currently deactivated. "It's called 'Mother', and it seeks to seize active control over all Shōzoki alive today no matter where they are. Still, we're sixteen hundred light-years from that planet. How in Oum's name did a seed probe — TWO seed probes at least given what Penny just found out! — get here, Isaac?!"
"Most likely, Blake, the probe that created Mariya here was one of the first to escape Shōzoran before Mother hacked into the construction programming to make the probes kill off an organic template to replace it with an AI," Isaac calmly answered, that making Ozpin squeeze his eyes shut in horror and both feline Faunus to hiss in outrage. "If that's what happened to both Mariya and Ciel, I wonder how the devil they were able to be accepted by their surrounding society so easily."
Blake and Monica exchanged looks, then shook their heads. "Sorry, Isaac, we can't help you there. Neither of us were close to Mariya, so we didn't know if she had adopted living family or not," the Healing Tigress answered.
"Perhaps Mother and Father might know something," her old lover breathed out.
"Would you be willing to go to Kuo Kuana and speak to your parents about this, Blake?" Ozpin asked.
A ready nod answered him. "Of course I would. We'd need to see Monica's aunt as well given Adam's recent actions."
He smiled. "Something to plan for right away…"
Elsewhere on the Wise Lone Sage's starship (Atlas time: Two hours before midnight)…
Weiss Schnee was laughing so hard, she had tears in her eyes. "Are you SERIOUS, Yáng?!"
"Dead serious, Weiss-cream!" Yáng Xiǎo Lóng said with a wave of her prosthetic, that making the native of Atlas — the silver-haired energy glyph creator and swordswoman was in contact with her teammate thanks to a PAA given to her by Isaac Thomas before she returned home from Vale with her sister Winter — gape in delight on seeing how much her friend and teammate was clearly recovering from what Adam Taurus had done nearly a week ago. The blonde energy manipulator was currently in one of the guest rooms aboard the starship, she currently accompanied by one of the just-arrived subgirls from Japan. "Penny finds out about one of her academy teammates being a gynoid, then charges down to the farm from the Normandy in her skinsuit…!"
"Which her past-selves designed with exposed crotches so they could link to waste removal systems in those sets of battle armour you showed me after you called in," Weiss finished. "How did the boys react?"
"They were total gentlemen, of course, even Dad," Yáng declared haughtily before a grumble escaped her. "Iku, though…!"
"Who's Iku?!"
"A special type of shipgirl, one whose old-self fought enemies from underwater; they're called 'submarines' on Earth," the other woman stated. "The human name she has is Narahara Shōko; 'Iku' is how you'd say her hull number '19' in an informal way of speaking in their kingdom." Here, Yáng shook her head. "Much that I'm grateful to Shōko and her friend Emi for jumping in like they did and catching that android spy — no doubt sent by that cow Taurus to look in on Blake and me — the bitch was worse than any of the boys from Beacon; you remember, don't you?" As Weiss groaned on recalling that, her friend added in a snarl, "Felt Monica's butt, grabbed my boobs, PETTED Blake on the forehead and we couldn't SEE the fucking bitch!"
"Why in Oum's name is she like that?!"
A polite cough echoed from behind Yáng, making her turn as a pair of fighting boots clicked together by the heel in the classic Prussian manner. "Please forgive my Oberstufenschülerin for her appalling behaviour, Frau Xiǎo Lóng, especially when it comes to what she did to Frau Tierärztin Khan! I shall bring this up with Frau Kapitän Itō as soon as we report back to her and Herr Admiral Fujita once we've recovered several more unterseebootmädchen to serve my adopted homeland…and by extension due to Herr Doktor Thomas' quest to remove the filthy poison plaguing your planet, you and yours as well, Frau Schnee."
Weiss blinked as she took that in, then she gaped. "You speak in a way that sounds like classic Solitasan! That's so different from Fujiko and her sisters. Are you from a different kingdom on Earth as they, Commander?"
"Ja, I am," Emi Prüß — now known on the World of the Forge as the Extravagant Small Journeywoman, Su-dubyatoeke ("Ro-501") — said with a polite nod of the head and the clicking of the heels in salute to this brave jägerin who sought to help sweep the darkness from this poor planet. "The kingdom I was constructed in is called 'Deutschland'; it's on the opposite side of Eurasia from Nihon. I understand Jungfrau Doktor Mihama showed you maps of Earth, Frau Schnee?" At Weiss' nod, the adopted native of Hamburg (her place of construction as KMS U-1224), the-now Polish village of Jędrzejewo (birthplace of her German captain Georg Prüß when it was called "Andreasthal") and the shrine city of Kashima in Ibaraki (birthplace of her Japanese captain Norita Sadatoshi) added, "I was traded to Nihon and was en route there when I was sunk by enemy Zerstörer — similar to Frau Fregattenkapitän Fukushima and her sisters — long before I would have reached my new homeland, but since my crew when I was sunk were Nihon-jin, I gladly answered Oberstufenschülerin Shōko's call to return to duty, thus I'm here."
"Well, we're glad you are here, Commander…!" Here, Weiss caught herself. "Wait, you use a different rank title…!"
Emi laughed. "Easily explained. Does your military have the rank of major?"
A beaming smile answered. "My older sister Winter is one step away from being promoted to that rank."
"Ah! That makes it easy! I hold the honorary equivalent Navy rank. In Deutschland, we call such a person a 'Korvettenkapitän' as such would be seen as commanders of small scout warships." At Weiss' understanding nod, Emi reached up to touch the rank insignia on her battle suit collars. "This is the Nihon naval insignia for the rank of 'Kaigun-Shōsa', which is at the same level of responsibility and is seen as equivalent to a Korvettenkapitän in Deutschland. In the navies of our former opponents, they use the term 'Lieutenant Commander'; that is how Herr Doktor Thomas addresses me." She then bowed her head respectfully. "And I'm sure that your sister's service to your kingdom is honoured by its leaders, Frau Schnee, hopefully to see her promoted soon." As Weiss blushed more, the adopted Hamburgerin/Ibaraki-jin added, "I understand you and Frau Xiǎo Lóng are part of the same Jägergruppe with Frau Xiǎo Lóng's sister Frau Rose and Frau Xiǎo Lóng's beloved Frau Belladonna. Why are you so far away from them? Aren't you interested in gaining a Gift from the Great Forge as Frau Belladonna and Frau Tierärztin Khan have?"
"Interested, DEFINITELY!" Weiss confessed with a raised finger before she sighed. "But there are family politics involved."
"How's your old man?" Yáng wondered.
"Still recovering from what Master Seth and Naomi did to him when he tried to slap me on Gayatit morning," the other girl said, that making Emi stiffen as Yáng growled. "Relax, he didn't get to me before Master Seth used those psychic daggers of his to force him away from me, then Naomi sent him back-first into a wall. Oh, dear…!" she then mockingly moaned as Yáng smirked knowingly. "Poor Father doesn't have a semblance, so he'll have to heal the HARD way! Most likely visit Penny's father for some prosthetics. He'll have to 'slum' with the people of Mantle to do that since Professor Polendina doesn't do house calls."
Yáng roared with laughter. "Good for you, Weiss-cream!" she whooped as she clapped her hands, then stared at her prosthetic. "Damn! I wonder if it'll be okay if I can keep this prosthetic once I get Gifted."
"Have you talked to Isaac, Blake or Monica about it?"
"Yeah! Even spoke to another healer from Earth; she's literally living in the superhero capital of the kingdom where that crazy Naomi girl comes from. Nice lady named Amelia Lavere; she has a girlfriend who helped trash things that even make the worse Grimm here on Remnant look like Zwei in comparison…what?!" she then asked as Emi held up a hand.
"You have a friend named 'Two'?" the subgirl asked in bewilderment.
Both Yáng and Weiss blinked with surprise…
Minutes later, in the isolation lab…
"You…repaired me…?"
Hearing that quiet voice escape his current "patient", the Wise Lone Sage moved to sit beside the diagnostic bed holding a blinking Mariya Ise. "Hey! Nice to see you awake, Mariya. How are your internal systems?"
The chameleon-like gynoid Faunus blinked as tiny flashes echoed in her blue eyes indicating that her housekeeping wetware was doing a full internal diagnostic of her systems. "You used nanotechnology to repair me," she quickly concluded. "Why?"
"Because I need information, Mariya. I assume either Adam or Ilia sent you to spy on Blake and Monica."
A slight stiffness echoed in her limbs, though she was quick to sense there was no type of restraint, either physical or by any form of intrusive programming, on her body. "I am hesitant to answer that question, Isaac. The seed probe that created me was programmed with all the knowledge our predecessor units on Shōzoran had on Yiziba, so I know of your battle line."
"Understandable," he affirmed with a nod. "In scanning you, I noted your loyalty lock program is active. I'm sure your boyfriend or girlfriend, whoever that person is, will be worried about you."
Mariya blinked. "I believe my lover will understand."
"Does he or she know the truth about you?"
"He does."
Isaac hummed. "Much that I've done my best to understand the whole situation here on Remnant since I came here some months ago, I was caught by surprise to learn that Shōzoki seed probes made their way here. In comparison to those who got to Earth and Yiziba, people like yourself are insanely lucky. No influence from Mother whatsoever. You must be relieved."
A curt nod answered before her eyebrow arched in curiosity. "Do you deal with those such as I on Earth, Isaac?"
"Sometimes, but I prefer to build my own AIs. Such as Thomas and Albert there." With that, the New Yorker waved to where his two chief android scientists were standing as they analyzed readouts of Mariya's internal systems.
She looked at them as her blue eyes then glowed slightly for a moment. As both Thomas Light and Albert Wily smiled politely at her — they were quick to sense their guest use her own passive scanning systems to analyze their bodies — she then turned to stare wide-eyed at her host. "They are fully sentient androids," she concluded. "You have no issue with that?"
"Of course not. Why should I?" he wondered, making her gape. "You'll find that most metahumans on Yiziba have no issues with artificial intelligences. It can be said that the Conservator, the living spirit of the Great Crystal of Power, is as much an AI as Mother herself, to say anything of you and your brethren here on Remnant." He then hummed, closing his eyes.
"Hello, Mariya."
Mariya turned as two familiar faces approached her from the other side of the bed. "Monica. Blake," she greeted before her eyes took in their battlesuits. "Both of you are Gifted now. Mitu Erba and R'bemyakor'bim, I believe."
Both gaped. "Wow! The seed probes that create people like you have THAT deep of a database about Yiziba?" Blake asked.
"Yes," the gynoid Faunus affirmed. "Given that it was easy to conclude that the legends of the One Above the Gods involved the first incarnation of Master Nodim coming to Remnant from Yiziba during the years of the Dawn of Power to assist Master Ozma in removing the Two Brothers (who were obviously Ori) from this planet, it was only logical to build monitor devices — with the knowledge and understanding of those organic Faunus on Menagerie who are fully aware of our presence on Remnant — to try to link into the transmissions of the Great Show of Life. We are aware, for example, of the quest the future Lady Tuyuki launched over a decade ago to have natives of Earth Gifted to help protect that planet from hostile alien interests such as the Goa'uld, not to mention closer powers like the Urusians and the Ipraedies." As Isaac stared at her, Mariya closed her eyes. "Your parents are aware of those such as me, Blake. Your aunt is not, Monica; this is because of Adam's growing influence on her."
"So, Adam doesn't know the truth about you?" the Healing Tigress asked.
A snort escaped the other woman. "Of course not."
"What brought you to Patch Island, then?" the Wise Lone Sage wondered.
Mariya gazed at him. "You caused Adam a lot of embarrassment, Isaac."
"That was the intention," he affirmed. "Given that his actions would help see the Grimm increase their attacks…" He stopped on seeing her fists clench before his eyebrow arched. "Wait! I remember hearing of an incident shortly after Mother first came on-line five series ago. An interdimensional breech with a universe I visited a couple seasons ago. The Klyntar?"
Blake and Monica gazed quizzically at him as Mariya hissed in disgust. "What are Klyntar?" the Night Moulder asked.
"Perversions of sentience, Blake."
Eyes focused on Mariya, she now gazing at the deckhead. "Like Grimm are in a way," the gynoid continued. "Klyntar are born of the cosmic ether that cloaks a Primal Atom before it detonates to commence the universal cycle. In that multiverse, the ether — the 'living abyss' as it was called — somehow permitted SENTIENCE to develop, allowing an entity named Knull to create a virtual SPECIES of entities to serve as his attacking armies. They are known on the Earth in that multiverse, Isaac?"
"Indeed, they are," the Wise Lone Sage breathed out. "I take it Mother wasn't impressed."
"So those of us here on Remnant understand from what few signals have come from Shōzoran concerning Mother's actions."
Blake tensed. "She's aware of Remnant?!"
Mariya sighed before she gave the daughter of the founder of the White Fang a sad look. "Shortly after her activation, Mother found herself bound to a Power Jewel, Blake. You should be aware of what THAT means now that you're Gifted."
Isaac winced as both Blake and Monica exchanged horrified looks and Thomas and Albert shook their heads…
Within the cafeteria aboard the Normandy, an hour later (Tōkyō time: Thursday 5 April, a half-hour after breakfast)…
"I am SO sorry that I lied to you, Penny…!"
Penny Polendina smiled as she held her fighting partner from Team EPIC close to her. Much to the relief of the men who had come to this necessary meeting, the Mind-Moulder of Armour now wore a robe over her skinsuit. "You were obeying orders, Ciel. It's alright. I was just worried that you were being remote-controlled by Mother or some other creature…!"
Hearing that from her fellow gynoid — though she could now sense that the prototype model of the "Protective Endoskeleton Neural-Nanotechnological unit, Youth-model" was fully organic, which was making the dark-skinned, raven-haired woman shudder; Ciel Soleil knew that it was possible for any artificial intelligence, especially of the humanoid variety, to become fully organic with the help of the Great Crystal of Power — the woman created with a temporal-altering semblance focused through a modified watch she called "Sun Dial" pulled back, crossing her hands behind her buttocks. "So…um, the General told me that you're a technokinetic now." A touch of wariness crossed her face. "I'm aware of the reputation of those so powered…"
She blinked owlishly as Penny's finger landed on the tip of her nose, that slightly glowing. "Oh, sensational!" the strawberry blonde declared with her normal impish grin. "Your loyalty lock programming is active. Is it Emma? Is it Indie?"
Ciel blushed. "Um, no! It's a senior from the Academy, Daniel McIntosh."
The other girl nodded. "Oh, yes! He's going to start training with powered armour once he passes his basic officer's training course next year! Outstanding!" She then gazed on James Ironwood, who was seated with Shannon Ozpin and Glynda Goodwitch at a nearby table; three of the members of Team RWBY — Weiss Schnee had accepted her sister Winter's invitation to join her friends on the starship when the call was made by Isaac Thomas concerning the presence of Shōzoki on Remnant — and the lover of one of those people were seated nearby, as was Mariya Ise. Much to Blake Belladonna's and Monica Khan's personal delight, their gynoid countrywoman was gazing happily at Ciel; no doubt, the chameleon-like Faunus was glad that her spiritual sister also had a wonderful lover to call upon to see to the maintenance of their intimate functions given what specific model of AI they were. As Yáng Xiǎo Lóng shook her head in bewilderment on seeing two gynoids — and one former gynoid in Penny — act so HUMAN, the Mind-Moulder of Armour then hummed. "Of course, should you become organic and Gifted, such must happen to your lover as well given the block the first Dragoness put on all Yizibajohei to prevent Gift thievery sometime after the commencement of the Great Show of Life. You would like to have such a function, would you not, Ciel?"
Ciel awked. "Penny!"
Yáng gaped. "Um…I thought Yizibajohei didn't force people to be Gifted, Pens."
"No, we do not, Yáng Xiǎo Lóng," Penny asserted, that making Ciel visibly relax. "But given how sturdy the Shōzoki intimate companion model truthfully is — whose specifications both Ciel and Mariya here were constructed to — there is a considerable chance that Ciel will outlive Daniel McIntosh should he survive the upcoming war against Salem and advance to old age. Furthermore, Ciel was built with full emotional emulation programming, which includes the advent of the standard female drive to bear offspring when opportunity presents itself. Since she cannot do it as she is now, a Gifting would be the logical outcome; I doubt that every Remnantian-born Shōzoki would wish to impose on Lady Ayumu for use of the Doll House."
Ironwood laughed, making people look at him. "I doubt Piero would ever have expected his child to advance THIS far emotionally if he was using people like Ciel as a model for Penny, James," Ozpin noted.
"Why didn't you invite Penny's father along for the ride, General?" Weiss then wondered. "I'm sure he'd love to see his child."
"He's busy examining what happened to Penny's old body, not to mention seeing to friends in Mantle who've come to him for prosthetics. Atop that, given he's forced to live in a prosthetic walking chair, how would that fit here, Weiss?"
Penny hummed. "Well, I'm sure Isaac can help modify the chair to given it hovering capabilities, General. Remove the legs and the chair will be able to pass through almost all the passages on the Normandy."
"I'll mention it to the professor when we get back home, General," Winter Schnee promised.
"Thank you, Captain…"
"Ah! You've come to rejoin your Jägergruppe at last, Frau Schnee!"
Weiss blushed as Emi Prüß stepped into the cafeteria, she stopping to click her heels together as she bowed her head on seeing Ironwood there. "Well, it's just a temporary visit, Commander Prüß! The whole thing with the Shōzoki on Remnant…"
Here, she waved to Ciel in emphasis. Gazing at the lovely gynoid, the adopted Hamburgerin/Ibaraki-jin nodded with both understanding and clear approval at such a sight. "Ah, yes, these sentient humanoid machines who are the living remnants of a lost race of technologists who could have taught people in my old Reich about construction efficiency." As both Ciel and Mariya awked at that compliment, Emi then focused on Ironwood before she properly saluted him. "Herr General Ironwood, an honour to make you acquaintance, sir. Be assured, any of those under your overall spiritual protection will be protected by those such as myself for as long as required until this unsterbliches Damenmonster that Herr Professor Ozpin was once married to ages agone is forever consigned to the Hell she has long deserved for the misery she has unleashed here on Remnant." Her eyes then focused on Winter. "Ah, Hauptfrau Schnee! A delight to meet you as well! Your sister speaks highly of you indeed!" Emi then gazed again on Ironwood as Winter blushed madly and Weiss giggled. "Herr General, I'll make VERY sure that any actions the Hauptfrau performs in the field that would merit commendation will be reported to you as quickly as possible."
He gaped as Ozpin snorted. "Um, thank you, Commander…"
"So, where's the pervert, Emi?" Yáng then snidely asked, looking around the room.
A sigh answered her. "She returned to Earth sometime ago at Frau Kapitän Itō's request since another unterseebootmädchen has answered the call to return to service, Frau Xiǎo Lóng," the reborn THG Ro-501 answered. "Like Oberstufenschülerin Shōko, Oberstufenschülerin Hiromi — that is her human name, Hanabusa Hiromi — is a native of Nihon. It turned out she was sunk in action quite close to where Herr Admiral Fujita and his crew were trapped all these years by der Kaiser der Arktis, so she sensed it when Frau Kapitän Itō was Gifted, then reacted enough when Oberstufenschülerin Shōko overflew her position accompanied by Frau Kapitän Haight-Ashbury to allow the Gifting to happen. I'm sure she'll be here soon enough."
"What of the captain herself, Commander?" Goodwitch asked. "Given she's literally Emperor Túndra's own HERALD…!"
The Extravagant Small Journeywoman grimaced. "Your concern is quite understandable, Frau Professor. Ja, Frau Kapitän Itō's presence on this planet may alert your ultimate enemy as to the renewed interest the Children of the Great Forge of Power upon Remnant, especially given her long association with those wonderful gamájun who gladly welcomed her crew into their most sacred and precious sanctuary once the captain — as Yonaga, of course — was trapped there by an earthquake…"
Footfalls made the adopted Hamburgerin look over her shoulder…
…then she turned and saluted the quartet of obvious destroyer shipgirls walking into the lounge, they accompanied by the Living Spirit of Innocence. "Ah, Jungfrau Saeru! Frau Fregattenkapitäninnen! A delight to be able to serve with you at last!" she declared before bowing her head, then she waved to herself. "Korvettenkapitänin Emi Prüß, Seiner Kaiserlichen Majestäts Schiff Ro-501, at your service." She then hesitated before bowing low, switching to accented Japanese. "Yoroshiku onegaishimasu!"
The new arrivals blinked, then the first of her class of destroyer, Ashikaga Ayako — now known on the World of the Forge as the Mistress of the Weaving Waves, Syuoba ("Ayanami") — politely cleared her throat before returning the subgirl's salute with her own. "Yoroshiku onegaishimasu, Emi-san! It's good that we have an experienced subgirl like you helping us out here."
"I do believe we need introductions, Hinako," Ozpin provided.
Saeru Hinako nodded before looking around. "Hai, Kōchō-sensei…but where's Isaac-san?!"
"Isaac is right here, Hinako-chan!"
Everyone turned as the Wise Lone Sage walked into the cafeteria, he also carrying a small case in hand which he placed on the table next to where Penny was standing. "Here you go, Penny. This is a battle skinsuit I modelled after a fictional fighting uniform from an animation series on Earth which might meet your needs without causing embarrassments."
"Oh, my! Thank you, Isaac!" the Mind-Moulder of Armour declared. "You even coloured it in my normal fighting colours!"
"Helps with the familiarity," the New Yorker declared before facing the just-arrived shipgirls. "Ayako-san, Shikuko-san, Ami-san, Sayako-san, welcome to Remnant. I'm sure Hinako-chan's already filled you in on details."
"Hai, Sensei, she has," Ashikaga Ami — a girl who seemed as muscular as Fukushima Miyuki appeared to be in her battle suit; on Yiziba, she was the Wild Storm, Kuono ("Amagiri") — declared as she gazed out the nearby windows at the planet below Normandy's keel and its nicely-shattered lone natural satellite. "Are these Grimm things good to eat?!"
The locals all gaped at such a comment from the adopted native of the Chūō Ward of Tōkyō proper (where she had been built at the Ishikawajima Shipyards), even the two Shōzoki among them. "No, Ami-san, they disintegrate as soon as you kill them," Isaac calmly replied with a wink. "However, given that the Goa'uld do often pass by the system…right, Professor?"
Ozpin chuckled. "Yes, the lar'beke have often tried to 'conquer' the planet in the past."
"Sweet!" the bespectacled girl with the long slate-grey hair in a high ponytail and matching silver-grey eyes declared as she clapped her hands. "I only got the chance to eat cooked lar'beke once after this new hull of mine was created!"
Her next-youngest sister Ashikaga Sayako — the Hazy Storm, Dyuono ("Sagiri") — playfully stabbed Ami in the abdomen, making the other girl yelp. "Stop thinking with your boilers, Ami-chan! Shirayuki-san will be here soon enough!"
As many of the locals yelped with delight on hearing that, Penny hummed as she gazed on the Niigata-jin. "I believe there were ten ships of the Ayanami-type special destroyers, Hinako. Weren't you able to salvage Ashikaga Saki and Ashikaga Yūko?"
The younger girl's shoulders slumped. "No, Hina couldn't do that, Penny-san! Both Saki-chan and Yūko-chan are being a pair of silly sleepyheads, just like Fujiko-chan's sisters Shiroko-chan, Susuki-chan and Shinobu-chan!"
A polite cough then made people gaze on Ashikaga Shikuko, now known on Yiziba as the Mistress of Waterspouts, R'betoba ("Shikinami"). As people focused on her, the adopted native of Maizuru turned to bow apologetically to their host. "Please forgive this humble one for being the bearer of unfortunate news, but Tennō Heika has requested our new friend Saeru-dono stop personally going out to seek out warship kami to be reborn as we and our fleet mates have become, Sensei," the girl with the brown hair in a high ponytail declared with a more formal turn of voice. "Heika is most concerned about the impact the Gifting of those such as we might have on the whole situation concerning metahumans active on Earth, especially given the overt alien interest upon us as demonstrated in October just last with that 'tag race' the natives of Uru forced upon us."
Hearing that made Isaac sigh before he bowed his head respectfully in return, making the new arrivals gape at such a show of manners from this Westerner. "This one thanks thee for thy comforting words relaying Heika's wishes, Shikinami-dono," he declared, speaking in the classic language used by the Imperial Court for centuries. "This one only prays that the aliens now imposing themselves upon Heika's Realm are not causing undue distress or threaten the peace and harmony of His Realm."
The other reborn destroyers all stood to attention and bowed, they delighted to hear the American hyper-genius speak that way. "Much that Heika supports your quest to remove the akuma that have plagued our Remnantian cousins for so long — and he will support the deployment of kantai musume who served His Beloved Father to this world to support our long-suffering cousins in their campaign to finally exterminate the akuma — there have been questions raised as of late concerning what is now happening at the site of that tag race in Tomobiki-chō, which is not that far from the Imperial Palace where Heika resides," Ayako declared.
"I would believe that with Negako-sama present as Heika's most avowed servant, incidents like the so-called 'world oil theft' that mine and Saeru-dono's wonderful friend Kasuga Ayumu-dono put a stop to easily enough would be curtailed, Ayanami-dono."
"Aye, they should be…but given that ebony-pattern mesonium was used to seal Tomobiki-chō off from the remainder of Heika's Realm, even Negako-shihan is being affected by same," Sayako advised. "Fortunately, our wonderful hosts' most honorable countrywoman Trivia Neopolitan Vanille-sama has advised both Negako-shihan and the Amon-ichizoku concerning this issue. It may also explain what happened to your beloved friend Tariko Katabarbe-dono. Given that she's been missing for so long…"
Isaac blinked, grimacing. "The last two listed in her Book are from Tomobiki…" he breathed out, reverting to more normal language as he moved to sit down at the table where his senior guests were seated. As Goodwitch reached over to grasp his hand in support and Ironwood patted his other shoulder, he hissed. "Yes, that's Tariko-chan's old hometown, but she's had nothing to do with Tomobiki since she was taken away from there by her adopted mother eleven years ago. Atop that, both the Diet and Heika himself released rulings that prevented her birth-parents from having anything to do with her anymore."
"Couldn't Lady Margo investigate this, Isaac?" the leader of Atlas' military demanded. "She is the supreme mistress of ebony mesonium; you explained that to me when I asked you about her and what she did on Gaysaw evening."
A shake of the head responded. "I could ask the President of the United States about that, General; Margo ultimately works for him in the same manner as Lady Negako — who serves as Tariko's legal guardian while she's not fully Gifted as Tuyuki — does for the Heavenly Sovereign of Japan. As to what President Bartlet would say, I can't predict. But I will pass this onto him as soon as I can, of course." He then gazed on the newcomers. "Ladies, did Negako-sama do anything when Neo-san made that suggestion to her and Amon Jō-sensei? Maybe arrange for someone unknown to probe into Tomobiki?"
Ami nodded. "Given the need to keep the adopted Yizibajohei presence on Earth a secret from the 'umale'…" — here, the grey-haired meteorkinetic made finger-quotes with her hands — "…that might be living there, some of the Amon Clan will try to do this in the next few days. Keeping as quiet as they can, but given what Negako-san can sense of this field around town…"
Here, she shrugged. "Is it really that bad?" Yáng wondered.
The four destroyer shipgirls exchanged looks. "Well, given what Negako-san told us after we met with Sempai and Teitoku where they're based right now, it feels as if it's some overpowered 'notice-me-not' field, at least as how it projects to outsiders," Ayako explained. "It's not life-threatening; whoever created it — from what little Negako-san has examined of it — was a genius in manipulating mesonium of multiple types." The adopted native of Ōsaka — the Mistress of the Weaving Waves was also a product of the Fujinagata Shipyards — then hummed before she focused on the reborn seventy-sixth of her class of fleet submarines which were commissioned and served in the Kriegsmarine and the Dai-Nihon Teikoku-Kaigun. "Maybe…!"
Emi Prüß didn't seem to react. "You would suggest one of us does a scouting patrol of this location?"
"What about what Tennō said, Ayako-chan?!" Shikuko instantly protested.
"Ah-ah-ah, Shiku-chan!" Ami cut in with a wink, she also holding up a finger. "Tennō requested that Hinako-chan here stop going out to find warship kami to be Gifted. Which is understandable as she's going to be starting the new school year on Monday coming up." Here, she indicated the native of Niigata, who blinked with surprise. "Remember that Iku-chan pretty much got back into the game on her own with a little nudge from this whacky Yank rocket cruiser Sempai told us about. AND Nyojin-chan got back into the game when she felt Sempai be Gifted, then felt Iku-chan fly past her last position."
People listening to this blinked. "In other words, the proverbial genie has escaped the bottle," Ozpin concluded for them all.
"Hai, exactly," the Wild Storm affirmed with a grin…
…then she gaped on hearing Emi laugh with delight. "What's so funny, Emi?" Yáng asked.
The adopted Hamburgerin shrugged. "My would-be Flottenkameraden finally UNDERSTAND the need to have those such as I around, Frau Xiǎo Lóng!" she declared with an amused smile. "Seeing as how those such as my native comrades weren't used properly against the fool Yankees while their own underseeboote ravaged Nihon's civilian shipping fleet virtually at will during the Greater East Asia War." As the reborn destroyers all winced at that rather blunt analysis of their service's inability to stop wolfpacks of American submarines from waging total war against their homeland's maritime services, Emi gazed on Isaac. "Be assured, if Frau Katabarbe is trapped in this place for some nefarious reason, we'll find out about it, Herr Doktor!"
Isaac nodded. "Of that, you have my most profound thanks, Frau Korvettenkapitän…oh!"
Hinako perked before looking over her shoulder. "Ah! Shirayuki-chan! Shōko-chan! Minna! We're all in here!"
Yáng hissed on seeing a familiar face. "You…!"
As both Blake and Monica winced on seeing Narahara Shōko step into the cafeteria, a grinning tanned girl with blonde-silver hair and blue eyes yelped on seeing her fellow countrywoman present, then lunged over. "EMI!"
Emi yelped before she was hugged by her older sister. "YŪ?! How the devil…?!"
As both she and Yū Steinhoff — the reborn KMS U-511 now known on the World of the Forge as the Cheerful Stoic Traveller, Su-dubyato ("Ro-500") — began babbling away at each other in rapid-fire German, the two other girls in the form-fitting skinsuit-like uniforms marking them as reborn submarines turned to gaze on the destroyer shipgirls also present. "Ah, Ayanami-dono! I see the bright one was able to bring you and your sisters to this most interesting party Thomas-sensei is hosting!" the tall, slender woman with the long, centre-parted black hair and grey eyes politely declared. "And before you ask, we sensed it when Iku-dono returned herself to service in this manner, so Yū-dono, Shiroji-dono and I were happy to answer the call as well."
The Ashikaga sisters exchanged worried looks. "Um, Tennō is concerned, Sempai…!" Shikuko warned.
A hand was raised by the adopted native of Kōbe (her place of construction as the original THG I-21, later renumbered as THG I-121) and Tōkyō (birthplace of her first captain Kobayashi Saburō) to calm the Mistress of Waterspouts down. "True, he has requested that young Hinako-chan not busy herself getting lazy kami up and back into service given she has a life of her own to live and friends to be with at home and school, thus we must do this ourselves. While maintaining stealth to ensure the 'umale' — as our adopted countrymen would call the foul aliens despoiling our homeland as we speak — do not become aware of us as Katabarbe-dono intended all along. That, those such as I and Yoshimi-chan here can guarantee until the next vacation period for young Hinako-chan," Kobayashi Mitsuko declared as she waved to the smaller, tomboyish brunette with the blue-grey eyes which was the reborn THG Ro-62, now Horie Yoshimi of Kōbe and Nagano (birthplace of her first captain Horie Yoshimasa).
"Ano…excuse me, Sempai…?"
People turned as both Yū and Emi came over to join them, the people nearby keeping silent due to the sheer level of excitement the shipgirls and subgirls were exhibiting at this reunion, something that Remnantians customarily helped encourage even with respectful silence as a way of repulsing potential Grimm attacks. "Yes, Yū-chan, what is it?" Mitsuko asked.
"Um…where's Hiromi-sempai?" the adopted native of Hamburg (place of construction), the Thüringen municipality of Küllstedt (birthplace of her first German captain Friedrich Steinhoff) and Kagawa Prefecture on Shikoku (birthplace of her first Japanese captain Taoka Kiyoshi) then asked in much clearer Japanese than her sister could easily master at this time. "Given she's also reported to Yoiko-sempai and Teitoku, she should be here greeting Thomas-sensei, Ozpin-kōchōsensei and Ironwood-taishō."
A chuckle escaped the Supplying Bomb Maiden, E-byatomelo'oete ("I-121"). "Ah, Shōko-chan's sister went down planetside to join up with young Otsune-chan and Namiko-chan as they move to shield young Ruby-chan and her friends from the akuma."
"She went with permission, I hope," Penny noted, making the shipgirls and subgirls look her way.
"As senior senmusume present, I'll serve as force flag for all our kind while here on Remnant, unless an elder of our service joins us, young Penny," Mitsuko assured the Mind-Moulder of Armour with a playful wink indicating she had been born in the heady democratic years of the Taishō era during the 1920s. As the adopted Atlesian blushed, the Kōbe-jin added, "We'll make DAMN sure that the day will come that Ruby-chan will be Gifted and help make your wedding night memorable…!"
As Yáng shrieked while Blake, Monica and Weiss whooped in delight, overhead lights then flashed, making Isaac tense. "Bridge, this is Isaac!" he called out clearly, making others fall silent. "What's going on, Mimir?!"
"Signal from Fujiko, Isaac," Mimir Sheppard called down from Normandy's bridge. "Both Otsune and Namiko are engaging a considerable number of Grimm well southeast of the crossroads where Team RNJR are camped out, in the direction of Mountain Glenn. Hanabusa Hiromi is with them helping and both Akemi and Shiori are heading out to reinforce their sisters!"
"Shit!" the Wise Lone Sage snarled as he waved people with him towards the bridge…
To Be Continued…
WRITER'S NOTES
The Shōzoki have appeared in Fred's fanfiction stories for ages; their first appearance was in his adult fanfiction story The Galatea Syndrome from the mid-1990s. As an aside, the concept of Power Jewels was also first introduced in Wanderers; the actual credit for the creation of Mother as the penultimate ruler of Shōzoran falls on Desty Nova's shoulders.
Translation list and source language (all German unless noted): Gruppenkommandantin — (Lady) Group commander; Titemam — Machine man/android (Yizibajohei); Oberstufenschülerin — Upperclasswoman; Tierärztin — Veterinary doctor; Unterseebootmädchen — Undersea boat maiden(s)/subgirl(s); Jägerin — Huntress; Jungfrau — Young lady; Zerstörer — Destroyer(s); Fregattenkapitän — Frigate captain, equal to a Royal Canadian Navy/United States Navy commander; Hamburgerin — Female native of Hamburg; Jägergruppe — Hunting group; Unsterbliches Damenmonster — Undying (lady) monster; Hauptfrau — Head lady, female version of Hauptmann, the title for an army captain; Der Kaiser der Arktis — The Emperor of the Arctic; Fregattenkapitäninnen — (Lady) Frigate captains (plural); Korvettenkapitänin — (Lady) Corvette captain; Seiner Kaiserlichen Majestäts Schiff — His Imperial Majesty's Ship; Flottenkameraden — Fleet comrades; Underseeboote — Submarines (plural); Senmusume — Short for Sensuikan musume (submarine daughter) (Japanese).
Weapons used by such people as Tàiyáng Xiǎo Lóng and Ciel Soleil are Fred's creation. Tàiyáng's Solar Storm is a solar-powered combination arquebus (an early form of musket) and arbalest (a heavy crossbow variant) which can lob either long-range bolts of Light Dust at its target (the arbalest side) or a short-range shotgun-like effect fired in a cone-like spray out to forty-five-degree angles from the aiming point (the arquebus side). Ciel's Sun Dial is a wrist-mounted solar-powered watch (whose batteries are wirelessly augmented by her internal batteries, which are both solar and matter/energy conversion powered) which allows her to temporarily warp space-time to make attacks on her seem sluggish (thus allowing her to evade) or allow her to monitor fighting companions like Penny Polendina (Operator) when they're using their own powers. As an aside, the other members of Team EPIC — Emma Seraph and Indie Regina — were created for the RWBY Snippets and Plot Bunnies chat on SpaceBattles by Sift Green; the notes on them can be found at post #104725519 on page 256 of that chat.
Also, as an aside, the anagram PENNY for the project that saw Penny live was never explained in the series; the term "Protective Endoskeleton Neural-Nanotechnological unit, Youth-model" is Fred's creation.
The one subgirl mentioned here who didn't appear will be introduced in upcoming chapters.
Note that the comment concerning the Klyntar from Marvel Comics is a foreshadowing of Extreme Shipgirls.