Feed The Fire - A RWBY/Armored Core VI:Fires of Rubicon Quest

You watch through Penny's eyes as she inspects the bronze-colored single-crystal alloy of the palm-sized fusion bottle, inspecting the liner on a microscopic level. It is, of course, unlikely optical inspection will turn up anything the X-ray and ultrasonic missed, and it won't last nearly as long before giving in to crystal delamination as one of the commercial ones you recall. But then, this doesn't have to. This is the prototype, and it only needs to last long enough to prove it works. And, you think as your attention wanders over all the other components scattered across the workbench instead of neatly packed into the generator unit, it's allowed to be ugly.

Satisfied, Penny slots the fusion bottle into the reactor vessel, her mechanical hands easily managing the micrometer precision required, and then retracts the reactor vessel in between the generator's namesake current circulators, which will tame the nuclear fury within the reactor to a useful output. You hear the perfectly formed surfaces of the injector nozzles click into place, the fuel lines snaking across the workbench from the compressed hydrogen cylinder feeding the generator.

You carefully review the operating firmware you've spent the past day writing, and speak up.

"Well done, Penny. I think we're about ready for ignition."

"Agreed!" Penny slots a Lightning Dust crystal into the power supply, turns on the blast containment shield around the workshop, and runs a final system test.

[Containment… Nominal]
[Fuel… Nominal]
[Current circulators… charging… charging… Ready]
[Ready for startup]

[Startup sequence initiated]

The regulator opens, pressurizing the injectors, which purge themselves as the magnetic bottle starts up, forming the containment for the fusion reaction to come. Simultaneously, the starter charges the ignition laser. The magnetic containment bottle forms, and the current circulation fields come online, enough power to run a large apartment building roaring through the jury-rigged demonstrator as tiny ports flicker in the magnetic containment, hydrogen jetting in, and the ignition lasers fire, pumping kilojoules of energy into the bottle, heat smashing hydrogen atoms into each other, shattering the Coulomb barrier and merging them into helium atoms, small amounts of which fuse with each other into heavier elements. The injection "ports" in the mag bottle flicker millions of times a second, perfectly synchronized with the injectors.

The current circulation fields grab the massive surge of radiation and heat coming out of the reactor, channeling it back into the reactor's own systems, and the power output rockets to match the input, the reactor idling smoothly and near-silently even to the exceptional audio pickups in the lab. A moment later, Penny disconnects the reactor from the external power supply, attention fixed on the readouts. The software you wrote operates perfectly, all of the systems humming along smoothly.

"Nicely done, Penny. I didn't think it would be possible to build a test unit this quickly, but your father's lab is excellent for prototyping."

"Indeed! He did build me here, after all." Penny beams. "And I think a working test unit will help prove your story when we meet General Ironwood this afternoon."

As she says that, you note a Bullhead landing near the lab, and General Ironwood (or an excellent body-double) steps out and makes his way for the clinic's entrance, before the Bullhead lifts off. You double-check the time, and chuckle. You have gotten distracted by the prototyping process and lost track of time.

"Or rather, when we meet him now."

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How will you approach Ironwood?

[ ] Caution. Ironwood is a major player. He could be a powerful ally, or a dangerous enemy. You won't play all your cards… especially regarding C-Weapons. While your physical form's utility as a weapon can't be concealed, Remnant seems to have strong cultural taboos that will mitigate against using your undiscovered siblings as bombs… hopefully.

[ ] Alliance. Ironwood is a close friend, at least professionally, of Pietro, and seems genuinely concerned for Penny, though somewhat stilted - Penny shared a lot of his steadfast advocacy of the project that created her. Additionally, he seems to value loyalty and return it - working with him promises dividends, as long as you're forthright about your objectives. You'll work with him, and push his goals as long as they don't harm your dream of symbiosis too much.

[ ] Balanced. You're hopeful for a close working relationship with Ironwood, but you're also cautious about authority figures after how Coral has been treated in the past. You'll open yourself to an alliance, and offer technical support, but you won't train his forces or push hard on technology.

What is your primary objective?

[ ] Get home - Your main priority is re(?)-establishing contact with Rubicon III, and hopefully, Raven. Everything else comes in second to that. However, given Remnant's primitive space-borne industry, you're going to shake up a lot of things on the way home, and focusing on regaining FTL technology will leave Remnant's broader tech-base necessarily under-developed, possibly leaving it vulnerable to conquest.

[ ] Technological uplift - Getting home is important, but your goal of symbiosis must always come first. Raven will understand. Integrating humans, Coral, and humanity's synthetic children into a functioning society that won't get looted by the first megacorp or system government in a conquering mood will go a long way towards realizing your dream. On the other hand, broader technological development will definitely slow your return to the friend you made on Rubicon III.

[ ] Home… with friends! - Your main priority is returning to Rubicon III… but you won't leave Remnant to be plundered by a ruthless galaxy. There's potential for a strong defensive alliance between Remnant and Rubicon, as long as Remnant can catch most of the way up. Helping Remnant get most of the way up to galactic standard will position them well as equal partners… provided the politics work out.

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NOTE - Explain your reasoning! Why you pick your path matters every bit as much as which path you pick. Your interactions with Ironwood will determine your research/prototyping work for at least the next couple updates.