Turn, Turn and Turn [A]gain! (Turn A Gundam Quest)

[X] "I have."
-[X] "How did they deal with such abilities? I wonder why they'd develop so much advanced technology when their minds and bodies were so much better than all but the most advanced machines."


"That's not very encouraging." You mumble as you look over the holographic displays showcasing some of the Mobile Suits Vestige mentioned. One of the pictures show a Leo, so they must be some of the Mobile Suits that Kreis Kreuz tried to give Queen Junno.

I know, but it is all that I can give you. Anyway, have you thought about what to ask about the First Humans?

"I have." You answer before taking a deep breath. "How did they deal with such abilities?"

Hmm?

"It's just… I wonder why they'd develop so much advanced technology when their minds and bodies were so much better than all but the most advanced machines."

Vestige leans back, resting their head on thin air.

I am going to start by admitting that I do not know much about early human history. Kreis never took an interest, and before he came along there was two global societal collapses caused by everyone throwing WMDs at everyone else. Besides, much of early human history is a big question mark.

"How so?"

Because we adopted writing systems pretty late compared to the civilizations that sprung up during the cycles. Before that it was possible to create personal controllable Memory Relationships to record information, just carve it into the other side where you were and let it hang there for all to see. But as the population grew the psychic chatter started to swallow these small Memory Relationships, making them unusable.

It is this near-total lack of records of things before our first industrial age that makes it hard to tell what happened and to who, though a couple Memory Relationships were passed on. Specifically, the writing systems that were invented during the panic, many of which are still in use today.

So like I said, we know very little of our early history, but what we do know suggests that, well…

They shrug helplessly.

I would love to tell you that the amazing awareness, comprehension and intuition given by our brains and powers let us unlock the secrets of the universe at an astounding rate, but the truth as was commonly accepted in Kreis' time is that humans just were not as strong as they eventually became.

"Define strong." You ask them after a brief pause. "Were they weaker in body or in psychic power?"

Both, as far as we could tell from fragmented records and studying old burial sites. But to answer your first question: The First Humans developed 'advanced technology' for the same reasons that those who came after them did:

Vestige raises a finger.

One. They wanted to find better ways at killing each other. You have never fought in a psychic battle outside of the Turn X, so you wouldn't know, but momentarily sheathing a blade in an edged telekinetic field is a lot less taking than throwing force blasts around. Of course, records suggest that personal firearms were not widespread until our first space age.

They raise another.

Two. They wanted to make life easier. Using a tool in conjunction with telekinesis is a lot less effort than just using one or the other. Finding better ways to build and farm were popular, but curiosity and the quest for better tools did the rest.

In Kreis' time the First Humans were on their third reach for the stars, and studies suggesting that our species in general was becoming stronger psychics were starting to pop up before the third collapse. Studies started when Satang Sang-Sang came to rule confirmed the findings. Our bodies had long been growing stronger from increased nutrition, gene therapies and medical nanomachines, as well as the eradication of diseases that could actually hurt us.

Vestige hesitates.

Seriously, you do not want to know about the kind of viruses that could kill off a lot of First Humans. I am glad they are gone. But anyway, back on topic:

After each collapse we already knew what was possible and how it was useful, either through records or Memory Relationships, so nothing but lives and time was lost in any apocalypse and it was relatively easy to get our civilization back on its feet.

"How much stronger?" You ask. "I mean, what was the difference in strength between the early First Humans and the last?"

Vestige giggles.

Technically you are the last First Human, but the answer is that I can only guess. Power-wise you are at the baseline of Kreis' time, but body-wise you would be locked up in medical confinement to keep you safe if you ever were to somehow travel back in time. It going to take a while for you to grow into a proper First Human.

At the moment though you should not be too far off from being comparable to an early First Human. And-

I think the Lieutenant wants a word with you.

You look down to see Lieutenant Dana enter the hangar.

"He probably wants to discuss our next move. I'll see you later, Vestige."

Right. Take care now, kiddo.


*


[X] Checking in on the psychics in the Corado Militia.


To get to the Corado lines you have to pass through Dianna Counter territory south of the Ohita Mountains (you could have gone through the Arkan Valley in southern Luzianna, but that would have added several days to the journey there). With your powers it is easy to avoid unnecessary battles, and you find the first sign of the Corado Militia a day west of the Ohitas.

It isn't more than an observation post with a pair of Linear Tanks for protection, but they give you directions to the main force as well as news of the western front. Apparently the Dianna Counter has started to expand into the Ohitas, using the terrain to outmaneuver the entirely tank-based Corado Militia with their Mobile Suits. Lord Denver has spent weeks trying to dislodge them, to no avail.

Still, he cannot afford to leave the new fortress at his back, so the main Corado advance has been stalled here.

You and the LRAMDC arrive at the Corado headquarters in the evening and you are quickly given audience with Lord Denver. Sochie isn't happy that she has to stay behind in the Gallop while you talk to ruler of Corado, but understands with some grumbling that if she comes with you then the Corado psychics will out her.

"Captain Rola." He greets you, voice flatter than the pictured you have seen of the plains of northwestern Luzianna. "To what do I owe the pleasure?" His Pressure radiates general frustration, but the parts directed at you are simultaneously worried and envious.

"Sir, as the leader of an Autonomous Corps I am free to go where I think I am needed most unless given direct orders from Lord Guin. I decided to see if I could contribute to the war effort in the west and came here." You answer before turning your head to look at the other person in the room. "While I received Lord Guin's consent to travel to this front, he asked that I check up on your 'sorceresses'."

"Sorceress." He corrects you. "Grace's brother is out on a mission at the moment. You will have to speak to him later. As to how you can contribute…" He looks you up and down. "Would you consider staying here for a while?"

His question takes you by surprise. "Sir?"

"Not too long, of course, but…" He hurries to reassure you. "I would like for you to train the Sorcerous Siblings in this thought-magic of yours. From the way Grace tells it you are by far the stronger, and unlike her and her brother you seem to suffer none of the aftereffects. I ask that you lend them your expertise."

Judging by his Pressure his plea is not quite as sincere as his expression, but it is something to think about.


[] Agree.

[] Promise nothing and consult Vestige.

[] Decline.



You don't know if the psychics are aware of the existence of Psychoreactive machinery, but any contact with the White Doll will make it obvious even if they are never introduced to Vestige.


[] Tell Lord Denver and the psychics about Psychoreactive machinery.

[] Explain Psycommu.

[] Don't tell them anything.

[X] Promise nothing and consult Vestige.

[X] Explain Psycommu.


You decide to deflect. "I cannot promise anything, sir, these powers are new to me as well." You'll talk to Vestige about it before going to bed tonight and deal with it tomorrow. "However…Miss Grace might have sensed it by looking at the White Doll, but some machines may be interfaced with our powers."

Lord Denver slowly puts down the map he is studying. "Explain."

"Records within the White Doll calls it Psycommu, a type of Dark History technology that allows someone with our powers to control a Mechanical Doll without touching it. The White Doll has one, as has the Papillions we found in Inglessa, though we only have normal pilots for the latter."

You explain the concept of the Psycommu before excusing yourself for the night. After dinner you visit the hangar to speak with Vestige. The ghost is oddly pensive when you enter the cockpit, radiating nostalgia as they think deeply on something or other, but they shake it off when they see you coming.

Loran…

"Am I disturbing you?" You ask, worried that you might have interrupted your odd teacher(?)'s reminiscing.

In response Vestige simply floats upright.

Not at all. What do you need?

"Well…" You say as you sit down in the pilot seat. "I was wondering if there was anything we could do for the two psychics here, training for instance. Do you have any ideas?"

Euthanasia.

Vestige's answer stuns you to the point where it takes a second for you to find your voice again. "W-what…"

Their limiters have degraded to the extent that they no longer fully suppress their powers, and with the degradation come mind- and body-affecting malfunctions. I suppose that they could be kept alive in the hopes that more of their limiters will shut down in a manner that stabilizes them, but that does not happen often and they will never fully recover.

And do not even suggest having me fully remove his limiters like Turn X did with you and Sochie, it would be kinder to just shoot them. In their states trying to remove them will make the Turn Nanites go completely berserk and turn them into meat slime with no way to shut them down. And forget about trying to turn them into Cyber Newtypes, at this stage it is almost as likely to kill them as any other option.

"Cyber Newtypes?"

A set of drugs and cybernetic implants that allow for a person to unreliably use their abilities by bypassing the Limiters. These unfortunates were called Cyber Newtypes during the Dark History, and universally suffered from debilitating mental or physiological issues.

You meet Vestige's eyes and hold them. "You have seen this before."

They nod.

I have. Time and time again. It rarely ends well, even for those far less affected than Denver's pets.

"Will they be alright if they stop using their abilities?" You know you are grasping at straws, but you have to consider every possibility.

Vestige shakes their head.

Nope, if it is bad enough that just using their powers causes then pain then it is almost a given that they has also developed some of the more debilitating effects of malfunctioning limiters. Here are the most common ones:

Episodes of rage that occur without rhyme or reason, unreasoning mistrust of older authority figures, loss of self-awareness, obsessiveness, inability to dress oneself, tendency to change one's worldview at the drop of a hat, partial or episodic organ failure, chronic egocentrism, learning difficulties, paranoia, siege mentality, frequent epileptic attacks, fetishistic fixation on parenthood, loss of impulse control, sociopathy, and unusual hair pigmentation.

"Oh." That certainly puts thing in perspective, but do you agree?

Vestige pauses before awkwardly laying an ethereal hand on your shoulder.

Loran, Look. I…I will help you train them if you ask me. I just do not want you to become too attached given their conditions. Please understand.

It is a lot to think about, and the next morning you speak with Lord Denver over breakfast and inform him that-



[] You will try to train the 'Sorcerous Siblings'.

[] You will forego training them.
--[] Assist the Coradans with the Ohita Fortresses.
--[] Go south to check in on the Tejans.

[X] You will forego training them.
--[X] Assist the Coradans with the Ohita Fortresses.


Lord Denver grumbles when you tell him that you will not train his sorcerers, but he is mollified by the offer of assistance against the Dianna Counter forces in the mountains. What Grace and her brother, who is actually sitting at the table opposite his sister when you eat breakfast with Lord Denver, thinks of this is a jumbled mess of Pressure. You can sense emotions ranging from envy, anger, triumph, resignation and despair from the both of them, but neither respond to your attempts at starting a conversation.

You do, however, learn that the brother's name is Garcia and that both of them has some rudimentary telekinetic ability.


*


The first of the fortresses is one positioned a few peaks into the mountain range, constructed in a spot where Corado's linear tanks cannot simply bombard the place from max range. According to Lord Denver the Dianna Counter has triggered rockslides to close off a number of passes leading into the Ohitas, ensuring that the Corado Militia will have to approach the fortress from one direction. From what they have learned from earlier attempts to take it, the Coradans have learned that the fortress has at least two teams of flying Mobile Suits (you assume Baund Doc IIs by the description) present at all times, along with the occasional presence of an Almaiya.

Whatever forces the Dianna Counter has on the fortresses further in nobody knows. Their only intel on the matter is weeks out of date, having been obtained when the battle for the Ohitas first begun. What you do learn is that the Dianna Counter has deployed a small number of new Mobile Suits, apparently based around missile bombardment.

In order to launch a successful counteroffensive this fortress has to go. You and the Laura Rola Autonomous Mechanical Doll Corps will attack today with Garcia in the Strike Noir Gundam acting as your support.

You do not have any authority over him, so Garcia is likely to do as he pleases, but there remains the rest of your team:


[] Corin & Arisa will-
--[] Form up on you.
--[] Attack head on.
--[] Engage targets of opportunity.
--[] Take cover and fire from afar.
--[] Fly up and attack from above.

[] Sochie will-
--[] Form up on you.
--[] Attack head on.
--[] Engage targets of opportunity.
--[] Take cover and fire from afar.
--[] Fly up and attack from above.



The Gallop won't be able to contribute up here, so it is just a matter of deciding how you want to fight this battle.


[] Approach.
--[] Attack the fortress head on.
--[] Use the mountains as cover and attack at range.
--[] Fly up and hit the enemy from above.

[] Engagement range.
--[] Stay at Long Range.
--[] Keep normal distance.
--[] Close in.

[] Mobility.
--[] Stay on the ground with the Landskimmers.
--[] Take to the air with the Flight Mode.
--[] Take to the air with the Flight Mode and risk using the Voiture Lumiere.

[] Initial Left Hand Weapon.
--[] Dober Gun.
--[] Leo Beam Rifle.
--[] Type-TX Beam Pistol.
--[] Dainsleif Spear.
--[] None.

[] Destruction Manipulator Melee Weapon.
--[] Beam Saber.
--[] Beam Cutter.
--[] Shining Finger.

[] Destruction Manipulator Ranged Weapon.
--[] Beam Rifle.
--[] Buster Rifle.
--[] Beam Machinegun.

[] Defenses.
--[] Activate the Lightwave Shield.
--[] Activate the I-Field.
--[] Activate both of them.

[] NT Systems.
--[] Stick to the Psychoframe.
--[] Activate the NT-D Mode.

[] NT Power.
Choose 2
--[] Telekinetic Strike.
--[] Telepathic Strike.
--[] Telekinetic Barrier.
--[] NT Empathy.

[] Psycho-Field. (NT-D Mode only)
--[] Spatial Distortion.
--[] Deluge.
--[] Invasion.
--[] Dream Ward.
--[] Temporal Jaunt.
--[] Refrain from using a Psycho-Field ability.

[] Chorus. (Only if Sochie forms up on you)
--[] Yes.
--[] No.