BobTheNinja
Sword of Possibility
- Location
- Multiverse Sector Texas
Possibly, but something like that would definitely require additional research and development, especially in the magic department.
A Flame of Hope in the Grim Darkness (A 40k/Multicross Quest)
- Thread starter BobTheNinja
- Start date
- Crossover Sci-Fi Fantasy
BobTheNinja
Sword of Possibility
- Location
- Multiverse Sector Texas
Apologies for the delay, ended up dealing with a depressive headspace over the weekend that just recently let up. I'm finally making progress on revising my intro post, and I hope to have it up before the week is out.
- Pronouns
- He/Him
I get it man, depression's rough. Take whatever time you need.
- Location
- United states of america
I wonder what crazy projects and magic/technology our factions can create
Depending on what can synergize, pretty crazy. We have a lot to work with. I wonder.....Final Fantasy XIV crosses over with several other properties. Including the Ivalice series (Final Fantasy XII, Tactics, Vagrant Story) (Final Fantasy as a whole, really, Final Fantasy XV in particular), Dragon Quest, Monster Hunter, and Nier: Automata. So if we can access those......We have some pretty useful stuff. Maybe. A lot of tech we can mix and match with.
- Location
- United states of america
Ya know, I hope our little alliance can become something like SCP 6001
John Grammaticus, a perpetual agent of the Cabal, did saw the true form of Big E and freaked out to run away from Him.
The First Day, Redux
BobTheNinja
Sword of Possibility
- Location
- Multiverse Sector Texas
"The old world is dying and the new world struggles to be born. Now is the time of monsters."
- Antonio Gramsci
Outside the veil of reality, in a place sitting beyond and astride the boundaries of countless universes, a cosmic being was setting their plan into motion.
There was one particular world-branch that bothered them to no end. A skein in which it seemed that all hope went to die an agonizing death, where evil and suffering ran rampant. Any attempts from within to change this horrid vector ultimately came to naught.
Sure, it was just one thread among a nigh-infinite number that made up the tapestry of the greater multiverse, but it was one which was fairly well known in this god's circle of peers and contacts. And its stain offended them on a visceral level.
Alas, the core, Prime line of this universal permutation was firmly etched into the grand record of the cosmos, immutable to nearly all outside influence. Despite the acronym appended to them, this particular entity, for all their vast, godlike power, was not actually omnipotent. Some things were simply beyond their grasp.
However…the same could not be said of the many branching, alternate continuities that split off from the core trunk.
Perhaps, from a greater perspective, this was a petulant and ultimately insignificant act of defiance. The entity didn't care. This would make some amount of difference, and that was good enough for them.
Favors were called upon from friendly specialists. Divine rituals and sorceries set alight, and many, many souls were called upon. Most were ordinary mortals. A select few were something far more.
They were asked to volunteer for a second shot at life to bring hope to one of the worst universes ever dreamed of. The entity was forthright about the kinds of trials and horrors that they might have to face.
There were no threats of damnation for refusal, and certainly no demands of fealty or worship. Though any possible rewards accrued from service would only become relevant once their new life had run its course. Put simply, it was simply an earnest request for help.
Some accepted without hesitation. Others were more reluctant at first. But ultimately, to the entity's elation and gratitude, the majority of those they called upon chose to accept.
Once they had the numbers needed, the entity initiated a final series of calculations…and then, with a great expenditure of power, launched over a billion souls and a whole nation's worth of assets into a nearby branch of the cursed worldline.
The die had been cast. All that was left now was to see how it all played out.
As soon as the Imperial calendar rolled over to 001.730.M41, a cosmic event took place in the far reaches of northwest Segmentum Pacificus, close to the edge of the Milky Way galaxy. A great ripple of spacetime began to emerge, distorting reality more and more intensely as the seconds passed. Then, as the disturbance reached its peak, an entire star system breached through the quantum foam in a vast shower of exotic particles and eerie light.
As soon as the system fully materialized, the spacetime ripples and exotic lightshow quickly dissipated. The disturbance had no negative effects, with the new star system taking up an orbital track in the galaxy's gravity well as if it had always been there.
On the surface of the 4th planet in the system, over one billion souls, now returned to the living, awoke inside of well-built homes, varying in design by culture and species. They were generally grouped together by family and friends known in their previous lives. And as they ventured outside, they found that they had been placed in sensibly-designed cities, towns, and villages, again in the style, construction, and technology they were familiar with. These settlements were grouped together by their civilizations of origin, built upon six immense, geologically diverse islands grouped close together in a vast archipelago located in the planet's temperate zone.
Each region was equipped with everything a complex civilization would need to survive. Mixed-use housing complexes, solar panels, wind turbines, and baseload power plants, desalination plants, rainwater filtration and sewage treatment facilities, fuel storage and production, light and heavy industry, science laboratories, fully stocked food stores, seed banks, and agricultural facilities of all kinds, transportation and communication infrastructure, maritime docks and aerospace ports with service-ready vehicles, fully-equipped military bases and armories, hospitals and clinics, parks and basic recreation facilities, multi-faith chapels, communal kitchens and empty spaces for restaurants, market stalls and storefronts…the list went on and on.
The only major exception was the island bearing the revived denizens of Hydaelyn, whose cities were more rustic technologically, but no less self-sufficient, with aether-powered artifacts and magitek devices providing many of the same benefits as their star-faring counterparts.
Thankfully, it seemed that whatever higher power had recruited them ensured that the new denizens would be able to hit the ground running. Among the newly-awakened populace, qualified persons were provided with certifying documentation, mechanical, magic, and electronic keys, and system access permissions for their respective fields of expertise.
Another perk provided to the entire populace by their mysterious benefactor was a fluent understanding of English, both spoken and written, thus allowing for immediate dialog between peoples formerly separated by entire universes. And finally, prior to the insertion, the recruited souls of each polity were prompted to conduct a referendum for their leadership, again to help ensure that basic government organization and diplomacy could be established efficiently from the start.
The dawn of the first day was met with a mixture of awe, uncertainty, and anticipation. Friends, family, and lovers reconnected, people did their best to get the wheels of civilization turning, and strangers reached out by radio and in-person to greet their new neighbors. As communication networks were fully spun up, active links were established with numerous space-borne facilities and assets placed in orbit around the planet. A census was soon initiated to account for everyone who had arrived. And the leaders of each respective faction began taking stock of their situation.
Commander Zavala stood on the balcony plaza of the new Tower, contemplating the familiar sight of the Traveler, hanging silent in the air over the great harbor of their new city. It was…strange, taking in this same sight on a new, foreign world, wrought by a power beyond his reckoning.
When his final demise came, he was finally able to rest, to lay down the ever-increasing burden of command and the mounting weight of loss over centuries. He couldn't clearly recall his afterlife, something to do with maintaining the veil between life and death, but…he remembered that for a long time, he was truly at peace.
And then he was called upon once more, asked to come back and help bring hope to a universe in peril. And even though it arguably wasn't his responsibility, since it wasn't his universe or his people at stake…he found that he just couldn't say no. The people of this new world were in need of help, and the ones who answered the call would need guidance and leadership. His conscience wouldn't allow him to turn away from this. Meeting his old comrades in the liminal space he had been summoned to only strengthened his conviction. He would not be alone in this great endeavor, and that was more than enough.
"You know, if you keep staring at the big guy all day, we're never gonna get anything done," a familiar, amused voice called out.
Zavala instinctively smiled and turned to see none other than his old friend Cayde-6, alive and well once more. They had already had their heartfelt reunion earlier, but he still felt a fresh swell of gratitude at every interaction. It spoke to how devastating his loss was in the last life.
"I mean don't get me wrong, I'm more than happy to kick back with a mimosa or two and enjoy the sea breeze a while, but I have a funny feeling Ikora would come over and yell at us both," he said with a faux-exasperated shrug.
Zavala chuckled. "Yes, I suppose you're right. Sorry, I just got lost in thought. This entire situation we've landed in is…"
"Crazy as all get-out?"
"Unprecedented. But yes, that too. Even having seen the capabilities of Light and Dark, and the powers in between…I never would have imagined something like this."
"Honestly, I'm still absorbing the fact that we've got Fallen–er, Eliksni and Cabal as allies now," Cayde replied. "And that old Saladin is now a freaking Valus, of all things! And…well, uh…Crow. A bit awkward, that."
Zavala winced. "Cayde, I know it's probably hard to believe, but I promise you that-"
"Nah, don't worry about it," Cayde interjected, waving a hand reassuringly. "Ikora gave me the quick and dirty details already. He's still avoiding me like the plague, but…I ain't got no grudge. Maybe I would have once, but…it's a new life, and he's not the same asshole as before. Still weird, but I can deal."
"...I see," Zavala said, letting out a breath. "Well, I'll make sure to tell him for you. I think he'll be relieved to hear it."
"Sure thing. But later, we should probably get a move-on. Ikora wants to arrange a pow-wow with our new neighbors' head honchos."
"Mm, indeed," Zavala replied with a nod. "Then we should get moving."
They both started walking out of the plaza when Cayde spoke up again. "Oh, but once we're done with all the big important stuff for today, we're all gonna sit down together, order mimosas, and you're gonna spill the beans on everything else that happened since I was gone. Wait…shit, do they even have mimosas here?"
Zavala smiled and shook his head. By the Light, he missed this.
Karan S'jet gazed out the window of her new office, taking in the vast, coastal city-scape made of white concrete, silver and gray alloys, shining glass, and stretches of vibrant greenery, with a great blue ocean stretching out beyond the shore. Other landmasses were visible on the horizon, with sandy coastlines and verdant hills, all of it illuminated under the warm light of dawn. It was a beautiful sight, almost as beautiful as the vista that greeted her when she took her first steps upon the surface of Hiigara. Of course, the latter would always have a special place in her heart, as it marked the triumphant end of a long and arduous journey of survival and reclamation.
Alas, it seemed that the Kushan people's spirit and tenacity had drawn the attention of a higher power. An actual god, for what else could they call a being who could create all this and pull souls back from beyond the veil of death? Though their benefactor had explicitly stated they had no wish to be worshiped or even given special regard, the very fact of their current situation was sufficient to spark a theological upheaval among the Kushan. Thankfully though, most everyone who was brought back had their priorities straight, and wasted no time in assuming their respective roles and getting the wheels of civilization turning.
Stranger still was the presence of other polities who had evidently accepted the benefactor's same offers. Many appeared nearly identical to the Kushan physiologically, 'humans' as they called themselves, but they were clearly different culturally and technologically. There were also what appeared to be offshoot subspecies, including a race of gigantic humanoids. Likely the result of either environmental adaptation or bio-engineering, though the latter seemed to defy conventional biology. And then there were dozens of outright alien species, at least two races of androids, sapient machines, and whatever that giant white orb was…
It was a lot to take in, but it seemed that they were all meant to work together in the face of this new universe. And they were well-equipped for the job. Once they got communications online, handshake responses were confirmed from the Pride of Hiigara, the Kuun-Lan, and the Sajuuk, all confirming their presence in orbit, along with hundreds of smaller ships and at least one full-sized shipyard vessel. And that was just one fraction of a greater plethora of assets detected in orbit, the rest evidently belonging to the other polities.
Soon enough, a familiar voice pulled her from her reflections.
"How are you holding up, Karan?" asked Gerard Kaalel, chief of Fleet Intelligence and one of Karan's closest confidants. Though he had been brought back decades younger, there was no mistaking his calm and collected yet warm demeanor. "I know this has all been quite a shock."
Karan smiled. "I'm alright, Gerard. I know that we have a great trial before us once more, but I believe we have everything we need to see it through. And, I confess, I'm a bit excited too. It's not every day one gets to meet with intelligent races from entirely different realities. There's so much we can potentially learn from them."
Gerard nods with a smile of his own. "I'm glad to hear it. I expect we'll all need some of that intrepid spirit, given these strange times. I admit I'm also curious about our new neighbors. On a related note, some of our people, especially the younger folks, are eager to go out and say hello to them in person. For the moment, we've arranged a civilian quarantine cordon around our territory. I doubt our…benefactor would arrange all this and yet allow the possibility of disease transmission between our species and the others, especially given the fully habitable atmosphere and environment, but we're erring on the side of caution until our doctors and biologists have given the all-clear. The other polities have agreed to similar measures until then."
Karan nods. "A good call, though hopefully we won't need to keep it up for long. Regarding that, how's our progress on biological data exchange with the other polities?"
"It's a bit of a mixed bag," Gerard admitted. "On the one hand, our benefactor was kind enough to provide us with protocol adapter software that can interpret the data transmissions from the other factions, so our respective computer systems are able to talk to eachother. On the other hand, we're now trying to analyze the biological data of multiple variants of humans as well as dozens of alien species. Our biologists and medical specialists are working to try and identify any immediate points of concern, but they're saying it may be at least a few days before we can say one way or another. They're reaching out to the other faction's counterparts to work on crunching the data."
"Understood, though I'm of the mind to call for a meeting with the other polities' leadership as soon as possible. If that means holding a remote, virtual summit then so be it. It's critical that we establish diplomatic relations and proper communication channels, as well as to get an idea of their dispositions."
"Got it, I'll inform the other kiith-sas," Gerard replied before a ping came in on his dataslate, prompting him to check the device. "It seems that some of our neighbors are of the same mind. We've just received a request for a high-level leadership meeting from the Alliance of Sol and the Chaldea Security Organization."
Karan nodded. "Then we'd best not keep them waiting."
President Catherine Glass slumped into her office chair with a deep sigh. She had been busy all morning linking up with military and civilian leaders and getting the new NUN government organized, setting priorities and generally making sure that chaos didn't break out on her watch.
Most of these tasks by themselves weren't especially difficult, as their benefactor had pre-arranged things to streamline their efforts, but there was a ton of it to do and keep track of. The good news is that they were very well-supplied, both on the ground and in orbit, with confirmed handshakes from the Macross Frontier and four other sister ships, the Macross Quarter, hundreds of smaller warships and vessels, and one factory micro-satellite.
"You know you don't have to try and personally ride herd on everything by yourself. That's what delegation is for," spoke Howard Glass, her father and former President of NUN and the Frontier fleet.
Their initial reunion was tearful and heartfelt. His murder at the hands of the treacherous Leon Mishima, his former Executive Officer, was a horrifying and traumatic moment in her life, and she was beyond happy to have him back in her life once again. He was brought back decades younger than before, but that was not the oddest thing they had seen today by far. And now, he served as Catherine's Executive Officer. It was quite the twist of fate.
Catherine sighed. "I mean, I know you're right, but aside from you and Captain Wilder, I haven't yet decided on the rest of my cabinet yet. And there's just so much that needs doing right now…Dad, are you sure this is okay, me being President instead of you? I know I made it as far as head administrator of the Frontier colony after landfall, but this is an entirely different ballgame."
"Not as different as you might think, Catherine," Howard replied as he took a seat next to her. "The scale is significantly larger, but many of the responsibilities are similar. It is a heavier burden, I'll admit, but I firmly believe you have what it takes. The people have confidence in you as well, don't forget that.
"Besides, we've talked about this before," he said, leaning back in his chair with a pained expression. "...The truth is, I allowed myself to get too complacent in my last years. Sure, I administered competently enough, but I also got bogged down in the churn of popularity politics, and lacked the vision and awareness to cotton onto what Leon and Grace were up to."
Catherine shook her head. "Dad, please, that's not being fair to yourself. There was a literal, full-blown conspiracy against the NUN government. None of that is your fault."
"...Maybe. But all the same, you were able to tell that something wasn't right, both with Leon and the entire Vajra affair, and you were able to follow the thread, even if you didn't know where it would lead at first. I didn't. I got blindsided, and it cost me my life, at the very least."
He shook his head. "We can't afford another mistake like that here, Catherine. By all accounts, this new universe is far less forgiving than the one we came from, and we need someone with a sharp and vigilant mind to lead us. You were able to help save the Frontier fleet, the Vajra, and the rest of the galaxy from Grace's mad scheme. You can do this Catherine, I know it. And I'll be there to help you this time," he finished, placing a hand over her daughter's.
Catherine felt tears well up in her eyes once more, and took a moment to wipe them with her sleeve, taking a deep, sniffling breath before letting it out. "Then…I guess I'll just have to ensure that I'm worthy of that trust."
Howard nodded with a kind smile. "Attagirl."
Their tender moment was interrupted by an urgent ping on Catherine's desk terminal, showing as a high priority call from Communications. She took a moment to compose herself and then opened a channel. "This is President Glass speaking, go ahead."
"Madam President, this is Chief MacKenzie, communications division," spoke the male voice on the other end. "I'm sorry for the rush call but this couldn't wait. We've just received open requests from the Alliance of Sol, Chaldea Security Organization, and the Kushan Federation for a high-level remote diplomatic summit. How do you want to respond?"
"...Right, thank you for informing me immediately. Advise them that we will attend the summit, and put out our own open request for any remaining independent polities to take part."
"Roger that, Madam President, I'll pass that along. That's everything for now."
"Very good, thank you MacKenzie."
"You're welcome, and good luck Madam President."
With that the line disconnected, and Catherine let out a breath. "Looks like duty calls. Would you hold down the fort while I attend the summit?"
Howard smiled and nodded. "Of course."
She smiled warmly in return. "Right, then I guess it's time to meet the neighbors."
Olga Marie Animusphere sat at her desk with forehead cradled in hand as Leonardo Da Vinci finished giving her latest situation report. Other important members of Chaldea were gathered here as well, including Doctor Romani, also known as the Heroic Spirit Solomon, former Director Goredolf Musik, now Vice Director of Chaldea, former Team A leader Kirchtaria Wodime, and last but not least, Master Ritsuka Fujimaru and Demi-Servant Mash Kyrielight.
What had transpired was a Miracle, full stop. The entity who recruited them all for this damned fool quest had somehow tracked down all their souls post-Death, including persons from other parallel timelines of human history, transplanted them all into new bodies, and then transposed everyone and a revised replica of Chaldea's entire main base into an entirely different universe, in a new solar system far from Earth.
The madness didn't stop there. Detailed analysis determined conclusively that the metaphysical rules underpinning material reality here were also completely different from their home world, and yet the entity had somehow woven a layer of the Human Order into this reality, allowing magecraft to function. On top of all this, their sensors and Casters were detecting the presence of other magic-like energy fields present on this world, including one that was both uncannily similar and yet subtly different from their own.
This was far beyond the power of the Beasts and ancient Gods, beyond the Trees of Emptiness…and likely beyond even the domain of Gaia itself.
At the time, she had been so desperate for a second chance to lead Chaldea, to get things right this time, that she hadn't fully comprehended the magnitude of what she was getting into. And now, according to the information provided by the entity that placed them here, they had to cooperate in with six other trans-universal factions, including space aliens, in order to contend with a galaxy-spanning feudal-fascist human empire lead by a half-dead God-Emperor, multiple other extremely hostile alien races, and a pantheon of malevolent galaxy-spanning Gods that ruled over a hellishly corrupted version of this reality's Reverse Side of the World.
It was insanity of the highest order. But there was no turning back now.
"…I think I'm gonna hurl," Olga groaned weakly.
"Deep breaths, Director, deep breaths," Doctor Romani said, placing a hand on her shoulder. Normally she would sharply chastise such familiar physical contact, but right now she was letting it slide.
Of all the people who had been brought back, hardly anyone expected Solomon's return, perhaps least of all himself. After he had cast Ars Nova, he thought that was the end for good. Clearly this was a day of surprises all around. But most everyone was very happy to see him again, Ritsuka and Mash most of all. They had cried on his shoulders while hugging him for a good five minutes at least.
Really, they were happy to see just about everyone again, even some of the members of Team A who had become their enemies during the Lostbelt War. Only two members among their number hadn't been brought back, Beryl Gut and Daybit Sem Void…which made sense, given their actions and…disposition.
"You know, if I hadn't been through so much with Novum Chaldea, I think I'd be having a mental breakdown myself right about now. I know I accepted the bargain, but even by the standards of what we've encountered before, this whole situation is absurd!" Goredolf complained.
"And yet, here we are," Kirchtaria calmly interjected. "We've all chosen to accept the entity's offer, and ultimately, our core mission hasn't changed. To protect humanity. Fretting over what was once impossible won't help us now."
"That's rich coming from one of our greatest enemies. The entity may have been willing to overlook your betrayal, Wodime, but don't think for a moment that I will do the same," Goredolf growled.
"Please stop, Vice Director Goredolf!" Ritsuka spoke up. "You know as well as I do that Kirchtaria was under duress from the Foreign G-"
"No," Kirchtaria cut him off. "Don't try to defend me, Ritsuka. I can understand why you would think that way, and your willingness to forgive is admirable. But despite the extenuating circumstances, that doesn't absolve me of responsibility for my choices. I could have refused the Foreign God's demands and accepted oblivion. It might have changed how things turned out…or maybe it wouldn't have. But ultimately, I made the choice to betray Proper Human History. What I did could validly be called evil, despite my goals and intentions."
Kirchtaria turned to Olga. "I will not apologize for doing what I believed was the right course of action under the circumstances…but, I do genuinely feel remorse for the harm that resulted. And I will not shirk responsibility for that. I accepted this second chance to try and make amends, but if you deem that my crimes are too great, then I will accept any punishment…even if it costs my life. I would only ask that you consider granting some modicum of leniency toward the rest of Team A-"
"Enough," Olga spoke up harshly, causing Kirchtaria to fall silent. "...Enough. In the face of all conceivable logic and reason, we've all been given a second life, a mission, and the means to protect humanity once more…even if it's not our own humanity. I failed Chaldea miserably when we were needed at our best, and I refuse to allow such a horrific tragedy to befall us again."
She then raised her head and glared furiously at Wodime with tears welling in her eyes.
"Do you understand, Wodime? I REFUSE!!" she shouted, slamming her fist on her desk, causing Ritsuka, Mash and Goredolf to all flinch. "...Right now, I…we need every single able-bodied mage, staff member, and Servant we have to prepare for what's ahead of us. We are well beyond the point of relitigating past sins. So no, Kirchtaria Wodime, I will not punish you for your prior transgressions."
"But you and the rest of Team A have severely damaged my trust, and I have not forgiven you for that. The others may be willing to show you mercy, but you had better believe that I will have you and the rest of your teammates work like dogs until you have earned my forgiveness. And Wodime?...If you betray us again, I will literally have your head on a plate. Do I make myself clear?"
By the end of her ultimatum, even Kirchtaria had started to sweat a bit, in spite of his outwardly unflappable demeanor. He bowed low at the waist to her. "Completely, Director Animusphere. I am at your disposal."
"...I will hold you to that," Olga said, slumping back in her seat and wiping her face before taking a shuddering breath, centering herself. "Okay…okay. First things first. Fujimaru, Kyrielight."
Both of them flinched again at being called upon. "Y-yes!" they blurted, standing up straighter instinctively.
"...I've read the logs recorded from the Incineration of Humanity and the Lostbelt War…and your performance under such extraordinary circumstances was outstanding. Mash Kyrielight, you sacrificed your life once to save our last hope against Goetia, and have risked life and limb on countless other occasions to fulfill your duty.
"And you, Ritsuka Fujimaru," she said with a resigned expression on her face. "…when we first met, and even during the Fuyuki Singularity, I honestly didn't believe you had what it took to be a true master candidate. But you've proven me utterly wrong. Your deeds were nothing short of heroic, and serve as a shining example of what a master of Chaldea should be. So…thank you, both of you. For everything. I hope I can count on you both to continue doing your utmost to help safeguard us all in these extraordinary times."
Both of them practically swelled with emotion as they stood up even straighter.
"We will, Director!" "Thank you, Director!"
Olga nodded, a slight smile playing over her lips. "Good. Now then, since we've confirmed that Chaldea Base is fully operational and provisioned, our next major task is to open formal diplomatic relations with the other factions that have been transposed here along with us. In line with this task, by my authority as Director of Chaldea, I hereby formally rescind the concealment of the existence of magecraft, effective immediately."
That got everyone's attention, Vice Director Goredolf especially as he began sputtering in shock. "D-Director Animusphere, surely you can't be serious! The veil of secrecy around magecraft is one of the fundamental precepts of our organization, of mage society! The Mage's Association would never tolerate-"
"The Mage's Association isn't here, Vice Director," Olga interrupted him with a stern look. "We're no longer even in the same universe anymore. The database the entity provided us confirms that the existence of psykers is at least partly open knowledge in this local universe alone, and we already have confirmation of at least three of the new factions using some form of metaphysical abilities openly. Even the foundational principles of magecraft as we know them are currently in a state of partial flux as a result of the entity's actions and the absence of the World's principles. And that's not even touching on the fact that everyone present on this planet has directly and personally witnessed the entity's miracle. There's no putting that genie back in the bottle."
"I…I acknowledge that we're in extraordinary circumstances, even more so than usual," Vice Director Goredolf began, looking a bit shaken, but not quite convinced. "But even so, are we truly certain that revealing the existence of magecraft won't eventually degrade its efficacy in this new world? The last thing we need right now is a repeat of the Agartha incident."
"If I may, Vice Director," Da Vinci spoke up. "I've been going over the preliminary observation data of our magecraft foundations and sensor telemetry with the help of Doctor Romani and a few of our other Casters. And while I admit that we're still in the early stages of analysis, the patterns in the data compared to previous baselines strongly suggest that we're now operating in a whole new metaphysical paradigm akin to a Pseudo Age of Gods, though to be frank, even that comparison doesn't quite do what we're seeing justice."
"Our magecraft as it currently functions doesn't appear to be any more potent than normal, but this new skein of reality appears to have much more mystic potential present than in our world of origin. Additionally, in this universe, science and magic coexist to a much greater degree, and our newly-woven patch of the Human Order appears to reflect this, meaning that our magecraft foundations should theoretically be capable of operating under conditions of general widespread knowledge without loss of effectiveness. Olga was informed of this while you were out running headcount and status checks with our various departments, so I apologize for not getting you the details sooner."
Olga nods. "And there you have it. Make no mistake, Vice Director. The time for secrecy is well and truly over. While I have no issue keeping our more dangerous knowledge under lock and key, trying to conceal our capabilities in general at this juncture will only hinder us at best, and is thus a waste of precious time and effort. Moreover, trying to enforce the veil of secrecy around magecraft could end up sowing distrust among our would-be allies, who, as an additional reminder, utterly outnumber us. Now do you understand the rationale for my decision?"
Goredolf sighed and slumped slightly. "...I understand, Director. I have no further objections on the matter."
"Good, because I need everyone on the same page for what comes next."
2B and 9S stood next to each other on a balcony overlooking the coastal cityscape below, a gentle breeze caressing their hair and skin, their blindfolds absent. They gazed upon a world where the sun actually moved in the sky. Where the land and sea and air weren't infested by hostile Machines. Where all the friends and comrades they had lost over the years had been returned to life. Where humanity lived again.
A world where hope lived again.
2B feared that this might be just some cruel trick, an ephemeral dream that she could wake up from at any moment. But it seemed it was all real. 9S, Jackass, and many others ran test after test, diagnostic after diagnostic, and all of their sensors and internals were functioning optimally. But even more crucially, all of the shackles and Logic Virus vulnerabilities that had been programmed into them and their Pods since the beginning of the YoRHa program had been completely erased, root and stem.
They were all now truly free to make their own decisions. And in some ways, that was even more terrifying.
Ultimately, the former Resistance leader Anemone had been elected as their Commander in Chief. And together with her most trusted advisors, she immediately reconstituted the Android-Machine Compact, an organization which, in their last life, had been formed in the wake of the destruction of YoRHa and the subsequent revelation of the sham it had perpetuated about humanity's true fate.
It was a federated polity dedicated to the protection and flourishing of Androids, as well as coexistence-minded Machines. And while its members would still fight to defend themselves from hostile Machines and rogue Androids, they refused to tolerate the pointless cruelties and suffering deliberately inflicted between their own kind like the Army of Humanity, the Machine Network intelligence, and YoRHa had done, and had endeavored to make an actual society for themselves amidst the ruins of Earth.
Of course, now that they were all brought back to life again in this new world…the situation had changed drastically. The ever-present threat of hostile Machines was now gone, there were new threats on the horizon, and humanity was now returned in the flesh, though apparently not their own humanity. Rather, it was humans and even other intelligent species drawn from completely separate universes, all brought back from death, same as themselves.
But most troubling at all…they were faced with the prospect of having to potentially fight against the humanity of this universe, this Imperium of Man. From what the mysterious god told them, they were like a twisted mirror of YoRHa writ large. Utterly zealous and uncompromising in their pursuit of their specific vision of human supremacy, regardless of how many of their own people they oppressed or killed. Mankind was everything, but humans were expendable. Mere tools to be used up in the crucible of endless war.
Just like they were, once.
The words "Glory to Mankind" never rang so hollow.
A gentle laugh from 9S pulled 2B from her ruminations. "What's so funny, Nines?" she asked.
"Oh, uh, sorry 2B. It's just…I don't think I could ever get tired of this. I can hear so many of them talking over the radio bands," he said, meaning that literally, since owing to his model's innate sensory capabilities. "So many of them are curious and eager to meet and learn more about each other, despite being from completely different realities. Even many of the aliens are the same. It's…incredible."
2B couldn't help but smile a bit. It warmed her to see Nines happy and hopeful. After everything that had happened…and everything she had done to him, he deserved it.
"...Do you…think we'll be able to get along with them?" 2B asked.
9S looked down a bit, his fingers lacing together on the balcony railing as he considered the question. "...I think we can, and I believe that we need to. But…I can't help but worry about what they might think of us. After all, androids were created to help protect humanity, and we failed. And that's not even getting into what YoRHa…what we did to each other…and some of the Machines too…" his fingers clenched tighter, a grimace of shame marring his expression as he recalled his prior merciless behavior and descent into madness after 2Bs death.
On seeing this, 2B gently wrapped her arms around the young man and pulled him into a gentle hug, causing him to blink and blush in surprise.
"...Nines…we all did horrible things," 2B said gently. "But we were also cursed from the very beginning. We were bound by invisible shackles and lies. Many of our choices were not truly our own. But things are different now. We're now free to think for ourselves and decide what future we want. You were willing to forgive me for what I've done, so I've decided that my future is by your side, no matter what. Besides, A2 forgave you too, remember?"
9S took in her words and responded by hugging 2B back, laying his face against her collarbone. "...I know. Really, I do. I know you've said it before, and it makes me so happy that it's almost painful," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "But even so…I just don't know if I can forgive myself yet. I…want to do better this time, to be better than I was, and see things more clearly. I…I never want to fall back into that dark place I was in again."
2B nodded, raising a hand to gently stroke his hair. "I understand, truly. And I promise I'll do everything I can to help you. Just as I'm sure you'll do the same for me."
9S nodded as the two of them gently released their mutual hug, allowing him to sniff and wipe the tears from his eyes and cheeks. "...Thanks again, 2B."
They talked for a few minutes longer until Pod 042 hovered back over. "2B and 9S, you have a priority call from Commander White. Advisory: priority code authorization appended to the call has been issued directly by Commander in Chief Anemone. I am thus required to relay the call, independently of your specific response."
2B sighed. She had…highly conflicted feelings about Commander White. On one hand, she was deeply complicit in YoRHa's cruelty, but on the other, she was also bound by many of the same shackles as her subordinates, and 2B knew from her latest interactions that she felt genuine shame and remorse over her actions after learning the full truth of the YoRHa project. It was…a gigantic mess of emotions, putting it mildly.
But given the priority assigned to the call, this had to be something important, so she did her best to set her feelings aside for now.
"Understood, patch her through," 2B replied evenly.
With that, Pod 042 displayed a holographic window opened with a live feed of Commander White. "2B, thank you for your quick response. Commander in Chief Anemone is putting together a diplomatic team in response to the virtual summit invitation from the other factions that arrived alongside us. She wants you and 9S to be part of the delegation. We believe that your…specific insights and experiences from the end of the 14th Machine War would help clarify our situation with the other factions. However, this is a voluntary request, not an order."
Commander White's gaze turned downward. "...I realize I have no right to ask anything more of you two, after everything that happened…but I will ask anyway. Would you both help us?"
2B paused for a moment and turned to 9S. "What do you think, Nines?"
"...I think…I think we should be part of the delegation," 9S replied. "If what we've seen and experienced can help build good relations with these new humans and the other species…then I think it's worth it to participate."
"...I understand," she said before turning back to the video feed. "In that case, we agree to be part of the diplomatic mission."
A look of immediate relief graced Commander White's face. "Thank you both, truly. This means a great deal to us."
"I have a question though. Who else is going to be part of the team?" 9S asked.
"As of now, Anemone, Pascal, myself, and the two of you will be present. We had requested for A2 to join us as well, but…she said she's not ready to deal with being near me yet. I decided not to press the issue."
"I see. That's…probably for the best," 9S said. "...What about, uh…Adam and Eve? They were key leaders of the Machines during the war. Shouldn't they be part of this?"
"...Pascal indicated that the two of them are…emotionally indisposed right now. For the time being, they want to be left alone."
9S sighed. "...Yeah…I can't really blame them for that. Alright, when are we meeting up?"
"First, we'll all gather at the main headquarters in one hour," Commander White replied. "We'll then take a couple more hours to go over relevant information before joining the virtual summit."
"Understood, we'll be ready," 2B replied.
"Thank you 2B, 9S. That's all for now. Commander White out." The video feed then closed out.
Handler Walter stood on the rooftop plaza of the RLF's new headquarters, cane in hand as watched the sunrise, feeling the cool breeze on his face. Though he didn't truly need his cane anymore since being brought back in prime condition, old habits died hard.
His expression was one of melancholic resignation. He remembered everything leading up to his demise. His capture by Arquebus after 621 was ambushed at the foot of the Vascular Plant. The 're-education' and Coral augmentations forced upon him. The enforced directive Arquebus gave him, and subsequently, his final battle against 621 aboard the Xylem, wreathed in the flames of atmospheric re-entry.
Seeing Ayre for the first time…and mustering the will to stay his hand at the very end.
It was only after his death and resurrection that he fully realized the error of the path he had taken up to that point. The Coral wasn't just a dangerous and potentially universe-altering substance. It was alive. It could, and did, develop sapient intelligence. Ayre, the voice who had befriended 621, was one such Coral waveform. It was their shared bond, and the understanding that there were people living within the Coral flow, that convinced 621 to reject Overseer's plan. To choose the path of coexistence, full of unknowns though it was.
Had 621 chosen to follow through with his original wishes, not only would it have triggered another interstellar catastrophe, it would have meant committing genocide against the first alien species that humanity had ever encountered.
Some part of him still feared the Coral. It being alive and capable of sapience didn't make it any less dangerous under the right circumstances. But that fear was now tempered by deep shame, for trying to kill an entire species whose only crime was to exist in the first place, no less because it was humanity's fault for exploiting it so recklessly.
And now, he had been brought back. Just one of many godly miracles invoked for the sake of bringing hope to a hopeless galaxy. The entity who made this happen believed he was worthy of a chance at redemption. He didn't know if he could bring himself to believe that.
"You've got that ruminating look on your face again," a familiar voice spoke up. Walter turned to his right to see "Cinder" Carla approaching. She wore an easy smile, but her eyes told a different story. She wasn't taking this any easier than he was.
"...I'm still trying to come to terms with…everything," He admitted.
"Yeah...we really fucked up," Carla agreed with a heavy sigh. "To be honest, I'm surprised that the RLF didn't decide to just have us shot."
The both of them were acutely aware of the armed guards stationed nearby. Indeed, the leadership of the RLF could have decided to have either of them executed, or at the very least thrown in prison and left to rot. Considering their prior actions and intentions, it would not have been hard to justify.
It was the combination of the current extraordinary circumstances and both 621 and Ayre interceding on their behalf that Jonathan "Middle" Flatwell, the RLF's commander and now chief executive, decided to show mercy. His reasoning was that the resurrection and universal transference event represented a true 'clean slate', and that none of them would have been brought back without good reason.
So the two of them were instead to be placed under special observation, along with the resurrected pilots from Balam and Arquebus. That said, Flatwell told them in no uncertain terms that if they showed any sign of attempting to ignite another Coral catastrophe, he would shoot the both of them himself. Walter had no reason to doubt him.
Thankfully, neither of them had any intention of trying again. Not after learning of the sapient waveforms that lived in the Coral flow.
"Still…the Liberator of Rubicon, huh? Sounds like the tourist did some real good, didn't he?" she commented with a slight smirk.
Walter couldn't help but smile a little at that. "Yeah, he certainly did," he replied, feeling a swell of pride at how 621 had carved his own path, against all odds.
As the two of them conversed, another figure watched the two of them from a distance, clearly conflicted on whether to approach or to stay away.
He felt a familiar, gentle electric chime echo in his mind, the edges of his vision glowing slightly red.
"Raven, it's okay if you feel like you can't face them yet," Ayre tried to reassure him. "For what it's worth…I don't believe that they'll blame you for what happened before. But if you feel that you need more time, then that's okay."
Before the young man could respond, a call came in on his AR communicator. It was from "Middle" Flatwell.
He looked over to Walter and Carla once more before stepping back and accepting the call. "This is Raven, go ahead."
"Raven, I'm sorry to spring this on you on short notice, but there's soon going to be a remote diplomatic summit held between us and the other factions that have been brought to this world. You're one of the few people among us who is in active Contact with a Coral waveform, so we would like you and Ayre to join us. I realize this isn't your area of expertise, and to be sure, I won't be asking you to do any negotiating yourself. I just want you and Ayre to be present to share your respective experiences if needed. Would you help us?"
"...Yeah, I think I can do that," he replied evenly. "Ayre, do you have any issues with that?"
She then spliced herself into the audio channel. "Not at all. If we can help assure the other polities of the Coral's desire for symbiotic coexistence, then I absolutely want to help."
"Very good, then please join me in my office. We have a great deal to discuss."
Alphinaud couldn't help but feel slightly overwhelmed as he once more stood amongst his fellow Scions, his family, all together again in their primes.
When his life finally came to a close, he imagined that he would drift peacefully into Hydaelyn's aethereal sea, his memories fading into echoes while his soul went on to be reborn as a new person, sometime in thd unknowable future.
Instead, he and millions of others were summoned from beyond the transdimensional Rift, called upon to live again in order to help bring the light of hope to a universe mired in darkness and suffering.
Knowing that his comrades, his family, had also been called on…there was really no contest. He accepted.
And now, he was back among the living with the Scions once more, all convening together within a replica of the Rising Stones. Not just the ones who lived out the rest of their lives before, but also Moenbryda, Papalymo, and Minfilia. Needless to say, it was a deeply emotional reunion for everyone, especially Thancred, Lyse, and Urianger.
Even Ryne was here, along with many, many other people from the First reflection of Hydaelyn. It was a miracle among miracles.
And now, they had to decide how to proceed from here.
"So to sum up, our collective goal is to establish ourselves in a universe with multiple powerful and extremely hostile alien races, as well as rampant incursions by demonic forces even more dangerous than voidsent. On top of all this, we're supposed to contest an oppressive, theocratic, and fanatically xenophobic stars-spanning empire," Alisaie says, shaking her head with a deep sigh, her arms folded as they collectively went over what they knew from the information provided by the entity that brought them all here.
"To be sure, I'm fully onboard with doing whatever we can to help, you all know that. But this…this feels way too big for the combined forces of a single world. This Imperium supposedly rules over millions of stars, and their biggest enemies are similarly widespread. The scale of it all defies belief. Even if we had multiple lifetimes to work with, I just don't know how we would make meaningful progress."
"Verily, the task before us is gargantuan in scale and difficulty and fraught with great peril," Urianger agrees. "Indeed, this will all but certainly be the work of ages. However, I believe thou doth underestimate the advantages conferred on us by the deity that beseeched our aid. I'm given to understand that, just like ourselves, everyone brought back from beyond the veil of death did so with due consultation of the trials ahead. That they chose to answer anyway suggests no shortage of courage or motivation, and we all well know the feats made possible by shared unity of purpose."
"And according to the report from the Lopporits, the other societies summoned to this universe have significant spacefaring capabilities of their own," Y'Shtola adds, her eyes fully functional again in her revived form as she met the gazes of her companions. "It's very likely that these other polities likely have experience in matters of inter-star governance and conflict. Depending on the technologies at their disposal, we may be at a substantial advantage in spite of our comparatively small numbers."
"We've certainly gained plenty of experience in uniting diverse peoples and fighting against tyranny," G'raha says. "I also believe that our magic ability and our collective experience in combating ethereal foes and corruptive forces will be crucial."
"Indeed. It's going to be difficult, trying to adapt our societies to extend beyond the lands of this star's surface, but I know what our people are capable of," Alphinaud states with conviction. "I have no doubt that we'll be able to rise to the challenge."
Minfilia smiles and nods at that. "I agree wholeheartedly. For now though, our first order of business will be to convene with the leaders of the other states and tribes of Hydaelyn, and from there, get in contact with the other outerversal polities' leaders," she said just before her linkpeal began to ring.
"One moment, it looks like Cid is calling," she says before opening the line.
After a short conversation, she disconnected and turned to the rest of the group. "It seems there's been an open invitation by the other polities for a virtual summit, apparently via radio transmission, so it looks like the Eorzean Alliance leaders, as well as the tribal delegates, will be convening at the new Garlond Ironworks headquarters."
"Well then, that settles where we're all going next," Thancred replies, looking over to a certain Paladin, the cornerstone of their band of heroes. "How about you, Zeke? Think you're up for a bit of diplomatic wrangling with our new neighbors?" he asks with a smirk.
The Warrior of Light answers with a gentle smirk of his own. "Are you kidding? I wouldn't miss it for the world."
By mid-day, all seven factions had joined the virtual summit.
From the Alliance of Sol, there was Commander Zavala, Ikora Rey, and Cayde-6 representing the Vanguard. Representing the Cabal were Empress Caiatl, her Psion adjutant Uxil*, and Valus Saladin Forge. Representing the Eliksni were Mithrax, Kell of House Light, and his aide and daughter Eido. Finally, rounding them out were Queen Mara of the Reefborn Awoken, Ana Bray, and Rasputin in his Exo form.
From the Kushan Federation, there was Karan S'jet, Melkor Somtaaw**, Valera Manaan, Thaden Naabal, Jeddha Paktu, Maya Soban, and Abram Sagald, collectively representing the major Kiiths of the Daiamid. In addition, Petros Elson, former officer of the Taiidan Rebellion during the Homeworld War, was present as a representative of the Taiidan who had defected to the Kushan Federation, as well as the Kiithless in general.
From the New United Nations, there was President Catherine Glass, Executive Officer Howard Glass, and representatives of the Zentradi and Meltrandi, the Zolan, the Voldorians, and the Ragnan.
From the Chaldea Security Organization, there was Director Olga Marie Animusphere, Doctor Romani Archaman, and Leonardo da Vinci.
From the Android-Machine Compact, there was Commander in Chief Anemone, Commander White, Pascal, 2B, and 9S.
From the Rubicon Liberation Front, there was Chief Executive Jonathan "Middle" Flatwell, Commander Alex "Rusty" Callahan, and C4-621 "Raven" and Ayre.
And finally, from the Eorzean Alliance and allied tribes and nations, there was Sultana Nanamo Ul Namo and Flame General Pipin Tarupin, Admiral Merlwyb Bloefhiswyn and Grand Storm Marshall Eynzahr Slafyrsyn, Elder Seedseer Kan-E-Senna and Grand Serpent Marshall Swethryk Brookstone, Speaker Aymeric de Borel and Lord Commander Lucia Junius, Prime Minister Lyse Hext and General Raubahn Aldynn, Lord Hien Rijin and his retainer Yugiri Mistwalker, Representative Fourchenault Leveilleur, Chief Councilor Lyna, Mayor Chai-Nuzz, the dragons Hraesvelgr, Tiamat, and Vrtra, representatives of the allied beastmen tribes, and finally, the Scions of the Seventh Dawn.
The words shared in this meeting set the course of all their futures.
* Uxil is the name I have given to the Psion that Crow accidentally killed during the Season of the Risen.
** Melkor Somtaaw is the name I have given to the Fleet Commander from Homeworld: Cataclysm. Credit for this name goes to the user @Arcanestomper, who came up with it for his faction in the Cosmolux RP on Sufficient Velocity.
The prior policy choices were chosen for the general form and economy of the coalition:
Federal Union - Each faction has limited autonomy, and the federal government has greater direct authority over the laws and internal affairs of member polities, or at least can set formal laws establishing what is and is not allowed for local-level policy. High difficulty.
Decentralized Socialist Economy - A system in which most civilian capital is subject to public control, mostly in the form of local and regional co-operatives and other community organizations based on democratic governance, with private ownership largely being limited to personal-scale businesses. Ensures broad and highly equitable allocation of capital and resources, but may experience co-ordination problems at larger scales.
Now, the next vote will be to determine the specifics of the federal government's core organization and functionality. There will be five main categories voted on for this round:
Division of Powers
Legislative Structure
Executive Structure
Electoral System
Decision-Making Focus
You must vote for AT LEAST one option in each category, though you may also vote for more than one per category.
Players may also propose Write-In options, though their logic must be clear and digestible, and not take up more than one paragraph. These are general flavors of government, so no need to get super-specific at this stage.
Division of Powers
[] Parliamentary System (Dualistic) - The head of government and the executive cabinet are subordinate and accountable to the legislative branch, however they cannot also hold member seats on the legislature for the duration of their executive administration.
[] Parliamentary System (Westminster) - The head of government and the executive cabinet in are subordinate and accountable to the legislative branch, and they concurrently hold member seats on the legislature.
[] Premier-Presidential System - The head of state is popularly elected, and appoints the head of government and the cabinet with parliamentary approval. But the head of government and the executive cabinet are exclusively accountable to the legislature, which has the sole ability to remove them from office by motion of no confidence.
[] President-Parliamentary System - The head of state is popularly elected, and the head of government and executive cabinet are accountable to both the legislature and the head of state. The head of state chooses the head of government and the cabinet with parliamentary approval, and they may be removed either through dismissal from the head of state or by motion of no confidence by the legislature.
[] Presidential System - The head of government is popularly elected and also serves as the head of state. They are highly independent from the legislature, have the sole power to appoint or dismiss cabinet members, though this may require confirmation from the legislature. They may also be able to veto legislation.
[] Write-In
Legislative Structure
[] Unicameralism - The legislature is comprised of a single primary body of representatives.
[] Bicameralism (Advisory) - The legislature is comprised of two bodies of representatives, a lower house that serves as the primary decision-making body, and an upper house that represents constituent elements of the union, either by species or by member state. The upper house serves in an advisory capacity, and can make suggested amendments to legislation, but cannot block or veto the passing of legislation by the lower house.
[] Bicameralism (Moderate) - The legislature is comprised of two bodies of representatives, a lower house that serves as the primary decision-making body, and an upper house that represents different elements of the union, either by species or by member state. The upper house may introduce certain types of legislation, and can propose amendments to lower house bills. Generally the lower house can override upper house amendments, but for certain types of legislation, either a super-majority is needed for override, or approval of both houses is required for passage.
[] Bicameralism (Strong) - The legislature is comprised of two bodies of representatives, a lower house that serves as the primary decision-making body, and an upper house that represents different elements of the union, either by species or by member state. Both houses can introduce and amend most types of legislation, and approval of both houses is required for passage into law.
[] Write-In
Executive Structure
[] Single Executive - One individual serves as the head of government, and bears final decision-making authority over all matters of the executive branch.
[] Council Executive - Rather than a single head of government, executive authority is instead vested in a multi-member council, which may be the cabinet itself with ministerial/department heads collectively making decisions, or may be a separate body from the cabinet.
[] Write-In
Electoral System
[] Proportional Representation - Election methodology that ensures that subgroups of the electorate are generally reflected proportionally in the primary (or lower) legislative body, whether by means of Party List PR, Mixed Member PR, Single Transferable Vote, etc.
[] Mixed Electoral System - Election methodology that combines methods of majoritarian and proportional representation for choosing members of the primary (or lower) legislative body, whether by means of Parallel Voting, Mixed Member PR, Additional Member Systems, etc.
[] Write-In
Decision-Making Focus
[] Consensus - Legislative processes that encourage development of agreement of as many members as reasonably possible through deliberation, generally with the aim of securing a super-majority of approval. Unanimity is not required and dissent is included in the process of decision-making.
[] Majority Vote - Legislative processes that aim to secure a minimum of a majority of votes for approval.
[] Write-In
Due to the amount of choices to consider, there will be a moratorium on voting until 12 PM CST on 11/10/2023, to allow time for discussion and proposals for write-ins. From there, voting will conclude in 4 days.
- Antonio Gramsci
Outside the veil of reality, in a place sitting beyond and astride the boundaries of countless universes, a cosmic being was setting their plan into motion.
There was one particular world-branch that bothered them to no end. A skein in which it seemed that all hope went to die an agonizing death, where evil and suffering ran rampant. Any attempts from within to change this horrid vector ultimately came to naught.
Sure, it was just one thread among a nigh-infinite number that made up the tapestry of the greater multiverse, but it was one which was fairly well known in this god's circle of peers and contacts. And its stain offended them on a visceral level.
Alas, the core, Prime line of this universal permutation was firmly etched into the grand record of the cosmos, immutable to nearly all outside influence. Despite the acronym appended to them, this particular entity, for all their vast, godlike power, was not actually omnipotent. Some things were simply beyond their grasp.
However…the same could not be said of the many branching, alternate continuities that split off from the core trunk.
Perhaps, from a greater perspective, this was a petulant and ultimately insignificant act of defiance. The entity didn't care. This would make some amount of difference, and that was good enough for them.
Favors were called upon from friendly specialists. Divine rituals and sorceries set alight, and many, many souls were called upon. Most were ordinary mortals. A select few were something far more.
They were asked to volunteer for a second shot at life to bring hope to one of the worst universes ever dreamed of. The entity was forthright about the kinds of trials and horrors that they might have to face.
There were no threats of damnation for refusal, and certainly no demands of fealty or worship. Though any possible rewards accrued from service would only become relevant once their new life had run its course. Put simply, it was simply an earnest request for help.
Some accepted without hesitation. Others were more reluctant at first. But ultimately, to the entity's elation and gratitude, the majority of those they called upon chose to accept.
Once they had the numbers needed, the entity initiated a final series of calculations…and then, with a great expenditure of power, launched over a billion souls and a whole nation's worth of assets into a nearby branch of the cursed worldline.
The die had been cast. All that was left now was to see how it all played out.
As soon as the Imperial calendar rolled over to 001.730.M41, a cosmic event took place in the far reaches of northwest Segmentum Pacificus, close to the edge of the Milky Way galaxy. A great ripple of spacetime began to emerge, distorting reality more and more intensely as the seconds passed. Then, as the disturbance reached its peak, an entire star system breached through the quantum foam in a vast shower of exotic particles and eerie light.
As soon as the system fully materialized, the spacetime ripples and exotic lightshow quickly dissipated. The disturbance had no negative effects, with the new star system taking up an orbital track in the galaxy's gravity well as if it had always been there.
On the surface of the 4th planet in the system, over one billion souls, now returned to the living, awoke inside of well-built homes, varying in design by culture and species. They were generally grouped together by family and friends known in their previous lives. And as they ventured outside, they found that they had been placed in sensibly-designed cities, towns, and villages, again in the style, construction, and technology they were familiar with. These settlements were grouped together by their civilizations of origin, built upon six immense, geologically diverse islands grouped close together in a vast archipelago located in the planet's temperate zone.
Each region was equipped with everything a complex civilization would need to survive. Mixed-use housing complexes, solar panels, wind turbines, and baseload power plants, desalination plants, rainwater filtration and sewage treatment facilities, fuel storage and production, light and heavy industry, science laboratories, fully stocked food stores, seed banks, and agricultural facilities of all kinds, transportation and communication infrastructure, maritime docks and aerospace ports with service-ready vehicles, fully-equipped military bases and armories, hospitals and clinics, parks and basic recreation facilities, multi-faith chapels, communal kitchens and empty spaces for restaurants, market stalls and storefronts…the list went on and on.
The only major exception was the island bearing the revived denizens of Hydaelyn, whose cities were more rustic technologically, but no less self-sufficient, with aether-powered artifacts and magitek devices providing many of the same benefits as their star-faring counterparts.
Thankfully, it seemed that whatever higher power had recruited them ensured that the new denizens would be able to hit the ground running. Among the newly-awakened populace, qualified persons were provided with certifying documentation, mechanical, magic, and electronic keys, and system access permissions for their respective fields of expertise.
Another perk provided to the entire populace by their mysterious benefactor was a fluent understanding of English, both spoken and written, thus allowing for immediate dialog between peoples formerly separated by entire universes. And finally, prior to the insertion, the recruited souls of each polity were prompted to conduct a referendum for their leadership, again to help ensure that basic government organization and diplomacy could be established efficiently from the start.
The dawn of the first day was met with a mixture of awe, uncertainty, and anticipation. Friends, family, and lovers reconnected, people did their best to get the wheels of civilization turning, and strangers reached out by radio and in-person to greet their new neighbors. As communication networks were fully spun up, active links were established with numerous space-borne facilities and assets placed in orbit around the planet. A census was soon initiated to account for everyone who had arrived. And the leaders of each respective faction began taking stock of their situation.
Commander Zavala stood on the balcony plaza of the new Tower, contemplating the familiar sight of the Traveler, hanging silent in the air over the great harbor of their new city. It was…strange, taking in this same sight on a new, foreign world, wrought by a power beyond his reckoning.
When his final demise came, he was finally able to rest, to lay down the ever-increasing burden of command and the mounting weight of loss over centuries. He couldn't clearly recall his afterlife, something to do with maintaining the veil between life and death, but…he remembered that for a long time, he was truly at peace.
And then he was called upon once more, asked to come back and help bring hope to a universe in peril. And even though it arguably wasn't his responsibility, since it wasn't his universe or his people at stake…he found that he just couldn't say no. The people of this new world were in need of help, and the ones who answered the call would need guidance and leadership. His conscience wouldn't allow him to turn away from this. Meeting his old comrades in the liminal space he had been summoned to only strengthened his conviction. He would not be alone in this great endeavor, and that was more than enough.
"You know, if you keep staring at the big guy all day, we're never gonna get anything done," a familiar, amused voice called out.
Zavala instinctively smiled and turned to see none other than his old friend Cayde-6, alive and well once more. They had already had their heartfelt reunion earlier, but he still felt a fresh swell of gratitude at every interaction. It spoke to how devastating his loss was in the last life.
"I mean don't get me wrong, I'm more than happy to kick back with a mimosa or two and enjoy the sea breeze a while, but I have a funny feeling Ikora would come over and yell at us both," he said with a faux-exasperated shrug.
Zavala chuckled. "Yes, I suppose you're right. Sorry, I just got lost in thought. This entire situation we've landed in is…"
"Crazy as all get-out?"
"Unprecedented. But yes, that too. Even having seen the capabilities of Light and Dark, and the powers in between…I never would have imagined something like this."
"Honestly, I'm still absorbing the fact that we've got Fallen–er, Eliksni and Cabal as allies now," Cayde replied. "And that old Saladin is now a freaking Valus, of all things! And…well, uh…Crow. A bit awkward, that."
Zavala winced. "Cayde, I know it's probably hard to believe, but I promise you that-"
"Nah, don't worry about it," Cayde interjected, waving a hand reassuringly. "Ikora gave me the quick and dirty details already. He's still avoiding me like the plague, but…I ain't got no grudge. Maybe I would have once, but…it's a new life, and he's not the same asshole as before. Still weird, but I can deal."
"...I see," Zavala said, letting out a breath. "Well, I'll make sure to tell him for you. I think he'll be relieved to hear it."
"Sure thing. But later, we should probably get a move-on. Ikora wants to arrange a pow-wow with our new neighbors' head honchos."
"Mm, indeed," Zavala replied with a nod. "Then we should get moving."
They both started walking out of the plaza when Cayde spoke up again. "Oh, but once we're done with all the big important stuff for today, we're all gonna sit down together, order mimosas, and you're gonna spill the beans on everything else that happened since I was gone. Wait…shit, do they even have mimosas here?"
Zavala smiled and shook his head. By the Light, he missed this.
Karan S'jet gazed out the window of her new office, taking in the vast, coastal city-scape made of white concrete, silver and gray alloys, shining glass, and stretches of vibrant greenery, with a great blue ocean stretching out beyond the shore. Other landmasses were visible on the horizon, with sandy coastlines and verdant hills, all of it illuminated under the warm light of dawn. It was a beautiful sight, almost as beautiful as the vista that greeted her when she took her first steps upon the surface of Hiigara. Of course, the latter would always have a special place in her heart, as it marked the triumphant end of a long and arduous journey of survival and reclamation.
Alas, it seemed that the Kushan people's spirit and tenacity had drawn the attention of a higher power. An actual god, for what else could they call a being who could create all this and pull souls back from beyond the veil of death? Though their benefactor had explicitly stated they had no wish to be worshiped or even given special regard, the very fact of their current situation was sufficient to spark a theological upheaval among the Kushan. Thankfully though, most everyone who was brought back had their priorities straight, and wasted no time in assuming their respective roles and getting the wheels of civilization turning.
Stranger still was the presence of other polities who had evidently accepted the benefactor's same offers. Many appeared nearly identical to the Kushan physiologically, 'humans' as they called themselves, but they were clearly different culturally and technologically. There were also what appeared to be offshoot subspecies, including a race of gigantic humanoids. Likely the result of either environmental adaptation or bio-engineering, though the latter seemed to defy conventional biology. And then there were dozens of outright alien species, at least two races of androids, sapient machines, and whatever that giant white orb was…
It was a lot to take in, but it seemed that they were all meant to work together in the face of this new universe. And they were well-equipped for the job. Once they got communications online, handshake responses were confirmed from the Pride of Hiigara, the Kuun-Lan, and the Sajuuk, all confirming their presence in orbit, along with hundreds of smaller ships and at least one full-sized shipyard vessel. And that was just one fraction of a greater plethora of assets detected in orbit, the rest evidently belonging to the other polities.
Soon enough, a familiar voice pulled her from her reflections.
"How are you holding up, Karan?" asked Gerard Kaalel, chief of Fleet Intelligence and one of Karan's closest confidants. Though he had been brought back decades younger, there was no mistaking his calm and collected yet warm demeanor. "I know this has all been quite a shock."
Karan smiled. "I'm alright, Gerard. I know that we have a great trial before us once more, but I believe we have everything we need to see it through. And, I confess, I'm a bit excited too. It's not every day one gets to meet with intelligent races from entirely different realities. There's so much we can potentially learn from them."
Gerard nods with a smile of his own. "I'm glad to hear it. I expect we'll all need some of that intrepid spirit, given these strange times. I admit I'm also curious about our new neighbors. On a related note, some of our people, especially the younger folks, are eager to go out and say hello to them in person. For the moment, we've arranged a civilian quarantine cordon around our territory. I doubt our…benefactor would arrange all this and yet allow the possibility of disease transmission between our species and the others, especially given the fully habitable atmosphere and environment, but we're erring on the side of caution until our doctors and biologists have given the all-clear. The other polities have agreed to similar measures until then."
Karan nods. "A good call, though hopefully we won't need to keep it up for long. Regarding that, how's our progress on biological data exchange with the other polities?"
"It's a bit of a mixed bag," Gerard admitted. "On the one hand, our benefactor was kind enough to provide us with protocol adapter software that can interpret the data transmissions from the other factions, so our respective computer systems are able to talk to eachother. On the other hand, we're now trying to analyze the biological data of multiple variants of humans as well as dozens of alien species. Our biologists and medical specialists are working to try and identify any immediate points of concern, but they're saying it may be at least a few days before we can say one way or another. They're reaching out to the other faction's counterparts to work on crunching the data."
"Understood, though I'm of the mind to call for a meeting with the other polities' leadership as soon as possible. If that means holding a remote, virtual summit then so be it. It's critical that we establish diplomatic relations and proper communication channels, as well as to get an idea of their dispositions."
"Got it, I'll inform the other kiith-sas," Gerard replied before a ping came in on his dataslate, prompting him to check the device. "It seems that some of our neighbors are of the same mind. We've just received a request for a high-level leadership meeting from the Alliance of Sol and the Chaldea Security Organization."
Karan nodded. "Then we'd best not keep them waiting."
President Catherine Glass slumped into her office chair with a deep sigh. She had been busy all morning linking up with military and civilian leaders and getting the new NUN government organized, setting priorities and generally making sure that chaos didn't break out on her watch.
Most of these tasks by themselves weren't especially difficult, as their benefactor had pre-arranged things to streamline their efforts, but there was a ton of it to do and keep track of. The good news is that they were very well-supplied, both on the ground and in orbit, with confirmed handshakes from the Macross Frontier and four other sister ships, the Macross Quarter, hundreds of smaller warships and vessels, and one factory micro-satellite.
"You know you don't have to try and personally ride herd on everything by yourself. That's what delegation is for," spoke Howard Glass, her father and former President of NUN and the Frontier fleet.
Their initial reunion was tearful and heartfelt. His murder at the hands of the treacherous Leon Mishima, his former Executive Officer, was a horrifying and traumatic moment in her life, and she was beyond happy to have him back in her life once again. He was brought back decades younger than before, but that was not the oddest thing they had seen today by far. And now, he served as Catherine's Executive Officer. It was quite the twist of fate.
Catherine sighed. "I mean, I know you're right, but aside from you and Captain Wilder, I haven't yet decided on the rest of my cabinet yet. And there's just so much that needs doing right now…Dad, are you sure this is okay, me being President instead of you? I know I made it as far as head administrator of the Frontier colony after landfall, but this is an entirely different ballgame."
"Not as different as you might think, Catherine," Howard replied as he took a seat next to her. "The scale is significantly larger, but many of the responsibilities are similar. It is a heavier burden, I'll admit, but I firmly believe you have what it takes. The people have confidence in you as well, don't forget that.
"Besides, we've talked about this before," he said, leaning back in his chair with a pained expression. "...The truth is, I allowed myself to get too complacent in my last years. Sure, I administered competently enough, but I also got bogged down in the churn of popularity politics, and lacked the vision and awareness to cotton onto what Leon and Grace were up to."
Catherine shook her head. "Dad, please, that's not being fair to yourself. There was a literal, full-blown conspiracy against the NUN government. None of that is your fault."
"...Maybe. But all the same, you were able to tell that something wasn't right, both with Leon and the entire Vajra affair, and you were able to follow the thread, even if you didn't know where it would lead at first. I didn't. I got blindsided, and it cost me my life, at the very least."
He shook his head. "We can't afford another mistake like that here, Catherine. By all accounts, this new universe is far less forgiving than the one we came from, and we need someone with a sharp and vigilant mind to lead us. You were able to help save the Frontier fleet, the Vajra, and the rest of the galaxy from Grace's mad scheme. You can do this Catherine, I know it. And I'll be there to help you this time," he finished, placing a hand over her daughter's.
Catherine felt tears well up in her eyes once more, and took a moment to wipe them with her sleeve, taking a deep, sniffling breath before letting it out. "Then…I guess I'll just have to ensure that I'm worthy of that trust."
Howard nodded with a kind smile. "Attagirl."
Their tender moment was interrupted by an urgent ping on Catherine's desk terminal, showing as a high priority call from Communications. She took a moment to compose herself and then opened a channel. "This is President Glass speaking, go ahead."
"Madam President, this is Chief MacKenzie, communications division," spoke the male voice on the other end. "I'm sorry for the rush call but this couldn't wait. We've just received open requests from the Alliance of Sol, Chaldea Security Organization, and the Kushan Federation for a high-level remote diplomatic summit. How do you want to respond?"
"...Right, thank you for informing me immediately. Advise them that we will attend the summit, and put out our own open request for any remaining independent polities to take part."
"Roger that, Madam President, I'll pass that along. That's everything for now."
"Very good, thank you MacKenzie."
"You're welcome, and good luck Madam President."
With that the line disconnected, and Catherine let out a breath. "Looks like duty calls. Would you hold down the fort while I attend the summit?"
Howard smiled and nodded. "Of course."
She smiled warmly in return. "Right, then I guess it's time to meet the neighbors."
Olga Marie Animusphere sat at her desk with forehead cradled in hand as Leonardo Da Vinci finished giving her latest situation report. Other important members of Chaldea were gathered here as well, including Doctor Romani, also known as the Heroic Spirit Solomon, former Director Goredolf Musik, now Vice Director of Chaldea, former Team A leader Kirchtaria Wodime, and last but not least, Master Ritsuka Fujimaru and Demi-Servant Mash Kyrielight.
What had transpired was a Miracle, full stop. The entity who recruited them all for this damned fool quest had somehow tracked down all their souls post-Death, including persons from other parallel timelines of human history, transplanted them all into new bodies, and then transposed everyone and a revised replica of Chaldea's entire main base into an entirely different universe, in a new solar system far from Earth.
The madness didn't stop there. Detailed analysis determined conclusively that the metaphysical rules underpinning material reality here were also completely different from their home world, and yet the entity had somehow woven a layer of the Human Order into this reality, allowing magecraft to function. On top of all this, their sensors and Casters were detecting the presence of other magic-like energy fields present on this world, including one that was both uncannily similar and yet subtly different from their own.
This was far beyond the power of the Beasts and ancient Gods, beyond the Trees of Emptiness…and likely beyond even the domain of Gaia itself.
At the time, she had been so desperate for a second chance to lead Chaldea, to get things right this time, that she hadn't fully comprehended the magnitude of what she was getting into. And now, according to the information provided by the entity that placed them here, they had to cooperate in with six other trans-universal factions, including space aliens, in order to contend with a galaxy-spanning feudal-fascist human empire lead by a half-dead God-Emperor, multiple other extremely hostile alien races, and a pantheon of malevolent galaxy-spanning Gods that ruled over a hellishly corrupted version of this reality's Reverse Side of the World.
It was insanity of the highest order. But there was no turning back now.
"…I think I'm gonna hurl," Olga groaned weakly.
"Deep breaths, Director, deep breaths," Doctor Romani said, placing a hand on her shoulder. Normally she would sharply chastise such familiar physical contact, but right now she was letting it slide.
Of all the people who had been brought back, hardly anyone expected Solomon's return, perhaps least of all himself. After he had cast Ars Nova, he thought that was the end for good. Clearly this was a day of surprises all around. But most everyone was very happy to see him again, Ritsuka and Mash most of all. They had cried on his shoulders while hugging him for a good five minutes at least.
Really, they were happy to see just about everyone again, even some of the members of Team A who had become their enemies during the Lostbelt War. Only two members among their number hadn't been brought back, Beryl Gut and Daybit Sem Void…which made sense, given their actions and…disposition.
"You know, if I hadn't been through so much with Novum Chaldea, I think I'd be having a mental breakdown myself right about now. I know I accepted the bargain, but even by the standards of what we've encountered before, this whole situation is absurd!" Goredolf complained.
"And yet, here we are," Kirchtaria calmly interjected. "We've all chosen to accept the entity's offer, and ultimately, our core mission hasn't changed. To protect humanity. Fretting over what was once impossible won't help us now."
"That's rich coming from one of our greatest enemies. The entity may have been willing to overlook your betrayal, Wodime, but don't think for a moment that I will do the same," Goredolf growled.
"Please stop, Vice Director Goredolf!" Ritsuka spoke up. "You know as well as I do that Kirchtaria was under duress from the Foreign G-"
"No," Kirchtaria cut him off. "Don't try to defend me, Ritsuka. I can understand why you would think that way, and your willingness to forgive is admirable. But despite the extenuating circumstances, that doesn't absolve me of responsibility for my choices. I could have refused the Foreign God's demands and accepted oblivion. It might have changed how things turned out…or maybe it wouldn't have. But ultimately, I made the choice to betray Proper Human History. What I did could validly be called evil, despite my goals and intentions."
Kirchtaria turned to Olga. "I will not apologize for doing what I believed was the right course of action under the circumstances…but, I do genuinely feel remorse for the harm that resulted. And I will not shirk responsibility for that. I accepted this second chance to try and make amends, but if you deem that my crimes are too great, then I will accept any punishment…even if it costs my life. I would only ask that you consider granting some modicum of leniency toward the rest of Team A-"
"Enough," Olga spoke up harshly, causing Kirchtaria to fall silent. "...Enough. In the face of all conceivable logic and reason, we've all been given a second life, a mission, and the means to protect humanity once more…even if it's not our own humanity. I failed Chaldea miserably when we were needed at our best, and I refuse to allow such a horrific tragedy to befall us again."
She then raised her head and glared furiously at Wodime with tears welling in her eyes.
"Do you understand, Wodime? I REFUSE!!" she shouted, slamming her fist on her desk, causing Ritsuka, Mash and Goredolf to all flinch. "...Right now, I…we need every single able-bodied mage, staff member, and Servant we have to prepare for what's ahead of us. We are well beyond the point of relitigating past sins. So no, Kirchtaria Wodime, I will not punish you for your prior transgressions."
"But you and the rest of Team A have severely damaged my trust, and I have not forgiven you for that. The others may be willing to show you mercy, but you had better believe that I will have you and the rest of your teammates work like dogs until you have earned my forgiveness. And Wodime?...If you betray us again, I will literally have your head on a plate. Do I make myself clear?"
By the end of her ultimatum, even Kirchtaria had started to sweat a bit, in spite of his outwardly unflappable demeanor. He bowed low at the waist to her. "Completely, Director Animusphere. I am at your disposal."
"...I will hold you to that," Olga said, slumping back in her seat and wiping her face before taking a shuddering breath, centering herself. "Okay…okay. First things first. Fujimaru, Kyrielight."
Both of them flinched again at being called upon. "Y-yes!" they blurted, standing up straighter instinctively.
"...I've read the logs recorded from the Incineration of Humanity and the Lostbelt War…and your performance under such extraordinary circumstances was outstanding. Mash Kyrielight, you sacrificed your life once to save our last hope against Goetia, and have risked life and limb on countless other occasions to fulfill your duty.
"And you, Ritsuka Fujimaru," she said with a resigned expression on her face. "…when we first met, and even during the Fuyuki Singularity, I honestly didn't believe you had what it took to be a true master candidate. But you've proven me utterly wrong. Your deeds were nothing short of heroic, and serve as a shining example of what a master of Chaldea should be. So…thank you, both of you. For everything. I hope I can count on you both to continue doing your utmost to help safeguard us all in these extraordinary times."
Both of them practically swelled with emotion as they stood up even straighter.
"We will, Director!" "Thank you, Director!"
Olga nodded, a slight smile playing over her lips. "Good. Now then, since we've confirmed that Chaldea Base is fully operational and provisioned, our next major task is to open formal diplomatic relations with the other factions that have been transposed here along with us. In line with this task, by my authority as Director of Chaldea, I hereby formally rescind the concealment of the existence of magecraft, effective immediately."
That got everyone's attention, Vice Director Goredolf especially as he began sputtering in shock. "D-Director Animusphere, surely you can't be serious! The veil of secrecy around magecraft is one of the fundamental precepts of our organization, of mage society! The Mage's Association would never tolerate-"
"The Mage's Association isn't here, Vice Director," Olga interrupted him with a stern look. "We're no longer even in the same universe anymore. The database the entity provided us confirms that the existence of psykers is at least partly open knowledge in this local universe alone, and we already have confirmation of at least three of the new factions using some form of metaphysical abilities openly. Even the foundational principles of magecraft as we know them are currently in a state of partial flux as a result of the entity's actions and the absence of the World's principles. And that's not even touching on the fact that everyone present on this planet has directly and personally witnessed the entity's miracle. There's no putting that genie back in the bottle."
"I…I acknowledge that we're in extraordinary circumstances, even more so than usual," Vice Director Goredolf began, looking a bit shaken, but not quite convinced. "But even so, are we truly certain that revealing the existence of magecraft won't eventually degrade its efficacy in this new world? The last thing we need right now is a repeat of the Agartha incident."
"If I may, Vice Director," Da Vinci spoke up. "I've been going over the preliminary observation data of our magecraft foundations and sensor telemetry with the help of Doctor Romani and a few of our other Casters. And while I admit that we're still in the early stages of analysis, the patterns in the data compared to previous baselines strongly suggest that we're now operating in a whole new metaphysical paradigm akin to a Pseudo Age of Gods, though to be frank, even that comparison doesn't quite do what we're seeing justice."
"Our magecraft as it currently functions doesn't appear to be any more potent than normal, but this new skein of reality appears to have much more mystic potential present than in our world of origin. Additionally, in this universe, science and magic coexist to a much greater degree, and our newly-woven patch of the Human Order appears to reflect this, meaning that our magecraft foundations should theoretically be capable of operating under conditions of general widespread knowledge without loss of effectiveness. Olga was informed of this while you were out running headcount and status checks with our various departments, so I apologize for not getting you the details sooner."
Olga nods. "And there you have it. Make no mistake, Vice Director. The time for secrecy is well and truly over. While I have no issue keeping our more dangerous knowledge under lock and key, trying to conceal our capabilities in general at this juncture will only hinder us at best, and is thus a waste of precious time and effort. Moreover, trying to enforce the veil of secrecy around magecraft could end up sowing distrust among our would-be allies, who, as an additional reminder, utterly outnumber us. Now do you understand the rationale for my decision?"
Goredolf sighed and slumped slightly. "...I understand, Director. I have no further objections on the matter."
"Good, because I need everyone on the same page for what comes next."
2B and 9S stood next to each other on a balcony overlooking the coastal cityscape below, a gentle breeze caressing their hair and skin, their blindfolds absent. They gazed upon a world where the sun actually moved in the sky. Where the land and sea and air weren't infested by hostile Machines. Where all the friends and comrades they had lost over the years had been returned to life. Where humanity lived again.
A world where hope lived again.
2B feared that this might be just some cruel trick, an ephemeral dream that she could wake up from at any moment. But it seemed it was all real. 9S, Jackass, and many others ran test after test, diagnostic after diagnostic, and all of their sensors and internals were functioning optimally. But even more crucially, all of the shackles and Logic Virus vulnerabilities that had been programmed into them and their Pods since the beginning of the YoRHa program had been completely erased, root and stem.
They were all now truly free to make their own decisions. And in some ways, that was even more terrifying.
Ultimately, the former Resistance leader Anemone had been elected as their Commander in Chief. And together with her most trusted advisors, she immediately reconstituted the Android-Machine Compact, an organization which, in their last life, had been formed in the wake of the destruction of YoRHa and the subsequent revelation of the sham it had perpetuated about humanity's true fate.
It was a federated polity dedicated to the protection and flourishing of Androids, as well as coexistence-minded Machines. And while its members would still fight to defend themselves from hostile Machines and rogue Androids, they refused to tolerate the pointless cruelties and suffering deliberately inflicted between their own kind like the Army of Humanity, the Machine Network intelligence, and YoRHa had done, and had endeavored to make an actual society for themselves amidst the ruins of Earth.
Of course, now that they were all brought back to life again in this new world…the situation had changed drastically. The ever-present threat of hostile Machines was now gone, there were new threats on the horizon, and humanity was now returned in the flesh, though apparently not their own humanity. Rather, it was humans and even other intelligent species drawn from completely separate universes, all brought back from death, same as themselves.
But most troubling at all…they were faced with the prospect of having to potentially fight against the humanity of this universe, this Imperium of Man. From what the mysterious god told them, they were like a twisted mirror of YoRHa writ large. Utterly zealous and uncompromising in their pursuit of their specific vision of human supremacy, regardless of how many of their own people they oppressed or killed. Mankind was everything, but humans were expendable. Mere tools to be used up in the crucible of endless war.
Just like they were, once.
The words "Glory to Mankind" never rang so hollow.
A gentle laugh from 9S pulled 2B from her ruminations. "What's so funny, Nines?" she asked.
"Oh, uh, sorry 2B. It's just…I don't think I could ever get tired of this. I can hear so many of them talking over the radio bands," he said, meaning that literally, since owing to his model's innate sensory capabilities. "So many of them are curious and eager to meet and learn more about each other, despite being from completely different realities. Even many of the aliens are the same. It's…incredible."
2B couldn't help but smile a bit. It warmed her to see Nines happy and hopeful. After everything that had happened…and everything she had done to him, he deserved it.
"...Do you…think we'll be able to get along with them?" 2B asked.
9S looked down a bit, his fingers lacing together on the balcony railing as he considered the question. "...I think we can, and I believe that we need to. But…I can't help but worry about what they might think of us. After all, androids were created to help protect humanity, and we failed. And that's not even getting into what YoRHa…what we did to each other…and some of the Machines too…" his fingers clenched tighter, a grimace of shame marring his expression as he recalled his prior merciless behavior and descent into madness after 2Bs death.
On seeing this, 2B gently wrapped her arms around the young man and pulled him into a gentle hug, causing him to blink and blush in surprise.
"...Nines…we all did horrible things," 2B said gently. "But we were also cursed from the very beginning. We were bound by invisible shackles and lies. Many of our choices were not truly our own. But things are different now. We're now free to think for ourselves and decide what future we want. You were willing to forgive me for what I've done, so I've decided that my future is by your side, no matter what. Besides, A2 forgave you too, remember?"
9S took in her words and responded by hugging 2B back, laying his face against her collarbone. "...I know. Really, I do. I know you've said it before, and it makes me so happy that it's almost painful," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "But even so…I just don't know if I can forgive myself yet. I…want to do better this time, to be better than I was, and see things more clearly. I…I never want to fall back into that dark place I was in again."
2B nodded, raising a hand to gently stroke his hair. "I understand, truly. And I promise I'll do everything I can to help you. Just as I'm sure you'll do the same for me."
9S nodded as the two of them gently released their mutual hug, allowing him to sniff and wipe the tears from his eyes and cheeks. "...Thanks again, 2B."
They talked for a few minutes longer until Pod 042 hovered back over. "2B and 9S, you have a priority call from Commander White. Advisory: priority code authorization appended to the call has been issued directly by Commander in Chief Anemone. I am thus required to relay the call, independently of your specific response."
2B sighed. She had…highly conflicted feelings about Commander White. On one hand, she was deeply complicit in YoRHa's cruelty, but on the other, she was also bound by many of the same shackles as her subordinates, and 2B knew from her latest interactions that she felt genuine shame and remorse over her actions after learning the full truth of the YoRHa project. It was…a gigantic mess of emotions, putting it mildly.
But given the priority assigned to the call, this had to be something important, so she did her best to set her feelings aside for now.
"Understood, patch her through," 2B replied evenly.
With that, Pod 042 displayed a holographic window opened with a live feed of Commander White. "2B, thank you for your quick response. Commander in Chief Anemone is putting together a diplomatic team in response to the virtual summit invitation from the other factions that arrived alongside us. She wants you and 9S to be part of the delegation. We believe that your…specific insights and experiences from the end of the 14th Machine War would help clarify our situation with the other factions. However, this is a voluntary request, not an order."
Commander White's gaze turned downward. "...I realize I have no right to ask anything more of you two, after everything that happened…but I will ask anyway. Would you both help us?"
2B paused for a moment and turned to 9S. "What do you think, Nines?"
"...I think…I think we should be part of the delegation," 9S replied. "If what we've seen and experienced can help build good relations with these new humans and the other species…then I think it's worth it to participate."
"...I understand," she said before turning back to the video feed. "In that case, we agree to be part of the diplomatic mission."
A look of immediate relief graced Commander White's face. "Thank you both, truly. This means a great deal to us."
"I have a question though. Who else is going to be part of the team?" 9S asked.
"As of now, Anemone, Pascal, myself, and the two of you will be present. We had requested for A2 to join us as well, but…she said she's not ready to deal with being near me yet. I decided not to press the issue."
"I see. That's…probably for the best," 9S said. "...What about, uh…Adam and Eve? They were key leaders of the Machines during the war. Shouldn't they be part of this?"
"...Pascal indicated that the two of them are…emotionally indisposed right now. For the time being, they want to be left alone."
9S sighed. "...Yeah…I can't really blame them for that. Alright, when are we meeting up?"
"First, we'll all gather at the main headquarters in one hour," Commander White replied. "We'll then take a couple more hours to go over relevant information before joining the virtual summit."
"Understood, we'll be ready," 2B replied.
"Thank you 2B, 9S. That's all for now. Commander White out." The video feed then closed out.
Handler Walter stood on the rooftop plaza of the RLF's new headquarters, cane in hand as watched the sunrise, feeling the cool breeze on his face. Though he didn't truly need his cane anymore since being brought back in prime condition, old habits died hard.
His expression was one of melancholic resignation. He remembered everything leading up to his demise. His capture by Arquebus after 621 was ambushed at the foot of the Vascular Plant. The 're-education' and Coral augmentations forced upon him. The enforced directive Arquebus gave him, and subsequently, his final battle against 621 aboard the Xylem, wreathed in the flames of atmospheric re-entry.
Seeing Ayre for the first time…and mustering the will to stay his hand at the very end.
It was only after his death and resurrection that he fully realized the error of the path he had taken up to that point. The Coral wasn't just a dangerous and potentially universe-altering substance. It was alive. It could, and did, develop sapient intelligence. Ayre, the voice who had befriended 621, was one such Coral waveform. It was their shared bond, and the understanding that there were people living within the Coral flow, that convinced 621 to reject Overseer's plan. To choose the path of coexistence, full of unknowns though it was.
Had 621 chosen to follow through with his original wishes, not only would it have triggered another interstellar catastrophe, it would have meant committing genocide against the first alien species that humanity had ever encountered.
Some part of him still feared the Coral. It being alive and capable of sapience didn't make it any less dangerous under the right circumstances. But that fear was now tempered by deep shame, for trying to kill an entire species whose only crime was to exist in the first place, no less because it was humanity's fault for exploiting it so recklessly.
And now, he had been brought back. Just one of many godly miracles invoked for the sake of bringing hope to a hopeless galaxy. The entity who made this happen believed he was worthy of a chance at redemption. He didn't know if he could bring himself to believe that.
"You've got that ruminating look on your face again," a familiar voice spoke up. Walter turned to his right to see "Cinder" Carla approaching. She wore an easy smile, but her eyes told a different story. She wasn't taking this any easier than he was.
"...I'm still trying to come to terms with…everything," He admitted.
"Yeah...we really fucked up," Carla agreed with a heavy sigh. "To be honest, I'm surprised that the RLF didn't decide to just have us shot."
The both of them were acutely aware of the armed guards stationed nearby. Indeed, the leadership of the RLF could have decided to have either of them executed, or at the very least thrown in prison and left to rot. Considering their prior actions and intentions, it would not have been hard to justify.
It was the combination of the current extraordinary circumstances and both 621 and Ayre interceding on their behalf that Jonathan "Middle" Flatwell, the RLF's commander and now chief executive, decided to show mercy. His reasoning was that the resurrection and universal transference event represented a true 'clean slate', and that none of them would have been brought back without good reason.
So the two of them were instead to be placed under special observation, along with the resurrected pilots from Balam and Arquebus. That said, Flatwell told them in no uncertain terms that if they showed any sign of attempting to ignite another Coral catastrophe, he would shoot the both of them himself. Walter had no reason to doubt him.
Thankfully, neither of them had any intention of trying again. Not after learning of the sapient waveforms that lived in the Coral flow.
"Still…the Liberator of Rubicon, huh? Sounds like the tourist did some real good, didn't he?" she commented with a slight smirk.
Walter couldn't help but smile a little at that. "Yeah, he certainly did," he replied, feeling a swell of pride at how 621 had carved his own path, against all odds.
As the two of them conversed, another figure watched the two of them from a distance, clearly conflicted on whether to approach or to stay away.
He felt a familiar, gentle electric chime echo in his mind, the edges of his vision glowing slightly red.
"Raven, it's okay if you feel like you can't face them yet," Ayre tried to reassure him. "For what it's worth…I don't believe that they'll blame you for what happened before. But if you feel that you need more time, then that's okay."
Before the young man could respond, a call came in on his AR communicator. It was from "Middle" Flatwell.
He looked over to Walter and Carla once more before stepping back and accepting the call. "This is Raven, go ahead."
"Raven, I'm sorry to spring this on you on short notice, but there's soon going to be a remote diplomatic summit held between us and the other factions that have been brought to this world. You're one of the few people among us who is in active Contact with a Coral waveform, so we would like you and Ayre to join us. I realize this isn't your area of expertise, and to be sure, I won't be asking you to do any negotiating yourself. I just want you and Ayre to be present to share your respective experiences if needed. Would you help us?"
"...Yeah, I think I can do that," he replied evenly. "Ayre, do you have any issues with that?"
She then spliced herself into the audio channel. "Not at all. If we can help assure the other polities of the Coral's desire for symbiotic coexistence, then I absolutely want to help."
"Very good, then please join me in my office. We have a great deal to discuss."
Alphinaud couldn't help but feel slightly overwhelmed as he once more stood amongst his fellow Scions, his family, all together again in their primes.
When his life finally came to a close, he imagined that he would drift peacefully into Hydaelyn's aethereal sea, his memories fading into echoes while his soul went on to be reborn as a new person, sometime in thd unknowable future.
Instead, he and millions of others were summoned from beyond the transdimensional Rift, called upon to live again in order to help bring the light of hope to a universe mired in darkness and suffering.
Knowing that his comrades, his family, had also been called on…there was really no contest. He accepted.
And now, he was back among the living with the Scions once more, all convening together within a replica of the Rising Stones. Not just the ones who lived out the rest of their lives before, but also Moenbryda, Papalymo, and Minfilia. Needless to say, it was a deeply emotional reunion for everyone, especially Thancred, Lyse, and Urianger.
Even Ryne was here, along with many, many other people from the First reflection of Hydaelyn. It was a miracle among miracles.
And now, they had to decide how to proceed from here.
"So to sum up, our collective goal is to establish ourselves in a universe with multiple powerful and extremely hostile alien races, as well as rampant incursions by demonic forces even more dangerous than voidsent. On top of all this, we're supposed to contest an oppressive, theocratic, and fanatically xenophobic stars-spanning empire," Alisaie says, shaking her head with a deep sigh, her arms folded as they collectively went over what they knew from the information provided by the entity that brought them all here.
"To be sure, I'm fully onboard with doing whatever we can to help, you all know that. But this…this feels way too big for the combined forces of a single world. This Imperium supposedly rules over millions of stars, and their biggest enemies are similarly widespread. The scale of it all defies belief. Even if we had multiple lifetimes to work with, I just don't know how we would make meaningful progress."
"Verily, the task before us is gargantuan in scale and difficulty and fraught with great peril," Urianger agrees. "Indeed, this will all but certainly be the work of ages. However, I believe thou doth underestimate the advantages conferred on us by the deity that beseeched our aid. I'm given to understand that, just like ourselves, everyone brought back from beyond the veil of death did so with due consultation of the trials ahead. That they chose to answer anyway suggests no shortage of courage or motivation, and we all well know the feats made possible by shared unity of purpose."
"And according to the report from the Lopporits, the other societies summoned to this universe have significant spacefaring capabilities of their own," Y'Shtola adds, her eyes fully functional again in her revived form as she met the gazes of her companions. "It's very likely that these other polities likely have experience in matters of inter-star governance and conflict. Depending on the technologies at their disposal, we may be at a substantial advantage in spite of our comparatively small numbers."
"We've certainly gained plenty of experience in uniting diverse peoples and fighting against tyranny," G'raha says. "I also believe that our magic ability and our collective experience in combating ethereal foes and corruptive forces will be crucial."
"Indeed. It's going to be difficult, trying to adapt our societies to extend beyond the lands of this star's surface, but I know what our people are capable of," Alphinaud states with conviction. "I have no doubt that we'll be able to rise to the challenge."
Minfilia smiles and nods at that. "I agree wholeheartedly. For now though, our first order of business will be to convene with the leaders of the other states and tribes of Hydaelyn, and from there, get in contact with the other outerversal polities' leaders," she said just before her linkpeal began to ring.
"One moment, it looks like Cid is calling," she says before opening the line.
After a short conversation, she disconnected and turned to the rest of the group. "It seems there's been an open invitation by the other polities for a virtual summit, apparently via radio transmission, so it looks like the Eorzean Alliance leaders, as well as the tribal delegates, will be convening at the new Garlond Ironworks headquarters."
"Well then, that settles where we're all going next," Thancred replies, looking over to a certain Paladin, the cornerstone of their band of heroes. "How about you, Zeke? Think you're up for a bit of diplomatic wrangling with our new neighbors?" he asks with a smirk.
The Warrior of Light answers with a gentle smirk of his own. "Are you kidding? I wouldn't miss it for the world."
By mid-day, all seven factions had joined the virtual summit.
From the Alliance of Sol, there was Commander Zavala, Ikora Rey, and Cayde-6 representing the Vanguard. Representing the Cabal were Empress Caiatl, her Psion adjutant Uxil*, and Valus Saladin Forge. Representing the Eliksni were Mithrax, Kell of House Light, and his aide and daughter Eido. Finally, rounding them out were Queen Mara of the Reefborn Awoken, Ana Bray, and Rasputin in his Exo form.
From the Kushan Federation, there was Karan S'jet, Melkor Somtaaw**, Valera Manaan, Thaden Naabal, Jeddha Paktu, Maya Soban, and Abram Sagald, collectively representing the major Kiiths of the Daiamid. In addition, Petros Elson, former officer of the Taiidan Rebellion during the Homeworld War, was present as a representative of the Taiidan who had defected to the Kushan Federation, as well as the Kiithless in general.
From the New United Nations, there was President Catherine Glass, Executive Officer Howard Glass, and representatives of the Zentradi and Meltrandi, the Zolan, the Voldorians, and the Ragnan.
From the Chaldea Security Organization, there was Director Olga Marie Animusphere, Doctor Romani Archaman, and Leonardo da Vinci.
From the Android-Machine Compact, there was Commander in Chief Anemone, Commander White, Pascal, 2B, and 9S.
From the Rubicon Liberation Front, there was Chief Executive Jonathan "Middle" Flatwell, Commander Alex "Rusty" Callahan, and C4-621 "Raven" and Ayre.
And finally, from the Eorzean Alliance and allied tribes and nations, there was Sultana Nanamo Ul Namo and Flame General Pipin Tarupin, Admiral Merlwyb Bloefhiswyn and Grand Storm Marshall Eynzahr Slafyrsyn, Elder Seedseer Kan-E-Senna and Grand Serpent Marshall Swethryk Brookstone, Speaker Aymeric de Borel and Lord Commander Lucia Junius, Prime Minister Lyse Hext and General Raubahn Aldynn, Lord Hien Rijin and his retainer Yugiri Mistwalker, Representative Fourchenault Leveilleur, Chief Councilor Lyna, Mayor Chai-Nuzz, the dragons Hraesvelgr, Tiamat, and Vrtra, representatives of the allied beastmen tribes, and finally, the Scions of the Seventh Dawn.
The words shared in this meeting set the course of all their futures.
* Uxil is the name I have given to the Psion that Crow accidentally killed during the Season of the Risen.
** Melkor Somtaaw is the name I have given to the Fleet Commander from Homeworld: Cataclysm. Credit for this name goes to the user @Arcanestomper, who came up with it for his faction in the Cosmolux RP on Sufficient Velocity.
The prior policy choices were chosen for the general form and economy of the coalition:
Federal Union - Each faction has limited autonomy, and the federal government has greater direct authority over the laws and internal affairs of member polities, or at least can set formal laws establishing what is and is not allowed for local-level policy. High difficulty.
Decentralized Socialist Economy - A system in which most civilian capital is subject to public control, mostly in the form of local and regional co-operatives and other community organizations based on democratic governance, with private ownership largely being limited to personal-scale businesses. Ensures broad and highly equitable allocation of capital and resources, but may experience co-ordination problems at larger scales.
Now, the next vote will be to determine the specifics of the federal government's core organization and functionality. There will be five main categories voted on for this round:
Division of Powers
Legislative Structure
Executive Structure
Electoral System
Decision-Making Focus
You must vote for AT LEAST one option in each category, though you may also vote for more than one per category.
Players may also propose Write-In options, though their logic must be clear and digestible, and not take up more than one paragraph. These are general flavors of government, so no need to get super-specific at this stage.
Division of Powers
[] Parliamentary System (Dualistic) - The head of government and the executive cabinet are subordinate and accountable to the legislative branch, however they cannot also hold member seats on the legislature for the duration of their executive administration.
[] Parliamentary System (Westminster) - The head of government and the executive cabinet in are subordinate and accountable to the legislative branch, and they concurrently hold member seats on the legislature.
[] Premier-Presidential System - The head of state is popularly elected, and appoints the head of government and the cabinet with parliamentary approval. But the head of government and the executive cabinet are exclusively accountable to the legislature, which has the sole ability to remove them from office by motion of no confidence.
[] President-Parliamentary System - The head of state is popularly elected, and the head of government and executive cabinet are accountable to both the legislature and the head of state. The head of state chooses the head of government and the cabinet with parliamentary approval, and they may be removed either through dismissal from the head of state or by motion of no confidence by the legislature.
[] Presidential System - The head of government is popularly elected and also serves as the head of state. They are highly independent from the legislature, have the sole power to appoint or dismiss cabinet members, though this may require confirmation from the legislature. They may also be able to veto legislation.
[] Write-In
Legislative Structure
[] Unicameralism - The legislature is comprised of a single primary body of representatives.
[] Bicameralism (Advisory) - The legislature is comprised of two bodies of representatives, a lower house that serves as the primary decision-making body, and an upper house that represents constituent elements of the union, either by species or by member state. The upper house serves in an advisory capacity, and can make suggested amendments to legislation, but cannot block or veto the passing of legislation by the lower house.
[] Bicameralism (Moderate) - The legislature is comprised of two bodies of representatives, a lower house that serves as the primary decision-making body, and an upper house that represents different elements of the union, either by species or by member state. The upper house may introduce certain types of legislation, and can propose amendments to lower house bills. Generally the lower house can override upper house amendments, but for certain types of legislation, either a super-majority is needed for override, or approval of both houses is required for passage.
[] Bicameralism (Strong) - The legislature is comprised of two bodies of representatives, a lower house that serves as the primary decision-making body, and an upper house that represents different elements of the union, either by species or by member state. Both houses can introduce and amend most types of legislation, and approval of both houses is required for passage into law.
[] Write-In
Executive Structure
[] Single Executive - One individual serves as the head of government, and bears final decision-making authority over all matters of the executive branch.
[] Council Executive - Rather than a single head of government, executive authority is instead vested in a multi-member council, which may be the cabinet itself with ministerial/department heads collectively making decisions, or may be a separate body from the cabinet.
[] Write-In
Electoral System
[] Proportional Representation - Election methodology that ensures that subgroups of the electorate are generally reflected proportionally in the primary (or lower) legislative body, whether by means of Party List PR, Mixed Member PR, Single Transferable Vote, etc.
[] Mixed Electoral System - Election methodology that combines methods of majoritarian and proportional representation for choosing members of the primary (or lower) legislative body, whether by means of Parallel Voting, Mixed Member PR, Additional Member Systems, etc.
[] Write-In
Decision-Making Focus
[] Consensus - Legislative processes that encourage development of agreement of as many members as reasonably possible through deliberation, generally with the aim of securing a super-majority of approval. Unanimity is not required and dissent is included in the process of decision-making.
[] Majority Vote - Legislative processes that aim to secure a minimum of a majority of votes for approval.
[] Write-In
Due to the amount of choices to consider, there will be a moratorium on voting until 12 PM CST on 11/10/2023, to allow time for discussion and proposals for write-ins. From there, voting will conclude in 4 days.
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...Hoo boy. This choice is likely to stir some tempers.
Especially because everyone has a different opinion of what the "wrong" governance is.
For my personal opinion? Anything that lets us avoid the current bullshitium-grade deadlock in the US Congress is a win in my book. If that means that Strong Bicameralism has to die, then so be it, because letting the damned legislators have that much laxity is dangerous.
Aside from that, the Executive setups are anyone's game. Each has reasonable advantages and disadvantages, and not everyone likes having a strong Executive, so the debates there should be interesting. I will note that most of the parliamentary system derivatives are built on a very specific compromise with respect to the rights of Nobles, and not necessarily meant for the actual good of the nation itself. Worth keeping in mind as we discuss.
Especially because everyone has a different opinion of what the "wrong" governance is.
For my personal opinion? Anything that lets us avoid the current bullshitium-grade deadlock in the US Congress is a win in my book. If that means that Strong Bicameralism has to die, then so be it, because letting the damned legislators have that much laxity is dangerous.
Aside from that, the Executive setups are anyone's game. Each has reasonable advantages and disadvantages, and not everyone likes having a strong Executive, so the debates there should be interesting. I will note that most of the parliamentary system derivatives are built on a very specific compromise with respect to the rights of Nobles, and not necessarily meant for the actual good of the nation itself. Worth keeping in mind as we discuss.
Plus, it has to make sense for a Space Faring Civilization like ours.
Wouldn't want to vote for something that only works on a PLANET BOUND CIVILIZATION and no where else.
Because, eventually, many people from the 40k universe will be joining us. Lets keep that in mind.
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Do we vote by plan?
BobTheNinja
Sword of Possibility
- Location
- Multiverse Sector Texas
I would advise against voting by plan in this case. These votes (along with the ones that comes after) will be foundational to the union's character and structure, and I really want everyone to consider the different aspects being presented and make an informed and ideally nuanced decision on what characteristics they want to see implemented.
What about the confederation vote I thought that was good one
Arjac
Retreating Backwards
Since we have the Decentralized Socialist Economy locked in, there's already co-operatives and the like that will handle a lot of local decision making, this would essentially have them serve as electoral units as well as economic.
Discord discussion indicates this probably isn't a good fit for current voting categories, putting this on backburner for now.
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no. companies shall not have political power, even when said companies should be made up of the people and work for the people under our target model, this will absolutely run into some rather major issues.
although if the smaller groups are just the local governing bodies instead of corporations, this might be something to incorporate into things in a later vote.
anyways...
[X] President-Parliamentary System - The head of state is popularly elected, and the head of government and executive cabinet are accountable to both the legislature and the head of state. The head of state appoints the head of government and the cabinet with parliamentary approval, and they may be removed either through dismissal from the head of state or by motion of no confidence by the legislature.
best balancing point between having a parliamentary system and having a strong executive branch that can make swift decisions when it is needed, especially when the president is replaced with a small council that can in of itself represent the people in some way; or at the very least bring more actual expertise in the areas of governance to the executive branch instead of just expertise in campaigning.
[X] Bicameralism (Moderate) - The legislature is comprised of two bodies of representatives, a lower house that serves as the primary decision-making body, and an upper house that represents different elements of the union, either by species or by member state. The upper house may introduce certain types of legislation, and can propose amendments to lower house bills. Generally the lower house can override upper house amendments, but for certain types of legislation, either a super-majority is needed for override, or approval of both houses is required for passage.
while probably not as necessary right now as it will be later if/when we start assimilating Imperial Hive Worlds, having a bicameralism system provides some semi-necessary checks and balances between our differently sized starting factions.choosing medium is good for actually providing those checks, while also not running into some issues that America has that came from this mode of governance.
[X] Council Executive - Rather than a single head of government, executive authority is instead vested in a multi-member council, which may be the cabinet itself with ministerial/department heads collectively making decisions, or may be a separate body from the cabinet.
better representation, less vulnerable to assassination, and more likely to have the correct areas of expertise available in the executive branch for it to be fully effective.
[X] Proportional Representation - Election methodology that ensures that subgroups of the electorate are generally reflected proportionally in the primary (or lower) legislative body, whether by means of Party List PR, Mixed Member PR, Single Transferable Vote, etc.
this area probably needs a write-in, but of the two listed areas this one is much better at giving our minority groups an actual voice in the government
[X] Consensus - Legislative processes that encourage development of agreement of as many members as reasonably possible through deliberation, generally with the aim of securing a super-majority of approval. Unanimity is not required and dissent is included in the process of decision-making.
good for ensuring that our smaller groups have a say in things, and is probably better at stimulating actual intellectual dialogue in our government about what they are actually supposed to do instead of just making behind-the-scenes deals for the necessary votes.
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Npt170
Primordial god of order
[X] Parliamentary System (Westminster) - The head of government and the executive cabinet in are subordinate and accountable to the legislative branch, and they concurrently hold member seats on the legislature.
[X] Unicameralism - The legislature is comprised of a single primary body of representatives.
[X] Council Executive - Rather than a single head of government, executive authority is instead vested in a multi-member council, which may be the cabinet itself with ministerial/department heads collectively making decisions, or may be a separate body from the cabinet.
[X] Proportional Representation - Election methodology that ensures that subgroups of the electorate are generally reflected proportionally in the primary (or lower) legislative body, whether by means of Party List PR, Mixed Member PR, Single Transferable Vote, etc.
[X] Consensus - Legislative processes that encourage development of agreement of as many members as reasonably possible through deliberation, generally with the aim of securing a super-majority of approval. Unanimity is not required and dissent is included in the process of decision-making.
[X] Unicameralism - The legislature is comprised of a single primary body of representatives.
[X] Council Executive - Rather than a single head of government, executive authority is instead vested in a multi-member council, which may be the cabinet itself with ministerial/department heads collectively making decisions, or may be a separate body from the cabinet.
[X] Proportional Representation - Election methodology that ensures that subgroups of the electorate are generally reflected proportionally in the primary (or lower) legislative body, whether by means of Party List PR, Mixed Member PR, Single Transferable Vote, etc.
[X] Consensus - Legislative processes that encourage development of agreement of as many members as reasonably possible through deliberation, generally with the aim of securing a super-majority of approval. Unanimity is not required and dissent is included in the process of decision-making.
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Arjac
Retreating Backwards
Given that certain labor groups are less centralized IE farmers and domestic workers, it'd be closer to say that unions would have political power.
In any case, per edit, the point appear moot for now.
Npt170
Primordial god of order
This is kind of impossible because any group of people with their own incentives and agenda inherently have political power on some level, the level depends on how big the group can get, and with the right incentive you can get a lot of people on broad with your agenda.
BobTheNinja
Sword of Possibility
- Location
- Multiverse Sector Texas
Please make sure to put a vote in all five categories, you've only covered three.
you also went and copied the arguments that I made for each between said options, which probably weren't necessary to copy unless you also wanted to reiterate those points.
[X] President-Parliamentary System - The head of state is popularly elected, and the head of government and executive cabinet are accountable to both the legislature and the head of state. The head of state choses the head of government and the cabinet with parliamentary approval, and they may be removed either through dismissal from the head of state or by motion of no confidence by the legislature.
[X] Bicameralism (Advisory) - The legislature is comprised of two bodies of representatives, a lower house that serves as the primary decision-making body, and an upper house that represents constituent elements of the union, either by species or by member state. The upper house serves in an advisory capacity, and can make suggested amendments to legislation, but cannot block or veto the passing of legislation by the lower house.
[X] Council Executive - Rather than a single head of government, executive authority is instead vested in a multi-member council, which may be the cabinet itself with ministerial/department heads collectively making decisions, or may be a separate body from the cabinet.
[X] Proportional Representation - Election methodology that ensures that subgroups of the electorate are generally reflected proportionally in the primary (or lower) legislative body, whether by means of Party List PR, Mixed Member PR, Single Transferable Vote, etc.
[X] Consensus - Legislative processes that encourage development of agreement of as many members as reasonably possible through deliberation, generally with the aim of securing a super-majority of approval. Unanimity is not required and dissent is included in the process of decision-making.
[X] Bicameralism (Advisory) - The legislature is comprised of two bodies of representatives, a lower house that serves as the primary decision-making body, and an upper house that represents constituent elements of the union, either by species or by member state. The upper house serves in an advisory capacity, and can make suggested amendments to legislation, but cannot block or veto the passing of legislation by the lower house.
[X] Council Executive - Rather than a single head of government, executive authority is instead vested in a multi-member council, which may be the cabinet itself with ministerial/department heads collectively making decisions, or may be a separate body from the cabinet.
[X] Proportional Representation - Election methodology that ensures that subgroups of the electorate are generally reflected proportionally in the primary (or lower) legislative body, whether by means of Party List PR, Mixed Member PR, Single Transferable Vote, etc.
[X] Consensus - Legislative processes that encourage development of agreement of as many members as reasonably possible through deliberation, generally with the aim of securing a super-majority of approval. Unanimity is not required and dissent is included in the process of decision-making.
Npt170
Primordial god of order
Oppsie only wants to get the choice thingy. you already have all the things I want so I thought I just took it and I didn't look.
BobTheNinja
Sword of Possibility
- Location
- Multiverse Sector Texas
QUICK UPDATE - I've decided to change up the Moderate Bicammeral option to be more balanced, below is the new version. Please make sure to edit your votes accordingly if you still want to chose this option.
[] Bicameralism (Moderate) - The legislature is comprised of two bodies of representatives, a lower house that serves as the primary decision-making body, and an upper house that represents different elements of the union, either by species or by member state. The upper house may introduce certain types of legislation, and can propose amendments to lower house bills. Generally the lower house can override upper house amendments, but for certain types of legislation, either a super-majority is needed for override, or approval of both houses is required for passage.
[] Bicameralism (Moderate) - The legislature is comprised of two bodies of representatives, a lower house that serves as the primary decision-making body, and an upper house that represents different elements of the union, either by species or by member state. The upper house may introduce certain types of legislation, and can propose amendments to lower house bills. Generally the lower house can override upper house amendments, but for certain types of legislation, either a super-majority is needed for override, or approval of both houses is required for passage.
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