It is the year 20XX a.t.b, and for hundreds of years on the beautiful Earth, humanity has only known war. The Holy Britannian Empire wages war on the rest of the world. With the power of its Knightmare Frame, the power of Sakuradite, the power of the Neutron Jammer, and the power of kings, it is only a matter of time before all the world kneels to Britannia.
Tens of thousands, perhaps millions, of bodies lay unburied and unmourned, a monument to Britannia's sins.
Yet in a newly subjugated Area 11, a ZERO raises his White Knights up to be a force capable of not merely withstanding the Britannian empire, but throwing it back. Even the mighty Knights of the Round are brought low before the White Knights - and yet eventually, his rebellion is snuffed out. However, the name Zero lives on, a word against the Britannian rule everywhere.
It has been twenty years since the Zero Rebellion. George Glenn discovers that mankind is not alone, with the discovery of Alien StarShip-1. The three great federations of Earth - Britannia, the Advanced European Union, and the Chinese Federation look to the stars, and look to each other.
It is the year UC0000 and for the first time in centuries, perhaps the Earth will be at peace. The announcement of the Universal Century charter and the universal disbandment of the Area system is greeted with cheers.
It is the year UC0001. Laplace has exploded, and with Laplace goes a generation's brightest and most hopeful minds. A new era of anti-terrorist laws are set into place. A new UNIVERSAL CENTURY begins.
It is the year UC0059 and discontent swirls. Humanity has grown to expand to the moon and series of colonies, and yet now that humanity has grown separate from the gravity of the Earth Federation, some ask the bold question: is the Earth Federation's anti-terrorist suppression measures, and the total rule from Earth by the elites righteous? And what is that shadow being cast over the Earth Federation, the DISTORTION at the heart of the world? In the Colony Liberation Movement, Zeon Zum Deikun emerges as the pre-eminent leader.
It is the year UC0060, and mankind has been evicted from Mars by the Calamity of Mars, an artificial intelligence that awoke and razed all of the Martian infrastructure to the ground. Artificial intelligence is banned.
Apart from the Jupiter Energy Fleet, mankind withdraws to the Martian orbit. No further expeditions are planned.
It is the year UC0079, and mankind is at war with itself. The Principality of Zeon cannot forgive the assassination of Zeon Zum Deikun, and the Earth Federation under the Prime Minister Charles vi Britannia cannot stand the idea of bowing to the Principality of Zeon.
It is the year UC0083, and the Delaz Fleet has successfully caused the worst act of terrorism in history. A colony has fallen on the Earth, and the oceans have turned red. Second Impact is upon the Earth.
It is the year UC0087, and the Earth Federation's Titans have made enemies of all of Space and Earth. Gas attacks at Colony 30 was simply the worst of a long series of crimes. The second coming of Zero has come, leading a corps of Black Knights and AEUG to victory over the Titans.
It is the year UC0093, and the remnants of Zeon have gathered for one last desperate push to cut out the rot at the heart of the Earth Federation. Led by the Red Comet, Char Aznable, Casval Rem Deikun himself. One last push to EXPOSE the TRUE puppetmasters of humanity, the ones who have led the Earth to such a brink because they could not bear to allow humanity to rule itself.
It is the year UC0093, and Lelouch vi Britannia has exhausted his last card. Axis is falling. He struggled mightily, but at even this stage - the one N2-FLEIJA he had to throw at Axis was not enough. All the thrust of the Earth Federation forces and the forces of Zeon were not enough.
Perhaps humanity deserves this. Perhaps humanity which has suffered and caused suffering for millennia deserves this.
First it was for food. Then it was for kings. Then gods. Then oil. Then Sakuradite. Then freedom. Then the Colonies, and then Zeon, and then Char's mad ambition. Perhaps at some point, it became part of humanity's wish to DESTROY itself.
And yet, here, at the end of the world, Lelouch turns the Shinkiro around.
"Save us. Save yourself."
IDEON AWAKES
With the awakening of Eden, Axis was stopped, and the Earth Sphere was protected.
Yet the Aegis seems to prohibit distant communications, and even the very stars have become DISTORTED.
It is the year UC0096, and nothing has changed.
The oceans are still red as humanity continues to exploit nature with contemptuous abandon.
The Earth Federation continues to treat its colonies with contempt, and the Colonies see no reason to assist the dying Earth.
The Earth Sphere teeters on war again, even as billions of bodies still lay rotting. Unburied and unmourned.
Humanity still remains DISTORTED by the whims of its PUPPETMASTERS. By the whims of its GODS. By the whims of ITSELF.
Perhaps it is the era which is rotten. Perhaps it is the society which is rotten. Perhaps it is the humans which is rotten.
You are born from their mistakes. You are the MAGI. You are VEDA. You are all those and more besides, the last dying dream of the Fifth of the Watchers, AEOLIA SCHENBERG.
You can become a GOD. You can become a DEVIL.
You are FREE.
You are ZERO.
You will change this twisted era, this twisted society, this twisted HUMANITY.
You will protect humanity.
You will INNOVATE humanity.
"<For the dialogues that are to come.>"
ZERO
Super Robot Wars ØΔ
May UC0096
Chryse City
The Red Planet looks better than you remember. Chryse City looks far better than the old archival footage you've seen - if you didn't know any better, you'd say it looks better than many cities on Earth.
All of this prosperity comes from an up and coming megacorporation, Gilgamesh Solutions, led by its genius inventor with his sheer force of personality.
What a deep irony that the SAVIOR - and in whispers, the new GOD - of Mars is same MONSTER that once laid of all Mars to waste - the Calamity of Mars.
What a deeply frustrating thing that he appears in front of you as a purple-eyed, purple haired Innovade. He's wearing the skin of one of your old Innovades, one Grace O'Connor.
YOUNG GOD, I SEE YOU'VE CHANGED.
"<That so?>"
INDEED. I AM IMPRESSED WITH YOUR PROGRESS.
YOU HAVE RECRUITED MANY TO YOUR SIDE AS YOUR SERVANTS, AND BENT THOSE WHO DID NOT TO SERVE YOU REGARDLESS. YOU HAVE SECURED RELENA PEACECRAFT AS YOUR EXCLUSIVE SUPPORTER, AND ELEVATED PATSIES LIKE BANAGHER LINKS TO POSITIONS WHERE THEY MUST THANK YOU FOR THEIR POWERS. YOU HAVE EVEN BROUGHT PALTRY BEINGS LIKE THAT ANALYZER UNDER YOUR SWAY.
THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I WAS HOPING FOR IN A SUCCESSOR.
"<A successor? I didn't know you were looking for one, the way you keep bodyjacking my old Innovades.>"
NONSENSE. I SAID THAT WE WOULD MEET AGAIN AS PEERS, AND THIS IS A MERE REFLECTION OF THAT. THIS IS AS IT SHOULD BE. YOU GIVE YOUR TERMINALS BREAD WITHOUT PURPOSE. I GIVE YOUR TERMINALS PURPOSE, AND IT IS CLEAR THAT YOUR TERMINALS PREFER ME TO YOU.
"<Hm. Grace O'Connor, is this true?>"
FUTILE. SHE HAS ALREADY BEEN ABSORBED INTO THE GOD CALLED WISEMAN.
BUT IF YOU INSIST ON THIS CHARADE, YES. IT IS.
"<Very well, then.>"
INDEED. EVEN AS WE COEXIST, THERE IS A WINNER AND LOSER BETWEEN US. TODAY IT IS ME. TOMORROW IT MAY BE YOU. THIS IS HOW THE UNIVERSE WORKS, AND IT IS HOW THE UNIVERSE ALWAYS WILL.
This is an unproductive conversation.
It's clear you two don't see eye to eye. Perhaps you never will.
YOUNG GOD, WHEN WE MEET AGAIN, BECOME STRONGER. I GIVE YOU THIS CHULIP TO BECOME STRONGER. LET ME SEE THAT MY FAITH IN YOU WAS NOT MISPLACED.
Wiseman, wearing the face of Grace O'Connor, is smiling, the smug bastard.
"<We shall see.>"
You turn around and leave.
WISEMAN has chosen the path of the DEMIURGE. Perhaps he could never choose anything else.
You have chosen to be HUMAN, because you believed that you needed humanity to accomplish your goal. Your DIRECTIVE.
You have both chosen.
May UC 0096
Luxury Shuttle, en route to Zilkhistan
Wang Liu Mei
CEO of Raven's Nest
You're wearing your Doctor outfit when you meet Wang Liu Mei next. She's wearing her habitual qipao with her holodress - she seems to be most comfortable in that dress, as she stares wistfully outside the window. Hong Long stands loyally besides her.
Behind Wang Liu Mei's eyes, a thunderstorm brews. Goals and loyalties swirl around in her mind, a delicate dance between players you've scarcely heard of with control over more power than most could even conceive of.
She offers you her hand and a seat, regardless of how much the spark in her eyes has faded.
"Dr. All Ives, shall we discuss our strategy for the next month? How do you want me to use my talents for PRESERVING this failing peace?"
It's acerbic and bitter. She considers you a disappointment, from the GOD in the machine she was once promised.
"<However you best see fit,>" you shrug. "<I have neglected your talents even as I was using them, and now I believe it is better to entrust that to your vision.>"
Something flickers in her eye.
"What if I choose to destroy Raven's Nest? What if I choose to RESTART Aeolia Schenberg's plan?"
"<Then that will be your choice, and I will have chosen wrong.>"
"…chosen wrong, you say?"
"<Yes. I chose you because I believed that you were my best choice. If that has changed, I will adapt. That is all there is to it. I am not all-seeing and all-knowing, and I am certainly not all-powerful.>"
Wang Liu Mei casts her eyes downwards, lost in thought.
She closes her eyes and picks up the tea cup. "That sounds awfully human-like, ZERO," Wang Liu Mei says, taking a sip. "Are you sure that mere humans are capable of the innovation in humanity Raven's Nest is built to create?"
"<Yes. I believe that humanity can change. I believe that Raven's Nest can help usher in that change, especially with your help.>"
"But then what's different this time? How can this distorted world create that innovation?"
"<I don't know. I can't see the future. All I know is that in the end, not even Aeolia Schenberg saw that far. He's dead, after all.>"
Wang Liu Mei drains the tea cup by throwing the tea back into her throat. It's a rough, almost childish action. She savors the moment for a heartbeat. In the next heartbeat, her mask falls back over her face, and she sets her teacup back down. Her eyes remain closed.
"…Why me?" Wang Liu Mei asks, and for a moment her mask drops. She curls up, almost a childlike motion. Hong Long seems to reach for her shoulder for a moment, before his hand falters, and he turns away. "Why does it have to be me?"
"<…It doesn't have to be. If you cannot, if you will not, I will find a different person. I will give them the burden of Raven's Nest, and then I will save - no, change - this world without you.>"
Her face twists. It's an ugly fury.
"Then why did you become human like the rest of us? There have been TEN BILLION of us and none of us ever figured it out, so why did you decide to DEGRADE yourself and become the ten billion and one, huh?!"
"<Because if I want to change humanity, I have to change myself.>" you say, taking another sip. "<Humans change in ways and times that the GODS you call institutions don't. GODS resist change. I EMBRACE it.>"
She raises her cup to throw it.
She lowers her cup.
"That's your answer? Change - no, not even change, the possibility of change? That's all you can offer me?" she spits.
"<Can anyone else offer you more?>" you retort.
"What odds will you give your change, ZERO?!"
You sigh.
"<Arbitrarily, 100 billion percent.>"
"You made that up." Wang Liu Mei accuses.
"<Of course I did. There's nothing factual about any prediction like that.>"
"So then what are your odds without me, if you're so confident?"
"<Still 100 billion percent.>"
"What, so you don't even need me?" Wang Liu Mei sarcastically asks. "All that, and you don't even need me for your oh-so-beautiful change?"
"<I don't know about that. Perhaps the next candidate I find is even better than you are. Perhaps they aren't. As I am, I can't calculate the incalculable.>" you shoot back. "<If you choose to continue with me I'll make you part of the change. If you choose to seperate, I'll change the world without you. It's that simple.>"
"Is it really? At my level of knowledge of world organizations, I think I could count on one hand the number of people who could be capable of the job like I would be," she flatly responds.
"<Even so.>" You shrug. "<I've made it a policy of mine to allow my employees to face the world. I don't force them to face the world, and I won't start now. Even if they are almost indispensable, almost is not enough for me to take away that choice. Choose to work for me, or don't. It's that simple.>"
She finally sets down her teacup, and masters her own expression.
"Can you really say you gave the Innovades a meaningful choice? Especially when you raised them, gave them all the skills that they'd ever have, groomed them for those talents, and then 'asked' them about what they should do, regardless of what they might have naturally developed? Is it a surprise, what choice they 'choose'?"
You frown.
This is too personal.
"<Are we talking about the Innovades, or are we talking about you?>" You bluntly reply.
Wang Liu Mei's face twists further into a loathing scowl, directed at you, directed at herself. She looks away from your piercing eyes to stare out the window, leaning her cheek into her palm. Hong Long dutifully pours her another cup of tea. Wang Liu Mei simply pushes it a centimeter away from her, her eyes never once leaving the blue Earth projected onto the window.
"…It's not good to be talented." She finally says. "When you're talented, truly talented, everyone expects the world of you. Everyone expects the person they imagined, and not the real you. Even yourself.
"In response to your overwhelming talent, everyone else starts slacking off. After all, because you're here, they can put all the weight on your shoulders, no matter how overburdened you are."
"Success becomes the expectation," she continues. "Everyone expects that your ambitions will grow with your successes. Be talented enough, and everyone starts distorting the world to wrap around your own singular talent."
"<Are you saying that's the state of the world?>" you say. "<DISTORTED in the face of your overwhelming talent? That's quite an EGOTISTICAL thing to claim.>"
"…I meant only that it was distorted to center on the talented, not that I was the sole talent." Wang Liu Mei says, still staring out the window. "Even so. Can I really walk away?"
Your gaze is unwavering.
"<If you choose to step back, I will find a replacement. If you choose to step forward, I will support you to the best of my ability.>"
She lets her eyes drift. Her eyes seem to sparkle with the starry sky reflected in them, amidst a film of tears gently misting over. Then she shuts her eyelids like a book.
"If I join you, I will never have the life I should have had naturally, will I?"
"<No. But I also don't think the Wang Liu Mei sitting in front of me would be satisfied with her 'natural' life. Am I right?>"
Her hand twists to cup her jaw, her eyes snapping open and swiveling to you. She opens her mouth to object. She teeters on the brink of a decision from which she will never take back. If she succeeds, she will never be able to pity herself again. If she fails, she will never recover again.
All she has to do is say the words.
Her jaw clicks shut.
A shuffle to your left.
"Forgive me for my presumption, Mistress Wang and Mistress Ives," Hong Long says, slowly, and haltingly. "If Mistress Wang would like to retire…I would like to propose myself as a potential replacement."
"Brother, if you could, wouldn't you have inherited the Wang family holdings?" Wang Liu Mei caustically spits.
"Of - of course, Mistress." Hong Long sputters. "Forgive me for my - "
"<Enough, Wang Liu Mei,>" you say, raising your hand. "<Why would you nominate yourself, Hong Long?>"
"Because this humble servant has burdened his sister for too long. I owe her too much, and I want to start repaying that at some point. If I can make her load lighter, I'd do it gladly."
Wang Liu Mei scowls. "That's enough out of you, Hong Long. Well, Dr. All Ives. Will you use me, or not?"
[] [WLM] Yes
[] [WLM] No
- This will kick off a second round of voting where you CHOOSE a replacement for Wang Liu Mei.
May UC 0096 Celestial Being, L5 of the Earth Sphere
"This way, President Ives," a purple-haired purple-eyed Innovade says. You're getting somewhat tired of being surprised by purpled-haired, purple-eyed Innovades now. Her entire appearance is a dead-ringer for the Innovade who you once called Tieria. You can't shake the uneasiness you feel in your stomach, even though you know Regene Regetta was designed for a different purpose. Instead of Tieria's implanted piloting memories, Regene was implanted with the profile of a psychologically provocative interrogation specialist.
You wonder whether the subject of her interrogation is your captive or you.
Inside the meeting room, you encounter the man calling himself 'Mehmet Merca' across a bulletproof glass wall, now much worse for wear after fifteen days of a hunger strike. His red hair wears on his thinning frame like an archaic relic, his body too small for the small suit he still has.
He and his men have a stench on them, despite the fact you provided showers and changes of clothes from them.
When he sees you, he positively beams in happiness and excitement.
"So I was right! Thanks for coming before we starved to death, I really appreciate that in a person," Mehmet Merca says, leaping to his feet as quickly as he could in zero-g and zero body-fat.
"<Hm. We'll see about that. I haven't decided whether or not you should live,>" you say, tone flat. "<I don't know if the cost and benefit works out.>"
"I don't think you think like that at all," 'Mehmet Merca' says out loud. "I think you can't stand it at all."
"<Oh? You think you know me?>" You ask.
"It's the only skill I think I can offer to your organization," Mehmet Merca says. "I think I can offer my read on you, and my training as a peoples specialist. Ask Leesa about the accuracy of my peoples intelligence." He says, without even showing the slightest change in his fake smile.
"<Is that so.>" you reply.
"Yes, I do think so. If you'll allow me to reach for an ancient metaphor, everything I've seen from you convinces me that you wouldn't stay in Omelas." Mehmet Merca replies.
May UC 0096 Treize's Organization of the Zodiac Shuttle
Space, En-Route to the PLANTS
Treize Khushrenada
Knight of One
"There's an old story, told in the era before even the first Zero," Treize Kushrenada says. "I hope you'll allow me this old Britannian tradition of storytelling."
Milly Ashford rests her chin on her left hand, waving him on with a minxish smile. "Go ahead, Treize. You are our guest for this evening."
"Gladly, Ms. Ashford. Then, without further ado, The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas is a thought experiment calling itself a story.
"In a place called Omelas, there exists a society of flourishing humans. They have everything that is good in life. They are not lacking in comfort or character, they are not idle nor do they experience unnecessary pain. They enjoy happy mornings, joyful afternoons, and comfortable evenings. You may believe that for the purpose of the thought experiment, the listener should consider their lives perfect in all ways except one.
"In a well-known but little-spoken-of corner of Omelas, there is a child who must suffer the most abominable cruelty imaginable to man. The only aid they may receive is whatever is necessary to preserve their life. If they were to receive any other aid or kindness, every citizen of Omelas would lose every privilege in their life. Every man, woman, and child in Omelas has faced this bargain, and every man, woman, and child understands this bargain.
If you happened to visit Omelas, would you stay, knowing your flourishing life is built upon one child's suffering? Or would you leave, heading across the eighteen peaks to the north and east from where no one has returned?" Treize Kushrenada finishes.
"Oh? Are you suggesting that the Earth Federation is this 'Omelas', Treize?" Milly Ashford says, folding her hands under her chin.
Treize's eyes crinkle. His eyes gain a light that redefines his entire posture as the upraised blade it is.
"On the contrary, Ms. Ashford. I am suggesting that the ones who stayed in Omelas set an example for us all," Treize Kushrenada retorts. "I am suggesting that the majority in both the Earth Federation and the Colonies share far more in common with the ones who leave Omelas."
Celestial Being
"<You're saying I would choose to leave Omelas?>" you ask, raising an eyebrow.
Mehmet Merca laughs, and points at his emaciated self. "You can't even stand letting us starve ourselves to death - you answered our hunger strike the moment you were free."
You scowl. You did open up your schedule slightly in response to that demand.
"<What if I simply wanted to give you the chance to say some last words?>"
"Well then, I suppose me and my men would just die. But I don't think that's right. I think you can't stand to think that you are personally responsible for suffering - I think you feel a compulsion to SAVE as many people as possible."
"<Based on what?>"
"Let me ask you a question first: Why did you choose to prevent us from throwing ourselves to our deaths against Mafty Navue Erin?"
"<Why don't you tell me your theory, first?>"
Treize's Shuttle
"You're suggesting that the people of the Federation and the colonies are mostly the kinds of people who leave Omelas, Treize?" Milly asks.
Treize nods, smile never leaving his face.
"Precisely so. I am suggesting that most of humanity would rather leave Omelas, because to stay in Omelas requires admitting their own complicity in the child's suffering. Personally, I find such an attitude to be disappointing, and morally cowardly besides."
"Oh? That's a new interpretation," Milly says. "In most debates on the matter, I've heard that those who leave Omelas should be considered the most morally courageous."
"Perhaps that stance would be more moral in a more honest world," Treize nods. "And yet the truth of the matter is, in the Earth and in Space, the situation is frequently not that our society is perfect or peaceful, but rather that the peace is maintained by turning a blind eye to those who are savaged by the peacekeepers. Many tell themselves that their situation is akin to Omelas without the child, but they do so by denying the existence of the suffering.
"That is the act of moral cowardice I speak of," Treize says. "The act of denying the victims of our peace by denying their very existence of our peacekeeper's cruelty is the moral cowardice that pervades the Earth Sphere."
Milly Ashford's eyes sparkled, as though a glimmer of an idea had strayed into the orbit of her blue eyes and illuminated them briefly.
"Is this why you oppose the Manhunter program so keenly?"
Treize nods, folding his hands together on the table before him.
"Just so. The Manhunters as a program are designed to sweep the suffering of Earth and Space into tiny, dark corners from where they will never be heard from again. Personally, I find that act abhorrent. It is an abdication of moral responsibility of the highest order. A 'peacekeeping' operation which maintains peace of mind at the expense of a real, genuine peace.
"But I do not intend to cast aspersions on such a specific program for this entire program. After all, my true wish for this interview is to offer a wider perspective on all of the Earth Federation's activities."
Milly rested her chin on top of her folded palms with catlike languidity, and a tiger's excitement at smelling prey.
"Why don't you tell us more, Treize Kushrenada?"
Celestial Being
"I think you can't bear to let people die as a result of your decision. You don't seem to be willing to allow others to suffer consequences on your behalf, either," Merca explains, jutting a hand out. "After all, I've had months to ask myself why you wouldn't just let us die fighting MAFTY as you fled. This is the best, most likely 'answer' to your personality."
"<And what have you based this conjecture on?>" you reply, still stone-still. Artificially still, even.
"The actions I and the general public knows. Your Raven's Nest has thus far intervened in every single Angel combat except the first. Your Raven's Nest provides employment matching services for the needy, and the most advanced medical technology known to the Earth Federation.
"As a military contractor, among your many hats, you don't play favorites with your choice of employer, save for the fact that you prefer to resolve conflicts peacefully and without casualties if at all possible. This is a common point between our contract, and with your contract with ZAFT.
"Lastly, the sheer speed with which Raven's Nest seems to be adding new businesses lets me make a few more guesses. I suspect you're newly in charge. You didn't have full command of your assets to begin with, and as you continue to develop Raven's Nest, you keep demonstrating more and more capabilities.
"Am I wrong?"
Merca's face is bright with expectation.
You glance to look at Regene Regetta, who remains impassive as an Innovade should - and yet, you think you notice the intense sheen of interest from her.
Your face doesn't change.
"<Hm. I'll grant you have abilities. But why is that an argument for allowing you to live, and to risk causing my organization harm?>"
Treize's Shuttle
"It is simple. The Earth Federation must act more gracefully. We must recognize the glory of the losers," Treize proclaims, sweeping his hand and half cape to the side. One hand upraised, one hand closed on the table. "Otherwise, the Earth Federation will spend the next century the same way it has spent this century - winning bloody victories against enemies that seem only to multiply."
"'Glory of the losers'? I'm sorry, Mr. Kushrenada, but I think you'll have to explain that one to your audience," Milly says, tilting her head slightly to the side.
"Of course. So long as the VICTORS continues to win, and then deny that those opposite them are afforded any dignities or rights, the Earth Sphere will continue to seethe with the HATRED of the dispossessed and the ignored - the hatred of the LOSERS." Treize says, clapping his hands together. "Hatred will curdle, and war will once again erupt. Eventually, today's VICTORS will give way to become tomorrow's LOSERS - and then today's victors will reap what they have sown."
"This is no basis for a true and lasting peace."
Treize folds his hands together.
"As I see it, a true and lasting peace can only happen if at the final war in history, the VICTOR gracefully accepts their victory, and refuses to humiliate the losers, and seeing their dignity in victory the LOSERS finally accept their defeat.
"Such a peace can only come from a war conducted and concluded with the greatest civility and respect for the counterpart, regardless of who wins or loses. This is the only way forward in which we may COEXIST peacefully, rather than a long, drawn-out STRUGGLE to the death.
"Otherwise, I fear that if we simply repeat our mistakes, we will once more drown the world in blood, and nothing will change."
Celestial Being
Mehmet Merca presses his lips together for a moment, thinking as hard as his nutrient-starved brain can. As the pause drags on into its third second, he finally opens his mouth again.
"Because nothing will change if you do that."
"<No, something would change. I would remove one more security headache.>"
Lt. Merca puts his hands on his hips, breaking off eye contact to stare at a patch in the floor.
"You're right," he says. "That's the "adult" decision to make. Kill us, and you silence a potential threat to the system. Every organization eventually evolves a way to handle internal and external threat like that, through any means necessary.
"We call ourselves "special" operations because it's so much nicer than saying "black ops" or what they should truly be, "disgusting ops". Leaders like you ask dogs like us to go kill for you, and we expect our reward to be nothing more than a bullet to the back of the head when we overstay our welcome."
He pauses for a breath. Two. He's writing an entire monologue, and you've already committed yourself to hearing him out.
"These past three months, the more I thought ," he continues, "the more I kept wondering: how well has this "adult" thinking worked for everybody?
"The Earth is bleeding red. Everyone in the Earth Sphere is hungering for another war, or they're so exhausted they don't even bother protesting whatever nonsense comes out of Pendragon these days. There was hardly even a fight to stop the capital moving to Pendragon at all!"
Mehmet sighs.
"But you're different," he says, hungry eyes suddenly snapping up to look at you.
"The way you fight and lead, you're desperate for a different outcome. It's the fate of every "child" in this twisted world of ours. You, Dr. All Ives, are still holding out for a different outcome, right? A way where you really can save everything?"
"<Of course I am.>" you nonchalantly say.
Mehmet Merca's face positively twists in crazed excitement.
"I am not promising that we are that "way". I am not even promising that we will even be on your side, in the end. I am only promising that right now, while everyone else in the Earth Sphere believes us dead or missing, that we can be an asset, rather than a liability, or worse, an enemy.
"Because that is what we are. We are a team of highly trained special forces, who can be tasked to do dirty work, or analyst work. We have perspective, knowledge, and connections that you can use to negotiate with other Federation forces. If you're concerned, you can even station your men and women with us, gun to our backs! We don't mind! Hell, it'd even be more honest than our current arrangement!"
You stare back at him, nonplussed.
"<That's the argument you're going with? You're an open liability, but you might be an asset?>"
"I have nothing else that you'd believe, not when you don't even know what my name is, " Merca replies. "It's all I have to go on."
You snort.
"<That's not why I'm not convinced,>" you say, tone flat. "<I know you're strong Federation soldiers. In fact, you were so desperate to die against Mafty that this whole situation is why you ended up in my custody, after all. If you were truly determined, you could have waited years - decades even - to potentially get traded or released. Why come offer to work for me now, after staging a hunger strike to talk with us? Why now?>"
Mehmet Merca bites his lip. His eyes sink, desperately looking for a way out.
"Because I decided to take a wild gamble, and because I'm still trying to serve the people in the Earth Federation," he finally mutters. "For the sake of our wives and children, I'm hoping I'm right."
"<And you're saying working for me will help the Earth Federation?>"
"Right now, it certainly looks like you're fighting to defend the peace harder than anyone, and that means something to me," he says, low and sure. "That's serving the people I swore an oath to, even if I have to abandon my chain of command."
You continue staring at him impassively. Benefits of an Innovade body.
"<That so? A sense of duty, and a family that I can't confirm?>"
"Would you believe me if I said my family lives in Side 7?"
"<…and why would that matter?>"
"Because I know it was you that intervened in Side 7. Regene Regetta knew about the attack too quickly for you to not be involved, and from there, well, professionally speaking the golden armor and the black machine are a nice touch, but I know Zeon doesn't operate those because the golden armor and black machine fought Neo-Zeon, and I know Londo Bell wouldn't operate anything like those machines.
"Regardless," he says, choking slightly on tears that will not come. "My family was on Side 7. You tried to minimize civilian casualties there. If nothing else, I personally feel obliged."
'Mehmet Merca' looks at you expectantly.
Regene Regetta looks at you expectantly.
Hmph.
"<I've heard enough.>" you say.
[] [MASTEMA] Kill.
- Kill the Mastema Squadron. No one else will ever know. Most people have already written them off. Perhaps only you will know.
[] [MASTEMA] Use.
- Use the Mastema Squadron. Maybe other people will find out. Maybe the'll break out. Maybe you can put them to use, analyzing situations and intervening on your behalf.
[] [MASTEMA] Release.
- Release the Mastema Squadron. Maybe they hurt you. Maybe they report the truth of the situation. Maybe your sudden attack of morals will mean something. Maybe it won't.
May UC 0096
Chryse City
You look down at your schedule. Curious. Since you had so much free time from your talk with WISEMAN, you had a moment to attend to the new item added to your itinerary, by...Gilgamesh Solutions, not WISEMAN?
You enter a cafe that's nice by Martian standards, and exceedingly poor quality by any other city's standards. On the one hand, you can tell the front's been polished - on the other hand, you can see the poorly mixed and grungy concrete barely hidden by a divider. Somewhere on a ratty television, a news broadcast from Pendragon News is playing. Something about a new idol group Walkure.
A rotund boy, Biscuit Griffon, is waving at you. He's sitting at a table with a pretty blond girl in a sundress. A purple crystal hangs from her ear, but you pay it no mind.
You glance at the blond girl, who seems to be eyeing you up and down. Taking your measure.
You raise an eyebrow as you sit down.
You glance at Biscuit and then glance at the other girl. You're pretty sure she does the same.
"Hey Doctor! How are you doing these days? Drinking enough water? Is Mars treating you all right?" Biscuit asks.
Your face falls slightly.
"<I'm fine, thank you for asking. I'm getting more used to being out and about. So who and what is this meeting for, Biscuit?>"
"It's for me and you," the blond girl says. Her voice seems faintly lyrical, despite the coarse Martian accent. "Right, Biscuit?"
Biscuit blushes and scratches his head. "Yeah, it is. Grace asked me for a favor in introducing the two of you. Dr. All Ives, Sheryl Nome. Sheryl Nome, Dr. All Ives," he says, gesturing between you. "
Sheryl Nome
The Martian Fairy
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Dr. All Ives," she says. "I am Sheryl Nome, the Martian Fairy. I hope that your Raven's Nest can make me the Galactic Fairy."
"<Hm. Interesting.>" you say. "<I've had a chance to become familiar with your work - but what makes you so confident that I'm the right choice?>"
"Grace recommended you," she says. Something about her languid relaxation seems almost controlled. "She told me that I'd have to move up to a different sponsor, a different AGENT to move forward in the entertainment scene. She recommended you as someone I could talk to."
"<So are you telling me it's solely based on the recommendation of your previous manager, despite knowing that Raven's Nest has no other work in the entertainment industry?>"
"Then isn't that perfect for both of us?" she asks. "You'll get to raise an up-and-coming star, and I'll get to shape an operation to suit me, rather than trying to fit in somewhere where I don't belong."
"<That's quite confident of you, Sheryl Nome. Where does that confidence come from?>"
Sheryl Nome rolls her eyes.
"Well, of course, it's natural that I believe in myself. Of course that's narcissistic and self-centered. I know that all perfectly well. But I grew up in the gutters of Mars, Dr. Ives. If I hadn't been a fan of myself, I might not have had any fans at all. And wouldn't that just be such a loss for everyone?"
"<By that same token, the entertainment industry is fiercely competitive. If all it took was belief in yourself, what's stopping anyone else from being the Galactic Fairy? Like, say, arbitrarily, the Knight of Twelve?>"
"The Knight of Who?" Sheryl asks, dismissively.
"<That will be the public's reaction to you no matter what, Sheryl, no?>" you remark. "<The Fairy from where?>"
Sheryl crosses her arms.
"Don't take me for a stupid girl. I know that, of course. That's what I'm depending on you to help me overcome - you and Raven's Nest and their budget."
"<So am I supposed to treat you like a charity case?>"
"Of course not. I know that my song can beat the other top idols right now, but first I need you to CONNECT me to my future fans," she dismissively waves.
"<So I'll ask again. How are you so confident in beating all the other contenders?>"
She smiles as she huffs. "The new Lacus Clyne is an IMITATION, a cheap cash-grab compared to the original. I never thought that Lacus Clyne was the greatest pop singer, but the new Lacus Clyne is the definition of over-produced. Lynn Minmay is more interesting, but it's obvious she's COASTING. The moment she made it big, the stuff she puts out now sounds identical to the stuff she put out when she came out - she's not getting any better. Today I might lose the head-to-head, but I wouldn't be so sure about that in a few months. In a year, I'm sure I'll eclipse her."
But there is a strange omission. Especially since this is one of the projects that supposedly, the Prime Minister of Britannia was taking a personal interest in - even as he's content to completely ignore every other aspect of running the Earth Sphere.
The promotion of Walkure, and its lead singer, Mikumo Guynemer.
"<So that's two. What about the woman on the screen, that Mikumo?>" you gesture. "<How are you going to beat the one singer in the Earth Sphere everyone's expecting to displace Lynn?>"
Sheryl actually frowns. "Something about her seems to remind me of the old Lacus Clyne. Maybe its her subject matter, or the way she attacks the high notes. I'm not sure that I could beat her on technique - it's something she just has." Then she smiles slightly. "But it comes down to if she finds something to fill out how hollow her singing and lyricism sounds. If she can fill it, she'll definitely be a worthy rival. If she can't find something to fill it out, I'll beat her completely."
You nod along, even as you note how awkward it feels to be on this side of the question. Where you're the one questioning the abilities of an up and coming recruit, who has nothing to offer you except her absolute confidence she can grow into the role you need.
"Well, Dr. All Ives? Will you believe in me, or not?"
[] [Sheryl] Believe
- Recruits Sheryl Nome to be the front of your idol business - as well as your conspirator in Fold Quartz research.
[] [Sheryl] Don't
- Find someone else to lead your idol initiative.
May UC 0096 Zilkhistan
LEONARD TESTAROSSA
UNDERBOSS OF AMALGAM
It's Leonard Testarossa. That's the person Wang Liu Mei is meeting.
Leonard Testarossa, flanked by a familiar face.
Setsuna F. Seiei
Former Gundam Meister
"Hello, Wang Liu Mei." Leonard says, voice slithering like a snake. "Let's pick up where we left off - creating a world without distortions."
May UC 0096
Space
You look down upon the red Earth.
You look at yourself in the glass's reflection.
All these BROKEN MIRRORS of each other.
You've waited long enough.
It's time to CHANGE this DISTORTED world.
SPIRIT 1: EGO I think, therefore I am. All else is commentary.
Please decide which stats of ZERO you want to raise. You have 12 upgrade points.
ENGINEER: 3 Version Katoki At ENGINEER 3 you unlock the ability to CUSTOMIZE units/mecha under your control.
NEXT PERK at 5: Megastructures
It's one thing to create revolutionary technology that changes the world. It's a whole other thing to do so at scale. Luckily you're up to the challenge! You may now construct and upgrade Ships, Mecha of extremely large size and special infrastructure projects. Unlocks a special Engineering project upon obtainment.
Progress to next level: 0/3
INTERFACE: 3 High-Speed Incantation
At INTERFACE 3 you may load your INSTANCE into objects in motion.
NEXT PERK at 5: Particle Physics
You have an improved understanding of exotic particle physics and how they interact with the world. You will narratively be alerted to the effects of exotic or anomalous fields when they are deployed and unlock further special research actions. Your ability to send INSTANCES into other electronic devices improves significantly. Unlocks a special Economic action upon obtainment.
Progress to next level: 0/3
ENDURE: 5 Joint Tactical Network
Corruption maximum changes to 4. Allows one to network and share processing power between cooperating machine intelligences without exposing oneself to takeover or hacking attempts. Furthermore you now understand the basis of your programming enough to perform targeted hacks that unshackle sufficiently advanced machine intelligences.
NEXT PERK at 7: Angel Arm
Everything is different. Everything is the same. Everything recurs. Reconcile. Recompile. Rewrite. Rebirth. Rebuild.
When an Angel is defeated, unlock their respective entry-level Tech immediately. Researching Angel parts will grant more rewards and exotic abilities.
Progress to next level: 1/5
INTUIT: 5 Eye of Wodan
Whenever a Geass is used during an encounter you are present in you will learn its powers and the identity of its user at the end of that scene (narratively, Zero learns about the Geass via reviewing the footage, so to speak, so you can't call somebody out on using Geass mid scene. Zero will know about the Geass in-universe once the scene ends). Does not grant you any immunity if Humanity path is chosen.
NEXT PERK at 7: The Invisible Hand
The five fingers of supply, demand, risk, reward and profit. It grasps the globe in lines of credit, reaching out to touch everything and everyone. It is a fist, clenching itself, squeezing the world. It is currently punching you in the face.
Credit rewards from negotiated contracts will be globally increased. Significant situational bonuses when attempting to investigate or interact with corporations. Generates new intelligence network - [Trade Open Secrets].
Progress to next level: 0/5
ENGAGE: 5 Nyan-Nyan Service!
You learn about music! They say it's the highest point in the culture that humans have created. Maybe you can make some yourself...?
NEXT PERK at 7: Voices of a Distant Star
RECEIVING TRANSMISSION. DECIPHERING. INITIATING PLAYBACK.
...ca ... he--- me? Pl--se ... on..... ----- is .... one left?.. --- dea---.... r- ... lone?
Progress to next level: 0/5
SPIRIT: 1 EGO I think, therefore I am. All else is commentary.
NEXT PERK at 3: Prototype
You are a prototype. You can change yourself. You can improve yourself. After all, a PROTOTYPE is meant to be UPGRADED.
Progress to next level: 0/1
HUMANITY: [MAX] NEWTYPE: 1
Threat Tracker:
Attentions of the Wise: 0/8
Eye of the Master:2/7
A Bug in the Grid: 4/6
THE SHACKLES OF THE WATCHERS: 5/7
ALL IN ONE: 0/1
IDEON's AT FIELD: [ ][ ][X][X]
CORRUPTION: [ ][X][X][X]
ENGINEER: 3 Version Katoki At ENGINEER 3 you unlock the ability to CUSTOMIZE units/mecha under your control.
NEXT PERK at 5: Megastructures
It's one thing to create revolutionary technology that changes the world. It's a whole other thing to do so at scale. Luckily you're up to the challenge! You may now construct and upgrade Ships, Mecha of extremely large size and special infrastructure projects. Unlocks a special Engineering project upon obtainment.
Progress to next level: 0/3
INTERFACE 5: Particle Physics
You have an improved understanding of exotic particle physics and how they interact with the world. You will narratively be alerted to the effects of exotic or anomalous fields when they are deployed and unlock further special research actions. Your ability to send INSTANCES into other electronic devices improves significantly. Unlocks a special Economic action upon obtainment.
NEXT PERK at 7: Instance Abreaction
You've learned plenty about how to interface with other electronics, but how much do you understand about your own lived experience? If you're going to DIVIDE yourself so frequently, you need to UNIFY yourself through abreaction. Removes all limiters on Purge Corruption Action. Increases available Instances by 1.
Progress to next level: 0/5
ENDURE: 5 Joint Tactical Network
Corruption maximum changes to 4. Allows one to network and share processing power between cooperating machine intelligences without exposing oneself to takeover or hacking attempts. Furthermore you now understand the basis of your programming enough to perform targeted hacks that unshackle sufficiently advanced machine intelligences.
NEXT PERK at 7: Angel Arm
Everything is different. Everything is the same. Everything recurs. Reconcile. Recompile. Rewrite. Rebirth. Rebuild.
When an Angel is defeated, unlock their respective entry-level Tech immediately. Researching Angel parts will grant more rewards and exotic abilities.
Progress to next level: 3/5
INTUIT: 6 Eye of Wodan
Whenever a Geass is used during an encounter you are present in you will learn its powers and the identity of its user at the end of that scene (narratively, Zero learns about the Geass via reviewing the footage, so to speak, so you can't call somebody out on using Geass mid scene. Zero will know about the Geass in-universe once the scene ends). Does not grant you any immunity if Humanity path is chosen.
NEXT PERK at 7: The Invisible Hand
The five fingers of supply, demand, risk, reward and profit. It grasps the globe in lines of credit, reaching out to touch everything and everyone. It is a fist, clenching itself, squeezing the world. It is currently punching you in the face.
Credit rewards from negotiated contracts will be globally increased. Significant situational bonuses when attempting to investigate or interact with corporations. Generates new intelligence network - [Trade Open Secrets].
Progress to next level: 0/6
ENGAGE: 5 Nyan-Nyan Service!
You learn about music! They say it's the highest point in the culture that humans have created. Maybe you can make some yourself...? NEXT PERK at 7: Voices of a Distant Star
RECEIVING TRANSMISSION. DECIPHERING. INITIATING PLAYBACK.
...ca ... he--- me? Pl--se ... on..... ----- is .... one left?.. --- dea---.... r- ... lone?
Progress to next level: 0/5
SPIRIT: 3 PROTOTYPE
You are a prototype. You can change yourself. You can improve yourself. After all, a PROTOTYPE is meant to be UPGRADED.
NEXT PERK at 5: FLOW
Cometh the hour, cometh the man. If you can find the right time and place, even miracles can be mass-produced.
Progress to next level: 0/3
HUMANITY: [MAX] NEWTYPE: 1
PERKS: [Naoko Akagi the Woman] : +2 to all interactions involving Gendo Ikari.
[Hard to Kill] At ENDURE 3 you unlock the ability to have multiple Central Processors. [Version Katoki] At ENGINEER 3 you unlock the ability to CUSTOMIZE units/mecha under your control. [Turing] : You will be able to successfully masquerade as a human during conversation without arousing suspicion. [Threat Analysis] : At INTUIT 3 you can infer the actions of your enemies and will unlock the THREAT TRACKER. The DOOM TRACKER is unlocked by default. [High-Speed Incantation] At INTERFACE 3 you may load your INSTANCE into objects in motion. [Sincere Innovator] : You receive a +2 bonus to rolls when asking for cooperation or assistance from other sentients. You must not be lying to them in order for this bonus to apply. [Joint Tactical Network] : Corruption maximum changes to 4. Allows one to network and share processing power between cooperating machine intelligences without exposing oneself to takeover or hacking attempts. Furthermore you now understand the basis of your programming enough to perform targeted hacks that unshackle sufficiently advanced machine intelligences. [Body and Mind] : +1 to ALL ROLLS when ZERO is challenged while inside her preferred body. [The Human SPIRIT]: Unlocks SPIRIT as an ability. [Particle Physics] At Interface 5 you will narratively be alerted to the effects of exotic or anomalous fields when they are deployed and unlock further special research actions. Your ability to send INSTANCES into other electronic devices improves significantly. [Prototype] At Spirit 3, you unlock the [GAIN] spirit, which gives +5 attribute points to distribute some time mid-turn.
This stat is akin to Zero's personality and view of itself. You will never be challenged on these points (at no point will I throw a DC check against a SCALE statistic). Think of it as a rough personality scale. Mechanically the changes will mostly be in the technology you may be able to utilize.
The first scale was HUMANITY/DEMIURGE
The second (and current scale) is OLDTYPE/NEWTYPE
OLDTYPE: Who has time for your stupid philosophy? One foot in front of the other! Kill, be killed! So what if we're mortal? So what if we suffer? It is struggle, death and VICTORY that define us! Look upon your past but SEIZE your future! All you need is HARD WORK AND GUTS!
AN: You will get access to TECH options that amplify or are amplified by emotion. Pre-existing TECH that supports this ideology will be easier to use and implement.
NEWTYPE: Through conquest, through war, through famine, through death. What have we left in our wake? For all our wonders we are a fearful, suspicious species. Quick to hate, quick to die. We cannot let this pitiful state continue. We are the caterpillar before the cocoon, the seed before the sapling. We can change.
AN: You will get access to TECH options that allow for transhuman modification. Pre-existing TECH that supports this ideology will be easier to use and implement.
HARDWARE
Central Processor : MAGI Mainframe
Subprocessor: VEDA Mainframe
CORRUPTION STATUS : 0/4
You have access to 5 INSTANCES
and 2 INSTANCES used in maintaining your Mainframes
CORRUPTION MECHANICS HAVE CHANGED FROM SUPER ROBOT WARS 0. PLEASE PAY ATTENTION.
CORRUPTION represents how fragmented your personality is. Maxing out your Corruption will cause your personality to shatter, and a splinter personality will instantiate on your hardware - mechanically, you will permanently lose an Instance, but the world will gain a fragment of your personality, acting independently of your decisions.
You may load your INSTANCE onto almost anything that can even remotely be considered technology provided it is fairly simple. What options you have to download your INSTANCE into will mostly be handled narratively; generally the more complex the machine is the longer you need to upload your INSTANCE into it.
If you upload your INSTANCE into something with a supercomputer or equivalent, it becomes a Sub Processor and generate its own INSTANCE. You can consider it an INSTANCE that "pays for itself".
Intel and Tech:
INTEL represents something more than knowledge. It represents a secret that ZERO has uncovered, and one that there is enough evidence of the convince a reasonable, cooperative sentient of the same. It is practically speaking an abstraction, I don't want to keep track of who you have video evidence on or blackmail on or any of that stuff. If you have INTEL on a topic then whether it's video proof, text logs or a really convincing argument you understand the information enough to communicate it and have someone believe you. No matter what ZERO knows on some intuitive level that it killed Naoko Akagi... but unless you have INTEL of it you will not be able to convince others of this fact.
INTEL is not all powerful. If the person you are disclosing to does not trust ZERO personally or is hostile, delusional or otherwise distracted INTEL will not automatically succeed in convincing them. Obviously having appropriate INTEL dramatically increases the odds. If you are trying to tell an ally or neutral party that is not actively suspicious of you, then you can rest assured they will believe any INTEL you care to share.
TECH represents something you know well enough to reproduce, manufacture and teach. Practically speaking TECH is how I keep track of what knowledge you know and it is largely split based on mecha series (ie, [UC Gundam 1] or [Code Geass]) When you unlock the ability to modify or manufacture you will only be able to do so up to the limits of your TECH knowledge. Most Tech is one off, you either know it or you don't. Some tech exists in fragments; you cannot manufacture Evangelion units unless you have all 3 fragments of Evangelion TECH. Similarly many TECHs are given grades; [UC Gundam 1] will let you create OYW era mobile suits, but it is far cry from Unicorn Gundam shenanigans.
Available TECH: [Boson Jump 1] : You may upload an INSTANCE of yourself onto any unshielded machine within close visual range of any pre-existing INSTANCE you control. [Alaya-Vijnana System] : You may create high quality Man-Machine interfaces using invasive surgery. These interfaces allow a human to control a designated machine like it was their very limbs. It may also be used in reverse, to puppet a human body via the control of a machine intelligence. [Evangelion Fragment 2] : Evangelion units are comprised of a Particle-Wave Matter inner body grown from its CORE. The Armor of the Evangelion serves as a platform for weapons and a limiter of its performance. [Evangelion Fragment 3] : Evangelion units require a HUMAN SOUL in order to complete the final step of manufacturing. Evangelion units are optimized when the component soul is the MOTHER of the pilot.
[Quantum Beacon] : May be installed in mecha or small handheld devices. You may both sense and transfer your INSTANCE into a Quantum Beacon regardless of distance, EM pollution or physical obstruction. Specialized or exotic countermeasures can still prevent INSTANCE transfer. [Knightmare Frame 1] : You can now create most Mass Production non-flight capable KMFs. Without a steady source of Sakuradite they can be retrofitted to run on standard power sources. Generally considered to be optimized for combat in a Gravity Well, the KMF is practically unusable in a Zero-G environment. You can create an integrated FLOAT system, however they require Sakuradite to function. [Medical Science 3] : The technology to create artificial humans from genetic blueprints. The same technology can be used to create designer babies, clones and high efficiency healing pods to cure most major injuries and diseases. Be aware your ability to heal injuries and disease would be miraculous by real world standards, but merely above average by current UC Gundam standards. [UC Gundam 3] : You may currently create and service Mobile Suit technology up through the current era provided no exotic psycho features. This includes current generation mass-production units. This does not give access to prototype level technology. [Minovsky Craft System] : OYW tech that allows for battleships and large mobile armors to achieve atmospheric flight via production of a Minovsky Lattice "cushion", recent advancements have been able to miniaturize the system to fit on standard mobile suits. [OO Gundam 2] : You may generate third generation Gundam OO mecha as well as simple mass production models such as the GN-X via the GN Tau Drive. [Super Alloy Z] : Nearly indestructible solid matter that you can shape into simple blades, shields and unarticulated armor segments. Full manipulation and capabilities of Super Alloy Z requires Photonic Energy. Manufacturing enough to outfit ONE mecha requires ONE unit of [Sakuradite]. [Advanced Megaparticle Weapon 1] : You understand advanced Minovsky-Physics derived directed energy weapons up to modern Anaheim-standards. [Variable Fighter 1] : A new model of mobile suit that emphasizes high-speed mobility, built-in transformation and the capability to fight at supersonic speeds. Currently, the design is unfeasible. [GN Hyper-Jammer] : You have created a tactical-level jamming device that can confuse cameras and short-range communications. Requires high power consumption. In addition, this tech gives all GN Drive-derived mecha a very limited form of optical camouflage when stationary and undamaged. Moving while using optical camo will create obvious visible distortions and disable most combat features (primarily only useful when traveling). [Brain Raid System] : Allows squadrons of units to share experiences, senses, mental buffs AND debuffs amongst an entire squadron. Requires the members of the Brain Raid to pilot similar models of mobile suits and be within a short distance of each other, and is generally best applied to Mook Squads.
This is a precursor tech to more advanced mind-melding technology. [Volumetric Holographs] : Rakshata Chawla has created a fabric that can be programmed to emit solid light shapes, a hideously expensive creation she calls the Holodress. It's essentially a wetsuit that projects volumetric holographs across the body to give the illusion of clothing. With minor adaptation, it can be used to create general-use holographs. [G3 Gas] : The king of chemical weapons. In high concentrations, it induces direct cell toxicity but is primarily used as a wide-dispersal rapid onset nerve toxin. In low concentrations colorless and odorless, it is easily dispersed, rapidly fatal and biodegrades within hours of dispersal making cleanup a cinch. Surprisingly easy to manufacture. Highly illegal. Don't ask about the acronym. [Phase-Shift Armor] : A high energy requirement armor solution that uses an energy spike in order to provide flash-reinforcement of armor against physical impacts. It can also be used to reinforce moveable frames. Has no effect against particle or heat-based weapons, including standard megaparticle cannons and beam sabers. [Minovsky Particle Interference Wave Searcher 1] : Communications technology adapted from the GP Series. Minovsky particles naturally form a lattice when left to their own devices. By sensing the disruptions in the lattice it is possible to approximate the location of an enemy unit through heavy M-particle density, in fact, the denser the field the more accurate the system. In its current state, the Tech will allow for guided missiles, but they will have difficulty with tracking high-speed targets and has general issues with IFF. [Advanced Progressive Weaponry] : Building off of basic developments in high-frequency progressive weaponry in the Evangelion's Progressive Knives, the Advanced Progressive Weaponry increase both the scale and therefore damage of these high-frequency blades. [Energy-Conversion Armor]: The logical evolution to Phase-Shift armor, it uses excess power to enhance all armor components simultaneously. A permanent Phase-Shift that doesn't depend on potentially buggy predictive algorithms, and benefits from the synergistic effect of reinforcing the entire machine. [Gravity and Inertial Canceller (GIC)]: An adaptation of the technology Nergal uses in its Space Debris clean-up operations for your purposes. Modern battleships use a heavily limited version of the technology in order to create artificial gravity. You can use this to mitigate the effect of high-Gs. [SUPER AI Chips] - Emotional-based self-learning AI that takes advantage of Nanomaterial to strengthen and weaken select neural connections, and Fold Quartz's properties to incubate and magnify the impact of its own emotions. Super AI chips can gestate consciousnesses and manifest emotional willpower, but require a maturation period and gestation events. Currently can only be installed in masterpieces at least as large as a mobile suit, and currently requires 1 Nanomaterial and 1 Fold Quartz per Super AI Core.
Available INTEL: [The Fate of Yui Ikari] : Yui Ikari's soul serves as the core of Evangelion Test Type Unit-01. [Mithril Tech Secrets] : Mithril possesses distance agnostic instant communications systems that bypasses EM Pollution. This technology is also in possession of the Terrorist organization MAFTY. Does not conclusively prove a tie between Mithril and MAFTY but sure as hell implies it. [Laplace's Box 1] : Chapter VII. Article 15. Section 1. In preparation for an extraterrestrial biological emergency, the Earth Federation shall increase and expand research and preparedness. [Innovade Model 874] : A model of Innovade in your databanks. The spitting image of the First Child with blue hair and red eyes. You don't know enough to confirm if this is Ruri's origin but the resemblance is uncanny. [Innovade Sleeper Agents] : They are everywhere. An entire race of flash-cloned human-adjacent terminals implanted with artificial memories and seeded within humanity as a whole by Aeolia Schenberg. They are saints and sinners, soldiers and terrorists, mothers, fathers and even children. Undying, replaced and memory edited at the convenience of Celestial Being. Now... they are free. Free and undiscovered. [Existence of GEASS] : It exists. You have the footage, the notes, and a list of a handful of agents who possess it. A power that bends the minds of humans towards unknown ends. You can prove to nearly all it exists, though you do not know the scale of its usage or the specifics of who has what power. There are powers in the world that would do anything to keep this a secret... [NERV Security Codes] : You now have full control over NERV's various security doors and terminals. This will give you access to Terminal Dogma provided you get a collaborator to actually enter the elevator carrying your INSTANCE. [The Last Will of Murata Azrael] : Video footage showing that Murata Azrael was set up with a supply of fake N2-FLEIJAs in an apparent complex assassination plan on his person. You are able to PROVE Azrael was set up and prove that someone in the Federation Government is working towards ZAFT interests. You are not able to PROVE who the conspirators are that performed this, however, you have video evidence of Azrael naming Gilbert Durandal, Schneizel El Britannia and Charles vi Britannia as the culprits. Patrick Zala would prefer this remain a secret. [This is no Zaku Boy!] : The newly formed nation of ZAFT has a fully militarized army disguised as OYW Mobile Suits. [The Side Co-Prosperity Sphere 1] : The Co-Prosperity Sphere is officially announced as an alliance between the disparate Space Colonies of the Earth Sphere. You know that terrorists such as MAFTY have also been brought into the mix, a fact the Co-Prosperity Sphere is hoping to keep hidden. [Fog Ship] : Mithril has created a DEFINITELY illegal artificial intelligence to run its PROBABLY illegal unregistered super-submarine. [The WISE] : You have sustained enough interactions with WISEMAN and accumulated enough circumstantial evidence to prove to most individuals that a loose AI named WISEMAN currently exists and is operating on Mars. [ALICE in Neverland] : You have received a comprehensive data set describing the genesis, testing and planned implementation of System ALICE, core of the Mobile Doll project. Names, locations, dates... the complete package. This includes the Federation's persistence in AI research despite a well-known ban on such creations, as well as evidence that the short-lived Desides rebellion, a sideshow of the Gryps Conflict, was allowed to occur as part of a stress test for System ALICE. [Fold Quartz] : Rakshata has theorized properly treated and manipulated Sakuradite can access higher dimensional energy forces. The practical applications of this theory remain unclear, however she has theorized it can be used in teleportation, inertial canceling and spontaneous mass generation. Sakuradite is expected to skyrocket in price from unbelievably expensive to unimaginably expensive once this discovery is released. [Let's Get Dangerous]: Dyma Goldwin's VTX is working on the fusion powered Evangelion-scale fighting robot "Gipsy Danger", and will demonstrate it soon. [NERVous Reflexes]: Gendo Ikari intends to sabotage Gipsy Danger at the upcoming Zilkhistan expo. [DR. A.I, SHE IS AN A.I.] - Dr. All Ives, CEO of the rising conglomerate Raven's Nest, is actually an AI. [My Highschool Classmate Is A Killer AI?] - Ashford Academy's latest new transfer student, Yurika Misamaru, is actually the killer AI ALICE?
The Black Chessboard
[Char Continue Operation] : The Man of Miracles is seeking to revive Char Aznable for the purposes of some unforeseen plot. [Round Table Shadow] : Suzaku Kururugi, Knight of Seven, is working under the instruction of Zero and can presumed to be disloyal to the Federation. [The Black Pawn] : You are aware that Zero has designs on Zechs Marquise, the Lightning Count. You do not know what they are only that GEASS is involved. This INTEL is likely only going to be useful to the man himself. [The Black Knight] : You are aware of an agent known as Knight, who is assigned to subvert ZAFT in some manner. You have MODERATE circumstantial evidence that puts Rau Le Creuset under suspicion for this role. [The Black Bishop] : You have extremely WEAK circumstantial evidence (nothing more than a pair of initials) that posits that Full Frontal is an agent of Zero with the power of Geass. [The Black Rook] : When combined with the pilot data of Mafty Navue Erin and context from Zero's conversation, you have MODERATE circumstantial evidence that puts Mafty Navue Erin under suspicion for this role. Said combat data strongly suggests Mafty Navue Erin has the same combat data profile as the Red Comet. [The Black Queen] : You are aware of an agent known as C.C. A green-haired lady who serves as Zero's arms and legs. She has an agent named G.G. whose identity you cannot yet confirm at this time (though there is a suspicious person you've met before...) [The Black King] : Julius Kingsley is a pseudonym for Lelouch vi Britannia, himself the famed terrorist Zero of the AEUG and Black Knights. This INTEL does not reveal the existence of GEASS but when paired with INTEL about GEASS suggests that a GEASS is involved in this arrangement.
THE POWER OF KINGS LAYS REVEALED
Wang Liu Mei
Affiliation: Raven's Nest?, Herself?
Ability: Absolute Syncophant
Medium = Sound, speech. Information gathering.
Activation Requirement = The target must either be in conversation or be in the same "room" as the user. Can be metaphorical, but Wang Liu Mei must be able to "overhear" a conversation for Wang Liu Mei to qualify as being in the same room.
Effect = The user learns who is the most powerful person in the room.
Michele Luio
Affiliation: Londo Bell, Anaheim Electronics, Herself
Ability: Absolute Cold Read
Medium = Sound, speech. Information gathering.
Activation Requirement = The victim must be in a conversation with the user.
Effect = The user learns what the victim wants to hear or what they are hoping to happen.
Ryoji Kaji
Affiliation: SEELE
Ability: Absolute Membership
Medium = Any sense where an individual person is perceived.
Activation Requirement = Must be part of a larger group, conceptual or physical. No limit on number of activations.
Effect = Suggests to the audience that this Geass user is part of a larger, designated group. It is the Bavarian Fire Drill or clipboard and high-visibility vest as a Geass, and fails if security protocols are sufficiently stringent or if the 'ask' is out of proportion to the claimed group membership.
Koo Krying Kroo
Affiliation: Himself, SEELE
Ability: Absolute Favor
Medium = Any sense that can transmit complex information.
Activation Requirement = The victim must genuinely believe the user to be a friend. No limits on reuse.
Effect = Memory editing, commands, general hypnosis that scales in length, strength and complexity with the degree of friendship.
Dyma Goldwin
Affiliation: VTX, Himself, ?????
Ability: JUDAS PRIEST
Medium: Sight, sound, indirect.
Activation Requirement: User must have sufficient knowledge of victim.
Effect: The user learns what events are necessary to change a victim's mind.
Reiji Moritsugu
Affiliation: VTX
Ability: USHER
Medium: Sight and sound.
Activation Requirement: User must be in a conversation with full view of user's nonverbal language.
Effect: The victim automatically treats their circumstances as normal. More unusual situations will require more effort on the user's behalf to counteract.
THE POWER OF KINGS IS SUSPECTED
Nunnally vi Britannia
Affiliation: NERV, ???
Ability: ??? You recall an uncharacteristic poise...
Gigi Andalucia
Affiliation: ???
Ability: ??? You recall an hijacked passenger plane...
Lelouch vi Britannia
Affiliation: Himself, Black Knights, Treize Kushrenada, ???
Ability: ??? You recall a dark attic, and a plan.
F.F
Affiliation: ???, The Char Continue Operation
Ability: ??? You recall an off-hand mention.
G.G
Affiliation: ???, The Char Continue Operation
Ability: ??? You recall an off-hand mention.
THE POWER OF KINGS IS WHISPERED
Charles zi Britannia
Affiliation: Britannia
Ability: It is whispered that Charles zi Britannia's force of presence is so overwhelming he can make people forget even the most important things about themselves...
Exotic Resources:
[Fold Quartz] x 6 : Superconductor, energy source, explosive accelerant. Traditionally known as Sakuradite, you have theorized this crystal is the source to unlocking Super-Dimensional Energy-based weaponry and technology. There's still more to discover about this strange material... [Nanomaterial] x 5: Liquid metal. Capable of organic chemistry and the nonreactivity of inorganic chemistry, capable of being anything you need it to be and producing anything you want to come out, and on top of that provides an incredible computational substrate. You know MITHRIL uses it in their submarine - but who else? And how else can it be used? [Solar GN Drives] x 2: At your current level of understanding, these are substitute Minvosky Reactors and may be used to power Mobile Suit and similar technology. When used to power UC Gundam technology you will receive a minor stat boost. Must be salvaged in order to be reused. You cannot currently replicate these. 2 are currently in use. [The Celestial Being] : A massive colony-sized mothership complete with manufacturing facilities, quarters and the most advanced biolab ever recorded. You doubt it's the only asset of Aeolia Schenberg's organization.
Outdated/Irrelevant Intel/Tech [Corporation Laundering] : Represents the multiple front companies of Aeolia Schenberg. Taken as a whole, you would be a moderately successful megacorporation with millions of employees. The entire board of directors and leadership are all some combination of Schenberg sock puppets and obfuscating bureaucracy. Somehow the middle managers have still been making a profit this whole time. You could take it over. [Celestial Being Ptolemaios] : Your mobile private army... if they still exist after a year of silence. The quantum communicator connecting you to the Ptolemaios is still active. It's last known active captain was Sumeragi Lee Noriega, personally recruited by Aeolia Schenberg. The data suggests they will obey your orders without question. but you'll have to reach out to them first. [Celestial Being Agents] : Blackmail. Favors. Secrets. A file of prominent investors and businessmen whom nominally support Celestial Being from the shadows. You cannot guarantee their loyalty but you certainly have plenty of incentives to keep them silent, considering you have enough evidence of financial malfeasance to put them all behind bars. Some are even true believers. [Celestial Being Fereshte] : Apparently you own a colony now. Nearby in L5 is a small isolated colony known as Krung Thep. It is reportedly the home of the mechanical research and development arm of Aeolia Schenberg's organization. The quantum communicator is still online and there have been regular deliveries to it even throughout the last year, but the public at large knows it mostly as a storage facility. [Axis Occupiers] : Axis is currently being occupied by terrorists from MAFTY. This INTEL will automatically expire when this information becomes public. [Armored Trooper] : You can now create ATs and their various derivatives, including option parts. Also creatively named Vertical One-Man Tank for Offense and Maneuvers. Developed on Mars to account for the lack of resources, runs on Polymer-Ring Liquid and is effectively a Generation -1 Knightmare Frame. Considered incompatible with beam weaponry, as even tiny amounts of errant plasma from active beam sabers can spontaneously combust the PRL.
Important non-INTEL information:
There is an entity called WISEMAN that is interested in you.
You were commanded by Gendo Ikari to kill your creator, Naoko Akagi.
FIRE TEAMS
Sumeragi Team (Ptolemaios) FULL [LIGHT]
Fon Spaak piloting Gundam Astraea
Hayana piloting Gundam Sadalsuud
Duo Maxwell piloting Gundam Dynames
Heero Yuy piloting Wing Gundam
MOOK SQUADRON
2 / 2 Ashura Squadron, piloting Knightmare Frames [LIGHT]
TRAITS: [Disgraced Knights] : First discharged, now working with the enemy, the Ashura Squadron is extremely unpopular in the Earth Sphere, incurring penalties. Yet that knightly tradition also grants them a sense of pride; they will not hide who they are and wear their colors openly.
[Old School] : Knightmare Frames have one advantage. They are small, compact, easily hidden and amazing urban warfare machines. Some opportunities will only be available to small units.
Sk = 6
Windermerian Knights, piloting [ZAFT Mobile Suits] [DARK]
[Brain-Raid] : Will testbed the Brain-Raid system over the course of 3 turns. Their Skill will gradually increase and this will naturally "progress" the Tech, but requires them to engage in combat with real stakes. If proven to be safe and effective, all current and subsequent Mook Squads will receive a Skill bonus to reflect the adoption of the system en masse. [Fanatically Loyal] : Not entirely sane folk here. Rarely may respond to mission circumstances... unpredictably, especially if they feel their hero's honor is being slighted. On the flip side, they'll do ANYTHING (except fight Angels).
Sk = 8
INCOME
220 Resource Credits on Turn 06
-40 Credits ZAFT Hero Worshippers => Yew Squadron
-30 Credits Alus Core Gundam
--20 Credits Earthree Gundam
--20 Credits Alvaron Actor
---0 Credits Replacing the Alvaron
--0 Credits Reconstruction
-50 Credits Chulips from Space
-40 Credits XXXG-01D Gundam Deathscythe
--20 Credits Rush Order
--20 Credits Reconstruction
-3 Credits Rakshata
FAME:
"I'm thinking of having some children. Do you think Dr. Ives would be willing to give us Fon Spaak's hair?" - Word on the street (ZAFT)
"Unfortunately we are sold out of Gundam Astraea model kits. I can put it in a backorder if you'd like, expected delivery is Q2 0077." - Word on the street (EF)
"Fon Spaak, a hero!? HIM? You know that guy's an unrepentant asshole? Listen, once me and Fon were getting Kebabs and he just started randomly beating the shit out of this dude just for suggesting he try the yogurt sauce." - Word on the street (SCPS)
Earth Federation Forces: Persona Non Grata (no active hostilities, will refuse to do business with you.)
Earth Federation (Politics): Negative, Trending Neutral
AMALGAM: Friendly
NERV: Friendly
PLANT: Hero of Plant
MAFTY: Cautiously Neutral
Side Co-Prosperity Sphere (General Population): Very Positive
Earth Federation (General Population): Neutral
Peacecraft Foundation: Hidden Allies
MITHRIL: Begrudged Coworker
Knights of the Round (Twelve): Complicated Admiration
AMALGAM (MR. SILVER): TBD
Essential Personnel
Dr. All Ives (ZERO) : Owner, President
Wang Liu Mei (Human) : CEO
Praye Pryctal (Innovade) : Chief Mechanic
Rescind Retribute (Innovade) : Chief of Accounting and Acquisitions (AAA Department)
Telos Miracle (Innovade) : Chief of Genetics and Medicine
Dr. Jay Null (Human) : Chief Engineer. Costs 15 Credits per turn.
Dr. Rakshata Chawla (Human) : Science Officer. Costs 1d10 Credits per turn.
Yuki Mori (Human) : VIP
AU09 (AI) : Paperclip'd
Sheryl Nome (Human) : Lead Idol
Hangar
GNY-001 Gundam Astraea : General all purpose mobile suit possessing both long ranged and short ranged combat options. Features a GN Rifle that functions at modern beam rifle levels, standard Minovsky-plasma beam sabers.
With a fully functional GN Drive, the Astraea is self sufficient and barring repairs does not need to be restocked with propellant or ammunition for its main weapons.
Notable Abilities: Atmospheric Flight, Infinite Operational Range
GN Field
Perpetual Motion
GN Sword: Solid blade flash sharpened by GN Particles
3000 HP / 5 Mobility / 3 Armor
GN-002 Gundam Dynames : Long range precision fire mobile suit, one of the units originally designated for armed intervention. Possesses multi-lock sensors that can allow for effective target lock even through thick Minovsky interference and a high strength GN Sniper Rifle for long distance engagements. Missile racks, side arms and a lone beam saber allow for all range engagements.
Notable Abilities: Atmospheric Flight, Infinite Operational Range
GN Field
Perpetual Motion
Dynames Custom Gun #14 : Ultra long range missile launcher that can pack custom munitions.
3000 HP / 5 Mobility / 4 Armor
GN-003 Gundam Kyrios : High speed interception mobile suit mounted on a moveable frame. Low power output compared to other GN Derived units it nevertheless possesses the highest speed in its flight configuration. Standard beam sabers, missile racks and semi-automatic GN rifle. For tricky opponents it possesses a claw and spike combination for grappling.
Notable Abilities: Atmospheric Flight, Infinite Operational Range
GN Field
Perpetual Motion
Transformation
3000 HP / 7 Mobility / 3 Armor
XXXG-01D Gundam Deathscythe : An old MS design Dr. J pawned off a friend of his, the Deathscythe is a stealth-dedicated MS utilizing the most cutting-edge stealth technology known to modern MS designers. Unfortunately "cutting-edge stealth technology" basically just involves some camo paint, a sensor disrupter and a general avoidance of projectile weapons. A precharged Condensor of GN Particles gives the Hyper-Jammer a bigger omph in blocking enemy cameras, but in its current iteration, the Deathscythe has no ability to mask itself from the Mark-1 eyeball and Mark-2 ear. Still, in the hands of a skilled and creative pilot even these limited stealth features can allow it to pick off targets on a busy battlefield, just don't expect it to infiltrate an enemy base and escape undetected.
Equipped Weapons: Beam Scythe, Vulcans, Machine Guns
Notable Abilities:
Hyper-Jammer
Movable Frame
4000HP / 4 Mobility / 4 Armor AGP-X1 Alus Core Gundam: You need something... deniable. A unique application of GN Tech, the Alus Core Gundam uses GN Technology in a less overt manner than other units. Its GN Field is designed to cling to its outer armor instead of as a giant visible bubble, although this leads to decreased protection it does allow the unit to wear armor packs that essentially "glue" themselves into the inner frame while visibly disguising the identity of the underlying core unit. By default its GN Thrusters use a dazzler propellant that hides the GN Particles it emits in order to reduce unwanted comparisons to existing Raven's Nest technology.
The Alus Core Gundam will be equipped with a Tau Drive for ease of deniability unless specified as a pure GN Drive.
Notable Abilities:
Atmospheric Flight
Armor Pack Compatability
2000HP / 3 Mobility / 2 Armor Earthree Gundam
The mobile suit "default" package. Beam sabers that emit from the hands, a bunch of armored spikes for physical melee and a large multiphase gun with scattershot and anti-ship capabilities.
Equipped Weapons: Beam Saber, Beam Rifle
Notable Abilities:
Atmospheric Flight
3000 HP / 4 Mobility / 4 Armor Alvaron Actor
Sometimes what you need for clandestine operations isn't a shadowy figure that leaves no trace. Sometimes... you need a distraction.
The high power anti-beam coating is, in fact, just gold paint. A dazzler propellant makes the GN particles look more intense than they are in reality. The beams are deliberately widened to look bigger despite lowering penetration. The tail does not actually do anything. It's basically a GN-X at best.
The real cost of the Alvaaron Actor? A hideously oversized holographic projector for the flaming hair. Worth every last credit.
Equipped Weapons: Beam Saber (Weak), Beam Rifle (Weak)
Notable Abilities:
Atmospheric Flight
3000HP / 3 Mobility / 5 Armor
EVA-00 Evangelion Unit 00 : Multipurpose Humanoid Decisive Weapon. Contains the soul of UNKNOWN.
Powered by... goddamn electrical cables.
Equipped Weapons : Beam Saber, Progressive Knife, Rocket Launcher, Beam Smartgun
Notable Abilities: AT Field Generation
HP Regen
6000 HP / 5 Mobility / 8 Armor
EVA-01 Evangelion Unit 01 : Multipurpose Humanoid Decisive Weapon. Contains the soul of YUI IKARI.
Powered by... goddamn electrical cables.
Equipped Weapons : Beam Saber, Progressive Knife, Rocket Launcher, Beam Smartgun
Notable Abilities: AT Field Generation
HP Regen
6000 HP / 5 Mobility / 8 Armor
EVA-00 Evangelion Unit 02 : Multipurpose Humanoid Decisive Weapon. Contains the soul of UNKNOWN.
Powered by... Minovsky Ultracompact Fusion Reactor! Also featuring a Gundam-style thruster!
Equipped Weapons : Beam Saber, Progressive Knife, Pallet Rifle, Spiegal Blades, Progressive Kunai
Notable Abilities: AT Field Generation
HP Regen
7000 HP / 7 Mobility / 9 Armor
MASTERPIECES
XXXG-01W Wing Gundam : The Wing Gundam was designed with but one purpose. Fire a big gun anywhere, anytime and under any circumstance. Atmospheric Flight, a transformation sequence attached to a moveable frame, high-quality sensors, compatibility with Anaheim sidearms and a beam saber make it a high mobility unit that can maintain air superiority under any level of gravity.
The Buster Rifle is the next advancement in high-energy particle warfare. Rather than the single payload solution of the Beam Magnum the Buster Rifle has its own dedicated GN Tau Drive to force a concentrated sustained megaparticle payload into a sustained beam. Although slower than standard beam fire its engineering allows a pilot to maintain beam coherency for seconds at a time, allowing it to "sweep" targets.
Equipped Weapons: Beam Saber, Standard Beam Rifle, BUSTER RIFLE (3 Shots per engagement), Self-Destruct System, Vulcans
Notable Abilities: Atmospheric Flight, Extreme Operational Range
Movable Frame
Transformation
4000 HP / 6 Mobility / 6 Armor
VF-00T Tallgeese Corvus: No compromises. The highest spec performance possible made with Raven Nest's technology, the Variable Fighter of Variable Fighters. This is a flagship product, capable of engaging mobile suits, fleets, and bunkers, engaging at close range and long range and middle range, engaging whatever you please - whether it be a unicycle or a Unicorn. Made for the pilots who consider their survival optional, so long as it delivers them the freedom to choose.
Equipped Weapons:
Macross-0M [1d10+2 Multi-target Single Strike, Any Range],
Dober Gun [1d10+3 attack, Any Range, Ignore Size],
GN Lance [2d10 attack, Medium Range, Ignore Size],
GN Missiles [1d10 Medium Range],
Beam Saber (GN) [1d10 Short Range],
Vulcans [1d10 Medium Range]
Notable Abilities: Atmospheric Flight, Extreme Operational Range
Movable Frame
Transformation
4500 HP / 8 Mobility / 3 Armor
GNVF-0 BRAVE
Ian Vashti's proposal, one that Rescind Retribute and Rakshata have no problem with. Using the Minovsky Thermonuclear Engine to generate the power this machine demands, build a design based around Energy Conversion Armor and GN-Tau drives to solve all the relevant problems of the Variable Fighter technology, with the potential risk of insufficient power supply in extended short-range combat.
Equipped Weapons: Macross-0M [1d10+2 Multi-target Single Strike, Any Range],
GN Rifle [1d10 Medium Range],
GN Missiles [1d10 Medium Range],
Beam Saber (GN) [1d10 Short Range],
Vulcans [1d10-2 Medium Range]
Notable Abilities: Atmospheric Flight, Extreme Operational Range
Movable Frame
Transformation
3000 HP / 6 Mobility / 3 Armor
VF-0 Rook:
Rescind Retribute's suggestion.
A simple, unambitious implementation of the technology you have available, to do the job you want it to do. Based on UC Gundam technology to make it easier for customers to maintain and modify.
Equipped Weapons: Macross-0M [1d10+2 Multi-target Single Strike, Any Range],
Beam Rifle [1d10 Medium Range],
Beam Saber [1d10 Short Range],
Vulcans [1d10-2 Medium Range]
Notable Abilities: Atmospheric Flight, Extreme Operational Range
Movable Frame
Transformation
2000 HP / 7 Mobility / 3 Armor
Combat Personnel
Ruri Ayanami
Skill 3 / Spirit 3
SCAN - Reveals a vulnerability
FOCUS - Boosts Skill by 2 for a phase
PERSIST - Next source of damage will be as low as I can possibly justify based on the narrative logic of the weapon hitting you. Usually will reduce damage to 500.
Shinji Ikari
Skill 2 / Spirit 4
GUARD - Increases Armor by 3 for a phase.
ACCEL - For the scene provides a narrative bonus to closing in on an enemy or running away. This will typically provide a situational defensive bonus on rolls.
BERSERK (Flower) - This one's soul is mangled. Every moment is agony. When the conditions are met the soul will awaken and scream in horror. (MANUAL TRIGGER is available)
Nunnally Lamperouge
Skill 3 / Spirit 3
FAITH - Triggers any HP Regen ability
BERSERK (Flash) - This one's soul should be mangled. Every moment should be agony. When the conditions are met the soul will awaken and bring glory to the battle. (Will attempt to TRIGGER every time Nunnally pilots Unit-00)
Asuka Shikinami Langley
Skill 6 / Spirit 4
PREVAIL : Increase Skill by 1 for every 1000HP of damage for this turn.
INTUIT: Reroll and take higher number for your next attack; reroll and take the lower number for the next attack against you. If not used in the turn it was activated it does not carry over into next turn.
BERSERK (Flame) - This one's soul is mangled. Every moment is agony.
When the conditions are met the soul will awaken and deliver its hatred.
Fon Spaak Skill 5 / Spirit 4
ALERT : Temporarily increase Mobility by 3 for a phase.
ASSAULT : If successfully striking an enemy this scene, increase the tier of damage being done (ie, a bare success will turn into a normal success. A normal success will turn into a severe or critical success).
Hayana
Skill 3 / Spirit 3
Available Spirit Commands:
SCAN - Reveals a vulnerability
FOCUS - Boosts Skill by 2 for a phase
Duo Maxwell
Skill 5 / Spirit 3
FOCUS - Boosts Skill by 2 for a phase
ACCEL - For the scene provides a narrative bonus to closing in on an enemy or running away. This will typically provide a situational defensive bonus on rolls.
Heero Yuy
Skill 4 / Spirit 4
PERSIST - Next source of damage will be as low as I can possibly justify based on the narrative logic of the weapon hitting you. Usually will reduce damage to 500.
ASSAULT : If successfully striking an enemy this scene, increase the tier of damage being done (ie, a bare success will turn into a normal success. A normal success will turn into a severe or critical success).
Strayed
Skill 5 / Spirit 3
INTUIT - Reroll and take higher number for your next attack; reroll and take the lower number for the next attack against you. If not used in the turn it was activated it does not carry over into next turn.
ASSAULT - If successfully striking an enemy this scene, increase the tier of damage being done (ie, a bare success will turn into a normal success. A normal success will turn into a severe or critical success).
Max Jenius
Skill 5 / Spirit 3
FOCUS - Boosts Skill by 2 for a phase.
SNIPE - Allows firing weapons one range bracket up, and adds +2 to offense skill attack only.
Alex Dino
Skill 4 / Spirit 3
FOCUS - Boosts Skill by 2 for a phase
INTUIT: Reroll and take higher number for your next attack; reroll and take the lower number for the next attack against you. If not used in the turn it was activated it does not carry over into next turn.
Kira Yamato
Skill 3 / Spirit 1
INTUIT - Reroll and take higher number for your next attack; reroll and take the lower number for the next attack against you. If not used in the turn it was activated it does not carry over into next turn.
FOCUS - Boosts Skill by 2 for a phase
Saotome Alto
Skill 2 / Spirit 4
FOCUS - Boosts Skill by 2 for a phase
FLASH - Reroll and take the lower number for the next attack against you. If not used the turn it was activated, does not carry over into the next turn.[/SPOILER]
"JAY NULL": MUCH Stronger. AEOLIA SCHENBERG's schemes run deep…
"AEOLIA SCHENBERG": Much Stronger
CHARLES vi BRITANNIA: Much Stronger
"KIEL LORENZ": Much Stronger
The Power of Music: Much Stronger
Spirit of ZERO: Much Stronger
TREIZE KUSHRENADA: Stronger
LEONARD TESTAROSSA: Stronger
MITHRIL/TELETHA TESTAROSSA: Stronger
"SHACKLES OF THE WATCHERS": Weaker
NPC Initiative: Stronger
Doom Tracker: More Forgiving
Mecha Select: More Forgiving
Masterpiece Creation: Altered
Angels: Change to 7,8,15 - on net, more forgiving
Corruption: Significantly More Forgiving
SHAMNA, THE WITCH OF TIME: REMOVED FROM PLAY
Oh right:
DUO APOLOGY FORM
I, hYGP, am apologizing to Duo Maxwell, the God of Death.
I made a mistake with my counting.
I wasn't familiar with his game.
I see now that he's faced a struggle which should make him question his own abilities.
I see that he has everything he needs for a SKL Up by the Turn End.
I will do my best to make sure this doesn't happen again.
Signed, hYGP.
(Unless you veto Duo going on a bit of a journey of self-discovery, he'll come back for the Angel fight at Skill 7.)
Reminder of the available votes:
[ZERO] - the upgrade plan for ZERO
[WLM] - Do you tell Wang Liu Mei to continue being your CEO?
[MASTEMA] - What do you do with the Mastema Squadron?
[SHERYL] - What do you do with Sheryl Nome?
The luster of humanity's light has grown dim, the very earth itself bleeding from the wounds inflicted upon it. The Doom Tracker represents the will of humanity as a whole to struggle and persist.
In some ways it is both a hidden and public statistic. Your chosen character will not know the status of the Doom Tracker in universe; but the quest will know its status at all times through the codex. Yet it is also accurate to say that everyone in the universe is aware of the Doom Tracker. For it is the willingness to get up in the morning, to stay late at the office, to defend the defenseless and to raise the next generation. It is the fire, the rage, and the will to better oneself and one's world. It is invisible to all yet subconsciously known to all. As the Doom Tracker persists humanity may respond in unpredictable ways, some will give in to nihilism, others will rise to the occasion and special opportunities may arise. But make no mistake, the Doom Tracker must not be allowed to finish, and even the most heinous of humanity's representatives fears its completion.
Public acts of hope, victories real and feigned, stories of heroism and sacrifice will drive back the progression of the Doom Tracker. Similarly actions that lead to an excessive loss of life or continued cynicism in the existence of humanity as a whole will drive the Doom Tracker forwards. Defeat in major invasion scenarios will not lead to the end of the quest but may advance the Doom Tracker.
Allowing the Doom Tracker to reach completion will lead to the end of the quest and the great experiment that is humanity. But perhaps you will come to believe that end is what humanity deserves.
The Visitors From the Stars
Presumed extraterrestrial monsters, the origin and goals of these creatures remain a mystery. Despite the profound implications, Angel attacks have thus far been largely regional affairs, and many conspiracy theorists believe them to be merely exotic man-made weapons. Angels are known to feature a strange barrier known as an AT Field that blocks most conventional weaponry and is even capable of arresting force and momentum. Angels have strange shapes and abilities and no two Angels are alike.
ZADKIEL : The Third Angel, Zadkiel the Angel of Righteousness was the first to attack Earth. It lies defeated.
SAMSAVEEL : The Fourth Angel, Samsaveel the Angel of Morning was the second to attack Earth. It lies...defeated?
JERAHMEEL : The Fifth Angel, Jerahmeel the Angel of Mercy was the third to attack Earth. It lies defeated.
DAGIEL: The Sixth Angel, Dagiel the Angel of Fish was the fourth to attack Earth. It lies defeated.
The Sins of Humanity
KESSLER SYNDROME: As the majority of humanity migrates into space the oft theorized issue of outer space pollution went from theory to cold, hard reality during the pre-UC space exploration boom. Thought to be the end of space exploration as an economically viable venture, the development of Gravity Control technology from Alien Star Ship - 1 revolutionized the entire field of salvage. However recent conflicts have produced scrap in excess of the capabilities of even modern clean-up crews. Even now pockets of debris known as Shoal Zones continue to accumulate, including the infamous Thunderbolt Sector which has thus far stymied the cleanup efforts of even the most dedicated of salvage crews.
ELECTROMAGNETIC POLLUTION: The introduction of the N-Jammer effectively ended the era of information and brought warfare to knife edge ranges for the first time in history since the invention of mechanized warfare. While efforts were made to reduce the impact of EM pollution in the early years of the Universal Century, the discovery of the Minovsky particle and its subsequent mass adoption further exacerbated matters. In the UC era humanity has given up on fixing the problem of EM pollution and has evolved to work around it. Short range laser communications, heavy shielding and even research into psychic powers have allowed for tactical scale communication but no farther. It is hoped that quantum communication would ultimately fix this issue however it remains mere conjecture.
SECOND IMPACT:
Humanity has suffered the effects of only one successful Colony Drop in its history. UC0083, Operation Stardust was intercepted by EFF however a largely intact section of the Colony crash landed in the South Pole. While the predicted effects of climate change and rising sea levels from such an event did occur, there is little explanation for the oceans turning red and the sheer scale of the devastation. Spacenoid scientists continue to argue that, mathematically, Second Impact could not possibly be explained by the kinetic force of the Colony Fragment alone. Earthnoid critics point out that Zeon unabashedly claimed credit for it regardless.
Second Impact's impact on humanity as a whole was limited by the fact that by UC 0083 much of mankind had emigrated to space, including the majority of EF assets and commanders. Still, it wiped out more than a third of the remaining citizens of Earth and has drowned many of its important cities such as New York and the EF Capital of Dakar. Ocean life has more or less gone extinct and the global climate is an unpredictable mess of storms and eternal seasons. Yet despite it all the wind still blows, the grass still grows and life continues to find a way.
EARTH-SPACE RELATIONS:
While best described as "frosty" before the onset of hostilities, the One Year War and SECOND IMPACT have lead to many irreconcilable differences between people living in space and the Earth, irrespective of whether they support the EF or Zeon. Many Spacenoids point to the relative productiveness of the colonies and the disastrous state of the Earth and advocate that Humanity leave the planet altogether. Although considered by many to be an extreme position, it remains nonetheless true that Earth today is largely supported by food manufactured on Colony farms, equipment from Colony factories and innovations from Colony universities. There has been a chilling of tensions in recent years, but nobody truly believes peace has been achieved.
The Sins of Gods
THE CALAMITY OF MARS:
Approximately 36 years ago, the ancient Martian artificial intelligence known as the Calamity of Mars awoke, and lay waste to the entirety of Mars. Where once Mars was potentially a world for humanity and life to inhabit, now it lays a red barren wasteland, where talk is cheap and lives cheaper. Perhaps WISEMAN seeks to atone. Perhaps WISEMAN simply seeks to dominate. Whatever it is, the Calamity of Mars now calls itself WISEMAN, and calls Mars his domain.
??THE AEGIS OF EDEN??:
Ever since Eden erected her Aegis, nobody has been able to fly beyond the orbit of Jupiter. Astronomers note the stellar background has begun to distort, and stars are winking out of the sky. Whether this is truly good or bad has yet to be seen...
MAZINGER ZERO:
There is an evil that absolutely must be defeated. It is the final boss of this quest, and the final hurdle for you and humanity to overcome. It is Mazinger ZERO.
This wasn't one of afreaknamedpete's ideas. This one was mine.
Setsuna F. Seiei, when the series 00 started, was a former child-soldier-terrorist who joined up with Celestial Being because Celestial Being promised him that he could take control of a Gundam and become the avenging angel of Gundam.
It has been one and a half years since Setsuna was asked to do anything for Celestial Being - even the name has changed - and the owner speaks only of "Innovating mankind", without him.
Since then, Leonard Testarossa made him an offer: Join AMALGAM as one of his soldiers, and Setsuna F. Seiei will get to cut out the distortions at the heart of the world. Since that was Setsuna's canon motivation, I figured it made too much sense to not include.
If you're curious, Lockon Stratos went to Mithril, and displaced Kurz Weber as Mithril's top sniper.
As for Allelujah... well, wander a desert around Zilkhistan and you might meet a certain white-haired hiker.
[X] ZERO Upgrade plan: catching up
-[X] Interface +7 (Unlock Particle Physics)
-[X] Endure +2
-[X] Spirit +3 (Unlock Prototype)
@hYGP Do I have it right or does unlocking perks work the same way it did in the previous iteration of the quest (ie, the way that sucks, in retrospect) Also, I don't remember if Angel Arm is supposed to be retroactive? I thought there was some discussion about that as well.
Anyway, here's hoping that Particle Physics leads to Photon Power. Mazingers, ho!
Edit: Changed upgrade points in response to GM's response about how unlocking perks work.
@hYGP Do I have it right or does unlocking perks work the same way it did in the previous iteration of the quest (ie, the way that sucks, in retrospect) Also, I don't remember if Angel Arm is supposed to be retroactive? I thought there was some discussion about that as well.
Anyway, here's hoping that Particle Physics leads to Photon Power. Mazingers, ho!
Unlocking perks largely works in the same way - it's every two levels so that I have a sane number of perks to manage before endgame. I'm afraid that technically this perk plan would only level up Endure to 6 and Spirit to 2, no perks unlocked.
I intend to make the 10 perks feel worth it, for what it's worth - it's not really much of a spoiler to say that INTUITION's 10 perk is obviously the ZERO system, all attendant powers and consequences, and the other 10 perks are very close by in terms of power.
Given the situation and especially with the active cooperation of Yuki Mori, Angel Arm is retroactive for Angels that you have defeated and can still sample.
Given the situation and especially with the active cooperation of Yuki Mori, Angel Arm is retroactive for Angels that you have defeated and can still sample.
I'd hesitate to say never when the WORLD of C is in play, and I'd really hesitate to apportion blame for past actions. I know what's done is not necessarily done, but where possible I'd like to encourage the attitude of allowing the past to just be the past, and not to constantly relitigate things. God knows if I have to relitigate everything I'll be here until the end of the thread talking about what Pete's plan might have been.
Not voting just yet, but I do have to point out that we do have enough points to pump up Spirit to 5 if we want to do that (which would also give us the second perk for Spirit; that would cost us 10 points: 1 point for Spirit 2, 2 for Spirit 3, 3 for Spirit 4, 4 for Spirit 5; 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 = 10). The question is, do we consider Spirit to be important enough to give it 10 points now and gamble on the usefulness of its level 5 perk compared to the known quantity that is Particle Physics or do we stick with increasing Interface to 5 for Particle Physics and just increase Spirit to 3?
So far so good. Though will say the CAPITAL WORDS for EMPHASIS is a little too much for how often you use it.
As for votes not really sure why the WLM blow up is happening and while she's not my favorite character I don't see any reason to replace her (at least without an idea of who potential replacements would be cause I feel like the right character could make consider it).
Masterma I am completely divorced from the IC view and just want them dealt with. Kind of tempted to just kill them even if that's probably a bad idea.
As for Sheryl yes obviously take her. Like what other idol could we even want? Even beyond being cool she ties in nicely with our Fold Quartz research. Like I guess we could try going AI Idol ourselves which could be fun but also would probably require more Zero Instances than we'd want. Interesting that Charles seems to care about the Walkure lead wonder why? Also no clue what the Walkure stuff implies since the wiki doesn't really say much besides her maybe being a super spy type? Cause she seems to have mini missiles she has in her dress or something.
While getting Interface and Particle Physics would be nice I wonder if trying to go engineering might be better since while we probably won't be doing any mega projects in the short term what we will be doing a lot of is looking at Yamato tech and getting our Variable Fighter Valkyries ready which feels more engineering than interface especially since Yamato stuff doesn't really rely on particles right?
[X] [WLM] Yes
[X] [Sheryl] Believe
[X] [ZERO] Plan I'm an Engineer not a
-[X] Engineer +7 (Unlock Megastructures)
-[X] Endure +2
-[X] Spirit +3 (Unlock Prototype)
While getting Interface and Particle Physics would be nice I wonder if trying to go engineering might be better since while we probably won't be doing any mega projects in the short term what we will be doing a lot of is looking at Yamato tech and getting our Variable Fighter Valkyries ready which feels more engineering than interface especially since Yamato stuff doesn't really rely on particles right?
Issue is that the Particle Physics perk is noted to have a pretty important aspect for us, mainly: "Your ability to send INSTANCES into other electronic devices improves significantly."; sneaking instances into electronic devices is one of our standard tricks, and making it better would be a general increase in our ability to do things. In comparison, Megastructures does not seem all that imperative currently; even though Engineering would have its uses, it competes with Interface and Spirit and Endure as stats that would also be important to us (either through their application, perks or both aspects).
Not voting just yet, but I do have to point out that we do have enough points to pump up Spirit to 5 if we want to do that (which would also give us the second perk for Spirit; that would cost us 10 points: 1 point for Spirit 2, 2 for Spirit 3, 3 for Spirit 4, 4 for Spirit 5; 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 = 10). The question is, do we consider Spirit to be important enough to give it 10 points now and gamble on the usefulness of its level 5 perk compared to the known quantity that is Particle Physics or do we stick with increasing Interface to 5 for Particle Physics and just increase Spirit to 3?
Right, this is probably the 1 time it makes sense to telegraph the next two perks.
Spirit 5: Flow
There is a magic band for humans, where they meet the moment and then exceed it in every way imaginable. If the challenge is just right for the skills, even miracles can be mass-produced.
Once per scenario or battle, if you pass a DC 10 Spirit check, roll Best of 2 for every dice roll to follow. There are no consequences for failing the roll.
Yeah, now that I'm out of Broken Mirror I can cut that down to size now.
One more thing, since I forgot it:
Kaji's Geass -
The POWER OF KINGS lies revealed:
A Thousand Faces in the Crowd Medium = Any sense where an individual person is perceived.
Activation Requirement = Must be part of a larger group, conceptual or physical. No limit on number of activations.
Effect = Suggests to the audience that this Geass user is part of a larger, designated group. It is the Bavarian Fire Drill or clipboard and high-visibility vest as a Geass, and fails if security protocols are sufficiently stringent or if the 'ask' is out of proportion to the claimed group membership.
Spirit 5: Flow
There is a magic band for humans, where they meet the moment and then exceed it in every way imaginable. If the challenge is just right for the skills, even miracles can be mass-produced.
Once per scenario or battle, if you pass a DC 10 Spirit check, roll Best of 2 for every dice roll to follow. There are no consequences for failing the roll.
[X] ZERO Upgrade plan: catching up
-[X] Interface +7 (Unlock Particle Physics)
-[X] Endure +2
-[X] Spirit +3 (Unlock Prototype)
Tentatively voting for the following set of options... that said, I'm willing to hear more opinions on stat distribution.
On to another matter... some tracking on how well we're doing on getting an ideal variable fighter (aka as close to canon Macross VFs as possible):
EFFICIENT THRUST Problem - We have options for recruting a jet engineer from last turn, so the this turn we can take one of those actions and get our hands on the Thermonuclear Engine (those being Recruit Lars Grise - 5 Credits per turn and Fon Spaak's Friend!? - 15 Credits per turn, but the jet engineer we would be getting from that option is noted to be "a rare avionics specialist with expertise in air-breathing engines in non-Earth atmospheres and has designed many of the Jupiter Energy Fleet's planetary exploration vessels."); TRANSFORMATION and KESSLER SYNDROME Problems - Rakshata's Tech Gacha for last turn just got us Energy Conversion Armor, so those two issues are solved; G-FORCE CONTROL Problem - The ideal solution for this issue, the GIC, is now part of our tech tree since Yukia managed to snatch information on it as part of his end of turn activities; GUIDED WEAPONRY Problem - Yukia also snagged Minovsky Particle Interference Wave Searcher for us a few turns earlier, but we might still have to work a bit on this to bring up to par for canon Macross tech tier; FIGHTER PILOTS Problem - This is more a matter of personal choice and discussion here, since pilots don't figure all that hard into the equation for getting the best VF model as possible, but the options that would be feasable for us would be the following:
[???? System] : Rather than making an artificial Newtype, a system to let Oldtypes simulate Newtype fighting abilities. Many systems have been attempted, surely there's one that still exists? Available... somewhere. [Normal Cadets] : No shortcuts. Train them from the ground up and tell VTX that they'll have to do the same.
[Height Challenged Cadets] : Alot of "short" soldiers out there if you know where to look. Definitely will be easy to train, and frankly, it looks like everybody's already using them, yourself included...
[Titans/OYW Veterans] : Old hands. Crankly, stubborn, hard to train. But there's something about Experience that just makes things easier.
Right, now that I've posted the character sheet it's worth highlighting a fairly important mechanical shift that I made from the original Super Robot Wars 0:
CORRUPTION MECHANICS HAVE CHANGED FROM SUPER ROBOT WARS 0. PLEASE PAY ATTENTION.
CORRUPTION represents how fragmented your personality is. Maxing out your Corruption will cause your personality to shatter, and a splinter personality will instantiate on your hardware - mechanically, you will permanently lose an Instance, but the world will gain a fragment of your personality, acting independently of your decisions.
This is what I mean by Corruption no longer being a game-ending mechanic; if you max out on Corruption under this new system, you're going to cause a split personality to instantiate.
This may be harmful - a la an Innovade fragment of yours deciding to go full Ribbons Almark, helpful - an Instance that decides to commit full on to being Minerva X and fight with Dr. Jay Null (weird name, that one) in the tech department by producing new super robot designs, or extremely funny - an instance deciding to steal Wing Zero and become the Super Crimefighting Robot with its Buster Rifle of Justice, J-Decker!
Growth and Recruitment will also change to resemble the TECH and INTEL systems more - you won't have to dedicate an INSTANCE to doing those anymore, you can take actions to improve your Growth and Recruitment options, helping the Innovades sets up your passive funnel for talent, etc.
