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

[Iceblocks]

[X] No. There has to be an explanation for this.


No. There has to be an explanation for this. There is no way that Queen Dianna intended a violent conquest of the Earth. Right?


*



Mr. Heim's funeral is a rushed affair, for there are too many dead in Vicinity to hold a proper ceremony.

The priest delivers a short sermon before he goes back to Vicinity. Sochie reluctantly signs a death certificate and places the first handful of dirt upon Mr. Heim's coffin. You spot Keith as you help the others bury the body of your employer while Sochie cries her eyes out to the side. That idiot. What is he doing here?

A part of you wants to stay with Sochie, but Jessica is taking her to her room, so once you have finished the burial you go after Keith.

*

The two of you end up sitting in the nearby river stripped down to your skivvies.



"You were piloting that Mobile Suit yesterday?"

You nod. "Yeah. It tore itself out of the ground right after the first beam shot."

Keith sighs. "I saw it while helping the boss and Verlaine escape Nocis. You fought that WaDom…I didn't think you knew how to fight that well."

"It was mostly the White Doll." You shoot back. "There is some kind of wireless man-machine element to its controls."

The conversation turns to idle banter, mostly about what will happen now.

"I think it is going to become a war if this keeps on." Keith says. "The Dianna Counter acted as if they were going to shoot everyone and nobody would shoot them, and then you came along and take out three WaDoms. Nobody is going to know what to think anymore."

"Maybe." You mumble. "Keith?"

"Hm?"

"Do you think Queen Dianna approved this?"

"Who knows. It doesn't say anything good about the situation either way." He stands up and begins to dry himself off. "Whatever the case, our mission ended yesterday and I'm done."

You stop yourself from jumping out of the water. "You are leaving the Dianna Counter?"

"Our mission was supposed to last two years, and it was two years yesterday." Keith repeats. "Fran, you, myself…neither of us are part of the Dianna Counter anymore." He takes off his locket, one you learned during your training to contain a picture of Queen Dianna, and tosses it into a bush. "I'm going back to the bakery. You do whatever you want."

And with that he walks off. Judging from the faint Pressure you feel from him, he is a lot less alright with this than he expresses. He also felt guilty for ranting at you, you think. Even with the powers the White Doll gave you it was difficult getting anything from Keith.


*


When you get back to the Heim manor you are ushered into Sochie's room by Jessica. Sochie is lying huddled up under the covers with her back turned to you, staring at the opposite wall.



Her Pressure is a boiling mess, some of which turns on you when she rolls over to face you and retreats further into her blanket so only her eyes peek out.

"Loran?"

"Yes, miss?"

She stares at you for a few seconds before she continues, her Pressure boiling even as it unsteadily reaches out to brush your own.

"When we got into the White Doll and it gave us magic…I saw things. Things about you." Her eyes never leave yours as her Pressure starts to rub itself against you. "And when we were fighting…you knew, didn't you? You know who we fought last night."

Oh, dear…


[] Tell Sochie your story.

[] Deny it.

[] Deflect.

[] Leave.



*


Hours later, you return to where you left the White Doll to check up on it. It is crawling with Militia soldiers when you get there, but you also notice something important:

The White Doll is not actually white at all! It is some shade of light green!

Spoiler: The White Doll

There are two people present that aren't wearing Militia uniforms, an old man and his redheaded assistant. They introduce themselves as Sid Munzer snd Joseph Yaht



"We have been studying the Dark History for several years." Explains Sid. "Lord Guin learned of the planned invasion some time ago, and commissioned us to search for Dark History technologies like this mechanical doll." He raps his knuckles against the White Doll's kneeling form. "Shame we can't get it open. The cockpit is shut tight."

Perhaps disturbingly, the White Doll's cockpit opens the moment you step into its waiting hand. You have just enough time to seat yourself before a Militia officer hands you a letter. "What's this?"

"It is a Letter of Appointment, written by Lord Guin to be delivered to whomever was piloting this mechanical doll." Comes the stiff answer. "Should you accept, you will become a Militia pilot."


[] Accept.

[] You'll need to think about it.

 

[Iceblocks]

[X] Tell Sochie your story.


You take a deep breath as you sit down on the chair by Sochie's desk. "We call ourselves the Moonrace…"

It takes about half an hour to tell Sochie your story. Starting with an explanation of who the Moonrace are and how you live, then moving on to how you joined the Dianna Counter Advance Scout Program four years ago. You skim over your time spent in training before recounting how you, Keith and Fran descended to Earth.

"…And then I worked for Mr. Heim until now."

Sochie doesn't say anything.

You avert your gaze. "Sochie, I…I didn't know this was going to happen. I-"

"I wish you were lying."

Huh? You look back up to meet Sochie's eyes. She breaks contact this time by squeezing her eyes shut.

"I wish you were lying. If you weren't feeling guilty I could hate you." Sochie mutters. She rolls over so that you are facing her back.

Her Pressure is still boiling. Half of it is surging and retreating towards you, but a lot is churning inwards. You try to reach out with your own Pressure, but Sochie's whipcracks against it so hard that you think a blood vessel in your eye just popped.

"We'll talk later." She not quite snaps at you. "I don't want to look at you right now."

You leave Sochie to her thoughts.




[X] You'll need to think about it.


"I'll need to think about this." You say before you pocket the letter. The officer looks about to argue, but he is interrupted by a holographic screen popping up between you. A Pair of WaDoms and four WADs, small anti-personnel mobile pods, have just left the Dianna Counter landing zone and are headed this way.

You warn the Militia of the incoming mobile suits, waiting a few seconds to give them time to get off the White Doll before you make it stand up. Patches of nanoskin peel off with the movement, but they don't seem to have gotten much done in the hours since you left the White Doll here. You close your eyes and let your Pressure flow through the channels within the ancient mobile suit, easing the burden of piloting the unfamiliar machine.


You have a bit of time to think, so you press the buttons one after the other to test what they do. The shield icon makes a whitish green barrier appear on the White Doll's left arm, while the bubble icon makes the air around your mobile suit ripple for an instant. A bubble also appears around the image of the White Doll displayed before you.

The mobility systems are a surprise. The landskimmers you recognize from before, but to your shock pressing the wing icon makes the White Doll slowly rise into the air. The White Doll can fly! You almost crash because of how sensitive the system is, but after getting the White Doll back onto its feet you turn it off and press the circle icon. At first nothing happens except an ominous humming noise, but a few seconds later a holographic display opens up to show you the view behind the White Doll: A large white circle of light has appeared right behind the oversized backpack, hovering unsupported in the air as it hums. You turn it off without trying anything.

There is a new symbol as well. It is off in its own category, and bears the picture of a mask(?) splitting into two pieces down the middle. You press it and immediately wish you hadn't, for when the red lines covering the White Doll split into wide cracks and your Pressure makes you feel as if you were a lemon going through a juice machine. You hurriedly deactivate the system, covered in sweat as the White Doll's armor slides to close the cracks in its body.


The Dianna Counter suits are coming closer. You plan to.


[] Confront the Dianna Counter suits.

[] Hole up in the mountains and ambush them if they come after you.

[] Run into the wilderness until they give up.


As for the White Doll's systems:

Choose 2
[] Defenses.
--[] Odd Shield.
--[] Bubble.

[] Mobility.
--[] Landskimmers.
--[] Flight Mode.
--[] Ominous Circle.

[] The New System.


As for your Pressure…

[] Telekinetic Strike.
[] Even in the White Doll you cannot feel the Dianna Counter pilots from here, but if they get close…
[] Telekinetic Barrier
[] NT Empathy.




Roll 1d2 for Self-Repair = 1! White Doll regains 1 Integrity!
White Doll Integrity = 4/12


*********

Spoiler: Landskimmer Stats

Landskimmers. 1/200 (Damaged)

-Speed +: Hidden -15 modifier to speed DC while on the ground.

 

[Iceblocks]

[X] Run into the wilderness until they give up.
[X] Defenses.
--[X] Odd Shield.
[X] Mobility.
--[X] Flight Mode.
[X] NT Empathy.


You hurry to activate the shield and the Flight Mode. The WaDoms and the WADs hesitate for a second when the White Doll rises over the treetops, but then they charge straight towards you. Flying the White Doll is completely different compared to a propeller plane…

Spoiler: Turn 1

Loran

DC 75 for Flight = 84! Success! +10 Distance!


Dianna Counter

DC 40+30(Distance) for Pursuit = 12! Major Failure! +10 to next Turn's Pursuit roll! +10 for this Turn's Morale roll!

DC 10+15 for Morale = 48! Success!

As shown by your near-crash after a few minutes of slow flight, but you manage to hold it steady as you fly the ancient Mobile Suit. The Dianna Counter Suits speed up as best they can, but the terrain slows them down enough for you to fly into the sparsely populated wilderness between Nocis and the nearby mountains. You fly low over the forested hills, with the occasional slowdown to see how your pursuers are doing.

They appear to have stopped at some point to pick up a WAD struck by Militia artillery, but are still following you even with the widening distance between you. While you should be in range of the WaDom's weapons, the White Doll doesn't detect any lock-ons. Curious, maybe they have orders not to fire their heavy ordnance.

Spoiler: Turn 2

Loran

DC 75 for Flight = 14! Major Failure! -10 to Dianna Counter Pursuit DC! -10 Distance!


Dianna Counter

DC 40+20(Distance)+10(Major Failure)-10(Major Failure) for Pursuit = 50! Failure!

DC 20+10 for Morale = 80! Success!

And then disaster strikes. You clip a rocky outcropping right as you are about to speed up a little after checking on your pursuers, and the surprise makes you unbalance and crash the White Doll.

The Dianna Counter force eats up some of the distance before you can get the White Doll back in the air, but they fail to catch you. The chase continues.

Spoiler: Turn 3

Loran

DC 75 for Flight = 77! Success! +10 Distance!


Dianna Counter

DC 40+30(Distance) for Pursuit = 69! Failure! +10 Distance!

DC 30+20 for Morale = 9! Failure!

You hold the White Doll steady as you lead the Dianna Counter force through the wilderness, slowly widening the distance between you.

Your pursuers make a valiant attempt to keep the gap from widening further, but keep falling further and further behind. After another thirty minutes they give up and return the way they came. After you are certain that they are truly retreating, you take a roundabout way back to the Vicinity area to hide the White Doll.


When you get back it has been almost three hours since this chase began. The clear skies have given way to grey clouds and light rain, and descending through them come another dozen Moonrace ships. Most of them are transports, but there are two more Almaiyas with them. Escorting the small fleet is a swarm of SUMOs, the mobile suits of the Royal Guard.


In the lead is a golden one, heralding the arrival of the Captain of the Guard.


You cannot see the Soleil, the flagship of the Moonrace space forces, anywhere so Her Majesty has yet to descend. But with the Royal Guard here it is only a matter of time.


Speaking of matters of time, you need to think of what answer to give to Lord Guin…


[] Accept for now. Without the White Doll the Dianna Counter will have free reign over Inglessa, and you can always reconsider when Queen Dianna comes to clear this up.

[] Refuse and don't pick a side. It might be cowardly, but you would rather not commit to anything before Queen Dianna arrives.

[] Refuse and take the White Doll to the Dianna Counter. If they let you keep it you will be better placed to prevent atrocities like those of last night before Queen Dianna comes to rein them in.



PROLOGUE END

 

[Iceblocks]

Week 1 (Week 1 of the Lunar-Inglessan Dispute)


[X] Accept for now. Without the White Doll the Dianna Counter will have free reign over Inglessa, and you can always reconsider when Queen Dianna comes to clear this up.


As the sun sets you find yourself in the office of Lord Guin Sard Rhineford, ruler of Inglessa and 'Royal Heir' of Ameria.



You have met the man a few times while working as one of the Haim family's chauffeurs, and you really wish he'd stop calling you-

"Laura, I am glad you accepted my offer."

That. It is weird being called your mother's name.

Lord Guin's office is within Bostonia Castle, the old seat of the Sard Rhineford family.



"With your White Doll on our side the Moonrace will not be able to simply walk over us. Not that I intend to place this burden entirely on you, of course." He stands up from behind his desk and walks over to the window. Once there he waves you over and points towards the mountains. "I believe you have met with Sid Munzer and his assistant?"

"Yes, sir." You passed a lot of mourners on the way here, you hope they'll be able to move on.



He smiles. "I have assigned them equipment, crews and funding to search for more buried mechanical dolls. If we become too strong to easily defeat, the Dianna Counter will be forced to negotiate."

Personally you are placing your hopes on Queen Dianna being able to sort this out, but you aren't going to tell him that of course.

"There will be some representatives from the Dianna Counter coming here at the end of the week to work out a ceasefire. I can only hope the peace holds until then."


You are shown to a guest room in the castle, whereupon it hits you that you have not slept since the night before yesterday. You fall asleep the instant your head hit the pillow.


*

You are tired, so very tired. Your body is slowly failing, still more like a viscous liquid than solid flesh, but you only have to complete your task. This one thing.

Then you can sleep.

The five of them stand before you, five warriors clad in furs. They come from all over the world, their journey to this place made possible by the Blessing of Flesh. Their Blessings are weaker than you are used to, but you suppose it is impressive that they retained them at all after…

Shaking yourself out of your thoughts, you beckon them forward. There is no time to wonder now, and the five marks on your left arm might as well be put to good use. You place a mark on the back of the right hand of each warrior. You tell them of their duty, to safeguard the world while you are gone.

They accept.



When you awake again, body fully recovered, you are just in time to see the successors of the five warriors defeat a twisted combination of a giant mobile suit and a space colony.

A closer look at the wreckage reveals something interesting: It is similar to a primitive Turn system but-



---



After waking up once more, your body restored (if still frailer than it should be), you spend a few hours pondering how one of the successors of those five defeated that giant mobile suit/space colony hybrid:

An external expression of the Blessing of Flesh, how interesting. It's been centuries since using those outside of hand to hand combat was practical.


You make your way down the mountain to where you sense a settlement, though it is much closer than you first thought. Has your Blessing of Spirit dulled after the nanites?

When you first seen one of them you have to force yourself not to puke. It greets you in a purely vocal fashion, the mindless, soulless thing turning its shambling, crippled body towards you. Was this what you were planning to turn the rebels into? Was this what the limiters would do?
Your feelings of horror and disgust root you in place. Fear, unfamiliar and unwelcome, threatens to destroy your ability to think coherent thoughts, but you manage to overcome.

You tentatively reach out towards it with your Blessing of Spirit. Its complete lack of mental defenses allows you to quickly learn how to input the correct verbalizations to learn where you are.



A month and some false memories later, and you have always lived in the tiny village, a short trip to the nearest city and some hacking ensuring that everything is in place.

Your new nationality is Neo-German, your new date of birth: the 7th of April FC 31.


With your place in the world secure you decide to catch a flight to the Neo-Japan space colony. You need to check out the wreckage of that giant mobile suit.

And maybe you'll find some actual people up there.



---



Alas, you've found no actual people on the space colony part of Neo-Japan. All you have found on your way to the cordoned-off wreck of the giant mobile suit is an endless multitude of the same revolting caricatures of humanity you found down on Earth.

Getting through the cordon is simple enough, the guards are easily avoided and the rudimentary security systems they managed to set up during the last month is just as easily bypassed. You have almost reached the spot your Blessing of Spirit tells you is the core of the space colony/mobile suit hybrid when you sense something…familiar.


It is oddly depressing how long it takes you to recognize the sensation of being within a certain distance from another human being.

As much as you long for actual human contact, you press on.


The core is for the most part ruined beyond all repair, though you do find a small nanite manufacturing unit while searching for hints as to how the successors of those five managed to defeat such a machine.

Closer scrutiny reveals that it is similar to a primitive Turn System…

-Flash-

While the exact nature of the nanites produced by the machine in your hands escapes you, you manage to glimpse that they are constructors/reconstructors of some sort. You have to take it with you-

"Who are you?!"

You almost jump in surprise. Your elation over your find clouded your awareness to the extent that the other human managed to enter the central chamber of the massive wreck without you noticing.

Turning around, you size up the intruder:

Black hair and eyes, red headband with matching cloak, fingerless gloves, and looks that mark him as being from Neo-Japan.

Most interesting however, is the fact that he carries your Hird Brand on the back of his right hand. The 'Heart of the Conquering King' if you are not mistaken.


He is confused as to why his Hird Brand is reacting to your presence and makes no attempt to shield his emotions from your Blessing of Spirit. Doesn't he know what it is? You didn't tell the five warriors the exact details, but surely they managed to discover it on their own?

For a moment you consider your options. Talk to him? Fight him? Compel him through the Brand? But he seems to have made the choice for you as he disregards his confusion to launch a flying kick at your head.

It is easily blocked, though something odd happens the moment his leg meets your blocking arm, as well as the following times your exchanged blows meet: Some kind of pseudo-Communion is initiated every time, growing stronger and clearer with every initiation.

Disappointment forces its way through your disgust (if barely), filling you with its cloying bitterness. He isn't human at all! His Blessing of Spirit is a mutation, a grotesque, stunted outgrowth of his Blessing of Flesh!

Your anger momentarily overcomes your reason, and your opponent crashes into a wall as your next blow catches him full force in the chest. A bad move, not only did you run the risk of killing the only human-ish being you've found so far, but your own body has also taken damage, your arm maintaining cohesion only through heavy application of telekinesis. He struggles to get up, but loses all his strength and falls unconscious after you turn his Brand against him. You almost regret doing it to him after the redness of rage fully fades from your mind, turning a Hirdperson's Brand against them is…

No matter. You walk up to his unconscious body, placing your hands on his temples as you dive into his memories. Time to find out how he defeated the hybrid.



…What is 'love'? The closest comparison your mind comes up with is 'mutual devoted admiration'

Whatever it is, trying to make sense of it makes your head hurt.

Yet it granted this one and his…partner? Mate? enough power to destroy the hybrid…


Breaking the connection, you grab the nanite manufacturer and make your way out of here and back to your current home. There is research to be done.



---



'This is amazing' you conclude as you study the primitive nanite manufacturer back at your home in Neo-Germany. Getting back without causing a scene took some effort, the Turn-Type nanites holding your body together threatening to fail after the strain of fighting the mutant amongst the wreckage of the giant mobile suit.

But the nanites made by this device, the DG Cells if the information you got from what passes for the Q-Network in this era is correct, are made with the preservation and strengthening of biological matter in mind, as well as reparative terraforming, if you found a way to make them work in unison with the Turn System…



Almost two years after the fight in the remains of that massive mobile suit you feel your old strength returning to your body, the perfected result of your experiments on the Turn Type nanites working in harmony with the customized DG-Cells to restore it.

And you know exactly what your first order of business is…


To say that Raizo Kasshu is surprised when you drop the DG-Cell manufacturer you took on his desk, along with all the notes and records of your research on said nanites, before running away would be an enormous understatement.


With your work here done, you are about to purchase your ticket back to Neo-Germany when you spot the mutant accompanied by a woman whose Blessings are far weaker than his. If you remember correctly it was that one who did that 'love' thing with him to destroy the giant mobile suit…


You don't observe them for long. Watching the mutant makes the Master Brand on the back of your left hand itch. It also reminds you of Satang Sang-Sang and the Hird Brand that once marked the back of your own right hand. It vanished while you were sleeping, before you branded those five on the mountain.

As if you needed more reminders that he was dead.


It was a butterfly within a cogwheel. He had made it specifically for you…



---



Decades pass, turning into centuries as you stay in that little village in Earthside Neo-Germany. You have faked your death a dozen times, taking up the role of your current identity's illegitimate or adopted son time and time again as you run your experiments on the Turn System and its nanites.

One day a foreboding feeling fills you, and you have been a warrior too long for feelings like this to go ignored. Besides, you know exactly what is coming.

You approach the current descendants of the five warriors on the mountain, and when the Enemy comes it is met by an army of warriors and soldiers gathered from all across the humanity that is.

Your army is utterly annihilated, the last unit destroyed after two minutes and forty-six seconds.


You realize, as you crawl out of the Pacific Ocean, your unique condition safeguarding you from the majority of the Enemy's attack, that you should not be surprised at the outcome: The army you gathered wouldn't have held against a single proper battlefleet, and the Enemy has defeated dozens of those on its own.

No, to defeat the Enemy you would need to start earlier, to guide the cycle as much as you can with the goal of the current civilization gaining enough strength to successfully resist should the Enemy return again.

But for now: Sleep. It is going to be a long wait until humanity gets back on its feet, and you are too wounded to help them right now.

At least the Turn System isn't damaged. That will make things a lot easier.

*


You wake up, shaking your head at the vivid dream. You have a couple of days free this week, beside some patrols and briefings and you know just how to spend them.


Roll 1d2 for Self-Repair = 1! White Doll regains 1 Integrity!
White Doll Integrity = 5/12


Choose 2

[] Familiarize yourself with the White Doll.

[] Go see how Sochie is doing.

[] Experiment with Pressure.

[] Check on Keith and Fran.

[] Sneak off to the Dianna Counter camp and report the completion of your scouting mission before going back to Nocis.
--[] For closure's sake.
--[] Try to get some information out of them.

[] See how Sid and Joseph's work is going.

 

[Iceblocks]

[X] Go see how Sochie is doing.


Sochie, you discover after taking the White Doll back to the Heim mansion, was dragged out of bed by Miashei while you were leading the Dianna Counter on a wild goose chase around the wilderness. You eventually track them down to the Kune airstrip right outside Vicinity. Ladderum is there to tell you where the two girls went.

"My girl's been teachin' Miss Heim how to fly a Hipheavy." The man says while installing the heavy machinegun on another Hipheavy fighter-bomber. "They kept going until sunset last night, and went right back to it after breakfast today." A Hipheavy comes in for landing, but you cannot see Sochie or Miashei in the seats.



"Loran? What are you doing here?"

You jump and turn around to come face to face with Miashei. She is looking you up and down in confusion with a chunk of bread in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other. "I'm looking for Sochie." You manage to force out.

Miashei shrugs. "She's off getting lunch. We've been hard at work here!"

You tilt your head. "I know I know, but…why?"

She forces the last of her bread and washes it down with a gulp of coffee. "She wants some payback, as do most of us. We can't just let-"

"Miashei."

The two of you look over to Sochie, who is holding her own lunch as she walks up to you. "Could you leave us alone for a bit?"

Miashei looks back and forth between you and Sochie before she smirks and walks off.

Neither you nor Sochie say anything to begin with. "How are you holding up?" You dare to ask when it becomes clear that Sochie would rather eat than start the conversation.

She swallows her food before answering. "Better. No thanks to you." Her Pressure bristles for an instant, but settles down with an aura of wounded hunger.

"…That's not fair." You mumble, but anything further is cut off by Sochie's Pressure slamming itself against your own.

"Stop feeling guilty! You didn't do anything! You-you-!" Her Pressure boils and thrashes with rage (mostly directed at you) and hunger (entirely directed at you) during her outburst. She calms down right afterwards and wipes her eyes.

"I-I'm alright. Can we talk later? I need to go see Miashei."

You step aside to let her pass. Her Pressure almost makes you grab her arm to press further, but you decide against it.

You'll have to talk to her later, but at least she is feeling a little better.




[X] Familiarize yourself with the White Doll.


A couple of days later and you finally have the time to thoroughly go through the White Doll's systems. Hours pass as you decipher every holographic key you find, cataloguing everything as they come, every last system and control.

You make some interesting discoveries: Every weapon system on the White Doll is inoperable, the system provided by the Bubble icon is most likely an I-Field, and the system that makes the White Doll's armor slide about somehow amplifies the powers you were given to a degree beyond what you are used to but tires you out almost immediately afterwards. The White Doll can also split into nine pieces (ten with the backpack), each with their own flight capability.


Pilot Level (White Doll) is now 2! White Doll has been added to the Mobile Suit Informational Threadmark!


There are some other systems, almost all of them damaged (many of those heavily so), but the most interesting is one of the fully operational systems: You think it is some sort of self-repair systems, or rather a trio of such systems.

The first seems dedicated to repairing the White Doll itself, focusing entirely on maintaining its frame and armor.

The second is slowly repairing everything that is not completely ruined, and now that the White Doll is active it will surely see all its systems come online. One day.

The third, however, is inactive. If you are reading this correctly it requires the pilot to designate a system for priority repairs. Considering the state of the White Doll, you turn it on and set it to repair-


[] The White Doll itself. (Recover 7d2 Integrity)

[] One of the White Doll's systems. (System gains 1d100 Condition)
--[] Write in System.



The day of the meeting has come, and a convoy of several military cars from the Dianna Counter, escorted by a pair of WADs, arrive at Bostonia Castle with a group of officers and guards.

Lord Guin gave you a choice as to where you will be staying. You chose to.


[] Stay outside the castle in the White Doll.

[] Stay in the corridor outside the meeting room.


*********


White Doll repair systems:


Frame Repair will recover 1d2 Integrity every day, to a total of 7d2 per week.

System Repair will recover 1 point of Condition for all systems other than the inoperable ones

Priority Repair will recover a fullt week's worth of Integrity or 1d100 to whatever system is selected.

Spoiler: Repairable Systems

Defensive Systems.


Armor. 1/500 (Heavily Damaged)

Armor Grade: 6-3

Armor Save: 4+

Special:

-Beam Resistant 1: Beams that hit this unit lose one level of Penetration vs Armor.


Left Arm Lightwave Shield 1/200 (Damaged)

Shield Grade: 4-1

Shield Size: Medium.

Shield Save: 4+

Shield Integrity: 4

Special:

-Lightwave Shield: Does not block lasers.

-Regenerate 1: Regains 1 Integrity at the end of each Turn.


I-Field. 1/500 (Heavily Damaged)

Field Density: 6-3

Dissipation Save: 4+

Field Integrity: 4

Special:

-I-Field: Barrier against Ranged Beam Attacks only. Immune to Beam Penetration.

-Dampening: Whichever Ranged Beam Attack breaks through the I-Field has its Damage reduced by remaining Field Integrity.

-Regenerate 1: Regains 1 Integrity at the end of each Turn.



Mobility Systems.


Landskimmers. 1/200 (Damaged)

-Speed +: Hidden -15 modifier to speed DC while on the ground.


Lightwave Maneuvering Thrusters (Flight Mode). 1/200 (Damaged)

-Flight: Unit can fly. Terrain modifiers ignored.

-Lightwave Propulsion: This system requires no fuel, only energy.

-Slow Flight: No speed DC modifier.


Lightwave Main Propulsion (Voiture Lumiere). 1/500 (Heavily Damaged, Unstable)

-Extreme Speed: Hidden -45 modifier to speed DC while in the air or in space.

-Unstable: +1d45 modifier to speed DC while in use.

-Demanding: +30 to Condition DC after three Turns or one Engagement of usage with Pilot Skill below 4.

-Lightwave Propulsion: This system requires no fuel, only energy.



PSI Systems.


Psycommu System.

-Psyco-Control: Pilot Level may not go below 1. May control the White Doll while outside the cockpit at NT-Level 3.

-Requirement: Requires NT Level 2 to use.


Psychoframe.

-NT-Amp: Allows the usage of MS scale NT powers.

-Requires NT Level 2 to use.


NT-D Mode.

-NT+: Allows the usage of NT power one level above that of the user's Level.

-Demanding: +100 to Condition DC after three Turns or and Engagement is the user is not NT Level 4 or above.

-Exclusive: Cannot be used at the same time as Bloody Siege Mode.


Bloody Siege Mode.

-Mode Change: Splits the mobile suit into pieces, nine in total (ten with backpack). Each piece (except backpack) has its own I-Field. Can be used within gravity.

-Requirement: Requires Pilot Level 4 and NT Level 4.

-Excusive: Cannot be used as the same time as NT-D Mode.



Stealth Systems.


Invisible Umbrella 1/500 (Heavily Damaged)

-Cloak 1: -10 modifier to various DC as the White Doll disappears from passive sensors. Breaks when the White Doll enters Medium Range or attacks.


Holo-Decoy 1/500 (Heavily Damaged)

-Decoy 1: Produces a faint afterimage.



Misc Systems.


LUNA Energy Transference Module 1/500 (Heavily Damaged)

-Universal Compatibility: The White Doll can use most types of equipment by wirelessly transferring power to them.


Carapace Backpack.

-Armory Backpack 5: Can store 5 weapons for later use.

-Adaptive workings: Will alter itself to carry MS weapons no matter their shape. Within limits.

-Carapace I-Field 1/500 (Heavily Damaged)

-Carapace Flight Mode 1/200 (Damaged)

Spoiler: Destroyed Systems

Weapon in the same place as the Beam Saber.


Three small weapons around the Beam Saber.


Four small weapons on the White Doll's head.


Weapon on the left wrist.


Weapon deep in both legs.


Weapon in the chest.


Weapon in the shoulders.


Weapon deep in the left arm.

Weapon in the waist.

 

[Iceblocks]

[X] One of the White Doll's systems. (System gains 1d100 Condition)
--[X] I-Field


You select the I-Field for priority repairs. Outwardly nothing seems to change about the White Doll, but according to the display the third repair system is now hard at work. This would be so much easier if you could read the text…


1d100 Priority Repair = 78! I-Field Condition is now 1+78/500!



[X] Stay outside the castle in the White Doll.


You opted for staying outside in the White Doll, though it makes the Dianna Counter add a silver SUMO to their escort. As much as you would like to try making conversation with your counterpart, you haven't found out how to solve the issue of incompatible comm-gear. Maybe a contact-link? Questions for later. Besides, the royal guardsman might take it the wrong way if you suddenly walk your mobile suit up to theirs and grab its shoulder.

Leading the Dianna Counter delegation is a man in a colonel's uniform, though he is outshone by a man whose uniform declares him to be the captain of the Royal Guard.


He glances up at the White Doll. His glasses makes it impossible for you to tell where he is looking, but if you are reading his (almost unnoticeably brighter than that of most people) Pressure right, his eyes do not linger on any specific part of the White Doll. Is he looking for the cockpit?

Whatever he was trying to do, the moment passes and he enters Bostonia Castle with the others.


Less than thirty minutes pass before the delegation storms out of Bostonia Castle. It doesn't take long for you to figure out what happened: Of those in captain's uniforms both have their sidearms out, the Colonel's body is being carried by two soldiers, and you can feel the rage of the entire delegation from here. Someone must have started a fight during the talks.


You leave the White Doll after their convoy is out of sight, entering Bostonia to find it in disarray. Guards are scurrying hither and dither wherever you look, two of them carrying the body of an old man you do not know on a stretcher. He's dead.

Lord Guin is in the conference room, looking over papers handed to him by Kihel and his other secretaries. Sometimes he glances forlornly at a pile of documents on the side. Those must have been part of the talks, judging by the small blood splatter on them.

"Hello, Loran." He says tiredly as you walk in. "Was there something you needed?"

You hesitate a second before answering. "If I may, sir…what happened here?"

"Elder Inura shot the Moon Colonel with a crossbow and was shot by one of the captains in return. Apparently a nephew of his was killed during the attack last week." Lord Guin answers with a sneer. "They left right after shooting him."

Who is elder Inura? "I'm…sorry, sir."

"Don't be." Lord Guin answers airily, turning around after signing another paper. "Nothing you could have done.



[] "What happens now, sir?"

[] Excuse yourself and talk to Kihel. You haven't spoken since before the Coming of Age Ceremony.

 

[Iceblocks]

Week 2 (Week 2 of the Lunar-Inglessan Dispute)


[X] "What happens now, sir?"


You lean forward, catching a glimpse of a few requisition orders in the process. "What happens now, sir?"

Lord Guin pauses his writing. "We managed to work out a ceasefire until their queen comes down from the moon. The negotiations will continue then." He glances over his shoulder at you. "I don't expect there to be any significant fighting, but be prepared should the Dianna Counter enter our territory."

You snap a quick salute and excuse yourself, but are stopped at the door. "Laura?"

"Sir?"

Lord Guin holds up a document, satisfaction radiating off him. "Sid has found some Dark History technology in the Heim mines. He believes they are mechanical dolls, if of a different sort than those of the Moon." He makes a pleased sound. "The gap between us is shrinking as we speak…"

You really would rather not put that to the test. Even if the Militia gains parity of technology it does not mean that they have parity of doctrine or institutional experience. Besides, the Dianna Counter elements present in Inglessa are merely a vanguard force. If this becomes a shooting war against the full might of the Dianna Counter, then Inglessa will be conquered even if the Militia digs up a dozen White Dolls.


*


Back in the White Doll you look through your schedule: Lots of patrols, but you still have free hours to do with as you please.

Queen Dianna will be here later this week or the week after...



Roll 6d2 for Self-Repair = 9!

White Doll Integrity = 12/12



Choose 2

[] Practice with the White Doll.

[] Go see if Sochie is feeling better.

[] Experiment with Pressure.

[] Check on Keith and Fran.

[] Sneak off to the Dianna Counter camp and report the completion of your scouting mission before going back to Nocis.
--[] For closure's sake.
--[] Try to get some information out of them.

[] Visit the Heim mines to see what Sid and Joseph have found up there.

[] Go on some extra patrols.

[] Keep Kihel and Mrs. Heim company.

 

[Iceblocks]

[X] Practice with the White Doll.


Your improvised training regimen as a mobile suit pilot is based on your own experience with civilian mobile suits, half-remembered instructions given by Lieutenant Geo when he was teaching you and the other scout hopefuls about the basics of mobile suit combat, and attempts to make the White Doll perform judo moves.

And yet, you are no closer to figuring out just how the White Doll moves with its ball joints…


+1 Pilot EXP!


You also remember to check in on the White Doll's Repair Systems. If you are reading the displays correctly, the core White Doll has been fully repaired, a little progress has been made to the repairable systems, and a fair bit of progress has been made to the I-Field.


+1 Condition to All Systems!


While looking over the Priority Repair System you-

[] Decide to keep it working on the I-Field.

[] Switch it to work on a different System.
--[] Write in System.

Spoiler: Systems

Defensive Systems.



Armor. 2/500 (Heavily Damaged)


Armor Grade: 6-3


Armor Save: 4+


Special:
-Beam Resistant 1: Beams that hit this unit lose one level of Penetration vs Armor.



Left Arm Lightwave Shield 2/200 (Damaged)


Shield Grade: 4-1


Shield Size: Medium.


Shield Save: 4+


Shield Integrity: 4


Special:
-Lightwave Shield: Does not block lasers.
-Regenerate 1: Regains 1 Integrity at the end of each Turn.



I-Field. 80/500 (Heavily Damaged)


Field Density: 6-3


Dissipation Save: 4+


Field Integrity: 4


Special:
-I-Field: Barrier against Ranged Beam Attacks only. Immune to Beam Penetration.
-Dampening: Whichever Ranged Beam Attack breaks through the I-Field has its Damage reduced by remaining Field Integrity.
-Regenerate 1: Regains 1 Integrity at the end of each Turn.




Mobility Systems.



Landskimmers. 2/200 (Damaged)
-Speed +: Hidden -15 modifier to speed DC while on the ground.



Lightwave Maneuvering Thrusters (Flight Mode). 2/200 (Damaged)
-Flight: Unit can fly. Terrain modifiers ignored.
-Lightwave Propulsion: This system requires no fuel, only energy.
-Slow Flight: No speed DC modifier.



Lightwave Main Propulsion (Voiture Lumiere). 2/500 (Heavily Damaged, Unstable)
-Extreme Speed: Hidden -45 modifier to speed DC while in the air or in space.
-Unstable: +1d45 modifier to speed DC while in use.
-Demanding: +30 to Condition DC after three Turns or one Engagement of usage with Pilot Skill below 4.
-Lightwave Propulsion: This system requires no fuel, only energy.




PSI Systems.



Psycommu System.
-Psyco-Control: Pilot Level may not go below 1. May control the White Doll while outside the cockpit at NT-Level 3.
-Requirement: Requires NT Level 2 to use.



Psychoframe.
-NT-Amp: Allows the usage of MS scale NT powers.
-Requires NT Level 2 to use.



NT-D Mode.
-NT+: Allows the usage of NT power one level above that of the user's Level.
-Demanding: +100 to Condition DC after three Turns or end of Engagement if the user is not NT Level 4 or above.
-Exclusive: Cannot be used at the same time as Bloody Siege Mode.



Bloody Siege Mode.
-Mode Change: Splits the mobile suit into pieces, nine in total (ten with backpack). Each piece (except backpack) has its own I-Field. Can be used within gravity.
-Requirement: Requires Pilot Level 4 and NT Level 4.
-Excusive: Cannot be used as the same time as NT-D Mode.




Stealth Systems.



Invisible Umbrella 2/500 (Heavily Damaged)
-Cloak 1: -10 modifier to various DC as the White Doll disappears from passive sensors. Breaks when the White Doll enters Medium Range or attacks.



Holo-Decoy 2/500 (Heavily Damaged)
-Decoy 1: Produces a faint afterimage.




Misc Systems.



LUNA Energy Transference Module 2/500 (Heavily Damaged)
-Universal Compatibility: The White Doll can use most types of equipment by wirelessly transferring power to them.



Carapace Backpack.
-Armory Backpack 5: Can store 5 weapons for later use.
-Adaptive workings: Will alter itself to carry MS weapons no matter their shape. Within limits.
-Carapace I-Field 2/500 (Heavily Damaged)
-Carapace Flight Mode 2/200 (Damaged)

[X] Go see if Sochie is feeling better.


The next day occupies you with patrols along the border, mostly to make the White Doll seen than anything violent as the Dianna Counter has kept to the ceasefire since the death of that colonel, but the day after that leaves you free to check on Sochie.

"She's not here?"

Ladderum shakes his head as he tightens the bolts on the engine of a partially disassembled Bull-One. "No. Some Militia guy came along and wanted some pilots to help him with something. Sochie and Miashei volunteered along with-"

A distant explosion cuts him off. The two of you look up, searching for the source of the noise. You think it came from the-oh no…


You rush to the White Doll, activating the landskimmers the moment you are securely seated and speeding as fast as it can towards the Dianna Counter landing zone. You try to avoid skimming trenches into the farmland, but you are in too much of a hurry to take detours through the forest and the flight mode is too slow.

When you arrive it is to something out of a war movie. Prefabricated homes are bombed out or riddled with bullet holes, bodies everywhere. The Militia has a convoy of trucks and armored cars on the scene, soldiers split loading Moonrace colonists and anything they think looks technological onto said trucks and swarming over a Mobile Rib.


A Mobile Rib is just a civilian construction mobile suit, here used to make fences around the Moonrace settlements, but the Militia doesn't know that. Only that it is a mechanical doll.

You take a moment to look for Sochie and Miashei among the planes. A moment that becomes several frantic ones as a Dianna Counter force consisting of a WaDom and four WADs appear on the scene and begin swatting the Militia aircraft out of the sky-there!

You can see Sochie circling above another Mobile Rib in her Hipheavy, but the gunner seat on her aircraft is empty. Where…is…Miashei…?



There. There is Miashei. You hear someone chuckling behind you.

What a mess...


The Dianna Counter force splits into two. The WADs are moving to intercept the Militia convoy while the WaDom is approaching Miashei. It hasn't made any move to fire yet because the Mobile Rib is in the way, but why isn't it firing at you?

You get your answer when a SUMO of the Royal Guard, one of the silver ones, arrives on a booster skirt. It lands in front of you with its weapons drawn but not raised. Silently cursing your incompatible communications equipment, you-


[] Ignore the SUMO and help the WADs catch the Militia convoy.

[] Go through the SUMO and get Miashei before the WaDom can.



If you choose to fight you plan to use the following systems.

Choose 1 of each category.

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

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

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

[] NT Power.
--[] Telekinetic Strike.
--[] The Pressure of the other pilot is faint and undefended, easily bruised a little.
--[] Telekinetic Barrier.
--[] NT Empathy.

 

[Iceblocks]

[X] Decide to keep it working on the I-Field.


You decide to leave the system be, keeping it working on the White Doll's I-Field.


Roll 1d100 Priority Repair = 12! I-Field Condition is now 80+12!



[X] Ignore the SUMO and help the WADs catch the Militia convoy.

Spoiler: Combat Plan

[X] Mobility.
--[X] Stay on the ground with the Landskimmers.
[X] Defenses.
--[X] Activate the I-Field.
[X] NT Systems.
--[X] Stick to the Psychoframe.
[X] NT Power.
--[X] NT Empathy.

You make the White Doll shoot forwards on the Landskimmers, carefully maneuvering so that you skid to a halt in front of the trucks. The Militia soldiers scurry to make way for you, though their spirits seem lifted by your presence.

Through your White Doll-boosted senses you can sense their spirits take a nosedive when you point the White Doll's right arm at them, its panels open, and demand that they release the captured civilians. You have to open the cockpit hatch to do so, but needs must.

An armored car drives straight up to you and a sergeant jumps out of the gunner's seat of the roof mounted machinegun. "Why?" He yells up at you. "This is our land! And we need their technology to fight back!"

You refrain from pushing him over with Telekinesis, though it takes some effort. "That doesn't matter! Are any of you even thinking about what you are doing? The talks are still ongoing through the ceasefire. Do not provoke the Moon's military!"

Some of them want to argue, but they slink back when you lift the White Doll's leg and stomp the ground as hard as the ancient machine allows, shaking the earth beneath their feet.


To say that the Militia raiders are displeased with this state of affairs would be an understatement, but they are caught between you and the rapidly approaching Dianna Counter mobile suits. They begin unloading the Moonrace civilians and whatever equipment they thought to take with them.

The freed colonists hurry back to their prefabricated homes, the Dianna Counter mobile suits arriving and forming a defensive wall between them and you. Half of the WADs scurry up to the convoy to inspect the trucks, much to the consternation of the Militia caught between them and you. Whatever they were looking for, they do not find any of it and leave the Militia convoy to help escort the civilians.


That leaves Miashei, who is currently held in the grip of the WaDom that is making its way back into Moonrace occupied territory. Some frenzied shouting reaches your ears, matching the argument you and Sochie have to keep the latter from getting herself killed going after Miashei in her Hipheavy.

You decide to.


[] Go after the WaDom.

[] Try to work something out with the Royal guardsman (who simply observed as you stopped the Militia).
--[] Go after the WaDom if you fail.
--[] Withdraw if you fail.



If it turns into a fight you will.

[] Stick to the plan.

[] Make a new one.
--[] Write in.

 

[Iceblocks]

[X] Try to work something out with the Royal guardsman (who simply observed as you stopped the Militia).
--[X] Go after the WaDom if you fail.
[X] Stick to the plan.


Leaving the Militia to retreat empty-handed, you have the White Doll walk up to the SUMO while you wrap a pilot's scarf around your face. The silver mobile suit turns to face you, but the royal guardsman doesn't raise his weapons. In fact, his Pressure seems only slightly wary to your senses.

With your lack of understanding of the White Doll's comm-systems you have to make your ancient mobile suit hunch down a little and open the cockpit hatch so that you can shout out of it. "Hello!? My radio is broken, can you hear me!?"

After a second of silence the SUMO's weapon are put away and a voice rings out of its speakers in accented Amerian. "So you are Laura Rola."

Oh Lord Guin…"I am!" You confirm. "I need to retrieve the soldier taken by the W-Your mechanical Doll!"

"She will have to wait until we can set up a prisoner exchange." The royal guardsman answers. "I've been ordered to not let anyone from the Earth past this-stop!"

But you are already moving, throwing yourself back into the White Doll's cockpit and starting it up with your Pressure before the hatch is even closed. You make it speed past the SUMO on the Landskimmers, sensing more than seeing the guardsman taking aim at your back with his Beam Pistol.

Then you sense a moment of realization followed by self-frustration before the silver Moonrace suit begins to pursue you.

Spoiler: Turn 1

DC 45/75+10(Distance)-15(Landskimmers) for Chasing the WaDom = 59! Partial Success! -40 to next Turn DC! SUMO may no longer use ranged attacks after this Turn! Initiative Ceded!


Royal Guard SUMO 6/6

SUMO Beam Pistol 2d3 Attacks = 3!

DC 40+10(NT Empathy) Beam Pistol Hit = 58, 84, 68! Success! Major Success! Success! -10 DC to Hit next Turn!

3DC 4 Target I-Field Save = 1, 5, 2! Failure! Success! Failure!

White Doll I-Field takes 4 Integrity Damage! White Doll I-Field broken!


Loran (White Doll) 12/12 0/4 (I-Field)

White Doll I-Field regains 1 Integrity!

The WaDom isn't hard to follow, and even though you fail to catch up with it you have a clear line of sight to it. The SUMO easily keeps pace with your Landskimmers thanks to its Booster Skirt and the pilot carefully aims, releasing three yellow lances with pinpoint accuracy. All three strike the White Doll, and all three are blocked by its I-Field. The first is a solid hit that damages the field's structure, the second is harmlessly dissipated by the charged mega-particles, but the third breaks the field but is neutralized in turn.

And then you are too close to other Moonrace landings, both military and civilian, for the SUMO to risk further beam fire. The I-Field regains a little cohesion as you eat up the distance between you and the WaDom that took Miashei.

Spoiler: Turn 2

DC 35+10(Distance)-15(Landskimmers) for Chasing the WaDom = 44! Success! The WaDom is Fleeing and loses its Turn! Loran (White Doll) goes first!


Loran (White Doll) 12/12 1/4 (I-Field)

White Doll Unarmed 2d1 Attacks = 2!

DC 50-20(Large)-20(Slow) Unarmed Hit = 56, 36! 2 Successes!

2DC 4 Target Armor Save = 3, 6! Failure! Success!

WaDom takes 2 Integrity Damage!


White Doll I-Field regains 1 Integrity!

You catch up to the WaDom right before it can link up with other Dianna Counter or Royal Guard elements, leaving the SUMO in the dust as you overtake it and block its path. The pilot's Pressure stills in surprise, giving you the opening you need:

You make the fingers of the White Doll's left hand fully straighten before leaping up to drive them tip first into the WaDom's wrist, sending the hand holding Miashei flying off. Your attempt to knock the WaDom back glances off its armor, so you disengage in favor of catching the severed hand before it hits the ground. You didn't strike any of the fingers so Miashei is alive, if shaken, by the experience.

The SUMO enters the scene as you pry the fingers off Miashei. A sharp gesture of its arm compels the WaDom to move on to the Dianna Counter base, leaving the two mobile suits standing face to face. The guardsman has put the Beam Pistol away, aware of everyone that could be killed should he miss, and has drawn the SUMOs Heat Fan instead.

Neither of you move to engage as you feel your window to escape back to Inglessan territory begin to close. It is only a matter of time before the Dianna Counter or the Royal Guard sends reinforcements, and you can't fight back with Miashei in your hand.

And then the moment passes, and the SOMU lowers its weapon and gestures for you to make yourself scarce. You take the opportunity to let Miashei into the cockpit, setting her down in your lap before you reactivate the Landskimmers and race away. The SUMO takes off to keep an eye on you after giving you a head start of a few seconds.

You are not engaged by any Moonrace forces on the way out.



"So…" You begin after leaving Moonrace occupied territory. "Who gave you the order to do this?"

Miashei remains mum, though she is clearly uncomfortable about it. You probably won't be getting anything out of her.

"Will you at least tell me why you went along with it?"

Still no answer. You sigh and return your attention to controlling the White Doll, taking a right turn along the road to the airfield.

"I wanted to hit back."

You head whips around to look at her. "What?"

"I wanted to hit them back!" Miashei snaps. "That's it." She goes back to uneasily squirm beside the pilot seat.

You make some clumsy attempts at interrogation on the way. Was it just something a bunch of soldiers and pilots came together to do? Was it spontaneous? Was it planned? Did a superior officer order it?

You feel something from Miashei when you mention superior officers, if barely. That's it then.

"Why did you jump out of the plane anyway?"

She grins. "I was trying to capture that Mechanical Doll, but the scarecrow got in the way."

Scarecrow? Does she mean a WaDom? You quickly make the White Doll display every Mobile Suit in the area. Miashei's eyes widen when a Mobile Rib shows up on the screen. "That's the one!"



"You do realize that that's just a construction vehicle, right?"

Deep down, you find her falling expression to be utterly hilarious. Not that you will ever admit it to anyone, of course.


After dropping her off at the airfield (where she has a tearful reunion with Sochie) you head back to Bostonia. You have a report to make.


*


"And then I returned here."

You stand at attention in front of Lord Guin's desk. The ruler of Inglessa is holding his head in his hands, a secretary you do not recognize standing behind him with a clipboard at the ready.

Lord Guin takes a deep breath. "Good. Take the rest of the day off, but be sure to return here before nightfall." His expression darkens. "The queen of the Moon, Dianna Soreil, will arrive tomorrow evening."

Lord Guin notices you freezing up. "Do not be alarmed. Captain Ord assures me that she favors a peaceful solution to this conflict." He assures you with a touch of the sardonic in his voice. Thankfully he has no idea of the real reason: The Queen, here?

You knew that she would Return, but still!

Lord Guin's expression turns serious. "Here are your orders for tomorrow: I will need you to go to the Heim Mines and talk to Sid or Joseph about their progress there. After that you will bring his findings back here before you patrol the area around Moonrace occupied territory until five in the afternoon. I don't expect any hostilities from the Dianna Counter, but better safe than sorry."

"Any questions?"

You consider the question for a second. "No sir."

And thus you are dismissed. You grab a quick dinner before going to bed, too tired to stay up too long.

He is ordering the secretary to fetch some Major when you exit the office, hopefully to launch an investigation.

You spot the grey-haired man with red sunglasses and a captain's uniform down a corridor as you step outside, but it doesn't seem like he saw you.


*


The next day sees you heading out towards the Heim Mines. You leave munching on a sandwich, Lord Guin was quite insistent on you getting to work early. The trip itself is uneventful, and it doesn't take long before you can see the Heim Mines.

As well as some large metal shapes moving along the rail line.

You slow the White Doll down before making the sensors zoom in on the shapes.

…

They're mobile suits!



The odd mobile suits waddle towards the Heim Mines, passing a train laden with supplies and equipment going the same way. Ignoring the faint uproarious laughter, you ask one of the foremen about Sid.

"He's down in the tunnels." The rugged man tells you, wiping the sweat out of his eyes before pointing at the mobile suits arriving at the mining camp with the train. "But Joseph's over by the kapools."

You open your mouth to ask him what he means but he cuts you off, perhaps imagining that you don't know what he is talking about. "I mean the green mechanical dolls." He says friendlily.

There is no real point in arguing, so you go look for Joseph.


"We've found a dozen or so kapools so far." Joseph informs you when you tell him that Lord Guin wants an update. "Though the tunnels we found them in look like they extend a lot further into the mountain."

He waves a pair of capules over. They speed up as they come closer, the reason why becoming apparent as the hatch on the top of its head pops open to reveal Sochie and Miashei.

"Loran! What do you think?" Sochie calls down to you before she makes her kapool wiggle its segmented arms as it twirls around with drunken movements.

"You seem to be enjoying yourself."

Sochie is too busy having fun with learning how to pilot her kapool, so you don't get to talk all that much. As for Joseph he tells you more about the excavation work.

"All the kapools we've found so far are in working condition." Joseph's voice takes on an awed tone. "They've been perfectly preserved for all this time."

You manage to excuse yourself as he goes on about everything they have found out so far about the kapools. It is not that you aren't interested, far from it. It's just that you have orders to follow and a border to patrol. The last thing anyone needs is some idiot starting something on the day Queen Dianna Returns to the Earth.

Going back to Nocis to deliver your report goes without event, so you are soon sent to the border. Lord Guin did seem pleased that the work to integrate the capules into the Militia progressed smoothly though, so there's that.


It's quiet, you note as you stride and skim across the hills and trees along the border of Moonrace occupied territory. Dianna Counter mobile suits are stationed at some points along the border, and one time you pass over the river between the Moonrace landing zone and Nocis city you spot a WaDom patrolling the riverbank.

When you get back you are made to put on a customized blue pilot's uniform with the White Doll's head embroidered on the back, complete with a white scarf and a pilot's cap with goggles. Then you are ordered back into the White Doll to wait for the convoy to assemble. A faint sense of expectation lingers behind you, but the call of a Militia captain shakes you out of it. The time has come.


*


You walk by a long train of cars carrying Inglessa's upper crust, envoys from the other amerian nations, and foreign diplomats. The convoy halts on one end of an open field; the other side occupied by a group of Dianna Counter soldiers and Moonrace officials.



A mobile suit escort is also present: A WaDom, and a few SUMOs. One of the SUMO's is golden, probably the one piloted by the captain of the Royal Guard. The golden SUMO glides forward until it stands in front of the White Doll.



You wonder why for a second before the White Doll's sensors detect a number of descending ships.



Most of them are transports, but there are a few warships in there too. One ships breaks apart from the others, making its way towards the meeting place. You recognize it as the Soleil, the flagship of the Moonrace space forces and Queen Dianna's personal craft.



The golden SUMO steps between you and the Soleil as a small shuttlecraft takes off from the flagship. The shuttle lands in front of Lord Guin, a side hatch opening to reveal Queen Dianna.




She is accompanied by a man you do not recognize.



You can't see very well from up here, partially from the distance but mostly because Queen Dianna is here, but it seems like Lord Guin hesitates for a moment before introducing himself.

After some pleasantries the Queen and the other man step into Lord Guin's limousine.

The car is escorted by the royal guard and yourself during the drive back to Nocis, you and the Gold Type walking on the road behind the vehicle while the other SUMOs are flying at your flanks. Behind you all is the rest of the convoy
Night falls before you reach Nocis City.

And come face to face with a riot.




[] Shield the convoy; let the Royal Guard handle this.

[] Help the Royal Guard disperse the crowd.