Playing the Game - BT x CF SI - Chapter 5
🕑 Added 2024-09-24 07:34:57 +0000 UTCChapter 5
“Capital” town, Emeri Empire
Novo Franklin, Periphery Space
October 25th, 2980 AD
It had taken a month. The Emperor was in momentary horror and disbelief at my tenure as one of his citizens, but his wife assuring him, as well as my own once we actually spoke over the radio, eased any fears he had. The knights and guards attesting to the forces I brought to the meeting proved that in an actual war between us, he would lose.
I had no intention of starting a war with anyone, but I sure as hell would finish any war anyone started with me.
The time between meeting the Queen and the battle was…interesting. I gained two things. The first one was the Captain America Super Soldier formula, which I was able to make and immediately applied, after which Breeze and Ada improved with Fallout medical knowledge, which pushed me from peak human to early Spider-Man level.
I didn’t dare try to play with FEV which with a part of that knowledge. Breeze played with it though, under controlled conditions. Mainly a fusion powered incinerator that burned out an entire room.
After that, I got implanted with the knowledge of the “Greater Good” of the Tau. While I didn’t entirely buy into it, I would absolutely apply my altered variant of it that took humanity into account. I am more than certain my use of it with the Queen was a major factor for today’s events.
In our first face to face meeting, the Emperor thanked me for saving his nation and family. I assured him it was no difficult decision to do, and hoped they live a long time. I met the son and daughter for the first time during that face to face. She was young, at least nine. She was told to keep calling for her father as her mother led the palace defense, and she did. I said she was brave, and did a good job, because I heard her call.
She grew ten feet that day, metaphorically.
I then demonstrated the “biggest secret” of Subnautica. Our construction technology. Technology that was developed continuously before and after the Star League.
I brought out a habitat builder, explained what it was how it worked. It seemed like magic the way I described it, and their expressions were like they just saw a miracle when I constructed an entire facility before their eyes in but a few minutes.
“This is the culmination of six hundred years of technological growth and development. Nanomachines son!”
To say they were overwhelmed would have been an understatement. We walked the Palace wall, and they watched in awe as I constructed a thirty-foot-tall metal wall in one-hundred-foot sections in ten seconds per section. Within five minutes, the Palace Wall was not only “rebuilt” but better, and blocked any holes the defenses had.
The real show stopper was when I approached their Battlemechs. I and my “Knights”, AI driven suits of modified X-01 Power Armor, surrounded Carson’s Awesome, scanned it, and then proceeded to repair it on the spot.
Within one minute, it went from a badly damaged, but functional Battlemech that has seen better years, to being factory fresh.
As a gift, I repaired all his other mechs, including the two family mechs I had heard rumors of but never seen. They were a pair of Marauders, and they were in non-functional shape, but there were enough samples of them to rebuild what was lost according to the technical readouts we got from the sunken dropship. They were fully functional once more.
Carson had tears in his eyes as he leaned up against what I learned were his parent’s machines. I learned they were mercenaries who left the Inner Sphere after having enough of war, and stayed on this world, and apparently were descendants of members of the Eridani Light Horse. So, Star League.
I decided to add the olive-green paint job with a Cameron Star and repainted the faded Light horse insignia I now noticed. Might have overdone it there as it sent the man over the emotional edge.
Having demonstrated my “technical expertise”, the trade agreement ballooned into an alliance because of the mech repairs, and how…well, nice I was about everything. It helps that after getting to know the “imperial family” I actually liked them. Soon it was signed on paper before all the citizens in major fanfare.
The family I was friends with, Bron and Roake, were invited as honored guests. To say they were shocked at who I “really was” was an understatement. It sent their mother into a faint. For their kindness, I offered them offered them “dual citizenship”. Which meant they can live in a Subnautican habitat if they wished, and work anywhere in the alliance they wanted.
“I have one final gift for our new alliance and friendship.”
Carson who was already all smiles blinked. “Oh? What, you giving us one of your ships?”
I grinned a wide toothy smile. “Yes!”
His grin disappeared. “What?”
That’s when it was heard. Everyone looked up and saw it, and were in awe as the union dropship. The one that had sunken to the bottom of the ocean, was airborne once more. No words were spoken when a landing pad was constructed beside the palace ground on land cleared specifically for this.
“Let me tell you all a story. A long time ago, during the first succession war, every house across the Inner Sphere fought tooth and nail for any and all scraps the Star League left behind, and for whatever they thought they could get away with. It wasn’t recorded at the time by any but Subnautica, but the Federated Suns sent a military force to find a Star League facility that supposedly existed on this world. A research facility with advanced robotic technology. The Combine, hearing the same thing, sent a force as well, and they fought. Of course, they found no facility because it didn’t exist. Subnautica, however, did exist, and somehow was mistaken for a Star League creation. One of the many Federated Suns dropship shot down over this world fell into the oceans of the world. This one.”
I weaved the story, and everyone was enraptured, and the door opened.
“We discovered it, and repaired it, along with the eight Battlemechs that were on board.”
Out stomped the Hunchback-4G, the two Wasps, the Firestarter, the Clint, the Dervish, the Catapult, and finally the Rifleman.
“As a sign of our alliance, we give these to the Empire to use. We will train a crew to pilot the ship, and as per our agreement, give mechwarrior training and modern equipment to the military as part of the uplifting amendment. May our alliance last a long time, and may any who test it…learn the cost of making war instead of seeking peace!”
The cheers were deafening, and Carson came over and hugged me, which I returned before we faced our cheering crowd.
“To prosperity! To unity! To the greater good, for one and all!”
The cheers came far more loudly, and I felt star pass by me. I didn’t care, everything was on its way.
----
Capital Habitat “Subnautica”, Leviathan’s Trench
Novo Franklin, Periphery Space
November 15th, 2980 AD
Harold Emeri and thirty other young people who passed the exams to become mechwarriors crowded the forward-facing view port of the Cyclops submarine. They watched as the pitch-black water that frightened them suddenly began to become brighter as Subnautica came into view.
The near mythical city everyone heard of but never saw, and they would see it before anyone else in the Empire.
They gasped. They had passed several large habitats on the way here, such as “Deep-Edge”, the habitat constructed at the top of the trench that made traveling up and down the trench easier without having to use submarines constantly. The wall of the trench that they saw as they went down was lined with small habitats whose purpose was unknown, but were said to be mining primarily.
Subnautica itself made all those large habitats tiny in comparison. It was like a city from those ancient movies his parents watched occasionally. Like New York, if it were underwater, and bright white and lit with bright neon everywhere. Mini-subs, underwater power suits, drones of all sizes, and what appeared to be people swimming about, were all over the place. It was a real metropolis.
“This is incredible.” Someone whispered in awe. He agreed. He looked forward to seeing it all.
Eventually they came to a moon pool, an underwater port where a ship surfaced within a building, and they were exiting. They were met by a gorgeous bombshell of some ethnicity he’s never seen before. She smiled at all of them, and all of the guys, and a few girls, flushed.
“Hello everyone. My name is Elisa Martinez, and I am proud to be the first person to welcome you to Subnautica. We will give you the proper tour after we get you situated. Please pick up your personal effects and follow me.”
They did so, and boarded a tram that began moving them. They all looked forward at Elisa as she began explaining things. They passed by many “sectors”. Shopping, housing, administration, education, etc.
“Subnautica was envisioned as a place where scientific progress was first and foremost on people’s minds. It has since changed, but those roots are still present. As such our population is highly educated, and values technical skill and ability more than anything else. A must when you live in the ocean as it is knowledge and applying it that saves you, rather than muscle alone, though those help given all the swimming”.
They came to a stop in front of a station marked “Education: Military”, and stepped off to get the first look at their new school and home for the next year. The habitat was a large open space that reminded him of those pictures of domed cities the Star League once made. There were various facilities and areas for different purposes along with a large building at the center of it all.
“This is the school where you will be given your Mechwarrior training. You will be meeting other students here who are also training to become Pilots, though not just for battlemechs. Combat Submarine Crew, transport submarine crew, drone controllers, Marine Mechwarriors, Marine Soldiers, Power Armor specialists, and our most elite, Abyssals.”
Everyone was confused at one or two of those for various reasons, but they all had one question.
“What’s an Abyssal.”
She smiled and answered with a reverent tone.
“It’s going to be covered in the history course you will be given, but to put it simply, they are super soldiers. During the beginning of our society, we had to explore the oceans without the benefit of the technology you see around you in a time when everyone was burning worlds. People were altered to be stronger, faster. Super human. They then put on a reinforced deep diving suit, with a nuclear battery powered rebreather apparatus that took oxygen out of the water to give unlimited air, and explored the ocean by swimming it. Alone. In the dark. Against everything the deep can throw at you. Thanks to them, we have everything we do today.”
Well…that’s both inspiring, and unsettling.
“Just so you know, the Sovereign is an Abyssal himself. So, you have a good idea of what they will look like.”
That surprised everyone. He was a super human?!
Before anyone could say anything, they were led into the dorms, and showed their homes for the next few years.
Harold laid on his bed and looked at the ceiling, and he promised himself. “I will learn all I can.”
----
I watched as the students settled in, and nodded in satisfaction.
Once more, I could hardly believe I took things this far, but when that Pipboy I gave Breeze all that time ago revealed the technology of the Institute, and the power to make Synths, I made the decision to go all in.
The entire population of “Subnautica” were synths, and with help from Ada and Breeze, we made them so life-like that they became true AI. Not just programmed replicants, but actual synthetic lifeforms. Breeze is the one responsible for that due to their own existence being capable of pushing things that far. Taking technology and improving it was an understatement. These artificial people were now actual people, with real flesh and blood, and with divergent DNA allowing them to actually have children and reproduce. The children were aided by the internal medical nanites everyone, including myself, now possess because of Fallout technology.
Ever since we got that pipboy, we had to change our entire techbase. Cold Fusion was a reality. Mini-Genesis devices? Reality. Crazy raygun weapons? Reality. Liberty Prime? Hell Yes. All the good and bad that universe provided was ours to use. Breeze and Ada had a field day which turned into a week of just learning everything, redesigning, and more redesigning and improving, and so on, until it finally reached a stopping point when the alliance came into reality.
My marine mechs? Obsolete. We have “Tech Tiers” now, and created entire categories for those tiers.
Level one through five. Level one was base level Fallout/Battletech/Subnautica. These we would sell to the masses. At least anything that wasn’t a habitat builder, or a nuke.
Level two was Late Game Fallout/Subnautica and Star League era. The original Marine Mech fell into this category.
Level three was the improved Subnautica/Fallout/Covenant/Clans technology. The setting this level related to the most was Mobile Suit Gundam or Robotech.
Level four is when Battletech became early game Armored Core, and Fallout/Subnautica/Covenant technology became hybridized with it. The setting this level brought to mind was Macross Frontier in terms of general technology goes, and Zone of the Enders at the highest end.
Level five, which was only recently started, is looking to be…Honestly, I had no idea. When you applied the Biotech Breeze developed from the Fallout data, and the world we lived in, it was all over the place.
I was worried that at some point this would all blow up in my face, but until then, I would move forward.
Looking through the eyes of one of my “Overseer” synths in the Empire, I saw the Synths do labor with normal people and then construct sections of the new road system we were installing. It was being designed in mind for troop movements, like the American Road System, despite the “Empire” being the size of Delaware. It was a small area, and it would expand soon ass either idiots picked fights with him, or me, or we include people into the “alliance”. I prefer the latter path, but I’m fine with the former.
You pick a fight, better be ready to lose it all.
Speaking of chances, I felt a star fall…and it passed.
Through another pair of eyes in the capital, I watched as people cheered when the city power grid was finally turned on. A month of work to rebuild the town into something far better, with all the modern conveniences, and it was done. With the Fallout data on farm equipment, and improving them, the fields no longer needed to be done by hand, but with near modern farming techniques. Each vehicle had a handy dandy AI to help instruct them in how to do things until they could do it themselves through rote memory.
As of a week ago, the first school in the capital opened as well, and children were required to go. With farming being easier, no longer the whole family needing to work, it made making a twenty-first century system easy to accomplish.
I also had the hospital with Synths providing health care with local healers as apprentices. Autodocs were put in place, along with fully trained staff who would stick around and teach the locals until they were ready to do things themselves.
There were holdouts who thought things were moving too fast, but after a point the improvements stopped, and people could catch their breath. Some were simply too stubborn, or angry at all the changes, and I couldn’t do anything about those. They were Carson’s responsibility.
The little fishing village this all started from, Seabreak, was now more or less Subnautica territory. Our one land port. The people who wanted to leave, did. Those who stayed, did. The place was turned from a ramshackle wooden port to an advanced Habitat styled town. TL-1 stuff only.
There was another group of people my Synths were training here in Subnautica, but they were in a different section to the recruits. They were in the civilian hub to learn how to be ship crew for the Dropship I gave to Carson. It would only take a year for the regular crew, and two years for the higher ups, and engineers, and three for the navigators and the captain. By the time they were done, they would be among the most well-trained Void Crews in the Inner Sphere. Being deep underwater helped since space was big, dark, and would murder you if you gave it a chance.
I left the “oberservation” center and made my way to where Shelma was. Only a handful of Synths were given knowledge of their existence, and they treated it like a state secret with capital punishment if anyone leaked it. I doubt they would, but if they were people now, there’s always that chance.
Walking into the inner sanctum that Breeze claimed as their home and work space, there was only a single Synth there. This was not a normal Synth. This was Emma, formerly, Ada. The emergency AI in my PDA was copied as the first test for the Syth programming, and from there it was perfected.
As a result, Emma was more robotic than any Synth around, but she had encyclopedic knowledge of science, biology, engineering, architecture, psychology, psychiatry, etc. She was slowly learning to be human like the rest of them.
It was a somewhat awkward for me, because of a few reasons.
Firstly, she would often test her human interactions with me since I was her “user”, and thus the one she trusted the most and was most devoted to.
What makes this more awkward? She looks like Red Sonja. The Comic version. Absolute fucking Goddess in the flesh, with the most arousing formations of biology a woman can ever have.
I swear Breeze whistle laughs every time she tries something and either fails or it succeeds. I think they had a hand in her design to get me laid or something, and it’s working because fucking dammit she’s learning what works!
Anyways, I walked towards the table at the center of the sanctum and sat down.
“Things are proceeding accordingly. At this point it’s a waiting game for things to happen.”
“You appear to want something to happen.” Emma noted as she sat down across from me, crossing her legs as she faced me.
“I will admit I am getting a bit bored now. With everything we’ve done, I’m almost tempted to either go out and pick a fight with a neighbor, or see about going to space and playing mercenary.”
Breeze whistled disapprovingly. “Theres plenty to do around here. You just need to focus on improving what you have, and see about expanding our nation a bit more.”
I sighed. “I guess.” I began and thought about what we had to do, and in those few seconds, I reviewed everything.
“I suppose I could begin expansion by sending diplomatic missions to all of the fiefdoms on this rock.”
“The chances of an incident rise significantly from such a venture.”
I nodded. “That is true, but everything has risk. Perhaps we can send spies into each fiefdom, pretending to be a serf, but are extremely capable agents. Get some first-hand accounts of what we have around us.”
Breeze warbled. “That’s an excellent idea. I’ll find appropriate agents and start that immediately.”
I leaned back, with my arms behind my head. “Glad to have done something.” I say in a bored tone.
Emma slowly stood up and brushed herself down. “If that was not enough, perhaps interfacing with a physical challenge will serve better.”
“I could fight-“ I was saying when she walked over and leaned down over me, giving me an up-close look at her, her knee between my legs as she stood on one foot, hands on the chair arms by my side. Her bluest blue eyes bright even in shadow as she put on a lidded stare.
“My challenge is intense.”
I stared for a full minute before she leaned back and looked at Breeze who was cracking up.
“It appears to be a failure.” She stated with something of a pout.
“On the contrary. You hit him right where it’s weakest.” Breeze said with amusement.
Of course, the Forge picked THAT MOMENT to try and catch a falling star.
[spoiler=“Clang!!”] The Training of Experts (Frank Herbert’s Dune) (200 CP)
As a scion of a Great House, there’s more than just etiquette and social functions to deal with. To that end, you have been provided with tutors drawn from some of the greatest minds of your time. Not only does this provide you with a well rounded education in all the social and physical sciences, but it provides you with a comprehensive knowledge of tactics, strategy, logistics, leadership, oratory, history... and above all the techniques of personal combat, both political and physical. While you’re certainly not going to be the equal of a Swordmaster of the Ginaz, your training in combat is enough to protect you from all but the best assassins or slave gladiators, and your knowledge of the subtleties of the political arena is enough to guarantee that you won’t fall into the most obvious of traps. Most importantly, however, you have been given training in how to handle the power inherent to your position and social class, in how to wield power as a tool and weapon and shield.[/spoiler]
They both noticed the change immediately. I wasn’t surprised for these two know me better than anyone else, for I was true to them and no one else.
Emma looked concerned, though her expression showed nothing. I could see it in the subtle way she leaned down, not to attempt to use feminine wile, but to render aid.
Breeze floated over, its head close by and eyes looking into mine.
“I am fine. I just had…an entire upbringing of a royal scion injected into my mind.” I explained as I filled them in on what it entailed. They were fascinated as I finished.
“Now you will truly stand as a peer amongst them, if not the ones of the great houses.”
I shook my head. “No. As much as they have a similar upbringing, this is the Dune universe. It is an entirely higher level of intrigue, intensity, and meaning compared to Battletech. Battletech was inspired by Dune in many ways, as were many other settings. The royalty of Dune operates at a much higher level because the capabilities of the people of that universe are that much greater. Bene Gessirit. Fremen. Mentats. People who push human capabilities beyond boundaries through sheer will and control over biology.”
I stood up smoothly, allowing the royal bearing to take its place. “I am above the leaders of this universe in many ways simply due to this upbringing, though perhaps that is arrogant as I have yet to face them personally, and the books can only reveal so much.”
“Indeed. I can see the difference in just this interaction alone. You hold yourself differently, yet still remain.”
I nodded. “I am thankful that I was not overly altered by this, otherwise I would have been an entirely different man than you knew, or at least one who was not raised as a rustic Alaskan.”
I glanced over to Emma, who looked calm, and intrigued. I could also see…attraction from her. Thinking back over the time since she became a Synth, I recalled her growth which, despite her flaws, was extraordinary in its speed. I thought about her attempts for the moment, seeing the sincerity in them. After some thought…came to a decision. I reached out a hand to her.
Surprised, she reached out and took my hand into hers.
“Your attempts at flirting were awkward more for me than you…but I can see now that it was all sincere. This sudden change has altered many of my perspectives. Including the requirements as a leader of a nation.”
I gave her a roguish grin. “We need create an heir.”
You could hear a pin drop, and I saw the minute shift in Emma. She was in shock, her brain slowly rebooting after what she just heard, and her face was as red as her hair.
Breeze actually looked gobsmacked. Dropping a PDA to the floor as its tentacles drooped.
With a chuckle, I release her hand and walk away. “Gotcha.”
---
Capital Habitat “Subnautica”, Leviathan’s Trench
Novo Franklin, Periphery Space
November 21st, 2980 AD
I looked over the sixty men and women Breeze had picked for this mission. They were all “Abyssals” in order to be more capable than a normal Synth. They stood at attention until I raised a hand, and stood at ease.
“You know your mission, and you know the risk. I do not need to tell you your jobs for you are my best. So, I will say this. You going on this mission is not just to ascertain the threat levels of our neighbors, but to learn of the conditions of their people and their nations. It is a sign of my trust in you that you were given this task, for there are none more talented or capable for this than you. We searched for you out of all those who wander the deep and dark, and you were the ones who had what was most needed to succeed. You understand people, how to think, act, hide, among people. This is vital. While this world is nothing compared to the machinations of the Great Houses of the Inner Sphere, to treat it as anything less is to invite failure when we do reach out to those places. How you succeed here will inspire and show the path forward, on world advanced and not. For this, I am proud to salute you, with gratitude and respect.”
I salute them, and they shuddered in pride.
“Ten hut!” I shout. They stand to attention immediately.
“The mission begins now. Go to your subs, and may the darkened deep hide you. Dismissed.”
They gave one final salute wit all their heart, and then marched out with pride in their step.
My newest mindset had endeared loyalty and respect from my people and subordinates to levels I never imagined outside of fiction. To experience it first hand was a head feeling at first, and I could see how leaders became arrogant and paranoid, but the voice of several instructors came to the fore and reminded me that their respect must have respect given in return for they give me their loyalty by my loyalty given.
Returning to the Sanctum, I saw Breeze, and Emma looking over files and new bits of data.
“That was well done. I believe their rate of success will rise by tens of percentage points.” Breeze noted pleased.
“The loyalty of a people can only be gained with a show of loyalty to them, through fulfilling their interest and needs, to protecting them when they are under threat, to knowing the danger they are going into is not without appreciation of the one who ordered it.”
Breeze nodded appreciatively. “If only the prophets understood this. Some of the Sangheili do, but they are too martial minded to see beyond immediate glory.”
I frowned. “The Prophets are led by a false belief in that the Forerunners were gods, and an even greater delusion that they, and not humanity, were chosen to take their place. Their hubris led to their eventual downfall and nearly the destruction of the galaxy. Such people can only learn when they have fallen to their lowest.”
It was then I raised my head as a star fell. The two noticed and waited.
[spoiler=“Clang!!”] Simple Words (Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey) (100 CP)
You possess the ability to reduce the most complex of scientific or mathematical concepts into language the common man can understand. Furthermore, when other experts are in your presence, they too speak in this less jargon-rich way, making them seem more like regular people and less like Ivory Tower Intellectuals or Eggheads.[/spoiler]
I blinked, and smirked, explaining what I gained.
“Is that so…let’s test that. Have you seen this project?”
I glanced over at the PDA, seeing the FEV symbol.
“I see the use of FEV is involved. What is this?”
“Essentially, we are taking the FEV, and using nanobots to undo the mistakes it creates as it mutates the host into a better version of what it already is. This specific part of that project increases strength to many times what you are already capable of without sacrificing your natural body or altering it to make it able to do these feats. Like making a steel wire into a titanium wire. Same exact form and use, but stronger than the older material.”
I nodded. “That was a very simplistic way of explaining something very complex.”
Breeze blinked. “I actually explained some very advanced concepts just now. You actually heard it as something simple?”
I nodded before repeating what I heard him say, word for word.
“….Fascinating.”
“Useful for the future I suppose, but for now, the mission is on it way and construction is proceeding.” I started as I sat down at the center table.
“I have begun to think about expansion, building new habitats and so on, but I think we need to also explore the idea of space. While I wouldn’t wish to take the Union away from Carson, it will be sitting gathering dust for the next few years if things remain as they are.”
“We could simply construct our own. We have the schematics from scans and we have designed superior versions of the craft utilizing all of the technology bases.”
I nodded. “Which we will build, but I believe it would be a way to allow him to ‘repay a favor’ in his mind if he ‘allows us’ to use it for our own means. Plus, he wants to use it as well for his own purposes, but until his crew is trained up, they are simply on the back burner. We can accomplish both our needs at once with this.”
Emma called up a holographic map that appeared on the table as a representation of Novo Franklin. The water rich world had four continents, but only the northern one had any real human settlement. The other three were generally near or just off of the equator, and were relatively unsettled and low to no human population. The map already showed several markers from Whale Class submarines making their way to these continents to create long range habitats.
I had wondered why these continents were unsettled, but answers came with the rise in temperature that became unsafe for humans the closer to the equator you got. Novo Franklin was a hot world, and there was no southern continent to settle like the northern one, giving respite from the heat.
Thus, these lands were more or less unexplored, and untapped for resources and territory.
“There is also the option of simply creating a Habitat with the necessary equipment to produce our own space craft. Thus, lessening our reliance up others for aid.” Emma mentioned as the picture zoomed in on the closest neighboring continent.
I quirked an eyebrow at her. “Do I sense an independent streak?” I asked with a grin.
A small blush appeared, but otherwise she remained stoic. “I am merely mentioning some other options.”
I nodded and patted her hand. “The old me would agree with this action, but the current me understands the need to maintain and strengthen loyalty with those who would be permanent allies, if not eventual subjects.”
They both turned to me at that and I shrugged. “It’s no secret that we could wipe the floor with anyone on this world. At this point the only thing stopping us is my wish to not go that route, and Carson knows this as well. He realizes that he is more or less at our mercy, and wants to stay in our good graces. Fortunately, he realizes that I am not a warmonger, and is more at ease than not. He will use us to enhance his own kingdom and standing among the other lords while showing the minimum amount of deference deemed acceptable. It’s why he allowed his son to be trained here, as a show of that knowledge, but that he will use what we give for himself.”
I looked upwards as I gave it a bit more thought. “With my use of the Greater Good however, the amount of resistance from his family and people has decreased far below what they would actually be. I have no doubt without that, we would merely have a trade agreement than a full alliance now.”
“I must agree. I was surprised at how well things had gone. It is quite the cheat you have there.”
“Unless the will power of the one I’m using it on is beyond the human norm, then most people will eventually fall sway to my words and agree to the idea of the Greater Good. While I am no ethereal, I’m not far from it. I believe once I begin making strides to connect with other nations, that they will join in. Once they see the gains and benefits being a part of the alliance brings to them individually, and realize what it can do for the whole, unification will not be a goal, but an inevitability.”
I brush a hand through my hair. “That is, if Comstar is not here already. That is, if word doesn’t get out to the greater Inner Sphere about the “wonders” of Novo Franklin and Subnautica, and invite not just refugees and immigrants, but also bandits, raiders, and the deniable house unit.”
I grin. “But I do not fear that when it comes down to it, for our control over the oceans is beyond the current capabilities of almost all of our potential enemies. Even Comstar could not destroy this place without overt action, and equipment they simply do not have. Even warships firing lasers, autocannons, and gauss rounds will only hit so deep.”
I felt another star at that moment, and pause as I looked up, before looking away as it missed.
“Perhaps that was arrogance speaking, but I truly feel we can do great things if we include others rather than just isolate ourselves, and there’s little the powers that be can do to stop it.” I finished as I pressed a button, and a fabricator built into the table made a cup of dandelion coffee appear.
---
Comstar HPG Compound, Franklin’s Landing
Novo Franklin, Periphery Space
November 26th, 2980 AD
Precentor Nyung Lim was concerned. Concerned about many things, such as where he was going in life. What to make of this dead-end post. How to prevent all out warfare between the most powerful of the Farm/City-States as with the influx of newcomers over the last twenty years.
But right now, one thing had his full concern. Subnautica.
The rumors he had heard coming from the northern end of the continent over the week prior to the beginning of last month seemed wildly out of place. It’s consistency from other locations in proximity to that state proved they were not just random stories.
The Emeri Empire came about twenty years ago when a group of refugees, a quarter of which were mercenaries, settled onto the world and tried to make a life on this agricultural wonderland. Most drifted to one of the many city-states and lived life out as peasantry, with the worse off becoming serfs.
Mr. and Mrs. Emeri, with a pair of Marauder Battlemechs, and their son, the current ruler, Carson Emeri, and one since passed friend with an Awesome, and an Enforcer ended up joining the city-state of Roosht Empire. Until Roosht, the pirate that he was, tried to kill them to take their machines. Next thing you know, they overthrew the fool, and became the new royalty, renaming it the Emeri Empire.
As newcomers, they were tested as the outsiders whose holdings were fair game by neighbors. Years of constant warfare with the occasional alliance saw the two Marauders finally break down, leaving only the two aging machines. The raids and open challenges never really stopped, and little by little the Emeri holdings were lost or regained, with occasional fools giving them more than they had.
Then two and a half months ago, the Empire suffered a near total loss with a major coalition between three city-states. Emeri had defeated a small alliance between a Walen Becker and his Pesh, and two others. The fool bit off more than he could handle with a professionally trained merc-brat that Carson was and lost big. Five mechs, plus Pesh were gained that day, sending waves of panic in nearby states. It only took a little push to force them to put the man down for good.
Emeri was about to be destroyed, when out of the blue, a single battlemech came in and destroyed the whole coalition near single handed.
The story of that battle reached ears everywhere within a week, and had been confirmed as truth that Emeri won the battle, though not the how. It was confirmed a single mech was involved with ending the entire battle, which no one could identify. Drawings of it made it appear as a modified Quickdraw, but the description of its capabilities defied what is possible.
That appeared to be the end of it. Until a bit later when rumors of a new nation appeared. The Underwater Kingdom of Subnautica. It was outright ignored as ridiculous rumors. Except the rumors didn’t end there. They continued, with sudden signs of talking between on the radio between Emeri and some group they hadn’t identified. Then came mechs that were spotted, and confirmed as real.
Offically, Novo Franklin had no more than two lances of mechs across the whole world. The truth is the real numbers are withheld to keep pirates and others from predating upon the world, and as a hammer if they do. The real number is somewhere around one battalion, with one or two companies in reserve.
He got a good look at one with a picture that was taken. It was no model he had ever seen, and there was an entire company of them. It was enough to send some of his people to that kingdom to ascertain the truth.
What they found terrified them. An alliance was formed between the Emeri Empire and the Deep Kingdom of Subnautica. The new mechs, an what appeared to be powered armor soldiers standing in parade detail as it went down. In the crowd, his people recorded the young, charismatic leader of Subnautica announce the alliance, and the gift.
A Union dropship with two lances of mechs. The story of the dropship’s fate had his people digging through the history files for anything, and came up with only a few mentions of the First Succession war’s effects, but nothing like this. It had to be true, otherwise, where did the ship even come from?
Then the mention of Subnautica being the goal of the invasion as a Star League outpost, despite it predating the Star League, confused the hell out of him.
Since then, his agents had been sending daily reports of extremely advanced technology. Technology beyond anything the Star League possessed. Their “Builder” technology was near magical despite being explained as an advanced fabrication technology perfected over centuries. Roads, a power grid, structures more at home on the likes of the most developed planets in the Inner Sphere, all built within seconds provided you have the raw materials on hand.
They have attempted to take one of these devices, but too much security from the “Marines” prevented this. It didn’t stop them from getting their hand on some other things however.
While they couldn’t get their hands on a “PDA”, an advanced Noteputer of some kind, or any weapons from the Marines, they were able to get a laser cutter, a mineral detector, and the crown jewel of the lot, the “Repair Tool”.
The Laser Cutter was impressive as to how small the power source was, and yet capable of cutting through ten centimeters of Standard Battle Plate. The Mineral Detector was a relative unknown in exactly how it functioned, but it really did work a its name implied. You want to find raw materials of some kind? Just punch it in, and it will find it.
The Repair Tool however…he didn’t even know where to start. They thought at first it was just some kind of welder, until someone decided to spot weld something to see its effectiveness at repairing a broken casing for a power generator. Everyone was shocked as it completely repaired the casing, and the generator, to factory new.
Then they tested it on other things. Complex things. Like computers that were smashed to bits, and it rebuilt them as if their destruction didn’t just happen.
Then they gave it a real test, and took it to a Mech they had in the maintenance bay under the facility. The machine was a wrecked Warhammer that was just sitting around, as they hadn’t the time to disassemble it and transfer the Lostech off world.
They burned through all three of the batteries they had, but within a half-hour, each part of the mech that was damaged was repaired and restored to new. Even holes in the armor were filled in as if there was new material placed and fused! Then the whole mech was restored to new. They then put it back together, and the tool actually did the final tightening and aligning, which normally would require a crew to do since adjustments to make sure all the parts were in their proper place was absolutely necessary.
This whole process, usually a month at the best of times, took just over an hour.
The engineers and maintenance staff practically worship it now, and he wasn’t too far himself. They were working hard to try and rig a recharging station for the batteries so to make more use out of it.
While they still didn’t know enough, they have confirmed that Subnautica truly was a submariner nation, with habitats underwater that house who knew how many people. The fishing village of Seabreak was given over to them and it was rebuilt into a modern marvel of a town. It was where they got most of the things they brought back. Pictures of the location showed it to be almost entirely inhabited by Emeri citizens, with a handful of Subnauticans to keep things running and to handle the submarines that came and went.
Actual submarines, of which they identified at least six models of sea craft, and three drone units.
He had compiled all this data and sent it off to Terra at the highest level he could. It would take some time for it to reach them, but he had no doubt as soon as the first circuit looked over everything, they would direct an immense amount of focused upon Novo Franklin.
He had chosen to be proactive about this and planned a “Mission” to meet with Subnauticans. Perhaps their leader, the “Sovereign”. They had sent out the invitation/request a few hours ago, so they should arrive at the end of the day. He made certain the First circuit was aware of this plan, and that he would have to test the mettle of the Sovereign himself.
Comments
Kasikan
First rule of Battletech, destroy Comstar before they learn about you. If you can't. Destroy them anyway. Only good thing they'll ever do is die.
Wildebranch
Ah, Escalation. Such a wonderful thing to see in this kind of fics.
