Playing the Game: Battletech/Celestial Forge SI

[GundamChief]

You can't predict anything. How can you be certain about anything when everything is chaos and we're not in control? ~ John Lloyd​

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North boundaries of "The Emeri Empire"
Novo Franklin, Periphery Space
August 12th​, 2980 AD

I carefully ripped the dandelion out of the ground, root and all, and placed the plant into my basket. It was already half full of the plant that had become my source of food and barter. The distant thumps of foot steps drew my eye to the half-wrecked form of an Awesome battlemech. It stomped slowly as the heir of the Emeri Royal Family learned the ropes of handling the massive machine. I stared, half in awe of the giant mechanical avatar of war, and half in depression as I am once more reminded of my current circumstances.

It was nine weeks ago I had awakened on the ground of a grassy meadow, and discovered not too long after some extreme confusion and fear, what universe I had awakened into. More panic came, existential horror followed, and ideas of how to survive the setting came. It turned out to all be unimportant however, as I learned through a good amount of eavesdropping that I was on Novo Franklin. A world that was untouched by the setting, and would remain so all the way into the IlClan era. I could literally live here for the rest of my life, and the setting would not screw with me because of the place being so unimportant.

As a result of this, the immediate threats against my life came to the fore, in the form of starvation and homelessness. Add on top of that the fact I was an outsider to the fiefdoms, and to this "kingdom", I had little means to actually survive save what I had in my head already.

Which is when the "cheat power" appeared.

The Celestial Forge appeared to me, and explained the rules. I had known of the stories that used this system, and often had wanted to make such a story myself, but with few to no instructions on how to actually use it available, I had never gotten around to it. Now here I was, in Battletech, with the system. My existential horror only grew from there. It was mitigated that I was now physically a younger man again. While my actual body wasn't weak with age yet, it was growing older and things were occurring that made me more proactive in remaining healthy. Now, most of the issues I was keeping under control were no longer an issue.

That was the first day. Since then, I had managed to not get strung up as an intruder by the realm, as people shifting to and fro various kingdoms happens frequently. People just assumed I was such a person, and given how young I was now, there was little suspicion that an older man would have been given. The "Empire" merely took note of me once I stuck around and little else. The only thing I was told was that if the "Empire" went to war, I would be "required" to levy myself to the defense of the "Empire". Given the actual military forces of the place were basically farmers with pitchforks and bolt action rifles, coupled with a few "modern" weapons that would have seen action in Europe on the Western Front, and a pair of Battlemechs that were put together with bailing wire and ducktape, it would either be bloody, or hilarious.

Given most of the fighting was done with the military marching, standing still as the leaders then do ritualistic mech jousting with rules essentially being "Pink slips for X", it's semi-clan like in how people handle it. Having been here for over two months and seen it occur, five times, and having to take part in it twice, I realized I had little to actually worry about when it came to warfare. The most I had to deal with was the second time when the opposite military of five hundred men was added to the ritual and we had a big melee.

I was fortunate to have had experience with fighting before this, otherwise I would have gotten seriously injured if not killed. There were some killed, and a lot of injuries after it was all over, and the "Empire" beat the opposition hands down, gaining levies for labor and five months of non-aggression. In that time, I had waited and hoped for the forge to give me something, but there was nothing but a whole lot of nothing. It was there, but it just sat like a frog in a bowl.

Now I had some work, mostly being a farmer for the "Emperor" who paid me in food-stuff per day. It wasn't enough for anyone, and people had to make do or not eat. Hence my picking of plants now, as both a supplement for my diet, and to sell infusions for more food.

"Could be far worse." I griped as I pulled another plant out by the root. I missed home, my family, internet, indoor plumbing, electricity, television, and more. It wasn't like I could just hop a ship to Terra though. I don't even know if there was an HPG on this planet, despite my memories saying there was a B-Class station here.

I finished filling the basket and began making my way back to the little hut I called "home" for the time being. It was barely anything, but it managed to keep the elements, and most of the bugs, out. Reaching the hut, I had to duck down due to it being short sat to begin processing the plants.

"Still surprised that Dandelions are on this world. At least I know I can eat them after cleaning them."

Separating the leaves first, I began to boil them to create an infusion and make my dinner.

Then without warning…It hit me.

The frog leapt out of the bowl, and onto my face as I felt something like a star fall from the heavens. I felt the pressure and jolted, worried that I was suffering some malady when suddenly it faded, as if it passed me. The feeling of residual heat remained however, and I just knew that I was storing power for a later hit.

I scowled lightly. "After two months, you finally do something?"

I received no answer, and let out an angry sigh as I got back to what I had been doing. Time passed and the infusion, and my meal, was finished. I ate the bland greens with the potatoes and carrots I had been given for that day's work. Sealing the infusion within a clay jar I traded a meal for, I stored it for future bartering, and left the hut.

With little else to do, without books, games, or internet, I once more did what most men of this planet did. I went to town to hang around. Calling it a town was being generous in my opinion however given my experiences, but that wasn't entirely fair to the locals given how low the tech level of the world was. The town comprised of a dozen buildings. Shops for the farm goods people the emperor sold to those who could afford it, new clothes as well, and small administration building that also counted as the constabulary, and jail, and of course, the bar.

Reaching the bar, I saw two guys who I had become friends with since my arrival. Roake, bean-pole of a man with blond hair and freckles, and Bron, a stout redhead built like a brick house. The two were step brothers, from two families who lost parents in a little war and found comfort together. They greeted me with a raising of a clay mugs filled with local ale.

"How goes it." I asked, as I caught the eye of the barkeep and waved for my own drink.

"Bron stuck out." Roake stated matter of factly as he sipped his drink. Bron glared at his before dropping head first onto the table. I looked a little concerned, my eyes shifting to a calm Roake and back, but said nothing for a moment.

"That bad?"

"She wants to marry Grendal. Fuckin' Grendal!" he shouted, spilling his drink to the ground as he waved his hands upwards. "Just cause he is head of his own house already!" he cried before dropping back to the table and sobbed a little. Roake patted his back, looking like he had done this many times before as he took another sip.

"Well…are there any other girls to-"

"No!" he growled. "Of course there aren't. Most of the women are already taken at this point. I would have to go and barter for the right if she doesn't change her mind." He finished in despair.

I frowned and sighed. That the problem with worlds like Novo Franklin. The population, supposedly, was barely over a hundred thousand. While that was a city in terms of size, that left not a lot of options for men with little to show. It led to fights, and blood feuds, and worse. It's one of the reasons why the various kingdoms kept disappearing and coming into existence in a span of decades.

The "empire" was, so far, one of the lucky ones that lasted for more than a half century. It helped that they had nearly a lance of mechs, though only two, the Awesome and an Enforcer, really functioned at all.

"Well, don't go picking fights just yet. There might be a chance somewhere." I said, trying to be kind.

Bron just sat there, sobbing lightly, and Roake and I sighed.

Once the night had come, curfew kicked in and people started to go home. I bade the two goodnight and hoped Bron didn't go crazy in his drunken state or anything. Upon returning to my hut, I checked the infusion, and felt it cool against my finger. Satisfied, I took a small cup and drank a few cups of it.

While a liquid diet was not a good thing, it would do well for my liver and blood pressure, helping me sleep through the night. I didn't sleep well, not since I got here. My mind raced when I lay in bed, always had, but these nights were far worse for obvious reasons. I instead focused on sleeping, and thinking of nothing, entering a sort of meditative state. It usually worked, and soon I fell into a sleep.

Anxiety however gave me dreams, and these days I was full of anxiety. I dreamt of being left to die alone in a barren wasteland, before shifting over to being hunted down by a mob led by inquisitors, which then led to being harshly lambasted by gorgeous women for my shortcomings as they committed acts of debauchery I wasn't allowed to take part in. I woke up more than a few times in despair, and anger, but in the end, it was all impotent, for I had nothing to target aside from myself, and whatever force put me here. The forge was an easy target for this, and I did so when it suited me, for I had nothing to unleash my frustrations and sorrow upon.

Morning came sooner than I wished, and I had to get to work in the fields. From dawn, with a break for breakfast as part of our pay, to late afternoon, I worked the vast fields of potatoes, carrots, and cabbages the emperor had made with his wealth and successes. I had to admit that there was something admirable to a man being successful on a world like this despite everything this universe represented. It wasn't all nukes, intrigue, and mechs, as I had come to learn.

The end of the work day came, and I once more began to prepare to gather herbs. Cleaning out my basket and making sure it wasn't damaged, and taking another pair of drinks from the infusion before setting out.

Then I stopped, as once more, I felt it.

I felt the pressure, and shock at the sensation. Twice now! Twice in as many days! Was the damned forge finally kicking it.

I felt something reach out to the falling star…and with a clang that caused me to wince from the pain, I felt it land within me.

Spoiler: Clang!

Golden Sickle (Asterix the Gaul) (200CP)
This is a sickle made of solid gold, perfect for harvesting materials with magical properties. So perfect, that it has properties of its own. Firstly, any materials harvested using this sickle will never go bad. Food doesn't rot, meat, if you somehow used it on that, doesn't go rancid, magical herbs don't lose their powers. Secondly, it tends to have the exact magical properties you need to harvest any and all magical substances, without too much of a fuss. In essence, you can replace any and all growing and harvesting requirements for an ingredient, like 'needs to see the moon twenty times', or 'dance naked under at twilight carrying a pitcher of water that you then sprinkle' with 'cut using this sickle'. Doesn't apply on the super rare, absolutely one-of-a-kind stuff, mind you. It must be at least somewhat common.

I stopped, and watched in blankness as a Golden Sickle came into existence before my eyes, and floated before me. I slowly took a hold of it, and fell into my hand. In that instant, I knew what it was, what it could do, and where it came from.[/spoiler]

My eyes widened. "Okay…last thing I expected was Getafix's tool."

I rotated the object, getting a good look at it as the possibilities and uses came to my mind. Mostly on how it can solve my food issues. One of the biggest reasons I don't over harvest is due to the lack of a refrigerator, and that the plants I harvest go bad when left alone long enough. If I used this sickle to do the harvesting however, it all remains fresh forever because "freakin magic".

I frowned however when I saw the immediate problem.

"Solid gold. Might as well wear a clown outfit that was painted like a shooting target."

I would need to keep it hidden, or preferably, dip it completely in paint to hide its true nature. I contemplated how I would get paint as I tested its sharpness, and raised my brow as I felt that unique feeling that came with a particularly sharp edge of metal.

"Take a man apart with that." I murmured as I placed it under my clothes, and carefully went about my task. Finding the large patch of dandelions again, I began to dig them up, root and all, and place them into the basket until it was full. Returning to the hut, I pulled it out and began the processing of the plants as I normally did.

My eyes widened as the sickle cut through the plants like they were made of rice paper, so easily that it cut the time down by half. I also felt the magic of the blade at work, though there was no visual indication of anything happening. I couldn't help but grin as a small amount of relief filled me, as food may no longer be a problem in the foreseeable future. Melancholy thoughts sprung forth from that, as I compared my current life with what I once had, and I forced myself to focus on the task. There was no need to bring myself down since I know the Cosmic forge is working, though why it took months to reach this point was a mystery.

"Maybe a collection of small events? I have no idea otherwise what caused it to start suddenly."

With little else to go on, I made my dinner, but had an idea to test when I looked at the potatoes and carrots. I took a potato and cut it in half. Then I placed it upon a small chair I used as a table.

"See if it goes bad over the night."

Soon enough I finished, and hit the sack. More bad dreams hit me, and I woke up several times during the night. Each time, I looked upon the potato, as if it would change before my eyes, only to see it was still moist and smelling of raw potato rather than drying up. It gave me ease of mind after the second time I awakened, and I slept dreamlessly for the rest of the night.

The next morning, I woke up, and hid the sickle in the dirt, under the chair turned table, which had processed roots upon it. Not much, but at least I would know if something was amiss. Pulling out a smaller clay jar, I opened it up to scoop out a few spoons worth of dandelion grind. The smell of brownies filled the air and I indulged the scent for a minute as I waited for the water to boil. If you took the root, chopped it up, then baked it at two fifty for two hours, stirring often for even cooking until it was dark brown or black, and then grinded it into a powder? It made dandelion coffee. Surprisingly, it tasted like actual coffee, and had the same effects, but the powder smelled like fresh baked brownies.

It was a shame I lacked my own kitchen, and stove, and…everything, otherwise I would make dandelion honey and jelly too. Well, maybe not jelly since that requires pectin, and I don't even think this world could make such a thing.

After drinking the coffee, I left to work on the fields. Roake and Bron were there already, along with their parents, and younger siblings. As a lone man, I only got enough for myself to eat for the day, but with an entire family like that, one could eat well, especially if they stored food over time as theirs did.

I waved at them, and they greeted me back before returning to work. I looked over at the oldest daughter of the family. She was a young woman, average in looks, but healthy and fit from working the fields. Despite the medieval styled dress she wore, she had curves and she knew how to use them. There were already more than a few guys chasing after her, so she was somewhat spoiled for choice. A new guy like me had no real chance, with a lack of a real home and no "wealth" to speak of. Still, she was nice enough to me since I was nice to her younger siblings and family.

She was currently speaking to Dobbs, a tall, moderately good-looking farm hand who was muscled. He was successfully charming her, by helping her carry her "heavy basket" of carrots. I rolled my eyes, but said nothing.

"There he goes again." Bron grumbled as he watched Dobbs walk off with his sister.

"Uh huh." Roake acknowledged while placing more carrots into a basket.

"You don't approve?" I asked.

Bron thought about it and shrugged. "It's not him really." He answered honestly. The look of frustration was enough to remind me of the real culprit.

"Grendal." He growled.

I shook my head. He needed to let it go before it got to him, but it looks like it already has.

"You're not gonna murder the man are you?" I asked bluntly.

It was at that moment I felt my body freeze, and a well of panic grow as I felt the star fall, and the forge reach out for it. It failed however, and it fell away, leaving behind residual power.

I relaxed and looked at Bron, whose expression twisted to one torn between a yes and a are you nuts?

"Noooo…I'd be strung up by his family and maybe the Emperor if I even tried. Plus, the whole family would suffer for it by association. Not that it hadn't cross my mind though."

Roake frowned as he said the last part, giving Bron the side eye.

Bron frowned and glared lightly back. "I said I thought about it, not planning. I'm allowed to be angry! Just can't do nothing with it." He finished with a grumble as he ripped a stubborn root out.

The rest of the morning was like that, and when we ate our breakfast, or saved it for later, I looked about.

The "empire" was just one of on hundred and twenty two "nations" on this rock. Those "nations" usually didn't last long as people played a kids version of the "100 years war", and were absorbed, or fall apart as soon as whatever alliance occurs, ends. The empire had a population of about five thousand, supposedly, and it did show with all of the families working and eating together as a community in the field.

If it weren't Battletech, it would be somewhat idyllic.

"You think If I were to become a soldier, I'd have a chance again?"

I looked over to Bron, and thought about it for a moment, but Roake answered first.

"Not unless you become a knight. Soldiers and levies are common as dirt."

"I could become a knight." Bron said after a moment.

"Only in a world where you are taller."

I couldn't help but grin, but Bron glared at his brother who was also grinning.

He was about to retort when suddenly a loud whistle blew into the air from the distance. Everyone froze, and I mean everyone, including myself. We turned and looked to the distance where the "castle" was, and watched as both the Enforcer and Awesome marched out with a small retinue of horseback riders.

"Shit!" Roake hissed as he gobbled up his meal, Bron and I following suit. Men everywhere began scrambling to their women and children, telling them what to do, as said women and children began running from the field back to the safety of the town.

Not long after, we were gathered up by the men on horseback, with a few old army trucks now added to the mix with a variety of weapons being handed out.

"The Kingdom of Pesh has seen fit to declare war! We aim to show them the fault in that choice! You all gather up in a group and march with us! High-Ho!" the captain shouted, waving a cavalry sword about.

Getting somewhat organized, we began moving, and soon enough we reached the "Border" of the empire, where we saw, to our growing horror, five battlemechs, and what appeared to be several thousand men to our near five hundred.

"Fuck…" Bron said fearfully as he gazed upon the distant giants. I took a look at them, and saw they were mostly lights. Two Stingers that lacked their weapons save whatever they grafted on for melee combat, a pair of well-armed Locusts carrying what appeared to be four machineguns each, and a half-repaired Phoenix Hawk with all of its weapons intact.

Fuck indeed…

Men around me began to pray, some looking like they wanted to run. I didn't blame them at all. Being a squishy PBI with barely anything resembling a modern army save two working mechs and a handful of technicals, against the same but with forces catered to ripping the PBI apart…our prospects weren't good unless they follow that chivalric code of theirs.

The Awesome and Phoenix Hawk stepped forth until they were about two hundred meters apart from the other.

Then the "negotiations" began.

"What in the Taurian Bullshit are you doing Becker!?" The "Emperor" began.

"What's it look like Carson? I'm here to get my stuff back!"

By stuff, he meant his levies that were earned in the last fight these two had. That meant not just the men, but their families as well. People are resources too. I sneered slightly at the idea that I was livestock to these assholes.

The two go on back and forth like this for a few minutes before finally getting to the reason we were here.

"I could wipe out your army right now Carson. My men outnumber yours two to one! And while my metal is lighter, they are faster, and could also wipe your forces out before running off and wrecking your home."

"And if you did, you'd find my home is a hornets nest waiting to kill you in a swarm. Plus I have a longer reach than you do, and two HEAVY mechs back home just in case."

I hadn't been able to see what the other two mechs were, or their state, but according to what I heard, they were dock queens. A pair of Ostols of all things, which are a big deal on this world considering how common lights are comparatively. Don't get me wrong though, I love the Pod mechs, very solid design. Even so, not exactly common out here in the black.

No one really knew, aside from the Techs and Emperor, if they could move or not. Most people didn't want to chance it. Which proved to be the case with Becker's next words.

"Which is why I call on Primum inter pares!"

A wave of relief flowed from everyone at those words. I could see the same for the other army despite the distance. Primum inter pares, which was latin for "First among equals".

Essentially, it was a bout between the two leaders, winner takes all.

"Alright. As challenger, what do you want?" Carson asked with a bored tone.

"Upon victory, I lay claim to the men with you, and their families! They will become mine."

"Very well. If I win...I get yours."

"No way! You have five hundred. I could kill that many in a moment with my forces. You get equal to what you have on the field. If you want all my men, then I get your mechs on the field in addition to those men." Becker shouted angrily.

"Very well. I agree to that…that is…all my men, and mechs, for all your men…and your mechs." Carson said with a grin you could feel through the speaker.

"What?!...Throw in your two heavies that are in town, and it's you and your Enforcer versus me and my mechs since it's near equal in weight. Do that, and I will agree to that."

"Done!" Carson shouted with glee.

As this happened, I suddenly felt a pull occur, and I ducked down a bit while everyone was distracted. I felt panic and prayed it wasn't something noticeable as I felt the forge grab onto something.

With a loud CLANG! It happened

Spoiler: CLANG!

-PDA | Scanner | Upgraded scanner | Habitat Constructor (Subnautica) (150CP)

PDA (0CP)
Loaded with an emergency intelligence and more data capacity than you could ever use, this is a survivor's second most powerful tool (after his or her brain.) The AI may get a bit . . . quirky . . . over long deployments. Your version is basically indestructible. Contains basic construction blueprints.

Habitat Constructor (50CP)
As long as the materials are present in your subspace inventory, the Habitat Constructor is capable of creating robust outposts and domiciles. Due to complex structural requirements, the constructor is unable to build anything that isn't anchored to the ground.
* "Complex structural requirements" implies that with sufficient technical abilities this limitation can be overcome.

Scanner (50CP)
The scanner uses the PDA artificial intelligence to analyze an object, often finding weaknesses or uses not immediately apparent to the user. If one of your fabricators is capable of constructing the scanned object, a blueprint is created. Scanning time varies with size and complexity.

Upgraded scanner (50CP)
For those who don't want to get too close to the Reaper Leviathan, but just really want that scan, this upgrade quadruples the scanning distance and speed.

The knowledge slammed my brain, and I suddenly knew everything I needed to. I watched as the Scanner, Fabricator, and PDA appeared at my feet, and I quickly put them under my clothes. I was thankful I had a belt to hold them all. Standing up, I was relieved to see everyone was paying attention to the mechs starting to charge at each other, and firing lasers and bullets.

"Let move away men! Not get in the way of our lords!" shouted one of the horsemen, and we turned to make a distance. I noticed the other army doing the same.

I stuck with Bron and Roake as we made our way away from the field, and watched as the Awesome fired off its two functional PPCs, both slamming into a Locust, removing it from the field. The Enforcer attacks both of the Stingers, taking hits from the Phoenix Hawk array of lasers which cause metal to fall off on fire and in ribbons of liquid. The Enforcer kept firing at the Stingers in a show of discipline as it hit both with Large Laser and autocannon, removing both from the field at once.

The last Locust tried to move around the Awesome to hit it from behind, only for its pilot and myself to be surprised, when a rear mounted PPC fired off and hit the right torso, and into its engine. It was down for the count with a double-tap from the Enforcer, who turned back to Becker's machine with the Awesome.

Becker, realizing he was done, announced his surrender.

We cheered the emperor, and began making our way back home. I wouldn't find out till later that this was a massive last-ditch gamble on part of Becker who was down to only his men and mechs. So, the territory that was Pesh now belonged to the Empire, along with its towns and farms.

I recall grinning as it was close to the coastline, and elbowing Bron at the time that now he had access to more girls. He gave me a glare, before grinning and agreeing.

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View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOaeDHeJ80I&pp=ygUYQXcgc2hpdCBoZXJlIHdlIGdvIGFnYWlu

This is a cross-post with SB and Royal Road. I had thoughts about putting it here, and decided to do so.

I had been wanting to write a Celestial Forge fic for a few years, but I could never find any definitive ruleset to actually going about it.

Then I read A Galaxy of Rust by HandleWithCare , which led to me putting two and two together and figuring a few other things out. I get a chance for every 1000 words, or it just gets stored, and I do not count the earned thing to the word count. Each chapter, the word count starts at zero, there is no carry over from previous chapters.

I have eight chapters on Patreon already and they get posted there first, but they will come here in time. I do not promise to have regular updates.

I discovered an interesting thing about writing this fic for myself. I gives me that "One Last Turn" syndrome Sid Meier's Civilization gives you, only "Just (X) words more!"

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Perks This Chapter

-Golden Sickle (Asterix the Gaul) (200CP)
This is a sickle made of solid gold, perfect for harvesting materials with magical properties. So perfect, that it has properties of its own. Firstly, any materials harvested using this sickle will never go bad. Food doesn't rot, meat, if you somehow used it on that, doesn't go rancid, magical herbs don't lose their powers. Secondly, it tends to have the exact magical properties you need to harvest any and all magical substances, without too much of a fuss. In essence, you can replace any and all growing and harvesting requirements for an ingredient, like 'needs to see the moon twenty times', or 'dance naked under at twilight carrying a pitcher of water that you then sprinkle' with 'cut using this sickle'. Doesn't apply on the super rare, absolutely one-of-a-kind stuff, mind you. It must be at least somewhat common

-PDA | Scanner | Upgraded scanner | Habitat Constructor (Subnautica) (150CP)
PDA (0CP)
Loaded with an emergency intelligence and more data capacity than you could ever use, this is a survivor's second most powerful tool (after his or her brain.) The AI may get a bit . . . quirky . . . over long deployments. Your version is basically indestructible. Contains basic construction blueprints.

Habitat Constructor (50CP)
As long as the materials are present in your subspace inventory, the Habitat Constructor is capable of creating robust outposts and domiciles. Due to complex structural requirements, the constructor is unable to build anything that isn't anchored to the ground.
* "Complex structural requirements" implies that with sufficient technical abilities this limitation can be overcome.

Scanner (50CP)
The scanner uses the PDA artificial intelligence to analyze an object, often finding weaknesses or uses not immediately apparent to the user. If one of your fabricators is capable of constructing the scanned object, a blueprint is created. Scanning time varies with size and complexity.

Upgraded scanner (50CP)
For those who don't want to get too close to the Reaper Leviathan, but just really want that scan, this upgrade quadruples the scanning distance and speed.

 

[GundamChief]

North Coast, The Emeri Empire
Novo Franklin, Periphery Space
August 16th​, 2980 AD

With the expansion of the realm, and the winning of new mechs, the Emeri Empire just became one of the ten. That is to say, they became the newest member of that group of nations that would survive forever, provided the future rulers didn't screw things up. This was not just due to its population, and economic output, but also the fact that they had enough mechs and combat vehicles to protect said territory.

With the expansion into Pesh, there were now large forests available for lumber, foraging, hunting, and a coastline that went into the northern sea for fishing. Due to the low tech level of this world, proper industries to utilize these resources to their fullest simply didn't exist. As such, there were only a few fishing towns along the coast for that purpose and little else.

When it came up, I told the administrator of the town that I wished to go to that area since I had fishing experience. I gave some details about various fishing vessels I had been on, crab fishing, shrimp, salmon. They didn't know what those were, but giving them a basic drawing showed I knew what I was on about. So, they gave me leave, and I let my friends know. They were a bit sad, but agreed it was a good opportunity.

I ate dinner with them, and gave them all the greens and roots I had, only to be given potatoes, carrots, and a few cabbages for the trip.

"Don't starve like a fool." The momma bear matriarch said before bidding me good night. Before I went to sleep, I fiddled with the scanner. I smiled at the device. It was a piece of the modern world as far as I was concerned, and it was a comfort simply to hold it. I scanned everything. The hut, the chair, the sickle, my knife, the bedding, the clay jars, myself, and so on. The PDA helpfully alerted me that it could now build these things, and then went to bed.

The next morning set off for the distant shore. I wasn't the only one going there, as there were fisher families among the people in the empire that wanted to return to that lifestyle. After a few days, I reached the coastline and gazed upon the rolling waves. It was picturesque, and a perfect starting point.

Walking into town, I alerted the local administrator, who was now an "imperial" citizen himself that I was there to stick around. He just waved me off, made me sign a register, and I was on my way. I made an effort to pick up any garbage left sitting about, especially metal refuse.

"Anyone care if I take this refuse?" I asked. Most people just shrugged, and said to do as I wanted with it. Despite it all being junk, it was useful for materials since I saw rubber, steel, and fabrics among the stuff. One man's junk was another's treasure, provided they knew what the hell they were doing.

I wandered away from the town, a good enough distance, and began to use the scanner. Over the course of four hours, I scanned many, many flora and rocks to begin the path of construction. The plants were able to provide fibers which I was able to use to fabricate advanced fabrics, which allowed me to construct a diving suit like in the game. I wore it as soon as it was done, and then constructed an oxygen tank with the same fibers and the steel junk I had. With broken glass, steel, and resin from the garbage, I was able to construct a breathing mask for the tank. Finally, with the rubber, and resin from various composite materials, I was able to make flippers.

I realized with a start once I brought out the PDA and connected it to the suit, that it gave me access to the sub-space storage that all Alterra survival suits came with. Taking advantage of this, I broke down everything I carried, and placed into storage raw materials and various foods.

With little left, I turned, and began to walk into the water.

Getting past the point where the waves pushed me inland, I began to swim underwater and down as the seabed dipped deeper. I could still see the bottom for several hundred feet before it faded into blue and grey. My tank had about forty-five minutes of air before I had to surface for it to refill itself, so I had no fear of running out before the time was up like in the game. The suit would also do the adjustments for the depths so I didn't suffer the standard issues with scuba diving, so it was all just swimming and exploring from this point forward.

Taking out the scanner, I began scanning various rocks and plants that I came across, sparce as it was, but felt elated upon running into coral. I didn't know if it were the right type, but after scanning, it appeared to be both the type to create chips and parts, and to created bleach with.

I wasn't expecting to find Titanium, since I had no idea if it was even a common material or not on this planet. Assuming it was as common as it were on Earth (9th​ most common) it would be everywhere but in absolute minute amounts.

Scanning large rocks gave me the means to draw it out, and into my inventory. It was time consuming however as even a rock as large as a bus gave me only a handful of the material as dust in about thirty seconds per hit. However, the PDA was helpful in putting the material into exact measurements in the storage, and I knew how many equaled a single unit of pure titanium. Ten units to be exact.

For the next hour, aside from surfacing for air, I just grinded away until I had enough material to finally construct my first base. I dove deeper first before stopping in a relatively flat location, and constructed an "X Compartment", along with a "T Compartment", a pair of solar panels, and the hatch.

I clambered inside, proud of the fact I finally had things going my way when I felt it. A star fell, and the Forge grabbed it.

Spoiler: CLANG!

-Material Limitations (World Seed) (100CP)

Even with the advanced technology commonplace on Earth nowadays, material limitations haven't changed. Or rather, you could say that they've gotten even worse. After all, how are you going to store antimatter if you have only steel at hand? Luckily, you won't ever have problems finding the materials you need. Whether you'll stumble upon them while searching through a scrapyard, or find just the right people who can get you that obscure alloy you need, nothing will stop you from building whatever you want besides your own skill. Well, if you're keeping it reasonable, at least.

The chance of you finding what you're searching for decreases exponentially with the material's strength and rarity, and increases by how much you know about said material, scientifically, and how good your technology skills are. So while a regular schmuck would probably never find Adamantium, someone who could reproduce it themselves in only a few years would have much, much better chances. So if you're in a situation where it is impossible to get what you want with what you know and where you are right now? Then you'll have to get to work yourself. Good riddance then that you can eventually reproduce any material or alloy that you have seen, though for extremely advanced ones it might take an unreasonable amount of time and skill.

I blinked. "Well…that may solve several issues." I already knew about many materials I needed to actually make Subnautica technology work, as well as the real-world information about them. So, I guess I'll run into stuff sooner or later regardless.

For the next four hours after that, I explored the immediate area, and found several locations near me of note. A kelp forest where I used the Sickle to harvest the materials for food and fibers, same for seaweed, several large rock areas that yielded more materials to me after a lot of scanning, a variety of underwater flora that could be utilized to make electronics, and most importantly, unlocking new blueprints as I discovered new materials.

The base now had six solar panels, a fabricator, emergency kit, a radio, several lockers, six of those basic plant pots which accelerated growth, and a proper bed. The PDA figure out most of the designs on its own, which showed how good of a tool it was.

The six pots were a surprise to me entirely, but I wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth. One pot was full of carrots, one with potatoes, another with cabbage, dandelions in the fourth, and strawberry and tomato like plants for the last two. I found the last ones while seeking out materials near the shore. The lockers were filled with purified water, and materials I didn't want to have in my storage space. I was more or less self sufficient without needing to beg for scraps or get paid in a meal anymore.

The freedom that came with that was gratifying. It felt like was living normally once more. I mean…sure I worked to earn money, but that's not the same as earning your daily bread. Might as well work just to breath oxygen.

"That's the first world mindset bruh." I muttered to myself as I remembered Bron and Roake. I'm sure they would love to be independent too.

With a shrug, I got undressed, turned down the lights and went to bed with the sound of the surface waves drifting me to sleep. For the first time in over two months, I dreamt nice dreams.

---

Underwater Base #3, Northern Sea
Novo Franklin, Periphery Space
August 23rd​, 2980 AD

I finished the last touches of the new base, a bed and fabricator.

"Good." I said simply as I turned to look out the window, out into the dark water towards the reason I constructed a new base.

The day after I built my first base, I upgraded my tank from a standard one to a high capacity one, giving me two hours and fifteen minutes of air to use, and I began to explore. Deeper, farther, and I found a great many things. Places where I am able to harvest a variety of plants and fish. Places where I mine due to being very craggy, and filled with rare minerals. I chose to construct a similar, smaller base to the first two kilometers away between these two locations, and use it mainly to store things.

It wasn't until five days after I had been looking for large deposits of various metals, only to then make an unexpected discovery that shook me to my core. The remains of a Union class dropship. It had faded markings of the Federated Suns upon of it, but it was covered in coral and rust. There was no way for me to reclaim it, but I didn't care about any of that. I wanted to scan it. It was about a kilometer underwater, and five kilometers away from shore, four kilometers beyond my base. Thank goodness for beacons, without them, I would not be able to find my way to either base, or to shore.

"Alright. Let's get to it." I said with glee.

As I began scanning, the PDA helpfully added commentary, and new designs with the technology its database now possessed.

"According to scans, the dropship suffered a strike from a small capital laser. Given data on Novo Franklin, and its importance at large, how and why a warship would have been here is puzzling."

I frowned. "That is weird. Also makes me wonder who they were fighting over this rock."

Installing light rods around a hole to the innards of the vessel, I shone a flashlight within and swam into the dead ship.

The inside was filled with sand and stone from who knows how long ago, but it was otherwise without plants and some small fish, and floating particles. I placed all of the light rods I had before lighting off a flare. Swimming upwards I paused in awe as I saw the face of a man, in the form of a machine. Two, three, four…eight. There were eight mechs inside of this thing. All of them more or less intact. I doubt they could be used after being underwater for so long, but a scanner could probably give more the means to do so, or even build one.

The first was a Hunchback-4G, followed by a pair of Wasps, then a Firestarter, then a Clint, a Dervish, a Catapault, and finally a Rifleman. Bit of a hodgepodge mixture of mechs, but if it were during the latter part of the beginning Succession Wars, then beggars could not be choosers.

Pulling out the scanner, and I floated in front of the Hunchback and began the scan. Even with the faster scan function, it still took five minutes to completely scan the machine. Once it was finished, I got not only the design for the machine, but for everything that went into it. The weapons, the autocannon, the ammunition, Myomer, fusion reactor, the neuro-control system. Everything. Scanning the rest of the mechs just added more of what some machines lacked. Different weapons, engine models and sizes, chassis, and so on were added.

It was when I finished with the Rifleman that I felt another pull, and waited as the forge reached out. It faded away as it missed the star, but the energy remained for a future star.

"According to scans, there is mech bay below the primary one, and an aerospace fighter bay higher up."

I following the PDA's words, I checked the two bays, only to find them both empty.

"Maybe they got out before whatever happened, happened?"

The rest of the time was spent scanning everything from desks, to cots, to doors, to picture frames, until needed air, and then repeated until I exhausted myself. The main notable thing was the cargo bay had several vehicles, mainly APCs, for land travel. I scanned them completely.

I laid in a newer, more comfortable bed after disassembling the old one, and checked over the designs and schematics the PDA had stored away. It was almost too much to take in, but two schematics in the "deployable" menu caught my interest.

"Huh. I regained the mobile vehicle bay. So I can try to remake the Seamoth if I put forth the effort, or find similar enough technology to scan."

The other one that grabbed my attention.

"Land Vehicle Bay?"

"The Land Vehicle Bay utilizes the technology from the Mobile Vehicle Bay to construct land vehicles of many kinds. To modify and repair land vehicles, consult the base construction menu."

Doing so revealed the "Land Hanger Bay" which was a land-based version of the moonpool. Robotic arms could lift and modify, recharge, and repair any vehicle stored in the bay. There were three models. A small one for trucks and APCs. A Medium one for the Mechs and Aerospace Fighters. And a large one for the Dropship, which was at least five different things that made up this one object.

The fact the PDA figured out how to make these on its own showed me just how powerful Alterra tech was. Then again, it was an emergency AI unit that somehow managed to partially translate a completely alien language based on little to nothing. Not to mention capable of scanning its surroundings to a frighteningly accurate degree despite little to no actual sensor systems attached to it.

I had several new base parts as well, but most of them were applicable only on land, but I now also had the scanner room back since the UAV technology on board the ship was enough to recreate the tech from scratch. Plus, I now had the Seaglide again because of desk fans and the amphibious modes of some vehicles. Also, the reinforced diving suit due to space suits and industrial exoskeletons.

I would work on those later.

Going to sleep once more, with the distant giant looming over the base, I had the PDA play soft music that was somehow stored on the ship and recoverable. How it did that, no clue, but I wasn't complaining. I went to sleep easily.

---

Deep Expanse Edge, Northern Sea
Novo Franklin, Periphery Space
August 30th​, 2980 AD

I felt like an idiot. I was glad I made the beacons to find my way around, but I cannot believe that I wandered so far and deeply without paying attention.

I couldn't help it though! That damned "Material Limitations" perk kicked in a ton ever since I started actively looking for minerals like Copper, Aluminum, Titanium, Gold, and more to build more stuff. Because of the perk, I was finding deposits of the stuff here and there which forced me to create the seaglide to move about faster.

It also got me started on the project to create the "Marine Mech", which is basically a Battlemech turned deep sea industrial mech. I was almost done too since I found radioactive material required to create the "Fusion Power Cell" to actually power the thing.

But then I ended up, like many foolish players first playing Subnautica, staying underwater too long before taking into account the air supply. I would have just created a temporary base and left it at that, but then I ended up finding the edge of what appeared to be a large sea trench. Which Is when the PDA kicked in.

"Local scans of this underwater valley show signs of large deposits, as well as possible rare elements. Deep Sea diving equipment is highly recommended."

So, here I was trying to reach the edge of this thing before I ran out of air. I was fortunate that, despite the depths, the solar panels still functioned at powering the place.

That said, I needed a small base quickly, so a simple "I Section" with a hatch, and a single solar panel, did the job.

"Warning: Depths of this magnitude require reinforcement. Recommend you construct building foundation."

"I don't have that, or the lead for the requirements. So, if you have a better design in there, I would love to see it before I die of suffocation."

Within a few moments, it did provide me with a new series of base parts. "Reinforced base parts" which required far more titanium than I had on me. I only had sixteen minutes of air left, so I got to scanning for the amount I needed. I had only four minutes left when I got the materials, and constructed the new base.

Double-hulled, it was able to withstand the new depths better than normal base parts. Even so, I still only had the amount of space normal base parts had.

For the moment, I laid on my back, lambasting myself for my stupidity. There was no excuse for not keeping track of my air supply, but I got too caught up in the gathering game, and wandered too far.

"I got lucky this time, but never again. I only have this one life, and no resets."

With little else to do, I rest and recharged for the next few minutes before going back out.

Looking down over the edge of the abyss, there was nothing but black and a deep silence to it all. Thalassophobia is something a lot of people have to various degrees, for various reasons.

I was no exception, which is why I usually tried to stick to the sea floor when I go around and explore.

Now I was seeing nothing but the depths, and it made my stomach drop and ass pucker up.

It was at this moment I felt the star fall down upon me. I waited for the forge to take it…only for it to fade away again, and the residual energy gather even more.

"Well, it will be interesting when that actually grabs something." I said as I swam away from the edge.

"First however…we need to gather and build up."

---

Underwater Base 005, "Leviathan's Depths" Trench, Northern Sea
Novo Franklin, Periphery Space
September 4th​, 2980 AD

Checking over my materials one last time, I pointed the habitat builder to the spot where a ground level "T-Section" connected to the rest of the base, and began construction of the Underwater Mech Hanger. It slowly took shape with the internals appearing first, before quickly being covered with internal bulkheads, and then covered with a thick titanium shell that protected the internal bay from the incredible pressure of this depth.

Upon completion, the facility stood tall, well over the base itself. One hundred feet tall and about half that in length and width. It had taken ten titanium ingots, along with a variety of electronic parts to fabricate the thing, but it would be well worth it.

I swam down to T-Section and entered through the deep-sea hatch there, going through the process of draining water out of a chamber, which then pressurized, before entering the base itself.

The hanger was a big empty space, same the large robotic arms attached to the walls, floor, and ceiling. These robotic arms would not only keep the machines in place, but also allow for construction and modification to them without a crew to do the work.

Standing before the bay construction/modification terminal, I entered in the menu to construct the Marine Mech, all the required materials taken from my inventory. The arms swung about and began shining beams about, nanites constructing the machine from the molecules and up. After a minute, the machine was done, and the PDA announced itself.

"The Deep Sea Marine Mech is a powerful tool for both exploration, industrial work, and even combat if modified for it. Capable of handling the abyssal depths, it is the king of the battlefield, on land and now in the sea. Refrain from excessive excitement, lest the machine acts out against your will."

I rolled my eyes at the last bit as I walked about the machine. It stood forty-five feet tall and weighed about fifty tons. It looked positively skeletal compared to a standard Battlemech, but most of the weight was a metal shell around the actuators and myomers. This acted as reinforcement for parts to withstand the abyssal pressure, which coincidentally allowed it to act like armor in combat.

Despite its gangly appearance, it was as powerful as any machine in its weight class. It's titanium shell, however was a weakness due to being less capable of deflecting damage. I needed Lithium in order to create alloy grade Plasteel, which according to the PDA, was an equivalent to the standard armor Battlemechs, and other combat vehicles, were in possession of.

With knowledge of what Lithium was in depth, thanks to the PDA, I had faith that my perk would make me stumble across it at some point.

"Alright. Let's get to-"

The sudden sound of groaning filled the air, with the whole room rumbling and shaking.

"What the hell?!" I shouted, stumbling into the construction station when the rumble gave way to an ear bursting bang from within the bay.

I turned to look, and horror filled me as water jetted in through a hole, and then another bang, deeper in the base. Then another, and another…

"Warning! Structural integrity compromised!"

"NO SHIT!" I shouted, sprinting to into the base, sealing the bulkhead door behind me.

---

"Leviathan's Depths" Trench, Northern Sea
Novo Franklin, Periphery Space
September 7th​, 2980 AD

I stomped about slowly with my "Marine Mech" and began mining out the Uranium deposit. The drill arm whirred to life loudly as it began digging into the earth around the mineral formation. It was easier to do than to drill the mineral itself, even if it were easier to take it back to base in chunks than a whole piece.

It wasn't too big a deal though, as I had the base built for these depths now, instead of having to float eight kilometers up again to the other base near the edge. Though reinforcing them wasn't easy given the lack of stronger materials available, save more titanium, which is what I ended up doing. The base was a chunky thing with extremely thick walls that had no windows to look outside.

For the mech to enter the base, I would have to enter it into a floodable hanger, which would then pressurize and then drain the water out. My reinforced suit could handle these extreme depths well enough, but I still had to enter a double hatch bay to get inside due to the insane pressure.

Having gathered the diamond deposit into the mech subspace storage unit, I entered my base and exited my mech after the process was complete.

"Status?"

"All systems functioning nominally. Structural Integrity at 100%. Captain." The female voice sounded out.

I nodded with relief. Ever since that incident three days ago with that near miss with death, I became paranoid about its structural stability. Any sufficient growl of the structure settling was enough to set me off. I did not need to deal with holes popping open and filling the place with laser beam-like jets water. I say laser beam-like because at these depths, the P.S.I. (Pounds per Square Inch) is so incredible that water going through a small hole would cut a man to pieces.

"Load the Uranium into the processor, and construct the Power Cells."

"Acknowledge." The Habitat AI replied as the system began its work. Raw Uranium was too dangerous for me to handle even with a radiation suit, but the Vehicle Bay possessed the means once it was modified to access a vehicle storage unit.

I had fifteen Fusion Power Cells in storage right now, and with the amount I got from this latest dig, I might increase that to twenty. Enough to power ten Marine Mechs, or Battlemechs.

I paused in my thoughts as the Forge suddenly reached out to a falling star…and missed again. The residual power increased even more, and I felt the forge would grab something far larger the next time.

Moving on, I exited out of the base and into the abyss once more about the base. Thanks to the installed lights, I was no longer completely in the dark and could see a variety of small creatures swimming about above and below the base. Fish that were blind due to not needing sight at these depths, and eel-like in order to save energy that would be needed to survive without food for weeks. They fed on particulates that my base gave off as a result waste, of my needing companions down here, and the PDA designing a system to allow for it. As a result, there was a small school of fish just feeding and laying about in the underside of the base, with a few burrowed in the sand.

Swimming upwards above the base, I installed a new I-Section to a X-Section that I had intended to use for a bit, and installed the newest facility. The Scanner Room. With it done, I re-entered the base and set to getting the drones to work. I had them search out for Lithium around the base, and then left them to it. It would be several hours before I needed to check them.

I decided to go to the garden section of the base because I needed green, and upon entering the room the soft sound of lo-fi music played. I installed the sound track for the plants primarily, but also to create an atmosphere of peace in the harsh depths. The walls were lined with transparent titanium that were lined with micro-filiments, a technology gained from Battlemech armor, allowing them to act as a TV screen. The walls, ceiling, and the floor were able to project a holo-image within the two-foot-thick metal panes, creating realistic images of any environment I desired. It wasn't a Star Trek Holodeck, but it was the next best thing.

The scenery was currently set to the Caribbean, with a beach, palm trees, a single bungalow with a dock and surfboards. Plus, distant animals like seagulls, chickens, a cat, and dog, randomly moving about in the distance, doing random things.

This was good for my mind more than anything else. When Covid hit, I was alone for around two years, and I was fine because I was from Alaska. I was used to isolation and solitude. However, I could still go outside and enjoy the sun, the critters, the rain, the breeze. Down here, there was none of that. It was just water and black all around me. While it didn't…bother me per se, I didn't like it all that much. So, I made this room with the help of the PDA coming up with schematics from my ideas. It worked out very well in my opinion.

Kinda wish I had an actual cat though.

Once more my mind rifted to the idea of going to the surface, and doing exactly that. Taking a mech, using it to establish dominance, then trading what I wanted with the minerals and gems I got down here. It's not like Comstar is going to do anything even if they were aware. Eight kilometers of ocean between me and them would do that. While they can burn worlds, they can't crack them like eggs. My armor is thicker than your shit can hit, and anything they drop down here, I can destroy with impunity if the ocean doesn't do it for me.

"Actually…does Comstar even exist on this world yet?" I asked out loud with a frown. It was around this era of time they tried to "reach out" to the periphery, which includes Novo Franklin getting a B-Class station. I hadn't asked around for them because I was too busy getting my feet under me when I got dropped on this medieval hole.

"Well…at this point I could just rise up and do that…Hey Ada?"

"Yes sir." My PDA replied.

"Can we design a Submarine that not only can handle these extreme depths, but also carry and launch a battlemech? Maybe Seamoth fighter drones too?"

"We can. Shall we start now?"

I nodded as I stood up. "Start up the design room. I'll be there in a bit."

Roaming the base to the "design room", most of the internals were lined with "Windows" that were screens like the garden room, but instead of the Caribbean, it showed a brighter, more lit up version of the ocean around us. One that reminded me where we were, but not so dark and dull that it would depress me. It even had the sun shining down with a connection from the other bases to track the suns movements, creating the illusion we were not that deep.

Entering the design room, the room was lined with screens in the wall, and on a desk that gave me an interface to interact with the program.

"I have a preliminary design to show you now."

"Fast as always" I said with a grin as the interface lit up, showing me what it made.

It showed me what could be mistaken for Moby Dick. A White whale like machine that was over two hundred feet long with an enormous engine, a central control system up front on the "nose" of the thing, a pair of "eyes" that were observation rooms, and a hanger that lined the entire bottom of the ship save the final third of it in the aft section. The dorsal section had…a dorsal fin…that more or less had sensors, sonar, and a scope camera. Ahead of that was another hanger door on the top that opened to what could only be the mech bay hanger. It would be laying down inside of the submarine until either the hangers above or below opened, where it would be lifted upright, or dropped down as is into the water below.

"This is pretty awesome already! I can't-" I was saying when another star fell. I paused for the forge to reach out…and miss again.

"This will be quite the thing." I muttered, both to myself about the energy I would spend, and the ship itself.

---

Author's Note

Unda-da-sea~

I had thought of adding a portion of him creating a heavy reinforced suit to go super deep, as both something that would make sense, and as a reference to "The Abyss" by James Cameron. Instead I decided to just get to him being down there.

QQ note: I know I just posted Chapter one, but I posted it on RR and SB a few days ago, so now they are all on the same time.

Chapter three will be a few days since I need to write Chapter 9 for Patreon.

---

Perks this Chapter

-Material Limitations (World Seed) (100CP)
Even with the advanced technology commonplace on Earth nowadays, material limitations haven't changed. Or rather, you could say that they've gotten even worse. After all, how are you going to store antimatter if you have only steel at hand? Luckily, you won't ever have problems finding the materials you need. Whether you'll stumble upon them while searching through a scrapyard, or find just the right people who can get you that obscure alloy you need, nothing will stop you from building whatever you want besides your own skill. Well, if you're keeping it reasonable, at least.

The chance of you finding what you're searching for decreases exponentially with the material's strength and rarity, and increases by how much you know about said material, scientifically, and how good your technology skills are. So while a regular schmuck would probably never find Adamantium, someone who could reproduce it themselves in only a few years would have much, much better chances. So if you're in a situation where it is impossible to get what you want with what you know and where you are right now? Then you'll have to get to work yourself. Good riddance then that you can eventually reproduce any material or alloy that you have seen, though for extremely advanced ones it might take an unreasonable amount of time and skill.

 

[GundamChief]

No stats for this as it's just a plot device. Imagine more canards and winglets for movement in the water, and its this thing.

 

[GundamChief]

Underwater Base 005, "Leviathan's Depths" Trench, Northern Sea
Novo Franklin, Periphery Space
September 16th, 2980 AD


Ten days of gathering, working, improving, and more, just for this moment.

After finding lithium, improving the power cells to Lithium Fusion Power Cells, improving the Armor Shell of both the base and Marine Mech, I was finally ready to construct the Whale Class Submarine. I would name it in honor of the creature I thought of offhand when I first saw it.

"Alright Ada. Let's build Moby Dick. Make sure to load it with all the materials in base storage." I ordered within my Marine Mech cockpit.

"Affirmative Sir." The AI announced, and the constructor drones began to work.

From the bottom up, the massive machine slowly came into being, gleaming white in color, and upon completing, floated over the expanse like the leviathan it was. Without another word, I made my way to the belly of the machine, and it opened up without any command from me, grabbing a hold of the mech an swinging me so the mech was face down. The bay closed, and then drained of water immediately. Exiting out of the rear head hatch, and up the ladder into hanger bay and control, I was surrounded by more white walls and a variety of mechanical systems.

"Welcome aboard Captain." Announce the baritone voice of the ship AI.

With a grin I made my way to the bridge. "Alter the Mech for land-based combat, and set a course for base-four."

"Affirmative" the AI replied, and the sound of gimbled arms got to work in the hanger behind me as I strode through the Captain's suite, and onto the bridge. The set up wasn't all that different from the Cyclops submarine, save it was larger, and had an elevated space for a better view. While it could be operated by one person, with enough Ais, this ship was truly designed for a crew of around twenty people.

Maybe it was pride, or greed, or the Self-Reliant Alaskan in me, but I didn't really feel like sharing my room and stuff with others. Things can change though, so I would have to keep an open mind.

The ship moved itself with grace, and at fifteen knots. At that speed, I spent time making the captains suite to my desires. Upon reaching base four, I had the drones empty it of resources, and then moved onto base three. I had the ship accelerate to maximum velocity of thirty-three knots. If I were without the mech, that speed would be around forty knots, and fifty in overdrive. Base three was about fifteen kilometers distance from base four, so it took a little under fifteen minutes to reach it. I had already emptied it of most materials when I made base-four, but there were still things to be had.

Upon reaching base four, I stared that the comparatively small base to the Union I had built it next to. My submarine was about ass long as it was tall, and that really showed me how far I had come since then. I kept staring upon the machine, before finally making a decision of what I would do for it. I would leave it as a marker for the future. A reminder of my path when I first began. With that, I began to empty base-three.

Once emptied, I moved onto base-two, which took only a little over four minutes since it was only five kilometers away. It was emptied out. Then I finished by going to Base-One.

Reaching the base, I was surprised at how small it was, remembering how little I was trying to actually build up at this point.

"Almost tempted to just remove it to get materials back…but then again, it's a measure of how far I've gone since all those weeks ago."

I emptied it of what little it had, and sat on the Captain's chair I made. I had a few choices of where to go from here now. I was no longer limited as I was before, now possessing a level of freedom I didn't have in my old world either. I could just o what I thought of. Rising up, establishing my underwater kingdom, trade with the surface, and rock on from there.

On the other hand, I could just explore the oceans to my heart's content. No one could top me, and just trade in ports as I found them, build a crew as I went, yar-har, a Pirate's life for me. Well…of the Jack Sparrow slash Luffy D. Monkey slash Captain Harlock sort than the Edward "Black Beard" Teach sort.

On the other, other hand…I could find out if I could leave or not. As in leave Novo Franklin and explore the Inner Sphere. Sure, things were going to get interesting this century, but did I have to actually do anything? The answer is no. Screw the Houses, the Clans, Comstar, and so on.

"I am my own Man! Master of my own Destiny!" I shouted.

Then again…I had it somewhat easy with the Empire, but other parts of Novo Franklin were more like the hellish picture some of the bad planets, like Tortuga, painted with the blood of so called "Kings", ruling like despots on a tiny piece of land in a microcosm of the Inner Sphere.

I could do something about it all. I could raise these people up to better places, a better life. It wasn't my responsibility, unless I take it as one upon myself.

I sighed, as this wasn't the first time this month I had thought this line of choices. My desire to remain independent warred with my desire to build up the lives of those around me who didn't have the means to get anything better.

I leaned forward in thought, looking over the pros and cons of each of the choices. As I did so, that's when I felt the star fall. I paused, waited for the forge to reach out and grab it.

Spoiler: CLANG!!

-Huragok Ally (Halo - UNSC) (200CP)

Something of a surprise and most definitely an attention-grabber, a Huragok is supposed to be one of the members of the Covenant Homogeny and has normally been seen only in their presence. Yet Huragok, also known by those in the UNSC as 'Engineers', are primarily pacifistic and dedicate themselves purely to repairing and working on any technology around them. This particular one seems to have gotten lost and ended up deciding to follow you for the sake of making sure your technology was functioning. Aside from melodic whistling sounds that sound slightly similar to Earth whales, Huragoks communicate using either sign language with their tendrils or through text messaging thanks to their penchant of being biological supercomputers. Huragok are highly prized for being able to fix almost anything they touch, and you should expect a lot of questioning if someone spots you with one.

I blinked as a mist filled with sparkles appeared on the bridge, and revealed the floating space snail.

Its eyes opened, gazing upon me before closing its eyes and whistling, doing a floating rendition of a "happy dance". I couldn't help but smile because it was as cute as I thought it was when I first saw the thing in ODST.

"Well, hello there. Wasn't expecting you at all."

It nodded in agreement before taking a look around, and floated over to a console. With a touch of its tentacle, it connected itself to the entire ship, and by extension to my PDA.

"Alert: Text Message Received from local source." Ada announced.

Pulling her out from my carrier pocket, I took a look and it turned out to be from a "Shemla".

My name is Shemla. It's a pleasure to meet you Star Forger.

"Star Forger?" I asked, a beep following up soon after.

Yes, that is what I learned from the great source before being brought here. I was able to escape my bondage from the clumsy actions of the Unggoy, and from there I made my way to a deeper place upon High Charity. I didn't know where I was, so deep in its bowels, but without warning, I was pulled away from that place to a plane of stars. It was there the Source of all give me a choice. Join you, or remain. Given my eventual execution if I remained in my place, I took the chance and joined with you.

Memories of Halo, and various locations an races painted the picture, and I nodded.

"Given your kind were forced to be living suicide bombs, and shield generators for the ground troops, I'm not surprised what your end would have been." I replied with a frown. That brought up many issues to my situation. My appearance with the submarine and Marine Mech would have been shocking enough, but an actual for real alien? A step too far, and for the wrong sort, the kind that would set the world upon my head.

Looking at Shemla, I smiled again. "Well, I'm glad you are here. Welcome to…my crew I suppose, though it comprises only of the two of us currently, unless you count the AIs too, then it's five of us."

It bowed its head with a low whistle before more text appeared.

I am glad. So, Star Forger, what are your plans?

I crossed my arms with a sigh. "That's my current conundrum." I started. I explained to the snail my circumstances, this world, and what I've done since coming into the ocean, and now my current situation.

Shemla listened patiently, though it was manipulating the ship slightly, improving the system seemingly, before turning back to me.

I can understand your dilemma. Though I am no longer under threat of the Covenant, I share the desire to simple fade away from the world despite the freedom I now possess. So, if I may make a suggestion?

I waved my arm. "Please."

I suggest we simply do what you felt strongly about, and sail the seas of this world. In that time, we can improve your equipment, with my help, find more resources, and take our time to pick what our true path will be. Leaving this world, or taking part in it.

I softly nodded. It gave me the excuse to not just jump into the issues of the land, and frankly, unless I need to do something, procrastination was my big flaw.

"Alright. I agree. I can always return to land at another time. Computer, set a course for Base Five."

"Affirmative Captain."

With that decided, I gave the snail a tour of the ship. While it likely knew the schematics via its connection to the ships computer, I wanted it to actually see the things, and have someone to talk with. I altered the PDA to allow Text-to-speech so Shemla could talk rather than just text me.

It, She…I'm gonna call it a She since it's using Ada's voice and it's easier to keep track of, She was impressed by the Marine Mech, though she spotted several issues and ways it could be improved upon. With her and Ada brainstorming the designing program built into the emergency AI, they made a great many improvements upon the mech, turning it into an entirely different beast than it was.

They began by removing electrical cables and computer parts from the body entirely and integrating them into the endo-skeleton via nano-construction techniques. It removed a solid ten tons of weight, increased its computational capabilities by several generations compared to the systems standard mechs used. The only parts that remained were the connection points for weapons and external parts, which were changed out for the power transfer technology from Alterra, allowing them to access electrical power via wireless power systems.

The Myomers were swapped out completely with an entirely new form of the same system. Again, Shemla, with her super computer brain, and Ada's powerful computational capabilities, figured out a way to create nano-myomers. The cables were only a centimeter thick, but due to Plasteel and more efficient energy transfer systems, each were individually as powerful as their standard counterparts. Add on top of that a more efficient musculature system design to maximize the number of cables in the space, this made the Marine Mech five times stronger than contemporary mechs of equivalent weight. It in turn made it faster as well, and melee combat would be far more deadly when facing this machine.

If the number of strands were reduced to match the standard mech capabilities, there would be enough room to add several tons of equipment. It made me think of the LAMs, and how different they would be if they had access to such technology. Future stuff.

The integration of Holo-Plasteel screen technology for the HUD was added to the cockpit give a more user-friendly interface, that was also more "immersive" in that it didn't distract. It in fact added to the visual organization.

Then they added armor, which was now a plasteel layered composite that functioned similarly to Standard battle plate, but with nano-circuitry installed throughout for sensor feeds, and the two additional technologies the mech now sported. The armor was functionally BAR 14. It would still take damage if hit by a sufficiently powerful weapon, but it would have to be one of the higher end weapons to do it. At least a Medium Laser or AC-5 anyways. Missiles, machine guns, flamers, and small lasers won't do squat. Unless there are multiple weapons of that level all hitting the same spot at once, then it's a different story. Even then Alterran repair tool technology was integrated into the torso and limbs, making self-repairs a breeze, though it appears to draw more than a bit of energy to do so.

The heat sinks were changed out for an entirely new heat exchange system that, according to the readout, were heat dispensation rods that were five times more efficient than a standard single heatsink. The machine came with eight of them, and each one was a dense three tons per rod. Normally this would be worrying, but with the improved myomers, this was rendered moot as a standard mech could lift ten percent of its own body weight in addition to everything it already had. It was half its body weight for this machine. This left an extra ton to spare.

All this improvement almost made me miss the star that was falling, but it did not matter as it missed and left behind its energy for a later time.

The Lithium Fusion Power Cells were left mostly unchanged, except that the efficiency rose to four times what it was. Covenant tech is bullshit apparently. That said, instead of four power cells, it was reduced to two, the free weight gained from it being handed over to the heating rods and equipment. They Gyroscope was replaced by a gravity gyro that utilized vortex technology from Alterra to create an artificial singularity. As a result, the "gyro" was near zero mass save the containment vessel, weighing only a third of a standard gyro. The only issue with it is it you lost power, in which it shut down, or you got damaged enough to lose containment…

The less I thought about that, the better.

In the original Marine Mech, there weren't any jump jets, or underwater motive equipment built in. It was mission equipment that could be equipped on hardpoints that used the carry weight of the machine to equip it on top of everything. Now, the machine had integrated thrusters that worked underwater, on land, and in space with proper equipment. Underwater, they were just water jets that allowed the machine to go move through the water at forty knots. On land, they became jump jets that ignited the air as it passed through the thruster, and can practically fly until the heat required you to stop and drop. In space, you needed to equip a fuel pod.

They wanted to replace it with anti-gravity propulsion, but this was just a modification. They'll do that next time…they said.

The Neural Helmet was almost done away with, but they kept the function to increase the connection between the pilot and machine. It was replaced by a lighter helmet instead, and as a result of the Nano-circuitry throughout the mech, its response was unmatched by even the most capable pilots. With integrated circuitry, there was no need for a combat computer, or sensors, and what not. There were even additional sensors that normally were not in battlemechs, like an Alterran Scanner, and a mineral detector. They were integrated with the endo skeleton. This gave the cockpit massive space, allowing a lavatory, fabricator, and a cot. It also possessed a full head ejection system, which used four lithium fusion power cells of standard size, not mech size, to power turbofans to give it flight capabilities. The special equipment was also in the head for additional safety upon ejection.

The weapons were swapped out for mech scale Covenant Weapon systems. Thanks to Alterra technology, upscaling infantry scaled weapons was a breeze for Shemla and Ada. Each shoulder now carried a missile launcher equivalent that is basically a needler. It fired out as many as I need it to, and can target anything, and follows it regardless of interference because it's bullshit. The chest came with four small plasma repeaters that acted as machineguns effective for infantry and light to medium vehicles, with an effective range equal to a medium laser. The arms were equipped with plasma cannons that were upsized plasma rifles.

In the head were a pair of light medium grade lasers that were full-on rapid-fire weapons now. Not pulse, rapid fire. They kept firing in a pulse until you stopped, with each pulse doing equivalent damage to a full medium laser beam. Ironically, they ran the coldest of all the weapons.

That was all the range weapons, and they kept it "simple" to start.

For melee, Shemla managed to get anti-gravity technology to work in this universe with slight tweaks, and now the hands and feet of the mech had gravity impactors. So, as if punching, kicking, and stomping with five times standard force wasn't enough, now it basically doubled with a burst of anti-gravity.

They even included a handheld Plasma Sword and Shield in case I felt like it.

Finally, there was the special equipment, of which a smaller version was equipped for the head alone.

Simply put. Covenant Force Field, and Cloaking. The Nano-Circuits essentially made it so a body tight plasma field would surround the mech and protect it from anything for a time. Once depleted, I would be exposed until it recharged again. That same system allowed for the armor to shift itself to blend with the environment around it. It didn't hide its heat, or magnetic field, but sight was a no go. The only downside was I couldn't use both at the same time.

The Marine Mech is pretty much an entirely different machine now, because of these two, and they did it all by the time we reached Base Five.

"God damned super brains."

As I looked down upon the base, I looked over to Shemla.

"I don't know how you're going to get in there, without having a suit for yourself?"

With a whistle, she replied.

"Do not worry. I wish to continue improving this ship. Take the mech and have the system alter it to the new standards in the meantime."

With a shrug, I took the Marine Mech out and into the base. It was a simple matter of enacting the "Modification/Upgrade" system, but I needed the materials. The drones brought them over and the process began. The insanely fast construction system of Alterra made the whole process take no more than five minutes. Upon completion, I looked at a skinny machine that was more at home in Armored Core than Battletech.

I felt a little torn now, because this thing was overpowered by local standards. The combination of Alterra, Covenant, and Battletech technology came together to create a monster. On one hand, this thing would probably allow me to one man army this whole planet. On the other, if there were any off-worlders, they would see it and freak the fuck out, and then tell everyone about the super mech.

I sighed as I entered it and exited the base, giving it a test run. It stomped on the floor with thumps sounded quite different than normal. Enough to make me ask about it.

"Walking sounds and feels different. What's up with that?"

"The Gravity Impactors in your legs also act as a form of stabilizer. With them you can easily walk, and run upon the ocean floor." Shemla answered.

"Run?"

"Yes, because the impactors grab hold of the ground regardless of the environment."

"…Does that mean it can technically walk up walls?"

"It could, but I do not recommend it unless in a low gravity environment. You would be more efficient going up mountains for certain."

I shook my head, but paused as I felt another star fall, only for this one to also pass and leave behind its energy.

With a shrug, I increased the speed and began to run underwater. It was less a run and more a fast walk actually, but it still allowed me to move around twenty-five knots underwater. It was also loud. Anyone with sonar could hear me coming.

"Alright. Now let's swim." I said as I pressed the pedals and engaged the thrusters. The mech automatically moved into a pose that allowed water to flow around the mech in the easiest manner while still being mostly upright. Leaning the machine forward, I felt the head look up to keep me upright, and the speed increased to the maximum velocity of forty knots. The heat indicator rose a bit, but then leveled off and remained there. I flew about the dark water, sonar giving me an accurate picture of the landscape despite the total darkness, and gave it a real run down.

I smiled as I did stunts and moved about in the water like a combat jet when Shemla interrupted me.

"Star Forger. I do not wish to interrupt your fun, but it appears an issue has fallen upon us." Came a different voice. I knew it was Shemla due to the identification, but the voice was not the female Ada voice, but a chorus of voices, male and female.

Shaking myself out of that surprise, I turned and set a course back the Moby Dick.

"What's the issue?"

"I know I said I would be happy to simply drift across this ocean in freedom, but you also said that you also felt an obligation to uplift the people on the surface. I have improved the ship's communications, and we are now capable of receiving and sending transmissions on all frequencies of several forms of communications, up to several hundred nautical miles underwater. I picked up this distress call."

I blinked and frowned as I listened.

"-pital is under attack! This is Princess Sapphire Emeri calling out to all units! Father! Can you hear me?! Our home is under attack! Does anyone hear me!" the voice sobbed as sound of explosions an autocannon fire filled the airwaves.

My eyes widened. I didn't care about the empire, but my friends! Bron! Roake! The family!

"I see the spike in your biomonitor. You had friends there."

"I did…"

"…I changed my mind. Go help them Star Forger."

I blinked. "Why?"

"While I am free, my race is still enslaved, but if I had the means to save even a few, I would. You have little time to think on this, so I suggest you go save them."

I scowled as I listen, and nod. If I were him, I would too.

"Alright. I'm off then. I'll take the Mech, keep improving the sub, and prepare to retrieve me when I leave."

"Affirmative, Star Forger!"

Without another word, I turned the mech and increased to maximum speed towards the surface, leaving the trench behind.

Upon reaching the edge of the tranch cliff, I shifted to move toward the shoreline. It felt like forever, as I counted out of the minutes it took me to travel. It was thirty-one minutes before I reached the shoreline and immediately boosted out of the water.

I flew up and over the fishing village who looked like they were doing another normal day, until I decided to appear. Everyone looked up on shock, or fright as the machine flew over them on roaring jets of flame before leaving them behind. My speed rose from forty knots to four hundred kilometers per hour, and I kept it up until the heat gauge was at the limit before cutting off the thrusters and landing in a run.

The machine stomped at a blistering one hundred and ten kilometers per hour, which for a fifty-ton mech was insane without MASC, but the nano-myomers made that possible. I was surprised to see that cooling the mech only took thirty seconds, and the moment it was green, I boosted again to four hundred. The land below me blurred as I covered the distance between the shore and the 'capital.' It was eighty kilometers distance, but I was making good time.

Listening to the radio, it was more of the princess calling for aid, but I was also picking up the emperor trying to call his units to a retreat. It appeared they were unable to hear each other. I frowned, and the system was able to give me a rough idea of where the emperor was compared to the capital.

With a grunt, I shifted my course toward the fight. Might as well get a handle on this before going in. So focused I was, I missed the star, and the energy itself behind.

---

Carson was on the verge of a mental breakdown. Ever since he won those mechs, vessels, and lands from Becker, he was inundated with calls from others saying he was going to try and take their lands and mechs next. It was nonsense, as he wasn't the aggressor, but he was a finisher. You gamble? You better be prepared to pay for it. That's how he played. That's why he was one of the more peaceful kingdoms on this world. It made fools underestimate him, and he always got good out of their failures.

Now, because of his latest victory, everyone near him became paranoid, and decided he needed to be put down.

His Awesome was standing with most of its armor gone, with only his one chest, and rear PPCs able to fire. The Enforcer was down, cockpit burning after the bastard alliance double tapped it after it fell. Jason was his best, and now he's gone. His mind went to his son, Harold, who joined him on this battle, his first, and the Phoenix Hawk he piloted was limping backwards as he fired off his medium lasers at vehicles that got too close.

PPC bolts flew past him and barely missed his son, the pair of Panther mechs sniping at them both from a great distance.

"Dammit!" he cursed as he fired back at the distant sniper. It slammed into the right torso of one, taking off tons of over half a ton of armor. LRMs replied once more as two enemy mechs, a Trebuchet and Catapault, fired a swarm of explosive warheads. They slammed into him mostly, and he had no choice but to weather it as his son kept firing at anything that came too close.

His armor was in the red and one more hit like that would be it for him.

A sudden shot from a tank slammed into the right leg of the Phoenix Hawk, sending it crashing to the ground, his son shouting painfully as he crashed on his side.

Bringing his machine to a stop, he moved in front of his son to stop any more shots upon him.

"Son, get out of your machine! Now! Eject!"

"I can't. The system's locked. I can only run now."

His son's tone matched Carson felt about his odd of that working out. Ice formed in his gut, and Carson felt his heart thunder in his chest. With a deep breath, he stopped his mech and activated his loudspeaker.

"This is Carson. Stop your attack…You've won. It's over."

The fight came to a stop a few moments afterwards, before another call came over the radio.

"Well, this has been quite a day. Are you formally surrendering?"

"Yes." Carson hissed. "I cannot win, and I will not let my family die here with me. All that I have is…yours."

"Good. Unfortunately for you…I have no intention of letting your family live Carson. We're already burning your home as we speak. We've been jamming your communications, so how about we listen now."

"What?!" Carson's eyes widened. The radio, all static before suddenly came in clear.

"-ess Sapphire Emeri! Father! Can you hear me. The town is burning…we cannot hold them off anymore. Father. Please…" came the pleading voice of his little girl.

Hot tears straked down his face as his teeth gritted in rage. "YOU BASTARDS!"

"Well, if it's any consolation, your deaths will be quick. So, time to say-"

"Goodbye"

The new voice cut through the air loudly, catching everyone off guard, when the Trebuchet suddenly got struck with a Death-From-Above strike by an unknown mech. It was a thunderous strike that echoed in a boom, sending dust and fired everywhere where the mechs were.

After a few moments, the Catapult began to back off when white and green bolts of energy flew out of the cloud of dirt and smoke, hitting it with a rapid motion. Each bolt that struck melted off armor, and caused the machine to shake and heat up. Then the unknown machine dashed out at frightening speed, and punched the Catapult dead center. The hit caused a screech of metal, followed by a loud boom that caved the entire front of the machine inwards. In but a moment, two mechs were dead.

Carson blinked, mind catching up on the fact that what just occurred, had actually occurred. The machine, a gangly, deep navy blue thing, turned away and activate its jumpjets, only to slide across the ground like it was sliding instead of jumping like expected.

The two Panther mechs fired their PPCs at the oncoming mech, who nimbly moved aside and crossed the distance between them in seconds.

Zooming in, Carson watched at the larger machine lashed out at one with a forward kick that hit the chest of the smaller machine, and watched as it just separated the torso and head from the legs entirely, with a deep foot indent where its chest was. It looked more like a crushed tin can than a mech torso now.

The other Panther tried to strike out with its own punch, only for the unknown mech to actually grab the arm, and then lift and THROW the mech like it was a child! The pilot was not expecting to actually be tossed, and landed badly, rolling a distance before stopping. It was prone, on its chest.

The Mech actually jumped this time, and landed on the back of the Panther, crushing it completely.

All of this, within thirty seconds.

Carson broke out in a cold sweat as he watched the mech turn and skate back towards his direction, the shoulders firing some kind of purple missile at the vehicles ahead of hit, each striking and looking like a needle penetrating a toy, before exploding.

Another three seconds and the vehicles were all dead. Then it quickly approached, and then passed him by.

"Your home is under attack. I have friends there. I will save them both. You owe me."

Without another word, it jumped into the air and flew away from there. Despite no longer being in danger, despite the man's words, Carson was still in shock at what just occurred.

"Father…are we dead?"

"No. Given what just happened though…I might become a believer in the afterlife."

---

I boosted forward, only five minutes until I reached the town. I barely noticed the star that fell, and left its energy behind again.

No matter. I had a job to finish.

===

Author's Note

It's a SPACE SNAIL!

Also Chapter 9 is on Patreon.

---

Perks this Chapter

-Huragok Ally (Halo – UNSC) (200CP)
Something of a surprise and most definitely an attention-grabber, a Huragok is supposed to be one of the members of the Covenant Homogeny and has normally been seen only in their presence. Yet Huragok, also known by those in the UNSC as 'Engineers', are primarily pacifistic and dedicate themselves purely to repairing and working on any technology around them. This particular one seems to have gotten lost and ended up deciding to follow you for the sake of making sure your technology was functioning. Aside from melodic whistling sounds that sound slightly similar to Earth whales, Huragoks communicate using either sign language with their tendrils or through text messaging thanks to their penchant of being biological supercomputers. Huragok are highly prized for being able to fix almost anything they touch, and you should expect a lot of questioning if someone spots you with one.

 

[GundamChief]

https://i.imgur.com/0taVcsb.png

It's an Armored Core, but it's as close to what I had in mind for the Shemla Remake as I could get. The color is on point too.

I'd give a pic, but it's not cooperating.

 

[GundamChief]

"Capital" town, Emeri Empire
Novo Franklin, Periphery Space
September 16th, 2980 AD

The 'Capital' was too grandiose of a name for what was essentially a large town with an old military base serving as its keep, and the biggest building being the "palace". The base still possessed some fencing and reinforced walls, but hundreds of years of non-maintenance and changing of hands dozens of times over that period, had not left it in any shape to survive anything but a civilian uprising. Given the lack of modern weapons and equipment save the handful in the possession of warlords across the planet, the current setup was as good as it needed to be.

The town was burning, and people were still inside trying to put fires out, or at the least get other people out as their lives turned to ash in the wind. My eyes went to where my old hut was, and it was gone. Nothing but blackened ruins along with all the other buildings nearby. Next my eyes shifted to where Bron, Roake and their family lived, and it too was gone. At least there was a skeleton of a structure left with logs still burning, but otherwise their home was gone now too. A quick scan revealed no human remains, and I felt some relief.

"They might have gotten out." I said before an alert chimed in. My radar detected laser an machine gun fire near the 'palace', and zooming in on the location revealed seven more active battlemechs, and twenty-four combat vehicles.

Looking at the silhouettes, two were inside the base, and were the two Stinger mechs the emperor won before. The five who were fighting them were a Locust, a Vindicator, a Dragon, and a pair of modified Chargers. It was also ten friendly combat vehicles versus twelve.

"This isn't fair at all." I growled as I shifted my machine and boosted.

I flew over the town and landed beyond the wooden log wall, before going into a full run toward one of the Chargers, which began to turn and face me, lashing out with a large laser that struck my force field. It took about twenty percent of the integrity away in that single hit, but I didn't worry as fired off a burst of plasma fire from my cannons, and a twenty-shot swarm from the needle launchers towards the Locust. The fast moving machine was chased down by the needles until they struck it multiple times in the right side of its back, which collectively brightened ass they all explode at once. The machine was taken down in that instant, sent flying as its right leg and arm exploded opposite its body.

By the time I reached the Assault Mech, it had lost most of the armor on its left arm and side. It had also turned its torso completely to bring its weapons to bear, and fired the other large laser and twin SRM-6 launchers. They also struck my force field, taking it down to zero percent and exposing me, but I was already upon the machine. I struck out with a punch as I rushed by the machine, hitting its left side, and removing armor from that side entirely. The force of the gravity impactor the machine tripping backwards into a fall.

Ignoring the falling machine, I focused on the second assault which was now focused on me completely. It's set up wasn't all that different from an Awesome, three forward facing PPCs. They had to sacrifice an engine, or armor to get that setup for sure. Engine from the slow stomps it was making. It fired off a pair of PPCs, both of which flew past me as I closed the distance. An unexpected strike upon my left side from a large and medium laser threw me off, but I kept going as I boosted up and put a foot into the cockpit of the machine with a kick.

The Head was crushed like a melon, its parts sent flying across the landscape. As I landed, the lumbering assault slumped and fell over to its side. Spinning on the heel, I turned and boosted to do the same to the other fallen Charger. It was struggling to get up, and fired off a wild laser shot as I began to come down. I didn't hit its head, but a foot through the chest, followed up by a gravity impactor assisted stomp, mission killed the mech.

All of this happened within twenty seconds, and the reaction of the field showed, as all of the infantry and civilians who were fighting were now openly staring open mouthed at what just occurred. The Grasshopper and Vindicator, along with half of the combat enemy combat vehicles now actively targeted and fired upon me. Autocannon, machine gun, laser, and missiles all rushed towards me. The lasers struck easily enough, burning into my armor, and the Autocannon rounds that were Class-5 did only twenty percent of their full damage to me. Everything else did nothing at all. Small lasers only made the armor glow a bit, and machine gun bullets scratched whatever paint this machine had. Missiles spreads were sporadic, not focused, thus they didn't do enough to actually cause any damage aside from slight dents.

I grinned. "Nothing to worry about."

Hitting the thrusters, I slide across the distance towards the Grasshopper. It was moving backwards, firing off all its weapons, hoping to do some damage. I could tell it was running hot now, and I decided to help it out by firing my plasma cannons upon it. Rapid firing bolts of energy and heat unleashed into its torso, melting off armor and transferring heat directly into the machine. Soon it red lined and shut down to reduce its heat. I could see the pilot panicking as he tried to hit the override, only for me to clothesline the machine. The Grasshopper was sent flying upon its back with a loud crash that sent dust flying.

The vehicles were being removed from the field by soldiers and friendly units who managed to get their heads back in the game, leaving only the Vindicator. I turned, only to find it was already being handled by the Stingers, who were striking it with medium lasers, machine guns, and what appeared to be makeshift swords. Soon enough it was handled and done.

I stood there, just watching as the capital forces began to finish the fight, now rallying without the enemy mechs to worry about, and felt a star fall.

Spoiler: Clang!!!!

-Full Storage (Modded Fallout) (400CP)
This old, half-broken Pip-Boy seems to be incapable of even starting its operating system, the diagnostics indicating that the entirety of its vast 64k RAM is already in use. Most people might simply discard it or strip it for spare parts, but a closer look will reveal the exact reason for its fault: its internal database has been crammed full of Fallout design specs, schematics, scientific principles and so on. How full, you ask? Well, it's got just about every semi-common piece of Fallout tech in there somewhere, from Laser Rifle schematics to Assaultron software and Berry Mentat formulations to Power Armor designs. Though mainly limited to the kind of technologies one could have found in the Pre-War world of old, a number of designs that were only finalized in the two centuries following the apocalypse can also be found here (such as the Hydra drug, the Enclave's X-01 and Hellfire armor designs, and the Radium Rifle). Though you'll still need a way to actually build all of these things, this database is nonetheless one of the most spectacular treasures scavvers could find.

The old Pipboy appeared in my lap, and I couldn't help but grin a little. I would need to connected it to Ada when I got back. Speaking of back.

Gazing about, I had a small crowd beginning to gather about, and I turned my head to all of the mechs on the field and began to scan them. The scanner was already much more powerful due to its modification, but at this level it was even more effective at scanning the structure of the machines and more than one at a time so long as they were within its scanning field of view. It took only five seconds each, and by the time anyone could wonder what the lightshow was, I had scanned all the machines, and even the vehicles.

It was then I scanned the people, and found what I was looking for. Brona and Roake, along with their father were carrying bolt action rifles near one of the barracks, and looked tired, but otherwise uninjured.

My worry was gone now. So, I can just leave now.

Turning in place, I began to walk out before boosting into the air, flying into the distance away from the shocked crowds behind me, with radio calls asking me to stop and come back.

It was only a few minutes when I saw the damaged Awesome, and a small cadre of vehicles moving towards the capital. I landed before the mech, and they all skidded to a stop.

"Did you…"

"The deed is done. Your people, and home, and my friends, are saved this day. Now I return to where I came."

"Wait! Who are you!? What kingdom do you represent?" The emperor asked quickly, desperate for answers to questions I knew he must have had. I decided to feed some…well…maybe not bullshit, but not really truth either.

"I used to be one of your subjects, but after seeking my destiny I have become Sovereign of the Abyssal Kingdom of Subnautica. A kingdom under the sea, claiming the Leviathan's Trench as its home."

"…Are you having me on?"

"No. I am quite serious. See to your fishing village to the north coast. Your most recent addition to the Empire. They will confirm my words. If in the future you seek trade, or perhaps an alliance in this…stupid world we live in, then give us a call. We may find accord."

Hitting the boost, I flew into the air and off.

"Until then, farewell…there's quite a mess to clean up."

There were some calls after that, but once I left their range, I enjoyed the silence until I reached the coast.

"I'm here. Make a show of it and surface."

"Acknowledged." Ada replied.

The village an its people saw me coming at a run instead of flying, and were alarmed when I didn't slow down until I leapt into the air with a boost over them again. The whole village watched as I flew out a half kilometer and jut hovered in place. Then the water boiled and bubbled as Mody Dick surfaced beneath me. Such a massive, and advanced ship had never been seen by these people in their entire life, and probably the whole planet save those near the space port with dropships.

I landed upon the open hanger, whose robotic arms reached up and took a hold of my machine, positioning it prone into the submarine before closing. Soon after the sub turned and made its way out to sea before diving beneath the waves and from sight.

Climbing out of the cockpit and into engineering, Breeze was there, and greeted me with a whistle.

"That was well one Star Forger." Breeze's new voice sounded out over the intercom.

"Thanks, and thanks for letting forcing the issue. I was pretty…distant from worldly affairs after being down in the deep for so long."

"I expected such after reading 'Ada's logs." It turned its head and looked at the pipboy in my hand.

"What is that?"

"This is a gift from the Forge. It's a primitive piece of technology from another universe, but it is acting as a data core for that society's technological development. Everything they ever made, weapons, armor, vehicles, medicine, programming, software, hardware, energy production, etcetera, is all in here."

Breeze reared back in surprise before moving its head to look at it more closely. I however took its tentacle and placed the Pipboy in its possession.

"I trust you to handle this better than I. Place all of it into Ada, and let's begin to reproduce what's in it."

Breeze warbled with a nod, and took the Pipboy away to the bridge. I followed after slowly, stretching and working out sore muscles before sitting in the captains chair.

"Return us to Base Five. We have work to do."

"Acknowledged."

---

"Capital" town "Palace", Emeri Empire
Novo Franklin, Periphery Space
September 22nd, 2980 AD

Carson Emeri paced around his office, several of his subordinates such as his Man-At-Arms, his wife, Queen Saffina, who was also their diplomat, and his son, Prince Harold, watching while sitting in a chair with a cast on his arm, as he looked at the wall of papers that had been building up over the last six days. People gone missing, dead, killed in action. Damage done, repairs required, and losses in resources an equipment. This attack had been devastating.

Foremost on his mind however was the Sovereign, and Subnautica.

As loony as the man's words were, people didn't simply have machines like his, and make shit up like that without there being truth to it. So, it has been his experience. People lie all the time, boasting and making themselves bigger than they are. Rare is the man who makes claims, and proves it.

The "former" citizen was still unidentified, but he had friends in among his people in the city. With so much to do, he couldn't just interrogate everyone who knows someone who went to coast at some point. So instead, he made the announcement of the Kingdom of Subnautica rendering aid, and if people who knew anyone from the coast, come forward and speak of them.

There were a handful of people so far, with most of them recently after gaining the Pesh territory. He quickly set men to check those villages, but not everyone was accounted for yet.

The village he focused on specifically was the one where the Mech had traveled to. Everyone there confirmed a stark white ship named "Moby Dick" appearing from under the water, and the mech landing an being placed inside before then heading out to sea, and going beneath the waves again.

While he wasn't the most informed in naval craft, even he knew what a submarine was. That was Lostech.

It gave the idea of an underwater kingdom some credibility. Even so, the idea of an underwater kingdom was…fantastical. The idea of an entire society of people living beneath the waves was absurd.

Why would the Sovereign himself defend his people, empire, and destroy his enemies instead of simply sending out an army of his own, and conquering the land with machines like that mech? That machine…it was practically unstoppable. He had never seen anything like it deal with other mechs with such brutality in a short amount of time.

He had watched the battleroms of his own mech and those of the palace battle. If the combat time of both engagements were added together, the man had put down eight mechs in less than fifty seconds. That is not just incredible, it's impossible.

"It has to be Star League technology. There's no other way to explain it." He muttered as he rubbed a hand through his hair, massaging his scalp.

"Was Star League technology really that powerful?" his son asked with a slight tremor.

Robert, his Man-At-Arms, and one of the few who fought in the Inner Sphere's wars, nodded. "What you saw was just a piece of it. There were machines called Land-Air-Mechs that could transform from an Aerospace fighter, into a mech, and to something in between, because they could."

A disbelieving look came across Harold's face until his mother, another Off-Worlder nodded. "It's true my son. They do exist…or they did anyways."

Carson sat down at his own chair, giving everyone a gaze.

"So, it's obvious that something exists out there. Whether it's an actual kingdom, or someone hopped on delusions of grandeur as so many do, we can only guess."

"Given the submarine, there's enough of an organization for there to be something of a kingdom there, even if they're just a nomadic kingdom."

"He mentioned claiming the Leviathan's Trench as his territory. What is that?" Carson asked Geris Warhol, his Magister, the closest thing this world had to an educated man who valued keeping records of events and knowledge of the world in general. The man had poured over what he had of geography for the last few days to answer this.

"When the Star League did their mapping of this world, they took into account of all of its features, on land and in sea. I was able to find that the Leviathan Trench is an underwater canyon that exists not too far from the coast where the fishing village, Seabreak, is located. It's…deep. Eight kilometers deep. I am not very keen on oceanography, but the little I have learned in the last few days make me wonder if this man lied."

"Why?"

"The oceans are…interesting in how they function my lord. When you are at the surface, it's normal, but as you go deeper, things start to change. This is because you are going through water that is being weighed down by the water above it, increasing the pressure exerted upon anything at those depths. Go even deeper, and you need a special suit to simply survive because the air you breathe changes. At the depths of that trench…the pressure we are talking about is so great, because of all the water above crushing it down, that you have, according to my calculations, over eleven thousand pound per square inch of pressure around you."

Everyone listened, but boggled at the number.

"What would that do exactly?" Harold asked morbidly.

"It would crush you like an egg under a mechs foot, Son." Carson answered for him.

Geris nodded. "Exactly as you say m'lord, which makes having a kingdom there dubious, assuming it was real to start with."

After a few moments, Harold nodded to himself, coming to a decision. Carson knew his habits well enough, and was proud that his son could be decisive after a few minutes of thought with whatever knowledge he was given. It will make ruling easy for him in the future, provided Carson can fix things before then.

"Well, then the only thing to do is to give him a call and see, isn't it?"

After a bit more discussion, it was agreed to call them out five days out once some of their mechs were repaired. Then arrive with a show of strength, but not for war, and see what happens.

With everyone having left save his wife, Carson sighed. "I never liked you playing diplomat. Not with these warmaking fools about."

She grinned. "We usually know who those are. Fellows like this one are the ones we make the effort for."

He reached for her and wrapped his arms around her, with her softly placing her hands on his. "I hate risk."

"All potential ends have risk. The end determines if it was worth the risk." She replied.

The two just stood there, looking out at the workers outside their home, thoughts of what could be, good and bad.

---

Fishing Village of "Seabreak", Emeri Empire
Novo Franklin, Periphery Space
September 27th, 2980 AD

They arrived in the morning, causing a stir among the people as they showed their fealty to their Queen, and then put together something of a gathering before attempting to make the call.

After ten minutes they received a reply, and were told they were expected. The Sovereign would arrive in an hour with his entourage fleet.

An hour later, the Queen and her knights, and guard platoon stood to attention.

"You think they'll really come?" Samual asked his Queen. Her personal champion was the only one to speak frankly with her, and she shrugged.

"It's on them at this point."

Another five minutes, and then the bubbling began. Bubbles exploding out of the water from over a dozen places. It caused the royal procession, and the villagers to be alarmed, but they went silent when dozens of Cyclops class drone subs appeared out of the water, and onto the surface. This followed by the appearance of a dozen mechs like the one that had saved the Empire. They floated in the air, a strange warping around their legs and back, showing the method of their flight.

Finally, a large submarine…more like a giant of the deep, emerged from the middle of them. It was stark white, and appeared to be over a thousand feet long with a two-hundred-foot width and one-hundred-and-twenty-foot draught.

This ship was, in itself, a statement of power, wealth, and resources. The idea of "Subnautica" being real suddenly became much more likely. The twelve floating mechs suddenly flew down in formation, landing at intervals of equal distance to each other before facing one another.

Then from the great ship, a single machine flew out, appearing as a bigger version of the others, with more bulk and power belying its skinny build. It's coloration being a stark white compared to the dark navy blue all the other mechs and ships possessed.

The Mechs standing in formation saluted, a single fist pump with their right arms, followed it crossing over and clanging on the left pectoral of the humanoid machine, and finished with a roman salute, fists remaining closed all the while.

The white mech floated slowly between the mechs that turned as it passed to face the group before finally landing, before them. It was an imposing machine that stood twenty meters high, and she felt her heart thump in her chest as it kneeled down.

The head opened, its arm reaching up, and then lowered with its pilot being placed on the ground from the open hand.

To her surprise, it was a handsome young man before her. He was as tall as her husband, and with perfectly proportioned muscles, a bit pale, with brown hair and eyes, sporting a small smile on his face. He wore what appeared to be an ornate suit that was more suitable for swimming than state craft. Given they are an ocean-based society, it would make sense their clothes suited their environment.

Even his footwear was suited for the ocean as they appeared to be small flippers than shoes.

Under other circumstances, this would be amusing. To giggle would be disrespectful.

The man seemed to smile more as he walked towards them, his mech standing back up looking down upon them, with the other mechs repositioning themselves so they were all seen. A show of strength on their part, a reminder to not pick any fights.

Standing before her, the young man looked at her wholly without a hint of lust, and then her retinue before speaking.

"You have called, and I have answered. I am the Sovereign of the Abyssal Kingdom of Subnautica."

This young man was their king? Oh dear. She was expecting a counterpart to herself. Given she was a Queen, perhaps they felt they had to bring someone of equal standing or more? To bring himself here, the man was hands-on indeed.

She curtsied before returning the greeting.

"Greetings to you Sovereign of Subnautica. I greet you in the name of the Emeri Empire, for I am Queen Saffina Emeri."

He bowed slightly with a smile. "A pleasure, your royal majesty. To meet the lady of the Empire is a privilege."

She flushed lightly. His words struck the right chords, and were said in a manner similar to proper nobility of the Federated Suns she experienced in her youth.

His words appeared to have released the tension in her knights and guard as well. They were ready to jump at the slightest aggression due to all the forces arrayed against them, but now they have calmed down.

"It pleases me that you have accepted my invitation for dialogue. If destiny wills it, we may begin an association between our two kingdoms with the potential for growth."

Oh, he was good. She smiled.

"I am happy to hear that. I too hope for our discussions to bear fruitage for all."

He nods. "For the Greater Good, for one and all."

Oh, she liked that.

With greetings over, the Knights escorted them to the reception area. Basically, a table with chairs. She wasn't expecting to meet someone of such high means and regard, so used to dealing with lords who were more like thugs, she felt embarrassed.

The man didn't seem to mind and sat easily enough.

"My lady Emeri, if I may, I have a ship off shore filled with the fruits of the ocean. Among them the foods one can earn through proper effort. Would you be terribly inconvenienced if I called it now?"

Her brow rose slightly. It had been a long time since she had been spoken in such a way, gruff and backwards as the so-called "lords" of this world presented themselves. Her husband had to be taught proper etiquette by her before he became a proper Emperor. This was a breath of fresh air.

She smiled and nodded. "I do not mind. By all means, be my guest."

With his own nod, he pressed a button on the vambrace of his suit, and within a few minutes a ship came to shore. The sides of it inflated, and it turned from ocean craft to a hovercraft, and came closer to the group. It stopped about fifty feet away and slowly opened, revealing…

She gasped lightly, but her guards and knights were not so restrained as Robots of pure white came out. They were…beautiful. Their forms were smooth, with an appealing aesthetic that made them easy to watch. The black faceplates possessed green animated "eyes" that were very expressive when the Sovereign spoke to them.

Soon the table was filled with a variety of fish, vegetables, and soups.

"Almost all of these are from plants and animals that live in the depths. I hope you will enjoy them. Also, for your men we have more if they too wish to partake."

The assortment before her was…it took her back to her youth when her family had dinners…before they were…She had to control herself. She pasted a smile on her face.

"It looks wonderful." She said before looking to her Champion. "Let's partake in his gifts."

Samuel nodded and gave the word, and soon the robots were passing out plates with fish and sea based vegetables covered in a sauce.

Trying out for herself, she was surprised to find how delicious the food was. "Oh my!"

Once more the man smiled. "One can find many surprises in place one does not expect."

They ate their meal, with him illuminating what each dish was. She had no idea that the ocean was not just full of so much food, but full of thing that could be used as resources. When discussions moved to the subject of how he so much for such a fleet, he spoke of things beyond merely what he had.

"It is a shame to say, but despite humanity traveling to the stars, to thousands of worlds, some of which were thousands of light years distance of Terra herself, we collectively do not use all the resources at our disposal. Many worlds have resources untapped for one reason or another. This world is no exception. To this day, Terra's own oceans are barely even utilized beyond shipping and fishing."

He shook his head. "Not with Subnautica. We chose to go against the grain and take a hold of the untapped potential that laid in the oceans. While we only have utilized less than one percent of the entire ocean's potential, we have gained access to many minerals that normally you would have to get off world. Titanium, Lithium, Cobalt, Copper, Lead, Silver, Gold, Uranite, to name a few. With these you can make cities, ships to travel over, and under the sea, and even to the stars if you reach for that."

He spread his arm, gesturing to the mechs, the fleet of ships, and the robots, and the bounty of food before them.

"This is all within reach for those who wish for it, and there is enough for all."

He then crossed his arms with a frown. "So, it would be in a world where greed did not rule the wills of those with power. Most of the lords on Novo Franklin are like this. Thinking about what is in front of them, rather than seeing what could be down the line if they were to put greed aside for the greater good."

She didn't know what it was. His words, the way they painted images in her mind of things she scarcely thought of, or simply how true they were. Whatever it was, she found herself, and her people, captivated by his words. The idea of a world where men were willing forgo short term goals for the greater one down the line, that benefited all. It was a naïve view, but, it was one he acknowledged the reality, so less naïve and more…grounded.

"It is through these labors to use these untapped resources that Subnautica is what it is now." He finished as locked his eyes upon hers. Her breath caught in her throat at that look. Like he was testing her now.

"What are your thoughts on such things, your majesty?"

She didn't know why, but when she spoke, she spoke her honest thoughts.

"It is a beautiful idea, for all men to work for a greater collective destiny, which would elevate all. That simply is not possible, because human beings are not naturally altruistic, but selfish by nature. Self interest guides every action in our lives, for our individual goals. To attain power, wealth, or to simply continue the blood line. To bring about such a change, requires force, for no man comes to such a thing willingly if it goes against their self-interest. It thus requires control to maintain it, for no man stays with it when they gain what they seek, and seek something new that requires going astray."

The man smiled and nodded. "A very astute view. It is something I have thought a great deal about. To enforce such a thing would require going against man's worst nature. Which is why I must appeal to their better nature, or at the least, use their worst nature as a means to push forth progress towards the greater good. It is manipulative, but as Lords, we must look at things in such a way to reach that unreachable star."

Once more, she found herself agreeing. If one does it correctly…it is possible. It would be a hard road, but…one could reach that star if they try correctly. Humanity is among the universe now due to that drive, was it not?

After a few minutes of contemplative thought, the Sovereign smiled and leaned back in his chair.

"I apologize for such a heavy subject. I hope it wasn't disturbing to you."

She shook her head. "Not in the slightest. It is quite different than what I usually have to speak to other leaders about. Delightful."

He grinned. "I am glad."

She felt torn, but she had to bring things back to why they were here. It must have been on her face, as he spoke up.

"I have gotten us off track quite a bit however, so, let us return to what we are here to discuss."

She took the line. "Yes. I must be honest, but we…had a hard time believing your kingdom even existed."

"Yes. Underwater kingdoms across the Inner Sphere could be counted on one hand."

That made her pause. "There are more?"

He blinked. "Oh yes. There's one…I cannot quite recall its name, but it was a Star League research colony that aimed to genetically engineer people to live underwater. Gills and all."

Her eyes widened. "Oh."

He waved it off. "That's assuming it still exists however. Once the Star League fell…"

She nodded. Like many colonies and worlds without support, they would just fade away or be forgotten about.

For a moment a blank look appeared on his visage, before he smiled again*.

"Once more I went off track. So, Subnautica is quite real. So, the next question would be, how can we help each other, and bring benefit to all within Subnautica and the Emeri Empire."

Such a grand level of thought. I have to bring him back to earth a bit.

"To start, you mentioned an interest in trade. Given what you have spoken of, I cannot see how we could benefit you."

He grinned with a nod. He understood my real meaning. Tell me what we can give you, and what you will give in return. It's not a normal process by any measure, but not unheard of.

"You can benefit Subnautica in providing the goods that only the surface can produce. Lumber, meats that are not fish, vegetables, and plants not of the sea, cultural infusion such as creatives, and of course immigration. While Subnautica itself is not open to immigration, our other habitats are."

"You have more than one…habitat?"

"Habitats are what we call our outposts, of which Subnautica is as well. It's quite different to live underwater than it is on the surface. Many more requirements, and while we have unlimited space, so to speak, you cannot just plant a flag and call it a day. As for numbers, we have many habitats. Some as small as a single person home, with Subnautica being larger than your capital by several magnitudes."

It shouldn't be surprising, but it was. How could such a thing go unnoticed for so long?

"I know we have kept getting off topic, but that is something I wanted to discuss. You mentioned you used to be our subject during the battle those many days ago. Exactly…how long ago was this?"

He closed his eyes and clasped his hands together.

"I will be honest, and hoped that had been forgotten about. It was said in a spur of the moment. I cannot give details, but the truth is that I was not a true citizen of your nation. I had a rather…interesting event in my life that removed me from the safety of home and threw me upon the surface of this world. I ended up staying as a serf in your capital for nearly three months before I regained the means to make my way back to where I needed to be."

Her eyes widened in shock. He lived as a serf! How?! Why?! The Knights were wide eyed at this, many questions on their mind were the same as hers, plus a few only a knight would ask about. The guard standing nearby were shocked at the idea of a lord being on their level for a time.

"It was…interesting to say the least. I wasn't all to happy with being made a levy for two battles, one of which was against that fellow, Becker? I must say, your husband played the game very well with that clod."

She felt her hand reach for her forehead. Oh god no! she thought loudly. The idea a lord was forced to participate in a battle not his own, it was…mortifying. The Knights paled, as did the guard.

"As for the 'friends' I referred to, it was a family who lived in the capital. Their sons and I became close acquaintances, and were good men by my measure. It was refreshing to have friends who were my own age that weren't aware of what you were. The association was genuine."

He leaned back, more relaxed. "Once I returned, it took time for me to reach Subnautica and reassert myself, but I succeeded. I was master of my own destiny once more."

A hard expression appeared. "And then I was alerted to the attack on your lands. While I had no personal loyalty to you or your nation, I did for those I called friend. Knowing what was happening and why, I made an emotional decision and stepped in."

He spread his hands. "The rest you know."

That certainly painted a different picture, but it was one filled with intrigue. Perhaps someone tried to depose him? Make him disappear? Regardless what the case was, the fleet behind him showed he was in full control once more.

She bowed her head slightly. "I am mortified by that story. Please forgive us for putting you through such conditions."

He waved it off. "There is nothing to forgive. I know the world we are in, and the kind of people you were dealing with. I helped stop the last battle afterall. I just wish I got more than potatoes, carrots, and dandelions when I worked the fields for the daily meal."

She blanched, and so did her knights. The guards broke out in a cold sweat.

If any, ANY other lord had to go through what he just described, there would have been blood. It just showed how different he was compared to them, especially with the power he had behind him.

He stood, and lifted her chin, to face him again.

"I forgive any transgressions, for you did not know I even exited and made no effort to be known. So please, be at peace."

She almost cried, but she kept her composure and smiled. "Thank you, Sovereign."

They finally got about to the business of talking trade, and while it was standard fare, he began to add more than she was prepared for.

"Excuse me? Technical assistance?" she blinked.

He nodded. "We have mechs, and advanced vehicles, and construction techniques to suit our nation's unique environment. That means we also have the means to render this technical capability to anyone we wish to. Pesh has a lot of arable land that is free and ready for farming or ranching should you choose to. Becker clearly didn't make use of it as far as I had seen in the two times I traveled through it, so I would trade. In exchange for your nation to build farms or ranches to take advantage of this, I will give technical assistance to "modernize" your agricultural industry to maximize this. This also can include modern infrastructure, and…repairing and maintaining your military equipment to protect it all."

She swallowed. Normally this would be a step too far with a nation they barely knew, but given everything up to this point, his being a serf, his saving her nation, his willingness to forgive and forget, and his passion, she felt…this was a genuine act on his part.

"I'm…I'm afraid this would be my husbands place to decide than mine."

He blinked and then looked pained. "I apologize. I put too much on you."

"No! no, it is alright. I will most certainly bring it to his attention, and we will give it serious consideration." Especially with a fleet behind you that is far more advanced than anything you would render in this.

He nodded, and they continued on before finally standing up and giving a simple handshake.

"If your husband, the Emperor agrees to these terms, I will come to your capital to sign a trade agreement in person, plus all the agreement entails."

"I truly hope we can come to an arrangement."

With that, they said their goodbyes, and he left them the food and good from the boat as a gift to take home. Then as quickly as they appeared, the fleet sank beneath the waves, and vanished as if they were never there.

"Ma'am. I hope to God this turns out well." Samuel said, tired and wary.

I do too.

---

Author's Note: the game of Bullshit Lies is afoot!

Also chapter 10 is on Patreon, as well as a new story.

"Deus Ex Machina" - A Godbound SI

I already have three chapters up on Pateron, and will not post on SB or anywhere else until I have at least ten chapters.

Here's a snippets from Chapter three though.

---

Location: Unknown Realm, Burned out City
Date: Day 2

I flew over the remains of a skyscraper as the Jaguar leapt at me, crashing face first into the building before scrambling after me, spitting flames as it snarled at me.

"Yeah, fuck you too!" I shouted as I pointed and fired a mini-missile down at its open mouth. It flew like a bullet on target, and the moment it entered its maw the missile penetrated the chest cavity and promptly exploded. The chest burst apart like a lava filled balloon, sending the head into the air while the rest of the body fell back to the ground, crashing into another pair of climbing Jaguars and sending them to the ground with it.

Despite hitting the ground with a thunk, the two monsters shook it off and redoubled their efforts to get to me again, angrier than before.

I was already moving away and transforming into cycle mode down a long and intact highway, accelerating to at speeds the beasts couldn't keep up with. Seeing a still standing skyscraper, I pushed the thrusters and popped a wheelie, flying into the air and onto the side of the building. With the thruster pushing me against the building, I drove up its side until I reached the top, flying off the side and over the roof with a backward flip. Using what knowledge I had from my Gifts, and my own experience as a rider prior to this, I oriented myself to land on my wheels before hitting the landing thrusters. I panted, heart beating a mile per minute as I put the vehicle in neutral, put out the kickstand, and slumped against the handlebars and console.

"This is stupid. How many of these things are there?! I must have killed dozens at this point!" I yelled in frustration. I couldn't actually search into any of the intact buildings about the city due to them being infested with beasts, or said beasts converging on the location the moment I try to actually search the places. Usually in numbers ranging from a half dozen, to two or so dozen in a single group.

The beam weapons were effective again them, but due to their mass, they didn't burst apart as easily as the Lobster Birds. Usually, it took a burst to take a single one down, and as a result, I burned through my energy very quickly as a result of constant ambushes.

Now I was relying on missiles to fight the things off, and replaced the beam rifle with a pair of RL-1 Light Anti-Armor Weapons since I ran out of protoculture power cells for the damned thing. The RL-1 was basically an oversized recoilless rifle in the shape of a pistol that fired mini-missiles. It was among the first infantry scaled weapons that utilized advanced technology from the SDF-1.

I didn't need to create this weapon specially for the Cyclone, as I could just summon them, dismiss, and resummon as needed. The fact it came with five mini-missiles due to the box magazine was a plus.

Missiles for my forearm launchers were easily replaced since I could just conjure up the damned things at will. No Effort required. I figured this would happen eventually, but I should have done this from the start.

I quickly stepped off my ride and began the process of reloading the missile launchers, pulling mini-missiles out of thin air before sliding them into place. By the time I was finished loading the arm mounted launchers, I could hear the distant roars from the ground below. They had caught up.

"They're persistent. That's for damn sure." I groused.

---

I thank Janusi for the inspiration, and introducing me to the game itself. It's awesome.

Go check his fic Wheelbound - A wheel of Time / Godbound SI to see his work.

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Perk List this chapter

-Full Storage (Modded Fallout) (400CP)
This old, half-broken Pip-Boy seems to be incapable of even starting its operating system, the diagnostics indicating that the entirety of its vast 64k RAM is already in use. Most people might simply discard it or strip it for spare parts, but a closer look will reveal the exact reason for its fault: its internal database has been crammed full of Fallout design specs, schematics, scientific principles and so on. How full, you ask? Well, it's got just about every semi-common piece of Fallout tech in there somewhere, from Laser Rifle schematics to Assaultron software and Berry Mentat formulations to Power Armor designs. Though mainly limited to the kind of technologies one could have found in the Pre-War world of old, a number of designs that were only finalized in the two centuries following the apocalypse can also be found here (such as the Hydra drug, the Enclave's X-01 and Hellfire armor designs, and the Radium Rifle). Though you'll still need a way to actually build all of these things, this database is nonetheless one of the most spectacular treasures scavvers could find.

Strange Formula (MCU – Part 1) (100 CP)
This chemical formula is the brainchild of the German scientist Dr. Erskine, and is directly responsible for the creation of Captain America. As is, this is only the formula, and you must make it yourself... but as a result it could possibly let you modify the serum for other uses. Beware its tendencies to amplify the personality traits of the user, or be prepared to find a way to fix that fact.

The Greater Good Takes All (Warhammer 40k – T'au) (400 CP)
Unlike the Imperial, Orkish, or Eldar creeds, the Greater Good is happy to accept all peoples into its embrace. Unlike the Necron creed, the Greater Good doesn't simply demand all people in its domain die. You can now convince people of almost all races, cultures, species, and contexts to coexist and work together happily, ensuring that civil strife will not arise from your people and ensure a minimum level of functionality for your society, regardless of how diverse its people. Moreover, while the most zealous will be beyond this ability to sway and integrate, you will still be able to understand them and anticipate them to a degree.

Bulwark of Harmony (SB Stellaris) (400 CP)
Defensive wars are so much easier than offensive wars. When fighting an invader inside your territory, or territory that used to be yours, you can fight so much harder. You hit ten times as strong, and can take ten times the beating. Your nerves are unbreakable, and your aim is far better.

(Notes): These apply in some form to any empire, nation, civilization, or organization under your control, even if you don't Import your Empire into that future Jump. The perks will be adapted as needed to actually be relevant towards any organization they are applied to. The party does directly benefit from effects that affect the people in these organizations.

 

[GundamChief]

"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, figuratively.

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 Breeze 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 Synth 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. "There's 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.

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.

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, and 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.

---

Author's Note

If you build up a Facade long enough, it becomes a reality.

Chapter 12 is being worked on. will post in a day or so.

---

Perk List this Chapter

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.

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.

Martial Culture (Civilization) 100 CP)
Discipline radiates from every defensive wall and the hearts of all who are of your Civilization. People who follow you or are loyal to your cause gain a soldier's bearing and commitment to their cause that fits in seamlessly with their lives they are more professional and dedicated than before, but no less 'themselves'. As an added benefit, physical training for yourself and those who follow you are twice as effective, ensuring everyone is acting at peak performance.

 

[GundamChief]

Capital Habitat, Deep Kingdom of Subnautica, Leviathan's Trench
Novo Franklin, Periphery Space
December 3rd, 2980 AD

I pressed my finger into my temples, releasing once the pressure from tightened muscles had subsided.

"Comstar. I knew they would be out here, but I wasn't expecting them to already be on this world. I thought they didn't do the whole "Periphery Reach Out" until the thirty teens."

Emme had been rubbing my back for a bit now, and it did help.

Breeze gave a shrug. "Perhaps, but you did state the data on this world was minimal due to the lack of importance to the setting. Perhaps they have been here for a while, but never really put efforts beyond the bare minimum?"

I shook my head. "Maybe. I couldn't imagine what reason beyond the whole "rich agriculture" thing this world got on the map for, that they would put an HPG here. It's on the ass end of the Federated Suns near the borders…oh."

"Of the Combine, and the Outworlds Alliance. Their reason to be here is likely as much to keep an eye out for things as it is to facilitate trade."

I rubbed my eyes at missing what could likely be an obvious situation. Given the lack of data, I couldn't really have known though.

"Well, they're asking for a meet-n-greet. Find out who the new guy is, and where the hell we got all this shiny technology they will nuke us over, from."

I could feel Emma roll her eyes. "Given the depths of this trench, and the overall progress we have made with the new locations on the southern continents and seas, they can try, and will fail."

Huh. She's gotten more confident; I can sense pride in there. I'm proud of her progress in becoming more human.

"Well said. I'm just worried more than anything given my knowledge of Comstar and the actions they have done, and those that have yet to come. If the First Circuit are aware of this, they can only act aggressively."

Breeze floated before me and handed me the PDA. It showed the Neural Lace they had placed inside my head when I gained that new knowledge. This coupled with some technology from the other settings, I was finally able to connect to machines and pull a "netrunner". Uploading the entire "Biosynthetics" database from the "Biomega" setting had taken time and made my brain heat up despite the changes done via serum and overall improvements.

"I believe it's actually a rather simple matter in how to face this. We simply present a front too powerful to overcome."

I nodded. "Well, we're well on our way to doing that already. This world as of right now cannot stand against us, as we outnumber the planets whole population ten to one in terms of Synth Population. Every single one is a combat unit ready to fight as needed. Plus, the dedicated ones that are enlisted, plus the Marines in their Power Armor, the Abyssals which is an entire army of "Captain America" modified infantry. With this new database, I was going to make the Abyssals the Recon, Search and Rescue, and Deep-Sea specialists, while creating the new "Astartes" units for land and space."

Breeze looked up to me from the PDA. "Still insisting on making your own Space Marines?"

I shrugged "Units like them will be necessary given the Elementals of the Clans, and ours will be better. Especially if we insert FEV into the mix to increase overall capability, plus biosynthetics they used to create the artificial humans of Biomega. With the Synths we are already a third of the way there."

Despite being non-human, I could sense unease from Breeze.

"What's wrong?"

"…reading over the Biomega Data, I feel uncomfortable. The things the DRF had made are things that even the Covenant had not dared. The end results…It comes too close to the enemy."

I stared for a minute, before nodding. There was a lot the Flood, the DRF, and Virus had in common.

"You are correct. It's why I had no intention of going down that route. I'm to an extent a bit of a transhumanist. If humans can be improved, then they should have the option to do so. There is a line I do not want to cross however."

My face hardened.

"I'm not Nyaldee. I will not recreate the world to fit my wishes of existence."

Stemla stared for a moment before it gave out a low whistle.

"I'll make sure to smack you if you start down that path."

I grinned. "Fine."

"Speaking of remaking things. There is a non-zero possibility that using FEV will make whoever it is applied to sterile. While we can mitigate it with clones organs or using artificial systems thanks to Biomega, it's entirely possible this could happen to fifty percent of anyone this is use on currently."

I nodded. "The Master faced this. So, we'll take DNA samples both by blood and by normal means, and will apply it to either of those if needed. We'll also allow those undergoing the procedure know this is a possibility and might want to save samples for future insemination if they desire, otherwise, that's the deal. Becoming a physical demi-god isn't without costs."

"Hardly Demi-Gods, they can still be killed if they get hit enough."

"Yeah, but they will be moving at speeds, and hitting with force normal humans simply aren't capable of. Add on top of that the specific Power Armor designed for them to increase their capabilities, they will pretty much be close to actual Astartes."

With a nod, Breeze zaps their PDA several times before focusing on some new project.

I take that as dismissal and turn to Emma, who was attentive as ever.

"Emma, you ever had Ramen?"

She blinked. "No, I have not."

"Would you?"

She stared for a moment before blinking, a slight blush before she nodded.

Yay. Ramen. I stood up and looked up places that had the Japanese Menu available.

It was at that moment a star fell, and grabbed something.

Spoiler: Clang!!!!

-Genius (Rick And Morty) (400CP)

You may not be the Rickest of Ricks but you are the smartest person in your own universe. Your capacity for invention is mind-boggling and even highly advanced alien civilizations barely hold a candle to you.

I flinch and cry out in pain which sent Breeze and Emma to my side, it ended almost as quickly as it happened, and one more my mind was altered, though not necessarily in the best way.

Then again, I couldn't complain since…well, I have Rick smarts now, so yeah.

"Wubba-lubba-dub-dub." I groaned.

---

Capital Habitat, Deep Kingdom of Subnautica, Leviathan's Trench
Novo Franklin, Periphery Space
December 20th, 2980 AD

Precentor Nyung Lim felt sick as he gazed into that pitch blackness. Knowing that the only thing between him and instant death was a sheet of transparent metal. His three subordinates weren't any less queasy about it.

"How deep are we now Captain?" He asked in a sickly tone.

"We're nine kilometers now. This dark should go away in a bit. You will see the city soon."

He nodded as he leaned on the railing and looked down, holding back the fear that filled him with all that black. It went away as soon as they saw the beginnings of a light, which grew more and more until the entire landscape was covered in white, neon colors, and habitat.

He couldn't help but be in awe of what he beheld. This was Subnautica. An underwater city in the deepest location mankind had ever dared to build such. Whoever the people that came up with this idea were, they had to either be on the edge of madness, or the greatest geniuses to have lived. Probably both.

"I must ask Captain, even though I may be informed later, but who was the mad genius that started this place?"

The captain smirked. "You have no idea how on the mark you are with that. Mad Genius is exactly who it was. The founder of this place was an industrialist name Andrew Ryan. He envisioned Subnautica not as a haven of scientific study and achievement, as it did become, but as a city under where ultimate freedom could be pursued."

"How grand. He succeeded."

The Captain scoffed, to his surprise.

"On the contrary, it was a total failure. The historical lecture you will be given later will give more details, but the place was a Free-Market Nightmare. You earn what you get by the sweat of your brow, and people pushed that to the logical conclusion. Pay to eat, pay to sleep, pay to breathe. People think the Lyrans are money conscious, the people of that era would rob them blind by stabbing their eyes out, and then say they will sell them new ones."

His brow rose at the explanation. "How did Subnautica survive then?"

"By not being a part of the problem. You will see, but as a heads up, there's not one city down here, but two. One is Subnautica. The other was called Rapture. Rapture is a husk now, a monument to madness, and what we will never allow to happen again."

The Captain went silent, and Lim filed that away, intent on learning more. The city filled his view for the rest of the ride and he saw wonders the likes which perhaps could only be matched by the Star League. That was a cause for great concern, for him, and the great plan. Given it was limited to but this one world, it can be contained, and he intended to make sure it was so.

The Cyclops entered a large Moonpool, and they exited out to a brightly lit room. At the end of the room were the people who would escort them to the Sovereign, the woman who walked up to them with a smile was stunning. Most Subnauticans were quite healthy and attractive as a matter of fact. Perhaps some kind of genetic augmentation?

"Precentor Hyung Lim. I am Sub-Dector Alise Alda. I am pleased to be the first to welcome you to Subnautica."

He copied the smile and bowed slightly. "Thank you Sub-Dector. It is a pleasure to finally see the face for the voice. You are as lovely as I imagined."

She smiled more. "You're sweet Precentor. I better warn the girls about that charm."

He gave a roguish grin, while those with him either were silent, or scoffing lightly at the exchange. These people have been around the surface warlords too much, he will need to remind them that the Subnauticans are not those people.

She motioned to walk beside her, and he took the invitation, her arm wrapping around his.

"I noticed that you are wearing the suit beneath that regalia." She began as she led.

"Given the warnings the Captain gave about going to deep in the ocean, I felt it was necessary to do so. Though, I admit I…that we hesitated until we reached the cliff."

She nodded. "That is how it goes sometimes. People do not truly understand the need for the suits until they witness the abyss. I hope it is comfortable?"

He nodded. "Quite comfortable. The fact its coloration matches our attire made it easier to accept. Forgive me for asking, but would this have protected us though?"

She nodded with a smile. "No offense taken, and yes. The suit is reinforced with several extremely advanced materials that allow the suit to resist pressures at a depth of fifteen kilometers. After that, a kyanite modified suit is required."

He blinked. "Kyanite? The gemstone?"

She grinned. "Normally it is that, but Kyanite found deep in the ocean is slightly different. The pressure down here causes them to glow in the dark because of an excited molecular structure. When you take it in this excited state and combine it with lithium, and apply that into to a suit, it becomes capable of withstanding pressures far greater than even the one you are wearing."

He noted that for his report. He knew the mineral could be found on Terra, but no one has ever looked for it in the deep ocean. Something that may occur soon after his report.

"So how deep can a Kyanite modified suit dive?"

"I cannot say, as we have yet to reach its maximum depth. We would need to find a deep-water world specifically to test that."

So, until further notice, it has no known depth limit. That is both very intriguing, and very worrying. The again, if pressure chambers exist, they may very well know what the limit is, and are simply not sharing.

They boarded a tram which quickly moved them along the central line of the city. Alise explained the various sectors, as he, and his subordinates, looked at everything. This city was a shining technological jewel in an age of darkness, and he felt dirty being here despite being a part of the organization seeking to bring this very light to the Inner Sphere.

He truly hoped the first circuit didn't order this place to be destroyed. It would be a sin.

In time they reached the palace at the center of it all. It was the tallest structure of the city, and the widest. Exiting the tram, he saw how many people moved about working, and other things. There were Marines in dress uniforms preforming marches for the public, while police officers walked their rounds. There were also men wearing suits of Power Armor, not like the Tornado at all, and they carried what appeared to be some form of advanced energy weapon that glowed a bright teal on portions of it. Then there were the mechs.

These units were not at all like the ones on the surface. They lined the outside of the Palace like statues, but if they were anything like the Lyrans, then they were very much manned. They were enormous, standing a full eighty feet tall.

"I have never seen such a large mech in my life."

Alise looked over to them and nodded.

"One of the issues with living this deep if that the pressure can crush anything less than capable. So, with powerful machines, often requires a great size. These particular ones are called Jotun, after the giants of Nordic myth."

"How heavy are they, if I may ask?"

"These ones weigh one hundred and sixty tons I believe. They can go as high as two hundred though, depending on the model."

He had to swallow the saliva that built in his mouth, and take a breath to calm the spike of ice that grew in his gut. Apparently, these people have solved the problem of Super Heavy Mechs. Turns out it's just 'better materials'.

"Those are some large cannons."

She patted his arm. "The Sovereign will probably let you ride one if you ask."

He glanced at her as they walked up the stairs. "You think?"

She shrugged. "You can only ask."

Walking into the Palace, the first chamber was enormous and contained more mechs, but these were much different. These were posed with plaques and a wall of data at the foot of them.

"What are these exactly?" he asked.

"This is the touring portion of the palace. It shows the history of our nation, and actual examples of technology to show the history of development of the technology down here. The mechs are prominent due to their size and popularity."

He paused and pointed at the first one. A machine that looked more like the Battlemechs he was familiar with.

"This was the "Deep Ocean Operations Apparatus." Or more simply, the Marine Mech. This was not a combat unit, but rather an industrial mech. See the various wings? Those control surfaces altered to the flow of water to "lift" or "Drop" the machine as it moved."

He nodded. It was a fascinating design now that he got a better look at it. Like a LAM in Airmech mode, but purpose built without the transformation technology. The wings and canards were placed over the body at points that wouldn't make sense unless you knew this operated in deep water. It had what appeared to be jet engines on the back, but they would have to be for water movement.

Passing by the next two machines, he could see the technical changes over the periods of time. New materials and advances allowed for different designs that, while functional underwater, were not just for the sea anymore. He stopped before the fourth one.

"Isn't this similar to the one the Sovereign use to save the Emeri Empire?"

Alise nodded. "These are what we consider a milita mech for our forces. Mostly we use them for labor and security, but our Sovereign took one as it was the most readily available unit at the time. We didn't even realize he did so until after he left the trench."

She sounded embarrassed, and unhappy about that. Understandably. Even so, this machine supposedly destroyed two lances of mechs within a total combat time of a minute, or even less. He didn't know if it were an exaggeration or not, but given the Jotun outside, and the four other machines past this one, it might be true.

They continued on, and the designs became far more…organic. Fluid. It spoke of a highly advanced manufacturing and even more advanced combat capability. The last one had him stop to take pause.

"Why does this one look…like it has flesh?" he asked uneasily.

"That's because it has Biosynthetic armor." She replied simply.

His confused expression made her grin.

"I do not have a full understanding myself, but simply put, we took plants like kelp, mixed it with a fast growing bacteria that hardens after it reaches a predesignated level of growth, and placed it over an advanced composite alloy shell. As a result, you have armor that grows itself, and if damaged, regrows itself. You just need to feed it with a mixture of minerals and organic slush."

His eyes were wide as a plate at that. Biomechanical technology! These people have created Bio-Mechs! Like out of those science fiction movies he saw as a teenager! He quickly looked back at his people, who were just as shocked as he was. Looking back at the…thing before him, it was clear where the machine was, and where it became organic. It wasn't a complete coverage. More like armor plates on infantry body armor. The rest was a dark navy blue metal.

"How long ago was this achieve?" he asked, holding back on outright demanding lest he cross a line.

She looked at him for a moment, before coming to a decision. "About one hundred and twelve years ago, but we only began using the technology to its potential about twelve years ago. It is quite a difficult line of technological development."

He nodded. He was no Bioengineer, or even a Biologist, but he knew enough to understand the massive hurdles to achieve this. It is no small matter in the least. These people have surpassed the Star League in many ways if Biosynthetics is one of their technologies. If they can do this with mechs…

He felt his eyes widen as he took a careful look at the Subnauticans around him and he suddenly realized it.

They were all fit, attractive, and clean of blemishes and noticeable genetic issues. Not just because of where they are…these people…they could be improved humans. Every. Single. One.

He felt himself begin to sweat under the suit. These people were as much a danger to Comstar as they were a boon. Now…he suddenly felt very much the danger was greater. He had to control his breathing, and force calm, lest he lose his composure.

Her rubbing his hand brought him back to her, her…perfect face. She smiled kindly.

"Let's keep moving forward now. Give you some time to rest before meeting the Sovereign."

He nodded. "I believe I would like that."

---

I watched through a dozen eyes and cameras at the Precentor walking through the halls to a suite for him and his adepts. I couldn't help but smirk as he sat on a chair and breathed heavily. I knew, watching him through the eyes of security and through the new modifications applied to the biomechanical cameras, that he was freaking out.

Goooooooood.

Shock and awe baby! Show just how out of their depth they really are, and realize they are not even at the deepest part.

I do pity the man a bit though, he is just a man in the end. One working for Comstar, but a man nonetheless.

Even so, I want him to send a report home that is too much to believe, but with footage and data to back it up with corroboration with his adepts, and that which we give him. I want Comstar to shake in their boots at our mere existence, despite being on only one world. Let them send warships. By the time they do this world will be united in an Alliance, and becoming a stellar player, and I will be too powerful personally, and Subnautica too untouchable to overcome.

Twelve years. Ha! More like Twelve days! Nanomachines to the rescue once more, with the smarts of Rick Sanchez, a little help from some of the less common pieces of technology of Fallout and the Covenant, we were able to take most of that Biomega knowledge out of my head, transfer it into the PDA, and make immediate use of it. It helped me figure out how to control FEV since Biomega was doing crazier stuff far longer than Fallout did. Breeze is actually having trouble keeping up with me now.

The first thing I did, thanks to Rick Sanchez's genius, was to modify the Synths into BioSynths. Basically, they were like the artificial people of Biomega, but now were fully functional humans. They could now have actual children of their own as opposed to just making stuff up as I had been. The children that had been made for this huge ruse, were now actual children, and would grow up, and have children, who were also artificial humans.

It took about a week, but with nanotech, the process was complete across the entirety of the Kingdom, and I now had actual subjects to protect and care for, which I will and do.

Since then, we have applied it where we immediately could, including making a mech out of Biosynthetic technology.

Our first successes was the one the Precentor saw on display, while the real ones were being tested elsewhere to improve upon them further, and make them even more powerful than anything this universe has ever seen. This shit is going straight to Splicers the way it is proceeding, which is frightening since Biomega at its highest was about as crazy.

"Let him rest for the next hour, and then tell him I am ready to meet with him in my office. He may bring his adepts if he wishes."

A BioSynth who was the head of Palace security nodded with a salute. "Understood my Sovereign."

I returned the salute and left for that office. It was an earthy place with holowalls like my garden in my old Base Three, showing snow capped mountains and functional environmental controls that functioned like it was actually on the surface. If I opened a "window" during a gusty day, wind would blow in. Sunny? Warm air. Winter, ice cool air and real snow would fall past and onto the window sill. It was luxury, and I would be showing it all off.

The office was like a large library with advanced computers built into everything to show it wasn't entirely old fashioned for nostalgia. I also had a few frames hanging on the walls, such as Old Glory, because America, The Terran Hegemony flag, the Star League flag, and the Novo Franklin flag. Of course, I created the Subnautica flag, which with a stylized "A" in the shape of a star, super imposed on a planet, with a dark navy background, with two blue waves over the dark blue.

I also have models of ships on display, specifically the Aurora, which was classed as a "Leviathan Class" colony sub.

Couple this with a map that held markers across the planet's oceans including my new habitats on the lower continents, it should send a clear message as to how out of control we are for Comstar.

Over the time the Precentor rested, I actually did do some work. Most of the daily work was done by Synths and AI, but the most important projects, namely things Breeze and Emma needed from me, I took care to work on.

The alert finally came, and I stood in the middle of the room as the doors opened. The Precentor was alone, and much calmer now. He got a good look at me, and I him, and I could tell he was reading me as much as I was him. With a smile I stepped forward as he did.

"Precentor Hyung Lim. I am Alexander Reinhardt, the Sovereign of Subnautica. At your service." As spoke as I held out a hand. It was not truly my name, but I decided to make one that appeared symbolic and sounded good.

He returned the smile, though I could see the strain. "and I yours, Lord Sovereign. May the Peace of Blake be upon you."

Holding his hand for a moment to get a feel for it, I was satisfied with the strength and give. Releasing it, I invited him in and walked slowly as he got a look around the office. His eyes roamed appreciatively at the wooden old-world aesthetic, which held advanced technology inside. He gazed at the windows, and took pause at how real it looked.

"Holo-screens. One of our oldest technologies. Not based on light, but on the arrangement of diodes in layered sheets of transparent metal. It gives it far more detail than light can give without it being a theater grade unit."

He nodded appreciatively. "It looks quite real."

I grinned as I walked over to the window and opened it, it was a breezy summer day, and soon the summer breeze flowed through the room as if it were actual wind. Such a simple thing caught the precentor by surprise as he unconsciously wandered over to see it was not a prop of fans but more.

"The environmental systems for this office are some of the best we have. They are meant to be utilized in total catastrophe, but in this, they can be used as a luxury as well."

"Most impressive."

"The engineers of the past thank you for the praise. Do you need a drink? Water, or something else?"

"Water if you would."

I nodded as I pressed a button on my desk. "Water, cool. Bottle and glasses for two."

He looked confused for a moment until the fabricator in the desk produced the asked items. He kept his face calm, but I could see the minute shifts in his eyes, his pupils retracting to a smaller size. He hadn't seen the fabricators in action before now, but I know he is aware of them.

I poured water into both glasses, and invited him to sit down. He took it, walking somewhat stiffly, but otherwise made a good show of calm.

"I have to say before we start, that I am glad Comstar has reached out so readily once you became aware of us. Your record of neutrality stands as a testament despite the era we are living in." I began with flattery. A simple thing that costs nothing, and paints us as "in the dark about the truth" like everyone else.

He smiles with a hint of pride, though with a conspiratorial edge. "It is one we put much effort into, as a light in a dark age is better than none at all."

"I agree. There are far too many who would just as soon rip down their fellow man to gain little, rather than to work together in a common goal for the betterment of humanity, towards a Greater Good."

As soon as the word were spoken, the effect kicked in and began working its way into the man's mind. It was something I watched with fascination in previous people when I had gained the ability. Common people were easily swayed by the notion, and couldn't help but actively live life to better the greater whole despite self-interest.

Leaders like Carson Emeli, his immediate family, and subordinates were less swayed by the notions of the Greater Good, but continuous exposure to it via radio communications, vocal recordings played on music radio stations, and personal visits from myself over the months had solidified the ideas in them as well.

I know that a short exposure to the idea will not sway the Precentor, but in time, I know I can bring him and his over to my way of thinking. While it is grandiose to believe I could subvert Comstar entirely to achieve their stated goals over their actual ones, it doesn't hurt to try.

The effect, while minor, was immediate as I saw the subtle shift in Nyung Lim's posture as he became more attentive and receptive.

"Yes. It is good to know you share such a vision as well. Few leaders on this world do. Perhaps due to your isolation of the surface and its troubles."

I gave a small smile at his probe. "Among other things Precentor. Our Isolation started as a choice, but in time it was due to complacency. Why go to the surface when we have all we need? That was what my predecessors thought."

I took a drink as Lim thought over the words. "You obviously think differently."

"Not entirely. There is safety to be found here as you can plainly see. Even at its height, I have doubts that the Star League Defense Force could assail Subnautica without a large fleet to bombard the ocean into vapor, or at least sink a million metal shells down into this trench. Literally burying us under a mountain of metal."

I waved over to the map of the various habitats as a Star once more fell to the Forge. It reached out and missed. Energy for the fire. "Assuming they could find all of our habitats in the first place."

Nyung Lim frowned slightly, but nodded. "Assuming the worst, I have doubts they would even expend that sort of force to begin with, let alone that much effort. Easier to simply blockade the planet and prevent leaving."

I nodded. "Indeed, because there are times when the opposition is too much to take on without overwhelming force. Brian Cameron had the same thought when he made those castles of his, as to remove one would require literally blowing up a mountain. Too much force even for the enemies of his time, and in the now, for certain. Subnautica is the same way in that."

I gestured the glass in his direction. "But there's the key word in those words you first mentioned. Isolation. We'd be safe down here from anything, especially since no one was aware until recently, but things cannot be forever. There comes a point where the human spirit is driven to escape from what it perceives as a cage. Even if it is for its own safety, the outside of the cage is where all the excitement is. Adventure. Food for the soul."

I refilled our glasses. "While I am not entirely taken by such a thing, as I am more than aware of the truth beyond even this one world, of the greater Inner Sphere, the same cannot be said for the youth of this generation."

The Precentor's eyes shone with epiphany at what I was leading up to.

"Youth are naturally going to rebel against that which they perceive as containing them. You share in this, though to a lesser extent, and sought to provide an outlet for this growing rebellion?"

I nodded, raising a glass to him. "To put it simply. You are on the mark. Putting down such desires only allows it to fester and grow with discontent. It isn't a new phenomenon, as such an ambition has been growing for generations. However, they find a sympathetic man in me, as I too seek to leave the undersea world and go beyond. So, for the Greater Good of my people, I sought avenues. Unfortunately, things went sideways."

Lim's head leaned to the side in curiosity, much like a dog hearing a new sound.

"How is it that you came to the surface anyways? To be stranded upon the surface and in the Empire?"

I gave an expression of bewilderment. "An accident. A very unusual one."

I shook my head. "Let's just say it involves some experimental technology and leave it at that. It would be entirely too unbelievable without proof, and the proof is currently in limbo."

The Precentor wanted to ask what I meant, but his discernment of the situation forced him to stay his desire. Despite his newly gained openness, he was still playing the middle man of Comstar. Truthfully, he and his were actually officers in the true successor state of the Terran Hegemony, and delving too deeply for answers would be giving away his interests.

He nodded in acceptance, and gave a look of interest. "Speaking of which. I passed by the museum of the palace. The machine that used Biosynthetic technology was interesting. You Sub-Dector illuminated some aspects of it."

I grinned. "and I am willing to bet you would like to know more details about it."

He gave a wry grin. I nodded. "Well, while I cannot, and in some cases, will not, answer some questions, I can give you some. What's the most burning one on your mind?"

That made him actually take a moment to think before he asked.

"Are all the people here…forgive the term, "products" of this technology?" he asked, a sense of grimness under the veneer of curiosity.

I nodded to him. "They are indeed, in one way or another. Thanks to Biosynthetics, we were able to commit genetic engineering on a level that is straight out of science fiction. Genetic modification and augmentation, from embryonic to all age ranges after Birth. As a result, cloning technology ranging from individual cells to entire people is possible. Life extension treatments are the norm for us, though given the relative newness, few people are really old just yet. Also, Thanks to the understanding of the neuro-synaptic pathways of the brain, we can copy memory out of people, and from there we gained a few technologies you will see soon."

The Precentors eyes widened slowly, and he became somewhat pale when the memory portion was mentioned.

"For example, Skill Shards. Data chips you may purchase which contain access keys to programs at a Neuro-Clinic. The knowledge, experiences, and skill of your purchase is then inserted directly into your mind as if you had experienced it all yourself. It is also permanent, unless you wish to remove it via mind-scrubber."

His mouth was opening widely. "That's…T-that-"

I nodded. "I understand. It was seemingly a fantastical technology. As I said, straight out of science fiction. I must however say, it isn't a perfect technology, or rather, the human brain is not. Even with ones that are augmented as ours are."

The sharpness returned as Lim settled back into reality. "How do you mean?"

"Well, let me ask you this. How much time does it take, normally, to master a skill?"

Lim gave it thought before coming to an answer. "I believe the accepted answer is about ten years."

"Correct. Now…imagine shoving that much data into your head all at once. How much strain do you think it would give the recipient?"

Realization came almost immediately. "I would imagine a good amount."

I raised a glass up in a salute. "A normal, unmodified human being such as yourself, could only have it done three times. They could not be done one after another, but years apart for the sake of safety, and anymore than three in a short time, and you start risking synapsis burnout. Both from the procedure, and from the data integration. That second one is what does most of the actual damage however. For a modified person, such as myself, having the best biosynthetic modifications that exist, even I could only do it so many times before my brain literally melted."

The good Precentor grimaced at the thought. As he did that, I felt another star fall from the Forge. I felt a reach out, and it grabbed something.

Spoiler: Clang!!!!!!

-Secrets of the Ancients (Subnautica) (600CP)

This is a Precursor planet, and that's likely why you came in the first place, because you're something of a Precursor expert. With working examples of the technology in front of you, you will learn to manipulate and eventually recreate their devices. Scanning alien artifacts will provide much more information, as well as blueprints with varying material costs. Some nonstandard buildables will require their own, special constructors.

I am able to control my expression due to the training given to me by the teachers from Dune, and able to keep my excitement, and composure. I also now had fear, as something beyond my control had now appeared into the universe. In this instance, two things came to mind immediately.

First; the Karare Virus. If that suddenly appears on this world, we're fucked. I don't have the enzymes of the Emperor Leviathan to cure it, though Biomega might be able to solve the issue…then again, it might not given the source of problems of that setting. I need to keep a sharp eye out for anything appearing like the virus.

Second; people finding precursor sites, such as Comstar. While they do not have the means or technological prowess to understand the precursor artifacts, it doesn't change that they will be able to reverse engineer some things given enough time.

The one thing preventing me from just outright taking a firm hand at this moment is that the Architects were focused on living in the oceans. While this is not necessarily truth given the world the games are set upon, they give me an edge over everyone if it is the case. I will find all of the sites before anyone else has the chance, and take them for myself. Phase Gate technology and Ion Cube fabrication is something I really, really want.

I push the thoughts away and focus back in the here and now.

"Despite this however, it is well worth the cost, especially given there are three levels of skill shards. Basic, Advanced, and Master, all which give three, six, and ten years of data respectively. Each level gives its own level of strain, so while you could only have three master skill shards, you could easily have nine basic ones before the same occurs."

The Precentor's eyes widened at this, and the cogs turned in his head. Obviously of the potential, and what this could mean for people. "I suppose you have no need for schooling with such technology."

I shook my head.

"While the technology is amazing, we still have schools that teach the old way, though modified for our augmented functions. Despite the Skill Shards, learning the old way is more beneficial as, financially, it costs nothing, does no synapse damage."

I give a wry grin. "Though the youth would argue otherwise."

Lim, despite himself, grinned a little.

"And often gives opportunities and experiences one cannot get otherwise. People often purchase for young children if they have a family tradition or the child wants a path early in life. Otherwise, skill shards are usually purchased when a person finds a career field they have need of but little to no skill for, or to augment what they already possess." I finished before taking in the last of glass of water.

Lim's squinted heavily at the sheer depth of the technology I had presented to him. It was revolutionary by Battletech standards. Hell, by any standard. Unless you were in Cyberpunk, which is what inspired the whole thing.

While I had not developed the cyberware that would allow Skill Shards to be a thing in this world, the BioSynthetic technology did. Though, it did it in a way that is more beneficial in my opinion. Unlike Skill Shards that give and then take away experience and knowledge if inserted and removed, my was more like a fast version of normal learning.

The dangers I presented were quite real though, and I was willing to shelve the tech-path if Breeze, and most of my people, didn't argue for its permanency and getting so much use out of it. Emma, being formally a PDA, had all of the basic data on survival, construction, plus all of the knowledge that subsequently was entered into the device.

That data was the basis of the Shards, which when augmented by the actual experiences of Breeze and all of the Biosynths to the data-net, it was entirely too beneficial to discard now.

Biosynths with the students from the Empire were introduced to it once they were acclimated, and acted like it was always there. The prince, Harold Emeri, and the rest of his class had already gotten three basic shards entered into their minds, which is all they could have at the moment. Mathematics up to a high school level, English up to a high school level, and Subnautican basic "History", "Law", and "Culture".

With the first two, they would be able to grasp the knowledge they were now being taught, and the last was to help integrate themselves among the population and know what was expected of them. It helps that the last one was chock full of my own speeches and such to press the Greater Good upon them even more than it has already. It will make the son, and his fellows, loyal to the idea and to Subnautica over their own nation.

I wouldn't make them turn on their own, as that isn't what I seek, but I could if I wanted to. Wasn't that a scary thing to know.

---

Capital Habitat, Deep Kingdom of Subnautica, Leviathan's Trench
Novo Franklin, Periphery Space
December 20th, 2980 AD

Nyung Lim laid upon his bed in some provided night clothes. The bed was much softer than his own back home, but he wasn't thinking about that as he stared deeply at the ceiling.

Today was a day of revelations, and realizations, and he was burned out by it all.

Subnautica was by far the most advanced society to ever exist. Beyond the Star League in ways he had never imagined those days ago. They were so advanced, and so capable, that the danger they represented to Comstar was on an existential level. This minor kingdom possessed technology that would easily destroy the Inner Sphere in ways that didn't require firing a single shot.

Skill Shards and the technology used to create them alone...It wasn't even a weapon, yet it might as well be! It held the power to uplift people with knowledge, in a near instant, with master level skills that took a lifetime to build, or several basic level skills equivalent to a high school education.

He had mentioned that it would be quite the tool for brainwashing, just to gauge the Sovereign's reaction.

The man just nodded and said it could do exactly that if the program was made to be so. Then went into describing the pros and cons of attempting such a thing on a massive population in the billions. The conclusion, which Lim reluctantly agreed with, was that the best way to do it was subtly over time. Make people trust the technology, and slowly introduce ideas in as time went, as scrubbing went, until a good amount of the desired loyalty and adherence to the brainwasher's motives was achieved.

Lim felt his soul chill at how detailed and thorough he had been about it.

He admitted his predecessors had thought of this very idea, because humans do what humans do, as the Sovereign said. He could not disagree. Any one of the House Lords, and even Comstar, would try this brainwashing in a heartbeat if they could do so without being caught.

He felt actual relief fill him when the Sovereign told him it would never work if the population was constantly changing hands and rulers as they had with the third Succession War, as their brains would fry to nothing from the constant reprogramming, and the fact that such technology needs a dedicated computer network to keep the absolute immense amount of memory space for all of the data required to make the procedure simply function.

Lim had pointed out that Subnautica could do this. The Sovereign shrugged and simply replied, "But would that be for the Greater Good of all?"

He could have argued it would be for them, but then he realized the Sovereign, and Subnautica….really didn't need it. Their technology was so much more advanced than anyone else's, they could just come into a world, construct hospitals, houses, roads, power and transportation infrastructure, along with basic needs, and the world would become loyal. No need for brainwashing when simple good will would win many worlds and their people over.

Simply doing morally good actions would upend everything Comstar had built and worked for. That was how dangerous Subnautica was.

But the thing that made him fill with confusion and despair, was that there likely wasn't anything he could do about it. In fact…a small part of him was wondering if he should do anything about it. He needed to think. He needed to meditate on his next actions.

He wasn't going to be able to sleep tonight.

---

Capital Habitat, Deep Kingdom of Subnautica, Leviathan's Trench
Novo Franklin, Periphery Space
December 26th, 2980 AD

Hyung Lim stood before the Cyclops submarine doors as he and the Sovereign shook hands. He still sported a light hangover from the Christmas Celebration he and his subordinates had been invited to, which also counted as a sendoff party for their little group. It had been an illuminating five days for him. The shock of the first few days had thankfully not been a constant, but it was fairly regular, but he had a decent idea of what Subnautica was capable of now.

It was terrifying, and Comstar was doomed if they ever managed to leave the world.

However…he also came to a different perspective. He had been exposed to many things about the people, their lives, and how they all functioned for the Greater Good. He would never admit it, as such a thing was treasonous, but…he came to appreciate it.

He had been relegated to a backwater world only due to the agricultural importance of the world, and because he hadn't risen high enough to not piss someone off without consequence. Hadn't played politics well enough to use what connections he obtained to prevent such a posting. Despite what connections he did have, he couldn't find out who it was that even pushed for his pseudo-exile.

Comparing his life to that of the people of this Undersea Kingdom…it caused something to grow in him over these days, and he was afraid to admit, he felt unease at leaving it. He wasn't the same man who came here nearly a week ago.

However, he was Comstar, and its goal of the great plan had become his. To lead the Inner Sphere to a brighter future once the House Lords had been reduced to nothing. No longer able to fight. No longer able to make war. Reduced as the people of Novo Franklin's level. To bring them, and all of the people into a new age under Comstar's guidance and leadership.

But…was that for the Greater Good? Would that truly create unity? Or would it just be…another chapter in the tale of tyrants? Was Comstar any different than the Terran Hegemony of old if that were the case?

It had made him look back on history and it was easy to say yes given all of the destruction the Succession Wars had brought about, but going back to before eve that, during the Star League, given all of the intrigue and shadow wars and still present problems that originated from that era… He didn't know.

Which is why he made a decision. He would watch for himself, and see if Subnautica provided a truly better path. It was only a matter of time before they clashed with the surface. The other nations are hearing of them, and war will come as a result.

How Subnautica holds themselves in this will determine what end their path shall lead to.

He will wait, and see for himself, if he wants to be a part of this new path, or remain with the old.

"On behalf of comstar, myself, and my subordinates, we thank you for you allowing us to stay, and show us your wonderous nation."

The Soveriegn grinned and nodded. "And on behalf of my people, I thank you for the recognition of their potential for humanity as a whole."

With a grin upon their faces, they released their hands and he stepped within the submarine.

"May the peace of Blake be upon you."

"May the Greater Good show you the way forward."

The door closed, and they sank beneath the water, leaving the lights of the city, and into the dark of the abyss.

But Lim did not worry, for soon the light of day would be upon him, as it would the consequences of his choices.

Soon, in both cases, he will see what comes of it.

---

Authors Note

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeQThKZBYcI

That's pretty much been the last three days for me. running to responsibilities, while trying to keep myself from falling back on other less important responsibilities.

But that's Winter Prep for you.

Chapter 12 will be up on Patreon later today.

---

Perks gained this Chapter

-Biosynthetics (Biomega) (400CP)
Focusing on what science was available, mankind worked towards a harmonious merge of biology and technology – with the ultimate aim of immortality. Well, they're not quite there yet, or at least, the majority of people aren't quite there yet, but they've managed to merge humans with machines very well. Synthetic appendages, weapon prosthesis, modified senses, internal energy generators, and so forth are all rather commonplace in 3005AD. You'll have an intermediate understanding of the science behind biosynthetics, or a boost if you already knew it to begin with.

-Genius (Rick And Morty) (400CP)
You may not be the Rickest of Ricks but you are the smartest person in your own universe. Your capacity for invention is mind-boggling and even highly advanced alien civilizations barely hold a candle to you.

-Secrets of the Ancients (Subnautica) (600CP)
This is a Precursor planet, and that's likely why you came in the first place, because you're something of a Precursor expert. With working examples of the technology in front of you, you will learn to manipulate and eventually recreate their devices. Scanning alien artifacts will provide much more information, as well as blueprints with varying material costs. Some nonstandard buildables will require their own, special constructors.

 

[GundamChief]

Chapter 1

-Golden Sickle (Asterix the Gaul) (200CP)
This is a sickle made of solid gold, perfect for harvesting materials with magical properties. So perfect, that it has properties of its own. Firstly, any materials harvested using this sickle will never go bad. Food doesn't rot, meat, if you somehow used it on that, doesn't go rancid, magical herbs don't lose their powers. Secondly, it tends to have the exact magical properties you need to harvest any and all magical substances, without too much of a fuss. In essence, you can replace any and all growing and harvesting requirements for an ingredient, like 'needs to see the moon twenty times', or 'dance naked under at twilight carrying a pitcher of water that you then sprinkle' with 'cut using this sickle'. Doesn't apply on the super rare, absolutely one-of-a-kind stuff, mind you. It must be at least somewhat common

-PDA | Scanner | Upgraded scanner | Habitat Constructor (Subnautica) (150CP)

PDA (0CP)
Loaded with an emergency intelligence and more data capacity than you could ever use, this is a survivor's second most powerful tool (after his or her brain.) The AI may get a bit . . . quirky . . . over long deployments. Your version is basically indestructible. Contains basic construction blueprints.

Habitat Constructor (50CP)
As long as the materials are present in your subspace inventory, the Habitat Constructor is capable of creating robust outposts and domiciles. Due to complex structural requirements, the constructor is unable to build anything that isn't anchored to the ground.
* "Complex structural requirements" implies that with sufficient technical abilities this limitation can be overcome.

Scanner (50CP)
The scanner uses the PDA artificial intelligence to analyze an object, often finding weaknesses or uses not immediately apparent to the user. If one of your fabricators is capable of constructing the scanned object, a blueprint is created. Scanning time varies with size and complexity.

Upgraded scanner (50CP)
For those who don't want to get too close to the Reaper Leviathan, but just really want that scan, this upgrade quadruples the scanning distance and speed.

Chapter 2

-Material Limitations (World Seed) (100CP)
Even with the advanced technology commonplace on Earth nowadays, material limitations haven't changed. Or rather, you could say that they've gotten even worse. After all, how are you going to store antimatter if you have only steel at hand? Luckily, you won't ever have problems finding the materials you need. Whether you'll stumble upon them while searching through a scrapyard, or find just the right people who can get you that obscure alloy you need, nothing will stop you from building whatever you want besides your own skill. Well, if you're keeping it reasonable, at least.

The chance of you finding what you're searching for decreases exponentially with the material's strength and rarity, and increases by how much you know about said material, scientifically, and how good your technology skills are. So while a regular schmuck would probably never find Adamantium, someone who could reproduce it themselves in only a few years would have much, much better chances. So if you're in a situation where it is impossible to get what you want with what you know and where you are right now? Then you'll have to get to work yourself. Good riddance then that you can eventually reproduce any material or alloy that you have seen, though for extremely advanced ones it might take an unreasonable amount of time and skill.

Chapter 3

-Huragok Ally (Halo – UNSC) (200CP)
Something of a surprise and most definitely an attention-grabber, a Huragok is supposed to be one of the members of the Covenant Homogeny and has normally been seen only in their presence. Yet Huragok, also known by those in the UNSC as 'Engineers', are primarily pacifistic and dedicate themselves purely to repairing and working on any technology around them. This particular one seems to have gotten lost and ended up deciding to follow you for the sake of making sure your technology was functioning. Aside from melodic whistling sounds that sound slightly similar to Earth whales, Huragoks communicate using either sign language with their tendrils or through text messaging thanks to their penchant of being biological supercomputers. Huragok are highly prized for being able to fix almost anything they touch, and you should expect a lot of questioning if someone spots you with one.

Chapter 4

-Full Storage (Modded Fallout) (400CP)
This old, half-broken Pip-Boy seems to be incapable of even starting its operating system, the diagnostics indicating that the entirety of its vast 64k RAM is already in use. Most people might simply discard it or strip it for spare parts, but a closer look will reveal the exact reason for its fault: its internal database has been crammed full of Fallout design specs, schematics, scientific principles and so on. How full, you ask? Well, it's got just about every semi-common piece of Fallout tech in there somewhere, from Laser Rifle schematics to Assaultron software and Berry Mentat formulations to Power Armor designs. Though mainly limited to the kind of technologies one could have found in the Pre-War world of old, a number of designs that were only finalized in the two centuries following the apocalypse can also be found here (such as the Hydra drug, the Enclave's X-01 and Hellfire armor designs, and the Radium Rifle). Though you'll still need a way to actually build all of these things, this database is nonetheless one of the most spectacular treasures scavvers could find.

Strange Formula (MCU – Part 1) (100 CP)
This chemical formula is the brainchild of the German scientist Dr. Erskine, and is directly responsible for the creation of Captain America. As is, this is only the formula, and you must make it yourself... but as a result it could possibly let you modify the serum for other uses. Beware its tendencies to amplify the personality traits of the user, or be prepared to find a way to fix that fact.

The Greater Good Takes All (Warhammer 40k – T'au) (400 CP)
Unlike the Imperial, Orkish, or Eldar creeds, the Greater Good is happy to accept all peoples into its embrace. Unlike the Necron creed, the Greater Good doesn't simply demand all people in its domain die. You can now convince people of almost all races, cultures, species, and contexts to coexist and work together happily, ensuring that civil strife will not arise from your people and ensure a minimum level of functionality for your society, regardless of how diverse its people. Moreover, while the most zealous will be beyond this ability to sway and integrate, you will still be able to understand them and anticipate them to a degree.

Bulwark of Harmony (SB Stellaris) (400 CP)
Defensive wars are so much easier than offensive wars. When fighting an invader inside your territory, or territory that used to be yours, you can fight so much harder. You hit ten times as strong, and can take ten times the beating. Your nerves are unbreakable, and your aim is far better.

(Notes): These apply in some form to any empire, nation, civilization, or organization under your control, even if you don't Import your Empire into that future Jump. The perks will be adapted as needed to actually be relevant towards any organization they are applied to. The party does directly benefit from effects that affect the people in these organizations.

Chapter 5

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.

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.

Martial Culture (Civilization) 100 CP)
Discipline radiates from every defensive wall and the hearts of all who are of your Civilization. People who follow you or are loyal to your cause gain a soldier's bearing and commitment to their cause that fits in seamlessly with their lives they are more professional and dedicated than before, but no less 'themselves'. As an added benefit, physical training for yourself and those who follow you are twice as effective, ensuring everyone is acting at peak performance.

Chapter 6

-Biosynthetics (Biomega) (400CP)
Focusing on what science was available, mankind worked towards a harmonious merge of biology and technology – with the ultimate aim of immortality. Well, they're not quite there yet, or at least, the majority of people aren't quite there yet, but they've managed to merge humans with machines very well. Synthetic appendages, weapon prosthesis, modified senses, internal energy generators, and so forth are all rather commonplace in 3005AD. You'll have an intermediate understanding of the science behind biosynthetics, or a boost if you already knew it to begin with.

-Genius (Rick And Morty) (400CP)
You may not be the Rickest of Ricks but you are the smartest person in your own universe. Your capacity for invention is mind-boggling and even highly advanced alien civilizations barely hold a candle to you.

-Secrets of the Ancients (Subnautica) (600CP)
This is a Precursor planet, and that's likely why you came in the first place, because you're something of a Precursor expert. With working examples of the technology in front of you, you will learn to manipulate and eventually recreate their devices. Scanning alien artifacts will provide much more information, as well as blueprints with varying material costs. Some nonstandard buildables will require their own, special constructors.

Chapter 7

-Particle Physics (Bioshock Infinite) (300CP)
You are an extremely well-educated physicist and have a fine working knowledge of Lutece particles. Use of such particles allows you to cause massive objects to float or hover, even whole buildings and cities.

-I Know What We're Going To Do Today (Phineas and Ferb) (400CP)
24 hours just doesn't seem like enough time to get stuff accomplished, but you'd be surprised what determination (and this perk) can get you. You can now complete days and even weeks worth of work in just a few hours, and this effect increases tremendously when you have a few helpers, to the point where a small team can work with you to complete years worth of work in a simple afternoon.

Chapter 8

-Fun in the Sun (Warhammer 40k – T'au Empire) (100CP)
Plasma, radiation, and antimatter are all similar in that they relate to exotic and high energy states of matter, whether it is stellar mass or individual particles of subatomic size. You now are a master of T'au technology as it relates to manipulating these high-energy states of matter and the physics that underpin them.

-Workshop Artisan (Bloodborne) (300CP)

As if taught at the long gone workshop, you seem to possess knowledge and skill with many of their crafting techniques. You have been granted the knowledge and skills needed to both repair and even create your own Trick Weapons and Hunter's Tools.
Trick Weapons are weapons with a variety of special abilities relating to their form. The most common type of Trick Weapons are those that can transform in some manner. An example being swords that can lock into specialized sheaths in order to become different weapons, sometimes radically so. Not to say transformation is the only ability, there are also melee weapons with guns attached, and maces that can be charged with unnatural blue electricity to deal massive damage.
Hunter's Tools are pieces of equipment with special abilities activated by using Blood Bullets or Quicksilver Bullets as a medium. Hunter's Tools are usually supernatural items that have been made to work using a Blood/Quicksilver Bullet medium, such as the Beast Roar, a beast's claw that when activated, allows the wielder to roar like a beast.
Some Hunter's Tools are completely man made as well, though this is a relative minority. Basically, you now know how to convert things into being activated and powered by Blood Bullets and Quicksilver Bullets. Doing so allows anyone to use them, even if they are completely mundane beings, so long as they have the bullets mentioned above on their person. When making Hunter's Tools, remember that the more power something requires, the bullets the wielder will need. These skills granted to you may be honed over time, just as any other skill can.

-Constructor Drone and AI Kernel (Warhammer 40k: T'au Empire) (100CP)

This drone is an automated constructor unit, capable of building simple machines and buildings on its own and more complicated structures and technologies under your direct supervision, so long as it has materials to work with. Its tools can be easily customized or replaced with new or different technologies. Moreover, its software includes a kernel that can be used to grow specialized AI and VI systems optimized for various computational substrates and tasks that are always loyal to you.

 

[GundamChief]

Capital Habitat, Deep Kingdom of Subnautica, Leviathan's Trench
Novo Franklin, Periphery Space
January 3rd, 2981 AD

I stared down at the new map markers that were added to the holographic map of Novo Franklin over the last week. Fifteen Architect sites had been discovered so far, and most of them were centered around the Northern Ocean about underwater volcanos and deep reefs. The first of them to be discovered however was right here in this trench he had chosen.

It made sense to a degree given how the Architects operated, but it was still a shock to him to have a site to readily accessible. Well...if he were playing the game, this location would actually be one of the final locations of the game to reach given where it was, and probably filled with terrifying Leviathans of some kind.

Each Site wasn't a single facility, but rather a location possessing a half dozen or so such facilities, plus one to two dozen smaller artifacts scattered about the site location.

The one in this trench had six facilities. One was a centralized Phase Gate transportation hub. I was over the moon that I had access to that technology, even though it was too far in advancement for us to currently reproduce beyond one in space. Emma more or less "remembered" how to make one once she had access to the device, and took it upon herself to design the space bound facility.

The gate within this facility was beyond useful for more than the technology it provided, as it could be used to open a path to all sites that were connected. The main issue was that they lacked power however, and needed to be powered to allow a connection to occur. So, I needed to send out teams of exploration subs to find them and power them up.

Which brought me to Ion Cubes. Which I now had access to with the Growth Forge the gate facility possessed. When I first saw it in the flesh, it was beautiful. The best way to describe it was like…watching a newly born flower in the evening sun. It was captivating, with an ethereal quality that could not be denied.

I wanted the Ion Cubes and their resulting technology for the power they generated, but with both my peak human functioning brain, biosynthetic mods, my Rick-ness, I was not only able to quickly figure out how they were made and what other functions the possessed, but what they potentially could do beyond what they could already give.

I was already redesigning old technologies, and researching new ones to take advantage of this. To facilitate this, I had to create a testing facility in another part of the trench that was a big box that was miles in size, but mostly hollow. I reinforced it further in case something…catastrophic happened inside or outside and caused a breach. Repair Drones with Ion Power Cells were on standby for such an event.

One of the first weapons I was able to make in this manner were good ol' Laser weapons. I now had UV and X-Ray Lasers that can be mounted on a mech. Followed that were Autocannons that fired Ion Rounds, which made them into nuclear machine guns. I had to shave the size of the ion chunks inside the warhead tips to make them safe for use, as it was like firing Davy Crocketts and very nearly caused a breach when it was fired for the first time.

I kept it as an option for artillery however. It wasn't War-Crimes-O'Clock yet, but I can very quickly make it so with such ammunition.

The smallest I could make Ion Rounds, currently, were heavy weapons for Power Armor and anti-mech grade weapons. I couldn't arm my infantry with such just yet. Nano-Fabrication technology from Subnautica, let alone the Covenant, were precise enough to quickly fabricate small arms ammunition. Ion Cube shavings were finicky as they hadn't enough mass to keep the energy contained. It either spontaneously exploded when shaved that small, or just lost the charge. I'm certain the Architects could do it, but I didn't have all their stuff yet.

That was only the most immediate things we could weaponize with the new power cell technology and raw Ion Cubes available to us. I already had plans to see about creating Ion Cube powered engines for spacecraft, aerospace fighters, land vehicles, mechs, the works. Potentially I could create a better Hyperdrive than what is currently used in the Inner Sphere, but that's a time off.

I walked away from the Hologram, and back into the lab where Breeze was floating about, now surrounded by a dozen holographic screens with different projects. I had been worried I was working the snail too hard, but they just waved me off and said they were much happier than they ever were with the Covenant. I took them at their word and didn't make an issue of it, though I told them to take a break once in awhile.

"Do that yourself." It replied at the time.

A wry grin formed on my face as I reminisced, thinking back on all the time I had been in this world. It was an endless amount of work when it came down to it. Granted, I took the path and accepted my choices, but it was the hardest I ever worked in my life…actually, no, that's not accurate.

It wasn't so much how hard it was, but how constant it was. Even if I was taking it easy, I was still working and doing things that needed done. I guess, given how my old life was, it wasn't that much of a change, except in scale and complexity.

I paused as I felt a star falling from the forge. I felt it miss, and went back to the list of the facilities we had catalogued in detail so far. I felt immense relief when I learned that the Karare Bacteria was not brought along for the ride with the Architect sites, as the false "Lore" we uncovered from the various sites was that this world had been closed off from the rest Architects empire. The infection had gotten through anyways and began wreaking havoc as it had elsewhere, and like the main setting of the game, the Architects uploaded themselves into a storage unit to await reuploading.

Whether I had an entire civilization worth of Architects on this world now or not was something I was very worried about for many reasons. However, while the Architects might be here, the bacteria wasn't not since it appeared that the transference was just their technology and sites, and nothing biological. The Architect scanners, which were far more advanced than anything including the Covenant based ones Shelma gave us, did a scan of each site they had a connection to, and the Karare detection showed negative findings.

Well…I was assuming it hadn't come through. We hadn't found all of the sites, and evidently, there might be about thirty more major sites around the world. If it did come, I would immediately freak out, calm down, and do everything in my power to contain the area it was present in.

Breeze floated over, showing me a new item.

"A new site has been discovered. It's on an archipelago near the equator. It's a space port!"

I blinked and immediately pulled up the data. "Please tell me we have ships."

Breeze nodded excitedly, waving a tentacle and showing me photos of ships on landing pads. They were made of that Architect alloy we discovered was much stronger than Plasteel by an order of magnitude. We now called it Arcitecium after its creators. Their design immediately reminded me of something.

"They look like Forerunner ships."

"I noticed the similarities myself, and given the advanced biotechnology the Forerunners possessed themselves, it appears to be a case of parallel development despite being a universe away. It makes same wonder if advanced races gravitate towards similar designs once they reach a certain state of development."

I shrugged. "I can't say myself, but I think the Scryve from Star Control might disa…" then I paused and gave that race a bit more thought, specifically to what they do to their "client" races, and their ship designs compared to other, similarly leveled races across the multiverse.

"Actually, you might have something there." I admitted.

"You will have to tell me who the Scryve are at a later time. For now, I think I should personally go to site. I can figure out the ship's computer architecture a lot faster than anyone else. Allow us to take control of these assets sooner than later."

I felt myself wince slightly before looking at Breeze. I felt hesitation at what is my first companion, aside from Emma. Breeze saw my hesitation and laid a tentacle on my shoulder.

"It will be alright. I'll keep in constant contact, and will have Biosynths with me. Plus, a contingent of our most powerful combat units. Nothing will harm me with that protection."

I stared at Breeze before letting out a long sigh.

"Alright, but you arm yourself…alright. I'm being silly. Of course you will take your combat suit."

Breeze gave a smug whale call. "Of course."

Said combat suit was one Breeze, Emma, and I designed using the cutting edge of all the technology trees we have access to. Arcitecium armor, anti-gravity, force fields, linear cannons now equipped with ion rounds, UV-Laser repeaters, Nano-repair hives, seeker launchers, the works. This thing was a miniature mobile combat fortress under the control of a living super computer. One wouldn't think so when looking at it, because it was a simple orb of the green alloy. It was when it started fighting that it revealed the monster it was.

I nodded. "Alright. Head out when you are ready, be sure to say goodbye to Emma before you do."

Breeze nodded before returning to the holograms around it, which I could see where preparation manifests for the trip. We both stopped when the door opened and Emma came jogging through, a look of concern on her face.

"What's up?" I frowned as I approached her.

Glancing to me, she slowed to a walk and held up her holographic interface. "We have a communique from Carson Emeri. This is important and you need to speak to him personally."

I raised a brow, and nodded. "Send it to the office." I ordered as I walked into the private space.

Sitting down inside of the windowless room, I adjusted my clothes to look more presentable and opened the line.

Carson's face appeared, and he had grown a small beard since I last saw him.

"Carson. Nice to hear from you, but given the urgency of Emma, I take it this isn't a social call?" I asked, getting to the point.

Carson gave a wry grin. "I'm afraid not. It looks like our neighbors are finally wising up to the happenings around here and are getting antsy. In just the last few days, I've had threats, offers of alliance, trade deals, and declarations of war if I didn't share the 'bounty' I had fallen upon."

I frowned grimly. "Anyone looking to earn an ass kicking?" I growled.

Carson barked a laugh. "Well, I'm glad your ready to throw down again if it happens, but not at the moment. Most of these are just people poking to see what's what. Speaking of which, Comstar has seen fit to offer a small branch in our territory for easier access to their services. I said 'sure' and now they have a branch thanks to the fabricators."

I nodded. I only hoped they didn't try to…oh who am I kidding, of course they'll try to peel the walls to see what made the habitats tick.

"I'm glad to hear that. Precentor Hyung was very cordial, and not just because of our toys." I smirked.

Carson snorted. "When you are as advanced as Terra supposedly, it keeps the arrogance in check." He shook his hand. "Anyways, I can handle these things, but one of the people who spoke to us is a longtime ally. They've been listening to our broadcasts on the radio, and on a visit they got a good look at the benefits of our alliance and wanted to be a part of it. I would have just given him some stuff, but…I had an inkling of an idea."

I leaned forward, placing my hands on the desk. I had been about to speak when I felt another star fall. It missed, and I moved on with the discussion. "Go on."

"When I asked if he was sure, he admitted in the past he would have asked me to go behind your back. I would have too, if I might be honest." He admitted slightly ashamed.

"I understand, and wouldn't blame you for it. We got great toys." I grinned, keeping it light.

He appeared relieved and smiled. "I'm glad you see it that way. That being said, he instead asked to join because of one thing specifically. The Greater Good. It appears he was quite taken with the whole idea of how we are going about it. Normally it would be an act of naivety, but seeing the benefits, and how well off my people are as a result, he came around to it."

I give a look of surprise, though in truth, I wasn't. I expected this in fact. Sooner or later people would be influenced enough by the Greater Good to willing hand themselves over to the greater whole. I nodded at him.

"I'm happy he shares our views. Is he aware of what you and I get out of our alliance?"

"I explained it to him, and he was surprised at how simple it was given the technology and power involved, but when he saw your technology in action, he understood the weight and reason for it."

Carson leaned forward. "As a long time ally of this man and his family, I can vouch for his intentions and believe we should allow him into this alliance of ours."

I leaned back. I stayed silent, in thought about the things I need to become aware of if this were to go forward. I wanted to grow this alliance more until the world was under control.

"Alright. Is he there with you now?"

Carson grinned. "He is, I can bring him into this-"

I waved off and shook my head. "I have one better. How about we speak, face to face about this."

Carson grin wider. "Even better. I'll ready some lunch for-"

I waved him off again, this time I smirked.

"No, this time, I'll bring you both here for lunch, and discussion."

Carson froze before sitting down slowly, eyes wide. "To Subnautica?"

I nodded. "Your son is here, and I invited Comstar due to their being extranational organization, so it's only fair I finally invite you, yours, and our prospective ally to see the capital with your own eyes."

Carson's eyes widened further before he nodded vigorously. "I accept your invitation."

I smiled. "Alright. Take a ride to Seabreak, and I'll give you a ride down. Just send a list of how many people you are bringing before you do so I know how many subs to send."

After a bit of detail hashing, I closed down the transmission and leaned back in the chair before standing up and getting to work.

Only for two stars to suddenly fall. I paused for a moment, and felt them both get taken into my soul.

-Particle Physics (Bioshock Infinite) (300CP)

You are an extremely well-educated physicist and have a fine working knowledge of Lutece particles. Use of such particles allows you to cause massive objects to float or hover, even whole buildings and cities.

-I Know What We're Going To Do Today (Phineas and Ferb) (400CP)

24 hours just doesn't seem like enough time to get stuff accomplished, but you'd be surprised what determination (and this perk) can get you. You can now complete days and even weeks worth of work in just a few hours, and this effect increases tremendously when you have a few helpers, to the point where a small team can work with you to complete years worth of work in a simple afternoon.

Click to shrink...

"FUCK!" I yelped as I fell to the floor grabbing my head in agony. Soon the pain passed to a mild soreness, and I slowly stood up, still holding the side of my face.

"Well…I can make things super fast now. Awesome…also…"

I look up with a scowl. "I SWEAR TO GOD, IF YOU TWO FUCK WITH ME, I WILL PERSONALLY SHOVE RYAN'S LIGHT HOUSE UP. YOUR. ASS!!!"

I waited for a reply, some glib comment about how there are two of them even if truthfully, they are in fact the same person, only to receive silence, and I nodded with satisfaction that at least I didn't have to deal that that bag of bullshit. Hopefully. I like Elizebeth, as many do, but she's just more than I want to deal with.

"Shifts with Breeze! I got new things, put that trip on pause for a bit!" I shouted as I walked out of the office.

In the silence of the now empty, and darkened office…the air flickered for only a moment, and a silver dollar fell onto the office chair. It landed tails up.

"….Interesting."

---

Capital Habitat, Deep Kingdom of Subnautica, Leviathan's Trench
Novo Franklin, Periphery Space
January 5th, 2981 AD

Devlin Fields stared in open awe and excitement as he gazed upon the shining city, he and others heard only rumors over. His seven-foot-tall, well-muscled frame leaned far over the railing as he looked as far below the Cyclops viewport as he could, only Carson pulling him back on his cape preventing him from nearly falling over, again.

Initially he dismissed Subnautica, and everything regarding them as ridiculous tall tales, until they started involving his friend Carson Emeri. He finally called upon his friend when he finally heard the rumors grow into an alliance between the undersea kingdom and his, looking to get some facts.

He hardly could believe his own friend when he confirmed everything, and then invited him over for a visit. He wasn't able to, but he took the invitation for a later time and was given a radio frequency. The radio signals he had heard over time shifted his views as he listened more and more, and came to realize something big was happening.

Devlin changed his views completely when his childhood friend suddenly made a road to the edge of their borders, and then to his town, and right into his castle. Seeing the machines and workers in stark white and aquamarine place ferrocrete on the ground as easily as you put a coat of paint on a wall was astonishing.

All the while his friend grinned like a cat who caught the canary.

That day, Carson showed his toys that he gained from Subnautica, and how absolutely insane fighting a war with them for the technology would be with pictures one of the Queen's guards took of the fleet when the Sovereign met with his friends' wife in an official capacity.

The rom of the one unit, a Milita-mech equivalent of all things, utterly trounced the invading forces that nearly killed his friend. He was furious when he learned that little bit and was ready to murder the leftovers, when his friend laughed and eased him down.

Then he told the whole story. A lord of the deep, somehow a 'guest' of his empire, took part as a levy for two battles, and the resulting alliance. He was then showed the old empire, versus the new. Then Carson gave details of the alliance, and of the gifts he gave over as a measure of friendship. A dropship and mechs.

He couldn't help himself. He wanted in, right there. If the benefits were that great, he'd be an idiot for not joining.

He convinced his friend to call on the Sovereign, and was ready to give the best sales pitch of his life when the Sovereign instead invited Carson and himself to the Undersea Kingdom's capital.

He didn't refuse, and went that very day with a handful of his people he could get on short notice. Now everyone of Emeri's family, and of himself and his entourage, were staring at a wonder straight out of myth.

"By the Devil's Tits, they really are an undersea kingdom!" He guffawed loudly. Glancing over to Carson, he gave a wide grin. "And this is your first time?"

Carson nodded, holding his youngest who looked out in wide-eyed wonder.

"He was going to invite me later, but we both had a lot of work to do. Him reasserting himself, and I rebuilding and upgrading our holdings and quality of life. I suppose he just decided to do that now."

With a laugh he shook his head. "That or he saw this as killing two birds with one stone. I'm impressed enough by what you had, but this, bah! If I were more suspicious, I'd say it was compensating for something!"

Carson gave a dry grin. "He's not the type to measure himself to other men's…abilities."

Devlin rolled his eyes before grinning a devil-may-care grin.

The rest of the ride was more rubber-necking until they got into the port. Something they call a "Moon-Pool". Why they call it that, he had no idea. It sounded fancy enough he supposed.

Upon opening to the chamber, Carson smiled as his son Harold stood in a clean and stylish uniform of some kind. The two embraced, as did the Queen and young ones. Devlin's eyes however were on the beauty that stood by with a small grin as the family began their jabbering.

She was statuesque for a woman, a little over six feet tall, fit with military dress and the unmistakable makings of a warrior. A Battlemech Patch on her left shoulder and on her…generous chest, marked her as a mechwarrior. She appeared older than young Harold.

"Father, Mother, allow me to introduce the head instructor of my education. Colonel Martress"

Martress stepped forward with a click of her heels and gave a salute before shaking hands.

"A pleasure to meet you all. Your son is under my tutelage while in our care, and has been doing well so far."

Harold flushed slightly in surprise at her, standing a bit taller. "Though he's still just meat for the moment." She added with a hint of a smirk, causing the boy to slump.

Carson and Devlin held in laughs, reminiscing for a moment of their own tutelage. They were called far worse.

"I am however here in an official capacity as the Sovereign wishes for me to escort you to him. He's currently overseeing some new equipment he wants to show off."

Turning to Harold, the Colonel spoke in a commanding manner. "Cedet Emeri, you are to take your family, and have a good time. Understood?"

"Yes Maam!" he replied before being dismissed, leading his mother, sister, and little brother a small portion of their entourage and guards. They boarded a tram, and waved at Carson as they took off.

With only the remnants left, Colonel Martress nodded just as a new tram arrived.

"Lord Emeri, Lord Fields, Arms Masters, if you would please follow me."

They followed, with Devlin getting a good look at her derriere as she walked into the Tram. Carson nudge him with a wry grin. "It's quite the view." He said openly with a grin.

"Wait till we get moving." Martress stated, glancing over her shoulder directly at Devlin. The look in her Amber eyes caught him holding a breath for a moment. They stared deeply before the corners of her moth lifted up a little, and turned away with a toss of her hair. Carson nudged him again, expression practically saying "DO EEEET!"

Later…he'll shoot his shot later.

The tram ride showed off the city, which caught their attention in many ways. Eventually however, they ended up going on a line that was not a part of the civilian network, and ended up traveling off the capital and into a tunnel that went out of the city and into the deep dark. The tram sped up to a boggling three hundred kilometers per hour. For two minutes they rode in the deep black before a huge block of white appeared in the distance.

It was gigantic, and both Caron and himself stared in grim expressions. The amount of resources to create a building of this size, at this depth, defied their understanding.

Soon the Tram passed through a checkpoint, and Martress turned to face them.

"What you are about to see here is not a state secret, but not known outside of Subnautica. Per our alliance agreement, you Carson, will be privy to the development of these technologies."

She turned and her amber eyes delved into his.

"You are here as an invitee, but should you join the alliance, you will also be privy to developments here. Please keep what you see here to yourself." She stated with a hint of firmness.

Devlin however, read between the lines. While he was always more hands on than most, he had a lord's education, and realized the implications on several levels. An unspoken threat, carrot and stick, and bait, all in one. He grinned at her, challenge in his eyes. She raised a small brow, eyes twinkling before the room was bathed in red. A light like a laser passed over everyone, then a green one, and finally a blue one, before the light returned to normal.

Soon they entered a small loading zone with lockers and seats, passing through another security checkpoint, before going into room overlooking an enormous white chamber that…appeared like the surface world.

Devlin blinked and head swiveled left, right, up, and down at the landscape. It looked like the surface. Blue skies, grassy fields with rocky plateaus. It seemed to stretch for miles in all directions, and he had to look behind them to make certain the wall was still behind them.

"What the hell is this?" Carson's right-hand man, Man-At-Arms Robert Halsely, exclaimed as he looked at everything.

Confusion gave way to alarm when a distant explosion filled the air that appeared sizable. The ball of flame and smoke rose up before being blown to and fro by two points of light that appeared. They moved with speed, but the details were not apparent until Colonel Martress pressed a hand on the window, and an image of…

"Holograms." Someone said before the window was filled up with two video images of two machines, with the image edge point out which was which.

Both were sleek looking mechs of a type he had never seen before. Incredible pillars of flame burned from small parts of their bodies as they maneuvered about. Less like aircraft but more like…he did not know what to call it. Devlin's heart was pumping as his eyes focused upon the second machine. It lacked legs entirely, instead possessing what looked like pontoons with rocket thrusters built into specific portions.

Despite this strange design, the mechs was fast…insanely fast. It hugged the ground in an ground-force effect and moved flawlessly about the terrain, no matter how impossible that should have been given how rough the terrain was. They fired bolts of green and beams of white at one another as they maneuvered in order to get a clean shot, often dodging away before the shot was fired.

"C'mon Blue! Show that Red what for!" he shouted. Having gotten into it, Colonel Martress giving a grin at him with a raised brow before looking back at the battle.

After this back and forth, the blue machine finally got a hit on the red, and Devlin found himself shouting in cheer. The fast pace of the battle got him pumped up! This was amazing! HE WANTS ONE!

The sound of a horn filled the air, and the battle promptly stopped.

"Kill score. Battle complete. All units return to holding."

Colonel Martress grinned as she turned around and led them down to the mech bay where several machines like the one in the battle-rom were standing and being cared for and modified here and there. As they rode in a ground car down the line, he was in silent awe of the metal titans he was walking between, and quietly intimidated when he realized he was looking at what appeared to be several regiments worth of machines.

Eventually they stopped and it was before the blue machine they had just seen. Devlin jumped out like a school boy and stood in front of the machine.

"Look at you! You're even better up close!" He shouted with a wide grin.

Colonel Martress walked over and took his arm and pulled him away. "Eh? Wha-why!? Aw c'mon let me look at it!"

Martress giggled quietly and Devlin blinked before grinning. Oh, he was taking this one for sure! They stopped by Carson and the group, being released by the Colonel who then stood to attention.

The action made him blink before noticing where she, and other soldiers in their group, were looking.

A pilot with a full suit and helmet came down on a metal cable that provided a foot and hand hold, before jumping off and onto the ground.

"Woo, that was a rush." The pilot said as he pulled off his helmet revealing a young man. Devlin was already walking forward and inches from the man's face when he finally noticed Devlin literally in front of him.

"Uh! Woah there. Who-" Devlin grinned and put his hands on the pilot's shoulders.

"That was some of the best piloting I have ever seen, and this machine is amazing! You have to tell me about it!"

The man stared, befuddled before looking over towards Carson, who looked stricken at him, palm on his forehead whenever he rushed headlong into things.

"What? I wanna know about this amazing machine! If this is something the Sovereign is making, than we're gonna get along!"

He then saw Colonel Martress who looked torn between laughing her head off, and tearing his off.

"Devlin…my friend…that pilot is the Sovereign." Carson said in a suffering tone.

He blinked, before looking back down at the young man, who was grinning at him with am amusement. He stare for a moment before shrugging and pulling the Sovereign into a bro-hug with one arm.

"Well that just makes this easier!" he shouted before giving a cheerful laugh.

---

Author's Note

Chapter 12 is up on Patreon. soon, 13 will be as well.

---

Perks gained this Chapter

-Particle Physics (Bioshock Infinite) (300CP)

You are an extremely well-educated physicist and have a fine working knowledge of Lutece particles. Use of such particles allows you to cause massive objects to float or hover, even whole buildings and cities.

-I Know What We're Going To Do Today (Phineas and Ferb) (400CP)

24 hours just doesn't seem like enough time to get stuff accomplished, but you'd be surprised what determination (and this perk) can get you. You can now complete days and even weeks worth of work in just a few hours, and this effect increases tremendously when you have a few helpers, to the point where a small team can work with you to complete years worth of work in a simple afternoon.[/quote]

 

[GundamChief]

Capital Habitat, Deep Kingdom of Subnautica, Leviathan's Trench
Novo Franklin, Periphery Space
January 5th​, 2981 AD

Okay, I was not expecting to meet Chris Hemsworth today playing Thor, but God Damn that's who I was dealing with right now.

If it had not been for…everything that I had gained and done up to this point, this man would be a complete opposite of me. I liked my solitude, my being out in the world, and dealing with people rarely. This guy would tire me out within hours if and I hung out, not that such a guy would be around m to start with.

Gregarious, charismatic, and if my reading of my Colonel Biosynth is correct, a Ladies Man of fine tastes. Cultured one might say. I guess my choosing her to test the man out was a good decision. If she wants to make this more than nothing, I'm fine with it. Makes keeping the man close enough to influence and bring into the fold easier.

I watched as his Regent was giving his Lord a small lecture about calming down who just let it roll over him like water off a duck's back. So, I guess strong willed is another way to describe the man. I allowed him to do so while looking down at the PDA about the mech I had tested out personally.

Thanks to Phineas and Ferb, I was able to construct designs and fabricate within hours of coming up with them now. Breeze was having a ball, and was reluctant to leave for the Architect Space Port due to finally having someone aside from Emma to build things with. I insisted due to needing to get a solid hold on that site before anyone else noticed. Plus, with the ability, we can quickly take apart and rebuild the ships when the time came for me to personally work on them.

So, Breeze was on their way to the site, and I spent the time building the new mech designs we made using the Lutece Particle physics we gained. I was feeling paranoid, though I probably shouldn't, but I couldn't help it when it came to Bioshock. I told my security to be on the look out for the pair of red headed twins, or Elizabeth, even if it amounted to nothing in the end.

With the new physics, controlling quantum particles in such a way was interesting to say the least. The Lutece Particle already existed in the real world, but it functioned in a specific way. This Bioshock variant expanded that to be something usable. I learned how Colombia was able to fly in the air beyond "quantum stasis" keeping them up. Lots of people had questions as to why the city rose and fell like it were operating on hot air and the like, or why they shifted like they were riding on waves.

I have come to learn that both were easily answered.

For the first, it was because they could program the particles to move in three dimensions based on how much energy they were given, which in turn increased or decreased their "density", and whether the particles were positive or negative in their charge which can make them be attracted or repelled on specific paths that they are programmed to be attached to. A positive charge made them travel the path to point A from Point B, and vice versa when changed to a negative charge. That same path can cause that object to increase its elevation if the energy made the particles denser, or to decrease elevation is the energy is lowered, thus making it less dense.

It's how Columbia was able to control traffic and schedule when portions of the city connected to other portions of the city.

As for why the city operated like it was on the ocean when it was in the air, it's because the people asking the question forget the biggest source of electromagnetic energy to Columbia. The Earth. It has a power electromagnetic field, and a gravity field as well. Gravity gets removed from the equation when Quantum Stasis comes into play, but it still pulls despite it due to mass. Couple this with the earth having spots on the surface that lower or raise the electromagnetic field depending on mineral formations, cities, and the poles, it causes the particles in the city to rise and fall to match the stasis point, to keep itself level with the point above the Earth that was set.

How the hell Comstock and Lutece managed to figure this out with great war era technology is a mystery. Ricks smarts give me several ideas which involve a lot of tesla coils and mechanical calculators connected to particle crushers, but that's not a rabbit hole I want to go down outside of mere curiosity.

Knowing these things, it was actually easy to create a machine to produce the particles, and from there other machines to utilize them. Combat usage being one of the first things I wanted to test it out with.

Programming a computer to control the particles density and energy conversion, while fighting at high speeds, was a mess to accomplish, and took most of yesterday to do. It got done and today we fabricated the machines to test out this new tech-path.

I was pleased to say the least. It opened…so many different possibilities. I could construct a modern-day version of Columbia that looked like something from Star Wars. As for mechs, I can straight up make Armored Core units now, and warships. My submarines can become airborne and become airships. I potentially can make them into space warships, though I might have to make them on the surface for that purpose.

Look out Inner Sphere, the Age of the Warship has returned, and it's worse since warships can now travel to land and sea.

I looked up and felt a star fall. The forge reached out for it and missed. I didn't even react as Regent was about finished his lecture and I handed the pad to one of my engineers to get to work, before stepping in.

"I don't mind, it's an interesting way to meet someone to say the least. Not many people go gaga about mechs with me on first meet."

Carson and his Man-at-Arms accepted my words with amusement, while the Regent gave out a long-suffering sigh while the big guy, Devlin, just grins while catapulting his arms. Made him look like a dork that didn't just get in my face and gush over a new toy. Don't make me like you dammit!

"So you're Devlin Fields, Carsons oldest friend?"

"That I am! Even if he says otherwise, which means he's mad at me for some reason." He said as he lowered his arms and walked over, hand out for a shake.

I took it and gave it a good shake, matching his grip which surprised him, but he only grinned a bit more. We released and I gave a look over the Regent.

"And whom are you?"

The Regent stood taller and gave a respectful bow. "I am Caelin Demonte your majesty. My lords Regent advisor and Man-At-Arms."

I nodded back in recognition. "Thank you all for coming."

Giving them all a short look over, I grinned a little.

"Well, I know you hadn't been given a real tour just yet, but…Subnautica. First Impression?"

"Like a city out of myth." Carson replied, not hiding the wonder he had.

"Breath taking." His second replied.

"I agree with Lord Emeri's expression." Regent Demonte answered.

"Shiny and Bright in the Dark. Lots-" Devlion's eyes shift to Martress. "-and Lots to see. I wanna see everything and more."

I snort. "With that outlook, you just might."

Devlin realized there he had been caught by me, but he just shrugged and nodded. The Regent just sighed a little.

"That being said, you asked about this mech. Well, it's one of the things I wanted to show off to Carson since he's getting one."

Carson's eyes widened in shock and the rest did the same, save Martress.

"And since you're all here, let me show it off. C'mon." I waved for them to follow.

Both of the Lords immediately did so, like youngsters instead of grown men. The others followed closely, but less quickly. Due to the Simple Words perk I had gained, I was able to explain complicated subjects of what it was and how it was able to function as it did. By the time I had finished explaining, and answering a question here and there, they all more or less understood what the machine did and why it was able to do what it does.

Carson was in awe of such a complicated machine being before him. Devlin grinned at all of its capabilities and wanted a ride. The others were in similar camps, though the Regent and Man-at-Arms were more calculating.

"You can't handle this thing yet, so we need to put you both in the simulator. Fortunately, ours are better than the Star Leagues, so it's as real as it gets."

Devlin looked dejected and a little mad at being called incapable, but then brightened up at the mention of simulators superior to even the best ones made.

"Well, lead the way! Let's have some fun!"

I nearly rolled my eyes, but instead nodded. "Martress. If you would."

"Yes, my Sovereign." She replied with a grin of her own before leading the group back to the ground car and driving off. It wasn't long before we stopped before the simulation control section. The room was filled with dozens of Simulator Pods that combined Fallout, Subnautican, and Covenant technology to create something out of this world.

"This room isn't just for simulations and training, but also to control mechs remotely so as to not get killed when piloting a prototype or something." I explained.

I stopped when Devlin and Carson began to take off their shirts before I waved them off.

"You don't need to strip down, unless you want an authentic experience."

Carson stopped for a moment in thought, but Devlin just kept going. "Of course! Make it as real as you can get it!"

He was making eyes with Colonel Martress, who was giving a quirked brow as he did so.

I shrugged. He didn't need to strip since the heat issue mechs had in this universe had long since been made moot by superior heat sink technology. Thanks to the Architects, and to a lesser extent, quantum physics, my best machines can now use Quantum Storage technology to just transfer heat out of the machine and into multiple radiators along the oceans floor across Subnautican territory. For machines without it, each heat sink was now equivalent to ten heat sinks at three tons each, and most had only two or three.

With the introduction of Ion Crystal Reactors however, heat sinks might be reduced even further to handle what the body itself produces, and perhaps to the point where weapons had them in-built.

I didn't voice this as I was allowing Martress to have a floor show since I might use her as the honeypot after this, depending on how far he's willing to pursue.

He was given a pilots suit like mine, which actually did come equipped with a cooling system in case it did get hot in there. Devlin and Carson cut heroic figures when they placed them on.

I pulled the neural helmets for them, which appeared as simple ring crowns.

"These take the place of neural helmets, but are the simple models."

They looked surprised again, taking them in hand and giving them a look over in fascination.

"Never seen such a small device." Regent Demonte murmured as he looked upon it in his Lord's hands.

Soon enough, they placed them on and got into a pair of pods. I got into one myself soon after, mine already connecting to mission control. I paused as I felt another star fall, but then passed by. I felt relief at that, as getting something like an object would have been really awkward.

"Sovereign to Mission control."

"We read you Sovereign."

"Place us all into P.M. 2.3s, and give us a…memorable mission. Seek and destroy. Ruined city…New York. Manhattan. Rim World Armed Forces. Enemy Leader priority."

"Understood sir. Placing in parameters…parameters complete. Start from Liberty Island in New York Harbor. You wish to know the final target location?"

"Make it a part of mission brief. Put them through basic control tutorials first though."

"Understood sir. Would you like to look over the data from the field trial while you wait?"

"Yes. Put it through the pod interface."

So I sat, and looked over the combat data from the field trial, marking down portions that needed improvement or removal, taking note of what weapons were effective and not against the various targets the field trail put me up against. It was nearly an hour later when I received an alert that Carson and Devlin were finished with the tutorials and ready to take it to the real simulation.

"Alright. Let's get this show on the road."

"Confirmed command. Simulation is engaged. Activating Virtual Reality Immersion in five, four, three, two, one."

Upon finishing the countdown, my vision blurred as it warped, and my mind was transported from reality to a fantasy realm. It looked and felt real, thanks to Fallout, and soon I, Carson, and Devlin were being shown a briefing. It showed Earth, zoomed in on the North American East Coast to New York City, and then to Manhattan, marking out several locations with red squares. Appropriate mission brief music accompanying it like it was a game.

I saw facial images of both my fellow leaders, Carson looked like he had his game face on, while Devlin looked like he was impatiently ready to get into it.

An image of General Kerensky appeared with his name, and rank appearing to shock the two Lords for a moment.

"Good to meet you, gentlemen. I'm certain it is a surprise for you to see me speaking directly to you now. It cannot be overstated that this mission's importance requires nothing less than myself to oversee the operation."

His image zoomed out, taking the upper left corner of the view while the map took up the rest.

"We have received word from the underground resistance in New York that a member of the Cameron family line survives in the underground system of the city. They alerted the Star League Command, and thus have placed their retrieval as ultra priority. However, this knowledge has leaked to Stefan Amaris, and he has taken measures."

Red squares are highlighted across sections of the city.

"Even though the majority of his forces are engaged across the globe, he has placed this at the top of his priorities and sent his elite units to capture the Cameron member, or deny us by eliminating them. Several companies of battlemech and armor units are in the location, protecting infantry assets attempting to access the underground."

Pictures of various combat vehicles, followed by famous Amaris Mechs like the Jackrabbit, Phoenix, and the Rampage. The general's picture returned to taking up the screen, his face grim and determined.

"We cannot allow this. Thus we will retrieve the Cameron before they do. However, we have no assets in the city, and it will take time to send any due to the invasion. Thus we come to you."

His picture zooms out again, showing the mech we will be using. The PM-02 Breaker, the mech I was testing out before Carson and Devlin arrived. It highlighted the lack of legs, the "over the shoulder" linear gun on the right side, the shard launcher on the left shoulder, plasma repeater on the left arm, and the covenant plasma blade on the right arm for melee strikes.

"The Breaker is our newest, and most advanced mech unit ever created. It is capable of putting in the work equal to an entire company of mechs on its own. With just the three of you, it is the equivalent of a battalion."

It zoomed out again, showing the map, which zoomed on Liberty Island with a damaged Lady Liberty. Even though it was just a simulation, I felt dismay and anger at seeing her in such a state. It was based on an actual picture after the SLDF 10th​ Army retook it from Amaris forces.

"The 10th​ Army has already eliminated ariel defenses, allowing you to be inserted by drop pod into the area. The city still is heavily defended however, so you will be inserted upon Liberty Island in the South Harbor area. From there you will utilize your mechs unique mode of travel to enter the Combat Area, and eliminate the enemy forces."

It map zoomed back out and focused on Central Park.

"We have reason to believe that the enemy's command unit is located in this area, the famous Central Park. It is open ground with no buildings to hide in. Should Amaris forces retrieve the Cameron before we can land, it is here that they will be extracted. You will need to stop it at all costs should this happens."

The general took up the view again, showing how tired he is, but still defiant against the situation.

"We have already come so far comrades. We cannot fail now that we are on the cusp of ending this insanity of Amaris. We will win this war one way or another, but whether a Cameron is on the throne or not, is down to you."

He stands up and looks at us with dignity and strength.

"I expect nothing but your best. Good luck, and God Speed."

He finished with a salute, and the picture faded away.

I looked over to the images of Carons and Devlin to gauge their reactions. I grinned a little when I saw how serious Carson was taking this. I then remembered his parents Eridani Light Horse background, and realized he was likely brought up on the idea of the SLDF more than most on this world. This was as close he would be to actually being SLDF as he would ever be, so, he was "Super" serious now. Devlin was being himself, but also now had a game face on.

It was at this moment another star fell, but it passed, and once more I was relieved.

Suddenly the cockpit of our mechs faded into our view and we could move about. We see the inside of our drop pods through enhanced night vision.

"…Breaker Lance, this is mission control. We are in drop position, begin your start up check and prepare for launch."

"Alright. Time to get to work. Systems check."

Hearing my voice jolted them a little, but they began their startup checks as I did.

"You said this was as close to real as it gets, I didn't think it would be like this." Carson stated.

"Man, it's a good thing I don't have one of these back home. I'd never get out of it!" Devlin chuckeld as he finished his checks.

"I'll take note of that Devlin. Checks complete. All systems green."

"Same/good to go!" they both sounded off.

"Alright. Mission Control, we are go for mission. Play me "A cup of Liber-Tea" if you would please."

"Copy that Breaker One, we confirm systems are green. Good hunting. Launch in five, four, three, two, one…Launching!"

The Helldivers 2 theme began to play as mission control replied, and then suddenly our mech jolts at the bass hits, shaking us as we are launched down at highspeeds towards the Earth. Our screens showed external cameras of our launch as the music played. Sensors show the heat rising as we punch through the atmosphere, and "Liber-Tea" theme played triumphantly, flames surrounding our pods as laser and autocannon fire filled the air in our general direction, and ships firing back down at said fire.

Devlin whooped loudly. "This is what I'm talking about! WOOOOOO~"

Carons rolled his eyes, but he was in the mood too.

The music came to an end just as Liberty Island came into view.

"Game time! Pod break…Now!"

The pod split apart, exposing us to the open air, and our Quantum Arrestor systems kicked in, stopping us from hitting the ground. We then floated in place, and I scanned for targets.

"Negative targets in landing zone. Moving to quadrant A5."

"Copy, moving to same."

"Following you two."

I found myself staring a little as I looked at the city and saw the Twin Towers standing, though damaged and smoking, and remember that this setting was before the War on Terror, so some events didn't happen here as they did in my world.

To keep them going for this long though?...oh who am I kidding, there are Chinese and Japanese temples and European castles that still exist even now. Notre Dame. The Vatican for crying out loud!

I shook myself from those thoughts as we passed over the water and entered The Battery. The park had been set aflame at some point, leaving a burned-out husk, which is why we were able to see groups of fast moving hover tanks enter north from Greenwich Street.

"Hover tanks. Engaging."

Bursts of plasma fire erupted from all three of us upon the fast moving tanks, but within seconds they were destroyed. More vehicles appeared from the east and north east streets, along with combat helicopters firing autocannons, lasers and missiles.

"Take em!"

"Got em!" Carson replied as Devlin just laughed and fired a bunch of seekers at the ground units.

Aircraft burned out of the sky with plasma fire, with tanks and missile carriers more of the same. We by passed them quickly, elevating above the wreckage of the city and civilian vehicles when an alert filled the air.

"Incoming Mechs. Reinforced Company. Looks like Jackrabbit and Rampage units."

The Jackrabbit light mech was meant to be an SLDF unit, but with the factories taken by Amaris, they had unfortunately become associated with him and thus relegated to history as the Rampage had. A quick scan revealed the units ahead were four lances of the mech, but half were original "8T" models, which had the AC-2 and SRM-2, and the modified "9R" model with the Large Laser, an extra heat sink, and extra ton of armor utilized by the RWAF to make up for the first model's shortcomings.

The two Rampage lances also appeared at the rear, and they were all standard units with an LBX-10 autocannon, a Large Pulse Laser, an LRM-10 with Artemis fire control systems, three Streak SRM-2 launchers, two medium lasers, a flamer, and a single ATM system. Real monsters.

It was a total of twenty four mechs.

The light mechs immediately let loose with AC-2 fire from down range. They did no real damage due to the advanced armor of the Breaker, but it still woke Carson and Devlin up. Large Laser fire joined in, and did actual damage, forcing us to retaliate and dodge around buildings. We were faster and more maneuverable, but we were outnumbered eight to one.

Fortunately, our mechs were equal to that and more.

I activate my Linear Gun, the long barrel swinging over my shoulder and pointing forward. When I got into the enemy line of sight, they unleashed fire and missiles, but I did as well with a single shot. The Linear Gun charged up and unleashed a shot that shattered windows around me, and cracked ferrocrete from overpressure. The shot struck in the middle of a group of Jackrabbits and unleashed a force equal to medium sub-naval autocannon.

Everything within the epicenter of the explosion was broken apart like brittle toys, and units beyond that were thrown by the explosion and heavily damaged. Eleven units were out in an instant, with six of them mission killed.

"Holy shit! That's what the Linear gun can do!?" Carson shouted out astonishment.

"Well then, let's start using them!" Devlin shouted with some bloodlust in his tone.

"You only have so many shots, so try not to use too many." I warned them. I paused when I felt a star fall. The forge reached out and grabbed it.

I cursed and hoped it wasn't anything crazy.

-Fun in the Sun (Warhammer 40k - T'au Empire) (100CP)
Plasma, radiation, and antimatter are all similar in that they relate to exotic and high energy states of matter, whether it is stellar mass or individual particles of subatomic size. You now are a master of T'au technology as it relates to manipulating these high-energy states of matter and the physics that underpin them.

Click to shrink...

I winced at the sudden input of knowledge, but otherwise I let out a relieved breath. I forced myself to focus back on the battle instead of delving into how I could improve what plasma technologies I already had.

The sound a Missile Warning filled the air as a swarm of missiles flew towards me. I ducked behind one of the buildings near the Financial District, and noticed as the missiles impact the looming shadow of the Twin Towers. I felt myself pause for a moment looking up at them, before pulling myself out as I came into view of another Lance of tanks and VTOL units.

Plasma and seekers struck out at targets while heavy impacts of Linear Cannons destroyed several more units from the mech forces arrayed against us. Strafing east, I flowed back onto Broadway and fired another Linear Cannon round into a group of Rampage units, striking one directly, and letting loose localized Armageddon on the simulated Rim-World units.

While they faired better than the Jackrabbit's, they were all damaged heavily and toppled over from the sheer force. The one I struck ceased to exist from the lower torso and up. Two more shots from Carson and Devlin took advantage of their lull and exterminated the rest. It was only then I noticed all enemy units were destroyed.

"Woah…I'm usually a solo unit. I forgot how fast a team can handle this sort of thing." I admitted.

"So what happened before wasn't a one time thing with you?" Carson asked in a wry tone.

"I tend to be hands-on with problems." I admitted without a hint of shame.

"Ha! That's the best way as far as I'm concerned!"

Carson sighed. "Oh god, there are two of you now."

I and Devlin laughed at his tone before moving on. For the next ten minutes we just tear through the Rim-Jobs with vicious force, when suddenly we get an alert, only for moments later for four gauss rifle shots striking a building just beside us.

"Woah/What the hell!"

I zoomed my vision out to see the enemy unit and felt my stomach drop a little. It was a company of mechs that there should have been only one of in existence, but Mission control decided to send a company at us.

"Watch out! Rifleman Three units! Don't let them hit you!"

"Rifleman Three?!" they both squawk just as the company unleashed all their fire at us. Carson escaped being hit, but Devlin and I were clipped by a few solid hits. By few I meant twelve Gauss rounds for each of us. The Armor took the brunt of the damage, reducing it to only sixty percent of a full powered shot, but it was still twelve of the damned things!

We were nearly taken out right there, and immediately took cover behind buildings.

Devlin was cursing up a storm, and I was checking the damage over to see what I had.

"What the fuck was that just now!" Devlin shouted after he stopped cussing.

"Rifleman Three. Created by Amaris, and used during the Liberation campaign on Terra. This monster has four Gauss Rifles equipped on it, and is primarily an ambusher as it can only fire four times before its out of ammo. The real one killed nine SLDF mechs before it was killed by the SLDF bringing the goddamn hammer down."

They were silent as they digested that.

"Are you for real?! Four Gauss Rifles?!" Carson shouted in incredulity.

"Shit….I want one." Murmured Devlin.

"For real, yes. Keep moving, don't let them get a bead on you, and hit them hard and fast!" I commanded as I sped forward, Linear Gun now loaded and out before rising up above the buildings. I was immediately fired upon by six mechs, and stuck by the fire of two, but fortunately only four rounds hit me. It was still a good amount of damage and I was going to be dead at this rate, but I fired back with my own Linear Cannon.

One was struck in the chest, and dead immediately, and the other six were struck by proximity. Three exploded as their capacitors went off, causing an ammo explosion, thus ending their run. The other three were damaged but still in the running.

Carson was on the ground level and was fired upon by four units, all save a single one missed, and all four struck the Arrestor unit, which was heavily armored but still only able to take so much. Carson kept control and fired his own Linear Gun at a grouping. It struck right between them, hitting five units, and mission killed three.

Devlin was shot at by two units, with only one hitting him with two rounds. His center torso took the hits and took off a ton of armor, but he was fine otherwise. He snarled and fired back with his own Linear Gun, but the group and survivors of our previous strikes were moving off to cover. The shot passed by them and struck a building, causing the whole thing to come crashing down and send dust everywhere.

"SHIT!"

"No! This is a good thing! They can't see now! Close in and hit them with blades!"

I could hear the toothy grin on Devlin's face grow as he and Carson agreed.

Our Linear guns shifted to safe mode as we blitzed into the dust cloud. Our scanners giving us a computerized view of the area as we turned and bore down on the Rifleman units.

They didn't see it coming as we struck them with plasma blades, cutting them in half and apart. A few fired blindly, but only succeeded in hitting buildings as they too were cut down.

The company was done, and we exited the dust cloud as a group.

"Well, that was something." I said with some sarcasm.

"Remind me to get an Amaris doll to stab. I wanna see if it hurts despite being in hell." Carson growled.

"That's just redundant."

"I think we should burn an effigy." Devlin added with a bit of his normal self.

"Oh, that's much better!"

I sighed. "For the Greater Good, I will do that, but let's finish this before we burn any statues of fat men in bibs."

They both laughed at the image as we accelerated to Central Park where the last group supposedly was.

When we entered the park, we were immediately assailed by mechs and combat vehicles, along with mortars. It was quickly turning into bullet hell. On top of that, we were now being attacked not just by Jackrabbits, Phoenix, and Rampage units, but also Dragoon mechs and a few more Rifleman Three units.

"Don't hold back, go all out!" I shouted as I blitz the speed and made the Breaker live up to its name. Moving at speeds in excess of two hundred kilometers per hour, most of the units had trouble targeting us now that we were able to make use of the speed. Open ground was the Breaker's friend, and we made use of it.

Linear shots, Plasma bursts, seeker swarms, and occasional Blade strikes, quickly whittled down the enemy numbers within minutes.

Soon enough, the entire park was cleared of enemies, and the mission was completed.

Alexander Kerensky's voice came over the radio.

"You three have preformed your duty beyond expectations. Now we will land and see to the Cameron's safe retrieval. Thank you for your work. Stand by for retrieval. Our work is not yet finished, and will not be until Amaris is finally defeated. Your next mission will be forthcoming."

The sight of a dozen Overlord dropships coming down from the sky was a sight to behold.

"This is Sierra-1-1. We confirm a safe LZ, standby to landing."

The view soon faded away to black, and then to a mission screen showing us our score.

We got a B+ due to killing all of the units in a good amount of time, but less for taking the damage.

That faded, and then the real world came into our vision, with the pods opening up. I slowly exited from the Pod, as did the other two. Looking over towards the group, the guards were cheering their lords, while mine cheered for me.

Martress gave me a look that said "You could have done better". I just shrugged. She turned and gave Devlin a look that said "Pretty good." Pfft. Women.

Devlin just grinned and puffed up, his Regent giving him a proud look as they all began jabbering about what they just experienced.

I sat there and relaxed, grinning at the fun I just had and realized…I should do this more often.

I felt another star fall at that moment, and the forge grabbed it. I felt a moment of panic.

-Workshop Artisan (Bloodborne) (300CP)
As if taught at the long gone workshop, you seem to possess knowledge and skill with many of their crafting techniques. You have been granted the knowledge and skills needed to both repair and even create your own Trick Weapons and Hunter's Tools.

Trick Weapons are weapons with a variety of special abilities relating to their form. The most common type of Trick Weapons are those that can transform in some manner. An example being swords that can lock into specialized sheaths in order to become different weapons, sometimes radically so. Not to say transformation is the only ability, there are also melee weapons with guns attached, and maces that can be charged with unnatural blue electricity to deal massive damage.

Hunter's Tools are pieces of equipment with special abilities activated by using Blood Bullets or Quicksilver Bullets as a medium. Hunter's Tools are usually supernatural items that have been made to work using a Blood/Quicksilver Bullet medium, such as the Beast Roar, a beast's claw that when activated, allows the wielder to roar like a beast.

Some Hunter's Tools are completely man made as well, though this is a relative minority. Basically, you now know how to convert things into being activated and powered by Blood Bullets and Quicksilver Bullets. Doing so allows anyone to use them, even if they are completely mundane beings, so long as they have the bullets mentioned above on their person. When making Hunter's Tools, remember that the more power something requires, the bullets the wielder will need. These skills granted to you may be honed over time, just as any other skill can.

Click to shrink...

I blinked and then relaxed again. So…better energy weapons and the ability to make Hunter's tools.

Well…it will be interesting making said tools with modern technology. Plasma Pistols that become Plasma Blades?

Oh yes…fun is coming.

I paused as Devlin came over to me and pulled me up.

"My friend, if this is a taste of what an alliance will be like with you, I want to join. Hands Down. No more questions. Let me join." He declared. His Regent suddenly looked put out at his rash decision.

I quirked a brow and gave the man a bone.

"Let me tell you what comes with it before you totally decide alright. There's more than just cool mech fights and the means of uplifting your nation."

Devlin and his Regent sighed, the former at being denied and the latter in relief.

Then I felt another star fall. Once more the forge grabbed something.

-Constructor Drone and AI Kernel (Warhammer 40k: T'au Empire) (100CP)
This drone is an automated constructor unit, capable of building simple machines and buildings on its own and more complicated structures and technologies under your direct supervision, so long as it has materials to work with. Its tools can be easily customized or replaced with new or different technologies. Moreover, its software includes a kernel that can be used to grow specialized AI and VI systems optimized for various computational substrates and tasks that are always loyal to you.

Click to shrink...

The sudden appearance of a Tau Construction Drone from literally nowhere caused everyone to suddenly jolt and in the case of the guards, point their weapons at it.

Devlin stared at it, as did Carson, with wide eyes.

I quickly got out of Devlin's grip and put on a grin, bullshitting on the spot as I slapped my palm on the machine.

"We got other toys, like this here construction drone!"

It looked at me and beeped.

---

Author's Note

Chapter 13 is on Patreon, and Chapter 14 is in the works.

 

[GundamChief]

Capital Habitat, Deep Kingdom of Subnautica, Leviathan's Trench
Novo Franklin, Periphery Space
January 5th​, 2981 AD

I watched as Devlin gave the construction drone a good look, his hand on his chin while the other was on his hip. Already a drone controller, who I ordered to bring another worker drone using older technology with him to show it wasn't something new, entered into the room and acted like he was irritated.

"My Sovereign, I deeply apologize. It got away from me."

I gazed at the controller, and he was one of the "average" looking ones the Synth Constructor randomized, but would be considered above average by any measure.

"This one equipped with the advanced camouflage?"

Questioning looks filled the expressions of the guests. The controller nodded.

"Yeah, this is the first test of the light bending camouflage system on this unit. It caused a hiccup though, as there were errors in the priority list of orders and it just…wandered from one target location to another trying to reach one before stopping to go to another."

I nodded. Thankfully, the Biosynths were on the same wavelength due to various technologies, so we were able to seamlessly make bullshit up on the spot.

"Power usage."

"Yes, my liege."

"Alright. Take it to the primary laboratory, and they'll see what is what. The lack of power shouldn't interact with the CPU like that."

I looked at the Tau Drone who was looking at me for orders. I already had its command signal on my arm PDA, and I ordered it to go to my lab. Breeze, Emma, and I will look at it later.

"There, authorization confirmed. Go forth."

The Tech saluted and then took the Drone, which allowed itself to be led away.

Turning back, having avoided a disaster, I now had to deal with the fallout. The questioning and somewhat suspicious looks I was given was expected. Even warranted. I just shrugged.

"One of the biggest things about surviving the depths with creatures that want to eat you, is being hidden. Cloaking systems is one of our old technologies."

"Bending light?" Carson asked.

"That's new. We used to use photoreactive panels until we learned to bend light waves. Quantum Physics again."

Devlin, Carson, and Carson's Man-at-Arms accepted it, as did the guards, but the Regent looked at me like I was full of it. He hid it well, but thanks to Dune, once more, I read him pretty well.

Carson asked the question anyways.

"And you don't have any such hidden units in my domain?"

"No. But I do in many other nations." I admitted, and looked at Devlin.

"That includes yours. I didn't know you before today, and wasn't aware of your friendship with Carson before two days ago."

The Regent and Carson looked shocked at my admission, and were starting to get mad at my audacity. My guards, and theirs, were tense despite being subtle about it. I did not need to have a fire fight here, but being honest with Devlin was a sure bet given how hands on he was.

Devlin just stared at me, and I could tell he was reading me. He must have found something because he smiled and slapped my shoulder.

"I forgive you. I'd have done the same. But…you'll have to make it up to me."

I snort. "You still want in?"

"Duh." He said, as if I was being an idiot.

"Fine."

"That easy?" he asked.

"The simulation was more than just fun, and you're smart enough to figure that out."

Devlin paused and nodded. "Not a bad test of character."

"That's right. So, I'll give you a boon on top of what you are going to get just being in this Alliance. Just nothing stupidly over the top."

"What? I can't have that mech?" He asked with a pout.

"No, you can have one of those, as soon as I make the improved production model. I mean something like a mech that looks exactly like you, or something."

Devlin stared before cracking up at the image of a giant him fighting other mechs.

"I'm a proud sort, but that level of vanity suicide is more than I could handle!"

I rolled my eyes, placing my hands on my hips. "You'd be surprised at how many morons want something like that. As if a statue wasn't enough. They want a statue that you can pilot, that looks like you."

Now Devlin gave me an incredulous look, as did the others who had calmed down.

"Bullshit."

I gave him a flat look.

"…No." he said with an open-mouthed grin at the idea.

"Let's just say there's a reason you haven't seen any nobility outside myself just yet."

From there the situation stabilized, the drone event mostly forgotten, but interest was now thoroughly shifted to the "stealth tech" instead of the drone itself.

The group was led back to the Tram and taken back into the city while I finished work on the prototype. In truth, the prototype was already being handled remotely by a team of techs and auto-repair drones, and being overlooked by other teams who possessed knowledge of what to improve and how. They would never match me, Breeze or Emma, but they did good work and made our job easier. Plus, they came up with ideas even I hadn't considered.

With the new understanding of exotic energies, and Bloodborne equipment, I can make far more…crazy stuff now.

For the moment however, I leaned back into a wall and sighed.

"Fuck!" I grunted. "That was too fucking close. God Dammit! I knew something like that could happen, but fuck!"

I rubbed my eyes and face before taking a deep breath.

Alright. That's just the way the game is played. This comes with risks. Gotta take the blows and roll with it."

I began to walk back towards the mech bay to give that prototype a work over, and see if I can modify the technologies to make new weapons. Replacing the Plasma Repeater with one that can be a repeater, a blade, and an arm shield if you switch the modes.

As if to mock my near exposure, another star fell and the forge grabbed it. It was a small one, but all the same…

Spoiler: Clang!

-Engine-sister (Warhammer 40k - Adeptus Mechanicus) (100CP)
Voluminous red robes cannot hide the curves beneath, to this woman's eternal embarrassment. Friendly and perky in conversation to both man and machine, she is torn between her desire to be closer to the machine and her attachment to humanity. The possibility of a harmonious union between the two has inspired her to follow you. She has all 100, 200, and 400cp enginseer perks. She also has 'subtle bionics' 'artisan' and one pick of 'magos designation.'

-Cranial implants (Warhammer 40k: Adeptus Mechanicus) (100CP)
The brain of every magos undergoes extensive modification over time, but you have put great care into preparing your mind for the Machine God's mysteries. Beyond the gene-alterations and bionic sub-systems that have boosted your intelligence, regulated neuro-chemistry reduces the influence that hunger, pain, fear and other flesh-distractions can have upon your thoughts. Your ability to enjoy these things are not impeded. Further neurological modifications will be faster and easier to adapt to with less worry of rejection.

-Wonders of the machine god (Warhammer 40k - Adeptus Mechanicus) (100CP)
Machinery is as mysterious as the workings of the warp to the average Imperial - it would take all day to explain why even the simplest rituals are performed and what they do. So by necessity you've become very good at getting people to shut up and let you work in peace. A few curt words is enough to satisfy anyone's curiosity, or to make someone less technically-inclined understand why certain things need doing and to justify the time and expense of doing so.

-Rites of Maintenance (Warhammer 40k - Adeptus Mechanicus) (100CP)
While already designed to be incredibly robust, Imperial equipment inevitably requires maintenance. You can locate and identify problems within a machine in a fraction of the time it would take other adepts. Not knowing how a machine functions does not make fixing it any more difficult so long as you have the proper parts, tools, and rituals to guide your hands.

-Reclaimer (Warhammer 40k - Adeptus Mechanicus) (200CP)
Rare is the heretek with wealth or connections enough to acquire the resources to pursue innovation without raising suspicion. Most must make do with whatever they can scavenge or build for themselves, and fortune seems to often favor them when harvesting useful components from wrecked machines. More often than not, the most delicate and valuable pieces of technology can be pulled intact from wrecks you find or create.

-Impossible precision (Warhammer 40k - Adeptus Mechanicus) (200CP)
Behind the mighty engines and clanking gears of Imperial armor are smaller yet no less important components. Servicing those delicate elements requires a fine touch, and you work with steadiness and precision. Your hands and other appendages will not twitch from surprise or adrenaline, and they will exert the exact amount of force you desire and no more. Exactly how precisely you can work is subject only to the limits of your perceptions.

-Technical knock (Warhammer 40k - Adeptus Mechanicus) (200CP)
You have mastered the ancient technical rite of 'if it doesn't work, smack it with a wrench until it does.' Small problems like loose gears can be quickly and permanently fixed with one good whack. When a larger problem impedes a machine's function, continuous pounding and irate prayer can cajole it to miraculously perform one last, brief task, but no more. At that point, this rite will have no more effect until the device receives proper attention.

-Imperial logistics (Warhammer 40k - Adeptus Mechanicus) (400CP)
The scale of the Imperial war machine is incomprehensible to most minds. It is nothing less than a miracle that the Guard and Navy can function at all, given the myriad logistical issues involved. But miracles are something you can provide, as long as you are directly involved in overseeing the distribution or production of a needed resource. You'll always seem to somehow end up with more than with what you started, and this effect increases the greater the scale that you work with. An hour of overseeing the fabrication of lasrifles may net you a dozen extra units at no extra cost, while distributing the output of an agri-world may produce a year's worth of extra rations for an
entire Guard regiment.

-Armorbane (Warhammer 40k - Adeptus Mechanicus) (400CP)
Long experience with putting things together inevitably teaches one the best way to take something apart. Whether disabling an unruly machine or cracking open a heretek's fortress, you can quickly pick out design flaws, blind spots, and points of failure. Exploiting these weaknesses makes your actions many times more effective. Structures crumble, armor buckles, systems seize up, power surges dangerously out of control, and ammo stores seem to cook off at the slightest provocation. Should you show mercy and attempt to repair what you have laid low, the damage will be far less than it appears and restoring the machine to service will be much less difficult than expected.

-Binaric weaving (Warhammer 40k - Adeptus Mechanicus) (400CP)
The skills gained during long years plumbing data-vaults as a humble logistican have only improved over time. You excel at writing code, understanding machine-script better than native grammar structures. You can understand simple programs with a mere glance and correct any errors you find within seconds, and scrutinizing longer lines of more complex coding for a single misplaced byte can take mere minutes with your skills. Scrapcode crashes ineffectually against your data-barriers, its transmission doing nothing but opening the offending heretek's systems to a counter-intrusion. Interfacing with a system infested with a daemon or true AI would be unwise, but with your skills emerging unscathed from such an encounter is only highly unlikely rather than completely impossible.

-Machine empathy (Warhammer 40k - Adeptus Mechanicus) (400CP)
Long exposure to strange energies and abstract thought inevitably leave their mark on a heretek. Usually, these changes are debilitating or disfiguring, but you have only benefited from these alterations. A tiny glimmer of psychic power has awakened within you, one that will demand careful use and strict discipline to cultivate safely. As your power develops, machines will come to increasingly favor you, completing desired tasks without needing to be asked, performing faster and more efficiently. Machines in the hands of others will rebel when directed to harm you, guns jamming and sensors refusing to lock on. Many other ways to manipulate the mechanical will be revealed in due time, if you have the strength of will and ingenuity to discover them.

-Magos Designation: Engineering (Warhammer 40k - Adeptus Mechanicus) (100CP)
You have attained and been recognized for your comprehension of some of the Machine God's mysteries. Choose a field of Imperial technology such as genetic manipulation, voidship construction, cybernetics or plasma technology. You are among the noted masters of your purview, and can easily create the most common templates of your field. With time, effort and discretion you could even modify and improve upon your specialty as needed. Those few things beyond your full understanding can still be built and maintained by carefully following STC blueprints.
*Cybernetics Specialization

-Artisan (Warhammer 40k - Adeptus Mechanicus) (100CP)
Unlike many in the machine cult who care not for appearances, your equipment and visible bionics are shelled with precious metals and etched with devotional symbols. Every object you craft or possess for a prolonged period of time acquires a bit of extra flair with no effort and without detriment to their functions. Though seen by many in the cult as wasteful or vain this attention to appearance can endear one to those in the higher ranks of Imperial society who value such affectations. You may choose to suppress this perk entirely or only for specific items.

-Subtle bionics (Warhammer 40k - Adeptus Mechanicus) (100CP)
From hesitance at abandoning the human form or the acquisition of high-grade miniaturized components, there is little outward sign of your integrated cybernetics. Cables are subdermal and woven to follow existing muscle groups, cyber-limbs are hidden beneath a layer of synth-skin, and artificial eyes resemble the organic model closely enough that sight alone cannot recognize them as anything but. Only large external bionics like mechadendrites are plainly visible, and the smaller models can be hidden beneath the folds of a thick robe. While hiding the blessings of the omnissiah would normally offend even the most emotionless magi, there are occasions where concealing one's affiliations and abilities can be advantageous.

My eyes widened comically. "THAT'S NOT SMALL AT ALL!"

The sound of metal crinkling shifted my gaze to the hallway, and I could only describe what I was seeing as a mechanical gateway opened up from zero, to one, to two, and then three-dimensional space. It was full of cogs, steel, gold, and skulls.

I took a moment to analyze it. Beyond what it represented, it was…beautiful to look at, despite the macabre iconography. It all fit in place as each piece had a purpose that the multiple perks I had attested to. The gate opened up like a wormhole from Stargate, leaving a shimmering surface lighting the hallway like sun reflecting off the water.

Then a woman stumbled through, almost like she was kicked through. Actually…she was! I can see the boot of what could only be a TechMarine's foot. She was about to trip and fall on her face, only for me to reach out and grab her before she could. I was caught off guard by the weight however, realizing she had mechadendrites and other things like a heavy tool pack on her back. I fell onto my back, and she fell on top of me, straddling my body closely.

I immediately realized three things. One, she was a tall one. Nearly as tall as myself. Two, she was more flesh than not, unless the bionics just felt that way by design. Three…she wasn't wearing anything under that robe, and it left nothing to imagination as to what she had going for her.

The moment of analysis ended when the gate cracked, and suddenly shut off, before falling apart into a mess of scrap metal with nothing but rusted dust.

A soft groan pulled my eyes away from the reality defying event and into the face of…a machine person. No…a face mask? A mask with multiple optics that allowed her to see who knew what.

We stared for a moment before she squeaked in realization and leaned up, sitting on my pelvis instead of laying on me. It did no favors as her butt was…yeah.

She quickly looked about, noticing her surroundings for the first time before shivering and then cheering, her arms pushed over her head, doing…things…to her form.

"Well…I'm glad you're happy…can you-"

"Oh! Oh yes! I'm sorry!" She said in accented English. Very posh British. Her mechadendrites lifted her off of me and I was able to slowly stand and face her as she hovered in the air as her artificial limbs held her up. Once more, her robes covered her completely, but left very little to the imagination as to her curvy figure.

The box that was on her back was oversized for her and likely held tools and…stuff. Religious stuff? Maybe an STC? She also wore multiple tool belts with different tools…including a very familiar pressure washer gun adapter. Well…either the Warhammer 40k DLC for Power Washer Simulator is real, or this is more multiversal bullshit in play. Likely the latter.

Then I got a look at her machadendrites. They were…very Doctor Octopus like. They looked almost exactly like the arms from those the Spider-Man movies with Toby Maguire, only far more refined with Ad-Mech and Imperium iconography stenciled to extreme detail on every single panel.

Her mask was itself a work of art now that I got a real look at it. Not just a blank or skull like faceplate with sensors and optics. It was worked with extreme effort to look like a master craft. I can see symbols and writing upon it, but it all flowed and fitted in a way to increase the aesthetic appeal of it. It would be fine just putting this in a glass case and leaving it to show off, despite it being a fully functional piece of equipment.

She removed the mask, revealing the face beneath, and holy crap. This woman had a face that would have made Helen of Troy look like the average one. She would give Emma a run for her money.

Her expression was a bit shy and embarrassed, but she smiled regardless.

"Hello. I am…well, it's a bit difficult to explain…" She pauses in thought, wondering how to put it.

"Well...firstly, are you aware of who I am?" I asked. A bit rude interrupting her line of thought, but it would be easier for her to start with that, I think.

"Eh? Oh….OH!" she cried out, pointing at me. "Are…are you the…Star Forger?"

Huh…I guess that's my title than. "I am he, yes."

A wide smile grew on her face, and in a moment, she was face to face with me, her robe covered chest pressing into mine, pushing me back a bit.

"You are the one! The One I saw in my visions! The ones the Omnissiah said to seek out! You're really here! I really made it!" she squealed as her mechadendrites bounced her about. This is really awkward. Nice…but awkward. Also, apparently the Emperor is a thing now. A given since she's here, but fuck a duck, I did NOT need Chaos in this universe.

"Uh…good…good to know. Glad to help a servant of the Emperor." I said, gently pushing her back by her shoulders.

Only to push right against me again, and into a wall. Squishy. Not to mention some cleavage is now showing. Huh…so it is flesh…or at least looks it.

"Oh! So you know about us? That makes this way easier!" She said happily.

"Yes. I do." I replied, pushing her back a bit more again. She finally realized what she was doing and squeaked embarrassed and…covered herself up despite already being covered.

"Sorry, it's just, I'm so happy it all worked." She said as she tightened her robe, which only made her figure cut more…a figure. God she's awkward!

"How are you here exactly? Cross-Universe travel isn't exactly common in that universe, the Warp being the exception to this rule."

"Oh! Well, it's kinda hard to explain simply but…huh?"

I paused at her sudden shift in expression, and realized there was a star falling, and the Forge grabbed it.

Spoiler: Clang!

-Attendants (Warhammer 40k - Adeptus Mechanicus) (0CP)
Choose: A dozen servo skulls, a five-servitor workforce, or a trio of personalized cherubs. All are dull but reliable servants, coming equipped for a variety of tasks. The patterns of each are easy to re-fit for more specialized work.

Out of thin air, from what appeared to be cogs acting as portals, twelve floating skulls appeared and whirled about the Admech Enginseer. She laughed with joy and giggled as she poked one in its red robotic eye, and it seemed to…shudder. Do these have machine spirits? Crud…

I sighed. "Well at least you have something familiar."

She smiled widely as she held a skull in her arms and between her…on her chest.

"I sensed it just now. That power. The clang that resounds across the universe!"

I stared at her for a moment in thought, remembering what I could about the Admech and realized…they were mystics…plus that Machine Empath ability of hers. So, she could sense such things.

"Yes…but who are you? You came for a reason beyond learning what this clanging was."

She bowed her head before releasing the skull into the air, and then curtseyed with her mechadendrites holding her aloft as she held her robe out like a dress, exposing her legs a little.

Wow…thighs save/take lives.

"I am Artisan Enginseer/Cybersmith, representative of his majesty's Imperium of Mankind and blessed chosen of the Omnissiah's Adeptus Mechanicus. My identifier is #Binary#, but my given name is Ariel-Omicron-7."

I bowed my head in return. I could tell Simple Words were at play once more as it sounded far more simplified then it actually would be given how their titles actually worked.

"A pleasure to meet you. As for myself, I am the Star Forger, Sovereign of the Deep-Sea Kingdom of Subnautica, and overall survivor in general."

We released ourselves and she swayed as she did a happy dance.

"Oh! This is so exciting! I can't wait to learn everything about you and this ability."

I held my hand up. "Before that, I need to ask you a…somewhat difficult question."

"Mhmm?" She nodded, agreeing with a smile.

"…yeah, so…what exactly are your…loyalties? I mean…there's the Emperor slash Omnissiah, and then there's me, and yourself, so?..."

She looked at me with a moment of blankness before thinking, and in a moment she shrugged.

"I am of course loyal to my lord and god, but I volunteered to traverse into this universe. So, my loyalty is…to you I guess. Unless you do something…horrible…like betray humanity, or become a Heretic."

There was a sudden heavy weight in the room when she said that last word, despite the smile and kindly expression on her face.

"And Hereteks?" I asked, firmly standing before her despite the weight. That weight left in an instant.

"Oh, that only counts in my universe. I can…barely feel anything of the Warp here. Let alone anything daemonic. In fact…aside form yourself, I feel no supernatural forces around at all."

Well, that's good to know.

"So, you won't freak out if Xenotech is in my possession?"

She gave a frown, and was thinking about it.

"It depends on the tech, as most Xenotech is based off of something that is counter to the Omnissiah's design and will."

I quirked a brow. "Can you give me an example of what you mean exactly?"

She gave a pouty frown as she wracked her mind for an example. Swaying back and forth before coming upon something.

"Okay. Let's say there was a…anti-gravity bike…and it's engines lifted and provided propulsion."

She paused to see if I was keeping up. "Okay." I can sense simple words was working its magic here.

She looked pleased I understood. "Good! Now…imagine that the propulsion was powered by electricity. That electricity came from the core of the engine."

She paused again, and I nodded. "Core of the engine. Okay."

"But…instead of a normal thing like…a battery, or a fuel cell of some kind…it was powered from electricity from another dimension where a daemonic entity was feeding his corrupting force into the engine, and in turn corrupting the rider and those who interacted with them."

I paused…and quirked my head like a dog. In the Imperium, there were as many interpretations of what was Heresy, as there were stars in the galaxy. Maybe this is the correct one, of maybe it's just the version she adopted from her training. I didn't know.

"So…Xenotech that is inherently corrupting as part of its design is Heretekal?"

"It's more complicated, but yes essentially!" She cheered at my understanding.

I nodded. "Well, fortunately nothing we have does that. I'd have burned it if it did."

She nodded in approval. "A good start. Glad you understand!"

I nodded. "Alright. The…Ariel, I accept you as a part of my…thing here. Welcome aboard."

"Yay!" she cheered, her parts bouncing again. Really need to get her something else than a semi-tight robe.

"There are three things though. Three rules if you want to stay here."

She paused and leaned towards me, listening intently. "Yes?"

I held out my index finger. "One; none of that inhumane bullshit. By which I mean turning people into servitors, using skulls for stuff…" I said eyeing the Servo-skulls. "No killing people on the spot for having a different opinion that doesn't fit with the Imperial Truth or the Mysteries and Warnings. This universe is…softer than yours because it can afford to be. I don't think Chaos even exists here. The Warp does in a way, I think, and there are things in there, but nothing like the ruinous powers."

I glared at her. "So, none of that! If something is wrong, you bring it to me, otherwise, don't."

She looked at me wide eyed, and just nodded. I could tell already she is just going along with it. She is still very much a hardcore cultist from a terrible, terrifying universe where the things they do are, unfortunately, very necessary lest Chaos Noms everything.

I held up the index and middle fingers. "Two; My power brings Xenos and Xenotech into the fold. Along with Xeno-knowledge. I cannot prevent this. What comes through is in some way tied and loyal to me, so no killing, destroying, deleting until we see if it is a threat or not. I already have a Xeno here, and they are adorable, and I will not tolerate killing attempts on them. Understood?"

She nodded again, less certain, but willing to cooperate. I would have to put a lot of effort in protecting these things since it's necessary to succeed. Then again, the Imperium might have technology and knowledge already that are similar and better. So we will see.

I held up three fingers. "Lastly, I'm keeping this ability a secret from the locals of this universe. They are not privy to the power, nor to its benefits. Everyone here in Subnautica is in on it due to their…unique situation. I would appreciate if you did the same. Obfuscate, lie, fabricate, etc, but do not reveal the truth unless I say otherwise or there's no choice due to circumstances beyond my control."

I crossed my arms. "Prior to your coming here, literally in the last hour, a Tau constructor drone appeared. I managed to redirect my local guests away from the truth by posing it as another one of my toys, but ended up having to reveal another piece of technology most of them were unaware of, cloaking tech."

"So, in short, keep this to yourself unless told or forced otherwise. Can you do that?"

She nodded once more, with a hint of a sly grin.

"Wow, you are a sneaky type aren't you?"

I sigh loudly. "I'm dealing with all kinds of things in this universe, and I have to be careful lest it blows up in my face. So yes, sneaky sneaker."

She giggled at my silliness before bowing again. "I find your requirements acceptable. I will do as you ask, and handle things...differently than I would in my universe. I only in turn ask for your patience as my ways are different, and change comes with time."

I nodded. "Agreed." I held out a hand, and she blinked before taking it and shaking it vigorously.

"Well, once more, welcome aboard the crazy train…first thing though…we have to get you more appropriate clothes. You would really stick out here with that. Then again, Comstar would find a kinship I think."

She quirked her head. "Comstar?"

I was about to open my mouth when another star fell. Sarah's eyes widened as she felt it and look about as if she might see it.

It came…and passed. It's energy leaking into me. I sighed in relief.

Then I got jumped.

"You can store celestial power!? Let me examine you!" Sarah said with fervor as she pressed herself against me, her skulls crowding me with their optics bright red, and one of her Mechadendrites all pointing at me with an optic in its center.

I groaned. Is this gonna be a thing now?

===

Capital Habitat, Deep Kingdom of Subnautica, Leviathan's Trench
Novo Franklin, Periphery Space
January 5th, 2981 AD

Caelin Demonte gazed upon the wonderous work that was the Imperial Palace. Not only was it the center of the power and nation that was Subnautica, it was literally the center of the structure that they, and all of the Subnauticans currently moved about in.

It reached up to the ceiling of the dome that separated them all from a black abyss, and oblivion should it be destroyed. Acting like a pillar to hold up the rest and stay off the dark.

The symbolism was not lost on him. The Sovereign was clearly the pillar holding up the whole place, given the lack of noble houses and elites that were so common place across this world. A direct monarchy that functioned because of advanced technology making the lives of everyone under him easy to the point of being fantastical.

Food was practically free, as it was its preparation that costed money. Equipment wasn't purchased, but rather materials or a design that you can put into your own fabricator at home. Purchasing prefabricated equipment only happened if you didn't have the time or means.

If you didn't have money, you could go out and get materials yourself as payment. Or, in his case, provide an item to scan, and if the schematic didn't exist in the databank, you would be able to trade it for money based on potential purchases based on popular trends. If Swords were in season, you would get more money. Less if not. It was based on aggregated data over a period which are stored in algorithms.

It didn't make a lot of sense to him, but he was able to trade a scan of his family heirloom, a pulse laser pistol, for nine thousand units.

That was another thing. The money system here was based on a universal credit system, but also legal tender notes of paper for those who have no credit savings account. As a non-citizen, he couldn't have one, even as a dignitary. Joining the Alliance would change that. The tender is in denominations of one, five, ten, twenty, fifty, one hundred, five hundred, one thousand, and ten thousand.

Each had a picture of a famous structure of water craft on one side, and either an aquatic location or creature on the other. The Shallows, and the Sea Moth on the One note. An underwater grass field on one side, and a Prawn suit drilling some rock on the other for a Five note. A coral Reef with schools of fish on one side, and the Cyclops submarine on the other for the Ten note.

A strange, alien looking location called a Deep Reef with crab spider looking creatures on one side, and on the other a vicious looking shark creature chasing a diver who held a spear with electricity coming off it, for the fifty note. For the one hundred note, one side had a Humpback Whale, and the other had Subnautica on the other.

For the thousand Note, one side had the "Aurora", a Leviathan Class Colony Submarine, an enormous machine he had never seen before. The other possessed a picture of the Trench cliff leading from the light, and into the darkness.

He was then shown a ten-thousand-unit bill, and it different than the others. It features a ruined city with a shining lighthouse on the surface of the waves, with…sickly looking girls and men in strange diving suits in portraits alongside the city picture. On the top of the bill, above the light house, it had words that said "No Gods, or Kings." and on the bottom it said "Only Man."

On the other, a picture of a proud if dour looking man name Andrew Ryan, with an injector and glowing bottle of some kind on one side of him, and a bloodied rabbit mask on the other, with a bloodied wrench and golf club crossed beneath his portrait. On the top it said "A Man Chooses, A Slave Obeys." While the bottom said "Would you Kindly".

The he learned the summarized story behind these things on the tour, and the story behind this depiction. It was chilling to the soul. They held little back as they showed how they were a free-market out of control near the end of its existence, making life almost impossible for any who were not as vicious as a pirate king.

Then came the Genetic Modifications. Gene-mods utilizing animal DNA that gave people who took injections incredible abilities, Adam as it was called. Eve being the stabilizer that allowed the genes to function. People didn't regulate how many mods they got and how quickly. They went wild. That in turn led to the descent, into total insanity.

He still shivered as he saw ancient recordings of madmen and women screaming about Adam, dragging clawed hooks as they laid into one another in a ruined husk of a darkened terminal. They were told, and shown reenactments of notable people of Rapture.

Sander Cohen…the source of the Rabbit mask. Caelin felt his face blanche as he remembered the safer images of his…art. He knew of men in other kingdoms who are little better than animals, but Cohen was on another level. That man was a monster in human skin.

In the End, the sane people escaped, and went over to the various outposts to survive. Subnautica being the biggest one. Left on their own, they had to make hard choices and do acts of incredible bravery in the abyss to survive. The Abyssals, wandering divers seeking resources without submarines to help them. One was depicted on the fifty note.

Thus, he and others were told that the ten-thousand tender note was made to remind people with such wealth the costs of having such wealth if not possessed with restraint. He was certain many details had been withheld for the tour, but what was said is enough.

Somewhere out there, in that black darkness, were the ruins of a city, named Rapture. Named for the Heaven it was built to be, but had descended into Hell.

After that portion of the tour was over, he needed to sit and have a drink. The small bar near the Tram Line served him Vodka with a fruit twist. It wasn't bad, but it didn't help that much.

He looked up when his lord and protégé, Devlin Fields wandered over and sat down next to him.

"Ale for me!" he called out. The bartender nodded and handed him a large glass of the golden drink.

The young Lord turns towards him, and gives him an inquisitive gaze as he drank a mouthful before placing it back on the bar.
"Still freaking out?" he asked bluntly, but with a hint of teasing.

Caelin snorted. "I do not freak out brat. I become rightfully concerned."

Devlin shrugged. "Well, there's not much we can do about it. It is what it is. They are more powerful than anyone could imagine, with technology we barely have been given a glimpse of, and they have a very twisted beginning, whose memory they keep alive in order to avoid it again."

He made it sound so simple, but it was hardly ever the case. Devlin waved his hand to ease him, once more reading him as he had for many years now.

"With what he has shown us, and demonstrated here and on the surface, it's a given that he can roll over anyone he wanted."

Crossing his arms, and turning to look upon the palace. Devlin's expression became contemplative. Caelin contemplated as well. The Sovereign didn't have to reveal his toys to them at all, but he did easily when he had no choice, and revealed a card in his deck to show just how extensive his reach and strategy was.

On one hand…the young leader was honest and open about his ways and means, but at the same time he kept things close to the chest. That made him dangerous in more than a few ways to their Kingdom. Worse, as Devlin said, there wasn't much anyone could do about it as they lacked the power to.

Caelin sighed with a slight growl.

Devlin, once more, read him like an open book and grinned a bit.

"The real reason you are this way is because you see it for the choice it is. I do too."

Caelin looked his protégé in the eye. He did, didn't he? Sometimes the young, brash, hot blooded man before him reveals his is as much a Lord as his father. His firebrand of a Mother took some of that finish off that his father provided, but it was there when he needed it.

"There's no real choice here. Join or eventually be overtaken."

Devlin lost the grin and shook his head. "It's more than that. It's 'join and become like us, or don't and be forced to later'. Don't tell me you hadn't noticed? The fervor these people have, that the people of the Empire are gaining."

Caelin frowned as his eyes narrowed. "I had, but it didn't make sense until coming here. It's like it all gets into your head. How could it not? This place is straight out of the Golden Age, beyond that even, and the things people say, how they say it, the sheer….faith they have that their ways are the best. It is infectious."

Devlin's expression became one of deep thought.

"It's more than that. An infection implies that its something bad that you need to resist. In this case…they argue for something that has merit, and prove that it works, despite everything we ever knew showing it could never be. The question we are presented, is whether we agree with the argument or not."

Caelin frowned. Again, Devlin showed why he was given Lordship. Part of him was proud of his young student, but another hated that he hit the target so well. Only because of what it meant.

"The real question, and what I believe you are fearful of, is whether you want to give up our own freedom to join in this path of theirs." Devlin finished.

Devlin turn to him again and finished his Ale in one large down. He placed it back on the bar loudly.

"Another Barkeep."

As it was refilled, Devlin grinned and looked at Caelin.

"That's why I am choosing to join. I see it differently. I see it as taking a hold of the reins of our destiny before it is taken from us, and becoming a part of something greater, which in turn will make us greater. If they try to change us from who we are as a people, we possess a voice to remind them that we are not one voice, but many that make one. We work to keep who we are, while accepting what is given."

Caelin shook his head.

"It won't be as easy as that."

"Of course not. I can't foresee the future, but I know that if we don't have a foot in the door now, we will become just another stone in that road they are building. You have seen the works in the Empire, what they have here. Who would say no to that once they realize how much they benefit from being a part of the whole? Best we start now, and become one of the bigger voices than just another small tone mixed with a choir."

Caelin hated it. The boy was right, in many ways. There are things, implications he hadn't mentioned, but they need not be said. The ability to make war, not through fire and mech, but through word and benefits. It wasn't anything this world had ever dealt with before. Nations would normally take, or destroy what other had to make their own.

Here, in this case, was a nation that could simply give it to them and do so quickly and easily. All you had to do, was join in as a part of a bigger whole, for the Greater Good. It was insidious. It was genius. It was terrifying. It was Awe inspiring.

Things were going to change, and knowing history as he did, he could see the tsunami coming.

Did he let it hit, or did he take the hand given and rise above it?

It was his Lord's choice, and he has made it. Caelin could only hope they don't lose more than just their own path to destiny.

---

Author's Note

Chapter 13 is delayed due to Winter Preparations. I will try to get it up tonight or tomorrow.

Before anyone says anything about the Sister being really out of character for the Admech, bear in mind she's a companion who "willingly" came here, and according to the perk, was very strange for a sister anyways.

That said, Cyber-waifu get?[/spoiler]

 

[GundamChief]

Hilton Head Island Complex, North America
Terra, Sol System
January 5th, 2981 AD

Yin Takami, Primus of Comstar, bounced his foot off the floor. It was the only sign he showed of his anxiety.

The Precentors of the First Circuit, comprising of New Earth, Barnard, Alpha C, Bryant, Procyon, Dieron, Arcturus, Oriente, Altair, and Capella, all sat in their own positions facing the holographic projection that showed the visual data and recordings that only came in two days ago from Novo Franklin.

Novo Franklin. A planet of minor note in the Anti-Spin periphery of the Inner Sphere, specifically off the edge of the Federated Suns, Outworlds Alliance and technically the Draconis Combine. A warm Agri-World with a small population barely over a hundred thousand, give or take fifty thousand that weren't counted in what could be considered a census.

Possessing a small force officially, but something larger unofficially in terms of military might.

It was a backwater at best, and a microcosm of the Inner Sphere as so many worlds like it are.

It was the last place in the universe that anyone would imagine becoming anything approaching a threat to the status quo of everything.

Yet it now is. It so very much is.

The recording of the Precentor of Novo Franklin, a Lim Nyung, shook hands with the Sovereign of the nation that had suddenly become a point of focus with laser precision.

Subnautica. The Deep Sea Kingdom. It sounded utterly fantastical and fictional. Until the recordings were viewed with the transcripts and written reports.

Novo Franklin had little to no resources on site, save a handful of lesser trained Beta and Delta operatives who were there for local studies than anything of this magnitude. What little they had managed to accomplish was the best they could have at the moment, and was as informative as one can expect from a small team.

Even so, the recordings, and data of what they did have caused a variety of emotions. From inspiration, to fear, to greed.

The tools they had managed to get their hands on were ground breaking in their own ways. The laser cutter was far more effective at its purpose than almost everything on the market as a result of not its capabilities, but that it was in such a small package and powered by a small battery.

The Mineral Detector, after being more thoroughly tested, was capable of finding a vast variety of minerals without fail. Emphasis…without fail. So long as you are within a certain distance of what you are seeking, it will lead you to it, even if it were under your feet. After testing the device out more, as a result of another tool showing its potential, they found they can do a narrow scan where the range is increased by two hundred meters, but only in a cone that widened to five feet in front of the scanner.

They discovered many hidden mineral resources in the last month just in the region of the HPG, untapped by all but Comstar now. It was only Copper and Iron, but local metals were not easily gained without off world trade.

The last was the greatest tool, which is what led to believing the stories of Subnautica more than anything. The Repair Tool. They still haven't been able to figure out how it exactly works, but the recordings of its use made many scoff in disbelief. That was until a Jumpship came a week after, and they loaded the device onto an outgoing drop ship to a nearby world.

Delos was the closest world they had to that world, and within a short time, the device was confirmed as real, to the awe of the Precentor of Delos.

That was several days before the latest pulse from Novo Franklin came in, and everything was taken much more seriously. New images that were subtly taken by the adepts, until the Subnautican relations gave them permission to use cameras, allowing for recordings instead of just pictures.

It was a nightmare scenario. The images of the ultra-advanced habitat at such unassailable depths. Yin had learned more about Wet Water Naval craft in the last week than he had ever learned in his life time before then. Categories of craft, weight class, displacement, weapon types, mission purpose, and more.

The submersible fleet at the hands of the Subnauticans was more advanced then anything they had ever seen, and dove to depths unheard of outside research submarines.

The combat submarines currently made were nothing compared to that, and while it was unreasonable to lay blame upon people of the past for not making such craft in a universe where space travel was the primary form of travel, Yin could not help lament that such a vast hole existed now, and couldn't be filled quickly enough.

Even if they did have such equipment available, he doubted Subnautica could be destroyed at all.

They were, for all practical purposes, unassailable. Eleven kilometers deep, covering a huge amount of space at the bottom with vast resources. A submersible naval fleet of unknown capability outside operations depths.

Then there were the Battlemech they had, which according to recordings, were generations ahead of anything the Star League possessed. One, within a total combat time of less than a minute, was able to take out a near company of Battlemechs on its own with dexterity and power unseen before.

This wasn't even taking into account everything else. Materials Science, such as what went into their reinforced diving suits that allowed a skin tight suit to not be crushed at such depths. They would need to see about seeking Kyanite in an energized state within Terra's oceans, since it was mentioned it existed here.

Genetic Engineering. Advanced Energy weapons and equipment, such as Power Armor. The sort that apparently can function at such depths, and on land.

Then came the technology that sent waves of raw panic and awe into the first circuit.

Nano-Fabrication technology. It was practically Magic. Microscopic robots, coupled with focused magnetic fields and material transportation, combine to create the mans to fabricate and build structures, equipment, and needs within moments to minutes. The recording demonstration of a simple habitat dwelling, followed by the fabrication of an energy rifle, and then an entire mech within minutes.

It was nightmare inducing. This technology cannot. CAN. NOT. EVER. Get off that planet and into the hands of anyone else.

Just as bad, Biosynthetic technology. A field of study that never existed before they heard of it in the recording. Visual recordings of a mech with…biomechanical armor, as well as the Neuro-Clinic and the Skill Shard Technology.

That sent several of the more academic and scientifically minded Precentors into conniptions to the potential of this device, despite its limitations. Thank Blake those limitations seemed to be confirmed, at the moment anyways.

Then came the historical documentation, and all it implied. It made him wonder if there were any other advanced societies out there in the periphery they were unaware of, that weren't Kerensky's Star League in Exile. That said, the history was a fascinating one, once you got past the initial rise and fall of Andrew Ryan's folly.

They had searched for any record of the man in question, but nothing had come up in any search. It was understandable as they were looking for information on a man from well over five hundred years ago that took great pains to be forgotten. According to the historical documentary, Andrew Ryan was a minor member of the Expansionists Party of Terra.

He sought to remove the Demarcation Declaration, and reassert Terra's domain into humanity's domain while expanding industrial capability to allow the means to prevent future rebellions to occur. Given the lack of forward movement with his party, he resigned in disgust, gave up all his holdings within the Terran Alliance of the time, a mere three years before James McKenna had ended the Alliances existence as a state, and with a few dozen ships filled with like-minded people, left for parts unknown.

One would think such an event would be noteworthy enough to mark down, but according to the documentary, Ryan spent more than a small amount of his fortune to make certain no one was aware of his departure, and that he wasn't followed. Since he was leaving entirely, his money was seen as useless beyond what he could get before reaching zero net worth.

His connections and wealth allowed his slipping away to succeed, and for the next year, his fleet of ships traveled beyond the boundaries of humanity of the time. Having proposed to go beyond the five hundred light year mark in a straight shot, the leaders under Ryan agreed with this and held on for a long eight months before finally setting efforts to search for a new world to call their own.

Four months with ships travelling in a general direction gave them nothing but lifeless systems until they found what would be in time called Novo Franklin. At that time, the world was a hot, arid place, but capable of sustaining human life due to its oceans.

Then came an interesting proposal…or insane depending on who you spoke to.

Given that the land was utterly incapable of supporting human life at the moment, they decided to make a plan to terraform the world with the best technology they had with them at the time. It would take centuries, but given the oceans of the world already present, it may be shortened to only a century or less.

But to see over it, they would settle down on the world by using the advanced oceanic equipment they had brought with them, and began constructing a series of underwater habitats. These, unlike the ones existing currently, were small ones closer to the surface, only a few hundred meters deep at best.

Over time, less time than expected, the world began to blossom into a green world. At the same time however, ventures into the deeper ocean began yielding resources never before seen by humanity, and a discovery known only to the founders of Subnautica today, changed Ryan's priorities.

He sought to build deeper. Using new materials discovered, he began to construct the city of dreams. Rapture.

Over the time he traveled to Novo Franklin, Ryan had constructed a cult of personality around him. While not entirely believed by everyone, enough were followers of his will that there was only a minor amount of resistance to building and living in such depths.

Ten years is what it took to construct a city that was right out of a utopian fantasy. A testament to humanity's ingenuity and will to conquer any challenge.

The city was divided among sections, and the first circuit came to understand how such a city was able to function. With the divisions of people however, came the first cracks in Ryan's vision.

Class systems in a society that value putting a price on everything one does and makes, coupled with competition to excel and the stark class separations as a result of failure or success, it was easy to see the failure coming.

It was at the twenty years after its founding that everything fell apart.

With society crumbling down due to the system functioning as it had, plus Ryan's unwillingness to adjust and change to the needs of his people, and add in the genetic technologies that had been developed within the last five years prior, it led to a total breakdown of the system, and then eventually, anarchy as the Genespawn, people who modified themselves too much for the power it gave, lost their minds and began to act more like animals then human.

Those who could escape, did, leaving to Subnautica, which at the time was the large research station that had studied the discoveries in the trench. Within a few years, Rapture was nothing more than a ruin, and filled with water, and madmen in what locations were still habitable.

Lacking the means to return a large population to the surface in any real capacity, the leaders of Subnautica were forced to genetically modify volunteer divers to explore the trench for resources. It was hard, and dangerous due to creatures living in these depths, not to mention the abyss itself. It was this abyss that these divers gained their name. Abyssals.

Slowly, but surely, they were eventually able to expand and care for the numbers they were forced to take on, all due to the efforts of the hundreds of divers that swam the depths.

While the documentary didn't go into real detail on how this was accomplished, the results that are present today show these legendary divers succeeded in their duty.

Yin had to admit, these divers were praise worthy by all measures because of their efforts. They would need to see about making their own such people, given the threat of Subnautica now.

Over time, Subnautica assumed the role of leader for all habitats, and began to return to the surface to see to the continuation of their terraforming efforts, to eventually live on the surface.

This changed however with the creation of Fabricator Technology. Nanomachines. Microscopic robots that were collectively controlled by a powerful computer, micromanaging the actions of each individual to accomplish something as a whole. Initial fabricators were the size of a building, and were capable of constructing a submarine within a day, which would normally take months, as the vehicle was put together at the molecular level.

Utilizing designs stored in the computer database, and having orders for each nanomachine set specifically, and long practice of the method, they were able to reduce construction time to less than an hour. It had taken a mere five years to accomplish this. With the potential realized, the Subnauticans pushed to develop the technology as far as they could, as quickly as they could, and within four decades, the method they developed was finalized into what is used to this day.

Having the means to construct not just vehicles, but dwellings, equipment, and even food stuff, at a quick pace, the society exploded into an age of exploration and colonization within the world's oceans. Terraforming was stopped at this point in favor of this path, and even though the planet was unfinished, it would eventually become a living world after another century of just existing on its own.

Over these centuries, the Subnauticans developed more technology as a result of being able to so quickly construct and test ideas, and they forgot about the rest of humanity. They, ironically, created what would be considered by today's standards to be a battlemech, predating the Mackie by only eight years, with the creation of the Marine Mech, an industrial exploration machine that had equipped weapons for fauna. This plus diving suits and the primitive exoskeleton Prawn Suit, were the first creations for their mech development.

Subnautica developed quietly without much care for the wider universe.

At least until they received a signal from an exploration ship from the Federated Suns in the 2600s. While they didn't return any calls, they watched as the Federated Suns did their survey of the world from orbit, and then left. Eventually the ship returned to its jump ship and disappeared.

Suddenly realizing they weren't alone out there anymore, the Subnauticans decided to send an expedition into the Inner Sphere to see what had come about after three hundred years of isolation. Creating and launching a ship into orbit, and then utilizing ship mounted fabricators, they constructed an Aquila Class Jumpship within an hour.

That demonstration brought absolute chills to the First circuit.

They returned to the Inner Sphere as merchants, and got a general overview of the situation. It had been only five years after the end of the Reunification War and the death of Ian Cameron had occurred not a few months prior, thus Subnautica was given all the reason to keep quiet and stay out of the eyes of the Inner Sphere. They also managed to get their hands on a handful of technologies, including a lance of Mackie MSK-7A Battlemechs they stole from the Star League military within the Terran Hegemony.

How they managed that was not remarked upon, much to Yin's irritation.

They returned with news and goods, and from there adopted a form of isolation, lest they be attacked and conquered by the more powerful Star League as the Taurian Concordat had been just a short time before.

Then, much to his irritation, the next three centuries are mostly skimmed over for developments of new technologies and advancements of already established ones, before finally finishing off the documentary with the current state of Subnautica as of 2950.

With the holographic presentation ended, the room was silent as they digested everything. Yin Takami sighed dramatically, and gave the first word.

"Thoughts." He requested.

The Precentor of New Earth groaned as he covered his face with his hands. "First the Tripitz, and now this. What is it with sources of advanced technology coming out of nowhere all of the sudden?"

"This makes that look like a minor issue in comparison, if even half of this is even true." Precentor of Procyon muttered.

"We have confirmation of the Repair Tool working as shown and described. So, what we just watched is likely true, even if heavily redacted in the truth of events." Precentor of Oriente reminded everyone.

"The worst part is we can't really do anything about this. We have no assets on hand to do anything on Novo Franklin. It would take months to gather and then send anything there, and by then the situation would expand beyond what it is now." The Precentor of Tau Ceti.

"Obviously just nuking the place is out of the question. Not just for the obvious reasons, but they are deep underwater, which means it's pointless to even try." Precentor of Rigel Kentarus stated tiredly.

Yin took that as the point to steer the conversation. "There's a handful of things we can do about the situation however, but they are all gambles in one way or another."

Typing in a command to bring up a small list, with pros and cons, he began listing them out loud.

"The First idea, option-A, is we try to contain the situation by blockading the system. We take it off the records and announce it as lost. Do our best to isolate the system. During which time we send in our own assets, in force, and try to take the world for ourselves."

Most of the Precentors grimaced.

"That's gonna cost a lot of money and time. We don't exactly have a standing military, despite what the Exodus left behind. Plus, we would have to not only take control of the planet, but also build the means to take the fight to the Subnauticans, who have the home field advantage. They know the lay of the undersea terrain, they have the forces and numbers, and unlike a great many, are highly skilled and trained."

Yin nodded, waving to the cons being more or less matching what was said.

"There's also Operational Security and a Logistics requirement that hadn't been seen since the succession wars, which we are not equipped for."

With a wave to the pros, Yin continued. "On the other hand, if we can successfully cut them off from travel and communications, we will have the most valuable resource. Time. The issue is that it will not be quick, as this is something we need handled yesterday. We can even enlist the locals to do the work for us for a chance at equipment that makes their lives easier, or just some shiny new mechs if nothing else. There is also the possibility we can co-opt their technology for our own use and make it happen more quickly. Then it would be a matter of transporting people than material."

"With that technology in our hands, there's very little we couldn't do ourselves." Precentor of Capella noted.

"Which brings up option-B of the first plan. Instead of making war on the system, we encourage Subnautica to allow us to help them. To…bring them out of their relative isolation from the world and ease them into the universe beyond."

"Make them into a client state? Not sure how well that would work given they don't really need anything." Precentor of Caph spoke in a doubtful tone.

"They do not need anything from us materially, but we have access to the stars, and to a logistics chain that would see to spreading the "Greater Good" to the rest of the Inner Sphere. While we would encourage them to keep any military, or potentially destructive technologies to themselves, such as Fabrication, other things are open to selling and spreading their will."

The group looked thoughtful to the idea.

"It would allow us access to their technology base, as well as prevent the overall spread of their existence."

"The things they send out, if they do, will have to be nothing but trinkets, or better than useful tools for the masses. Maybe vehicles for mass production that do not possess their technology, but possess similar capabilities?"

The group began to come up with their own pros and cons to the idea, and Yin grinned a little. While he had handled the Tirpitz affair with force, the same couldn't be done with this situation. Instead, he had to come up with a solution that showed he can handle problems in a diplomatic manner as well. Especially with such a potentially destructive faction revealing itself.

He had been tempted to handle this with force, but Yin had to admit…the technology presented, if even a fraction as capable as shown in the reports, would elevate Comstar's power beyond anything anyone could have imagined. The dream of leading the inner sphere into an age of prosperity and peace by their hand is one they could see within their lifetime.

The idea of it all being possible because of him, and his actions here today. It would elevate him to the same level as Blake, Toyama, and Kerensky. They just needed to play their cards right.

"I can see the second option is preferential to our desires. So, what would it take to bring about a total black out of the system from the rest of humanity?"

That made them all take pause for a minute.

"We could enlist pirates, and have them send a raid. Make it a big deal that they raided this planet and destroyed it. Thus, forcing us to mark it out."

"Pirates? Why…oh right. Forgive me. We don't want any of the houses or mercenary units to even have a sniff this exists." Precentor Bryant started before apologizing. "Which brings to mind the question of how we prevent the Outworlds, and the Suns from sniffing about?"

Precentor of Altair had been silent for the entire discussion, before finally speaking up.

"I believe there is a simpler solution."

Everyone's eyes turned to the Samurai turned Priest, one of the few among them who possessed a warrior's background before turning to Blake's light after waking from a coma.

Yin was able to push forth the way of handling the Tripitz due to him, and he valued his council.

"Enlighten us friend."

"This suggestion may sound strange, but the leader of this nation was receptive to Comstar and our mission. What if we simply…speak to him of the dangers his technology present to the whole of the inner sphere? Perhaps enlighten him to our way of seeing things? From what recordings and data we have, he appears to be aware of the Inner Sphere's current status. He must also be aware of the danger his existence presents to the world his nation exists upon?"

For a moment, everyone stared, as if the idea had simply not occurred to them. He had to admit, he was one of them, though only partially. It was why he created Option-B after all. That said, simply speaking to the man about things…would that even work?

Surely not. Then again…

"It would have to be in a way that speaks to their benefit as much as it does everyone else."

Altair nodded and grinned lightly. "It would be for the Greater Good."

As if a lightbulb suddenly illuminated the room, the very idea he put forth suddenly felt much more viable than making war. More then subterfuge. What if the source of their issues helped them hide said issues? It would have to be done in a very specific manner, but if the young man had an open mind to Blake's Will…

---

Comstar HPG Compound, Corealdas Port, Northern Continent
Novo Franklin, Periphery Space
January 15th, 2981 AD

Adept Yarri Xing watched in silent awe as the small fleet of VTOL craft hovered gracefully outside of the compound grounds, save a single craft that carried the VIP. It looked like a whale, with a dorsal fin, tail, and flippers on the side. All functional and for show. The symbol of Subnautica on emblazoned upon its side, a navy blue with Novo Franklin's map upon it, with a stylized star upon that.

It landed hovered without any apparent source of lift, as in defiance of gravity itself, before softly landing upon a small pad for aircraft. The side of the craft opened up, marring the seamless exterior with a square hole. Two suits of knightly power armor stepped out, carrying large, two handed weapons that possessed glowing parts in the color of bright blue. They stood at ease, but gazed over the grounds, alert and ready for a fight.

Then out came the man they waited for.

The Sovereign of the Undersea Nation of Subnautica.

Yarri felt nervous as the man strode towards him with ease of step, filled with confidence, but a hint of danger.

Yarri bowed as the man approached. "Welcome to the Comstar HPG Compound Lord Soveriegn."

It felt a bit redundant to call someone "Lord Lord.", but it felt better to do so than be wrong.

Said Lord, nodded his head in return. "Thank you for the greeting."

Yarri led the man into the main building that made up the entrance of the compound, with the Sovereign staring up at the vast antenna that made up the actual HPG. Yarri grinned a little, for as childish as it was, there was some pride in knowing that for all that Subnautica had, this was something that Comstar at least had over them. In every other regard though…

Precentor Lim Nyung had been waiting for them in the master lounge beyond the entry area, and Yarri stepped away so the two leaders could exchange greetings. Then the two went on the introduction tour that most Lords of the fiefdoms were given, but given Subnautica's level of…everything really, he was given the "grand tour" of the compound.

Throughout it all, the Sovereign was pleasant, asking questions here and there, and was impressed by the HPG. Not entirely surprised by it though, but it was reasonable to assume he had seen more impressive things.

Then, the tour took an unexpected turn when the group passed by the underground entrance to the garage. The Sovereign paused as, and Yarri paled slightly as the Warhammer laid in his line of sight.

With reluctance, Precentor Lim allowed the Sovereign to go into the garage to take a look at the machine. The appearance of the leader surprised many of the technicians and staff, but stayed back when they saw the Precentor with him.

That is until the Sovereign made a bee-line to something else, instead of the Battlemech.

Yarri and the Precentor both paled and wanted to stop him, but the man kept going until he stopped near a project that was apparent for those who knew what they were looking at.

A jury rigged battery charger with Subnautican Batteries placed in it.

The man stared down, scrutinizing the charger port more than anything else, and there was a tenseness in the air before the Sovereign gave a simple grin.

"I am impressed. It's a little haphazard, but you managed to create a charging station."

Everyone was thrown off by how easily the man spoke about it.

"You're not…" Precentor Lim stared before the lord waved it off.

"No. To be honest, I am not surprised in the least. If I were a leader of a group, or organization, and some newcomer with advanced technology came out of nowhere appeared suddenly, I'd want samples of said tech to know what the hell I was dealing with too."

He crouched down and looked the charging station over.

"It is pretty inefficient in its design though." he said in a thoughtful tone before standing up, and facing the people about.

"Who is responsible for making this charge station."

Chief Technician Vance stood forward, looking like he was ready to defend his, and his people's work. It took them a week to figure out the means to power the batteries without destroying them in the process, and it helped greatly once they had the means to power the repair tool they once had.

"I and my people are."

Instead of challenging the man, the Lord stepped over and shook his hand.

"Well done. You and yours managed to take something few had seen, and actually make something that worked instead of exploding everything. You might have a job with my people if you ever leave Comstar."

The man returned the shake easily enough, but looked a little apprehensive.

"Exploding everything?"

The Sovereign nodded. "The batteries you have are…well, to put it simply. They're nuclear batteries. If they had exploded due to a bad connection, or burning through the shell, this place would have gone up like a roman candle."

Everyone blanched.

The Lord paused for effect, seemingly taking in everyone's reaction before sighing in relief, and nodding.

"I'm glad you understand the gravity of the situation. These are the small ones for tools, but they still can hold enough energy to match a…I would say, a tactical nuke of zero point one kilotons going off. That is, if they were at full power. If they were drained to nothing, they would just burn and give off radioactive smoke for a few hours like an emergency flare."

Yarri felt faint. Thank god they got it right.

"But, I can see some issues with this one. Bring your tools, and I'll show you what I mean."

Then for the next half hour, the Sovereign gave an impromptu class to the technicians, the Adepts, and Precentor about the batteries and full contact charging. It was mainly a proprietary thing developed back in the past that hadn't been changed.

They also improved on the charger, now called the charging station, as they added some safeties and improved on the connection to prevent any explosive hishaps. Then he decided to improve the charge connections to speed up the charge time.

"Two hours for a single battery is nice, but with a proper charging station, these batteries go from zero to one hundred percent in twenty minutes."

That said a lot about Subnautica's power sources and infrastructure.

Once finished, the Sovereign nodded in approval.

"Without our infrastructure here, you all will have to make do for now with this. Otherwise, I'd just make one for you right now."

"That easily?" Chief Vance asked.

The Lord shrugged. "Might seem silly, or grandiose, but it would be for the Greater Good if you had something that worked instead of jury rigging stuff if you're gonna have our technology. Some of it is quite dangerous is fiddled with incorrectly."

Looking at the Precentor. "Out of curiosity, what tools do you have?"

Looking a bit embarrassed, Precentor admitted to having a laser cutter, a mineral detector, and a Repair Tool.

The Lord noticed the despondant looks at the mention of the Repair tool, and grinned with amusement.

"Loved how easily it fixed things, didja?" he said in a low brow drawl.

"You have no idea." A technician muttered.

"I do actually. I had to fix my own stuff once upon a time, with nothing but my own hands without the repair tool. It was a pain in the ass." The sovereign replied, clearly hearing the man.

"How does it work?" Chief Vance asked.

The Soveriegn looked at the man, and more a moment contemplated before answering.

"To put it simply, the machine contains a small amount of nanomachines. Microscopic robots. When the tool is activated, the robots enter through whatever item you are repairing through the prongs which holds a miniature electromagnetic field, and then simply restores whatever you are using it on. Materials for the repair are either taken from sources you bring with, local elements in the air the machines grab, or from the object itself if it is deemed safe to do. As for what it can repair, it can repair anything, provided the machines are programmed with the data on the object in question. For example…"

The Sovereign waves to the Warhammer.

"Thanks to the Battlemechs we have scanned in the past, plus data on mechs in general, we can repair pretty much any mech made from the Star League and back. If it's a new machine we had never seen before, or new equipment, or new anything, it will not repair it because the nanomachines have no data on it. It could repair equipment that is known, but little else."

A wave of understanding flowed through the group. It made a lot of sense now. They repaired the Warhammer easily enough, but they also tried to use it on other equipment, and it just did nothing. They had an inkling that this might be the case, but now it was confirmed.

Still…microscopic robots. If it were anyone else, that would be fantastical. Given the fabrication technology he had been informed about, it made sense they would have made tools that use the same methods to repair.

The Precentor's eyes sharpened slightly at something, contemplative in his expression, before returning to a smile.

"Well, I'm glad this detour has turned out so well. Very informative."

The Lord nodded. "I agree." He replied before turning back to Chief Vance.

"By the way, where is the repair tool, now that we have it set up, the tool might improve the charge station further as it "detects damage" and turns it into a fully capable device."

Then it got awkward, but the chief lied well enough.

"I wish we had known that, but at the moment it's being used to repair other stuff outside the compound. Things we have agreements with the other fiefdoms to maintain."

The Sovereign nodded easily, though somewhat stiffly. Did he see through the lie? Maybe he was just disappointed. He seemed the type to want things to happen. Looking at his wrist, a screen on his vambrace appeared, and he clicked away on it, before then showing a clock. The Sovereign nodded before looking back at the Chief.

"I'll have my people up top give you four more tools then. When you get them use one to see about improving the station."

Then he turned to the Precentor. "I believe our time is limited, and we are running a bit late now."

The Precentor took the change and ran with it.

"Yes. We do have many things to discuss."

With a turn and smile he bid the techs goodbye and left the garage.
Once more up top, the Sovereign and the Precentor went to the sitting room to have their discussions, and Yarri was released to his duties. Specifically to pick up the tools that were waiting for him.

Returning to the landing pad outside, there was a man in a uniform and a box.

"Four Repair tools, four batteries. Enjoy." The man said as he handed them over. Yarri bowed before returning to the garage.

The moment he entered, he was practically mobbed by the techs who were excited and antsy for the new tools.

The chief shouted for calm, and opened the case, showing the brand new, shiny and clean tools, with full charged batteries that were lit up a bright cyan color.

Placing the battery into the tool, it clicked and hummed in a high pitch that it was powered up and ready to be used.

The chief led the group over to the charging station, and after a moment of pause, placed the prongs on the device and pulled the trigger. They watched before their eyes as wires and metal bent and molded into new shapes before finally stopping.

The new, improved Charging Station was an entirely different beast than before.

"Alright…I want this taken apart, studied, and recorded. We put it back together ourselves, and the repeat it to make sure it works as intended."

He stared down at the tool, before handing it off to a tech. "Alright, let's get back to work."

Everyone took their own tool and went off to their own tasks with a bounce in their step, before a smaller group began to work on the charger.

Yarri left to go back to his own duties once more, though he did so with some worry. Did the Sovereign know what his actions were leading to, and didn't care? Or did he know and was counting on it? Yarri refused to think the man was that naïve about the world.

Only time would tell.

---

Author's Note

AND NO NEWS CHAPTER !!!

Click to shrink...

Piccolo Voice while in fighting stance: Jumping the gun a bit aren't you?

Anyways. Winter Prep is in full swing because it has gotten cold fast. So chapters might come out slower than the three days I have managed to do so far.

That said, I don't remember if I mentioned it or not, but I do a poll at the end of each month as to what story I will focus on the next month, plus one or two secondary stories I periodically post for.

This story "Playing the Game" has won as the primary, so this will continue next month at a semi-regular pace.

The secondaries are a story that currently is exclusive on Patreon until I get at least ten chapters, which I will post on forums. It's called "Deus Ex Machina" and it's a Godbound Fic.

The other secondary that surpassed the minimum vote number to be worked on...is Claptrap.

So I have re-read that story and begun working on it again. "Playing the Game" is the focus however, so don't expect alot from Claptrap.

That said, I hope you are enjoying the story thus far.

 

[GundamChief]

Comstar HPG Compound, Corealdas Port, Northern Continent
Novo Franklin, Periphery Space
January 15th, 2981 AD

I sat down across from Precentor Nyung in a room that was about as opulent as the office I had my own meeting in when he first came to Subnautica. It lacked a great deal of the technological aspects mine did, but given mine was in an underwater palace, unlike the surface where real air and sun coming through a window.

"Drink." He offered, mirroring my own start when we first met. The grin on his face told me he was aware of that, and grinned back, and played the game.

"Water please."

He chuckled as he poured a glass for me, and I took the drink and placed it on a coaster.

As Precentor Nyung sat down, I checked over my arm vambrace to take a look at the list of scans my ships did as they floated outside of the compound. So, I now had the HPG, the Warhammer and Lostech it apparently had, and pretty much every variety of equipment and structure as I flew here. I nodded, looked at the update alert showing the tools had been retrieved, and closed it down.

"Well, your technicians are probably having a ball right about now. The Repair Tools were retrieved by your adept."

Hyung nodded. "That's good to hear. Thank you for that."

"Its fine. It will help in the future when projects are being worked on by your people."

He gave me a raised eyebrow for a moment before moving on. "Which brings us to the reason I asked you for this meeting actually."

I shifted to become more comfortable. "The future?"

"Just so. As a member of Comstar, it is my business, and by extension, Comstar's business to be aware of the various factions and nation states across the Inner Sphere. It allows us to not only extend our services to them, but also to provide a means for many groups to engage in diplomacy and works of charity, among many other works that are beneficial to the whole Sphere. Once I became aware of your nation's existence, and confirmed its status as an advanced nation, I was obligated to make my superiors aware as well."

I nodded. I knew it was going to happen. The question is how they would play it. The fact he was speaking to me about it, instead of an army rushing in, told me they were either not in a position to commit to any campaign, or they would try subterfuge first.

"I take it they were surprised."

"To put it mildly. It's common to rediscover a lost world or colon of a lesser level of development. It's rare to find one that is on par with the current state of the Inner Sphere. It is a miracle to find one that is higher. Your society has raised the bar, to say the least."

His face gave me a grim expression.

"And that makes things very dangerous for everyone."

I was already expecting this when I first appeared in this world. It was why I was willing to just sail away in my magic submarine and become a pirate of the fun variety. To be honest, there were times I wished I didn't decide to go "Empire Builder" and just keep developing as I went, having adventures with increasingly mind boggling technology.

Shifts-with-Breeze, Emma, and now Ariel, are all bad influences on me.

Breeze wants to fix and repair everything which now includes maybe the state of the world, Emma wants to help me achieve everything while keeping me safe and survive as best as she can, and Ariel has more or less considered me a saint of the Omnissiah for what I have accomplished thus far and wants me to take this world and create an Imperium of my own.

My own biosynths, who are also people now, also have been speaking their minds and want to unite the surface world under my banner. By word, or by force. It was getting harder to resist the pressure now.

It's only because of my new perk of Hive Engineer, that I was able to multi-task everything and not go nuts. Especially since with the other new perk, Capsule Calamity, now allowed me to store entire fleets of vehicles, equipment, resources, and supplies inside capsules from DragonBall. Massive fleets of ships to transport goods were no longer required, unless the cargo is people.

Transporting resources is now insanely easy with the Quantum Storage system, as you no longer needed to insert the materials into the device, just put them into a cargo bed, shrink the bed down into a capsule, and put that into the Quantum Storage. The habitats that had been started and expected to be complete by the end of the month were done now. Newly made Biosynths for those places were being created as Precentor Nyung and I were speaking.

Breeze had been working on the Architect ships at that landing port, but they were almost as advanced as Forerunner technology. Given that Breeze was capable of working on devices more advanced is the only reason they made headway at all. In fact, they were considering creating a new huragok to help speed things along. I told Breeze not to unless they want to have a family. Don't make something just to make work easier.

It took them off guard, as repairing things was in their nature to do as making a nice, safe place to live was in a human's nature. The choice to make a new huragok was based on that natural inclination and I had essentially denied it based on human sentiment. After a bit of discussion, we put it on pause and decided we would give it a full talk at a later time. It wasn't a race.

Breeze reluctantly agreed, and I felt bad for denying him the desire to create another. I just didn't want him making one for the sake of work…but then maybe I was wrong because he didn't see it as work, but as fulfilling his natural instinct.

I was pulled my thoughts when I felt a star fall. I felt panic when the forge grabbed it.

Spoiler: Clang!

-Chromosome Analysis Specialist (Biomega) (100CP)
Well, the job description said training would be provided - and sure enough, they provided you with all of the reading material you needed to figure out what you were actually supposed to do now that you're here. The researchers at the Data Recovery Foundation have been put to task into deciphering the secret behind the immortal cells, that mysterious 24th chromosome. From all of the information that has been compiled, you've acquired a better picture of what the DRF is planning - but as well, your ability to break down genetic information and just large chunks of information in general have improved. Heck, reading that 42 volume tome had to be worth something right?

The knowledge comes to me without pain and I felt relief it wasn't anything tangible. That will make mastering FEV and anything biological easier to do, but for now, I move away from that and back to the present moment.

I had a feeling I knew what speech he was about to give, so I will just show I am on the same wavelength.

"I agree. While I do not possess a full, up-to-date picture of the situation across the Inner Sphere, I am aware enough to know what will come of the greater part of humanity knowing of our existence. Specifically, our technology. Given what the House Lords of the Inner Sphere were willing to do during the first and second succession wars for a throne, I can easily imagine what they would do for technology that would hand it all to them with a push of the button."

I can sense relief in the Precentor as he nodded.

"That was what the First Circuit was so concerned about. They have a great responsibility to oversee the communications between the houses, and all planetary governments across the Inner Sphere. I will fully admit we do our best to pressure them to keep the peace as best as we are able, and to keep the status quo, lest the Inner Sphere once more falls prey to the destruction wrought by the first two Succession Wars."

"And given my nations technology, the means to fabricate mechs, entire vessels, provided one has the materials and designs in the database, we would see military buildups surpassing anything seen before, more than even the SLDF had ever achieved. And this is but one facet my nations Fabrication technology would enable the Houses to achieve."

Precentor Nyung smacked the arm of his chair with an open hand.

"Thank Blake! You have no idea how good it is to hear someone of your station realize the consequences." He said with sincerity. Given the fiefdoms he had been dealing with, I am not surprised people are so short sighted. That's the ecosystem of this world…then again, that can be said for the entire Inner Sphere.

I nodded. "I had given it a lot of thought. Not just for this world, but for the Inner Sphere at large. It would be easy to be nice and just share the technology I possess. Selling it to those who want it. Only for it to be used to repair Battlemechs, and Aerospace fighters, and Dropships….hell, I wouldn't be surprised if the House Lords have a Warship or two lying around just waiting for an army of techs with repair tools to go over them. Or worse, a ship yard that had been out of commission for who knows how long. Age of War, act two."

My words made the Precentor go pale at the thought, his mind going through the same images my own had. The idea of warships being repaired within a week, and then used. It would be a nightmare for the worlds who couldn't defend themselves. How many worlds would burn like Helm had because one guy with command got pissy at the resistance of his invasion?

I saw Nyung's troubled thoughts like they were visible to the naked eye, and I decided to calm him.

"It is fortunate that will never happen."

He paused and looked at me. "What do you mean?"

"If you recall what I said down in the garage to your technicians when they asked how the tool functioned, I had said, the nanomachines can only repair what they are programed to know."

I shook my head. "I have no plans to put warship data inside those tools. The only such tools with such data, are the ones for my military to repair my submarines, and those are not the same as the civilian ones. The one you had before, plus the new ones, are the military models, which only occurred since you have Battlemechs and because I know you wouldn't use those war machines as the other lords would."

That last part is bullshit, given all of their actions to keep things in the Sphere as they are, but he didn't need to know that.

Nyung smiled and nodded. "I and by extension the First Circuit are grateful to hear that."

I coked my head with a grin. "…You hadn't considered warships until I said it, did you?"

His smile became a little brittle, but he sighed and nodded. "Not until you said it. No."

"Well, rest assured, if Subnautica becomes a greater part of the universe, we have no intention of letting the Houses get their hands on our technology. Even if it would be a good thing to ease the needs of the people across the sphere with what we can accomplish, not doing that is ultimately the safer thing to do. In fact, and I know I keep saying it, but it is for The Greater Good to prevent this from occurring, lest mankind begins setting the flames of extinction up once more."

The words had the effect as Nyung sighed in deep relief.

"I am so glad you understand what it was I was asked to convey. It appears you already understood before we even had to ask."

I nodded. Of course Comstar doesn't want my technology to get out there. I agree with them on this, ironically, as we agree on many things in regards to the consequences. It's the other things they are doing I am opposed to.

That all said, I know what their game is now. They want me to keep it under wraps, but not going out into the Inner Sphere. I agree with this, save I will not be staying on this world indefinitely. I just have no intention of going into the Sphere. Not when there's so much free real estate into the periphery.

I sighed and put on my grim face. It wasn't hard to do when I felt another star fall. The forge reached out, and missed. I kept my expression the same despite the relief I actually felt.

"There is the issue of the Houses learning about it anyways."

Nyung had nodded, and appeared unconcerned. So, I was right. They were planning on keeping me under wraps and in their court until they could handle me somehow.

"Something the First Circuit was gravely concerned about. We foresee the most likely source of discovery from merchants in the Federated Suns. We can prevent your existence from getting off world via HPG, however…"

I shook my head. "They of course would hear about the Kingdom of Subnautica by word of mouth. You do realize that hiding us from sight is nearly impossible though?"

His face took on a different expression. He looked pained, but I can see frustration in his eyes. Like I was hitting something he knew would not go his way. Sorry my friend, but going back down into the water is no longer an option.

I took on a contemplative look.
"I do have a few ideas on how to handle that actually, plus one other thing."

Nyung sighed, before leaning back in his chair. "What did you have in mind?"

I held out m hand, with the index finger extended.

"The first is we just build a damn wall around the territory I claimed as my own. Perhaps the same for the Emeri Empire and the Fields Fiefdom."

Nyung blinked. "Fields Fiefdom?"

I looked at him. "Perhaps you are not aware. Carson emery, and Devlin Fields are childhood friends. So, Carson made him aware of our alliance, and wanted in on it. I met with the man to judge him, and found him to be sincere. So, our alliance is now us three."

Though he didn't really show it, this new came as an unpleasant surprise for the good Precentor.

"If I may ask, what is he receiving from this alliance? Or you for that matter?"

"For him, an upgrade, and uplift to his society. Schools, hospitals, roads, power, better housing, the works. No new military technology except a Subnautican mech exclusively for him, and repairing his military equipment."

He grimaced slightly, unable to keep it in.

"For me, I get access to his food exports, land for which my people can wander and live if they wish, and he is forced to obey my military doctrine."

Nyung blinked at that.

"Your doctrine?"

"To put it simply, we don't start fights, but we finish them. Otherwise, you do you, and I do me. Do not make me come over to you. We are not expansionist by military means, but I am open to allowing others to join the alliance, provided, and pardon my language, that you aren't a complete asshole."

Nyung nodded, as it was very basic, but spelled out how we operate.

"Getting back to the idea, we basically put a giant wall around our territories and only allow certain people in in certain areas for trade and the like. It's isolationist in my opinion, but it would keep out the people we don't want."

Nyung nodded. "There is merit to the idea."

I held out two fingers.

"Second, we, and I mean we as in my alliance members, myself, and you, expand the Alliance until the entire world is under it. This is done by pulling an Ian Cameron when he first made the Star League."

Nyung's eyes widened in shock at my audacity.

"That is very bold of you."

"The part where I have to play a typical Lord to keep the rest of the Inner Sphere safe, or the fact I am trying to convince you to join in on the conspiracy to make it happen?" I ask with a dry tone.

"Both, but mostly the second."

I shrugged. "Lord Ian Cameron convinced Captain-General Albert Marik to unify the Inner Sphere despite being in opposition to one another by sharing in the hobby of miniatures. I don't see why we cannot do so by our shared belief in the Greater Good of keeping humanity safe from itself."

He looked conflicted, until I said the thing, now he appears to be contemplating the idea more realistically.

I waved it off. "That is just my second idea. My third idea is…in my opinion, bolder but in a different way."

He shook himself out of his thoughts of a united Novo Franklin and looked to me. "How so?"

"We have advanced technology, yes…but you must remember we had to work to get to this point. Everything we had ever developed is still in our database. So, the Inner Sphere hears about some kingdom with advanced technology. When they come to check, they find a kingdom willing to sell things…that are only marginally better than what they already have. Maybe near equal to the Star League. The Magistracy of Canopus is considered the location to go for medical tourism. Why not this place for…tech tourism?

Nyung didn't like the idea, but at the same time, he was nodding.

"That could work, and if combined with the wall idea, you would have a measure of protection. Not to mention where your kingdom's true location is, but that would open the door for people to come invading as well."

I nodded. "That is the issue with it. Just as wars would erupt from the more hostile kingdoms with the second idea, and isolation would come from the first."

I shrugged. "I'm sorry friend, but we cannot just disappear beneath the waves again. It was going to happen sooner or later, might as well deal with it now."

Nyung rubbed his forehead in frustration, but he also nodded after a moment.

"There are times I wished you never appeared, but that bridge is gone now." He admitted, before realizing what he had said.

I smiled. "I knew it!" I point at him. He looked panicked until I laughed, and then he looked irritated before he started laughing a bit too. After it died off, I continued, showing four fingers.

I felt another star fall, and paused for a moment as if in deep thought, but actually in dread.

Spoiler: Clang!!!!

-Blessing of Dundr (The Banner Saga) (400CP)
You received the blessing of Dundr as he left the world, and received the boon of the god of smithing and knowledge. You gain godly talent in learning how to smith and can weave stories that capture and entertain people on equal footing of the greatest bards.

I blinked, and grinned a bit, before continuing.

"Lastly, we do all three ideas. We close off areas into zones, for protection and control. We bring the nations and concerns of this world under the umbrella of an alliance, which becomes the primary nation of this world, and when people come calling, they get only the stuff we give them and we keep all the cool toys for ourselves."

Nyung gives me a lidded look, and crosses his arms.

"This is getting above my paygrade now."

I could tell I was pushing it now, so I pulled my hand back and nodded.

"I understand. This is my most extreme of ideas. Though…I have a story to tell you if you would indulge me. It will illustrate my reasoning."

He raised an eyebrow and gestured for me to proceed.

Using all that I had, I began to weave a tale for him about an Earth leader of the past.

"In the heart of 19th-century Europe, Germany lay fragmented—a patchwork of kingdoms, duchies, and principalities, each with its own ruler, its own laws, and its own interests. Among them was Prussia, a kingdom determined to rise as the leading power, yet surrounded by the chaos of division. The man at the helm of this ambition was Otto von Bismarck, a man known for his sharp intellect and unwavering resolve."

"One crisp autumn day, Bismarck convened a secret meeting in his office, the air thick with tension. His closest advisors sat before him, their faces a mix of skepticism and curiosity. "Gentlemen," he began, "Germany stands at a precipice. Our disunity weakens us against external threats and internal strife. We must unite, not just for power, but for the very survival of our people."

"But the challenges were immense. The southern states were resistant, wary of Prussian dominance. The Austrians loomed nearby, eager to maintain their influence. Yet, Bismarck believed that with the right strategy, he could forge an empire out of the fractured lands."

"With a plan in mind, he initiated his first move by engineering a conflict with Austria. The Austrians had long been the dominant force in German affairs, and Bismarck recognized that they had to be sidelined. He whispered to the winds of war, fueling tensions over the duchies of Schleswig and Holstein. As skirmishes erupted, he rallied the northern German states under the banner of Prussia, promising them strength and security."

"The war was swift, and within weeks, the Austrian forces were routed. The victory sent shockwaves through the German states, and in its wake, Bismarck established the North German Confederation. For the first time, many of these states were united under a single constitution, albeit with Prussia at the helm."

"Yet Bismarck knew that this was only the beginning. The southern states remained hesitant to join the Confederation. To sway them, he needed a common enemy—something to ignite their nationalism. He found it in France."

"The tension with France escalated, and Bismarck artfully crafted a diplomatic incident, provoking the French into declaring war. He positioned Prussia as the protector of the German people, calling upon the southern states to join the fight against a common foe. "This is our moment!" he proclaimed. "Stand with Prussia, and together we shall forge a new Germany!"

"As the war raged, the southern states rallied to the cause. The German people, who had long been divided, found common ground in their struggle against France. The heroic tales of battles fought and victories won echoed across the lands, binding the hearts of the people together."

"When the dust settled, the Franco-Prussian War ended in a decisive victory for the united German forces. The southern states, now fully invested in the unity forged through conflict, agreed to join the North German Confederation. On January 18, 1871, in the Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles, Bismarck proclaimed the establishment of the German Empire, with the King of Prussia as its Emperor."

"However, the consequences of his actions were not lost on him. The new empire was born not just from unity, but from bloodshed and manipulation. The rivalries that had simmered for centuries would not simply vanish. France, humiliated, would seek vengeance. Internal dissent simmered among those who felt overshadowed by Prussia's dominance. Bismarck understood that while he had united Germany, he had also sown the seeds of future conflict."

"Reflecting on his journey, Bismarck sat alone in his study one evening, contemplating the path he had forged. He had achieved what many deemed impossible, yet the weight of his choices pressed heavily upon him. He had united a nation, yes, but at what cost? The greater good of a strong Germany came with the burden of leadership and the inevitable conflicts that would arise from the unification."

"In his heart, he knew that unity was essential, but it must be tempered with wisdom and diplomacy. As the Iron Chancellor, he resolved to navigate the turbulent waters of his newly formed empire, striving to maintain peace while preparing for the storms that lay ahead."

I finished my short story, and the Precentor listened intently.

I leaned forward as I finished, and presented my point.

"Just as Bismarck recognized the dangers of division in his time," I began, "I see the looming shadow of the Inner Sphere. While it isn't the solution we want to face, the forces of the Inner sphere are great enough to turn this world to fire, and take Subnautica's technology for its own. A united front would prevent this."

The Precentor's brow furrowed, skepticism clear in his eyes. "And why should Comstar support your vision? Our aim is to see peace maintained. Your idea here would bring war sooner than later."

I nodded, anticipating his reluctance. "I understand your concerns. But think of this: Bismarck united the German states to stand against Austria and France as they would make war sooner or later regardless. Similarly, unless Subnautica disappears entirely, the Inner sphere will come sooner or later regardless. We must come together to face the Inner Sphere. Alone, we will fall; together, we can leverage our unity against theirs."

I felt a star fall once more, only for it to miss.

"Consider this unity as a means to strengthen Comstar's position. If we create a formidable alliance, we can dictate the terms of our existence rather than being at the mercy of the Inner Sphere's ambitions."

I spoke, intentionally placing a sense of urgency in my voice. "Bismarck acted swiftly when the opportunity arose, and I must do the same. We cannot wait for the Inner Sphere to make their move. The longer we delay unification, the more vulnerable we become. This is not merely about my ambition; it's about ensuring that Comstar remains a key player in a changing landscape."

I paused, gauging Nyung's reaction. He had hesitancy in his eyes, but at the same time I could see the gears turning.

"In Bismarck's time, division led to weakness, and I fear the same fate if we remain complacent. The Inner Sphere is not a distant threat; it is a reality we must prepare for. But if we work together, Comstar can position itself as a leading voice in the alliance, rather than just another outsider faction vying for power."

That caught Nyungs attention. Yes, take the bait I set. It will give you access to the Alliance, and in turn, to us. Comstar would have something no other house would have, and I would have a path to turning your organization. I just needed to push it a bit more.

With conviction in my tone, I continued, "Bismarck envisioned a strong Germany not just for himself, but for future generations. I seek the same—an alliance that can stand against the forces of the Inner Sphere, ensuring not only our survival but also to show the power a people can have if they put aside the drive for power and seek unity for The Greater Good. Just as the Star League had."

That clinched it. Something in the Precentor shifted, and it was as if he saw another world. He was lost in it. It took a solid minute for the man to come out of it, staring me in the eyes.

"…This is crazy…but it just might work." Precentor Nyung stated.

I leaned back in the chair, clasping my hands on my chest.

"All things like this are, until they happen. Those who come after then decide whether it was or not."

Nyung rubbed his face.

"Alright. Maybe this is the only way, as much as I want to not believe it. This goes against everything I believe in. What Comstar stands for."

I pursed my lips. "Well, you can tell the First circuit of this idea, and see what they think about it. Depending on their answer, I might actually agree with them, like I did about keeping my technology out of the hands of the Great Houses."

Nyung thought about it before nodding. "That would be the best thing to do." He said with a small amount of relief in his tone.

I nodded back. "We'll see what happens." I said as I looked at the time.

"It appears I must get going. Think on what I have said."

With that, we exchanged goodbyes and I left for Subnautica.

I leaned back in my seat. I mor or less showed my current set of cards to Comstar now…but I think they will be receptive to it. The benefits of having access to the advanced technology would be enough to move them into action. Whether that works to my advantage or not…That's future me's problem.

===

Capital Habitat, Deep Kingdom of Subnautica, Leviathan's Trench
Novo Franklin, Periphery Space
January 15th, 2981 AD

I walked back into the Lab tiredly, but happy to be home. I paused as a Servo-bot appeared. It looked like a flying head, save that it had a featureless faceplate with multiple optics. The Servo-Bot was the new devices Ariel made once she realized flying skulls made people nervous.

"Welcome back!" Ariel's voice sounded from above me.

Glancing up, I saw the woman hanging from the ceiling by her mechadendrites, wearing Subnautican styled attire. It was an Admech styled robe, but all white and gold, and unlike before where she wore nothing underneath, she wore a diving suit suited for her. It really hid nothing, and more than a few male Biosynths stared at her form when she wasn't looking.

"Got new stuff."

In a flash she was down to the ground and in front of me.

"New abilities!? Share!" she squealed.

"I got another from Biomega where I can now decipher genetic work, and know about the immortality they had now. Plus…storytelling and godly smithing skills."

"ooooh"

I glanced over to Emma who was working on something, and our eyes mt. She smiled until she saw how close Ariel was to me, and jealousy took smile away.

"Well, let's have a small meeting. I need to tell you how it went at the HPG."

With them both there, I explained all the things I scanned. Emma was pleased and Ariel did a happy dance at having a new toy to play with. HPGs interested her greatly she wanted to crack that egg right open. Then I filled them in on Comstar's request, and my own thoughts, and my choice.

Emma wasn't too happy at being controlled in any manner, but agreed with Ariel when she pointed out that my agreeableness would buy time to work against them. Which was my plan in a nutshell.

Then I filled them in on my idea about uniting the world under Subnautica like the Star League of old, and how I used a story to convince the Precentor to at least consider it.

"Well, it's a start. I would prefer you just do like the Emperor and do things by force."

I shrugged. "It may very well come to that depending on how hostile some of the kingdoms are. If we get Comstar to back us, then our actions would have an air of legitimacy. Nothing gets people to think like realizing that the big shots think this guy is worth backing over you."

Looking at Ariel. "Besides, the Emperor didn't always do things by force. Mars exists afterall."

She snorted. "That was different. He needed us, and couldn't take us without destroying everything in the process. These people have nothing to offer you besides land."

I nodded. "Which is the start we need. While I have laid claim to the other continents already, they aren't aware of it, and I will use our technology, which allows them to live in these places, as a carrot to entice them. The stick comes from the dumbasses who fight me regardless."

From there, we began to plan out who we would approach based on the reports from the Abyssal's I had sent into the nations. Time is on our side, and we don't need Comstar, but if I want to win, I have to play the game.

---

Author's Note

Winter Prep has been kicking my ass, especially yesterday. Thank you Ibuprofen.

Chapter 15 is on its way, and will be on Patreon today or tomorrow.

 

[GundamChief]

Architect Site 023, Phase Port, Arken Archipelago, Equator
Novo Franklin, Periphery Space
January 20th, 2981 AD

I looked up at the ship that was a cruiser equivalent for the Architect species. The species were a race of centaurs that stood half again as tall as the human average. It showed as the innards were meant for a species that stood much taller than a man, and had no need for a seat as their cloven feet were able to grip the floor if gravity wasn't outright canceled.

The ship was a long diamond shaped rod. Possessing dimensions of three hundred and thirty five meters, by thirty three meters, by thirty three meters.

Shifts-with-Breeze managed to finally crack the system, and with it gained an absolute wealth of knowledge. We were now capable of producing a host of technologies that simply didn't exist in the games outside of cutscenes.

Anti-Gravity was a technology we possessed via the Covenant, but the Architects own technology was a magnitude more advanced in comparison. We could now design and build personal anti-gravity suits, or equip said technology on anything bigger. The power required for it to work was astounding, but doable with access to Ion cubes.

Tractor Beam technology was now ours as well, along with mind to machine interface suites that didn't require any but the most basic of bioware or cyberware, provided it was capable of communicating properly.

Weapons systems were also ours, and their weapons made anything the Covenant and Tau made look like toys. It was on the same playing field as the Necrons, with matter disintegration beams, and matter destabilization bombs. Somehow, the Architects learned how to program energy particles as one would a computer program, and whenever they fired these weapons, they would do things such as bend or turn at tight angles according the what the user requires of it. They could fire Omega Beams, and seeker bombs.

They didn't have much else in terms of weapons, but why would they need to?

Such a weapon system is far beyond my own personal ability to use. You are required to be a cyborg to even attempt to do so. Breeze can do it because of how their body functions, which is more or less similar enough to the Architects to pass as one. With a bit of work, Emma and Ariel could as well.

These were among the most readily available technologies. Quantum Computer programming, emergency teleportation systems, energy recharging systems, advanced power generation, and so on. We had gained so much.

Unfortunately, the other shoe dropped when I came to see what was required to build many of these things ourselves. To put it mildly? We can't. Well, Breeze could, but he would need access to the materials to do so, which requires at least twenty degrees of construction in order to provide.

We would need to cannibalize the other sites of materials to accomplish this, which I wasn't going to do, lest we inadvertently cause something to break we can't replace without Breeze there to use his repair magic.

A case of us not having the tools needed to make the tools, to make the tools, to make the tools, and so on, in order to make the technology.

Their metal is one thing. That's easy. The circuitry they wrote onto the molecular level? Nano-machines can fix that. Programming the metal? We could do that. Programming it so it can take itself apart and reassemble as needed? To be capable of forming any device or facility one needs all in one package? To make it so it can be added upon, and in turn made more efficient, and powerful, and function properly as it got bigger, and so on?

Yeah…no. We're not even close to that. We can do about…a third of that, but the rest is beyond us currently. I would need a damn perk that straight up cheats to make that possible without decades of research and development, even with our current technological capabilities and understanding.

Yet despite these benefits, the one thing I wanted more than anything from this space port, was access to the Phase Gate. To put it simply, Phase Gates are much like the jump gates of EVE online. Two are connected and allow instantaneous travel between the two locations. In Subnautica, Phase Gates were built in space by large ships that basically slow-boat into an unconnected system from one that was a part of the network.

Because of this, the Subnautica universe had an entire galaxy networked with Phase Gates.

The Architects had them as well, and they were much smaller and more powerful. They could also be built upon a planet as opposed to having to be built in deep space. This world had one, but due to it being from another universe, it had no second gate connected to it. Thus, it would lead to nowhere if activated.

That would change if this experiment worked.

"Are you ready Breeze?"

"I am ready."

The calmness in their tone reassured me. "Begin scanning, and activate the gate."

A Biosynth from the command research team nodded and began to actively scan the space where the gate would place itself. Breeze worked the ship's magic and soon the gate rose off of the ground and floated in mid-air.

Then it slowly charged up, green lights starting from the outside, going towards the center, faster and faster. The gate then began to shut down, but Breeze gave a sound like an angry porpoise, and forced it to work. It retarted the process and kept going beyond where it stopped before. The scanning finally picked up the device in action, and when the cover of the gate opened like feathers on a bird's wing, the gate activated completely.

The scanner, now having a full object before it in action, scanned it until it was completed.

"We got it! Shut it down!" I yelled.

A whistled replied, and the gate quickly began to shut down before closing. It stayed in place in the air instead of retracting.

In that moment, a star fell from the galaxy, and the forge reached out for it.

Spoiler: Clang!!!!

Regal Charisma (Code Geass) (400 CP)
You have charisma and social tact on par with Schneizel el Britannia. When speaking to others below your stations, your words inspire awe and obedience among personnel, citizens, and alike and when speaking to people on par with or above your station, your words make them think of you as useful, competent, and worthy of your station, granted you are doing your job or what your supposed to be doing. You also become a Master negotiator on par with the White Prince, becoming one of the best in the world, able to broker peace even when both parties hate one another to murderous degrees, or just to talk someone down from doing something rash. You could even manipulate others to do your bidding with a few sentences uttered by you with the right words and motivations.

I grunted as the rush of confidence came into my very being and shifted my sense of self. The training from my teachers from Dune had taught me how to utilize charisma to shift and persuade others to my needs and purposes. This new perk made all of that training suddenly become all the more dangerous.

I was able, though roughly, able to talk to others into seeing things in a way that benefited me. Spamming the Greater Good helped, but I had to be very precise in where and how I used it to get what I was looking to achieve.

Prince Schneizel had the gift of speaking in a way that made everyone shift how he wanted. If he were a Fallout character, it would easily be a Charisma statistic of ten, if not higher. He would be able talk an enemy into surrendering instead of simply having to kill them.

I now possess this capability, and given my goals, I will use them to their fullest.

Letting out a calming sigh, I focused myself and looked over the data. It was being quickly deciphered by multiple super computers, Emma, Ariel, and Breeze, all at once. Though I had no doubts the technology we had scanned would be cracked open, revealing its functions and secrets, I was surprised at how quickly it was occurring.

Looking over towards my companions, Emma was focused on her work, a slight pursing of her lips showing the amount of concentration she placed upon this endeavor. Ariel, in her new Subnautican styled robe with undersuit, was giddy, swaying left and right on her mechadendrites as the tablet in her hands hummed away. Her face possessed a happy smile, and her eyes were alit with hunger of knowledge, and literally alit from her cybernetic eyes showing her additional data in streams that were passing at speeds I wouldn't have been able to comprehend just one month ago.

I was merely a passenger for this moment, but it was important to see this achieved.

Twenty minutes of data reading, we reached our Eureka moment.

Emma grinned. "We are now able to construct Phase Gates."

Ariel cheered, and then leaned into the PDA turned woman, holding her shoulders as she rubbed her cheek against Emma's. Emma flushed from the close contact, and Ariel couldn't help herself.

My mind flashed back to that day.

---

Capital Habitat, Deep Kingdom of Subnautica, Leviathan's Trench
Novo Franklin, Periphery Space
January 5th​, 2981 AD

As I passed through the doorway, I glanced about and saw the suppression systems ready to fire off if Ariel decided to get violent with Emma. Fortunately, Breeze was already at the Space Port site, so it wouldn't go from zero to one hundred in an instant.

The mechadendrites lowered Ariel into the doorway, her eyes taking in eyes with an excited gleam. All the technology and equipment being catalogued in her enhanced brain, which could be a cogitator for all I knew given how extensive her augmentations were beneath that curvaceous form.

"Welcome to the primary laboratory. All of the people here are at our disposal, and you will have a few others working with you, who are like yourself."

Hearing the footsteps besides me, I turned and saw Emma coming forth, her eyes locked onto the Tech Preist beside me. There was a dangerous gleam in those eyes. Calm outwardly, but ready to incinerate a threat on the spot.

"And here is one of them. Ariel…please say hello to Emma. Emma, this is the new arrival, Ariel."

Ariel turned and looked at Emma, and she was about to say hello until she froze. Her eyes shone with inner light as her sensors scanned Emma. I tensed, ready to act in an instant.

The scanning was complete, as was whatever else she was doing, and Ariel's eyes widened. Her mouth opened in what appeared to be….awe? Huh?

"You…are so CUTE!" Ariel squealed.

I blinked owlishly. As did Emma.

"...Excuse me?" Emma asked, clearly confused.

Ariel then turned to me, her face inches from mine, her eyes literally sparkling.

"You didn't tell me that Emma was a Machine Spirit given human form!" She shouted excitedly.

I blinked again, my mouth dropping in shock.

"…You can tell that?"

"Of course! I can see machine spirits thanks the holy blessed optic augmentations I have received. Machine Spirits have a rhythm that is unique to themselves alone. A more stable and regulated thrum of energy that coincides with the beat of the motive force. She has that same exact thrum within her body's nervous system!"

I gave that some thought, and nodded. I could probably…

I walked away for a moment towards a table and had the fabricator begin assembling the various parts I needed. Ariel looked Emma over like in a strange mix of Doctor and Mechanic, asking questions of her function, how she felt, her various physical senses, and more that I tuned out.

With the recent acquisition of Phineas and Ferb's perk, combined with Rick's smarts, my understanding of exotic particles from Fun in the Sun, and the understanding of the biology of my Biosynths, I was able to craft a modification to the Subnautica Scanner in three minutes.

I returned over, seeing Ariel…looking at Emma's teeth as Emma was pushed into a table, and Emma increasingly looking helpless, her eyes begging me to save her.

"Ariel! Let's test this real quick."

Hearing my words, she paused and looked at the Scanner in my hand. Pointing it at Emma, I pulled the trigger and the scan began. In addition to the nanites doing a scan of her physical body, it interacted with her on a quantum level. Rising into the higher dimensions where I knew those two twins would be residing.

Yes…I found that damn coin. I was very miffed.
Regardless if they were around or not, the scan was complete, and the data sent to a viewer on a wall that showed me Emma's body on all levels.

Including a few I didn't have before.

"So, which of these are you referring to?"

Ariel looked over the data, shivering with excitement, before looking at me.

"You just created a scanner that can see all these different dimensional axoms in a handful of minutes, that would have taken me…years to do…"

I blinked. "….yes."

She rushed me, once more in my face.

"Omnissiah preserve me~" she said in a sultry tone, her eyes…are they freaking HEARTS?!?

I heard Emma choke at the sight, her eyes comically wide, before they narrowed and her teeth gritted. Soon sparks began to literally fly around her, eyes looking murderous.

"…uh oh." I muttered.

---

I was brought out of the memory by another star falling.

Spoiler: Clang!

-Ceph Technology Tree (Crysis) (100CP)
Within this small vial is a delicate sample of a Ceph commander unit, once active but now 'dead'. The nanomachinery is still active at some level, but it acts without intelligence nor connection to the Ceph hivemind, making it relatively safe to handle. It's not exactly a gold mine of every possible Ceph technology, but studying it can yield tremendous advances.

I small vial appeared in my hand, and I held it tightly as I glared down at it.

I played all three of the Crysis games, so I was more than aware of what the Ceph were capable of. Even if only a small fraction of what I saw in the games could be replicated, it would be an incredible boost to everything I already possess. I need to get this back to the lab, and use caution with it lest it wakes up.

Suddenly, a strange sensation filled me, and I felt nausea as…something…I don't know what it is, but it felt like a hole suddenly was being made smaller. It lasted only a moment, but it left me very concerned.

Spoiler: Clang

Congratulations. You have reached a point few have. With the gifts you possess, you now have the means to change the world in a dramatic way. As such, the Celestial Forge is now going to lessen the number gifts you receive, at a third of the rate you had been receiving them. Fear not, for you can still gain more gifts, but no longer are you insufficiently capable without doing so on purpose, thus the gifts shall be sent to other otherworldly transients like yourself, who are in need. Go forth chosen one, and show the world what you can do!

I blinked at the message, and felt…relief, and displeasure.

No one liked having something taken away, but at least I am no longer having to worry about something random appearing beside me at an inconvenient time. I sighed, and placed the Ceph vial into my subspace inventory.

Glancing over the data, I immediately grinned as ideas on how to upsize the gate and how to allow civilian utility came to my mind. The universe of Cowboy Bebop came to mind, and my own original work that utilized this very concept.

Thanks to the scans we did of other sites, we can create a network of regional gates that would allow travel within a small area, between habitats, regions, and continents. With this gate, we can now create the same network across a solar system. A gate that takes you from one world to another within the same system, or to a space habitat built within an asteroid, or a manmade island-type colony. This same gate would allow us to also create gateways to other solar systems.

Much like the "X" universe.

I could push the technology to function much like the Stargates of "Stargate SG-1", but that would be prohibitively expensive in terms of material and power requirements. This gate is supposed to link to a gate in deep space, and it took enough energy to power 21st​ century North America for a month for just a few minutes of operation.

Better to keep it a lower tier instead. Architect gates were closer to the ancients in terms of capability, but I intended to keep it around Alterra levels instead. Cheaper and easier to manufacture and control.

"Local Gates, Regional Gates, World Gates, Solar Gates, and System Gates." I murmured.

Ariel, who had heard me, instantly understood what I meant.

"Oh! That's a great idea! It would certainly make transportation easier."

"I think if we set it up properly, we can do away with the vast amount of infrastructure one would need for ground cargo transportation, let alone ocean transportation. People would travel the roads, rails, or skies only if they want to. Planet to planet for people however would still require transportation on a shuttle or dropship, unless we can find a way to lower the amount of energy for that. Cargo might be doable with the Quantum Storage system, but the greater the distance, the less reliable it becomes."

Emma, Breeze and Ariel listened as my mind went a mile a minute as I worked out all of the angles of creating a Gate Network System. It was only due to Hive Engineer that I was able to multitask the project to the extent that I had in just a few moments, with all of Rick's brains to figure out the details.

"The amount of energy may be reduced if we utilized Hyperspace instead of an artificial wormhole." Breeze suggested.

Ariel looked a bit uncomfortable with the idea. "Back in my universe, the Warp, what called Hyperspace, was filled with predators that called it home. Though this is not my universe, I am not comfortable creating a doorway into that space without protections."

"There are likely creatures living in that space here as well, but nothing like the Daemons you faced. Space Kraken the size of ships is still not something I want to deal with though." I added.

Gazing upon the Architect Gate, I continued.

"Phase Gate pathways appear to have some artificiality to them, because when I saw it as Robin was traveling through, it appeared to be lined with solid plates of metal, blocking off something from beyond. It might just be the way it looked, but I get the feeling that Phase Gates used by humanity were more akin to flying through a tunnel of light as opposed to something the Architects made."

Emma nodded. "The pathway is merely a tunnel of light as you describe, and ships were designed with shield systems to prevent collision with the energy, as it would cause matter deconstruction via combustion of the atomic bonds."

Ariel nodded. "Geller fields is a must."

"Energy shield systems are easily done as a result of our scans of Architect technology, plus the variety of sources from the Star forge."

I stared a thousand yards into nothing as I thought before thinking out loud.

"It sounds like Phase Gates create an empty space to travel through by the connections of the two gates, which when inactive is as thin as a thread, but when active expands to the size needed for ships like the Aurora to pass through. It also sounds fuel intensive as hell."

Emma blinked, and after a moment nodded. "That is something my databank confirms."

"So, the version the Architect utilizes is likely the same, but better in some manner. Straight up blocking the energy the thread expanded itself through."

I paused, and then it hit me. Thank you Rick, you magnificent, drunken bastard.

"Quantum Fabrication."
"Huh?" Ariel said, as all three stared at me. Though Breeze appeared to have an inkling of where I had gone with this, as he studied the gates firsthand the most of everyone.

"The Fabrication technology of the Architects is superior to Alterra's in almost every way, as it capable of manipulating matter on the Pico Scale if not Femto scale. Alterra's technology is capable of doing it on the molecular and atomic scale, but on the subatomic scale, it has trouble because nano-fabrication affects only down to point one to point five nanometers. Architect Fabricators can affect items down to zero point zero, zero, zero, zero, zero one nano meters."

Emme's eyes widened, while Breeze nodded with a clicking noise. Ariel's eyes sparkled while sporting a gremlin-like grin.

"That said, humanity's Phase Gates likely used energy threads of exotic particles, probably quantum or anti-matter, to connect the two gates to one another, and expanded the thread like a balloon from both ends when an open signal is sent via the thread. For Architect gates however, given the level of manipulation they are capable of, they might have had an energy thread surrounded by some form of matter that itself expanded when energized. They have metal that breaks down to become devices and equipment on demand after all."

Emma and Breeze were collaborating what I said, checking their notes and data to see if this was even close to reality. I was pretty sure it was, but it never hurt to check. Ariel was helping, bouncing in place, her eyes full of scrolling data.

I grinned a bit, realizing that this was one of those rare moments of togetherness companions, friends had. With a thought, a drone took a picture for future memories.

---

Architect Site 023, Phase Port, Arken Archipelago, Equator
Novo Franklin, Periphery Space
January 22nd​, 2981 AD

After a few days, with some modification, and use of Architect grade fabrication units, one of the ships was fully fueled with Ion Crystals, with a good amount of backups available in case we needed more. The Capsule Corp technology made carrying a single one-ton pallet of them in your pocket stupidly easy. Having an entire case of them, plus emergency equipment like an entire squadron of miniature Union dropships, and a Brigade of the best mechs you can have, and a ton of weapons and equipment for personal use, such as the special suit for myself.

I and the crew of twelve, including Breeze, Ariel, and Emma, were as ready as we could be.

"Captain, let's get this show on the road."

The Captain, a Biosynth name Roger B. Wilco…and god help me if that wasn't on purpose, saluted with a smile.

"Aye, aye my Sovereign."

He turned from me and towards his crew.

"All systems report. First Officer."

"Crew is all aboard and accounted for. Crew Holographic Interface and Communications systems are active. We are go."

"Navigation Officer."

"Flight computer system, void navigation programs, and course correction software is functioning. Hyperdrive navigation system is online. We are go."

"Helm Officer."

"Impulse Drive is fully active, and Hyperdrive is fueled and charged. We are go."

"Engineering Officer."

"Ionic Power Core is full and purring sir. Nanite Repair system is also full and ready. We are go."

"Life Support Officer."

"Atmospheric regulation is fully functional. Gravitational control is within human tolerance. We are go."

"Tactical Officer."

"Force Fields, one hundred percent and online. Countermeasures, online. Phased Graviton Disruptors are online. Singularity Bomb Launcher is online. Combat AI and guidance system is Online. Defense Grid systems are nominal, we are go."

"Communication Officer."

"Quantum Communications Link is established. Telemetry Feed is streaming optimally. We are go."

The Captain turned away from the crew and saluted me again.

"All systems are go. We are ready for launch. On your word Sovereign."

I nodded, enjoying the moment. "The word is given."
With a turn the Captain takes his place, sitting in the Captain's chair and staring ahead.

"Navigation, set a course for a system tour. Take us around all of the planets."

"Aye Captain, setting a course." And after a few minutes, it was done.

"Course set captain."

"Helm, takes us on that course if you would."

"Aye aye Captain!" the Helms Officer, the pilot basically, said with enthusiasm.

The ship hummed, starting low until it thrummed across the ship. The ship began to lift off the ground, and I held onto my chair arms, focused entirely on the forward view. The Space Port was below us now, and with a push of the throttle, the ship went from zero to escape velocity in moments.

The sky thundered as we flew into the sky, going through clouds at blinding speed, before finally leaving the atmosphere entirely. Everyone reacted in their own way. The crew remained professional, but they vibrated with energy as we left the bounds of the planet. Emma was cool, but pleased. Breeze treated this moment with respect, but was focused on control over various systems the Crew didn't have control over. Ariel simply smiled, enjoying everyone's reactions, despite it being a completely normal thing for her.

We flew around the orb that was Novo Franklin, taking in the blue oceans, the clouds, and continents that made up the land. I spotted the exact location of Subnautica, and realized how small it all was compared to even this perspective. To think such a small place can cause the waves I know it will. It also made me realize how little of the world I had changed in the short time I had been here.

I would need to start pushing. Soon.

I looked forward again as we left the pull of the planet and out into space to a distance of one hundred thousand miles.

"Optimal range reached Captain." Reported the Navigation officer.

"Good. Helm, Engage Hyperdrive. NV-One please."

"Aye Captain. Hang onto your butts!" the pilot crowed as he pressed the button.

Space in front the ship warped, and in a moment, we were flying through space at a high velocity. It only looked like we were traveling through…dark water of complete transparency, for only a moment.

One point eighty-seven seconds after it started, it was over. We traveled from Novo Franklin, the outermost planet in a hot star system, to the inner most planet, NV-One, a distance of four billion kilometers in its current orbit, in a near instant.

"What was our hyper-velocity?" I asked.

"According to the data…eight thousand, seven hundred and sixty times the speed of light. We can travel approximately…one light year per hour. The fuel consumption would allow us to travel for ten hours before we needed refueling."

I nodded, both impressed, happy, and already multitasking the many, many uses of this form of FTL.

"Very good. Carry on."

---

Comstar HPG Compound, Corealdas Port, Northern Continent
Novo Franklin, Periphery Space
January 22nd​, 2981 AD

Adepts Johnathan Waller and Jacob Bishop stared at the data screen, when it suddenly flashed.

"There it is again!" John said loudly.

"This is weird." Jacob replied, shaking his head in confusion.

An adept opened the door to the room crammed with computers and sensors, whose sole purpose was to send and read data through the jump point created by an HPG. Precentor Nyung followed after, walking directly towards the two.

"What is this anomaly that I'm being told about?" he demanded.

Adept Jacobs pulled up a noteputer and began to show the Precentor the data.

"Over the course of the last four hours, we have detected what appear to be emergence signatures over a dozen times."

Nyung's face paled. "What?!"

Jacob however held a hand up. "Peace Precentor! They're not jumpships! It's something else. And it's very strange."

Taking a calming breath, Nyung's gaze sharpened as he looked at the data and then at Jacob. "Explain."

"According to our sensors, these signatures are too small to be ships, but more along the same line as one made by the use of an HPG."

The sharp gaze became a confused frown. He looked more at the data, and did so again to confirm what he was looking at.

"I assume this has been checked by other sensors?"

"All that we have, and it has been the same over all of them. This data is correct."

The Precentor's expression shifted to befuddlement as he checked the data once more.

"And we haven't received any data from any incoming E.S.?"

"No, and it gets even stranger!" Jacob said, his tone betraying incredulity as he pressed a few buttons, showing a picture of the solar system, followed up by the appearance of yellow dots that correlated with the emergence signatures.

Nyung blinked slowly.

"What in the hell?..."

"All of the data from all of our equipment allowed us to triangulate where these events took place. They're over every single planet in the system, and the asteroid field."

"…that makes no sense."

"No, but that isn't even the strangest thing." Jacob said as he pushed a few more buttons, a look of confusion on his face.

The dots then had timestamps, followed by a line. Going from Novo Franklin…to NV-One. Then a bit later, from NV-One to NV-Two. Then from NV-two to NV-Three. It repeated this, showing a pattern.

Nyung's expression grew more and more incredulous, before he paused…and a thought entered his mind. The look of confusion morphed into a look of subtle realization, to a look of suspicion.

He stood up and stared deeply into Jacob's eyes. "Keep monitoring this. Write a report and once it's done and send it to me later."

Jacob blinked surprised before nodding.

Precentor Nyung stormed out of the room, and back to his office. Closing the door, a scowl covered his face.

"Sovereign! What the hell did you do!?" he snarled as he began to write out an order to make a call to the man in question.

A week ago, he met with him in this office, and now suddenly HPG pulses are appearing across the system when they never have before? With nothing in them but static?

There were so many thoughts clouding his mind, Nyung was only able to write out the order after a few minutes. He paused for a moment to calm himself down. He recited the litanies of faith he had learned upon entering the Blessed Order long ago, and upon repeating the seventh, he finally came down from the rage he had felt.

"…Perhaps I may be wrong…but who else could it be?" he grounded out as he passed his orders to the acolytes via his computer.

Sitting down, he meditated, breathing steadily to keep calming himself.

He rubbed his hands over his face, ridding himself of the itching that began on his chin and mouth. Always when he became hot in the blood, the need to rub or scratch his face out of anger arose.

With a final calming breath, his anger cooled down into a resolute frown.

"Alright. Let's see if the man continues to show integrity, and tells me what the hell he did."

---

Outer Asteroid Belt, Novo Franklin System, Periphery Space
January 22nd​, 2981 AD

I watched as the various space drones wandered in the void and scanned dozens of rocks of large sizes, showing their contents in great detail, and I grinned as several asteroids filled with high concentrations of nickle and iron were logged for future mining operations.

Suddenly a beep sounded from the communications console, and I glanced over. That wouldn't happen unless we were being called by home base.

The Communications officer looked at the data…and paled. I rose from my seat.

"What is it? Did something happen?"

The officer winced at my question, and slowly turned, looking like death walked over his grave.

"We just got a call from the ground my Sovereign. From Subnautica. A message sent by Comstar, from Precentor Nyung who asked, and I quote, 'Why the hell am I seeing Emergence Signatures across the system?', end quote."

I stared, and felt a star fall…

Spoiler: Clang!!

-Behind the Shadows (Honor Harrington) (200CP)

There is more to technology than just big booms, you know. Oh yes, you do. You are utterly incredible at all kinds of stealth based technologies. You can build up infrastructure and shipyards in total secrecy, with not a soul becoming aware, and the results tend to be some of the best cloaked and concealed ships and weapons in the galaxy. The spider drive, with all of the supporting tech needed for it, is only one of the examples of what you're capable of with this perk.

I blinked at the knowledge, which would have been really fucking useful before now, I bushed away with a thought as I summed up the situation.

"Fuck."

---

Author's Note

Wood is cut, but we didn't get all we wanted. Though we have enough to make it to March at least, provided the temperatures don't go below zero for a long period.

Anyways. Chapter 15 is on my Patreon now, and I am working on a few new stories. Mostly researching into making them work at the moment, but they are progressing.

My writing muse has been tuckered out by the physical labor though, so I need to regain my motivation, so chapters may be a bit slow over the next week or so as I rebuild that momentum.

Hope you enjoyed the Chapter.[/spoiler]