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A large red-and-black warship flies into the shadow of the massive Celestial Being mothership. The most prominent feature of this smaller vessel is its crescent-shaped bow, flanked by two golden globes. On the opposite end of the vessel, past two wings that sweep out from the sides of the rear is a cone-shaped engine driving the craft. Rising above the wings is the bridge tower, where Captain Tetsuya Ondera commands the vessel
“Comms, open a channel to the Celestial Being, and ask for permission to land.”
“Opening a channel. This is the Hagane, calling the Celestial Being.”
“Celestial Being receiving, Hagane.”
“Hagane asking for permission to land.”
“Permission granted to land.”
“Thank you, Hagane out.”
“Celestial Being out.”
The Hagane flies to one of the Celestial Being’s hangars as the door slowly opens. The ship slips into the enormous larger ship. Then it flies through the massive hangar, which contains vessels of various shapes and sizes. There are the horse-like Pegasus-class assault ships, their upgraded successors the Argama-class, the mighty battleship Ra Calium, the assault ships Archangel and Dominion, Nile-class, and Volga-class battlecruisers, and more. In addition, there are a number of different mobile weapons, hardly any of which Tetsuya recognizes. He sees a group of four Gespenst Mk II M Customs, several Guarlion Customs, a large number of Jegans, a slightly smaller number of GN-XIVs, a significant number of Super Robots of various shapes and sizes, twelve of the new Rangzen X space fighters and many other mecha and vehicles.
The ship slowly docks in a designated berth, landing and then letting down a ramp. Several pilots leave the massive battleship. These include members of the SRX Team and Latooni Subota of the New Aggressors. The SRX Team members include the brown-haired Ryusei Date, blond and stoic Raidese F. Braunstein, tall and green-haired Aya Kobayashi, and her young sister the red-haired Mai Kobayashi. Latooni Subota wears a gothic lolita-style dress.
“Man! This ship is huge! I hope Masaki doesn’t get lost!” says Ryusei.
“Don’t worry, he has Lune with him. She’ll keep him out of trouble,” responds Aya.
A figure approaches them from the middle of the hangar. He wears white clothing and has light green hair. When he gets close he asks, “Are you the SRX team and New Aggressors pilots from the Hagane?” he asks.
“That’s us,” responds Ryusei.
“Ryusei, you should be more formal. The officers here won’t necessarily tolerate your informal behavior.”
Before Ryusei can respond, the green-haired youth says, “It’s fine, I have no rank myself, so a lack of military decorum does not offend me.”
“You don’t have a rank? Well, that’s not actually unusual for the people we fight alongside,” says Mai Kobayashi.
“I am an innovade, an artificial being created to interface with Veda in order to carry out the will of Aeolia Scheinberg. We joined the Earth Federation after the A-Laws Conflict”
“Who is Aeolia Scheinberg and what is the A-Laws Conflict?” asks Mai.
“Aeolia Schienburg was a visionary who imagined a world without war. In order to accomplish this, he set into motion certain plans. One of these was the Innovade Project. Unfortunately, some of the innovades had their own beliefs on Aeolia Scheinberg’s plan. They formed the group known as the Innovators and tried to impose their own will on the Earth Sphere. Part of this plan was a group called the A-Laws, which is similar to Londo Bell, but less benevolent. Celestial Being, an organization that was founded to carry out armed interventions against targets that promoted war, had to fight the A-Laws to prevent them from subverting Scheinberg’s plan. Following the defeat of the A-Laws and the Innovators, we served the Earth Federation.”
“What happened to Celestial Being?” asked Ryusei.
“Following their defeat of the A-Laws they went into the shadows since the world was proceeding towards the peace Scheinberg desired.”
“So… they might be here in this Earth Sphere, waiting to strike. Reminds me of the Shadow Mirrors…” says Rai.
“Except Celestial Being seeks peace, while the Shadow Mirrors desire eternal war,” says Latooni.
“That reminds me, “ asks Aya, “You said you were an artificial lifeform. Do you mean you are an android? We have a friend who is an android.”
“I am not an android. Innovades are created through genetic engineering along with an infusion of nanomachines.”
“Nanomachines? That sounds like the Machinery Children,” says Latooni.
"Machinery Children… accessing Veda records... A group of artificial lifeforms infused with Machine Cells. Based on the genetic template of Bronzo 28.”
“His name is Arado Balanga.” Latooni said insistently.
“I am sorry, it was not my intention to offend. I suppose you could consider us similar to the Machinery Children. However, the Machinery Children are more hostile to humanity than most Innovades.”
“Except for those Innovators. They were defeated in your universe… but that doesn’t mean that they might not be out there in this universe,” responds Rai.
“That… is a possibility I suppose. I will speak to my superiors. In the meantime, I ask that you follow me to recreational areas where you can relax.”
“Wait,” says Latooni, “what is your name?” she asks.
“I am called Shining Hope,” responds the innovade.
Elsewhere in the massive space vessel.
Later in that very recreation area, the pilots of the White Base are relaxing in a common area with several couches arranged around a central table. There are two doors entering from the adjacent corridors.
“It is good to have some time to relax after all that fighting,” said Job John.
“I guess,” said Amuro, leaning his head on his hands.
“What’s wrong Amuro? I thought you’d be glad to not be fighting Char anymore,” Sayaka says.
“We don’t know for sure that we won’t end up fighting Char again. After all, Zeon has the GEIM System and we don’t know what they intend with it.. I am also worried about Lalah. She is being debriefed by military intelligence.”
“I’m sure Lalah will be fine. My brother wouldn’t have brought her into the Newtype Corps if he didn’t believe in her abilities,” says Sayla Mass.
“I guess you are right, Sayla,” Amuro says, straightening his posture and putting his hands at his side.
“In any case, there is no point in moping about things we cannot control. If we are to make a difference it will have to be on the battlefield,” says Ryu Jose. “Well, we might as well try to enjoy the time we have before we are deployed.”
“That’s the spirit!” says Koji!
Just then the head of Ryusei Date sticks through the door. “Hey, are you guys pilots?” he asks.
“Who wants to know?” responds Hayato Jin.
“I’m Master Sergeant Ryusei Date of the SRX team, currently assigned to the battleship Hagane.”
“Who are you talking to, Ryusei?” asks Aya from the corridor.
“They’re pilots like us,” responds Ryusei as he enters the room, followed by Bright Hope. At the sight of the green-haired innovade Amuro gets a strong sense of familiarity.
“Who are you?” Amuro asks the green-haired innovade.
“I am an innovade, an artificial being created as part of the plans of Aeolia Schienburg. Are you an innovator? My quantum brainwaves seem to be interacting with yours somehow.”
“It’s eerie, you look so much like Amuro… except the hair of course,” says Benkei.
“I am a Newtype,” says Amuro, “I also feel some kind of pressure from you. I feel some kind of connection to you, but I have no idea what it is.”
“Perhaps we should all introduce ourselves,” says Ryu Jose.
“Alright, I am Amuro Ray, pilot of the RX-78-3 Gundam, assigned to the White Base.”
This continues until everyone has introduced themselves.
“It seems like innovators and newtypes are similar to psychics from our universe,” says Rai.
“Perhaps that is why we find ourselves together in this new universe,” says Ryu Jose, “We are from similar circumstances.”
“Well not all of us exactly, we weren’t affiliated with the military back in our world,” interjects Hayato.
“The same goes for us,” says Koji, “and nothing like newtypes or psychics has appeared in our world.”
“We’ve fought some pretty weird stuff though, like dinosaurs and demons,” says Benkei.
“We haven’t encountered anything like that in our world, fortunately!” says Job John.
“Well, this world might be a different story,” says Ryu.
“Mostly we’ve fought other humans as well as aliens, but we’ve seen some weirder stuff, like the Chōkijin, ancient super robots,” says Ryusei.
“Mazinger Z was built to fight the mechanical beasts of Doctor Hell, which were based on the designs of the ancient Mycenae Empire.” says Koji.
“Amazing,” says Amuro.
Then a blue-haired woman with a stern manner walks into the room, and says "Alright, SRX team, get some rest while you can. I am headed along with Captain Ondera to meet with Vice Admiral Mannequin."
"Alright, Captain," responds Aya.
"I suppose I should introduce myself. I am Captain Viletta Vadim, leader of the SRX team."
"I am Lieutenant Slugger Law, of the White Base. I've gotta say, I've seldom seen a woman like you in the Federation’s service."
"I am afraid I don't have time for further discussion. Goodbye."
The woman then leaves the room.
"Well, I guess you tried Lieutenant…" says Koji.
"Don't feel too bad. I've never seen the Captain show attraction to anybody," adds Ryusei.
Captain Viletta makes her way to the office of Vice Admiral Mannequin. There she sees Captain Tetsuya Ondera, Captain Lefina Enfield and Sean Webley, Captain Lefina's XO, along with two people she does not recognize. When she arrives they all enter the room. There is the Vice Admiral and a red-haired young man in a pilot's uniform standing in the corner.
The Vice Admiral speaks, "I have assignments for each of you, but first there is an administrative matter to attend to. I am hereby promoting Captain Tetsuya Ondera and Captain Bright Noa to the rank of Commodore. With this rank will come certain responsibilities, but given your records I am confident you can handle them."
"Rear Admiral, with all due respect, I have only been a Captain for a short time," says Tetsuya, "Wouldn't Captain Lefina be a better pick?"
"You sell yourself short, your leadership in several of our darkest moments was exemplary," responds Lefina.
"You have come far under the tutelage of Captain Daitestu Minase. He is looking down at you with pride, Commodore Tetsuya.
"The orders for this came straight from General Revil himself. The Commander-in-Chief himself. We need men like you leading our forces."
"Understood."
"I don't understand why I was selected either," says Bright Noa, "but I will do my best to do my duty."
"Excellent. Now for your orders. Captain Ondera, you will be headed to Mount Saint Hilary in Oregon. We have reports of a faction utilizing robots that transform into various vehicles. You are to determine the motives and goals of this organization. Captain Lefina will be reinforced by the ATX Team and several others for an expedition to Mars. We have reports of fighting there, so we need to know what is going on. The White Base II will lead the Blanc Rival and the Gray Phantom in a sweep of the shoal zone. We believe that several renegade forces have established bases there."
“Mazinger Z, Diana A and the Getter Team will be reassigned to the Hagane, along with the Cyber Beast Force, Combattler V, Voltes V and Daitarn 3. I have also assigned Ensign Patrick Colasaur to the White Base for the current mission. Further personnel assignments are still being reviewed.”
“Understood,” responded Captain Bright.
The youth speaks, “I am Ensign Patrick Mannequin né Colasaur. I’m honored to be working with you Captain Bright.”
“Any questions?” asks the Vice Admiral.
“These new additions to the Hagane, they are Super Robots, correct?” asks Viletta.
“That is correct.”
“The Blanc Rival and the Gray Phantom, what complement will these vessels have?” asks Bright Noa.
After a few more questions, the group disperses back to their ships. On there way they call their pilots back as well.
“So, I guess this is goodbye for now Ryusei,” says Amuro.
“Yeah, I guess it is,” responds Ryusei.
“Well, I am sure we will meet again, and I am looking forward to it,” says Sleggar Law, looking at Viletta, who ignores his advances.
“Well, it’s time,” says Viletta. The two groups head to their respective vessels.