Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed and Gundam Seed Destiny. They belong to their respective copyright owners and publishers. This work is not created with any commercial aims. I make no money from it.
AN: This part was betaed by BakaSmurf on the Space Battle's forums! Thank you for the splendid work!
Gundam Seed Intervention
Prologue: Shades of grey
=GSI=
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Location: Unknown
Time: Irrelevant
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For those of you that do not know how this particular kind of cluster-fuck starts; I was lucky (or unlucky enough depending on your point of view) to catch the attention of a Random Omnipotent Being. One moment I was at work, guzzling coffee like there was no tomorrow and trying to stay awake after a night of insomnia and then, just after I closed my eyes for a moment I was... Somewhere else. If you are wondering, no it was not an empty void. In fact, I was floating in space with my jaw hanging open in stunned awe.
If you've seen pictures of the Earth from orbit, you'll know that it looks magnificent. Those pics floating around the net have nothing on the real thing. At the time I just stared at the beautiful, blue marble I was facing. It did not register to me that by now I should have died from decompression. After all, just floating in orbit without the luxury of space suit is usually fatal...
"Nice view, isn't it?" Asked a pleasant, female voice.
I tried to turn my head and see whom was speaking, in a vacuum no less! But despite my efforts I was just floating in place unable to turn around and see who or what was behind me.
Then I realized that I was in space.
My elation was short-lived, mere seconds after I comprehended that I was still alive despite the conspicuous absence of a space suit I reached the obvious conclusion; that I was having an especially vivid dream.
"Nope. You are not dreaming!" Chirped the female with a tingle of amusement in her voice.
Riiight. A figment of my imagination is speaking to me. At least she has a lovely voice.
I decided to play ball. It was my dream after all so why not have some fun? What's the worst that could happen, me awakening? Granted, considering the insomnia I was suffering from lately that might be a bit of a problem... Not getting close to enough sleep is not fun at all.
"So, if I am not dreaming, then what's happening? I just became superman on steroids and now can ignore the vacuum of space, not to mention that I have not yet boiled alive?" I quipped.
The figment of my imagination chuckled.
"No, silly! You just got conscripted!"
Say what?! In my opinion conscription is usually not a good thing, especially if you're the one whom gets shafted by it...
"I've been looking for someone like you for a long time, and I mean long!" Declared the woman.
I could feel the emphasis she was placing on the word 'long.' As if it was especially important in a context I did not get. I had no idea then how significant that was.
"Uh huh. I'm nothing special you know."
"Unfortunately you are not that lucky... I am afraid that I can not afford to give you a choice at the moment, I require your services. I would prefer that you comply willingly but... Well there are ways to ensure your cooperation one way or the other..." She said in a voice which had become as hard as diamond.
Somehow I could feel that she would prefer not to force my hand, but there was a sense of foreboding when I thought of disagreeing. I began to sincerely hope that this really was just a dream...
My eyes were suddenly assaulted by a brilliant flash of light and I was standing on the bow of a large, oddly familiar red spaceship. It shuddered and in the next moment a giant robot flew past me. It quickly faded into the distance, but not before I could recognize its general shape and coloring; it was the bloody Freedom!
Being a fan of all things mecha, not to mention most Mobile Suits, my first reaction was that of utter glee at seeing this splendid machine. My second, considering where the Freedom and its pilot usually wound up, smack dab middle of big trouble and even bigger battles, was to pinch myself once, then again. Yup, it hurt. I had a sinking sensation in the pit of my stomach...
"...I'm not dreaming, am I?" I asked in a meek tone.
Silence reigned for several moments before I received a response.
"I am sure that you are already aware of the answer to that question."
Being a lurker on the Spacebattles forums and other sites where fan fiction was being published, I had an inkling of what she was talking about.
Yeah, after reading a lot of fan fics, especially Self-Insert ones, I was probably more genre savvy then most about this sort of situation.
I gulped fearfully. "You... Are a bit different from most ROB's I've read about." I stated in a barely audible voice.
A soft snort came from the right. I snapped my head in that direction but all I saw was endless void and the sparkling of distant stars. Without the atmosphere and all the pollution thrown in it in the last century to distort the sky, the sight was incredible. However I had much more immediate concerns than staring at the stars. Oh boy. A ROB had set her sights on me. This won't end well. I just know it.
This time she spoke from the left but there was nothing when I looked in that direction either.
"I'll tell you a deep, dark secret. Some of us, whom you call 'ROB's' have few restrictions placed upon us. What is relevant in this case is the fact that I can not directly meddle in the universe over which I preside. With few notable exceptions..."
Now, I may not be the fastest bloke on the uptake but I had a sinking feeling that I had been 'recruited' to do her dirty work, the one she was not permitted to directly clean up herself. Suddenly I was enveloped by a sense of profound satisfaction.
"You got it!" she chirped. "I have few jobs that need doing! Nothing too complicated, or dangerous!"
Uhuh. Even without hindsight I knew that was probably the understatement of the century.
I could feel a presence closing in on me. Her pleasant voice whispered in my ear.
"We are going to change the past!"
I just gave a defeated nod. No point of attempting to inform her of all the wonderful ways I could think of such a plan backfiring, she more then likely knew much more about it then I did anyways. My first impulse of calling her insane did not strike me as a great idea either. At least I managed to keep my mouth shut. Antagonizing the ROB that brought me here, provided that this really wasn't an especially vivid dream could not be terribly conductive towards my continued survival. All she needed to do was to remove whatever force was keeping me alive and I'd have a first hand experience of how vacuum effects the human body. That's something I believe that I can gleefully pass on, thank you very much.
"You are correct, you know. Most people would indeed call me insane."
Ah. And she's a mind reader to boot.
Even if I could generally keep myself from putting my oversized foot in my mouth too often, that didn't mean that I didn't think less than flattering things about others on an all too often basis. Fuck me and all my shitty luck.
"I appreciate the offer, but I must apologize, for my heart and body belongs to another." She cheekily deadpanned.
Wait, what!? Bloody mind reader...
"Now let's be serious. I have a job for you. What you know as 'Gundam SEED,' and later 'Gundam SEED Destiny?' Well, they exist in this dimension as well. Specifically as historical television dramas made about forty years after the events of the second program. While SEED was largely faithful to actual history, Destiny is pure fiction after the Junius Seven colony drop. A 'what if' scenario, if you will. The remains of Junius Seven hit the surface of the Earth mostly intact, it was a Class 6 total planetary extinction level event. The Zodiac Alliance of Freedom Treaty only managed to evacuate fifty million people before it was too late."
Suddenly I was watching the Earth again, yet I barely recognized it. In fact, had her smaller lunar sibling not been visible I would not have believed that this was Terra. The planet was covered by thick, black clouds with massive, continent-sized storms dancing to-and-fro, easily visible even from my distant vantage point with the entire stellar body in clear view.
This was a dead world. What little could have survived the immediate effects of the impact would have been choked to death by the sheer amount of dust thrown up into the air and trapped in the atmosphere. Not to mention frozen in the inevitable ice age brought about by the ominous black clouds completely shrouding the surface from view, impenetrable by the sun's rays. What the impact would have done to the tectonic plates... Awakening super volcanoes and causing earthquakes of continental scales all over the world was probably just a sideshow in comparison.
"Preventing this atrocity is your primary objective, however I need you to help cleaning up house within both the Earth Federation and ZAFT high command. I shall only be capable of providing you limited support. Good luck."
=GSI=
I awoke with a startled gasp. Before I had completely shook the drowsiness from my head my first thoughts amounted to 'thank God that was just a dream.' Moments later, when it registered where I was those thoughts instead turned to 'oh, shit.' I was not sleeping in bed at home, or even taking a nap at work (never a good thing!) after a sleepless night... Oh no, I was strapped in one of the seats of the passenger compartment of some kind of shuttle.
Something shifted in my head, I winced as dull pain racked my brain before I received something resembling an info dump. Joy.
I was on board an X-42 Transport Shuttle, used primary by the Earth Alliance military to move people around their space stations and ships. It was a reliable flying brick which however was light on armor and had no weapons to speak of, no real reason to install some. It was not as if the transport could actually hit a MS which was paying attention to its surroundings or survive a determined assault for more than a hit or two from anything fielded by ZAFT anyway. Not with any amount of armor plating that would be practical for a mass produced shuttle. The bloody thing was slow as hell on top of everything else as well.
'So... Not a dream.' I thought to myself. I looked through the window placed in the starboard bulkhead and I was treated with an awesome view of a massive space station. It was a cylinder spinning lazily in place. The bloody thing had to be several kilometers long. I never noticed how I got out of the harness keeping me safely in place in my seat and proceeded to press my nose to the window and stare at the sight, utterly awestruck. That there was no gravity in the shuttle did not register to me at that moment. It was as if was normal, nothing worth noticing at any rate. The more concerning fact – that I knew how to move in such environment and did so as if it was natural did not register either.
Do you think how to walk before doing so? Or how to take something in your hand? No, you just do it.
My gazing upon the colossal space station, a Space Colony, my mind interjected, I blinked owlishly as I was interrupted by quiet beeping coming from the front of my clothes. Just then I noticed the transparent reflection of myself in the window. Well, I looked like myself, however I was no longer overweight. That was great! On the other hand I was wearing a military uniform. It was light blue in color and familiar. As if it was natural for me to see myself in it. That was strange to say at least, considering that I have never been in the military!
Unbidden, the necessary information came to me. Earth Alliance officer uniform, the rank insignia was that of a first lieutenant. It was the standard issue, with a rank of ribbons on the left breast over the heart. I could recognize what prestigies they symbolized, but when I thought of how I could have acquired them I received a sudden, splitting headache which caused me to gasp in surprise and pain. Disjointed pieces of what might have been memories not my own flashed before my eyes.
=GSI
Multicoloured explosions in space. Ranks of Mobile Armors cruising to meet their nemesis – the ZAFT Mobile Suits which were advancing as vanguard before one of their fleets. Tracers, hyper velocity pieces of metal, missiles and beams lit up the void of space. The Armors were outmatched in all respects. The enemy machines were faster, tougher and most importantly more manoeuvrable. But worst of all, each of their pilots outclassed our's. One after another Mobile Armors crumbled, just more chaff for the fires of war.
I was in the cockpit of a Moebius Zero Mobile Armor. Four wire-guided gunbarrel pods mounting auto-cannons, which were the trump card of my machine, maneuvered independently under my control. With a gentle flick of the control stick, my Zero was dancing under a barrage of slugs fired by a trio of GINNs. The ordinance was coming too close for comfort, but my bird was still unscathed. My lips stretched into a feral smile, one of the coordinators was arrogant. He was concentrating on shooting at me and was not paying enough attention on maneuvering, making him an easy target. The fool listed into the cross hairs of two of my gunbarrels, and I pulled the triggers. The pilot attempted to evade at the last second, however he was not fast enough as the HEAT rounds smashed into his machine. One line of tracers chewed up the mech's right hand which grasped its heavy machine gun, and the weapon's magazine cooked off spectacularly, taking the entire appendage up to the shoulder with it. However that was no longer a concern for the pilot. The second gunbarrel's munitions pierced the torso of the machine and exploded within, shredding the Coordinator in the process. Though the MS itself did not suffer cascading failures and simply started drifting out of control rather then rewarding me with a satisfying explosion.
The destruction of the GINN alerted his comrades, whom surged towards me with furious intent, which was good. Angry people make mistakes, which they did. In their passionate attempt to avenge their wing mate, they charged at me with little regard for their surroundings. Their attack lasted mere seconds before they were nailed by a wing of EA MA's which had moved to intercept them.
I cheekily thanked the squadron leader with a toothy grin and whipped my machine in towards the next nearest signs of combat, intent on continuing my hunt.
=GSI=
...Well, that was weird. I rubbed my temples in a futile attempt to clear the headache. Part of me was bewildered, considering my apparent situation I should be freaking out. Or be a giddy like a school boy whom just had his greatest wish fulfilled, but I was mostly numb. My emotions were distant echoes, which should have felt wrong.
The insistent beeping had increased in volume during my vision- or was it a flashback? I winced when the volume of the infernal machine increased as if in frustration at being ignored. After patting the various pockets in the front of my uniform I retrieved a small tablet which seemed to be the source of the racket. The screen was blazing in pink, of all things, with flashing white text. "Press me! Now!" I did so. I did so out of curiousity and hope for an explaination on what exactly was going on here.
"Dear Delkatar,
I hope you like the changes to your body. You are on route to Heliopolis and will be docking with the colony in a few minutes."
Oh joy. Probably in the middle of the ZAFT attack from episode one.
"Do not worry, you have approximately one hour before the attack occurs. Just enough time to reach the Morgenroete facility where the experimental Gundams are waiting for their pilots. It is imperative that you reach your unit immediately. As it is, no one will believe you if you try to warn the idiots running the show there about the imminent attack, not that there is much that they could do even if they heed your words. In what some people on your world refer to as 'Gundamjacking' you'll have to retrieve your machine in the midst of an attack. This is unfortunately the best I could do given the constraints under which I am forced to operate. On the bright side if you are lucky and good enough with your new machine you'll have a slight chance of saving Heliopolis, but I digress."
No pressure. No sir. Save a colony during an all out MS battle with G-Weapons to boot, not to mention Le Creuset, the Bastard himself.
I don't know how to pilot Mobile Suits damn it, and even if I did what are the odds that I'll be able to survive against elite Coordinators!?
"Now, please refrain from panicking. You have several factors working in your favor. You have the skills and some of the memories of an Alliance ace pilot; Delkatar Veil, whom you might not remember. I am not sure how much of the information was transferred to you, but in this world you are Delkatar Veil, the second survivor from Moebius Zero squadron, whom until recently was believed dead. In fact, the man you are now did die, or at least his brain did before my intervention. ONI attempted to save one of the Navy's aces by using procedures similar to those which create the Atlantic Federation's Human CPU's. On the bright side, you recieved most of their enhancements but yes, you assumed correctly, you will require regular doses of medication."
Fuck. It's official, she's a BROB. You have no idea how hearing that I am one of those poor, drug addicted bastards made me feel. I idly floated over my seat and trembling with despair and rage.
"I am truly sorry for what I had to do to you, Delkatar. I loathe what was done to those poor boys and girls by those butchers from the Federation, however I find myself in a position in which abiding by my principles is simply not possible any more. I did so in the past and the Earth paid with its destruction. I hope I won't have to use this leverage against you and that you'll do the right thing. I know you Delkatar. You despise those from Blue Cosmos and the men like Patrick Zala within the PLANT's. I hope you will willingly take this opportunity and help me prevent this catastrophe before it is too late."
It's true, you know. There was nothing more effective at focusing your mind than the prospect of an imminent, slow and agonizing death. So, I either play ball, or she'll cut off my supply of medicine. Lucky me. At least what she wants is something I wouldn't be opposed to aiding in if I am goint to be stuck in this world permanently. Let's be fair, my, and everyone else's, chances of survival would be much greater if the genocidal maniacs on both sides are dealt with as soon as possible.
...On the other hand I was about to be thrust into a war which was not mine. I shuddered remembering what happened to the poor bastards like me when their meds ran out. For a moment my numbness was gone and I felt terror like no other. I might die in combat, hell I might not even make it in one piece to the Morgenroete facility, however dying... Well that's easy. There were much worse things after all. I was well aware of what was left unsaid by my new ROB lady 'friend.' With her powers just letting me die in agony was probably one of the milder things she could do to me if I did not follow her instructions.
"Now that's just mean! I am not some crazy sadist! I'm desperate, it's just insurance, all right?! Besides, do you think me dumb enough to let a Human CPU run free without a way to stop him cold if needed!? What if you went on a crazy killing spree or something?!"
So, my ROB might not be a total bitch. Just mental... Just great... Wait a minute, why would she need the medicines as a deterrent for me doing something dumb? They'll work in order to force me in following her instructions but in case I went insane thanks to whatever was done to me that won't work as a deterrent... Unless since I am now in the Gundam SEED world and her powers here are restricted, she'll not be able to just off me if I lost it. Which made a twisted kind of sense. Why send me here to clean up this mess if she could just off the leadership of Blue Cosmos and the biggest bastards in ZAFT directly?
"Ah, I see you got it. As I said I am restricted in what I can do here. That's why I brought you, your mind was ideal for both the dimensional transfer and the CPU enhancements. There is a reasonable chance that you won't go insane."
Lucky me...
"Now back to more important things; you have enough meds to keep you in tip top shape for two months. Considering that you have not been brainwashed by the side effects of the procedure and chemicals used for it, you will be able to survive on some standard issue medications found in every EA ship's med bay, for short periods of time, at least. I'll be replenishing your meds periodically, provided you do your best to clean up the mess which is the Cosmic Era. Look on the bright side, I might be able to arrange a better machine for you. Eventually. If you live long enough. God speed and good luck. Oh, and one more thing; please try keeping Kira in one piece. With his attitude he could easily get himself killed. This is not a TV show but the real world after all, so no plot armor for him, or you, for that matter!
Regards, your favorite ROB!
After I finished reading the message I felt like smashing my head repeatedly on the nearest flat surface. At least my ROB wasn't going out of her way to troll me like some I've read about. If she wasn't lying through her teeth, that is.
Sooo... Now I'm a bloody Earth Alliance lieutenant. A cybernetically enhanced one to boot. One that would be expected to slaughter Coordinators with manic smile on his face.
Joy.
A new beeping interrupted my train of thought, this time it came from my wrist where a nice looking watch's alarm had gone off. Over the listed time, which was 14:46, was a single word, flashing in red. 'Pills.' Time to man up and drink the god damned witch's brew that would keep me from thrashing on the ground and screaming in inhuman agony. Just as I finished that thought I froze in place as I realized something. I had no idea where the bloody medicine was...