Story - Martian Zodiacs
From Gwn
This story unifies four roleplays after The Battle of the Dark Graveyard, the Martian Confederation invasion of the Earth on 14 July AC260. The main roleplayers were tomduo and GNGeorge, who were chosen to be PCs involved with the Gemini side of the storyline. The four stories are unified with extra story, to better explain the schism between the Gemini Zodiacs and the Phoenix Vanguard.
Contents |
Story
"Bring the bodies in for transport!"
An intercom echoed in the room while the transport left the floor. The massive doors of the airlock shut, isolating the room. Two metallic cases rested on the floor. Bright hangar lights turned on, illuminating the room. A pair of Gemini grunts approached the cases, coffin-sized transports holding two very special people.
Bryan Draco and Phrixus Kushrenada observed the two caskets. They themselves were soldiers of Gemini, Zodiacs trusted to command Gemini’s armies. The two caskets in front of them would become colleagues, individuals selected because of genetic potential. These two were different. Martian soldiers received the best training, so they remained high priorities for converts.
“Why are we still outsourcing?” Draco asked his superior.
“Hyas wants more soldiers. Our recruits are good, but not capable of commanding soldiers into battle. Mobile suit pilots with seasoned experience are easier to turn than getting command experience from current soldiers. Besides, their genetic maps show a high susceptibility to augmentation. They’re like us.” Phrixus smiled. He considered himself special, a family legacy to be proud of. They were Zodiacs, marshals to an army that would unite humanity.
Draco turned, and leaned against the observation railing. “They are not like us yet. If so, they wouldn’t be in the freezers.”
“We turned Satoki and Halo. We will turn them just as easy. Mars suffered a loss, but the ICS and Colonies will unite behind their banner. The war is beginning.”
“I don’t see why war is necessary. If they knew what we’re offering...”
“They are too jingoistic to accept. They do not understand we are all relatives, all Terrans. The soldiers for Mars will fight endlessly for that dusty, rusty desert. And for what? Glory? We are fighting for the future. When those two realize it, we gain a foothold against the Martian military. When all 12 Zodiacs are assembled, then the Gemini Foundation will unite humanity and we can colonize the stars.” Phrixus smiled at the prospect. Already Gemini began constructing colony ships in Uranus’s orbit. He spotted the skeletons, and knew one day they would transport humanity closer to God and divine power.
“Well I am still cautious. This is not what I signed on for. But I trust you. If you think we can do this, then I will wait.” Draco responded. He, unlike the poor souls in the boxes, did not have his memory wiped. He also was a Martian soldier, but not even close to the rank of the captured pilots. They were ‘Horsemen’, an elite class of soldiers in the Wraith Mobile Suit squadron. They commanded the Pluto garrison, and now were in stasis. Their memories would not survive, but his did, only because of Phrixus.
“You two, we’re needed in the ready room.” Soldier Cancer spouted off. He, too, was a Martian soldier, transformed by Gemini into a Zodiac. He hung around with Odeon Satoki more than the other Zodiacs. He remained odd, despite the Gemini scientists promising he had changed. The pair walked from the balcony, abandoning the other pair on the floor. They would soon be transported by Gemini soldiers to their new birthplace.
Imperious watched his soldiers transport the two coffins. Inside them, two dangerous soldiers were sedated and protected. Imperious obtained the two after their suits were brought down to the Earth. Gemini dolls could do many things, but procuring humans was too delicate for the mindless robots to perform. Once the suits were secured, he remained the only human to guard the pair.
Both subjects would never be referred to by their real names. That identity had died when their suits touched the Earth. Currently they were Adamant and Enigma, but soon they would become Gemini Zodiacs. The names were fitting. When he was waiting for the retrieval crew on the Earth, they awoke when they should not have. Imperious remembered that exchange.
The sun rose high above the trees. The southern portion of North America became known for its heat, especially at this time of the year. Imperious landed at the town less than three hours ago, and now waited for the transport. He leaned against a door, basking in the heat. Space was cold, and this vacation was a welcome break from the battle still fresh in his mind.
A noise echoed throughout the abandoned house. Imperious could hear whispers inside. The pair awoke, something he was assured could not happen. The Zodiac pressed his ear against the door. He injected the pair with a sedative, which did not impair the two. He decided to listen to their exchange.
“AoD sir, is that you?” That was Hayai Yuushi, now Enigma. He used that name professionally, but Gemini decided it was best to describe him using his alias. He inquired to Thomas Epsilon, whom Gemini decided to refer to as Adamant.
“Yeah, I think so. God, what is with this headache?” Adamant replied.
Imperious heard one rise up. “This place feels familiar. I can’t feel anything, but then pain is not something I can really feel.”
“Right.” Adamant responded, “It’s a bad pain regardless. Did you see her during the battle?”
“See who, sir?” Enigma responded. Despite his recent failures with Pluto, Imperious thought, Adamant must have retained his rank. They were both targeted by Alyssa Epsilon’s psychic blast to disable them during the battle. Only her brother could identify what happened, something Imperious became worried about. That could prove dangerous unless the pair became acclimated to each other.
“Stop with the sirs. I saw her staring at me before the Gemini twins appeared, then nothing. Now we wake up here. Do you remember the battle?”
“Yes,” Enigma responded, “I began acting irrationally, I remember attacking several of my dolls before blacking out. I dreamed I was fighting demons who were attacking me, before awaking to this place. We must be on Earth, it’s the only time I have ever seen red bricks.”
“Earth?” Adamant reacted to the statement.
Imperious smiled to the reaction. The colonial had never stepped a foot on Earth to his knowledge. The fact would stun one of them. Now was the time to act. Imperious kicked in the door, he had to subdue the pair before they gained their facilities.
“RISE AND SHINE, MATES!” Enigma rushed to him, though Adamant stumbled off the bed. Imperious blocked the attack, noting the other was still paralyzed by the drugs. Enigma healed quicker than his comrade, though he still fought like a soldier.
Enigma attacked again, while Adamant plead with his legs. Imperious felt the blow, which seemed stunted by the drugs. He responded with a quick jab to the Martian’s side. His opponent winced, and decided to throw a haymaker at the Zodiac. Imperious caught the punch easily, and the drugs impaired Enigma enough to make this easy. A jeep approached in earshot, the extraction team arrived. Imperious put down Enigma with a single punch to the face, causing the pilot to fly back into the brick wall.
Imperious barked out an order to the newly arrived corpsmen. “Sedate both of them!”
Imperious cracked his neck as the pair was put down. Adamant fought for a second before the welcomed hiss of sedatives silenced his pleads. Enigma also stopped moving when the corpsmen injected him. Two other soldiers brought in silver boxes, human sized and the caskets for Hayai Yuushi and Thomas Epsilon.
“Get them in there, and hurry. Doctor Devi is waiting for us at Neptune. The sooner we get there, the better.”[1]
Now Imperious observed the caskets leaving the hangar. His personal shuttle was prepped for him to return to the Moon, where Gemini now established their mighty capital. Soon these two would be reborn into Zodiacs, his subordinates who would fight for the Foundation as he does. Enigma and Adamant were dead, only Soldiers Leo and Taurus would survive.
Hayai Yuushi opened his dark eyes to a horrible scene. Needles scattered throughout his skin, poked into his muscles. Small tingles singled his muscles being shocked. Each muscle tensed and relaxed in a rhythm, strengthening him. Several tubes pumped solutions into his veins. He looked up, and realized several metal bars were drilled into his skull.
A voice broke the sterile silence. “Ah good, he woke up. Looks like he will survive.”
Hayai panicked. This situation was a nightmare, but nightmares never had this lingering pain. The pain lanced throughout his nervous system, increasing his fervor for a second. Then, mysteriously, the panic subsided.
“Good, he’s calming down.” A soft, feminine voice responded to the euphoria. Hayai looked up, and saw a beautiful woman with long hair. She wore a white lab coat, a doctor in this horror. She knelt over him, touching something embedded in his temple.
Hayai wanted to ask what was going on, but the worlds just dribbled out of his mouth. His body was paralyzed, numb to feeling despite the electrical pulses. He closed his eyes, feeling a tear form.
“Don’t worry, Soldier Taurus. We nearly lost you out there. Your muscles atrophied, but we’re repairing them right now. When we’re done with you, you will be stronger than before.” She replied, seeming to sense his questions.
Hayai tried to remember what happened. She called him a soldier, but he could not even remember his name. There was a battle, and he could remember the mobile suits. The actual circumstances eluded him. Nothing came up when he tried to remember his past.
“Your name is Soldier Taurus, and you’re a Gemini Zodiac. Mars invaded the Earth, and we stopped them. You’re a hero, and a champion. We rescued you after your suit malfunctioned in orbit. I am fixing you up to your strength. You need to rest and let us fix you, ok?”
Hayai nodded. He had no reason to doubt the lie. Her voice was soft, and reassured him that despite the pain and confusion, these people guaranteed his safety. The soldier relaxed, closing his eyes. Though still in pain, he slept knowing he was not being tortured.
“Watch his vitals.” Doctor Devi ordered a subordinate. The progress on the two new Zodiacs exceeded her estimates. Both Yuushi and Epsilon responded to the genetic treatments which rewrote their DNA. Yuushi had more obstacles, since his genetics was foreign to the Gemini gene pool. Epsilon benefitted from his sisters genetics, which proved superior to his. Now his own DNA would be blended with hers to improve his own powers. She was glad. This meant Alyssa would not become a Zodiac.
“Doctor Devi-Devangari, how goes our two new recruits.” [[Hyas Polydeuces|Hyas] stood in the hallway, surrounded by his subordinates. His demeanor changed since they commandeered the Moon. She half-expected him to be there, instead of at the Neptune labs. She knew her patients were special.
“They are exceeding expectations. Yu- Soldier Taurus is conscious and responding to the Genetic treatments. Soldier Leo has finished his treatments and we are building his new identity. These new treatments are holding better than our previous subjects, more notably the Martian and Senator. I suggest we subject them through this process to amplify their compliance and abilities.” The doctor responded.
Hyas did not react to the news. He nodded, and dismissed what she said, “Just get it done, doctor. We’re receiving word about unrest in the Terran colonies. I need these Zodiacs to lead our new army into battle.”
“Yes, sir. Give me two more weeks, and your forces will have their Marshals.”
Hyas smiled, “Excellent. I am leaving to the Moon. We have a capital to build. Your labs there will be better than these. Construction has already started. We need to finish our roster of Zodiacs to take out Martian resistance. Keep up the good work.”
Thomas opened his eyes, and he first saw a fountain. Plants and flowers soon formed in his vision, framing the beautiful sight. Confusion set in, he had no idea where he was. He could not even remember his own name, or what happened before this moment. A tattoo on his arm remained the only thing signaling him to his identity. It read, ‘Adamant’.
A giggle broke his thought process. Children surrounded him in the atrium. His skin felt tight while he moved his head to look around. He did not know Gemini darkened his skin to alter his appearance. His muscles also hurt because of the reconditioning performed on him earlier. Even if he looked in the mirror, he would not be able to recognize himself. The children seemed afraid of him, locked in a wheelchair and breathing heavily. Thomas also noticed with the children, armed guard stood at the atrium’s exits. He questioned why he and these children needed armed people to guard them.
Despite the other children’s fear, one girl with violet hair and grey eyes walked up to him. She smiled, seeming familiar with him. She could not have been more than 10 or 12 years old, but something about her demeanor seemed older. Her approach startled the other guards, who moved when she spoke.
“What is your name?” She asked in a tender voice.
Thomas wanted to respond he did not know, but only a raspy response came from his throat. His vocal chords burned, he was unable to speak. The shock was soon amplified as a guard pushed a rod into the girl’s back. She screamed briefly before falling to the ground. He looked at her in shock, unable to speak. Another guard injected him with a blue serum, and he slipped unconscious.[2]
Imperious waited for the connection. Inter-system communication became possible years ago with the establishment of the Interspace Communications Network. The Gemini Foundation helped develop the network, which was a series of satellites placed in space capable of sending and receiving messages from hyperspace to allow instantaneous communication. The system was not perfect, but it gave a comfort to a complicated existence.
An alert popped up reading ‘connection established’, and Hyas’s image formed before the Zodiac. Imperious bowed slightly, and spoke. “Alyssa recognized Soldier Leo. I knew this would be trouble. What if she influences his development?”
Hyas smiled, “She will not influence him. We’ve already begun to develop clones of the Zodiacs. Should he ever prove to be difficult, we’ll just replace him. Is that a problem?”
“Yes, it is.” Imperious responded, “If they cannot function as Zodiacs, then I will kill them. Are you prepared for me to do that?”
“You will not, unless I order you to. Taurus and Leo have intimate knowledge of the Martian defenses, which will provide invaluable when we invade. Until them, you will put up with them. Disable them, but do not injure or kill them. I await your return to Star City, my son. When you arrive with your new soldiers we will plan our attack on the LGPC. Until then, watch them. You will find them to be proper allies.”
Imperious nodded, unsure about his father’s wishes. He would remain obedient. This second generation of Zodiacs had the potential to replace Phrixus and his ilk. That remained the only benefit to this current program.
Soldier Taurus sat in the room, alone. He awoke here, last remembering speaking to a beautiful doctor. She told him he was a hero, and was healing after winning a great battle. Memory worked against him, but still he felt comfortable in the room.
The door opened with a whoosh, disappearing into the wall. A tall man with dark hair entered. He looked familiar to the soldier, but did not elicit a proper memory. He spoke to Hayai in a commanding tone, “It’s good to see you again.”
Hayai could only respond, “I’m sorry, I don’t remember you.”
“You do not remember me, what a shame. My name is Imperious, and you are Soldier Taurus. You are a Zodiac of the Gemini Foundation. As a Zodiac, you command our armies in your own Gundam. The Zodiacs remain our best, and your strength and knowledge remain an inspiration to our forces.”
“I see.” Hayai pondered on his status. It made sense, but still, it did not fill in history. “What about my past?”
Imperious smiled. The treatment worked, and now Soldier Taurus would take anything he said as fact. While they only altered his background in small details, it felt odd still to tell someone about their life. “Your parents died in China, where you’re from. The Chinese have always rebelled against the Earth First Federation, and your parents were a casualty of their terrorism. The EFF then took you in, and by 16 you joined their military. It was there that we observed you. After you joined the foundation, you rose to the rank of Zodiac. You were defending the Earth from a Martian invasion. After your suit was incapacitated, your body shut down because of low oxygen levels. We’ve restored you to health so you can help us keep humanity secure.”
Soldier Taurus tried to take it in. There was something familiar about what he described, though overall he could not comprehend his own history. He did not doubt what Imperious told him, since there was no reason to. He could nod, and agree.
“So, what do I do now?”
“Now,” Imperious replied, “Now we plan defending colonists from La Grange Pointe Council partisans taking out their frustrations upon their citizens. Many supported our victory over Mars, and the resulting riots have fractured the colonies. We need to overtake them to bring order and peace to the colony clusters. I hope you will be capable of fighting in that battle.”
Hayai nodded, believing in the fight. “I will, for peace.”[3]
“Remote weaponry training.” Soldier Leo repeated, reading the simulator screen before him. His brain worked to accept the data streaming in from an unknown system. They called it a ‘Flash’ system, a prototype of a higher system beyond what their enemies had. He forgot the earlier exchange in the atrium, instead remembering he had to train. Nothing else matters to him now.
The simulator screen flashed, Tom felt comfortable in the chair. A grey vacuum formed before him. A squadron of Martian mobile dolls appeared from the distance, fully armed and on the offensive. He pulled up his own suit’s schematics, immediately recognizing the Heru. Combat began with the soldier drawing his suit’s beam sabers. Brilliant blue energy arched out from his hands, though that strategy would not work. Several shots slammed into him, and felt physical pain.
The simulation restarted, this time repeating the prior situation. Soldier Leo remembered the name, and this time called upon the suit’s remote weapons. A flurry of bits, small weapons moving independent of the mobile suit, raced toward the targets. They encircled the Martian dolls, picking them apart like pirana fish. The simulation did not end with his victory, instead a black mobile suit appeared to his left. It too was armed with remote weapons, and so the soldier responded with his. The black Gundam fired a beam shot, impacting against the Heru’s shoulder. He screamed, feeling pain throughout his body. The simulator relayed pain to him when his suit suffered damage. He grit his teeth, and responded with his own blast. A brilliant, white particle beam blasted out toward the black Gundam. It exploded after the direct hit, and the simulation repeated.
“What? Didn’t I win?” Soldier Leo asked, while the Martian dolls attacked.
“The better you do, the further you go.” A metallic voice responded.
“Then, I guess I keep going.”[4]
Phrixus Kushrenada watched both Hayai Yuushi and Thomas Epsilon train. He felt sick, watching them transformed into machines for Hyas’s delusions of grandeur. The Zodiacs were supposed to be instruments of change, not mindless soldiers. Things had changed in the aristocrat’s life, and he could not participate with this mind-set ruling the Gemini leadership.
Bryan Draco entered the ready room, observing Phrixus frowning. He looked at the screen. Soldier Taurus screamed in pain as several LGPC Gundams stabbed him with their beam blades. Thankfully he never had to train in those things, serving as a transport pilot only.
“I cannot do this. I cannot let them do this to Astraea. She deserves better.” Phrixus spoke to his friend.
“So,” Draco responded, “What do we do? Rebel?”
Phrixus sighed. That eventually constantly betrayed his thoughts. “What about the Martian and Ionian? I feel they lost their will to Gemini as well.”
“Regal sent them on a mission. I haven’t heard from them in a while.”
Phrixus nodded, turning to Draco. “Then, we’re next to disappear. Hyas has his new soldiers, already, and now they’re looking for more. We will be phased out, and my sister will suffer their fate. I cannot allow this.”
Draco watched Soldier Leo scream. Several ICS Chargers dissolved his cockpit. The scene left a bitter taste in his mouth, and caused him to question his own fate. He had been named a Zodiac as well, just like Phrixus’ young sister. “Astraea is overseeing the Chinese rebellion, how can we withdraw her?”
“Little sisters always listen to their big brothers.”
Characters
- Bryan Draco
- Helena Devi-Devanagari
- Alyssa Epsilon
- Tom Epsilon
- Jeb Halo
- Imperious
- Phrixus Kushrenada
- Hyas Polydeuces
- Hayai Yuushi
Related Topics
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