Playing the Game - BT/CF SI - Chapter 14

Comstar HPG Compound, Corealdas Port, Northern Continent

Novo Franklin, Periphery Space

January 22nd, 2981 AD

Once more I sat in the Precentor’s office with the man who had become a focal point in my short-term plans for this world. I was still angry that the Architect ship had given off Emergence Signatures one could detect. It made that perk from Honor Harrington all the more important when it came to cloaking my activities in secret going forward.

I was fearful now because I was at a point of development that I had aimed to reach around June of this year. As that would have been more than enough time to subvert the local Comstar compliment to following my ways over their own. With the Greater Good, and the future actions of putting down the more violent fiefdom lords, and absorbing of the more peaceful ones into the fold, it would eventually have made them come around to seeing Subnautica, and by extension, the future “Alterra Union” I was planning to create, as the true path going forward.

I let out a sigh. Ariel and Emma’s view on just overpowering everyone here wasn’t wrong. It wasn’t beyond my ability, nor would it be hard to just do it. Maybe even going as far as to brainwash or outright replace people with Biosynths.

But that didn’t serve the long term.

As Alterra became a nation state among others out here in the Periphery, we would inevitably be drawn into conflict with the other nations around us. Bringing war and taking over with superior force would be all well and good.

But that’s foolish. Taking over a nation just created discontent and rebellion. Look at Rasalhague. Taken by the Combine, and still resisting to this day. The houses trying to take back worlds lost that had been out of their control for centuries.

No. The universe of Battletech suffers from that chief of human sins. Pride. If I went about this like the Clans, and just try to take over everything, it would create nothing but endless resistance and discontent from those who kept to life before, and resignation from those with no choice.

From that resistance would grow rebellion, and from rebellion would they push to retake their old ways back, only with my tools to aid them when that time came. Even Rick didn’t try to be a all controlling tyrant when he did his bullshit, because he knew it was stupid and the most inefficient way to do things.

The best way to face such a universe, is to set a higher standard and stick to it. Never make the war, unless others bring it to you. Then you take what they bring as their blood payment. Make clear the leaders that the price isn’t just in lives, but material and worlds. Make it more costly to fight you than to be friends, or at least trade with you.

Then entice others to follow your way by showing how much better life under you is than elsewhere. Make worlds decide to leave and then join into the fold. To see to the betterment of their own lives if not their people’s. It will ruffle feathers, but then they will have to acknowledge the choice and live with it, to show that those worlds had no real choice and make war to take them back, which leads back to the costs of making war with Alterra.

Then rinse, and repeat. All the while expanding out in ways that don’t require the others to accomplish, making our own greatness and pride, and showing the other nations we are great without them. They become envious or impressed, and either join in on the fun, or try to take to keep up, in turn slowly changing themselves to match Alterra.

In other words. To change Battletech as a universe, you need to change its ways. This is done by shifting its people to your ways, thus leaving the old ideas behind.

But the lynch-pin in this, at least at the start, is Comstar.

Comstar is, in all ways but name, the modern Terran Hegemony. They don’t have the territory anymore, but their resources have not diminished, nor has their capacity to control the other nations to a degree, or to make war should they decide to. They are the only nation with the capability to produce Lostech, and possess Warships left behind by Kerensky when he left, along with many, many hidden caches and bases across the Inner Sphere.

They want to restore the Star League, but under their control and through their methods.

The worst part about it…is I did not see what they were doing as an illegitimate method. From a cold, calculated point of view, what they were doing was a viable way of going about it.

Reduce the people making war to such a degree of incapability that they would be unable to make war in any real capacity. Destroy factories, destroy ship yards, give data on sudden discoveries of war goods to opposing forces, kill off people that would find a way to replace the means of warfare and raise the nations back up to sustainability. End the forever war on their own terms.

The issue is that none of it was necessary. They could have had the Star League centuries ago, even if it wasn’t under their control. Mankind could have been better now than it is if they had simply not gone down that path to play the game. One that Kerensky knew would have used the Exodus fleet till there was nothing left but dust. Comstar is just as much at fault for how things are now as the great houses were. They didn’t start the Succession Wars, but they help continue them, and aided in making things worse by increase the pace of technological loss.

Subnautica, and by extension, the Alterra Union, is everything they feared. A nation without any loss whatsoever, with the power to destroy everything they worked so hard to achieve.

At the same time, it is everything they ever hoped for. A nation whose existence rises above the greed the great houses possess. Who have no desire for a throne, which in the end is nothing more than a rusted symbol, whose purpose no longer existed. Who can bring a unity into a utopian tomorrow.

The thing about utopia’s however, is that they’re built on the bones of what came before, and problem with the Utopia Comstar sought, is it was one that they brought about.

Comstar has many camps within it. Much like the great houses have many camps and factions. Loyalists, royalists, traditionalists, progressives, libertarians, republicans, democrats, technocrats, oligarchs, communists, socialists, theocrats, anarchists, humanists, transhumanists, corporatists, etcetera, etcetera.

There are those who will see my existence as a threat it is and seek to annihilate it. Then there are those who want what I bring, and see it as the means to bring forth their ideals of Comstar should be.

Wit the Greater Good, I can bring them all together. I can make Comstar an ally, who gives up their path and join in mine.

This is why I have handled things as I have for this world. It’s a test bed for all of the methods I need to bring it to a far grander stage. Ariel and Emma understand this, but Ariel comes from a setting where the end has already been achieved, and has not experienced the work that is required to reach that end. Emma, for her part, lovely and good girl that she is, was an AI whose purpose is to effectively and efficiently make certain I succeed at my endeavors, but mainly to simply survive whatever I face.

They don’t know the setting like I do. They have their own views and thoughts, and in Ariel’s case, experiences. Most of them do not apply at this level.

Maybe it’s the Rick in me. I certainly had no intention of changing the universe before he got here…or rather before Dune got to me. Yes…it was the Dune Teachers that gave me the mind for the grand vision. It was Rick that showed me how to accomplish it in a way that actually worked with the local dumbasses.

And this mistake with the Architect ship threw all of that into the goddamn blender. Damage control for anyone else in this universe would be near impossible, but with my bullshit technology allowing me to outright make up whatever the fuck I want on the spot, plus people with the brains and ability to help?

My lies become truths. Which gives me a shovel to dig myself deeper in, while allowing me to build up despite that. Concessions and working with Nyung Lim and his people is necessary for my long-term goals, as success or failure will determine how I need to handle Comstar going forward once I go beyond Novo Franklin. They are the test bed in which all future operations are handled.

I saved the project from failure by showing that I had no HPG, thus making myself a total threat to Comstar, and in turn must move forward in a different manner than I wanted. Not that it would not be hard to turn Comstar in the enemy everyone needs to fight by airing their dirty laundry, but it would be a who different game if I did.

Now I must placate the man by making up more shit and maybe making a deal for something that does not really exist. It’s all annoying as hell.

Gazing upon the man before me, my teacher’s tutoring came to the fore, plus that of Prince Schienzel, that the best way forward is to be logical and factual with Precentor, while easing slightly into the economic and scientific aspects of the situation. Most of the bullshit I am about to say is truthful regarding the various aspects of Subnautica’s newly “revealed” capabilities, so it will be easy to just speak openly. I just have to hold back how easy it would be to not be limited by fuel given quantum entanglement, and of course the speed of production of said fuel.

Truthfully…we cannot actually make Ion Cubes at the moment. That’s beyond our current capabilities. In fact…I can use that to show the bottleneck Subnautica would have when it came to flying about. Probably the same for the engine given the…well. Maybe not the engine. But definitely the fuel.

I focused back on the conversation we were having now that the man had his time to think.

“I wouldn’t worry too much about this Precentor. While it is a new situation to add to the pile that is Subnautica, it’s a minor one in the short term.”

“I wouldn’t call the smallest jump ship in existence, with an entirely new form of operation, a minor situation.” He replied flatly.

“It is given how recently completed it is. This was the maiden voyage of the ship, but in truth, it was a shakedown cruise. It will still require many years to iron out any and all wrinkles the whole system has before we would even consider it a viable vehicle for mass usage. There are too many variables that are outside the norm for Jump Ships to simply dive head first into the deep end.”

I could see my words bleed the tension and weariness out of the man. He was silent for a half minute before pouring a glass of water for himself.

“So what sort of time table are you looking at?” Nyung asked as he sipped his glass.

“Well, it depends on how well things go. Our construction technologies are one thing, but when it comes to making entirely new systems, we test out everything thoroughly. You cannot have any chinks in the hull, otherwise the pressure will crush you dead. The dropship itself is fine and ready for mass production. The engine and fuel, that will take about…nine years at minimum. Ten at most.”

The man frowned at the idea of it happening at all, and I could see the gears turning in his head. He could sell the time to the First Circuit, and in turn they would debate how to go about it. The fact they are trying to play nice in the first place, now that they are aware of Subnautica, shows they are trying to play a different sort of strategy. I will play mine before they can however.

“All that said, I can understand how this would cause all forms of frustration and fear for the First Circuit. In my defense, this was happening long before we revealed ourselves…and is more or less why we have at all.”

That made the man blink in confusion, and for a few moments he wondered what I had meant, only for the light bulb to come on. He put together the story in his head that I purposefully fed him all that time ago, or rather a story whose details I kept vague intentionally. Now that the ship is here, I can weave the story in full.

“You came to surface against your will…due to an accident.”

I nodded. “I think it’s fair to now provide some disclosure.” I said as I leaned back in my seat, and utilized the Blessing of Bundr to weave this fabrication of events.

“For many years, our people sought to leave he oceans and to the stars. My predecessors had considered many times how to go about it. Our isolationist mindset was both a blessing and a hinderance in this regard. There were three factions that supported the end of that isolation.”

“The first was the “Hidden Assimilation Movement”, or “Murkers” who wished to remain a secret and simply rise to the surface over a period of time and take over the nations from within, before Subnautica rose and accepted them all into its embrace.”

“The second were the “Surface Acquisition League”, or the “Conquistadors”, who wished to rise to the surface in force and simply take the world. Essentially playing the game of conquering their neighbors, as everyone on the surface does. They are a voice that still exists to this day, just so you know.”

“The last were the Tau. Named after the Greek letter, and the particle as understood by modern science, they believe Subnautica’s place was to rise and bring unity through cooperation and understanding, and by force if others replied with force of their own. Unified by the principle of gaining a better world through hard won efforts, and for all to benefit for the Greater Good.”

I looked at the man. “While the factions have more or less died down as a result of our coming to the surface, there are still…voices who seek the other ways.” I said with some irritation. I certainly heard enough of it from my companions.

Nyun glim listened intently, taking in every detail I provided, frowning at the exposure of the “factions” within Subnautica. Red herrings for his people to try and find if they ever manage to infiltrate in the future.

“Given how things are going now, you can guess which faction oversees things now, as well as which I personally am a part of. That all said, the debate as to which path we would follow was laid to rest violently with the accident that led to my being on the surface.”

“The reason I was on the surface was due to the final testing of the engine in one of our research facilities. It was meant to be a final test to see if it was capable of finally being placed into the drop ship we designed for it. It was not a grand ceremony, but most people of import were present for the event. The event was a simple one. Activate the engine and open a tear from one location to another. A sizable one for a single object to go through.”

Nyung’s eyes widened. “That’s extraordinarily dangerous, for a variety of reasons.”

I nodded. “We know that now. Remember my friend, we were isolated and cut from the Inner Sphere on purpose. As such many of the rules regarding opening jump points in a gravity well were still not entirely known. There were factors we had not foreseen despite decades of testing showing us most of the dangers. What we did not expect was just how effective the fuel cells were at fueling the tear when all of them were used. As a result of Quantum level synergy between hyperspace and the Ion Cubes, it opened a tear that was beyond our control.”

I can see Nyung’s mind churned with possibilities, a thirst for knowledge, and a desire for the Ion Cubes, as I continued the tale.

“With that, the accident truly began. Due to the positive energies mixing with the negative ones at the quantum level, one half of the tear began to pull in everything like a vacuum, and the other side ejecting like a gale wind. Due to the Tear being more powerful than expected, the targeting computer was damaged and the exit location became randomized.”

A minor shift of shock at the description filled the Precentor’s face. I changed my expression to one that appeared as if I was reliving a traumatic event…which when I was pulled into this world, was. Then, I dropped the bomb.

“With all of this happening, people were in a panic. Security and the teams rushed to pull us out before anything else happened. Then the protections broke…and I was pulled in.”

Mute horror filled the man’s face.

I clenched my jaws visibly as I recalled my transition to this world.

“As I was pulled in…it was like the universe screamed around me. The deepest pitched roar you have ever imagined. Deeper than the blackest depths. I saw things…I cannot even be sure they were real or not. I cannot even say what I saw even actually happened. An infinite field of stars and galaxies streaming past you in all directions, each screaming like a whistle as they passed. All the while hearing this…the cries of a new born child. Coupled with the sounds of fire, and the roar of the tides.”

The Precentor listened raptly. The description painting a picture that warped the mind. Of things beyond mankind’s understanding. I wasn’t faking the trauma anymore as I was deep in the memory now.

“I felt my body twist unnaturally, yet I did not break. I was stretched in ways that would have torn my body asunder, yet I remained whole. My mind was overwhelmed with sensation and emotion, and yet I was still cognitively able to understand what I was witnessing. I felt like I was going to explode into dust, and did everything I could to keep myself physically whole.”

I looked up, remembering the grassy fields.

“Then I exited. Alive, and whole, in the fields not but a few miles from the Capital of the Emeri’s hold. I blacked out, and didn’t awaken until the night came.”

I nodded. “The rest, you are aware of.”

I felt at that moment a star fall, and go past me, leaving its energy for another time.

Nyung stared at me, so many emotions behind his eyes. Most of all, I saw sympathy. Comstar or not, he was still human, and the experience of my transition was real enough to leave a mark through the Blessing of Brundr greater than any lie could. I knew, having played the game the perk came from, that my description had provided a vivid picture in his mind, and in a way allowed him to experience it himself on a minute level. Not enough for Empathy, but certainly enough to sympathize.

“I…I imagined many things as to what this…accident was. But this is…I had no idea.”

I reached for an empty glass, and without hesitation the Precentor poured a glass of water for me. I raised it in thanks before downing the whole thing.

“If not for that event, for our miscalculation, you wouldn’t have ever heard of Subnautica, save perhaps two or three decades from now as we slowly picked up, and left this world for other worlds beyond the Sphere. With our capabilities, there are few worlds we would not be able to find a new home upon.”

I shrugged. “The die is now cast, and we must play the roll we got.”

I leaned back in the chair and looked towards the man.

“So, how do you want to play this?”

The man stared down at his desk with consternation. Clearly, he was torn between being angry from before, and not once I shared the tale, and some information. With my plan to subvert Comstar over time, I might throw the man a bone. Depending on how he goes about this, giving them a gift would certainly play them into my court rather than theirs. I will dictate what happens, rather than allow them to control the field.

“I would assume, they would be against the idea of our production of the new ships, lest they fall into the wrong hands given their in-system jump capabilities.”

He nodded. “That is something they would be against. There are too many people among the Great Houses that would use this new technology to upset the balance. As shown by many, many events in the past centuries, anyone with the means to use power, will use that power for themselves, and against others.”

“Well, as I have stated, we have time. There are still many bugs to work out with the new ship, and the fuel source. They work, but they are inefficient. For in-system use, they are usable right now, but for our long-term plan of extra-solar travel, they are expensive as each jump completely uses up the fuel cell. Said Ion Crystals require at least a week to produce, and another to shave down to size and shape, and then two weeks to stabilize and place into a fuel cell.”

I shook my head. “Too expensive in materials and time. The engine needs to be better, more efficient with less energy. That will take time. So, they can rest easy knowing that it won’t just suddenly appear in the Draconis Combine’s arsenal.”

I can hear a light sigh of relief from Nyung.

“For the sake of humor, is there any other surprises you want to drop on the world?”

I pursed my lips and gave that some thought. His eyes widened slightly in well hidden alarm as I appeared to be considering it.

“Maybe some knowledge about Quantum Mechanics, but otherwise…not really. Obviously there are many things that I haven’t shared due to history, privacy, and so on, but nothing world breaking.”

He didn’t appear to entirely believe me, but he appeared to just accept my word for what it is, and left it at that.

“I don’t suppose you’d be willing to share data behind this new technology. Nothing like schematics, or the fuel, but the principles behind it would be a boon to Jump Drive engineering.”

I nodded. “I would be willing to trade for it.”

He grinned a bit. “What do you want?”

“What can you offer?”

===

Capital Habitat, Deep Kingdom of Subnautica, Leviathan’s Trench

Novo Franklin, Periphery Space

January 22nd, 2981 AD

“That seems cheap.” Emma said in disapproval. Ariel on the other hand was grinning.

“On the contrary, I can see all sorts of opportunities. From understanding their computer code, programming language, and getting a feel for the general level of technology, we could do all kinds of things. I can name two hundred just off the top of my head in fact!”

I nodded. “Not to mention the sheer civilian applications we can do for this world and beyond. Making a ton of cheap, easily used, and well-made products in various sectors of the market, we can corner a whole slew of niche’s no one in this universe can touch. With this, we can achieve a cultural impact upon the Inner Sphere that outshines all the other ones.”

Ariel chuckled. “You have you eye on video games, and anime, don’t you?”

“Of course!” I shouted like M. Bison. “The hot trash must flow! Anime tiddies for everyone! Let the Waifu Wars commence!”

Breeze, Ariel, Emma, and even the Biosthyns who were in the lab scoffed amusedly at my antics.

“Speaking of which, we have to deal with an new issue that just cropped up.” Emma said with an air of calm.

“Okay…in what way is this related to anime?”

“Less the anime, and more the Waifu part. The Biosynths of the population were made with the ability to reproduce and form their own experiences and memories without our needing to program them beyond the initial creation.”

I nodded.

“And as such, they have done so. We have now in our possession…four million, seven hundred and twelve thousand, nine hundred and forty four Biosynths in total. Half of that are female, and a third of them are…pregnant.”

I blinked. I wasn’t surprised that it happened. However…

“That was fast.” I muttered.

Emma shrugged. “They mingled as normal people despite their programming and jobs. Things went from one thing to another, and they have been fruitful in their actions.”

I scratched my head. “Alright. We need to expand upon medical facilities across all habitats. Also see to upgrading the Autodocs with the new medical knowledge we are getting with the upcoming trade.”

I looked at Emma. “I don’t suppose you have data on child rearing in your old body?”

She nodded with a smile. “We are prepared for all circumstances to keep our people alive and relatively healthy and safe.”

I sighed. “Alright. Anything else?”

She nodded. “I also have been contacted by Carson Emeri a few hours before you arrived. It appears one of his neighbors reached out and saw the uplifting we had done for him, and been impressed upon as to the Alliance, its purpose, and benefits.”

She looked me in the eyes. “It appears this new one also wishes to align themselves with us. Though Carson has said it is up to you as you are the last word on the matter.”

I didn’t miss the implications of her words. Apparently, Carson considers me to be in charge. Which, if we are honest, I am. I never said he was not a part of things however, which means he is choosing to subordinate himself to me. Or at the least is passing the buck.

I nodded. “I will take his word for it. Call him back and tell him I am willing to meet face to face with the newcomer. Let’s make it a few days from now.”

I looked about and continued on. Breeze and Ariel giving me their own issues regarding life here at the bottom of the sea.

===

Capital Habitat, Deep Kingdom of Subnautica, Leviathan’s Trench

Novo Franklin, Periphery Space

February 13th, 2981 AD

I sighed, back home in my own bed after a long day.

If I had known what actually getting people who got along like angry cats would be like, I would have just gone pirate instead of playing undersea king.

Within a single month, I had gone from interviewing the neighbor that Carson told me about, to having to deal with three other neighbors next to that one who had heard of my visitations and wanted my attention. Then it became an almost fight, until I used my OPPLZNRF charisma powers to get them all to calm the hell down.

Then it became about why one should not be included, and why others should be, and so on.

Fortunately, my Abyssals in those nations gave me a clearer picture than the leaders were providing.

Thus negotiations began, and after airing some dirty laundry, forcing people to more or less admit their sins, and actually helped fix a relationship that had gone cold, I managed to get the five fiefs to agree to the articles of the Alliance.

It required them to give up on things, like serfdom, and embrace things like various rights and privileges for the common man, and free travel within our borders for the citizens of the alliance, but in the end, they agreed as what they gained access to was far too good to pass up. Especially after a tour of the Emeri Empire.

A final visit to Subnautica impressed upon them to not even think about fucking me over because they lack the means to retaliate or even take advantage of what was in their eyes, out-right magical technology.

Thus, it was this day that the Alliance went from three, to eight.

As of this moment, teams of constructor drones with their handlers were now in the newest members territories and adding roads, infrastructure, and more to the mix. Couple that with my Autodocs in the hospitals giving a free health booster to every citizen, the people were now healthier than they had ever been.

One downside was my choice to become something of a police state. With the autodocs, I was able to insert a biochip into each person which allowed me to track their bio-signatures. I didn’t go so far as to spy on their persons or listen in on things. Slippery slope and all that, but I did feel it was required at this point. These were normal people with their own needs and desires, not my biosynths who were completely loyal.

With the Bio-Signals, I can now track when non-citizens were in the Alliance territory, as well as track citizens in general.

I sighed. I would shift the blame to Ariel, who insisted upon the idea, but it was my fault for giving into it.

I was about to fall asleep when my alarm went off. It was Emma. I sighed and opened the PDA on my night stand.

“Yes?”

“I’m sorry for disturbing you, but we have a situation.”

“What happened? Someone get too drunk?” I asked, having left the celebrations not too long ago.

“No. Our teams on the surface have been attacked.”

My mind went from sleep, to awake in a moment. Comstar came to mind first, followed by the people who just joined, to any one of the nearby neighboring fiefs. I pushed it away as I got up and dressed.

“On my way.”

I soon after reached the Lab where my companions were, and they watched with various expressions. Breeze was no happy, and nervous. Ariel was patting him and looking a bit stone faced, but I can see her Mechadendrites twitching with restrained movements. Emma was openly unhappy, as was my two commander Biosynths.

Colonel Martress was present, as was General Gloval.

General Gloval was, straight up, a rip off of the good Captain from Robotech. A pipe smoking, whiskey drinking Russian with a mind for strategy and tactics that made me look like an amateur.

He was smoking his pipe while looking down at the table.

“Alright. Whose asshole am I going to kick?” I grunted, tired and cranky while glaring down.

Martress hid a grin that grew from my words, while Gloval was stoic.

“According to surveillance of our UAVs, the actors have arrived from the Andros Barony. They came in force with two battlemechs, and seven hundred men. The group they had attacked did not possess mech support until after the battle due having yet to be assigned to that nation. The marines that were on hand did what they could, and managed to succeed in protecting their charges, and severely depleting the ground forces, and damaging the enemy mechs.”

A puff later, and a sigh. “Unfortunately, they have made off with several pieces of equipment, including a handful of fabricators. For the most part, they were after the fabrication drones and their control units. Whether they target them specifically for their capabilities, or something else, we have no idea.”

I growled a bit. “At least the drones have trackers. I suppose you let them take the drones to find out who they were?”

“Of course. If the enemy isn’t going to check if our machines possess the means to track them, and gather data as a result, it is their own fault for not being especially vigilant.” The man said dismissively.

I grinned a bit. The familiarity of the General, on top of the attitude, eased my anger back down to smoldering.

I leaned back and stared at the map of the territory in question. Plans, ideas, and contingencies ran through my mind. I nodded as I came to a decision of my next move.

“Alright. Let’s give them some rope to hang themselves with. Allow them access to the drone functions, be nothing military. See about getting some spider units in there as well. Follow the leaders and high rankers. See if this is just greed, or a part of a larger plan.”

Gloval and Martress saluted, and left to get to work. I wandered over towards Emma and looked down at the live feeds from the camera’s the Drones were showing. They were being taken to a warehouse in the middle of what appeared to be a large farm stead. Walking towards the group was someone my Abyssal Infiltrators had informed me of.

Robert Shiro. Samurai aficionado, and overall, a brutal warlord. One of the types that put down revolts and took more serfs by force than not. A combine fanboy. Weaboo. Ugh.

With a wave, the drones were placed into the warehouse, and the people who appeared more educated began to fiddle the with machines.

I looked over at a nearby Military Biosynth captain.

“Keep an eye on things here. I need my rest.”

“Yes, my Sovereign.”

===

Shiro Clan Compound, Shiro Providence

Novo Franklin, Periphery Space

February 13th, 2981 AD

Robert Shiro sat down in the Zen Garden his grandfather had made, which brought him piece of mind whenever he had returned from battle.

It was a risk, to take the advanced equipment from the newcomers, but Robert considered the tradeoff worth the risk.

After a half hour of meditation, he stood up and walked deeper into the house, and then down into the basement level. There a radio sat, with an operator waiting.

The operator bowed and placed the receiver in his hand. Holding the device, he clicked several times, before receiving the return sign.

“…It is done.”

“Were you seen?”

“It is likely. Our foe is not incapable.”

“Indeed so. Very well. We accelerate. Abandon your place, and come to us. We will fortify our hold.”

“Hai.” Robert replied, sighing afterwards, hanging the receiver to the operator. He needed to meditate again. Leaving his home, abandoning his birthright. It burned him to the core.

However…when the Dragon Commands, the servant obeys. No matter how far, or how old that connection was.

Returning to the ground level, he walked into the house and into the room where his wife and child slept. Only five, he was still young and in need of a mother’s touch. Though he would become a Samurai when he was older, he would allow him the comfort his father gave him, that his grandfather denied him and his father.

The old Samurai. The memory of the old bastard burned, and he was happy the day the man passed from this existence. Taking his family to this distant outpost, to keep an eye on the Davions, and anything else that passed through.

He hated it. He hated the mission, and he hated this world and its backwards ways. Subnautica’s arrival provided opportunity. When he shared this data to the primary handler, he waited, and before long he was called.

This mission presented an opportunity to serve the dragon with a newly discovered boon. With it, the opportunity to finally leave, and take his family with him. To a proper place in the Combine.

He would not fail his father’s dream of returning home, nor his oath to give his family a better place.

He prayed that the Kami would see his oaths through.