Colossus By Design: Season 3 - Excerpt 48

[April 20, 2168]
[Main Meeting Hall]
[Global Union of Divisions Headquarters]
[Antarctica]
[Open Territory - G.U.D.]

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Barely even a day after the last meeting was held, another one has been called up, this time on the recommendation of the C.D.F. Navy and General Rico Rasczak. Because of how quickly and rushed this meeting was called up, most of the representatives are only present via communicative hologram. Among the holograms present, Anna Maximoff and Wei Ho are present, whereas they weren't in the previous meeting.

This time around, General Rico Rasczak is standing at the podium prominently, apparently in a more notable speaking role.


(Gnl. Rasczak): Thank you coming on such short notice everyone. Given that I'm the primary speaker for this meeting, I'm sure you can all figure out that this is a matter of military importance. Before we really begin, does anyone have any questions in particular?

(Dr. Maximoff): I do, general.

(Gnl. Rasczak): Alright, go right ahead.

(Dr. Maximoff): I overheard from a passing sailor on Jiran Island that this meeting has to with Roth-Ma Island. Will this meeting also go over how we'll handle the matter of Gojira?

(Gnl. Rico Rasczak): In time, though that's not the immediate concern.


Dr. Maximoff's hologram sits back down. No one else pipes up, afterwards, though some of the other representatives present are staring at her; the metaphysics expert pays no mind to their gazes.

The C.D.F. general straightens himself up and starts to speak again.


(Gnl. Rico Rasczak): Very well, let's continue. Our naval fleet stationed by Roth-Ma Island has been testing out Bilusaludo-developed technologies, and they recently had an unexpected opportunity to test them out. Some of the security drones stationed on the village got some footage before being destroyed.


The holographic projection screen behind the general activates, showing some shaky but clear footage from the security drones that were in the village yesterday. General panic and chaos can be seen, but what really catches everyone's attention are the swarms of Destroyer Scuttlers combining into Aggregates and going after the natives. The imagery of these merciless beings that serve as the beginnings of the final evolutionary step of the creature that was once Bagan utterly decimating the village makes everyone present quite uneasy.

Soon after, one of the Aggregates' tails clamps down on the drone, cutting out the footage.


(Gnl. Rasczak): This is the first confirmed sighting of the Destroyer parasite since we first encountered them in Australia. That's not all, however. Fighter drones were also on the scene, and they engaged in an aerial dogfight with a new creature, apparently a new advanced form of the Destroyer organism. While the Destroyers creating a new advanced recombinant form wasn't entirely unexpected, I think the other creature sighted on the island is of particular interest.


The footage playing on the screen is from the perspective of the fighter drones that went after the flying Destroyer form. Most of the representatives present are taken aback, though Anna Maximoff and Wei Ho have acclimatized well enough and don't react too much. However, the footage is paused midway; this pause is the one that catches the two friends' attention. And what is it that draws their eye?

The footage has been paused while one of the drones was flying downward to arc back up; its camera is resting on an image of a giant caterpillar, clearly quite injured.


(Gnl. Rasczak): This giant caterpillar was caught on camera by our fighter drones. Given the island's relation to Mothra, a giant moth, we can only presume that this larva is related to her somehow. I know I got the attention of several of you after mentioning this, which brings us to our next question: What will we do about it?


There's some visible discussion among the present representatives, especially between Wei Ho and Anna Maximoff. Of those present, the Governance Council, one of the few groups physically present in full, seem to have made up their minds.


(Gnl. Rasczak): I see the Governance Council has come to something of a decision. How will the military and R&D teams proceed?


Out of the six client representatives, the Chinese Denouncer is the one to speak for the Governance Council.


(Denouncer Lisa Ho): The Governance Council has come to a decision. We believe that, given the connection Anna Maximoff and Wei Ho have to Mothra, one of the two should accompany a research team to Roth-Ma Island to investigate. The other will stay on Jiran Island. We'd also prefer if we had full military escorts accompanying both.


Just as some of the representatives are about to engage in discussion, the Chinese Denouncer speaks up again.


(Denouncer Lisa Ho): We'd also like to request the Bilusaludo and Exif hegemonies to send representatives alongside these two research teams. Finally, we will put together an investigation team to look into potential Axis Alliance involvement with the recent incursion of the Destroyer parasite.

(Gnl. Rasczak): There we have it. The Governance Council has spoken. We'll now begin consensus voting for these motions.