2025-03-06: Frontier Press Conference
- Log: 2025-03-06: Frontier Press Conference
- Cast: Sheryl Nome
- Where: Frontier Fleet - Central Government
- Date: U.C. 00100 03 06
- Summary: The Frontier Fleet's new president outlines the future of the fleet and the war against the Vajra.
The transmission of the press conference coming out of the Frontier Fleet begins, showing a generic conference room with numerous members of the media waiting in chairs. Soon enough, the acting President of the Frontier Fleet, Leon Mishima, walks out onto the stage and up to the podium. The murmurs from the press quiet and Mishima begins, "Welcome. Before we get to the main topics at hand, I'd first like to say a few words about the late President Howard Glass. He was a good man and a great president. He led us well during the peaceful times and was always focused on protecting the people after we found ourselves at war. More personally, I knew him for many years and considered him almost like a father, especially once I became engaged to his daughter. He will be missed."
One of the reporters actually speaks up at this point, "I've got a reliable source that says Lieutenant Catherine Glass is currently missing and has been since the Vajra attack. Is this true?"
Mishima frowns, though whether it's because of the situation regarding his fiance, or the fact that the reporter is bringing it up, is anyone's guess. Mishima does reluctantly reply though, "Unfortunately yes. Emergency response teams continue to search for her, as well as many others still unaccounted for since the attack. I am hoping for her safe return." The words don't seem to precisely match his tone and body language though, as he is rather calm about the issue.
Mishima continues, "Firstly, I will speak of the future of the Frontier Fleet. For too long we have been on the back foot in this war, our dream of reaching out into space and creating a new home on a distant world put on hold. For years the Vajra have hounded us, infesting the Earth Sphere with their nests, destroying us at every turn and spreading their infection amongst us."
"But no longer." The large screen behind Mishima flashes to life, showing an image of a variable fighter. Mishima says, "I present to you: The YF-29 Sentinel."
Rumours about the last battle with the Vajra had been flowing around the internet, but this is the first official introduction. Naturally the reporters are all excited, taking pictures for their own publishing. Questions begin flying about the new unit, but Mishima raises his hand to quiet everyone as he starts to explain, "The Sentinel contains several new advancements in anti-Vajra warfare, and was developed in coordination between the Frontier Fleet and the PLANTs. The two most important advancements are its MDE weaponry, and the top secret system, codenamed 'Fairy Tale'. For security reasons, the specifications of the latter are being kept highly confidential. But we will be providing specifications for the former to all military forces in the Earth Sphere."
Mishima goes on to explain, "MDE weaponry use discoveries about the unique material, fold quartz, that were acquired by the expedition to Gallia IV. With this material, we can now create new weapons, or modify existing ones, in such a way as to bypass the Vajra defensive adaptations that make them so hard to kill. With these specifications, as well as access to supplies of fold quartz, anyone will be able to gain an advantage over the Vajra in battle. Giving us a chance to fight back in this war. A chance we plan to use to end it completely."
"As for the 'Fairy Tale' system..." The screen behind Mishima changes, showing clips of the last battle with the Vajra. Specifically the Sentinel unleashing its energy pulse, resulting in the Vajra becoming completely docile. Mishima explains, "As you can see, this system is a step up beyond the effects of the songs sung by Ranka Lee. It doesn't just distract the Vajra, it completely removes their intent to attack us. And with more development, we plan to use it to give us a way to win this war."
One reporter stands to ask, "How does the system actually work? What does it do to the Vajra?"
Mishima doesn't mind answering this question, unlikely seemingly earlier, "As I said, the specifics of its operation are classified in order to reduce the chance of the Vajra learning how to adapt to it." But how would letting people know how it works lead to that? Mishima continues, "But in general terms, we've found that Ranka Lee's affect on the Vajra was a result of an ability for her songs to generate 'fold waves'. These fold waves are the same phenomenon that the Vajra use to establish the galaxy-wide network that forms their hive mind. Miss Lee was able to connect to this network at a basic level, briefly disrupting it in her local vicinity. However, we've discovered that it is also possible, through the use of fold quartz, to create our own fold network. The 'Fairy Tale' system does just this, creating a network between the Sentinel's pilot and the fold waves of someone singing. We can then connect this network to the Vajra's, allowing us to essentially communicate on a very basic level. Not enough to establish a two-way dialogue, but to make certain basic requests."
Another reporter asks, "So does this mean that once again, Ranka Lee is the main component of our plan to fight back against the Vajra?"
"... Not quite." The screen behind Mishima changes again, this time showing slightly distorted footage of Ranka interacting with a Vajra Light Soldier in a way that is definitely not trying to kill it. After which the VF she gets into flies off with said Vajra. There are a lot of gasps and murmurs amongst the reporters, many starting to ask questions. Mishima explains, "Although we don't fully understand the circumstances, we are certain that Ranka Lee has left the Frontier Fleet in the company of a Vajra. At this stage, we can only assume her intentions do not align with those of protecting humanity."
"Thankfully, another has stepped up to take her place as the one who will guide us to victory."
The screen changes again, this time showing footage of Sheryl singing in the last battle.
( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMn7j8SfNQU - Fairy )
"Everyone calls me 'Fairy' "I try to live up to it... ohhh... "I can't feel the weight in my heart "That's why I chose to fly in the skyyyyy..."
In the corner of the screen, scientific readings appear labelled 'Fold Wave Levels'. It clearly shows them rising as Sheryl's song continues.
After a little bit of this, the footage cuts out and Mishima finishes, "Sheryl Nome, who has started to be dubbed the 'Songstress of Despair', will be filling this role, enabling this plan to succeed and allow us to regain the dream we lost over three years ago."
This revelation throws the reporters into more of a frenzy than when the Sentinel was unveiled. Only after a barrage of questions does one reporter manage to get his voice heard above the rest, "What exactly is this plan?"
Everyone goes quiet again, eager to hear this answer. Mishima doesn't do so immediately, remaining quiet for several moments. Until finally he says, "We will gather what Vajra we can and use them to fold the entire Frontier Fleet to the Vajra homeworld. Once there, we will use the Fairy Tale system on the source of their fold network, thus ending their fight against us."
There are numerous cheers as a result of this bold statement. Amidst them, Mishima continues in a louder voice, "To this end, in order to bolster our forces in preparation for the strike, the Frontier government will be exercising wartime powers to integrate several commercial entities in the private sector into the Frontier Defense Fleet. I swear to you as the Frontier President that we will end the war with the Vajra once and for all. For humanity's sake!"
The press conference ends amongst the cheers of the audience.