(T/N : I decided to stop waiting for the raw, multiverse here we come)
(T/N : The Wheel of FATE has decided.jpg)
In the Ishimura's captain's quarters, Marcus perused the final reports from Pandora. Weeks had bled into months, and the intricate, often absurd plan to subjugate the Na'vi had finally reached its peculiar culmination. Isaac, Jill, and Carlos, now deeply entrenched within Na'vi society as "Dreamwalkers" who had "defected" from the Sky People, had played their roles with a meticulously crafted blend of bravery and theatricality.
Their staged battles against HUNK's Death Squad and the PDF Soldiers had steadily built their legend as champions of the Na'vi—brave, human-like figures fighting against the destructive RDA forces, who were, in truth, Marcus's own obedient troops. The engineered conflict saw the PDF Soldiers and Tyrants engage in fierce, controlled skirmishes, inflicting just enough losses on the Na'vi to push them to desperation, yet consistently allowing Isaac's group to secure crucial "victories" that cemented their standing. Eywa's periodic beast tides, while still formidable, were effectively neutered by Wesker's strategic T-Virus proliferation among Pandora's creatures. It turned the tide of planetary defiance into chaotic, self-destructive surges that gradually chipped away at the Na'vi's faith in their planetary deity's direct, protective intervention.
The Na'vi, worn down by relentless, orchestrated pressure and convinced of Isaac's genuine desire to help them fight a war they couldn't win alone, eventually sought unification under the guidance of these new "allies." Isaac, leveraging the defense layouts "stolen" from Hell's Gate Base and his subtly demonstrated Psionic abilities (which the Na'vi now attributed to Eywa's blessing), skillfully orchestrated a confederation of the various Na'vi clans.
It wasn't a brutal, head-on conquest, but a subtle, almost psychological subjugation. The Na'vi, believing they had chosen a path to unified resistance, unknowingly swore allegiance to Isaac and, by extension, to Marcus's growing, multi-universal domain. The system's mission objective, [Subdue the entire Na'vi race], was now firmly marked as complete.
Pandora, rich in Unobtainium and other exotic resources, was now effectively Marcus's. Under Wesker's direct command, the PDF Soldiers continued their systematic expansion, establishing secure mining operations and research outposts, all while carefully managing the now-cooperative Na'vi populations, slowly integrating them into a controlled, "protected" status.
A new and profoundly fascinating development had also emerged on Pandora. The planetary will, Eywa, had become Magos Halifus's newest research obsession. For Halifus, the senior Adeptus Mechanicus Fabricator, Eywa wasn't a goddess; she was an impossibly vast, interconnected biological machine, a system controlling flora and fauna across a planetary scale without a single cogitator or circuit board his scans could readily identify. This defied the very tenets of the Cult Mechanicus; it was archeotech – ancient, forgotten technology – manifesting as a living, breathing network. An irresistible, if heretical, puzzle.
********
"A non-mechanical Machine Spirit operating without explicit Omnissiah blessings," Halifax would mutter to his servitors, his bionic eyes whirring with intense focus. "The audacity of existence! It must be documented. Categorized. Understood. And then, perhaps, given proper mechanical form." He was particularly vexed by Wesker's T-Virus proliferation, viewing it as a "corruption of data purity" within Eywa's network, but he meticulously collected samples, driven by an unholy curiosity to integrate this biological sentience into the rigid logic of the Machine God.
With Pandora now a stable, productive asset, and Earth in the Avatar World preparing for "peaceful" integration into what Marcus was now calling the Universal Union, Marcus felt a familiar restlessness stir within him.
Avarax, the Hive World, was efficiently governed by Alexia, its clone factories tirelessly churning out troops, and its cities being "optimized" following the Waaagh! aftermath reconstruction. Everything was running smoothly, a testament to delegation – something he found remarkably convenient.
"Time to see where the system takes me next," Marcus murmured to himself, leaning back in his chair, a dry chuckle escaping him. "Hopefully, not somewhere that requires more bureaucratic paperwork. Who am I kidding, I usually give Alexia all the work..."
He opened his system panel, navigating to the world selection interface. A new list of potential universes shimmered before him, each representing a fresh opportunity, a new set of problems to solve: Mass Effect Game Universe, Star Wars Movie Universe, Halo Game Universe, Half-Life 2 Game Universe, Alien Movie Universe.
He considered each option with a weary, yet eager, pragmatism. Mass Effect, Star Wars, and Halo offered vast galactic empires and powerful FTL technology, but also posed universe-ending threats or were home to vast, established powers that would be difficult to subvert without direct, overwhelming force – something he still preferred to avoid if a subtler path existed. The Alien Movie Universe held fascinating, deadly xenomorphs, but he felt he wasn't ready for this one.
His gaze lingered on the Half-Life 2 Game Universe. "Ah, this one's got potential," he muttered, a glint in his eye. It presented a unique set of circumstances: a technologically advanced alien empire, the Combine, that had already conquered Earth, and a scattered, oppressed human resistance.
This wasn't a clean slate like Pandora, nor an established, monolithic power like Warhammer's Imperium. It was a world perfect for expansion. The Combine's technology would be a valuable prize, and their totalitarian rule would undoubtedly make the human population highly receptive to a "savior" – even one who came with Tyrants and a distinct lack of personal space.
"Half-Life 2 it is," Marcus finally decided. It offered a chance to directly engage with a conquering alien force, potentially acquiring advanced technology and liberating a suppressed human population, which could then be integrated into his growing multi-universal domain. It felt… efficient.
He pressed the selection button. The system responded instantly, a new prompt appearing:
Dimensional Travel Complete.
Current World: Half-Life 2 Game Universe.
Beginning Phase One Main Mission: Establish a Foothold on Earth.
Mission Objective 1: Gain the trust of the Human Resistance.
Reward: Gacha Spin x1, Title "Liberator".
Mission Objective 2: Capture a Combine Citadel.
Reward: Gacha Spin x1, Title "Urban Conqueror".
Marcus closed the system panel, a faint hum beginning to emanate from the Ishimura's core as the Shockpoint Engine initiated the jump sequence. The bridge lights flickered, and the familiar distortion began outside the viewport.
This time, there was no crew to brief on the specific dangers, no grand speeches to give to inspire them for a new world. Just a silent, calculated transition to a new unknown, a new battlefield where humanity desperately needed a new champion, or a new master.
A flash of brilliant white light consumed the view. When it faded, Marcus found himself gazing out at a heavily industrialized, smog-choked cityscape, dominated by monolithic, ominous structures that pierced the clouds. The Ishimura was no longer in orbit around a verdant world; it was adrift in the grimy, oppressed skies above what was unmistakably Earth, but an Earth under a cruel, alien heel.
"Well," Marcus murmured, a slight smile touching his lips as he surveyed the dystopian panorama before him. "Here we go again. Just when I thought I was getting used to all the sunshine and rainbows."