Nihonkoku Shoukan: Beyond

Chapter 41: Task Force 40

JCS Shinano, Japan Cosmos Navy Naval Port, Yokosuka, 7th March 1640 CCY

Inside a secluded section onboard the first fleet carrier of the Japan Cosmos Navy, there is a white sterile room embedded in it. This section is placed under high security, guarded 24/7 by a contingent of black armored Marines and androids. Only people with special authorized access are allowed to walk in the halls of this section.

Inside that white sterile room, there is an empty medical pod unlike any other. This is the medical pod reserved for one and only one person, Rear Admiral Mako Takayama herself. She's, for the lack of a better word, a flawed experiment, born from the desperation of the United Nations in the face of complete annihilation.

The program, which was locked behind many layers of security, that created Rear Admiral Mako Takayama today happened during the Terran-Garmillas War and continued to the middle of the Gatlantis War. The aim of this program was to create the next generation of scientists and tactical commanders with increased cognitive ability and IQ through the use of invasive gene frequency and modification.

Despite its ethical concerns, the high command greenlit the project... with the initial 12 candidates chosen to undergo the experiment... not many are alive today, and Mako is one of the lucky few. Those who live have flaws in their genetic material despite the obvious results, forcing them to rely on specialized equipment and medicine to live. The ending of the Terran-Garmillas war saw the program halted, but the conflict with the Gatlantis forced this program to continue once again, only stopped with the technology transfer and implementation of better AI such as those used on the JCS Ginga and the completely automated Black Berserk Battalion variant of the Andromeda-class.

Behind a glass pane that separates the room into two, a team of doctors is working on the consoles nearby, controlling the pod.

"Regeneration cycle is about to complete. The nanomachine is working as intended." – Doctor 1

"Retracting the nanoinjector. Gene frequency normal." – Doctor 2

"Lieutenant, she'll wake up in about 5 minutes. We'll be on our way soon." – Captain Ritsuko "Mama" Curtis

"Thank you, Captain Curtis." – Lieutenant Shiori

"Well... just make sure she does not miss her vital injection. I know that she's very busy with the formation of the new fleet, but nothing is more important than her health, so make sure she does not forget about the daily injections." – Captain Curtis

"Yes, ma'am. I'll make sure to remind her." – Lieutenant Shiori

"Hm... well... if all things go well. We won't be meeting again for another 6 months. She's like my own daughter... so please, keep an eye out for her." – Captain Curtis

"Of course, ma'am. May I ask... about the progress of your research?" – Lieutenant Shiori

"Well... I have been trying to adapt the Gatlantis' cure for the planet bomb syndrome and conduct extensive searches on their database... but it's still progressing quite slowly. With any hope... we should be able to move on to clinical trials soon. All right, let's wrap this up, people. We still have work to do. Take all the collected data, we'll head back to the lab as soon as possible." – Captain Curtis

"I see... I wish the best for you and your team, ma'am." – Lieutenant Shiori

"Thank you. Now... go tend to her. She'd be a bit disoriented from the sedatives." – Captain Curtis

"Yes, ma'am." – Lieutenant Shiori

The medical teams begin to collect their equipment and data, while Lieutenant Shiori pushes the carts in the corner of the room containing the uniform and a tray of food to the room next door. It's been a few years... but the hope of curing her friend of the curse of war is still there... and she won't give up.