No Surrender (Artery Gear Fusion / Dragon Ball Super)

[Stimpak Medic]

Prologue: New World, Old Android

"The Frontier is always hiring".

I've heard that slogan more times than I'd like to remember, and I haven't been on this world for more than a year at most. The thing is, it's not the jingo or some patriotic call to action you might imagine. It's the reminder of the reality this world finds itself in. We face a foe that is relentless, and even with my power, I doubt we can end this war so soon.

Our enemy is The Puppets. Don't let the name fool you. These are not cloth dolls, or wooden mannequins. These are an alien species resembling mannequins of pure white metallic substance that assimilates and destroys everything in it's path with strange abilities that alter the very reality around them, and the very atoms that make up anything they touch, puppetizing it and adding it to their army. I don't know how many worlds they have conquered before this one, but Earth can't be their first. Of that I am sure.

If I were to take drastic action, there would be no life at the end of this war. Our enemy is not just one strong being, or even an army of them. They are in the tens of millions, and multiply faster than even I can comprehend. They appear and disappear like a ghost, leaving behind only bits and pieces of the armies that destroy and corrupt.

They're not dangerous to me much, but I'm not their main target. Humanity is, and I can't be everywhere at once.

With every person I save, every child I defend, a city falls elsewhere on the planet.

When I sleep at night, there's a war still raging, and I can do nothing but let it happen. I've tried learning to sense energy, but it's almost impossible for me. Maybe in the future I will find a way, but for now I can do none of the sort. I live my life in the Frontier, and save who I can, when I can.

Now, I can hear you asking me "What is The Frontier?", Well, Let me explain.

First you need to know about this Earth and it's history. It's far different than the one I come from.

This Earth is split between two Nations. The Frontier, and Autoluna.

The Frontier is an Anti-Puppet Alliance formed by the nations of the ground after the puppet war broke out. It only existed in name at first, since few nations acknowledged each other at first, but once the Puppets destroyed over sixty percent of the world's land, finally the world leaders were forced to work together as to defend the human race from this threat.

The Puppets were too strong as a force for Humanity to deal with alone.

Their jets were ripped apart in the sky. Their ships blown apart at sea. Guns were equally inefficient and worthless. Puppets are faster than bullets and shells. No amount of infantry would matter.

So what did the nations do?

They traded off lands in order to frantically develop weaponry capable of killing puppets.

It took several years, but Anti-Puppet weaponry became a thing. Guns capable of disrupting their molecular structure and stopping their regeneration were developed. And soon those weapons were deployed with robotic soldiers and vehicles. Now, Humanity holds the puppets at a standstill, while slowly recovering in numbers. However, this isn't a pretty story, not by a long shot.

Just as Humanity has developed technology of fighting puppets, the puppets have begun advancing their own beings, making such weapons less effective, and in turn, Humanity has created super soldiers capable of going toe to toe with even the strongest of puppets: Artery Gears.

With most of the men on the planet lost in the war, Women have taken up the call in their honor. Those who were once housewives, office workers, and teachers have taken up the call just as the brave men did before them, and the lucky few have survived the process of the technology, becoming Artery Gears.

However, just as The Frontier has advanced, so has the last safe haven of Humanity.

Autoluna.

As for Autoluna, It was a space colony used by the United Nations. A prototype of the soon to be created Frontier.

As country after country fell to the puppets, Autoluna gave haven to the best and brightest of the remaining humanity below. And well, in the face of the puppets, a safe haven with seemingly unlimited resources was too much to turn down. So, what was once a small space colony grew both in size and in technology having taken many nations best and brightest.

In short, it became the functional opposite of The Frontier.

While The Frontier is at constant war with the puppets, and it's citizens face large scale puppet attacks daily, and many of it's citizens are poor and in abject misery, Autoluna operates on a Nobility system, and resources and food are plentiful. I've heard from some sources that Autoluna is capable of creating matter from nothing, and that is how they keep their populace rich and well fed.

I've also heard that anyone who doesn't fulfil their roles and jobs in Autoluna is cast out, and sent down to the Frontier. Noble or not.

It's strange. I haven't been up there to check it out, as I'm not exactly a big fan of the whole caste system or whatever they have going up there, but I'd be lying if I didn't say I didn't want to see how things worked up there.

Anyways, Autoluna declared itself and Autonomous nation, and the immigration process, if you can call it one, is strict. Anyone who wants to go up there has to be pre screened by their Queen, and have something they can offer Autoluna that it doesn't already have. Needless to say, that's not many people anymore these days.

But me. I'm sure I have more than enough to offer that lady who sits up on her throne playing God.

Regardless of what I've just said, I wouldn't turn down an offer from Autoluna, but I only work as a mechanic in Azure City, and I protect the people of this city. That's enough for me for now.

Eventually I'll make it home and see my family again. Gods above know that I miss my wife and kids. Still, I have things to do, and I can't keep being stubborn about this.

Who knows, maybe the Queen of Autoluna can help me get back home?

Whatever happens to me, I hope my family is okay and my kids don't get into trouble while I'm gone.

Don't you worry kids, Your dad is coming back one way or the other.