Red Alert 2 Mental Omega: Wargirls Reincarnation

Aqua's POV 

I am currently standing in the Wisdom Cube factory, watching as its construction nears 80% completion. But my thoughts are elsewhere. Terra continue sketching out various park layouts, decorations, and other structural ideas. Despite the effort she's putting in, I can't help but notice that her designs lack any plant life. That's understandable, though. We still need to construct research boxes before we can delve into botany and environmental studies.

I've been preoccupied with another matter altogether. My mind keeps drifting to the operational plans I want to set in motion: scouting missions to locate and, hopefully, destroy Epsilon's base nearby. For that, I've been forming the ideal taskforce. It will consist of two Shark-class units, one Hestia-class, four UMHU units, one engineering unit, and one additional infantry unit that I've been brainstorming. Specifically, I want to create a marksman unit—a T-Doll designed for silent anti-infantry operations. The concept hinges on laser-based weaponry, which, while emitting bright light, eliminates noise entirely. Unfortunately, scaling my laser technology down to infantry size has proven to be a significant challenge.

"Still need those damn research boxes," I mutter softly to myself, frustration creeping into my voice.

Suddenly, I feel a gentle poke on my shoulder. Startled, I turn to see Helena smiling brightly at me.

"Master~ Boss Amy asked me to report that we can summon and unsummon our boosters and flippers at will but not our weapon" Helena says cheerfully, pointing at her legs. To my surprise, her flippers and underwater boosters are nowhere to be seen. She demonstrates by willing them into existence, and in an instant, they materialize. She then gestures to her harpoon railgun, resting on her passive carry rig, and the six bolts secured on her back.

This is new information to me, although I wonder why only underwater boosters and flipper. I had assumed that only Kansen could summon and unsummon their equipment. I quickly pull up the UMHU unit design blueprint to investigate further.

[T-Doll: Underwater Marine Harpoon Unit (UMHU) - Wargirls]

Cost: $1200 (Wargirls)

Speed: 7

Hitpoints: 1250 (Wargirls)

Armor Class: Medium

Prerequisite: Wargirls Barracks

Purpose: Anti-Armor, Anti-Naval

Weapons: UMH-01 (Underwater Marine Harpoon Launcher - 01)

Range: 7.5

Additional Information: Can garrison civilian structures. Immune to mind control. Amphibious. Can detect enemy spies.

"Why can you girls do that, though?" I ask aloud, studying Helena closely. She's a UMHU unit herself, yet I can't pinpoint any apparent differences in her model that would enable this ability. I being more curious as I begin tweaking the default configuration of the UMHU design. I think that by removing the passive carry rig from the default state might be the key as that the only different from combat state and default state.

"Helena, come with me," I say decisively, grabbing her hand and leading her toward the elevators. As we pass Terra and Tessa, I call out, "Once the Wisdom Cube factory is finished, start building research boxes. Eight should be enough for now. We'll likely go into an energy deficit, so I'll set up a few more reactors after I'm done with Helena."

("Pama, Amy meet me at the barrack") I said in the voice chat as I continue to look in to UMHU model.

("Yes, Aqua-chan. I be there with Pama") Amy said cheerfully over the voice chat.

I press the button for the top floor, the only other option besides the basement. As the elevator begins its ascent, I call into the voice chat, ("Pama, Amy, meet me at the barracks.")

("Yes, Aqua-chan! I'll grab Pama and head there now!") Amy responds cheerfully.

My mind races as I continue tweaking the UMHU model. If my theory is correct, this could make T-Dolls far more versatile. Perhaps I can implement a modular system, similar to the Gundam Strike's interchangeable loadouts or the mid-combat hot-swapping in Destiny 2. The latter would be incredibly advantageous.

The elevator dings, and as I glance at Helena, I notice she's unusually quiet. Her face is flushed, and she avoids making eye contact. Is she… embarrassed? Her shy demeanor catches me off guard, but I decide to focus on the task at hand.

We arrive at the barracks, where Amy and Pama are already waiting, seated on one of the operation tables. "Let's get started," I announce, pressing 'Update' on the UMHU design. The new configuration features two modes: default clothing and combat mode equipped with a passive rig carrying a harpoon railgun, flippers, and underwater boosters.

The nanoswarm activates, enveloping the three UMHU units in shimmering particles. When the transformation is complete, they stand before me in default mode, devoid of any weapons or equipment.

"Nice. Try summoning your gear," I say, addressing Amy.

"Yes, Aqua-chan," she replies, willing her combat equipment into existence. Her harpoon railgun materializes in her arms, followed by the six bolts on her back, flippers, and underwater boosters.

"Good. Now, summon them one by one," I instruct. My focus is laser-sharp as I observe her cycle through each piece of equipment. Railgun. Flippers. Boosters. Each harpoon bolt. Fascinating.

"Do you feel the weight of the equipment when it's summoned?" I ask, opening the designer app again.

"Yeah, kind of," Amy responds. "It's weird. I can sense the weight, but when I touch my back, there's nothing there."

Localized weight perception. Interesting. Could it be possible to use nanoswarms to create entire weapons from scratch? I grant Amy access to a nanoswarm belong to the Barrack's.

"Can you control the nanoswarm to replicate your weapon?" I ask. Though hesitant at first, she quickly assembles it with precision, the components coming together as if guided by muscle memory. So their weapon knowledge is hardcoded into their systems… perfect.

"Master~ you're staring too intently," Helena teases, poking my cheek. "Amy's going to think you're stripping her down with your eyes."

Startled, I glance around the room. Amy's face is as red as a tomato, while Pama giggles softly. Helena, meanwhile, grins innocently. Great. More teasing.

"Well, sorry about that. Anyway, I think I've figured out the way forward now," I said, smiling helplessly as I brought up the blueprint on my system display. My mind wandered as I examined the options before me: I could create a system for weapon loadouts and equipment customization. That would allow for flexibility without the need to design entirely new T-Doll models every time... but would it make new models redundant?

Ugh... I mentally groaned.

"So... question," I said aloud without much thought, breaking the silence around me. "How would you guys feel about being the only one of the two T-Doll models?"

Helena reacted first, her voice sharp as she shook my shoulder, almost as if she thought I'd lost my mind. "Huh? Master, are you serious?" Probably due to T-Doll model are custom made to suit their weaponry, and now I just gonna get rid of that.

Amy, always the calmer one, stepped forward, wrapping me in a warm, reassuring hug. "I'm sure Aqua-chan has her reasons," she said gently, her voice filled with trust.

I sighed, feeling the weight of Helena's skepticism and Amy's support equally. "I've been thinking about it. If I focus on designing flexible loadouts, I can centralize everything into two main T-Doll types: one for combat and one for support." I paused, glancing at them to gauge their reactions. "And don't worry—I'll add cosmetic options. I promise."

Amy hugged me tighter at that, a content smile forming on her face. Helena, though still hesitant, seemed to relax a little.

"So... I'm assuming you'll upgrade us first?" Amy asked, still holding me close.

"Yeah, kind of. I'm going to need to overhaul all T-Doll units, which isn't a lot but still.." I replied, pulling up the designer app. My mind raced as I started drafting the specs for their new amphibious combat models.

I studied their current frameworks, mentally listing the necessary improvements. Stronger skeletons, better power transmission, upgraded battery packs, and an array of advanced sensors—it was going to be a significant upgrade. The cost? Irrelevant. Their survival and effectiveness take priority.

The blueprint began to take shape: a sleek design with short navy-blue hair, a balanced frame with a C-cup build, and a height of 175 cm, closer to the standard UMHU unit size. My thoughts briefly derailed. Seriously? Armor translates to breasts? I glanced down at myself, the embodiment of a heavily armored submarine with no such… features to show for it.

I sigh at the absurdity before running simulations.

"Wow... is that us?" Pama asked, leaning over my shoulder to see the combat model in the simulator.

"Yeah," I replied softly, patting her head as we watched the tests unfold.

The results were impressive: a top speed of 120 km/h with powerful acceleration, and enough strength to casually toss car wreckage weighing 2,000 to 2,500 kg. That was a massive leap from their original 300 kg lifting capacity. "Not bad," I murmured, although I knew they still couldn't deadlift me or a Kansen.

The sensor tests were next. Thermal imaging, night vision, optical enhancements, built-in LIDAR, sonar capabilities, and a robust communication package—it was a comprehensive upgrade.

When I hit "Update," the system finalized the design:

[Generating..]

[T-Doll: Combat Unit - Wargirls]

Cost: $1500 x 10 (Wargirls)

Speed: 12

Hitpoints: 360 + 1000 (Wargirls)

Armor Class: Plate

Prerequisite: Wargirls Barracks

Purpose: Loadout specific

Weapons: Titanium alloy fist / -

Range: Close / -

Additional Information: Can garrison civilian structures. Immune to mind control. Amphibious. Detects cloaked and submerged units (Sensor Range: 9).

"$1,500..." I muttered, staring at the number. "That's the price of a hero unit." Adding the multiplier for production costs made the figure a bit daunting, but the performance was well worth it.

I turned to the girls. "Alright, your turn for upgrades," I said with a grin.

The nanoswarms enveloped them, initiating the transformation process. Meanwhile, I checked the progress of my wisdom cube factory: 100% complete. Eight research boxes were queued, with two already finished.

As I started configuring the boxes, I come across it's interface

[Idle.. Please input research]

I mentally selected the first topic: Water-to-Resources Transmutation. Gonna need way to generate resources somehow and this is my answer.

[Research topic 'Water to Resources transmutation' selected]

[Listing all existing tech, complete..]

[Creating simulator, progressing..]

[Calculating estimate time to finish: 4 hours]

"That's faster than expected," I murmured probably due to how Arpeggio of Blue Steel regain their nanobots while sailing through water before moving to the next box. For this one, I chose Infantry-Scale Graviton Laser Armament.

[Research topic 'Infantry scale Graviton laser armament' selected]

[Listing all existing tech, complete..]

[Creating simulator, progressing..]

[Calculating estimate time to finish: 2 hours]

"Even better," I said, feeling optimistic. I instructed the nanoswarm to assist with the remaining research boxes.

By the time Amy, Helena, and Pama completed their upgrades, their exterior appearances remained largely the same. Amy stretched her arms experimentally, recalibrating her movements.

"So, how do you feel?" I asked, watching them carefully.

Amy hesitated before answering. "Weird... but fine, Aqua-chan" she said, her voice box adjusting mid-sentence before settling into her usual tone.

"It's perfect, Master~," Helena purred, her teasing personality shining through as she tried—and failed—to lift me.

"You know I weigh several thousand tonnes, right?" I reminded her with a smirk, ruffling her hair when she pouted.

"Alright, I'll design a few basic loadouts for you all. As for weapons, give me about four hours. I want the laser tech and water transmutation upgrades to finish first," I said with a smile, already picturing the possibilities—especially infinite ammo weapons as long as there's water around. The thought alone made me giddy. As I stood there, I suddenly felt myself being hugged tightly. Probably Amy or Helena, judging by the warmth and familiarity of the embrace.

Now, for combat clothing. I needed something that could adapt to any situation while maintaining durability. A versatile design capable of supporting multiple styles and functionalities . The answer was obvious: nanoswarms. Seriously, nanoswarms could create any kind of clothing on the fly, shifting from casual to combat-ready in seconds. They could even form titanium alloy plates for additional protection when needed. And weapons? Same deal. Limitless potential.

I opened up the blueprint for the Engineer model I'd worked on yesterday. The mini-deployer unit I'd designed was compact yet efficient. So much had happened since then—it was hard to believe it was only a day ago. As I reviewed the specs.

[T-Doll engineer - Wargirls]

Cost: $3000

Speed: 4

Hitpoints: 1090 (Wargirls)

Armor Class: Basic

Prerequisite: Allied Barracks

Purpose: Repair & Capture & Building

Equipment: Mini Nanoswarm deployer

Range: 2

Additional Information: Building and Repair structures, Vehicles and T-doll. Can repair destroyed bridges by entering the Bridge Repair Hut. Can find and disarm Ivan, Arsonist and Repulsor bombs (Bomb Sight: 7). One Engineer can capture any Tech Building, Tech Vehicle or Empty Vehicle. Immune to Mind control.

The specs seemed solid enough. The mini-deployer unit didn't need to be large. For combat units, around 10,000 nanoswarms should suffice. To compare, the mini deployer unit (2x1x1 meters) carried around 100,000 nanobots, while the full-sized deployer (4x2x2 meters) could release a staggering two million.

For now, I decided to create dummy clothes infused with enough nanobots to function as intended. The key was to ensure these "clothes" acted as a storage medium without summoning their full combat forms until necessary. My first attempt was a simple oversized hoodie, filled with around 7,000 nanobots. Next, I added a pair of pants with a similar configuration. The result? A default outfit containing approximately 12,000 nanobots—enough for cosmetic changes, daily operations, minor repairs, first aid, weapon creation, and even erecting barricades or barriers.

While I was at it, I upgraded the Engineer model to match the Combat model tier. Their roles were distinct—engineers required more nanobots for support and construction tasks, while combat units prioritized speed and strength. Balancing their capabilities was critical. The upgraded Engineer specs ended up looking like this:

[T-Doll: Support Model - Wargirls]

Cost: $1500 x 10 (Wargirls)

Speed: 10

Hitpoints: 150 + 1000 (Wargirls)

Armor Class: Plate

Prerequisite: Allied Barracks

Purpose: Base Building, Active repair, Capture building.

Equipment: 2x Mini Nanoswarm deployer

Range: 4

Additional Information: Building and Repair structures, Vehicles and T-doll. Can repair destroyed bridges by entering the Bridge Repair Hut. Can find and disarm Ivan, Arsonist and Repulsor bombs (Bomb Sight: 7). One Engineer can capture any Tech Building, Tech Vehicle or Empty Vehicle. Immune to Mind control.

The addition of a second mini-deployer felt like a natural evolution. I'd made it so efficient that the deployer didn't even need to summon anymore as nanoswarms can operate without it. The result? A 190 cm tall, white-haired girl in an oversized hoodie and pants by default, with deployer boxes visible in engineering mode. It was perfect.

Now satisfied, I finalized the designs and called the girls. 

("Terra, Tessa, Tama, and Alya, please report to the barracks,") I said over voice chat. I also finished tweaking the Combat model design while waiting.

"Alright, you'll notice I've added a dummy costume for testing. Go ahead and check it out." I said to the now 4 New Combat model that stay with me.

Amy, still clinging to me, shifted slightly. I glanced up and saw her wearing an oversized hoodie herself. It looked... surprisingly good on her, though I felt compelled to clarify. "Just so you know, that's not combat gear. I designed it as a placeholder to store nanobots, so you could also design casual wear later."

She hugged me tighter and grinned. "It's perfect, Aqua-chan!"

I sighed, a mix of exasperation and amusement. "You're going to need to design your own combat uniform eventually."

Helena, apparently taking inspiration from Amy, spun around in her hoodie with a delighted laugh. She even pulled the hood over her head, looking like she was trying out a new outfit in a video game.

Why did this feel like buying alternate skins for Azur Lane characters? And why did it make me so happy?