Gaiaterra: Elysea's Conflict/Dolphin

''"Skree'ee--eee, eeek!" (Lit. "Freedom at any cost!")''

-Dolphin Motto

The Dolphin is one of the Andoran Republic. This unit will set to be planned by

History
"Skeee'tc, eek, eeee, ee, eek!" (Lit. "So long and thanks for all the fish!")

-Babelfish the Dolphin, after a meal before heading back into combat

When famed, if slightly unstable, marine biologist William McTavish the Third invented his sonar communication system so he could personally tell the aquatic mammals in tank four to stop squeaking at four in the morning, nobody could have expected the results; the Dolphins talked back! After trial runs in the Scotland-based Carmichael Aqualabs, McTavish took his invention to open waters with an Andoran military observer to share his findings; not only could dolphins speak back through his device, but the things they were saying had immediate military value.

The Voshkod, they said, had made enemies not just all over the world, but under the water as well, their industrial excess polluting the seas and ruining natural habitats. "We too," they said, "are being invaded by their Akula submarines." This led to an unparalleled development in mankind's history; for the first time, two species were united as equals so they could beat up communists.

Though initially met with skepticism, the Andoran plans to use dolphins in open naval warfare against the Voshkod is widely held today as one of the finest, most forward-thinking military initiatives of the last quarter century. Though the decision is not without controversy, to this day, Andoran officials continue to staunchly defend their research and development in training eager dolphin volunteers, insisting that they have taught these creatures to defend themselves and their aquatic homes.

Notwithstanding the ongoing ethical debate, Andoran dolphins - fitted with specially made, fully-waterproof sonic disruptor technology -- are indisputably effective. With proper training, these intelligent and vaguely patriotic creatures can quickly and accurately relay the coordinates of foreign sea vessels, and in groups, they can do battle with surprisingly effective results.

The Dolphins' sonic weaponry acts almost like a physical underwater jackhammer, pounding enemy targets until they begin to break apart. The dolphins are able to ignore the weapon frequencies and still communicate effectively with each other and their commanders even in the midst of all-out war versus the likes of their worst enemies, the Voshkod Akula-class submersibles.

The Voshkod have expressed open frustration with the dolphin warfare, however, and continue to experiment with new ways of combating these swift and brave creatures. For example, their new Stingray strike craft are known to send dangerous levels of electricity coursing through the waters -- yet, in turn, the Andoran dolphins can leap high and far up and out of the water, out of harm's way, if the commander remembers to order them so.

A generation of sailors and war veterans once said that dolphins have no place on the modern battlefield and that conventional ships and weapons are far superior in every way. However, after one now-famous dolphin single-flipperedly sank a Voshkod dreadnought off the coast of Brighton Beach, only the Voshkod loudest propagandists still cling to this belief. (For her noble sacrifice, Puddles McIntyre posthumously received the Allies' most prestigious medal.)

Late in 1968, a full branch of the Allied Navy was dedicated to the Dolphin military, complete with its own rank system and unique set of military honors (mostly revolving around being fed fish.) The Dolphin is so integrated into Andoran culture, a political cartoon was made referencing the formation of the Federalist party, showing McCarthy as a dolphin jumping over a waterlogged donkey and elephant, which led to the Federalist party taking the dolphin as its symbol. For their part, the dolphins seem determined to continue the fight against the Voshkod, as well as the (insert) who, they point out, hunts and eat dolphins.

In the aftermath of the (insert war), Admiral Squeeky proposed to the Andoran Navy that dolphins be trained to operate deeper underwater, rising only to breathe. He explained that this would reduce dolphin casualties and better avoid enemy fire, as well as allowing dolphin strike forces to sneak behind lines. This has been approved and widely done, but the Andora Navy has also sent out warnings that the Sonic Disruptor can't be used underwater without deafening the dolphin in question and requires a few seconds to get to the surface.

In addition, Carmichael Aqualabs has recently developed a set of tools that fit over a dolphin's harness, allowing dolphins to manipulate objects with considerable dexterity. The tools have caught on, and one such tool used by dolphins while in combat is known as the sonar screwdriver. This tool allows dolphins to conduct repairs to friendly ships, patching up damage in areas that a human would have trouble reaching.