Story Reader / Main Story / 27 Aeon Reforged / Story
Ballard is now the only one still standing in the once-crowded square.
Having listened to Watanabe's eulogy and Ballard's awakening declaration, the soldiers return to their posts, waiting for the signal fire to burn.
Ballard places his hand on the monument that's been through the erosion of rain and time and wipes the dust away.
No matter how sturdy the material, neglected engravings will gradually blur and grow weathered.
Just how many people still remember the names on this monument?
Disaster and oblivion have turned them into ignorable dust.
It won't be long now...
Ballard whispers, his gaze following his fingers as they trace the weathered monument, as if seeing the past through the years.
His gaze finally stops at the base of the monument, where a short inscription has once been, now rusted beyond recognition.
█ █ █ █ World
It won't be long before those deserters face the consequences they deserve.
You want me to step down now?
This isn't just some ordinary hacker attack or terrorist incident; it's something far more unimaginable.
Those rioting machines are too dangerous, and military-grade functional armor will only become your iron coffins given the circumstances.
How are humans supposed to fight a steel torrent? Listen to me and step down already.
You're already retired, and there is no need for you to put your life on the line. Think about your daughter, for God's sake!
I told you those metal clunks are unreliable! We only have ourselves to count on at the end of the day, but the boys are just too young to see that!
The muscular man on the other side of the line slaps his thigh and says proudly.
Backhaus!
This isn't some sort of joke!
Never thought it was. I mean, the rookies we get these days never waste their time labeling me as old and outdated.
I'm not talking about training right now!
These young souls barely just grew out of fighting in armor, and you're trying to put them in the initial battles already?
Backhaus's smile fades as he touches the white stubble that's starting to show from lack of grooming.
The World Government still hasn't figured out who or what the enemy is, right?
The Science Council and the Cosmos Technicians Union have been analyzing it 24/7. Results should come soon.
I don't know much about science, but one thing is clear to me: those haywire machines can't be left unchecked.
Whether it's providing analyzable samples for those lab coats or protecting civilians, it requires people.
That's what the regular Ground Force are for.
Hmph, and there I thought the young ones were most dependent on medical pods and functional armor.
I train these kids and I know them better than anyone else does.
This isn't your responsibility.
Backhaus waves his hand, cutting Ballard short.
I know what you want to say—and before this old soldier falls completely out of sync with the times, let me just do a few more things.
What exactly is it that you think you can do, though?
Times have changed. You don't even recognize all those haywire military machines!
We old soldiers have always done one thing on the battlefield.
Buying time and space for those who come after us.
You're right, we're almost out of sync with the times, which is why it should be us who go at a time like this.
The future belongs to the young. As veterans, we have to buy time for the new recruits to grow.
And you've never seen veterans hide behind rookies, have you?
Ballard is about to say something when a new message stops him short.
I gotta go to meet up with some of my long-time comrades. Ciao.
Oh, and here is one thing before I go.
The kid you sent over is indeed promising. I lost the bet this time.
But you probably won't get a chance to take my cigars, hahaha!
I was hoping to see you embarrassed. What a shame that you don't have your video on.
Backhaus... Backhaus! Cough... cough...
When Ballard hears about Backhaus again, his name is nothing more than an inconspicuous line of words swimming in the sea of the countless frontline reports.
Former Unity Hero Medal recipient and Oasis Squad Second Squad Instructor Backhaus passed in the North Plains Defense Battle.
...
Instructor.
So... what's happening now?
We've printed new flyers and are distributing them to camps in all districts. We should be able to see how that goes within a week.
But... there are still many who can't believe that Boss is dead.
Calls to avoid direct conflict with Babylonia have decreased significantly compared to six months ago, but haven't completely disappeared.
Many of them are veterans who have been around Boss for a long time, and their influence shouldn't be overlooked.
...We won't give up searching for Watanabe, but sometimes we do have to prepare ourselves for the worst-case scenario.
Protect what you can see first, then consider what lies beyond.
This is the Forsaken's promise to everyone, and I believe Watanabe would have done the same had he been in my shoes.
So, what should we do next...?
Continue with the plan. Our morale is at an all-time low now, and I wouldn't put it past our enemy to take advantage of the situation to manipulate public opinion against us.
Notify all units to be careful around those spreading doubt and undermining our morale.
Roger that!
And... what do we do with the loyalists?
I'll personally talk to them. It's normal to have differing opinions, and sometimes it's best to address things directly.
However, an army can only follow one command strategy.
Ballard descends the stairs. The clouds have grown thicker, apparently threatening to block the sunlight forever.
The sun is brutal... I can't take it...
With the air distorted by the heatwaves, a squad of fully armed soldiers trudges through the 70-degree sand.
It's so hot... I can barely breathe...
Physically, Albert, with his green hair, is the worst in the group, lagging behind and barely keeping up.
Hang in there, I'll help lighten your load.
Bruce from Islay Islands, known for his good heart and knack for boosting morale, never hesitates to lend a helping hand.
Even when his own clothes are soaked with sweat to the point of forming white salt stains.
Bruce, don't push it. You don't want to pass out cold in the desert.
The sand can burn you to the bone faster than you can scream.
Coates, also from Islay Islands, seems to have known Bruce since childhood, always telling him not to overexert himself.
Three kilometers left.
The last to speak is Garzah, a quiet man. Over the past few days, Watanabe learned that Garzah loved mint tea, a specialty of his hometown.
I can't do this anymore...
Albert!
—Hiss—
Jesus, can't you be a little more gentle here, Bruce?!
Watanabe quickly throws himself under Albert as a cushion to keep him from falling into the sand dunes.
And with it, he gets a real taste of what Coates meant when he said, "The sand can burn you to the bone faster than you can scream."
But I was being gentle already.
You should be thankful I know old-fashioned wound treatment and bandaging. Our rules strictly prohibit using medical pods.
In the past eleven months, Backhaus rarely followed the manual to train the squad's mental endurance for controlling military functional armor.
Their schedule was packed with endless drills, combat, and shooting practice.
Man, Backhaus really needs to up his game and keep up with the times... Don't even get me started with the training conditions, but who in the world still does physical training these days? And he wouldn't even let us use the medical pods when we're hurt... How did he put it again?
When you're in dire danger, you have no one else to count on...
But yourself!
This was the first thing Backhaus said when the remaining three carried two injured comrades to the field base, requesting to use the medical pods.
I'm sure he has his reasons, so stop complaining.
—Alright, now that's taken care of. By the way, training's almost over, and then it's off to our units.
Yeah... Did you change your mind? Or are you still thinking about joining Ground Force to die on the front lines?
After nearly eleven months together, these young men have all learned about what they each wanted to do.
Albert, Garzah, and Watanabe chose to be mercenaries, while Bruce and Coates chose Ground Force.
Bruce once applied to the Air Force for further training but was repeatedly rejected due to his performance in the balance tests.
Bruce never told anyone why he made that decision, though Coates, who also came from Islay Islands, seems to know something. Watanabe never pries into things people don't want to share.
I'm not going to die, I'm going so that fewer people die. Enough about me, what about you?
I'm going to be a mercenary once training ends. Will probably end up as a bodyguard for some rich people.
His voice is tinged with self-mockery.
Being wealthy and free, huh?
...Exactly! Money and survival, that's what humans live for.
...And here I thought it was because you couldn't stand the sight of too much blood. Don't you get sick when you do?
...
Just as Bruce has his undisclosed reasons, Watanabe also keeps his own secrets.
Are you too kind, or are you just a chicken?
...I'm just not used to it! Once I'm on the battlefield, I'll be fine!
During a time as peaceful as this, Watanabe can't seem to find the answers he seeks.
I'll look forward to that day then.
Commander, I'll need you to review this proposal to modify the starship with a Zero-point Engine.
Since it's top secret, it wasn't sent through the terminal.
Shin takes the thick stack of documents...
Yup.
And starts flipping through it while raising a question.
I thought the first ignition test for Reactor One was scheduled for next month. Are you sure we aren't submitting this proposal a little too early?
The engineering team seems confident in the project's success. If it weren't for the spaceport's no-alcohol policy, they might have started celebrating with champagne when the reactor was completed last month.
Oh, speaking of which, please deal with the crew members who smuggled vodka onto the starship as soon as possible.
I thought it was dealt with last week?
They busted a few more with distilled vodka this time!
...I'll handle it later. What's the engineering team's reason for wanting to start the modification so early?
They claim that adding the Zero-point Engine's output port isn't a big project.
With the Eden II blueprints as a reference, everything can be modeled after that colonial ship.
Since a starship built for defense is structurally simpler than one for pioneering, this modification will be even easier.
Well, they most likely just don't want to fall too far behind Eden II.
I mean, they see themselves as the pioneers of space travel.
I bet they still have quite some pant-up frustration, as much as they're convinced by the design of Eden II.
...And because of that, I can't approve this proposal.
So are we just going to reject it?
However, considering that the Starship Fleet will be responsible for guarding Eden II, I will present this modification plan at the next general meeting.
They'll be happy to hear this news.
Tell them not to celebrate just yet, because the fleet isn't just going to be modified entirely overnight.
Also, here is the new disciplinary notice you mentioned earlier. Take it and confine the repeat offenders.
Roger that.
After the lieutenant leaves, Shin looks out the porthole.
Floating before him is the Great Wall of space built by humans, an 18,750-kilometer-long spaceport around the orbit.
Hundreds of thousands of soldiers, technicians, and logistics personnel... moving back and forth on the spaceport, maintaining and upgrading 30 starships.
In the lower orbit are multifunctional satellites, 240 in total, serving as humanity's eyes, ears, and mouths, relaying quintillions of information, establishing a connection between space and Earth.
These satellites, spaceports, and starships form a ring, keeping the mother planet within humanity's grasp.
The mother planet was once both a cradle and a cage for humanity, binding everyone to the ground with gravity and the ecosystem.
But humanity is about to conquer it. Humanity's current achievements are just the prelude to Zero-point Energy.
Hey, whatchu lookin' at, "Tall Guy"?
w(?Д?)w
The tall, fully armed soldier is taken by surprise when spoken to.
Jada can't see the soldier's face under his helmet, but the drone by his side faithfully displays his reaction.
Oops, sorry, didn't mean to scare you.
The researchers at the space station are already used to how quiet he is, relying on his drone to communicate.
After years of working together, the researchers already know him so well that they understand what he means with a single facial expression.
╮(╯▽╰)╭
You really gotta stop facing out. You'd have been in deep trouble if it were the security chief.
(⊙﹏⊙)
Hey, "Tall Guy", I see it's your turn to guard this place again today?
(≧?≦)ゞ
The passing researcher gives him a high-five.
Technically, the International Space Station doesn't need security personnel, which is why the entire security department consists of only three people.
Besides security, they also handle sanitation, transportation, and other miscellaneous tasks.
There isn't much to do, and with his naturally friendly personality, "Tall Guy" quickly became acquainted with all the researchers, becoming something of a mascot.
You seem to like this spot by the porthole. Is it because you can see the spaceport?
What, do you find the space station too boring and want to apply to be a starship crew member?
(?Д?*)?
Alright, stop teasing him.
"Tall Guy", we're heading to the lab. We should have lunch together.
( ???)?
After the two leave, the unnamed soldier looks out the porthole again.
He isn't actually looking at the starships or the spaceport, but at space itself.
The girl who once described spacewalking to him had said this:
It's like floating in water, but without the omnipresent pressure squeezing your body and organs.
Carefree, unrestrained.
He wonders what that really feels like... and whether he'd ever get a chance to experience it.
('·_·`)
Gestalt's dim blue light shines on Nithart's face. Each flicker of light is a quintillion calculations done.
Done.
With the last character entered, Gestalt completes another self-check.
Let's see... half an hour to go. Think I'll just rest here for a while...
Leaning against a nearby cable, Nithart looks up at this "Brain of the Golden Age".
This massive quantum computer integrates almost all of humanity's knowledge and information.
From starship blueprints to solutions for the chicken and rabbit puzzle, all of human civilization's wisdom is stored in one place.
Supported by its immense computing power, the operations of the Golden Age society became orderly.
From the construction of Zero-point Reactors to birthday greetings for citizens, Gestalt can be seen supporting all social operational mechanisms.
Which is why people also call it a miracle of humanity.
And now, with its powerful computing power, Project Zero-point Energy is about to leap from paper to reality.
Its title would soon become "Humanity's First Miracle".
The researchers, however, don't think that Gestalt will hold this title permanently, because they're sure that new miracles are down the road when humans enter a new interstellar domain.
Better check it again.
Nithart turns off the alarm she set and stands up again.
The dim blue light flashes once more, illuminating the deep well entirely.
20 days until the Punishing Virus Outbreak
