Story Reader / Main Story / 27 Aeon Reforged / Story
This is the bow window, the only spot in Babylonia where you can see the distant home planet in its entirety.
Hassen often sat here alone when there were no annoying meetings.
Metallic debris, devoid of luster, floats quietly around Earth.
They once represented human ambition, glory, and power...
But in the face of that unprecedented defeat, these tools, along with pride, shattered into pieces.
Another decade has passed.
Hassen still remembers the few decades that birthed such brilliance. The deep space probes, cold fusion engines, terraforming plans, Starship Fleet...
But after the outbreak of the Punishing Virus, such glorious times never occurred again.
How can humanity have the strength to plan its next steps now that the future is uncertain?
President, the meeting is about to begin.
Hmm... Let me see the agenda for this quick meeting.
Aside from some routine reports...
Celica opens the tablet and highlights two items.
The two main focuses are whether to expand the search and rescue range for the Gray Raven Commandant and... the border conflict with the Forsaken.
These two can be merged as one, as the area controlled by the Forsaken is now a blind spot for our search and rescue.
Alright, let's go.
The Clean Zone is a breather for humanity, but crises always arrive without notice.
Gray Raven Commandant disappeared and we lost contact with Watanabe. Then there's the strange movements of the Forsaken... So many unresolved matters weigh on his shoulders.
Hassen takes one last look at the distant home planet. Hidden among the silent wreckage are dormant ballistic missiles.
The old weapons seem to remind him that beneath the calm, danger still lurks.
Reload, cover me!
A soldier retreats and is quickly replaced by another.
I'm out of ammo. Anyone got some?
Catch.
A fully loaded magazine is tossed over.
That's also my last one.
The gunfire has become sporadic. Of the original 12-man assault team, only 4 remain.
The Corrupted in front of them are crawling from every corner out like pests.
After the final few shots, an empty magazine clicks sound simultaneously.
All units, tighten the defense line. Prepare for melee combat!
The remaining soldiers immediately retreat to the command area.
They form a semicircle so that Nithart, who is wearing a protective suit, is at the center.
Captain, how is she?
Not good, but she's alive.
Nithart has fallen unconscious at some point and blood is seeping from the seams of her protective suit. If the terminal wasn't showing a heartbeat, Watanabe would have thought she was dead.
These researchers may look fragile...
After plunging his tactical knife into the integrated chip in front of him, the soldier kicks away another Corrupted that tried to attack Nithart.
But they never miss a beat when it comes to missions.
Yeah, so it's our turn now. We must hold on until the rescue team arrives.
It doesn't look good. There are probably Corrupted along the way. It'll take time for the rescue team to break through.
Shouldn't you be saying something more encouraging now? Why are you being pessimistic?
I meant for you to talk less and do more!
A Corrupted nearby is sliced in half by a curved blade, and a military boot crushes its head.
Ballard, where are the reinforcements?
We've taken a heavy blow. We can't hold on much longer.
The only response is the harsh noises of the communication channel.
Damn it, is the communication malfunctioning again?
Did you hear something?
Is the ground shaking too?
It wasn't until Watanabe ended the communication that he noticed the harsh sound wasn't just coming from his headset.
It's getting closer! It might be a large Corrupted!
A beam of light pierces the dark underground space like a flash of lightning in the dead of night.
Are you trying to blind the people inside with your high beams?
A harsh scolding can barely be heard from the driver's seat.
The roaring engineering vehicle charges into the Corrupted like a bull, crushing and grinding down the troublesome machines.
The red tide is split in two, and the ship that broke through the waves stops steadily in front of Watanabe and the others.
The rear hatch opens and fully armed soldiers jump out. They start to clear the remaining Corrupted.
Sorry for the wait. It took us some time to get this big guy running.
Thanks for opening the safety doors along the way that allowed it to come in.
His gaze sweeps over the remaining team members before resting on Nithart lying on the ground.
Medical team, save her.
You all should head to the rear cabin and report the situation.
You said erroneous commands were sent to the Space Force?
Did she say what exactly?
She only had time to tell me this much.
Looks like we'll have to wait until she wakes up to figure it out.
...
Worried about your father?
Without hesitation, the young man nods.
Hmm...
I heard from Backhaus that you scored a perfect score in simulated flight training?
I did.
Nithart's in very bad condition. Even the doctor doesn't know when she'll wake up.
He speaks slowly, as if trying to convince himself while talking to Watanabe.
According to what you said, sending out erroneous commands shouldn't happen as easily as blowing a fuse.
Private Watanabe, listen to orders!
This mission is an extension of the Gestalt rescue operation. Currently, you are the only one in the team who can pilot a ship in space without additional equipment.
So, as the leader of this operation, I order you to pilot the space-air transport craft to space and confirm the situation.
Make sure to find out exactly what erroneous commands were sent.
Ballard, if you continue on like this...
Seeing his hesitation, Ballard raises an eyebrow instead.
Can you complete the mission?
Yes!
Then go ahead, and leave this to me.
Before the meeting starts, allow me to introduce someone.
In the conference room, commandants from various starships sit on both sides of the table.
This is their monthly report meeting, a rare chance for them to leave their starships.
I'm sure you've all heard of him. "Beak of Islay", the World Government's ace pilot...
At this, the commandants on both sides of the table begin to murmur. Islay is where the World Government trains its pilots and tests new aircraft.
Dozens of ace pilots come from there, but only one can be called "Beak of Islay".
Cyril, please come in.
I told you, no need to mention those titles.
I'm here simply because I'm needed.
Years of battle have taken their toll on him. His body is deteriorating, and though he is the same age as Shin, his face is already covered in wrinkles.
These are the marks of his battles, his permanent medals.
Last month, the latest aerospace fighter, Fenrir, was transported to the spaceport.
Cyril will lead his team to train the new recruits from now.
During the training...
A massive tremor strikes the conference room and alarms blare immediately.
Administrator, report the situation!
The channel goes silent after a brief static noise. Instead, a broadcast begins.
Attention all spaceport staff, the flagship "Miracle" has departed. Navigators, take your positions...
Attention all spaceport staff, the frigate "Ambition" has departed. Navigators, take your positions...
The continuous announcements state that all 30 starships, including the flagship, are leaving the port.
How is that possible? I never gave an order to start the engines!
My control permissions have been revoked!
Shin tries to contact one of the subordinates still on the flagship, but a cold automated message tells him that he can't connect.
Hello, can you hear me?
I am Shin, a command officer from the Starship Fleet. Get the administrator to report the situation immediately!
The administrator... has already perished... He was at the docking port when the starship's cold fusion engine started...
The worker paused.
...My condolences.
I will now report the situation.
Just now, the engines of 30 starships, including the flagship, suddenly started at the port.
320 staff members performing routine maintenance at the port died instantly. The reinforcement locks were severely damaged, and the gravitational field was imbalanced.
We attempted to contact the personnel left on the starships but received no response.
Additionally, our communications with the ground are cut off. We've already sent someone to the ground headquarters to establish contact.
Where are the starships headed?
...Eden II. They are heading straight for Eden II and accelerating. Collision is expected in ten minutes!
The conference room falls silent. The commandants, who are most familiar with the starships, know that the spaceport's defensive firepower is not enough to stop the starships.
I'll lead a team to intercept them.
It won't be enough.
Shin already considered Cyril's flight squadron, but Fenrir is not designed to fight starships of this size.
Even if they depart now, by the time they're done preparing, the starships would have finished their acceleration phase, making it difficult for Fenrir to catch up.
Is there any other way...
Wait, the "Ambition" seems to have stopped accelerating... so has the "Starlight"!
Are you certain?
Workers on the starships must be doing something!
However, before he can inquire further, a noise from the terminal interrupts him.
Stop it. This is our last chance.
Steve...
The glimmer of hope in his heart dies again. As more messages come in, more starships have stopped accelerating.
Each short message is a final farewell.
Make it stop.
We'll leave the rest to you.
We will not be the sinners of humanity.
See you around.
...
Finally, Shin's terminal also begins ringing. He knows it will be a final message.
...
There's no escape. I'm the last survivor, so... don't hold back.
No one will know of their battle and no one can bid them farewell.
Those on the starships are making the same choice because they all share the same value.
Those brave souls who are already gone did everything they could. Now it is their turn.
Everyone, gather in the central hall!
Almost everyone from the spaceport and Starship Fleet command system is gathered here.
Is ground communication still down?
Still down. Both general and encrypted channels are being jammed by an unknown signal.
I will try adjusting the frequencies to connect with them, but don't get your hopes up.
What about the liaison officers we sent out?
They will take about an hour... We don't have Construct pilots, so we can't travel at extreme speeds.
What's the status of the starships?
They will collide with Eden II in half an hour. The debris is enough to destroy the lunar base.
The chain reaction will send meteors equivalent to 30% of the moon's mass crashing onto Earth, destroying all our ground facilities. Even underground bunkers might not survive.
We need more time...
An obvious fact lies before them: the starships will crash into humanity's last stronghold before ground rescue arrives.
Is this the only way...
Yes... We will have to destroy the starships ourselves.
But... but...
While the temporary spaceport administrator looks surprised, the commanders of the starships seem to have expected this.
They are soldiers of the old era and were already prepared for the worst when the starships first went rogue.
Any uncontrollable weapon can only bring disaster, so the only option is to destroy it.
But even if we want to destroy them, we don't have enough firepower.
We don't need powerful weapons. The starship's engine uses fusion reactors.
If we use enough explosives to disrupt the reactor, it will turn into a hydrogen bomb.
Even though the engines are running at low power, an explosion from inside will be enough to split the starship in half.
But we can't get into the engine room...
Isn't there another entrance?
He points at the nozzle spewing out flames.
You want to send explosives in from here, right?
Yeah.
The spaceport should have enough reserve, but how will you deal with the high temperatures? Missile casings can't withstand that.
The spaceport's escape pods were designed for extreme environments. They can make it through.
Wait, let me get this straight... Based on what you just said, that means...
We need someone to pilot escape pods loaded with explosives into the starship's nozzle... That's the gist of it.
He speaks calmly, as if talking about another training session.
But the engine is still running!
If it isn't, we wouldn't be doing this.
Fortunately, the bomb only takes a moment to detonate.
So... who will go?
This is a suicide mission, a moth to the flame.
I'll lead the team.
Soon, someone else volunteers for the one-way trip.
In terms of flight experience, we're the most qualified.
...
Thank you for stepping up, but your future is still in the skies.
We'll take this mission.
Yet another person rises to the grim task.
We spent half our lives dealing with starships. No one knows them better than us.
Others have already stepped forward. We can't hide behind you.
You...
You've all heard it. The decision has been made.
They're right. We spent half our lives on starships. No one knows them better than us.
If the starships are destroyed, our experience will also become useless.
He looks at the colossal structures that have turned from defensive weapons into threats.
But you're different. Even if the starships perish, humanity won't leave the skies.
We need to leave hope and a future for the next generation, not a bunch of old dudes giving orders.
The future belongs to the young who are still getting stronger. Cyril, you are their protector.
So... we will wait for you on the other side.
He pats Cyril's shoulder and stands before his subordinates once more.
Flagship "Miracle", command crew, step forward!
—They face death without fear, ready to send themselves and the Miracle off for the last time.
Escort ship "Ambition", command crew, step forward!
—Their ambition is about to be extinguished, yet they are undaunted.
"Starlight"...
—The stars they wished upon are about to fall, but they are not afraid.
"Voyager"...
—Because they will always believe...
—The stars will rise again, ambition will be reignited, humanity will set sail once more, and their miracles will be engraved in the cosmos.
300 command crew members are about to light up the darkness before dawn with their lives.
The pods, loaded with high explosives, gradually detach from the spaceport, and the indestructible Great Wall begins to crumble.
Commandant, I've activated the EMP defense barrier as you instructed. The spaceport's self-defense units are on standby to intercept debris falling toward Earth.
Once it's safe, follow the subsequent plan to adjust your position and merge with Eden II.
Only the mass of that colony ship can help you recalibrate the gravitational field.
Roger that!
And... good luck.
After communication in the headset ceases, only monotonous noises in the cockpit remain.
Is everything set?
Yes, they will complete the mission.
Who did you leave your final message to?
My son.
In the final moments of their lives, they talk about things they'd always kept in their hearts but never had time to address.
And you?
I have nothing much to say, only that I'm going to join them.
They always complained I didn't spend enough time with them. I'll have to apologize properly once I see them.
They'll be proud of you.
Who knows. They might even complain I get there too early...
We're almost there.
The massive starships are already in sight. In comparison, the 300 escape pods look as small as moths.
Honestly, I'm a bit scared.
Why did you have to say it... It's your fault my hands are starting to shake!
Can the 300 of us really complete this mission? My display shows the starship's defense array is still active.
Stay focused. That's why we assigned ten people to each starship.
Disperse immediately after entering the attack range to avoid being wiped out.
We only need one person to get through.
It sure feels lonely... to have no backup support...
You don't need to worry about the defenses.
A raspy voice suddenly breaks into the communication channel.
Cyril?
It's not just him.
Suddenly, dozens of green blips appear on the radar, indicating friendly units.
Cyril, didn't I tell you to stay at the spaceport?!
Shin, don't underestimate the determination and stubbornness of the young.
You are always trying to protect them, but did you know they can already shoulder responsibilities?
...
No one can run from this battle. We all have a role to play.
First Air Squadron, Ivor, reporting in.
Islay Phase Three Trainee, Kenley. We'll intercept those defense drones.
Third Carrier Battle Group Pilot, Sofia. Please focus on your mission and leave the rest to us.
Second Special Operations Brigade, William...
One report after another fills the communication channel, and for a moment, the lonely space is no longer silent.
Since humans first discovered fire, we've continued our journey with wisdom and courage.
250,000 years ago, we conquered beasts and climbed to the top of the food chain.
Thousands of years ago, we conquered the land and let civilization take root across the planet.
In just two hundred years, we conquered the sea and the sky.
And now, those creations of ours want to stop our progress?
As the chief instructor of Project Fenrir, my order is...
Open fire and cover the suicide squad with everything you've got!
Let's show them with our guns and ammo who their true commanders are!
Countless energy beams and live ammunition spew out from the fighter jets, marking the beginning of humanity's first space battle in the silent void.
All units, at full speed!
Even moths have the courage to fly into the flames.
Seize victory, even if it's a tragic one.
