Story Reader / Collab / Untold Naraka / Story
The Cavern of Dawn
>...What is the meaning of life?
...That isn't a topic we should be discussing, right? After all, we're...
...You're right. We... don't have any semblance of life to discuss...
...We are exceptions, abandoned, defects...
...We are left behind, interdependent, confused...
—We can't help but begin to question the meaning of life.
—We can't help but begin to question the purpose of living.
...But we do not truly "live."
...We've never "died."
...We cannot be classified as "living."
…We cannot be classified as "dead."
—What are we?
—What do we desire?
...Why didn't we choose the path that "defects" should choose?
—We just need to take that step.
—Just abandon any confusion that gives us hesitation.
...But why haven't we abandoned it?
...Why haven't we chosen to be like other defects?
...Ah.
...The desire to "live."
...The desire to find "meaning."
—Even if we have nothing...
—We still fight to hold onto something.
...If someone would walk past us.
...If someone would give us an answer.
—All we can do is give up.
—All we can do is falter.
...Yet here we are.
Here's your coffee. Mandheling, black.
Oh, right... Thanks.
Hassen takes the warm mug from Celica.
...How is archiving the material, the ones we can't release yet?
Everything is going according to schedule. We should be able to finish on time.
Be sure to keep this a secret.
You don't have to tell me twice.
...Speaking of which, the bridge is awfully quiet today.
That's because it's Sunday. S-U-N-D-A-Y.
Even though I know the work involving these files cannot be done on a workday.
Thanks for your work.
It's fine. At least I'm getting paid overtime.
Not to mention, if these materials aren't handled properly...
It will endanger the position of sending out the Task Force to perform landing operations. I know.
So, if I have to work overtime, then I better do it right.
Returning to the terminal, Celica continues to sort out the data and files to be archived.
File 990134: Dr. Wiles' Report on Construct M.I.N.D. Deviation from Inver-Device Experiments
File 980592: Report on Camu's M.I.N.D. Stability after Modification
...
File XXX061A: Report on the WGAA's Recycling of X-51 Facilities
Should I classify these fourteen files with intermediate priority? Mr. President?
...What is an X-facility?
Give me a sec while I check the facility naming system...
...Huh? Why does it stop at L?
See, that's what I remember. We don't have any designations after "L".
Send the file to my terminal so I can have a look at it.
Understood.
Receiving the receipt notification, Hassen selects "Receive and Play" on the terminal.
Testing... Testing... Is this recording?
The screen shakes for a moment as if someone is shaking the camera. A moment later, the picture becomes clear again.
This is Babylonia's WGAA Ground Survey Team 2, ID... Uh, what was it again?
That Allen... always asking us to record by the books... Forget it. To hell with him!
Anyway, this huge discovery we made is what really matters!
The Construct reaches for the camera lens, turning it to a nearby cave.
This place is marked as property of the World Government, but it doesn't show up on any list of assets.
If this is where someone stashed their private collection... Hehe, I can't just let precious works of art collect dust in a cellar!
As the Construct's excitement mounts, the camera slightly shakes again.
Well, then. The plan is to complete preparations for exploring the facility, codenamed "X-51", within thirty-six hours!
The image suddenly cuts out.
What happened after that thirty-six hours?
The operation was halted, and Team 2 was evacuated with a 30% casualty rate.
With that many casualties, some things must have been done to suppress the news.
Correct. So, following the rules at that time, all members of the team underwent a level two memory wipe to remove any memory of the mission.
Does that rule still exist...?
You abolished it after that. Seems like you've forgotten.
That must have been a part of several inhumane and meaningless regulations toward Constructs I abolished to suppress the Kurono and all factions in Parliament that were detrimental to Earth's recovery.
After all, this is what "they" deserve. I guess I forgot... Anyways, what happened after that?
The entrance to Facility X-51 was destroyed by a remote-controlled bomb as part of a backup plan, then everyone was evacuated via a transport craft...
...I'm guessing there's more to the story.
Looks like the issue still hasn't been resolved. I found a surveillance record marked "Trivial" by the Intelligence Agency—
...?
Celica reaches out and clicks on Hassen's terminal, playing an audio file—
An unintelligible sob, its tone a mix of male and female, its voice indistinguishable between a human or a machine, can be heard in the recording.
Sapien, wake up. My dear Sapien—
It's time.
Time to wake up. Time to take back our home—
...What's this?
Various recordings from an unknown source, the sound signatures belonging to multiple human and bionic vocal cords.
Whose?
The owners of the voice... are either classified "Deceased" or reported "Missing" before the Post-Pandemic Age.
... Sounds like it came straight out of a horror movie from the Golden Age, but it did happen.
Then a nearby surveillance team brought this back—
Celica taps another record on the terminal.
CODENAME：SAPIEN-766583848779826883
Ngh... The pain... The pain...
We are forced to this position by our own creation.
Ah, is this what a machine is?
It knows no satisfaction, no exhaustion, no mercy, no sympathy.
Ah, Sapien's Road. It ends here.
Ah, how sad, how painful.
However, we have created children who may surpass us.
However, we have left something in the depths of this Earth, in its mechanical brain.
Ah, what joy, what delight.
We... will live forever.
What's this?
...It's unclear. We can only guess that Sapien here refers to the same thing as that "Sapien" in the record.
Maybe it's a concept, maybe a name, maybe...
Hey, wait. Isn't that...
You mean the Mole People? Even for a joke from science fiction... It's still too old.
...I didn't think you would know about it.
The WGAA has been showing films from the Golden Age...
So, what did you see...?
...A 132-minute black and white silent film.
The only things I remember are the villain with the face of a fly, and a pig's head strung on a stick.
...Let's get back to the matter at hand.
Is it possible to reopen the excavation of this facility?
You mean...
Isn't that what you're thinking now?
Indeed...
Let's take this opportunity to send down the Task Force to impress the others in Parliament.
If I remember correctly, you've been racking your brain over them for quite some time.
...
I better let you decide for yourself. I'll get you a new cup of coffee.
Celica picks up the coffee cup and leaves the bridge.
Hassen buries himself in his seat and hesitates for a moment before reaching out to dial the internal comms.
Please gather the Gray Ravens in the conference room.
15 minutes later...
Lucia of Gray Raven reporting for duty.
Lee of Gray Raven reporting for duty.
Liv of Gray Raven reporting for duty.
At ease.
Normally, Commander Nikola would be addressing you, but these are special circumstances. I hope you can understand.
Yes, sir.
Which of you knows more about the World Government's facilities before Operation Acadia?
I do.
Do you know what it means when a facility starts with the designation "X"?
Yes. Those are "Undefined/Confidential Facilities". They don't adhere to standard designations due to their inherent nature.
Is that our objective?
Smart as always. Kurono suffered a great loss with your departure.
Your mission objective is Facility X-51. Once you have secured the facility, light a red signal flare.
It's a search & recon mission with no rules of engagement. We have equipped Captain Lucia with an advanced prototype frame to prepare for unforeseen situations.
—To put it simply, you could be up against anything.
Am I clear?
Yes, sir.
Everything else is in the briefing. Prepare for departure.
Roger.
Preparing airdrop, altitude: 30000m.
Preparing airdrop, altitude: 29994m.
Airdrop preparations completed. Disengaging hook.
May gravity and hope guide you.
Suddenly, the four of you become weightless, and your feet no longer touch the cabin floor.
—Had it not been for the buckles firmly fastened to your upper torso, the four of you would have knocked your heads against the ceiling.
26407 meters.
Hook disengagement confirmed. Beginning the final briefing—
Mission location: Facility X-51, one of the possible locations of "Area 51" in the Golden Age.
21993 meters.
Any information on the purpose of X-51 and its personnel has been lost. We only know that it was not involved during Operation Acadia or any subsequent asset cataloging.
In other words, this facility had fallen off the World Government's radar long before the Post-Pandemic Age.
18402 meters.
We sent a survey team when we first discovered this facility.
But there was a setback that resulted in a 30% casualty rate.
13336 meters.
So we need the Task Force to uncover what happened and assess whether the facility holds any value for further exploration.
If any Corrupted stand in your way, eliminate them. If there are humans, attempt to communicate.
9223m. Engaging reverse thrusters for preliminary deceleration.
The last survey team barely scratched the surface, so we have no idea what the situation is like within the facility.
Please be prepared for all possibilities.
6507 meters.
One last thing—I wish you a safe landing.
We have tried our best to ensure the safety of the airdrop, but there is a 1.73% chance of failure.
Babylonia, over and out.
2047m. Engaging reverse thrusters for secondary deceleration.
Brace yourself for impact!
1209 meters.
874 meters.
503m. Deploying landing cushion.
263 meters.
41m. Engaging status controls.
20m... 11m… 4m… 2m… 0m.
Landing cushion has established contact. Momentum has ceased. Passengers may open the airlock and exit the cabin.
...
...
...Phew...
Let's go.
Understood.
Gray Raven, begin mission.
