Story Reader / Floating Record / ER01 The Ark Beyond / Story
The frigate has successfully crossed the stratosphere... We've reached the required height. Beginning stealth approach toward Babylonia.
Reporting the status of the frigate, Haicma sees the lone, glistening star that shares a night sky with Earth—Babylonia, the target of the Church of Machina.
It's your dear Zavier speaking. How are the optical camouflage and radiation damper I added to the old girl holding up?
They're holding up well. Depletion during lift-off is less than 5%. Cloaking has not been affected.
Wonderful. How's Blaze doing?
Haicma turns toward Trailblazer, who is standing at the front of the frigate, staring at Babylonia with his arms crossed, looking unperturbed.
Don't worry about me. As "Chariot", I shall use this body to forge the path to our future for my kin.
Certainly! I trust you. After all, you're my second-best work! My best work, of course, will always be my next one!
Right, don't forget: if you see a trinket with the model number BPMAX-965, be sure to nab me some. It might be old, but it's the real deal...
I hope we'll find worthy opponents in Babylonia. Only then will it be worthy of a frontal assault.
Haha! Well, this is it. Comms will go out once you enter stealth mode... Not a scratch, alright? You'll break my heart otherwise!
Haicma and Trailblazer nod solemnly, and the transmission from the Church of Machina ends.
Haicma... are you afraid?
Haicma is not sure why he would ask something like that. She does not recall speaking to this mechanoid before.
Self-test complete. I haven't discovered any emotion similar to fear.
The success rate of this operation is 89.7%, but our survival rate is less than 50%... I might not fear death, but you're different, aren't you?
I become stronger to seek the awakening, which is why I desperately want to find Sage. If I don't survive, I'm simply not strong enough. To the rest of us, Sage is our only truth.
But you're not like me. I can see the confusion and hesitation on your face whenever we mention Sage.
Are you questioning my loyalty?
It is understandable that he would question her. Despite agreeing with the accuracy of the Church of Machina's prediction of the future, Haicma has certainly started to feel unsure about the future depicted...
To machines, this uncertainty is a precursor to betrayal.
"Chariot" only forges paths for his kin. He will never question them.
Trailblazer says resolutely.
I don't know if you have some kind of history with Sage or if you have doubts about her.
But I believe that your doubts will vanish the moment you see her with your own eyes!
Like casting a stone onto water, Trailblazer's words create ripples in Haicma's heart.
Haicma can no longer predict Nanami's actions like she once did. Now, Nanami is a "stranger" instead of someone "familiar." Nanami's actions, plans, and reasons...
Haicma will save all her questions and uncertainty for the moment they meet again.
"Sometimes, fear doesn't stem from loss but regrets." That's something I heard from Zavier.
He said it 2184 hours, 46 minutes, and 25 seconds ago, after his proposal to install 12 combined heat cannons to the "halo" on "Mother's" back was rejected.
Sure, it would have increased Master Arcana's battle prowess significantly, but I'm sure that she had her ineffable reasons. After all, she is the leader of the Church, second only to Sage.
...
You're right.
Also, "those who survived a war were those who feared." You can take my fear as well. "Chariot" has no use for it.
...Thank you.
As the frigate sails on, they soon enter the proximity of Babylonia where they can begin their infiltration.
Let's proceed as planned. I'll keep you guarded. But the moment you consider the infiltration has failed, I'll uncloak the frigate and launch an attack on Babylonia.
Haicma nods, closing her eyes, rerouting even the computing power for her visual module to hack the Babylonia network.
>>>>>>> External transmission request unregistered. Warning. >>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Connection declined. Terminating transmission. >>>>>>>
Their defense is solid. If we try to infiltrate them only with our logic programs, it'll take more than 153249 hours even if we use the computing power of every Church of Machina member...
Hacking Gestalt, Babylonia's administrative system, is basically impossible unless it is done by a similarly powerful super AI.
This is a door that cannot be unlocked... without a key. As a ship from Babylomia, this frigate naturally comes with a corresponding program key.
Transmitting identification code.
>>>>>>> Inspecting identification code... >>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Inspecting identification code... Identified. >>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Access clearance granted. Clearance level: High. >>>>>>>
As advanced as their program may be, machine logic is ultimately this simple.
Even as their enemy, Haicma will be accepted as long as she fits the requirement... On the contrary, those with good intentions can still be rejected mercilessly.
Whether I am "alive"... is something perhaps only "she" can answer.
The one who has given her everything... is the one she calls "Nanami". She needs to find "Nanami".
But she is not sure what to do once she finds Nanami. Maybe she just wants to play the game of questions with Nanami once again like they once did, asking and answering each other until the end of time.
For now, she must complete her mission for the Church of Machina—to protect her kin, and to reunite with Nanami one day.
—Even if it means she has to hurt the humans she once had to protect.
>>>>>>> Login successful. Beginning transmission. >>>>>>>
Haicma's consciousness slowly becomes digital data, entering Gestalt.
Beginning infiltration. Mission objective: locate the key data of Babylonia's design and... search for a future for machines.
