Story Reader / Main Story / 25 Everglowing Justice / Story
The hall turns into a sea of noise as soon as the people inside are informed of the new proposition—one designed to reinforce the elimination of illegal labs and illicit experiments.
Illegal experiments? Help us out here and give us a clear definition.
What are we supposed to make of the Star of Life and Science Council if we regard in vivo testing as the definition of an illegal experiment?
The question sets off another wave of commotion among the councilmen.
We're talking about that Kurono test subject that we tried to get with an arrest warrant before, right? Did the high-ups find it already?
We haven't heard anything about that, but...
I can't be sure, but it seems like they've got their hands on something definitive, given the way they're talking now...
Guess I'll cut right to the chase, then, since we're all on the same page here.
Concerning certain illegal experiments conducted on Earth, we now have our hands on definitive evidence and are working on turning our findings into a report, which we will make public once completed.
But you haven't even told us what constitutes an "illegal experiment"!
The military only solved the issue they were having with Hetero-Humanoids based on what they learned from Project Winter, right?
And the Science Council has been keeping its eye on Project Winter, too, no? So are we going to classify the Science Council as an illegal experiment project now?
That's something I need to own up to, and I'm not going to write that off as a necessary evil to cope with an emergency situation.
But if this plan based on vivo testing has been wrong right from the get-go, then it isn't a path we should continue down.
These experiments will eventually throw a science-moral conundrum in our face if we don't put a stop to them now.
Before we are who we are—scientists and councilmen, that is—we are first and foremost human beings.
And to keep a society sustainable and civilized, there have to be lines we can never cross.
We need to stop in vivo testing—to stop these experiments from running amok like a swamp spiraling out of control—if we want a better tomorrow for ourselves.
Or are any of us here still hopeful for the false promises that this project claimed to hold?
Is it immortality? Or... is it becoming an Ascendant?
Asimov lets out a sneer.
Are you of the same opinion yourself, President Hassen?
We just want to hear what everyone has to say about this.
Truth be told, most of us probably have no clue about the specifics of Project Winter.
We all know how we can benefit from it, but at what cost?
Does any of us really know how many of our soldiers lost their lives to these "experiments" all these years when they didn't have to?
For as long as this project has been in existence, no one has been able to come up with a comprehensive report that tells us exactly how many human and Construct lives we've lost.
And that's why I'm in support of this proposition.
...And you, Commander Nikola? Are you in support of this proposition, too?
I'm against unnecessary sacrifices. It's true that we're living through a time in which sacrifices are inevitable, but every single one of our soldiers is important to us.
Now, I'll have to admit that we all stood to benefit from Project Winter—which in return took more from us than we'd had to gain from it.
While incomplete, the statistics here show us how many Constructs and Task Force squads have gone missing over the past few years when they "didn't have to"...
The parliament falls quiet as Wells projects a report onto the overhead screen.
We're only looking at the Constructs and humans from Babylonia that have gone missing. Now, if we include those from the conservation areas on Earth...
The red bar zigzags upward, apparently trying its best to reach for Babylonia afloat on the trails.
And I'm sure you all know exactly what I meant when I said they "didn't have to" go missing.
After all, I've seen them take my own students straight to hell.
Did I have no idea what they were doing? I did... except I never stopped them because I'm a pathetic coward.
And even at this very moment as we speak now in the comfort of this room, trying to decide if we should put a stop to these illegal labs...
...They may still be burnt alive.
I'm in support of this proposition.
Their sacrifices are meant to help us reclaim Earth and shall never be forgotten, but...
Let's not even think about how much it takes to produce a Construct—because before we get there, we need to worry about how we're going to keep Task Force loyal to us if we let those people continue with their research.
If the word is out that Babylonia leaves these labs at large just so that we can get our hands on their research data and conclusion reports...
...Just how many Constructs do we think there would still be in Babylonia by the end of the day?
...
What technological support is the Science Council bringing to the table instead if we're to do without all this special experiment data?
Technological support? What exactly do you mean by that?
Be it combatting the Punishing Virus or anything else. Science Council has always been at the forefront of scientific research—while you, Sir...
...What exactly have you done for humanity and Earth other than that cheap lip service of yours?
The balance can tip toward one end when the two sides don't hold equal weight.
Science Council.
The mission has been assigned to Lucia?
Got it. Thanks.
As soon as he's hung up, Asimov finds himself deep in thought. Then, when he opens up another encrypted channel, he sees the face of the Gray Raven Commandant on the screen.
The parliament passed the proposition about eliminating all illegal labs and research projects.
The voting gap wasn't big, but the balance did tilt toward our side.
And with that, Babylonia's army will temporarily lift the arrest warrants that they previously put on Lena from Caribou and the Kurono test subject. Going forward, they'll be searching for them without actually arresting them.
Speedy speedy, huh.
And thank you for the thing you sent back here.
Even if Kurono could pin Project Winter on the Science Council and the military, they wouldn't have the nerves to have this part rationalized at the cost of turning all the Constructs into defectors.
But that doesn't mean they won't get desperate and do something crazy, so you'd better not let your guard down.
If need be, you can take that Construct with you and directly request support. Hassen and Nikola might just know what we've been up to.
Found something new on M.I.N.D. fusion?
Looking quietly at the picture shown to him on his terminal, Asimov is deep in thought.
It's him...
It did cross my mind before when you were in lockup, but I couldn't confirm if I was right with my hunch because the Science Council and Star of Life were never that close.
Kurono might have infiltrated deeper into Babylonia than we previously imagined.
Asimov falls quiet again.
Now that he's come clean with his identity, he must think that nothing can stop him anymore.
My hunch is that it won't be long before the guy is done with his research, meaning you'll need a few extra hands to help you out there...
After Asimov makes a few taps on his terminal, his frown eases a little.
...Lucia is good to head down to Earth.
I've asked to have Liv sent along with her as support. Babylonia has revoked the arrest warrants, but Kurono is not going to stop—so you'll have to get back here with the data before the Purifying Force gets there.
I'm sure Kurono is going to destroy that laboratory base before anyone else gets there.
And I've cracked the data you sent me yesterday. Lucia has the key, and Lee will know what to do with it.
There is nothing you need to worry about the Star of Life. I'll look into it with Hippocrates.
