Ch 375: Sirins.
Akeno chose a distant Löwe as her target and pressed both the index and middle finger triggers, choosing to fire a charged shot with her Juggernaut's plasma cannon.
The superheated pocket of plasma crossed the distance in 0.2 seconds and pierced all the way through the Lowe's lower body, instantly melting a hole large enough for someone to stick their arm in. Not that it would be advised, with the hole's edges glowing from the heat and the noxious gases being vomited by eviscerated batteries.
The Löwe collapsed like a puppet whose strings were suddenly cut, and Akeno aimed at the next one.
The new juggernauts possessed extremely potent targeting systems, courtesy of Da Vinci, Tabane, Ernesta and Camille. The on-board computers didn't just update the firing solutions to account for distance, wind, and air humidity. They also communicated with the allied computers to flag enemies already targeted by another pilot, making them appear slightly grayed out on the screens. This dramatically reduced the number of occurrences where two or more pilots would aim at the same enemy, wasting valuable time and hydrogen pellets.
The first salvo destroyed 49 Löwes and 3 Grauwolves. While the pilots selected their next targets, waiting for the three-second cooldown period to end or using their secondary weapons on lesser targets, the Legion's units started firing back.
The Juggernauts weren't just standing in a firing line. Those equipped with melee weapons ran forward, executing side-jumps at random to break the Legion's locks and avoid the incoming penetrators, while those equipped exclusively with ranged weapons stayed back, staying just behind the crest of a small hill to hide most of their bodies as they flushed their missile pods and sent mortar barrages at the Legion.
Akeno targeted another Löwe, fired, and focused on evading, although it was becoming less and less necessary. Most of the Legion was constituted of Ameises, and the Juggernauts though armor could outright ignore their fire.
The same thing held true for the Stachelschweins, the Legion's anti-air units. Their autocannons were only useful against lightly protected opponents, and their anti-air missiles were using fragmentation charges, not armor-piercing ones.
The Grauwolves weren't going to stay alive long enough to reach melee range, and their missiles were neutralized almost as soon as they left their launchers.
From the corner of her right eye, Akeno saw a blood red Juggernaut, the only one that wasn't black, fire to the side on what was apparently empty space, and something vomited flames as it became visible and collapsed.
Asuka had just nailed a Phönix.
Akeno didn't have time to stare as the hundreds of missiles launched by the juggernauts slammed into the Legion, most of them programed to prioritize Löwes and Grauwolves.
They were quickly joined by another missile salvo from the Finality, delivering almost two thousand sub-munitions over the battlefield, each of them selecting a target.
…
The battle, if such a one-sided massacre deserve this label, lasted less than three minutes, and most of it was just mopping up hapless Ameises as they tried to disperse.
None of the Juggernauts had taken any serious damage. Two had visible gouges on their hulls where penetrators fired by Löwes had been deflected away, and the armored middle legs of many machines now showed battle scars after fulfilling their roles as shields.
"…Yeah, that was overkill." declared Asuka, causing several pilots to chuckle, some in amusement, some in disbelief.
Those of the 1028th Trial Unit in particular, who never experienced a battle involving the Finality, felt a little like they were dreaming.
It was one thing to hear about the new Juggernauts' specifications, even to use them during training and simulations. But to see with their own eyes the effect they had on a dreadful foe that, until recently, the Federacy's pilots had to trade their lives for on an almost one for one basis… They couldn't quite believe the battle had been so quick and one-sided.
"Update on the middle force, Leila? Should we come help?" asked Akeno.
"Down to less than five hundred." replied the Finality's Captain. "The Finality will return in a few minutes to pick you up, perform resupply and maintenance, and gather enough scrap metal to build new missiles. The ship's magazines will be full again within three days."
"Great job." nodded Akeno.
"We should thank Cortana. She really did almost everything. Do we ask the four Tempests coming from San Magnolia to turn back?"
Akeno thought about it for two seconds and shook her head. "No. Please ask them to go to the Federacy for some relaxation. They probably need it badly. Once they get there, the two Tempests guarding the Federacy will go cover San Magnolia."
"Understood. I will transmit the orders." nodded Leila.
Akeno moved her Juggernaut slightly to watch Roa Garcia's Feldrebs. They had participated in the later part of the fight as well, sortieing and closing on the enemy's rear while the Legion was busy with the Finality and its ground assault component, and scoring a number of kills.
They didn't seem to want to get closer, however, or open their cockpits to speak with them.
Akeno didn't really care, as the Finality would head directly to Roa Garcia's capital, Arc Styrie, once the battle was over.
…
Viktor Idinarohk quickly checked his appearance in the mirror before leaving his room and walking toward the throne room. As an Amethysta, his short, tousled hair were reddish black, and his eyes had a particularly pronounced violet hue.
Viktor, the youngest prince of the Idinarohk dynasty, was also the Commanding officer of the Southern Border. But unlike standard the violet and black, gold-trimmed uniforms officers of the army wore, his was entirely black, and nearly devoid of decorations.
Viktor didn't say a word to the guards who opened the double doors and entered the throne room.
His father, a middle-aged man with a short mustache and hair stopping at his jawline, sat on the throne and looked at him with a grave expression. At his side stood the prime minister, and near the eastern wall stood eight people, his two half-brothers and his six half-sisters. On the opposite side were a small crowd of retainers and officials.
"Viktor, my son." nodded the king.
"Father." nodded back Viktor with his right hand on his heart in a half-salute. As royalty, he didn't need to kneel in front of the king.
"Thank you for returning from the frontline so promptly."
"This is only my duty." shrugged Viktor. "I assume your summon is related to the Finality."
The gigantic warship had reached Arc Styrie a few hours ago and had landed just two kilometers south of the capital.
"That is the case. Have you witnessed it in action?"
"I have." nodded Viktor. "Its power is nothing short of overwhelming. The Legion was powerless before it. We must find a way to acquire its technology."
"I agree. Speaking of the technology it displayed, I would like your analysis." said the king.
"As far as I can tell, the ship used large missiles, each releasing a dozen smaller missiles, highly accurate conventional artillery, railguns, lasers, and its primary weapons may be some kind of particle cannons. It also possessed a weapon system I couldn't identify, able to swat Eintagsfliege butterflies by the tens of thousands with each shot."
"It's weapon layout suggests the ship was primarily designed to fight swarms of small targets like the Legion, not other flying warships of comparable size, assuming any exists."
"The Finality carries at least fifty Feldrebs of an unknown type and possesses some kind of energy shield that shrugged off anything the Legion could throw at it. The only other thing I can say at this point is that some of the ship's internal systems, power generation, shield generation, or propulsion, must be enormous and difficult to scale down. Else, they would have built a dozen smaller warships with the resources this one must have taken."
The king nodded, a small, satisfied smile on his face.
"After landing, they sent a delegation to meet us. Their leader is a young woman named Akeno Himejima, and they proposed a military cooperation. They offered to share with us the technologies used by their Feldrebs and help us create the factories to build them."
"What are they asking in return?" asked Viktor.
"Surprisingly little, for now. They want for twenty-five to fifty of our best pilots to board their ship and join their ground assault force, which they intend to have representation from all nations. And they requested that at least some of them be Sirins. They stated that they would negotiate a formal cooperation agreement once they knew more about us. Until then, the Finality will return tonight to our Southern border to participate in its defense."
The mention of the Sirins made Viktor frown.
"…Father, did anyone mention the Sirins to the Federacy?"
"No. Which raises some interesting questions, and Ms. Himejima only smiled when I asked her how she knew about them… Viktor, my son, you will join the Finality's crew. Go forth and eradicate the Legion."
"Alright, Father." nodded Viktor with a small smile. "I will be off."
Viktor's immediate and casual answer made some of the listening princes and princesses twitch, giving them the impression that the exchange between the king and the prince were just about a trivial little errand.
"It will take about two days to select our soldiers and pull them from the frontline. But you probably have some talents in mind already."
"No need, Father. I will bring my personal unit. They are skilled veterans."
"Alright, then."
"If I may speak freely, Your Majesty…" started the prime minister. "…Prince Viktor and his Songbirds are the crux of our national defense. Will we be able to maintain our defensive lines in his absence?"
"Refrain, minister." cut in Viktor with an even voice, not taking his eyes away from his father. "If my presence or lack thereof are what our ability to hold the line leans on, it would stand as evidence of negligence on the side of our men, to say nothing of yourself. You should take this opportunity to improve yourselves."
The minister smiled and bowed his head in acknowledgment. Viktor and his father both knew the savvy minister, a man who had reached his elevated position despite being a Taaffe, a second-class citizen, had not protested because he believed the king might be making a mistake. He had only voiced the doubts privately shared by some members of the imperial council so they could be openly rebuked, before they could serve as an argument for any opposition to coalesce around.
Unfortunately, not everyone in the room possessed this level of political acumen, and one of Viktor's half-brothers protested.
"Father! This war with the Legion is all Viktor's fault to begin with! Giving this Viper any further responsibility is…"
"Silence, Boris!" barked the king, glaring at the Third Prince. "Who gave you permission to speak?"
Boris shrunk back like he had been stuck by lightning, and two of his half-sisters stifled a chuckle.
The king returned his attention to Viktor and smiled. "If one were to tally all your accomplishments up till now, not only would your right to the throne be restored, but your place in the succession order would surely rise above that of Boris."
"I'll be just fine without that. The status would be a pain. You can have the credit go to Brother Zafar, as always." shrugged Viktor. "If that is all, can I go? I need to make preparations."
"Very well." nodded the king. "Be there for dinner. I long to hear your stories from the frontlines."
"By your will, Father." nodded Viktor before turning away. Before he reached the door, he heard someone mutter.
"…You damnable, doll-obsessed King of Corpses!"
It was loud enough that Viktor was sure he was meant to hear it, but he didn't slow his steps. He had been called much worse.
After leaving the throne room, Viktor didn't return to his own room. instead, he went to visit his older brother.
He knocked, then entered, and was greeted by the faintly medicinal scent of black tea and his brother's smile.
"Welcome home, Vika." said Zafar as he reached for his tea set, taking from it a second cup.
"Long time no see, Brother Zafar." smiled Viktor as he pulled a chair and sat in front of the Crown Prince.
"How bad is the situation?" softly asked Viktor.
"You were on the frontline. Shouldn’t you know already?" asked Zahar while serving him tea.
"I am not asking about the frontline itself, but about our country as a whole. I didn't have time to stay abreast of every little thing that goes on in the Kingdom." replied Viktor, and Zahar nodded.
"Given how badly you're struggling, surely you realize that the war situation's gotten critical. And I am not speaking only about this latest attack. The food supply is increasingly disrupted, and too many of our able-bodied men and women have died fighting the Legion. Your Songbirds help alleviate the pressure, but this isn't enough, and our economy is in bad shape… Honestly, unless something change, we won't make it to next spring."
"I did notice that receiving reinforcements to replace the losses was increasingly difficult." quietly nodded Viktor. "Are you aware of what our rescuers asked from us?"
"Yes. I attended the meeting." nodded Zahar. "These are some interesting people. Including their dragon."
"A dragon?" blinked Viktor.
"At least, that is how Ms. Albion introduced herself. She looks like Ms. Himejima, but with a white scaly tail, silver hair, and black horns."
"Some kind of prosthetics, I assume, or the whole body might be artificial." nodded Viktor.
"Whatever the case, Father was diplomatic enough not to challenge her on that claim, to her visible disappointment." shrugged Zahar. "Let her call herself a dragon is she wishes. It doesn't matter. What matters is that our Kingdom's survival may depend on securing their cooperation, and they want to get a close look at your Songbirds."
"Yes." nodded Viktor. "The Federacy still possesses the largest territory among the human nations, but our Kingdom lost less land to the Legion than any other country. They must be eager to learn the secret behind this achievement."
"Yes." nodded Zahar with a bitter smile. "Your repulsive, if lovely, little Songbirds."
"But I doubt the Federacy would make use of them if they learned how they are made." shrugged Viktor before taking a sip.
"They may also be after our Para-RAID technology, although they didn't mention it." nodded Zafar.
"…Maybe. I think the Republic also managed to develop Para-RAID on their own, but would they accept sharing it with Eighty-Sixes?"
"There were two officers of the Republic among the delegation, although they mostly remained silent." replied Zafar. They didn't seem to object to Ms. Himejima leading their party. Anyway, be careful, Vika. Do not be too blatant in trying to learn about their technology."
"Of course." smiled Viktor. "And if I get caught doing something I shouldn't, Father can always disavow me. The United Kingdom will only lose a beast."
"You're no beast, Vika." sighed Zafar.
"Yes. To you and Father, perhaps… But can the same be said for the rest of the world? To them, I'm just a monster in human form."
…
"A missive for you, Ms. Himejima." said the Roa Garcian messenger as he presented a thick envelope. Akeno had met him on the ground under the Finality.
"Thank you." nodded Akeno as she took the envelope.
The messenger immediately turned away and walked back toward his car as Akeno opened it and started to read.
Her eyes widened, and she chuckled in amusement.
"Cortana, bring me back inside, please." asked Akeno. As soon as the words left her lips, she was teleported back into the Finality.
"Cortana, please relay my next words to the whole crew."
"Acknowledged." replied Cortana.
"Hey, everyone. This is Akeno." started Akeno. "I am taking a minute of your time to inform you that we have a response from Roa Garcia's government. The Fourth Prince, Viktor Idinarohk, will board the Finality in approximately one hour along with his aide, Lerche. The rest of his personal unit, twenty-nine pilots, is currently stationed on the southern border and will join us when we get there with their Feldrebs and other equipments. All of them are Sirins."
"Viktor, who took charge of the Southern border for two years now and earned many achievements, will serve as a technical and strategic officer, not as a Juggernaut pilot. And almost half of the letter in my hands, signed by both the King and the Crown Prince, is a list of, I quote, 'Things One Must Never Allow Vika To Do'. And looking at that list, It seems they are sending us some kind of crazy genius with no filters and little common sense."
"So I will ask you all to be vigilant when he is around, and do not hesitate to inform me or the Captain if he causes trouble. Thank you, please resume whatever you were doing."
"I will keep an eye on him." said Cortana.
"Yes, thank you." smiled Akeno as she headed toward the bridge.
She was half-way there when Cortana spoke again.
"Akeno, Zelene wishes to speak to you. She possesses additional information about Prince Viktor."
Akeno nodded and turned away.
She found Zelene in her quarters.
"Zelene." nodded Akeno as she entered, and Zelene smiled.
"I was half-expecting that they would send us Viktor. If their goal is to study the Finality, it couldn't be anyone else, really."
"Because he's some kind of genius?"
"Yes. But you shouldn't underestimate him, Akeno. Vika is likely the closest thing to an equal that Da Vinci has in this world."
"Ah?" exclaimed Akeno with widening eyes.
"Yes. Vika is this generation's Amethystus."
"Amethystus? I suppose this is related to the Amethysta race classification?"
"That is correct." nodded Zelene. "The title designate the Esper of the Amethysta race. The Amethystus possesses exceptional intelligence and creativity. However, there can be only one. Whenever a new Amethystus appears, the previous one loses their power... I do not have any more information than you about the Sirins, but it is very likely that Vika was deeply involved in their creation."
"I see." nodded Akeno. "Yes, I can see why they would send him to take a good look at the Finality. We'll have to make sure he doesn't go into restricted systems. If he starts messing with Cortana's code, there will be hell to pay."
"You can be sure of that." confirmed Cortana. "Not that I intend to let him access anything sensitive in the first place."
"…There is another thing you must know about him. Since it was common knowledge in the United Kingdom before the war, I don't think he will really mind if I tell you. Vika's mother, Queen Mariana, passed away shortly after giving birth to him. When he was five years old, Vika badly wanted to meet her. Badly enough that he devoted his powerful intellect to bring his mother back… or at least, a good replica."
"The young Vika designed an incredibly advanced device, some kind of brain scanner. Once he completed it, he snuck into the royal Mausoleum, where her mother's body was preserved, and… he opened her mother's skull to extract the brain, then scanned it."
"That escalated quickly." winced Akeno.
"Yes. He failed to recreate his mother, and when his father discovered what Vika had desecrated his mother's body, he stripped him of his succession rights." sighed Zelene. "However, Vika didn't give up. The Mariana Model, as he called it, was… promising. Thinking that other researchers might help him find out why he failed, Vika uploaded the data to the public network. And that very data, was the foundation of our own work in the Empire."
"You mean that the Legion originates from the Mariana Model?" frowned Akeno.
"It does." nodded Zelene.
"I see…" frowned Akeno, before shrugging it off. "That's water under the bridge. We will just have to keep an eye on him."
…
"The Fourth Prince is coming, Akeno." declared Cortana. "And unless my lidars are suffering from a sudden and severe degradation, the young woman following him is not actually breathing."
"Understood. Please ask Lena, Da Vinci and Leila to join me in the teleportation room."
Lena was representing San Magnolia on the Finality. Not the current San Magnolia, but the nation that would soon replace it.
Her father, wanting to meet his wife, had returned to the Republic along with Division Commander Jérôme Karlsthal. Václav Milizé claimed to have been kept prisoner by the Legion, which was true enough, but kept having been part of the Hivemind a secret. Admitting it would be decidedly unhealthy.
Annette was still on the Finality, doing research with Zelene's and Cortana's occasional help. She wanted to stay near Lena, and she considered the ship as the safest place to be. Annette hadn't forgotten what Lena had told her about the Legion's interest in specific individuals.
Akeno leisurely walked to the teleportation room. Despite the Finality's sheer size, she didn't have to walk far. By design, the areas where the crew was supposed to be during normal operations were gathered near the ship's core. The ship's other parts could be accessed, but only drones had a reason to go there.
She watched on a screen a view showing a glasses-wearing, black-haired young man dressed in black, with a blonde girl wearing a red and blue, gold-trimmed uniform standing a step behind him, until Da Vinci and Lena joined her.
The color of her uniform was a bit strange, as all the Roa Garcian officers Akeno had met wore a black and purple one.
"So this is the troublesome Fourth's Prince." nodded Da Vinci with a glance at the screen.
"Indeed." said Akeno as she nodded at them. "Zelene was able to tell me a bit more about him. The esper power of the Amethyst race is greatly increased intellect and creativity, but only manifests within a single individual at any given time, and Prince Viktor is this generation's Amethystus. When he was only five years old, he produced an AI model that served as a foundation for Zelene's work. It seems that back then, he was quite hated for having unknowingly participated in the creation of the Legion. He possibly still is. That's probably a sensitive subject, though, so we shouldn't ask him about it."
Akeno didn't tell them how Viktor had obtained that data, deciding that the actions of a five-year-old shouldn't be used to judge an adult.
"I see." shrugged Da Vinci. "We'll keep a close eye on him. At the same time, He might bring some fresh ideas for the Medusa project."
Akeno nodded, wondering what form those new weapons would take.
Now that Zelene wasn't part of the Legion anymore, Akeno, Da Vinci and the others expected that the Legion's restriction on armed air units might not apply anymore, and Da Vinci had started working on cheap, easy to produce alternatives to deal with aerial enemies larger than Einstagsfliege.
Leila entered the teleportation room. She didn't bother glancing at the screen as she already had seen the Fourth Prince approach and leave his car.
"Alright, let's go welcome our new comrades." nodded Akeno. "Cortana, please."
A second later, and they were on the ground, a dozen meters away from the two Roa Garcians.
They were surprised to see them appear suddenly but had recovered by the time Akeno and the others walked into easy speaking distance.
"Hello, and welcome to the Finality." smiled Akeno, offering her hand. "You must be Prince Viktor, and Lerche. I am Akeno Himejima, Valhalla's Vice-Leader, and my companions are Da Vinci, Major Vladilena Milizé from the Republic of San Magnolia, and Captain Leila Malcal."
"Thank you for this warm welcome." smiled Viktor. "Please call me Vika. You can do away with the titles and empty formalities. They're a waste of time in the military, after all. And I'll address you by your surnames. If you find it rude, feel free to say so, and I will correct myself accordingly."
"We aren't big on formalities either, Vika." smiled Akeno as they shook hands. His grip was neither strong nor weak, and only lasted an appropriate two seconds.
Akeno glanced at his aide, who took a step forward with a bright smile. "'Tis a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I am Lerche, knight and royal guard to Prince Viktor. I serve as his sword and shield."
Lerche, a girl with green eyes and long blonde hair tied in a crowned braid, aside from two semi-long bangs framing her face, spoke with a high-pitched, pleasant voice similar to the chirping of a songbird.
"I welcome you to our snow-white country." continued Lerche. "I'm always willing to accommodate if you wish to visit the capital or the countryside, so feel free to call for me whenever you wish!"
Akeno found herself smiling. Lerche sounded like she would be fun to be around, and her voice was… decidedly pleasant.
"…I'm sorry, give me a minute." sighed Viktor as he turned to Lerche and shouted at her.
"Lerche! Didn't I tell you to take this chance to change the way you speak to people?"
Lerche widened her eyes in shock.
"What…? Your Highness, what are you saying? This is proof of my fealty to you, and even your orders will not deter me!"
"What vassal would adopt a manner of speech that disturbs their master as proof of their fealty?! Are you an idiot, you seven-year-old?!"
"Good advice, just like effective medicine, is oh so bitter, Your Highness! And that is why, despite the sorrow it brings me, I treat you with undying respect! To have my actions seen under such scrutiny shames me to no end…!"
Viktor sighed heavily in annoyance.
"Aaaah… No matter what I say, you always have a retort! What bloody fool tuned your linguistic features…?!"
"…With all due respect, Your Highness, the only one who has ever handled my tuning is you."
"I know that, I'm just grumbling! By God, just ignore it!"
Akeno couldn't hold it anymore and chuckled. Viktor and Lerche turned to her.
"Ufufu, I am fond of you both already. Vika, please tell me that all Sirins are like Lerche!"
"They are not." replied Viktor with a scowl. "The very idea of more of them acting like this gives me goosebumps."
"I feel gratified by your evaluation, Ms. Himejima." said Lerche with a small nod of thanks. "But where did you learn about us in the first place? Did you visit the United Kingdom before?"
"…No, this is our first visit." replied Akeno as she shook her head. "How we learned about the Sirins is simple, but the answer will require some context. Let's continue this conversation inside. Cortana, please."
In an instant, they were all standing in the teleportation room.
"This truly is teleportation…" said Viktor with some awe as he looked around. "How does it work?"
"This isn't part of the technologies we may share with your country. Let's go to the conference room. The drones will carry your luggage to your quarters." replied Da Vinci as they started walking down the hallway, and Viktor and Lerche followed. "We do not wish to give any nation a decisive advantage over the others, as it would likely lead to more wars. And the mass use of teleportation would make humanity extraordinarily vulnerable to an eventual pandemic."
"I concede the point and will not ask further about it." nodded Viktor. "But your nation already possess a decisive advantage… Do you intend to use it?"
Akeno sent him a side glance as they walked, then nodded.
"…Vika, are you aware of the current state of the Republic of San Magnolia? I am referring to the relationship between the Albas and the Eighty-Sixes in particular."
"I am." nodded Vika before looking at Lena. "I hope you will not take offense, Major Milizé, but your nation has gone insane in the most cowardly of ways. After suffering repeated defeats against the Legion, instead of reflecting on their own mistakes, the Albas have chosen to double down and shift the responsibility to another party, leading to a pathetic conclusion."
Lena winced, but nodded.
"That is indeed the case. The Republic had done countless unforgivable things to the Eighty-Sixes."
They reached the conference room, where two more people were waiting.
"Vika, Lerche, this is Dr Zelene Birkenbaum, and Henrietta Penrose." introduced Akeno, smiling at the sudden shock on Viktor's face. "Zelene, Annette, this is Prince Viktor Idinarohk, and Lerche."
"Nice to meet you." nodded Annette.
"Dr Birkenbaum?" exclaimed Viktor. "I thought the Legion had killed you long ago."
"The legion needed some humans to do some tasks it couldn't perform itself, and it held me captive." shrugged Zelene. "Akeno managed to free me, as well as a handful of other people who were in the same situation."
"To install your brain into their chassis?" guessed Viktor. "We found dead human brains in some of the wrecks we examined."
"Something like that." nodded Akeno, gesturing for them to take a seat. She used her Item Creation skill to create teacups and a large teapot, and started serving everyone with a grin of anticipation. The tea inside that pot was the Divine-grade one they had recently earned as a quest reward by providing support to the Federacy.
"H-How did you do that?" asked Viktor, aghast. He wasn't used to things he couldn't explain, but this was too much even for him.
"With a special ability most members of our faction receives at some point. I'll explain more in detail later." shrugged Akeno.
"Vladilena here isn't present as a representative of the current Republic of San Magnolia's armed forces." declared Akeno. "She is here as the future leader of the government that will succeed the current, rotten one. To answer your question, Vika, we will use our technological advantage to take over the Republic, reform it, and bring judgement to those who turned discrimination into a government-sanctioned policy."
"We plan to move against the Republic as soon as the situation here in the United Kingdom is stabilized, and Roa Garcia can field its own force of improved Feldrebs. To alleviate your worries, I will say that we do not intend to take over Roa Garcia. Frankly speaking, aside from the Sirins, you have nothing of interest to us, and unless we discover something like gross mistreatment of civilians, I see no reason for our position to change."
"…Why are you interested in the Sirins, and where did you learn about them?" frowned Viktor after sending a long, considering glance at Lena.
He believed Akeno when she said she had no interest in taking over his country. He couldn't imagine any natural resource they possessed that would be needed for a country able to create a ship the size of the Finality and move it around. It certainly wasn't powered by oil or coal!
"Before I answer that, can you tell me what the Sirins are, exactly?" asked Akeno. "They were mentioned to us only once, and all we really know about them is a hint that they were artificially created."
Viktor turned to Lerche.
"Show them."
"Yes, your Highness." nodded Lerche, bringing her hands to her head, and lifting it upward.
A click was heard, and her head… came off.
It was still connected to the rest of her body by several cables and tubes, but seeing Lerche smiling like this was more than a little creepy.
"Allow me to properly introduce her." said Viktor. "This is the first unit of the Artificial Fairies, the Sirins. The pinnacle of the United Kingdom's technological achievements and the crux of our national defense. This is also the central processor of the semi-autonomous combat machine Alkonost that you have surely observed on the battlefield earlier today."
"The eight-legged white Feldrebs? Yes, we saw them." nodded Akeno. Lerche carefully lowered her head and connected it back to her neck.
She took a sip of her tea, appreciating the fruity and refreshing flavor that no other drink could compare with, and sighed in contentment.
Viktor noticed and decided to try it. He brought his own cup near his lips, and his eyebrows raised in surprise when the scent entered his nose.
He drank a little, and froze in shock, again, before drinking some more.
"This tea, what Is it made of? Its flavor is incredibly pleasant."
"Right?" grinned Akeno. "This is quickly becoming everyone's favorite drink. But we do not actually know what fruits or plants this tea is made off. We just have the ability to replicate what we tasted once, and we got to taste this one as a reward."
"Your Highness, is this tea really that good? I regret that I can't taste it. Can you describe it for me?" asked Lerche, sending a sad glance at the untouched cup of tea in front of her.
"It is a bit like mint tea and raspberry tea, but somehow ten times better. I cannot describe it accurately."
Viktor shrugged and turned his attention back to the others.
"The Sirins seem to be quite impressive." nodded Da Vinci. "Since I heard you are the Amethystus, and Lerche is your aide, I assume you are the one who created them. Are the Sirins entirely artificial, or…"
"No." snorted Viktor. "I understand your concerns, but I did not imitate the Legion. There is no organic, human brain inside Lerche's head."
He could see that several people had considered this scenario, and they relaxed visibly.
"Although I am not certain you will find the truth much more palatable… The Sirins' minds are created by scanning the brains from living humans, using a special device. The mental models are then stripped of most of their memories before being installed on a Sirin's body."
"…Where, and for what reason, did you gather the people those brains belonged to?" asked Akeno with narrowing eyes. She remembered Zelene mentioning that Viktor had to open her mother's skull to scan her brain with his device, and hoped he hadn't done more of the same with the Sirins.
"Are you insinuating that we arrogant despots dismember our citizens against their wills?" asked Viktor, amused. "Then you may be disappointed to hear that the Idinarohk line isn't quite that foolish. We know well enough that all that awaits us at the end of mindless tyranny is the guillotine's kiss…"
"The components are all given voluntarily and are extracted only after they die in battle. Strictly speaking, it's right before their deaths. If a soldier who voluntarily donated their body in advance is marked as black during triage, and under those conditions alone, they will be sent to have their brain scanned. Even those who volunteered aren't sent to the scanner if there is a chance of saving their lives."
"What thought process led you to create the Sirins rather than make autonomous weapons based on the Mariana model, Vika?" asked Zelene. "You must have realized early that producing artificial fairies looking like humans might cause some friction with the population?"
"There are two reasons." nodded Viktor. "Using the Mariana Model as a foundation would have made them unable to use the Para-RAID technology to communicate without interference from the Legion. The Sirins' minds were accustomed to having a human body, and granting them inhuman ones would have significantly increased their instability. We were already forced to erase their memories because too many of them turned unstable."
"I understand." nodded Annette. "This way to deal with those issues is almost… elegant, if you completely ignore the moral implications."
"Such moral considerations were things we could ill afford at the time." replied Viktor with a neutral expression. "Unlike the machines from the Legion, who keeps coming no matter how many times you repel them, humans are finite. Our ability to reproduce is limited. So if we can't lower the number of those who will die, we need only recycle those who have already passed away. Send wolves to hunt wolves, vampires to hunt vampires."
Akeno was carefully observing Viktor as he spoke, and nodded to herself. She realized that they was something deeply wrong with that man.
It wasn't like he didn't know about the moral aspect of his actions. He just didn't let that knowledge influence him. She would have pegged him as a psychopath, except that psychopaths were selfish by nature, prioritizing their own interest above anything else.
Viktor seemed to be both a psychopath, and its opposite. He seemed cold and callous, indifferent to ethics, yet prioritized the interests of his nation above all else.
In a sense, he was a perfect military commander.
She started to understand why his father and his brother had sent her that letter.
"Alright." smiled Akeno. "We have interrogated Vika enough for now. I only have one question for Lerche before I talk about our origins, and the reason Valhalla entered this part of the world."
"Please ask away, Ms. Himejima! I will answer to the best of my abilities!" exclaimed Lerche.
"Call me Akeno." smiled Akeno. "Lerche, do you have dreams? What do you wish to do or achieve once the war against the Legion is over?"
Akeno intended to verify two things with her question. The first was that there indeed was a future for the Sirins beyond the war. That they would not be disposed of once their usefulness ran out, like San Magnolia planned to do with the Eighty-Sixes. The second was about the Sirins' degree of independence from Vika. If all they thought about was to serve Viktor, wouldn't that make them drones rather than real artificial intelligences?
However, it seemed her question had touched on something painful, as Lerche lowered her gaze with a wince, and didn't answer immediately.
"I… intend to remain by His Highness's side for as long as possible... There are also things I would like to experience, but I am a Sirin… I envy the living, because they can pursue happiness, love, and a future…"
"I'm sorry, Lerche. I shouldn't have asked this question. However, you are wrong on one point. You are part of the living. Your body may be a little different, but what is important is the soul, and I can affirm that you have one."
Lerche looked at Akeno silently for a few seconds, then displayed a sad smile.
"Thank you, Akeno. I appreciate your feelings."
Akeno stifled a sigh. Clearly, Lerche though she was just trying to comfort her.
…
<<Run simulation 114 753>>
<<Simulation over, probability of destruction 100%>>
<<Run simulation 114 754>>
<<Simulation over, probability of destruction 96.4%>>
<<Run simulation 114 755>>
<<Simulation over, probability of destruction 97.2%>>
…
The Legion's hivemind ran simulation after simulation, testing different variables to try to resolve its current quandary. But no matter what combination of factors it tried, it couldn't find a realistic way to cope with the new enemy.
The humans added to the hivemind were nearly gone, and the only one remaining was the most unproductive one. Procuring new humans would not help make up for the gap in capabilities, unless it could capture some who were involved in those ships' construction.
<<Run simulation 114 768>>
<<Simulation over, probability of destruction 96.4%>>
<<Run simulation 114 769>>
<<Simulation over, probability of destruction 99.6%>>
…
It couldn't create a weapon able to destroy those ships. They had resisted the Legion's attempts to infiltrate their systems with contemptuous ease. So easily that the Legion deduced the enemy possessed full-fledged Artificial Intelligences on its own.
The new stealth units designed by Mistress had been located and destroyed before they could be used against the new enemy. designing new units that might succeed in destroying those ships and building them in quantities large enough to destroy them would require months, with no guaranteed success.
Months that the hivemind didn't have.
Even simply replacing the losses was starting to become an issue, as some of the rare metals needed for some components couldn't be mined fast enough to compensate for the current losses.
<<Run simulation 114 851>>
<<Simulation over, probability of destruction 98.3%>>
<<Run simulation 114 852>>
<<Simulation over, probability of destruction 99.2%>>
…
There was only one reason that could explain the purely defensive posture of the new, unidentified enemy. They were assisting the other enemies of the Federacy, Republic, and now United Kingdom by improving their own defenses or their war-production capabilities.
Or both.
When the new enemy had unveiled its new ground units during the last major battle, the Legion felt through Dullahan that Baleygr was among them. His involvement all but confirmed that the new enemy was sharing its technology with the other human nations.
With its own war-production declining, its current war assets severely degraded, and its enemies improving, the Legion could see where things were headed, unless something changed drastically.
…
<<Run simulation 114 986>>
<<Simulation over, probability of destruction 96.2%>>
<<Run simulation 114 987>>
<<Simulation over, probability of destruction 43%>>
…
The Legion suddenly paused, then carefully studied the latest output produced by its subroutines. The result of that simulation was… unexpected. But the logic that produced it was sound. Attempting this approach would be a big gamble, but a gamble was better than nearly assured destruction.
It ran more simulations, tweaking various parameters and testing with different variables, and the probability decreased to 36%.
The Legion's hivemind pondered for a few seconds, then started production of the unit it needed.
There were three possible outcomes to that scenario. Success, a minor failure that would limit the loss to the unit… or a complete failure resulting in the hivemind's destruction.
In other circumstances, the risk would have been inacceptable. But unless a better plan was devised, the Legion had no choice.
The Hivemind resumed its simulations.