Yuren navigated his way through the corridors of the ship, his footsteps echoing softly against the metal floor. As he reached the ship's bridge, he found Lina and Reila engrossed in their examination of a holographic map of Argentia that flickered and shimmered under the soft ambient lights. They were whispering to each other, their faces etched with concern as they dissected what appeared to be strategic data about the next actions.
A troubling thought crossed Yuren's mind: Was Jytenreu truly that dangerous? If the rumors were accurate, then Esotonia must be an indomitable force, earning her reputation as the Apocalypse class for a reason. The implications were staggering.
He decided to probe further. "Does Esotonia, the one who took me, possess a similar ability?" Yuren asked, his curiosity piqued.
Naiola, who had been observing the conversation from a console, tilted her head slightly in contemplation. "I am not familiar with that name. Can you clarify which Meteorn you are referring to? If you could provide me with some time to analyze their capabilities and compile a history of any encounters, I believe we may uncover some intriguing effects," she replied, her tone calm and analytical.
"The Apocalypse class. Its military designator is Eclipse. I don't think the military knows the Meteorn's actual names, only the codenames assigned by the army. So please make sure to remember the names I just mentioned," Yuren explained, his expression serious.
Naiola's sensors hummed to life as she processed the information. "Ah, the Apocalypse class. To date, there are two recorded encounters. In the first, the entire continent of Karus was obliterated when she unleashed a wave of spatial distortion to contain and execute unknown types of attacks. Unfortunately, there is insufficient data collected from this incident to establish a detailed analysis or understand the full extent of her abilities."
As Yuren absorbed this information, it became increasingly clear why she was referred to as the Apocalypse class and regarded as one of the deadliest Meteorn. The sheer power to annihilate entire continents using an attack they still could not identify was a terrifying prospect. It was evident that understanding her methods before they manifested was crucial, yet they had failed at that critical juncture.
"What transpired during the second incident?" Yuren pressed, eager for more information.
"She reappeared in the desert and remained there for an extended period until recently," Naiola clarified, her tone remaining unflappable. "All military attempts to engage her were skillfully evaded. They had no success in initiating any confrontation."
So that was her situation until now, Yuren mused. It seemed apparent that Esotonia hadn't shown much inclination to act aggressively. Naiola's observation was well-founded; despite their formidable power, they didn't seem particularly bent on battling humanity. It raised unsettling questions about their intentions and the implications for the future.
If the situation was as dangerous as everyone claimed, it raised a perplexing question: why did the authorities continue to utilize these entities as androids for military operations and as sources of energy? The contradiction was striking. The severity of the risk seemed to contradict the rationale for their ongoing use.
No, there had to be more to this than met the eye; something was definitely missing from this explanation. What was truly happening here? For the past two centuries, humanity had engaged in an unwinnable conflict, acting as aggressors, yet the reasons behind their relentless pursuit of war remained unclear.
Why had they not sought a peaceful resolution, especially since this enigmatic creature, known as Esotonia, had shown no signs of hostility when the military attempted to eliminate it? With so much time elapsed, it seemed odd that dialogue hadn't been pursued.
Perhaps the truth of the matter had nothing to do with the war itself. Yuren pondered the possibility of directly communicating with Esotonia to gain clarity on the situation. He decided to set this line of inquiry aside until he had the opportunity to speak with her again.
While he felt an urgency to uncover the answers, he asked, "Can we leave?" He observed as Lina deftly navigated through the various holographic screens of the ship's map.
"Well, we're currently waiting for takeoff clearance," Reila responded, her voice tinged with frustration. "It appears that the military doesn't want us to leave for some unknown reason, even though other aircraft have been taking off without issue. Our airway in Block 14 has been continuously delayed." She indicated the red line drawn across their planned flight path, clearly signifying their predicament.
"Take off anyway," Yuren ordered, his expression serious and determined as he focused on the array of holograms displaying the ship's surroundings. "Naiola, open Block 14's gate. Now." He spoke with a sense of urgency that brooked no argument.
In less than a second, a blue dashed line appeared on the map, signifying that the gate had been breached.
Lina gasped in astonishment, her eyes wide. "D-Did Naiola just hack the system...? This... this is..."
"They won't stop us," Yuren asserted, his voice unwavering. "Reila, our destination is Zone T431-A, the Nova Genesis Android facility." His words carried an authority that left little room for discussion.
"Sir," Reila stood tall and nodded firmly. "Confirmed."
"What?! Commander, what are you planning to do?" Lina exclaimed, her voice tinged with panic as she quickly swiped through the map, trying to regain control of the situation. "You can't simply take the 701st like this and leave. Are you actually planning to seize the project from the military?"
"Yes, I can," Yuren replied matter-of-factly, his voice cool and resolute. "The vice minister granted me the overrides for the project, and I intend to bring Bei and Jia's bodies back." His gaze was unyielding, emphasizing the seriousness of his mission.
"But... this could make you an enemy of the state! Commander, please think this through! We're attempting to defect, not instigate a coup!" Lina implored, desperation creeping into her tone.
"A coup? I'm not trying to do that. I simply want to leave with what rightfully belongs to me," Yuren countered, running a hand along his jawline, preparing himself for the path ahead. The stakes were high, but his convictions were unwavering.
"But- But this will make the entire imperial administration look to you as a target!" Lina cried, "If you do this, we may not be able to come back to the Empire. We will be fugitives from their justice system as if we're the criminals who turned the androids, a huge part of their army has been lost, and the research we needed is all gone-"
"No Lina! The Meteorn are sentient living beings, they are not tools! Research and testing on them is wrong." Yuren suddenly interrupted her, slamming his fist down on the console, cracking the frame slightly.
Lina flinched slightly, shocked by his sudden actions as he continued, "The massive amount of lives lost to fueling the military's war machine is wrong. You aren't androids being simply being manufactured. Instead they are fusing Meteorn cores into weaponized machine bodies and that's not even the surface of what they are using them for. Naiola, give her access to the Nova Genesis Project's private archives. She needs to see the truth."
"Affirmative."
After hesitating to turn to the terminal in front of her and access the data files she needed, Lina's complexion soon began to pale as her eyes quickly scanned through the information she was streaming.
She slowly put a hand over her chest where her core was located, staring dumbly for a few moments before sliding her chair to the side.
The Eisendrache launched into the air, using vertical stabilization engines, pushing forward on horizontal planes to level the ship, allowing Reila to pick up speed as it climbed higher and higher into the afternoon sky.