Chapter 5: Everyone’s Research

Kouki Arakawa’s Point of View

Sometime after the ballistic missile had been blown to pieces, the three of us were eating in the school cafeteria as normal when Alice quietly said, “I wonder what I should do for my research topic...”

“I’ve decided mine,” Saito overly enthusiastically replied while greedily devouring his bowl of chicken and egg on rice.

Now that they mention it, the teacher did say something about that the other day, I mused. Elite high school students carry out their own personal research and release periodic reports, or something like that. Not that it has anything to do with me...

I wanted to try researching new metals like I’d seen in the research lab, but I didn’t have the funding or the equipment for that. Also, when I’d talked to the principal about my doing research, she had forcefully told me, “There’s no need!”

I was curious about Alice’s research. “Pharmaceuticals is your specialty, right? So, do something with that,” I suggested.

For some reason, she started staring right at me. It felt a little strange when she looked at me like that. I didn’t know what to do, so I avoided making eye contact.

“Will you help me out?” she asked.

Her eyes looked like the eyes of a small animal as she looked at me, so there was no way I could refuse!

No problem. I’ll help, and Saito should do his best to help too.

When I said this to Alice, she looked pleased, and put the contents of her own research on a printout. For some reason, Saito was trembling and saying, “But what about my research time,” with tears in his eyes, but I was sure he was happy to be able to help Alice. In reality, he’d happily enjoy the attention when she thanked him.

We decided we’d go to Alice’s research lab after school to discuss what we were going to do.

**

“Well, I think we should try making small improvements to something like an antibiotic,” suggested Alice.

Hm, improving something that already exists... I felt like we’d be able to do that a little too easily. Actually, how do you determine the effectiveness? Even if I conveniently catch a cold, I’m not like Mom: I’m not going to start recklessly injecting new drugs into my own body. If we ask Saito nicely, he’ll probably agree to be a guinea pig... but test it on myself? Not a chance!

“What should we do about a guinea pig? I guess Saito is one possibility?” I asked them.

“Buh hee?! Why should it be me?! I mean, if it’s for Alice, I could give it a shot, but...”

Alice simply said, “Ah...” and froze in place.

I know you’re trying to score points, Saito. But you shouldn’t be using your own body like that.

“Wouldn’t your mom have a sample in her lab that we could use, Arakawa?” Alice asked.

Hmm. My mom... I thought. If I ask, she’ll probably do something to help. It’s not like we can actually test it on Saito; I wouldn’t want to lose a friend.

I replied, “I’m okay with that,” and Alice looked delighted.

It really does make me happy to see a cute girl look so pleased, I reflected.

However, what was awaiting us was a nightmare.

I had no problem with carrying out new research in Alice’s lab every day after school, but there was one thing I hadn’t anticipated.

“Saito, remind me what we’re supposed to do next?” she demanded.

“I think we’re supposed to measure the concentration using that paper. Buh hee?! I’ve just burnt this! What am I going to do?”

Alice was merciless toward her assistants, and was a real slave driver besides. I wanted to complain about it, but I’d hardly be able to speak my mind if I saw those eyes tear up and heard her say, “Sorry.” So once again, today we were acting as her hands and frantically doing as we were told.

To tell the truth, Alice was trying her hardest, too, so we quietly got on with the work in an attempt to make a good impression.

“Arakawa...” Saito came toward me with a worried look on his face.

I had a terrible feeling about it, but I asked him what was wrong.

“I got the amount wrong and added twice as much.”

Now what...? I wondered. If we start again, we’ll have to go through the whole complicated procedure again from the start. I’m sure things will work out somehow if it’s only twice as much.

“Saito, nothing happened,” I said with a serious expression on my face. “You understand? You’re just a little tired.”

Saito repeated what I’d said as if trying to convince himself as he returned to his work.

All right, I’ll start the separation process, I decided. Now we’ve gotten this far, there’s just a little more to do before today’s work is over...

“Arakawa! Arakawa!!”

I thought I heard someone calling my name when suddenly, I opened my eyes.

I must have dozed off for a while... When I looked at my watch, I realized that over 20 minutes had passed. This is bad. This is really bad.

I hastily peered inside the motionless separating device, and was at a loss for words. I wasn’t quite sure what the substance lying inside the device was. Just as I was despairing over my wasted efforts, there was someone tapping me on the shoulder.

I turned to see Saito, who told me with a serious expression, “Nothing happened. You understand? Nothing happened,” as if it were some kind of incantation.

He’s right... Nothing happened. I continued to work while repeating the words to myself. After that, there were another three incidents where nothing happened, but we finally managed to finish the work Alice had given us.

The two of us collapsed exhausted on the floor just as Alice returned to the room from another lab.

“Sorry! There’s equipment I can’t use here, so I had to mix this drug product elsewhere. So anyway, did you finish the thing I asked for?”

We handed over our drug product, which was now a different substance from what we had been originally tasked with. Alice held it like it was something precious, gleefully telling us, “Thank you so much. Now I can finally make a test product!”

Unlike Alice, who was in high spirits, we were looking at the preparation while unable to hide our guilt.

“Saito, do you think that thing will work?” I hedged.

“I highly doubt it.”

Even so, there was no way we could tell her now, so we made it a promise between gentleman to keep that secret.

After finishing the drug product, Alice happily told me, “Give this to your mom and tell her to try it on a sample, it doesn’t matter which one.”

I felt an unbelievable level of exhaustion as I returned home with the ampoule she’d given me.

**

Miki Arakawa’s Point of View

I had arrived in my virus research lab carrying the ampoule that Kouki had handed to me the night before. He’d explained to me that it was an anti-viral medicine that he’d made together with his friends at the academy. He’d told me to test it on a sample, but I didn’t know what sort of sample to use.

“My son was involved, so I probably shouldn’t use an ordinary sample,” I reflected.

I decided to start with a sample that had a safety level of class 3. However, it had no effect. I thought for a while, and then tried it on a class 4 sample.

“It doesn’t work on smallpox or the Ebola virus...”

Exactly what type of sample would it have an effect on? I wanted to try it on all class 1 samples, but unfortunately, there wasn’t enough in the ampoule. Could it be a failure? Failure was possible considering the level of equipment available at the academy, but all of Kouki’s friends that I’d met were exceptional.

Then I was filled with excitement as an idea formed in my mind. If my idea happened to be correct, the textbooks would have to be rewritten.

I moved forward to test my new theory...

“Arakawa, it’s not safe! That’s not something that humankind can handle!”

A researcher working at the research lab tried to stop me, but I had no intention of listening. I entered a special isolation chamber that was protected by a special two-meter-thick door on the eighth level of the basement. The chamber was capable of incinerating anyone inside if necessary. Then I carefully removed the sample and used the contents of the ampoule.

“Incredible... It really is effective.”

I couldn’t believe what was happening before my eyes. I used up all of the small amount of remaining contents to confirm the result countless times: it was always the same.

I have to contact the World Health Organization immediately! I also contacted the academy and asked them to provide me with the research records.

The sample that I’d found the ampoule to be effective against was the only sample on Earth to be designated level 5: the virus that had caused the European tragedy.

**

Alice Alford’s Point of View

Something incredible happened! The drug product we’d made turned out to be effective against the European tragedy. As a result, my research lab at the academy had been sealed off since yesterday. But something good had come out of it.

I had a lot of respect for my dad, and he was the one who’d inspired me to take up pharmaceutical research. He was normally a quiet and exacting man, but now he was full of praise for me.

He held me and told me, “Well done. I’m proud you’re my daughter.”

My father’s grandfather had died in the European tragedy. My father once told me that that was why he’d become a researcher, and so I was worried that maybe I’d taken my father’s research from him.

When I asked him, he told me, “What are you saying? You’ve succeeded in doing what I couldn’t; be proud of yourself,” and stroked my hair.

I was so, so happy, and I ended up crying against my father’s chest. I thanked Kouki and Saito, but they both said, “Honestly, we didn’t do anything!” and tried to give all of the credit to me.

“I can’t let you do that!” I told them; but for some reason, they just smiled awkwardly and wouldn’t look me in the eye. In the end, I was only able to get them to include their names as research colleagues.

Will there ever come a day I can repay them? I wondered.

That was when I decided that when the time came, I’d be there for them no matter what.

2102: The WHO Officially Announced a Cure for the European Tragedy.

The three discoverers were Alice Alford, Shingo Saito, and Kouki Arakawa, all of whom were enrolled at the International Science and Technology Academy.

**

“Hey, help me with my research too.”

Saito started it all with just a few words. Thus began the story of a week-long nightmare.

Kouki Arakawa’s Point of View

“Hey, help me with my research, too,” Saito said to Alice and me while greedily devouring his bowl of tempura on rice.

To be honest, it sounded like a chore, but I couldn’t refuse to help Saito after I’d helped Alice. Alice seemed quite enthusiastic, probably because Saito had helped her, and she told him, “I don’t mind.” So, I asked Saito what he wanted help with.

“Well, I’d like to make a simple work robot with on-board AI.”

Hm, a work robot...

Since this was Saito, I figured it would be used with military-use powered suits.

I asked him, “What sort of shape will it be? A humanoid? A battle tank?”

“No, a cockroach.”

Wait, what did he just say? I feel like I just heard a word I don’t like to hear, but I must have misheard.

Alice also stopped drinking her tea and made a face.

“What did you say?” I asked hesitantly.

“I said a cockroach.”

I didn’t like the way he said it with a smile.

Why does it have to be a cockroach?! If it had been a tank or some unsolvable problem, I could have said, “Hey, Mom! Take care of it,” like always. Why does it have to be today of all days that he takes a liking to such a disgustingly realistic creature? See what you’ve done! Alice is already starting to cry a little.

“Well, it’s a work robot, so I think this is logical...” he went on.

I don’t care about your logic! Why do we have to model it on such a disgusting creature? It’s bothering Alice, so make it something else!

When I told him so, despite normally being quiet, Saito exploded. “Buh hee?! Disgusting? How can you call them disgusting?! Cockroaches are amazing creatures. They have a perfect form that hasn’t changed over the last three billion years. They’re so adaptable that they can cope with any environment. They’re also top-class amongst insects in terms of their quick-wittedness. There are types that don’t just glide, but can actually fly. They can live without absorbing moisture for longer than 50 days. They’re also fast learners, so if you put poison down in the same place, they won’t eat from there any more, and they quickly acquire an immunity to the effects of the poison. They’re perfect! They’re the ultimate life form. What’s more...”

My eyes began to glaze over, and I glanced sideways away from Saito’s passionate speech as Alice tugged on my sleeve.

“What’s wrong with Saito?” she asked.

No use asking me. I’ve no idea.

On first impression, I’d thought he was a weird person, but I’d been starting to think that’d been a misunderstanding. However, from the way he was acting here, it was clear that he was just a weird person, after all.

“Maybe Saito feels insulted in some way because we’ve disrespected cockroaches?” I suggested to Alice.

She nodded in agreement.

“Hey, are you two listening?” Saito demanded. “I’m just getting to the good part.”

He had already been talking five minutes about the wonders and ecology of cockroaches, but he still wasn’t satisfied...

I wonder if we should give him the nickname “Cockroach.” We get it, Saito. The shape can be a cockroach, but there’s no way Alice and I are going out to catch a sample.

“Oh, that’s no problem. I have some as pets,” said Saito with a look on his face that suggested that this was somehow normal.

How can he say there’s no problem when Alice is already half crying?!

“After school today, come home with me, and we’ll choose which kind of cockroach we want to model it on,” Saito suggested to us with a smile.

I was scared to tell him that I didn’t want to because the whole thing was disgusting, so all I could do was nod my head.

**

Scuttle scuttle...

The first thing I saw upon entering Saito’s room was the rearing case set against the wall. I also heard sounds that I couldn’t even describe.

Alice hadn’t gotten beyond the doorway, and was peering inside.

“How many are inside there?” I asked hesitantly.

“Right now, there are eight different types and about eighty cockroaches in total,” replied Saito happily. Then he began taking one type at a time out of the case to tell us about them.

The smoky brown cockroach; the Japanese cockroach; the gigantic Megaloblatta longipennis... I couldn’t even tell them apart, but he seemed to have a name for each one and affection for them all.

I didn’t really want to look at them, so I simply said, “Let’s go with this one.”

“I thought so too,” he agreed. “The German cockroach is the most popular, so let’s go with that.”

I supported his opinion, as if to say, You really know your stuff, Saito! And meanwhile, I thought, Alice, please, don’t look at me like you think I’m into cockroaches too. I’ve got no love for these creatures!

From the next day onward, we began building the robot in Saito’s lab. But on the first day, the German cockroach we brought as a sample—its name was Angel—escaped and flew into Alice’s face, so we very nearly lost a precious sample.

After that, we put way too much effort into the appearance, so it didn’t look like a cockroach-type work robot as we’d originally intended; it appeared as though we’d given birth to an actual one-meter-long cockroach.

When we actually got it moving for the the first time, it looked so realistic that I felt my knees give way, and Alice ran full-speed out of the lab. It was enough to make Saito want to rub his face against it.

And then we were hit with a real problem.

“So, how should we set up the AI that Arakawa’s mom gave us?” asked Saito.

Saito gave me a puzzled look as he opened the programming window.

Hm, if the robot looks this realistic, we should stick with realism in the inner workings too... I thought.

After I made my suggestion, the three of us each began entering the content into the screen. Finally, Saito added an activity shutdown program, “Slipper #1,” in case anything happened; and with that we were done.

**

Work Robot Chabane’s Point of View

I am a robot built by my masters. My priorities, as per my programming, are the following five items:

1. Do not approach my first master, Lady Alice. Furthermore, I must not attack humans.

2. Clean the interior of the academy. I am also to carry out other tasks that I deem useful to humans.

3. Do not self-replicate more than necessary.

4. Do not allow people to see me.

5. Periodically return to the laboratory.

First of all, I decided to take up residence in the sewers below the academy. Then, I focused on producing assistants in order to clean the large academy.

While collecting the necessary parts from dumping grounds and the like, I produced more than 400 assistants, and these all emerged at once from a manhole during the night to begin cleaning the academy.

That was when I realized that I could not clean efficiently in my current state, and made improvements to myself.

I continued to live in such a way for some time. Then, one day during garbage collection, I encountered a human other than my masters! After looking right at me, the human left as if nothing had happened, but surely they had been surprised?

Before long, there was no cleaning left to be done in the academy.

I know! I’ll try making a flowerbed like my master Sir Kouki has described! I thought. It seems that humans are all soothed by the sight of flowers...

After making my decision, I diligently began collecting parts in order to create further assistants that would help make the flowerbed.

**

Academy Principal Kaori Yamamoto’s Point of View

“This area has been cleaned too...” I murmured.

I was in a great mood because every inch of the academy interior had been cleaned. I’d always annoyed the students with my lectures on the importance of cleaning, but they’d never responded well. But now it seemed they’d finally understood. No matter where I looked within the academy, there wasn’t a single speck of dust.

When I went behind the laboratory building—a place where people often threw litter—I saw something there that stopped my thoughts. In front of me, there was a cockroach walking on two legs with a garbage bag hanging from its neck.

A one-meter-long cockroach was collecting garbage in a garbage bag while walking. Feeling as though it couldn’t be real, I simply went back the way I’d came and returned home. I must have imagined that thing because I was so tired. That was the only explanation. I decided I would get a good night of sleep to overcome my daily tiredness.

The next day, when I arrived at the academy, I once again saw something impossible.

There were flowers and plant pots made from recycled garbage inside the academy. They had been carefully positioned so as not to cause offense, and the academy looked like a scene out of a movie.

Did someone call in professionals? I asked around, but I was told no one had.

In the staff room, we finally concluded that it must have been a student prank, but could the students really have managed to cover the outer wall of the clock tower in the center of the academy? I was pondering over it while gazing out the window, when I saw the bipedal cockroach itself walking along while holding a plant pot.

I must still be tired...

**

36,000 kilometers from the Earth... The thing was floating in outer space. On its cylindrical outer wall, the words “Do not open” were written in something like black marker pen. Close to the thing was a machine shaped like a fish. The machine was flying around the thing as if it was thinking something over, but after some time, it stopped. As if having made a decision, an arm gradually extended from the fish.

Slowly—frustratingly slow—it took hold of the thing, and in that instant... the thing flew off, escaping from the arm as the thing had come to life. The machine was left puzzled, gazing in the direction that the thing had flown off.

The machine’s lens was aimed at the blue Earth.

**

Miki Arakawa’s Point of View

I was leading development at the Space Exploration and Associated International Space Station, as requested by the United Nations. The space station was positioned in an asteroid belt beyond the orbit of Mars, and the plan was to use the space station as a base for launching unmanned exploration vessels into outer space. However, there were too many difficulties.

Firstly, there was the problem of remaining on the space station for a long time. Humans in that enclosed space experienced an abnormal amount of stress. In our experiments, the same problem had arisen in the United Nations spacecraft used for military purposes.

“Maybe I’ll ask Kouki,” I murmured to myself; but he was enjoying his youth to the hilt, studying with his friends at the academy. It wouldn’t be right for me to interfere with that.

There was also another problem that was troubling me.

“An asteroid that could possibly enter a collision course with Earth...”

We had calculated the orbit of the asteroid and found there was a 97% chance that the collision would be avoided. As long as there were no external factors to consider, that number wasn’t a problem for now; but a practical countermeasure had to be found.

In addition, after the completion of the space station, there would be an unending list of tasks, such as specific plans for manned investigations of Mars and probe ship design.

Come to think of it, Kouki said his friends were coming over today.

Based on what was written in a report detailing an investigation of Kouki’s friends, they would be with Megumi Aikawa, who had been admitted to the academy after the recognition of her thesis on space development.

“Well, I’ve been unable to come up with any good ideas... Looks like there’s nothing I can do,” I said aloud as if making excuses to myself. I began preparing some tea so I’d be ready to welcome Kouki’s friends.

**

Kouki Arakawa’s Point of View

I had friends over in my room. I understand why Saito and Alice are here... but why does Aikawa have to be here?! I wondered. Lately, she’d been getting on really well with Saito. Whatever happened to the Aikawa who said, “Make sure you rank in the top 10 out of our year group?” I don’t remember her being this cutesy girl who rests against Saito with her eyes half closed!

Damn, I’m so jealous.

When Aikawa had found out that I didn’t need to take tests, she had been furious once again, but Saito had told Aikawa, “Arakawa made a measurement drone crash into a ballistic missile. Would you have been able to make that calculation, Aikawa?” and Aikawa had become less sure of herself.

I knew it had just been a coincidence, but if Aikawa wanted to show her appreciation, she should have fallen in love with me. Why did it have to be Saito?!

As I was muttering to myself, Alice whispered in my ear, “I heard that Saito helped out Aikawa when some guys in town gave her some trouble.”

Oh? I didn’t think Saito was such a man of action. That made it easier to accept Aikawa’s behavior. He’s like a prince on a white horse who came to save her just as some delinquents where about to attack her.

“I heard that he used that robot...” she added.

Okay, now I get it. If he used that thing, he’d make any kind of thug run off at top speed, I thought to myself while looking over at Saito and Aikawa. Aikawa was letting Saito use her lap as a pillow. I wish they’d go home already.... or anywhere that isn’t my room. Though the way things are going, maybe Alice will be okay with it if I dive into her lap... But before I could try it, Mom entered the room.

I was just thinking about how she’d ruined my opportunity and was about to complain, when I realized that everyone except myself was extremely on edge.

Oh, right. I might be with her all the time, but to every other academy student, she’s the genius Miki Arakawa, and they’d want to meet her more than any useless idol.

She’d been with us on the field trip to the workplace as our guide, but she’d been quickly called away somewhere, and no one had gotten a chance to talk to her. It was no surprise that meeting a great researcher like my mom would be a dream for everyone here. I felt a little down because I was just in their way, so I made myself small in the corner of the room.

“I’ve got something to talk about with everyone,” said Mom before discussing her research with them.

To be honest, I was sure a genius on my mom’s level was quite capable of solving the problem without discussing it with academy students. In reality, she was just doing them a favor by giving them the chance to interact with a genius such as herself.

Mom really is kind, I thought to myself while watching their discussion. The discussion seemed to be related to a space station.

Alice suggested using medicines to alleviate stress, and Saito said that the dangerous work could be performed using a remotely operated robot. Mom listened while writing down all of the ideas enthusiastically in her notebook.

Aikawa’s suggestion was surprising.

“I think the environment inside the space station should be made close to that of the Earth. The advantages would be...”

I was surprised to see her explain based on some highly specialist opinions.

“I guess space-related topics must be Aikawa’s specialty?” I asked Saito.

“Buh hee? That’s right, Megumi specializes in space environments.”

“I thought so. Wait, Saito, you’re calling Aikawa ‘Megumi’ now? You must be getting along really well if you’re calling her by her first name,” I said, teasing him a little.

Saito stopped talking and turned bright red.

I wish I could get on a little better with Alice, I thought to myself as the discussion began winding down.

Mom exchanged email addresses with everyone so she could regularly ask them for their opinions in future.

Is it okay to do that? Those are for private matters, you know? I was thinking when Baldy burst into the room as if he would destroy the doorknob.

“We have an emergency situation!” he declared.

Every time you show up, there’s an emergency situation! I thought furiously.

**

Two hours after Baldy had barged in, we had arrived at the megafloat of the Japan Space Development Division, offshore in the Pacific Ocean. We had flown here in a helicopter that Baldy had prepared. Everyone in my room had been forced to travel with us, probably for security reasons.

Only Aikawa was happy. “This is the megafloat? This is amazing!” she said.

Everyone else was nervous, and Saito looked ready to vomit from motion sickness.

“What’s going on? It’s my responsibility to keep these children safe. If it comes to it, I can contact my husband and have him take control of this float.” Mom’s expression was more fearsome than I’d ever seen as she made her complaints to the staff of the facility.

Mom... I don’t think it’ll do any good to contact Macho Man, I thought. I suppose he could probably swim to us across the ocean, but when he gets here, he’ll just be held down by the security staff.

Just then, as I was feeling sick for different reasons than Saito, someone who seemed to be the commander began explaining things.

“The rocket that Kouki launched into space has been discovered by the Russian Space Force. What’s more, the Russians violated our pact: They tried and failed to retrieve the rocket. The rocket is currently flying back toward Earth.”

Oh! That thing... Oh no, that thing is coming back? If that happens, my life is over. I’ll lose everything I’ve ever worked for in life.

I trembled while listening to the commander speak, but as he spoke, I saw there was hope.

“When the United Nations received the report, they gave the United Nations Space Forces orders to sortie immediately. In order to intercept the rocket, a fleet is converging on its orbit.”

Yes! That’s great! Just blow it to pieces, I thought to myself.

“What does that have to do with us? Do you have the authority to confine these children here?” Mom demanded.

“Well, the situation is... The United Nations said they’d like the person who made the interception strategy to participate...”

“In that case, shouldn’t having me here be enough? These children can return home immediately.”

Hold on, Mom. The commander is already under a lot of pressure, so don’t bully him. Besides, I want to see what happens to that thing.

I told Mom that I was willing to participate. Everyone else also assured her that they were remaining here willingly. After that, Mom said, “I suppose I can’t stop you,” and gave in to the commander.

Just now, he mentioned a pact. What was that about? Feeling curious, I quietly asked Mom.

“Nothing for you to worry about,” she replied with a false smile.

I’d better not worry about it, I decided.

Some time ago, there had been an incident in which Macho Man had pressed Mom when she’d smiled that way, and I didn’t even want to remember the result of that.

The commander soon informed the fleet captain that we were going to participate, and the captain told us, “If it comes to it, we’ll stop the rocket even by ramming it.”

I don’t think you have to go that far, I thought. If worse comes to worst, I’ll find some way to live with the shame of my humiliating past. Anyhow, any object in space will burn up as it reenters the atmosphere, and even if it does fall, it’s bound to land in the ocean or in the desert. The chances of it landing on a city are negligible. There’s no need to risk your life. If anyone should take responsibility, it’s the Russian Space Force for doing something stupid.

“Well, then, let’s execute the rocket interception operation: ‘Operation Pandora,’” said the commander. “We mustn’t give up hope before it’s over.”

Wait a minute, could there be a big misunderstanding here? That thing isn’t something dangerous. What’s all this about how, “If we fail to intercept it, Earth will...”? It seemed to have become such a big deal, I didn’t feel like I could speak out.

The contents of that thing are just S&M erotic magazines that I didn’t know how to throw away...

**

Fleet Captain, Geoff Auld’s Point of View

Our blue Earth was visible from the bridge.

My granddaughter Mary is on that planet. We absolutely can’t allow this operation to fail. This would never have even happened if those Russian idiots hadn’t broken the Arakawa Pact. If the Russian forces hadn’t become so greedy and touched the Arakawa relic...

I ground my teeth while I thought about it. Just then, a transmission arrived. It had been sent by the United States President, my son, William Auld.

“Commander, your orders are to initiate Operation Pandora,” he declared. “The fate of the Earth is in your hands. Do whatever it takes to complete this mission. Mary is here on Earth. I beg you, Father.”

I answered William’s transmission with a salute.

My stupid son... I know that without you having to tell me. I absolutely won’t allow the rocket to arrive on Earth. The intelligence department reported that the contents are probably a weaponized virus. Whatever happens, it must be shot down while still in space.

I firmed my resolve and confirmed the fleet formation with my intelligence officer.

“At present, there are three destroyers deployed above us, and mother ships carrying spacecraft, two on our left and two on our right.”

“Understood. Stand by in position until I give the order. Have the mother ships be ready to launch their spacecraft immediately.”

Everything was going as planned. For our first real battle, things were going well. All that remained was to wait for something to appear on radar; but for the crew, this was a difficult time because there was nothing they could do.

I’m counting on you. Stay strong and stand by.

“We have a radar response! Target acquired,” the intelligence officer suddenly shouted after twenty minutes had passed.

It’s finally happening. I adjusted myself in my seat and gave my orders. “Launch all spacecraft immediately. Shoot down the target. All remaining ships, prepare to fire a barrage in the event that our attempts to shoot down the target fail.”

After receiving my orders, the spacecraft all began advancing toward the target. I watched the state of the battle using a central screen. The rocket was remarkably good at evading, and things weren’t going well. I was about to give another instruction, but the intelligence officer raised his voice and gave a report.

“A magnetic storm is currently emerging from the sun, preventing contact from being made. We’re currently unable to contact our consort ships or the Earth!”

It seems humankind just isn’t ready to perform organized military operations in space... But if we give up now, that rocket will reach the Earth. I gazed at the screen while thinking of the best course of action. It’s no good. I can’t think of anything, and I’m just wasting time.

Just then, I noticed that a destroyer behind our ship had begun to move forward.

What the hell are they doing?! I gave no instructions. We’re already in the worst possible situation. Don’t go making things worse!

As I turned to face the intelligence officer, we received a report: “We have received an optical transmission from the destroyer Orto: ‘WE’RE HEADING FOR TARGET. FOR THE GLORY OF THE SPACE FORCES.’ I repeat....”

Preposterous! They’re going to self-destruct?!

I sent back an optical signal to stop them, but Orto continued on without hesitating.

I know that this is the only way, but there’s no reason for you to be sacrificed. It should be my responsibility.

Orto was already too far away to be seen, and my gaze shifted to the screen where I could monitor him.

The scene that I saw made me doubt my own vision. A mysterious, gigantic object collided with the rocket! After colliding with an object of that size, the rocket had no doubt been obliterated without a trace. The deployed spacecraft and Orto, which had been heading toward the object, took drastic evasive maneuvers.

“What is that thing?” I asked the intelligence officer.

“Analysis complete. That object is an asteroid. This is... This is terrible! It’s now on a collision course with Earth!”

I’d been thrown into the depths of despair. The space forces currently had no means of stopping an asteroid. Even if of our ships were to ram it, it would have no effect.

I sent out an optical signal urging all ships to withdraw so we could reestablish communications with Earth.

**

Shingo Saito’s Point of View

Soon after the interception operation had begun, we’d lost the ability to contact the fleet. The reason was some kind of magnetic storm. I didn’t really get it, but Megumi kindly explained to me.

Megumi told me that communications couldn’t be sent because of the strong magnetism, and that this was occasionally a cause for artificial satellites to break down. I listened gratefully, and Megumi asked curiously about the contents carried inside the rocket.

“Shin, what do you think is really inside there?”

I told her I had no idea what the contents were, either, and she took my hand and said, “Well, let’s just hope things go okay.”

My heart raced as I squeezed her hand in response and thought to myself, Everyone is saying it contains a weaponized virus or devastating bomb, but I think Kouki is too gentle a person to make such things. I wonder if it contains some kind of diary or something similar that he doesn’t want people to see.

While I was thinking to myself, someone from the observation team came running out. He was busy saying something to Arakawa’s mom.

I tried listening and heard him say, “The asteroid has changed course and is approaching Earth. At this rate it will collide with Earth.”

Now what? I didn’t understand much about space, but I knew enough to know that this was a serious situation.

“Don’t we have people and equipment that can travel to the asteroid and destroy it or change its course?” I asked Arakawa’s mom, and she replied with a troubled look.

“This probably happened because two asteroids collided, but there’s no way to do what you’re suggesting. I had predicted that it wouldn’t collide with us, or if it did, it would be far in the future. Either way, there’s nothing we can do right now. If we had a large number of robots at our disposal that were each capable of carrying out a programmed task, that would change the situation, but we have to do something with what we have on hand.”

Arakawa’s mom was busy, so she walked away as soon as she’d finished speaking.

Standalone robots... I do have an idea about that, I realized.

Megumi tugged my sleeve and said, “Do you think those little ones could do something?”

Megumi had had the same idea as me. But if we did that, Chabane and his assistants would die.

I thought hard about it, but I couldn’t think of any other ideas. I turned to everyone and said, “I can prepare a large number of robots that work independently.”

Arakawa’s mom and the development division heard what I’d said and asked me for more details. I told them how I’d developed Chabane. I told them that he was installed with high-grade AI and could make his own decisions to some extent. I told them he could repeatedly self-replicate until we had the number of units we needed.

Everyone began to act immediately. We asked the self-defense forces and the United Nation forces to prepare missile boosters that Chabane and his assistants could be loaded onto, and to prepare explosives that could be placed on the asteroid to change its course.

Someone was about to head off to fetch the main Chabane, but I told him, “He can get here by himself.”

His eyes widened, and he smiled a little.

**

Three hours later, we were on a rocket launchpad of the megafloat. Before my eyes were enough Chabanes to cover the entire sky.

I’m sure I told him not to replicate more than necessary. Just how many are there now? I thought to myself as one out of the many descending Chabanes walked toward me.

“Master, sorry to have kept you waiting. After some additional replication, I have assembled 2,613 units.”

“Buh hee?! You can talk now?” I asked Chabane in surprise.

He replied full of confidence. “Of course! We were created by our genius master. If we weren’t able to talk, it would be an insult to our master’s name.” Then he hugged me.

Chabane seemed so happy as he hugged me, but I had no choice but to ask for something awful from him: “Go to the asteroid and change its course, but you won’t be able to return.” There was no way I could say that to him!!

I hung my head, unable to stop the flow of tears, and Chabane said, “We intercepted a transmission on the way here. We understand the situation. Master... we were created to be of service to you. So please, see us off with a smile.”

I couldn’t hold back the tears anymore. “I’m sorry! I’m so sorry! Relying on you is our only option.” I told him that while crying, and Chabane remained silent while stroking my hair.

The booster of each Chabane was lit as soon as they finished preparing, and they were launched into space.

Finally, the remaining original Chabane turned to face me.

“I have one request. A copy of our AI and the improvements we’ve achieved are recorded on this card. As long as you have this, you can make us again.”

With that, he handed me a memory card.

Even using this, I can’t recreate the same Chabane. Chabane himself must know that. He’s just saying it to stop me from crying. It’s no use! I’ll definitely cry, so it’s no use. Just for these final moments, I’ll see him off with a smile.

I did all I could to hold back the tears and smiled as we parted. “Take care of yourself, Chabane...”

“I’ll see you soon, Master.”

With that, Chabane jumped up and left. Even after I couldn’t see him any longer, I couldn’t take my eyes off the sky.

Megumi hugged me.

Unable to resist any longer, I began to cry.

“I’m sure the little ones will think of something,” Megumi said to console me as she began to cry just like me.

“We’ve reestablished communications with the United Nations Space Force. The content of their transmission is, ‘What are those objects flying from Earth toward the asteroid?’ How should we respond?”

“Tell them, ‘Our friends are heading there to resolve the situation.’” Arakawa’s mom gave her instructions to the person sending the transmission.

Friends... Chabane certainly was my precious friend... He might be heading out into space, but that doesn’t change the fact that he’ll always be my precious friend.

We returned to the interior of the float and waited for the results. Then a report arrived.

“We have detected explosions on the exterior and in the interior of the asteroid. The asteroid is leaving the collision course!”

The Chabanes’ work was a success.

Thank you, thank you so much. I began to cry again; not from sadness this time, but from gratitude.

Several hundred years later, humanity would engage in a full-blown exploration of space and would discover an unknown form of intelligent life on a certain asteroid.

That life form had already been forgotten. It was an incredibly friendly life form that spoke the Japanese language of Earth and addressed humankind as “Master.”

A mechanical life form known as the automata.