Yuren sat at his desk in the battalion's office, quietly thinking as the clock ticked away. He couldn't shake the conversation with Garra.
The thought of having to execute an android was sickening after he had spent time getting to know some of them. It felt wrong.
He had no choice. There was no other way.
Garra's words echoed in his head.
It scared him; he had no idea what to expect if one of them turned into a machine lifeform he was equally ignorant of. It was the first time he heard of such a thing.
Yuren took a deep breath.
He decided he'd ask around. Perhaps someone would know more and shed some light on the matter.
"What's the matter cap'n?" Kuno asked, "You've been brooding since the meeting."
"Ah... sorry, I was thinking." He shook his head.
"About what?" Kuno tilted his head.
"Do you know anything about the black-out zones?"
"Oh... were going to one of those huh?" Kuno looked away.
"You know what I'm talking about, don't you?" Yuren guessed.
"Of course she does. We all do." Bei entered the room.
"Bei?" Yuren was surprised, "You're here too?"
"Why wouldn't I be?" She asked. "This is my office too, I'm your secretary."
"R-right, sorry." Yuren apologized.
"So what's this about black-out zones? We were wondering when the 701st was sent back to one." Bei wondered.
"I was asking Kuno, but I suppose you could explain too." Yuren said.
Bei cupped her chin in thought, "Well, let's see... how can I explain it to you..."
"The black-out zones are areas where the air is saturated with dense residual resonance. They are dangerous to humans, and most machines. Any technology will become disabled and unresponsive," Kuno answered.
"Right, that's what the briefing was about." Yuren nodded.
"But there's a lot more to it than that. machine-like lifeforms seem to only populate in these areas and we're not sure where they come from. There's no sign of them before they appear in these places, and they all have the ability to generate and spread the energy. I've heard of special humans that are capable of manipulating the energy in the same way...." Bei added.
"What do the lifeforms look like?" Yuren asked.
"They vary in all shapes and sizes. But they always have the same core features; glowing red cores, black and white armor on their bodies, and their eyes glow yellow when they spot a human. The ones I've encountered the most were small and spider-like, but there's no telling what's lurking out there at any given moment." Bei responded.
"Spider-like? That sounds a bit cliché." Yuren remarked.
"There's these big boys we call Viper-Dogs that sound like a dog's bark, but look like a big snake. It's hard to describe what you can't clearly see." Bei shrugged.
"That's... a little disturbing." Yuren shivered.
"Or the lamias with their giant claws and thrusters, it's terrifying." Kuno shuddered.
"Lamia? A snake-woman?" Yuren was curious.
"Something like that." Kuno nodded.
"Just what we call them since they're sort of similar, I guess. They have no official name." Bei explained.
"What about the ones you call spiders, they have names?" Yuren was surprised.
"Nothing, just B-Types. Just annoying chihuahua-sized cling and explode bastards." Kuno shook her head.
"Cling and explode?!" Yuren was shocked.
"Yeah, that's all they do." Kuno answered.
"But what's their goal? I'm not sure I understand why these things are so hostile to humans. Are they the result of some failed military experiment gone awry?" Yuren questioned.
"We'd have a solution if that was the case. They're just weird and scary. There's no telling where they come from or what their purpose is." Bei replied.
"They just form of the air in black-out zones and attack any life they encounter." Kuno shrugged.
"You... you said that very nonchalantly..." Yuren remarked.
"That's just how it is. They appear and we just have to deal with it." Bei stated.
"What do the 701st and androids in general do when a black-out zone forms?" Yuren asked.
"We hunt down and destroy the sources of the energy until the zone collapses and fades." Bei replied.
"The sources are usually somewhere near the center. But the density makes it hard to pinpoint and find." Kuno added.
"How did you figure out the source was the problem in the first place?" Yuren questioned.
"That's your job." Bei answered.
"M-my job?! How is that my job?!"
"Well, you are the commander."
"B-but... you're the android unit. Why can't you tell me the information yourself?"
"How can we figure it out with only basic functions? Listen Mr. High Factor Man, you gotta sense for it. Sniff it out and be extending your resonance like a bloodhound." Kuno chuckled.
"Resonance detection isn't something I can control! It's a passive thing, I can't just turn it on and off." Yuren cried.
"Then how the hell did you pass the resonance evaluation tests for the NUWA implant?" Bei demanded.
"I don't know, I just told them everything I felt was in the test zone..." Yuren scratched his head.
Bei and Kuno looked at each other before giving him a strange stare.
"That's resonance detection!" Bei exclaimed.
"Wait, wait, wait, you're saying you felt what was in the test zone?" Kuno inquired.
"Isn't that just the basics?" Yuren was confused.
Bei and Kuno huddled together to whisper to each other.
"Alright Bei, what's going on here? You telling me the cap'n was able to do something like that? That's like a calamity class Y-Type's ability." Kuno whispered.
"Do you think our commander might be an Exalted?" Bei whispered.
"Isn't there only like... three of those alive? And isn't the cap'n non-royalty? That's not something a guy can have." Kuno shook her head.
"Are the Exalted even normal humans to begin with? Whose to say a non-royal Exalted can't exist." Bei countered.
"That's..." Kuno glanced at Yuren. "You might be right."
"You can't just talk about me like I'm not here!" Yuren growled.
"Shh!" Bei waved her hand. "Girls talk."
Yuren sighed and leaned in his chair, wondering what they were whispering about.
"How can we find out? I don't think the Vice Minister will tell us..." Bei whispered.
"There is one way." Kuno grinned mischievously.
"Oh no..." Bei looked away.
"Oh yes..." Kuno smirked.
"Stop it. You can't be doing weird things to the Commander." Bei warned.
"Why not?" Kuno whined. "There's no rules against it. Besides it's the easiest way, by feeling his resonance with our body. I'll gladly be the one to find out if he's an exalted or not."
"Kuno…" Bei growled.
"What's the matter Bei, I'm sure you're just as curious as I am." Kuno grinned.
"That's...!" Bei looked away.
"Come now, just imagine him pushing you down on his bed and thrashing you. Making you moan and cry as he pleases. Wouldn't you want that? I'm sure a girl like you is dying to know why humans love doing it so much." Kuno giggled.
"Shut up!" Bei blushed.
"What are you two even talking about?" Yuren was annoyed.
"Sex." Kuno bluntly stated.
"Wha?!" Yuren was taken aback.
"You're the worst, I can't believe you." Bei groaned.
"Oh..." Jia sighed, standing in the doorway, "So you're not having a meeting..."
"Jia! My lovely superior!" Kuno chirped, "We're just having a quick discussion. Don't worry, we'll get back to business soon."
"Uh-huh, sure. Get your ass to the armory and check your equipment. If you aren't there in five minutes, you're dead." Jia growled.
"Yes Ma'am!" Kuno saluted sharply before quickly leaving the room, Bei following her out.
Jia walked over to the desk and leaned against it. "Commander, you need to put your foot down or else there's going to be an incident." She was smiling, but her tone was menacing.
"I-I wasn't doing anything..." Yuren looked away.
"That's exactly why!" Jia pointed at him, "You're giving them the impression that they can do as they please."
"I..." Yuren couldn't refute her, especially not after last night with Eri. He hung his head in shame and guilt.
"I hoped you'd be a little like our previous commanders at least." Jia sighed, "Maybe it's dangerous you see them as women..."
"They are women, aren't they?" Yuren was confused.
"Yes. Of course... by appearance and mannerisms. But these are highly efficient weapon systems given an appearance that wouldn't disturb the public and primary enlisted forces." Jia explained.
"Why the feminine design at all then?" Yuren questioned.
"It is believed that a unit with a more human appearance would better serve and understand the needs of its human operator, and the public." Jia answered.
"So... they're still women?" Yuren was unconvinced.
"No, they're androids. Artificial humans." Jia corrected.
"Android women then?" Yuren shrugged.
"Commander, they are weapons."
Yuren stared at her quietly.
"Don't say it!" Jia shouted.
"Say what?"
"That they are women!"
"But they are..."
"No, no, no. You can't have this line of thinking."
Yuren leaned back and put his hands together. "They have boobs and a vagina, they are women."
"What does that even have to do with anything?! Their appearance is designed to not make you uncomfortable." Jia argued.
"True, it makes me very comfortable." Yuren stated.
"Oh this is hopeless!" Jia threw her hands up in the air.
"The Vice Minister told me not to treat you all like machines so I'm going to just treat you as people." Yuren explained.
"The Vice minis- I should've known..." Jia face-palmed.
"Look, I firmly believe that it's not right to treat anyone like a thing. Not you, not her, not them, no one. The fact that they're androids doesn't change how I feel. Even if it was just me and you here, I would've made the same decision." Yuren stated.
"Why? Because they're beautiful?" Jia crossed her arms.
"Huh? They look like people, act like normal people, talk and laugh like normal people. Treating them otherwise would make me a terrible person. I don't care if they're weapons or androids or whatever, treating someone with dignity and respect is the most basic thing to do." Yuren answered.
"This is a disaster..." Jia muttered. "You're a good person, Commander. I'll admit that much. But this is a huge mistake, and you're going to have to face the consequences eventually."
"I've already decided. If I'm wrong, then so be it."
"Yuren," Jia terminated all communication links, "I know what you are, and why she sent you here."
Yuren was taken aback by the sudden shift in her demeanor.
"Jia...?"
"An high resonance individual like you is no different from the machine lifeforms we fight. You have just as much a chance of assimilating the energy into an android's core and causing it to transmutate into something else." Jia explained, "On paper you are on the level as high-class meteorn. Your are an extremely dangerous resonance source."
"Wait a minute? Me?" Yuren was shocked, "Are you telling me I'm supposed to be a weapon?!"
"That's why the Vice Minister put you here, to maximize the power of the androids she created with your resonance as a energy source for us." Jia explained.
"Energy source? That doesn't make any sense. I have no idea how to control my resonance." Yuren argued.
"You don't have to lie to me. I saw how you used it against Masie. Your ability is strong enough to control and manipulate the ambient energy around us." Jia retorted. "And you did the exact same thing to the Republic's assault mechs during the siege of East Toador. The Ministry's administration know everything already, and people like you are called Exalted."
Yuren was silent. He couldn't deny he was capable of using his resonance. But extremely dangerous? Him? He didn't understand.
"Jia, why is this the first time I'm hearing of these things?"
"It was decided you didn't need to know, but I'm telling out of caution to prevent something happening to one of the androids with you as the cause. The Exalted have an ability similar to the machine lifeforms, the complete control over resonance."
"So the black-out zones really are caused by people?"
"Not a single human has ever set foot in those places. They are hives for the machine lifeforms and their ability to use and manipulate resonance. But Exalted like yourself can cause the same kind of thing when their abilities are left unchecked. Only few remain because humans ignorantly forced the use of this power without understanding it's risks."
"Jia, I-"
"So do not take your relationship with androids lightly. You can kill them more easily as they can kill you." Jia cut him off.
Yuren sat there quietly, thinking over what he had been told.
"I'm sorry for saying all this so abruptly, but you had to hear it. I'll be preparing the battalion for deployment." Jia nodded and left the room.
He was unsure of himself. He had no idea how he could be considered dangerous, and the revelation about Exalted was something he had never heard of.
A lot of information was thrown at him, and he didn't know where to start. But Jia had made it clear that the 701st was not invincible. They were as vulnerable to his resonance as they were to the machine lifeforms.
If the situation was dangerous before, it was worse than he had expected. He let out a long sigh. Maybe it was best to address it with the Vice Minister herself. Yuren hesitantly picked up the phone and dialed her number.
It rang.
And rang.
"Yuren, is there an issue?" A tired voice picked up.
"Vice Minister, I have a few questions I'd like to ask. Are you free?" Yuren requested.
"Not really. But I time to answer a few questions, something must be bothering you if you're calling me directly." Amalia sighed.
"Well, yes." Yuren scratched his head.
"So, what's bothering you the most?"
"The black-out zones. What are they, and what causes them?" The young commander started.
"A black-out zone is a region with high levels of residual resonance. It's a phenomenon created by the machine lifeforms, specificaly Y-Types." The Vice Minister explained.
"Then... what about the Exalted?" He asked.
"Who told you that word?!" Amalia exclaimed.
"Jia... she said I was one." Yuren admitted.
"Damn it... what I'm about to tell you is extremely sensitive information that strictly stays between you and me, understand? Very few know about this, and it must not leave your mind."
"I understand."
"The machine lifeforms are called Meteorn, and the Exalted came from the near-apocalypse event two hundred years ago. You are not a human by blood, but you are a human born from a resonance anomaly. And a powerful one at that." Amalia explained.
"Meteorn..." Yuren muttered. "I'm... I'm not even human...?"
"By the nature of your formation you are close to a Meteorn, one with a human-like organic body and consciousness. That is what an Exalted theorized to be. As for the androids under your care, they are created from cores recovered from Meteorns from category 5 or higher zones." She continued.
"What?!" Yuren nearly dropped the phone.
"Yes. Your androids are essentially reborn Meteorn, and they need same kind hierarchy they had before. That's why you are necessary to control them." Amalia sighed.
"H-hierarchy...?" Yuren stammered.
"Yes. Meteorn have a hierarchy, one very strong one controls and organizes the rest. A system that maintains balance and order. And your job is to be that leader." Amalia explained. "Since you are a natural born resonance entity, we don't know how the meteorn may react to you once you enter the black-out zone... but we need you to suppress and clear the energy zone."
"Wait a minute. You're asking me to do what?!" Yuren cried.
"Just use your ability to suppress the ambient energy, and the black-out zone will clear up." Amalia replied.
"B-but I have no idea how to do something like that!"
"You'll figure it out. It should come second nature to you. And one more thing..."
"What now...?"
"It was entirely my intention for you to mingle with the androids, transmutation is the exactly goal of this. I want them to become low class Meteorn, it will make them far stronger."
"Are you serious?! I thought I was supposed to be preventing this!"
"An assumption of yours. But the reality is I'm using you to in an attempt to make domesticated Meteorn." Amalia confessed.
"You're what?!!" Yuren couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"Try and see it from my perspective. Meteorn are an unknown force that appeared and have the power to wipe out our species, and the only effective way to counter them is with the energy they produce. Why wouldn't I want to study and understand the source?" Amalia defended. "Through artificial means, we have given few humans the ability to induct resonance with an implant, but only at a low level. This is the closest we've gotten to understanding the energy, but it isn't enough. We can't make progress in a vacuum, and we are just not compatible with the energy. It will kill the user at levels where it can be effective."
"I... I need to think..." Yuren was conflicted.
"Remember, this is strictly confidential information. You are not allowed under any means to repeat what I have told you. Is that understood?" The Vice Minister warned.
"Y-yes Ma'am." Yuren was shaking.
"Good. Then I'll take my leave. Oh, and I'll straighten out Jia." She hung up.
Yuren's hands shook; he could hardly grasp what he had been told. His head spun, and he felt sick. It was a lot to take in, and his world was turned upside down. He wanted to throw up, and his mind was a mess.
The power in the office flickered, and he could feel his resonance fluctuating. He took a deep breath. This was too much. He had no idea what to do or what to believe, but he had a feeling he was being taken advantage of.
The power flickered again, and the lights dimmed momentarily. He had to calm down, or he'd lose control and destroy the place.
Yuren focused on his breathing and tried to relax. He closed his eyes and concentrated, trying to push back the anger and shock.
A gentle hand touched his shoulder, and the rage subsided.
"Yuren..."
Yuren slowly opened his eyes; the lights felt too bright, and his head ached.
"Yuren."
Whose voice was it?
He recognized the gentle warmth and scent, but he couldn't focus enough to identify her.
"Yuren get a hold of yourself."
A small smack hit his cheek, and he looked at the blurry girl in front of him.
"Lina?" Yuren rubbed his face.
Lina and Eri were both looking at him, worried.
"Lina! When did you get back?!" Yuren was surprised.
"We have a mission, I got back a moment ago." Lina answered, "And you're clearly not okay."
"Resonance spikes." Eri added.
"My what?" Yuren asked.
"Apparently your resonance was starting to condensed, Eri sent me an alert. How she was able to feel that is a mystery." Lina explained.
"Connected." Eri answered.
"Connected? By what?" Yuren was confused.
"I don't know what she means, you know she only speaks in few words..." Lina sighed.
Yuren thought of one thing that it possibly meant, but he'd rather not tell Lina he did that with Eri.
"Are you alright now?" Lina asked.
"Yeah... I'm fine, I think."
"Good. We're good to deploy to the black-out zone. The route there is clear." Lina nodded.
"Oh... right. We're going there..." Yuren sighed.
"I know it's dangerous, but this is something only the 701st is suited for. I promise I'll do everything I can to keep you safe, so please trust me." Lina smiled.
"Eri stronger." Eri puffed her chest out.
"Eri... you're not stronger than a HEXA model." Lina sighed.
"Got stronger. Check record." Eri stated.
"Yes, yes, your the best sniper I've seen. I'll admit that much." Lina patted her head.
"No. Eri strongest now."
"That's not true and you know it. Your still the weakest here."
"Check record."
"I did, you're not stronger. In fact you're still the same, maybe weaker."
"Check record."
"There's no point, we have the same information."
"Check. Record."
"I am not-"
"Check record now." Eri demanded, her vermilion eyes glowed slightly.
"F-fine..." Lina sighed and accessed the database on the battalion's units. Her eyes widened. "W-what the hell? How? Since When?!"
A smug grin appeared on Eri's face.
"How did this happen?!"
"Eri stronger. Told you." Eri chuckled.
"But the 701st's power limiters were put in place specifically to prevent this from happening."
Lina looked at Yuren and then back at Eri. "Connected huh?" She eyed her suspiciously.
Eri gave a sly smile.
"What did you do?" Lina demanded.
"Eri wins." The dark-haired girl sauntered out of the office, leaving Yuren and Lina alone.
"W-what the hell happened while I was away...?" Lina muttered.
"L-look, you shouldn't worry too much about it." Yuren tried to reassure her.
"What did you two do?"
"I'm... not sure I can explain that..." Yuren looked away. "The specifics of the matter is strict confidential material..."
Lina glared at him, her emerald green eyes staring intensely into his.
"I seriously can't tell you, the Vice Minister will kill me!"
"Then redact the details, just give me a brief summary."
Yuren wiped the sweat off his brow. "I don't know how to explain it that way..."
"Super suspicious, this isn't over." Lina huffed, "But we have a mission, and you're already on thin ice with me. So we're going to talk about this later, understood?"
"Yes Ma'am..." Yuren nodded.
"Good, now go and prep the girls, the deployment orders have already been made." Lina commanded.
"Right away, ma'am." Yuren saluted and left the room.
Lina stared at the door as he walked out, unsure of what she should do.
It wasn't her place to ask about the commander's life, and she had no authority over his decisions.
She sighed; she could only hope for the best.