Living with Memory of Steel (Part 2)

by Masahiko Kimoto

  Some people occupied technology. They acted as if having a perfect command of science technology was a privilege for upper class people. The other people were looked down and treated like slaves of technology. Every slave had to kneel down in front of technology, in other word, MoSE.

  Of course, Reji was one of the slaves.

  Akari wasn't. She wasn't a slave but one of the owners. Reji thought she might had left since she realized it. There was no way he could find out what her true intention was, but if that was the case, it was her choice. She figured out what she had to do and belong to. It was good in its own way.

  It didn't matter that her path wasn't the same as Reji's.

  At least, her behavior was better than Reji who didn't even get to choose his path.

  He understood. He felt like he had made decisions, but in fact he hadn't made any decisions.

  I was going to do it. I wanted to do it. I was looking for it. I was choosing my path. Such thing was useless. Once you made up your mind you need to follow through it.

  Reji dragged out the motorbike and hopped on the bloody seat and started the engine. It only worked 80% of its full capacity, but it was fine. The token of Akimichi, the linear boost seemed well.

  He wanted to kill A-B-A-H-S!

  This wasn't for the avenge. If he didn't bring down the symbol of technology, everyone wouldn't be able to receive the equal benefits of technology.

  He wanted to cut down A-B-A-H-S for himself and also for other people.

  "I will fight for that, and I can fight for that!"

  Reji turned his motorbike to A-B-A-H-S.

  The central control room of the dome understood what had been going on to the both side of the parties. At this close distance, the most useful information was reports from the Riot Police members and their short distance sensors. The plan was to collect their force to the area where most of the Earthlight members were.

  Seven mass production model A-B-A-H-S were also affecting the situation. The young navigators weren't trained for any fighting, but the enormous power and performance functions of A-B-A-H-S were more than enough to destroy the enemies. The mass production model sounded like an inferior model, but in fact it was completely a better version of the first model. It was true that they were compact and highly functional.

  The first model A-B-A-H-S, on the other hand, causes problems. It jumped into the fight out of the blue and went on a rampage, ignoring any instruction of the Riot Police leaders. The Riot Police members might have also got killed with a wrong move. The only instruction that they could give was to ask them to support A-B-A-H-S from some distance.

  Then, A-B-A-H-S broke down a pillar of the dome. No one knew what had been happening anymore. The officials at the control room put the priority on taking the participants to a safe place. The Riot Police was sent to protect them from Earthlight.

  Akari also knew every movement of the chaos.

  A-B-A-H-S killed Sekiba and massacred Earthlight. At this point, the driving force of the woman, Akari Nakazato would be unstoppable hatred.

  "I wonder if he knew this would happen. Or... did he plan for this?"

  If his death was a part of his scenario, it might have been his way of taking the responsibility.

  "But, I don't think he can get away from it by killing himself....Maybe he knew that, too. He wouldn't be forgiven by taking his life."

  So, he left other possibility to Akari.

  "If that's the case. This is when I should go."

  Akari put on a psy-connect adapter.

  Start the 3rd-G psy-connect. The movement and the speed are good. No problem with the output. Activate.

  The last mass production A-B-A-H-S at the deck became activated. This was made in an especially humanly figure compared to other improved models, and a compilation of Sekiba's techniques.

  The model raised its arm and takes a step, and another one.

  The light of the room lit up the female face, which somehow looked like Akari.

  The last legacy of Sekiba was an Alternative Human Shape Device that was based on the body of Akari Nakazato seven years ago.

  A-B-A-H-S kept on knocking down Earthlight members, while running. Reji was on a bike, following it from behind. The number of victims would continue to increase if he didn't do anything. However, all he had was a rifle and a gun. They wouldn't be enough to kill A-B-A-H-S.

  A grenade from Earthlight exploded and stopped A-B-A-H-S. The Riot Police members caught the moment and took an action. Two wagons closed a road and started firing guns at A-B-A-H-S from the windows. Reji stopped his motorbike in front of the wagon.

  After several seconds of shooting, the smoke of the grenades began to fade away. Among the flowing white smoke, A-B-A-H-S appeared unscathed.

  A-B-A-H-S jumped to kick the wagon. Using the force of the car falling, it took a big leap to face next target.

  A man crawled out from the fallen wagon.

  "Please give me that."

  Reji took his weapon.

  "P, please...help."

  "Whatever. You'll be fine as long as you can move. Leave the weapons."

  All the confiscated weapons were linear guns. One hand bazooka and three Ingram style machine guns. Reji inserted two Valleta style guns to the both side of his belt. He took several magazines and changed them with his simulated bullets.

  Reji picked up his bike and went around the fallen wagon to follow A-B-A-H-S.

  There was correspondence coming out from the intercom. Instructions were still sent from the top officials despite the fact some of them had already died. Morihara couldn't put up with the chaotic situation and started giving orders to each small troop. He knew it exceeded his authority. Break into four groups. One went to protect the participants of the event as they were instructed from top officials. Other group was sent to clean up the mess that A-B-A-H-S made by picking up corpses and wounded members of Earthlight. Another group was given an order to backup A-B-A-H-S. The last troop was ordered to control Earthlight force outside the combat zone of A-B-A-H-S.

  Reji ignored all the correspondence and speeded up his bike.

  A-B-A-H-S was fighting 20 meters away. A-B-A-H-S was obviously winning, but Earthlight kept sending their members. This turned out to become a dogfight.

  Reji jumped into the fight scene, firing his machine gun.

  He muscled in between A-B-A-H-S and Earthlight and ran through next to A-B-A-H-S. Reji turned around to fire a hand bazooka. It was dodged by A-B-A-H-S. Another try. Hit!

  However, A-B-A-H-S was standing with clenching his fists. It crashed a bullet of a bazooka.

  A-B-A-H-S counterattacked, shooting a linear rifle from side to side. Reji tilted his motorbike to dodge.

  Was a middle distance fight against him? He didn't believe that he could win at a combat fight. If that's the case...it might be better to attack and leave.

  Reji speeded up the motorbike and shot several times with his machine gun. A-B-A-H-S protected all the bullets with its arm. Reji approached A-B-A-H-S, pulled out his gun and fired all the bullets from almost zero distance. The slide went down and the hand of A-B-A-H-S reached out to the motorbike.

  Reji put a linear drive on. The magnetic pulse by the movement of A-B-A-H-S blew off the motorbike. The distance between them became significant.

  This might work!

  He controlled the position of his motorbike, replaced Magazine of the gun and held his machine gun.

  Giving diversionary attack for a wide range, Reji approached on his motorbike. He shot and backed away with the linear magnet.

  However, it didn't repel.

  A-B-A-H-S cut off the drive system.

  The motorbike lost the balance. A-B-A-H-S reactivated the drive system, grabbed the back wheel of the motorbike with the left hand and swung the right fist.

  Reji tried to hold his gun, but it was too late.

  He was about to get killed.

  Then, a white shadow came between them.

  Its
body was while and thin.

  The human shaped robot landed from the sky silently, wearing a white thin cloth.

  It held the arm of A-B-A-H-S and put its hand on the motorbike.

  It was female. It was while and had a shape of a beautiful woman. She smiled at Reji who was holding a gun.

  She turned around in the air and kicked the chest of A-B-A-H-S and the body of motorbike.

  The motorbike rolled backward.

  Voice came from his intercom on the ground.

  "Please stop. You can't fight it."

  It was voice of Akari. He looked up to find a white lady, which turned out to have a body that was similar to A-B-A-H-S in clothes.

  "Please leave here."

  "I, I, I want to kill A-B-A-H-S. That's my, my."

  "Don't say things that you won't be able to do. Only capable people can work hard to achieve their goals. No matter how hard you try, there are things you can never do. You've done so well. No one would blame you or look down on you."

  "Look down on ....me?"

  "Yeah, that's right. I appreciate your efforts, but you don't have to push it harder. It doesn't matter. You can leave the rest to those who have talent and technology for it. So, you should leave."

  The white body of Akari start walking to A-B-A-H-S. A-B-A-H-S stepped back, lowered its body and took a big leap with a thruster to run away toward the dome. Akari jumped to follow A-B-A-H-S. The way her white cloth swaying in the breeze seemed like a spirit.

  "You're doing nothing but looking down on me!"

  Reji smashed its fist on the ground.

  --- Mum! Akari Nakazato! Please stop! What you're doing is worthless.

  --- You....you must be Akari. Are you also getting in my way?

  --- I'm not getting in your way. I'm saying what you're doing is senseless.

  --- It's been seven years! I can't get my body after waiting for seven years!

  --- So, are you going to kill people? Are you going to destroy everything?

  --- It that a bad thing to demolish the damned cause?

  --- The world doesn't revolve around you.

  --- My body is more precious than theirs. If I get my body and start working, I can be several times more productive than them.

  --- You are blind. Look at my body! This is what Toshihiro Sekiba left you. This is a new body for you!

  --- .......No, that's not what I want.

  ?HBN$,M_$7$$$N!)

  --- Is that my body? Do you want my body that has genes of Kenji Sannomiya and Akari Nakazato?

  --- Sannomiya? What are you talking about?

  --- That's what dad told me. I'm a child between you and Sannomiya.

  --- Even if that's the case, it doesn't change the thing that I want.

  JQ$o$i$J$$$8$c$J$$!#

  --- It's the same as a kid weeping because she didn't get what she wanted.

  --- It's not the same. I'm not the same as a powerless child who can do nothing but cry. I'm entitled to get what I want. I have the power to do it. I've been doing things that deserve it. My body, or your body was supposed to be the exchange."

  --- You don't understand what dad was feeling!

  --- I wouldn't understand feelings that aren't articulated.

  Reji looked up the white body with Akari's voice and A-B-A-H-S on top of the dome.

  Then, he realized.

  5;H$C$?F0$-$@!#$7$+$7%j%K%"%I%i%$%V$O%l!%s$,$J$1$l$P;H$($J$$$O$:$G$"$k!#

  A-B-A-H-S wasn't working like usual. It was using the linear drive of the feet. However, the linear drive system shouldn't be available without lanes.

  Then, an idea hit Reji. The ceiling of the bay dome was supported by the repellent force of the linear module. A-B-A-H-S was using the linear drive by the module.

  If that was the case...

  Reji picked up the rolled over motorbike. It still worked. He thanked Akimichi. The speed of the linear boost would be useful.

  It seemed like Reji went around the dome, following A-B-A-H-S. The pillow was bent by the crash of the wagon and reached to the ceiling of the dome. He should be able to jump over it with this angle.

  He put on the supplementary reinforcing helmet and adjusted the armor. His left hand was fixated onto the handle with a first aid tape. The spinning sound of the motor was echoing under the sheet.

  There were only 20 meters to run before flying off. It wasn't quite enough, but Reji couldn't give up here.

  The motorbike speeded up. 10 meters to the pillar...5 meters....2 meters... Reji lifted up the front wheel. He's on it!

  He ran up the tilted pillar.

  His motorbike was on the dome.

  Position control and the linear drive turned on.

  He changed the system to negative mode for a moment to get the motorbike drawn to the linear module of the ceiling.

  It turned to the normal, and the motorbike climbed to the ceiling.

  Reji saw A-B-A-H-S and Akari. The linear drive was on full.

  "A--B--A--H--S!"

  Akari's voice came to the intercom.

  "Reji-kun! I told you to back off!"

  "I can't!"

  He held a bazooka and shot. The bullet exploded in front of A-B-A-H-S and scattered charged particles. The numerous particles became black mist and stopped the movement of A-B-A-H-S.

  The motorbike speeded up by the acceleration of the linear. Reji broke through the mist and hit the nose of the motorbike against the stomach of A-B-A-H-S. A-B-A-H-S struggled to push away the motorbike.

  "Faaaaaaaaall!"

  The linear boost got activated. All the output energy was sent to the boost.

  They were falling together faster along the descending shape of the dome. The friction between the body of A-B-A-H-S and the ceiling caused spark. The vehicle moved up and down a little every time it went through the mesh of the ceiling. The rhythm went faster and faster.

  A-B-A-H-S reached out to Reji, crawling up to him slowly with its nails against the front part of the motorbike.

  Reji grabbed a gun with a right hand and fired all the bullets, aiming A-B-A-H-S by the joint of an arm. He threw away the empty gun and took out another one. All the bullets were again hit the joint, leaving his arm limp.

  The ceiling and the air was moving backward. The surrounding scenery melt into the dark like ink and leaving backward.

  Akari was running next to A-B-A-H-S, reaching out her hand desperately.

  Mum! Leave the body! You should move your psy-connected mind to this body! Otherwise...!

  ------......!

  They went over the edge of the ceiling. A-B-A-H-S and the motorbike were thrown into the air together.

  Akari followed after them. Her hand reached out to grab the wrist of A-B-A-H-S, but she got blown away along a parabolic path and let go of the hand.

  The motorbike fell to the ground on top of A-B-A-H-S.

  Reji jumped out from the seat by the shock of the landing. The fixated left arm got twisted. His body ripped off the tape and got thrown onto the asphalt on the ground.

  Akari landed to a distant spot.

  Small spark and smoke was coming out from the half broken body of A-B-A-H-S. It completely got deactivated.

  The motorbike that was stuck on the body of A-B-A-H-S seemed like a grave marker.

  Epilogue

  The Riot Police has decided to fortify their troop formation after the UniverSoc attack by Earthlight. However, it became forbidden to use A-B-A-H-S for combat for a while. Officially it was announced that Agency of Science, Industry and Technology requested the Riot Police to stop using it, but it was clear that it was due to the fact that A-B-A-H-S killed Dr. Sekiba in public.

  They made the troops became more competitive by adding more normal soldiers to make up for the loss of A-B-A-H-S. Their strategy has changed from using the members like disposals to educating more experts. As a result, many of the members were released. Some of them went back to Earthlight. It was up to them which path they would like to take. If they ever had chance to fight
against the Riot Police, they wouldn't get off that easy like last time. It would be way worse than being taken as prisoners. The balance of the game wasn't the same. Morihara was asked if he would like to continue teaching at the training school or to go back to the combat job. His choice was the combat work. It was obvious that his position as an instructor at the school would increase, but he wanted to fight.

  ===

  The UniverSoc was held with a shorter period and a smaller scale after the incident. They have decided to put off introducing seven subjects of Diversity Screening and the mass production Instead of A-B-A-H-S. The introduction show wasn't that elaborate, but the combat scene before the show was more than enough to demonstrate their power. Still, it was accepted along with changes among army related matters.

  Officials from several different countries made unofficial contacts regarding the possibilities of using A-B-A-H-S for military purpose. On the other hand, a number of people from various country background criticized the combat force of the robot. In order to settle them down, it was necessary for ASIT to announce that they are going to use A-B-A-H-S for peace.

  The UniverSoc closed with possibly an ironic speech that is "Japan is very fast on deployment of new technologies. They proved this with the best demonstration".

  Earthlight was almost destroyed, but it didn't take long to get revived.

  A government party like Earthlight existed as a part of society. There were endless of people who joined the organization. The power balance has changed. Earthlight would stay low as a violent activist. It'd take years to appear in public in a different style.

  The leader of the group is going to be, what everyone calls Junrock, Junichiro Rokugo, but this is another story in the future.

  *****

  Two weeks after the incident, Reji went back to his high school life.

  Every morning, he wakes up with a pleasant feeling and goes to school on time. There is no sign of what he has learned at the training school. This is the result of rehabilitation program that ASIT made.