Clockwork Planet - Volume 03

by Kamiya Yuu

  “–”

  …How foolish.

  Halter’s prosthetics–a realization of the Breguet’s full proficiency in technology, could not withstand against it, but an antique built 1,000 years ago could continue like it was nothing?

  –Then what have we been doing till this point?

  Marie felt the futility of all the technology she learned till this point, the humiliation, and how worthless she was as these emotions struck her chest.

  However, she could not show them, for it would be unbecoming of her.

  She held in the peeved emotions within her, sighed, and entered the workshop.

  “…Heh?”

  After a glance into the workshop, she found there were some unexpectedly decent equipment inside.

  There were some models that were a little dated, but there was work machines that could be used for cutting and creating parts, and there were also hangers to hang automata, and a work desk for professional technicians to use.

  For a workshop for personal use, this could be said to be the best facility possible.

  “As to be expected of you, Professor Conrad…”

  Perhaps she should forget the fact that this was a place to repair the dancing automata up there.

  Naoto followed from behind, asking in affirmation,

  “Oi Marie. Do I use this hanger to put RyuZU up?”

  “Yeah sure.”

  “Got it–now then, AnchoR, I’ll leave it to you.”

  Okay, AnchoR chirped cheerfully as she brought her older sister to the hanger closest to the work desk, dangling it from there.

  Once she was brought under a bright spot, it was obvious that RyuZU took great damage.

  The biggest damage to her was the abdomen. Her clothes, and even her artificial skin were melted and worn off, showing the insides. The extremely fine cables that appeared to be nerves caused were snapped, spreading out like a bundle. The parts appeared to have taken quite some damage, and the spine could be seen even without opening the abdomen.

  The skeletal contortion was more severe than Marie assumed. If she was to let RyuZU regain mobility and not correct it, it was likely the latter could not move.

  If the surface appeared to be so severe in damage, what exactly was the extent of damage inside?

  Naoto too watched RyuZU uneasily.

  RyuZU’s damage seemed to cause him more pain than his own burn, but also–there was something–

  “…Papa, can sister…be saved?”

  AnchoR asked cautiously.

  Naoto immediately changed his expression, smiling at her.

  “Of course! We’re doing this because RyuZU needs this. Of course she’ll be saved. You don’t have to worry, AnchoR.”

  Saying that, he patted the head of the girl who lowered her shoulders dejectedly.

  –Though that was the hand that had a bad burn.

  Marie let out a little sigh, went back the previous room, opening the first-aid box placed right next to the entrance of the room, took out something from it, and returned to the workshop.

  “Hey, you need to just your burn treated.”

  Marie took a syringe from the kit, saying to Naoto,

  “This is a nanobot used for medical treatment. If you don’t want to die of pus forming from the burn, strip and sit there.”

  “…Ah, thank you.”

  After a brief thanks, Naoto did as he was told obediently.

  He scowled as he slowly took off his burnt clothes, and sat at where Marie indicated.

  Marie peeled off the membrane at the tip of the syringe–as thick as a juice can, and coldly noted,

  “I’ll say this first, but I don’t think you’ll be able to get treated completely. There’ll still be scarring–if you don’t get an artificial skin or a skin graft.”

  “It’s fine. Best possible case is that I can move.”

  Marie sighed.

  She aimed the syringe at the back burn on Naoto that was as bad as she thought, and began injecting.

  The needleless syringe let loose, injecting a lot of nanomachines used for medical treatment along with the solution. These nanomachines had the effect of disinfecting, boosting regeneration, and being a placeholder for body functions.

  To be honest, Marie was probing at this point.

  The medical nanomachines were highly potent, but after injecting, there would be a sharp pain.

  And she did not warn Naoto about this.

  The nevers from the muscles to the skin would be influenced by the nanomachines, and he would feel great pain as a result. Even an adult man would yelp in pain due to this unbearable sensation, but Naoto never did whimper all this time.

  Marie did not think he did not feel pain.

  The proof was that his face was wincing, and he was clenching his fists firmly, shivering.

  However, Naoto never did groan until the very end, and merely exhaled heavily at the end.

  “Wait. I’ll get you some fitting clothes.”

  “Ah, sorry about that. Thanks.”

  Feeling some sort of setback, Marie left the room.

  It was all because she said they had to do this that Naoto dragged a scorching RyuZu and moved her around.

  The expression Naoto showed, what he said, and his attitude repeated in her mind over and over again.

  …It’s likely. Marie thought.

  No, that’s not it. Surely, if it’s that guy, that big idiot–

  –If he feels there’s a ‘need’ for it, he’ll cut off his limbs without hesitation.

  She felt a chill run up her spine.

  That expression, that face, all of it was imprinted in her mind, affirming her belief.

  It was something different from realization–it was as though it was ‘a matter of fact’, and it was somehow–

  Having finally found a change of clothes, Marie returned to the workshop Naoto and the others were at.

  She handed over the T shirt with the theater logo print on, probably some campaign item, to Naoto.

  Naoto slipped on the sleeve of the shirt, seemed to have thought of something, and said,

  “Anyway, what about that uncle there?”

  He was looking at the live head that was casually tossed onto the work desk.

  Vermouth, the sight of attention this time, noted with displeasure.

  “Do you guys even have any conscience? If you forgot, I can help you remember. It’s not strange if I’m to die at any given moment. Hurry and get me on some life support.”

  “…Seriously, why is this guy too so…”

  Well, whatever, Marie shook her head.

  She ignored the back of Naoto’s T-shirt that was covered with the erotic sight of automata spreading their thighs wide, saying,

  “Anyway, I can’t let you rest for now. I still got some things to ask.

  “Spare me already…w-wait, wait wait wait, you bitch!? Why do I get the feeling that you’re up to no good again!?”

  “We’ll find you a suitable automata befitting your body, and we’ll get you on life support, so relax.”

  “Are you seriously brain dead, you bitch!? You’re already think of attaching me to some blowjob doll!? What do you think a man’s pride is about!?”

  “That’s no such thing.”

  Marie coldly stated, and hung the automata on the hanger, putting her on the workdesk.

  Then, she carelessly–or so it appeared to Naoto–detached an automata head, and latched Vermouth’s heart on it with a click.

  “Shit, are you serious, you crazy bitchass of a princess…!?”

  Vermouth felt a chill as he stared at this self-proclaimed genius.

  It was not an abhorrence of a feminine body. He had to admit that this naive brat was capable enough to be considered as a genius.

  –A cyborg had completely different functions from an automata.

  One was a replication of a human body’s ‘construct’, while the other was about a human’s ‘function’.

  In simple terms, an automat
a did not contain a ‘brain’. Depending on the functions, there were some that could continue running even without a head.

  But on the other hand, a cyborg body had a ‘brain’. Thus, all prosthetics has to replicate most of a person’s original body. If not, the ‘brain’ would reject. In other words, this brat simply swapped his head with an automata, and his ‘brain’ did not think that anything was amiss.

  And most surprisingly, he did not know when the life support was attached.

  Feeling impressed, Vermouth muttered,

  “–I see, so you aren’t a ghost, but a demon now? Sorry for saying so much about you before, Missy. If you’re a demon, being horny is obviously–warrgh!?”

  The sharp sensation from the nerves caused Vermouth much pain, and he screamed in agony.

  Marie finished the work behind his back, and chirped,

  “Now then, let’s sort this situation out.”

  The counter terrorist committee meeting was in utter chaos.

  Having realized the direness and danger of the situation, discussions were in full swing.

  Anyway, we should begin the purge. No, negotiate with the criminals. How about we draft in the nearby Grids military and attack? We should first think of evacuating. We should coordinate with the other counties.”

  There were all kinds of views and objections, and they just could not make a decision.

  In conclusion, there was no progression in the debates at all.

  The Chief Secretary who was in favor of purging raised his hand, saying,

  “Luckily, considering the angle, we won’t have to worry about the ‘Heaven’s Pillar’ being hit, right–?”

  “Are you still sleeping?”

  The Defense Minister chided,

  “They have a ‘main cannon’ that shot through Grid Akihabara, an entire city Grid, and it’s something that can definitely shoot through anything! That thing dares to appear in the ‘lowest level’ of Akihabara because it gets to have the entire capital in its firing range from below, you know!? Do you not understand anything about this!?”

  Another Senator yelled agitatedly,

  “Speaking of which, what is that weapon actually? The power of that ‘main cannon’, it came from the deep underground, and all, aren’t those capabilities overly ridiculous or something…?”

  Saying that, he stood up, scanning through those present.

  Then, he thought of the existence of the civilian consultant sitting in a corner.

  The consultant who was questioned–Karasawa, looked perplexed as he tilted his head.

  “Are you asking me?”

  “Who else?”

  “Thank goodness for that. I thought you had forgotten about me.”

  Karasawa giggled as he scratched his head, and stood up,

  “Eh–regarding that enemy weapon, I can answer, but it’s just my theory.”

  “Come straight now! What kind of a consultant are you anyway?”

  “Pardon my words, but I am simply a technician hired as a consultant here–I am not well versed in electromagnetic technology that defied International regulations.”

  The Senate immediately went silent, and the Senator questioning Karasawa looked utterly dumbfounded.

  Another Senator looked pale as he asked,

  “Electromagnetic technology, you say?”

  “Yes. I read through every single word in the report, but I cannot find any explanation other than that.”

  Karasawa continued with a clear, permeating voice,

  “First, I could not think of anything with regards to the ‘main cannon’ that shot through Grid Akihabara. However, there was an electromagnetic pulse afterwards. The armor that withstood the Capital Defense Cannon was an electromagnetic armor or something similar, and what shot the planes down were probably electromagnetic accelerated cannons.”

  Looks of terror appeared on the Senators’ faces as they groaned.

  The Senator remained hopeful, asking,

  “What are the chances of it being some kind of a new technology?”

  “That will be impossible. No matter how it is used, a clockwork construct cannot replicate such a phenomenon–yet that weapon did it twice.”

  That was,

  “Grid Akihabara was completely magnetized–and most importantly, the Resonance Cannon of the Capital Defense Forces was completely nullified. Neither of these two points can be explained by the theories and explanations of what the 5 Great Enterprises are researching.

  There was also the possibility of the armor that withstood the Capital Defense Cannon being made of complex alloy. A supersonic cannon could be a plausible explanation of shooting down the fighter jets.

  However, it was theoretically impossible to nullify a Resonance Cannon. To create an anti-resonance phenomenon, it was not about the materials–one could only deduce that there there was something on the surface that would not cause it to vibrate.

  Also, considering the fact that Grid Akihabara was magnetized–it was a naturally conclusion that the machine contained electromagnetism.

  “–But you’re an amateur! How can you conclude that!?”

  The Senator who raised the initial question said, having been jolted back,

  Karasawa chuckled,

  “Well, if I am well versed in electromagnetism, that obviously means that I am a culprit–and against the technology clauses in the ISS, you know? Research on it be forbidden, but isn’t the more pressing issue why Japan has something that has extensive use of this?”

  The Senator who managed to gather himself looked paler than paper.

  –Such a thing surely would not pop out so randomly. It probably was something Japan had researched on a long time ago. The ones who knew about that should be present.

  That was what Karasawa was hinting at.

  This heavy duty bomb unleashed by a civilian rattled every Senator, and they became uneasy.

  “Wh-what proof do you have?”

  “Yeah! If you don’t have any proof, stop guessing blindly there!”

  “Well, pardon me for that.”

  With the needle-like stares of the surrounding people, Karasawa calmly noted,

  “But the threat does exists right below us. I am simply narrating my thoughts on this as a consultant.”

  And the rowdy Diet room immediately went speechless.

  However, they began to probe each other, and the atmosphere of skepticism caused more confusion amongst the members than before.

  (If I’m to contact the ISS right now, this country will be in a deadlock…)

  Karasawa sat, harboring such dangerous notions.

  If the other countries were to know of this fact, they should at least agree in unison install any sanctions on Japan they could think of.

  (Well, the problem is that the weapon is aimed at this government…and then what?)

  Would it become an excuse for this situation?

  This involved the international regulations that the ISS and relevant organizations had.

  However, this was the situation Karasawa understood–

  First, the use of electromagnetic technology.

  Second, a weapon that is built can cause great devastation to a city Grid.

  Third, Considering limited resources, mass depletion of resources that were of no benefit to the planet’s operation.

  Fourth, Anon-fixed cannon capable of shooting 50km.

  Fifth, The above–that is done without the special approval or security issues from the ISS.

  These 5 issues alone were a breach of the ISS, and also trampled over at least two clauses of the clauses of the International Security Council (INSC), The International Electromagnetic Council (IEC), the World Commodities Organization (WCO).

  (…However, in that case, everyone’s caught in an ant trap.)

  Yes–every country had such a thing, no exceptions.

  There was no country that abided by such a rule, even if it was a third world country that was not worth mentioning. At the very least, t
hat was the belief they had in each other–and because of that, no need for any surveillance.

  Thus, once it was discovered, all a country would face were penalties.

  However, the problem was–that the weapon was not under the government’s control.

  (To be honest, if it invades the other countries, things will get easier.)

  Karasawa pondered about the chaos that would ensue.

  In that case, each country would settle this while ‘military judgement’. No matter how forbidden that powerful weapon might be, it could not continue to run forever. Surely, it was a matter of fact that it would be crushed in a battle of attrition.

  No matter how potent that weapon was, it was still a single ‘fighting strength’. That alone would not be enough to break the world’s power balance, and tactically, a powerful single unit would be hard to capitalize on.

  However, it did not do anything, except to aim the cannon at its own country…why?

  Karasawa stared at the muttering Diet–the sleazy politicians who were going from probing to backstabbing each other, and suddenly realized.

  –I see. So that’s what they’re aiming at? Those bastards.

  “…So in other words, that weapon can just stay there, and that’s all? The government and Military will just self-destruct–that’s why you’re saying that they won’t do anything?”

  Marie muttered with a trembling voice.

  Having considered all this, that weapon–no, the enemies were probably inside them, not going to move.

  Vermouth nodded his eyes to indicate his agreement, and said,

  “But if this guess is correct, we have a problem…right brat?”

  “Yeah, because those guys won’t let things end off like this.”

  “What do you mean?”

  Marie did not understand the meaning of their conversation, and scowled.

  Naoto sighed and shook his head, answering,

  “Well, you can say that the weapon isn’t moving…at the same time though, ‘it can’t move’.”