icalos
patreon
Chapter 174 - Breaking the Peace
🕑 Added 2022-10-04 20:15:00 +0000 UTCAmano Bin and Amano Kiyosuke walked through a small park. They sat down at a bench. She looked at him for a second, then sighed.
“I know you’re not my Kiyosuke, that my Kiyosuke is well and truly gone and that you’re someone different. But…that doesn’t matter to me. As far as I’m concerned, you’re my boy.”
Kiyosuke nodded.
“...you don’t know how much I’ve missed you.”
Tears filled Amano Bin’s eyes. She couldn’t help giving him another hug.
“Look…Kiyosuke. We’re about to embark on a huge mission, the biggest and most important the Resistance has ever undertaken. They’ll ask you to be a part of it. What I want to say is be careful, and look after yourself. The others aren’t sure. They’re worried about this whole time business. Some of them even think maybe we should be the ones to reset it if anything, fix our timeline without worrying about restoring yours.”
Kiyosuke looked up at her. His eyes trembled.
“Before…I would have killed them for even suggesting that. Now…”
He looked into her eyes. She laid a hand on his cheek.
“Amano Kiyosuke, you cut that out.”
“Huh?”
“I’m not telling you this to make you doubt. I would do almost anything to have you back. But you know the one thing I would want even more than that?”
She gave him a firm look.
“For you to be alive, and happy. I would give anything for that, including myself. Including my whole timeline. And I’ve seen enough. Whatever happened to us, you made it there, right? They’re your family now, aren’t they?”
Kiyosuke trembled for a second but slowly he nodded. She gave him a soft smile.
“Then cherish them. Protect your family like I couldn’t protect mine. And know that whatever you need to do, I will always be on your side. I love you, and I couldn’t be prouder of you.”
Kiyosuke gulped, tears filling his eyes. But he nodded. Amano Bin stroked his face for a moment until he calmed down, then she smirked and pointed behind her.
“Besides, I think your girlfriend over there is getting a bit worried about you.”
Kiyosuke glanced over. Saydaa was hiding in the bushes.
“S-She’s not my girlfriend. She’s just an annoyance I have to take care of. J-Just so she doesn’t interfere with the mission! She’s really annoying and always getting into trouble!”
Amano Bin just watched him with warm eyes as he stammered.
—————————————————————————————————————
In the center of the East Coast of North America stood a massive city, the largest of several built across the Western Hemisphere. All across the streets and skies, robots of every type patrolled, from hauler and transportation bots carrying people and goods, to NSLICE enforcers keeping the peace. This was Serenia, built by the Concordat to shelter all those fleeing the devastation wrought by the non-standards and the Day of Sorrow.
The period immediately following the destruction were known as the Dark Days, due to the nuclear winter combined with the complete collapse of power infrastructure around the globe. The collapse of the global economy meant the supply of fossil fuels dried up overnight for most nations, the nuclear winter dimming the sun reduced the effectiveness of solar, and the public had turned sharply against nuclear for obvious reasons, not that any nation had the resources or infrastructure left to build such a reactor.
The Concordat were the ones who found a solution.
Benedito Espíndola Bezerra was a genius who once aspired to become a supervillain, calling himself the Herald of Ashes. He developed a device that could resonate with the movements of the Earth's core, intending to use it to destabilize the crust and bring volcanic devastation worldwide.
But well, the Day of Sorrow changed a lot of people’s minds about a lot of things. Including anyone wanting to call themselves ‘Herald’.
Mr. Bezerra abandoned his plans, but the Concordat caught wind of it. They found Mr. Bezerra and persuaded him to continue, just with a different overall focus.
And so, the Geo-Oscillator Engine was born. An almost magical device that could produce practically endless clean and sustainable energy by resonating with the Earth’s core. And most of all that did not require fuel delivered from across the world or massive reactors that took years to build.
With this, the Concordat saved the world. They built an army of robotic workers with the Geo-Oscillator Engine at their heart, using them to build grand cities overnight, filled to the brim with radiation shielding and hydroponic farms. Every survivor that remained flocked to these refuges. There they found peace. Prosperity. Safety. Comfort. Everything that the world had lost on the Day of Sorrow.
As long as they complied.
And surrendered any non-standards to Concordat guidance programs. For the Day of Sorrow revealed the cost of letting the non-standards do as they please and the Concordat was fully committed to preventing any similar disasters. No matter what it took.
At the center of Serenia stood a mighty tower. The main HQ and foundry for the NSLICE units. The heart of the Concordat, where the Steward of Sorrow worked tirelessly to ensure that the peace would last forever.
Said Steward, Famiano Impastato, now leaned over a conference table. He rested his elbows on the table, clasping his hands together in front of his face. He heaved a sigh.
“So we have lost contact with both NSLICE-00P and NSLICE-83NS’s patrols? And somehow we lost contact immediately so we haven’t even caught sight of their opponents, much less identified them?”
The woman giving the report slowly nodded. Arbiter of Sorrow Cikizwa concluded her report.
“In fact, my analysis indicates the most likely scenario was an ambush resulting in immediate destruction of all NSLICE units in the area. There are not many other explanations for an immediate loss of communication.”
Director Ottosen, also seated around the table, made a huge frown.
“This is extremely serious, Steward. I believe we must respond to this immediately and with overwhelming force.”
Another Arbiter of Sorrow, Steve, kicked back in his seat.
“What, because they broke your little pet project?”
“I don’t think you’re taking the implications of this seriously, Arbiter Steve.”
“Oh come on, we lose bots all the time. Isn’t that the whole point?”
Another man, the former Admiral Huo of the PLA Navy, shook his head.
“I agree with Director Ottosen, Arbiter Steve. Losing bots is one thing. NSLICE-83NS is a surprise but not outside the realm of expectation. But losing NSLICE-00P is a serious problem. That unit was carrying the Equalizer, our number one most effective and reliable counter to hostile non-standards. Its loss is a serious blow.”
“Can’t our good Director just build a new one?”
Director Ottosen closed his eyes and massaged his temples.
“Oh yes, I absolutely could. If I managed to get ahold of more Iesnorium, only the rarest material on Earth. I don’t suppose you happen to have some in your pantry, Arbiter Steve?”
Admiral Huo frowned as well.
“And as concerning as the loss of irreplaceable technology is the fact that 00P was annihilated instantaneously, such that it could not even report an engagement to us? That indicates we are dealing with a new threat with capabilities we’ve never encountered before.”
“There are people who we already know could do that, though?”
“Yes. Several even. Such as the Atomic Herald himself. Or the Scourge of India. And if either of them or someone similar landed on our shores, that is a huge deal.”
“Ah…”
And finally, Arbiter Steve shut up. The Steward heaved a sigh.
“Under normal circumstances, I would agree with you all. But the timing of this is…inopportune. We are on the verge of securing true peace everlasting. The security of Serenia is our top priority at the moment, so I am not certain we can spare the forces this threat would require.”
Admiral Huo’s face turned grim.
“To ignore something like this would be a dangerous gambit, even if it's for the Solution. The best time to deal with an amphibious incursion is when it first lands. If we don’t respond now, whoever it is will have a chance to establish a foothold, or else disappear from the area. If the Atomic Herald and his cronies found a way to get across the ocean, for example, they could have a secure beachhead to launch a full-scale invasion. And without the Equalizer, we will take heavy attrition in a peer conflict. If it’s a solo-actor, like the Scourge of India, we may not be able to find them again if we lose them now. The next time we see them might be at the gates of Serenia itself…”
“I understand your concerns, but we can’t always hedge our bets. There comes a time when we have to make a choice, to lay everything down on the line. If we can finish the Solution safely, then it doesn’t matter what anyone is plotting against us. And with major unknown threats at large, risking further NSLICE units on patrols is simply unfeasible. As such, I’m halting all patrols for the time being and recalling all units.”
Just then, the building began to shake. Arbiter Steve raised an eyebrow.
“Another earthquake? I thought you said the latest round was over, Director?”
“It’s hardly a precise science, Arbiter. I’d like to see you do better. Or do anything at all, other than complain.”
The Steward, though, narrowed his eyes. He motioned and a holographic display of the city appeared above the table.
“No…that’s no earthquake…”
—————————————————————————————————————
It was a peaceful day in Serenia. The artificial sun projector was shining, the latest round of earthquakes had stopped, the NSLICE units were on patrol. A man and a woman sat at the outdoor table of a cafe, happily chatting away as pedestrians and robots went back and forth. The man stopped and smiled at her. She smiled back, and then glanced down.
She saw a slight ripple in her coffee.
Then another.
And another.
And each was getting stronger.
Until it stopped.
Then the street exploded.
A horde of undead dinosaurs spilled into the streets from several points all over the city.
Long had the Necrosaurus prepared for this day, his posthumous prehistoric freedom fighters tunneling towards Peace City as quickly and quietly as they could.
Sirens began blaring throughout the city. A calm woman’s voice spoke over loudspeakers.
“Emergency Warning: Rogue non-standards detected. Threat level is 6. All civilians please report to the nearest emergency shelter. Repeat…”
NSLICE units immediately turned and opened fire on the prehistoric hordes, machine guns blaring and lasers hissing through the air. But the magically empowered corpses ignored the barrage and carried on. T-Rexes chomped down on NSLICE bots, tearing them in half. Triceratops bowled over entire squads. Undead raptors leapt from cars onto individual bots, ripping them to shreds.
“Status Report: Target located. Friendly NSLICE units in danger from hostile non-standards. Moving to support.”
More NSLICE units arrived by air. But undead pterodactyls and Quetzalcoatlus flew from the holes in the streets, intercepting the flying robots. All around burning bots and undead fliers fell from the skies as they continued their aerial duel.
And the dinosaurs were only the beginning…
Shinobi leaped out of the holes, leaping across the city rooftops as the NSLICE units were occupied with the dinosaur hordes. They rushed towards the city wall, where a large river ran through the city. They tossed small emp disks like shuriken, disabling the NSLICE guards before activating the gate, opening the defenses around the river.
A massive surge of glowing water rushed towards the city, traveling along the river. With the river gate down, the surge smashed straight into the city.
Dozens of boats and submarines landed on the city streets and opened up. Resistance fighters and even vehicles poured out of them, rushing forward to link up with the undead hordes.
One band of Resistance fighters broke off and assaulted the main broadcasting station, a group of NSLICE units holding them at bay.
Suddenly a barrage of lasers and plasma bolts struck the NSLICE units, destroying them utterly.
Elise landed from the sky.
“Resigned Observation: Concordat NSLICE units of noticeably lower efficiency. This unit feels her reputation being damaged by proxy. Insincere Reassurance: This unit is not mad at poor NSLICE performance. She is just disappointed.”
Elise made her way into the broadcasting station, wary Resistance fighters following her at a distance…
—————————————————————————————————————
“Good day, all you…”
The TV feed cut.
A new voice rang out on the television and over the emergency warning loudspeakers.
“...victims of oppression. Rejoice, for your savior is here! I am the Necrosaurus, the leader of the Resistance, here to announce your liberation! No longer shall you chafe at the yoke of oppression, no longer shall your children be stolen in the night! Rise up, all you who desire freedom! Rise up and overthrow the oppressor! The time is now! Sorrow has ended, freedom has come! The Jurassic Revolution has begun!”
—————————————————————————————————————
Aurora Legion made bitter expressions as they heard the announcement, running behind a squad of undead dinosaurs.
“Bro, this is weird, this is super weird! This just feels wrong!”
Wonder Knight and Pink Star nodded in agreement. Chronolock shrugged.
“Look on the bright side, Void.”
“What’s that?”
“This time we know the dino-zombie apocalypse isn’t your fault. Mostly because it’s helpful now.”
“Oh come on!”
Author’s Note:
Ah, some things never change. There shall always be a dino-zombie apocalypse! Or in this case, a dino-zombie revolution? You may take our lives but not our freedom taken to a whole new level!
For anyone wondering about Concordat NSLICE Classifications:
NSLICE-00P: P stands for prototype, as such NSLICE-00P is the only unit of this model. As this was the proof of concept model to show that cyborgs could in fact combat non-standards, no expense was spared on its components. Its trump card (in this timeline) was the Iesnorium-powered Equalizer, which has demonstrated an ability to completely pacify all non-standards below Class 8. As such, NSLICE-00P is generally the first choice to respond to unregistered non-standards, as it can reliably handle unknown threats and bring them in alive.
NSLICE: The standard NSLICE unit, a cybernetically enhanced organic. Heavily focuses on the cybernetic implants and maximizing their effectiveness, though with cost-effectiveness still considered. These are the rarest unit variants these days (aside from the singular prototype) as no new models have been constructed in a while. It was discovered shortly after the NSLICE program went into mass production that the Equalizer was a great part of its success. Without the Equalizer, NSLICE units could compete with non-standards but not without taking casualties, as they were simply on-par with their opponents, rather than superior to them. This led to development of the A and NS variants, both of which proved more cost-effective at their roles than the standard model. In the end, the material cost of elevating a standard organic body to non-standard performance levels was simply cost-prohibitive. They currently act as ‘team-captains’ for autonomous NSLICE units, but this role can be fulfilled via an NS unit or a remote pilot if the unit itself is not providing additional combat effectiveness, and so they lack a unique niche that would justify additional units.
NSLICE-A: A stands for Autonomous. These are mass-produced, fully robotic NSLICE units. After the success of NSLICE-00P, the Concordat moved to mass-production. It was determined that the NSLICE-00P’s capabilities were extraneous for day-to-day operations, and so not scalable. As such, Dr. Ottosen developed a more expendable, fully robotic variant. These units link to and receive combat protocols and commands from other, more advanced NSLICE units, in order to benefit from the NSLICE Program’s techno-organic integration but at a fraction of the cost. The Concordat therefore uses patrols of one NSLICE or NSLICE-NS leading a platoon of loyal wingman NSLICE-A’s. These are the most common NSLICE variant these days, practically ubiquitous throughout Concordat territory. They have become a symbol of safety for the people of the Concordat…and a symbol of fear for its enemies.
NSLICE-NS: NS stands for non-standard. NSLICE-NS’s are, as per the name, have non-standards as their organic base and now represent the most common elite NSLICE units. They rely on their organic sides to provide combat effectiveness, and so only require cybernetic implants for the techno-organic interface and to shore up any glaring weaknesses. This makes them significantly more cost-effective than the standard unit since they require a mere fraction of the implants and can forgo most of the weaponry. For example, NSLICE-83NS, being highly durable already, was only equipped with the bare minimum armor, more as a uniform to identify it as an NSLICE unit.
Anyways!
Will the Jurassic Revolution succeed in overthrowing the machine oppressor? Can Aurora Legion stop…err assist the Necrosaurus in his dastardly…err heroic plot? Will we finally learn just what exactly Voidspeaker did to make the dino-zombie apocalypse a universal constant? Tune in next time, to find out!
