[FIC] First of a Million Steps (SMT: SJ AU)
So uh continuing on the line of my weird Strange Journey AU, here is the next part... which is basically the intro bit. Only now do I realize how absurdly long it is. And I'll need to run though it again because I realize it would be far more beneficial to do this Rou-playthrough on the emulator so that I can abuse the power of save slates and possibly cheat codes if I can get them and figure out how to put them in in the first place.
Parts: [ ø. Null] . [I. Alpha] . [ II. Beta]
first of a million steps
I. Alpha
“It’s almost time to go into the Schwarzwelt, isn’t it? Men and women of the investigation team…”
Hijikata raised his head up to look at the plasma monitor that was floating before all of them. The screen was quite unlike anything he had ever seen in real life; images projected through the combination of laser and plasma and a whole load of other things that he would never really get it. Honestly, it was more of the kind of thing that he thought would only exist in those absurd science fiction movies that Sogou frequently watched when he came over for dinner at his place back in those days…
The man felt his thoughts starting to turn sour once more at the memory of that place with her. It had been already roughly three months after everything, but the memories had continued to haunt him… though honestly, that was one of the reasons why he had chosen to sign up for this despite the risks that Kondo had warned him about. The Schwarzwelt was an unknown, dangerous place to anyone at the point of time-the only thing clear about it was that it was a threat to the entire world. This world, the world where Mitsuba had lived in… and had also died in no more than thirteen weeks ago in a terrorist bomb attack at Ikebukuro.
Hijikata closed his eyes at the memory, recalling the horror and blood that had been all around when he was at the scene as one of the forces assigned there. He hadn’t been the one who recovered Mitsuba’s body (fortunately or unfortunately, the man still couldn’t really decide) but news had spread quickly, and it was only a matter of time before he received the fatal call from the morgue to head there and identify her body. It only took a few seconds for him to recognise the ring that was on her finger-the ring with the engraving of their names in the inside. Once he saw that, there was no denying who the body was. Mitsuba had died, and his world along with it.
Maybe that was why he was here. If he was to die, he might as well do it while he was on a mission. Anything else would just be meaningless. And besides… he had nothing else to lose-especially now, since he no longer had any sort of reason to live. He could just pour every last bit of himself into this mission and nobody would really care.
“We at the Schwarzwelt Joint Project will be praying for you on behalf of all of humanity.”
At those words, the man could only make a small snort to himself that caught the attention of the people sitting next to him. He didn’t need any prayers himself; personally… he intended to die here, after all. Just go out there with all guns blazing against whatever they were up against and die like some tragic hero in battle. Sogou would probably just laugh at it… and he supposed only Kondo would miss him in that strange Kondo-way of his. Other than those two… nobody would really miss him, he supposed. He was just that one guy in the crowd like everyone else.
“It’s in your hands now, Commander Gore. Be safe, and make sure you complete your mission.”
Commander Gore was a black and hailed from Amercia, but even Hijikata had heard of his exploits around the world. The man was just short of being a decorated war hero, what with the feats that he had done in his many years of military service to his country. Despite everything in his current situation, Hijikata still couldn’t help but feel a slight sense of pride that he had the opportunity to work with this man-it was a chance that most others would have died for. Pun wholly unintended, of course.
The photos he had seen were nothing compared to the man in real life-straight-faced and at full attention, the man looked at the screen with a salute and responded with the best voice he could muster. “Of course. We’ll take care of it.”
“Then I look forward to good news from you upon your arrival. Excuse me…” The voice faded away after that, and the screen shut down with a short and slightly eye-piercing flash that Hijikata supposed that he was going to get used to for the next few weeks or so.
Gore fell oddly silent for a few moments after the conversation ended, lowering the arm he did the salute with before turning to all of them that had assembled in the command room. “All right, crew! Your attention, please.”
What little chatter that had came up fell silent as Gore’s voice echoed through the now silent room. “We will arrive at our destination, the Schwarzwelt, in thirty minutes. Our mission as the Schwarzwelt Investigation Team is about to get underway. I realize you were selected on short notice and came from all over the globe to be part of this. But it’s only going to be harder from here on out, so get used to it.”
There was a pause after the end of the sentence, and Hijikata barely had enough time to think about the dark irony of this whole situation personally before Gore spoke up once more. “Fortunately, you’re all the elite of your respective nations’ services. You can handle this. If we all lend each other our support and work as a team, this mission will go smoothly.” Another pause. “Enough pep talk, though. It’s time for our last formal briefing before entry.”
At those words, Hijikata straightened himself a little more, bringing himself at full attention at what was said next. If he was going to do this, then he might as well do this mission well, so that nobody in here was going to blame him for anything when he died in the process. Just another casualty and move on; it would be the perfect way for him to go.
“First, to tell us about the land we’re about to ender, the Schwarzwelt… I’d like to introduce to you all First Lieutenant Zelenin.” Saying that, Gore stepped aside to allow the person to question to take the middle spot and start talking-Zelenin was a blonde, rather fair-skinned woman who looked somewhat American; but Hijikata knew enough to know that that wasn’t the case. He had read the files passed to him while on the way to the meet up point-she was one of the best scientists in Russia.
Zelenin took the centre stage, giving everyone around her a once over before she started speaking. “Hello, everyone. If I may have your attention, please. I am First Lieutenant Zelenin. For those of you I haven’t already met, the pleasure is mine.” She inclined her head in greeting then, and Hijikata did the same back in return. As he did that, the man absently noted the strange probe-like thing on her right hand. It looked vaguely like something he remembered seeing from the briefing files, but he couldn’t exactly recall it at the moment.
His thoughts cut short as he directed his attention back to Zelenin, who started to speak again. “I will now explain what observed data we have on the Schwarzwelt’s inner structure.” A giant screen flicked on behind her-another of those plasma project laser things he was sure he would never understand for the rest of his life-and Hijikata saw a rather detailed diagram of the North Pole… as well as the Schwarzwelt itself. From the picture (taken from above via satellite), the Schwarzwelt seemed to be nothing more than something akin to a black hole. Considering what the news had been going on along with what he had heard around him… perhaps it was.
“The Schwarzwelt is a natural phenomenon that arose in the South Pole some months ago,” the scientist started her explanation. “But this phenomenon is one of a kind. We have nothing of its like to compare it to.” The screen flickered then as it switched to a new picture, one of the Schwarzwelt much more up close and personal. Hijikata could only stare a little at what he was seeing; it was… it was hard to put it in words, but the best way he could put it was that there was a wall of snow and ice around the area where the Schwarzwelt supposedly was. What in the world are we going into…?
“You may have heard false reports that it is a giant blizzard,” she spoke, pausing for a moment to let the unamused snorts and grunts from the people around her to pass before continuing. “But in truth it is an unknown spatial anomaly that destroys and absorbs its surroundings as it enlarges. When it first appeared, it was a cylinder only one meter in diameter that stretched to the sky. Since then, it has spread radially, swallowing surrounding observation bases and any investigators whole.”
Hijikata could only raise an eyebrow at that. I guess those reports about the withdrawals were false, then. A small part of him couldn’t help but wonder how many of those investigators had already been lost inside that thing… possibly not much, considering the lack of news. Then again, the news could be controlled… so who knew. Maybe a hundred were already lost in there and nobody would ever know.
Sour thoughts were again stopped as Zelenin went on, making a gesture towards the image at her next lines. “Today, it occupies a sizable footprint with a radius of several hundred kilometres. As we speak, the Schwarzwelt continues to expand… if we cannot engineer a reversal of the process, then it will inevitably swallow the Earth.” She stopped again, this time for the severity of her words to sink into the minds of everyone. As much as Hijikata knew this was important though, it barely sunk into his-he was just here to do what he wanted and most likely die in the process; after all, these kind of unknown missions were always the one with the highest casualties. The worst came to worst, he’d just be lost out in there forever… not that anyone would care anyway. Just like what he wanted.
Once the moment passed, the woman snapped her fingers (Hijikata noticed then that the strange probe thing in her hand was now strangely missing; a quick glance revealed that it was on the ground before her and was the thing that was projecting the images they were seeing now) and the picture changed to one with a much more scientific diagram of the Schwarzwelt from earlier. “According to data retrieved from the unmanned probes dispatched prior to this investigation, there is a several thousand meter wall surrounding the Schwarzwelt’s outer rim.” To emphasize that, the strange wall of ice and snow the man had been wondering about earlier was highlighted with a purple-pink structural outline.
There was another pause after that before she added on, “This barrier is a plasma cloud that dismantles all approaching objects at a molecular level.”
A short string of murmurs arose from that comment, but they were quickly silenced as Zelenin snapped her fingers once more and the image changed-this time to one that highlighted the black interior of the Schwarzwelt. “You may be surprised to learn that the interior contains parallel universes, or other dimensions. Unfolding within the anomaly is a bizarre landscape we’ve had a hard time getting readings on. This is due to some sort of property the interior has that repels foreign bodies…” She paused again, as if debating something, but quickly recovered and continued. “Whatever this property is, it’s destroyed each and every unmanned probe we sent in.” Another snap of the fingers, and the image vanished with another of those slightly eye blinding flashes.
Zelenin paused to pick up the probe on the floor, rolling it in her palm before speaking. “…and that’s what we know in a nutshell. It paints a bleak picture for our mission, no matter how one interprets it-”
Not that I care, Hijikata remarked to himself mentally.
“-but as many of you know, we have effective ways of dealing with each of those obstacles,” the woman went on, her voice getting stronger now. “The Join Project assembled its team and equipment based on the data we’ve collected so far. I am certain that if we all work as one, we can carry out our duties safely and effectively.” She stopped at that to give everyone a glance once more before turning to Gore and nodding once. “This concludes my report,” she said before turning to step down, Gore stepping back up moments after her.
“Thank you for that clear and concise explanation, Lieutenant Zelenin,” the man went with an approving nod towards the woman, who nodded back once more in return. “Now, Arthur will confirm our mission. He’ll be the one managing the assignments and duty roster.”
A moment passed before the plasma screen flickered open to show the image of a probe, vastly similar to the one Zelenin had in her hand earlier. The LED on the corner of its flat front flickered as a pleasant-sounding (but still clearly robotic voice) started to speak. “Hello, Schwarzwelt Investigation Team. I am the Command Unit Arthur. I will support you by coodorinating our systems with those of other ships to devise a strategy.”
Hijikata blinked a little at the rather… human nature of it, and it was clear that many others were taken aback by it as well. Gore decided to take this moment to do a brief explanation for them all. “As you can see, Arthur is an administrative program with a pseudopersonality. It may feel strange to take orders from him at first, but you’ll quickly get used to it.”
You’re telling me, the man thought with no fair amount of sarcasm as Gore went to the robot. “Please continue, Arthur.”
There was a flicker of acknowledgement on the screen from Arthur before the program continued. “This team’s mission is to conduct a detailed investigation of the Schwarzwelt’s inner structure. The Schwarzwelt Joint Project is currently reviewing plans to destroy the anomaly. However, due to the lack of data, no sound plan for its definitive elimination has been submitted. If your investigation sheds new light on the Schwarzwelt, the Joint Project should have little difficulty devising and executing a plan to destroy it.” There was a short pause, and then Arthur seemed to add as an afterthought (Hijikata found it personally strange to think of it that way). “Lieutenant Zelenin’s briefing may have caused some pessimism.”
A look seemed to cross the woman’s face at that, but Hijikata couldn’t really tell as Arthur continued to speak. “To investigate the Schwarzwelt’s interior may seem an impossible task at first, but with the amphibious assault ship we are all currently aboard, out mission becomes feasible.” The screen flickered before it switched to an image of the ship that Hijikata and everyone else was in, with detailed schematics across the blueprints.
“This next-generation amphibious assault ship uses a plasma engine to penetrate the protective wall. It can also go airborne for brief intervals.” The image changed again, this time to the Schwarzwelt-along with the ships in the air, and an arrow that directed their path. “Thus, we can fly over the plasma cloud to safely begin investigating the interior.”
The image disappeared after that, and the image of Arthur came back up as he (and it was also really odd to think of a program as ‘he’, Hijikata realized) continued. “The investigation team is composed of four next-generation amphibious assault ships. Our ship, which is in command of the overall mission, is Ship One, the Red Sprite. Ship Three, the Elve, houses many scientists who will be pivotal in our research. Ships Two and Four, the Blue Jet and Gigantic, will serve as combat support should emergencies arise.”
Zelenin spoke up then. “I will be aboard Ship Three, the Elve. A detailed survey of the anomaly, previously impossible with the unmanned probes: this is our duty. I look forward to all of your support.”
“As mentioned in Lieutenant Zelenin and Arthur’s reports,” Gore was speaking now again, giving everyone a glance before going on with his words. “We carry with us some very serious gear. With all the ships working in tandem, investigating that place is far from impossible. Our mission may be to challenge the unknown… but we can make of it a unique experience in saving mankind, and go home proud of what we’ve done!”
Hijikata did his best to not snort now among the cries of ‘Yes, Sir!’ that came from pretty much everyone else around him. Saving mankind, huh? …Mitsuba would have been proud of him if she had been still alive… if she wasn’t dead at all.
“Let’s see here…” the commander went, pausing to look across all of them yet again (Hijikata noted that he seemed to do this often, or was it just him noticing too much now?) before glancing at the files in his hand. “We have a few visiting team members handpicked by the UN for this investigation… I see some of you haven’t finished your introductions.”
The man looked up just as Gore glanced over right at him, pausing for a moment to give him a once over before his lips twitched in a small quirk. “Welcome. From Japan, are you?”
“Yessir,” Hijikata responded with a salute. “I hope you’re alright with it, sir.”
Gore gave a small snort at that. “At least I don’t have trouble trying to make out what you’re saying,” he went, voice almost amused.
“I studied at Oxford, sir,” the man went before he could stop himself. “First-rate honours.”
“Good to know,” came the response before Gore took a step aside. “Why don’t you get up in front of the group and introduce yourself?”
“Understood,” Hijikata replied with another salute before he stood up and took the spot where Gore was, turning around to look at the people assembled around. Most of them were Westerners or Europeans… only a few Asians were around in this ship. He supposed they were in the other ships, unlike him. For better or for worse though, the man wasn’t so certain about it just yet. Time would tell, as the saying went.
Though, all of those were things to think about later when he could. Putting those thoughts aside for now, the man saluted once more before he did the introductions. “Hijikata Toshirou, Lieutenant Commander in Japan’s Ground Self-Defence Force.” And also many other things like fourteenth captain of the Toyko Anti-Terrorist force, but the man figured they weren’t as important when he thought about what they were going to face soon after all of this. “I look forward to working with all of you.”
There were a few murmurs within the people (most likely something about World War Two, Hijikata thought with mild distaste-it was already over half a century ago, after all), but they were again silenced, as Gore gave him the signal to step down and took back the stage. “Thank you, Crewman Hijikata,” he went, “You will serve on this ship, the Red Sprite, under my command. You’ve been assigned to be part of the strike team. Strike team members have military experience, just like yours. You’ll be the ones going out in the field. I’ll expect you and your teammates to act according to the code of conduct.”
Gore held out his hand then, looking at Hijikata expectantly. The man blinked a few times, at the unexpected gesture, but reached out and shook the man’s hand. “I’ll do my best, sir.”
“I’ve heard a lot about your service record,” Gore replied as he gave a firm handshake, and for a moment the man wondered if the other was aware of the recent events that happened to him of had it been excluded in his papers for some reason or another. “I expect much from you.”
“You can count on me, sir,” Hijikata responded before he let go and returned to his seat.
Gore gave another approving nod-this time towards Hijikata’s direction-before turning back to the rest. “Strike team members, your briefing isn’t quite through yet. Meet me at the deck. Those assigned to other duties, take your places aboard your respective ships. Understood?”
“Yes, sir!” came the (not so very) unified chorus of returned responses.
“Very well then. Dismissed!”
Parts: [ ø. Null] . [I. Alpha] . [ II. Beta]
first of a million steps
I. Alpha
“It’s almost time to go into the Schwarzwelt, isn’t it? Men and women of the investigation team…”
Hijikata raised his head up to look at the plasma monitor that was floating before all of them. The screen was quite unlike anything he had ever seen in real life; images projected through the combination of laser and plasma and a whole load of other things that he would never really get it. Honestly, it was more of the kind of thing that he thought would only exist in those absurd science fiction movies that Sogou frequently watched when he came over for dinner at his place back in those days…
The man felt his thoughts starting to turn sour once more at the memory of that place with her. It had been already roughly three months after everything, but the memories had continued to haunt him… though honestly, that was one of the reasons why he had chosen to sign up for this despite the risks that Kondo had warned him about. The Schwarzwelt was an unknown, dangerous place to anyone at the point of time-the only thing clear about it was that it was a threat to the entire world. This world, the world where Mitsuba had lived in… and had also died in no more than thirteen weeks ago in a terrorist bomb attack at Ikebukuro.
Hijikata closed his eyes at the memory, recalling the horror and blood that had been all around when he was at the scene as one of the forces assigned there. He hadn’t been the one who recovered Mitsuba’s body (fortunately or unfortunately, the man still couldn’t really decide) but news had spread quickly, and it was only a matter of time before he received the fatal call from the morgue to head there and identify her body. It only took a few seconds for him to recognise the ring that was on her finger-the ring with the engraving of their names in the inside. Once he saw that, there was no denying who the body was. Mitsuba had died, and his world along with it.
Maybe that was why he was here. If he was to die, he might as well do it while he was on a mission. Anything else would just be meaningless. And besides… he had nothing else to lose-especially now, since he no longer had any sort of reason to live. He could just pour every last bit of himself into this mission and nobody would really care.
“We at the Schwarzwelt Joint Project will be praying for you on behalf of all of humanity.”
At those words, the man could only make a small snort to himself that caught the attention of the people sitting next to him. He didn’t need any prayers himself; personally… he intended to die here, after all. Just go out there with all guns blazing against whatever they were up against and die like some tragic hero in battle. Sogou would probably just laugh at it… and he supposed only Kondo would miss him in that strange Kondo-way of his. Other than those two… nobody would really miss him, he supposed. He was just that one guy in the crowd like everyone else.
“It’s in your hands now, Commander Gore. Be safe, and make sure you complete your mission.”
Commander Gore was a black and hailed from Amercia, but even Hijikata had heard of his exploits around the world. The man was just short of being a decorated war hero, what with the feats that he had done in his many years of military service to his country. Despite everything in his current situation, Hijikata still couldn’t help but feel a slight sense of pride that he had the opportunity to work with this man-it was a chance that most others would have died for. Pun wholly unintended, of course.
The photos he had seen were nothing compared to the man in real life-straight-faced and at full attention, the man looked at the screen with a salute and responded with the best voice he could muster. “Of course. We’ll take care of it.”
“Then I look forward to good news from you upon your arrival. Excuse me…” The voice faded away after that, and the screen shut down with a short and slightly eye-piercing flash that Hijikata supposed that he was going to get used to for the next few weeks or so.
Gore fell oddly silent for a few moments after the conversation ended, lowering the arm he did the salute with before turning to all of them that had assembled in the command room. “All right, crew! Your attention, please.”
What little chatter that had came up fell silent as Gore’s voice echoed through the now silent room. “We will arrive at our destination, the Schwarzwelt, in thirty minutes. Our mission as the Schwarzwelt Investigation Team is about to get underway. I realize you were selected on short notice and came from all over the globe to be part of this. But it’s only going to be harder from here on out, so get used to it.”
There was a pause after the end of the sentence, and Hijikata barely had enough time to think about the dark irony of this whole situation personally before Gore spoke up once more. “Fortunately, you’re all the elite of your respective nations’ services. You can handle this. If we all lend each other our support and work as a team, this mission will go smoothly.” Another pause. “Enough pep talk, though. It’s time for our last formal briefing before entry.”
At those words, Hijikata straightened himself a little more, bringing himself at full attention at what was said next. If he was going to do this, then he might as well do this mission well, so that nobody in here was going to blame him for anything when he died in the process. Just another casualty and move on; it would be the perfect way for him to go.
“First, to tell us about the land we’re about to ender, the Schwarzwelt… I’d like to introduce to you all First Lieutenant Zelenin.” Saying that, Gore stepped aside to allow the person to question to take the middle spot and start talking-Zelenin was a blonde, rather fair-skinned woman who looked somewhat American; but Hijikata knew enough to know that that wasn’t the case. He had read the files passed to him while on the way to the meet up point-she was one of the best scientists in Russia.
Zelenin took the centre stage, giving everyone around her a once over before she started speaking. “Hello, everyone. If I may have your attention, please. I am First Lieutenant Zelenin. For those of you I haven’t already met, the pleasure is mine.” She inclined her head in greeting then, and Hijikata did the same back in return. As he did that, the man absently noted the strange probe-like thing on her right hand. It looked vaguely like something he remembered seeing from the briefing files, but he couldn’t exactly recall it at the moment.
His thoughts cut short as he directed his attention back to Zelenin, who started to speak again. “I will now explain what observed data we have on the Schwarzwelt’s inner structure.” A giant screen flicked on behind her-another of those plasma project laser things he was sure he would never understand for the rest of his life-and Hijikata saw a rather detailed diagram of the North Pole… as well as the Schwarzwelt itself. From the picture (taken from above via satellite), the Schwarzwelt seemed to be nothing more than something akin to a black hole. Considering what the news had been going on along with what he had heard around him… perhaps it was.
“The Schwarzwelt is a natural phenomenon that arose in the South Pole some months ago,” the scientist started her explanation. “But this phenomenon is one of a kind. We have nothing of its like to compare it to.” The screen flickered then as it switched to a new picture, one of the Schwarzwelt much more up close and personal. Hijikata could only stare a little at what he was seeing; it was… it was hard to put it in words, but the best way he could put it was that there was a wall of snow and ice around the area where the Schwarzwelt supposedly was. What in the world are we going into…?
“You may have heard false reports that it is a giant blizzard,” she spoke, pausing for a moment to let the unamused snorts and grunts from the people around her to pass before continuing. “But in truth it is an unknown spatial anomaly that destroys and absorbs its surroundings as it enlarges. When it first appeared, it was a cylinder only one meter in diameter that stretched to the sky. Since then, it has spread radially, swallowing surrounding observation bases and any investigators whole.”
Hijikata could only raise an eyebrow at that. I guess those reports about the withdrawals were false, then. A small part of him couldn’t help but wonder how many of those investigators had already been lost inside that thing… possibly not much, considering the lack of news. Then again, the news could be controlled… so who knew. Maybe a hundred were already lost in there and nobody would ever know.
Sour thoughts were again stopped as Zelenin went on, making a gesture towards the image at her next lines. “Today, it occupies a sizable footprint with a radius of several hundred kilometres. As we speak, the Schwarzwelt continues to expand… if we cannot engineer a reversal of the process, then it will inevitably swallow the Earth.” She stopped again, this time for the severity of her words to sink into the minds of everyone. As much as Hijikata knew this was important though, it barely sunk into his-he was just here to do what he wanted and most likely die in the process; after all, these kind of unknown missions were always the one with the highest casualties. The worst came to worst, he’d just be lost out in there forever… not that anyone would care anyway. Just like what he wanted.
Once the moment passed, the woman snapped her fingers (Hijikata noticed then that the strange probe thing in her hand was now strangely missing; a quick glance revealed that it was on the ground before her and was the thing that was projecting the images they were seeing now) and the picture changed to one with a much more scientific diagram of the Schwarzwelt from earlier. “According to data retrieved from the unmanned probes dispatched prior to this investigation, there is a several thousand meter wall surrounding the Schwarzwelt’s outer rim.” To emphasize that, the strange wall of ice and snow the man had been wondering about earlier was highlighted with a purple-pink structural outline.
There was another pause after that before she added on, “This barrier is a plasma cloud that dismantles all approaching objects at a molecular level.”
A short string of murmurs arose from that comment, but they were quickly silenced as Zelenin snapped her fingers once more and the image changed-this time to one that highlighted the black interior of the Schwarzwelt. “You may be surprised to learn that the interior contains parallel universes, or other dimensions. Unfolding within the anomaly is a bizarre landscape we’ve had a hard time getting readings on. This is due to some sort of property the interior has that repels foreign bodies…” She paused again, as if debating something, but quickly recovered and continued. “Whatever this property is, it’s destroyed each and every unmanned probe we sent in.” Another snap of the fingers, and the image vanished with another of those slightly eye blinding flashes.
Zelenin paused to pick up the probe on the floor, rolling it in her palm before speaking. “…and that’s what we know in a nutshell. It paints a bleak picture for our mission, no matter how one interprets it-”
Not that I care, Hijikata remarked to himself mentally.
“-but as many of you know, we have effective ways of dealing with each of those obstacles,” the woman went on, her voice getting stronger now. “The Join Project assembled its team and equipment based on the data we’ve collected so far. I am certain that if we all work as one, we can carry out our duties safely and effectively.” She stopped at that to give everyone a glance once more before turning to Gore and nodding once. “This concludes my report,” she said before turning to step down, Gore stepping back up moments after her.
“Thank you for that clear and concise explanation, Lieutenant Zelenin,” the man went with an approving nod towards the woman, who nodded back once more in return. “Now, Arthur will confirm our mission. He’ll be the one managing the assignments and duty roster.”
A moment passed before the plasma screen flickered open to show the image of a probe, vastly similar to the one Zelenin had in her hand earlier. The LED on the corner of its flat front flickered as a pleasant-sounding (but still clearly robotic voice) started to speak. “Hello, Schwarzwelt Investigation Team. I am the Command Unit Arthur. I will support you by coodorinating our systems with those of other ships to devise a strategy.”
Hijikata blinked a little at the rather… human nature of it, and it was clear that many others were taken aback by it as well. Gore decided to take this moment to do a brief explanation for them all. “As you can see, Arthur is an administrative program with a pseudopersonality. It may feel strange to take orders from him at first, but you’ll quickly get used to it.”
You’re telling me, the man thought with no fair amount of sarcasm as Gore went to the robot. “Please continue, Arthur.”
There was a flicker of acknowledgement on the screen from Arthur before the program continued. “This team’s mission is to conduct a detailed investigation of the Schwarzwelt’s inner structure. The Schwarzwelt Joint Project is currently reviewing plans to destroy the anomaly. However, due to the lack of data, no sound plan for its definitive elimination has been submitted. If your investigation sheds new light on the Schwarzwelt, the Joint Project should have little difficulty devising and executing a plan to destroy it.” There was a short pause, and then Arthur seemed to add as an afterthought (Hijikata found it personally strange to think of it that way). “Lieutenant Zelenin’s briefing may have caused some pessimism.”
A look seemed to cross the woman’s face at that, but Hijikata couldn’t really tell as Arthur continued to speak. “To investigate the Schwarzwelt’s interior may seem an impossible task at first, but with the amphibious assault ship we are all currently aboard, out mission becomes feasible.” The screen flickered before it switched to an image of the ship that Hijikata and everyone else was in, with detailed schematics across the blueprints.
“This next-generation amphibious assault ship uses a plasma engine to penetrate the protective wall. It can also go airborne for brief intervals.” The image changed again, this time to the Schwarzwelt-along with the ships in the air, and an arrow that directed their path. “Thus, we can fly over the plasma cloud to safely begin investigating the interior.”
The image disappeared after that, and the image of Arthur came back up as he (and it was also really odd to think of a program as ‘he’, Hijikata realized) continued. “The investigation team is composed of four next-generation amphibious assault ships. Our ship, which is in command of the overall mission, is Ship One, the Red Sprite. Ship Three, the Elve, houses many scientists who will be pivotal in our research. Ships Two and Four, the Blue Jet and Gigantic, will serve as combat support should emergencies arise.”
Zelenin spoke up then. “I will be aboard Ship Three, the Elve. A detailed survey of the anomaly, previously impossible with the unmanned probes: this is our duty. I look forward to all of your support.”
“As mentioned in Lieutenant Zelenin and Arthur’s reports,” Gore was speaking now again, giving everyone a glance before going on with his words. “We carry with us some very serious gear. With all the ships working in tandem, investigating that place is far from impossible. Our mission may be to challenge the unknown… but we can make of it a unique experience in saving mankind, and go home proud of what we’ve done!”
Hijikata did his best to not snort now among the cries of ‘Yes, Sir!’ that came from pretty much everyone else around him. Saving mankind, huh? …Mitsuba would have been proud of him if she had been still alive… if she wasn’t dead at all.
“Let’s see here…” the commander went, pausing to look across all of them yet again (Hijikata noted that he seemed to do this often, or was it just him noticing too much now?) before glancing at the files in his hand. “We have a few visiting team members handpicked by the UN for this investigation… I see some of you haven’t finished your introductions.”
The man looked up just as Gore glanced over right at him, pausing for a moment to give him a once over before his lips twitched in a small quirk. “Welcome. From Japan, are you?”
“Yessir,” Hijikata responded with a salute. “I hope you’re alright with it, sir.”
Gore gave a small snort at that. “At least I don’t have trouble trying to make out what you’re saying,” he went, voice almost amused.
“I studied at Oxford, sir,” the man went before he could stop himself. “First-rate honours.”
“Good to know,” came the response before Gore took a step aside. “Why don’t you get up in front of the group and introduce yourself?”
“Understood,” Hijikata replied with another salute before he stood up and took the spot where Gore was, turning around to look at the people assembled around. Most of them were Westerners or Europeans… only a few Asians were around in this ship. He supposed they were in the other ships, unlike him. For better or for worse though, the man wasn’t so certain about it just yet. Time would tell, as the saying went.
Though, all of those were things to think about later when he could. Putting those thoughts aside for now, the man saluted once more before he did the introductions. “Hijikata Toshirou, Lieutenant Commander in Japan’s Ground Self-Defence Force.” And also many other things like fourteenth captain of the Toyko Anti-Terrorist force, but the man figured they weren’t as important when he thought about what they were going to face soon after all of this. “I look forward to working with all of you.”
There were a few murmurs within the people (most likely something about World War Two, Hijikata thought with mild distaste-it was already over half a century ago, after all), but they were again silenced, as Gore gave him the signal to step down and took back the stage. “Thank you, Crewman Hijikata,” he went, “You will serve on this ship, the Red Sprite, under my command. You’ve been assigned to be part of the strike team. Strike team members have military experience, just like yours. You’ll be the ones going out in the field. I’ll expect you and your teammates to act according to the code of conduct.”
Gore held out his hand then, looking at Hijikata expectantly. The man blinked a few times, at the unexpected gesture, but reached out and shook the man’s hand. “I’ll do my best, sir.”
“I’ve heard a lot about your service record,” Gore replied as he gave a firm handshake, and for a moment the man wondered if the other was aware of the recent events that happened to him of had it been excluded in his papers for some reason or another. “I expect much from you.”
“You can count on me, sir,” Hijikata responded before he let go and returned to his seat.
Gore gave another approving nod-this time towards Hijikata’s direction-before turning back to the rest. “Strike team members, your briefing isn’t quite through yet. Meet me at the deck. Those assigned to other duties, take your places aboard your respective ships. Understood?”
“Yes, sir!” came the (not so very) unified chorus of returned responses.
“Very well then. Dismissed!”