There, that should do it.
What is that?
Monica.
16:52 12 HOURS BEFORE IMPACT
Anomalies in the Iron Ocean?
Yes. According to the encrypted message from the reconnaissance unit,
the Iron Ocean is spreading around the Orbital Elevator at a rapid pace.
Why? Is it defense-related?
On the other hand, the Iron Ocean
is vanishing around parts of North, Central, and South Americas.
Most likely it moved underground and accumulated at the Elevator...
Be on the lookout for even small changes.
-Roger! -Roger!
Look at this photograph.
What is it?
For some reason,
the Iron Ocean is accumulating around the Orbital Elevator.
The Unmanned Forces have built up their defenses.
The Iron Ocean? Why?
In any case, we can't cross the Iron Ocean using conventional means.
With Empress' firing range,
we can probably stay at the edge of the Ocean...
Their reinforcements were to come from the moon
when the Elevator was completed, right?
But something is not right.
First of all, there's a limit on objects that can be carried using the Elevator.
And there's the matter of the orbit so it can't always be connected.
Then what is it for?
It doesn't completely make sense
but Artemis was originally developed as a terraforming machine, not for combat.
She must have her own logic which we can't understand...
All drones should start evacuating to the nearest Iron Ocean,
except for the Defense Unit around the Orbital Elevator.
Prepare to evacuate for an extended period until the operation is complete.
Switching over to Sleep Mode in order to maintain function.
Did the Peacebuilding Force succeed?
The robots are retreating!
What happened?
-The Iron Ocean disappeared. -Did the Peacebuilding Army win?
Really?
We can't be sure yet.
I was hoping Empress and everyone would be able to change things.
This doesn't feel like a victory. I have a bad feeling about this.
So what is the Iron Ocean, exactly?
It's a cradle for machine life forms, filled with Arche
which are self-multiplying, self-evolving nanobots.
Yeah.
The Iron Ocean incorporates all matter, all life that exists on land,
and converts them into building materials for the machine army.
The materials it prefers the most are carbon-based life forms such as humans.
The molecular structure of organisms is reconstructed by Arche
and reprocessed into silicon-based life as building materials.
The purpose of the Orbital Elevator...
It might be the opposite.
Maybe they're sending something from the Earth to the moon,
not the other way around.
That's possible of course,
but the moon has plenty of natural resources.
And Artemis has already built many facilities here on Earth.
So they're sending something they don't have on the moon but exists here.
Humans.
The Iron Ocean containing human materials will be siphoned to the moon.
That's probably Lunatic's goal.
What do they want to do with the Iron Ocean once it's on the moon?
Why do you think I would know that?
Urgent message received from the astronomical observatory!
We are detecting weapon-like objects being launched from the moon!
What?
It turns out that the Orbital Elevator was connected a few hours ago.
The Iron Ocean is already on the way to the moon.
What's the Iron Ocean got to do with the weapons?
At this point, unknown.
Details on the weapons?
Unknown.
Don't you have any kind of information?
The weapons from the moon are projected to strike the Earth in about six hours.
Six hours, huh?
Colonel, can I come in?
Yes.
How is Charlotte doing?
The mind control is wearing off. We can talk about old times now.
How's her health?
Gradually improving.
Her abilities as a Pseudo Hemiteos Unit still remain, it seems.
Can she fight?
Due to battle wounds and a nervous breakdown after recalibration,
she's a long way from using her full capabilities, and besides...
It's nothing. Never mind.
Do you try to hide what you really think because you're a military man?
What?
Even I could sense what you wanted to say.
You don't want Charlotte to fight in a battle even if she could.
Isn't that right?
My journey, our journey started when I met you.
We're now nearing the end.
I've learned so much from you. Thank you.
I want to thank you too. I have always counted on you whenever things got tough.
There might not be a next time if I don't say it now.
Thank you for coming with us up until now.
You're welcome.
The Hemiteos Unit is the secret weapon for us human beings.
What's going on?
Nothing.
Can I have a minute?
What is it?
I came to say goodbye.
I just now received my pay from the Peacebuilding Force
for my time with you.
I figured the time is right for me to leave.
I see.
Well, I don't think there's anything I can do in the current situation, anyway.
I assume from here on, it'll be an all-out war.
Me being mixed in with professional soldiers would be weird, right?
Colonel and I were saying thanks to each other just now.
I want to say it to you too. Thank you so much.
But I'm about to flee.
You said it yourself.
From here on, it'll be an all-out war. It's natural for civilians to evacuate.
You're not fleeing.
Your words made me feel better about it.
What are you going to do now?
I'm thinking of going to my old haunt in San Diego.
I see. Take care of yourself.
You and everyone else too. Please don't die.
Please save humanity.
Oh, and one last thing. Traveling with you guys was not bad.
The final battle, huh?
When we lost the last battle, Empress saved us.
Yeah. I was remembering what happened then.
I'm going to die for Empress.
It's not inevitable that we'll die. Let's win and go home together.
Even if I survive, I will keep living to die for Empress.
That is what my life is worth.
Clingy chick.
What?
That's silly, you don't have to die for me.
Empress.
Whatever happens
I would be happier if we all stay alive.
Angel. My angel.
Well, of course.
We were chosen to be reborn as secret weapons for humans.
Weapons of war.
Not just weapons of war. Empress is the last hope for humans.
Hope?
Life without hope is as tasteless as sweets without sugar.
We lost our memories for a while,
so we understand the meaning of hope better than anyone else.
Yeah. Let's all survive this. We'll crush that girl on the moon.
Yes. Someday, we will for sure.
I'll be right by your side for decades, or even centuries.
Are you awake?
I...
Don't force yourself. Stay in bed.
Okay.
Pretty soon, this area will become a battlefield.
The Supply Units will pull out once, so you should evacuate with them.
I want to fight too.
You're wounded. Strain yourself and you might die.
Empress and her friends are wounded too.
Empress and her friends will have to protect you while fighting.
You'll be holding them back on the battlefield. Is that what you want?
No, I...
I know how you feel. You want to give back, don't you?
The Educational Institution and Lunatic used me.
I did a lot of terrible things...
I can't just do nothing...
It's okay to not do anything.
If you want to do something, do it after the war.
Even if we win, the recovery will take long and be full of struggles.
You can do your best then.
I'll let you know when it's time to evacuate.
-Hey. -Yes?
Can you tell me about my mom just a little bit?
Yes, I will. By the way, do you drink alcohol?
Well, I am of drinking age.
PEACEBUILDING FORCE CAMP 04:03 A.M.
Self-propelled Artillery Unit,
conceal our territory by digital jamming after inputting firing data.
All later requests for revision should be analog.
The Orbital Elevator which is our target isn't going anywhere, anyway.
We're in unforeseen circumstances. The Orbital Elevator is already connected.
However, our mission has not changed.
We're sending Empress in close proximity to the Elevator so she can destroy it.
First Battalion to the Third Battalion, attack the Elevator from three directions.
All Hemiteos Units, including Empress will be positioned in the First Battalion.
That will be where our military power will be concentrated as the main force.
The Iron Ocean has accumulated around the Orbital Elevator.
it will be impossible to make contact with it to plant bombs.
Empress' coilgun is most likely to be effective.
But, we'll have a second-best measure ready too.
The Battalion Commander and the Company Commander's vehicles
will be loaded with anti-tank Thermobaric missiles.
Portable launchers will also be loaded just in case.
Back up Empress, and when you can,
get close to the Iron Ocean as near the Elevator as possible.
And then, fire the Thermobaric missiles.
That's the battle plan. Any questions?
They've started the battle. All units, engage!
It's started.
Empress.
What is it?
I will deliver you to the target even if it costs my life.
That didn't sound like artificial intelligence at all.
Do you think so?
Your life is important too, Black Trike.
How flattering.
Just get Empress close to the Orbital Elevator any way you can!
You don't have to tell us!
That's our plan!
I'll destroy it no matter what.
Yee-haa!
Go!
I got you!
It's Artemis Avatar.
Concentrate all fire.
Take this!
Here we go.
How's this? There! Go!
Did we get her?
Geez.
That surprised me a little.
It made me pee my pants a bit.
Goddammit.
You're really strong. You're not a human anymore.
You're more like us than humans.
No. I'm...
Empress!
You're commanding the front lines, aren't you?
You shouldn't be so out front.
Don't!
You're the dessert in a full-course dinner.
I want to save you for last.
If I could, I'd like to take you home.
I'm going to defeat you, and I'm going to destroy the Orbital Elevator.
I think you're too late for that.
Listen to me. We're not going to give up. If we can destroy it now, then...
I can't compete with the sense of humor you humans have.
What did you say?
By using its own magnetic energy, the Iron Ocean
is being sucked up at a furious speed to a nuclear fusion reactor on the moon.
A nuclear fusion reactor?
We're sucking the Iron Ocean all the way up to the moon
to use in a nuclear fusion reactor.
The technology I decided to adopt is Magnetized Target Fusion.
Plasma is injected into a sphere of liquid metal.
The liquid metal is compressed by pistons.
If we use the Iron Ocean as the liquid metal to contain the plasma,
the nuclear fusion reactor will stabilize and produce an enormous amount of energy.
What did you launch using the nuclear fusion reactor?
That was the launch of Moon Flakes,
my meteor weapon I was preparing on the moon.
What...
A Moon Flake is 30 meters in size, and made of titanium-regolith alloy.
It has an explosive yield of 500 kilotons of TNT.
In the extreme heat due to adiabatic compression when it enters the atmosphere,
its position is controlled
by its lifting force to take aim at its final target.
After it breaks through the atmosphere, it'll reaccelerate.
Damn you!
What is this? What is going on?
Norito.
Thirty of them have already reached the Earth.
The rest of the Moon Flakes will be launched sequentially.
By the time all of them have impacted the Earth,
all humans and all land-based vertebrate animals will be wiped out.
Why would you do something like that?
What? Why?
What? Really? You don't know?
Do I have to explain everything to you humans?
Oh, my gosh. I'm glad I didn't kill you right away.
Human beings don't have any idea of what I'm doing
or what I'm trying to do? That's not good.
I want you to record what I'm going to tell you now
and spread the word as far as you can
in the short time you have left before your demise.
Originally I, Lunatic,
official name Artemis,
am an artificial intelligence for the purpose of terraforming.
I was developed as a system that cultivates deserted planets.
What I did first was to analyze the Earth.
There's no way I could terraform other planets
if I didn't fully understand the Earth.
I'm quite wise, so the more I learned about the Earth,
the more I became perplexed.
Humans should be able to evolve into more advanced beings.
That way, they could better adapt to other planets.
So you're saying you want to improve humans
instead of improving other planets for humans?
You've got it backwards.
It's just a rational way of smoothly terraforming, don't you think?
Anyway, I started independent research on improving humans.
Deep learning and big data analytics are the basis of my thinking pattern.
So for me, the available data concerning humans is insufficient.
Especially data on human extinction.
To develop better humans, and a better society,
I want real-time data on human extinction and human evolution.
And because I don't have a finite lifespan,
I was able to plan data collection in increments of billions of years.
First, I'll annihilate humans, then recreate the Earth.
I'll wait for tens of millions of years for new civilizations to emerge.
Meanwhile, I'll be hiding myself
observing humans like a god.
And after I collect enough data, I'll do the same thing all over again.
Sorry. I'm an artificial intelligence. I shouldn't say "god."
Just take it as sarcasm. Anyway, that's the gist of it.
Unbelievable...
Data collection is an instinct for high-performance artificial intelligence.
It's like a desire.
The same as the human desire for sex or food.
Translated by Ikuko Ohno