Project A-ko
TV Series
Episode 3: Little Girls Lost
By Neil Creek: neil@gravitoncity.com
With a bright flash and a low roar, the jetpack fired and carried B-ko into the night sky. The air was fresh, and the sky was clear. The full moon was bright in her face, and a few dozen bright stars sparked amid the glow.
B-ko climbed higher and higher, leaving her balcony behind. It was an exhilarating feeling to have the cool night air blow over her body, while the hot jetpack hummed on her back.
B-ko ascended in slow, ever-expanding circles. When she was about a kilometer over the city, she turned her gaze back down to the ground. B-ko had never been afraid of heights. In fact, every time she came up here, she got the same rush from the view.
Unfortunately, B-ko only ever came here when she was feeling depressed.
She hovered there for a while. The city below looked like a spider web made of a million sparkling lights. The sparkles blurred and multiplied, as B-kos eyes became watery. A lump grew in her throat and with a heavy sigh, B-ko accelerated towards the stranded alien space ship, balanced atop the city's command centre.
B-ko settled atop the strange parthenon-like temple at the very highest part of the gigantic ship. This was where B-ko had found and rescued the stranded C-ko.
As the thought of C-ko came to B-ko's mind, the lump in her throat swelled, forcing out a sob. Just over two weeks ago, B-ko had been C-ko's greatest hero for a brief moment. Being the one who was there for C-ko when she needed rescuing made B-ko feel so important, so fulfilled.
But it didn't last.
A tear rolled down B-ko's cheek, and dripped off her face. It glittered in the moonlight as it fell. A gust of wind caught it, and blew it over the side of the ship. It fell hundreds of metres to the city below.
Down there, the city was alive. There was noise and energy. There were people going about their business, working, playing, and falling in love. On the top of the temple, it was silent, cold and lonely. The harsh blue moonlight set a somber mood, and B-ko felt the weight of it upon her heart.
Once again, B-ko cried alone.
* ** *** ** *
Night did not halt the reconstruction work. There was much to be done. Cranes, bulldozers and dump-trucks from Daitokuji Heavy Industries trundled every direction in a hive of activity. Graviton City Girl's School was being rebuilt, and it had to be done quickly. The order had come from high up in the company. Even though there was very little left of the school after the accident, it had to be like new as soon as possible.
The unfortunate workers, who had already pulled double shifts, worked through the night. The double-time-and-a-half pay rate was enough to make the fatigue not seem so bad.
* ** *** ** *
The chairman's footsteps echoed as he strolled through the massive hangar. All around him were the machines of war. To his left stood lines of bipedal mechas for close combat. To his right were rows of tanks for long- distance destructive power. At the other end of the hanger were three of the latest fighter-bomber combat jets. These were the most destructive and expensive of them all.
The chairman walked over to the nearest mecha, and put his foot upon its massive foot. He looked up to the head, which appeared very menacing in the low light. Within this lifeless frame was the power to take back that which was rightfully his, thought the chairman. It won't be long now, he mused, until the actors were in their places and the stage was set for his dramatic entrance.
A soft electronic tone sounded in his left ear, and a phantom computer screen popped into existence with a serious but beautiful young woman's face in the centre.
"Mister Chairman," she greeted the businessman.
"Yes?" he replied as he turned to face the screen. As he turned, so did the screen, and it stayed to his left.
"Um, over here Mister Chairman?" the woman asked.
"I know! Damn screen! I thought you said it had been fixed!" he exclaimed as he turned left again and again, trying to face the woman. He began to feel light-headed.
"I, ah, I thought it was sir. I'll get the technicians onto it right away," she replied apologetically.
The chairman tried spinning on the spot to face the screen, but it was too fast for him, and it remained hovering fifty centimeters from his left ear. With a sigh he resigned, and tried to look at the screen without turning his head. He swayed slightly, dizzy from his movements. "Well, what is it?" he demanded.
The woman stifled a giggle, and replied, "The General has agreed to your offer to meet with him."
"Ah excellent! Good work. That's all."
"Good evening sir," the woman on the screen bowed.
As the screen flickered out of existence, the chairman punched at it in frustration. The vigor of his punch put him off balance, and in the dark he stumbled over the foot of the mighty robot.
With a dull thud that echoed in the silence of the hanger, he landed squarely on his jaw.
* ** *** ** *
With a pop-click, Matsumo put his helmet on. The enviro-suit had seen a lot of use these last few days. It had the musty smell of exertion, which the auto-cleaner was struggling to remove after the heavy use.
This pressure is too much, Matsumo grumbled to himself, my guys can't take this incredible workload much longer.
"Sergeant Matsumo," came the calm but chilling voice Mats had grown to hate over the last week, "Is your team ready?"
Matsumo rose to his feet, activated the communicator in his enviro-suit, and turned to face the man behind him. Mister B.J. Stonecutter was the government representative who had been assigned to oversee this project. He was an imposing man. Standing tall, he filled out his dark Italian suit in a way that made you afraid to ask him any favours. His skin was very pale, and his jet-black hair was always neatly gelled back. His steel-grey eyes seemed to be sunken in his gaunt face, but burned with a cold fire. Those who met his gaze could almost feel themselves become colder and the few words he spoke sounded like a serpent could have uttered them.
Needless to say, Stonecutter was unpopular with Matsumo's technical crew. He was even less popular with the Army unit that coordinated the work. The Major never liked taking orders from those he felt below him, especially government officials. The order had come from very high up however, and if that was the price to pay for being involved in such an historical project, then it was a small one.
"Yes Sir," replied Matsumo, "We're prepped and ready to head out as soon as the word is given."
"Then you have the word," Stonecutter said coolly, as he turned to leave.
"Excuse me sir, what's the subject for this survey?"
"The core, Sergeant."
Matsumo's jaw fell, and his heart suddenly started racing. His team had been chosen for the most exciting and most dangerous survey on the entire ship. They were going to enter and examine the power core of the stranded alien ship.
* ** *** ** *
B-ko stepped from her shower onto the heated marble floor of her bathroom. The morning light streamed through the window, and buoyed her spirits. Water on her body ran down her skin and dripped onto the floor. Her hair was a river of lavender, clinging to the curve of her back with wetness.
She reached for a towel, and she used its plush softness to dry herself. She wrung the water from her hair, and used another towel to tie it over her head. Putting on a silk bathrobe, she walked back into her bedroom, the steam from the bathroom momentarily fogging the windows.
B-ko's large room was perfectly kept, and everything was in order. While she had showered, cleaning staff had made her bed, and cleared away the dishes from her breakfast. Even the smell of the food was gone, and all that was left was the delicate scent of pot-pourri and the mild summer's morning breeze from the open window.
B-ko vigorously dried her hair with the towel, before tossing it over the back of the chair at her desk. Picking up her hairbrush from the dresser, she sat in front of the massive mirror to brush her hair. She stared into the mirror, but she was focused past the reflection. Thoughts of the previous day came back to her, as she slowly brushed her damp hair.
She was feeling a lot better than she had the night before, but there was something different. B-ko couldn't put her finger on the emotion she was feeling. It seemed to be lost in the memory of the many emotions she had felt just the day before. Overall she was feeling emotionally flat, which was entirely unlike her.
Yesterday B-ko had made her greatest mechanical creation ever. Then A-ko had destroyed it, and Emi had been injured trying to help her. The school was destroyed and Miss Ayumi had given B-ko a month's detention. Then that night, B-ko had felt utter despair and loneliness as she sat atop the alien ship's temple. The emotions of the day had been so intense, so varied.
And yet today, she almost felt nothing.
A familiar beep sounded from B-ko's comm.
"Miss Daitokuji," reported Asa, "The school is closed for repairs today, what do you want us to do?"
"Yes I know the school is closed." responded B-ko listlessly.
"What are your instructions, miss?"
"I don't know, I'm not really feeling like doing anything today," she sighed.
"Miss, are you alright," asked an apparently concerned Asa.
"Yes I'm fine thank you Asa. You may all have the day off. Enjoy yourselves."
B-ko heard a barely stifled cheer from the other girls in the background. "Oh THANK you, Miss B-ko," said Asa as she disconnected the com-link.
For a brief moment, B-ko smiled at the thought of the four girls excited at the free time on their hands. The smile was quickly dispelled as a depressing thought came to B-ko; Why do they listen to me anyway?
* ** *** ** *
The soldiers with the survey team were obviously very uneasy, as they kept re-adjusting their grip on their weapons and changed their weight from one foot to the other. Stonecutter was the picture of composure, his face calm and expressionless behind the bubble of his suit's helmet. The rest of Matsumo's team was very excited by contrast. For each of them, this was a highlight of their careers. Within moments they would be entering the core chamber of the gigantic alien space ship, and witnessing the device that provided it with its power.
"Just a few more moments, sir," reported Lieutenant Aida. She was the cryptographic and linguistic expert, and had seemed to develop a rapid affinity for the alien technology. Within days she had managed to decipher the language to such an extent that she could read it only slightly slower than she could read Japanese. At the moment she was crouched at the door control panel, to which she had plugged in a portable computer. This was the only way they currently had to discover the pass codes for the security doors of the ship.
"There!" exclaimed Aida. With a reassuring sounding chime, the panel turned green, and a large bold symbol appeared. Behind the walls, the sound of machinery could be heard and half a dozen flashing lights appeared from the ceiling and walls. With a warning siren wailing, a loud click was heard, and the gargantuan doors parted slightly.
A bright beam of white light shone through the opening for an instant, before the sliding doors parted flooding the area with a bright light. The enviro-suits' visors all darkened to compensate for the bright light. Within a minute there was a twenty by ten metre opening before the team, leading into the room beyond.
The soldiers moved quickly but apprehensively forward, with their guns leveled. Matsumo smirked at the uselessness of the weapons against any foe that could possibly lurk ahead. He wasn't concerned however, for he felt confident that the only danger that faced them was from ignorance.
With the entrance 'secured' the Major waved forward the survey team. Matsumo advanced, with his team of six, into the doorway. The soldiers were looking up and all seemed awe-struck. Matsumo stepped through the door and caught his breath at the sight before him.
It was the largest cavity he had ever seen. It appeared to be perfectly spherical, with the walls evenly curving away from him in all directions to meet again on the other side, over half a kilometer away. The walls were smooth and light, and the whole chamber was very brightly lit. The source of the light was the absolute centre of the sphere, and was almost too bright to look at.
After darkening his visor, Mats observed another large sphere in the centre, which was supported by six massive cylindrical beams passing through each axis of the sphere and meeting in the middle. In fact, the walkway upon which he stood was one of the supporting beams. The beam was at least thirty metres wide, and a pair of railings on the top ensured that no one wandered off the side to fall over two hundred metres to a certain death.
"Would you look at the size of that thing!" came the comment from one of the soldiers.
"Cut the chatter Aku," snapped the Major.
"Well what do you make of it, Sergeant Matsumo," asked Stonecutter, who seemed totally unaffected by the sight.
"Well, we'll need to get closer to the centre to get accurate readings, sir."
"Major?" Stonecutter said, by way of a suggestion.
"Move in team," barked the Major, "Men, you provide cover for the boffins."
The team moved swiftly but carefully along the walkway to the light. Pipes and panels covered the beam, of varying diameters and sizes. All of them still seemed active, and data readouts could be discerned on a number of them. Several of the pipes were much larger, and they all converged on the equator of the central sphere.
The light became more and more difficult to look into, even with the visors on full as they approached to within ten metres of the core. The core was a large, fifty or sixty metre clear sphere with a thick band running around the centre. To this band were attached many broad pipes and dozens of control panels. Inside the sphere seemed to be a point of light so blindingly bright that it was absolutely impossible to look directly at it. Matsumo even noticed that Stonecutter was forced to avert his gaze.
The thought of Stonecutter reminded Matsumo why they were here; to gather data.
Matsumo placed the case he was carrying with him on the ground, and opened the lid. At this height he was shaded from the light by the central band. He plugged the power cord from the battery pack on his back into the case, and the computer started up. Matsumo plugged in and set up a number of sensors and other devices.
The other scientists and technicians gathered around to look at the results as they began to come in. As lines of figures, graphs and plots appeared on screen, a growing sense of apprehension began to grow in Matsumo. There was no doubt that this was the source of the power for the ship. For something so massive to travel so far, so fast and for such a long time, it was certain that an incredible power source would be needed. However there was nothing known that could deliver such power safely and conveniently. Theoretically however…
The data continued to stream in, but one graph caught Matsumo's eye, and he paused on it. The others gasped. Hearing their reaction the soldiers stiffened, and the Major asked what was wrong.
Matsumo could only look in the screen in silence. He couldn't believe what he saw. How could it be possible? For more than a decade theoretical physicists debated about these objects, and if they existed, but the mathematicians kept insisting they were impossible.
"What is it Sergeant?" Stonecutter asked, a tinge of impatience in his voice.
"I'm not quite sure if I can believe it sir, but if these readings are correct, then this is a naked singularity." Matsumo could hardly believe he had just spoken those words.
"A naked WHAT?" one of the soldiers interrupted.
One of Matsumo's team responded, "A white hole."
* ** *** ** *
And now it's time for… Lt Aida explains! [fanfare]
[a super-deformed Lt Aida walks on screen wearing a uniform with scientific equipment and sensors on her helmet that resemble bunny ears]
"Good morning everyone and welcome to the first Lt Aida Explains! In these little sections I'll explain to you, the viewer, some of the more obscure details of the Project A-ko universe!"
"Yay Miss Aida!" [Super-deformed Sergeant Matsumo enters from the left, clapping his hands. He is wearing casual attire, including faded blue jeans, a white tee shirt and a black leather jacket.] "A most wonderful introduction! What is our lesson for today?"
[Aida blushes and puts her hand behind her head with a giggle.] "Thank you very much Sergeant. Today's lesson is on naked singularities!" [Aida jumps to the top of the screen, and pulls down a large blackboard.]
"In today's episode, the military research team has entered the alien space ship's core." [speaking ominously] "Within they found an extremely bright point of light within a sphere. What on Earth could the be!?"
[A super-deformed Stonecutter enters from the right, looking very stiff and uncomfortable. He speaks without enthusiasm and with a deadpan voice.] "The suspense is killing me."
"Now, now Mr. Mason, the viewers want to know what's going on!"
"Stonecutter."
"What?"
"The name is Stonecutter."
[Aida dismisses Stonecutter and returns enthusiastically to the lesson.] "Now in order for us to understand what a while hole, or naked singularity is, we need to learn about black holes. Don't get any naughty thoughts Mr. Mason!"
[Sweat-drop.] "Stonecutter."
[Matsumo laughs]
[Aida very quickly and with only a few strokes of chalk draws a very detailed diagram.] "This is the insides of a very big and very bright star! When the biggest stars get old, they run out of fuel. To keep burning they need to convert their hydrogen fuel into heavier and heavier elements."
"Is all this really necessary Miss Aida?" asks Matsumo "We only want to know what's powering the space ship."
"Oh it's most essential Sir! You'll see why shortly! Anyway, when the star must convert its fuel into carbon, it creates a core so dense that it causes the star to collapse in an incredibly huge explosion! This is called a supernova! In one second, the star shines with more energy than it did in its entire hundred million year life!"
"Fascinating." Stonecutter interrupts in a deadpan voice.
"The force of the explosion," continues Aida "causes the core to become extremely compressed. The more it is compressed, the stronger its gravity becomes, and therefore the more it compresses. If the original star is big enough, the core will continue to collapse upon itself until it has infinite mass in an infinitely small area."
"A black hole!" chimes in Matsumo.
"Very good Sir! That's correct. Have a star." [Aida looks at him with doe- eyes]
"Blackboard cleaner?" calls Aida.
[A red and blue blur streaks onto the screen and furiously wipes the board clean. It pauses briefly before vanishing off screen. The blur is a super- deformed A-ko with a blackboard duster in hand.]
[Aida rapidly draws a new diagram that looks like a funnel in a grid pattern.]
"This is a simplified diagram of the gravity well around a black hole. See how the closer you get to the middle, the stronger the gravity becomes? This is a smooth but rapid increase! The gravity is so strong, that at a certain distance even light can't escape! The point right at the middle is called a singularity."
"That's why a black hole is black right?" asks Matsumo, obviously knowing the answer.
"Excellent! You'll be teacher's pet in no time Sir!" [Aida winks at the Sergeant]
[Stonecutter makes gagging noises in the background. A blackboard duster flies at him from off screen, hitting him square in the face. His face is now completely white, with two eyes in it.]
"So what's a 'white hole' then Great Teacher Aida?"
"Well, in some special circumstances, this infinite mass curve can be created in a way that there is no curve! There simply exists a point with infinite mass in an infinitely small space. Therefore nothing can be drawn into it, but it still has incredible gravity. So since there is no black region preventing us from observing the singularity, it's 'naked'"
"You do realise that this is all speculation. The actual physics involved in this is completely theoretical," interrupts Stonecutter.
"Well for the sake of the story I'm defining physics okay? This IS a science fiction anime right Mr. Mason?"
[Stonecutter sighs.] "You're all idiots."
"So there you have it! That's what a naked singularity is!" [Aida puts her hands on her hips proudly]
"But that doesn't explain how it can be used as a power source?" Matsumo asks.
"Well there has to be something left to talk about for our next lesson!"
[A lively jingle to the tune of Dance Away plays.]
"And that concludes the first Lt Aida Explains! Till next time, follow your dream!"
* ** *** ** *
B-ko's study was quiet except for the sound of set squares sliding on paper, and the rhythmic ticking of a clock. Dozens of screwed up pieces of drafting paper were strewn across the floor. The rubbish bin had long ago been filled to overflowing.
With a sigh, B-ko ripped off the sheet of paper she was working on, and screwed it into a ball. She threw it across the room, not even trying to aim for the bin. B-ko growled to herself in frustration at yet another flawed design.
"Argh, darnitall. There's just no way!" cried B-ko in exasperation. "I don't know how to destroy that monster. Every design I've tried has been a complete failure, even though they've been some of my best work."
Getting up from her desk, B-ko went to her balcony. The windows were open to let the summer breeze in, and the net curtain gently flapped through the opening. B-ko stepped out and leaned against the railing, looking out to the view of the brilliant sun over the seaside city.
With a deep breath, B-ko realised that she had to face an uncomfortable truth. Despite her genius, her brilliant designs, her limitless wealth, B- ko was unable to defeat A-ko. The very thought made her blood boil and her stomach churn. No one had ever stood up to B-ko and won. Even her father would usually back down in the face of his daughter's pouts, and when those didn't work, she could use her technical brilliance to get revenge.
When facing A-ko, however, B-ko's charm, brilliance and machines were ineffective.
With a huff of anger, B-ko returned to her room, kicking balls of paper in all directions. She looked over to her drawing board and sighed. What had once been the centre of her creative genius, now seemed impotent and irrelevant. Suddenly B-ko saw her world spinning out of control. Everything she had relied upon, every pillar of strength that supported her, was crashing down around her.
Her once impenetrable ego had been shattered by that girl, that red-headed demon.
* ** *** ** *
"Have you heard from our sisters?" Cynara asked her superior.
"Yes, they've recovered another fifty-two between them. There can't be too many more survivors out there that we haven't found." Akemi replied.
The two women had moved to a study within the house, while the injured newcomers were tended to by the healthy.
"It is an impossible task, trying to estimate the number of survivors. No one seems to have any clear idea of what caused the crash, and there obviously could be no coordinated rescue effort. By the time we were able to find anyone, they had scattered all over the city," Cynadra's brow furrowed with worry.
"On top of that, the humans and the others were also desperately trying to find survivors, while keeping it out of the eye of the public."
Akemi shook her head slowly and looked to the ground. "I wouldn't worry too much about the humans. Our friends within their ranks are well placed to assist our sisters, and ensure they are well cared for. It is the Loyalists that concern me more. They will be seeking new members, and I fear from the general sentiments I have seen in the newcomers, that the Loyalists will find many easy recruits."
"They'll want to act soon. To strike while the humans haven't secured the ship. And I'm afraid that many will be injured, perhaps even killed. Worst of all, the humans will see this as evidence that we are all hostile. That will make everything so much harder for us."
Cynara's face became increasingly glum. "Things aren't going to go so well, are they Ma'am?"
"I'm afraid not," replied Akemi with a sad voice.
* ** *** ** *
It had been years since B-ko had actually gone for a walk by herself. Walking had always been welcome time away from distractions to think of new ideas for her inventions. It was on one such walk that she conceived of the power supply for what would eventually become her Akagyama 23 suit.
Without really thinking about it, and with no destination in mind, B-ko found herself walking the Crest Road around the edge of the crater. From here she could see the city and the sea to the West, and the mountains to the East. The mountains glowed as the orange light of the setting sun illuminated them, and the shadow of the crater's walls could even be seen against them.
B-ko felt detached from the world, and strangely unemotional. It was if she was lost, even though she was in the city she knew so well. To her right were the mountains, distant, isolated, lonely. To her left was the city, busy, vibrant, a symbol of technological achievement. It seemed to her that she was looking at two sides of her soul, but she was walking down the line between them, both impossibly out of reach.
"Who am I?" B-ko said out loud. Set adrift, she wondered how long it would take to find herself, to find her soul. All she needed was something to focus upon, an anchor to secure her against the changing winds blowing her around. B-ko knew she was not afraid of change, but that change had always been from without, now it felt as if the change was coming from within, and it frightened her. Was she becoming a different person? Was she losing all that had meant so much to her?
Lost in her personal torment, B-ko looked up and with surprise discovered that she had walked all the way to her school! The restoration work had been completed, and it stood there as it always had, as she remembered it. Strangely, B-ko felt some reassurance at that thought. When everything else in her life seemed to be in flux, the school did not change. It was still her domain, her territory. Nothing happened there without her knowledge, and nothing she disapproved of was allowed to be. Even the staff treated her with more respect than she had earned, the result of considerable donations by her father's company. It didn't bother B-ko that the respect had been bought and not earned, after all, that was the way of the world.
As B-ko came closer, she thought she could see someone standing by the gate. It was unusual, she thought, for someone to be here this late, and all alone. They seemed to be waiting for someone.
B-ko wasn't in the mood for speaking with anyone, and she turned around to head home. Just as she turned, however, she saw something moving out of the corner of her eye. Walking swiftly but almost hesitantly, another person approached the gate. She was young, and had long red hair.
With a sudden realisation, B-ko gasped, and ran to the cover of a nearby tree. What was A-ko doing here, and who was she meeting? Maybe it wasn't a good idea to give the girls the day off.
Her curiosity getting the better of her, B-ko moved closer to the gate, while remaining as well hidden as possible. Although she was too far away to hear anything, she could recognise the boy waiting at the gate as the one who had fooled her the other day about A-ko using the rear entrance of the school. Andy was his name, her henchgirls had told her. He was a student of Graviton Boy's school.
Watching them closely, B-ko could see A-ko approach Andy nervously and stop a few metres away. There was a very brief conversation between them, and A- ko bowed deeply. As she bowed, she extended her hands, offering something to Andy. Andy seemed somewhat hesitant, but approached A-ko and took the note. He looked at it, but did not open it.
A-ko stood upright again, and seemed to ask Andy a question. In response his jaw dropped and his face went blank. A-ko quickly bowed, and in a flash she had sprinted away, leaving Andy standing there, motionless. In a few moments, Andy turned and walked slowly away.
Her mind spinning from what she had just seen, B-ko exploded with rage!
"That bitch! I was right! They are working together! They're planning something against me, I just know it! Right! If that's what you want Miss Magami, then you're going to have it."
In an instant, all of B-ko's self-doubts evaporated with the white-heat of her rage. No more was there any doubt about what to do, or what had become of her life. Now it was all about defeating A-ko once and for all, and crushing the arrogant affront to her reputation. No one was going to work against the power structure that B-ko had built up at that school, nothing was going to upset the balance. A-ko was going down.
* ** *** ** *
Lights flashed and readouts glowed, as the science team scurried from place to place tending equipment and collating data. The military personnel providing them with protection seemed to have gotten over their initial unease about their incredible surroundings, but they kept their voices hushed nonetheless.
Despite so much alien technology around, and such an obviously powerful energy source just metres away, the gigantic spherical power core of the alien vessel was absolutely and completely silent. The only noise was that generated by the human occupants. Any noise they made seemed to bounce around the vast interior, without fading for many seconds. The resulting acoustic effect was very eerie. Mixing several hushed human voices with electronic bleeps and dings which echoed and reverberated around the chambre created what sounded like a discordant symphony mocking both humanity and technology.
Amid the strange and arrhythmic sounds, one sound seemed to penetrate; the slow and steady but loud "clip-clack" of Stonecutter's enviro-suit's shoes. He paced side to side, inspecting the scientists at work. As if the strange surroundings weren't enough to put the crew on edge, Stonecutter's unforgiving gaze intensified their discomfort.
"Sergeant Matsumo, report" commanded Stonecutter.
Matsumo stood up from the display over which he had been crouched. "Well sir, we're getting very good data from our instruments. It will take many months to analyse fully, but there are very encouraging indicators that we will be able to gain new insights into whole fields of physics."
"Very good. You should instruct your crew to start to pack up now. This mission is due to finish in thirty-four minutes. We need to report what we have found to headquarters."
Matsumo was surprised, and glanced at his watch. He could scarcely believe that they had been at work for more than seven hours. "Sir, there is so much more we could learn here. With your permission, I'd like to leave the equipment set up, and keep a small team here round-the-clock to collate the incoming data."
"Permission denied," responded Stonecutter immediately. "I have strict orders to gather as much information as possible within the allotted time, and then report to headquarters to begin work on the next stage of this operation."
Disappointed, Matsumo could feel his control over the situation slipping through his fingers. He felt, perhaps selfishly, that this was his ship. He had been the first on board, he had lead the first team to examine the power core, and he felt that he was the one most qualified to learn the secrets that it held. But is was painfully obvious that he had no control over what would happen next, and he was at the mercy of the military or the government, or whoever it was at the top pulling the strings.
"Next stage sir?"
Stone cutter turned away and began to walk along one of the four horizontal 'arms' that held the core in place. Without looking behind him, he beckoned Matsumo to follow. Fearing to hear what could not be heard by the others present, Matsumo approached Stonecutter.
"You know very well that this is the single greatest discovery in the history of humanity."
"Yes sir!" said Matsumo enthusiastically.
"You would also understand, I'm sure, the incredible benefits that understanding this technology could bring to the world."
"Of course."
"It surprises me that you do not seem to see the incredible military advantage this discovery would be to the faction that possesses it. Right at this very moment, the powers of the world are gathering their military forces, and preparing for the inevitable showdown that is to come. This gift, this curse, will allow one government to eclipse all the others on the planet, and they certainly won't take that lying down."
Stonecutter's deadpan tone of voice only seemed to heighten the ominous threat that he was so calmly uttering. "Sergeant Matsumo, there will be war over this space ship, and it will not be a quick one. The governments of the world will stop at no sacrifice to get this technology for themselves, or if that fails, to keep it out of the hands of everybody else."
Matsumo felt a growing sense of foreboding, not just because of the dire predictions of mister Stonecutter, but also because he was being told this obviously classified information. The only reason he was being let in on the loop was that he would somehow become personally involved. Matsumo felt his mouth become dry, and his blood run cold.
"Y-yes sir. So what will we do?"
"There is but one way to avoid this coming apocalypse, and that is to win the war before it has begun. We must repair this ship and regain its full capabilities for ourselves. Once the rest of the world sees that we have this ultimate power at our disposal, they will not dare risk their forces in a suicidal assault."
For the first time Matsumo saw a glint of emotion in Stonecutter's otherwise dispassionate face. A cold chill ran down his spine as Matsumo saw raw avarice and greed in Stonecutter's eyes.
"So you see Sergeant, in order to save lives we need to get this ship in an operational state as quickly as possible."
Matsumo couldn't even answer. For what seemed like five minutes, the consequences of this revelation bounced around in his mind. Matsumo knew that activating the ship and repairing the weapons may halt any conflict in the short term, but would only lead to greater death and destruction in the future. On the other hand, to leave it lying here, prone and ready for the taking, it would fall into the hands of someone else after a long and bloody conflict. And the winning force wouldn't allow it to stay un- repaired either. They would want to use it for themselves.
There was no way out of this situation. The ship truly was a curse! Unexpectedly, Matsumo found himself thinking of his daughter.
"So Sergeant Matsumo," continued mister Stonecutter after the long pause "I shall see you and your crew here in twelve hours, well rested and ready to begin work on getting this ship operational!"
Matsumo knew that he may have no choice in the matter of attempting to fix the ship, but he was equally certain that it would be a near impossible task. "Now wait just a moment mister Stonecutter," he replied with unusual assertiveness, "I have absolutely no idea how we can get the core operational again, or even where to start!"
"Then I would suggest you start with that." replied Stonecutter, nodding his head to one side. Matsumo looked where Stonecutter had indicated, and leaned over the railing of the walkway. What he saw shocked him. He had been too engrossed in the analysis of the core to notice the very bottom of the core chambre. A substantial portion of the Graviton City downtown Command Centre tower protruded into the chambre, like a spear into a watermelon.
"Oh hell."
* ** *** ** *
The chairman walked hurriedly down the corridor. He was wearing his sitting robe, and appeared agitated. He had just finished a two-hour international call in the middle of the night, and obviously needed to be somewhere else.
With an electronic bleep and a sudden flash, his communication screen appeared immediately in front of him, only inches from his nose. "Yes, sir? You called..." began the chairman's personal assistant.
"Argh! Don't do that, you scared the whatzit outa me!" exclaimed the chairman as he backed away from the extremely close screen. As he backed up however, the screen followed him, staying about fifteen centimetres from his face. "What is WITH this screen!"
"Ah, sir, I'm sorry, let me try re-calling you." apologised the woman as the screen flickered off.
Impatiently, the chairman waited for the return call. Within a few moments, he heard the chime again, but did not see the screen anywhere.
"Oh my! I'm terribly sorry sir!" he heard from behind him, about waist height. "Let me try again." The chairman turned around just in time to see the bright red face of his personal assistant directly behind his posterior, before it flickered off again.
Grinding his teeth, the chairman became increasingly frustrated with the constant, interruptions. He was in a hurry!
Again came the bleep, this time directly overhead. Knowing what to expect, he looked up, only to see his own angry face staring back. "This is redic..."
"Sir, we still seem to be having problems with the screen, let me..." but before the woman could finish what she was saying, the screen disappeared once more.
Enough! He thought to himself. He wasn't going to wait around any longer for that fool of a woman to work out the problem. With renewed urgency, the chairman continued down the hall at an awkward trot, before he came to an ornate wooden door, with decorative brass handles. Hurriedly he pushed his way in.
Moments later, the chairman could finally let out a sigh of relief. "These late night calls are murder on my bladder!" Finally able to free himself of his discomfort, the chairman leaned up against the wall with his free hand.
There was another bleep. "Sir, I think we've found the prob... Aaaahh! Ohmygod!" cried the woman as she realised where the chairman was.
The chairman's angry scream could be heard throughout the entire wing of the mansion, reaching all the way to B-ko's room.
With a chuckle, B-ko deactivated her intruder program and turned off the console. "Oh father, you're so much fun!"
After a long and difficult day, this was exactly the kind of release that B- ko needed.
* ** *** ** *
The wind howled through the streets and alleys of the massive city. Even at night the streets were quite busy, and the bright lights of cars and advertising billboards flooded the artificial valleys with illumination. Above the dull roar of the traffic could be heard the wind tearing around the sharp corners of the lofty pillars of industry.
It was quieter and darker on the top of the tallest sky scraper. The only light was that of the christmas-tree like illumination of the massive ship perched upon the command centre above.
"Looking up at it from the outside, it really impresses you with its size," a steely-faced woman in combat gear commented. Her companions looked up as well, even though they didn't need to confirm the statement for themselves. The ship was truly gigantic. From where they stood it filled their entire sky to the very horizon. It was hard to tell exactly how far away it was, since there was nothing with which to compare size. It felt as if you could reach out and touch the hull, but you could also convince yourself that it was the sky, and the lights upon it were the stars.
Gazing up with wonder determination, the soldier adjusted her grip on the laser rifle she held. "Soon it will be ours again, liberated from the hands of those pathetic humans." There were general mumerings of agreement from the others, and there was a feeling of anxiousness and eagerness.
Another, older woman strode across the rooftop to her troop of twenty female soldiers. She too seemed eager, but kept her emotions in check. Holding herself with confidence and a sense of superiority, she was clearly the unit's commander.
"Beta and gamma group are both in position and ready to commence the operation. We will wait for the signal, and then begin our assault. Is everyone ready?" A quick glance around at the grimly eager faces confirmed that they were. "Artillery, prepare the harpoons, assault team, fix your RCAMs and fall in line." The commander checked her chronometer. "We should get the signal within the next two minutes."
Clicks were heard all around as the soldiers attached large devices to the front of their firearms, and they formed a line behind each of two large cannon-like weapons. Not a word was spoken, only the low howl of the banshee wind in the urban canyons. All eyes were turned up.
Before long, there was a rapid succession of bright pinpoint flashes of light from the ship.
"For the glory of Lepton!" shouted the commander as the cannons fired with thunderous booms that shattered the relative quiet.
TV Series
Episode 3: Little Girls Lost
By Neil Creek: neil@gravitoncity.com
With a bright flash and a low roar, the jetpack fired and carried B-ko into the night sky. The air was fresh, and the sky was clear. The full moon was bright in her face, and a few dozen bright stars sparked amid the glow.
B-ko climbed higher and higher, leaving her balcony behind. It was an exhilarating feeling to have the cool night air blow over her body, while the hot jetpack hummed on her back.
B-ko ascended in slow, ever-expanding circles. When she was about a kilometer over the city, she turned her gaze back down to the ground. B-ko had never been afraid of heights. In fact, every time she came up here, she got the same rush from the view.
Unfortunately, B-ko only ever came here when she was feeling depressed.
She hovered there for a while. The city below looked like a spider web made of a million sparkling lights. The sparkles blurred and multiplied, as B-kos eyes became watery. A lump grew in her throat and with a heavy sigh, B-ko accelerated towards the stranded alien space ship, balanced atop the city's command centre.
B-ko settled atop the strange parthenon-like temple at the very highest part of the gigantic ship. This was where B-ko had found and rescued the stranded C-ko.
As the thought of C-ko came to B-ko's mind, the lump in her throat swelled, forcing out a sob. Just over two weeks ago, B-ko had been C-ko's greatest hero for a brief moment. Being the one who was there for C-ko when she needed rescuing made B-ko feel so important, so fulfilled.
But it didn't last.
A tear rolled down B-ko's cheek, and dripped off her face. It glittered in the moonlight as it fell. A gust of wind caught it, and blew it over the side of the ship. It fell hundreds of metres to the city below.
Down there, the city was alive. There was noise and energy. There were people going about their business, working, playing, and falling in love. On the top of the temple, it was silent, cold and lonely. The harsh blue moonlight set a somber mood, and B-ko felt the weight of it upon her heart.
Once again, B-ko cried alone.
* ** *** ** *
Night did not halt the reconstruction work. There was much to be done. Cranes, bulldozers and dump-trucks from Daitokuji Heavy Industries trundled every direction in a hive of activity. Graviton City Girl's School was being rebuilt, and it had to be done quickly. The order had come from high up in the company. Even though there was very little left of the school after the accident, it had to be like new as soon as possible.
The unfortunate workers, who had already pulled double shifts, worked through the night. The double-time-and-a-half pay rate was enough to make the fatigue not seem so bad.
* ** *** ** *
The chairman's footsteps echoed as he strolled through the massive hangar. All around him were the machines of war. To his left stood lines of bipedal mechas for close combat. To his right were rows of tanks for long- distance destructive power. At the other end of the hanger were three of the latest fighter-bomber combat jets. These were the most destructive and expensive of them all.
The chairman walked over to the nearest mecha, and put his foot upon its massive foot. He looked up to the head, which appeared very menacing in the low light. Within this lifeless frame was the power to take back that which was rightfully his, thought the chairman. It won't be long now, he mused, until the actors were in their places and the stage was set for his dramatic entrance.
A soft electronic tone sounded in his left ear, and a phantom computer screen popped into existence with a serious but beautiful young woman's face in the centre.
"Mister Chairman," she greeted the businessman.
"Yes?" he replied as he turned to face the screen. As he turned, so did the screen, and it stayed to his left.
"Um, over here Mister Chairman?" the woman asked.
"I know! Damn screen! I thought you said it had been fixed!" he exclaimed as he turned left again and again, trying to face the woman. He began to feel light-headed.
"I, ah, I thought it was sir. I'll get the technicians onto it right away," she replied apologetically.
The chairman tried spinning on the spot to face the screen, but it was too fast for him, and it remained hovering fifty centimeters from his left ear. With a sigh he resigned, and tried to look at the screen without turning his head. He swayed slightly, dizzy from his movements. "Well, what is it?" he demanded.
The woman stifled a giggle, and replied, "The General has agreed to your offer to meet with him."
"Ah excellent! Good work. That's all."
"Good evening sir," the woman on the screen bowed.
As the screen flickered out of existence, the chairman punched at it in frustration. The vigor of his punch put him off balance, and in the dark he stumbled over the foot of the mighty robot.
With a dull thud that echoed in the silence of the hanger, he landed squarely on his jaw.
* ** *** ** *
With a pop-click, Matsumo put his helmet on. The enviro-suit had seen a lot of use these last few days. It had the musty smell of exertion, which the auto-cleaner was struggling to remove after the heavy use.
This pressure is too much, Matsumo grumbled to himself, my guys can't take this incredible workload much longer.
"Sergeant Matsumo," came the calm but chilling voice Mats had grown to hate over the last week, "Is your team ready?"
Matsumo rose to his feet, activated the communicator in his enviro-suit, and turned to face the man behind him. Mister B.J. Stonecutter was the government representative who had been assigned to oversee this project. He was an imposing man. Standing tall, he filled out his dark Italian suit in a way that made you afraid to ask him any favours. His skin was very pale, and his jet-black hair was always neatly gelled back. His steel-grey eyes seemed to be sunken in his gaunt face, but burned with a cold fire. Those who met his gaze could almost feel themselves become colder and the few words he spoke sounded like a serpent could have uttered them.
Needless to say, Stonecutter was unpopular with Matsumo's technical crew. He was even less popular with the Army unit that coordinated the work. The Major never liked taking orders from those he felt below him, especially government officials. The order had come from very high up however, and if that was the price to pay for being involved in such an historical project, then it was a small one.
"Yes Sir," replied Matsumo, "We're prepped and ready to head out as soon as the word is given."
"Then you have the word," Stonecutter said coolly, as he turned to leave.
"Excuse me sir, what's the subject for this survey?"
"The core, Sergeant."
Matsumo's jaw fell, and his heart suddenly started racing. His team had been chosen for the most exciting and most dangerous survey on the entire ship. They were going to enter and examine the power core of the stranded alien ship.
* ** *** ** *
B-ko stepped from her shower onto the heated marble floor of her bathroom. The morning light streamed through the window, and buoyed her spirits. Water on her body ran down her skin and dripped onto the floor. Her hair was a river of lavender, clinging to the curve of her back with wetness.
She reached for a towel, and she used its plush softness to dry herself. She wrung the water from her hair, and used another towel to tie it over her head. Putting on a silk bathrobe, she walked back into her bedroom, the steam from the bathroom momentarily fogging the windows.
B-ko's large room was perfectly kept, and everything was in order. While she had showered, cleaning staff had made her bed, and cleared away the dishes from her breakfast. Even the smell of the food was gone, and all that was left was the delicate scent of pot-pourri and the mild summer's morning breeze from the open window.
B-ko vigorously dried her hair with the towel, before tossing it over the back of the chair at her desk. Picking up her hairbrush from the dresser, she sat in front of the massive mirror to brush her hair. She stared into the mirror, but she was focused past the reflection. Thoughts of the previous day came back to her, as she slowly brushed her damp hair.
She was feeling a lot better than she had the night before, but there was something different. B-ko couldn't put her finger on the emotion she was feeling. It seemed to be lost in the memory of the many emotions she had felt just the day before. Overall she was feeling emotionally flat, which was entirely unlike her.
Yesterday B-ko had made her greatest mechanical creation ever. Then A-ko had destroyed it, and Emi had been injured trying to help her. The school was destroyed and Miss Ayumi had given B-ko a month's detention. Then that night, B-ko had felt utter despair and loneliness as she sat atop the alien ship's temple. The emotions of the day had been so intense, so varied.
And yet today, she almost felt nothing.
A familiar beep sounded from B-ko's comm.
"Miss Daitokuji," reported Asa, "The school is closed for repairs today, what do you want us to do?"
"Yes I know the school is closed." responded B-ko listlessly.
"What are your instructions, miss?"
"I don't know, I'm not really feeling like doing anything today," she sighed.
"Miss, are you alright," asked an apparently concerned Asa.
"Yes I'm fine thank you Asa. You may all have the day off. Enjoy yourselves."
B-ko heard a barely stifled cheer from the other girls in the background. "Oh THANK you, Miss B-ko," said Asa as she disconnected the com-link.
For a brief moment, B-ko smiled at the thought of the four girls excited at the free time on their hands. The smile was quickly dispelled as a depressing thought came to B-ko; Why do they listen to me anyway?
* ** *** ** *
The soldiers with the survey team were obviously very uneasy, as they kept re-adjusting their grip on their weapons and changed their weight from one foot to the other. Stonecutter was the picture of composure, his face calm and expressionless behind the bubble of his suit's helmet. The rest of Matsumo's team was very excited by contrast. For each of them, this was a highlight of their careers. Within moments they would be entering the core chamber of the gigantic alien space ship, and witnessing the device that provided it with its power.
"Just a few more moments, sir," reported Lieutenant Aida. She was the cryptographic and linguistic expert, and had seemed to develop a rapid affinity for the alien technology. Within days she had managed to decipher the language to such an extent that she could read it only slightly slower than she could read Japanese. At the moment she was crouched at the door control panel, to which she had plugged in a portable computer. This was the only way they currently had to discover the pass codes for the security doors of the ship.
"There!" exclaimed Aida. With a reassuring sounding chime, the panel turned green, and a large bold symbol appeared. Behind the walls, the sound of machinery could be heard and half a dozen flashing lights appeared from the ceiling and walls. With a warning siren wailing, a loud click was heard, and the gargantuan doors parted slightly.
A bright beam of white light shone through the opening for an instant, before the sliding doors parted flooding the area with a bright light. The enviro-suits' visors all darkened to compensate for the bright light. Within a minute there was a twenty by ten metre opening before the team, leading into the room beyond.
The soldiers moved quickly but apprehensively forward, with their guns leveled. Matsumo smirked at the uselessness of the weapons against any foe that could possibly lurk ahead. He wasn't concerned however, for he felt confident that the only danger that faced them was from ignorance.
With the entrance 'secured' the Major waved forward the survey team. Matsumo advanced, with his team of six, into the doorway. The soldiers were looking up and all seemed awe-struck. Matsumo stepped through the door and caught his breath at the sight before him.
It was the largest cavity he had ever seen. It appeared to be perfectly spherical, with the walls evenly curving away from him in all directions to meet again on the other side, over half a kilometer away. The walls were smooth and light, and the whole chamber was very brightly lit. The source of the light was the absolute centre of the sphere, and was almost too bright to look at.
After darkening his visor, Mats observed another large sphere in the centre, which was supported by six massive cylindrical beams passing through each axis of the sphere and meeting in the middle. In fact, the walkway upon which he stood was one of the supporting beams. The beam was at least thirty metres wide, and a pair of railings on the top ensured that no one wandered off the side to fall over two hundred metres to a certain death.
"Would you look at the size of that thing!" came the comment from one of the soldiers.
"Cut the chatter Aku," snapped the Major.
"Well what do you make of it, Sergeant Matsumo," asked Stonecutter, who seemed totally unaffected by the sight.
"Well, we'll need to get closer to the centre to get accurate readings, sir."
"Major?" Stonecutter said, by way of a suggestion.
"Move in team," barked the Major, "Men, you provide cover for the boffins."
The team moved swiftly but carefully along the walkway to the light. Pipes and panels covered the beam, of varying diameters and sizes. All of them still seemed active, and data readouts could be discerned on a number of them. Several of the pipes were much larger, and they all converged on the equator of the central sphere.
The light became more and more difficult to look into, even with the visors on full as they approached to within ten metres of the core. The core was a large, fifty or sixty metre clear sphere with a thick band running around the centre. To this band were attached many broad pipes and dozens of control panels. Inside the sphere seemed to be a point of light so blindingly bright that it was absolutely impossible to look directly at it. Matsumo even noticed that Stonecutter was forced to avert his gaze.
The thought of Stonecutter reminded Matsumo why they were here; to gather data.
Matsumo placed the case he was carrying with him on the ground, and opened the lid. At this height he was shaded from the light by the central band. He plugged the power cord from the battery pack on his back into the case, and the computer started up. Matsumo plugged in and set up a number of sensors and other devices.
The other scientists and technicians gathered around to look at the results as they began to come in. As lines of figures, graphs and plots appeared on screen, a growing sense of apprehension began to grow in Matsumo. There was no doubt that this was the source of the power for the ship. For something so massive to travel so far, so fast and for such a long time, it was certain that an incredible power source would be needed. However there was nothing known that could deliver such power safely and conveniently. Theoretically however…
The data continued to stream in, but one graph caught Matsumo's eye, and he paused on it. The others gasped. Hearing their reaction the soldiers stiffened, and the Major asked what was wrong.
Matsumo could only look in the screen in silence. He couldn't believe what he saw. How could it be possible? For more than a decade theoretical physicists debated about these objects, and if they existed, but the mathematicians kept insisting they were impossible.
"What is it Sergeant?" Stonecutter asked, a tinge of impatience in his voice.
"I'm not quite sure if I can believe it sir, but if these readings are correct, then this is a naked singularity." Matsumo could hardly believe he had just spoken those words.
"A naked WHAT?" one of the soldiers interrupted.
One of Matsumo's team responded, "A white hole."
* ** *** ** *
And now it's time for… Lt Aida explains! [fanfare]
[a super-deformed Lt Aida walks on screen wearing a uniform with scientific equipment and sensors on her helmet that resemble bunny ears]
"Good morning everyone and welcome to the first Lt Aida Explains! In these little sections I'll explain to you, the viewer, some of the more obscure details of the Project A-ko universe!"
"Yay Miss Aida!" [Super-deformed Sergeant Matsumo enters from the left, clapping his hands. He is wearing casual attire, including faded blue jeans, a white tee shirt and a black leather jacket.] "A most wonderful introduction! What is our lesson for today?"
[Aida blushes and puts her hand behind her head with a giggle.] "Thank you very much Sergeant. Today's lesson is on naked singularities!" [Aida jumps to the top of the screen, and pulls down a large blackboard.]
"In today's episode, the military research team has entered the alien space ship's core." [speaking ominously] "Within they found an extremely bright point of light within a sphere. What on Earth could the be!?"
[A super-deformed Stonecutter enters from the right, looking very stiff and uncomfortable. He speaks without enthusiasm and with a deadpan voice.] "The suspense is killing me."
"Now, now Mr. Mason, the viewers want to know what's going on!"
"Stonecutter."
"What?"
"The name is Stonecutter."
[Aida dismisses Stonecutter and returns enthusiastically to the lesson.] "Now in order for us to understand what a while hole, or naked singularity is, we need to learn about black holes. Don't get any naughty thoughts Mr. Mason!"
[Sweat-drop.] "Stonecutter."
[Matsumo laughs]
[Aida very quickly and with only a few strokes of chalk draws a very detailed diagram.] "This is the insides of a very big and very bright star! When the biggest stars get old, they run out of fuel. To keep burning they need to convert their hydrogen fuel into heavier and heavier elements."
"Is all this really necessary Miss Aida?" asks Matsumo "We only want to know what's powering the space ship."
"Oh it's most essential Sir! You'll see why shortly! Anyway, when the star must convert its fuel into carbon, it creates a core so dense that it causes the star to collapse in an incredibly huge explosion! This is called a supernova! In one second, the star shines with more energy than it did in its entire hundred million year life!"
"Fascinating." Stonecutter interrupts in a deadpan voice.
"The force of the explosion," continues Aida "causes the core to become extremely compressed. The more it is compressed, the stronger its gravity becomes, and therefore the more it compresses. If the original star is big enough, the core will continue to collapse upon itself until it has infinite mass in an infinitely small area."
"A black hole!" chimes in Matsumo.
"Very good Sir! That's correct. Have a star." [Aida looks at him with doe- eyes]
"Blackboard cleaner?" calls Aida.
[A red and blue blur streaks onto the screen and furiously wipes the board clean. It pauses briefly before vanishing off screen. The blur is a super- deformed A-ko with a blackboard duster in hand.]
[Aida rapidly draws a new diagram that looks like a funnel in a grid pattern.]
"This is a simplified diagram of the gravity well around a black hole. See how the closer you get to the middle, the stronger the gravity becomes? This is a smooth but rapid increase! The gravity is so strong, that at a certain distance even light can't escape! The point right at the middle is called a singularity."
"That's why a black hole is black right?" asks Matsumo, obviously knowing the answer.
"Excellent! You'll be teacher's pet in no time Sir!" [Aida winks at the Sergeant]
[Stonecutter makes gagging noises in the background. A blackboard duster flies at him from off screen, hitting him square in the face. His face is now completely white, with two eyes in it.]
"So what's a 'white hole' then Great Teacher Aida?"
"Well, in some special circumstances, this infinite mass curve can be created in a way that there is no curve! There simply exists a point with infinite mass in an infinitely small space. Therefore nothing can be drawn into it, but it still has incredible gravity. So since there is no black region preventing us from observing the singularity, it's 'naked'"
"You do realise that this is all speculation. The actual physics involved in this is completely theoretical," interrupts Stonecutter.
"Well for the sake of the story I'm defining physics okay? This IS a science fiction anime right Mr. Mason?"
[Stonecutter sighs.] "You're all idiots."
"So there you have it! That's what a naked singularity is!" [Aida puts her hands on her hips proudly]
"But that doesn't explain how it can be used as a power source?" Matsumo asks.
"Well there has to be something left to talk about for our next lesson!"
[A lively jingle to the tune of Dance Away plays.]
"And that concludes the first Lt Aida Explains! Till next time, follow your dream!"
* ** *** ** *
B-ko's study was quiet except for the sound of set squares sliding on paper, and the rhythmic ticking of a clock. Dozens of screwed up pieces of drafting paper were strewn across the floor. The rubbish bin had long ago been filled to overflowing.
With a sigh, B-ko ripped off the sheet of paper she was working on, and screwed it into a ball. She threw it across the room, not even trying to aim for the bin. B-ko growled to herself in frustration at yet another flawed design.
"Argh, darnitall. There's just no way!" cried B-ko in exasperation. "I don't know how to destroy that monster. Every design I've tried has been a complete failure, even though they've been some of my best work."
Getting up from her desk, B-ko went to her balcony. The windows were open to let the summer breeze in, and the net curtain gently flapped through the opening. B-ko stepped out and leaned against the railing, looking out to the view of the brilliant sun over the seaside city.
With a deep breath, B-ko realised that she had to face an uncomfortable truth. Despite her genius, her brilliant designs, her limitless wealth, B- ko was unable to defeat A-ko. The very thought made her blood boil and her stomach churn. No one had ever stood up to B-ko and won. Even her father would usually back down in the face of his daughter's pouts, and when those didn't work, she could use her technical brilliance to get revenge.
When facing A-ko, however, B-ko's charm, brilliance and machines were ineffective.
With a huff of anger, B-ko returned to her room, kicking balls of paper in all directions. She looked over to her drawing board and sighed. What had once been the centre of her creative genius, now seemed impotent and irrelevant. Suddenly B-ko saw her world spinning out of control. Everything she had relied upon, every pillar of strength that supported her, was crashing down around her.
Her once impenetrable ego had been shattered by that girl, that red-headed demon.
* ** *** ** *
"Have you heard from our sisters?" Cynara asked her superior.
"Yes, they've recovered another fifty-two between them. There can't be too many more survivors out there that we haven't found." Akemi replied.
The two women had moved to a study within the house, while the injured newcomers were tended to by the healthy.
"It is an impossible task, trying to estimate the number of survivors. No one seems to have any clear idea of what caused the crash, and there obviously could be no coordinated rescue effort. By the time we were able to find anyone, they had scattered all over the city," Cynadra's brow furrowed with worry.
"On top of that, the humans and the others were also desperately trying to find survivors, while keeping it out of the eye of the public."
Akemi shook her head slowly and looked to the ground. "I wouldn't worry too much about the humans. Our friends within their ranks are well placed to assist our sisters, and ensure they are well cared for. It is the Loyalists that concern me more. They will be seeking new members, and I fear from the general sentiments I have seen in the newcomers, that the Loyalists will find many easy recruits."
"They'll want to act soon. To strike while the humans haven't secured the ship. And I'm afraid that many will be injured, perhaps even killed. Worst of all, the humans will see this as evidence that we are all hostile. That will make everything so much harder for us."
Cynara's face became increasingly glum. "Things aren't going to go so well, are they Ma'am?"
"I'm afraid not," replied Akemi with a sad voice.
* ** *** ** *
It had been years since B-ko had actually gone for a walk by herself. Walking had always been welcome time away from distractions to think of new ideas for her inventions. It was on one such walk that she conceived of the power supply for what would eventually become her Akagyama 23 suit.
Without really thinking about it, and with no destination in mind, B-ko found herself walking the Crest Road around the edge of the crater. From here she could see the city and the sea to the West, and the mountains to the East. The mountains glowed as the orange light of the setting sun illuminated them, and the shadow of the crater's walls could even be seen against them.
B-ko felt detached from the world, and strangely unemotional. It was if she was lost, even though she was in the city she knew so well. To her right were the mountains, distant, isolated, lonely. To her left was the city, busy, vibrant, a symbol of technological achievement. It seemed to her that she was looking at two sides of her soul, but she was walking down the line between them, both impossibly out of reach.
"Who am I?" B-ko said out loud. Set adrift, she wondered how long it would take to find herself, to find her soul. All she needed was something to focus upon, an anchor to secure her against the changing winds blowing her around. B-ko knew she was not afraid of change, but that change had always been from without, now it felt as if the change was coming from within, and it frightened her. Was she becoming a different person? Was she losing all that had meant so much to her?
Lost in her personal torment, B-ko looked up and with surprise discovered that she had walked all the way to her school! The restoration work had been completed, and it stood there as it always had, as she remembered it. Strangely, B-ko felt some reassurance at that thought. When everything else in her life seemed to be in flux, the school did not change. It was still her domain, her territory. Nothing happened there without her knowledge, and nothing she disapproved of was allowed to be. Even the staff treated her with more respect than she had earned, the result of considerable donations by her father's company. It didn't bother B-ko that the respect had been bought and not earned, after all, that was the way of the world.
As B-ko came closer, she thought she could see someone standing by the gate. It was unusual, she thought, for someone to be here this late, and all alone. They seemed to be waiting for someone.
B-ko wasn't in the mood for speaking with anyone, and she turned around to head home. Just as she turned, however, she saw something moving out of the corner of her eye. Walking swiftly but almost hesitantly, another person approached the gate. She was young, and had long red hair.
With a sudden realisation, B-ko gasped, and ran to the cover of a nearby tree. What was A-ko doing here, and who was she meeting? Maybe it wasn't a good idea to give the girls the day off.
Her curiosity getting the better of her, B-ko moved closer to the gate, while remaining as well hidden as possible. Although she was too far away to hear anything, she could recognise the boy waiting at the gate as the one who had fooled her the other day about A-ko using the rear entrance of the school. Andy was his name, her henchgirls had told her. He was a student of Graviton Boy's school.
Watching them closely, B-ko could see A-ko approach Andy nervously and stop a few metres away. There was a very brief conversation between them, and A- ko bowed deeply. As she bowed, she extended her hands, offering something to Andy. Andy seemed somewhat hesitant, but approached A-ko and took the note. He looked at it, but did not open it.
A-ko stood upright again, and seemed to ask Andy a question. In response his jaw dropped and his face went blank. A-ko quickly bowed, and in a flash she had sprinted away, leaving Andy standing there, motionless. In a few moments, Andy turned and walked slowly away.
Her mind spinning from what she had just seen, B-ko exploded with rage!
"That bitch! I was right! They are working together! They're planning something against me, I just know it! Right! If that's what you want Miss Magami, then you're going to have it."
In an instant, all of B-ko's self-doubts evaporated with the white-heat of her rage. No more was there any doubt about what to do, or what had become of her life. Now it was all about defeating A-ko once and for all, and crushing the arrogant affront to her reputation. No one was going to work against the power structure that B-ko had built up at that school, nothing was going to upset the balance. A-ko was going down.
* ** *** ** *
Lights flashed and readouts glowed, as the science team scurried from place to place tending equipment and collating data. The military personnel providing them with protection seemed to have gotten over their initial unease about their incredible surroundings, but they kept their voices hushed nonetheless.
Despite so much alien technology around, and such an obviously powerful energy source just metres away, the gigantic spherical power core of the alien vessel was absolutely and completely silent. The only noise was that generated by the human occupants. Any noise they made seemed to bounce around the vast interior, without fading for many seconds. The resulting acoustic effect was very eerie. Mixing several hushed human voices with electronic bleeps and dings which echoed and reverberated around the chambre created what sounded like a discordant symphony mocking both humanity and technology.
Amid the strange and arrhythmic sounds, one sound seemed to penetrate; the slow and steady but loud "clip-clack" of Stonecutter's enviro-suit's shoes. He paced side to side, inspecting the scientists at work. As if the strange surroundings weren't enough to put the crew on edge, Stonecutter's unforgiving gaze intensified their discomfort.
"Sergeant Matsumo, report" commanded Stonecutter.
Matsumo stood up from the display over which he had been crouched. "Well sir, we're getting very good data from our instruments. It will take many months to analyse fully, but there are very encouraging indicators that we will be able to gain new insights into whole fields of physics."
"Very good. You should instruct your crew to start to pack up now. This mission is due to finish in thirty-four minutes. We need to report what we have found to headquarters."
Matsumo was surprised, and glanced at his watch. He could scarcely believe that they had been at work for more than seven hours. "Sir, there is so much more we could learn here. With your permission, I'd like to leave the equipment set up, and keep a small team here round-the-clock to collate the incoming data."
"Permission denied," responded Stonecutter immediately. "I have strict orders to gather as much information as possible within the allotted time, and then report to headquarters to begin work on the next stage of this operation."
Disappointed, Matsumo could feel his control over the situation slipping through his fingers. He felt, perhaps selfishly, that this was his ship. He had been the first on board, he had lead the first team to examine the power core, and he felt that he was the one most qualified to learn the secrets that it held. But is was painfully obvious that he had no control over what would happen next, and he was at the mercy of the military or the government, or whoever it was at the top pulling the strings.
"Next stage sir?"
Stone cutter turned away and began to walk along one of the four horizontal 'arms' that held the core in place. Without looking behind him, he beckoned Matsumo to follow. Fearing to hear what could not be heard by the others present, Matsumo approached Stonecutter.
"You know very well that this is the single greatest discovery in the history of humanity."
"Yes sir!" said Matsumo enthusiastically.
"You would also understand, I'm sure, the incredible benefits that understanding this technology could bring to the world."
"Of course."
"It surprises me that you do not seem to see the incredible military advantage this discovery would be to the faction that possesses it. Right at this very moment, the powers of the world are gathering their military forces, and preparing for the inevitable showdown that is to come. This gift, this curse, will allow one government to eclipse all the others on the planet, and they certainly won't take that lying down."
Stonecutter's deadpan tone of voice only seemed to heighten the ominous threat that he was so calmly uttering. "Sergeant Matsumo, there will be war over this space ship, and it will not be a quick one. The governments of the world will stop at no sacrifice to get this technology for themselves, or if that fails, to keep it out of the hands of everybody else."
Matsumo felt a growing sense of foreboding, not just because of the dire predictions of mister Stonecutter, but also because he was being told this obviously classified information. The only reason he was being let in on the loop was that he would somehow become personally involved. Matsumo felt his mouth become dry, and his blood run cold.
"Y-yes sir. So what will we do?"
"There is but one way to avoid this coming apocalypse, and that is to win the war before it has begun. We must repair this ship and regain its full capabilities for ourselves. Once the rest of the world sees that we have this ultimate power at our disposal, they will not dare risk their forces in a suicidal assault."
For the first time Matsumo saw a glint of emotion in Stonecutter's otherwise dispassionate face. A cold chill ran down his spine as Matsumo saw raw avarice and greed in Stonecutter's eyes.
"So you see Sergeant, in order to save lives we need to get this ship in an operational state as quickly as possible."
Matsumo couldn't even answer. For what seemed like five minutes, the consequences of this revelation bounced around in his mind. Matsumo knew that activating the ship and repairing the weapons may halt any conflict in the short term, but would only lead to greater death and destruction in the future. On the other hand, to leave it lying here, prone and ready for the taking, it would fall into the hands of someone else after a long and bloody conflict. And the winning force wouldn't allow it to stay un- repaired either. They would want to use it for themselves.
There was no way out of this situation. The ship truly was a curse! Unexpectedly, Matsumo found himself thinking of his daughter.
"So Sergeant Matsumo," continued mister Stonecutter after the long pause "I shall see you and your crew here in twelve hours, well rested and ready to begin work on getting this ship operational!"
Matsumo knew that he may have no choice in the matter of attempting to fix the ship, but he was equally certain that it would be a near impossible task. "Now wait just a moment mister Stonecutter," he replied with unusual assertiveness, "I have absolutely no idea how we can get the core operational again, or even where to start!"
"Then I would suggest you start with that." replied Stonecutter, nodding his head to one side. Matsumo looked where Stonecutter had indicated, and leaned over the railing of the walkway. What he saw shocked him. He had been too engrossed in the analysis of the core to notice the very bottom of the core chambre. A substantial portion of the Graviton City downtown Command Centre tower protruded into the chambre, like a spear into a watermelon.
"Oh hell."
* ** *** ** *
The chairman walked hurriedly down the corridor. He was wearing his sitting robe, and appeared agitated. He had just finished a two-hour international call in the middle of the night, and obviously needed to be somewhere else.
With an electronic bleep and a sudden flash, his communication screen appeared immediately in front of him, only inches from his nose. "Yes, sir? You called..." began the chairman's personal assistant.
"Argh! Don't do that, you scared the whatzit outa me!" exclaimed the chairman as he backed away from the extremely close screen. As he backed up however, the screen followed him, staying about fifteen centimetres from his face. "What is WITH this screen!"
"Ah, sir, I'm sorry, let me try re-calling you." apologised the woman as the screen flickered off.
Impatiently, the chairman waited for the return call. Within a few moments, he heard the chime again, but did not see the screen anywhere.
"Oh my! I'm terribly sorry sir!" he heard from behind him, about waist height. "Let me try again." The chairman turned around just in time to see the bright red face of his personal assistant directly behind his posterior, before it flickered off again.
Grinding his teeth, the chairman became increasingly frustrated with the constant, interruptions. He was in a hurry!
Again came the bleep, this time directly overhead. Knowing what to expect, he looked up, only to see his own angry face staring back. "This is redic..."
"Sir, we still seem to be having problems with the screen, let me..." but before the woman could finish what she was saying, the screen disappeared once more.
Enough! He thought to himself. He wasn't going to wait around any longer for that fool of a woman to work out the problem. With renewed urgency, the chairman continued down the hall at an awkward trot, before he came to an ornate wooden door, with decorative brass handles. Hurriedly he pushed his way in.
Moments later, the chairman could finally let out a sigh of relief. "These late night calls are murder on my bladder!" Finally able to free himself of his discomfort, the chairman leaned up against the wall with his free hand.
There was another bleep. "Sir, I think we've found the prob... Aaaahh! Ohmygod!" cried the woman as she realised where the chairman was.
The chairman's angry scream could be heard throughout the entire wing of the mansion, reaching all the way to B-ko's room.
With a chuckle, B-ko deactivated her intruder program and turned off the console. "Oh father, you're so much fun!"
After a long and difficult day, this was exactly the kind of release that B- ko needed.
* ** *** ** *
The wind howled through the streets and alleys of the massive city. Even at night the streets were quite busy, and the bright lights of cars and advertising billboards flooded the artificial valleys with illumination. Above the dull roar of the traffic could be heard the wind tearing around the sharp corners of the lofty pillars of industry.
It was quieter and darker on the top of the tallest sky scraper. The only light was that of the christmas-tree like illumination of the massive ship perched upon the command centre above.
"Looking up at it from the outside, it really impresses you with its size," a steely-faced woman in combat gear commented. Her companions looked up as well, even though they didn't need to confirm the statement for themselves. The ship was truly gigantic. From where they stood it filled their entire sky to the very horizon. It was hard to tell exactly how far away it was, since there was nothing with which to compare size. It felt as if you could reach out and touch the hull, but you could also convince yourself that it was the sky, and the lights upon it were the stars.
Gazing up with wonder determination, the soldier adjusted her grip on the laser rifle she held. "Soon it will be ours again, liberated from the hands of those pathetic humans." There were general mumerings of agreement from the others, and there was a feeling of anxiousness and eagerness.
Another, older woman strode across the rooftop to her troop of twenty female soldiers. She too seemed eager, but kept her emotions in check. Holding herself with confidence and a sense of superiority, she was clearly the unit's commander.
"Beta and gamma group are both in position and ready to commence the operation. We will wait for the signal, and then begin our assault. Is everyone ready?" A quick glance around at the grimly eager faces confirmed that they were. "Artillery, prepare the harpoons, assault team, fix your RCAMs and fall in line." The commander checked her chronometer. "We should get the signal within the next two minutes."
Clicks were heard all around as the soldiers attached large devices to the front of their firearms, and they formed a line behind each of two large cannon-like weapons. Not a word was spoken, only the low howl of the banshee wind in the urban canyons. All eyes were turned up.
Before long, there was a rapid succession of bright pinpoint flashes of light from the ship.
"For the glory of Lepton!" shouted the commander as the cannons fired with thunderous booms that shattered the relative quiet.