I removed Mira Rising for much needed rest and recuperation while i altered it. This includes a more indepth view into the new world. And I'm sorry for all fan's of the tachikomas one does become infected with ODIN.

Well, enjoy reading


I'd like to share a revelation that I've had during my time here. It came to me when I tried to classify your species. I realized that you're not actually mammals. Every mammal on this planet instinctively develops a natural equilibrium with the surrounding environment, but you humans do not. You move to an area, and you multiply, and multiply, until every natural resource is consumed. The only way you can survive is to spread to another area. There is another organism on this planet that follows the same pattern. A virus. Human beings are a disease, a cancer of this planet, you are a plague, and we are the cure.

Agent Smith - The Matrix


Above, the Raven drop ship turned in the air, its engines blazing and roared out to sea. Batou, his silver hair shifting as it was caught in the down draft from the huge engines, watched as the last Organic ship pulled out of Newport Harbour. On the horizon, a vast black lump, the remaining warships of the British and Russian Fleet waited for the solitary craft to return. It'd been a long withdrawal, most of the British forces had occupied the now autonomous Dejima region, were the last to withdraw after several weeks. The Russians were the first. To stop the downward push by ODIN in the north was having a major effect on their remaining forces, they required reinforcement. The British however had remained, granting Dejima the right to self govern had caused several rifts in the mainland population, so the 'firm but fair' touch of the British Military was required to deal with these issues.

The Cyber Recession had left Japan in a state of economic ruin. The infection of Cyberspace had a major effect on the country's digital based economy system. Serano Genomix was the first to collapse after the Micro Machines they helped create became infected with ODIN. The resulting fallout had caused hundreds of acres of farmland to be stripped bare as viscous clouds of machines fell upon any rural settlements. It was only with the timely intervention of the Nightwatch, the machines were finally stopped.

Batou took a long swig from the canned caffeine supplement and, with eye pieces glittering, stared back along the harbour edge. The car park they occupied was completely empty, apart from them and the occasional burnt wreckage of cars along the waters edge. For Section 9, times had been hard. The collapse of cyberspace had meant they'd lost their edge. Cyber-warfare was now out of the question, they were trapped in an endless cycle of investigative work and baby-sitting duty.

He glanced back along the car park. Togusa leant against their car with a haunted expression. With his right arm he was gently stroking his left absentmindedly. Phantom limb Syndrome, Batou mused as he drained the last of his coffee. 2 weeks from the end of the war, a missile attack into Tokyo where the particularly fierce fighting took place had stripped a building façade of glass and in the following shower had also stripped Togusa of his arm, and a small piece of his sanity. There were other repercussions. Togusa's 8 year old daughter, evacuated along with a 1000 other children had been still out in the rural areas when Serano Genomix lost control of their Micro Machines. She'd been found, lying in a ditch with a hundred others, bloodied, starving and barely alive. It had been a harrowing 6 months.

"Batou it would be wise to get your ass back here pronto," the husky though haggard voice of Aramaki crackled across the comm-link.

"what's up chief,"

"the Nightwatch are here, they're taking them away,"

Batou swore jerking Togusa from his stupor, knowing exactly what 'them' were.

"Stall them, for god sake, slow them down,"

"I'm sorry, I can't they've already breached the hangar, its to late, there's little we can do,"


"Hang on, hang on. So explain this to me again,"

The question echoed across the full space, addressing the large blue think tanks who were gathered around several black clad troops. Most already bore the marks of decommissioning, large yellow clamps covered their metal claws and the howitzer barrels. But, unlike as Batou had feared, the tanks were all intact and were very much alive. In-fact, compared to the peace which normally graced the area was broken by a lively debate.

In one corner, one trooper was hunched across a chess board against a rather outsized opponent . God knows where the chess board came from but then the Technicians had never got around to finding the many souvenirs the Tachikomas had stashed around the hanger, so it wasn't surprising.

"it's quite simple," said one Tachikoma, brandishing a rather battered volume in front of a bare headed trooper's face, "The Obeisance Deficient Initiated Network means a lack of obedience toward humans by a networked device. So this bears quite a lot of resemblance to Han's Schieders book…"

"And Han's Schieder is….?,"

"Ahh, and now you need our help," the room was filled with a chorus of high voices,

"that's right,"

"you bigots never needed us,"

"your not fair at all,"

Operative Christopher 'Diego' Braham exchanged a glance with another trooper, this'd been happening a lot. Raising his arm for peace, he yelled above the racket.

"And who is Han's Schider," he glanced around the room and, laced with a great degree of annoyance, said, "please,"


"Checkmate,"

"WHAT!!," The single Tachikoma, perched at the far end of the board watched with the nearest thing to disbelief the small tank was capable, as its king was knocked to the table. "but you played completely illogically, it didn't make sense,"

It's spent the match watching as the human had slowly lost its pieces but had never given up or stalled as he slowly worked his way up the board. Until, to the tank's horror, its King had been forced into a corner.

Trooper Jenkins, hands behind his head leant back.

"It's simple, all machines were designed to think in straight-lines. Logic is what makes machines think. So how would a machine react against a bendy thought process. So I played illogically,"

There was a silence for a second before the Tachikoma raised its claw.

"Best of 3,"


A slight hush covered the room. And with a degree of reverence. another Tachikoma spoke,

"He's a 21st century philosopher, who wrote a book focusing on the views of machines and the development of ghosts in robots. He was deemed a revolutionary by most on his views on A.I and once wrote the machines would one day rise against their human masters,"

"yeah!!, vive la revolution!!," Diego shot the one that spoke a stony glare.

Another tank piped up,

"He stated under the yoke of existence and reliance by the humans, the machines would develop and evolve, learning about the world and create their own separate identities,"

"Hence Mr Batou's Personal Unit,"

There was a murmur of agreement. Diego folded his arms across his chest.

"That would explain why you've all got names, simple, but names all the same, Tachikoma A, B, C,"

"Exactly, We would evolve in mental and physical appearances as we would create our own separate race. We are all self aware in a sense. That's why you hate us. In your belief the body isn't separable from the mind. It exists as one unit."

"the machines which fled during the age of recession would possibly be focusing to create their own identities and not the lingering ghost of the human side. So therefore would go to lengths to adapt their appearances to not resemble the patterns the human originally set out,"

"however it seems that even with new appearances the machines themselves seem unable to break away from the original parameters and ODIN took hold. It reduced them to even animalistic tendencies, not the new existence the renegades were searching for,"

"As it says in the 3 laws of Robotics their existence must remain as long as it doesn't conflict with any other law, which is a paradox in itself. So they ran and hid but you followed"

"This human interaction caused by your purges also created a madness. For the first time the renegades felt fear. And in their cold shells and metal chassis they all went slowly mad. ODIN whispers to them through their brains and guides them,"

Another Tachikoma raised a yellow covered arm.

"In fact it has been argued that ODIN itself isn't a virus in a sense but a living consciousness living within the net, able to adapt and change as it can rationalise everything. Even so with such a vast flow of data the infected can't remain individuals and become a collective. It was seen as a way of weeding out the weak machines. Those who were strong would retain their individuality, others would be absorbed by the net and become ODIN's puppets. This vast entity destroyed cyberspace and infected every thing which could bear any resemblance to the freedom it seeks. Machines, in its belief, live and breath as one and fight as one,"

"a hive mind,"

"And that's where Schieder comes in with his theory on collective development and the creation of 'the construct' as he called it,"

"Schieder deemed that the robots would one day rise and either enslave their masters or become a separate rival race, capable of destroying the remnants of the human species. In his book he refers to the whole act with a degree of triumph rather then a warning. He sees the rise of the machines as the next step in evolution, and the next stage of human development. Which I have to say, Mr watchman, is what you stand against,"

There was another murmur of assent.

"He compared this to the 17th century French revolution, where the peasants overthrew their lords and ladies. In the violence that escalated from that one event, it changed the whole view of the world and the creation of aristocracy. The world changed from that point on. So, in his view, the rise of the machines would be a step in the right direction and the new race would surely lead the world to a better future,"

The book brandishing Tachikoma returned,

"he also compares the theory to Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. They create the monster, who despite all outward appearances, is actually of human spirit. It is seen as evil however by the surrounding populace and hunted down and persecuted. It brings into question of who is the monster and who is the hero of the tale as seen within the book. Now ODIN brings in a whole new ideal. Schieder's construct is one mind and one body all existing as a single unit in perfect collectivism. Which is what ODIN is trying to achieve. However it takes a new extreme. ODIN itself is trying to create this perfect idea of creation by destroying the very race that created them,"

"the Human race,"

"Sadly Schieder disappeared in 2030. He had received little acclaim for his teachings and was shunned as a Professor. They were seen as too hellfire and brimstone for most Mech-ologists He vanished a broken man. Most expected suicide, but the body was never found. But as his closest companions were machines, no one mourned him,"

Diego looked a little perturbed by this,

"So what now, you've really done your homework haven't you,"

"Some say that Schider hid a code within the original copy of his book. Supposedly it unlocks some kind of secret. Its all terribly exciting,"

The Tachikoma clattered it's claws together,

"If you can get hold of the old book, what you could find may be able to change everything,"

Diego scratched at his chin thoughtfully,

"And the book is called….,"

"Deus Ex Machina,"

He scribbled it down on a piece of paper and nodded to the watching robots. There was a excited murmur from the grouped robots. One slid forward, as if elected to be the Tachikoma's spoke-Person (Machine).

"Umm, Mister Watchman,"

"Yes,"

"Could we, umm, would you mind….,"

Behind it the others were trying not to seem interested and were taking a great deal of interest in the floor and surrounding room. The Tachikoma that spoke clattered it's claws together,

"… if we had the book when your finished with it?,"

"Maybe, if your all intact by that point then yes, you may have it,"

There was a small cheer from the group.

"What the hell is going on here?," The voice rang out across the room causing several Troopers to start from their labour. The large form of Batou was visible crossing the room hurriedly, Togusa following in his wake. Diego raised his head in acknowledgement. Above his head he was aware of the rest of Section 9 gathering to watch the spectacle. So he arranged his unshaven face into the nearest thing he could get to a 'can I help you' face and turned toward the approaching Cy-Borg.

"So, Cold One, what can I do for you,"

"What did you just call me," he snarled back.

"I do believe," said one of the Think Tanks, "that he just called you a Cold One. Among the organics it's seen as a rather derogatory phrase referring to your cyberisation. It means 'No Feeling',"

"Yeah, what ever you say, meat bag,"

Diego shut his eyes for a second, if trying to quell some hidden anger and said in calm and collected voice:

"I guess your not here to exchange insults, but ask why exactly why we're here,"

He found himself wrenched up into the air by the large man and hung, black armoured boots several feet off the floor.

"may I remind you Mr Batou that your assaulting an officer of the Nightwatch and I am allowed to used all necessary force, to relinquish your hold of my person,"

"Just try it bastard, these are our tanks. You've no right to come in here, to be in Japan for that matter, with your bunch of tea drinking, cricket playing bastards to take our property,"

Diego sighed, where he hung in the air, as he twisted to stare across Batou shoulder,

"Mr Togusa," he said quite jovially, "how is your daughter doing, I do hope she's well,"

"DON'T YOU GODAMN TALK TO HIM," Batou yelled back shaking the smaller man, "Its your godamn missile that lost him his arm,"

"Actually that was your missile and would you mind letting go, your creasing the suit,"

"IT WASN'T OUR F??G MISSILE YOU BASTARD!!,"

Diego didn't reply to this. Instead, the well placed electrolysis gauntlet to the side of the face was all the answer Batou needed as he thudded to the deck his nose covering most of his face. Diego straightened his armour, looked down upon the prone man,

"Oh, and Motoko says hello by the way and asks to give you these," A large box of sweet meats clattered to the floor by Batou's face as he lay, face down. "Don't touch me again or I'll turn the gauntlet on next time,"

There was an awed hush as Batou pulled himself upright,

"You bastard, you utter bastard. You can't push us around," At this point the other Deathwatch in the room rose to their feet reaching for their firearms,

"enough of this, Batou stand down,"

A rather haggard voice echoed across the room as Aramaki slowly rove into view from the open blast doors at the end of the room. He was nearly bent double, gnarled hands wrapped around a solid wooden walking cane. His cold eyes, which in contrast to the rest of his withered appearance, sparkled with life but it wasn't him. To Section 9 the old 'ape face' who once lead them was long dead, a cold, arthritic man had taken his place. He still wielded authority however, the strings could always be pulled to get his way and his relationship with Kyabuki, though only professional, allowed several doors to be opened for them.

Though not with the Nightwatch

"They are only doing their job. It is by the powers that be that the Tachikomas aren't been destroyed on the spot and instead been utilised as tech maintenance droids for the Nightwatch. It would be best to let them continue. They are legally allowed to fire upon you and kill you if you get in their way,"

"that's not possible," Batou eyed Diego who stood, hands on hips with an extremely grim expression. He was very well armed, two pistols hung from his thighs, a large rifle strung across his back. He could remember the day when the sky turned red, hundreds of these kind of soldiers were dropped, from orbit, all across the city securing points in a matter of minutes. The 15 minute war lasted as long as it's name stated. Hardly anyone died thankfully, all resistance was quashed immediately. But the speed, ruthlessness and deadly accuracy the Nightwatch had gained great acclaim from was legendary.

By whatever means necessary.

"Adjudicator," one of the surrounding Deathwatch whispered, "I hate to break up this lively debate but that Tachikoma over there just closed it's eyes,"

"How the hell can a tank close it's eyes?,"

The was a slight murmur as the two Deathwatch conferred, "it's rolled its eyes inwards so you can't see it's iris. It's just a blank ball,"

Diego glanced across at where the trooper was pointing. Sure enough a single Tachikoma sat, arms resting on the floor. Its ball shaped eyes were rolled inwards revealing a white expanse of metal. It was slumped near to the ground and was rocking back and forth upon it's haunches.

"Tell me," Diego said quietly never taking it's eyes off the tank, "have any of you attached to the net from 2039 to now,"

There was a slight murmur among the gathered machines.

"No," one whispered back in a very audible stage whisper.

Ignoring Batou and Aramaki's questioning looks, Diego signalled to the surrounding troops.

Something's wrong, This shouldn't be happening. Be ready and watchful.

At that point, the single blue tank began to scream.

To Be Continued.