DIARY ENTRY 6: The Diary and the Book

The next day, back in his desk- now in the recently reconstructed Research Departments Building, Ichiro was now beginning to reanalyze the diary. He had read the first time too quickly and had not enough time to "read between the lines". He took in the view from his new office and pondered the events that happened to him in the past. Ichiro was not particularly fond of other researchers, especially down in weapons, for an event that happened to him in the past had emphasized just that- the "Weapons Research Team versus Ichiro Sunikata case". He remembered the day he received something from the tribunal because of a prank Weapons made with the MAG on unsuspecting soldiers walking the aisle between research labs 20 & 21. Because he had MHD, he was literally lifted off the floor, and was stuck on the wall of lab 20. It took about 5 hours just to lower the magnetic field to normal levels and another hour to take the unconscious Ichiro off the wall. It turned out that weapons had forgotten to lower the field strength because of incompetence- they were watching the Olympics live. So much for history. He placed the data crystal containing the diary into the reader, and the holographic image of Dr. Hans appeared and began his speech on a selected entry.

Data log entry, 9:50:30 am German standard time, May 20, 2093, Major Hans Pfelhausen, head of cybernetics R & D… begin entry…

'The device that I have invented finally has a place to stay. I was tasked by the...'

Two years ago...

"Come in..." the voice of the former Director- now Supreme Commander came through the double doors of the director's office.

"What is it you want from me?"

"Find a way to place your short-ranged MAG into heavily defended areas... that is all"

'So I thought of placing the device inside a persocon, because persocons have become the rage of the peoples of Earth. The device can generate an intense magnetic field in such a short range, about 600 meters. If placed correctly and if the field reverberates, the device can render an entire city, or in this case, an entire alien fleet or base powerless. I developed this weapon two and a half years ago in the hopes of neutralizing the second-and more intense Kyrelian invasion of Earth- the first was light and the perpetrators have defected- thanks to the team headed by Dr. Mio Sanada- herself a Kyrelian. Fortunately, the invasion failed and the forces have forced Kyrel to surrender. So much for history. So I formed a crack team of specialists and...'

Suddenly, the image of the doctor began to fade then suddenly...

"You're reading my diary..." the image reappeared and asked Ichiro directly.

"I'm looking for your creation, Dr. Hans... Project C to be exact..."

"Why is it? Has she done something she was not programmed to do? That's expected..."

"Expected? Please tell me..."

"She has... wait a minute!!! Who are you?" the image suddenly projected itself into the room taking the size of a living human.

"Ichiro Sunikata. I'm the one who your team accidentally stuck to the wall with the MAG..."

"I see..."

"So please tell me, doctor... what do you mean 'expected'?"

"She has, as you know about now, IRIS's OS, but it's not true. In fact, her OS is a combination of the codes of not just the IRIS (Integrated Reasoning Intelligence System), but the IANNE (Integrally Advanced Neuro-Network Exchange) as well" Dr. Hans began to explain "Her mental capacity is greater than IANNE's (May Dr. Akizuki rest in peace). But a glitch occurred. Her mentality became racist- regarding people as the negative factor in their existence- persocons in general. So we had to shut her down but, her brain just won't agree, being a chobit and all..."

"Wait a minute... a chobit? The legendary type of persocon? Like Armitage of the animated movie?"

"Exactly, even though Armitage is more android than persocon."

Dr. Hans knew the line between robots and persocons well. Droids are the "industrial strength" versions of the robots that now power heavy industries, such as mining. Persocons, on the other hand are "home" versions of their industrial counterparts.

"So what can we expect from this chobit?" Ichiro suddenly asked.

"There are certain spots on her body that when touched, will execute the MAG deployment- if done by unauthorized personnel. If it were done by her 'special someone', no hostile reaction will occur, in fact, the chobit will assume human status and can bear children. I suggest that you hit the books on this matter. And don't worry, my entire personality, memories and even my thought process had been stored in this crystal so... I'll take my leave..."

With those words the hologram vanished.

"Hmm... racism... human negative factor... persocons..." Ichiro began to ponder. Then a brainstorm hit him.

"Let me see... persocon related literature..." Ichi mumbled as he typed the words into the search bar of his browser" he pressed enter, and there was only one result after a long time.

"A city with no people, by anonymous. Tells about a story of a rabbit persocon wandering the streets of a city, noticing that there were no 'people' in the streets. The 'people' were accompanied by 'them' and 'they'. The rabbit, with conclusions from this single sided observation, decides to find for the 'special someone' that will 'treat me as I am' searching from city to city" Ichiro read the synopsis on the site.

"Them... they... people... hmm... this makes no sense... ahh!! I've got an idea..."

He quickly dialed some numbers into his telephone and then...

"Yamatani bookstore, this is Hazu. Who am I speaking to?" the other side of the line began.

"Ichiro Sunikata, member..."

"Can I get your member ID number?"

"SFX-25552-0998-1" Ichi replied.

"Please hold..."

"Who am I speaking to? SF?" a new voice boomed through the line- the manager.

"Ichiro Sunikata, Major Ichiro Sunikata of the SF..."

"It's a pleasure to do business with you, major. So, any military books that you wish to have?"

"Not today. I'm looking for 'A city with no people'; I heard that you have it in print."

"Which one?"

"All the current volumes..."

"Yes we have all of them, about five" the manger replied. "Where shall I bring them?"

"I'll pick them up, about 5:30 in the afternoon."

"Okay then sir, I'll have them ready by that hour- fresh new copies."

"Thank you..."

Ichiro then cut the line. He then pressed a button, beeping at the operations center.

"What is it major?"

"Assemble a five person team. Meet at my house at 7:00 pm sharp. Bring lots of surveillance equipment."

"Agreed." The operator replied.

After a nap, Ichiro left the base. Since the director gave him such leeway, he can basically do anything, assemble teams, go out of the base and so on. He picked up the books and gave the first one a quick read-over.

"This seems good. I'll subscribe to the volumes..." Ichiro said as he paid the cashier on duty- the manager.

"Very good sir. I'll have them delivered to your house as soon as they arrive."

"Good... thank you."

Ichi left the store, not before noticing Hideki and Chii, also looking for a book.

"By the looks of things, she's learning fast... I'll have to pay another visit."

By 7:00 pm the team had arrived and were given board beside Ichiro's unit- for free, because Ichiro was the landlord and owner of the apartment complex. Mrs. Chitose was the landlady of Hideki's unit, in another, but smaller complex across the street.

"They... them... they... them... I still can't get it..." Ichiro puffed as he read the book.

"Sir, we have confirmed the book, its volume 1..."