The secure briefcase was bound to Hanakawa's biometrics. If it were taken more than 2 metres from her the internal shaped charges would obliterate the contents. The plasma steel handcuffs and metamaterial cable could not be removed short of sawing Hanakawa's hand off. If that did happen the explosives would do the rest. The woman knocked politely on the door to Dr Orr's lab.
"Enter," came Ryoma's rich tone.
"Shitsureshimasu"
Hanakawa entered and locked the door behind her. The room had the same pale off-white walls as the rest of the facility, with strip lighting and tile floors. Metal cabinets contained all manner of tool, wiring and secondary parts. Pieces of machinery surrounded the focus of everyone's attention, humming computers wired into it on all sides. Ryoma and Dr Orr were inspecting the doctor's latest iteration of the sealing model. Cocolia had finally relinquished the Domination of Domination. With the Lightning Gem in their possession their experimental knowledge had made tremendous leaps. Dr Orr predicted they were only weeks away from live modelling and testing. His counterpart, Dr Schwarz, was less optimistic but still pragmatic in his assertion that the suppression and sealing system he was working on would succeed.
'The prototype model was completed in my absence,' Hanakawa observed. 'I never thought they would reach this stage so quickly. Just what has changed with Mei-ojou-chan in such a short time?'
The current machine looked like a dentist chair with all manner of cabling and cooling pipes running in and out of it. Complex machinery and fine circuitry were exposed from the numerous open panels about the device. Curiously, it used no soulium in its construction or any other resources from the Previous Era. Only the bleeding edge of ME Corp technology could be found within. Due to the advances in knowledge brought about by Project-MEI, ME Corp's knowledge of Honkai related technologies had accelerated. Some wondered if they were beginning to approach the capabilities of Schicksal. Perhaps even exceeded them in certain fields.
The two men didn't look up from their examination of the Lightning Gem's housing.
"Your latest acquisition?" Ryoma asked.
"The purchase was made through the necessary proxies. The number soulium Moon shards on the market is shrinking. The price was high but within predicted tolerances."
Hanakawa did not have the authorisation to open the briefcase once closed. That responsibility was left to Ryoma. The man completed his examination and began the laborious process of deactivating the security features and finally unlocking the case. As he worked Dr Orr spoke.
"Why are you seeking these shards, Ryoma? You do not use the information contained within them. In fact, you seem to go out of our way to avoid that knowledge."
"Denial and wisdom."
"I don't follow."
Ryoma looked up from his work. The man's dark eyes were as inscrutable as ever.
'Everything Ryoma-sama is done with care and foresight. Dr Orr should know that by now.'
"The knowledge contained in these shards is dangerous. We have analysed and assessed enough to understand what weapons or insights can be gleaned from even the briefest of fragmentary records. I trust neither Schicksal nor Anti-Entropy nor World Serpent. None have humanities best interests at heart."
"You're a member of AE. So is ME Corp."
"It suits my purpose. Sometimes necessity dictates that you must undertake distasteful actions. Cooperating with a foe towards a common purpose may work for a time. Committing to their cause and undertaking their actions, though it may sully your hands, may be the only way forward. Yet always you must be mindful of how far you go. Have at the forefront of your every action what it is you strive towards. Maintain your integrity and sense of self. To become a pawn of someone else is to debase yourself."
Dr Orr chuckled.
"I forget how much of a philosopher you are."
Ryoma finally completed the security detachment. Hanakawa rubbed her wrist absently.
"If the discomfort persists have nurse Suki to see to it."
"I'm fine, Ryoma-sama."
Hanakawa didn't say anymore. The look on her face was enough. Ryoma gave a very brief and very subtle smile. He knew how much Mei meant to her. What was housed in this room would be her salvation or possibly her cause of death. She would want to know. Hanakawa would never oppose Ryoma. But for her own peace of mind she wanted to understand what was at stake.
"And the second reason" Dr Orr continued.
"Knowledge shapes perspective. To consume, digest and compartmentalise that knowledge is to have your mind sculpted and coloured by it. Your patterns of thought and action reflect that knowledge. For all their efforts, for all their advanced technology and understanding of the universe, the previous Era lost completely and utterly against the Honkai. Why would I want to allow my mind to be shaped by people that lost? Schicksal, AE and World Serpent all scour the globe for fragments of the past and relics of the Previous Era. To rely upon that which failed is foolish."
"Science is built upon iteration and failure."
"Until it reaches a logical dead end. Humanity strove time and time against to explain light. Each time our theories only went so far before they reached that dead end and failed. It took Lieserl Einsten to give us a theory that explained that light is both a wave and a particle. The knowledge of the Previous Era is not iterated upon. Instead the great three organisations fully seek to imitate and replicate their knowledge and technology. They remain at a dead end, relying upon the ghosts of those failures."
Hanakawa read Ryoma's actions and acted first. She ran her fingers down the side of the case, thumb prints and biometrics scanned in concert. Ryoma did the same. There were several audible clicks before the case hissed open. Contained within were three silvery fragments. Fragments of pure soulium containing all manner of knowledge, science, history and weapons technology.
"You still have a brief glance over contents."
"Yes. And that is all. I merely wish to know if it is in fact soulium or something else."
Ryoma touched one of the fragments.
"I made you privy to World Serpents secrets. The Sceptres of UWAS"
Dr Orr shuddered. He found it hard to believe that such knowledge survived the destruction of the Previous Era. The principle was simple enough. But the possiblities that could be extrapolated on... In many ways he wished they hadn't.
"We move in rough parallel to those tools. Our approach and end goal differs. What we do, we achieve with the knowledge and technology of today. My daughter has provided us with a unique opportunity to throw off the yoke of the past and those that cling to its dregs."
Ryoma closed the case. Closed the past and fixed his eyes firmly on the future.
"My daughter will not be the only one. Others will be chosen by the Honkai. I will stop the Honkai without debasing myself."
The knock on the door was exactly on time. Hanakawa opened it and took the still warm vial of blood from nurse Suki. Closing it she walked over to Ryoma and presented it to him. The CEO of ME Corp took the vial and stared at the crimson contents. A small piece of his daughter offered up as a sacrifice to save her. To save others. To possibly save the future without destroying it.
'If it ends her suffering then we must do what we can. Even if she comes to hate us then it is still worth that price.'
"Ready the Throne of Fudō Myōō, Dr Orr."
Hanakawa took out her tablet and began putting in several instructions. Dr Schwarz's security clearance was upgraded. They needed him to give input into the Throne. Honkai reactors carefully brought into the building would need to be brought online. What Hanakawa wondered was whether the prototype could rewrite the legacy of the past. She would work harder than ever to achieve the goals of Ryoma. The goal of protecting Mei.
-Ten minutes prior-
"Hold the metal bar in your left hand. Curl your hand around the bar and point the end toward the target."
Mei did as instructed. The latest batch of tests was being held in a retrofitted room. Numerous camera's and detection instruments surrounded the room. Three of the four walls were bare steel. The final was reinforced plasma steel. Mei faced toward that wall. Held in her small hand was a 20 cm steel rod. More sat in a tray beside her.
"Inset your hand into the tracking cage."
Mei looked up toward the speakers. The scientists and doctors had been asking more and more complex demonstrations of her power. It was beginning to scare her. This power. Her power. The more she used it the more it bubbled up at random. Tingles in her fingers and toes. Impressions of objects at a distance. The taste of whatever bubbled within the humming machines that the scientists called 'Honkai Reactors.'
Her Twin would appear too.
A thick steel loop studded with sensors and wrapped in fine wire hung just in front of Subject-Mei. The little girl put her hand inside the loop as requested.
"Now create an electromagnetic field and project the rod forward."
At first Mei had not understood what the scientists had asked for. There were weeks of little advancement. Finally Hanakawa had come upon the idea of giving Mei scientific text books on physics. As she read about electromagnetism the ideas and concepts cemented themselves in her mind. With knowledge came its application. Now Mei was able to manipulate her abilities as demanded. Her strength was quite limited. Fatigue came quickly. Still the experiments progressed.
Mei focussed that power that bubbled within her. A tingle ran up her left arm. The faintest crackles of electricity danced over her skin.
"You're not quite doing it right."
A presence pressed itself against Mei's back. She could feel its body warmth. A thin, delicate hand slide down her arm, affectionately wrapping fingers around her own.
"Let it flow from your chest," the voice whispered in Mei's ear. "Brace yourself and ready your arm for the recoil. The Honkai energy will take most of it. But if you are not careful then you will break your arm."
Mei did as her Twin instructed. Spread her feet a little wider apart. Changed the angle of her shoulders. Tensed her muscles. Last she drew on that power that coiled about her heart. It rolled up her arm in a slow, leisurely pulse. It was only when Mei glanced to one side that she realised that truth. The was no lethargy in the power. Her mind had accelerated. Cameras sluggishly shifted to watch the target. Thoughts moved faster. Senses absorbed their surroundings. Will became lightning. The pulse reached Mei's arm. The rod was gripped by the energy discharge. It very slowly sailed from Mei's hand. The path was linear. It moved so fast the air was barely disturbed. It finally collided with the target and the sheets of plasma steel behind it. The rod punched through multiple sheets. It finally stopped just short of breaching the rear wall.
Time dialled back up. Mei's arm hurt. She withdrew and clenched her hand. Muscles throbbed and her tendons ached.
"1400 m/s," the voice approved.
"Not bad," Mei's Twin approved. "You're getting better."
"How did you know?" Mei whispered.
"You read those books on anatomy. I just used that alongside the physics text books you studied. You should be able to figure it out for yourself."
"No, I can't."
"Why not? After all. You are me and I am you."
The Twin's chuckles fell into the background.
"That's enough testing," nurse Suki's voice declared.
The single door into the room clunked. Numerous internal locks were disengaged. Mei walked over to the door and pushed her way through. The nurse in her prim uniform stood on the other side. Suki crouched down and immediately began checking Mei over. She clucked her tongue when she examined Mei's left arm.
"Your muscles have seized," she assessed. "Don't push yourself, my dear."
Suki turned Mei's hand over, examining her palm and cursing.
"Electrical burns. I will inform them that today's regimen is over. You are to go home and rest."
Suki took Mei's right hand in her own.
"Let's patch you up first."
Mei let herself be dragged along to the small medical room. Once inside she flopped down on the plush chair and settled. Already her eyes were growing heavy. In the background Suki pottered around. Mei barely paid attention as the minor burns were dressed. Suki massaged some gel into Mei's arm. By the time she was finished Mei's head was lolling and her eyes refused to stay open.
"I'm too tired," Mei mumbled.
"I know my dear. That's why I'm sending you home."
"Mmm. Not that."
Mei didn't want to dream. Never pleasant dreams. Wakefulness was a blessing.
"Can I stop soon?" Mei asked.
"I hope you'll stop soon."
Suki missed Mei's point. It didn't matter. Mei would keep doing as her father asked. A sharp prick of pain wedged into Mei's left elbow. She cracked an eye enough to see a vial of blood being drawn. Eyes falling back down again, Mei settled into the comfy chair and let sleep finally take her. Maybe this time she would only dream.
She was wrong.