A/N: Welcome to the second half of Section Two, Project S.A.O: Collision!, where things heat up and bodies go flying. You better be advised this isn't for the faint of heart in the grand scheme of things.
7 August 2024
4:20 P.M EDT
Charlotte Douglas International Airport, North Carolina, United States
The comrades brought the entire group consisting of Jaraslav, Drahoslav, Dvinaslav, Zelislav, Stanislav, Roosevelt, and Hamilton, to the airport. Up to the front in a premium purchased Hummer. A light green paint job covers the entire vehicle. Being apart of the carpool made the goodbyes they'd had to do pinched, but it was suitable.
Zelislav withdrew the windowpane with his arm on the outside, staring his friend, "Jara, we know we don't give up each other, but we must make sacrifices."
"My concern would be Stanislav. I'll rejoin before we go for the next weapon."
Roosevelt assisted the two with the strength he held, transferring the little baggage the two comrades had.
"If you need a location Jara, it's Denver."
"What about a meetup location?"
"We'll decide when we get there." Drahoslav interrupts, "Jara and Stanislav better get going before a ton of people swarm you guys."
Jaraslav heard the comrade at the driver's seat and went silent. Before tapping the left pectoral among a straightened hand.
"Forever in life."
"Forever in life." Jaraslav echoed as he lifted the trigger to raise the window.
The second door opened from the inside with Hamilton's assistance, allowing Roosevelt's entrance into the vehicle. Once it closed, the vehicle left Jaraslav and Stanislav's sight along with their belongings.
Still bound to the chair, the boy with brown hair with deep blue eyes stares out into space. Looking to Jaraslav weakly without starting a talk.
Jaraslav grounds his hands on the foam parts to Stanislav's wheelchair. Beginning to walk inside the airport, while ensuring his comrade wasn't left behind.
"It's hard after what you had to do with little break. You deserve some off time, take it easy."
"Mmh." he nods his head weakly.
8 August
10:11 A.M JST
Élisée's House, Yokohama, Japan
Élisée claps his hands while he watches Kaiya's entrance into the living room. Several boxes carried from outside into the longhouse of a room. Paying attention when he stumbles, aiding Kaiya when he couldn't recover the stuff from inside.
"Chop! Chop! Kai-ya! Three more to go!"
In a tank top and green shorts barely fitting him, his arms nearly gave in from his knee crashing the rug. The package barely hovers in the air, avoiding a harsh landing. A few sweat droplets transferred from his forehead across his bicep.
Having been working for two hours without rest and heavy boxes, he raised his voice to let what he thinks known, "I need a break!"
"Hmm…" Élisée pulls his blue and green sleeve up, looking at his watch, "There are only two boxes to go. I can do the other two! You go to the couch and get a rest."
Kaiya proceeded to the dwelling's kitchen. The left side of the fridge door wide open from his right. Finding grape soda to drink, he pulls it out to the counter. Releasing a relieving sigh when he finally sat down to drink it.
"Gone with the wind." his finger yanks the tab of the bottle, permitting the fluid to flow into his mouth when he finally drunk it.
The previous two boxes Élisée tasked himself to get inside completed in a few minutes during Kaiya's break. In total, filling an entire side of the wall, five boxes stacked in threes, the things inside known only to Élisée exclusively.
"They're heavy… The boxes." Kaiya mumbled while he made a post onto social media.
Élisée walks to where Kaiya was at currently, a counter at the kitchen. Hunching his back with his ear pressed on the counter made from polished stone.
"Hey there! Exhausted? Bored out of mind?" Élisée chirped.
"Needing rest. Those boxes were so heavy, what's inside them?" Kaiya stares away from his phone.
"Nothing you need to worry about, just some quantum computers."
Élisée raises his head before his arms stretch. Smiling all the way while he brings himself to see how he's gonna enjoy himself before his job.
"They're expensive! Why do you need quantum computers?! How did you even get them?"
"A secret!" Élisée walks behind Kaiya.
"Did you saw the news last night about those four underdog kids raiding a military base?" Kaiya looks towards him.
"An armoury, you mean. And yes," Élisée replies, albeit his playfulness died.
"You got serious, what's happening?"
He stares at Kaiya. No longer eccentric or standalone in his actions. Rather, a normal person with a sense of channeled sanity. Everything about the comrades wasn't something he laughs on.
"Those kids, I know what they're capable of, how threatening they are to Glowgen. The other side of this equation."
"Threat?"
"Let me explain. They possess advanced knowledge of certain applications of quantum mechanics many don't know. Nor even saw the full extent of their capabilities."
"They need to be defeated?"
"Yes, they do. But it's inconceivable Glowgen would manage to kill them without suffering any damaging losses. The Norfolk raid solidifies what I mean."
"You fought them before..?"
"I didn't, but my former boss and a group I lead called One-O-One did. Even when we knew their capabilities and made countermeasures to give the least amount of chances possible. He still lost and got beheaded as a result."
"That's terrible…"
"It goes to show Kaiya, even when their capabilities have a counter or a mitigating factor, there's no certainty for victory. As such, it's still necessary to play it smart."
"What's their secret?"
"It's better it's told in a story from not too long ago, the secret to how."
The Real World (Alternate)
2 October 2022
2:23 P.M Central European Summer Time (CEST)
Uugu's Headquarters, Somewhere in Europe
Two ends of a sliding glass door slid open, allowing entrance into the headquarters of the group Uugu lead, the Foreign Legion. Élisée was apart of the group, oftentimes talking to the guy when it comes to scientific and development matters. First coming along the main reception hall, possessing numerous couches for legionnaires, Uugu's followers, to do many things. Chilling to socializing, discussing business, or informal show and tells of their work or skills.
He came across a group of people, chanting microbots as a group duke on the floor. With little involvement from them besides their motivation. Each having ID cards to easily identify them.
"Too much free time on your hands?!" he asked, mostly to get their eyes from their fighting bots and instead to himself.
Some of the staff eyed Élisée before backing into a single file line, "We're sorry, doctor Lussier!"
He walks towards them before patting each of them on the back, "How quickly did you guys produce these fighting bots?"
"For me… A few months through my breaks from my infiltration works..." one of the persons replied, red with green.
"Like Christmas, good work, considering you're a member of Section Two's S-Eight," Élisée replies before the other two.
"A few days..."
"Finished your work? Wonderful!"
"Sir…" a second Section Two member voiced, distinctly British in how his words inflect.
"Yes, Avalon?"
"What's our next assignment…"
Élisée cracks at Avalon's perceived joke. "You gotta be kidding me, Avalon! When you're given a task, it'll be sent!"
Avalon blankly replies, "Alright, sir."
"For now, enjoy your bots facing each other in the ring, and Cullen."
"Yes, sir?"
"If Ulgumous takes the reports in this case seriously. You might have something in store."
Cullen nods, before his three colleagues besides Élisée return to their bot battle fuckery.
Past the group of individuals, several levels of stairs with ramp accessible escalators only accessible in emergencies. Élisee walked the steps due to nothing able to be classified as one occurring. Adding several minutes to his length of time spent at the location.
A coffee shop on the third floor of the headquarters. One of the tinier sections of the entire structure brimmed in small take-out eateries and cafés supplying specialist teas and coffee. Detouring for some joe before he had to get serious for his conversation with Uugu.
An Indian guy, with a British accent, noticed his arrival and gives a slight circle wave.
"Peace be upon you."
Élisee doesn't respond in kind, instead he bows. "I'd wish to see myself to a fine miniature mug of coffee."
"Sugar or no sugar?" the guy asked, already bringing information for the receipt.
"All bitter."
"Four Euros."
He passes along his debit card through the scanner. Shortly waiting for his coffee delivery before his pesky hand snatches it from the man. His goodbye arrives, leaving for what he had to do finally.
A sip of the stubby brown coffee cup protected with eco-friendly cardboard crossed his tongue. Braking the motion he built, facing his coffee cup for an inaudible scolding. Passing along the stairs throughout his action, gaining him stares from people seeing it as delusional.
Except for one individual, Ulgumous Uugu. Already at the side of the stair flight when he arrived. Nodding to his hair, getting in the way, and easily pushing its graying strands aside.
"You came with the info. Great," he said, covering his face while he backs to allow Élisée some leeway to firmly get onto the current floor.
"The briefcase is here."
"Follow me."
He nods, following Uugu afterward. Passing along an unpassed hallway he hadn't gone through before. The main hall for the usually overlooked Section Four.
Uugu explained when he opened the door, "It's something so relevant to Section Four yet not requiring a more secure meeting room."
Élisée follows inside the silent space with a few cabinets of space. Seven seats spaced two meters apart from each other. A cube in the center of the table obstructing part of it, with options to disperse a squirt of hand sanitizer and an option to get a mask for the face.
"Social distancing measures, when we're not in a public health crisis…"
"The guys at Section Four are pretty germophobic, especially after the majority of its members were affected by COVID-19 during the early stages of the war."
Once he got his reply to Élisée's comment, Uugu's hand flew under the dispenser for hand sanitizer. He spreads the disinfectant throughout his hands timely. Not forgetting any location susceptible for viruses and bacteria to reach to. Awaiting Élisée's next action when he noticed he took a seat.
Formally, Élisée took out the beginning brief from his attaché possessing the beginning words and a synopsis. From a consequence of the length, Uugu needed time to understand it before things moving forward would be practical.
"When you're ready to continue, let me know."
"I have things unclear in the brief."
"Hmm?"
"Section Four should've discovered their scientific side was this strong. Why didn't we know until now?" Uugu arose, leaning to the point of snapping.
"Most likely, the source is from other sections. You'll need to do some actions to figure it out. But, keep your questions related explicitly to the report regarding the Fifty-Seventh Squadron's discovery and scientific focus. But I can disclose to you our "
Uugu nods before his voice calmed, "Thank for you reminding me. Is this true they've had a method to directly counter our specialised bots?"
"Undetermined, despite this discovery giving a grimmer outlook about their powers."
"What do you recommend?"
"Give me a moment." Élisée puts the brief out of Uugu's sight in the case.
His hand ravages several documents within the package he brought with him. A few pulled into view, each explaining a specific area of concern. Necessary to be read before any major decision would be thought of or executed.
"Read these," he said.
Uugu picks his first document to examine, regarding the discovery regarding a fundamental concept the Foreign Legion had awareness of before Section Two's finding.
"Fluctlight Interface Computer…"
"Or FLIC, using optic fibres at certain regions of the brain to invade the Fluctlight to do many things. The second document outlines how one works, according to a reverse-engineered FLIC we've developed."
Uugu diverts his attention to read the other document. Only having visual pictures, Élisée explains.
"Each part of the FLIC plays a key role in its operation. The main computer module acts similarly to a conventional computer. Providing power, RAM, memory, storing of commands, and connectivity to networks. The mnemonic initialiser module transfers information for the Fluctlight to read and vice versa. The sensor module carries out essential code and functions to activate commands. The receptor module looks for other FLICs in the area, allowing someone with a FLIC implant to detect similar people. It may have secondary purposes as well. Another component, found in their version of the FLIC, was a limiter component, made to prevent overuse."
"If they were looking to counter our bots. Why install limiters?" he looks up and crosses his arms in thought.
"To answer your question, I'm going to explain how it works," Élisée replies.
"Go ahead," Uugu nods and pays attention.
"A FLIC's an implant. It works by integrating with the user's Fluctlight with commands produced with a programming language. The components work in tandem to check if conditions for certain commands are true and then execute them by manipulating the Fluctlight to affect the body in ways it can work."
Uugu nods, holding his head on his left hand like a perch. Ready to receive the excuse for the limiters.
"But, a paper we got from them suggested human Fluctlights are pretty vulnerable. Without extensive support, a FLIC operating at an optimal level will be overwhelmed. Incineration is a possibility. A hardcoded limiter module, necessary to prevent a human Fluctlight from being strained."
"Robot Fluctlights are stronger?"
"Not stronger, higher integrity to drastic information needed to procure special powers."
"I can't fathom the lack of a workaround."
"I believe that too, Ulgumous, they're not stupid enough to avoid considering the benefits of using optimise when it can matter."
"What do you expect from them?"
"A multiperspective question. This field of applied science is interesting." Élisée stares at the ceiling while drawing his feet to the edge of the table. A pen next to him getting chewed.
"Stop acting sophisticated and be real. What can you estimate?"
"At this point, I can't craft an honest estimate. But their history of how they take setbacks, we can speculate on what actions they're taking going forward. Name a setback, I'll tell you."
"The skirmish near Brno."
"The next time a similar skirmish occurred, escaping encirclement when no options are left isn't foolish."
"What about the recent battle in Sarajevo?"
"The instance you directly took them on and use the experimental integrations used only for bots to proclaim your superiority."
"What about it?"
"Sir, you might've brought incentive for them to make these FLICs powerful."
"Nonsense."
"I do warn, they might beat you in the future if you fail to ignore them," Élisée stands up and walks away, the briefcase kept behind for Uugu to read further if necessary.
The Real World
8 August 2024
10:30 P.M JST
Élisée's House, Yokohama, Japan
"Oh… I thought he took the threat seriously from the start." Kaiya stares at Élisée's eyes, amazed.
"Eventually he did, after the devastating losses when they were on campaign with the FLICs in Romania and parts of Bulgaria. But by then, it was too late to turn it around. A little over one year wasn't enough to augment his already robotic strength with Fluctlight enhancing power."
"They're a threat…"
He pushes his stool from the counter and hits a table in a sub-area of a second living room, "They're not the worse. But their actions qualify as extremism in times of peace."
"Do we need to stop them?"
"We cannot do much to stop their move across the U.S."
"We help them."
"I intend to help them."
"Can I help you?"
"Right now, I'd like you to make a call tonight to Arnold," he replies, abruptly leaving the room.
"Where are you going?" Kaiya rises from his seat.
Following Élisée to one area of the home, a cupboard under the stairwell. A turnaround occurs, with him bringing a paper with a simple number on it.
"Call this! Arnold will pick up! I'll provide a phone!" he said simply while he pushes Kaiya out of his way.
Kaiya backs away and stares at the number. Mumbling as he starts to begin making a memory of it.
"By the Way! Try and get in touch with a group called One-O-One!"
7 August, 9:34 P.M EDT
I-40 W, Tennessee, United States
"Keep your heads down!" Drahoslav shouts while sporadic gunfire turns the night frantic.
Zelislav, holding one of their guns obtained from the Norfolk raid, hid at the rear of their Hummer. Occasionally looking past the window for suspicious cars tailing their vehicle. Glimpses paint jobs and tinted windows from third party automobiles across the interstate.
"Under no circumstances give their laser altered weapons any openings!" Jaraslav says with a commanding bite to his voice.
"How many lasers?" Drahoslav asked again.
The vehicle shifts sharply to the left, diverting a recent volley of bullets.
"About three!" Zelislav replies, his cheek palming from a side of the vehicle.
"Don't try and give them a target! Keep your head down!"
Hamilton's head looks outside from behind, met with a red dot stretching from the side of a vehicle slowly catching up from a hundred meters away.
"What did I say? Did Glowgen teach you to keep your head down in situations like this!?" Drahoslav grips Hamilton's head, shoving it onto the floor of the car.
Hamilton's action brought their rear window to break. Glass fragments grazing Zelislav's dominant arm, making rough cuts to one of the seats.
"We have a window. Now we fight back."