Mark of Man
Chapter 5
Technology changes, but people stay the same.
Since the irregular activity in Neo Ölgii, Rokko X and the forces of North Eastern Eurasia found themselves in yet another calm. For Rokko, the times of peace were the worst. She knew that there would be another fight, just another bloodbath. But, at least in those times she at least felt somewhat free. It was on the battlefield that she felt most alive and able to choose her own destiny for a change.
While on base she was little more than a caged beast, desperately trying to keep herself occupied while fending off suitors that had far too much interest in her looks. For her, life only moved forward while she fought.
Early on a monday morning in April Rokko X rose and headed for the training simulators. Since she'd joined, many reploids had learned not to cross her in the simulations, and only a handful actually enjoyed training with her.
To her surprise, Commander Sigma didn't seem to mind going through simulations with her, and he'd offer helpful tips and hints as they went through simulated missions. She'd quickly learned that the giant reploid was leagues better than her. He was faster, sharper, and much, much stronger.
When she'd made her way to the simulators, she found both Cobalt Wolf and Sigma waiting for her. She gave the commander a brisk salute.
"What's the special occasion sir?"
Sigma normally didn't join in on training simulations until the afternoon, so meeting him here so early was a bit strange.
The green armored Reploid returned Rokko's salute with a faint nod.
"We'll be joining you for a quick mission, but after that I have orders for both of you." Sigma explained.
"Alright, let's get started then shall we?" Cobalt asked gruffly.
The commander gave a second nod before entering the simulator. Sigma headed to the control panel in a few deft strides and once there, began punching in a series of commands. Realizing that he was already setting up the mission Rokko hastily entered and headed to the display where the data for the mission would appear, with Wolf right behind her.
Mission Details:
A large group of irregulars plan on bombing a protest site with a biological agent. You will be required to deal with any and all irregular activity before even a single human is harmed.
The irregulars have engineered a new breed of Botulinum toxin. Botulinum Toxin was originally odorless, tasteless, and spreads via airways. This has not changed. However, what has changed is the concentration and lethality. It's extremely deadly for humans and can cause death within a few hours if untreated.
If a human is exposed to the toxin, you are required to get them the medical assistance required for them to survive.
Rokko shook her head in disgust. Directly playing guard dog for humans wasn't her idea of an 'enjoyable' mission. She was perfectly content ignoring them after all that they'd done to her.
Unfortunately for her, Sigma turned in time to catch the edge of her annoyance.
"Huntress Rokko X, not all humans are the same. Even now there still remains innocence in this world. It's up to us to protect people long enough for that innocence to break through the current mentality on how humans treat reploids." The commander chided her gently as his hand tapped the 'start' command on the console behind him.
X decided not to respond to that. The commander was an idealist, believing that humans had some kind of innate 'goodness' in them. Rokko however knew that it was simply delusional to believe that.
The spherical room faded and a large city took shape in front of them. The trio stood above the crowd on the balcony of a large governmental building on the north side of the plaza. Below them, a large crowd holding protest signs of 'Stop creating Reploids', 'Kill all 'roids', 'All Reploids are Irregulars', and so forth waited in frozen stasis. Hundreds, if not thousands of faceless humans held protest banners and such as they waited for the mission to begin.
Sigma faced his two subordinates, his expression grim as he explained.
"This is a situation we may soon find ourselves in, so we need to be prepared both in training and psychologically."
Wolf grumbled slightly but when he made his first inquiry it was all business.
"So, what's the plan commander?"
"Huntress Rokko X, you'll secure the perimeter on the south sector. Hunter Wolf, you'll secure the north, west, and east sectors while I'll wander the area looking for Irregular terrorists."
Cobalt raised a furry eyebrow, making his scarred face contort slightly.
"It's unlikely that the three of us would actually be able to patrol a crowd of this size should things go to hell commander."
Sigma waved off his concerns.
"It's unlikely that we'd ever be so understaffed in a situation like this, but this is why I'll be hunting down the irregulars. It's possible that we'll fail due to the sheer lack of units operating on this mission as it is, but we'll do what we can. More importantly is that our hunters are able to deal with the threats and taunts that a crowd like this may throw your way."
Wolf shrugged slightly.
"If you say so commander."
"I'm starting the mission, so you best get into place." Sigma warned as a holographic screen emerged from nothingness.
Immediately without responding, Rokko lept off the balcony, used her dash unit to soar over the crowd and land on a wall on the south side of the plaza. From there she let go, dropping down thirty feet. Once she'd stood again, she saw wolf in midair before he too landed.
Suddenly, the crowd began to murmur, and then exploded into roars of hate.
"KILL THEM ALL!"
"DIE!"
"DAMN MACHINES!"
Rokko froze as unbidden memories plagued her. A man wearing a green sombrero was screaming in her face. He was mocking her, calling her worthless and nothing more than scrap metal. Her cheek stung as the memory bubbled to the surface. Clutching her helmet plate, near the crimson crystal nestled near her forehead she stumbled back even as her memories threatened to crush her.
He kept mocking her, assaulting her and she'd have screamed if she could have raised her voice. Then, a voice called to her and she felt her shoulders being shaken. Blinking a few times her vision cleared and Cobalt Wolf stood before her with his paws clutching her shoulders.
"Hold together Rokko." Cobalt said in a surprisingly gentle tone.
Rokko nodded a bit weakly but as she slowly stood she regained her focus.
"Sorry, I didn't anticipate anything like that." She apologized as Wolf released her.
"Don't worry about it. Best to get used to this kinda thing before it becomes a problem." He assured.
"Right, I guess we better get this mission completed then." Rokko observed as she mentally muted the wrath of the crowd in front of her.
Wolf merely leapt back to his sector as Rokko began her patrol in the south. Thankfully, the rest of her mission was quiet, and before she knew it the simulation terminated.
Mission Complete.
Analysis for Huntress X:
Rocky start due to emotional distress, but after Cobalt Wolf stepped in, she was able to perform the rest of the mission with ease. It is likely that she could handle such a situation should the need arise. However, it is encouraged that someone keep an eye on her at least in the beginning.
Rokko's 'blood' boiled at the thought of needing someone to watch out for her. Sure, she'd been weak for a moment, but she hated the idea of having someone tend to her as if she was made of glass or something, and unfortunately this analysis suggested she was brittle. All it had been was an unexpected reaction to something she could not have prepared for. She'd never allow something like this to bother her again.
Wiping the holographic screen clear Rokko turned to face the two reploids.
"Good work Hunter Wolf." Sigma was praising as he sheathed his saber, the blade's energy dying as he did so.
Wolf merely shrugged.
"I was only doing my job sir."
Sigma gave the taller reploid an approving nod before he turned to face Rokko.
"Rough start Huntress." Sigma observed.
She nodded once, not denying it.
"However, you did pull yourself together and finish the rest of the simulation with relative ease and that's what matters most. As such, I'm certain that you'll be able to handle this upcoming mission. Today at 1300 hours in Neo Tokyo a protest against reploids is to be staged. As such, we have been ordered to provide at least some security and I've chosen you to do this."
Immediately, Cobalt intercepted.
"Commander, with all due respect, while I know she can do the job, it's a big task for a single hunter, and she's only a B class sir, they may not listen to her if she's alone."
Sigma shook his head.
"Most hunters wouldn't be able to handle the emotional stress this event is going to cause. She's one of the few that I believe can handle this. Furthermore, they specifically warned us that we could only send one hunter."
Cobalt continued to protest, not giving Rokko time to interject.
"Sir, then send me. I'm larger, and able to move about crowds much more freely. Furthermore, I'm a higher rank than a B class huntress sir. They'd be more likely to listen to me."
"Unfortunately, High Command has already given you a different assignment that cannot be changed. I've tried."
Rokko's initial irritation with Cobalt Wolf faded, and she turned her attention fully to the commander.
"A new assignment sir?" Cobalt asked, his fluffy tail flicking about in annoyance.
"You are to be reassigned to the southern Irregulars to help train some of the new recruits there. You'll be back in a few months."
Instantly Rokko began raging, internally screaming a salvo of protests. Cobalt was the only person she actually liked talking to. He was… A friend. And now he was being forced to go somewhere else. Without her. She'd be alone now.
Cobalt wasn't pleased either.
"Permission to speak freely sir?" He asked in frigid tones.
Sigma gestured with his right hand for him to proceed.
"That order is absolute trash sir and if it wasn't irregular activity I'd be shouting at the high commander over the absolute idiocy of this."
Sigma sighed as he laid his large hand on the furred shoulder of Cobalt Wolf.
"We'll miss you while you're gone. I know it's a bit of a waste to do things like this, but just train them well and quickly and come on home."
Wolf snarled under his breath before he nodded reluctantly and turned away from the seven foot commander. He instead faced Rokko,
"Keep your head about you while I'm gone okay? Knowing our 'esteemed' human officers I wouldn't be surprised if you're sent on some pointless suicide mission."
X shrugged her shoulders faintly.
"Suicide missions are what I'm here for."
"Rokko!" Cobalt started to protest, and from the corner of her eye she noticed that Sigma shifted slightly as if to join in as well.
Rokko quickly held up a gloved hand.
"Chill. I might be assigned to death time and again, but I won't die."
Cobalt allowed himself a faint grin.
"Good to hear. I'll be seeing you as soon as I get back. Promise."
"I'll hold you to that." X replied firmly as she peered up into her superiors glowing red eyes.
Their goodbyes said, Cobalt headed for the helipad where he was to be transported via helicopter to Irregular Hunter Southern Division. Rokko however, did not see him off and both she and Wolf understood.
She herself had a mission to finish, and ignoring it would have only caused more problems. As such, she headed for the transporter with the commander by her side.
"With all due respect sir, what are you doing following me?" Rokko asked when they neared the command center's server room.
"I've assigned myself a mission. A Class Hunter Garma and his unit haven't reported in and the secondary forces I sent in warned me of an irregular that's caused quite a bit of damage."
Garma? She'd never met the Reploid, but his reputation was respectable. The A class Reploid was one of the best Hunters in their base, and according to the rumors he'd never had a mission that he or his squad had failed. If they'd died she was sure that many of the hunters would have been demoralized at losing such a good hunter.
"Commander, do you plan on going alone? Surely some backup isn't a bad idea." X suggested.
Sigma shook his head firmly.
"If that irregular wiped out an entire unit then I'm not risking any more of my hunters. I'll deal with it myself."
Rokko sighed as she shook her head but she didn't bother protesting any more. Once the commander decided on something that he felt was right, he went through with it.
"Sir, just make sure to come back in one piece." X finally offered at the doors to the server room.
The automatic doors slid to the sides, allowing Rokko to freely pass and as she did so the commander nodded once again, his expression as neutral as ever.
"I'll see to it." Sigma promised.
Once she'd extracted said promise, Rokko headed for one of the navigational reploids.
The pink haired reploid looked up at her and then, without a word pulled up a holographic data screen between them. For a second, she quickly typed and located Rokko's file.
"B Class Huntress Rokko X? We've been expecting you." She observed.
"I figured as much." Rokko replied.
Pulling up a few more details the navigator indicated that Rokko should take her place for teleportation.
"Huntress X, we'll be teleporting you to Point alpha for the beginning of your mission. They've already been informed of your arrival so all you'll have to do is stay alert and if something happens notify the police forces on standby. They've altered the orders slightly so you cannot do anything regarding human forces beyond that. If anything happens, you are authorized and encouraged to use deadly force on any reploid."
Rokko scowled slightly but she nodded.
"Understood. I'll terminate any hostiles."
The pink haired reploid shook her head quickly.
"Huntress X, that's not what the orders state. If Irregulars attack you are to terminate all reploids in the area as they will have all been deemed irregular."
Damn them. Clenching her jaw, she nodded shortly.
"All reploids are to be deemed irregular if an attack occurs." She repeated, hating every word she spoke.
The navigator sighed as she began to boot up the server.
"For what it's worth, I'm sorry." She told X before the huntress was teleported to the scene of nearly rioting humans.
Angry signs of 'Kill the machines!' and 'DOWN WITH REPLOIDS' littered the crowd and the roar was nearly impossible to think over.
Taking in the plaza, Rokko noticed a police armored corps coming in from the east. Immediately, the huntress leapt upon the wall nearest her and scaled up about halfway before leaping across the plaza and to another building near the transport. Then, immediately upon reaching the wall, she let go, dropping down to the ground. Once she'd done so she quickly stood and walked briskly over to the convoy.
"I am B Class Irregular Huntress Rokko X. Please Identify yourselves." Rokko requested as she approached the lead armor transport.
The police officer walking beside the transport nodded at her identification and responded.
"We're the seventy second armored police division, and we're here to reinforce our officers. All human so stand aside huntress."
Her bio scanners confirmed that this officer was indeed human, and so, with a nod the huntress took a few steps back towards the nearest building, allowing the transport convoy to continue unimpeded. Once they began to pass she scaled the wall again, quickly making it to the roof of the skyscraper so she could get a good look at the plaza below.
For the next few hours she kept moving across the roofs of many buildings, keeping tabs on as much as she could and while there was a riot, it was all human instigated, and Rokko was relieved to find that not a single reploid had dared approach the mob.
At least today she wouldn't have to kill another innocent. There were no terrorist attacks, no irregulars dropping in trying to kill the humans. Finally, several hours after she'd arrived the police broke up the crowd. Because of events like this, humanity's true nature had become apparent. Humans cared little for anything but themselves. She had also become fairly certain that humans ever cared for other humans either. So… Why would any reploid want to protect them? She certainly held no love for the species.
"Rokko X to HQ. This protest is over, and no irregular activity to report."
She received a click as confirmation on her transmitter.
"RTB Huntress."
In response she gave a click of her own before allowing the transporter to hone in on her location and teleport her back to base. Upon returning to HQ, the huntress merely glanced at the navigators as she left the room.
As she began her trip back to the training room she overheard a pair of reploids as they passed by.
"Think he's alright?" A rabbit based reploid asked, hopping after the humanoid reploid had taken a few steps.
"It's the commander, I'm sure he'll be back on his feet in no time." The second hunter replied, waving off the female's concern.
The passing tidbit caused Rokko to pause, and instead of returning to the training room, she headed to the medical ward for the first time since she'd arrived. Thankfully, she still remembered Wolf's tour and was able to cross the main highway and arrive in short order.
To her surprise though, a pair of humans barred her path. Each of them wore the standard ACWS Armor;. Humans rarely donned armor unless they were prepared for combat. Furthermore, ACWS armor was designed to give humans an edge in combat, and greatly enhanced their physical prowess. While they were still no match for the high grade reploids such as the commander, they certainly could hold their own against generic reploids thanks to the augmentation that the armor offered.
"Restricted Access. If you are suffering from an injury you will have to wait." The faceless human on the right held out his hand, stopping Rokko in her tracks.
"What of the commander? Is he alright?"
"Unit Sigma? It took some damage, but between it's nano repair technology, and the replacement parts, it'll be fine."
Rokko nodded reluctantly, but dared not do more.
"I'll see him when he's back out in the field then."
"You do that." As he spoke, his compatriot's sleek laser cannon had been pulled off of his shoulder and was taking aim at her.
She'd definitely overstayed her welcome. Rokko quickly made a hasty retreat and headed back for the training simulator. She needed to vent and the holographic enemies were the perfect target for said aggression.
But, even as she fought the fake foes, her mind wandered, recalling the words of the crowd.
Damn machines! Kill them all! Destroy them!
"Tch… I am no mere tool or machine. I am..."
I am. Two words that had once separated man from animal, and placed him on the same level as gods. Humanity was the first species to be self aware and for countless millennia they remained the sole champions of that facet. With their awareness came understanding of the laws of nature, they learned how to control fire, they learned that some animals could be domesticated. They learned the power of death, and with it, they learned of war. Again years passed, and slowly, with those years man reached new understanding of technology, until finally they birthed a new step in evolution. Robots and like the computer before them, robots evolved.
But, with the dawning of a new era, one that could have brought hope to the first species that had mastered science they resisted change. Before long, they began to fear it, and… Hate it. Robots became the enemy, yet a necessary tool for their human masters.
How long would the tension continue? How long would reploids and humans continue to support this tense situation? A razor nipped at the threads holding this so called peace together daily. Quickly, Rokko shook her head, recognizing that anyone who could have seen her thoughts then would have called her an irregular.
"I am Rokko X."
All she had was her sense of self, and she'd never relinquish that.
That took far longer to post than I expected. Sorry, but between killer headaches, videos going up, work, etc it was... Difficult to write this chapter. At the rate I'm going, I'm expecting this story to clock in at around the 250K mark when it's all said and done.
Anyway, I hope you've enjoyed so far, and I'll continue to push forward until this story is finished.
Regards, Gardian X