Chapter 51: Calm Before the Storm
"Sir Alexander! You're here. Good," Commander White said brusquely when she greeted the odd-ball family unit in the Bunker's hangar. She had personally come to meet them and make sure the oldest living human was safe and accounted for.
"White. How are things?" Alexander inquired as he stepped out of the car, sparing only a few seconds to smile and nod reassuringly at the other androids scattered about.
"I wish we'd had more forewarning, but all profiles made on Purple Athena stated that it was highly unlikely we'd get more than a couple days notice at best before any sort of conflict started," White admitted. "In that regard, we are lucky she gave a speech our spies could pick up before launching a planet-wide insurrection. It has given us a few extra hours to prepare."
"Only a few hours?" 9S gasped.
"Indeed. Walk with me," White instructed, and Alexander nodded before falling in beside her, walking along with the C-type towards the command room.
"Mere minutes after giving her speech, the Fortress-Factories across Japan and the rest of the world activated and started spewing out Machines. And not of the old variety, but of brand-new designs," White explained. "So far, they've just been fortifying their territories, but a few of the pre-made forces stationed in Hokkaido are on the move. They are currently building a gargantuan pontoon bridge from Hakodate to Aomori in mainland Japan that will reach their destination within a day. Do not worry, I've already directed forces to take out the bridge as it forms to delay them."
"And what else are you doing to prepare?" A2 asked sharply.
"We've re-activated several older YoRHa models to help with the upcoming fights," White informed Alexander's group as they walked through the halls of the Bunker. "The G-types along with the F-types are being fully restored with their personality data being scrubbed and triple-checked for any traces of the Logic Virus before being given data-packets on what's happened since they were decommissioned, and then they'll be returned to the field. The entire model line should be operational in forty-eight hours."
"G? F?" Alexander queried.
"Gun and Field," White explained. "The G-type were discontinued after some issues with their personalities, but they are perfect for long-ranged combat, optimized as snipers and mobile light artillery with PODs acting as their spotters. The F-type are combat engineers and demolitions experts who set traps and act as specialists in taking down enemy fortifications. They were discontinued due to, well, let's just say that they make Jaqueline's love of chaos and explosions look tame."
"Ah," everyone said, understanding why that particular type hadn't been used by YoRHa in a while.
"Both types are patterned after predominately male personality types," White continued. "I've ordered the rest of the P and W-types brought online as well to help with dealing with the supplies and organizing the non-combatants."
"I don't know those models," 2B said with a frown. "I know the P-type were reactivated to help with the court trial, but what are the W-type?"
"The Protocol and Worker types were a limited run early on in YoRHa's initial days, designed for rear-line supply management and overseer duties, and working in factories and with repairs, respectively. Both possess very strict and rules minded personalities. We've toyed with the idea of using them as teachers and handlers for the human children."
"Why didn't YoRHa ever use them?" 9S asked.
"Because they're not combat models, and whatever they can do, the Operator and Technicians can do just as well, if not better. YoRHa decided to stick with the O and T-types as they have a more flexible and adaptable mindset which works better in high-stress and combat related situations," White explained.
"Hmm. Makes sense. What else is there that's being done?" Alexander inquired as they entered the center of the Bunker. Within, dozens of O-types were hard at work, even while pregnant.
None of them looked up from their tasks or saluted when White and Alexander entered, something both of them appreciated as wasting time on formalities was not in anybody's best interests right now.
"Emergency stockpiles are being opened up and assessed. Old bunkers and defenses are being checked, and production in ammo and spare parts has been prioritized," White revealed. "Thankfully, there is some good news there. While several wartime factories will need to be reactivated, our orbital facilities are fully functional and can make as much as we need from the safety of Low Earth Orbit. Delivering the supplies will be even easier. We can just shoot them at the planet when and where needed."
"Well, that's one way to deliver a package on time," Alexander joked, before turning serious again. "What's the status of our forces?"
"As for ten minutes ago, sixty-percent of known Resistance units have reported in as ready for combat. Hopefully, the remaining forty-percent will be prepared within the hour," 6O spoke up, delivering her report even as she placed a hand over her own large belly.
"Thank you, 6O," Alexander replied with a grateful nod, which she happily returned. "How many androids does that make, exactly? Number-wise?"
"As of the last census taken eight months ago, there were 10.6 million Resistance Army androids on Earth, nineteen-thousand and twelve Resistance androids in space manning the various off-world facilities and vessels, with one-thousand four hundred and thirty-three YoRHa units. These numbers, especially those for YoRHa, have no doubt changed since then," another O-type helpfully stated.
"What about the humans?" 2B inquired. "What is being done about them?"
"There are six thousand, two-hundred and seventy-five children younger than Cleopatra right now," White said. "And all of them, including her, are being taken to a special defensive bunker in New Babylon along with as many of their mothers as we can spare. That is, until we finish building a special spacecraft to transport them to a brand-new Lunar base to wait out the war."
"You're sending them to space? What about the detrimental effects of zero to low gravity on them?" 9S asked nervously.
"We have made great strides in gravity manipulation, both technologically and with maso. We will be able to simulate a perfectly stable, Earth-like gravitational force while sending them to the Nursery, as well as while they are there," White assured him.
"And the expecting mothers? The ones with Phoenix Egg wombs that have viable embryos already developing within?" the S-type demanded, glancing at 2B, 6O and 21O. They were just the most obviously pregnant.
"The three thousand, one hundred, and eighty-nine gynoids that are pregnant will also be sent to the Nursery. They will still be able to contribute to the war efforts by doing their assigned tasks, just from a distance," White informed him. That brought a sigh of relief to the young-looking android.
However, it did not satisfy 2B, as a frown appeared on her face.
"I'm staying here," 2B declared firmly.
"2B, you are currently pregnant, and as such will not be sent to the frontlines," White stated firmly. "9S and A2, however, will have to fight."
"We aren't part of YoRHa! You can't order us around like your toy soldiers anymore!" A2 growled, getting right up in White's face.
"Oh? Then are you saying you aren't going to be fighting?" White asked, narrowing her eyes.
"What?! No, that's not what I meant!" A2 snapped back.
"In that case, how are you going to be fighting? Will you act as a berserker, like you did in the past? Just randomly wandering from battlefield to battlefield without any tactics at all?" White demanded.
"Worked for me last time," A2 retorted. "Seemed to turn out a hell of a lot better than it did for you schmucks, from what I recall, too."
White glowered at A2 for that unsubtle reminder of who it was that'd actually been responsible for eliminating the threat of the Red Girls. Well, her and 9S. But the point was made and White scoffed but backed down.
"You and 9S will be working with the E-types," White stated, looking away from A2 as she explained her plan. "The Executioners will act as elite shock troops as needed, being dispatched as line breakers and heavy support to sunder the enemy forces while also being on Alexander's guard duty rotation. Guard duty will be both an honor and a privilege, so only androids who know how to properly follow orders will be considered for long-term protection details."
"Very well, then," A2 said, settling down slightly. Partly because it was for Alexander's sake, but also because she'd won the argument with White. Or at least, that was how Alexander's mother saw the confrontation.
"When will the shuttle to take us to the lunar base be ready?" 2B inquired, looking at White curiously.
"We had one developed a while ago. Proof of concept for when humans would be traveling into space in the future. The Nursery is also already finished. It was part of the back-up plans we set up, just in case we needed to rebuild humanity again," White admitted. "The Nursery already has several H-types stationed there, and the shuttle can carry a hundred babies or half that number of androids at a time. We've already started evacuation procedures. At two launches per day, however, and only a single shuttle at the moment, we will not be done for quite some time."
"We're going to be part of the first batch sent up," 6O said helpfully, eager to travel to space with 2B. "Once there, we'll be coordinating things from the communication center in the Nursery."
She then squealed excitedly. "Can you imagine?! We'll be on the moon! Oh, I'm so excited!"
"Weren't you operating out of a space station for most of your career?" 9S asked, tilting his head at the excitement being shown.
"There's a difference! One's a space station, the other is the moon!" 6O waved off.
"Not the time," 21O hissed at her exuberant companion as she sat at the terminal beside her.
"Well… yeah, okay, I admit, that does sound kinda cool," 9S agreed after thinking it over.
"If we would get back on track?" White asked, raising her eyebrow at the group.
"Sorry, please continue," Alexander offered.
"Very good. Now, we must prepare for the war. A2, 9S, your marching orders will be sent to you soon. Oh, and as of this moment, you're all reinstated as part of YoRHa. You may record memory and personality backups again using the Bunker's servers and utilize the Transportation Venders and any other resources the Bunker can offer. Consider the bounties on your heads rescinded as well."
"Wait, they've still had those this entire time?!" Alexander demanded incredulously, and White coughed awkwardly.
"Anyways! That's all for now. Back to work, everyone. Glory to Mankind!" White declared loudly.
"For the Glory of Mankind!" the Operators all called out, causing Alexander to wince in second-hand embarrassment.
"I take it my old room is still available?" he asked White, cheeks still red from mortification.
"It is. If you wish, you can drop off your belongings there and rest," White offered.
"Let me know if anything happens," he requested, before turning to his family. He quickly hugged all three of them.
"Please, stay safe," he begged, and they all hugged him back.
"We will," A2 promised. "We will all come back from this."
Forty-eight hours later, and the war continued to loom large on the horizon. YoRHa had soldiers prepping around the clock, ordering its sleepless androids to work triple shifts to get everything ready.
Factories that'd been shut-down for years were restarted, and weapons and ammo were rolling off the assembly floors in record numbers. New PODs were built and the decommissioned YoRHa models were brought back into the fold. Cities under the control of both sides were turned into trap-strewn hellholes, ready for grueling street-to-street combat.
And, last but certainly not least, over a hundred thousand new Resistance model androids were in the process of being constructed. Which was extremely exciting, as it had been almost a century since non-YoRHa units had been slated for manufacture.
And yet so far, despite all the prep-work, nothing had happened. No swarms of Machines invading the mainland, or blotting out the sun with their numbers. There were skirmishes on the borders of Tokyo, and S and R-types had reported seeing vast numbers of war units being assembled around the fortress-factories, making direct assaults a costly deed this early, and snipers and ambushes could only whittle their numbers down a bit.
But despite all that build up, all that Purple Athena's 'Neo-Machines' did in the past two days was try – and fail – to build a bridge from Hokkaido to mainland Japan. Every time it got halfway there, the Resistance's artillery would bombard the makeshift bridge, destroying hours of work. It'd be repaired again soon, but it was an effort in futility, especially as more cannons were being brought in to Aomori.
Technically, they were already at war with the New Machine Empire, and could have struck back at any time, but the lack of Machine Lifeform assaults was unnerving YoRHa and the newly reformed Resistance Army (renamed the Terran Army at Alexander's insistence), who were far more used to being on the backfoot and defensive after centuries of guerilla warfare. The idea of pre-emptive strikes weren't discussed until Alexander brought it up at a meeting.
"Why aren't we attacking?" he demanded, facing White in the Bunker's command center. "We know where several of her bases are, we could bring the fight to her before she has a chance to ramp up production further!"
"We lack the numbers," White replied firmly. "80% of the Resistance Army – apologies, the Terran Army – has reenlisted. That gives us approximately eight million units across the entire world, with around one million per continent."
"Even Antarctica?" Alexander inquired.
"Yes, even there. Sub-zero temperatures are not a threat to us, and they slow down the Machines slightly due to their cores becoming fragile in the cold and their joints freezing up. As such, it is where we based several advanced computational servers and factories, and is where the main YoRHa facilities are located. Well, the main Earth-bound facilities. We haven't used them since we sent the Bunker and other major assets into space."
White shook her head. "Apologies, off-track somewhat. Anyways, as I was saying, one million androids per continent. Even if we assume the wild Machine Lifeforms do not attack us, and the Machines who've agreed to the ceasefire stick to their terms, the Neo-Machines outnumber us thirty to one. Minimum. So, we cannot attack them all out. Not easily."
She gestured to one of the many screens. "Hence our operations to seize as many raw resources as possible to deny them to the enemy. Or, if need be, destroy them. I have sent forces to reclaim countless mines across the world, and given the order to destroy them if necessary. It won't stop the Neo-Machines from digging them up if they wish, but it will slow them. We are also preparing to sabotage their bases when and where we can. If it can delay them by even a few days, it will mean we can get even more valuable materials into space, away from harm."
"Alright, I can understand that. But then, why aren't you blasting away at their fortress-factories with the weapon-satellites?" Alexander inquired as he looked over the data flowing in.
"Purple Athena anticipated this, and has set up heavy signal jammers and scramblers throughout her territory, especially wherever her fortress-factories are located. We cannot get a lock on them, and then there's the shields to deal with. They are an order stronger than the ones we'd encountered in the past used by the aliens and Machines in prior wars," White explained. "And while the orbital lasers might pierce through whatever shields they have in place, I am certain Purple Athena took it all into account. Based on the construction we've seen I am certain these bases of hers are also built deep underground to counter any artillery shelling, let alone our orbital weapons."
"Then that means orbital laser cannons wouldn't be effective against the fortress-factories?" Alexander inquired with a frown.
"Afraid not, Sir Alexander. We are busy aligned the seven remaining satellite cannons to target the New Machine Empire's fortified sectors, and will use them as the need arises, most likely targeting any large concentrations of heavy Machine units, like the time we managed to destroy a tank battalion with a well-placed beam-bombardment during the 13th War. However, the Machines have learned to avoid clumping together unless it is part of an all-out assault against our own bases, as we usually won't risk firing an orbital laser too close to our own units," an O-type, 12, he believed, helpfully stated.
"Damn, that's annoying," the human sighed, running a hand over his face.
"It's partly why we didn't use the satellite weapon platforms to win against the Machines in earlier wars. The factories they took over were too large and defensive to be taken out in a single shot, which is all they can do before needing to recharge," White added. "And, of course, there was the desire to keep Earth habitable afterwards. Wiping out the Machines with steady bombardments from orbital laser grids would cause considerable damage to the planet, from mere superficial stuff like craters, to accidentally triggering earthquakes and volcanos. We could have done so, at the cost of rendering Earth utterly lifeless."
"Well, considering everything, I suppose I'm grateful you went with moderation on that score," Alexander mused.
White just smirked, before turning her attention back to the numerous screens, her eyes rapidly darting across them, analyzing the information being give faster than a regular human could ever hope to do.
Even with his magic boosting his senses, Alexander could barely make heads or tails of all the data.
After a while, he grew tired of examining it all, and ran a hand through his air with a heavy, exasperated sigh.
"As much as I don't want the war to happen in the first place, I can't help but admit I kinda want something to happen already. Waiting is just making me anxious."
"The waiting is the worst," another Operator agreed, before frowning. "Well, actually, the battle itself is pretty bad, too. And the aftermath isn't so great a lot of times as well… come to think of it, war in general sucks."
"No arguments here," Alexander said.
Silence settled back into the command center, leaving Alexander alone with his thoughts.
"This reminds me what I read about of the United States' Civil War," Alexander said with a contemplative hum as he looked at the tactical map. "Both of our 'capitals' are extremely close to each other, so the fighting will be extremely fierce along the borders. But because of that, we'll also end up trying to maneuver around each other to strike at the flanks and bypass the defenses."
"That is true. We both control parts of Tokyo, with Purple Athena's Fortress-Factories mostly in the north, while we control the south and west," White said, agreeing with the tactical comment. "However, most of her primary bases are in Hokkaido, China, and North America, which is also where the heaviest Machine Lifeform presences were in the previous wars."
"And our primary industrial nodes are in Russia, Antarctica, and of course, scattered throughout the Pacific, primarily centered around Hawaii and New Zealand," Alexander finished with a thoughtful frown.
"At least we can deem the Pacific Theatre to be the easier one to handle. AA guns and Flight Units alongside the 1st, 2nd, and 4th Fleets will be able to handle any aerial Machines that try to cross the ocean," White said. "The main threats where we expect the fighting to break out will be concentrated in Europe, Africa, and South-East Asia. Our forces are more or less even in strength in those areas."
"And the South American Theatre?" Alexander inquired.
"We will likely stay at a distance and only step in when the vital bases are targeted. Much like with the Australian Theatre," White replied, grimacing slightly, and he couldn't help but mimic her.
The Amazon Jungle had exploded in the wake of White Chlorination Syndrome going global. With nobody to cull the jungle or harvest its resources, the maso-mutated plants grew rapidly and evolved to be quite… deadly. To everything.
It wasn't just the hyper-virulent diseases or toxins that could melt flesh from bones. There were metal-eating insects, fungal spores that infested concrete and plastic, and a weird slimemold that produced nitroglycerin to fend off predators, to name a few of the more well-known threats. As a result, South America was effectively no-man's land, with only a few mines and operating bases in the Peruvian Mountains under permanent android control. There was also the Panama Canal, a vital shipping hub that had to be protected as well.
As for Australia… well, ordinary wildlife like kangaroos and emus were enough to mess up regular humans and even weaker Machines. Maso-empowered kangaroos and emus? Along with spiders whose silk webs were strong enough to entangle a YoRHa unit, giant crabs able to sheer through metal with their claws, fire-breathing crocodiles, and mutated hyper-aggressive seal-sharks? Not to mention psychic wombats capable of telekinetically destroying Goliath-class Machines? And don't even get started on the platypuses! The continent was all but abandoned save for a select few spots along the coasts and one or two mines in the interior.
"Yeah, makes sense. She'll likely pick one of those regions as the first place to attack," Alexander guessed, agreeing with White's assessment.
All of a sudden, an alarm began to blare, and red warning lights started to flash throughout the command center.
"Commander White! New intel from the field! It appears that the New Empire has launched an attack on Osaka! They're storming the port and are trying to take control of the shipbuilding facilities there!" an Operator suddenly shouted, drawing everyone's attention her way.
"How?" White demanded sharply as she stalked over to her console.
"Um, visual feed incoming," the Operator stammered, pulling up the video the scouts had sent in. White gnashed her teeth in fury as she saw dozens of ships choking the harbor, all of which were disgorging legions of Machines into the city.
And it was clear that these were from the New Empire, as the designs were completely different to those of the old Machine Lifeforms. The flying types had flying saucer-like lower halves, and the infantry models were slimmer and more like mannequin dolls then the round and dumpy Machines Alexander was familiar with.
Yet it was their transports that got the most attention, because instead of a bunch of flying carriers using alien anti-grav technology, the troop carriers were all bobbing in the water like regular sea-faring vessels.
"Ships? The Machines built actual ships?" another O-type muttered in disbelief, likely not even realizing she'd said that aloud, but in the grim silence her voice echoed throughout the command center.
"Damn it!" White growled, fists clenching tight. "This is bad! We've always had naval superiority over the Machines because the aliens never made any aquatic versions or vessels and relied on aerial transports to move around, but it seems that Purple Athena is smarter than her predecessors and has developed a counter to this weakness!"
"What about Grün?" Alexander asked, recalling some of the tales 2B and 9S had told him. "Wasn't there a super-sized aquatic Machine that tried to attack the Sunken City back during the 14th War?"
"The sole Behemoth-class Machine the aliens ever built was not intended for naval warfare," White stated as she regained her composure. "Yes, it emerged from the ocean during the 14th Machine War, but it was only there because it was driven into the depths through severe fighting. As far as we can tell, it was never designed to be an aquatic or even amphibious combat unit."
"Ah, that would explain it," Alexander mused. "What do you plan on doing to counter these ships?"
"I will recall all naval assets and have them defend the marine and coastal bases, especially the shipyards. We cannot lose them," White declared. "Then we shall begin engaging in submarine warfare. We hold the advantage for the moment with superior training and experience. The Machines of the New Empire lack this, and we must capitalize on this fact. Our submarines will have hunt and destroy orders and to conduct guerrilla raids whenever possible to disable the New Empire's transports."
"They also seem to have very few actual submarines of their own to counter ours," Alexander noted. "Though that could change at any time as Purple Athena begins to learn from her defeats."
"Hence the need for rapid strikes to end this before it can escalate," White replied. "We cannot handle a war of attrition anymore. Not with human lives at stake in New Babylon relying on the supplies brought in from other sites across the world."
"And what of the Bunker?" Alexander asked.
"We will move it so it is closer to the city, near one of the unfinished construction districts," White informed him. "But first, I must send reinforcements to Osaka. We cannot let it fall! Glory to Mankind!"
"GLORY TO MANKIND!"
& & & & &
Author's Note:
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