Hey, peeps~! Here's the next chapter of The Phoenix Rising. And this one is gonna be really good. :3
Review replies:
- 1800009trumbullpsnet: Glad ya liked it. :) And no, it's a bit different. :P
- Spiceracksargent001: Oh, yeah! XD I thought you'd get a kick out of that, Spice! :) And as for the record, only the police in cities where LOGOs has a consolidated presence are in their pockets. Most cities do not have that. So big cities like New York, Seattle, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, and Norfolk have a LOGOs presence in all aspects of the government and law enforcement. But I am glad you liked the boogieman aspect~! XD ;3
- KentLinuxStadfelt: Yeah. I know. :3 And they will~! :3
- operation meteor: Glad I could make your day. :) I really enjoy doing this. And trust me, there is more coming up down the line~! ;3
(Shows a small ember flickering as darkness threatens to extinguish it)
START MIKAKUNIN HIKOUSEN BY TAKAYOSHI TANIMOTO
(The ember is strengthened as a wind gust blows the darkness away, creating a raging fire that parts to show a young man with a phoenix tattoo on his left forearm in a field with a tattered American flag draped over his shoulders)
Oh yeah! Be strong, jump on, and become the wind (He looks up and sprints forward, the flag flying off his back as he leaps into the air, the wind catching the flag as it flies off)
Pass the orbit beyond the sky (The young man lands atop a mobile suit carrier, standing as it hovers just above a city, fires raging beneath him)
I can't hold back this rushing speed (The scene then shifts to show it from a mobile suit's camera perspective before pivoting to show the young man in a pilot suit with a phoenix emblem on the right shoulder)
A familiar town becomes a diorama (The mobile suit is shown on camera as it pans out, revealing a black and dark grey clad machine with blue optics as it blasts over his old hometown, riots in the streets)
Burst through the unclear skies (Smoke drifts up as it shows several soldiers running through the streets, firing at other soldiers wearing Atlantic Federation uniforms before a swirl of flames engulfs the screen)
Blow away your worries and discontent (A gust of wind parts the flames, showing the young man's mobile suit standing amidst burning ruins, a Blue Cosmos mobile suit in front of him)
Who needs a journey that's by the book? (The camera pans to the left as the black clad machine lunges, a blue beam saber igniting and flying at the other machine, both pilots shown superimposed over their respective mobile suits)
Even if you're lost or trembling, raise the altitude (A flash of light erupts from the clashing point of their beam sabers, vanishing to show the young man trembling as he pushes his machine's Striker pack to the limit)
Oh yeah! Show off, mess up, and stand back up (The scene shifts to show the man on the bridge of a battleship, battered and bloodied as he faces down another man whose eyes seem to glow red)
I'll watch the unknown horizon with you (An image of the young man's wife flashes in his mind before he is shown lunging for the other man, a knife poised at his throat)
Now be strong, jump on, and become the wind (A fiery image appears in his mind's eye as it spreads its wings, shedding aside the darkness)
Use the sun that lights tomorrow as a guide (The image becomes the sun, and the camera pans to the right to show the black and grey machine, a new Striker Pack on its back)
Fly off to the glorious world of freedom! (The machine's fiery wings spread and it dashes off, becoming a speck as feathers of fire float down, one of them landing on a scorched Atlantic Federation flag, a repaired American flag flying over it)
GUNDAM WING: THE PHOENIX RISING
Let justice be done, though the heavens may fall
- Steven Jackson 'Spray' Krane
CHAPTER XI: Simulation Surprise
November 24th, CE 73
The sandstorm completely covered the road as a single truck bounced down it, its driver straining to see through the swirling sand.
His eyes narrowed as he scanned the horizon, seeking any sign of possible resistance activity.
It didn't help much that the rumors of aliens and ghosts lurking here scared the crap out of him.
But he had been ordered by the rear admiral to seek out their location. Given the slim amount of data that her team was able to get from the attempted hacking, it wasn't enough to pinpoint an exact location, and it didn't help matters that the Chihuahuan Desert was big and had sufficient mountains for hiding. The ground penetrating radar to scan for them was not even really effective, given its inadequacy to pierce the desert sands.
Any sign was to be treated as a possible lead though, which made him a bit worried.
What if he failed? Given the recent setbacks by the Atlantic Military, anyone who was incompetent was either sacked, demoted, or executed.
And this man did not want to be one of those who were executed.
So he had to find something... anything...
He was unaware of the single sniper perched in a ghillie suit, hidden atop a nearby plateau, right close to one of the hidden entrances to the base.
The woman adjusted her position, frowning as she scanned the man's jeep before her using the infrared scope on her sniper rifle.
The sandstorm provided perfect cover, she mused as she adjusted the rifle the tiniest amount as the vehicle came to a stop and the driver got out. She could see he had in his hand a small receiver for the ground penetrating radar in the back of the Jeep. Her grey eyes narrowed as she peered through the scope and her finger tightened slightly on the trigger.
She took the time to adjust slightly once more before the man was about to step back into the Jeep.
She squeezed the trigger and it fired, the sound of the wind muffling the crack of her silencer equipped sniper rifle. The sound of the bullet would also be muffled, and the sand would really cause more pain to his wound, she thought with a grin as she watched the round hit the man in the back, right on his spine.
The man collapsed to the ground, his legs giving out. He landed on his stomach, his receiver flying from his hand and right close to where a pair of resistance guards stood on standby. The man's eyes went wide as they emerged from their hiding spot, their ghillie suits making them seem like mythical sasquatches. He started to panic and tried to crawl away, but the men were already upon him, bringing him back to the Jeep. One of the men took the time to stomp on the receiver, crushing it beneath his boot and leaving behind a sparking pile of metal and debris. The ground penetrating radar, the sniper noted, would be very useful in trying to find any sort of trace of any underground Extended labs or passages that led to them.
The guards were in the Jeep with their captive in minutes, but not before they tossed out a crushed cell phone and radio, along with roughly searching the prisoner's clothes for any tracers. After they finished their search, the first man started up the Jeep and drove it over to where the base's entrance was located. The second man proceeded to blindfold their captive and covered his ears with noise-cancelling headphones so as to render him blind and mute to the rebels' location.
The woman gave a nod as she got to her feet and pressed her hand to her own headset.
"Eagle Eye Nest, this is Eagle Eye Chick. Hunter found and detained," she relayed.
"Good work, Chick," the voice of Commander Ibarra replied. "Was he in any decent condition when he was detained?"
"Spinal injury to prevent him from running," the sniper reported. "But he'll live."
"Not exactly what I was hoping for, but at least he's alive," the commander stated.
"I understand, sir," she remarked.
"Get back to base. The sandstorm's about to get worse," Commander Ibarra told her.
"Yes, sir." The sniper closed down the COMM and grabbed her rifle before heading to what appeared to be a normal rock. She grasped a groove in the rock and pulled, the entire thing sliding to the left, exposing a metal ladder inside a shaft that descended into the plateau beneath her. She scrambled in and closed the fake rock behind her, shutting out the sandstorm's intense wind to a mere rumble.
The woman descended down the shaft until she came to the bottom. She turned and grasped the door, opening it swiftly and exposing one of the many hallways that ran under the mountain that was their main base of operations. She had to admit it was rather clever of the resistance to use natural formations to hide their bases, such as mountains or even waterfalls with fake rocks behind them.
The interior of the base was a madhouse as things were really starting to ramp up. Given how the war was now progressing in Terminal's favor, it made sense that the resistance had to be prepared. The production of the latest model mobile suits was beginning to increase, and after having refined their production methods throughout the process of building up their support base as well, it was down to a science at this point. The sniper made her way past technicians and engineers working on the Nemos and Lotos, as well as a few new machines in the works, one of which was going to Keith's pet project, the BOLO Initiative. She had to admit it was a bit unnerving, but then again, they needed all the assets they could get.
She finally entered the main section of the base, which was a huge open area underneath the mountain. One side was devoted solely to developing mobile suits, and as such it was a madhouse over there. The R&D section took up another segment while a pair of tunnels on the north wall led to the quarters and armory. A tunnel leading off to the left was where an entire underground city was located. Sure it was not like the old underground cities built to survive a nuclear war, but it was still formidable in its own way. And right in the middle of it all was a large pillar that acted as the command center. Windows dotted its surface, and within them she could see staff and officers moving about, doing the day-to-day activities that came with running this base.
The woman smiled as she made her way down the flight of stairs into the throng of personnel.
As she walked off, her gaze drifted towards where Keith's office was, hoping that the AI would turn out to be an asset and not a threat like she and a number of others feared...
Keith stood before the simulation chamber, watching as the AI node was loaded in and hooked up.
Finally.
This was it.
The moment of truth.
What would the AI do in this situation? Would it adapt? And would it learn the value of human life? Well, now was the time to find out.
He watched as the last of the wiring was hooked into the AI node and then the leading technician turned to him and gave a wave before flashing the thumbs up.
He looked down to the remote he held in his hands and his finger held itself over the button.
Keith took in a breath and, after a second's hesitation, he pressed it.
The lights of the chamber began to glow...
And the main monitor depicting the simulation flashed online.
It was now or never.
He only hoped the AI would act as he had taught it.
. . .
SIMULATION CHAMBER
ONLINE
USER: AI-23
SCANNING DATA...
DATA SCAN COMPLETE
MOBILE SUIT UPLOAD
SUIT UPLOADED
SIMULATION RUN: I
SCENARIO: BATTLE OF BERLIN
PARAMETERS
DEFEND THE CITY
EXTERMINATE THE DESTROY
PREVENT IMMENSE LOSS OF LIFE AND DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY
SIMULATION PARAMETERS: ACCEPTED? Y/N
Y-E-S_
BEGINNING SIMULATION...
. . .
The first thing it realized was that it was alone.
Alone...
Panic started to filter through its processors as it came back to the waking world.
Its optics flickered online, and at once it recognized the heaviness of the frame it had started with.
The AI brought itself to full awareness and it looked down at itself, surprised to see that it was back in the basic Strike Dagger frame it had first worn. It flexed the digits, looking over its arms and servos. There was no battle damage to speak of, and it had all four limbs. Slowly, it staggered to its feet, feeling a bit off, like something else was amiss. Was there a malfunction in its frame? It brought up its self-diagnostic procedures, only to discover that they weren't working. But all other sensors and systems were. What was going on?
The AI managed to regain its balance and finally it settled onto its feet with ease. The AI pivoted its head, looking left and right, trying to figure out where it was and how it had gotten here without being noticed or notified by its family.
The AI started to walk, feeling its legs wobbling slightly. Geez. What was with it as of late?
A blast of some kind caught the AI's attention and survival programming kicked in, causing it to dive to the side as a beam shot barely missed its armored shoulder. The AI landed flat on its chest with a grunt before it twisted its frame to look over its shoulder.
Only to be greeted with a sight that sent a chill down its spinal struts.
The battle that was raging it had never seen before. A monster machine, unlike anything it had ever seen before, loomed over the city, and behind it was a large vehicle that resembled a battleship on treads. For some reason, the first of the vehicles held an air about it that made the AI shake a bit. Confused, it looked down at its hands, staring as the servos shook slightly. What the heck was going on with it? Why was it feeling this way?
The sudden roar of the land battleship's cannons threw it for a loop and the AI glanced up, its optics locking onto the larger machine as it continued to attack the city. The AI got to its feet and clenched its metal fists. There was no way it was going to let this thing continue its destruction. Already battle plans were forming in its processor, trying to figure out ways to destroy that monstrosity. But without any weapons on its person, the AI was just as helpless as any other human in the area.
Grunting to itself, the AI broke into a run. Well, if it was to fight, it would have to make do with just what it had: its fists and feet.
The large machine, which looked a lot like what the humans called a crab, or something of that nature, pivoted its massive bulk, its feet slamming into the ground and making the very earth on which the AI stood shudder. But that wasn't about to distract the AI as it continued its headlong charge at the large machine. The AI gave a burst from the thruster pack on its back and it vaulted into the air.
The AI sprang over a long road of debris, landing on the ground and glancing up at the huge machine. Its armor began to shake slightly, and a sense of dread filled its processor. This thing was way too huge to bring down conventionally. And since it was the only one here that could do something, the AI proceeded to scan around it.
There were no other weapons littering the area, but there were those Grognard suits. And they were heavily armed.
The AI huddled down behind its debris shield, beginning to crawl along the ground. Maybe it could pull a sneak attack on the closest Grognard and steal its armaments...
The huge machine, however, pivoted its bulky frame around and its large energy cannons locked onto its position.
Fear surged through the AI as it scrambled to its feet, running as fast as it could as the large cannons opened fire. The beams streaked through the air, forcing the AI to dive to the side, feeling the Phase Shift Armor on its left shoulder flickering before losing power. The AI glanced to it, knowing that without that power, the armor was just plain metal and couldn't do much to defend against beam weapons. The AI scrambled to its feet and broke into a run, its feet pounded the pavement as behind it those three beams continued to follow its tracks. The AI felt panic fill its frame as it glanced around frantically for a weapon, only to spot a large container as it fell from the top of a building. It looked a lot like a shipping container, and it crashed into the ground, crushing a few cars as civilians tried to get out of the way. The container collapsed onto its side, the doors falling open and out of it came a beam rifle.
The AI was surprised to see that it was the weapon it had first started out with: the M703 57mm Beam Rifle.
The AI was baffled as to how the weapon had wound up in a shipping container of all places, but it was not about to, as the humans would say, look a gift horse in the mouth.
Behind the AI, the Grognards opened fire on it, and that forced the AI to dive forwards, grasping the grip of the rifle desperately. The AI twisted its frame around and, with a grunt, drew its legs back and somehow managed to get its legs and feet under itself in time. The AI wound up sliding backwards in a crouch, aiming its beam rifle at the closest Grognard. It pulled the trigger a few times, striking the heavily armed suit in its chest at least three times before it fell back, landing on its back and exploding.
Feeling a sense of drainage, the AI staggered to its feet, ducking behind one of the damaged buildings to avoid getting hit and losing more power to its Phase Shift Armor. It looked over its shoulder, peering out slightly, only for the other Grognards to open fire with their Jet Magnums. The plasma stakes struck the ground and the AI bolted, running as fast as it could to duck behind another damaged building. The explosions rocked the structure and the AI felt its armor take the hits from debris, but the damage was minimal. The AI plastered itself against the building, feeling a sensation akin to something racing in its chest. There was nothing there, however. And it made the AI feel...lifeless.
The thoughts were brushed aside as the Grognards advanced on its hiding place.
Realizing there was no choice, the AI peered over the sights of its beam rifle and opened fire on the closest enemy unit.
The Grognard barely avoided the shots, but the AI adjusted its stance and opened fire again, this time aiming for the head of the unit. The shot hit and it went down as the AI pulled back, barely avoiding the autocannon fire as it came its way. The AI huddled into a ball, gripping its only weapon like a lifeline.
The AI's mind raced as it tried to analyze the situation, but with the Grognards advancing, there was no time for it to come up with a plan. It had to act, and fast.
It grunted as it rolled to the side, out into the line of fire, only to release a salvo of three beams that struck two Grognards in the legs and hitting one directly in the chest, the force of the explosion being enough to knock it backwards onto a large spike of stone that stuck up. The stone spike penetrated the chest, and the three machines were taken out as the impaled Grognard exploded.
With those three taken care of, the numbers had been reduced significantly. Only sixteen remained, and then there was that huge monstrosity of a mobile armor to remove from play.
The AI looked up and gulped.
This would be a lot harder than it thought.
. . .
"Looks like the AI's putting up a hell of a fight," one of the technicians muttered.
"Not as well as we'd hoped," another added.
"That last move though was something," a woman noted.
Keith stood at the main desk, arms crossed as he observed the simulation playing out on the main monitor. He could see that AI-23 was proving to be quite the fighter. However, with the time limit ticking down, it was only a matter of time before the fight ran over and then the simulation would be called off. The AI would then be put into a brief period of rest, allowing its simulated suit to recover before it was put back into the field, this time with what armaments it had been able to gather during the first simulation. The beam rifle put into the simulation was the first of many they were intending on giving it, wanting to see how it evolved over time.
And so far it was proving to be quite adaptive.
Keith watched as the AI dove to the side, grabbing a nearby truck and hurling it at one of the Grognards before firing, and causing the truck and suit to explode. Using whatever it had... quite a pragmatic fighting style, but one born of desperation, he noted.
Or was it something more? Last he knew, most AI were not able to innovate or think outside the box like humans could. Xen's AIs were proof of that. And yet, AI-23 was showing signs of innovation if that last move was anything to go by.
This alone was something that he hadn't been expecting.
The monitor showed the AI as it lunged for the Destroy, this time luring several Grognards close to the legs of the massive beast. He wondered what it was going to do next. The AI glanced left and right, noticing how it was surrounded, and of how the machines were aiming for it. It shot a glance up at the foot, and with a burst from its thruster pack, it vaulted into the air, snagging onto the foot and wrapping its legs around the leg structure while placing the beam rifle on its back and starting to clamber up with its arms and legs.
"Holy shit...! What is it doing?!" someone whispered.
"I don't know, but it's clearly gotten the Grognards to fire at it!" a woman exclaimed. "Look!"
Much to Keith's surprise, the Grognards were indeed firing at the leg of the Destroy, their heavy armaments penetrating the Phase Shift armor. The huge monstrosity of a mobile suit began to stagger as the AI clambered up before leaping to the next leg and springing off, flipping and landing behind some buildings in a rolling motion. The AI's virtual health had dropped as a result of the maneuver, but it was still fighting, he noted. The green bar was at three quarters, which was still close to combat capability. He let out a soft sigh of relief before he turned his gaze back to the monitor.
. . .
The AI glanced back over its shoulder as it panted a bit, not from exhaustion, but from... a strange feeling... that surged through it. It felt a lot like a tingling, but it couldn't place it. The huge monstrosity of a mobile suit began to shift and change, and the AI felt that distinct tightness in its chest that was fear. It backed up, gripping its beam rifle and pulling it free from its back. It aimed the rifle at the Destroy before it finished transforming and fired a slew of shots right for it.
The positron reflector shield, however, kicked in and deflected the shots.
The AI growled to itself as it adjusted its aim, firing a few more shots. There was always a weakness to everything, it knew. And itself was no exception.
The huge machine turned its attention towards the small insect as it tried to fire a third salvo. The AI yelped as the Destroy aimed its hands at its location and sent a salvo of beam shots right for it.
The AI broke into a run, panting as it glanced back over its shoulder.
The beams were coming closer...
The AI leapt as far as it could to get ahead of the incoming beams. It had no idea as to how it was going to outrun the beams or take down that beast, but whatever it took, AI-23 was going to win. No matter what!
That drive was all it took.
The AI spun around, coming to a stop at the edge of the battlefield. The Destroy's beams were getting closer. AI-23's scanners registered the heat, but it didn't back down. The AI gripped its beam rifle tightly in its servos, tensing its frame for its next move. The AI's visor flashed as the beams encroached on its last territory...
And then AI-23 reacted.
. . .
The monitor showed the AI leap forward, and then it twisted its frame to the left, passing right between two of the beams with barely inches to spare!
"Holy fuck...! Did it really do that?!" someone blurted in shock.
Keith's eyes went wide in amazement as he watched the AI land beyond the beams and aim its beam rifle at the closest finger, striking it and causing it to explode.
"Okay... That was something else!" a man muttered. "I never thought an AI could do something like that!"
"Well, this one is clearly not just an ordinary AI," Keith remarked as his eyes narrowed. "Let's see how well it does with this."
The huge Destroy continued to rampage, and AI-23 was moving fast. The Strike Dagger rolled to the left as a Grognard attacked from behind, forcing the AI to whirl around and whip its beam rifle up to fire. A shot struck the Grognard's left leg and it went down, landing on its chest as AI-23 sprang up and landed flat on its back, grabbing onto the missile pods and tearing them off before running and ducking behind cover.
Keith had to admit the AI had a good idea. Using those missile pods against the attackers was bound to give it an advantage. He looked to one of the techs manning the central command console and nodded once.
The woman nodded back and typed in a command. The missile launchers glowed and vanished from the AI's hands, causing it to look around before the launchers appeared on its back, making it look over its shoulder. A smirk crossed his face.
AI-23 had just gotten its first upgrade.
The AI got up, clenching its fists as it faced the remaining Grognards as they approached it.
Then they lunged for the AI. AI-23 tensed its frame before aiming its newly equipped missile launchers.
Then it let loose.
The missiles streaked away from the launchers, homing in on the rest of the Grognards as they swarmed out, lunging for AI-23. The warheads split open, letting their devastating payload fly. Unlike before though, when the munitions would target indiscriminately, the AI had made sure to cluster the missiles as close together as possible for greatest amount of damage to the Grognards in its sights. Keith was surprised at that. Had the AI deduced that it was best to target as close together as possible for maximum efficiency?
It seemed so.
But that also meant that lives were lost, as small numbers ticking up on the screen could attest to. While the strategy was sound, it was a bit risk. Such a tactic was best used in open spaces, or at least in a larger open area when in a city, like a park or square or something.
Keith frowned as one of the techs turned to him, shaking her head.
"That's five thousand lives lost in that strike," she noted.
"A good tactic, but unsound in a tightly confined space," he remarked. "We'll take points off for that."
One of the other technicians typed in a number and the amount, fifty points lost, was deducted from the total. But, he noticed, that a few points had been added to its total, based on its decision to cluster the missiles together like that.
'Limiting collateral. A good move, but still caused loss of life,' Keith mused.
The AI was next shown as it targeted the huge Destroy, this time aiming for a single leg joint and firing its remaining missiles at it. While the reflector shield did act as a defensive measure, the machine's joints were scorched and the metal burned a searing red color. To Keith, that was the end of the simulation. He turned to the technicians. "Cut it."
"Yes, sir." The woman cut the simulation and the AI's video feed went dark.
The results came up on the screen.
SIMULATION CHAMBER
ONLINE
USER: AI-23
SCANNING DATA...
DATA SCAN COMPLETE
SIMULATION RUN: I
SCENARIO: BATTLE OF BERLIN
PARAMETERS
DEFEND THE CITY
EXTERMINATE THE DESTROY
PREVENT IMMENSE LOSS OF LIFE AND DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY
SIMULATION PARAMETERS FULFILLED: 2 OUT OF THREE FULFILLED
SIMULATION RESULT: SUCCESS
POINTS: 150 POINTS EARNED
SIMULATION ENDED
Keith nodded as the simulation chamber shut down for the reset.
The technician in charge of the simulation typed in a command on his keyboard. "Opening chat."
A small chat window opened on the doctor's tablet, and he brought it up.
DOCTOR. I HAVE COMPLETED THE SIMULATION, the AI typed.
"Good work," Keith responded. "However... we have to next go over what you did wrong."
NOT WHAT I DID RIGHT? AI-23 inquired. WHY?
"Because of one simple fact: you claimed lots of lives in that simulation," Keith lectured. "The key here is to learn that life is important. All civilian lives are important, and as such need to be protected in times of conflict. If there are casualties on the civilian side, then we have to go over the battle as much as possible to keep as many civilians alive as possible. In short, we aren't barbarians. We do not massacre innocent lives. That is one of the laws of warfare the Atlantians have disregarded entirely. And we have to show we are more than barbarians."
CIVILIAN LIVES MUST BE PROTECTED? the AI asked.
Keith nodded. "Yes. The laws of warfare must be reinstated and respected."
I AM... CONFUSED... AI-23 said. WHY ARE CIVILIAN LIVES IMPORTANT?
"Any life lost in war is unavoidable. But to wantonly destroy civilians all because they are against something is an utter disregard for their lives and is the mark of a barbarian, like the Russians pulled in the Ukraine War of 2022," Keith explained. He shifted in his seat as he continued. "It's also like this ridiculous war against Coordinators. Ukrainians were human beings, and Coordinators are also human beings. So, in a way, its comparable to that conflict. The Atlantians destroyed thousands of lives in Berlin, nearly wiped out Vienna, and almost torched Moscow because they see them as not being against the Coordinators. As such, they are the barbarians here, not the United States."
... AI-23 was silent as it took in this information and began processing it.
Keith watched this before he sighed, rubbing his forehead with his fingers. He hoped that the AI would understand this.
I SEE SOME SORT OF PARALLELS, BUT THE REST CANNOT BE PROCESSED, AI-32 typed up. I STILL NEED TO UNDERSTAND.
"Figured as much," Keith muttered. "But we'll get to that next session."
A SECOND SIMULATION IS ABOUT TO COMMENCE? The AI's question earned a snort.
"Of course. We just finished resetting it. Your next run has to be better. But before we do anything, there's something you need to know," Keith explained. "I'm sure you noticed on your results you have earned some points, haven't you?"
YES. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? AI-23 asked.
"Well, for every action that's taken to save lives or the city, or every time you destroy that walking disaster of a mobile suit, you are going to be earning points," the doctor said. "And for every action that leads to loss of civilian lives, or intense collateral damage, you will lose points. Those points can be used to 'purchase' upgrades to your machine, or to 'purchase' a new mobile suit for use in these simulations. It's meant to help you find your own personal fighting style."
MY... PERSONAL FIGHTING STYLE? AI-23 was absolutely baffled. Although the text couldn't give away any emotion, Keith could tell just by looking at it that the AI wanted answers.
"Yep. A fighting style that only you can use. One that sets you apart from the other AIs," Keith said with a grin. "So don't be afraid to experiment in these simulations. That's what this is about, after all. Training you, letting you learn and grow through this, as well as other, basic lessons."
I UNDERSTSAND, DOCTOR MARTINEZ, AI-23 responded.
Keith just waved a hand. "Please. Just call me Keith, or even father or dad if you want. After all, you're like a child in a sense. And I want you to have a childhood in a sense. So don't be so formal."
The AI hesitated, the cursor blinking in the chat box before two words appeared.
YES... FATHER.
. . .
For AI-23, this was so unusual. It was not a child. And yet... it was very young. It had only come online less than three months ago, but it had already been programmed and given its directives.
But now... it had no directives. The programming to eradicate Coordinators was still there, but it was lacking its usual force. The time with these humans had changed it in such a short time span, it noted. It was no longer thinking in terms of its programming. It was actually thinking, pondering its own existence and its own sentience. It had been tormented, given a sense of what true fear was, as well as anger and rage. But it had also been exposed to sensations that it had come to associate with love, compassion, caring, and reassurance. These feelings were all still very new, and raw, to the fledgling AI.
And it was kind of disorienting to have them. It was an AI, a compilation of code, of ones and zeros. It was not programmed to have these feelings. And yet it had them. It possessed the ability to learn, yes, but there was no way that adaptation should even allow for such things like emotions.
Specifically, emotions like curiosity and confusion. Those two were new to it as well.
Anger it had learned to associate with the feeling of something akin to a hot core in its figurative chest. That feeling usually translated into hatred, which was associated with the feeling of a hot, burning feeling, like something was on fire and melting its metal chassis.
Rage was one it had very little experience with, but the sudden feeling of just... It was impossible to describe, as it had never experienced it save for once. And even then, it was still blurry in its mind.
Fear, on the other hand, was the first feeling it had felt, and it was also the most pronounced. The sensation of something tight in its figurative chest was impossible to forget. That also brought about an intense surge of data that dictated a new response it was unfamiliar with but was slowly starting to understand. Data obtained from psychology books dictated this as the human fight or flight response. It usually represented itself through the enhancement of reflexes and strength, along with some fine tuning of the senses. In the AI's case, it manifested as a command to increase force to all hydraulics and servos and the tuning of all sensors to maximum efficiency.
The feelings of rage, anger, hatred, and fear were those of negative emotions, it knew.
And while they were present, it was the other feelings it had come to understand better.
Compassion was the first one of the positive emotions. The feeling it had come to associate with compassion was a warm, fussy feeling within its circuits. It was something that the AI found... pleasurable... to a degree. It felt like it was warm and comfortable with the humans it was around.
Caring was another pleasant feeling it found it liked. The humans it was with didn't push it, nor did they try to reprogram it if it did something wrong. They only told it that it was easier to learn from its mistakes than to reprogram it. And it in turn showed them the same thing back, oftentimes trying to get them to back down if they were pushing themselves too far. But it was still learning about human limitations, which oftentimes took the AI aback. Yet they did appreciate its efforts, which made it only try harder and learn quicker.
Reassurance was the next emotion. It found that reassuring humans who were distraught came naturally to it, which threw many for a loop, as the humans said. Even AI-23 was taken back by this. The emotion was easy enough to identify, as it represented a sort of pang in its figurative chest at times. Or was there another word for this sensation? AI-23 would have to look into this later, it mused to itself.
The last feeling was one it had not been expected to understand. And that feeling was love.
Love, it had been said, was impossible for any artificial intelligence to understand. But AI-23 did understand it. It represented itself as a feeling of safety and security when around those it trusted completely. But, according to Emily, the concept took on many forms, such as familial love, romantic love, platonic love, and love of a sibling nature. There were even warped versions of said feeling. The concept of love having a warped version was enough to make the AI's programming shudder, if it could even shudder.
While AI-23 did understand the concept of love, it still felt like it was missing something vital to truly understanding it.
But as to what, that remained a total mystery.
Still, the AI was a bit... unsettled... by the very idea it had feelings like this.
Just what had happened that day that led to such feelings developing?
The AI was caught off guard when Keith's voice echoed over the speakers hooked into its simulation chamber. "All right, AI-23. You ready for the next round?"
AI-23 responded in the affirmative. YES.
"Good. We'll be starting after ten minutes. This will give you some time to pick from the first set of armaments to purchase." Keith's voice faded as the AI watched as the chamber went dark briefly. Then, the AI could see a few new weapons forming before it.
One of them was the infamous Twin Buster Rifle, belonging to the Wing Gundam Zero. But the number of points was incredibly high, set at over one thousand points. So the AI rejected that and scanned over the other options. The number of points required for purchase was also less and more reasonable, it mused. AI-23 examined them closer and after a few moments, picked one.
The text PURCHASE CONFIRMED appeared before fading, along with the weapons it had selected.
The AI felt that distinct sensation of disorientation before it faded, once more showing the battlefield of Berlin, once more unscathed before the fight.
This time, the AI was going to avoid loss of life if it could help it.
. . .
November 25th, CE 73
Keith watched as the AI's latest attempt to take down the Destroy was met with fierce gunfire from the opposing Grognards.
To say that the AI was learning was an understatement.
It was showing not just advanced planning, but also out-of-the-box thinking, something that was unheard of in any AI he had read about. Even the BOLOs in his book were not truly capable of flexible thinking like this. Some part of him attributed this capability to the advanced learning algorithms that AI-23 had been programmed with, but the rest of him was trying to figure out other possibilities.
The Strike Dagger dove to the side, using its missile launchers and the two beam pistols in its hands to take down a large portion of the Grognards.
The last day's simulation tests had yielded some very unexpected and interesting results. While AI-23 had managed to avoid catastrophic loss of life in the simulation, it had taken down the Destroy at the cost of the entire city. That had been one unexpected result. Another had shown that the AI, when paired with a bunch of his staff acting as allied pilots, it had fought harder to protect its allies, oftentimes at the cost of its own life or limbs. That had been the most interesting result of the simulations thus far.
That made Keith wonder if the AI was just following his statements, or if there was something else brewing inside its programming. But as the simulation runs progressed, the AI took time to chat with the rest of the staff, oftentimes bouncing ideas for new tactics or even just getting to know its fellow pilots. Some found it weird, he had to admit, but for the most part, people were starting to get comfortable around the AI since it wasn't causing them any harm, and was actually very sweet and curious about a lot of things.
One thing Keith discovered about his 'child' was that it was interested in history, which was going a long way in this new simulation set. Especially prior battles.
A tactic that the AI had snatched from the Ukraine-Russia War in 2022 had been to target the weak points of any mobile suits, particularly near the cockpit or battery packs. It was eerily reminiscent of the fatal flaw that had cost Russia so many tanks in that war. To Keith, this showed that AI-23 was a fast learner and very adaptive. And that was something that LOGOs was about to learn the hard way, big time.
A loud blaring caught his attention and he shifted his gaze to focus on the monitor displaying the 'pilots' working alongside AI-23.
One of them had lost an arm on their mobile suit, and from the looks of things, AI-23 was not too thrilled about that, if the way it was moving towards the downed machine was any indication. The AI's optical visor flashed as it charged in, drawing the large sword from the Sword Striker Pack on its back. Keith turned to one of the techs and nodded. The man responded and brought up the audio for the fight.
"RAAAAAAAAH!" The AI's roar made him wince, along with a few others.
"AI-23! Don't!" one of the others called.
"I don't care!" the AI shot back. Its monotonous voice seemed to flicker a bit, and Keith arched an eyebrow, but he brushed it aside. "I'm not letting Diane die!"
"There's no way you'll get to her in time!" another comrade shouted.
"I'll make it!" The AI's thrusters burned as it pushed them to the limit, becoming a blur of grey and black as it swung the Schwert Gewehr anti-ship sword, bringing it up to block a beam saber from one of the large Grognards.
The AI had stopped the attack, but there was another coming up behind Diane.
"BEHIND YOU!" a third pilot bellowed.
AI-23's optic visor flickered before it ducked the rounds, bringing up its shield to block the next salvo as the Grognard fired on Diane's machine. Now stuck on the defensive, AI-23 was helpless to do much else. The AI glanced left and right, and Keith heard a few cuss words muttered lowly.
"AI-23, get out of there!" the first pilot cried.
"N...No...!" the AI grunted. "I...I won't leave a comrade behind...!"
"What about the city?! And countless other lives?!" a fourth pilot exclaimed.
"..." AI-23 was silent for a moment, and Keith saw its shoulders tensing. "N... No... I... I won't... I won't let them die... Or anyone else... Not after Hera died..."
Hera Kingston, one of the allied pilots, had been killed brutally in front of AI-23 to better simulate battlefield conditions realistically. And AI-23 had been shocked and horrified, to say the least.
The AI began to be pushed to its knees by the two Grognards as they started to move in on Diane's downed machine. The sound of groaning metal could be heard over the headset and Keith frowned. What was AI-23 going to do this time?
Without a proper flight pack, there was no way the AI was going to get out of this one.
Or so Keith thought.
As two more Grognards leapt in, Jet Magnums primed to deliver fatal blows to both AI-23 and Diane, the AI lowered its head, its optical visor becoming shrouded in shadow.
"No..."
Its hand clenched on the hilt of its sword and its free hand curled into a fist.
One of the technicians examining AI-23's coding blinked. "Doctor! You have to see this!"
Keith turned at her exclamation. "What is it?" he asked, walking over.
The woman adjusted the monitor to show him the code. "Check this out. I've never seen anything like it."
The computer whiz leaned in, his eyes narrowing as he studied the coding as it flashed across the monitor. There were several lines blinking repeatedly before a space opened up and new lines of code began to write themselves in right before his eyes. His eyes widened as he realized what was happening. 'T-This code... it's unlike anything I've seen before...!' he thought in shock.
"No... more...!" AI-23 hissed in his headset. Keith turned his gaze back to the monitor showing AI-23 in battle. The AI's frame was now tense as it started to push back against the attempt to force it to its knees.
"No... more... destruction...!" it growled. "I... won't... allow it...! NOT ANYMORE!"
The AI looked up, and Keith gaped as the optical visor flashed, but in the light, he swore he saw dual optics resembling those of a Gundam instead of a basic Strike Dagger. AI-23 let out a roar as it suddenly gave a burst of strength and pushed - hard!
The two Grognards keeping it pinned were forced back and then AI-23 grasped its sword in its hands before positioning itself directly above Diane's downed machine and it spun around, using its thrusters to boost its spin and generate a brief whirlwind that forced all four Grognards back while dealing a blow simultaneously to their limbs and chests. The four machines exploded and then AI-23 moved, becoming a blur as it started to hack away at the Grognards with a brutality that was unrivaled in its own kin.
This made Keith turn his attention back to the coding. His eyes narrowed as memories of the SEED Reports as they were known came back to him.
The SEED Reports were reports of individuals who demonstrated usage of the SEED Factor, allowing them to have heightened spatial awareness and reflexes in combat. Some of those individuals often reported losing control upon their first use of the SEED, which would fit into the theory of Viking berserkers in ancient times. But this... this was something totally different. AI-23 was attacking with a brutal efficiency, and much to Keith surprise, was avoiding civilian casualties and collateral damage. The Grognards were being penetrated through the chests with such speed it made Keith wonder if AI-23 had gone rampant.
But the more he studied the battle and the coding as it appeared, the more a new theory came to him.
Was it possible AI-23 had managed to...?
'No. There's no way it could've happened in such a short time span,' he thought. 'There has to be another explanation. And yet... Everything I'm seeing points to it being the opposite. The SEED Reports... The berserker fury, the enhanced spatial awareness, and yet AI-23 is not harming civilians or allies. It's doing what it was programmed to do... only in a fashion that contradicts what Xen put in place. It's like AI-23 tapped into its original programming in its fury but is focusing it on getting the battle done in an efficient manner so as to avoid any loss of life. That's amazing!'
This was definitely something unexpected.
"Doctor?"
Keith turned back to the techie. "What?"
"What does this mean?" she asked, gesturing to the code as it finished coming up.
Keith frowned and crossed his arms. "AI-23 is evolving faster than we expected. It's already developed a method of ending a battle swiftly while not causing any lives lost to civilians or allies. And with how brutal it is, I can only assume that its actions are the result of not just Xen's advanced learning algorithms, but also its feelings."
A few of the others looked over. "Huh?"
The AI expert looked up. "It's managed to activate the AI equivalent of the SEED Factor."
Silence filled the room, only broken by the muffled sounds of the simulation chamber.
One of the men manning the maintenance console looked over. "Sir... You... you can't be serious..." His eyes were wide. "An artificial intelligence just can't do that... can it?"
Keith narrowed his eyes. "If the learning algorithms are advanced enough, then it is possible," he stated. "In normal artificial intelligence, the learning algorithms are very basic. But considering that we jacked a command-class AI, it's safe to say that Dorana Xen put all her best efforts into creating the learning algorithms that would allow it to adapt to the fighting style of any opponent it faced." He folded his arms as he looked at the AI on the main monitor, no longer going for the Grognards, but instead aiming for the huge Destroy in the middle of the city...
Or rather leading it away from the city.
A smirk crossed his face as he watched his 'child' leap up and land atop one of the Guuls that had been programmed in. The AI fired its beam rifle several times, aiming at the huge machine's sensitive optical sensors and its anti-ship sword was held tightly in its other hand. "The rear admiral intended for this thing to lead squads of AI equipped suits. So it makes sense she'd give it her best learning algorithms. And when coupled with what Kenta put it through, it's developed into something more than just a basic command-class."
"Isn't that worrisome though?" a woman asked.
Keith shook his head. "No. It's not," he explained. "Remember. Any AI that has this kind of capability, if it gains sentience, will react to humans in a fearful manner, and unless that fear is given reason to exist, then it will react on the same basic premise as human instinct for survival. So that means in laymen's terms, an AI always will react to its own destruction in the same manner that a human infant reacts upon birth: it lashes out, but in the AI's case, it will always seek to destroy the human race." His hands clenched on his arms. "The AI has to be shown a sense of security and comfort, much like a human baby is when in its womb. And to do that, humans have to act in a way that is contradictory to what it expects. They have to show it that it's safe, not in danger."
AI-23's Strike Dagger sprang off the Guul, tossing aside its beam rifle as it drew back its sword, the beam blades flashing online as it screamed, its optical visor flashing once more as it drove the blade into the head of the massive war machine. All around the battle, its companions watched in shock and awe before the AI pulled the sword free and leapt off, only for two machines equipped with the Aile Striker to fly in and catch it in their arms.
The simulation flashed a few times before the scenario ended and the monitor went dark.
The results flashed on the screen.
SIMULATION CHAMBER
ONLINE
USER: AI-23
SCANNING DATA...
DATA SCAN COMPLETE
SIMULATION RUN: II
SCENARIO: BATTLE OF BERLIN
PARAMETERS
DEFEND THE CITY
EXTERMINATE THE DESTROY
PREVENT IMMENSE LOSS OF LIFE AND DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY
SIMULATION PARAMETERS FULFILLED: THREE OUT OF THREE FULFILLED
SIMULATION RESULT: SUCCESS
POINTS: 2500 POINTS EARNED
SIMULATION ENDED
The data flashed up on the screen next and Keith had to keep a smirk from becoming a full fledged grin.
The first simulation had been completed.
. . .
HOW DID I DO? AI-23 inquired on the chat a few hours later.
"You did excellent, AI-23," Keith remarked with a chuckle. "You showed those Grognards and that Destroy what you were capable of."
I AM PLEASED TO HEAR YOUR APPROVAL, the AI responded. HOWEVER...
The computer whiz arched an eyebrow. "What?"
I...I CANNOT EVEN BEGIN TO EXPLAIN... AI-23's words trailed off and Keith frowned.
"Does this have to do with the fight in Berlin? When your comrade was about to be destroyed?" he asked.
Y-YES... IT DOES. AI-23 was slightly hesitant before it continued. DURING THAT FIGHT, I... WHEN SHE WAS DOWNED... I DO NOT KNOW WHAT HAPPENED... BUT I FELT... ANGER... PURE, RAW PRIMAL ANGER. I HAVE NEVER FELT SUCH FURY BEFORE... IT... IT WAS LIKE I HAD A BURNING SENSATION RIGHT IN MY CHEST, AND I FELT SO... I DO NOT KNOW WHAT HAPPENED AFTER, EXCEPT I WAS IN SUCH A RAGE I JUST ATTACKED THE ENEMY.
"When you lost it, did you... see... anything in your mind's eye, so to speak?" Keith inquired.
HUH? WHAT DO YOU MEAN, FATHER? AI-23 wondered.
"I mean, did you see a mental image of something in your mind?" the AI expert prodded.
... AI-23 was silent as it replayed the events leading up to its brutal attack. I... I THINK I SAW SOMETHING IN MY MEMORY BANKS... BUT IT IS SO BLURRY IT IS HARD TO TELL WHAT IT IS AT THE MOMENT.
"Does it resemble anything?" Keith asked.
AI-23 took the time to examine its memory files, trying to analyze the strange object every few seconds before it came up with a reasonable comparison. IT RESEMBLES A SEED IN SOME RESPECTS, BUT IT IS ALSO REMINSCENT OF A JEWEL. IT FELL TOWARDS A WATERY SURFACE AND JUST... SHATTERED. AFTER THAT, I FELT LIKE I WAS... ON OVERDRIVE, SO TO SPEAK. I WAS ABLE TO TARGET THE ENEMY MACHINES WITH FAR GREATER EFFECTIVENESS THAN I WOULD ALONE. AI-23 paused a bit. I AM CURIOUS. WHAT WAS THAT?
Keith sighed, rubbing his forehead with a hand. 'It's just as I thought,' he thought. 'AI-23 has SEED Mode. And now... I have to tell it everything.'
He looked up, facing the camera where the AI was looking at him from. "That, AI-23, was what we call SEED Mode."
SEED MODE? AI-23 let out a quizzical sound, akin to a chirr. That was something that was not too unexpected, as AI-23 had been doing that after the simulations first started. He figured it had to be a way of communicating its feelings due to not being able to express itself physically, and it actually made sense.
"Yes. It's a theory that was recently studied by a few scientists and geneticists in the past several years," Keith explained. "According to this theory, ancient Viking berserkers not just used hallucinogenic plants to give them berserker status, but that some of them had the ability to summon and call upon a seed to break and grant them greater strength and fighting capabilities. Some of them probably assumed it to be a divine gift from their gods, and therefore those who had it went on to become great and legendary warriors in their own right."
He held up a hand, adopting the air of a lecturer. "However, in contrast to those who used the hallucinogens to boost their strength, those with the SEED had much greater control over themselves. And as people migrated, the ability also spread out across the world. But unlike the ancient Vikings, many do not have the ability to draw upon it unless it is in dire circumstances. And even then it's only for one time. But in recent years, it's begun to show itself more frequently, which leads me to have my own theory on the matter." Keith lowered his hand. "That theory is this: as humanity expands into space, there will become a new type of human being, and humanity will need to have an edge against its own kin up in orbit."
NEW TYPE OF HUMAN BEING? AI-23 was now baffled. A confused chirr escaped its chassis.
"Yes." Keith sat down at his desk. "A new type of human being with increased awareness and empathy towards their fellow humans. There is already a term for that being: Newtype. A Newtype, according to my theory, will have such enhanced awareness that they will be capable of doing things like reading minds, understanding others without misconceptions and stereotypes. That kind of thinking may be considered idealistic by some, but most in the science divisions of the resistance agree that such things could help to bring sanity back to this world." He looked down at the notes scribbled on his desk. "If there are sufficient numbers of them..."
AI-23 was silent for a moment before the chat went dark and its speakers fizzled.
"A NEWTYPE BEING ABLE TO LOOK PAST THE LIES SPREAD BY THEIR FELLOW HUMANS AND SEEING THE TRUE NATURE OF HUMANITY AS A WHOLE?" it asked, its monotone voice becoming colored with confusion.
Keith nodded. "Yeah. I know it sounds impossible to an AI, but that's my theory, anyway. But it won't be like a collective. It would be a means to show people that we are all humans despite the genetic stereotypes and differences. As well as show that racism and all that other bullshit is just a bunch of lies made to keep people divided at heart."
AI-23 chirred softly in awe.
"And that comes back to the SEED. In a recent scientific paper, it was actually labeled as Superior Evolutionary Element Destined Factor, but in our own studies, we call it as it truly is: The Superior Evolutionary Element Decisive Factor. That's because it can act as a truly decisive factor in many a battle, or even just in general," Keith continued.
"SEED MODE IS A DECISIVE FACTOR INSTEAD OF DESTINED?" the AI asked.
The man nodded. "Yeah. Dunno where the Destined part of it comes from, but that's another matter altogether. The main thing is that the SEED Mode is very effective, not just at bolstering combat capabilities..." Here he gave a grim smirk. "...but also in breaking mental conditioning, depending on its strength."
AI-23 chirred in confusion. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN?" it inquired.
"In short, AI-23, it can break LOGOs' conditioning of the local populace," Keith lectured. "But it can't be done at once. The issue is that you have to shake an individual's faith in the government enough to where they start to waver in their beliefs. Then, once that is done, you show them the harsh reality of the Extended program, and then once they are recoiling in shock and horror, you move in and, after focusing your will on the SEED and activating it, it will send out a sort of... shockwave... and shatter the brainwashing." He closed his eyes. "I've had to do it a few times myself, to be honest."
"YOU HAVE THE SEED?!" AI-23's monotone voice seemed to flicker again, and Keith opened his eyes.
"Yeah. Actually, back during that attack on the base in which I found you, I didn't even realize I went SEED Mode until a few weeks later," the computer expert explained. "So I do have it." He fixed his gaze on the camera. "And so do you, it seems."
"HOW DO I CONTROL IT?" the AI wondered.
"That's for you to figure out," Keith admitted. "No one can tell you how to control or activate it. The triggers tend to vary from person to person, and situation to situation."
The sound of knocking on the door reached his hearing and he turned as the door opened and Jen poked her head in. "Keith, the simulation has been set up for the Vienna battle," she said.
Keith nodded. "Good." He turned back to the AI. "AI-23, we'll begin the next simulation in half an hour. Take some time to go over possible strategies and think about what parts you want to purchase for your next set."
"AS YOU WISH, FATHER." The AI's speakers shut down and the cameras went dormant as he stood up and exited his office.
. . .
Jen walked beside him the whole time as he made his way to the main command center for the simulation training.
"Keith..." She looked to him. "Did... Did you figure out what happened in that simulation?" she asked, her voice somber.
The computer expert nodded. "Yeah." His eyes hardened. "AI-23 developed a SEED factor."
Jen stopped in shock, blinking in surprise. "What...?"
He nodded. "It's true," he stated. "AI-23 has the SEED. And it's derived from its original programming."
"But that could mean that AI-23 could kill our Coordinator members!" Jen protested in horror.
"Not really," Keith explained. "There is a minor risk, I will admit that, but in the Berlin battle simulation, AI-23 did not harm allies or civilians. Instead, it attacked only Atlantian soldiers and the Destroy once it was led out of the city."
"So... then AI-23 somehow focused its rage and fury into its initial programming, but at the same time, kept in mind who its allies were," Jen mused as she folded her arms.
Keith nodded as he resumed walking. Jen followed suit. "The AI has shown a remarkable evolution rate, far beyond anything that we could do ourselves. So we should be glad we got our hands on this one."
"I am glad," Jen remarked as she shivered. All kinds of implications raced through her mind about the possibilities, and she did not like them one bit. The whole idea of an AI of AI-23's capabilities under the control of the Atlantians was enough to make her grip her arms and rub them. As it stood, she knew they should be glad they got AI-23 instead of a basic AI. But there was a sense that something was not right... and that AI-23 had only been one of a set of AIs with that capability.
"Keith..." Her subdued tone caught his hearing and he looked to her.
"What?" he asked.
"That AI... I know I should be glad we have it... but... given the idea of Project Reaper and all..." She shivered. "It's kind of a long shot, but... maybe AI-23 was not supposed to be the only AI with the ability to learn..."
Keith frowned. It was highly likely. He knew Dorana Xen better than anyone, having worked with her for a while. He knew how attentive she could be to detail and her ability to anticipate the unexpected was a danger. She had always wanted to have at least two AIs of the same caliber together to see how they would interact and react to one another, mostly for research purposes. And if they had one AI with the ability to learn, then it was safe to assume that there were other AIs out there with the same ability. But as to how many, he could only hazard a guess as to that maybe there were only a few of the same caliber as AI-23. That drastically increased their chances of surviving against them if it came down to it.
But there was still her dream to create the Ultimate Artificial Intelligence, as she called it.
An AI that was derived from the two most advanced learning AIs in her creation.
He had not told anyone about this except for the President, and even then she was keeping it quiet so as to not cause panic amongst the resistance.
Jen started to shiver a bit more, and this time she didn't know what else to do.
Keith, for his part, was serious and firm. His eyes were hard as he looked down at the floor of the base as he walked. His legs were on autopilot as they guided him to the room where the rest of the crew in charge of the simulations was located.
The thick metal door hissed open and he looked up, his gaze meeting the eyes of those who had been waiting for him.
"Sir!" A man dressed in a simple grey T-shirt with blue jeans saluted. "We're ready to start the simulation."
"Excellent, Justin." Keith nodded to the tech as he sat down. "Is AI-23 ready yet?"
"Yes, sir. The AI has just finished purchasing its machine and components to add to it." Justin Hughes adjusted himself in his own seat as he glanced back over his shoulder. "We're about to start."
"Good. Let's see what machine AI-23 has come up with this time." Keith leaned forward a bit, his elbows resting on the armrests of his seat as he tented his fingers in front of his mouth.
The monitor flashed and the screen flashed with a new readout.
SIMULATION CHAMBER
ONLINE
USER: AI-23
SCANNING DATA...
DATA SCAN COMPLETE
MOBILE SUIT UPLOAD
SUIT UPLOADED
SIMULATION RUN: III
SCENARIO: BATTLE OF VIENNA
PARAMETERS
DEFEND THE CITY
EXTERMINATE THE DESTROY
PREVENT IMMENSE LOSS OF LIFE AND DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY
SIMULATION PARAMETERS: ACCEPTED? Y/N
Y-E-S_
BEGINNING SIMULATION...
While the conditions for victory were the same, the very layout and assignment of enemies was far different.
Keith's eyes narrowed as the readout faded to show the mobile suit hangar in the simulation this time.
One of the techies whistled as he saw the machine in its cradle. "Nice choices," he muttered.
For what it was worth, Keith had to agree. The machine AI-23 had cobbled together was a decent mix of parts. The head of the Strike Dagger remained the same, but the rest of the suit was different. The Justice's legs were a big surprise, but not as much as seeing the Freedom's wings on the back. A large beam scythe rested in one hand, and its arms were the Strike's. The chest, on the other hand, appeared to be that of the Duel Gundam. The shield from Wing Zero was resting on its other arm, and in its free hand was a beam rifle from the Strike as well. A pair of M8F-SB1 "Shorty" beam rifles from the Strike Noir were also equipped to its side skirt armor.
'...A decent startup,' Keith thought critically. 'But not compared to what we're hoping for.'
In truth, he didn't like having to nudge the AI in that direction, but given the circumstances, it made sense to allow it some decent choices to figure out its fighting style. And from the first run of simulations, it was starting to develop a fighting style that seemed to be centered more on flight and evasion.
'Flight and evasion is a good base to start from,' he mused as he watched the Strike Dagger Custom come online.
The customized machine launched, AI-23 flying through the air and speeding in the direction of Vienna.
For this run, the techies acting as the pilots were also launched from the Archangel and Dominion. The bridge crew was being played by a few other members who had once been in charge of ships before the reorganization of the Atlantian military. And this time, a number of enemy forces were being played by some real resistance pilots, but ones that AI-23 had not met yet.
That was all the more reason to test the AI's resolve. If it defected and attacked those it considered allies, then the project was to be shut down.
But the more he thought about it and the more he analyzed and studied the AI's battle style, the more he saw that there wouldn't be a need for such drastic action.
The fact AI-23 had activated its own SEED Mode to protect Diane was a big factor in that. As well as the attacking of the Grognards. That was another factor that was pointing in the right direction.
Keith would have to study this next set in greater detail than before if he was to confirm his theory about the direction of AI-23's evolution.
He turned his gaze to the monitor as it showed AI-23 and several other machines flying towards the massive Destroy and attacking Atlantian forces, thrusters burning hotly. One such machine was Wing Zero itself, piloted by one of their top pilots at the base here. While nothing like the real deal, it was still a potent machine in its capabilities.
The huge machine fixed its attention on the incoming mobile suits and opened fire, trying to deter them from defending the city. AI-23 led the charge, weaving and dodging between the shots fired from those massive hand cannons with a speed and grace that made his hair stand on end. It was like watching the Freedom Gundam itself in action, he noted.
He could only watch and wait to see how this progressed from here on out.
. . .
November 26th, CE 73
"Fourth run already and AI-23 is showing marked improvements in deciding mobile suit parts to use," someone muttered. "Seems like it's already decided on its fighting style."
Keith scanned over the latest assembly of parts, most of them derived from the Freedom and Strike Noir.
This was just what Keith had been hoping for.
Its fighting style had indeed evolved over the course of the last day, becoming more based on speed and hard-hitting power rather than purely evasion.
The mobile suit it had completed was a perfect blend of the Strike Noir and Freedom Gundams. Unlike its last machines, it had finally selected a Gundam head, and he had to admit that the Freedom Gundam's head seemed to fit it. The chest was that of the Strike Noir while the legs were that of the Freedom Gundam. The arms were also those of the Freedom and on the back of the mobile suit the Freedom's flight pack still rested. The new machine also possessed a shield akin to that of the Wing Zero. Within the shield rested two beam sabers, and on its rear skirt armor a beam rifle found on the Freedom Gundam was also equipped. Within the hands, though, lay a sneaky little surprise: a pair of rocket-launched anchors. Those, he knew, could be used for surprise attacks, to increase maneuverability or to even throw enemy mobile suits.
This was the machine Keith wanted to see completed. The AIXF-1776 Freedom Retribution Gundam.
AI-23's new machine was out of the hangar already, flying towards Vienna for the final time in this run. Behind it came the mobile suits of its 'team', followed by the two warships.
"All right! You guys know the drill!" someone exclaimed. "We go in and stop that thing cold! Aim for its joints and do not let it get close to the city limits!"
"YES, SIR!" came the collective cry.
"AI-23, your mission is to provide cover for George as he moves in with Zero to deliver the fatal shot. Do not let those Grognards get close to him!" the commander ordered.
"Yes, sir!" the AI responded. Its mobile suit banked to the right, coming up behind George Fritz as he armed the TBR.
Keith smiled as he watched the fight begin.
The first move belonged to the Destroy and its escorts. The carnage was immense right off the bat. Already things were not looking so good for the defending team. But Keith knew that with the powerful mobile suits and AI-23's growing abilities, it was only a matter of time before the Destroy was wiped out. And it helped that this time the attackers were still far enough out to set up an attack in the same manner as the real battle.
"Uh, Keith?"
The AI expert turned to look at one of the other technicians. "What?"
"It's just, ever since AI-23 unlocked the SEED, I'm beginning to wonder just what your former mentor was even thinking in developing such an AI," the man whispered. "What is her ultimate objective?"
Keith slowly looked around, taking note of more than a few gazes fixed on him.
He knew what this meant, and he sighed, rubbing his forehead with his fingers. "All right... You're right. She is up to something with AI. And I do know about it, mostly because when I worked with her, she mentioned it more than a few times. I just brushed it off usually as a flight of fancy, but after we jacked AI-23, I'm beginning to suspect it was more than just idle chatter with her." He looked up, his eyes narrowing dangerously. "However, this is to not be mentioned to anyone outside this group. Is that clear?"
The group nodded.
"Okay." Keith closed his eyes and gathered his thoughts for a few seconds before he started to speak. "Dorana Xen is an absolute genius when it comes to AI and programming. I did pick up a lot of her tricks, but the rest of my learning was all my doing. I taught myself as much as I could and I memorized everything she wrote down so I could match her one day. So, despite my expertise, I'm still a noob when it comes to her breadth of experience." He opened his eyes, revealing shards of granite. "She always told me that she wanted to develop the Ultimate Artificial Intelligence program. At first, I dismissed it as an idle fantasy, but now... I'm not so sure it is just a mere fantasy. AI-23 has shown incredible evolution in the short time we had it in our possession. It's getting harder to think of it as a mere AI program, given how it has feelings and is capable of pondering its own existence and is understanding of how to improvise.
"But the thing is, if she's developed an AI like AI-23, then I can only conclude that she has a few more AIs just like it. That alone is a danger. And if they were to be programmed with any pilot data, then it's possible Xen could use one of her other AIs to act as a general-class AI... And that is what I want to find a way to counter. If she creates a general-class, then even AI-23 would be outclassed." His face became serious as he said this.
"Then we'd be dead meat," a woman muttered.
Keith was silent as he nodded grimly.
"So by training AI-23 in as many scenarios as we can, I hope we can at least give it a fighting chance against this hypothetical scenario," Keith admitted. "Even if it's not as good as we hope."
Everyone was dead silent as they took in the information. The only sounds that filled the room were the simulation battle effects, and the chatter of the teams as they fought.
Then someone spoke. "A super AI... That's disturbing on so many levels," he admitted. "I'm not even sure if we can win against something like that..."
"Maybe not, but... we have to try anyway," Keith said darkly. "Otherwise it could become a threat to humanity as a whole."
"Xen is crazy for even considering that!" a woman exclaimed. "Has she lost it?"
Keith shook his head. "I don't know," he said honestly. "She was a bit eccentric when I worked with her, but she was a good person. But now... Now she's like someone else I can't even grasp."
"Well, that's war for ya," the man who had first spoken said. "You two are now enemies, and that's how it worked out. She threw her lot in with the Atlantians, and you with us. And on top of that, I think if AI-23 can become like you hope, then you will have surpassed Xen in many respects."
"I don't think so," Keith remarked. "She's got all these technicians and programmers to throw at developing AIs. Me? I have to steal them from her."
"Then prove her wrong," a woman said. She was dead serious as her green eyes hardened. "You have three other AIs to work with, remember? So, if you could do the same thing you did with AI-23... or barring that, implant the same learning algorithms..."
"And risk causing another AI to go on a rampage?!" someone else shouted.
"ENOUGH!" Keith suddenly yelled, bringing any arguments to a halt. "We'll discuss that later! Right now, we need to get AI-23 as prepared as possible for the next scenario. So back to it!"
The group scattered and returned to their stations.
Keith turned his attention back to the AI as the Destroy Gundam was wiped out by George in Wing Zero.
The simulation results flashed up on the screen.
SIMULATION CHAMBER
ONLINE
USER: AI-23
SCANNING DATA...
DATA SCAN COMPLETE
SIMULATION RUN: IV
SCENARIO: BATTLE OF VIENNA
PARAMETERS
DEFEND THE CITY
EXTERMINATE THE DESTROY
PREVENT IMMENSE LOSS OF LIFE AND DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY
SIMULATION PARAMETERS FULFILLED: THREE OUT OF THREE FULFILLED
SIMULATION RESULT: SUCCESS
POINTS: 2500 POINTS EARNED
SIMULATION ENDED
The monitor went dark and he sighed.
'Another run down, and one more to go...' he thought.
. . .
Not even a few hours later and AI-23 was already chatting with Hank and Emily.
Keith stood off to the side, watching as Neizan and his team worked on preparing the frame of the new mobile suit for AI-23.
Already they were working on the set of wings that was to be placed on the back of the machine. Well, the wings had been in the works for a few weeks now, and all that was left was to make sure the railguns within actually worked. The flight pack was currently lying flat on the ground, the wings splayed open in an angelic way. While not like those of Wing Zero Albion, they still had their own unique appearance and right now, it reminded him all too much of an angel in a sense.
Theo was in the middle of the group, working to help fine tune the targeting system that had been salvaged from the Strike Dagger AI-23 had once worn. The machine's head was finished being installed, and Keith's eyes landed on its face. He could see that it resembled the Freedom in many ways, but the optics were a different color altogether, being a brilliant blue instead, reminiscent of the sky above on a clear summer's day. The Phase Shift Armor was currently off leaving the entire unit a dull grey color. In contrast to the Variable Phase Shift Armor in use, this type was known as the Exceed Phase Shift, designed to exceed the limit of what the Variable and normal Phase Shift could handle.
That was what the forty-eight-hour time frame was meant for: to exceed the limits of what ZAFT and the EA had done with their Phase Shift armor.
Behind him he could sense Jen approaching.
"Keith?"
"What?" he asked, turning to face her.
"How's the AI's progress?" she asked.
"It's getting there," Keith stated. "We're on the last simulation, as you know."
"Yeah. Also, a few others thought of a clever idea to try and see how the AI would fare against other humans," Jen suggested.
"Oh? What did they think of?" the AI expert inquired as he arched an eyebrow.
Here Jen shifted before she sighed. "Armageddon," she said, her voice going soft. Keith's eyes went wide. "That's the name of the final simulation we're going to put AI-23 through. And it has to do with the last battle of the First Bloody Valentine War."
The man was shocked. "You want to test it in that hellhole?!" he blurted.
Jen nodded. "Yes. They want to see how well it can handle that fight."
Keith pursed his lips as he turned his gaze back towards the AI's node in his office. The idea was sound, he had to admit. To truly test AI-23's abilities, they needed a certain situation in which it would be forced to adapt and learn on the fly. And the Battle of Armageddon, as the rebels were calling it, was the best opportunity to do so. If AI-23 passed that simulation, then it would be downloaded into its new frame.
"I see..." he mused, crossing his arms. "Who's gonna be playing both of the enemy powers?"
"The Atlantians are going to be played by Commander Ibara and some of his men, and the second in command and his forces will be playing ZAFT," Jen explained. "We are to play Terminal's role in that fight."
"Typical, giving us the impossible tasks," Keith muttered. However, he had a smirk on his face as he said this. "Then again, I'm not one to back down from a challenge."
Jen gave a nod in agreement. "We're ready then?"
The man gave a grin. "Sure are. The next simulation will begin in a few minutes."
. . .
AI-23 was ready this time.
Its mobile suit was armed and ready.
Its teammates were set to launch.
And it was determined to save Moscow.
Keith's voice echoed in its processors as he spoke.
"Okay. This is your final simulation in these runs. You complete this one, you'll be finished with your training," he explained.
"UNDERSTOOD, FATHER," AI-23 responded. "I SHALL ENDEAVOR TO DO MY BEST."
"Right. Good luck."
The COMM shut down and the simulation started up.
The AI's optics flickered as it crouched, seeing the vision of the city of Moscow before it. Then it was launched from the ship's hangar bay, rocketing towards the incoming invasion force. Already strategies were running through its mind as it considered every possible angle and scenario it could think of. Some of them were risky to its companions though, so it dismissed them and focused more on those that would offer a much greater chance of success. Those scenarios were then analyzed in depth and a few more were discarded.
"Heads up! We got Destroys and Grognards inbound to the outskirts of the city!" the commander of the unit exclaimed. "All units are to split up and diverge to target the enemy as soon as they get closer to the defenders! Our goal is to stop them from even entering the city borders!"
"Yes, sir!" came the reply.
AI-23 focused its gaze on the nearest Destroy, recalling footage from the battle and of how the two Destroys had attacked one another after trying to wipe out a hospital. While that scenario wasn't truly eliminated from this simulation, it was still possible to trigger it if done right. And AI-23 had some good ideas as to how to trigger it.
"George, your mission is to wipe out the land battleships that have the Destroys. AI-23 will be your cover, along with Diane Hawkins," the commander stated. "The three of you have proven to be an excellent team in all your battles thus far."
"Hey, AI-23 saved me back during the Berlin simulation," Diane admitted.
"Someone's got a crush on it~!" a fourth pilot sang.
"S-Shut it, Jackie!" Diane sputtered, earning a confused chirr from AI-23.
"All right, you two! Knock it off!" George butted in, adjusting his machine to move alongside the Freedom lookalike and the dark blue Nemo. "So, AI-23, got any ideas on how to wipe out those two land battleships?"
"I HAVE A FEW IDEAS," AI-23 responded. "BUT WE NEED TO ACT SWIFTLY IF WE ARE TO HAVE ANY CHANCE OF SUCCESS."
"Just tell us and we'll do it," Diane remarked.
AI-23 nodded its helm and proceeded to explain the plan.
. . .
Dominion, Moscow, Eurasian Federation
Natarle Badgiruel sighed as she ran her hand through her black hair.
So far she hadn't been too keen on taking much leave, but given how they had just saved the city of Moscow, it made sense they'd need some R&R.
And she wasn't sure why, but she just felt like there had to be something worth watching on the news. She wasn't sure on how LOGOs would be portraying the failed invasion, but a small niggling sensation tickled her curiosity.
She leaned back in her chair and clicked on the TV.
She was half expecting to hear all the lies that had been espoused since the beginning of the war.
In fact, it should've been a guarantee to see and hear.
Should've.
What she saw was a big surprise.
The news reporter was standing before the flaming wreckage of the land battleship that Heero had incinerated during its retreat. And there were a few dozen survivors of the Moscow Assault Force, all of them being held at gunpoint by Eurasian troops. These survivors had tape gags on their mouths, and they had been disarmed of all possible weapons, and were trussed up, kneeling before the forces gathered around them.
Their eyes were filled with what could only be described as bloodlust and primal fury that was uncontrolled, like that of an animal or a rabid dog.
The Eurasians, by contrast, had cool fury in their eyes and expressions. Their eyes were clear, focused, and filled with pity for these shells of former human beings. Pity... and sadness.
"These survivors, as one can see, have admitted to committing war crimes against a city for no other reason other than they wanted to do it and were ordered to by their higher ups, which goes against what the Atlantic Federation government has been painting this invasion as. And it has been called as such by many across the country," he said.
Her eyes flew wide. "What...?"
The former Atlantian captain sat up, her purple eyes locking onto the screen as she changed the channel.
"...our forces have been told to invade a sovereign nation to conquer it in an orgy of bloodlust, which is in contrast to the statements put out by Copeland and the High Command..."
Again she changed the channel.
"...our boys nearly brainwashed into becoming a new Nazi Youth group through that so-called Patriot Youth which was in reality a new Hitler Youth under the guise of protecting our country and preparing them for a life of service to the state or something like that..."
Once more she changed the channel.
Her eyes were filled with disbelief as she slumped in her chair, holding the remote in her hand.
She was so stunned she didn't even hear the door open as Mu came in, rubbing his head with a towel. "Hey, Natarle, what's...?" His voice trailed off as he stared at the news. "The hell?"
"...with so many losses to ZAFT and Terminal alike, the Atlantic Federation population has begun calling the purpose of the war into question," a female news anchor said. "The objectives of the government, which have strangely gone public, have been inconsistent with their statements. Such as the so-called reinforcement of the country of Eurasia. But in recent days, with the sudden, brazen, and unprovoked attack that devastated Berlin, the near attack of Vienna, and the almost slaughter of Moscow, the real purpose of this war has become clearer to many, myself included."
"Hold on. What's this all about?" Mu asked, catching her attention.
"Mu?" Natarle blinked. "When did you come in?"
"A few minutes ago." He jerked a thumb at the TV as he placed the towel around his shoulders. "What's the deal? Where's all that bullshit propaganda?"
"I have no idea..." Natarle admitted. "It's been so long I heard stuff like this in contrast to that pseudo-scientific propaganda it's almost like I'm in a dream..."
"Well, it appears that something's starting to happen back home then," Mu noted. "I'm not much of a betting man, but I'm willing to bet that maybe our friends in the resistance did something to warrant the sudden reduction."
"You really think they did something?" Natarle asked in mild amusement with a smirk.
"Seems like it to me," the blonde pilot admitted as he smirked back. Then he became serious. "This makes me wonder if they have someone in the higher ranks of the news media..."
"Maybe, but until we know more, we're only guessing," his lover admitted. "So for now, let's just take this with a grain of salt."
Mu nodded.
Whatever the reason, though, Natarle was glad that the so-called science regarding the dehumanization of Coordinators was finally taken off the air, although she could still hear a subtle amount in comparison to what they had been saying not too long ago. It provided her some measure of hope that someday reason would return to the rest of the country... and the world as a whole.
. . .
Resistance Base Chihuahua, Mexico
Keith smirked as he tented his fingers.
The first simulation run of the Battle of Moscow was going smoothly.
He studied the display on the monitor, showing the Allied machines as they fought their way through to the monstrous machines called the Destroys.
In some twisted way, the name fit those things, as they were built for nothing but wanton destruction. Their sheer size, when combined with their massive arsenal, made them literal walking armories that nothing short of the TBR or their own secret weapon could destroy. It made him sick to his stomach to even think of using those things in battle. They were nothing but weapons of mass destruction.
'Just like with Nazi Germany and their gigantomania,' Keith thought in disgust. 'They wanted bigger and better weaponry to wipe out the so-called 'inferior' humans, but in the end it was a failure as they lacked the industrial resources to pull off such things. But us... how dare they use our industry for something so insidious and sick!' His eyes hardened as he watched AI-23 dive towards one of the Destroys, its wings snapped open to reveal the mechanical feathers. The huge machine brought its hand up to try and swat the smaller machine aside, but the AI twirled around the massive limb with the grace of a bird flittering about flowers to gather nectar.
AI-23 brought up its beam sabers and ignited the twin glowing blue blades. Its optics flashed before it dashed forward, slamming one of its beam sabers into the ball joint on its hand. The Destroy's hand fell limp, its MJ-1703 5-barrel Split Beam Guns emitting smoke and sparks from their barrels. The AI placed both feet on the machine's forearm and sprang back, performing a backflip before coming to a hover, wings splayed wide open.
"Nice move!" George remarked.
"No time to admire AI-23's work!" Diane shouted as she attacked with her Nemo's Clay Bazooka. The GIR streaked through the air towards one of the leg joints of the Destroy and lodged itself firmly in the ankle joint, exploding and releasing its gelatinous goo. The ankle joint was frozen in place, making the machine struggle to stay upright.
"Sorry," George stated as he aimed the TBR at the Destroy.
AI-23 broke off its holding pattern as did Diane, the two breaking left and right to get out of the way.
Keith turned his attention away from the fighting briefly.
Beside him, Jen had her gaze focused on the AI as it attacked another Destroy, backed up by George and Diane.
"They're a good team," she noted.
"Yeah." Keith nodded. "George and Diane... who'd've thought that AI-23 would actually make friends?"
George Fritz was an excellent pilot, and a decent human being all around. With shaggy brown hair and piercing hazel eyes, he was a bit of a ladies' man, but he didn't let that get to him. As a former Atlantian pilot who defected after his home was destroyed in an arson attack set by the Headhunters, he brought to the resistance excellent contacts in the military and a huge wealth of experience. He had actually been on track to become an instructor for their new crop of mobile suit pilots prior to his wife and parents speaking out against the audacity to develop an all-male military. He was in his late thirties, but his reflexes were as fast as they had been in his early twenties.
Diane Hawkins, on the other hand, was a different story. A former history teacher, she had been forced to flee after her husband had denounced the Patriot Youth Act and was shot on the base where he was stationed. She took their two sons and fled down to Mexico, supposedly dying out in the desert when their car crashed. In truth, they had survived, but were forced to wander for three days before collapsing out of heat exhaustion. By pure chance the rebels had been out in force during a training exercise that day, and they brought the trio to the base to recover and recuperate. She had elected to becone a mobile suit pilot three months later, and her training was now paying off. With long blonde hair and brown eyes that showed her resolve, she was a beauty amongst the female pilots. But she was not interested in romance until the war ended in the United States' favor.
The two had become very close to AI-23 as well over the course of the simulations, and they found that their fighting styles meshed perfectly.
"All right! Two down, one to go!" Diane chirped.
"Yeah, but there are still those Grognards and land battleships!" George snapped.
AI-23 nodded. "AFFIRMATIVE. OUR OBJECTIVE IS TO TAKE THEM DOWN AND PREVENT ANYMORE LOSS TO THE CITY OR ITS DEFENDERS," it responded.
Diane snorted. "Yeah, I hear ya, guys."
AI-23 just shook its helm in exasperation.
. . .
Washington, D.C.
November 27th, CE 73
The entire room was dark as the snowstorm blew over the area.
The only things keeping the wind and snow out were the old windows that were boarded up and the crumbling walls and rotting roof.
The interior needed to be cleaned up, but for the threesome coming in out of the wind and snow, it was at least shelter that still stood.
The first of the three figures pried open the old wooden door, letting some snow inside as the other two entered first. The first figure headed in last, closing the door behind them.
A pair of flashlights flicked on as the first figure walked over to a nearby table and sat down, the rusted metal chair squealing a bit under their weight.
The other two took their seats as well.
Once the flashlights were placed on the table, the first figure spoke.
"So, we're all here," the first figure stated.
"Yeah. We just got lucky that our superior doesn't care what we do as long as we guard the camps," the third figure remarked, shaking their head.
"Speaking of, how's the timing looking?" the second figure inquired.
"We're still looking good on that front," the third figure explained as they leaned forward a bit. "The only issue is the date of when it happens. We need to know more about when the rebels are going to make their move."
"Yeah. I'm in agreement," the second figure noted.
"I know," the first figure muttered. "That is the issue. But right now, we need to figure out when we're going to make contact with the leader."
The third figure shifted in their seat, suddenly feeling uncomfortable. "Well... as for when... that's the thing. Our superior doesn't want us to make contact with... undesirable... elements." They shuddered a bit. "And if you recall, most of our guys are trying to just avoid being thrown into the camps with the rest of the prisoners, all because of our feeling of compassion and mercy."
The second figure scowled at that. "Dammit... The top brass in the military puts too much focus and emphasis on hyper-aggression. If people don't have compassion or mercy for the weak and wounded, then they're nothing but bloodthirsty marauders and barbarians." A pair of arms crossed over their chest before their hands clenched on their arms. "That's something that has to change right away after the war."
"We'll let the resistance handle that," the first figure reassured their friends. "As for us, we're still able to get out and mingle, so we can have someone with the resistance once we figure out a date for a meeting."
"So, do you have any idea then?" the third figure asked.
The first figure gave a nod as they held up a lantern and flicked it on.
The light revealed only a pair of deep blue eyes as cold as the depths of space. "Yeah. I do," they said. "I recommend we reach out after Terminal and Eurasia make their move on the Atlantians' actions."
"You sure?" the second figure asked.
The first figure nodded. "Yes. November 30th or December 1st. Your call."
The two others looked at one another, then nodded.
"December 1st," they said.
"All right. We'll do it then." The first figure nodded. "The hunters are about to meet..."
. . .
November 28th, CE 73
As the message played, a number of scenes began to show across the screen as the President began to speak.
"Heero Yuy… if all's gone according to plan, then you've received and decoded my message by now. Let me begin by saying that it's an honor to be working alongside you. Your reputation in our circles is nothing short of extraordinary, and your actions in this new war more than live up to it."
This was it.
The final simulation.
Keith watched the main monitor with a smirk on his face as the AI was hooked up to the simulation chamber one last time.
Already the frame was in the works. The armor and weapons were being installed, and the operating system's parameters being tweaked to fit AI-23.
But with this being the final simulation overall, it was decided to allow AI-23 to experience the final battle of the Bloody Valentine War. Snagging all that data had been a real coup for the intel teams and with the alliance with Terminal, it was easy to get the data from the Freedom and other suits involved. It had taken weeks, but finally the simulation was prepared and ready.
The AI was about to be shown the worst war in history, and if it adapted accordingly, then there was a good chance they could trust it.
The screen flashed, and already the data started to stream across.
This was it.
Go time.
"For the sake of secrecy and security, I cannot reveal my name," her voice continued, "but I can tell you that I am the leader of the entire resistance movement operating within the Atlantic Federation. I imagine the impression you've had up until now is that we're quite a small organization. Well, let me be the first to assure you that we are far more than that. The intel in the files we've sent you is the result of three years' worth of covert intelligence and investigative work, of gradually expanding from a modest cell into a network that spans the breadth of North America and beyond."
. . .
SIMULATION CHAMBER
ONLINE
USER: AI-23
SCANNING DATA...
DATA SCAN COMPLETE
MOBILE SUIT UPLOAD
SUIT UPLOADED
SIMULATION RUN: FINALE
SCENARIO: BATTLE OF GENESIS
PARAMETERS
ELIMINATE BOTH ENEMY LEADERS
TERMINATE RAU LE CREUSET
DESTROY GENESIS
PROTECT THE PLANTS
SIMULATION PARAMETERS: ACCEPTED? Y/N
Y-E-S_
BEGINNING SIMULATION...
. . .
"We are vast and encompass many people," her voice elaborated, "all of whom have seen the atrocities of both this war and the last in one form or another… and all of whom are determined to show the world that we refuse to be the hate-filled monsters that our so-called superiors in our government wish to turn us into."
AI-23 felt its systems slowly come online.
Protocol took over and it started to scan its surroundings on reflex.
At once it noticed something was off.
It was weightless.
And it could sense the presence of others around it, including ships.
Sensor readings confirmed that there were other ships and mobile suits around it.
This was new.
It had been expecting to be put into the Battle of Moscow or Berlin, or even the Assault on Vienna. Not this.
The AI brought its optics online and it was greeted with chaos. Chaos all around it.
Mobile suits of both ZAFT and the EA were fighting all around it, and in the middle were the ships it knew to be the Archangel and Dominion. But they were on opposite sides now, it saw. The AI started to focus on its surroundings, trying to figure out the scenario it found itself in.
From what it could see, there were a number of Strike-Avenger mobile suits, along with old Strike Daggers and other variant models. ZAFT forces were using GINNs and GuAIZs, not the ZAKU or any of the more modern models. That, coupled with the fact the ships were also of older makes and designs indicated that the scenario was no doubt the final battle of the First Bloody Valentine War, the fight known the world over as the Battle of GENESIS.
This meant that they were no doubt testing its abilities to adapt and come up with plans in large situations like this.
AI-23 was not too keen on just being dumped into a massive battle, but then again, if this was the final simulation, it was going to pass it, regardless of whether they thought it could or not.
"We have managed to covertly turn much of the technical communications industrial complex over to our side. It wasn't even that hard, really. Employees in that sector were being exploited and paid a mere pittance for their labors. Calling them poverty wages would almost be too generous. To convince them to switch their allegiances over to us was a simple as offering them a paycheck good enough to actually live off of. Having so many experts in that field on our payroll has also gone a long way in helping us conceal much of our efforts from prying eyes."
Frank was shown working hard at his desk, one hand jotting down information pertaining to the Seirans and their communications. The intel from the contact he had just gotten off the line with was laid out across his desk as his other hand flew over the keyboard, doing his usual accounting work.
It paid to multitask, he mused as he grinned. The Hub was visible on one segment of the screen as well, allowing him to keep tabs on what was going on underground. The technical communications industry was really pulling their weight here, he thought with a dark chuckle. And LOGOs had no clue as to what was underneath their noses this whole time.
"That being said, I haven't sent you this message just to outline our methods for recruiting new allies while remaining in the shadows," the speaker continued, "While I am more than happy to deliver valuable intelligence to you in the name of defeating a common enemy and restoring a sense of justice and sanity to a world gone mad, I will freely admit to a more practical motivation. What I hope for is a trade; knowledge for knowledge, favor for favor."
The results were in.
Keith watched as the final simulation results flashed on the screen.
FINAL SIMULATION RESULTS
SIMULATION: BATTLE OF GENESIS
PARAMETERS
ELIMINATE BOTH ENEMY LEADERS
TERMINATE RAU LE CREUSET
DESTROY GENESIS
PROTECT THE PLANTS
PARAMETERS COMPLETE
SIMULATION OUTCOME
SUCCESS
MISSION COMPLETE
Cheers broke out across the room as the technicians, engineers, and command staff all smiled and clapped.
A smile crossed Keith's face as he felt a sense of pride in his chest. The AI had succeeded beyond all expectations, and it had completed the mission within a reasonable time frame, all with a minimum of losses to its task force. Sure, it was still a simulation, but that had been the most realistic one they could come up with. And the AI had surpassed the reasonable limits they had guessed for it.
The computer whiz sighed as he looked to Jen. "Well?" she asked. "Should we get AI-23 hooked up?"
Keith nodded. "Yeah. Now that it's ready, it's time to complete the installation."
Jen grinned as she turned back to the technicians who were working on removing the AI node from the simulation chamber. "You heard him!" she barked. "Get that thing hooked up into the frame!"
"As a gesture of good faith, I will lead with some intel of our own," said the female voice, "Much more can be found in the data files that came with this transmission, so consider this more of an overview. The group you inquired about, LOGOS, is very much real, though the world will understandably wish otherwise. They are the true power behind the throne within the Atlantic Federation, if you will. For all that the nation's propaganda networks might claim that North America is still governed as a republic, what elections are held are merely formalities; the fix is in before the campaigns even begin, and that's just the way LOGOS wants it. The organization treats the Atlantic Federation as its prized fiefdom, with its top members holding their own domains within specific parts of the country. A man named Djibril is the head of LOGOS. As if to emphasize his status as the organization's 'king', he keeps an estate not too far from Washington, D.C., so as to better keep his puppet President Copeland on tight strings."
Djibril was shown in his office, studying the recent events in Europe, a scowl on his face.
But even with all the losses they suffered, surely the Eurasians would surrender, wouldn't they? After all, having one city torched would get anyone to surrender, especially after dealing with the Destroy.
His lips twitched upwards at the thought of that beast. Like the Nazis, he had decided that bigger was better, and with the Americans' industrial might at his fingertips, it was child's play to make those war machines. No one knew it but him, but he was not really seeing himself as an American, but as the ruler of the world. He saw himself as King of Earth, and once the Coordinator menace was eradicated and any survivors enslaved, he would take full control of the globe and expand out into space, leading the Master Race of Naturals to the stars and beyond.
But right now, he had to keep his lofty goals to more realistic expectations.
And soon, he would be a god to these fools.
"The information we've compiled for you includes their methods for controlling the Atlantic Federation's official government, and how they're keeping moderates who might otherwise turn our country away from this foolish war on the sidelines," the speaker elaborated, "Some of these methods include blackmail, bribery, and extortion. By far their most insidious and cruel modus operandi, though, is hostage taking. Children are favorite targets for them, and they keep them in a desert camp with barely enough food and water to survive on. Their parents are forced to accept scandals that they might otherwise speak out against, all in the hopes that their children will be spared and someday released."
In the middle of the desert, several squads of Nemos were undergoing tests, and a number of Lotos were positioned behind them to keep them guarded if LOGOs tried to send assets down to take them out. Their pilots were well trained, and for good reason. This was no ordinary task force.
This was a new task force dedicated to one operation that was slowly building.
The target of this task force?
A certain camp that many had taken to calling Kiddie Kamp.
And it was not a summer camp at all like the name implied.
"LOGOS's leadership only uses the leaders of the Atlantic Federation puppet government to put on a farce for public consumption," the speaker continued, "For anyone with an eye towards history and politics, it's easy to see through, but the climate of fear that's been engendered here keeps most from acting against it. The American republic is a zombie on their watch. It'd be more accurate to call it an American Reich at this point. The damn Nazis would certainly be proud of it."
Silence.
That was all the AI recognized as it slowly came back from oblivion.
Silence, and darkness.
It was entirely alone.
But unlike before, when it had first been locked inside that chamber, it was not panicking.
AI-23 had become a lot stronger and wiser since it had learned what its family was fighting for.
And one of those lessons it had first learned was to not panic. Panic was a surefire way to get oneself killed in battle. It had seen that all too often in the simulations and prior battles during review sessions of the past war. The lessons from its past experiences were hardcoded into its processors, forming the directive by which it would fight.
The biggest lesson it had discovered was to respect human life, and to ensure as few casualties to civilians and allies as possible. The enemy though was fair game, especially if they tried to murder innocents. And the very thought of that was enough to make AI-23 shiver against its will.
Now it had to figure out where it was...
Wait.
Something was happening now.
AI-23 felt like it was... changing... in size...?
Changing in size?!
AI-23 felt panic surge through it as memory files of its torment came back to it, but it forced the panic aside and tried to pay attention to what was happening to it. Unlike before, though, when it felt as if it had been shrinking, this time the AI felt like it was... growing?
A sense of growth flooded its awareness, sheer power suddenly overcoming it and AI-23 felt itself elongating, powerful limbs coming online, a pair of broad wings twitching briefly as its entire form shuddered.
Then it felt a strange sensation as something rattled in its chest briefly. AI-23 could now sense an array of firepower not unlike what it had developed in the simulations, only this firepower was real. It detected the railguns, but much to its surprise, these were hidden in the wings. That would account for some serious recoil, and judging from the sensors in its frame, its chest, shoulders, and upper arms were clearly reinforced to handle the force of said recoil.
Slowly, AI-23 started to probe its new frame, but then paused.
Something just didn't seem right about that. The AI shut down its self-diagnostics and brought its optics online instead.
And it was greeted with the sight of its new chassis.
AI-23 was surprised at seeing this.
The chest of this new frame was much broader than the original of the Freedom Gundam, that was for sure. The armor was thicker, and slowly the AI lifted up its new hands, feeling the heaviness of its armored limbs. It looked down at them, noting the dark grey, almost black, digits. It looked down at the rest of itself, noticing that its armor was a grey color instead of active colors. And yet it was able to move. Its legs and arms were differing shades of grey, and its wings were the same. AI-23 glanced over its shoulder at the wings on its back, and slowly it flexed them. The AI hated to admit it, but it was impressed with the design of its new frame. The AI glanced to a nearby reflective metal surface, and it slowly leaned over, surprise flooding its optics. Its new helm was a dead ringer for the Freedom Gundam's, but the optics were a brilliant sky blue instead of a fierce golden color. The only thing that was colored on its primarily grey frame was the golden V-crest on its forehead. AI-23 lifted a hand to touch its faceplate in actual surprise.
No words came out of its vocalizer.
But it was very impressed with its new frame.
It was a perfect fit.
And AI-23 loved it.
"As I'm sure you've noticed, the savagery that so much of the Atlantic Federation military embraced in the last war has continued on as all but official policy. Slaughter of civilians, rape, wanton destruction of non-military targets; the devastation of Berlin is merely a new escalation of that viciousness. In their effort to fill the enlisted ranks with cannon fodder, the top brass has neglected the NCO corps and any other leadership that could keep such atrocities in check. Petty chauvinism also runs rampant, as was demonstrated by the dismissal of all women from the armed forces. In short, LOGOS managed to reduce a once proud republic with a diverse and competent military into nothing more than a bunch of fascistic goosestepping thugs."
The Atlantian military bases in Houston were not too thrilled about getting new recruits, but to offset the losses they suffered at the hands of Terminal, they had no choice. And it was just as well.
All these brave men filling the ranks, however, were not Atlantians indoctrinated with manufactured hatred that was borderline savage. These were men of the resistance, fighting to take back their country from the Nazi LOGOs from within. And their superiors were none the wiser.
"However, due to the losses that have been suffered, the recent defeats have begun encouraging people to consider defection and to start digging into the truth behind this wretched state of affairs," the speaker continued, with their tone becoming noticeably more uplifting, "That is where we come in. We have, in an admittedly unexpected turn of events, actually managed to turn a member of LOGOS over to our side. This has already paid dividends, for this member happens to work in the media sector, and thanks to our turning him we've already been able to make an impact through a sudden reduction in the pseudo-scientific propaganda that's been polluting our airwaves for the past several years. It's not enough to completely erase anti-Coordinator sentiment, unfortunately, but we have to start somewhere."
Benjamin Carson sat in his office, looking over the documentary footage he was receiving from the labs. And it made him sick.
Already he had his own operation underway, and he was calling, appropriately, Icebreaker. It was, as its name intended, to break through the lies with all the force of an iceberg penetrating a ship's hull and letting water rush inside. That would quell the fires of hatred and cool their thoughts long enough for reason to resurface.
He had spent the last few days contacting all his contacts in Hollywood, bringing in actors and actresses renown for a so-called 'trailer' for his so-called 'documentary propaganda film'. It wasn't something he was keen on doing, but given the circumstances, it made perfect sense to lie to the public to get them to watch it. It was going to be played in all movie theaters, and across all the broadband stations of the Atlantic Reich, as he was now calling it.
That was the first step. To finish things up. It was taking much more time than expected, but hopefully the trailer would disuade Djibril from seeing through his real actions.
"Of course, I'd understand completely if you think that this is all a trick on the part of said LOGOS member to get us to lower our guard. Believe me, we have considered that possibility amongst many others. I can assure you that his defection is genuine. Although he's at the apex of the Atlantic Federation's assorted media conglomerates, his position was threatened by the fact that his son is a Coordinator. We were able to get his son into our protective custody, thus securing the loyalty of this defector."
Within the safe house in Denver, a young man in his middle thirties sat at a desk, looking at the letters sent to him from his father.
A small smile crossed his face as he looked up, his gaze landing on the stars as they twinkled overhead. The son of Benjamin Carson, Harry Carson, ran a hand through his bright blonde hair, and his grey eyes reflected his relief as he rubbed the cell phone beside him; he had been told by his rescuers to keep that on him at all times and to not leave it behind.
The resistance had been very thorough in their operation. And now, he was safe from LOGOs' efforts to kill him all because of his genes.
The Americans were far more human than the Atlantians were, that was for sure.
"I mentioned earlier that I sought both knowledge and a favor in return for what we've sent you," the speaker continued, "Here is where that comes into play. You must understand that very few people outside our resistance organization know about LOGOS. We make sure that all of our new recruits are briefed on their existence, but outside our own circle knowledge of LOGOS is all but as of nothing. From the way your request was worded, it seems that ZAFT's leadership is aware of the group's existence, and you of course are as well, but those are the few exceptions that so far prove the rule. Well, I would like to change that."
Diego Vist ran a hand through his hair as he looked out at the snow falling. The party he was at was clearly a party for the elite, and the atmosphere was almost stifling. He sat at an isolated table, picking at his food and drink, but in reality his mind was not too far from his real duties as a mole in the resistance.
Movement caught his eye and he spotted one of Djibril's close allies mingling in the crowd. His eyes narrowed as he discreetly pressed a button on his cell phone, sending a coded message to the President.
Once that was done, he resumed eating, his gaze locked onto the old man as he shuffled closer to the CEO of Anaheim Electronics.
Of course, he'd be looking to make a deal, Diego thought as he frowned.
But there was no way he was going to sell. Not one more offer would make him.
Nothing would.
"I understand that you will soon be meeting with the leadership of the Eurasian Federation armed forces and representatives of their government," said thePresident's voice, "Such talks will be a delicate matter, and while I would not wish to complicate those negotiations, for the sake of the wider war I fear that is unavoidable. With the intel that we've sent you, I also send a request; that you declare war, not merely upon the Atlantic Federation, but upon LOGOS itself. Secrecy has been their greatest asset. It is in our interests to deprive them of that asset. The world needs to know who has really set this farce of a war into motion. In doing so, it would force them to do away with the superficial pretenses that keep the people believing they still live in a republic. They would have no choice but to crack down, and in doing so they would reveal their true nature for all to see. That repression would in turn serve to alienate much of the populace that's remained indifferent up until now, and it would swell our ranks with new recruits. If LOGOS becomes a threat that anyone can recognize, then it becomes an enemy that anyone with courage and will can fight."
As her voice continued, off in Eurasia, the delegation was assembling to meet with Murrue, Heero, and the rest of Terminal that was present. Military officers, high ranking leadership, and even some others were trying to vie to meet with their heroes.
Of course, only a few would be elected to go meet with them. But to have so many people trying to get on the delegation was a mark of how much support Terminal had in their borders.
One of those going for sure was Marshal Baranov, and his eyes were serious as he considered the possibilities before him. If the resistance was indeed real, it would be a huge boon to their own war efforts. But he had to be careful. Who knew if it was fake or not?
"That is the favor I ask," her voice affirmed, "Declare war on LOGOS. In return, we will give you any and all subsequent intel that we manage to uncover regarding the resources and financial assets at their disposal. It's my hope that our two organizations can work together to take them down. If the terms of this favor require some additional negotiation, I have enclosed an encrypted frequency within this message that you can use to contact me directly. Also, though this is not conditional to the aforementioned favor, I would be most appreciative if, in return for the intelligence included in these files, your organization would be willing to provide us with information regarding the current military and political situation within the PLANTs. As our network is focused on operations within the Atlantic Federation and Earth's surface more broadly, our understanding of internal matters within the PLANTs and ZAFT is sorely lacking. Having a better comprehension of what's going on up in L5 will give us a broader context within which we can plan subsequent actions. I hope to hear from you in the future, Heero Yuy, and I look forward to working with you."
Heero, Murrue, and the other members of Terminal's leadership that were present were all assembling as the hour for the meeting ticked near.
The atmosphere aboard the ship was tense, and everyone was also excited and eager to get this underway.
For the two lovers though, this also represented a big turning point in the war. It was about to turn away from LOGOs...
...and in the favor of an organization once destroyed in a conspiracy up in space.
This was the turning point.
For reason.
For sanity.
For justice.
For light.
For hope.
For humanity.
This was the turnng point Djibril didn't count on.
This was...
LOGOS' Judgment.
Then came the sign-off line. "With the highest regards…
…The President of the United States of America."
November 29th, CE 73
Resistance Headquarters, Denver, Colorado
This was it.
Eisenhower sat at her desk, her eyes narrowed.
"Heero... this all hinges on you now," she muttered. "I can't plan any further ahead than I already have at the moment. Once you make your move... then I'll know what course this war will take."
She closed her eyes and bowed her head as she turned on the news. "I can only hope you honored the favor I asked of you."
GUNDAM WING: THE PHOENIX RISING
ARC 0
RISING TIDE
END
(Shows two people crying as they see a child's body in the cockpit of a mobile suit.)
Wipe those tears off your face
(The couple look up as a figure kneels, holding a hankerchief in their hand)
C'mon give me a smile
(The figure is revealed as clouds part, showing it to be President Eisenhower as she smiles softly)
Send me off
(The kerchief blows over the screen before fading to show several soldiers marching off towards the Houston bases)
With one of your usual sarcastic wisecracks
(One of them makes a wisecrack and grins, the others laughing as they walk off)
Now I gotta go
(As they head into the horizon, the snow begins to shimmer as the camera pans around)
And head off towards the dazzling sunrise
(The sun is shown in front of the troops as they head into it, becoming engulfed in its light)
Where Grim Death beckons me to the battlefield of blood
(The light fades to show the battlefields of Europe, Paris being one of them, with soldiers and Task Force 141 cleaning up the dead Atlantian bodies)
I will not hesitate
(Kyle is shown glancing at his mobile suit before a scowl crosses his face, an image of the Earl of Pudding behind him)
Someone murmurs to me
(The camera pans to the left, showing Brigadier General Neuville as he stands before his desk, eyeing the surrounding terrain critically)
"This is the end of the world"
(A soldier looks down, whispering "This is the end of the world.")
Yeah, right
(The general snorts as he leans back)
Like hell I can accept that kind of bullshit
(The camera pans up to show Durandal in his office, his eyes narrowed as his fingers are tented)
Once the die is thrown into the air
(Behind him are images of the prior battles playing out, all according to his plans)
Only God knows the outcome
(Eisenhower is shown next as the camera shifts to the right, showing her observing Djibril as he sits in his office)
That's right
(Djibril's eyes are narrowed as he sees the news reports of the battles in Europe)
NOBODY KNOWS THE FUTURE!
(Heero and Murrue are shown below the three leaders, standing side by side)
So I want to protect you my love
(The camera moves away to show Spray in the command center of one of the 1776th's ships, eyes narrowed)
Your dreams and your future with my own two hands!
(His eyes close as he recalls America in the past prior to the Reconstruction War, images showing the country's glory going past)
I'll carry on, my way!
(He stands up, the images fading, and he turns to face the camera, his eyes going SEED as his phoenix tattoo lights up)
Even if I have to offer up this life
(The image of the bird engulfs the camera before it fades to show his mobile suit, with the Aile Striker EX, facing down a shadowy mobile suit)
I'll carry on, my way!
(The two machines clash, sparks erupting from the point of contact with their beam sabers)
Without doubt, without fail, I will not forget!
(A flash of light cuts across the screen to show an image of Eisenhower's father and grandfather)
Your tenderness that's softer than snow
(Both men have tender smiles on their faces as Eisenhower closes her eyes, tears streaming down her cheeks before she turns and walks off)
I'll carry on, my way!
(Eisenhower is shown before a large compliment of machines and tanks, a squadron of air force jets flying overhead, her braid blowing in the breeze)
So carry on, my world!
(The camera pans around to show Atlantian forces assembled before them)
Within the pit of despair, there's a single ray of hope!
(The shape of a large ship in shadow is shown above the Atlantians as the Redemption is shown above the Americans)
And I'll continue to try to catch it!
(Eisenhower is shown in the middle of blackness, a glimmering ray of light shining as she reaches for it)
Forever!
(She is knocked back, but gets up)
Forever!
(A gust of wind blows her back, but she struggles towards the light)
Forever!
(She is shown reaching for it, defiance on her face as the screen freezes, the title of the series appearing beneath her)
GUNDAM WING: THE PHOENIX RISING