Chapter 3: Investigation, Conflict I

Schicksal HQ, Overseer's Office

"Grampa, why aren't you letting me help investigate the new problem at your experiment site? Babylon Labs, it was called, right? You specifically chose not to notify me, and the only reason why I even know what's happening is because I was visiting Siegfried, Cecilia and Kiana when you called him in to head the full squad stationed as backup for the initial investigating Valkyries you're sending. That's really suspicious of you, you know!" A young white-haired woman questioned the man sitting in the chair in front of her.

"Theresa… I was unable to determine the cause of this… disappearance of all 322 research personnel assigned to Babylon Labs ever since I was alerted to it, and though I have some suspicions, I have no proof of my theories due to someone or something smashing every single camera in the facility before the cameras themselves were able to record what that was. This indicates that this threat is intelligent enough to locate them all and fast enough to act without being seen. I have absolutely no eyes inside, meaning the facility is now possibly enemy territory. The head scientist also did not send out a distress signal, meaning I have no idea what could have possibly triggered this. At worse, if my fears are correct, the Second Herrscher could have just been born there for some reason. You are nowhere near strong enough to face such danger unprepared, even with the Oath of Judah. Can you see why I don't want you going there, my dear granddaughter?"

'And Babylon Labs is considered a black-ops site by me for a reason. The experiments performed there, although they are necessary to improve the artificial stigmata used by my Valkyries to fight against Honkai, would wreck Schicksal's reputation significantly should they be revealed. Ordinarily I would not be worried about this, as Theresa's trust in me is strong enough to let me slightly alter her memories with Void Archives' imitation of Fenghuang Down, but there is a certain experimental Subject HM-03-1204 also still present in Babylon Labs that will most definitely affect Theresa should she learn of him. The boy's file is sealed and redacted by my Overseer access, but even while censored it was still made available for the head scientist himself to view, and my monitoring of the facility database indicates that it was not destroyed along with the cameras. Should Theresa be part of the initial investigating team and discover this, it may prove unfavorable for me and ruin our relationship, which I would loathe to lose…'

"Hey, Grampa! Grampa! Overseer? Can you even hear me? Is this problem affecting your thinking this much? Then even more reason for me to help you investigate! I'm one of the Valkyries whose appearance is the least threatening, well… mostly due to this stunted body, hmph! As for danger… since when has that stopped you from sending me on missions? I seem to remember my first mission was particularly damaging to my body, yet you sent me on it anyway as a test and I survived anyway! Besides, Judah is a Divine Key from the Previous Era, just like Shamash that Siegfried is using! I'm sure I will be fine. Just approve my application to join the initial investigating team already!"

"Oh… very well, if you insist. Do be careful, and please stay together with the other Valkyrie I'm sending on the first transport. You know her, it's Patricia Highsmith. The mission briefing will be given to you on the way to Siberia."

"Oh, it's Pat that's going to be there? Great! I'm sure I'll be in good hands, Grampa. Well then, I'll be off now!"

"See you later, my dear Theresa. Be safe."

North America, Anti-Entropy Military Base

A brown-haired man wearing a set of glasses stood in front of a robot: codenamed Rattlesnake, assigned to a combat role of Area Denial/Range Support. "Let's begin."

"Combat protocols initiated. Target locked. Firing." The Rattlesnake let out a Rattler Barrage, a series of missiles. Eyes glowing red, the Sovereign of Anti-Entropy activated the power left to him by his hero and predecessor, Welt Joyce, the First Herrscher of the Current Era, the Herrscher of Reason.

"De Ratione Legis (Cognitive Disassembly)!"

The missiles detached and broke into inert pieces of metal, landing with a 'whoosh' and a thump at Welt J. Yang's feet. "This is far from enough… I will need more power to defeat not only Schicksal's Overseer, but the 2nd Herrscher should they manifest in this world." Just then, someone approached him.

"Welt, we've detected a Honkai energy pulse in Siberia, of sufficient amplitude. I think it's the 2nd Herrscher; most likely the Schicksal Overseer Otto will be making his move soon." This was Dr Lizelle Albert Einstein, Welt's colleague and Anti-Entropy's enforcer.

"I see, thank you, Dr Einstein. Have Dr Tesla ready the titan mechs for deployment in 2 hours. I will head to Siberia myself… We must prepare for the worst: that we cannot convince the 2nd to join us in protecting Humanity… then we must end its existence. I guess… this time of peace, of ceasefire between Schicksal and Anti-Entropy, has finally come to an end."

Siberia, Russia, Tower of Babylon Labs

Approaching the laboratory site by helicopter, Theresa shuddered at the full briefing she was reading on Babylon Labs's current status. "Really, 322 people suddenly going missing in the twilight hours of the tundra, for unknown reasons…? Really makes me feel very nervous… No! I have to be strong… for Cecilia and Kiana! Can't let them know Aunt Teri just bailed on an important mission like this…"

The helicopter finally touched down outside the large tower housing the facility. "We have landed. Pleasure serving you, Master Theresa." The pilot greeted her as she disembarked.

A voice came from nearby. "Welcome to Siberia, Theresa! I received orders from the Overseer himself to –ahem— make your stay comfy while you're here." Theresa spun around and saw an old friend. "Pat! Long time no see!"

"Howdy!" Patricia Highsmith 'The Wiz', Schicksal A-rank Valkyrie, former member of SnowWolf Squad and currently working in the intel department, greeted Theresa. Together, they walked into the facility and out of the cold. A small group of mechs protected them as the two Valkyries walked further inside. "Sorry about the security measures, but with cameras down and our surveillance blinded it's best to be cautious in case of an ambush."

"No, no, I understand, Pat. Thank goodness you're here, the briefing read like a horror show on television, but since an expert like you is around, I think we can find out what really happened. Any leads so far?"

"Sorry, Theresa, nothing yet. As you know, the cameras were all smashed, so we can't find the culprit, and what footage that could be retrieved we reviewed frame by frame, which didn't help much, as the footage was somehow corrupted by some static. All recordings from after the morning of January 31 were lost and unretrievable. However, I do have a small lead. I've brought up the log for Babylon Labs' Honkai reactor pile energy output readings. Do you see this? 5 minutes worth of data almost close to midnight went missing. My gut… tells me that the reactor pile may give us some clues."

"But there are quite a number of files I found in the database that require a higher level of clearance/authorization to access them, some of those files being the other monitoring records of the reactor pile sector. Honkai energy levels at the reactor pile are extremely high, so that's why only you, me and the mechs can go down there safely, as Valkyries used to Honkai as well as the mechs being inorganics that can't turn into Honkai zombies."

"Well, at least we won't be totally alone with the mechs around… Alright then, Pat, let's go solve this mystery quickly! I want to finish this and then get back to Cecilia and Kiana!"