Chapter 28: "Priority: The Plague".
-World building fact-
The basic building block of all matters (solids, gases and liquids) is composed of atoms. There are many types of atoms, material that consists of only 1 type of atom that has the same number of protons is called a basic element. An atom is formed by 3 main subatomic particles that are protons, neutrons and electrons. At the center of the atom is the nucleus.
The replicating technology of the UNE works by reducing all matters into these 3 subatomic particles and storing them as "mass". With mass, a replicator could construct anything by arranging the subatomic particles to form the right type of atoms in order to create the right element. In order to replicate something, however, it also needs a blueprint to be stored in the memory or the object to be scanned first. Blueprints used by the UNE detail down to the subatomic structure of the required type of atoms.
Basically, with this technology, the UNE can just gather up any asteroids or break down the entire planet to turn them into mass and then replicate any element to build anything they want.
-Fort Alnus, Spes-
As the D-20 is descending from orbit, the passengers inside could look down the growing town of Alnus. Just like in Sadera, the town also has quarantine sections closed off by holographic ribbons. Ambulances, white paint and red cross, are zipping across the sky between Alnus Town and Fort Alnus along with the medical capsules.
"The hell happened here?" Jimmy says.
Ava accesses the console and looks on TACNet "Some kind of an outbreak, it's happening across the continent. The virus seems to just cause our people a really bad fever but it's deadly to the locals".
"I remember everything was fine a week ago before we left" Ashley says as she looks down to the town "And now it's all over the continent?".
"You're right, this thing must have already been spreading for weeks. Months even" Jimmy replies.
Lelei and a member of the CDC are already waiting for Ava at the landing pad. It has been months since the last time Lelei met the 5th SIF as she volunteered to help the science department to research magic and find a way to combine technology with magic.
"Hello, commander" Lelei greets Ava as the commander is stepping out of the D-20 in her usual calm voice.
"Lelei! Longtime no see, how's things with you?" Ava asks.
"Hmm, the process of combining magic and technology developed by the Prothean is mana consuming and very exhausting. I've also been working with your people to study the magic side of the Excalibur project and the amount of mana required to turn it on is gargantuan…" Lelei going on about her works.
Amused, Ava interrupts Lelei "I'm fine is ok, Lelei" she smiles.
"Oh, in that case, I'm fine, commander" Lelei replies.
Ava smiles then looks that the woman next to Lelei "and you are?".
"I'm Laura Siz, CDC, it's nice to meet you, commander. We have an important matter to discuss with you" Laura says as she shakes Ava's hand.
"That's correct, General Nguyen wants us to tell brief you in person" Lelei says.
"Ok, let's walk" Ava says as she walks towards the barrack.
"A woman reported to our field hospital in Sadera 5 days ago with severe symptoms, bleeding from her eyes and ears, blisters all over her body and her skin was falling off. She reported intense pain and died a few hours after that. The investigation suggested that she believe she was cursed and was praying until she could not take the pain anymore and came to us, sadly, there was nothing we could do for her" Laura says.
"This virus sound lethal, a weapon?" Ava asks.
"Lethal and highly contagious, the virus could survive out of a host body up to 96 hours. Animals don't affect by the virus but they can carry it. Our medicines are not very effective against it, and it's only for our superior genetic sequence that infected UNE personnel could fight it off using nanite treatment. Although it is still quite painful and tiresome. It is a bio weapon, commander, I'll let Ms. Lelei explain this part" Laura says.
"As you've already known, we mages can see mana surrounding anything with magic. Usually, a virus, as you call it, is too small for us to see. However, with your equipment, I was able to look at the virus and detect signs of mana. It was created using magic, commander, dark magic" Lelei says.
"Fascinating, but what does all this have to do with me? I'm not exactly specialized in fighting virus" Ava says.
"Give it time and we can find a cure but we're not sure for how long and the virus might mutate to be lethal to our people. Our only option is to wipe the virus out using magic" Laura says.
"And Rondel contains everything that you need to know about magic on Falmart, if there's a spell to kill this virus then Rondel has it. General Nguyen wants you to escort us there" Lelei says.
"Now that I can help with, did the general say when we'll leave?" Ava asks.
"ASAP…although I don't know what that means, and by ground vehicles. Also, knight Grey is coming with us too, as a guide. Pina and general Nguyen insisted, although, I don't think we need him" Lelei replies.
"It means as soon as possible. The plague is all over Falmart, Pina wants to keep an eye on the process of finding a cure because it's more of her problem and ours, therefore, knight Grey. Alright give us 3 hours to get ready. We'll leave at 1600" Ava says.
It's quite normal for the SIFs to have to get straight to work right after they come back from their shore leave. After receiving orders from Ava, the 5th SIF quickly put on their work face and get ready to move out. Vehicles, drones, SAT8s are re-inspected, by the SIFs, after the engineers done their inspection to make sure they're functioning to their specs and nothing is missed. Everything is done and ready in just 2 hours, the SIFs are now waiting by the vehicles with Grey, Lelei and Laura ready to move out as soon as Ava gives the order.
"Ten-hut!" Ashley shouts as Ava is approaching.
The SIFs quickly gather in a straight line and stand at attention. Lelei and Laura being civilians also get in line but they don't have to perform military stance while Grey out of respect for the commander and fellow soldier also stand at attention.
"At ease" Ava says and wait for everyone to be at ease then continues "Knight Grey, welcome" Ava nods at Grey to which he bows slightly in return.
"The details of our mission are all on TACNet so I'm going to keep it short. Rondel is loyal to the Empire but they're also self-governed and independent. Our objective is to initiate a diplomatic process while Lelei and Laura find a cure for the plague. Keep in mind that this is a city of scholars and nobles, their self-pride is high and we need their knowledge, mages and power for project Excalibur. So put on your nice faces and display your best manners. DON'T mess this up people. Mount up!" Ava orders.
As everyone are getting into their assigned vehicles, Ava holds Grey back "Knight Grey, I want you know that you are to follow my orders to the exact word. Are we clear?"
"Understood, commander" Grey bows "lady Ashley told me about what happened in Icia, please be assured that I won't run off against your will".
"Good" Ava nods and then continues before starts walking towards the APC "Pina spoke highly of you, don't make her a liar"
The APC and the IFV are designed to carry 12 persons including a squad of 10 soldiers, a driver and a weapon operator plus equipment. However, a SIF squad is only 8 operators so there's enough seats for the extra personnel without making it too cramped. Grey and Lelei are traveling on the APC with Ava and the first squad while Laura is on the IFV with Ashley and the second squad.
"Commander, if I may ask, what is project Excalibur? And why do you need Rondel for it?" Grey asks.
Ava thinks for a moment to find the simplest answer so Grey could understand "You know how the darkling on your world purpose was to consume all life?" she asks.
"Yes, given a chance they would not stop until they consume all of Falmart" Grey answers.
"Now imagine an absurd, mind blowing, significantly many more of them and they're more powerful" Ava display a holographic image of a Harbinger-class Reaper "And their only goal is to wipe out all life and civilization as we know it in…4 galaxies, ones that we know of, so far".
"And these…Reaper, as you call them, are more powerful than even you?" Grey continues asking.
"A lot more powerful, yes" Ava replies then she put on a holographic image of project Excalibur "This is the blueprint for Excalibur, an ancient weapon and our only hope against the Reaper" she points up "it will be built around your sun, Uros".
"It still doesn't explain why you need Rondel?" Grey is still confusing.
"The weapon needs magic runes, massive ones that require enormous amount of mana to create, to work. And it also requires magic to prevent it from wiping everything with the Reaper. Rondel is the biggest source of magic that we know of" Ava answers.
Grey nods a few times as he takes in the information "One more question, commander, how many worlds are there in a galaxy?".
Before Ava could answers, Lelei replies first "there are 100 billion worlds in this galaxy, the Milky Way, approximately".
Ava nods "Although not every world is inhabited, there are as many as a few thousand trillion individuals in this galaxy alone" she shows Grey the holographic imagine of the Milky Way spinning "Space is big, really big, you just won't believe how vastly, huge, mind-bogglingly big it is and it's filled with dangers way beyond our understanding".
"Commander, did you just quote The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy?" Rob asks.
Ava looks over and shrugs her shoulders "Some ancient literatures are worth reading, you know".
Grey sits back on his seat while the conversation starts flowing off the topic he was asking. While he is still not able to grasp the concept of space, galaxies and Reaper, he knows that an enemy that is more powerful than the UNE that is keen on destroying all life is not to be taken lightly. For the shake of his own people and his Empress, he's duty bound to help whatever he can to defeat this new foe.
-Main gate, Imperial Palace, Sadera-
"Please stand down, we have our orders" a marine says as he and 3 other marines are in fighting stance facing Pina, her guards and the Rose knights.
The marines did not materialize their weapons as they do not intend to kill the knights and the guards should fighting break out. However, they're under strict order to not let Pina leave the palace for fear that she will catch the plague and die. A marine company was assigned to help secure the palace, preventing anyone from going in and important Imperial personnel from leaving. Their job is also to stop and disperse groups of citizens that try to seek safety within the palace.
Pina wants to go out and see her people, to give them hope and prove to them that she's not a ruler that hide in her safe palace. Seeing that the marines would not let their Empress leave her own palace, the knights see it as an act of aggression and say that the UNE is imprisoning Pina in her own place. They want to force their way out.
"Ma'am, please ask your men to stand down. We do not wish to hurt you but we are going to carry out our orders" the marine says.
Pina looks up at the sky and sees a massive bastion hovering over the city. The Normandy returned to orbit after battle and a bastion took its place. Just like in Alnus Town, ambulances and medical capsules are flying across the city with haste. Vulture-like creatures circling above and the lively city of Sadera is now voided off the sound of busy markets, the sound of music from musicians that were trying to make a living on the street. No more sound of laughing children and moving carts of exotic goods from all over the continents.
With sorrow, Pina waves her hand signal the knights and the guards to lower their weapon then she looks at the marines "I understand that you want to keep me safe from this plague, but I'm the Empress of Sadera. People look up to me for hope and it is hope that they need to get through this tough time. They are scared and desperate, although none of them dare say it, there are talks that your presence here angered the gods and this plague is their punishment. You must let me get out there and talk to them, let me show them that there's still hope and put their mind at ease" she says.
"Ma'am, we have our order to stop you from leaving and we are going to follow it until the order is changed. If you want to leave the palace, we're not the ones you need to convince" a marine says.
"I understand" Pina says then she turns and walk back into the palace. She looks at Hamilton and give an order to contact General Nguyen "I want to talk to the general".
After the coronation of empress Pina, a communication system was set up in the place for ease of communication between the two nations. Currently, it is still being operated by UNE personnel as Imperial staff lack the necessary knowledge to use and maintain the equipment efficiently.
"Think it through, your majesty, if I let you go out there and you catch the virus and die who will lead your people to the future that you want for them? Would you trust your brother, Diabo to not fall back to the old ways?" General Nguyen says.
"But I can't just stay here and do nothing while my people suffer!" Pina replies, almost shouting.
"I understand your frustration, but you going out there would not help them get better and if you die in doing so, then all that you've done would mean nothing" General Nguyen tries to convince Pina to stay.
"I heard your people have a way to cure this plague, nanite treatment. Why are you not using it to cure my people?" Pina asks.
"The nanite treatment is, indeed, very effective at fighting diseases. However, it is also very harmful to your body. The reason that we are able to use it is because our body is capable of taking must more stress and heal must more efficient. If we use it on your people, even the elves, it would be very lethal. The nanites are going to remove the virus from you but it will also kill you" General Nguyen replies.
Pina tries to think of something to replies "Then make us like you, lieutenant Jimmy once told me that you have the technology and knowledge to manipulate DNA. So do that, please help us"
"It is true that we can do that. However, we need to understand thoroughly how each of your DNA is coded and your genome's sequence before we make modification. Otherwise, it will leave irreversible, terrible side effects" General Nguyen pauses shortly and continues as he could see Pina is not satisfy with the answer "It will take years of research for each species of your people to get all that information and, quite frankly, empress, it is not high on our list of priority right now".
"What? What could be important than saving hundreds of thousand innocent people?" Pina exclaims.
"Saving trillions of innocent people, empress" General Nguyen stay silent for a short while and then continues "It is final, you cannot leave the palace until we find a cure and get this plague under control" General Nguyen bows as he finishes and step out of the holographic pad.
Pina stands there staring at the empty room not knowing what to think. She collapses on the floor her mind keeps thinking about what the general just said. What did he mean by saying that they're overlooking her people in order to save trillions of others? What can she do? What could cause danger to so many lives?
It was so simple back when she was just a princess. She didn't realize how hard it was to lead a nation, running the Rose Order wasn't even close to this. Back then, she didn't need to make any hard choices, and being an Imeperial Princess, she always got what she wanted. This harsh reality hits her hard, even though now she's an Empress, she holds no real power. The Imperial Army is only a small fraction of what it was after the orbital bombardment, almost half of the Empire cities are now in ruin. She can't even leave her palace without permission from the UNE.
"Father, how did you do it? You started this war, it was a mistake, and now it's up to me to fix it. I don't know if I can, father" Pina mumbles before she gets up.
Seeing Pina comes out of the communication room with visible sadness on her face, Hamilton is very concerned "Empress?".
Pina just keep walking in silence for awhile then she turns to look at her best friend "Do you think I was wrong?".
Confused by the question Hamilton asks "Empress?".
"I tried to make peace with the UNE because I believe it was the only way for the Empire to survive and thrive" Pina says as she walks to a window along the hallway "But now, everything seems so hopeless. I feel like a puppet".
"Empress, it was the only way. If peace was not made then there would be no Empire left" Hamilton holds Pina's hand "It is because of what you've done that many of them is still here and a future for the Empire is still possible" she looks at the city outside.
Hamilton then looks at Pina's eyes and continues "So yes things are bad right now but at least we have hope, hope for a future that one day we'll be great again. You will go down in history as the first Empress of the Empire and one that started a revolution that allow our people to thrive like the UNE".
Pina smiles at her optimistic friend "I hope you're right, my friend".