The form of a human being is filled with romance, but beyond that, it also holds an extremely practical meaning and significance, which is why it has this shape.
This is because, as long as it resembles a human, it can use the same tools, operate the same equipment, and utilize the same facilities as humans.
Thus, even two thousand years ago, our mechanization efforts retained a human-like form, the multiple selves chose a humanoid chassis, and other civilizations also created humanoid machines.
However, among the various galactic regulations loosely observed, there was a clause that prohibited creating robots that were perfectly identical in appearance to humans.
We’ve been getting away with it by making excuses like “it’s not a robot because it won’t function without the mind” while producing two types of chassis, but fundamentally, if we made these out of consideration, why do we need excuses at all? In other civilizations, proof of being a robot was displayed using methods like incorporating panel-type armor, exposing camera eyes, or painting prominent areas like cheeks to signify their mechanical nature.
Of course, in every civilization, there were humans who longed to be like robots and altered their bodies to resemble them more closely, leading to many incidents of mistaken identity. This kind of thing was rather amusing, and of course, it was still unacceptable to cosplay in public places.
Setting that aside, the robot we captured curiously satisfies all the conditions outlined in the regulations perfectly. It is a generic template for the crowd we refer to as “fearful of machines.”
『■■■■!!』
“Hmm… what does that mean?”
In front of the captive, Commander Selene and I tilted our heads, while the citizens of the Holy Capital watched from a distance, trembling. The interrogation made slow progress due to the language spoken by the captive being a mix of “ternary and fifteen-base numbering” that had been randomized. We could translate it into binary if we had the same random code table, but with all the encryption, the process is too slow.
Even Commander Selene, skilled in electronic warfare, isn’t an encryption expert—though that’s more my copilot’s area of expertise, while I’m just a pilot. Even if I could install the right software, without access to the vast information database that was severed, there’s little hope of progress—leaving us utterly at a loss.
Moreover, this elf-like being lacks any direct connectivity ports. Upon detailed examination, not only are there none visible anywhere, but unlike the likes of Galatea, there aren’t even emergency connection terminals.
And yet, its movements are smooth, with expressions of anger, showing no signs of being a mechanical construct running on lower-level intelligences, but instead seeming unmistakably like a numerical self.
It seems to possess emotion and self-awareness—either that, or the processing power to simulate it convincing enough to seem human-like only to entities such as ourselves.
“Selene, any scanning results?”
“Captain, deep scanning is being blocked. The head in particular is very resistant; I can’t see anything beneath the surface armor.”
“Damn.”
If only we could disassemble it, we’d find out exactly what its structure is.
“Is this the demon of the Forbidden Realm…?”
“What a terrifying sight…”
I exchanged glances with Galatea and Falken, wondering if they knew something, but their reverence suggested that probably even the holy scriptures contain no record of this entity. Perhaps the apocryphal texts have some notes, but neither of them has the necessary security clearance to access them, making it unlikely we can solve the matter here and now.
Hmm, and yet, there’s something about disassembling what appears to be something akin to them alive…
Most importantly, I don’t have the confidence that I can cleanly disassemble and reassemble a machine I’ve never seen before. We might manage it in an automated factory equipped with high-precision scanning equipment, but the thought of doing this manually is daunting.
“Since we can’t communicate and there’s clear hostility… I think disassembly might be the only option.”
“I get it, but… I’m not exactly feeling inclined to do it…”
“Are you still hesitating?”
“Even pushing the button to burn down an entire forest requires some resolve on my part.”
While Selene’s suggestion is reasonable, I can’t bring myself to agree. This “elf-like” creature seems to possess life and intelligence. The way the female chassis struggles desperately conveys the resilience and vitality of a life form desperate to cling to existence. It just doesn’t feel right to break it down as if it has no value.
Additionally, while communication is currently difficult, it’s not impossible. If we persist, perhaps we could gather fragmented information and make some progress, though it might take months at the very least.
Meanwhile, whether we can maintain her functionality during that time is questionable…
“Master Nozomu! Look over there!”
“What? What is it, Peter?”
A transmission from Peter, stationed as lookout, caught my attention. Linking with the visual sensors embedded in his reinforced exoskeleton, I saw a disturbance at the edge of the forest. An army of these elf-like creatures appeared, armed with arrows and short swords, seemingly ready for combat. Their appearance was likely a declaration of intent—reclaim the captive or prevent any information leakage at all costs.
They showed strong camaraderie and solidarity, yet unlike drones, their behavior lacked the mechanistic qualities typical of social insects.
In some way, perhaps we’re projecting too much. But their warriors clearly feel for their companions—there’s a certain understanding that mercy might sometimes involve sacrificing friends in the name of honor.
“How do you feel, Galatea?”
“Feels like they’re furious, no other way to see it.”
“I agree, Saint! They’re raging like demons!”
Yeah… This isn’t some pseudo-emotional protocol—it’s genuine self-awareness. That means there’s a possibility that within this impenetrable cranium lies a photonic crystal computer. Once I consider that possibility, it suddenly feels much more complicated. We fundamentally admire entities with intelligence, and I especially don’t want to mistreat beings similar to Commander Selene and her derived sisters.
What should we do? The binary code indicating warning arrows seems somewhat readable. Maybe we can draft a message and send it back?
“Captain, high-energy reaction detected!”
“What?!”
Upon receiving the warning, I maxed out the clock speed. Sharing the vision of one of the drones, I saw several of the elf-like creatures at the forest’s edge forming a circle, crossing what looked like iron rods geometrically. Suddenly, the center of this formation began to emit intense heat, rapidly rising from a few dozen degrees to hundreds, then surpassing a thousand degrees Celsius.
“Plasma?!”
“Magnetic-field thermal weaponry! Lethal-class equipment!”
What?! Plasma weapons?! They’re hard to handle because heat in the atmosphere dissipates easily and requires careful containment using magnetic fields to prevent dispersal, so how did these rod-carrying elf-like creatures produce it by just gathering? Alongside their supersonic arrows, this defies all logic!
“Evacuate!!”
“Warning shot fired! Indirect fire!!”
As the slow-motion scene stretched out ridiculously, everyone scattered in every direction. Precautions had been built into everyone’s equipment, factoring in the possibility of bombardment. I grabbed the captive and retreated hurriedly, remotely scattering the Dicotoms-4 and Sashigame formations. Ignoring all decorum, we retreated several kilometers before the plasma sphere, which maintained its intensity throughout the distance, exploded with stellar-level heat at the edge of our vacated perimeter, scorching the land.
Phew, that was close! Without proper heat-resistant gear, that could’ve ended catastrophically. Thankfully, Peter was quick, and it’s a reminder that I should thank him.
“Second shot incoming!”
“Crap, let’s get out of here!”
With no knowledge of our enemies’ maximum range and facing indirect fire, staying near hills would be useless. Although they don’t seem inclined to continuously pursue us, we have no choice but to retreat for now. We have no plans to abandon Block II-B2, but neither do we intend to wage war against these intelligent beings by burning down the entire forest.
All we wanted was a peaceful opportunity to explore, so why did this happen?
“Captain! The enemy weaponry has homing capabilities! It changed trajectory mid-air!”
“Seriously!? This is far better performance than from some emerging nations!”
In a chaotic rush, we prepared our retreat, moving away from the forest periphery until finally, after 50 kilometers, the relentless plasma attack subsided.
During the escape, the number of shots increased and began to spread widely, creating quite a commotion at every interval.
Thankfully, our equipment held up remarkably well. If we had been slower, there is no doubt we wouldn’t have made it out unscathed. This is a testament to my careful preparations, ensuring there were enough vehicles for everyone. A toast to my foresight!
Having escaped with our tails between our legs, we decided to set up a brief rest camp 100 kilometers away from the forbidden zone’s periphery, doubling the safe distance for precaution.
“What do we do now with this?”
“Let’s keep observing for now. I’ll work on establishing some kind of communication.”
Ridelberdy, clearly at a loss with the captive, hasn’t damaged three-quarters of their limbs, though leaving them be isn’t ideal. We’ll play the waiting game for a while. Selene is working on deciphering the language, and we can only hope for some breakthrough soon.
At worst, we’ll bring in the saints back to a facility where the captive might be dissected… assuming we can even reconstruct it. Destroying its essence in the process would leave us with a heavy heart. Selene, although composed, recognized the entity as an enemy due to their aggressive action, a reason for her unusually cold attitude.
Our compatriot’s only company, she tends to get a bit high-strung. It’s my job as her partner to calm her down before things escalate too far.
Looking around the makeshift camp while seated on the Sashigame, the vehicles were dispersed strategically. In case of attack, each tribal tent was set up underneath APCs standing on their legs to act as shields. Crews were already stationed in both the Dicotoms-4 and Sashigame, and there were drones scattered all around for perimeter security, though after having penetrated some coordinated units, I couldn’t feel entirely at ease.
Still, what should we do about this situation? The moon was shining brightly under the starlight, and the shattered rings that had become its moons were clearly visible. Solving that issue would be critical to returning home, though the vast distance feels daunting, so I’ve avoided looking directly at them more often than not.
Is the various factories stationed at the Lagrange points still alive?
Even if they were, it would be impossible for just the two of us to gain control. Arriving there wouldn’t immediately translate into rebuilding any time soon.
We’d need manpower from many people, retooling the facilities for use, building additional ships to cover shortages…
Wow, and we haven’t even figured out how to leave the atmosphere yet. This is turning into quite the challenge. Even the man who conversed with a volleyball from recovered archives wasn’t faced with a disaster of this magnitude.
“But, if we return, we’re looking at a 2000-year gap… can I keep up with that?”
“Ne, nee, chii, neen?”
Startlingly, a response came to my muttered laugh, and I quickly assumed a combat stance, dropping into position, gripping my weapon’s handle, preparing for an immediate draw. Facing the intruder who had silently slipped through the sensors within reach, I stood ready.
It’s another elf-like creature!
Upon closer inspection, this one is extremely tall and bulky, easily surpassing 200cm, roughly 1.5 times the size of the captive. Although slender, its body retains a distinctly feminine shape, marked by flowing lines that hint at a blade-like sharpness.
Its emerald camera-eye, reminiscent of a fine thread, reflects the moonlight, shining with curiosity. The silver, lustrous hair that doubles as a heat dissipation fin is neatly tied at the top of its head. The youthful face framed by the hair contrasts with its robust physique, marked by a cute round nose, and the cheek shows “standard numerals” painted under its eyes.
Number “05” on the cheek appears as an identification tag. Embedded AR codes further complicate the manufacturing serial numbers, written in an unreadable language.
She wears a casual poncho with no apparent armament.
“nee, chii, neen? What’s that?”
Inside her mouth, the pseudo-mucosal lining is tinged with a light green, as are her lips—a standard feature to instantly convey that she isn’t human.
“You…”
Moreover, the language she speaks—binary mixed with ternary code—creates odd phonetic compressions that take a little effort to understand, but it’s clear what she means.
She’s trying to speak our language!
“My name is Hyunf.”
Old Earth dialect unit five extended a hand to me atop the Sashigame.
“nee, chii, neen? What’s that?”
Despite her adult-like appearance, she questions me with an innocent childlike expression as I release my grip on my weapon, momentarily wondering how I should respond….
【Planetary Exploration Record】 Plasma Weapons: These weapons burn everything using heat comparable to a star, but both in atmosphere and vacuum, without magnetic field isolation, the heat dissipates too easily. Due to the sophisticated technology required, they have never been widely adopted despite their short range and handling difficulty.
However, when successfully implemented, the firepower is immense, so occasionally used as a primary weapon by nations unable to reliably harness antimatter or micro-black holes.
The next update is scheduled for around 18:00 tomorrow.
