Reager had only been in Eden for a good solid 4 minutes before a messenger from High General Robbinson gave him a summons to his office within the center of the city. Meaning he'd have to catch a horse and carriage there. Most technology was restricted to military use by the certain army groups such as Reager's airship but once inside the cities and towns unless authorized. No technology was to be used inside city walls unless authorized. However, Reager wasn't a fool, and so wasn't many civilians either as they noticed that year after year less and less technology was allowed and going missing.
Reager knew by intuition that the government was trying it's best to get rid of technology and usher in an age of unrivaled magic. Servant and guard Androids were being stolen in the middle of the night, and often many people who protested against the use of magic in society over the work science would be mysteriously assassinated with little to no effort put into the investigations. Even the new military guns, which were a combination of old-world tech and magic, were slowly being pushed out for swords and shields, bows and arrows, and daggers that were made in forges.
After several minutes he'd arrived at General Robbinson's office that looked just as grand and luxurious as it does from the outside. His offices were a three-story complex that encircled the profoundly beautiful garden that was topped off with a water fountain in the center.
Reager had seen many like General Robbinson, a corrupt leader that indulged in luxury and sick crimes while the troops under him suffered for mistakes in the field that he'd cover up or do a favor for a friend so they'd take care of it. This man disgusted many, but because of his blood relations to one of The Heroes of the First Cataclysm and being apart of the corrupt government puppeteers, he's been able to get away with what he does.
Reager had a very distinct hatred for Robbinson as he'd often make comments about his daughter in very provocative manners but couldn't lay a hand on her for Reager's title of Hero gave him leeway. By the time he made it to Robbinson's office door, he'd sighed multiple times, but the sigh right before he went in was the hardest.
When Reager had made it in, he saw the fat blob that was Robbinson sitting leaned back in his chair with a very pleased look on his face. Reager could hear the very faint sounds of slurps coming from under Robbinson's desk but ignored it as he knew something very distasteful was going on. Hearing the noises made Reager understand why his Beastwoman slave who worked as his secretary wasn't at the desk outside.
"Ahh, Captain Reager, nice to see you finally made it back to the capital." High General Robbinson said with a demeaning smirk played across his face.
Captain Reager sat down cautiously as he felt that something disgusting had once happened in the chair he sat down in. He looked at Robbinson, who looked distracted at what was happening under his desk. But with nothing Reager could do, he said, "Captain Reager and the crew of the Ezio reporting for duty, sir."
Robbinson repositioned himself and said, "It's been a long time since you've accepted the quest for the head of that traitorous scientist with no progress right. Well, orders from his highness and the counsel will have you and your crew be put under the control of Captain Manne, which I also agree should happen. Based on her recent mission reports compared to you, who have failed to capture and eliminate one man for 5 years, in control of this operation. You will act as her temporary advisor for the duration of this mission, and depending on the outcome, you'll either be promoted, or you'll be demoted so tread lightly."
"For now, you are dismissed and should report with your troops to the north by the edge of Cretin Vally," Robbinson continued as he waved off Reager. He made a highly satisfied sigh that lasts for a little over 12 seconds.
A few minutes later, Reager left Robbinson's office complex clenching his fist till they bled. He knew he'd just been screwed over, he knew this was an attempt by Robbinson to lower his credibility. Why? It was written over that fat slob's face lust.
Within all of the cities of The Kingdom of Terra, many viewed Reager's only child, Alice Takahashi, was as the pinnacle of beauty. So that makes her a target for General Robbinson and many others.
Hours later, Reager arrives with his troop of 40, 5 third-class knights, 10 second-class knights, and 25 first-class knights all getting off of the Ezio's loading platform. Reager Marched toward Captain Manne with his troop in tow and gives a formal salute, which was custom of their military.
Captain Manne salutes back and begins to lead Reager and his troop back to hers, which was made up of the same formation of soldiers toward the edge of the valley while saying, "Look, I'm sorr... "
Before she could even mutter the word, sorry, Reager cuts her off and says, "With all due respect for you, Captain Manne, I understand you had nothing to do with me and my troop's predicament. I just allowed Dr.Martens is leagues smarter and cunning than anyone gave him credit for. So when they choose to punish me for not finding someone who is always ninety steps ahead, then what do you do? You let them see the next person fail and the next, and so on. So no offense when I say this, if Dr.Martens is genuinely in this old world bunker, then we'll most likely going to fail today."
Looking bewildered, Manne turns and says, "Wha.. why?
Now beside Manne and staring at the edge of the forest that covers Cretin Valley Reager says, "Because I spent 5 years going on 6 looking for an untraceable man and for us to suddenly be this close isn't a coincident."
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It's been a little over a day since the combat simulator showed Malik a bit of what he's capable of, but he still didn't have all the answers to what he wanted to know. So what's the next best thing than asking a cryptic old man? Ask the friendly-looking neighborhood of possibly mentally unstable family members who all have rooms next to his.
The first person Malik went to was Aileen, whose room door was marked with 02. When he was about to knock the slide open, revealing Aileen in the middle of the room. She sitting crossed legged in what could only be called a meditative trance. She levitated several inches off the ground as she glowed a dim red. As her eyes opened, she floated down to the ground like she was a wise sage.
"Hey there Malik, what brings you here," She says, smiling as if happy to finally have a visitor.
Before Malik speaks, he points and says, "Ok, first off cool, and second can you answer a few questions for me."
Aileen cocks her head to her left and says, "Sure as long as it's not anything, Dr.Martens wants to be restricted."
Malik rolled his human-like robotic eyes and says, "Ok, so first question, can you explain the cores for me? I seem to not be able to get Samantha to answer me at all."
Although Dr.Martens said Samantha was supposed to assist him, Malik hasn't been able to get a response from her since he entered the simulation.
"Oh, she is limited to certain functions until our mission begins, but yea, I'll explain the core for ya. First, you have a data core that houses our minds, which in the case of us six, we have altered data core, unlike regular androids. Thanks to the doctor's son, who developed a strand of code that once it's intercepted by an Android, we gain immediate sentience and free will that the human government tries to keep secret by eliminating sentient Androids once reported that we coined Awakened Ones."
Fully understanding the concept that the data core is essentially the brain, but something didn't sit right with Malik, So he mumbles to himself, "Why?"
Aileen caught his words and responds in a spiritual tone by saying, "Because of the fear of being overthrown and replaced along with wanting to wallow in greed for power."
Wanting to switch the subject as he since a long drawn out lesson, he quickly says, "Ok, what about the system core? If I remember correctly, Dr.Martens said something about it having something to do with the body, right?"
Pointing at Malik with vigor, she says, "Yes, your right, your system core is basically the shell and anchor for your data core and mana core. And lastly, your mana core like all humans and monsters act as your soul and mana pool which, when leveling will become stronger and increase your mana pool."
Malik nods, and they talk for a while, and Malik learns that unlike the other, Aileen was made by Dr.Martens by scratch and altered wit a little bit of leftover Attanites he could find in the possessions of his son. Malik also learned that every one after Aileen was found, salvaged, or repaired from various predicaments they found themselves in.
Aileen also let Malik in on many things about his family, such as they all have a deep-rooted hatred for humanity. For Aileen, it was when Dr.Martens receive mortally dangerous wounds that left him in the wheelchair and gasping for air after he went on a mission to steal tech from the human city New Cardamis. To repair her after she was damaged, fighting a skeleton monster that got the ambushed them. To see someone she sees as her father living now stuck living the way he does now brings tears to her eyes, but she hides it along with her ability to show her emotions and feeling as she doesn't want to worry Martens or her family.
Malik Found her story painful. Somewhere in his chest, something felt heavy, and it only got heavier as he talked to the rest of his family and got to learn their stories as well.
Big Mac was an android guard that stood above the rest. With a hammer that could emit a magic barrier, he was sent into many situations and welcomed as family in the guard post. When finally he was sent to handle an Android that had gained sentience. Before he could smash the poor machine's head, he was gifted sentience that spread from Android to Android like a disease that helped instead of harm. At the last moment, he stopped and refused to kill anything innocent again. This caused him to be brutally dismembered by the human guards he thought were his family and be tossed in a pile of trash till Dr.Martens came.
Venessa was a "special entertainment" Android that satisfied the lust of many adventurers, guards, and drunks that would leave a bar and go straight to the nearest red light district. When gain sentience, she refused to be used again; and it angered the owner of the establishment she was stationed at. The owner let her goons use Venessa as a one time offer, and afterword, she was tossed out into a random alley. Beaten and violated she his like many other Awakened Ones, but her luck was exceptional as instead of being found and eliminated by the government, she was found by Dr.Martens and repaired, made dangerous, and given a loving family. With this, she felt ever indebted to the doctor.
In the case of kelly, the little Android girl dressed as a maid with headphones, she used to be a super operator for the military. Her job was simple pass around information while coordinating several thousands of knights. When asked how she came to be here, she says," One day I intercepted a signal and became an Awakened One. Having hearing bits of information on other Androids being destroyed for gaining sentience, I just ran until I ran into a big round doctor who was willing to give a hand something that was feared."
After listening to kelly, he thought his chest couldn't get any heavier until he sat down and talked to Astrid. The hype and pippy girl was silent after being asked about her orgins, but she eventually told Malik. She was initially a nanny Android whose sole purpose was the well being of a little child. The father was controlling and egotistical while the mother was a drunk who slept with every other guy who dropped off either the mail or the milk bottles. They didn't mind Astrid at all even after she gain sentience. But one day, the father snapped as he found out that the child wasn't his and that the mother had been cheating on him for years. He snapped her neck and proceeded to kill the child despite Astrid's attempt to protect it. After the guards came, she told the truth, but the father spun a fast and convincing tale. He outed her as a sentient Android and claimed she went haywire before rebooting. The guard quickly destroyed her body except her data core, which went flying during the ruckus.
The chest of Malik's felt as heavy as if he had 60 dryer's packed with soggy clothes on it. It got heavier with each tear that fell from her face. That was enough for something in Malik's head to feel like a switch was flipped. He leaned over and said in a dark, cold, and ghastly voice that was midway to his combat-ready form and said, "Quit your crying these humans have hurt you all, and although my purpose is still unclear, I'll make sure they pay. I'll make sure they learn the sorrow of my brother and sisters. I'll do whatever it takes to ease your pains along with Dr.Marten."
Not knowing why he felt inclined to say those words to Astrid, he's surprised by her leaning in and saying, "You don't know it yet, but before you can help us with our own trauma, you have to deal with your own. Why else would you be here with a bunch of upgraded Androids that have trauma's their still working through. Lil brother?"