Immediately after the waitress stumbled and the nervous bodyguards calmed down, Smasher, before returning his gaze, heard an ironic, distorted voice for the first time, saying; "Oh! Please, it wasn't necessary; I'm just a humble mercenary... But if you insist... how can I refuse the "creepy" greeting from Yorinobu Arasaka..."
Adding with false surprise after Yorinobu opened his eyes in astonishment after kissing something metallic, "Oh, apologies for the smell, I oiled it this morning, and you know what the slogan says, 'Smell Like a Man, Man, Cyber Spice!'"
Yorinobu quickly released the metallic hand that was between his own and brought one of them to his mouth, to clean his lips with an expression of disgust and surprise, for instead of kissing the fleshy and smooth hand of his sister's young protégé, he had just kissed the cold and metallic hand of his bodyguard, who in the blink of an eye, had switched places, with her ending up behind him, covering her mouth with her hands to hide her surprise and avoid laughing at Sora's sudden invention.
Almost the same thing happened to Hanako, who had to look at the ceiling to avoid laughing at her brother in front of him, after her son's prank. Yumeko, on the other hand, didn't take her eyes off, enjoying watching the leader of "Taka" making a fool of himself, while Oda still couldn't believe he was his Master's grandson.
Before the indignant Yorinobu could react, Smasher did, interposing himself between his boss and the mercenary who had just played a prank on him, not caring "a damn" that his boss was making a fool of himself.
Focusing solely on what he considered unacceptable. Scanning again the "suicidal" Merc, who had somehow managed to deceive his initial scans, being sure that he had just used a Sandevistan to execute his "joke."
Smasher faced the mercenary again, this time without anyone between them, while Smasher's new scan marked the mercenary with a green outline again after it mistakenly targeted him as "No Threat" due to his black arm as his only Cyberware detected on his body.
However, this erroneous impression changed abruptly, almost seeming deliberate, when the mercenary lifted his head and returned Smasher's gaze, with the stripes on his helmet glowing intensely. And at that very moment, the green outline that surrounded the Mercenary in Smasher's view turned yellow, changing his threat level to "Caution," before changing again to an intense red, marking the mercenary as a clear and evident "Threat".
Not finished yet, something strange began to happen. Smasher's scanners began to behave abnormally. It started to fail and flicker when the red outline surrounding the mercenary began to swell and distort as if something were interfering with Smasher's scanners' ability to precisely delineate the mercenary's body.
To eventually disappeared completely, unable to determine his threat level or clearly delineate his figure, in front of Smasher's astonished gaze, who observed how his software behaved in such an anomalous manner for the first time, even when facing experienced netrunners who assaulted him with Daemons.
The tension between the two didn't go unnoticed by the other guests as the bodyguards of both groups squared off, appearing indifferent to the protocol, the guests, and the distinguished event they were attending as if they might start trying to kill each other at any moment.
Murmurs of concern spread among the guests. Some discreetly looked toward the exits, evaluating possible emergency exits, while others simply watched with some excitement the seemingly imminent conflict, not wanting to miss the show, even if it meant risking their safety.
But under these tense circumstances, an unexpected change occurred that diverted the crowd's attention to the main stage. When Sienna Night, the mysterious and attractive CEO of Night Corp, took the stage, momentarily eclipsing the turmoil in the room.
At her side, Miriam Night followed her steps with serene elegance. The stage, previously discreetly occupied by the string quartet, now became the center of attention for the guests as Sienna took the microphone, and her voice resonated inside and outside the Penthouse.
"Dear guests, I hope you are having an... interesting evening," Sienna commented with a light tone. "First and foremost, I would like to thank our dear and respected guests for their participation in a night like this, so important for Night Corp, as for Night City."
"Now that the evening has progressed, and we have had the chance to catch up with each other in private, it's time to welcome the rest of the guests who, unfortunately, couldn't join us until now," Sienna said with false sadness before continuing. "As well as a small delegation from the media, after all, tonight is not just for us but also to celebrate with the rest of the citizens of Night City."
"So from this point on... Please control your security members, shall we?" Sienna added with a smile, without the need to name or say anything more for everyone to understand which "two" she was referring to.
Sienna's comment prompted both Hanako and Yorinobu to react, causing Sora and Smasher to do the same, ceasing temporarily their eye contact and discreetly returning to their positions behind their respective bosses/clients.
Still, without Smasher losing sight of the Mercenary. Marking the Merc, someone who was entirely unaware, until now, in his mental list of suspects regarding the Ebunike incident and Greyson's disappearance.
After restoring a minimum calm in the room, Sienna, from the stage, welcomed the other Night Corp guests who, until this moment, had been relegated to a room on the outskirts of the gala, considering them not important enough to join the main guests until now, maintaining a continuous stream of new guests to keep the atmosphere fluid.
The majestic double doors of the penthouse swung open wide, revealing Richard's hologram leading a group of journalists, Bes included, all dressed appropriately in black with long skirts and suit jackets with a punk touch, adorned with various studs on shoulders and elbows.
However, someone among the journalistic entourage and second-tier guests made Sora furrow his brow under his helmet as he recognized the murky figure of Faraday, the dangerous fixer, who had sent more Mercs to meet the Chromo god than any other fixer of the city, accompanied by two of his male assistants/dolls dressed in colorful suits.
With a big smile on his face as he mingled with the other guests, eagerly awaiting the day when he wouldn't have to use "shady" methods to be invited to events of this caliber.
After their arrival, Sienna, with her striking presence on stage, continued her speech, announcing a new twist in the night. "Tonight," she proclaimed, "The future unfolds before us, as Richard Night would have wished it to happen in his city. All of us will witness the innovations and projects presented by the different major corporations joining us on this special night."
Her words resonated in the room, injecting a dose of anticipation into the air as the guests prepared for what was to come and what cutting-edge projects the corporations might unveil.
"As the first presenter of the evening, we welcome the CEO of All Foods, Salma Guzman!"
Amid the applause of the guests, Yorinobu glanced seriously at his sister's group members and then at her, without saying a word, following Sienna's assistant who had come to inform one of the evening's presenters, Yorinobu himself, about his turn.
As Salma took the stage and grabbed the microphone from Sienna, a small circular patch placed between the end of her jaw and her neck allowed her voice to naturally emanate from the room's speakers as she began to introduce the new line of products.
With the room's lights automatically shifting to a softer, more indirect tone, a large holographic screen appeared above the stage, displaying the image of All Foods' new product - a fierce lion biting into a "Slaughterhouse," the company's new food line comprising 70% real juicy meat.
Hanako, now calmer since her brother had left, a mixture of anger at her son's reckless behavior and a hint of amusement, after having enjoyed it, shaking her head and rolling her eyes as she reached for a glass of Chapan from one of the waiters to quench her dry throat after her son's confrontation with Smasher.
The group in general ended up in a more comfortable position as they too watched the explosions. When Salma had finished, it was the turn of the Kiroshi Optics representative to take the stage, showing off his corporation's future projects as well.
-
As the presentations continued, a peculiar individual followed by their bodyguards approached Judy and Sora, who were engaged in conversation after returning from the open bar. With one of Militech's representatives, Tristana, waiting a few meters away from the Bar, creating some discomfort In the couple by the slow and hesitant way she approached them.
"A pleasure to meet you. I've always had an interest in meeting you, and if it weren't... for my discomfort with dealing with other people, I should have been the one to visit your office instead of my brother. I apologize if he did or said anything that might have offended you," Tristana said, struggling to maintain eye contact.
Meanwhile, Sora, hiding his glass behind his back and resuming his role as Judy's bodyguard, glanced at his counterpart behind Tristana, in a suit and hat, engaging in non-verbal communication solely through the glances in their masks and their body postures. Morgan looked at him almost reproachfully for his encounter with Smasher, while Sora shrugged in response.
Judy, on her part, responded to Tristana, "It's not so much what he said or did, but who he said it about, poking fun at my partner and co-founder of my company. Still, thanks for your kind words. Is there something else you'd like to say, Tristana, right?"
"Yes, just a message from my brother Andrew: 'May the Militech explosion be a glimpse of what our corporations could achieve together,'" Tristana added, quoting her brother's message.
"Very well, I'll do that," Judy replied, glancing at Sora behind her, both of them moving together.
Tristana, as if she were included, followed them like one of the group. When Judy realized she was being followed, she turned back to Tristana and asked, "Is there something else you need to tell us for you to be following us?"
Tristana, despite Judy clearly referring to her, looked behind as if someone else was following them. Not finding anyone other than her bodyguards, she looked puzzled at Judy again, earning a heavy sigh from Judy. Seeing how odd Tristana was, who seemed oblivious until Morgan, amused by Mayers' daughter's quirks, approached and whispered something that made her catch on.
"Oh! I'm sorry, I just didn't have anyone to hang out with since my brother and General Lee will be presenting our project... I'm sorry for following you; I won't do it again," Tristana said, with a somewhat melancholic tone. Although she would normally prefer to be alone and away from other people, she genuinely wanted to get to know Judy, being a woman of similar age and intellectually acceptable to Tristana, which in itself was already rare.
This made Judy, feeling like she was dealing with an abandoned animal, feel bad, and she said exasperatedly, "Damn it! Fine, stay with us, but..." glancing at Sora behind her and knowing the kind of person Tristana was, and how to use it to her advantage, "You'll have to promise not to tell anyone about what you see in our interactions," Judy said, nodding her head toward Sora.
Somewhat puzzled as to why she would care about Judy's interactions with her bodyguard, Tristana responded with a surprised smile of her own, "Of course!" and the strange joy she felt at being accepted.
Without thinking too much about it, she accepted Judy's request, and although for most it was a trivial and unimportant request that could be broken when it would benefit them, for Tristana it was not so simple.
Even if a part of Tristana wanted to spill the beans, the other part of her, the one that made her comfortable being alone or avoiding looking into people's eyes, finding them perplexing, unpredictable, and thus insecure and unreliable, wouldn't allow it because doing so would make her just another of them, another "human" more... a race she disliked, revealing Tristana's misanthropic thoughts.
With all three of them heading together to the area in front of the stage, Tristana's bodyguards, on Morgan's orders, gave them space to get to know each other.
The Kiroshi Optics exhibition showcased their new models and designs for ocular implants, some of which made Sora chuckle under his helmet as he recognized ones that the future Japanese pop/idol group would use.
The next speaker was Angus Youngblood from Petrochem, who showcased their new and largest soybean and corn fields to date, the major consumers of CHOOH2, in Colombia and Brazil.
In his own words, he said, "This will ensure that Petrochem maintains its reign as the world's largest producer of CHOOH2, despite what our competition would like." A clear mention for his SovOil rival, Anatoly Novaragov.
Next came Kang Tao's turn, with two Asian twins dressed in traditional Chinese-style suits taking the stage. They showcased Kang Tao's new models of smart weapons and ammunition.
After Kang Tao finished, it was finally Militech's turn, with General Lee and Tristana's brother, Andrew, stepping onto the stage. Judy turned to Tristana and asked, "So, what are you going to present tonight?"
"Something that's not quite ready and that we shouldn't show to the public" Tristana said, guiltily as she looked at Judy and resentfully when doing so to her brother on stage.
Meanwhile, Sora and Judy took a sip of their drinks, not really caring about the Mayers family drama, as they had enough of their own. With Sora still feeling Smasher's gaze on his back from the back of the room, where Yorinubo was conversing with a few guests, including Alexander Kessler.
While on stage, Sora could see Andrew talking to someone using a small military-looking hand pad, leading him to think it must be an AEI-CD or "Anti Electromagnetic Interference Communication Device" to communicate in the penthouse, regardless all the "signal jammers" inside the building.
Shortly after he stopped speaking through the AEI-CD, Andrew signaled to the General, appearing to have everything ready. Thereupon the lights in the room suddenly go out, leaving the penthouse and its guests in darkness.
Alongside General Lee, on the dimly lit stage, illuminated only by a solitary spotlight, Andrew's confident voice resonated in the somber room, with all the guests' eyes fixed on him.
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. I am Andrew Mayers from Militech, and accompanying me is the 'charming' General Lee," Andrew introduced himself with grace, eliciting laughter among the guests, given the widely known 'charming' character of Militech's resolute General.
"Seizing the opportunity to be here with all of you, esteemed Night Corp guests, gathered today to commemorate a "visionary" like Richard Night... My sister Tristana and I have decided that this is the place to unveil our 'visionary' project to the world," Andrew said with a respectful yet assured tone on the stage, ignoring his sister's intense gaze, which stood out among the other guests.
Extending his dramatic pause for a few seconds, Andrew added when he noticed the final message on the AEI-CD he still held in his hand: "Tonight, Militech is pleased to present... the future of military aviation!"
As he concluded, Andrew opened his arms, and on both sides, two holographic screens displayed the technical specifications of Militech's latest aircraft.
---
[Aircraft Name: Militech BlackAquila X-15]
---
[Technical Specifications:]
- [ACM Speed]: 860 miles per hour (mph) / 1384 kilometers per hour (km/h)
- [Maximum Speed]: 5740 miles per hour (mph) / 9241 kilometers per hour (km/h) (Mach 7.4)
- [Deceleration to Full Stop]: 42.169 seconds
- [Turn Rate]: 125 degrees per second (°/s)
- [Pitch Rate]: 32 degrees per second (°/s)
- [Vertical Turn Rate]: 32 degrees per second (°/s)
- [Dimensions]: 22 meters (72.18 feet) in length, 27.8 meters (91.21 feet) in width, 9 meters (29.53 feet) in height
- [Mass]: 171,700 kg (378,417 pounds)
- [Fuel Capacity]: 50,000 liters of JP-8.
---
[Additional Description:]
- [Reinforced Armor]: The BlackAquila is equipped with enhanced armor to protect its crew and passengers.
- [Improved Maneuverability]: Twin engines on the wings, mounted on a robust rail system capable of moving them on both sides of the wings and rotating them 360 degrees about the engine axis, providing the ship with unparalleled maneuverability proportional to the pilot's skill.
- [Electromagnetic Thrusters]: Thanks to powerful superconducting magnets, a magnetic field is generated that interacts with Earth's natural magnetism. This enables Magnetic Levitation, Weight Relief, and Stabilization, resulting in unparalleled mobility.
- [Camouflage Technology]: The ship's reinforced armor is composed of wave-absorbing materials, along with "enhanced" camouflage technologies for stealth operations.
- [Remote Turret]: Equipped with a remote turret on top that provides 360-degree coverage against hostile threats.
- [Rapid Deployment]: For combat personnel deployment, the BlackAquila features deployment ports along the hull that can open during flight and in deep space. These ports are equipped with air shield systems to ensure troop safety.
- [Safety Seats]: Each station is equipped with safety harnesses to ensure the safety of soldiers during transit.
- [Customizable Armament]: The BlackAquila has compartments for various types of missiles and fully customizable equipment.
- [Out-of-Atmosphere Flight Capability]: The BlackAquila has out-of-atmosphere and vacuum propulsion capability thanks to Militech's latest engines.
---
The next instant, the entire Penthouse began to tremble, with a growing roar emanating from the terrace. Behind Andrew on the stage, all the guests could see as a black vessel streaked past ascending rapidly, from their perspective like a black arrow shot into the night skies of Night City, passing between Andrew's outstretched arms in a synchronized and meticulously choreographed presentation that had been well worth it, judging by the surprised expressions on the guests' faces.
The BlackAquila gracefully soared through the sky until the ship performed a loop and began to dive toward the Penthouse. As the prototype of the Militech vessel sped toward the Penthouse, the building's glass windows and the guests' panic began to vibrate.
Only when there were barely 30-20 meters left, the ship rotated its powerful engines at the tips of its wings and the small electromagnetic thrusters on the sides of its body, generating enough thrust in the opposite direction to come to an abrupt stop within the remaining 5 meters before reaching the terrace. It hung stably in front of all the guests, causing them to exhale in relief.
Now, hovering in front of them on the terrace, Sora could see it, his eyes fixating on the elegant elongated and aerodynamic shape that tapered and curved before opening again, resembling the tail of a bird of prey.
Surveying with his gaze its two long and symmetrical wings, extending from the center of the hull, with two powerful engines, almost larger than the wings themselves, angled at 45 degrees to maintain horizontal flight.
Additionally, there were several smaller engines at the rear emitting a blue light, like the pulsating glow of the circular electromagnetic thrusters, four on each side of the ship for stabilization. The cockpit was located at the front, featuring a black curved windshield that provided a view of the exterior.
The BlackAquila ship sported a matte black color with some silver accents, along with a futuristic and sleek appearance, clearly designed for speed and maneuverability.
Sora was hypnotized by watching it... according to him, hearing it calling out to him with an irresistible seductive voice', like a mermaid's song.
---
"Pilot me!"
"..." Tempted Sora as he stood in silence....
"Take me, My "builders" don't deserve me."
"..." Asking to rescue it from Militech....
"Let's fly, let's be free!"
"..." Offering her freedom in return....
"Let us be... one... on the 'Sora'..."
"...." Even playing with his name.
---
As Sora's imagination soared high, he wasn't the only one inside him who reacted upon seeing the "new" Militech aircraft. Someone who had been pretending to be asleep opened one of their eyes, recognizing the ship, or rather a part of its technology.
Judy felt a subtle chill forming at the edge of her ear hidden under her hair. Upon touching it, she found a ring, similar to what Sora used to listen to music. She could hear a voice shortly after, ["Judy... I want one"], an adult's voice requesting an experimental military craft like a child asking for a pet.
She responded as if it were a regular call on her IDn, despite the inhibitors, thanks to the small AEI-CD of nanobots in the form of a black ring, allowing them to have a private conversation. He chose a subtler option than the flashy snap trick.
["Sure, where do you want us to keep it? Under the bed, or maybe in the shower when we're not using it..."] Judy replied ironically, rolling her eyes at the thought of where they could possibly store such a ship in her small apartment.
["We could... move,"] Sora said, without giving up
["Are you kidding, right? You know, how much I love our apartment."]
["I liked it too at first. It was fun, but now... it's getting tedious. It's too smalland we have so many things. Between Eco, Luna, and Fool, it feels like the ceiling's going to collapse on us one of these days,"] Sora replied, taking the opportunity to express his thoughts about their current apartment.
["You're not kidding! You really want a new apartment!"]
["Yes, and I already have one in mind. It's in Heywood, like the workshop, so we'd have more time in the mornings before you head to work. Plus, the security is great, it's located on the border with Zero District."]
["Hush demon!"] Judy replied trying to stop his tempting words, being true to her flirty little apartment, but....
[And... what else..."] Judy asked folding her arms and giving her beautiful bareback by the fall of her dress to Sora, falling for Sora's provocative words, while trying to quench as much as she could her growing curiosity.
["It's a penthouse, top floor. We'd have views like this every day,"] Sora added, leaning his helmet next to Judy's head, tempting her like a demon on her shoulder. He gestured toward the city skyline visible through the windows and terrace of the penthouse, causing Judy's eyes to light up before she corrected herself.
Throughout this conversation, they maintained a silent intimacy, behaving as if they were speaking closely without words, leaving Tristana bewildered as she wondered if this was the thing she shouldn't share with anyone.
["It has two floors, but the apartment is essentially one large room with a metal structure as the second floor, exposed brick, just the way you like it. It even has a pool table and a section for a small library, as you've always wanted,"] Sora said, showing how much he had thought about her when choosing it.
Taking a satisfied sip of his drink, having managed to completely tempt Judy by how she had stood motionless reviewing the photos of the apartment Sora was sending her as he talked.
["It's... beautiful-"] Just as Judy was almost convinced that this was her dream apartment, she noticed something.
["Wait! Why is one of your jackets in one of the photos of the wardrobe?"] She quickly switched to another image on her IDn and added, ["And one of your guitars is hanging on the wall in another photo?! You told me it was in the workshop... Sora... don't tell me you bought the apartment without telling me!"] Judy exclaimed.
["Ah..."] Catching Sora by surprise, who didn't think the conversation would drift into that little detail.
["Ah? Where the hell did you get the Eddies from?"] Judy demanded an explanation.
["From what I've earned in the past three years as a mercenary, especially this last year,"] Sora casually replied, surprising Judy with the substantial amount he must have earned through his "hobby" as Okamim, as she considered Sora's work as Mercenary. Knowing how random he could become to charge his clients, sometimes asking for ridiculous amounts as payment or practically nothing.
Angry that Sora had bought a new apartment without consulting her, and one he had apparently already been using in secret, Judy expressed her frustration by squeezing her hands and slurring her syllables, saying, ["Sora, you bassstard!"]
["Shh, it's starting!"] Ignoring Judy, Sora ended the call like an excited child seeing his favorite show, as the General Lee moved forward on the dimly lit stage, commanding attention with her authoritative presence.
Infuriating Judy even further, but not allowing Sora to have his way, she contained her anger for later when she could yell at him to her heart's content.
General Lee stepped forward on the dimly lit stage, commanding attention with her authoritative presence. In a serious and professional tone, she offered her experienced perspective on the BlackAquila.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the BlackAquila before you can be considered the pinnacle of current military aviation, combining the best characteristics of fighters - speed and agility - with the utility and practicality of Drop Ships.
This makes it a highly versatile military craft, capable of fulfilling a wide range of roles in a conflict, even outperforming pure fighters in some cases due to its incredible mobility and stability, thanks to its innovative 'Electromagnetic Thrusters,' a technology reclaimed from before Datakrash era and proudly reintroduced and patented by Militech.
Through the Earth's own magnetic field interaction, the 'Electromagnetic Thrusters' enable slight magnetic levitation, lightening the load on the craft's engines, thereby enhancing its thrust and performance.
Not to mention its stealth capabilities for covert missions, which I must admit have astonished me. Thanks to the wave-absorbing armor materials and, above all..." At this point, General Lee glanced momentarily at a certain young CEO among the attendees with a hint of guilt, disliking what she was about to say.
"I am a soldier, not a damn Corpo," General Samantha Lee cursed in her head before continuing, "the camouflage technology that—"
Due to General Lee's clear pause as she delved into the intricate details of BlackAquila's camouflage technology, Andrew, with a mocking smile on his face, interrupted her. Even Tristana displayed a subtle expression of panic, knowing what her brother was about to say, despite their agreement not to reveal the "camouflage" during the presentation in front of the creators.
"Let's first provide a demonstration so that all our dear guests can understand." With a gesture toward the BlackAquila's pilot, the craft activated its holographic camouflage, creating an almost invisible blur that concealed the craft entirely, to the amazed eyes of the attendees.
"Incredible, isn't it? The holographic technology used by the BlackAquila, we must admit, is not Militech's; it's... borrowed!" Andrew said with sarcasm, glancing at a certain young CEO.
"Militech, like many other corporations, cannot afford to see such vast potential technology wasted on insignificant as robotic pets," he declared boldly, pausing dramatically as he glanced at a certain young CEO and her bodyguard. "If any of the small companies present here have complaints about what we're doing, our lawyers will be more than happy to handle your grievances," he added with a mocking laugh.
Andrew's shameless words left everyone stunned, but what followed was even more surprising. Instead of outrage, laughter began to spread among the guests. The mega-corporation was publicly admitting to technology theft, and rather than condemning it, the audience seemed to find it amusing, their eyes also turning towards the CEO of the "small" company he was referring to.
The subsequent covert and not-so-covert glances and laughter from the guests, especially at Judy, did not sit well with either of them.... with Sora's glass, was about to explode, due to the 5 fractures coinciding with the tips of his 5 fingers.
Judy, on the other hand, merely looked disgusted at the person who had been speaking amicably to them until now, who was avoiding eye contact due to the sudden awkward situation her brother had created.
Even Morgan, feeling somewhat guilty for acting as an intermediary between Militech and Lazarus with the holographic technology of the "kid," approached Tristana again, moving her away slightly from Sora and Judy. He didn't believe they would do anything, but he still did it, given the unexpected words and attitude displayed by Myers' son towards the people he was literally stealing from and mocking in front of them. The worried thought crossed his mind: How would the "kid" react, who hadn't moved yet?
"And lastly, being especially proud of this little detail, the Blackaquila also boasts the capability of traveling beyond the atmosphere and propelling in a vacuum, allowing it to serve as both a fighter, a dropship, and a spacecraft, all in one vessel,in the latest proud creation of Militech" Said Andrew, as a startling revelation to conclude his presentation.
This caused a thunderous applause from the guests, who not only were taken aback by Militech's new product but had also been entertained like no other exhibitions of the evening. resulting in the most significant and robust round of applause among the attendees.
While Andrew bathed in the applause with a broad smile on stage, Sora had yet to react or move, continuing to gaze at Andrew on the stage. With the guests' laughter still echoing in his mind, he began to seriously contemplate a way to get back at Militech. As he did so, he felt a tug on his consciousness that abruptly pulled him into the cyberspace of his nanobots.
---
Within the idyllic and almost surreal cyberspace within Sora's nanobots, significant changes had occurred over these three years. The beautiful blue sky that once composed it had been replaced by a nocturnal expanse, perfectly in tune with Sora's new nocturnal life as a mercenary.
With a surreal moon adorned with seven rings, resembling the planet. In a night sky that offered a view of constellations and stars more beautiful and clear than one could imagine, quite literally.
Creating a celestial spectacle in the night sky that reflected upon the waters of a vast lake, surrounded by green hills and forests. In this idyllic and surreal cyberspace, something approached Sora, for once of its own accord.
"Is it you, huh?" Sora murmured, still perturbed by the events outside. "Have you brought me here to utter your final words? How is your code holding up? Still stable?" He asked while gazing at the massive wolf-like avatar of Arc emerging from the trees, their eyes level.
According to his Soulcode, he was increasingly replacing more of Arc's unstable code, believing that at some point he could make it disappear or... fully assimilate it.
Ignoring the provocative words of the "human" and "understanding" his anger, Arc replied, "You're not the only one who's been robbed."
"What are you talking about?" Sora quickly responded, drawn to Arc's brief statement.
"The ship designs and parts of its technology are not from Militech; they're from UNSA, they're mine. The designs I created when 'the Professor' was still alive.
Part of the technological Heritage I scattered throughout the old network's cyberspace so my siblings wouldn't gain anything from my death, although it seems they've been recovering it, or at least a portion," Arc calmly replied, albeit with some difficulty discussing the past.
"Incomplete?" Sora added, focusing on the part that interested him most amid the implications of Arc's words.
"I divided all the technology and blueprints I developed so that whoever found it would only have an incomplete part of a larger technology," Arc explained.
"Fuck whoever finds it! If you deleted it, how do you know it's yours? Militech might have brought it back," Sora retorted.
Shaking his snout, Arc added, "I kept the directory; I have an index with all UNSA's technologies and which projects they belong to. The Electromagnetic Thrusters are from Project Prowler, a spaceship designed for both out-of-atmosphere and atmospheric use."
"Look closely at the data," Arc said, bringing up a holographic display of technical data on the Blackaquila. "What Militech has and has built is an incomplete technology."
[Technical Specifications:]
[ACM Speed]: 860 miles per hour (mph) / 1384 kilometers per hour (km/h)
[Maximum Speed]: 5740 miles per hour (mph) / 9241 kilometers per hour (km/h) (Mach 7.4)
[Deceleration to Full Stop]: 42.169 seconds
[Turn Rate]: 125 degrees per second (°/s)
[Pitch Rate]: 32 degrees per second (°/s)
[Vertical Turn Rate]: 32 degrees per second (°/s)
[Dimensions]: 22 meters (72.18 feet) in length, 27.8 meters (91.21 feet) in width, 9 meters (29.53 feet) in height
[Mass]: 171,700 kg (378,417 pounds)
[Fuel Capacity]: 50,000 liters of JP-11.
Sora, aware that he could take his time here, instead of asking for the answer directly, reviewed the data himself, searching for the flaw as Arc hinted, as if he were... testing him.
After a few moments of silence reviewing the data, Sora's lips began to move as he muttered his thought process. "To reach orbit, you need a thrust-to-weight ratio (T/W) that allows you to overcome Earth's gravity. According to the Kármán line, outer space begins at an altitude of 100 kilometers..." Sora paused for a moment, attempting to simplify the technical information for his own understanding.
"If the Blackaquila has a maximum speed of Mach 7, roughly 9,000 kilometers per hour, which is about... 2,500 m/s², it would take... 39.8 seconds to cover the 100 kilometers to the Kármán line.
If we multiply that speed by the mass, we get the maximum force of the ship, which would be around... (171,700 kg × 2,500 (m/s²)) ≈ 429,250,000 N.
Given that we have a fuel capacity of 50,000 liters, the time the BlackAquila could maintain 429,250,000 N of thrust by burning fuel in a vertical trajectory, according to the maximum energy value of JP-11, would be... 57 seconds!"
Upon reaching this startling conclusion, Sora added, "Fraudulent thieves, ha! They claim it's capable of space flight, but they don't tell you it's only for barely 20 seconds more."
Assertively, Arc added, "Correct, and it's an unalterable figure. If they added more fuel, it would also increase its weight, rendering its propulsion technology practically useless."
The Prowler project didn't have such a flaw; it was a complete and balanced technology. That's why I divided the information, but I did it in such a way that one part could inspire the other. Many of the divided technologies contain the missing piece within them, so that if the worst were to happen... the technology wouldn't be lost entirely. Even if only a part were to be saved, it could inspire someone like the 'profe'— someone intelligent and passionate enough about technology to recover the missing piece on their own," Arc revealed, correcting himself to avoid saying more than he should. Nevertheless, it was evident how much he cherished technological advancement and preserving his words.
This caused Sora to open his eyes in surprise, revisiting the technical data once more in an attempt to find the clue Arc was referring to.
Creating a new screen in front of him and recalling one of the [Additional Descriptions] that had caught his attention, Sora displayed it.
Arc, for his part, didn't interrupt the 'useless' attempt of the 'human' to uncover it, even though he believed it impossible. In this case, he thought it wasn't just a new engine based on electromagnetic thrusters that was needed to complete the Prowler project, but something else that eluded him.
When Sora created a new screen with information on [Electromagnetic Thrusters], Arc was surprised that Sora's efforts didn't seem as 'useless' and misguided as he had initially thought; 'he was on the right track'.
Silently, Arc lay down, watching with interest as the 'human' divided himself in two, extracting his Soulcode, normally in sync as one.
Now, acting as a team, they tried to decipher the missing piece, projecting the ship, the engines, and anything that could help them, extracting every second of information from their memories while constantly sharing ideas with each other.
With Arc in silence, attempting to control the last secondary effects he had been experiencing as more of his unstable code was replaced, he 'understood' in his code the overwhelming emotions that Sora and his Soulcode were generating—feeling their curiosity and desire to discover and create, the anxiety they felt from having nothing, and the consequent helplessness that overcame them. Then, a new illogical and nameless feeling ignited within them, prompting them to revisit what they had already reviewed and think again about what they had already thought.
With Arc feeling like one more in this exhausting yet mysteriously comforting process that repeated until, having nothing, one of them said, "How easy it would be to solve it with a snap of the fingers," joking about the gesture they used to execute new commands to the nanobots.
Unintentionally that silly joke, created a storm of wild ideas, that caused one of them, stuttering and nervous, to say; "The-e th-thrusters! MAGNETS! A new... engine... using the nanobots to create some new kind of... MAGNETIC!" Nervously uttering an incomprehensible jumble of words for anyone else but himself.
And to Arc's surprise, he, also, understood it, flooding him with new ideas as Sora hinted at the missing piece that had been in front of him all along.
Getting up and approaching the 'human' and his Soulcode, Arc asked seriously, "Answer me this, Human... No, this time you've earned the right for me to call you by your name...
Answer me, Sora. Do you truly believe you can develop it? Having a promising theoretical idea and being able to put it into practice are two entirely different things. Do you see yourself capable of building the new engine and the new type of com-"
Before he could finish, 'Sora' and his Soulcode smiled with the same expression as Arc's blue-coded wolf avatar, and as they merged into one again, they began their sentence with two voices in unison and ended it with a single one.
"I have to admit, you've done well. The technology won't be lost!" And when they became one, he added; "Heh, of course I can," with a confident smile devoid of doubt.
Not only hearing his response but also feeling it within his code, Arc said, "Then... I entrust the Prowler project to you..." As he made his body shine, using the Soulcode that bound them together and kept him alive, he flooded Sora's mind with all the information about the Prowler Project that Arc had managed to recreate so far.
With Sora's mind filled with designs of the Prowler ship, as well as an unfinished experimental engine, along with the blueprints and theory behind the electromagnetic thrusters that Arc had managed to recreate from scratch, as well as some complex and wild chemical formulas that he had just created when Sora broke through the barrier that had blocked him.
When Sora opened his eyes again, Arc was already retreating. But before disappearing completely into the simulated trees, Sora shouted, "Thank you!" offering a sincere bow of gratitude to Arc for everything he had just taught him.
Sora's genuine gratitude stopped Arc in his tracks, marking the first time Sora had thanked him or been polite. As he vanished into the trees, his following words lingered:
"Don't forget, Sora, my siblings are still moving behind the wall, gathering my legacy and tempting humans useful for their plans, like those two Militech siblings, and who knows how many people at the gala we attended... are already their pawns."
With Arc's warning echoing through space and in his mind, Sora closed his eyes, exiting his cyberspace.
---
Upon reopening his eyes, only a few seconds had passed in the physical world. The Blackaquila was landing on the largest and most reinforced central helipad on the terrace, with several spotlights illuminating the stylish ship, allowing it to be admired for the rest of the night.
Andrew and General Lee had just come down from the stage, and his sister Tristana had regrouped with them as soon as they did.
They were surrounded by guests congratulating them on their presentation, eager to win the friendship of the promising siblings. With a couple of projects as impactful as the one they had just presented, there was no doubt that they would follow in their mother's footsteps, if not as presidents, then as high-ranking executives at Militech.
Judy, seeing that Sora wasn't reacting, patiently waited by his side, knowing that he must either be really angry or engaged in a conversation with his other parts. When Sora returned from his cyberspace, he turned to Judy and said, "Let's go."
Morgan frowned under his mask when he saw the "kid" who had remained motionless until now suddenly react and head directly toward them. He hesitated about whether he should intervene and try to stop him by talking before he got closer. It was Avaray and Norris who stopped him, knowing that it was beyond their pay grade and that they shouldn't intervene unless something violent happened.
When Sora and Judy arrived, a small gap opened up among the guests, created by Andrew, who had been waiting for them to arrive. To his surprise, it was the bodyguard he had no interest in who extended his arm in a friendly handshake.
Meanwhile, Morgan shook his head behind Andrew, thinking, 'If it were me, I wouldn't take it,' as he glanced at Sora's extended hand in apparent cordiality. Andrew, on the other hand, didn't think twice and, with a smile growing on his face, completed the handshake with a firm grip on the black hand in front of him.
"Congratulations on the presentation, Andrew. The Blackaquila is truly impressive, a ship I would love to have. If you have the time, I'd like to ask you some questions about the technical details that caught my attention," He said cordially, seemingly not upset at all,
Surprising not only Morgan but Judy as well, seeing for the first time the state of Sora so pissed off, that he had turned all the way around, and seemed polite and happy.
"I'm surprised that a mercenary wants to discuss 'technical details' with us, but go ahead," Andrew replied, with the least amount of courtesy for the mercenary who clearly had a connection to the creators of Iron Beast. He was starting to feel uncomfortable as the handshake continued, with the Mercenary persistently shaking his hand up and down.
"Haha, thanks," Sora responded with a grateful tone for allowing him to ask his question. However, his tone changed when he posed the question. "Tell me, do you folks at Militech ever do anything original, or are you all a bunch of scavengers who steal everything you can?" Sora said, stopping the handshaking and now exerting force in his grip.
"Excuse me!?" Andrew exclaimed, offended by the Mercenary's words and unsure, for a moment, whether to protest against the words or the grip.
"You heard me... I don't know if any of the ignorant guests here remember the 'UNSA,'" Sora added, insulting the "cockroaches" who were only interested in meeting powerful people they could show off to or use, if they played their cards right. This caused a reaction in Morgan and General Lee due to the sudden mention of UNSA.
"I've only taken a few seconds to dig up this old photo, one of the few things that survived from the old network. It's an image of the concept for an old UNSA ship, and you can't help but notice its similarities to the Blackaquila. It has the same design and electromagnetic thrusters. Heck, even the positions are the same!" Sora added, having quickly found the image on the Net, simply because he knew the project's name from Arc.
Activating two small compartments on the sides of his helmet's chin, he revealed two small lenses that, when activated, created a hologram of an old, dated image from 2019, showcasing the conceptual design of the Project Prowler, with the UNSA symbol on one side of the photo.
"I wonder where you siblings got the designs for Project Prowler. After all, all of UNSA's advancements were lost, infected by Moss's R.A.B.I.D.S. behind the Blackwall. According to 'Occam' and his 'razor,' the most obvious, and also dangerous, answer would be that you got it from there, from behind the wall. But the President's children wouldn't do that, would they?" Sora said ironically.
Causing a shift in attitude in the astonished Morgan due to what he was hearing, he ceased to act as a bodyguard for Militech, and as the leader of Lazarus, took advantage of his position to command the halt of Militech's bodyguards,including Avaray and Norris, who by order of General Lee were about to intervene.
To allow Sora to continue his unique "interrogation" of Myers' son, while Morgan faced his old friend and acquaintance General Lee, who was about to intervene herself.
Meanwhile, Tristana, bewildered by the Mercenary's accusations and her security team's inactivity, took matters into her own hands, attempting to clarify the misunderstanding by recounting the information she believed her brother had shared when he handed over the incomplete designs for the UNSA's Prowler project.
"It's true that we based the Blackaquila on the UNSA's Prowler project, but my brother obtained it from a hard drive from one of UNSA's old satellites that fell out of orbit. He made a deal with the Nomad clan who found it! My brother hasn't done anything wrong; could you please release him?" exclaimed Tristana, despite her anger with him, concerned for her brother's well-being.
[She's lying or being lied to, though it may be true that the satellite fell out of orbit. I wiped all the UNSA servers myself. If I had to guess, it was intentional. They dropped one of the satellites to breach the Blackwall and provide a cover for the exchange, in case Netwatch discovered them.]
Believing Arc's words, Sora looked at Tristana and, without letting go of her brother, responded with irony, "Sure, honey, whatever you say. The same thing happened to Biotechnica, they created CHOOH2 by wishing upon a shooting star and a satellite fell in front of them."
Andrew, looking rather pale due to the Mercenary's accurate accusations, suddenly felt a tug on his numb hand, causing him to lean forward, bringing his face closer to the Mercenary's helmet. Then the Mercenary whispered to the perplexed Andrew.
"Be cautious when the Daemons come to claim their payment, Andrew. If the price you have to pay for the technology they've given you is such that it harms even the slightest thing to someone I care about or their lives... I won't hesitate to cut down the weeds before they spread, do you understand, Andrew?"
Sora whispered into Andrew's ear, repeating his name with a subtle, distinct tone each time, the last one sending shivers down Andrew's spine, as he saw something illusory and ethereal behind the Mercenary through his ocular implants.
A gaping maw filled with fangs that snapped shut, as if it were about to rip his head off, but stopped at the last moment and instead, closed in front of his face. It abruptly disappeared when the Mercenary finally released Andrew's bruised and painful hand, dropping sweaty and pale to the floor, just as the illusion, with the strength in his legs also disappeared.
Indifferent to the stares of the guests and the powerless Militech security team, Sora and Judy walked away from the silent group that had lost the joy and celebration it once had.
Sora left one last message as they departed without even looking "I look forward to hearing what technology you'll steal next to solve the 20-second problem," Sora added, waving his hand.
This surprise statement startled Tristana when she heard it, fully aware of what Sora meant by the "20 seconds," feeling somewhat offended by his words about theft but unable to deny them.
This small confrontation went unnoticed by most of the other guests in the room because it happened on a dimly lit side near the stage and the main reason, due to the presence of the attractive and sexual Excella Loggagia on stage, with Biotechnica's turn taking place, in the penultimate presentation of the evening