Chapter 1.8 - Child Care Facility
In the car, en route to the nursing plant.
Melisse: I’m sorry, but I couldn’t hate this bastard more right now!
Mikhail: Relax, Melisse.
Melisse: It’s just irritating that this whole ridiculous affair isn’t over with yet. Voyager is the worst enemy mankind has ever known!
Mikhail: …Seriously, cool your jets already! Besides, we don’t know for sure yet that it’s Voyager…
Melisse: But just like last time, he's after young children again… How can I not be angry about that!? What do you think, Captain?
Jan: Great strength can come out of anger, but so can great evil… When it comes to accomplishing your mission, it’s better to remain calm.
Lactis: I agree with the Captain. It’s certainly true that your passion and courage make our team stronger, but… it’s also true that at times that passion isn’t worth the risk.
Melisse: I… see. But, the Captain…
Mikhail: The Captain is special. He always keeps his cool… makes you wonder if he even has feelings at all!
Jan: Oh really?
Melisse: …Captain? Have you always been this way?
Jan: I’m not sure. Maybe so…
The scene changes to Sharon at a church.
Priest: My child... What it is that you desire?
Sharon: I’m not asking for world peace, but… I do pray that fewer young children will senselessly lose their lives.
Priest: You desire eternal life…?
Sharon: …No, I don’t think long life is the only way to happiness. I just want our society to feel the same concern for its children that I do for my own son.
Priest: …
Sharon: Every morning I wake up and hear about some new tragedy on the news. I lost my husband once. I can’t bear to see that kind of loss repeated over and over.
Priest: You desire eternal peace…?
Sharon: …Yes. For my son to be protected… that is the peace that I want.
Priest: If you desire to bind this contract between you and God, then you must offer up the soul of the person most dear to you. When that is done, you will be given eternal peace.
Sharon: Contract? Father, I don’t really understand what you’re saying, but… virtue shouldn’t need compensation…
Priest: Your actions will open the way to God…
Sharon: …
Child Care Facility
As the investigators make their way into the facility lobby, an automated announcement comes on.
Announcement: Welcome to Jacob Medical Imprinting, Draper Division! Our company works day and night to cultivate a new humanity to carry on the society of tomorrow!
Jan: …?
Announcement: How about a special child produced in one of our company’s artificial wombs? Full-time counselors select genes from the parents and imprint them. Imagine having the child of your dreams, guaranteed. Not married yet? No problem! With our system even bachelors can…
Jan: Child salvators… [German for savior]
Lactis: …It’s pointless. A savior… is more than some person who was born out of too much genetic manipulation. Now there are even high government officials who were made in a cultivation plant like this. Imprinted humans are the basis of a completely homogenous nation. Though a commune managed by people with a single ideology can’t really be called a nation. In that kind of warped hierarchy, humans are… How do these children envision the future?
Jan: …
Lactis: Why are you laughing? Captain?
Jan: No, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to laugh, but… here you are, a superhuman, lamenting the state of humanity.
Lactis: …
Jan: These children know their own role when they enter society. Perhaps fortunately, they don’t question the fate that’s been laid out for them.
Lactis: But it is a man-made system, after all. What if something goes wrong?
Jan: Even if one of them were to go astray, it wouldn’t be that child’s fault. It’s our own, for creating the system in the first place. I just pray that we’re never given the opportunity to become aware of that…
Lactis: You mean… karma? Do you believe in reincarnation, Captain?
Jan: Whether or not it exists, I believe people should have a chance to atone for their sins. If that time is death, then finding the path to salvation is still their responsibility.
Lactis: Yet in this era, even death can be taken away. You and the others have to register to be donors.
Jan: …The Life Recycling Act.
Lactis: Yes, that most efficient use of human resources. After all, a government backed by the Yuriev Institute’s ‘salvators’ can’t abide their laws enforced by people with this primitive ‘human rights’ nonsense. And what can I, an artificial human, say about it?
Jan: Even in death you can’t achieve salvation… is that what you’re getting at?
Lactis: …Well, what if you’re not even permitted to die? When then?
Jan: Ahh, I don’t know. I can’t do anything but confront that when the time comes. Right now just I hope the situation never presents itself.
Melisse: Captain! Could you come over here for a moment?
Words are appearing on the monitor Melisse is looking at.
“And the bowl was poured onto the sea, and it became blood as of a dead man; and every living creature in the sea died.” [Revelation 16:3]
Jan: …This must have some connection to what that female diplomat said... Mikhail!!
Mikhail: I’m on it. I got a copy of it from the facility’s backup data. …Oh, Captain! I’ve confirmed multiple life signs in the incubation room. They’re very weak. They must be embryos! Please take care of them!
Jan: Understood. …You heard him. This mission will be different from what you're used to… we have to be careful!
Incubation Room
There are embryos inside many of the artificial wombs.
Bugs: According to the displays on their chests, it seems that these children are already…
Melisse: Oh… it’s too much…
Jan: Mikhail!!
Melisse: …
Jan: Hey, Mikhail!! Respond!
Mikhail: …I can hear you…
Jan: What’s the status of the children!?
Melisse: Even without seeing their life signs… I know these are not the expressions of sleeping babies. These children are already…
Jan: I see…
Mikhail: It’s as she says.
Lactis: …Children again?
Jan: Mikhail…
Mikhail: …Yes?
Jan: Send a request to the Archon Police… have them collect these children. They’re… all dead.
Mikhail: U-Understood…
Jan: We’ll trace the intruder personally! We’re going to need an operator for the diving device. The way is clear. Get here as soon as possible!! …Is Erich there?
Mikhail: Hey, Erich! The Captain’s calling! …Hey! Erich, what are you up to?
Erich: Ah, uhh… yes?
Jan: We’re in the middle of a mission! What are you doing!?
Erich: My apologies… Something was bothering me about the trace logs from the nursing plant, so I ran a few tests. Seems to have been my imagination though.
Jan: We’re having Mikhail join us here. …Trace any intruders to the central mainframe. Perform the log transmission and provide backup!
Erich: …Understood.
Jan: Also, ready armament level 6 for the dive!
Erich: I’ll start preparations immediately…
Bugs: …Erich… he’s doesn't really have it together yet, does he…
Jan: Mikhail… respond on a secure connection.
Mikhail: …Y-yes?
Jan: …I believe Erich might be experiencing some after-effects of his ordeal. Can you keep an eye on him?
Mikhail: …Yes sir. I’ll keep him company while he’s transmitting the level 6 armament. I’ll join you after that.
Jan: Good.