Chapter 251 – Tanis – Vaccine Recovery
The break ended briefly. Just enough to catch your breath, but too much to make your heart rate slow down. There are still very few people here.
We rested and took out all the remaining ammunition and redistributed it evenly.
Charlie, who was in charge of searching and was at the forefront of detecting dangerous elements, and Alpha, who was paired with him and took the lead, were wasting a lot of ammo.
Meanwhile, I, who was the commander, and Echo, who watched the rear and often made close-range finishes, tended to have a bit more ammunition left. Yes, it’s a small difference.
We did a simple cleaning with the gun import tool that Echo took out. Wouldn’t it be unfair if you came all this way and ended up in a jam at a critical moment?
Because it was a series of forced marches and battles, there was no time to reorganize. Thanks to this, throughout the engagement, I had to constantly worry that a bullet might be caught with the sound of ‘thud!’.
“As expected, Artemis’ choice was right.”
Pursuing the highest reliability while maintaining the existing system rather than a groundbreaking and powerful new weapon.
Her decision to supplement firepower by strengthening ammunition was valid.
The imported guns that came out after popping the barrels were stained with gunpowder residue. It reminds me of a picture of seagulls on the coast where an oil tanker accident occurred.
There is no time for 100% complete maintenance or consumables. I finished by wiping only the important parts and handed over the tool.
By the time the third import begins, the infectious agents are hitting the bulkhead! Thud! The beating also stopped.
The floor of the generator room is clean enough to shine with just a wet mop, and the desks and equipment are arranged without a mess.
The only thing that was dirty was the remains that were stretched out in a large area in the middle. Next to it was a weapon similar to a pistol.
I squatted in front of it and looked.
“I put the muzzle of the gun to the roof of my mouth and pulled the trigger.”
He was a person who knew a sure method of suicide.
A bullet fired at an angle could not penetrate the skull, or a bullet fired in the chest or abdomen would cleverly avoid the vital area.
“Outside, the National Guard was fighting their last fight, and they would have had no choice but to starve to death here as well. I guess you chose the clean path. “It was an honorable death, just a different method from a warrior.”
Solaver picked up something similar to an identification card neatly placed next to the skull.
“Chief researcher of Tanis vaccine research team 2, Shanan.”
I looked ahead while listening to the identity of the remains. There was another small bulkhead about 30 meters ahead.
On the bulkhead is written ‘Generator’.
“According to National Guard records, the vaccine was sealed where the main generator was located.”
Between the main generator and us, there is a small partition about 4 m wide and 2.5 m tall.
[Nothing other than the regular machine running sound is detected.]
Said Echo, holding an instrument similar to a stethoscope to the bulkhead.
“No firing is allowed, no matter what is inside. Just take it outside and deal with it.”
[Roger.]
All the robots repeated.
“Are you ready?”
Solaver asked, standing in front of the control panel.
I nodded.
Dalkak.
The final bulkhead opened, and the interior began to be revealed.
The first thing I saw was a large generator installed in the center.
The fusion generator in the shelter has a typical appearance, as advertised as ‘This is a power generation device.’
On the other hand, the one in front of me was similar to a crystal stand, with a long, thin blue crystal fixed in the center.
On the ceiling, there is a device that looks like an operating room lighting fixture enlarged 10 times, and below, a metal structure that looks similar to a simple warp device is positioned as if surrounding a crystal.
A bluish light reminiscent of the Cherenkov phenomenon emanates from the crystal.
[Radiation concentration. Allowable range.]
Charlie reported.
“I finally found it.”
In this small space where there is only a generator, there is one more very heterogeneous device. It looks like a medical refrigerator.
The device is full of bumps and scratches, as if it had been removed from the research building and moved here. Looking at the blood, it looks like there was even a fight during transport.
Under the transparent cover, 12 thumb-sized glass ampoules are inserted, and white cold air flows constantly between them.
The contents of the ampoule are translucent green, with gold-colored grains mixed in.
The nameplate attached to the device reads as follows:
-Prototype number 82. Self-proliferating and active infectious agent destruction enzyme.
Exciting!
My heart was beating fast.
Vaccine!
It’s a vaccine!
We flew all the way to the other side of the universe and finally found it!
The beginning was an operation to recapture the shelter.
Innumerable advancements gained while securing the survival of Artemis and me, and traveling through numerous important facilities on Earth.
The final expedition team, made up of them all, finally reached the golden key.
“Aha.”
Haha…”
Solaver and I, who were laughing helplessly, burst into uncontrollable laughter at some point and hugged each other.
* * *
It didn’t take long for us to calm down from our excitement. Even during times of laughing, the robots’ batteries are decreasing.
“It is definitely the right answer to hide it here.”
“Isn’t this the place where power is supplied, and the safest protection can be provided under any circumstances?”
On the way here, there were several buildings that had power outages due to disconnected lines. If it had been stored there, it would have all rotted.
“Now it’s my turn.”
Our expedition team was each assigned a key mission.
Charlie explores.
Alpha is the main battle.
Tango is an autonomous weapon.
Echo is a sapper.
Solaver is a guide and control of alien bases.
And my mission is the simplest yet most important. It’s transportation. You might say he’s just a porter, but isn’t the most important role in The Lord of the Rings a professional?
I removed the backpack that was attached to my back throughout the journey and pressed the button.
Chi-ik.
With the sound of pressure being released, a container for storing the vaccine was revealed inside.
Not only does it provide all wavelengths of light and temperature as needed, but it also has a function to prevent coagulation by continuously rotating it like a blood sample manager.
We are fully prepared because we do not know what characteristics the vaccine will have. However, the cooling function seems to be sufficient.
I reached for the transparent cover that protects the vaccine ampoule and stopped.
“Could it be that a trap or something was set up?”
“This is not some kind of jewel buried with an ancient emperor. On the contrary, it is a buried treasure that I hope someone will find.”
I brushed aside the old man’s puzzled gaze and took the case away.
Then a hologram appeared in front of us and greeted us in an unknown language.
It is a voice that is close to that of a young woman, with a soothing sound. That is, if there is a gender distinction in Shanann’s race.
-This is Chief Researcher Shanan.
The visor interpreted the voice in real time and added subtitles.
-If anyone is listening to this message, it will mean that our sacrifices and wishes have come to fruition.
Since you must have already gone through countless hardships to get to this point, I will skip the detailed story.
What is before you is the cure that will end this apocalyptic disaster.
All research records we obtained during the development process were enclosed in a storage device next to the vaccine.
I picked up the storage device placed at the front of the case. It is the same model as the disk containing information on alien civilizations that Solaver handed over in the past.
Shanann’s story continued.
-The same treatments and materials as those here can also be obtained in Laboratory No. 3, Building 2, Research Area. This is insurance in case this place is destroyed or polluted.
Thank you for avenging all life forms that have already perished and protecting future life forms that will be born in the future.
While Solaver and I listened to Shanann’s last words, Eco packed the vaccine and research materials into his backpack.
-As you may know, the lab’s simple warp device is sealed.
But that’s not what we did. As the infection spread and the situation was in chaos, it was shut down for unknown reasons.
It is unknown whether the warp device can be restored. I hope you make wise and lucky decisions.
All the gods in the world will bless you for the rest of your journey.
After saying the final greeting, the hologram disappeared.
“All the gods that exist in the world…”
A being who does not bless this journey would not be worthy of being called a god.
[Temperature synchronization completed.]
Echo approached, setting the backpack’s cooler to match the temperature of the device where the vaccine was stored.
“Until now, there has been no one more important than you, but from now on, be even more careful. In any situation, you must always prioritize your own safety!”
Solaver said to me as I fastened my backpack securely to my back.
“The thing that saves my life is the highest level of expert on the planet. “Don’t worry, old man, take care of yourself.”
It’s really almost over now. All you have to do is escape like this. But how should it work?
Feeling hungry, I took off my helmet and squeezed out a stick of concentrated food and ate it.
“I’ll give it to you too.”
Solaver, who had been reluctant until now, seems to be running out of stamina now.
His face is much bigger than mine, and the way he bites the stick is like watching a lion eating a meal.
“Is it worth eating?”
“I have never had a more satisfying meal in my life.”
To be honest, I prioritized function and nutrition, so the taste of the concentrated sticks was not very good.
It seems that Solaver’s mental pleasure even dominates the sense of taste simply by accomplishing the great task of successfully recovering the vaccine.
“It’s dizzying just to imagine going back the same way I came.”
Solaver, who emptied three bags in an instant, got on his back and knees.
I couldn’t tell if it was because it really hurt or if it was just an old man’s humor.
“No matter how I get out of this lab, Arachnid will welcome me warmly.”
An enemy who gnaws off the whole body, pulls out the intestines, grills it to medium rare, and even slaughters the babies passes by? Even if it were me, I wouldn’t leave it alone.
Moreover, the robots’ batteries are less than half and their ammunition is even less.
“Plan A.”
I raised my thumb.
“Go back the way you came and run to the museum’s simple warp device.”
“From the halfway point, I’ll have to swing the gun rather than shoot.”
Solaver said while looking at the empty loading bay of robots.
“These guys will stop before then.”
I pointed to the two robots taking turns entering sleep mode.
“Plan B.”
He raised his index finger.
“It even breaks through the simple warp device in the sealed laboratory.”
“What if that place is full of infectious agents?”
“You have to make a life-or-death decision. Either we die or they die.”
“What if the warp device that has been reached cannot be unsealed or is completely damaged?”
“At that time…”
I hesitated for a moment and then opened my mouth.
“I will abandon you and all the robots and escape alone.”
“Keep talking.”
Solaver was not angry or disappointed. She nodded with a rather warm smile.
“I’m heading to the museum’s warp device alone. If you move alone and in as much hiding as possible, you will attract less attention from infected entities. Unlike robots, you don’t have to worry about batteries. It will move like a field mouse, hiding, running, and crawling. This is an alternative that I had already planned with Artemis before departure.”
My suit was observing the path I had taken so far and simulating the return route based on ‘When I Escape Alone’ at every moment.
Unlike the laboratory, the museum, which is an alternative escape point, is empty, so there is no need to fight.
My own escape. If you pursue just that, it will be possible to go round and round with a fairly inefficient movement route. The probability of safety increases rapidly.
“Not bad! “It will be even more perfect if you take my camouflage cloak with you.”
Solaver clapped.
“Aren’t you angry?”
“You’re being mischievous too. Even though you know that I am truly happy. Or are you intentionally hoping to make me angry?”
“It’s not really like that.”
He grabbed my shoulders and massaged them slowly. Thanks to the nanosuit, I didn’t feel much, but the emotions came through.
“Look at my body. An unclean body that escapes from God’s providence and is destroyed by mechanical devices.”
Solaver’s abdomen and chest are embroidered with hideous parts and hoses. It looks more like a mechanical snake eating his flesh than a life support device.
“That’s cool. “It’s like a cyborg from a B-grade movie.”
Haha! As I said before, there is only one thing I have survived like this. It was because of responsibility. As a pioneer civilization, as your predecessor.”
His gaze went to my backpack and then back to my face.
“Now my life is just a bonus and a tool. “I couldn’t be happier if I could use it to protect your future.”
The face of the old man looking at me shows a will that is stronger than anything I have ever seen.
