Chapter 377 – Aftercare (4)
Alpha.
This is not a name, but an identifier used in the Shelter Robot Army.
It is given to the point man who takes the lead when carrying out small-scale solo operations such as reconnaissance, collection, and detonation.
If you think of it as a squadron, it can be called a red, and in medieval terms, it can be called an assault leader.
Since we have been actively engaging in external activities starting with the maritime prison operation, there have been numerous alphas.
Among them, the alpha that means the most to me is, of course, the one who served in the Tanis expedition.
“How is your condition? “The battery is probably already discharged.”
I calmed down my excitement and asked the explorer guild leader on the other side of the screen.
[Yes. The function was completely halted. He must have been through intense fighting, so there was no damage to his entire body.
The last thing I remember is rolling around in a lump, using my body to block the walker charging towards Solaver.
As the main combatant, he had received the most attacks, so at the last moment he was so damaged that it was difficult to fight even a single walker.
“Where was it discovered?”
[It was halfway up Mt. Seorak. This is an area where a large forest fire occurred in the past, causing a lot of hair loss. Thanks to you, the discovery was possible.]
The 3,000-mile Geumsugangsan Mountain is also a thing of the past.
During the infection war, numerous areas of the country were burned, and afterward, trees were cut down to use as firewood to make a living.
Everyone lives only for today, so it’s common to see people starting fires in the mountains.
Then, if a fire broke out, it spread into a large-scale forest fire due to the lack of public power to extinguish it.
“Is your head okay? Something like a penetrating wound or melting.”
[There are a lot of scratches, but it doesn’t look like the armor was punctured.]
“Thank goodness!”
My clenched hands gained strength.
“Of all the gifts I’ve received since my return, there’s probably nothing I like more. Thank you so much.”
[You’re welcome. As always, we will return it to the Police Logistics Center.]
Our robots work outdoors for a variety of purposes.
Naturally, there are many cases of malfunction due to battle, bad weather, or other unexpected failures.
There are times when lucky explorers collect such things and bring them to the police.
It’s a win-win for us because we can easily retrieve the machine, and for them, they can receive generous rewards and reputation for living in the polis.
What is mainly brought is a type of drone. This is because if you crash while flying over rough terrain, it is difficult to find the last location signal alone.
Just printing a new one is cheaper than collecting it.
Meanwhile, there are rare teams that pick up combat weapons such as stalker models.
It is a remnant of the countless wars against infectious agents that were fought between the time I left for Tanis and the completion of vaccine distribution.
“For this case, I will pay you 10 times the usual compensation. “He means that much to me.”
[As I already said, this is a gift. You will never receive a single penny. He is one of the six heroes who allowed us to live safely, and if he gets paid, everyone will swear at him.]
“This guy isn’t even human? “I am grateful, but I have to get what I get.”
Even if he is a precious colleague to me, to others he is just a machine.
[Actions and accomplishments are important, but is it more important whether blood is shed or not? It’s already been 3 years since I lived with talking machines.]
The guild leader frowned and waved his hand.
[In particular, explorers like us have been directly or indirectly helped by robots more than once. We have fought together against infectious agents many times. To be honest, I have more affection for honest machine friends than for people who shame me every chance they get. Even if it’s your first meeting, he’s someone you can trust without worrying.]
“If you say that, I will be grateful.”
[Thank you!]
The person giving the gift looked happier than me receiving the precious gift.
It’s free, so it’s like a favor for me and an appeal to my children who are receiving officer training.
The guild leader’s face beyond the screen showed a sense of accomplishment, having gone far ahead of others.
* * *
Alpha’s body arrived a few days later.
“…”
When I saw that mechanical comrade lying down, I was speechless.
Even though I said he wasn’t particularly human, it was heartbreaking to see Alpha’s decline.
“It’s clean.”
The entire body has been damaged to a serious degree, but it is clean and not a single speck of dirt.
The gear he was equipped with was spotless, and even the rust was removed from the military bayonet, which was the final weapon.
Only the blade, which was chipped and bruised here and there, showed traces of a fierce battle.
It feels like seeing the treatment given to the bodies and belongings of fallen U.S. Troops when they are sent back to their families.
“I wanted to reunite you in the best possible light.”
The leader of the group of explorers who had been carrying it bowed politely and said.
“Thank you. Thank you so much.”
“You’re welcome. We always do the same thing when we return the body of a deceased colleague to his family. “Aren’t you my subordinate who went with me to the end of the universe?”
Is it because I have experience working with robot soldiers in the field at least once or twice?
There was definitely a feeling that the investigators treated the combat robots closer to humans.
The body and head corresponding to the main frame were made of alloy material and maintained their shape, but the limbs using artificial muscles rotted and collapsed.
This is unavoidable since it is a part that contains a large amount of organisms.
The red eyes that used to shine intensely until the very last moment are empty, and the body that I touch is freezing.
“You still weren’t found by the slave traders.”
I knocked on his chest as if I was knocking, but of course there was no answer.
Alpha’s body was immediately moved to the central area as a shelter.
Because the robot repair shop was dark, Artemis, wearing a white gown, looks even brighter.
“The memory is physically intact. Would you like to view it right away?”
“No. “I’ll look at the records later.”
Artemis gave an expression of surprise.
“Aren’t you curious? “There might be a clue to Solaver’s whereabouts.”
“Of course I’m curious. But right now, I want to hear this guy’s voice first.”
In front of us, Alpha is being repaired on a maintenance stand.
New artificial muscles are being woven into rotten limbs and batteries are being charged at the same time.
“It will boot up as soon as it is fully charged for minimum startup. “There are 42 seconds left.”
Instead of answering, I hugged Artemis’ shoulder and massaged it a few times.
“What about the body? Parts that correspond to artificial muscles must be replaced, but if you wish, I think I will keep the originals for the rest.”
“As expected, you understand my feelings very well.”
“How many years have we lived together?”
She laughed and patted my butt.
“The damage is so severe that even if we repair it as much as possible, scars will remain here and there, but isn’t that human sensitivity?”
“It’s a medal. “He will be my escort from now on, and he will be quite stylish.”
While we were talking, 42 seconds passed.
Keying!
Alpha’s body, which had been frozen for a long time, moves convulsively for an instant.
After a few seconds, red light began to appear in the black lens.
To me, it seemed like the lion’s vitality was returning beyond a simple reboot.
[Restart completed.]
Alpha said.
After taking a walk around the repair shop, his eyes were immediately fixed on me.
Rattling.
Immediately he moved his arms vigorously.
Because it was attached to a maintenance fixture, the limbs were bumping around, and a loud noise was generated.
[Resume mission.]
Alpha, who woke up from a long sleep, did not even question the recovery of his damaged body.
I didn’t get confused about the current situation.
They simply tried to continue the escort that had been forcibly cut off during the Tanis expedition.
“Hey, calm down.”
He stopped struggling only after I said one word.
“I am safe, and this place is safe. As of this time, your escort mission and combat status have ended. “There are no enemies here.”
Only then did Alpha return to a standstill.
From his point of view, he may not have understood everything, but he waited patiently with the calmness of a machine.
“Installation for the situation…”
“No, I will explain it myself in words.”
Artemis, who was trying to solve everything in one go through data transmission, was stopped.
“Wouldn’t that be too inefficient? “I would have to talk for hours.”
Artemis is trying to understand human emotions, but she feels like this is not right.
“I’m an unemployed husband, so the only thing I have left over is time. “I just want to talk loudly in front of my former subordinate.”
“Hmm.”
She crossed her arms, shrugged her shoulders, and walked away.
I brought a nearby iron chair and placed it in front of Alpha.
The alpha’s red eyes moved slowly and seemed to be analyzing his condition.
Even with limited information, he must be furiously calculating what process led him to this situation.
Mate!
As I clapped my hands while looking at the ceiling, all the lights went out except for Alpha and me.
“What a smart wife. “Don’t you think so?”
Alpha’s eyes, which were circling around, focus on me. He opened his mouth as if he had finished the analysis.
[Congratulations on your successful mission and safe return, Administrator.]
Shake!
Alpha tried to salute, but his right arm, which was restrained by the maintenance device, did not move.
I don’t believe it was a joke just now.
“You may not be particularly curious, but there is a lot to explain. All sorts of things happened.”
I put my arms on the back of the chair I was sitting on upside down and rested my chin on both hands.
[I’m curious.]
But the answer that came back was unexpected.
“Huh? Really?”
[The manager wants that. This is the only counselor I can provide right now.]
Even if this kid were human, he seems like he would have found his way well.
* * *
Artemis reappeared a while later.
Her tray contains simple snacks.
“I think we’ve given enough time for this. Would you like to start analyzing the data?”
She nodded, taking the biscuit from her pretty fingers and eating it.
To the extent that even I was surprised, he laid out his past events in a row as if he were treating a person.
In the part where he was taken away by a slave trader and humiliated, the red lens repeatedly grew bigger and smaller.
For a moment, I had doubts that this guy, like her nymphs, had sprouted some kind of ego.
“Wouldn’t Solaver in the afterlife be sad if the memory analysis is delayed too much because you’re chatting with the robot? “I wonder if chatting about her love for robot bottles is more important than reading her last records.”
“You’re not dead?! “Old man, don’t make people die on your own.”
“Not a dead person, but a dead alien.”
“Oh, well, I’m not dead!”
Artemis chuckled.
Although she is displeased with Solar Ver, the reason she says this is probably because she believes that Solar Ver’s chances of survival are not zero.
The screen installed in one part of the maintenance shop worked.
“What I’m most curious about is right after you were sent to Jinsu, right?”
“Of course!”
“I’ll play it now.”
Artemis snapped her fingers.
Then Tanis’ final escape mission began to play on the screen.
The repair shop, which was quiet except for a small mechanical sound, suddenly becomes noisy.
The noise of battle was heard, with countless infected creatures crying and the skin being torn apart.
Memories that had been buried deep in my consciousness begin to come back vividly.
[I will take good care of my life.]
My voice was heard through the noise of the battlefield. To be exact, it was played back by Echo, which recorded what I said.
The screen was filled with the image of me being thrown by Echo and being sucked into the warp gate with a dumbfounded expression.
I had such a pathetic face.
[Mission completed.]
Echo, who briefly salutes, is seen charging in with a military bayonet.
But this is Alpha’s memory.
The next screen shows an infected entity rushing towards Solaver, who is manipulating the warp device panel.
The alpha of the past, the first person on the screen, rushed towards the infected entity.
