Episode 251

Sorry to have kept you waiting for so long.

Life has finally given me a little breathing room, so I’d like to start updating this story bit by bit again.

Click.

It was the tiny, metallic sound of parts colliding. Koume’s sensors caught it instantly, and in the micro-second that followed, her processors conjured a vivid, high-speed rendering of what was about to happen. The hammer would strike the primer, igniting the plasma trapped within the small Capsule. That gas would expand to thousands of times its original volume within the shell casing, propelling the warhead forward at speeds far exceeding the sound barrier. She was currently existing in the infinitesimal, ephemeral slice of time between the hammer’s movement and the plasma’s roar.

I can’t believe I actually have time to think right now, she marveled. So, even an AI gets to experience that "life flashing before your eyes" thing humans talk about. Fascinating.

Then, she considered the world that would continue without her. There was zero doubt that a bullet fired by the galaxy’s most notorious hitman—specifically designed to punch through Cyborg frames and Armed Suits—would turn her small, spherical body into scrap metal with a single hit. I hope Mr. Teiro and Marl find Earth... I’m really going to miss seeing that.

"……………………I am deeply sorry, Mr. Teiro. Koume is checking out early."

She knew she’d be dead before the sound waves even fully formed, but her logic gates sent the command to her audio circuits anyway.

However, to her utter confusion, the command traveled through the wires and successfully vibrated her speakers.

"Nah, I think you’ve got a few more miles left on your odometer. Besides, strictly speaking in terms of probability, that meatbag is definitely going to die before you do."

Koume’s sensors registered Phantom’s voice. Her processors spinning with a hint of digital vertigo, she whirled around to face the sound.

"…………How surprising. I didn’t realize the afterlife actually existed. And since Mr. Phantom is here, it appears I successfully took you with me. What a result."

"Haha. Well, this place is called Eden, but it’s not exactly the paradise the brochure promised."

Phantom gave a dry chuckle and holstered the gun at his hip.

"…………So, it was merely a threat?"

Koume’s lamp blinked rhythmically. Phantom shrugged his shoulders with a blunt sigh.

"Obviously. I don’t point loaded guns at my own teammates. The odds of an accidental discharge are low, but they’re never zero."

"I see………… It appears Koume has made a massive blunder in judgment. My apologies, Mr. Phantom."

"Don’t sweat it, Miss Koume. I’m the one who lured you here. I knew you couldn’t resist a good mystery."

Phantom waved a hand dismissively before reaching out to give Koume a light, mischievous poke. Koume tried to dodge the indignity, but against a man with the kinetic vision to sidestep bullets, her efforts were embarrassingly futile.

"So, I was being played. This was all according to your plan?"

"Not quite. I didn't think you’d go so far as to vent the cargo hold just for self-defense. Honestly, you gave me a bit of a heart attack. This poking is just me venting some frustration."

"If a few pokes are enough to satisfy you, feel free to continue. However, I see how it is. We’ll call it even for now………… Though, may I ask the reason behind all this?"

"The reason I lured you here? The reason I threatened you? Or the reason I’m here in the first place?"

"All of the above, Mr. Phantom."

"Yeah, figured."

Phantom flashed a jaunty grin and hopped onto a nearby equipment crate. He reached out, scooped Koume up, and set her down gently right next to him.

"As for why I threatened you, I already told you. I wasn't actually lying back there. I meant every word."

Phantom crossed his legs and leaned his chin on his hand.

"Neutralizing me, you mean. And my specific brand of self-defense was outside your calculations."

"Exactly. And if you’d turned out to be hostile, I would’ve had to defend myself for real."

He patted his waist, reminding her that while he’d tucked the gun away, he was still very much "carrying."

"It seems I was right not to lose my cool. To be honest, self-detonation was on the table as a backup plan."

Koume’s lamp flickered as she spun in place.

"Ooh, scary," Phantom said, giving an exaggerated shudder. He then turned a softer look toward the android. "The only thing you’ve got wrong is the timeline."

Phantom slowly raised his arm, gesturing toward the cryogenic sleep device—a mess of tangled tubes and glass.

"I am interested in that thing. And I’d do anything to uncover its secrets. That’s all true. But, Miss Koume... I’m not exactly in a rush to grab it right now."

"…………I see. I believe I understand your point."

"Good. Saves me a lot of talking. Whether it’s 'I' or 'we' doesn't really matter—the point is, we’re playing the long game. My plan is the boring one: wait until Teiro doesn't need that thing anymore. He’s a hero, and even a guy like me has a sense of camaraderie. I’m not looking to 'eliminate' him or be a thorn in his side."

"Is that why you’ve been so helpful to the company lately? I suppose that explains the Naraza Association’s backup as well."

"Well, the sooner he finishes his business, the better. Plus, I’d be in a real spot if he just up and died on me. Once he achieves his goal and can stand on his own two feet, he won't have a use for that pod anymore anyway."

"That is true. I find myself in agreement, Mr. Phantom. However, aren't you even a little bit curious?"

"About Earth? Oh, absolutely. There might be some Original Coffee Beans left down there. And probably a mountain’s worth of Antiques."

"Fufu. Let us hope so………… But Mr. Phantom, that still doesn't explain why you went through the trouble of baiting me here."

Koume stopped her spinning and faced him directly. Phantom stared at her for a moment, then reached out and picked her up again.

"I need your help with something."

Carrying Koume, Phantom walked over to the Capsule-shaped pod and stopped.

"And that 'something' is one of the reasons you came here, too. You said it yourself: your purpose for being here was me and this machine."

He wasn't asking; he was stating a fact. Koume didn't confirm or deny it, but she knew this man was too sharp to be wrong.

"We need to figure out if this device and this Facility are actually useful to Teiro or if they’re going to blow up in his face. But the only ones in our crew who know the technical details are you and Teiro. That’s why I came here—and why I made sure you’d follow. You wanted to vet this place, didn't you?"

"…………A bullseye, Mr. Phantom. Though, you were quite confident I’d show up immediately."

"That was the easy part. You prioritize Teiro’s safety above everything else. Honestly, I probably didn't need the gun. The second you showed up here solo, I knew you were just worried about his hide."

"Hmph. Being too clever won't win you many friends, Mr. Phantom."

"Are you talking about me, or yourself, Miss Koume?"

Koume wobbled back and forth in a digital huff of protest before rolling out of his hands to the floor beside the pod. She extended a cable toward the terminal.

"I’m counting on you if things go sideways," she said, initiating the connection to the pod’s Data Bank.

"I’ve got your back. Based on what we saw at Coleman's Research Institute in Enzio, I’ve already mapped out the likely risks."

"Physical hazards from the automated systems, and more importantly, contamination from a Ghost-type WIND. I suppose you’re one of the few people who could actually handle that."

"Both of us have BISHOP Control Devices physically installed, after all. Flicking the 'off' switch is easy for us. Everyone else is a different story."

"Since they’re controlling their gear directly with their brains………… I see. You are quite right, Mr. Phantom. However, from Koume’s perspective, I know a much more efficient, effective, and peaceful method. I really wish you’d gone with my plan instead."

With her cable still plugged in, Koume rotated toward him, lamp blinking rapidly.

"Oh?" Phantom sounded genuinely intrigued. "Let’s hear it."

"It’s very simple, Mr. Phantom. You could have just told me the truth beforehand and asked for my cooperation. Generally speaking, isn't that how people usually handle things?"

Phantom stared at her, his expression going completely blank.

"…………Huh. I actually didn't think of that."

He looked genuinely awkward. Since Koume was just a ball, she couldn't actually smile, but the "laughter" command was surging through her Android Body’s circuits at full capacity.