2051 A.D.
Good throw.
You could be a major league player.
Major league?
They used to play baseball in a big stadium in front of a huge crowd.
Then I want to be a pitcher on a baseball team.
For that to happen, we'll need to make this world peaceful.
Peaceful?
That means no more war, Charlotte. Maybe it's difficult for you to grasp.
The Peacebuilding Force that I work for is trying to make this world peaceful.
I know. You're the best, Dad.
Just wait and see.
We'll beat those damn scrap iron machines soon.
No cursing in front of children.
2062 A.D. (PRESENT)
I'm sorry. I'm not able to repair the drive system.
Black Trike.
I thought Hemiteos Unit Assist Vehicles were equipped with a self-repair function.
We self-repair with materials collected from natural objects in the area.
But there are many unrepairable parts. Some required materials are unavailable.
What are we going to do?
We can't continue our journey without Black Trike.
Of course, there's no other choice but to fix it.
Scavenging through scrap iron…
This task is not worthy of the name Hemiteos Unit.
Dead Master. If we get attacked under these conditions, we're toast.
I need you to be on the lookout.
Leave it to me. If I see Unmanned Forces, I'll shoot them down right away.
You must report to me before you start firing. Don't forget.
If you say so.
Okay.
It looks like the self-repair function needed more electrical power too.
I hope this works…
Whoa.
Satisfactory.
Monica Kaburagi, you are brilliant for a private citizen.
Do you need to say "for a private citizen"?
Did you find anything that looks useful?
Let me see it.
What are you doing? You could have killed me!
Sorry.
Where's Strength?
It's her turn to be on the lookout.
Here you go. Open your mouth.
We can relax a bit now that we've crushed the Educational Institution.
Although we couldn't get that girl called Charlotte.
We'll surely be attacked again.
You'll be able to talk with her. I assure you.
My daughter liked sports and toasted marshmallows.
I'm sorry.
What are you apologizing for?
I threw that ball and ripped it up.
I see. You throw a blazing fastball.
You should be an ace pitcher for the New York Yankees.
Yankees?
It's a story from long ago. My daughter used to like baseball too.
Your daughter. Charlotte.
I was surprised she was even alive. Let alone showing up like that.
Don't be afraid to feel happy that she's alive.
Strength said there's still a chance we can get her back.
As long as there's a chance…
Humans are like that, right?
You're right.
Humans are like that.
Colonel, can you hear me? There's something coming towards us.
Giganteses. Even worse, with highly toxic Arche.
We're fine. Hemiteos Units are immune to Arche.
We couldn't battle the Unmanned Forces if we weren't.
But Monica and I will die.
What's toxic Arche?
Out-of-control nanobots that have become toxic to the human body.
We can't fight Giganteses here anyway.
It would be an inefficient, pointless battle.
It would be even more difficult if they call for backup.
Okay, then it's decided. Let's just keep going. Uh…
We haven't repaired Black Trike yet.
That will be the priority.
Hurry up and fix it, then we'll rush to the destination.
About that…
What's the matter?
We still lack the hard-to-find parts.
Such as?
Rare metals, especially the 17 rare-earth elements.
Yttrium for lasers, neodymium and dysprosium for micro motors.
There are some others too.
How can we get those?
From the wreckage of Unmanned Forces… but that still might not be enough.
Personal computers and LCDs would help, even old ones.
Oh, here they are.
What? Don't leave out the subject.
It's a Peacebuilding Force facility.
A base?
No, a library.
Peacebuilding Force Memorial Library.
How can there be machine parts at a library?
Well, it's a facility of the Peacebuilding Force.
It seems to be abandoned now,
but it's highly likely that there are tons of computers and tablets left there.
It's far from refugee camps or towns, so not likely to have been scavenged.
Black Trike can't move. Somebody has to stay here.
Dead Master.
Would you stay here and be the lookout while protecting Black Trike?
Roger.
This must be it.
Monica. If you're putting me on, I'm gonna bury you here.
No way, I'm not making things up.
Strength.
Okay, if got to.
See, as I thought.
There's something here.
What the...
How do you do, everybody?
Welcome to the Peacebuilding Force Memorial Library.
I am Andy, the librarian android.
The reading room is this way.
This robot hasn't been hacked by the Unmanned Forces?
He's a limited-function AI, operating off-line. We're safe.
Although it's junk, a very old model.
Let's dismantle it for parts.
I am not junk.
We can use these.
Do you have a server room?
It is over there at the back.
Since we are in standby power mode,
we are down to only 1% functional of normal times.
Would you still like me to take you there?
Yes, of course.
You check out the server room. We'll collect parts here.
Got it. Please take me there.
Certainly. Follow me.
Okay.
As expected, the database server doesn't seem to be working.
I guess it'll be worth it if I can collect some parts.
Databases continue to be securely updated inside me.
If you need information, please inquire.
So do you have any information on the Colonel?
The military man who came here with me.
Why do you need that?
I want to get some dirt on him.
That statement is morally troublesome.
It's okay. I'm good friends with the Colonel.
In that case, it is okay.
-Searching… -That was too easy.
Search completed. I've found info on an individual who fits that description.
But because he is on a secret mission, his general military record was deleted.
I thought so. How about his family?
The Colonel had a wife and a daughter. They are both deceased.
The daughter is alive, though.
What was his wife like?
The Colonel's wife Jessica graduated from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Her major was metal-organic science and nanotechnology.
Her records after graduation are deleted.
Isn't she a civilian? Why was it deleted?
I do not--
-How's it going? -Whoa! You scared me.
Monica!
It hurts…
It's…
It's an enemy!
An infantry soldier unit of the Titans drones.
Are you okay, Monica?
Look!
It's a feral unit with no signal reception.
Since it's a feral unit, reinforcements are not likely on the way.
Yeah.
What's wrong?
Thomas. He wasn't a bad guy.
What?
You named an infantry soldier unit from the Unmanned Forces?
Maybe because they are both machines, they got along?
He would have attacked you if he came online. We saved your life.
Now how should we get back up?
You can get back up from here.
That's my family.
Oh, okay…
They were abandoned so I gathered them together
and little by little, I repaired them.
I want to form a baseball team with my family.
I see.
DISPLAY LANGUAGE JAPANESE
ARTEMIS
IT WAS ESSENTIAL TO MASS-PRODUCE SELF-CONTAINED DRONES.
HEMITEOS UNITS REQUIRED… "MULTINATIONAL PEACEBUILDING FORCE" BORN
"Hemiteos Unit."
QUALIFICATIONS FOR BECOMING A HEMITEOS UNIT…
NEXT PAGE
Why did they rebel against humans?
THE DEFINITION OF JUSTICE WAS TOO VAGUE FOR HUMANS TO TEACH MACHINES.
AT TIMES THEIR "BEST SENSE OF ETHICS" WAS THE "WORST SENSE OF ETHICS"…
Ethical tests.
Should I explain it to you in plain language?
Yes.
In order for sophisticated AI to achieve autonomous behavior,
they were required to have an appropriately high level of ethics.
Many tests were developed for them.
What tests?
A famous one is the trolley problem.
There's a runaway trolley. Five workers are in its path.
You're at the lever that switches tracks. If you pull the lever, they will be saved.
But if you do, there is a worker on the tracks ahead.
Given you cannot contact them, would you choose to save five workers or one?
Artemis solved this trolley problem by saying it would kill one and save five,
then take responsibility by suicide. This made the humans happy.
They thought, "This is our desired artificial intelligence. It is perfect."
So what is the definition of life for an artificial object anyway?
That's the problem.
Science without philosophy is dangerous and unstable.
I finished.
All right, let's pull out.
Wait a minute.
There's one last thing I want to ask.
Yes?
What is Light House No.8?
Searching…
Search completed. It is a facility of the Peacebuilding Force.
Its activities are marked as classified. It has already been shuttered.
There should be nothing left of it now.
No…
Andy!
Is this a real ball?
I hope you can play baseball someday.
What?
You shouldn't be using a steel pipe. I'll bring you a real bat if I find one.
Will you come again?
Once we get our business done, yeah.
I've eliminated possible enemy reconnaissance drones.
I stalled them but it might have been detected by the main unit.
Got it. Return immediately. How are the repairs going?
What do you think, Black Trike?
Self-repair function availability, 99.8%.
Power supply including backup, 100%.
Drive system damage, repair complete.
I'm now in a condition to move any time.
Yes!
We can go any time now. Black Trike's repairs are finished.
EMBEDDING HEMITEOS PROTEIN…
…NOT CAUSE ADVERSE REACTION
LIGHT HOUSE NO.8
Hey.
Hey, Empress. What's the matter?
Nothing.
What is it?
Why are you staring at me so lovingly all of the sudden?
I just thought, the three of us can do anything as long as we're together.
What the hell is that, out of the blue?
Have you heard of the trolley problem?
You think I'm stupid?
Of course I know about it.
What would you two do?
I'd kill the guy who thought up such a test.
It depends on if the ones I could save includes my loved ones.
If not, then I don't care. I'll just roll dice or something.
Why are you laughing? Did I say something funny?
Oh, you have a nice smile too.
That was a strange robot, wanting to form a baseball team.
It was.
I hope we can meet again.
Are you a visitor?
I'm the avenger.
And I destroy everything Empress gets involved with.
Translated by Ikuko Ohno