Lies

Exchange Test

2B (narration)

Everything that lives is designed to end.
We are perpetually trapped……
In a neverending spiral of life and death.
Is this a curse?
Or some kind of punishment?
I often think about the god who blessed us with this cryptic puzzle
And wonder if we’ll ever have the chance to kill him.

Operator 6O to 2B. Can you hear me?

I hear you.

Roger that.
Now then, I think I’d like to initiate the scheduled tactical support unit exchange test.
You normally use Pod model 042, but this time, we’ll be assigning 9S’ 153 to you for a few days.
You were told this the other day, but this tactical support unit exchange is regularly used as a test to get information on the Pod; their usefulness, any problems they might have, that sort of thing.
It’s called a “test,” but just go about as you normally do.

Understood.

Ah, looks like there’s a voice message from 9S, who’s already proceeding with the test. I’m playing it back for you now.

(The sound of data being played)

Ummm……hellooo? Can you hear me, ma’am? This is 9S. I’m doing my best on this exchange test with the unsociable Pod 042.

Pod 042

Negative: Tactical support units do not have emotions. The expression “unsociable” is inappropriate.

…is what I’m dealing with. Well, I’ll try to enjoy it. Ah, one more thing, ma’am. If you get tired of doing the test, please let me know right away. I’ll do whatever I can to try suspending the te……

(The data replay is interrupted by a noise)

Ah…..ahaha….. Looks like the rest of it got erased by Command’s censors. ….W-Well, good luck with the exchange test!

2B (narration)

Operator 6O ends the transmission, inviting silence. Once the current task is confirmed, a nearby access point is displayed. It looks like an investigation is necessary for a body transport function error.

Pod 153

Pod 153 to YorHa unit 2B.

What?

Pod 153

“Nice to meet you!”

......Huh?

Pod 153

“Nice to meet you!”

...What is that...?

Pod 153

Report: a statement repeated in order to encourage a harmonious relationship between humans. In accordance with YorHa unit 9S’ specifications, this is to be repeated until a similar response has been received. “Nice to meet you!”

N…..Nice to…meet you….

Pod 153

Understood.

2B (narration)

If the exchange test continues like this, it looks to be the cause of unnecessary stress. At a loss, I switched focus to the designated access point…….

Pascal

On the way to the target access point, I passed a village of machines. It’s a village of pacifists led by a machine named “Pascal.” In the distance, the children seem to be having fun, singing songs. It has been confirmed many times that the machines here are strange individuals. There are those who imitate families, those who talk of love, and the children….. Despite being weapons created by the aliens, they have personalities. Almost like humanity….. (Short pause) …..It is not permitted for YorHa units to have emotions. We are models specialized for combat, after all. It is the most efficient, most correct choice. But, in doing so, I feel that something unseen in the heart is lost. Was our choice truly the correct one? Who would be considered a fitting existence in this world? Listening to the song of the children, I continued to walk the dark path alone…..

Pascal

Ahh……and there. I’ll be intruding for a bit…… Hello. My name is Pascal. I’m currently the chief of a village in which those who are tired of fighting have been gathered. What about all of you here, on these grounds? (Pascal speaks as if he’s talking to everyone at the venue) Are you not tired of fighting day in and day out? Being given orders by someone, overworking yourselves? ……If you work too hard, whether you’re a machine lifeform or a human, you’ll end up broken. Ah, that’s right. Why don’t I teach you something nice? When times are hard, or you feel saddened, sing a song. If you do, you’ll feel better. What kind of song, you wonder? ……Hmm…….for example, a song like this.

Access Point

Pod 153

Arrival at access point marked for investigation.

Check the transmission status and body storage function along with the transport system.

Pod 153

Understood.

2B (narration)

The designated access point was located in the desert’s open area. Amidst the sand-laden wind, the Pod’s transmission light is quietly flickering. I was unable to see any signs of damage to the outer casing of the access point, so it must be an internal malfunction. If it’s the Pod, the problem should be resolved shortly. The sand-laden winds become stronger, obscuring the sun’s rays. In order to keep watch over the surrounding area, I climbed a nearby rocky area.

Pod 153

Body storage function and transmission status check complete. Report: Malfunction in body reconstruction unit detected.

Repair it.

Pod 153

Understood.

2B (narration)

My field of vision worsens as the wind becomes a sandstorm. I can see the silhouettes of old world remains made of stone here and there. A strong wind carries the sand.

Pod 153

Repairs on body reconstruction unit. 50% complete.

2B (narration)

Squinting my eyes at the occasional strong wind, (light hitting noise), I felt something touch my feet. It was a small flower that I recognized. I remember sending a picture of this flower to Operator 6O before.

So this is a desert rose, huh? It seems almost…mystical.

2B (narration)

That’s what she’d said from the above orbit base, pleased.

There must just be a bountry of nature down there, huh?

……Some, yes. I’ve seen lilies, cherry blossoms, daffodils, and even lunar tears. I’ll try to send more if I can.

Thank you so much! I’m going to treasure this picture forever! Oh, and I’m going to send you a proper thank-you mail later, so keep an eye out for it. Bye!

2B (narration)

……I didn’t know until later, but the “desert rose” is a crystal made of minerals, not a plant. Still, Operator 6O’s smiling face on the transmission screen…..I remember it looked really happy.

Pod 153

Report: Repairs to malfunction in body storage unit complete.

2B (narration)

The foundational framework, the resinous material composing the body, even the small systems for weaponry production look to be in working order……. I went to do a final check on the access point after receiving the work completion report from Pod.

(There’s a nuance of suspicion coloring her final words) (As if to punctuate 2B’s words, Pod reports)

Pod 153

Report: Hostile machine lifeform signals detected.

Understood. I’ll eliminate them.

Pod 153

Signal count increasing. 24, 26, 29.....

……With those numbers, just where have they been this whole time……!!

Pod 153

Signal count once again increasing. 30, 31, 32, 33, 34.

2B (narration)

It wasn’t that such a large number of machine lifeforms was approaching. From the start, they’d hidden in the sand, waiting in a suspended state to ambush us. That could only mean one thing. (Pause for a bit) …..This was an orchestrated trap.

Betrayal

(2B attacks the last enemy, her breathing ragged)

…….(heavy breathing noises)……

Pod 153

Destruction of all enemy machine lifeforms confirmed.

6O (narration)

After fighting against 34 medium-sized machine lifeforms, 2B somehow managed to stand up without collapsing despite her lightheadedness. Having lost two weapons and several of her sensors, she was restricted in how much she could self-repair.

Pod 153

Alert: Combat damage accumulation on YorHa unit 2B. Proposal: Appropriate, repairs　　　　　　if　　　treatment,　　　　exhaustion　　　　quality　　　no　　exchange......

6O (narration)

Pod 153’s voice garbles with noise. In the air, the Pod’s arms move in a disoriented fashion, like it’s convulsing. The blinking of its light shows the irregular state of its internal systems.

What…..Pod? What’s wrong?

Pod 153

Appropriate, re pairs REpairs treatment to sy0 m0......h1......

(After 10 seconds of silence, suddenly, the Pod begins to speak at high speed)

Pod 153

Deploying long range weaponry. Activating FFCS. YorHa unit 2B recognized as enemy android. Proposal to suspend tactile support mission. Acknowledged. Begin attack.

Pod!!

6O (narration)

A high-speed energy bullet the weapon-deployed Pod fires. 2B just barely avoids the attack.

Pod 153! What are you doing!?

Pod 153

Unable to confirm destruction of enemy android. Begin construction of firing correction program. Construction complete. Request: Application of gravity control sphere. Permission granted.

6O (narration)

Without permission from either a YorHa unit or Command, a Pod can’t use its weaponry. However, Pod 153 has an internal bypass to its own recognition process applied.

Pod 153

Firing gravity control sphere.

Ghh……!!!!

6O (narration)

2B avoids the Pod’s released gravity attack. But her right leg is caught in the radius of the hemisphere.

Pod 153

Long range attack system. High output charge. Preparing concentrated laser attack.

6O (narration)

The Pod’s weapon deploys once more, turning and aiming at 2B, who can no longer move.

Uu…….aaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!!

6O (narration)

2B swings her sword down on her own right leg, intending to sever it.

(At the same time 2B cuts her leg off, Pod fires its laser)

Gaaah!!!

Pod 153

Firing high output laser.

(2B tosses her sword at the Pod. It hits its mark, damaging 153)

……!!

Pod 153

(dying robot sounds)

6O (narration)

2B, who’d narrowly escaped the attack, tossed the sword she’d used to slice off her right leg as a counter attack on Pod 153.

Pod 153

YoRHa unit 2Bi.......tactile...un...

6O (narration)

About 15 seconds after convulsions from the Pod, who’d taken a direct hit from the sword, it emitted a strange noise and stopped. That sound was…..a high-pitched laughter, like a child’s voice……

Scene 4: Message

2B (narration)

After taking down the rampaging Pod, I was stuck there, unable to move. There seemed to be no way to easily repair the heavily damaged leg. As I made my way over to the fallen Pod in something akin to a crawl, the Pod’s speaker activated.

Operator 6O to 2B! 2B! Can you hear me? Are you okay!?

……This is 2B. I hear you.

Aah, 2B. Thank goodness…… I was monitoring you from here, but Pod 153’s attack mode suddenly became impossible to control. But the control program can only be rewritten with a code by the Pod’s original support target, 9S…….

Operator 6O.

Could it be that 9S was trying to…..But, for 9S, of all people, to implant an attack order in the Pod and aim it at you is—

(2B shouts to interrupt her words)

Operator 6O!!

…..Yes? What is it?

How long…..

Come again?

How long have you been there?

Um….I’m not sure what you mean….

The access point’s transmission functions have yet to be repaired.

……Huh?

When I went in to do a final check on the body reconstruction unit, there was a small machine fragment remaining inside. I immediately judged the rusted piece to be part of a machine lifeform. It seemed odd, so I left the computer terminal’s final activation untouched.

……………..

A laser transmission would have also been impossible in the sandstorm. In other words, you shouldn’t be capable of communicating with me from the above orbit satellite.

……………………….

The one in Pod 153 right now….who are you?

(8 seconds of silence)

…..Fufu……fufufufufu. Hey, she figured it out. She sure did! Ahh. And here I thought it’d be interesting to pin it all on 9S and watch them fall apart. I thought it’d be interesting, you know? What a bummer. A real bummer.

(Operator 6O speaks as if there are two people)

We are a unified body of thought. We are numerous and singular. But 2B, I wonder if it’s really our fault?

What are you talking about……

This incident might’ve been 9S’ work, you know. Maybe he really had decided to kill you.

……………….

(2B shakes with anger, her breathing uneven)

The likelihood of YorHa unit 9S accessing confidential information was high. That’s why it was determined that an E model would deal out punishment. He might’ve realized, you know? That the 2B who’s killed 9S time and time again….is you, No. 2 Type E.

….Ahh!!

Pod 153 (narration)

2B picks up her leg, which had fallen to the ground, and strikes the Pod with it. The struck Pod, while rotating strangely, slowly falls to the sand, all functions ceased.

……I……..I……..

Pod 153 (narration)

The sandstorm had subsided. The desert was once again bathed in the sun’s light.

…….Hello? Hello, 2B, can you hear me? 2B!? Are you okay!? 2B! Please answer!!

……This is 2B. I hear you.

Ah…..thank goodness…..I suddenly couldn’t contact you using the electromagnetic communications system, and due to the sandstorm, I couldn’t use laser transmissions either and I was thinking, “what if there’s an enemy attack?”……Then finally, laser communications came back up…..

……

…..2B? Are you okay?

2B (narration)

“…..I’m okay. It’s…nothing.” That’s what I answered.

(Short pause)

2B (narration)

Was it because I didn’t want to worry Operator 6O? Or maybe…… I was afraid of seeing my own darkness? I still don’t know. If I look up, a white, bright, radiant sky would be stretched before me. As if it’s looking down on me. * As if it’s condemning me for continuing to kill 9S……

Pod 153 (narration)

Everything that lives is designed to end. “They” are perpetually trapped….. In a neverending spiral of life and death.

6O (narration)

But we were all born here. That’s why, in this place, we continue to live.

2B (narration)

No matter what lies pile up No matter what crimes are committed Even if the moment we are forgiven never comes to pass…… We will continue to fight.

All (narration)

We will continue to fight. We will continue to fight! We will continue to fight!!

2B (narration)

Until the day when punishment rains down……