Chapter 7: Prometheus Array

Author: 菁鸟

1

The massive mechanical hand grabbed the decelerating spacecraft, locking it onto the bridge's track. The view outside was soon replaced by steel walls, with only dim yellow light sources flashing by rapidly.

The ship began sliding down the descending track. Listening to the clattering sounds from beneath, Phoenix knew the ship was stably running on the bridge, like an elevator. The numbers on the gravity indicator on the wall ticked slowly as the ship gradually approached the ground.

Phoenix silently counted the passing time in her heart. The bridge lights grew brighter, and the descent slowed until she could make out some structures on the iron walls by the illumination.

"Clank—Bang!"

The violent noise rang out. Phoenix suddenly realized she was no longer in a vacuum, and such a tremendous roar sounded particularly abrupt.

Phoenix looked out the window; the spacecraft had stopped descending. She deduced they had reached the platform, though the angle prevented them from seeing its scenery.

The cabin door automatically opened, and Hime, who seemed to have finished her duties, reappeared before them.

"Please follow me. You may feel unaccustomed to the gravity here, but don't worry too much. Just use a bit less force when handling things."

Disar walked carefully, examining the sights of the ship's corridor, while Phoenix appeared exceptionally relaxed. After a few turns, they arrived at the main door, met with an astounding spectacle reflected in their eyes.

Steel structures crisscrossed, emanating a cold, futuristic feel. Enormous mechanical arms hung overhead, efficiently unloading cargo from the docked spaceships amid the incessant roar of machinery. Piercing prompts sounded constantly, signaling another vessel's return from space to the ground, while tremors from below represented launches.

All sorts of small mechanical vehicles bustled across the metal floor, transporting and working. Many personnel in work uniforms discussed and checked something. Holographic screens continuously displayed the latest news, and bright lighting illuminated the entire port like daylight—only the massive hanging clock could distinguish night from day.

The entire port was like a technological beast, its mechanical sounds the pulse.

"Good heavens," Disar gaped, then turned to Phoenix beside him.

"Hm? Phoenix, what's wrong with you?"

Disar looked at Phoenix's expression, puzzled.

Phoenix's face showed no surprise but rather an indescribable mixture of emotions—gratification, excitement, and sadness.

"I'm fine, Disar. Just feeling strangely moved when seeing this port...Yes, moved."

Phoenix surveyed the port scenery, murmuring, "How wonderful."

In the distance, a figure became increasingly clear—a staff member hurrying over with a tablet, saluting Hime.

"Warrior Hime, your hard work."

"It's my duty," Hime smiled. "Any new instructions?"

"Marshal Fujin just ordered that the two witnesses be sent directly to the interrogation room for intelligence work as soon as possible."

"Understood. Can we fly through the port today?"

"Of course, be my guest."

After receiving the reply, Hime looked down at Disar and Phoenix. "Have you experienced flight before? Get airsick?"

The two glanced at each other, then shook their heads.

"No time to waste. Let's go!"

Hime tightly embraced the two children with her arms. Immediately, mechanical sounds came from her feet, and in an instant, they took off into the air.

"Here we go!"

Hime adjusted her posture midair, and with a roar from her leg thrusters, they almost instantly flew off.

2

"Ahhhhhhhhh—"

"Ahhhhhhwooohoo—So awesome—!"

The two of them shouted alternately as they flashed by in the air, causing a group of robots to turn their cameras upward.

Even though Hime's flying speed wasn't fast, Phoenix and Disar thoroughly enjoyed this hard-earned flying experience.

"Want to do a somersault?"

Hime asked the two children.

"Yes!" "No!"

"No chance now, we're here!"

Phoenix looked ahead to see a huge open iron lift gate, nearly half a meter thick.

"This is the main entrance and exit of this port. We can't fly anymore once we go through here. Our destination, the interrogation room, is near here," Hime explained as she slowly decelerated. When her toes touched the ground, she took a few quick steps to buffer, setting the two children down steadily.

"Interrogation room?" Phoenix was stunned.

Disar seemed to realize something and waved his hands hurriedly, "Inter-interrogate us? We haven't committed any crimes, we're not going to jail, are we?"

Hime laughed, then explained, "No jail, no punishment. It's just that as witnesses to the new enemy, we need to gather intelligence about you and what you saw."

Hearing this, Phoenix and Disar breathed a sigh of relief.

"Wait, let me take this call."

Hime turned around, pressing her index finger near her ear. Phoenix and Disar looked at each other puzzled, quietly listening to Hime responding with "Received."

Soon, she turned back to them, smiling.

"Miss Phoenix, Miss Disar, Marshal Fujin has just issued orders. The situation has changed, so you two need to be interrogated separately now. Please follow me."

Interrogated separately?

Phoenix followed Hime silently, passing through an open area and turning into a corridor.

"Um, Miss Hime..."

Disar asked in a low voice.

"What is it?"

"Why do we need to be interrogated separately? We were together throughout this incident."

"I think the Marshals have their own considerations," Hime said without turning back as she continued walking. "Even the slightest difference in angle could lead to vastly different memories. The information provided by two people independently and without influencing each other would be more reliable when combined."

Disar lowered her head, then turned to look at Phoenix.

"Will you be okay?" Disar asked Phoenix.

"What?" Phoenix responded.

"I'm worried something might happen to you alone again."

"It's not like the Roc will suddenly appear here!"

3

To say she wasn't afraid would definitely be a lie, Phoenix thought to herself.

What was supposed to be an ordinary interstellar trip had dramatically escalated into a defensive battle, and now they had even ended up at the largest military base in the universe for interrogation—all these once-in-a-lifetime events happened within just 12 hours, on two teenagers no less.

Phoenix's little ankle boots made echoing sounds as she stepped down the iron stairs into the massive space.

She looked down. Contrary to her imagination, the military port of the Prometheus Array was not like the airport on the Ceres Major—instead of roads or open flatlands outside the main gate, it was an expansive base area. Monotonous bluish-gray metal constructed this steel fortress before her eyes, with dazzling white incandescent lights replacing the sun's brilliance.

"The interrogation rooms are through here. Miss Phoenix, you'll go to Room 1 at the end of the corridor. Miss Disar will be in Room 13," Hime explained, placing her palm next to the closed iron door, which immediately activated a device projecting a faint blue screen.

"Identification successful," a cold mechanical voice sounded as the iron door horizontally split open from the middle, slowly retracting upwards and downwards.

Hime turned to the two children. "Alliance regulations prohibit me from accompanying you further. I'll wait outside."

Phoenix nodded in agreement and turned to walk down the corridor. An unique scent lingered there, one Phoenix was certain she had never smelled before—a pungent odor.

The corridor suddenly seemed deep and ominous, the golden lights appearing to warn that this was a forbidden zone not to be trespassed. She felt like she could hear her own bones creaking like old, unmaintained gears. A sense of panic rose within her as the scene before her eyes stirred up a whirlpool of emotions in her mind. It was as if someone had grabbed the hem of her jacket, whispering in her ear, "Don't go in."

Amidst this complex tidal wave of feelings, Phoenix stopped in her tracks.

But soon she heard another sound—the familiar footsteps belonging to the girl named Disar, a lifelong friend. Disar's steps were light, as she was used to walking by pushing off her fore-soles, the soles of her shoes making crisp tapping sounds on the floor.

Disar is right behind me, Phoenix thought. There's no need to be afraid then.

Phoenix walked on with reassurance, her boots making muffled sounds that intertwined with Disar's footsteps into a simple percussion rhythm.

Yes, her bosom friend was right behind her.

Suddenly, the footsteps behind her stopped. Phoenix couldn't help but turn around.

Disar stood in front of a silver iron door marked with a large red "13". She smiled and waved at Phoenix, mouthing, "I'll go first!"

Phoenix watched her close friend's figure disappear behind that door.

For a moment, she was alone in the corridor. But she knew someone would always be behind her.

Phoenix turned and continued towards the end of the hall, where an old door was marked "Room 1". She reached out and gently knocked.

"Excuse me?" she said softly.

"Come in," a young man's voice called from inside.

Phoenix pushed open the door and was momentarily blinded by the white light reflecting off the metal table. When her eyes adjusted, she met the gaze of the interrogator inside.

A strand of orange hair stood out against his silver-gray locks. A yellow visor made it take Phoenix a few seconds to discern his true iris color—dark gray. In the center of his black tailed coat was a faintly glowing blue spot, a unique mark of the Shipsian.

"H-Hello..."

"No need to be nervous, please have a seat, Miss," the man said, flipping through some documents in front of him. "Yigothu was supposed to handle this, but that guy chickened out at the last minute and took a vacation leave. Might as well get this over with quickly so I can go on holiday too."

Phoenix gave a slightly stiff smile.

"To get to the point, I'm Major Nimbus of the Galactic Alliance Military. I'll be asking you a series of questions which you should answer truthfully, without any questions of your own. Understood?"

"Understood."

"Very well, first question: Your name is Phoenix, correct?"

4

"Thank you for your hard work!"

Disar thanked the interrogator as she walked out the door. She closed the iron door behind her and turned her gaze toward Interrogation Room 1.

"Not out yet?" Disar glanced towards the room where Phoenix was being interrogated, then slowly made her way over.

If that's the case, she could wait a little longer.

The soundproofing here seemed a bit poor. As Disar approached Room 1, she could hear some noises from inside the door.

"Do you confirm that the Shipsian Shogun was temporarily cut off from communications after being attacked by some kind of weapon?"

"Yes."

Disar breathed a sigh of relief. She had also been asked this question earlier, and it was the second-to-last one. So, if there was one more question, Phoenix could come out.

If she wasn't mistaken, the next question was—

"Do you confirm that there was a possible enemy aircraft with a stunning ability?"

Correct, this was the last question.

"Yes."

Disar breathed another sigh of relief. With this, Phoenix's interrogation should be—

"Have you ever had any strange dreams? For example, of strange mechanical sounds around you?"

Huh?

Disar was stunned.

What was this? A new question? Why wasn't she asked this?

"Yes."

"Could you describe that dream in detail?"

"I often dream of 'beeping' sounds around me, and a bunch of people saying things like 'module normal.'"

"Miss Phoenix, do you often get injured in your daily life?"

"No. Ever since I was little, my family has said I have a very sturdy body that doesn't get hurt no matter what kind of bumps or scrapes."

"Last question, Miss Phoenix—have you ever experienced amnesia?"

Disar heard Phoenix hesitate for a moment.

"Yes, I don't remember anything before going to school. Mom said I was hit on the head in a car accident, and after that incident we moved houses. But because we moved to a completely new environment, I didn't feel any difficulties adapting."

"The interrogation is now over. Miss Phoenix, you may leave."

"Thank you."

The iron door opened, and Phoenix poked her head out, meeting Disar's gaze.

"Disar, were you waiting for me?"

"Of course."

"Shall we go?"

"Sure."

"I'm a bit hungry."

"There should be a cafeteria here, right?"

"Let's ask Miss Hime."

"Do you think they'll treat us?"

"Isn't that being a bit presumptuous?"

"But we're the ones who won the battle!"

"Did we really win it ourselves?"

"At least we were the best supporting act!"

"Let me open the door."

"Remember, gently!"

The two joked as they reached the main corridor door. Phoenix grasped one end of the door—using extremely light force. On this low-gravity planet, they had to be careful with the facilities.

Under their watchful gaze, the iron door slowly opened, but the person standing outside had changed.

A deep brown coat, tidy light brown short hair.

"Two young heroes, it's a pleasure to meet you."

Phoenix almost instantly recognized this person.

"Commander Proxymar...?"

5

"Bang! Click click."

Neni frowned tightly, gritting her teeth as she fired a bullet and then worked the bolt of the sniper rifle.

"Bang! Click click."

Within 0.1 seconds of the target popping up, another bullet was fired, hitting it squarely in a vital area.

"Venting frustration?"

Shogun had appeared at some unknown point beside her, asking.

"That's right." Neni answered coldly, her hands never stopping as she reloaded the sniper rifle.

"You look full of determination," Shogun said. "You almost have your next words written on your face."

"Shogun, I..."

"You want to join them," Shogun continued. "You hate those people, don't you?"

"What do they think of us?!" Neni suddenly exploded, almost shouting. "They knew long ago that Outpost would be torn to shreds by those Void bastards! What did they think Outpost's sacrifice and Banshee's suffering was?!"

Neni threw down her sniper rifle, continuing to yell at the rising targets before her: "The Void Army killed Outpost , ripped those weapons off her along with her limbs, and then used those weapons to attack us! And they knew all this would happen, they told us to just sit and wait for death!!"

Shogun caught Neni's eyes burning with rage.

"This revolution will come sooner or later," Shogun said, closing his eyes. "Young one, if you are prepared to join it, if you even have the resolve to sacrifice for this struggle, then we old ones cannot stop you. But do not act rashly on impulse."

"—Shogun, I have decided. I will no longer just watch. This is not mere rash impulse."

Shogun sighed deeply, gazing up at the ceiling.

The sound of bullets hitting targets rang out again.