The Celestial Way

Chapter 16.4 - Changing Ways

The command room was darkened, looking a lot more like a third-century stratcom center, the kind of which Airo had been used to. Given his recent conversation with Veralla, he felt the tiniest desire to reconsider his alteration to Ilsorin's HQ. He cast the thought aside, as there were more pressing matters awaiting resolution than deciding upon interior decoration.

The usual upper echelon of the Radiant Knights was present: Magus Dei, Lylana Darkovitz, Glawlrhain, and the arrogant outsider expert Mentoria Astarte. Stamat was also attending, standing by Glawlrhain's side. The meeting wasn't strictly off-limits to anyone, and Stamat also acted as an executive officer in the field, so Airo let the stout Knight stay.

"First, let us take care of the everyday reports," Airo said. "How goes the resonance fields distribution among The Consortium and the Union?"

Mentoria made a sour face, meaning to reply in her usual acid manner, when Yeoman Cloud materialized as a swirl of light above the command table, and boomed flamboyantly: "Allow me to report, Commander! I have all the data right here!" The exotic, scantily-clad aethereal turned her toxic-green eyes toward the SAI's manifestation, murder plainly written in her gaze.

Airo was not impressed. "Report then," he commanded.

"At once, Commander! Streaming full data on indicated screens, and giving verbal overview now."

Yeoman Cloud's overly cheerful voice filled the command room. "Latest data analysis shows both GSC and UTH local military forces have unofficially greenlit the SeReFi technology we've covertly presented them with. Estimates put Consortium nine to twelve days before first prototypes and about two weeks afterward to the achievement of mass production, while the Union is around seventeen days from first prototypes and three to four weeks until mass production.

I've analyzed the research notes Stellana Astarte has provided. Her invention – or rather more appropriately, creation – is indeed exceedingly complex, and my systematical tech audit was able to map out in clear terms only 84% of the production process. As per Stellana Astarte's original statement, the SeReFi technology was indeed out of reach of GSC and UTH research and development capabilities currently available within the Ascendancy system's sphere of influence.

To that end, with the help of Stellana Astarte, Stellarr Dei, Elder Darkovitz, and a few other technology specialists among the Radiant Knights – credited in the visual streams – we've been able to modify the original tech to fit more closely within policy parameters. The underlying structure of the SeReFi has been simplified, enabling their creation in less sophisticated conditions."

"What about our own production line?" Airo asked.

"Thanks to the formula's alterations, our own production can be increased by 102.8%," Yeoman Cloud announced with fanfare.

"Downsides," Airo snapped.

"The cost of these alterations are expressed in created individuals which are severely stunted in their development compared to specimens produced under the original specs. As in, the serefi created are severely smaller in terms of 'size', Commander. In essence, this means their area of effect is severely reduced, to the point most of them are able to function only as passive defense and/or in scenarios where the enemy is engaged at physical-contact range."

Airo studied the data streams to see the figures and predictions for himself. The simulations still didn't look good, yet between the increased production and the recent breakthrough in establishing contact with the Union field military, things once more seemed merely daunting, not a complete write-off.

"That is enough, Cloud," he said, cutting off the SAI which had blabbered on with technical details. "I shall consider this report good news. Carry on. Now, I have another question: why the nanofabricators in section nine on level twenty have been redirected from their regular veronite production?"