The Jeager Project

CH. 03: 3R's Story/Contact

AS 3R AND 8S WERE EXITING THEIR FLIGHT UNITS, THEY HEARD THE COMMANDER ADDRESS ALL JEAGER SQUADRON TROOPERS. "We've detected alien signals, which have been dormant for several thousand years. As you know, the aliens are the commanders of the Machines. If we defeat the aliens, we'll be able to end this long battle once and for all." The words "alien alert" that they had seen were neither a delusion nor a malfunction of the sensors. After all, the commander was broadcasting an announcement to all JeaGer squadron troopers. "Currently, the technology department is analyzing their signals. All troopers stationed on Earth should prioritize the gathering of intelligence regarding this issue. We cannot waste this opportunity." Even after the message concluded with the words "Glory to mankind," 3R kept silently descending the cliff, down toward the source of the alien signals. After descending the cliff, she heard the splash of water near her feet. "Pod, I'd like some light," said 3R. "Affirmative: Turning on the light." Pod's light shimmered. The ground was covered in water, though whether it was underground water or rainwater was impossible to discern. "It seems like this area used to be a cave. It wasn't made when the ground caved in," 8S's voice echoed. It was hard to tell from Pod's light, but the cave was pretty sizable. "There's a side tunnel here," said 8S. "This is...a passageway?" asked 3R. Straining her eyes, she could see that the walls of the tunnel used sheet piles in various places to prevent collapse. Even if the side tunnel had occurred naturally, someone had modified it for use. "There's no information in the database that corresponds with it, so if it is a passageway..." began 8S. "It's one that the enemy made," finished 3R. If the aliens had been using the path, in hiding, for the past several hundred years, it was no wonder their side had no record of it. As if to support her theory, some things emerged out of the darkness. There was the sound of clashing metal. Red lights made a trail in the darkness. They were walking-type Machines. There were alien signals nearby, so it was obvious that there was going to be quite a few of their minions around. It was difficult to fight in a dark and confined area, and it would be a hassle to make sure that the passage didn't collapse from combat. But these drawbacks affected the enemy as well. It took them about as much time as it would've taken aboveground to dismantle the enemy. 8S kept muttering about his shoes being

wet and nasty, but that was nothing new. As they moved along further, the water level receded. The number of enemies decreased as well. "The alien signals haven't changed at all, have they," said 8S. "But there's fewer Machines coming out..." said 3R. "Is it a trap?" asked 8S. "I don't know. Let's be cautious," replied 3R. It was quiet. Only the sound of their dry footsteps echoed along the narrow path. Then, 3R felt something hard beneath her foot. "A Machine?!" There were the remains of a walking type lying at the edge of the path. 8S carefully observed the body. "It looks like this has been here for a long time..." said 8S. "It's not just here," answered 3R. 3R looked farther along the path. At the end of Pod's light were remains of spherical types and cylindrical types rolling around. It looked like the number increased the deeper they went. "But why?" asked 3R. What had destroyed all these Machines? It was definitely not the resistance or the JeaGer squadron. If it had been, there would have been some kind of record of the battle that took place. "I wonder if this is what catacombs were like," said 8S. "Cata-what?" "They were underground graves left behind by the human civilization. There were even some that used naturally occurring caves," said 8S. Darkness, silence, and cold air. Then the Machine corpses. There were no signs of life or enemy signals at all. A grave was indeed a good way to describe the location. "What's this?" asked 3R. They both stopped at the same time. It was clearly different in shape and material from the cave's naturally occurring walls. Somebody had created an entrance of some sort. "There's no information on this either," said 8S. That meant it was probably an alien facility. There were still no enemy signals. They braced themselves and passed through the entrance, but nothing happened. The only noticeable thing that changed was the sound of their footsteps. The flooring and height of the ceiling had changed. Dim light poured in through the shutters that extended toward the ceiling. 3R looked around, wondering what light source was being used underground. Within the room, there were several rows of chairlike objects. They each had something on the seats. 3R nonchalantly took a look at one and gasped. It was the shriveled remains of a creature—a creature different from anything else she had seen on Earth. "Is this an alien?" Every chair had similar-looking remains on it. They were in an awkward position that made it look like they were about to slip and fall to the floor. "3R! Look!" yelled 8S, who had been looking out the windows. 3R hadn't realized the shutters had been opened. She saw what 8S was pointing at through them. "A ship? Is it the aliens'?" asked 3R.