"What...*

For a moment she could not grasp the meaning of what was being said.

"We will be destroyed"? "Execution"?

"What does that even mean?..

And then Lena gasped.

Ray was also a processor.

And the "eighty-six" were sent to the most dangerous sectors of the front only to return citizenship to their relatives.

Why, then, is his younger brother—who should have already become a citizen of the Republic—now fighting at the front as an ordinary "eighty-six"?

And the rest of the processors. Every year, tens of thousands of young recruits are sent to the front lines – where are their parents and older siblings?

"Really..

"yes, exactly. The white pigs had no intention of giving the "eighty-six" any citizenship to begin with.

"It's just a bait to lure us to the front and use us. Pigs are pigs. Filth.

Lena shook her head, unsuccessfully trying to accept the truth.

Republic. Homeland. The place where she was born and raised. All sorts of things have happened in history, but to be so ...

"How... How is this even possible!!

Seo sighed softly.

"We don't blame you... By the way, have you ever seen "eighty-six" live behind your wall? Since the war began?

There was no reproach in his voice, only bitterness and a note of concern.

Those who wanted to regain their citizenship were sent to the front for five years. At the same time, even if the processor died prematurely, the right to citizenship was assigned to his family.

But nine years have passed since the beginning of the war, and Lena has never met a single person whose relative would have died at the front. Of course, this could be explained by the fact that Lena had not left the first district inhabited by whites for a very long time, but not a single Colorate at all! It was impossible.

She was disgusted by her own stupidity.

There were so many things that pointed to a lie, but she didn't notice anything. Brothers Rei and Shin. All those processors that went to the camps when they were very young, of course, they had to have parents and siblings. The first neighborhood where only Alba lived. She was blind and believed in the infallibility of the Republic like a fool.

"Most CPUs die before they reach the end of their life, so you can easily throw noodles over their ears and be fine with that. But when it comes to people like us — those who have managed to survive in the hottest sectors of the front for many years — one problem arises. Not only do we have good heads, but the other "eighty-six" consider us heroes. We may well be the spark that ignites the revolution, and then Alba will have a hard time, and they know it.

Raiden spoke quietly, but Lena could feel his inner turmoil: anger at the Republic fought against the realization that hating whites was pointless after all these years.

"That's why veterans with unique call signs are thrown into the hottest spots. They're waiting for us to die. And most of them die, despite all their experience and skills. And the most tenacious bastards end up here. The first area of military operations, the first defensive detachment. This is the last recycling station. Only carefully selected candidates for extermination are sent here. Of course, there is no reinforcement here. When we are destroyed, a new batch of suicide bombers will arrive. So this is our last duty station. The place of our death.

Everything was turned upside down.

Send to war not to protect, but to kill.

This could not even be called an extreme measure in difficult military conditions. This is simply genocide carried out by the hands of the enemy.

"N-but—" Lena was still grasping at straws. "But if someone manages to survive...

"Hmm. Sometimes there are very hard-to-kill guys... For such people, at the end of the service, an impossible reconnaissance mission is provided. No one has ever come back after it. For white pigs, it's always a joy — it's like finally getting rid of garbage.

In other words, at first, processors are simply taken to the front like cattle, without any compensation, and plugged the holes in the defenses with them, and if one of them manages to survive for a long time, and he turns into a hindrance that needs to be gotten rid of, then he is sent to a suicide squad, and if he manages to save his life even there, then in the end he receives an absolutely direct and clear order: "Die."

Her eyes were blurred with tears of rage.

Republic. Where, where is it lower?

Is it possible to rot even more?

She remembered Seo and Raiden mentioning at every chance that she had a lot of free time.

I remembered Shin, who didn't even think about what he would do after the service.

They had nothing: no time to spend for the future, no time to spend for the future.

All they had was a long-ago signed execution order, which specified the day by which they must die.

"So you knew that?..

"Yes... Forgive me. No one could tell you, not Shin-kun or Raiden-kun.

"And a long time ago?...

Lena's sonorous voice almost broke into tears. Rena replied with eerily calmness.

"From the very beginning. No one came back from the war — my older sister, Seo's parents, Shin's family — and we were left in the camp. White pigs don't keep their word... But this is not news.

"So you knew! Then why did they fight?! We could have tried to escape... or even take revenge! Haven't you thought about it?!

Raiden narrowed his eyes and smirked.

"There's nowhere to run. The Legion is in front, and the minefield and ambushes behind are like crossing a mountain of knives. And the revolution... It's not a bad idea, but there are too few of us left.

In his parents' time, it was still possible. But back then, they were more concerned with returning decent living conditions to their families than fighting the Republic. That's why we went to the front. In addition, they understood that if they did not go to fight, it would be their relatives who would be the first to die, locked up in camps outside of Grand Muir. The only thing left to do was to succumb to the sweet speeches of the Republicans and go to war.

When the generation of parents was wiped out, it was the turn of older siblings who had already realized that they would not receive any citizenship. They wanted to prove that they were worthy of being called republicans, at least to themselves, and that's why they fought. The authorities of their native country trampled on their pride and refused to recognize even their very existence, but they believed that once they fulfilled their duty as citizens and sacrificed themselves to defend the country, they would feel human again. This generation has sought to convince itself that those who defend the homeland are its true citizens, not white pigs who have run away from this duty.

However, Raiden and his peers didn't even have that reason to fight.

They had no relatives to protect, and they were too young when they ended up in concentration camps or secret hideouts.

They have already forgotten what freedom and human treatment are. Their lives were limited to barbed wire, minefields, bestial conditions, and the responsible torturers of the Republic. These people did not know freedom, equality, humanity, justice and mercy. They were thrown into cattle pens before they could even understand pride and a sense of belonging.

Raiden's generation is unfamiliar with the concept of "Republican." Their home was the battlefield, surrounded by enemies on all sides, and it was the only battlefield they belonged to until their deaths. They considered themselves citizens of the front and were proud of it. The Republic of San Magnolia, with its white pigs, was a foreign and unfamiliar state to them.

"Then why?..

He didn't have to answer.

But he answered anyway, probably because he was just tired of this girl's stupidity and stubbornness. Neither the nasty things she heard from the processors nor the chilling howls of the dead dampened her desire to delve into the minds of the eighty-six.

Raiden received the tacit consent of the others and said:

"Until I was 12 years old, I lived in the ninth district, and an old lady from Alb hid me.

— ... Something?

"Shin was raised by a white Holy Father who refused to be evacuated and stayed in the camp. Seo has already told about his commander... We all know what kind of bastards Albs can be, and Krena has faced the worst of them. But Anju and Shin have learned the hard way that "eighty-six" could be no better.

They saw it all: unbearable cruelty and astonishing mercy.

"So we came to a very simple conclusion. It all depends on the choice.

The cockpit was cramped, but Raiden managed to stretch and look up at the sky.

He had long forgotten the old woman's prayers, but he had always remembered how she had sobbed as she fell to her knees in the middle of the road.

"To tell you the truth, revenge is easy. It's enough to stop fighting. Just skip the Legion... Well, then, of course, we will also die, but the Republic will also be finished. I can't say that I never thought that pigs deserved to be exterminated.

Fellow sufferers lived in the camps, but in truth, in a few years they would die anyway. If the need arose, processors would be willing to sacrifice them quite easily.

"But intentionally killing Alb won't do anything.

Lena clearly didn't understand what he meant. Her silence made it clear: "How can this be nothing, but a sense of satisfaction?" Raiden smiled. What a good and stupid girl. She had hardly ever thought about revenge before that moment.

Killing an enemy does not get rid of hatred.

"Even if we brutally dealt with you, who have realized everything and repented, crawling on your knees in tears, it would not be enough... And white pigs have been acting like unscrupulous bastards for too long to repent, even if their lives are at stake. You prefer not to notice your uselessness and inferiority, and therefore you will play the role of tragic heroes and victims until the very end... Killing you is like playing along in this tragic play. Why stoop to such a level?

Raiden didn't notice that he had lost control of his words.

The Alba did exactly what they openly condemned, and that made them guilty before themselves.

He remembered the soldiers ridiculing the old lady who had spoken out against oppression, following the voice of conscience.

Republicans are escaping reality and hiding from war in a shaky, illusory world.

White pigs abdicate their civic duty, joyfully deprive others of their rights, and have the audacity to paragon themselves as models of virtue, without even realizing that there is a vast gulf between their words and their deeds.

Who would want to stoop to that?

"If you pay the bastards with their own coin, you'll be one of them. Here, at the front, there are only two ways: you can die by surrendering to the Legion, or you can try to survive by giving them battle. Would anyone choose the former? That's why we're fighting. It's what gives our lives meaning... Of course, it is unpleasant that our choice also plays into the hands of white pigs, but there is nothing to be done about it.

"Eighty-six." Citizens of the Front.

At the cost of incredible efforts, they did everything every day to postpone their inevitable death, and this alone was something to be proud of.

The handler bit her lip, and Raiden tasted the metallic taste of someone else's blood.

"And that's despite what you know... that you're going to die anyway?

She was still trying to convince him that revenge was the best solution. Raiden smiled.

"Are there any fools in the world who, when they find out that death awaits them tomorrow, decide to hang themselves today?" Yes, we are destined to go to the scaffold, but we can choose from which side to climb it. And we have already made a decision. Now the only thing left to do is to survive as long as possible.

Because in any case, they are doomed to a senseless and terrible end.

Raiden stepped out into the empty and open hangar and noticed two silhouettes on the street: one, smaller, clearly human, and the other, larger, resembling a garbage man. It was early autumn, and the night air was invigoratingly cool and filled with blue moonlight. A scattering of constellations shimmered in the coal sky. Nothing could disturb the natural course of the luminaries, and tomorrow they will light up again, beautiful and indifferent to those who are destined to perish.

Nature does not need the admiration of man. Her beauty is unconditional and cold.

"It doesn't matter, you're still great. Thank you.

— ... Pi.

Following a sadly hunched look at Fide (literally, he had indeed lowered his front end), Shin turned and walked back to the hangar.

— Are these the ones that were with Kino?

"Yes. Chise's juggernaut was never found. It's been a long time since we've sent Fyde to get parts.

"Then it's probably better to take apart the model of the plane that Chise made. The fragment next to the wing will be just right... Couldn't even a single piece of debris be found? Looks like they hit it well...

Fyde must have scoured the battlefield before returning empty-handed. In all the time he spent with Shin, he had learned that the first thing to do was to look for fragments of the hull of the dead, even though this was not originally in his program.

Raiden knew how the tradition had begun, as the commander had told him. That first fragment that Fyde brought back, as well as all the others that followed it, was still in the possession of the Gravedigger. Shin never engraved his name on it.

An emblem in the form of a headless skeleton rider who raised a sword above his head. Shin found a piece of plating with this sign in some ruins and fitted it to his juggernaut, only replacing the sword with a shovel. It was the wreck of his older brother's car.

"I don't think you need it, but I'll tell you just in case." It's not your fault.

Shin's abilities allowed him to determine the coordinates of enemies, but not their type. As a rule, it was possible to infer from the location and number of vehicles what they were, but even the Gravedigger could not figure out the newly assembled vehicle, which was hiding among a large group in the far part of the front.

Shin gave Raiden a long look and shrugged. Apparently, the commander really wasn't worried, so he could breathe easy. It was one of those deaths that no amount of effort could have prevented. Responsibility for it lies only with the deceased.

Shin turned his gaze to the sky above the site of the day's battle, and Raiden followed suit. Somewhere out there, in the distance, a long-range gun was hidden.

— ... I thought the base would be the next target, but they didn't shoot something.

- Heavy artillery is designed for dense shelling of an area or destruction of immovable objects. It does not cope well with mobile mechanized opponents, so it is not used in normal battles. That cannon was also originally designed to besiege a city or fortress. We have become just a test target for them, nothing more.

Raiden cackled.

"And we lost four. At this rate, we won't last long.

"When they're done, they'll be able to destroy the Republic itself, let alone the four of them. We don't care... But the Major clearly won't give up so easily. I hope she'll be able to come up with something.

Shin's voice was as cold as ever, but Raiden was surprised to see the change in him. Doesn't he notice it himself?

— ... Something?

"Yes, that's all right.

Up to this point, the Gravedigger had never once expressed concern for his handler.

— ... Be that as it may, any drone with a long-range gun needs reconnaissance drones. I've spotted one, but it's still inactive.

"Can you hear him?"

I remembered his voice. If it starts moving, I'll know... But he is unlikely to shoot.

Raiden looked at Shin incredulously, who was still staring up at the sky above the distant battlefield. Squinting, the Gravedigger said:

"Found it." I think he used scout ant sensors.

"What?!" Your brother?!

Raiden froze in astonishment. Of course. He had never seen the machine directly, but he had encountered his "subordinates" many times. He was a "shepherd" – extremely intelligent and ruthless, capable of the most sophisticated combat strategies.

Shin continued to stare at where his brother was most likely right now. A faint smile appeared on his lips, a trace of fear mixed with recklessness, like that of a devil in a deadly grip. He trembled with excitement and reflexively wrapped both arms around himself.

"I knew where he was, but he noticed me, too. So now I have to go to him. He's not going to shoot me from afar, it's too humane.

Shin's usual coldness was gone—he looked like a lunatic, and the sight made Raiden uncomfortable. The werewolf looked at his commander with concern.

Shin searched for his brother's head—and his killer's. He was looking for the machine that had become the receptacle for the dying screams of Ray, who had died somewhere on the Eastern Front.

Raiden didn't see Shin now, but the God of Death. His crazy smile stung like a sharp sword. The cold rage that gripped him was the fury of battle-hardened weapons that scented prey.

"That's great news to me, but you guys are out of luck... What are you going to do? Maybe it's better to hang yourself right now?

Raiden responded with the same fierce smile. But this rage was different, like that of a hungry wolf, ready to kill anyone just to save his life, no matter how crazy and difficult it was.

Suddenly, he noticed the blackboard on which Cujo was counting his countdown.

"There are 129 days left until the end of the service!" For the glory of the fucking "tip of the spear"!!

The end of the service will be the end of their lives. Behind this cheerful phrase was the countdown of the days until the execution.

In fact, there are 32 days left. But Raiden knew he would fight with all his might, even when there was none.

"I'm not kidding... We will follow the God of death to the end.

†

"Oh, well... I don't know if the Republic is capable of such a thing...

Annette was dumbfounded.

There was no one in the lab but the two of them—extra ears were useless. Coffee was smoking in a mug with a black and white hare, and next to it were cookies of a strange brown-pink color.

"Annette, please help me." This is... We need to stop it somehow.

Her friend frowned incredulously and took a bite of the cookie.

And then I looked right at her.

"And what exactly do you propose to do?"

Her gaze was clear and stern, as if she had lived a thousand years and was tired of life in all its forms.

"Go on TV?" Do you want to talk directly about everything with those in charge? It doesn't make sense, you know. Even if everyone is suddenly imbued with your touching speeches and changes, what has been done cannot be undone, you should understand this better than anyone else.

"But it's...

"It doesn't make sense. You're powerless here. So...

"Stop it, Annette.

Lena cherished their friendship, but she could not forgive such words.

"Human lives are at stake, you see... Hiding behind excuses and not taking it seriously...

"You're the only one who is not being serious!"

Annette scrambled to her feet. Lena froze in surprise and fear.

"That's enough. Forget it. We can't do anything. It is simply not in our power to save them!

"Annette?...

— ... I had a friend...

Her voice was suddenly quiet and brittle, with the pain of a man desperate to fix a mistake.

"He lived next door to me, and our fathers worked in the same lab, so we were friends. On his mother's side, he had amazing abilities: he, his mother, and his older brother could read each other's fortunes, even from a distance.

Annette's father was a neuroscientist who studied the communicative functions of the brain.

And that boy's father was trying to create a completely human-friendly artificial intelligence.

The experiments that Annette's father conducted were completely harmless and more like a game: the subject put on a sensor and tried to talk to the person who was in the next room. Annette herself took part in all this more than once and even tried to cheat. Her father would often invite people from his lab for repeat experiments, so that almost everyone stayed in their house. Mom baked delicious cookies, and many people came just for them.

These experiments did not yield any significant results, but everyone had fun.

"When the war started, everything came to an end.

That boy stopped going to elementary school. Clouds began to gather over Colorat.

Annette also had a hard time: she began to be bullied because of her friendship with a "dirty colored person".

One day after school, she went out to the boy who was waiting for her to play and snapped.

They quarrelled, and Annette, in a fit of rage, called him a "dirty colored man."

The boy wasn't upset at all, but he looked at her confused, as if he didn't understand what she was saying. At that moment, there was a gulf between them, and Annette still couldn't accept that it was all her fault.

It's because of her fear.

Her parents thought about hiding at least one of their friends. The father was torn between loyalty to his friend and the protection of his family, who could be in great danger if they were discovered. And then he asked what his daughter thought about it.

Her father clearly lacked one last push to make up his mind, but Annette forced him to take a different path.

"I don't know this boy. I don't want to be afraid of him."

The next day, the boy's family was sent to a concentration camp.

Annette could only console herself with the fact that there was nothing she could do.

And yet...

She chuckled nervously. How much longer will this memory haunt her?

"Listen, Lena. You can pretend to be an innocent sheep, but that's no longer the case... How many "eighty-six" do you think the raid device around your neck has killed?

"Do you mean...

Experiments on humans.

"This device is used to transmit speech, and it is pointless to test it on animals. We were lucky that "eighty-six" was no longer considered human... The results were needed urgently, so the safety of the test subjects could be neglected. My father was in charge of the experiments.

Annette only found out about it after her father's death from his records.

The subjects died in agony, their brains could not withstand the excessive load, and their personalities were destroyed.

Adults were needed in the war or in construction, so only children participated in the experiments.

There were no names in the records—"eighty-six," they weren't supposed to—only numbers.

Because of this, neither Annette's father nor anyone else could be sure that the next boy who died in terrible agony in a remote laboratory in the camp was not the same boy.

"It wasn't an accident. My father committed suicide.

He who betrays a friend and thereby condemns him to suffering and death deserves the most painful death.

My father used to say that. It is unlikely that he set up the raid device incorrectly due to inattention.

Annette knew she had to atone for the same sin when she became the head of the lab.

After the suicide of the handler, she was assigned to investigate his raid device. Apparently, the cause of death was one of the processors, and then she thought about it.

And what if she ordered this processor to be brought to the lab for research purposes?

Such a valuable specimen could have been kept until the end of the war.

Of course, he would have to live in lockdown, but that is better than death. She could have saved at least one life.

The thought made her suddenly terrified.

Nothing could change the fact that she hadn't saved her friend.

Annette turned to the transport workers, but they refused her, and she immediately gave up all attempts. "I can't do anything. I can't save anyone."

"And you... you're no different," Annette said with a grin. A kind and stupid girl, she still didn't understand anything, she didn't see how evil could hide behind ignorance.

"Not only can you do nothing to help them, but by prolonging their lives, you're only making things worse, because in the end they'll be ordered to die. If you had treated them properly, they would have died quickly without hearing the order. But now they're doomed to it—and it's only your fault!

Lena seemed petrified. Her beautiful face turned deathly pale in an instant, which made Annette feel both pleasant and excruciatingly painful.

 

I...

 

Once again.

Annette picked up a mug from the table and tossed it into the trash. Once upon a time, the two of them had chosen this pair of mugs and had their first coffee in this very room.

The sound of porcelain shards sounded like someone crying.

"I hate you, Lena. I don't want to see you again, ever.

†

The Tip of the Spear made two ambush sorties, on the orders of its superiors, and lost three more.

The Legion's tactics have definitely changed. From the very first appearance of the long-range weapon, ants, lions, and scorpions began to act intelligently, cunningly, and coherently. If Shin is to be believed, the "shepherd" was to blame - he had not yet appeared on the front line, but he was leading the Legion troops from the rear.

During all this time, Lena did not manage to do anything: neither send ammunition, nor cancel the death sentence.

And soon she received a new order.

"A lengthy reconnaissance mission deep behind the Legion's rear?!" Lena cried out, reading the text on the terminal.

"Forces involved: the full strength of the First Defence Squadron of the First War Area; At the moment, all juggernauts are on full alert.

The goal of the mission is to penetrate as deep as possible into the territories captured by the Legion.

The due date of the task is unknown. Any retreat will be regarded as desertion and will be immediately punished with deprivation of life.

In the event of an execution, any mention of the perpetrator from pararaid talk records and army lists will be deleted.

Each juggernaut is allowed to take supplies with them for a month.

Support from other departments or management is prohibited."

... Nonsense.

This is not reconnaissance or a military operation at all, just a senseless advance into the enemy's camp in search of death. It wasn't said directly, but Lena could see that no one was even trying to make this order look like a real combat mission.

Month? It's good if they last a few days. Countless troops of the Legion will simply sweep away the reconnaissance squad like an avalanche. Processors will only face a pointless battle and death.

How can such a thing be forgiven? How could such an order be issued? Is this the face of the Republic?

Lena clenched her teeth until she hurt and jumped up from her seat, knocking over her chair.

"So you want me to revoke the order for a special intelligence operation?" Right, Lena?

"Please, Mr. Jerome. This should not be allowed.

Lena bowed her head low to Karstahl, her last hope.

In an attempt to prevent the operation, Lena learned that such unspoken orders were a kind of tradition that had existed for quite some time in the Republic army.

The "tip of the spear" was far from the first. The Southern Front, the first area of operations, the first defensive detachment "Razor's Edge". Western Front, First Military Area, First Defensive Detachment "Strela*". The Northern Front, the first area of military operations, the first defensive detachment "Molot". All of them were able to hold out for about 6 months, and on the rare occasions when someone survived longer, the same order for a "special reconnaissance operation" invariably came from above. No one survived after it. The most tenacious "eighty-six" were, in fact, taken to the recycling station and destroyed.

Karstahl looked at the documents in front of him.

— ... This is a common practice. As a rule, such an order comes when there is only one, well, two processors left alive. You'll have enough of them for a small squad — no curator has ever achieved such a result... But I've already told you that. You've overdone it.

She overdid it, prolonging their lives.

Lena shuddered as she remembered Annette telling her the same thing, but pulled herself together and said:

"I'm begging you. From the Republic... No, we've had enough of our sins.

Karstahl said nothing, and she continued:

"Since you say that appeals to morality and justice are not enough... Can he mention the interests of the state? The death of superior processors not only undermines the power of the Republic, but also seriously threatens the very safety of citizens. If a person like you raises this issue at a meeting of the Defense Council or brings it up for public discussion...

There was disbelief on Karstahl's face.

"Have you ever thought that the army acts in this way simply because the republican government, and all the inhabitants somewhere deep within themselves, understand that it is in the interests of the state to destroy the eighty-six?"

"What?..

Lena looked at Karstahl dumbfounded, and leaned forward a little, her hands resting on the antique table—it was a violation of etiquette.

"How can you say that!" It's just a crime against the Republic and conscience, just like me and...

"If the 'eighty-six' survive the war, our actions towards them will be condemned. Concentration camps, confiscation of property, conscription. All. How much do you think the compensation for damage alone will attract? To do this, taxes will have to be raised, and will ordinary citizens survive under such a regime?

— ... This is...

"In addition, if neighboring countries still exist, our crimes against Colorate will become known everywhere. We will lose our reputation and credibility, and the name of the Republic will forever be associated with persecution... If the order to avoid such a terrible scenario is to wipe out "eighty-six," then so be it.

Lena clenched her teeth involuntarily. She'd heard about it from Shin before.

"So that's why you don't allow bodies to be removed or even graves to be made..

"Yes. Moreover, neither the camps nor Grand Muir have any records of the dead, and the personal files of the processors are deleted immediately after their death. "Eighty-six" never existed. And those who did not exist cannot be persecuted. We are simply erasing a reality that could damage the impeccable reputation of the Republic.

— ... I didn't think the Republicans were that angry...

Karstahl's face was suddenly sad.

"It's all deep inside. Few people aspire to it openly, most just tacitly accept this outcome, sometimes even on an unconscious level... These are the fruits of our priceless democracy, Lena. Most people don't care what happens to "eighty-six" if it's for personal gain. And we, as an army, are obliged to obey the decision of the majority, don't you think?

Lena slammed both hands on the countertop. The crash shook the walls.

"When a minority is neglected at the will of the majority, this is not democracy! The spirit of the five-color flag is to protect each and every one – it is the basis of our domestic policy and the constitution itself! If we can't even do that, what's the point of a Republic?

Lena's words were clearly irritating to Karstahl, but there was also a smoldering rage in his eyes, not for her, but for something distant and unclear.

"The constitution and so on are just pieces of paper that are given meaning. A common fiction, just like the patron saint of the Republic, Saint Magnolia, who was secretly murdered in captivity after the overthrow of the monarchy simply to make an idol out of her.

Lena froze: she had never heard Karstahl speak with such fury.

"Barbarism?" Yes, it is possible. But we ourselves made it possible when we supported the ignorant. Creatures have come to power who think of nothing but their own benefit and always care only about their own rights, forgetting about their duties and not squeamish about violating the rights of others. They blackened the name of the Holy One, covering up their evil deeds with it, but what else could be expected from fools and scoundrels!

Karstahl took a deep breath to calm himself and leaned back in his chair.

"We're not ready for freedom and equality yet, Lena. People... They'll probably never be ready for that.

Lena cast an indifferent glance at the man she had once considered her second father. There was no other way to quell the surge of contempt.

"Despair speaks in you, for which you are trying to find excuses... For the sake of this, you give your tacit consent to killing, and this is simply wrong.

Karstahl followed Lena with a single glance. His white eyes were full of weariness.

"You're always talking about your desire, and your wishes haven't saved a single life yet. As well as dreams. You cherish them, but you can't put them into practice, and you can't change people. Isn't that why you came to me... That your desires and dreams have not convinced anyone?

Lena clenched her teeth tightly. He was right.

"Desperation and desire are the same thing. You're hoping for something that will never happen. These are just names for the sides of the same coin.

Even if that's the case. Give up and succumb to fate...

It's not the same as challenging her against all odds.

But the person sitting in front of her will never understand this.

This is the reason for his despair.

— ... Thank you for listening to me, General.

†

The Tip of the Spear received the order at the same time as Lena, and preparations were in full swing at the base. Reception and sorting of goods delivered specifically for the operation. Searching for supplies that may be needed at the base. Giving orders to scavengers. Thorough examination and preparation of juggernauts, who will no longer be able to receive professional repairs after the start of the operation. Settling the last cases with processors that will be gone forever.

The results of the preparation were sent to Shin in written form, and it was his duty to check that everything written was true.

As always, Aldrecht was in charge of distributing and loading supplies. He stood in the corner of a visibly empty hangar, in front of a pile of containers that needed to be identified and counted.

"Food, energy packages, ammunition, spare parts – everything is enough. Oh, and I've got a lot of parts for the suspension here, because one stupid commander always doesn't have enough of them. You've got to handle the minor repairs yourself.

"Good, because the suspension often breaks...

"Stop talking like you don't know what I mean, shithead... You've only got one car. Stop doing it!

Aldrecht was so serious that he didn't even scream, but Shin just shrugged. He couldn't promise that. If you don't give it your all in every fight, the Legion will crush them with its might. Aldrecht smiled wearily.

"For the last time, you could have lied to me that it wouldn't happen again. But I still want you to listen to me right now.

"I'm sorry.

"Oh, well, you're and...

The brigadier sighed and couldn't find anything to say. Shin was quite satisfied with the silence that followed, but Aldrecht scratched the back of his gray head and added:

— ... Shin. When all the preparations are over, I'd like to talk about something. Then gather all your assholes somewhere.

Shin blinked uncomprehendingly and looked straight into the stern face hiding behind his sunglasses. He was about to ask what Aldrecht meant when the pararaid kicked in.

— ... Captain Knowzen.

"Major." Did something happen?

Shin gestured that the conversation would have to be interrupted. Aldrecht nodded and walked away.

— ... An order for a special reconnaissance operation came.

"We've already got it. Preparations are proceeding as planned, without delays. Have there been any changes?

Lena gritted her teeth at how mundane Shin's voice sounded, as if it were just another unremarkable mission. It was clearly harder for her to control herself.

"I'm sorry. I couldn't cancel it.

For a moment, she seemed to lose her speech. And then she couldn't stand it anymore and blurted out...

"Run." You don't have to follow such a stupid order.

Feelings got the better of me. The operation could not be reversed, so there was only such an unreliable way out.

"Where?" Shin asked quietly and insinuatingly. It was a disagreement in the form of a question.

Lena understood. There was nowhere to run. Even if they managed to hide, they wouldn't last long. It is unlikely that they would be able to feed even a few people.

It is impossible to survive alone, which is why people united in villages, cities, and countries.

But now the system posed a mortal threat.

Lena felt an unreasonable rage rising from the depths of her stomach and said through clenched teeth.

"Why are you like this all the time..

She was irritated by the calm readiness with which he accepted his future senseless death. Just like a condemned person who wants to pay for his sins. But the "eighty-six" did not commit sins for which they should be punished in this way!

"I don't hold a grudge against anyone. Everyone dies at some point. And if I am destined to die before many, it is pointless to blame anyone for it.

"What nonsense! You're being killed! How can you not blame anyone if your future, your dreams, and your whole life are taken away for no reason?

Lena was already sobbing, and Shin paused for a moment before answering. There was a sad smile in his voice.

"Major." In general, we are not going after death at all.

No regret, no sense of loss, just calm.

"We've been tied up and locked up all this time. But now freedom awaits us. We can finally go where we want to go, and the way we want to go. There is no need to condemn our long-awaited liberation.

Lena shook her head resolutely. This is not freedom. To be free is to have the natural right to choose any path and to receive or at least want anything, as long as it does not violate the law and the rights of others.

Being able to choose the place where you will die tomorrow and the path leading to it has nothing to do with freedom.

"Then... Then at least don't fight. You know how to detect the location of the Legion. Try to get past them without colliding...

"It's impossible. No matter how well I determine their location, it is impossible to penetrate the border unnoticed by intelligence activities. In order to go deeper, you will have to fight... I was aware of that from the very beginning.

Shin let out a small chuckle.

"Realized" clearly meant "wanted."

Lena lowered her eyes and, unable to stand it, answered:

— ... It's all for the sake of destroying the big brother, right?

A moment's silence. Shin sighed in exasperation.

— ... Why recall completely unnecessary information now?

"I know everything. And...

That cold and frightening chuckle. Lena heard him when Shin talked about looking for his dead brother. When he mentioned the "shepherd." And now.

Shin didn't seem to notice it himself. A person always has a worse idea of what he looks like than those around him, and the same can be said about his secret feelings, which are probably always more clearly manifested from the outside.

Fear, hatred, affection, insanity, and terror pierced him like a knife, but he did not notice anything.

He wasn't ready to face it.

"And that's why I'm asking you not to fight. Though he's become part of the Legion, fighting against his brother...

"My brother is a shepherd. It must be destroyed.

Shin replied firmly and harshly. Lena had never heard such irritation in his voice before.

"Captain...

"If it's hard for you to perform your duties, then it's better to stop it all right now... Raiden and Kaye have talked about this many times before," Shin interrupted abruptly.

The curator froze. The gravedigger took a deep breath to control the rage that gripped him, and returned to the indifferent tone with which he had spoken in the first days after Lena's appointment.

— ... Major. We don't need your guidance anymore.

"It's...

"I mean, that's not what I meant... I don't want you to hear my brother's dying screams.

His curses. Screams of indignation. Lena had only to remember his smile and the outstretched hand.

"And one more thing. To the east of here, far beyond the border, the voices of the Legion are silenced.

Shin spoke expressionlessly, as if it was a small thing he had forgotten to report.

Or maybe it was a mask with something else behind it.

— ... Captain Knowzen...

"It could mean one of two things: either I just can't hear any more, or there are still people alive there. You may be rescued before the Republic falls... If the control center, the "shepherd," is destroyed, chaos reigns in the Legion for a while. I can buy you some time, so... Major, you must live to see this moment.

A detached and indifferent voice, but how much fervent hope these words brought! Lena clenched her fists tightly.

†

In another ambush, they lost Hart.

For the first time ever, Lena was absent throughout the operation.

And then came the day of their special mission.

He got into the juggernaut and started the system. On the main screen, the startup sequence and scan results are displayed. Glancing at the number of Allied dots on the secondary display, Raiden grumbled.

"Five people?" Oh, it's a shame it happened to Hart.

If he had held out for two more days, he would have been able to go on an interesting excursion.

Seo's feigned sad sigh could be heard through the pararaid.

"The Major never got in touch.

"Are you bored, Seo?"

"Not at all. But...

Seo bowed his head thoughtfully.

"It's a bit of a pity. I guess.

"Yes, I'd like to say goodbye to her." After all, we communicated.

"Exactly, Anjou. I don't care about her, but since she was with us, I could say something last.

"It's the opposite, it's good. How many times has she been told to stop talking to us, and now she finally understands," Krena said angrily. Seo and Anju exchanged conspiratorial chuckles, and Krena became even angrier.

Yes, maybe so, Raiden thought, looking at the cockpit wall. He also didn't expect that Lena would leave them right now, having gone through so much. Fear clearly has nothing to do with it... Apparently it can't seem because of some stupid sense of guilt.

Raiden had already figured out what he could say to her last... But if that's the case, there's no need to think about it.

The control sequence is complete. The system is ready to be launched. On the illuminated screen, members of the maintenance team appeared seeing them off. These people took care of them for six months. We lived with them in rickety barracks. Raiden bowed his head, though he knew he wouldn't be seen.

At the back of the reconnaissance party was Fide, who now looked very much like a centipede, with five blocks of a month's worth of goods attached to him, each on mechanical supports.

All preparations have come to an end. Once they move, there is no turning back. Simultaneously with the beginning of the operation, references to them will be removed from all lists of officers and drafted to the front, and at 12 o'clock on the same day, the records of communication sessions with the curator will also be destroyed. If they tried to retreat, they would be shot with republican guns, so the only thing left to do was to go to their deaths.

The prospect was surprisingly calm.

Raiden had been ready for this since he found out he was being transferred here.

At the time, there were six of them, including Daya. They were transported from their previous duty station by helicopter, and it was here that they met Kaye, Hart, and Kino. After each transfer, a new group photo was supposed to be taken for the dossier, so they were placed against the background of a wall with horizontal height marks, and given number plates in their hands, as if they were some kind of criminals. Tonight, this photo will probably not be there anymore - it will be destroyed in connection with the disbandment of the unit, because no one is going to mourn them. As well as the other one, filmed by chance by that modest and sweet guy... When did he die?

That evening they gathered together and swore oaths to each other.

Never stoop to the level of pigs, no matter how many of them are called that. Fight to the very last day and the last man.

Five of them made it to the end. They couldn't even hope for that.

Not so bad, Raiden thought, smiling slightly, and his thoughts went back to the Gravedigger who was at the head of the group. He remembered the sign in the form of a headless skeleton with a shovel in his hands, a symbol that the God of death would always be there, even after their death.

He led the 576 dead, encased in small aluminum headstones.

Shin slowly opened his crimson eyes and said in a low voice.

— ... Time.

Hearing a distant voice, he roused himself from his sleep mode.

"It's coming. It's still a long way off, but it's getting closer. He's found me again, and now he's longing to meet me. I can't wait. Hurry. Let's end this once and for all."

The familiar voices of the ghosts suddenly grew louder and moved. They covered the ground with a soulless avalanche and were getting closer and closer with each passing second.

The silver swarm of mayflies that preceded the main troops obscured the sky like a cloud, and it became dark.

Raiden growled.

— ... Шин.

"I see.

The Legion moved straight along the route they had chosen. They deviated slightly from the course, and the enemy troops did the same.

... It's natural. Since Shin can hear the Legion, the opposite is also true.

He analysed the local terrain and chose the best route. Since a clash cannot be avoided, you need to secure at least a slightly more advantageous position for yourself.

A dot on the radar lit up to indicate the enemy. In a moment there were several of them, and now their entire future route was hidden under a cloud of white dots.

They skirted the hills blocking the view. On the left side was the border between the dense forest and the plain.

A huge army of the Legion was already waiting for them, occupying the entire horizon.

Ahead is the Ants' reconnaissance unit. Two kilometers behind are mixed armored formations of Lviv and Grey Wolves: three groups in all, stretched across the entire line of sight at intervals of a couple of kilometers. Behind them were clearly hiding artillery positions with Scorpions. It seems that the Legion has gathered all the forces that were in the first district here.

At the head of the army, the "Dinosaur" walked leisurely, followed by a small group of Ants. Shin tried to get a better look at it.

It was a gigantic machine, 4 meters tall and weighing as much as two lions, with the heaviest armor and eight limbs capable of withstanding great speed. Its power could be compared with a battleship for shelling coastal territories. The huge 155 mm cannon and the parallel 75 mm gun were turned directly at the processors. At the top of the turret were two 12.7 mm heavy machine guns that looked like toys compared to this steel monster.

Shin realized that they were being led by a "shepherd" before he even spoke. Not only did he choose a more difficult route, he assumed that Shin would go there and deployed troops here. I analyzed the situation and chose the most likely course. The Sheep are not capable of this.

Suddenly, this "shepherd" hiding far in the rear said:

— ... Шин.

His low voice dispelled all doubts. Shin remembered him clearly. The same voice and the same dying word.

He kept calling him.

Shin smiled faintly. Finally out... Finally found.

The smile turned into the grimace of an enraged and cruel madman.

"I've found you... Brother.