Day 58: Lt. General Charles Berg's Office [Second Shift]

[das_berg]

Upon hearing the shift change, and Harrington's subsequent announcement, Berg fought the urge to rub at his eyes. While he understood that neither himself nor Aguilar had the time to do something like work the intercom system during the day, sometimes he thought Harrington enjoyed his new responsibility a bit too much

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[das_berg]

"That's what you'd like to be called, isn't it?" Berg asked. "In your friend's case, she wants to be called Yoko now. That's what it boils down to for me. Unfortunately, I personally can't speak for the rest of the program since I wasn't the one who designed it in the first place."

Besides, as things stood, their success rates were too high to change those sorts of regulations. There was no practical need for it.

The officer patiently listened to Sechs' furious barrage of questions, his arms folding over his chest. His men were keeping him tightly in place, something Berg would rather they not have to do. But in the subject's case, it was better to hold him down, rather than let him face the consequences of an attempted attack on a commanding officer.

"Don't misunderstand me," he calmly answered after a moment. "I'm not sitting here because I enjoy this project. It's costly to maintain, and, quite frankly, taxing to run." Sitting locked in their offices, twirling their proverbial mustaches, and playing the part of a wicked, mad scientist -- that was more Dr. Landel's style than their own.

But, his own personal feelings toward the institute aside, Berg knew what he and General Aguilar had to do. For a soldier like himself, that was more than enough.

Expression growing more stony, he gazed across his desk at Sechs. "I'm curious. What lengths would you personally go to in order to protect everything you knew and cared about?"

[sixth_attack]

General Berg's answer did nothing to ease Sechs' cravings for answers about Alita; it only troubled the agitated Replica even more! If Alita was really out there living as "Yoko", then all of Sechs' efforts to find his Original in the institute had been fruitless. What was worse was the finality to General Berg's statement, it seemed everything he had said on the matter was all Sechs was going to get about Alita...

Gritting his teeth against his growing despair, Sechs was forced to drop his nagging questions about his Original's fate. The Replica's furious posture slumped beneath the guard's hands, but his wolfish eyes remained furiously focused on Berg. "Hmph! Try being one of the guinea pigs for your taxing project!" Sechs bitterly scoffed, "Then come back and tell me just how difficult it is to maintain your little institute!"

Sechs yearned for more answers; he wanted to demand the truth behind the reasoning of the institute's existence. He badly wanted to ask why, why was all of this happening? What was the point of it all? Yet the next words to come out from the stone cold officer left Sechs feeling taken aback. The Replica could only sit there, his scowling face briefly flickered into an expression of surprise. "I..."

"What lengths would I go to protect everything... everyone I know and care about..." Sechs pondered to himself, his face shadowed by brooding mask. "What do I have that is worthy enough to do all that? What would a true warrior do...?"

It was then that a series of memories rushed through Sechs' mind like the sudden arrival of a whirling sandstorm. Sechs relived a stark memory back from his time in the space colony of Leviathan 1. Perched upon Alita's shoulder in the tiny robot body Sechs occupied then, they were following Zazie in the midst of their journey to end a war game that used children as target practice. Sechs had seen Zazie as an impressive fighter, and piped up an important question: "Hey know-it-all! What's the essential quality of a true warrior?!"

"Loyalty to one’s master," was Zazie's answer.

Sechs had scoffed at the reply, but Zazie continued, "...A master does not have to be a person, but a cause worth dying for. It is an idea that never wavers in the face of death..."

Sechs returned to the present with those powerful words echoing within his consciousness, and he refocused his gaze back towards Berg with an expression just as reserved as the General's. The Replica mentally pieced together his answer. Ever since his fight with Whophon and his experiences in the institute, Sechs was slowly beginning to grasp the sort of master he would fight for... A cause worth dying for...

Trembling slightly, Sechs thought of his companions and everything he learned from them; including the support, strength and sorrow he gained through their friendship. He recalled his first experience of a new sort of anger he had never felt before, one which flared up at the sight of seeing innocents put under the mercy of tyrants. He was no longer fighting just for himself, but for others as well. Was that what a true warrior did?

Another moment of silence dragged by before the Replica clenched his fingers into his crossed arms and readied himself with a deep breath.

"I'd... I'd give my life," Sechs finally answered, his voice quiet but steady. It was a question which Sechs thought he could never answer until now, and his reply reverberated throughout his entire being. As his personal revelation nourished his warrior spirit, the trembling in his body gently eased off and his posture straightened up against the soldier's hold.

Following his answer, Sechs' eyes narrowed dangerously at General Berg as his combative mind realized the reason behind the man's question. "And it wouldn't involve causing hell for innocent people like what you and Landel have been doing!" he added with a snap, flashing his teeth through an open scowl at Berg. "Was that what your question's about then? What I'd do if I were in your shoes or something?" he snorted with contempt. "You still haven't told me what the whole point of this institute is..."

[das_berg]

It took the subject a moment to give his answer, but Berg patiently waited and listened. He could understand the sentiment behind his answer all too well. But that wasn't to say they were necessarily cut from the same cloth. There were too many differences between them and their experiences.

"Spoken like a true soldier," Berg said with a nod, faint approval coloring his tone. "Of course, for some there comes a time when they must contemplate the possibility that their life simply isn't enough to keep such things safe. If it were a matter of sacrificing our lives to successfully perform our duty, there wouldn't be any question of what we should do, and this institute wouldn't exist."

But the world was seldom so black and white. Sometimes choices had to be made -- difficult ones that made the more faint of heart cringe in horror and disgust.

"Unfortunately, that's not where we're at," Berg quietly continued. The remainder of his coffee had cooled by now, but he wasn't in any hurry to pour himself more. "Simply put, this facility is helping us protect our future."

[sixth_attack]

...Like a true soldier... Sechs couldn't help but let out a soft, hollow chuckle at that, yet no smile came upon his lips. It was sickeningly ironic that he would finally be called "true" of some sort, not just a lousy copy, by someone who he considered to be a great enemy. He would have rather heard words like that from someone he admired or had a strong rivalry with, like Zazie and even Alita... But no thanks to the tyrants running the institute, they were far out of Sechs' reach, and he was no close to fighting on even grounds with the powers which had entrapped him, including the General sitting across from him.

The Replica slowly shook his shaggy head, refusing to accept that rare little gem of a compliment from the General. His pride may have been badly battered, but no amount of praise from enemies like General Aguilar's men and Landel would ever ease his injured spirit. Sechs was a warrior, not a soldier who mindlessly followed orders, that was what struck the solid line between him and Berg.

Sechs felt a painful jab at his heart when the matter of one's worth was brought up. "What is the worth of my life...?" Sechs thought to himself, his words echoing the same ones he cried out in a dream he once experienced during the Z.O.T Tournament, one filled with rage and despair so intense that he almost lost himself in its agonizing depths. That question still haunted Sechs since, and the effects of his M-U quite favored that particular insecurity. Sechs still had no solid answer to that question, as he was still constantly reminded of the fact that he was "just some Replica"... He could only glower at General Berg, wishing to make the man eat his own words and then some.

The former android could sense that they were nearing the end of the conversation. Another small shot of adrenalin entered Sechs' system, and his fury eased off into desperate frustration. "Protect your future?" he asked, his angry scowl twisted with confusion and even a hint of apprehension. "Protect it from what? What's so bad about this threat that's gotten you to stoop down to such sick levels? Why?!"

[das_berg]

The further their conversation progressed, the more emotional Sechs became -- that much was obvious. However, he'd at least contained himself well enough in order to keep their conversation going. Given all he'd been through within the institute, Berg privately considered his efforts quite admirable. Then again, it was only natural he'd want answers. Anyone would.

"That, unfortunately, I'm not at liberty to say," Berg answered. There was a tinge of regret in his voice, and it was sincere. "It is, however, necessary, which is why we're sitting here today. If the initial plans had been up to me, perhaps things would have been different, but..."

They hadn't, so it was useless to speculate now.

"As things stand now, our success rate here is too high for anyone to suggest changes," he calmly added. "This program works, and we need it. That's all I can say on the matter."

If he'd been younger, he might have apologized for the grief and pain Sechs had suffered. But he was experienced enough to know that such sentiments were hollow words so long as nothing could be done to change the situation. Besides, that was of little consequence now. He had a cause, and there was no use for sorrow or pity.

[sixth_attack]

No minute amount of regret, pity or sympathy that came with Berg's answer could ease the Replica's agonizing hunger for answers. Sechs could only sit helplessly beneath the soldier's grip, glaring at Berg with all the hatred he could muster in his yellow eyes. His entire body visibly cringed against the rage that howled for release from his heart.

Sechs was forced to accept that it was just no use to get anymore answers from Berg; like trying to break down that one metal door on the second floor of the institute, Sechs had no access to what he needed. After all Sechs and everyone he knew went through, they were all just as lost and oblivious as rats in a maze; the General might as well had thrown salt into Sechs' deepened wounds!

Bowing his head slightly but keeping his eyes locked on Berg, Sechs released a beastly snort at his opponent. He saw no other end to this battle than in a begrudged draw...

"Fine," Sechs said, his low voice barely steady against his boiling rage. "If you're not gonna tell me about the purpose of your sick little project, then you can forget getting any information about Marc from me!"

With a defiant scowl, Sechs delivered his stubborn statement as a final strike against the impassive General. Sechs didn't care what could happen next, he was done with Berg's mind games! According to Sechs, their conversation was over, and yet he was barely any the wiser from it...