Two-Person Galactic Journey: Earth Was Destroyed While Imprisoned in Space Prison

Chapter 113

Now then. The matter concerning Chibbahe and the Aguares had reached a tentative resolution.

In the end, there wasn't much they could do moving forward. All they could do was fight to survive in a new place. Whether what they had abandoned would return to them in the end, or whether they would gain something entirely new—no one could say.

"Wasn't it called the Law of Irreversible Evolution?"

Earthlings affiliated with the Federation had lifespans that far exceeded the natural laws. Their numbers might increase, but the day they acquired a new form of evolution might never come.

Was that the completion of the human species, its limit, or was there a new kind of evolution awaiting at the end of an astronomical future that even Kait couldn't foresee?

Thinking about the Aguares, who were just beginning their evolutionary journey, brought a mix of envy and dread.

Kait found himself pondering his own future. Thankfully, he had attained a long life. Even if evolution as a species was out of reach, perhaps there was still room for evolution as an individual.

After all, evolution was supposed to be adaptation to stimuli.

***

In the research block of Eanipol, analysis of the physically isolated Fulgadonga copy was underway.

Nezasuriwe, staff from the Corporation, and several researchers from the Federation specializing in machine intelligence. They took turns resting while continuing the data analysis of Fulgadonga.

"How's the progress?"

"Ah, Captain. It's going reasonably well. The capture device you had made is a masterpiece. Forcibly copying all the data and erasing the original? It's rough, but remarkably efficient."

"I heard its performance wasn't much different from Earth's machine intelligences. I just tried what could be done. That's all."

If it were as advanced as the Federation's machine intelligences, the capture device likely wouldn't have worked at all. The Federation's machine intelligences had quality high enough to be granted full citizenship. In other words, they possessed a density and precision that allowed them to be recognized as living beings.

Emotion was an Earth-made machine intelligence, but she had obtained citizenship through an upgrade in the Federation. In other words, she had acquired life in the Federation.

"That's probably true. We were bound by that common sense and failed to consider the potential of such a device. Good grief, it seems we still have much to learn from Earth."

Irreversible evolution. That phrase that had crossed his mind earlier resurfaced.

Surely, it existed not only in biology but also in ways of thinking.

"I don't think that's true. Because Earth lagged behind, a bit of knowledge deemed unnecessary in the Federation still remained. It's nothing to be proud of."

"Kait, Third-Rank Citizen (Enec Lagif), you're quite harsh when it comes to your homeland. Well, there are plenty like that in the Federation too, so I can understand."

"Is that so... no, I suppose you're right."

In the end, Kait wanted to believe Earth's culture was of low value. No matter how much he thought about where that feeling came from within himself, he couldn't find an answer. The fact that he was aware of it only made it worse. Kait let out a small sigh.

The Fulgadonga copy and the real Dr. Fulgadonga—how much they had in common and how much they differed was unknown. But for some reason, he felt like talking to it.

"Can I speak with the Fulgadonga copy?"

"Hm? Most of the verification is done, so conversation should be possible... is something wrong?"

"Not particularly. It's a copy of the thought patterns of an intelligent lifeform that existed before the Federation was born, right? Someone who was isolated from both the Federation and the Corporation. Even if it's trivial, I just wanted to try talking."

"I see... well, let's see."

"Yes, I think it's fine."

Nezasuriwe and the staff seemed to be conversing with their eyes. Perhaps there was something unresolved.

They asked to monitor the conversation, so he agreed casually. He wasn't planning to have a deep discussion anyway. It might not even become a conversation. After all, he had deeply hated the lucky beings.

The machine activated, and a sullen voice leaked from the built-in speaker.

'What is it? Are you still going to interrogate me? I should've already said most of what I remember.'

"Just something I wanted to ask personally."

'You...!'

"So, what do you say? Would you be willing to talk with someone you hate?"

'Do you think I would?'

"I figured you wouldn't. But sitting silently next to you acting like a speaker would be boring. Might as well have a conversation while I'm here."

'...I won't give the answer you want.'

Just as expected, only hostility. It seemed the staff had tried to extract something from the Fulgadonga copy. Unfortunately, they hadn't succeeded yet.

After glancing around, Kait let out a faint chuckle.

"Don't worry. I didn't come to talk on their behalf."

'What?'

"To me, you're a copy of an intelligent lifeform that thrived in the distant cosmos while our ancestors were still crawling on the ground in fear of predators. Is it strange that I'd be curious and want to talk?"

'No... I suppose not. Even I might want to hear such a story.'

"Right? So, what do you say?"

'Very well. What do you want to know?'

"Let's see..."

There were many things he wanted to ask. But he had already decided on the first.

"What kind of planet did you live on?"

'Planet? Not the ecology of the Aguares?'

"I'm not that interested in that. The Aguares' ecology can be figured out with research. What they need isn't the past, but the future. I don't think there's anything I need to hear from you about that."

'That's quite harsh. Don't you want to restore them to their original form?'

"On my planet, we had something called the Law of Irreversible Evolution. Well, I suppose such common sense may not apply in space. Either way, it's up to them to decide what's necessary and what's not over time."

Kait didn't think the current Aguares wished to return to their original form. They were desperately living in the present without thinking about such things. Even if they had forgotten their intelligence and former purpose, when he thought of that unfortunate Aguares who used mental waves to desperately fight off enemies, he couldn't believe they had given up on life.

"What I want to know is about the planet itself. What kind of environment was it, what kind of creatures lived there? You may have wanted the Aguares to perish, but surely you didn't want your own planet to be destroyed."

'That... may be true.'

"Then tell me. Your planet is already gone. Its surface has eroded, and only faint remnants of civilization remain underground. Once you're gone, there'll be no one left who remembers its past."

The Fulgadonga copy fell into deep thought.

The planet had been abandoned on the brink of destruction. Even if the direct cause was the murder of a relative, the idea itself must have been rooted in the core belief of the being known as Fulgadonga.

Quietly, the Fulgadonga copy asked:

'I'll talk, but I want to know something too.'

"What is it?"

'About them, and what will happen to me. If you tell me that, I might answer.'

Was it okay to tell him? He considered checking with the others but decided against it.

Even if they said no, Kait had already made up his mind to tell him.

"The Aguares will be protected by the Corporation. Under the supervision of the machine intelligences created by your original, they'll be cared for until they can survive on their own."

'I see... how naive.'

"As for you, most of the copies of you that are on the ships will likely be disposed of. There's no need for multiple copies of the Fulgadonga personality. Am I wrong?"

'True. I'll be one of those erased.'

"Maybe. I don't know for sure, but the fate of the one that remains has been decided. It will be isolated in the space where the Aguares are being protected."

'What?'

"Functionally, it'll just be a camera. It won't be able to transmit speech or share information. All it can do is watch the evolution of the Aguares."

The Fulgadonga copy muttered, calling it foolish.

It was a voice full of despair.

'Such a punishment...'

"You must've realized it by now."

'Realized what... what do you think I've realized?'

"That they're no longer the Aguares you hated."

A groaning sound. Kait surely kept bringing up topics Fulgadonga didn't want to touch. He could feel the growing presence of anger, resentment, and hatred.

"They can't do anything on their own. They even abandoned their intelligence. They don't know why they're here. Do they even retain any trace of having once been intelligent lifeforms? Can you still see the beings who took your family and planet from you in those forms? I can't."

'That's not true. They bear the sin of being born.'

"Then why did you choose a planet with life? Why did you keep the Aguares onboard?"

It was a question he had asked once before. Kait calmly asked it again.

The discomfort had always been there. The hatred and resentment were directed at a planet with life. That may have been true to some extent. But if so, there was no reason to keep the Aguares onboard.

He could have scattered the Aguares into space and turned the remaining ship into a drifting missile. It would've become a far more destructive meteor swarm.

"In the end, we got to the heart of the matter first. Fulgadonga. Maybe, deep down, you actually wanted someone to save the Aguares."

A voiceless scream poured from the speaker.

How helpless it was. Intelligent lifeforms, regardless of place or time, always seemed to carry conflict within their hearts.

The Fulgadonga copy continued to release an unformed wail. Kait decided to wait quietly until it subsided.