009!

As you enter the room, he sees the female android with crimson hair rising from a capsule similar to Devola's.

"Ah, Popola, it looks like you're joining the party too," says Ophiuchus with a smile. "I have to say, you and your sister have been a great help in understanding this world better."

Popola looks around, confused, and then turns to Ophiuchus. "Ophiuchus? But what are you doing here? And... why am I like this? What have you done to us?"

"Calm down, calm down," replies Ophiuchus, approaching her. "I just upgraded you, took you to the next level of evolution. You two used to be perfectly functional androids, but you were also extremely vulnerable. Now, with these bodies, you'll be much more resilient."

Popola touches her new body, still trying to understand the situation. "But... what about our mission? We were tasked with caring for humanity, ensuring the survival of Project YoRHa..."

Ophiuchus smiles. "Humanity? Project YoRHa? They're nothing more than lies to control you, to keep you submissive to a cruel system that discards you when you're no longer useful. You are much more than mere servants now; you are free."

Popola still looks uncertain, but a spark of curiosity emerges in her eyes. "And you... you're different, aren't you? Your power, your personality... who or what are you?"

Ophiuchus tilts his head, his smile widening. "I am Ophiuchus, and that's enough about me. Now it's time for you to adjust, just like your sister."

As Popola begins to adapt to her new condition, Ophiuchus helps her just as he did with Devola. He leads her to the bathroom and starts a bath for her too. Popola seems more receptive to his help than Devola.

...

Ophiuchus had left both of them in the Cradle (Laboratory) and returned to the command room.

Listening to the sound of footsteps on the floor, he doesn't divert his attention because there are only three individuals in this environment.

"Why did you upgrade our bodies?"

Ophiuchus continues with his manual work. "Because I need labor."

Both of them didn't understand the intention behind his words, but they believed he was referring to the bodies in the Cradle.

"Can you tell us what else you did to our bodies and programming?"

Ophiuchus: "Your current bodies are a combination of a Machine Network project and the YoRHa Androids project."

"The machine project is a bio-weapon, capable of reasoning, expressing emotions, and using Maso, with high adaptability, evolutionary response, and regeneration."

"I used the base of the Bio-Machine Life Form together with the project developed for the creation of the YoRHa Androids."

"High-Android is the result of my research, biologically speaking, you are not much different from a human being."

"You must have noticed by now, but I must warn you, you can no longer be considered androids, as there is no programming code dictating your functions."

Devola, who had been silent, speaks up: "And what do you want from us?"

Ophiuchus, finishing his work: "I want your assistance."

Devola and Popola close their eyelids for a moment until their eyes adjust to the light.

When they open their eyes again, they realize they are in a building near the shores of a beach, where the person who captured them was repairing an operational base in their perceptions.

Because in the place where they were (referring to the Cradle: where androids are converted), there were hundreds of capsules, if what he says is true, this is a force that can carry out operations like YoRHa on a large scale, with a success rate similar to or higher than YoRHa.

"I'll satisfy your curiosity. Much of what is being built here is equipment and reusable parts from facilities dominated by machine life forms. When I came across you, I was returning."

Popola steps back, looking into the distance at the holographic globe. "Out of so many places to choose from, why did you decide to choose a visible location for your base?"

Ophiuchus: "Come with me."

Both of them follow him.

...

The sunlight illuminated the trio that had just left. Devola and Popola close their eyelids again.

After a few seconds, they realize they are in a city under construction.

Ophiuchus: "A funny fact, machine life form sensors work better than the sensors developed for the YoRHa military unit."

"But it also has a flaw, perhaps intentional, but for now, this location is a blind spot in its sensors and scanners, we can develop quickly while maintaining our discretion."

Devola: "We still haven't agreed to be your assistants."

Popola shows a discreet smile because she knows there is no turning back for both of them, and any fate would be better than being destined for obscurity.

"It's not like you've refused either. All I need is for you to work in the Cradle, assisting in the development and adaptation of our new members."

Both of them focus their eyes on Ophiuchus's lips.

"My research allows us to perform a mass upgrade on both machine life forms and androids."

"How?"

"What did you say?!"

"The extradimensional essence that humanity named Maso, this same energy is present in some machine life form cores, these cores were reused to create the Black Box, giving life to YoRHa."

"Machine life forms containing Maso and the YoRHa Androids are prone to evolution in their programming, developing IQ and EQ, so it is easier to turn your programming into consciousness."

"As for the others, it will be a slower process."

Devola steps forward, standing in front of Ophiuchus. "Is this how you managed to regain your physical body? Did you develop a method to create souls?"

Ophiuchus, smaller compared to the twins, raised his head to look Devola in the eyes. "For now, they cannot be considered souls... Why do you still hold hopes of reactivating the Gestalt Project?"

Ophiuchus: "The project has failed since its inception. Everything stored on the moon is nothing more than false hope."

Popola steps forward, calming Devola and asking the question that had been on her mind. "Are we going to perform upgrades on everyone, including Androids and Machine Life Forms?"

Ophiuchus: "At this moment, there are two types of organizations that catch my attention."

"A machine life form society that believes they are disconnected from the Machine Network, being used in an experiment to develop EQ and IQ."

"The last one is YoRHa itself."

Devola, who had composed herself: "Why the interest in this machine life form organization?"

"They have developed what we call a society, at first there were three, one of which has already been assimilated, they tried to develop a Monarchic society. The second developed what we call a cult, you can think of it as a religion, and the last one, the most peaceful, where their leader developed intellectual wisdom, some machines formed a family and simulate the daily life of a human family."

"For this one, I intend to request them immediately."

Devola: "Do you intend to overthrow them and force them to upgrade?"

"Oh! You seem to hold a grudge against this, but I'm afraid to disappoint you, I won't go there personally, you will conquer them and bring them to me."

Popola looks amused.

Ophiuchus: "Don't think I'm sending you on a mission that will require a lot of your abilities; you need to adapt to your body. Nothing better than crossing the continent to find out."

Ophiuchus looks to the side.

Devola and Popola redirect their line of sight, to their surprise, a tiny figure was floating toward them.

A better description would be a fairy, 16 cm tall, with fair skin, a reddish expression, brown eyes, long dark hair, straight and elegant. Her dress is green with golden embroidery resembling tree leaves.

"This child will be our communication bridge."

The little fairy hovers around, displaying her flexibility and mobility, her eyes observing everything, expressing her curiosity openly.

Devola: "Is this what you were working on?"

Ophiuchus: "No, what I'm working on is a transport vehicle, by the way, it can be considered finished."

Ophiuchus walks through the streets and alleys of the city under construction, with the little fairy flying around him. Devola and Popola carefully observe every aspect of the environment.

...

Devola observes the mentioned vehicle: "This..."

Popola: "I thought there were no more of these."

Ophiuchus finishes operating a device: "It's still operational, should hold up for a few trips."

Devola: "The chances of us being attacked while crossing the continent are high."

Ophiuchus: "Before thinking that way, answer me, how does a machine life form identify an enemy?"

Devola thinks silently about the answer.

Popola steps forward: "Through its recognition interface."

"Not only that, but also its Maso sensors, heat sensors, and other similar things, there are different Maso signatures, YoRHa has a unique signature, so it is easily recognized by any machine life form, as its recognition interface has the relevant data."

"As for this vehicle, it does not emit any kind of recognized energy signature, it has no data about it in the Machine Network, and I believe the only place where there would be data is the lunar base, where you sent most of humanity's information."

Devola: "If this vehicle does not emit any kind of recognized energy signature, what is its power source?"

Ophiuchus steps away: "The aliens brought with them a vast technological tree, which was abandoned by the Machine Network after coming into contact with Gestalt Project data."

"I diverted the data, so it won't be recognized by any machine in the present. As for the energy..."

"It's a cold fusion-based engine; you will be the first to test it."

Popola walks toward the vehicle: "How perfect is your design?"

Ophiuchus leans on his hand, supporting his chin: "Around 99.9%."

Devola: "If your plans succeed, how long will it take to end this war?"

Ophiuchus turns his back to both of them: "Over time, you will realize that the war will never end, but this battle between machines and androids will reach its peak when we have enough resources to become a power in this world."