Part 32: Future Gadget Laboratory crosses the point of no return

"What about the database using IBN 5100s?"



"To begin with, it's a database using a special program, so there's a limit on who can access it. Doesn't look like even chief executive class can access it."

"There are positions beyond chief executive class?"

"It seems like SERN has a council."

"Hmm... They call it a council, huh."

"What do you mean by 'it'?"

"That is the name of their last boss, obviously."

Kurisu looks at me coldly. Whatever. Let's leave the IBN 5100 database for another day.



"Okey dokey. That Z Program we saw last time was suspicious, wasn't it?"

"That, and the 'Jellyman's Report'."

Kurisu stares holes into the monitor. The earlier atmosphere of anger on her face has disappeared.

"Look at it carefully, and burn it into your eyes: The proof of SERN's actions, its deceit upon the world."

"Uho, found it! The person in charge of the LHC plan for the win."

"The person in charge... that's a pretty important post, huh."

"Right now, were peeking at his computer. Z Program, Z Program... hmm..."

"I have no doubt that Z stands for jelly!"

"Jelly starts with J. J-E-L-L-Y."

"Pfft, careless mistake, so uncool."



Daru stops searching the log.

"Oh, it's here, its here."

He displays an image file on the monitor. It looks like a very old scanned paper document. 'Z Program' and 'TOP SECRET' are written on it.

"The program draft date... is 1973. When was SERN formed?"

"1954."

I asked Daru, but Kurisu answers indifferently instead. I thought that SERN might've been made for the Z Program, but '54 means my guess was off.

"When was the IBN 5100 put on the market?"

"1975."

So maybe SERN used the IBN 5100 as its backbone. The years match.



I deny my own thoughts. There's no way it can be such a foolish reason. This most likely involves a worldwide conspiracy. Or perhaps, IBN only hid their proprietary programming language in the IBN 5100 for the purposes of SERN's Z Program! IBN and SERN are co-conspirators. And both of them are being manipulated from the shadows by an even larger organization...

Isn't this truly interesting?

"Ugh, a jpg? Don't screw with me. I can't copy paste this."

Daru mutters some complaint.

"Hmmm, the text isn't in French..."

What's being displayed right now looks like English.

"No, it's written in French, Dutch, and German too. The contents look the same way."

"...The control of space-time and the destruction of history based upon it, in other words, to implement a perfect utopia by means of the 'Committee' existing from past to future, shall become the meaning of SERN's existence for the 21st century'."

Kurisu suddenly starts talking with a stifled tone.

"Ah, I see! Makise can do English!"



"Of course not. Don't just go deciding fate on your own."

Daru turns over the chair, allowing Kurisu to sit in front of the computer.





"'Z, as in Omega or Ya. Putting a meaning or passion into that name is prohibited, presumably to put those in the program at a disadvantage.
The Z Program is strictly confidential project spanning international borders, and, like electromagnetic wave study, has received recognition from the Council of 300 as top priority research material. Henceforth, it has been decided that all other experiments carried out by SERN shall function to hide this Z Program.'"

It seems like what Kurisu's reading is the preface to a document. It's getting rather dull.

"Is there anything specific about what the Z Program is?"

Daru types on the keyboard from the side, bringing up a different window.

"Hmm... ah... here. This is...!"

Kurisu leans forward, staring at the monitor with her eyes wide open.

"What is it?"

"...'The purpose of the Z Program is to perform time-space displacement experiments through use of high-energy proton-proton collisions.'"



"Time travel experiments!"

I frantically stop myself from shouting. I rush over to the window and close it. It might make it hotter inside, ut it would be worse if people outside overheard us.

"No way... it was true...! And you're even telling me that they've deceived scientists the world over for nearly 40 years?"

"Just as I suspected: A huge shadow lurks underneath SERN. Perhaps The Organization, or maybe some related structure."

"What 'Organization', you pretentious hipster? At least try to be serious sometimes."

("Pretentious hipster" = "chuunibyou", literally "8th-grader syndrome".)

"Hmph, don't be foolish. My words always indicate the truth."

"Anyway, shouldn't it be The Committee instead of The Organization? It's written there."

"The Council of 300, huh. I think it refers to something other than SERN's council, but what?

"The world is full of deception. It’s not as beautiful as you guys think it is."

"Listen, Okarin..."

"I'm listening. The Council of 300 is the large darkness placed at the very top of every secret society, every government, every financial clique."

"Still saying vague things..."

"It's the truth. If you think it's a lie, then just google it. Humanity's time of prosperity until now has reached the wall called time. The technology of the time machine which can break through that wall can repaint human history on a grand scale. Literally. Similar to nuclear weaponry, it is the forbidden fruit that will make you like God. No human exists who can resist its temptation. Naturally, all those with power will use any means at their disposal to obtain it. Human morality is naught but a joke to those who aim for divinity. Understand, Cristina?"

"Thanks for your opinion. If you're going to talk that much, does that mean you're aiming for divinity too?"



"I'm not asking Hououin, I'm asking Okabe."

"I-I am Hououin."

"So basically, you don't have the desire."

Tch, damn Assistant. Such a tricky girl. Trying to make me sway...

"More importantly, Makise, the rest of the Z Program, please."

"Daru! What do you mean by that?"

"I'm more interested in the Z Program than in Okarin's delusions."

I told you, they're not delusions, nor conspiracy theories... but Daru does have a point. The top priority now is to disclose the dark side of the international research organization named SERN.

"Assistant, continue."

"At least show respect when you're asking a favor..."

While huffing out complaints, Kurisu obediently goes back to translation work.



"'Obtain standardized results for the accelerator through the know-how accumulated in the past half century, starting with the proton synchronization completed in 1959.
Program Stage 2: Practical use of the lifter, and its adjustment. With this, the formation of more than two artificial localized singular points, as well as the formation of Kerr black holes can become possible. Furthermore, intentionally leaked misinterpreted information on the formation of black holes and hiding the program's original goal are necessary.
Program Stage 3: Animal experimentation.
Program Stage 4--"

Kurisu stops talking. She takes a deep breath, and finally mutters angrily.



"...Seriously?"

Are you... serious...

Crap, chills just ran through my spine. Frankly speaking, I've been out of it for a while. A research institution like SERN is actually doing time travel experiments. And by chance, or by inevitability, we too successfully created a time-travel-like phenomenon. If things go well, maybe we could outwit SERN. I had that expectation. But...

Just like I said, the world is full of deceit, and honest ethics are neglected... Was it okay for us to get involved with this?

"H-Hey, Okarin. Remember when we hacked earlier? I'm pretty sure that this was written in that mail we read... 'Results: Error. Human is dead, mismatch. The details were enclosed in the Jellyman's Report or something..."

...Human is dead. 'A person has died.'

"Was that human experimentation... or something related?"

My throat goes dry. Kurisu and Daru await my words. Does that mean they're entrusting the decision to me?

I ask myself:



We can never turn back, you know. Though that may be true, pretending not to see this conspiracy would leave a bad taste.

"Daru... look up the Jellyman's Report."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously. However, Cristina. You, go home."

"Why now all of--"

"The Jellyman's Report... gives me a bad feeling. Once we see it, we can no longer return to our normal lives. You're such a genius that at your age, you got a thesis published in 'Science'. There's no need to throw away your promising future."

"Are you worried about me?"

"Of course. You're my assistant, after all."

"I keep telling you, I'm not your assistant. Thanks for your concern, but I won't go home. We need to expose this truth to the world--"

"No! That's too dangerous."

"Are you afraid?"

"We're too powerless against this conspiracy. If we make the wrong move, they'll erase us immediately."

"But still--"

"This isn't a game. I'm not joking here."

"...I understand. Let's not expose it."

Though her expression shows she still doesn't agree, she finally submits.

"But I'm not going home. It'll keep me awake at night."

"You won't regret it?"

"I won't."



It doesn't look like I can persuade her any further.

"What about you, Daru? Prepared?"

"Well, I am a super hacker."

He's comfortable even in this situation.

"I wouldn't make such a mistake that we'd get found out in the first place."

That settles it. It's great that Mayuri’s not here. I can't get her involved. I look Daru and Kurisu in the eye.

"Alright... let's begin."



"Why Norse mythology?"

"Probably because it's cool?"

"To begin with, men who say things like 'operation name'..."

"Daru, begin operations!"

He soon finds the Jellyman's Report. It required a second password authentication, but Daru broke through it easily.

"Okay, I'm opening it."

I gently lick my lips and nod. A gloomy atmosphere drifts about the lab. Since the window's closed, the strange heat accumulates. Daru wipes the sweat off his forehead with a handkerchief, and timidly presses the enter key.

At first glance, it looks like a resume. There's a photograph on the top right. The top left has name, age, weight, height, origin, and other information. Written in the center is a long string of English text. Underneath that is something like a scan of a newspaper clipping with a black and white picture attached.

And then I know,

exactly what the 'Jellyman' in 'Jellyman's Report' meant.



"Subject: James McCarthy, Age: 31, Origin: America. Z Program 4, Experiment Date: 2005-01-28 T 13:05."

Kurisu bends over Daru's shoulder, reading what's written out loud.

"Results: Error. Human is dead, mismatch..."

"That again...?"

"It is believed that due to infinite compression by supergravity, the subject could not endure passage though the singular point inside the Kerr black hole.
April 3, 1921. The right half of a dead man was discovered buried into the surface of a wall in New York's 14th district.""

It looks like Kurisu's reading the newspaper article at the end with the black and white photo attached.

"The unidentified man's corpse..."