Editing Toaru Majutsu no Index:MvM Chapter4 (section)

===Part 4===

On the giant ship, Mikoto worked to organize her thoughts.

This world apparently had two factions: the altered humans and the perfect androids. But this was complicated by factors beyond just a direct conformation between the two.

“This is an electrification device,” said the exoskeleton ali- no, the earthling named Floria. “While developing our artificial supernova engine, we accidentally discovered a massive gravity field aperture transfer portal. Simply put, we created a secondary device while messing around with an artificial blackhole. A device that can ''freely and precisely electrify any matter, regardless of its composite elements.''”

“That’s a hell of a thing to just say like that…”

“I am aware. The number of applications for the electrification device are incalculable. For example, remotely altering the surface of a variety of weapons can cause your own weapons to vanish from radar and your enemy’s to appear on radar regardless of their original stealth capabilities. Manipulating the electrons binding atoms or molecules can create any number of brand new materials, including new types of explosive and armor, greatly expanding the possibilities of weapons R&D. By interfering with the piezoelectric effect and frequency of quartz clocks, you should be able to neutralize a warhead’s fuse. This one invention could change a war into a unilateral slaughter. We cannot allow it to fall into the hands of the machines that insist on the beauty of all things and continue to invade our safety and territory.”

“Eh?”

“Do you have a question?”

Floria was puzzled by Mikoto’s surprise, but Mikoto fell silent. She made sure to take a deep breath before asking her question.

“Um. Do you not actually see much value in the safe and artificial creation of a blackhole?”

“The very creation of it completed our objective. That was no more than a physical test of what was originally a thought experiment about the artificial creation of a blackhole. We do not need one to dispose of unrecyclable waste because we can simply dump it all into the sun.”

Floria made it all sound so simple.

And maybe it was for the people who had already done it.

But this changed everything for Mikoto.

She had realized something of such importance she decided it was best not to tell Floria and the other humans if they hadn’t realized it themselves.

In other words…

(Could I…use this to go back?)

Of course, you couldn’t achieve matter transport by simply jumping into an artificial black hole. If she tried that, she would be crushed from all directions and eternally trapped.

That method couldn’t be used to travel between worlds either.

''However.

(Given how that electrification device works, it might just be possible.)

“All we want to do now is protect the Solar System from the ultra-massive impactors. The electrification device will not help with that. In fact, it is a dangerous technology that can only accelerate the war with the androids.”

“…”

That they still couldn’t choose to destroy the device may have been proof that they really were still human after changing so much.

It terrified them, but destroying it felt like a waste.

The electrification device had been created on accident and they weren’t sure if it could be reproduced. If they destroyed it, someone might decide they wanted it after all and create another one.

“So we removed the connector from the device.”

“What connector?”

“At the time, humans still lived on Earth and they were divided into multiple factions by national borders, which means diplomacy was possible. ''We'' were not at war then. The hyper energy generator has been place aboard the human flagship. Meanwhile, the energy control crystal is contained aboard the android flagship. While the electrification has many uses and meanings, it requires both producing an electric charge at will and precisely controlling it. So the device cannot be used without the controller.”

“But if you only wanted to use it at random, you could do that with what you have?”

“If all you want is to gather static electricity on a plastic sheet, you need only rub a cloth against it. The electrification device is only so terrifying because it works with any matter, any output level, and any precision level.”

That meant Mikoto alone couldn’t implement her idea.

She could use her free control over electricity to hack electronics, converse with her clones via brainwaves, and do other seemingly ridiculous things, but not even she could do everything this electrification device could apparently accomplish.

(Hm, it feels wrong that something based in electricity is just out of my reach. It’s like someone pressed the wrong button or ''this world just isn’t meant for me''.)

“So what’s with these straightforward names, like electrification device or controller?”

“What’s wrong with being straightforward? We prefer simple, functional names that allow little to no room for misunderstanding.”

That was completely different from Academy City.

It felt like they weren’t concerned anyone could guess the importance of a device from its name. If computer technology had advanced too far here, maybe even the most complex codes and ciphers could be broken in seconds. Had they physically removed a crucial component because they didn’t trust software passwords or locks to do the trick?

“Again, this has nothing to do with our primary goal. It has no direct influence on our protection of the Solar System.”

“…”

(An electrification device, huh?)

Mikoto began working out a plan in her head while she heard what Floria had to say.

Since her school’s esper development was based on quantum theory, Mikoto was familiar with a lot of strange and questionable theories based on blackholes, cosmic strings, and the like.

First of all, this SF world had artificial blackholes. But those probably couldn’t be used to travel between worlds.

And even if a blackhole could be used that way, that wasn’t enough. Anyone could tell you that diving into a blackhole would only get you crushed from all sides. A few more conditions had to be met first.

(Yes, ''like electrifying the blackhole itself.'')

Then instead of diving directly into the blackhole, she could travel around it at high speed to achieve what was known as a charged warp.

Warping itself was a fad theory related to the unconfirmed cosmic strings, but Mikoto didn’t see how she could return to Celesaqphere with only reasonable theories. For that matter, the fantasy world itself was unreasonable.

Now she had to figure out how to externally electrify a blackhole that sucked in all things. Even the #3 Level 5 would have a hard time sending electricity in there by brute force.

But again…

(That might just be possible with a device that can electrify any matter regardless of its composite elements. It’s strange how they never figured out how to do this when they have all the pieces already, but ''that isn’t the first time something like that has happened in another world.'' If this method works and I can decide where it takes me, I might be able to return to Celesaqphere!!)

“However, as orderly and ethical humans, we cannot allow both the electrification device and controller to fall into the androids’ hands. We are only willing to sacrifice lives when necessary to stop the Jupiter-sized ultra-massive impactors. We must not give them the power to wage eternal war. So as the reasonable victors, we humans must protect the electrification device at all costs.”