Editing Toaru Majutsu no Index:MvM Chapter4 (section)

===Part 5===

“So these ultra-massive impactor things – the five Jupiter-sized astronomical bodies flying this way – how do you plan to stop them?”

“That is not a secret.”

The cold-feeling android named Victoria readily told Shokuhou.

Apparently it really wasn’t a top military secret.

“Many warships from both sides were destroyed here and their wreckage was strewn across the region.”

“Right.”

“That makes this an usual area where the majority of the mass is composed of debris. If you gathered it all together, I doubt you could even form a mass the size of Earth, but there is another way to use it. Hint: friction.”

“Can you just give me the answer already?”

“Oh? The insistence on an immediate answer from us on all matters is one of the things we most disliked about the lifeforms formerly known as human.”

Victoria managed to look mildly surprised without losing her coldness.

“The answer is static electricity.”

“You can’t be serious.”

“Even a debris pile less than the size of Earth can cover a much wider area when spread out. And by rubbing together, the pieces will produce a massive amount of static electricity. Attempting any direct method of stopping the Jupiter-sized ultra-massive impactors with a massive shell or a thick wall would be nonsense. Instead, we will create an energy field that will ever-so-slightly alter the ultra-massive impactors’ course before they even reach Neptune’s orbit. That will prevent a direct hit or a near miss, allowing them to pass by without catching anything else orbiting the sun.”

They were going to change the course of planets.

Shokuhou wasn’t sure humans should even be doing anything on that scale.

“Our plan is no different from rubbing cloth on a plastic sheet and moving the sheet toward someone’s long, straight hair.”

“But that simple principle becomes something else entirely when done at such an absurd scale ability.”

This gave Shokuhou a headache, but she did have another question.

A very simple one.

“So when exactly are these ultra-massive impactors supposed to arrive?”

“The answer to that question would likely trigger enough of a psychological shock for you to behave unpredictably, so I do not recommend giving you the answer.”

“I’ll take that to mean the answer is ‘soon’,” said Shokuhou, annoyed.

The humans and androids were fighting over supremacy of the Solar System.

And whoever managed to protect the Solar System was worthy of ruling it.

So they were using their extra-atmospheric cruisers and motherships to fight out in space, supplying plenty of debris.

Was it all so they could deal with the ultra-massive impactors that would arrive in the very end?

“We have been here for quite some time, but as androids we do not have limited lifespans or any other time limit. The real problem is our stalemate against the over-evolved humans who breed about as fast as cockroaches, but we do know that the passage of time will not lead to the destruction of either side. Ending this with military might is the best option available to- oh, is something wrong?”

“No, nothing,” was all Shokuhou could manage.

Shokuhou held a hand to her forehead and made an immediate decision.

If she could solve this on her own, she had no obligation to help these androids out. Their circumstances were entirely different to Patissiet and the other elves. Th elves had been unable to find a solution on their own and would clearly just wait for their own deaths if nothing was done.

There was only one option now.

Shokuhou had to find a way to return to Celesaqphere, save the elves, and then return to Earth to end this out-of-body experience.

That was her decision.