More Than a Machine

Kenji Ishikawa, second son of Hamoto Ishikawa, warrior of the third-excellency and member of the Ruby Hawk clan, ran his hand lovingly over the surface of his deactivated Mecha.

"She really is exquisite," he said to the technicians running a series of routine checks, knowing that they weren't paying any attention.

The metal beneath his fingers was of a kind not found on Karia - a warm silvery metal with a luster like white gold, so brilliant the eye was led to believe it contained glints of red, blue and green. Set into the otherwise seamless metal plates were veins of stone, likewise not of this world, deep crimson in color and arrayed in the patterns of an ancient mandala. When active the stones would glow with an internal light giving the impression that the Mecha was covered in rivulets of enemy blood.

The technicians inserted various diagnostic tools into the chest cavity of the Mecha and examined the flashing displays.

"You know, they treat us in the media like we're just fancy soldiers and our Mecha are just fancy weapons, but I don't know of a single pilot who feels that way. These, Mecha, they're like us Allskins, sacred relics connecting us to the past. Thousands of years ago the First Minds were probably running diagnostics on Doragon, here," he patted the Mecha's enormous pauldron, "just like the ones you're doing right now. Have you thought about that?"

He waited for only a moment, expecting no reply.

"Doragon isn't just a machine, she's a miracle. I mean, we can't even figure out how the hell she's built and she's been around for longer than, well who knows? Maybe longer than certain geographical features on this continent. She's got history and accomplishments, honor and personality. More than that, you've felt it too haven't you? When she's all powered up? She expands and contracts slightly, like she's breathing."

One of the technicians looked up from his work to shoot an incredulous glance at him.

"Yeah, laugh if you want. I don't care what you think about me. I'm never more alive than when I'm linked to Doragon."

The men in lab coats withdrew their implements and moved to various stations around the room, flipping levers, turning dials.

"You guys ready to test her sympathetic resonators?" Kenji asked. The lead technician nodded.

Kenji slipped off his silk robe revealing a form fitting black suit beneath. On each wrist, antique looking bracers made of the same metal and with the same design in red stones as the Mecha, flashed in the light. He brought his palms together, closing his eyes, and took several deep breaths, stilling his mind. Then he began an elaborate Kata, each movement precise, each limb beginning and ending in an exact position, whirling in a graceful arc of lethality with increasing speed until he was sweating in streams and heaving a mighty kiai with each blow. Soon, the stone creases in his bracers began to glow, subtly at first, but then surprisingly bright. At the speed he was now moving, repeating an ancient pattern, his wrists left trails of red light through the air.

The technicians kept a vigilant eye on their monitors, until one of them spotted the change begin.

Doragon blazed to life in one sudden burst. Fiery red streams of light poured out of every seam and whirled through the air in the changing and mystifying pattern of her personal mandala. She levitated into the air and turned from a prone position to standing, her armored frame - the picture of an ancient warrior - resplendent in vermillion glory. When fully erect she was over 3m tall, filling the entire room.

Kenji finished the last steps in his Kata with a slicing roundhouse that placed him directly in front of his Mecha. The red light emanating from each of them pulsated softly, exactly in time to Kenji's heartbeat. His suit was stained with sweat. His face looked enraptured.

The head technician, examined the monitors for a few seconds and then turned to Kenji, "Looks good, let's see what she does when you put her to bed."

Kenji gave a curt nod, brought his feet together and crossed his arms over his chest.

Doragon trembled gently. Then vibrated vigorously. Then burst without sound into millions of shards of red light. Tiny crimson pin-pricks that tumbled rapidly and in an orderly fashion into the stones in Kenji's bracers. Quite suddenly the Mecha was gone and Kenji looked slightly exhausted.

"She's all good," said the technician.

"I'm telling you, she breathes."