The countdown had begun.
As soon as the alert was triggered, Aurélien entered a state of absolute focus. The workshop systems switched to priority evacuation mode, while the droids received new orders—clearer, more imperative.
Objective: complete extraction of critical resources.Deadline: four hours.Condition: no civilians admitted without allegiance to central authority.
In the streets, the B1 droids moved in squads, gripping their E-5 blasters firmly. At every door, they knocked hard, sharp as the metal they were made of:
"Citizen, this is an emergency directive. A horde of undead is approaching. Evacuation will commence within four hours. Joining the convoy implies acceptance of Commander Aurélien's orders. Obedience = survival. Disobedience = exclusion."
Some hesitated. An elderly woman pleaded to take her antiques. A father tried to negotiate to keep his weapons. The droids responded mechanically:
"No bargaining. You obey or you stay. Choose."
Gates began to open—slowly at first, then faster as families realized the urgency. Aurélien's name was whispered with fear and hope. He was no longer just the strange neighbor. He had become the embodiment of authority. Of course, some stubbornly chose to remain.
Meanwhile, the workshop became a hellish logistics hub.
Droid units disassembled solar panels, disconnected long-life batteries, gathered precision tools, computing systems, prototype weapons.
The mobile command post—an old armored van modified by Aurélien—was powered up, fed by three generators. It would be the control center on the road.
Aurélien, standing beside Saeko, gave his orders without raising his voice, his tablet linked to all the droids.
"Priority to strategic resources: energy, weaponry, electronic components. Civilians embark under escort. BX units form the rearguard. No losses tolerated. Those who refuse the order stay. We will not return."
In Saeko's eyes, there was no more hesitation. This was no longer a world for the hesitant.
At H-0:50, the entire district rumbled with engines. Trucks, drones, and armed B1s framed the civilians in tight formation.
H-0:15. A figure appeared on the horizon. The vanguard of the horde.
Emaciated bodies, sinister groans, endless silhouettes. They were coming.
But already, the engines roared. The convoy rolled out, methodical and armored.
At the rear, BX droids posted on rooftops fired a brief covering salvo, delaying the infected for a few precious minutes.
The district was abandoned without a glance back.
Civilians and droids boarded the vehicles, Aurélien's truck taking the lead.
Four hours.
That was how long it would take the convoy to leave the city and reach the secured zone around the Takagi estate.
Inside the mobile command post, Aurélien didn't relax. He didn't look at the road—he studied the numbers.
Holographic interfaces displayed real-time data transmitted by the droids. Evaluating the capacities of the rescued, the tally was:
63 able-bodied adults, including 3 with military or paramilitary experience.
17 children, too young to grasp what was unfolding.
9 elderly, two seriously ill.
No infected detected.
Out of three districts visited, only 93 survivors had accepted Aurélien's authority and boarded.
"Fewer than a hundred… out of 300 survivors chose to follow me."
He inhaled deeply. It was a strategic success… but a human failure.
Saeko, sitting silently beside him, read the faces through the embedded cameras. Vacant stares, silent sobs, obedient but broken survivors.
"You did what you had to," she said simply."No. I did what I could," he replied.
He also noted the material results: 86% of critical resources recovered, no droid units lost, and zero human casualties during evacuation. Remarkable. But it was only the first act.
As the Takagi estate finally appeared on the fortified hill, Aurélien turned off his screen. He knew the hardest part was still ahead: negotiating with established authority, protecting vulnerable civilians, preparing against the horde.
The convoy halted a little over a kilometer from the Takagi domain.
Before them, a crude barricade of stacked road barriers blocked the only access. Not a fortified wall, but a roadblock—solid enough to stop vehicles, not an army.
Aurélien observed the setup.
"Minimal defense. Probably meant to slow looters, not repel an organized force..." he thought.
He gave a signal.
The 90 B1 droids disembarked from the trucks and deployed with military precision. Three rows, perfectly straight—a silent show of force. Their E-5 blasters gleamed under the morning light.
He looked at his partner. "I entrust my mother to you." Saeko nodded in affirmation.
Then, Aurélien stepped forward.
Escorted by two BX units, his red coat fluttering slightly in the breeze, sword-cane in his right hand, he appeared noble, dangerous, and determined.
The estate's spotlights swiveled toward him. Armed guards took positions behind the barricade, visibly surprised by the display. This was not a band of refugees—it was an organized column.
Aurélien stopped a few meters from the concrete blocks, within hearing range but not provocatively. His voice rang out, clear and calm:
"I am Aurélien, leader of this convoy. We are not here to invade, nor to beg. I come to propose a lasting partnership—based on resource exchange, shared expertise, and mutual protection. The survivors I carry are ready to contribute. My droids are disciplined. I am open to discussion, negotiation, and sincere cooperation. But I do not parley through concrete. If the Takagi domain is ready to listen, then we may all prosper."
The BXs remained impassive, perfect bodyguards. Behind them, the B1s stood still, a silent army. And in the trucks, the survivors waited, weary but hopeful.
Aurélien took a step closer."Open this barricade. We have no interest in conflict. But together, we have a chance to build something greater."
The wind barely stirred the dust between them. The ball was in the Takagi estate's court.
One of the guards stepped forward slightly, his rifle still lowered. He scrutinized Aurélien, the droids, and the vehicle column with visible tension—but no hostility. He raised a hand, palm open, a sign of non-aggression, and spoke with a loud yet respectful voice:
"Please wait here. I will inform Chief Takagi of your arrival. He will decide if he wishes to meet you."
Aurélien nodded silently. He stood tall, impassive, as the guard disappeared behind the concrete blocks. Around him, the B1s remained frozen, metal silhouettes perfectly aligned. Silence reigned, punctuated only by the wind softly whistling between the convoy's vehicles.
Aurélien knew: the first impression had been made. The rest would depend on the master of the house.
A few minutes later, movement behind the barricade drew attention. A tall figure appeared, as firm as an oak, followed by a small group of armed men. Soichiro Takagi, lord of the estate, marched forward with a firm step, his face stern and drawn by vigilance.
Beside him, his wife Yuriko, elegantly dressed despite the circumstances, observed Aurélien and his droids with sovereign calm. Behind them, several members of their entourage—uniformed guards and close aides—formed a protective half-circle.
Soichiro's natural authority was undeniable, but he did not show immediate distrust. He stopped a few meters from Aurélien, briefly eyed the aligned droids, then crossed his arms.
"I was told a convoy escorted by an army of metal has come offering partnership. I assume that's you, Aurélien."
Aurélien bowed slightly, keeping his sword-cane in hand, his droids immobile in the background.
"Indeed. I come to offer collaboration. I bring with me a hundred civilians, resources, and a budding military capacity. I seek not conflict, but cooperation. I am open to discussion."
Soichiro exchanged a glance with his wife. Yuriko gave a soft nod.
"Then come. Let's talk."
A guard raised his fist, then knocked twice on a metal box affixed to a concrete pylon. A deep click followed, then a low hum: a lift, hidden beneath one of the massive blocks, activated. Slowly, very slowly, one of the blocks rose, revealing a passage wide enough for four people to walk abreast.
Soichiro gestured."You and two guards. The rest wait outside."
Aurélien didn't reply. He nodded once, then turned to the BXs.
"Close formation. Passive surveillance. No movement without my order."
He stepped through the barricade first, his sword-cane echoing against the concrete. The block lowered behind them with a definitive thud.
On the other side, a squad awaited them, weapons lowered but ready. Soichiro gestured reassuringly to his men.
"As long as we're talking, no one fires."
Yuriko, ever calm, stepped slightly forward."You understand we can't let everyone in without speaking first. It's not a matter of distrust. It's a matter of survival."
"I expected nothing less," Aurélien replied."If you'd opened without question, I would have questioned your judgment."
That drew a slight smile from Yuriko. Soichiro remained stone-faced.
The group walked in silence toward the manor, measuring each other.
At last, they reached a modest conference room, equipped with a long table, detailed regional maps, and a single tea tray.
Soichiro took his place at the head of the table. He gestured for Aurélien to sit.
"You have your chance, as agreed. Show me why I should open my gates. What do you have that we don't already?"
Aurélien slowly set his sword-cane against the chair, sat, and powered up his tablet. A hologram sprang to life above the table: a relief map of the city, horde movements, migration trajectories, and a tactical simulation for the next 72 hours. The Takagi group was visibly impressed by the technology.
"What I bring," the young man said calmly, "is perspective. You have a stronghold. I have an army. Together, we can do more than survive. We can take the initiative."
The projected maps formed a silent ballet of glowing points. Danger zones. Infection routes. Retreat paths. Aurélien explained them with cold clarity.
"Within three days, the horde will have swept through the city's west side. If you don't reinforce your outer defenses and supply points, you'll be surrounded. And isolated."
He displayed an animated diagram of the Takagi estate.
"You have high walls, military discipline, a water source. But no mobility. No recovery means. No reserve army. No production chain. What I bring is military power and unstoppable logistics."
He pointed to several blue icons: his droids.
"I have 90 operational B1 units. 6 BX units. I can set up a new droid production chain in less than 24 hours."
Soichiro frowned."And the civilians you're transporting? They're mouths to feed."
Aurélien replied,"Not just that. Among them, three former soldiers, six qualified technicians, two doctors. And most importantly: a population already under control. They follow me. Not out of fear—but because I gave them purpose. I'm not asking you to take them in. I'm proposing we turn them—together—into a useful force."
Yuriko spoke up, her voice composed. "And what if we say no? If we thank you and ask you to leave with your droids?"
Aurélien replied without raising his voice. "Then you might survive… maybe. But alone. When winter comes or when the second horde rises — because it will rise — you'll have no one left to call for help. I'm preparing for what comes after. A new state. Safe roads. Trade routes. Stability."
He leaned slightly toward Soichiro. "You have the stronghold. I have the means to expand. Together, we lay the foundation of a new world."
Soichiro remained silent. He studied Aurélien like one assesses a sword drawn too early: sharp, but perhaps necessary. At last, he gave a slow nod.
"You're a strategist. Perhaps a tyrant, too. But I can't deny you see further than most. I'll gather my council. Give us two hours..."
Aurélien bowed slightly. "You have them. But the horde won't wait."
Yuriko Takagi lingered as the members of the estate's council began to disperse for internal deliberations. Unlike the others, she was in no rush. Her gaze stayed fixed on Aurélien with an almost analytical intensity — not fear, not disdain, but genuine interest.
She approached slowly, hands clasped behind her back, elegant despite the tension in the air.
"One last question, Aurélien," she said calmly. "Your droids… they're far beyond what one would expect from a group of survivors. They look like real robots from a movie. Where did you… acquire such things?"
Aurélien showed no outward discomfort, but his mind tensed instantly. He had known this question would come sooner or later. He gave a calm, almost nonchalant smile.
"Let's just say… I was a very curious student before the collapse. Engineering, programming, electronics. I was tinkering long before everything fell apart."
He gave a slight shrug, as if downplaying the scale of what he'd accomplished.
"When the world ended, I had equipment, half-finished projects… I just had more time to finish them. And no one left to tell me it was impossible."
Yuriko narrowed her eyes, unconvinced by the simplicity of his explanation.
"A student? And you managed to design fully functional combat droids, organized into squads, voice-responsive, capable of tactical maneuvers… You're either a genius or a liar, Aurélien."
He held her gaze steadily, though his eyes grew a little colder.
"Maybe a bit of both, Mrs. Takagi. Or maybe I just got… lucky at the right time. That tends to happen when you survive long enough."
She stared at him for a few more seconds, then slowly nodded.
"You don't want to answer. I respect that. But know this: in this world, secrets always come out. Especially for those who shine too brightly."
"Perhaps. But for now, I just want to survive — and give others a chance to do the same."
Yuriko stepped back, almost amused.
"That's a good answer. And thank you for protecting Saya. Whatever decision Soichiro and I make, we'll both be eternally grateful for saving her."
With those final words, she turned and walked off to rejoin her husband.