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This can't be correct.
Setsu blinked, trying to comprehend what they just heard from LeVi.
Setsu had really thought they had started to get a feel for the loops. As they finally adjusted into the new reality they found themselves in, Setsu had eventually worked themselves into a rhythm, of sorts, of searching for the Gnosia each loop. The inconsistencies themselves—the the number of crewmates, the various roles thrust upon them—soon became familiar, expected, and managed. A small comfort, if you could call it that, but a comfort it was, and it helped Setsu to settle in a bit more.
There were still times where Setsu would wake up into a loop in a cold sweat, heart pounding from their chest from an unexpected Gnosia attack, but they figured that will not subside anytime soon. The Silver Key filled itself slowly but surely, and Setsu figured as long as they can handle themselves in the debates, it’ll fill itself up in due course.
They didn’t expect much at the beginning of the loop: 13 people on board, 3 of them Gnosia infectees. LeVi had confirmed there was an Engineer and Guardian Angel on board, and that Stella and Chipie had not left the ship as part of Guard Duty. Nothing too far from the ordinary.
And yet.
“Two people have disappeared after warp?”
[That is correct. According to the log, both Chipie’s and Yuri’s signal disappeared after the warp.]
It quickly dawned on Setsu that this was another opportunity for the Silver Key to obtain information. A lifetime of military training immediately kicked in like a switch, bewilderment quickly turning into cognizance. I’ll have to make the most of this opportunity. Stay alert, stay focused. Learn as much as you can.
“H-how is that possible? Did the Gnosia attack two people during warp somehow?” Comet blurted out, nervousness evident. “Can they even do that?” Setsu pitied her. They had gleaned that Comet and Chipie shared history from the previous loops they've gone through, but even then it was clear that his disappearance had affected her deeply.
That worry was immediately rebuked by a sharp click of the tongue. “Do you even hear yourself? That is simply impossible. If they were able to do so, why would they wait until now, two nights in?” Raqio scoffed in response. “And if they could eliminate two in one night, why not more?”
Given their callous tone, it was surprising Raqio didn’t find themselves in cold sleep already during this loop. But they had a point. “Given how interstellar warp works, the Gnosia shouldn't be able to target more than one individual per night.” Setsu confirmed. “More likely, something else happened during warp.”
Anxious glances and murmurs began to spread amongst the remaining crew as Setsu started to speculate on the situation.
But what could that be…? Since there’s no physical trace, it's hard to suspect foul play without evidence. Everyone is strapped to their bed during warp as well, restricting movement for everyone who is not Gnosia. Could something have occurred before warp then? Maybe some sort of accident happened? But then LeVi would have detected something and delay the warp, or someone on the ship would have noticed if something was off–
“...There’s something I would like to report.”
In the midst of the confusion, Gina raised her hand and softly spoke, her gentleness somehow cutting through the noise. The room fell to silence. All eyes had turned to her and, with no one objecting, Setsu gestured for her to continue.
“I didn't want to say anything earlier, but I’m the Engineer. Last night, I checked Yuri…and something unusual occured. Their results came up as ‘human’, but at the same time I detected erroneous readings from them. As if my credentials couldn't get a hold of them properly. If we both survived, I had planned to ask Yuri about this, but then…” she trailed off.
“Error messages.” Raqio stated, eyes narrowing. “From Yuri?”
Gina nodded. “Yes. I just haven’t seen anything like this before. Since a lot of functions are limited due to the presence of Gnosia on board, I thought that it might have been an error of some sort, or a– ”
A bug.
Everyone’s heads suddenly snapped to their direction, and Setsu realized that they had uttered those words out loud. How careless of them. “Ah, it reminded me of something I heard a long time ago. I’m not sure how much it applies to our current situation, though.” Setsu quickly said, covering up for their outburst.
It wasn’t completely incorrect, either. Was it related to what Yuri said, that one time…? And why now? They couldn’t help but feel a sense of uneasiness.
“...It could be simply conjecture, but there may be some truth to that.” Stella said, stepping forward. “I do not possess credentials myself, but I do possess an understanding of how engineer checks work.”
“To put it simply, when an Engineer investigates an individual, it analyzes their dimensional wavelengths for any discrepancies. Should anything come up, it compares those discrepancies to baseline in order to determine its cause. That is how it is able to identify Gnosia. However…” Stella tapped her pen to her lips. “Should there be a more…fundamental error, the investigation may attempt to correct those inconsistencies to resolve the issue. I suspect that this may have happened to Yuri.”
“‘Fundamental error’? What does that even mean?” Comet tilted, nervousness partially replaced by confusion. It was clear the conversation was heading in a direction beyond her understanding.
“...Please excuse my choice in words, but there could have been something wrong with Yuri themself. It is hard to say for sure,” she quickly added, “Engineer investigations can cover all sorts of scenarios, so, as Gina mentioned, this sort of error is almost unheard of. The only situation I could think of is, if it failed the first step of the process, and the check was not even able to recognize their presence…?” Stella turned to Setsu, more so in acknowledgement rather than confirmation.
Setsu hesitatingly nodded in return, the uneasiness in their chest growing even deeper.
“So like detecting a ghost?”, Comet asked.
“Perhaps that is one way to put it. Again, it is hard to say for sure.” Stella sighed. “Regardless, because of this, it is probabilistically likely that Gina is the true Engineer. It is far too specific of a scenario for even the Gnosia to lie about.” she concluded.
“Or, it could be that the lie is so outlandish that we give up trying to make sense of it. It does feel like a reach, you know?” Sha-Ming piped up, after keeping silent this whole time.
But Gina wasn't a liar. She was the opposite of that, really. Nor did Setsu believe she would be able to conjure up such a fantastical scenario on her own and unprompted.
“Hah! If someone wants to make a fool out of themselves, then by all means,” Raqio said. “Is anyone going to challenge Gina’s claim to Engineer?”
But as expected, no one else stepped up. Given the unusual circumstances, the small chance that Gina was somehow lying wasn't completely off the table, but as Stella said, the pieces lined up a little too well to be plausible.
“It seems that the mystery has tentatively been solved, or at least as much as we could, given what information we have.” Setsu said, attempting to bring the discussion back to course. “But there is still a lot more to discuss before we vote…”
And just like that, the debate continued on. One Sha-Ming in cold sleep later, as everyone prepared for warp, Setsu pulled up their screen and chose to protect Gina for the night.
–
In the end, Gina’s claim of Engineer held true. No victims the following seemingly confirmed that Gina was telling the truth—not that they really doubted her—and her swift detection of Gnosia meant that the loop soon concluded with the humans’ victory, the cold sleep room bathed in a fluorescent green.
But Setsu couldn’t bring themselves to feel happy about the turn of events. Stepping away from the celebrations happening in the cold sleep room, Setsu pulled up their Key, now filled the tiniest bit more. Quite the successful run, all things considered. A Setsu in earlier loops would have been plenty satisfied with the progress made.
Yet they couldn’t help but linger upon Yuri. Yuri, who was erased from existence without even being attacked by Gnosia.
With a dreadful, unshakable feeling in their chest and a single scene replaying in their mind, Setsu realized just how little they’ve truly understood.
“You’re… a bug?”
Yuri nodded. “Yeah. And if I don’t do something, the universe will be destroyed by our dual existence…”
Setsu really had known nothing then. They had barely gotten a grasp of the Silver Key. Yet, Yuri had sought them out, seeking support they could not provide. At the very least, Setsu could be honest, and displayed the scant progress of their Key.
If only they didn’t. Setsu regretted it almost immediately; Yuri seemed to clam up on the topic then and there. Instead, they took the time to reassure them, of all things, before the sirens blared and everything distorted to black.
That brief conversation alone had somehow yielded substantial information for the key, filling a sizable amount that Setsu hadn’t seen before or since. But following that trail soon led nowhere, and with more immediate concerns–including one certain Kukrushka Incident– Setsu eventually had to shift priorities. They forced themselves to move on.
(The faint but still visible bags under Yuri’s eyes, the slight strain in their voice as they encouraged Setsu to do their best, pulling up their own nearly full Key to reinforce their point. A warm smile, a gentle gaze.
Yuri insisted that everything would be alright. But already, only a few loops in, Setsu couldn't help but feel they were letting Yuri down.)
Setsu sighed. 20 loops later, and Setsu knew both more and less than before.
[The Engineer is able to identify and erase Bugs.] That was the knowledge obtained from the Silver Key from that loop ages ago. Useful information, to be sure, but as more and more facts revealed themselves in subsequent loops, a concerning narrative soon developed.
Before, Setsu had–perhaps naively– thought the Bug was simply another role shuffled amongst the crew in a given loop, like a Doctor or a Guardian Angel or even the Gnosia. That, at any given loop, someone could inexplicably find themselves with their doppelganger on the ship. Someone that had to be identified before the loop warped and distorted into oblivion.
But every time, every single time an Engineer had checked Yuri, they had disappeared the following day. As if to taunt Setsu, it started occurring in consecutive loops to the point they started to lose track of how many times it happened. It was too consistent to be mere coincidence, especially when Setsu had never seen it happen to anyone else.
So Yuri is consistently a “Bug” across world lines, and is susceptible to Engineer scans, Setsu mentally noted. Would Yuri even be able to notice the difference between being eliminated by the Gnosia versus an Engineer? Perhaps that’s why it took them so long for them to figure it out.
This loop they found themselves currently in had particularly astounded Setsu. Having settled in the cafeteria with a hot cup of coffee in hand, they took a moment to reflect on what had transpired earlier in the day.
Four Gnosia hidden amongst a crew of 12, with an Engineer and Doctor on board to lead the way. With one-third of the crew infected, the margin of error for victory was small, but Shigemichi’s flimsy claim to Doctor had earned him a quick trip to cold sleep on the first day, granting the crew a tiny bit of breathing room.
As everyone slowly gathered to the main control room on the third day, it soon became clear that two people were missing. This time it was Jonas and, of course, Yuri.
“Two people eliminated in one night…Jonas and Yuri…”
“What?! Isn’t it only supposed to be one per night? This changes everything! ”
Another loop with Yuri erased as a bug–I wonder if Yuri struggles, too, when they constantly get taken out early in the loops–which means it was time to determine who had scanned Yuri out of existence. Amidst the confused mutters among the crowd, Setsu raised their hands and clapped twice to gather everyone’s attention. “Let’s gather all the information we can, first, before we determine what caused the two disappearances overnight. Anything to report?”
“OK then, so here comes your daily SQ report!” SQ chirped, with a bright smile on her face. “Well, you see, I checked out Yuri and, like, they were totally Gnosia! But, uh, somehow, the scan…also somehow erased them?”
Setsu froze. The scan had eliminated Yuri even as Gnosia? Everyone's faces similarly displayed a wide variety of shock, suspicion, and confusion. “I know it sounds sketchy, but it’s totally true!” SQ exclaimed as she puffed out her cheeks, attempting to defend herself.
SQ's initial claim as Engineer hadn’t exactly inspired a lot of confidence early on, and today’s odd report didn’t add any points in her favor either. But witnessing this scenario unfold through countless loops had all but guaranteed her as Engineer in Setsu’s eyes. They stepped up, snapping back into action. They knew exactly what to say.
Stella’s observations from back then were at this point practically committed to memory. “I believe in SQ. I have some familiarity with how the Engineer scans work, even though I don’t have official credentials. And because of it, SQ’s report is likely true…”
It took a bit of explaining, fielding questions and easing doubts, but once Setsu was able to assure everyone that, yes, SQ’s scan was both possible and indeed legitimate, the atmosphere had remarkably changed. “So you’re sayin’ that we lucked out big time? R-really?! That’s incredible!” Shigemichi exclaimed. The rest of the crew soon joined in with excited chatter, realizing how much the odds had tilted in their favor.
Everyone except for one person. The entire time while Setsu was defending SQ’s report, Remnan’s sullen demeanor grew more resentful, sunken eyes glowering at them. He had also come out as Engineer, after all, and without even a chance to refute or even give his false report, he had been effectively outed as Gnosia. Voting proceeded quickly soon after, and Remnan found himself overwhelmingly selected for cold sleep.
“Being taken down so quickly from a single Engineer scan…how frustrating.” he had muttered as he entered the pod. Setsu could hardly blame him, watching as the door hatch closed and secured itself before quickly filling with frigid air. Who wouldn’t be mad, given the circumstances? In just a single day, the threat of the Gnosia was greatly reduced to almost nothing.
But they weren’t completely out of the woods just yet. With one Gnosia remaining and no definite leads, there was still work to be done before the loop was settled. That is, if Setsu made it to the next day and not taken out by a Gnosia who prioritized vengeance over survival. The true Doctor, Otome, had been erased for practically that same reason, after all.
Setsu took a sip of their coffee, trying to anchor themselves to the present moment. There were some possible candidates they had suspected were the last Gnosia infectee, and part of them wanted to investigate, but their mind couldn’t help but wander and think about Yuri again.
So Yuri being a bug took priority over even being the Gnosia…regardless of how confident they had acted earlier in front of everyone, Setsu was still confused at that point in particular. The Engineer checks erased Yuri because they could not be properly identified. So how were they able to be infected in the first place?
It was simply puzzling, the way most things about Yuri were. Information about them was harder to come by than any other crew member. Not terribly surprising, as Yuri’s own amnesia didn’t help matters, but it seemed like every new bit of information came with more questions than answers.
Including the whole bug situation. Yuri hadn’t broached the topic in any other loop, not that Setsu was expecting them to. If a Yuri that far ahead in their loops barely knew about it, there was no reason one earlier in the loops would know anything. It wasn’t Setsu’s place to bring up the issue before Yuri can discover it on their own terms, but they held back partially out of worry as well. What would happen if they did end up knowing far before they should have? Would they constantly have to fear not only Gnosia attack, but also an Engineer scan?
Those worries kept gnawing away at Setsu through the rest of the evening. I thought learning more about the Bug would be useful, but the more I know, the worse it gets, they couldn’t help but think.
Even now, the answer seemed so far away. Setsu could only cling onto the Silver Key’s promise–those words that Yuri had spoken to them, long ago–that all of these efforts would be worth it. That it would lead to a truth that could, just maybe, save them all.
“And here I thought I was the only one who noticed the distortion.”
Setsu stared at Yuriko. After the end of today’s discussion, Setsu had found themselves walking to the observation lounge to sort out their thoughts, and if no one else was around, maybe use the room projector to clear their mind a bit. Not that seeing Yuriko was unexpected—they knew she often frequented this room too after discussions—but she had never spoken much to Setsu outside of meetings beyond a curt greeting or acknowledgement of their presence.
Never had she addressed Setsu like this. Fan open to cover her mouth, she looked at Setsu with a cold, yet amused look on her face. “I wonder how you found out. Another trick, perhaps, of the insane gods?”
“What are you talking about, Yuriko?”
“Hm? What else but the anomaly, who should not have existed in this universe.”
Yuriko always held all of her cards close, guarded by cryptic messages and a sharp tongue. This was the first time she had given a remark that even remotely resembled a scrap of intel.
It was a scary invitation, but Setsu was not going to let this opportunity slip past them. “Are you talking about Yuri?”
Her eyes narrow and a curious smile grows. “It seems like I underestimated you. You are more than just a simple actor on this stage. More than a lead, even.
“But you don’t need me to answer your question. You have the proof in your hands. Or was your claim as the ship’s Engineer a mere lie?”
Setsu said nothing. They were, in fact, the Engineer this loop, but simply arguing that point would be a fruitless endeavor.
Yuriko started pacing around Setsu, their heels echoing throughout the room. “Including the fraud who also asserts the title, that would mean you have identified all Gnosia as of today’s discussion.” Again, Setsu conceded, she would be correct. Some out-of-character slips had given them key targets to investigate, and those hunches were rewarded accordingly. But…
“But the issue is convincing everyone that you are the real Engineer. It’s almost too convenient to have everyone so easily identified, after all, especially without any Doctor to verify those in cold sleep.
“However…” Yuriko stopped and closed her fan with a sharp click. “The solution to your conundrum is right in front of you.”
Her implication was clear. Setsu’s blood ran cold. “If you are suggesting I scan Yuri–”
“So you are aware of what they are.” Yuriko pointed her fan at them. “Isn’t it your responsibility to protect the humans who remain on this ship? It’s not as if there is any contradiction by sacrificing Yuri.”
“They are a bug. A cosmic error whose existence unravels the universe. Something so insignificant yet so intolerable. If anything, you would be doing everyone a favor by correcting this mista–”
“Sacrificing Yuri is out of the question,” Setsu snapped, glowering at Yuriko as if daring her to continue. To her credit, she did stop, but her face did not show the slightest bit of fear or intimidation. “and I won’t be entertaining this conversation any longer. Good night, Yuriko.”
As Setsu turned, ready to leave, they heard Yuriko give a short, curt laugh behind them.
“Hehe. Very well, then. Humans and Gnosia, both such fragile things…and yet you’d consider the path that would ruin us all. I look forward to seeing how this act plays out.”
–
It’s not like them to lose their temper like that.
Setsu stormed down the hallway in a combination of frustration and embarrassment. It had been countless loops since anything regarding the Bug came up. Yet, they wasted a precious opportunity to learn more information from Yuriko. No room for negotiation, even–Setsu had stupidly fallen prey to her smallest provocation.
But what little they were able to take away from Yuriko’s words rattled them. She was true, after all. The quickest way to eliminate the Gnosia was to prove Setsu was the real Engineer. Once they did, they could vote out the confirmed Gnosia in one fell swoop, and end it right then and there. To hold back otherwise would only lead to meaningless casualties, and Setsu couldn't allow that to happen. Their pace slowed as their thoughts raced through their mind, and eventually they stopped and grimaced.
Besides me and Yuri, to everyone else, this is their only world line…it would be irresponsible of me to allow unnecessary deaths.
“Setsu?”
Setsu flinched. As if summoned from their thoughts, Yuri was next to them, an unmissable presence of bright green and teal. They had turned to Setsu, verdant eyes looking with a hint of worry.
“Sorry. You were walking down the hallway kind of quickly, and I called out your name, but I don’t think you heard me…” An apologetic smile formed on Yuri’s face. “You looked troubled. Did something happen?”
Did Yuri really call out to them earlier? As a soldier, it was seriously unbecoming of them to not be aware of their surroundings. “Just a…conversation with Yuriko. Nothing for you to worry about.”
“Ah.” Yuri grimaced. They’ve probably had a couple of run-ins with her too, in different loops. “I get it. I can’t seem to approach her at all, sometimes… Is there any way I can help? Did you want to maybe talk it through in the cafeteria? I don’t think there’s anyone else there right now.”
“I’m fine. You don’t need to concern yourself with what happened between me and her.” Especially since it’s about you. “If anything, you should be more wary about trading information, Yuri. What if I—”
“—was Gnosia? I know.” Yuri replied, in a tone that suggested they’ve heard this from Setsu plenty of times before. “For the record, I think you are the real Engineer here. But even then–”
At this, Yuri stepped closer towards Setsu, the head reaching towards their ear. Their voice was gentle, just barely above a whisper.
“I’ll always trust you, Setsu. It’s just the two of us across these loops, right? In that sense, I’ll always be on your side. Let me help you.”
Setsu’s breath caught in their throat.
“At least, I can be a listening ear for you.” They stepped back, voice raised back to normal as if nothing had happened. “I’m not sure if I can always give you advice, but that much, I think I can do.” Yuri smiled sheepishly.
That earnestness…call it naïveté too, perhaps, but Yuri was simply like that at their core. Straightforward and honest, kind to a fault. And no matter how many loops Yuri goes through, they always seek Setsu out, to both receive and give advice.
Setsu could at least return the smile. “Thank you, Yuri. I can’t guarantee anything, but I appreciate the gesture.”
That seemed to brighten Yuri’s mood. “Hehe. I wish I could do more.” they said, picking at the ends of their jacket. “You always think things through, Setsu, and do everything you can for everyone on the ship."
"If there’s any way I can help, then…”
[Yuri, Setsu. Warp will commence in approximately 10 minutes. Please return to your respective rooms.]
LeVi’s announcement cut through the conversation, and Yuri took that as their cue. “Guess it’s time. I’ll see you later, then?” They said as they started walking to their room.
Setsu waved back, the smile still lingering on their face. “Take care, Yuri.”
-
In the end, Setsu was no closer to making a decision. They laid in bed, staring blankly at their screen to choose who to investigate.
“If there’s any way I can help, then…”
“That’s the problem, Yuri.” Setsu murmured to themself. “I can’t have you doing that.”
It was one thing as Gnosia. Compelled to eliminate humanity, even if Setsu struggled as much as they could the infection would eventually make its way deep into one’s psyche. They still resisted, but Setsu had bitterly come to accept the impulse whenever they found themself as one, and play their role to the hilt.
But they were an Engineer this loop. There was no need to sacrifice someone, much less someone who wasn’t even Gnosia this loop. If Setsu is willing to sacrifice Yuri without being Gnosia, would they begin to toss Yuri aside the second as it began to become advantageous to do so?
Yet Setsu knew, for all of Yuri’s kindness earlier, they were also equally pragmatic– scarily so, at times. If Yuri knew about what troubled Setsu, they would let Setsu erase them in a heartbeat if it secured victory for the crew. Yuri wouldn’t be able to stick around after the loop ended anyway. They both knew that.
But it was Setsu’s responsibility–no, their duty–to try and save everyone. That includes Yuri.
It always came back to Yuri. “A cosmic error,” Yuriko had coldly referred to them.
Yuri had saved them a long time ago. As for why, Setsu had still yet to understand. How could they? For all of Yuri’s efforts, all of their fondness for them, here they were contemplating their demise, practically returning the favor by erasing them from existence.
“I’ll always trust you, Setsu.”
[Warp will commence shortly. Setsu, please lie down on your bed.]
Setsu cursed. There was no time left. Without giving themselves any time for second guesses, they selected their choice, then went to lay in bed and wait as they were secured. But as Setsu felt their consciousness fade into the warp, they could help but ruminate about their situation. They’ve gone through more loops than they’d imagined they would have had to, the end still nowhere in sight.
“I would rather die than become Gnosia,” Gina had confessed once, long ago. “It corrupts you. It transforms you into something completely different from who you are.”
Setsu, too, feared these loops will transform them into something they will no longer recognize.
–
[Last night, after warp, Yuri disappeared.]
Whatever “insane gods” Yuriko was talking about may be, they must be laughing at Setsu now.
Their next loop, a full crew. No Gnosia.
And Yuri’s bled out corpse staring blankly at nothing.