Unit 01: “Joy to the World”

“Miss Lockhart, how are you feeling on this glorious morning?” High Commander Nigel Escher—British-born leader of the United States Special Defense Federation—asked the young pilot of his new mecha prototype—the humanoid machine known as “Component 01”—on the day of its activation test.

“Umm… I’m alright.” Fourteen-year-old Joy Lockhart replied from the cockpit of the daunting, rust-colored machine.

“Smashing! Let’s fire the bitch up then!” Exclaimed the high commander, who was somewhat effected by the liquor he had had for breakfast that day.

“Miss Lockhart, this is General Vira Velari; can you hear me?” A woman with bobbed, black hair interjected.

“Y-yes… I hear you.” Joy replied.

“Are you ready to begin the test?” The general asked. “If you’re not, we can wait. This is a very important moment for the USSDF and we want everything to go as smoothly as possible.”

Joy hesitated a moment. “… I’m ready…”

“Don’t worry, dear.” General Velari tried to reassure the girl. “We’ve got everything under control, you’re in no danger; this is all just standard procedure.”

“ ‘Under control’?! ‘Standard procedure’?! Vira, what are you talking about?!” A man in glasses and a lab coat with a vaguely German accent exclaimed. “We don’t know what these things are capable of! We could turn it on and her head might explode; or worse, the nuclear engine could blow up and destroy all of southern California! Of course she’s in danger! We’re all in danger!”

“Gene! She’ll hear you! We don’t want her to panic!” General Velari reprimanded him.

“She’s right Blackbell; if we get the girl too riled up her synchronization rate could fluctuate and we don’t want that, now do we?” The high commander said. “And what does your lack of faith in your own work say about your reliability, Eugene? After all, you did design these bloody, fuckin’ things!”

A silence swept through the command center.

“… Joy, are you feeling alright?” General Velari asked.

“… Yes… Can we please get on with this?” Joy replied.

“You heard the girl!” The high commander exclaimed. “Component 01 activation test shall commence in five seconds!”

Commander Escher’s partner—Sub-Commander Ellen Rockfellow—eyed her wristwatch for approximately five seconds before announcing, “The test will begin now,” as cold and emotionlessly as possible.

All of the little underlings scattered about the command center, pressing buttons and flipping switches and pulling levers. On a screen in front of General Velari a bar slowly upward, passed various percentages.

Fifteen minutes into the test, the bar reached 50 and the general announced, “Synchronization rate has reached satisfactory.”

Forty-five minutes into the test, the bar reached 71.6 and ceased to move any further. “Pilot’s synchronization rate has reached maximum.” General Velari announced.

“Over 70? Brilliant!” Commander Escher exclaimed. “Congratulations Miss Lockhart; you’re the first pilot of Component 01.”

Joy said nothing; she was just relieved that her head hadn’t exploded.