CHAPTER 08 . AN INNOCENT LIFE
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Atmospheric Conversion Center (interior)
Upon finding Shinatama, the SLD informs Konoko that she is too damaged to save, and reveals that Konoko's real name is Mai Hasegawa, and mentions a "Chrysalis" inside Konoko. Griffin, being told that "the host", Konoko, is de-stabilizing, and that Shinatama is nearby Konoko and her Xiox mechanism is functional, orders the android's self-destruction. Shinatama manages to warn Konoko in time for her to escape the explosion. Konoko flees, and Griffin pronounces her a rogue agent and a Class B threat. From here on, the TCTF will be her enemies.
Added value
- Konoko's first ecstasy in CHAPTER 06 . COUNTERATTACK went unnoticed, for multiple reasons: all TCTF troops nearby had been wiped out, Damocles had been shut down, Shinatama had been kidnapped, and most of the science team was off duty (together with Griffin and Kerr). Without that knowledge, Griffin lacks determination when it comes to stopping Konoko from going after Shinatama, and his awareness of Konoko's dramatic power is delayed until the end of CHAPTER 07 . A FRIEND IN NEED. At this point, Konoko's second ecstasy appears as unprecedented to the scientific staff, and since there is no visual contact, Griffin has no choice but to assume that Konoko is becoming, or has already become, an uncontrollable threat; hence the radical decision to detonate Shinatama's Xiox mechanism.
- Griffin's deadly decision is likely also based on Konoko's "I don't care who you are" in the previous Chapter's flashback. Konoko is clearly not willing to follow orders any longer, and Griffin sees now that he can't change that. Her emotions are leading her to act independently, and whatever's inside of her is becoming more powerful. Griffin has been afraid for a while of what could happen if Konoko becomes unstable. We'll see further evidence of his fear later on.
- Also, it could be said that with Shinatama's destruction, Konoko dies as well. From now on, she'll be without the identity given her by the TCTF that has turned on her so irrevocably. Without a past or future, Konoko can do nothing but search for the answers to who she is. (Interestingly, this marks the first of two times that a device beginning with "X" and ending with "ox" destroys Konoko/Mai's future prospects.)