Operation story: 11-7

Operation

Story

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Characters
Doctor Dagda Feist Indra Morgan Paprika Ailshie Allerdale Catherine Lt. Colonel Lettou Astute Noble Londinium Worker Noble? Sarkaz Mercenary Captain Self-Salvation Corps Fighter Slimy Noble
Backgrounds
1 2 3 4 5

After operation

“

The Sarkaz tighten their control of the city. A group of Sarkaz mercenaries enter the factory, preparing to execute Catherine and any others who knew about the supply lines.

”

<Background 1>
[Indra, Morgan, and Dagda are talking in the garden.]
Indra	You saw it, Morgan? The guards at the warehouse were so nervous that they didn't even see me coming.
Morgan	Alright, alright, you win today. Take your jerky.
Indra	Ha, knew you'd be cross. Next time you can come with, and loser has to keep guard.
Dagda	...They're staring at us.
Indra	Who?
Self-Salvation Corps Fighter	......
Indra	What are you stari– What's this about...? Get outta the way, already. I need a drink from the kitchen. Thirsty after all that work.
Self-Salvation Corps Fighter	You shouldn't have done that.
Morgan	You mean lure away the Sarkaz patrol, giving your people a chance to escape the warehouse?
Self-Salvation Corps Fighter	Yes.
Morgan	Funny way to say "thank you"? Or did I hear you wrong?
Self-Salvation Corps Fighter	Our comrades in Sudean are grateful, and so are we. The mission went well. But why did you have to burn the warehouse? It belonged to a Victorian merchant, not the Sarkaz! The Sarkaz were just occupying it.
Indra	Ha. Those fat cats are as cowardly as they are greedy. They want to help the Sarkaz, I'm happy to make them suffer for it.
Self-Salvation Corps Fighter	You do understand that you're just driving them into the arms of the Sarkaz?
Indra	Even better. More than just warehouses to burn for those traitors.
Self-Salvation Corps Fighter	That's gangster talk, not the way of the Self-Salvation Corps.
Dagda	......
Self-Salvation Corps Fighter	Do you still insist on working with these people, Lady Isabelle?
Dagda	My name is Dagda here.
Self-Salvation Corps Fighter	Er... It's just, Lady Isa–Dagda. When Lady Allerdale introduced you and Her Highness to us, we thought...
Dagda	Siege told you on day one that it was the Glasgow Gang working with the Corps, not Her Highness Alexandrina and the Knight of the Tower. Do you really want to see a hoodlum lead us, even take the throne?
Morgan	What shit-for-brains gives you the right to say that about Vina?
Indra	Sword back in its place, Morgan! We're on their ground!
Self-Salvation Corps Fighter	Many of us would rather follow you and Cumberland...
Dagda	Stuff it! I-I mean, you've said your piece. As long as we still stand together, you should not speak ill of our fellows.
Self-Salvation Corps Fighter	...... Sorry, I spoke out of turn.
[The Eartha partisan leaves.]
Morgan	......
Indra	......
Morgan	You shouldn't have stopped me.
Indra	And let you make a mess for Vina to clean up? Not to mention the bunny and the Doctor from Rhodes Island. Next time, think about your company before you lose your head.
Morgan	Ha... never thought the day would come that you'd be the one talking to me about losing my head.
Indra	Gotta change, and adapt to the environment. Look how Dagda is doing.
Dagda	Don't say that, it feels weird.
Indra	You think I wanna congratulate you? Living your way doesn't feel too nice. But there's one thing the past couple days've taught me, Morgan. We have to adapt to keep up with Vina.
Morgan	...Hmph.
Indra	Here, your jerky. Neither of us won the day.
Morgan	Keep it. I've got no appetite. I've been thinking, Hannah... is this the kind of life that Vina wants? Since when did nobles and merchants give her the respect she deserves?
Indra	You're not thinking from the right angle. They'll realize Vina is a good leader. And the respect Vina gets, she would've earned herself.
<Background 2>
[Allerdale walks towards an astute and slimy noblemen.]
Slimy Noble	Ah, Lady Allerdale! Finally!
Allerdale	Sorry, I've been busy.
Slimy Noble	I heard you were looking for a buyer for the Steam Armor?
Allerdale	...The news reached you quickly.
Slimy Noble	Only rumors, only rumors. A friend mentioned that a suit of Steam Armor from Londinium might appear on the market. But the transaction fell through at the last minute.
Allerdale	...I see.
Slimy Noble	I would not recommend that you sell something so valuable too easily. It's hard to get a good price under current market conditions.
Allerdale	Thank you for the advice. I'm just trying to do something useful with what little assets my family has left.
Slimy Noble	I understand. What little money we have means nothing to the Sarkaz.
Allerdale	Has the banquet not yet started? There's no need to wait for me.
Slimy Noble	We can't have that now. You've been the pillar of Central Londinium for ages. It's all thanks to you that we're alive today. How is one even supposed to negotiate with a bunch of lunatics who don't care about money?
Allerdale	You flatter me, sir. I'm just a nobody who spoke up a few times at the unjust treatment that those like you have received.
Slimy Noble	Now, now, don't say that. House Cumberland will undoubtedly rise again under your leadership!
Astute Noble	Yes, the past is the past now. When Londinium knows peace again–not to say that she's not at peace right now, of course! In any case, House Cumberland will have our gratitude.
Slimy Noble	Lt. Colonel Lettou is here!
Slimy Noble & Astute Noble	We salute you!
[Lt. Col. Lettou walks in.]
Lt. Colonel Lettou	......
Astute Noble	It's an honor, Lt. Colonel. You have not graced us with your presence for many nights. We are most grateful for your efforts to keep the peace!
Slimy Noble	I've come into a few bottles of excellent wine. They may not have been so impressive in the old days, but in times like these they are a rarity. I'll have my butler bring them to your residence.
Lt. Colonel Lettou	Ladies and gentlemen... There will be no more banquets, from this day forth. The Military Commission will be interviewing you soon. Good luck.
[Lt. Col. Lettou leaves.]
Slimy Noble	...Huh? Wait, no! What do you mean?
Astute Noble	Lt. Colonel Lettou! Lt. Colonel Lettou! Lady Allerdale, you must speak to Lt. Colonel Lettou! This is serious! P-People will die! Lt. Colonel! Please don't go!
[Ailshie comes to Allerdale's side.]
Ailshie	Miss, this is...
Allerdale	The Sarkaz have been biding their time. They let these fools wallow in luxury in order to keep the dukes from coming together. There is nothing any given duke would like more than to become the master of Victoria. At the center of Victorian high society is Londinium, and whomever makes an enemy of Londinium nobility makes an enemy of the entire state. Such an offense against Victoria would have forced the dukes to put aside their individual interests and join forces to march on Londinium. But the Sarkaz don't care anymore. They've achieved their goal. Some think what befell Londinium the past few years a disaster. But now– War has truly come.
Ailshie	What about us, then? Could you talk to Lt. Colonel Lettou, as the nobles suggested? You might...
Allerdale	They called me "pillar". But whom amongst them set foot in Cumberland Manor before the Sarkaz took control of Londinium? Which of the Duke's true friends participated in these pretentious banquets? I'm simply a figurehead for nobles who lack chips on their side, or those who are trying to protect themselves. They flocked to the Cumberland banner, so Cumberland may take the fall for them.
Ailshie	So what you mean is...
Allerdale	Let's go, Ailshie. Inform our Self-Salvation Corps and Rhodes Islander friends to evacuate the ducal manor immediately. It is no longer safe. We'll take one last look at our ancestral home.
Noble?	Allerdale.
Allerdale	You are...
Noble?	A letter from the duke.
<Background 3>
[A Sarkaz mercenary captain and a female Sarkaz merc named Paprika watches the streets.]
Sarkaz Mercenary Captain	A few days in Auchterigg, then Highbury. Look at all those factories and houses packed tight together. Never seen a place so cramped.
Paprika	Can we go back to Central Londinium after this mission, Captain?
Sarkaz Mercenary Captain	And do what? I don't know what Manfred was thinking, hiring kids like you who've barely taken a life before...
Paprika	I'm not a kid! I did a lot of jobs back in Columbia with Grimm, when he was still around!
Sarkaz Mercenary Captain	Grimm, eh...? I have babysit now because he got himself killed in Sudean. I should've taken his head and nabbed the bounty beforehand.
Paprika	Er... weren't you friends?
Sarkaz Mercenary Captain	It's not my job to teach you how to be a mercenary, kid. But it is yours to read the map. Where do we go next?
Paprika	Munitions Factory No. 11 is just ahead. General Manfred gave us a pretty long list... these are all older workers who know something, right? Just take them somewhere with no witnesses and kill them?
Sarkaz Mercenary Captain	I would kill everyone in the factory, if it were up to me. All that crap about killing only the ones who know anything... does he have any idea how much trouble that is?
Paprika	Well, he's the boss.
Sarkaz Mercenary Captain	Whatever. Put away the list and let's go.
<Background 4>
[Patto the worker greets Feist.]
Londinium Worker	Feist!
Feist	Patto.
Londinium Worker	It's been a year. I missed you.
Feist	Sorry, I should have tried to send word.
Londinium Worker	Never mind that. I'm so glad to see you. For the past year, I've been telling everyone that you'd definitely come back alive. Remember that vent over there? There's a bit of a platform outside the other end of it. A few years ago, you said you would jump off it and onto the factory next door. We were scared out of our minds. It was what, more than thirty meters off the ground? Fall, and you'd be dead for sure. But you dared to jump. And then... Tommy jumped, Day jumped, and in the end I jumped too. Whenever they ask me if I think you're dead, I tell them to look up at the vent.
Feist	Haha... we weren't afraid of anything, were we?
Londinium Worker	So these are your Self-Salvation Corps friends?
Doctor	Hello.
Londinium Worker	Looks well-read to me. I heard there were all kinds in the Corps. Guess the rumors are true.
Feist	The Doctor is definitely well-read.
Doctor	I'm partnered with the Corps.
Londinium Worker	You have partners? It's sounding more and more like the real deal, isn't it?
Feist	Haha.
Londinium Worker	So, why have you come back? Anything I can help with?
Feist	I–
Catherine	Patto!
Londinium Worker	Ca– Catherine... I'm sorry.
Catherine	Get back to work.
Londinium Worker	Yes, ma'am. But Feist is back, isn't he? He's not going anywhere?
Catherine	Don't you worry about him right now. As for your friend, we should talk somewhere else.
[Catherine leaves.]
Feist	......
Londinium Worker	Don't blame Catherine, Feist. She's been protecting us from the Sarkaz for the past year. It's thanks to her that we haven't lost anybody. There was one time when things got really bad, and she called on the leader of the Defense Forces to mediate. But the Sarkaz have been putting more pressure on us, on Catherine.
Feist	I know, Patto. I don't blame Granny one bit. When I joined the Corps and truly understood what I was facing... I knew what a difficult decision Granny had to make.
<Background 5>
[Catherine stands face-to-face with Feist and the Doctor.]
Catherine	Alright, talk. What did you come back for?
Feist	We're looking for something.
Catherine	Something?
Feist	Yes. A hidden Sarkaz supply line that's fueling their mad war. We're certain the line ends here in the industrial district. We need to find it.
Doctor	Feist says no one knows the district better.
Feist	No one knows the district better than you, Granny. I'm sure you can help. That's why I came to you.
Catherine	Flattering me won't do you any good.
Doctor	We just need a clue.
Feist	Yes, we won't cause any trouble for the factory.
Catherine	Why do you think I would help you? Maybe I already told Patto to call the Sarkaz mercenaries.
Feist	...... If that's the case... I'll have to flee with the others.
Catherine	Tell me, how many died in that incident you caused in Sudean?
Feist	......
Catherine	Do you remember their names? Their faces? Do you remember what they looked like when they died? Their last words?
Feist	I...
Catherine	Don't rush your answer, Feist. And don't try to bluff your way through it. I don't know what this "Doctor" of yours thinks, but I know you. You think you're smart, but being smart isn't enough to fool death.
Londinium Worker	Catherine! A bunch of Sarkaz just showed up at the door...
Feist	...?! Doctor, we need to get out of here–
Londinium Worker	They say Lt. Colonel Lettou, a Defense Force officer, wants to see you. You're to be escorted.
Feist	...What?
Catherine	...... George, watch these two and make sure they stay put.
<Background 4>
Catherine	Care for a smoke?
Sarkaz Mercenary Captain	Don't bother trying to butter me up.
Catherine	Lt. Colonel Lettou wants to see me?
Sarkaz Mercenary Captain	Yes.
Catherine	We've been meeting our targets. Nothing for him to worry about.
Sarkaz Mercenary Captain	Whatever. He wants to see you. Come with us.
Catherine	...... Give me a minute. I have something to take care of first.
Sarkaz Mercenary Captain	We're not asking, old bag.
Catherine	I have to put someone in charge. This is very sudden, after all.
[Paprika walks toward the merc captain.]
Paprika	We can wait a little bit... can't we? (Whisper) I don't think the General wants a scene.
Sarkaz Mercenary Captain	Ugh. You have ten minutes.
Catherine	Good enough.
<Background 5>
Feist	Granny, why are they looking for you?
Catherine	None of your business.
Feist	But–
Catherine	Shut up and come with me.