Operation story: AS-2

Operation

Story

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Previous AS-1	Next AS-3
Characters
Pepe Nameless Mummy Narantuya Foreign Traveler Aloof Citizen (Lazvar) Anat Aspasia Medjehtiqedti Nameless Mummy Wandering Staff Mysterious Animal (Woof) Museum Security Museum Ticketer Elegant Woman Extravagant Man Warehouse Custodian Lost Tourist Nearly Fainting Tourist Passionate Tourist Curious Child Mother
Backgrounds
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Before operation

Summary Pepe examines the reanimated Nameless General in the office, while Narantuya proceeds with her kidnapping plan. Medjehtiqedti encounters "supernatural events" while evacuating the visitors, and the Minoan tourist Aspasia leads the rest of the visitors out of the museum.
<Background 1>
Pepe	Look at the level of detail. This guy could even imitate expressions and mouth movements. Let me see inside your mouth. Aaah...
Nameless Mummy	(Opens mouth)
Pepe	Hmm. I can see structures resembling vocal cords. So why haven't you said a single thing? Speech is just movement of the vocal cords and associated muscles. You should be able to emulate it...
Pepe approaches the mummy and places her hand on its throat. The mummy follows her movement, placing its hand on Pepe's throat.
Pepe	You know...
Nameless Mummy	...
Pepe	You... know...
Nameless Mummy	Yo... oo... no... oo...
Pepe draws her hand back, covering her mouth in amazement, wonder in her eyes.
Pepe	So you CAN speak... Inconceivable... the artificers of the Shah's time were amazing... Right. I once read about that in Artifacts of the Old Calendar Era... There were those who could seal a consciousness in gems by etching Originium circuits on it, then place it inside a body of gold, allowing it to survive for millennia without decay. Lost... Zhayedan technologies... the Shahanshah will be very interested... The trove must be somewhere deep inside your memories.
Nameless Mummy	...
Pepe	Just copying me isn't enough. You need to tell me where it is. Let me see... "First, the heart. At its first beat, we come to be. Second, the lungs. At their first breath, we come to feel." "Third, the bowels. We fill them with food, cultivate our tongues, and develop our own likings. Fourth, the liver. We go into the night, awake and alert, for duty and obligation." Fifth... What came fifth? The verse ends there... Looks like the Arsalan researcher never found the answer.
Nameless Mummy	...
Pepe	But you'll help me find it, won't you?
Nameless Mummy	...
She stretches out her hand and places her fingers on the mummy's throat.
Pepe	Yes, hanimefendi.
Nameless Mummy	Yes, hanimefendi.
Pepe	Stop copying me.
Nameless Mummy	Stop copying me.
She moves her hand from the mummy's throat to his hand and shakes it firmly. The mummy shakes her hand back.
Nameless Mummy	...
Pepe	I'll take that as a yes to our cooperation.
<Background 2>
Narantuya	I'm here, Ajazi. Why aren't you at the door? Where are you? What?! (Whisper) What do you mean you don't know where you are? How am I supposed to go in without a pass...? Why is this office door built like a bloody vault? We don't have time, the evacuation's almost done! ... Ajazi, is the hall window next to the curator office's window? Yes, I know it's high. I'll be careful.
<Background 3>
Aspasia	Please be quiet in the museum. Disorder is the enemy of reason. Do not push. The statues and murals displayed here are not protected by glass cases and can easily be... As I said, this statue was almost damaged. We don't want to see that happen, of course. History may lie in the past, but that doesn't mean it's not of our concern. What we almost broke might be the joy of those who conquered the peaks centuries ago, or their mirth as they raised their goblets to one another.
Lost Tourist	How enlightening and professional... ...But are you sure you need to keep carrying that statue? Along with everything else you're carrying right now?
Aspasia	Yes, I'm bringing it all back to where it belongs.
Lost Tourist	You sure take your work seriously, even when the museum is about to close.
Aspasia	...Close?
Lost Tourist	They announced about an emergency. Haven't you heard? It really gave us a fright! That bumbling woman who was guiding us couldn't tell left from right, and I mean literally.
Aspasia	I do agree that certain affairs at this museum leave much to be desired.
Lost Tourist	She brought us to this dump, then disappeared without a trace.
Aspasia	I must dissent. This is no dump. It is Minoan—
Lost Tourist	You have no idea how scared we were when we realized we were lost. We'll be trapped in here with all the ghosts, if we don't get out in time! Look at that armor, that altar for live sacrifice...
Nearly Fainting Tourist	Yeah! That's why I never liked museums...
Aspasia catches the tourist before his head hits the floor. Statue, clay jar, and goblet litter the floor, alongside the cannons that the Iberians used to carve open Bolívarian trade.
Lost Tourist	My dear! Are you alright?!
Aspasia	Fainted from a panic attack, I suppose. I have some smelling salts here that should bring him back to his senses, but I advise you to get him examined thoroughly later.
Aspasia deftly crushes the cotton-wrapped glass tube, and places a wet cotton swab in front of the tourist's nose. As the tourist comes to his senses, she lifts him up and calmly carries him to the front of the line.
Aspasia	An emergency, you say?
Still Light-headed Tourist	Oh... You sure have strong arms...
Aspasia	Follow me, ladies and gentlemen. I will protect you, if anything happens.
Still Light-headed Tourist	Wow...
<Background 2>
Medjehtiqedti	*sigh* No more running around like this, alright? I remember you. You're Lazvar's pet— —Hey, no scratching! I just rescued you from the crowd! The least you could do is let me hug you for a moment or two. Aww, you are so soft and fluffy. Where did Lazvar get you? I wanted one like you, but he wouldn't tell me what breed you were. I didn't know why I found you so fascinating, until I realized that you looked like one of those cloudbeast statues from the Age of Shadow. Say, since the staff are helping the visitors evacuate, and I can't have you running around the place, I'll take you to my workshop and show you the statue that's being restored.
<Background 4>
Medjehtiqedti descends several flights of stairs, arriving at the conservation lab. The air in the room is kept cold and dry to protect its contents. A single incandescent lamp illuminates the spacious room. Her exhales quickly turn to white fog. The underground floor is dead quiet, the restoration staff being mobilized to help with the evacuation. She sniffs and feels her heart race.
Medjehtiqedti	No worries, little guy, here's my table... ...
Some resin-like, gold-colored substance remains on the table: leftovers from Titi's work—repairing artifacts with Originium Arts. But the cloudbeast statue on the table is nowhere to be seen.
<Background 5>
Wandering Staff	I-I didn't see any cloudbeasts...
<Background 6>
Foreign Traveler	A shadow flitted across your forehead just now, an ill omen. I fear you will meet with some misfortune soon.
<Background 4>
Medjehtiqedti	What... are you? Did you come back to life like that old mummy?! Hey, I didn't fix you so you could run around like Anat's research subject! And most certainly not to bring misfortune upon myself!
Warehouse Custodian	Did I hear someone scream? What happened?! Oh, Medjehtiqedti Hanimefendi... What are you doing down here? I thought you wouldn't be coming back for a while, with the museum being closed for the day, so I put away the artifacts under restoration...
Medjehtiqedti	Oh... ...Never mind. I'm in the mood to put in some overtime today. You can go.
<Background 7>
Museum Security	What? No sign of the visitors evacuating the southeast wing? Izaja was supposed to bring them out! I have to lock the gates! The vice curator gave the emergency shutdown order personally. I don't even want to think about how bad it must be.
Museum Ticketer	Did anyone look inside?
Museum Security	Yeah, but they didn't see anyone. Where did Izaja take them? ...
Museum Ticketer	Why are you so quiet all of a sudden?
Museum Security	Listen...
Museum Ticketer	To what?
Museum Security	The wind.
A procession of a dozen people walks out the front gate into the sun. They follow their leader—a woman carrying herself in a serene, dignified manner—in an orderly fashion. She holds a pale-looking tourist on her shoulder, paying no heed to the wind brushing at her garment and caressing her hair, as though a statue that has stood for many years has come to life.
Museum Security	I feel like I've seen this scene before...
Museum Ticketer	...I know. I've seen that statue plenty of times.
Museum Security	There's a statue in that pose? Anyway, thank goodness, now I can lock the gates.
<Background fades out and in>
Lost Tourist	Thank you so much. Here's my card. My family runs a gem business, and you will get the VIP treatment, if you ever choose to visit.
Passionate Tourist	Come visit us in Yan and let me introduce you to my son! Rather handsome young man, if I do say to myself. My sister also has a daughter who just started working at the Tianshi Bureaus. She's single too, if that's your preference.
Aspasia	Thank you, but there is no need... I simply did what I must... —
Aspasia turns around with a start. The roll-up door is being pulled down, and security guards set up a sign that says 'Closed' in front of it.
Aspasia	Where's my goblet? And my clay jar and statue!
<Background 8>
Elegant Woman	Where did Nana go? It's getting late. She's not at the guava and berry shop, or the enamel and porcelain shop, and not even her favorite celestine-laminated pipes...
Extravagant Man	What a waste of time. I tell you, that cloudbeast must have been eaten by that rampaging zombie at the museum.
Elegant Woman	Oh no! How horrible!
Extravagant Man	It's just a pet. I'll buy you another. In fact, I'll buy you anything you want! Never mind the gems—I'll buy you the entire gem trading post!
Mysterious Animal	(Raises head)
Elegant Woman	...
Extravagant Man	Is that a yes?
Elegant Woman	No, look at your feet...
Mysterious Animal	(Glares)
Extravagant Man	Pah, Lazvar's cur. What are you looking at?
Aloof Citizen	...
Extravagant Man	Ahem. Oh, hello there, Lazvar. I didn't see you. Good timing. Let's do some business. My girl is very interested in this gem trading post.
Elegant Woman	Wait, I never said that...
Extravagant Man	I have a mobile platform in east Sargon that includes extensive Originium refineries, dye factories, food processing plants... I'll throw some gold and jewels on top of it. That should get the deal done, shouldn't it?
Lazvar	No, thank you, I'm not interested. The weight of this trading post is too much for you to understand.
Extravagant Man	Weight, huh... if nothing else, you've inherited your grandfather's arrogance. A word of advice. Either keep a few fierce manglers to intimidate people like he did... Or have your little cloudbeast greet VIPs like me. At least it knows when to grovel... Ouch! Y-You bit me?
Mysterious Animal	(Bares teeth) Woof!
Extravagant Man	No! Stay away from me! Help—!
Mysterious Animal	Woof woof woof!
Lazvar	That will do, Woof. He's gone.
Woof	Woof!
Lazvar	You want me to pet you? Let's see... here?
Woof	(Licks happily)
A fowlbeast flies over and perches on the shoulder of the young trading post overseer's shoulder. The overseer fiddles with the metal fowlbeast's mechanisms, turns its coil spring, and lets it fly.
Lazvar	He's getting increasingly active. I'm sure you're looking forward to seeing him as I am. Mio doesn't often go out alone like this. Maybe the man was right. I should have my cloudbeast greet important guests. Hm... could Mio really bring him over?

After operation

Summary Narantuya is stopped and defenestrated by the reanimated mummy. While patrolling the halls, Medjehtiqedti is stunned to discover that other exhibits have begun to move as well. Pepe learns the name of the mummy—Zubayr—in the curator's office.
<Background 1>
Anat	Ugh...
???	Anat! You're awake?
Anat	*Gasp* My head hurts...
Pepe	You hit your head when you fainted. That's probably why.
Anat	It's not just my head. I'm aching all over. Why is there a bruise on my shoulder? And my knee?
Nameless Mummy	Ugh...
Anat	Eek! Get away from me!
Pepe	Calm down, Anat! Calm down.
Anat	How am I supposed to calm down when a corpse just came back to life? It touched my ears, didn't it? Do I still have my ears?
Pepe	It's just copying other people's movements. It doesn't mean any harm, to you or anyone else. Just treat it as a piece of moving furniture!
Nameless Mummy	Ugh...
Anat	Why do you seem so comfortable with this, Pepe?
Pepe	Don't look at me like that, please!
Anat	What did you do?
Pepe	Yesterday... I placed a gem that I dug up into its chest. The Originium circuit engraved into the gem woke it up.
Anat	Yesterday?
Pepe	You wouldn't loan me an important archaeological discovery like this. The Varjavandabad Museum holds respect from the Shahanshah. Not even a shahzada like me could pull rank here. So... I had to sneak in.
Anat	There's a reason I didn't want to lend it to you, Pepe.
Pepe	What is it? If you're worried about co-authorship, I'm cool.
Anat	It's not that...
Pepe	Investment? Sponsorship? I'll renovate your entire museum, if you want!
Anat	...
Pepe	Why are you looking at me like that?
Anat	I don't understand... why are you so obsessed with becoming the Historian of Shar-Agade? You can still carry on your research if you agree to inherit the title of Padishah from your father. But once you become an historian and enter the City of Gold, you will never be allowed to leave. You know that. All that you learned in school, all the training you underwent to hunt ruins in the desert, all that you've seen on your journeys, all that will become useless if you're the Shahanshah's historian. Are you simply not happy with the fact that your brother was chosen?
Pepe	My dream of becoming the court historian isn't some whim. It's the dream of everyone in my family. We grew up dreaming about inheriting the golden reed pen from our elders. They tell you that whoever holds the pen carries great responsibility, to record all that has ever happened for posterity. You are writing the truth of your time, the most complete truth that can be known, which needs no conjecture or investigation and can never be buried by sand and earth. That is what I've always wanted to do. I want to tell Sargon's history! I want the glory of the Shah to shine forever by my hand, and to inspire everyone who reads it. Thousands of years later, someone I will never meet will pick up those pages and feel a connection to me and the Shah, linking the three of us. Don't you think that's really romantic, Anat?
Anat	*Sigh*... I should have known that you wouldn't give up so easily...
Pepe	Shouldn't you and Titi have gotten used to my stubbornness by now?
Anat	Very well, on behalf of the museum, I approve the loan of the artifact... plus another gem. It was gifted to the museum by a private collector many years ago. We discovered that it was connected to the mummy, but we have no idea how to use it.
Pepe	There's a gem at the museum too?!
Anat	That's not the point. The point is I'm allowing you to access it.
Pepe	You're going to hand it over so easily?
Anat	I never said anything about easy. Co-authorship, investment, sponsorship, plus naming rights fees for the new exhibition hall.
Pepe	Absolutely! With pleasure!
Anat	Pepe...
Pepe	Yes?
Anat	Things don't always turn out the way we expect them to. I hope you understand this before you start your investigation.
Anat opens the drawer and takes out a wrapped package. She unwraps it to reveal a pyramid-shaped gem, identical to the one that was placed in the mummy's chest. Pepe takes the gem, holding back the urge to cry out in joy.
Pepe	"Second, the lungs. At their first breath, we come to feel." Don't let me down.
Pepe reaches into the mummy's chest cavity. The gem is absorbed by the blue light inside as soon as it approaches.
Pepe	Guardian, sealed in sand, I hereby return to you the memories lost to time. Show the path to the Shah's trove, traveler from the past!
Nameless Mummy	...
Pepe	... It stopped moving after I put in the second gem?
Anat	Did... you expect something different?
???	Eek—!!
Pepe	That wasn't me. Who's screaming?
Anat	It was Titi's voice.
Pepe	Is something happening?
Anat	I'll investigate. Keep an eye on the exhibit.
<Background 2>
Medjehtiqedti	Why didn't you tell me you were just an ordinary cloudbeast? Well... I guess ordinary cloudbeasts don't understand human speech. Looks like all the visitors have been evacuated. It's safe for us to go out now. Do you think you could find your way back to Lazvar if I put you down outside? Hey, stop hitting me! I'm carrying you so you don't have to walk yourself! That's right. Awww, such nice fur... come, I'll introduce you to other little friends of yours. Look at the imagery on this powder box. This cloudbeast is depicted in equal prominence to a high official. I restored this, by the way. And here. This mural is a rare treasure that came from Shar-Agade, the City of Gold. In order to accurately restore it, I looked through every book I could find on the Golden City, and even interviewed people who have been there. Wait. Does that make me sound like I'm after the secrets of Shar-Agade? Shouldn't think too much about it. You're just a cloudbeast, and there's no one else in the museum. It's not like what I just said would get me in trouble.
Suddenly, she hears the faint sound of cracking.
Medjehtiqedti	... Don't tell me... No—! Why did the glass to pick now to crack? I'm dead if Anat finds out!
Medjehtiqedti runs toward the display stand, and is shocked by the sight of broken glass littering the floor. Display cases use specially tempered glass. In the controlled environment of the museum, an accident like this should not have been possible. She looks up to check on the exhibit, but finds the case empty under the pale light. She feels a cold, sharp object pressing against her back as she attempts to examine the broken glass.
Medjehtiqedti	If this is some kind of joke, you can stop. I'm too busy for this.
???	...
Medjehtiqedti	Playing dumb? Which department are you from? ... I'm going to dock your pay, if you don't start talking...
Medjehtiqedti feels the object pressed against her back move away. She sighs of relief and turns around.
Medjehtiqedti	One of the interns? You've got nerve, playing practical jokes on the vice curator. I'll let you off easy this time... Eek—! You... you... How did you get out of your case?!
<Background 1>
Nameless Mummy	... ......
Pepe	Why haven't I heard anything else after that scream? Anat hasn't come back yet... well, I'll just look around. Anat never changes, does she? She's the acting curator, yet her office still looks so bare and sparse. She had so many books back in the dorms. Why aren't there any here? She must be hiding them somewhere... I knew it. A hidden bookshelf in the wall. Hmm... My bookshelf at home is due for renovation... I should ask her to introduce me to the designer. Let's see what you have here... A Study on Tribal Religion in the Southwest, Review of Unearthed Riverside Jewelry... Terra: A Journey, by Dr. E. E. Erikson? The name sounds familiar... that's the Victorian scholar who came to speak at the college, isn't it? Lost of labels in here. I didn't know Anat liked his books so much. Let's check the section on Sargonian history...
<Background fades out and in>
Narantuya	(Finally, she's gone.) (This room sure is luxurious... is that gold thread woven into the cushions on the sofa?)
Nameless Mummy	...
Narantuya	(That's the mummy from the poster. They put it right here in the room? I'll never understand the tastes of rich people.)
Pepe	...
Narantuya	(There she is... good, she's completely distracted...) (With apologies...)
<Background fades out and in>
Narantuya walks up softly and reaches into her pocket, taking out the syringe that she has kept hidden within. She spent countless days and nights training, even when blisters formed on her feet, in order to be able to walk across a sand dune without leaving any footprints. Now, she can walk through a crowded market, bells hanging from her neck, without making a single sound. A Padishah's daughter stands before her. All alone. When Narantuya raises the syringe, however, a hand suddenly grabs hers and immobilizes it in midair.
Narantuya	—?! (A hidden bodyguard?)
<Background fades out>
Narantuya	(You—!)
Narantuya cannot speak. The mummy laying on the sofa has appeared behind her, grabbing her hand with a steely grip. Her struggles are futile, and all she can do is watch in terror as the needle approaches her own neck. The other hand of the mummy is clasped across her mouth, not letting go until the entire contents of the syringe have been injected into Narantuya's veins.
<Background fades out>
As her consciousness gradually fades, she feels the hand lift her by the collar and hold her outside the window. One last thought flashes through her mind as she feels her feet dangling in the air. If only she had more competent subordinates.
Nameless Mummy	An insect lurking in the dark.
<Background 1>
Pepe	What...? What's that sound? Y-You're moving again?
Nameless Mummy	My mind is no longer clouded. There is clarity. I must communicate my cognition through language.
Pepe	A-Are you alive?
Nameless Mummy	My life has long passed. What you see is simply a well-preserved vessel.
Pepe	... Who are you?
Nameless Mummy	In times of prosperity, I was His Majesty Lugalszargus Shahanshah's personal guard, defending him from the fires of battle. In times of decline, I willingly forsook the sweet release of death for the eternal torment of time, defending His Majesty's trove from invaders, safeguarding the Shahanshah's vow, and awaiting... Awaiting the return of the Shahanshah.
Pepe	H-How should I call you?
Nameless Mummy	My name is Zubayidamu Yanur Ayyusuiz. You may call me—Zubayr.
<Background 7>
Curious Child	Mother, what is that lady doing sitting by the pond, staring down at the water?
Mother	She's dressed in Minoan clothes. The Minoans are said to be great thinkers and debaters. She must be thinking about deep, philosophical questions...
Curious Child	Philo... what? But she looks so pretty, sitting there alone...
<Background fades out and in>
Museum Security	Hanimefendi, the museum is closed.
Aspasia	I know. I'm waiting for it to reopen.
Museum Security	Well... I'm afraid there's currently no schedule for reopening. According to procedure, the curator must declare the emergency resolved, perform a risk assessment, and report to the stakeholders before a reopening date can be announced.
Aspasia	I know. One of your colleagues already told me. As you can see, I'm waiting.
Museum Security	You said you left something in the museum?
Aspasia	Yes.
Museum Security	Is it very urgent? Could you wait for our staff to look for it? We can contact you once we've found it.
Aspasia	No, I can't wait.
Museum Security	How about this... I can unlock the door, and we'll have someone accompany you inside.
Aspasia	Thank you—
Curious Child	Mother...
Mother	What is it?
Curious Child	Is someone jumping from that window?!
Aspasia looks up at the child's cry and sees a woman falling from high up.
<Background fades out>
With little time to think or look to the guard opening the door, she dashes over and holds out her arms.