Operation story: AS-7

Operation

Story

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Characters
Pepe Anat Narantuya Medjehtiqedti Ajani Ajazi Mio Woof Anxious Passerby
Backgrounds
1 2 3

After operation

Summary Pepe is swallowed by Mio at the Great Bazaar. Narantuya encounters Woof in the chaos.
<Background 1>
Anxious Passerby	Hey! Watch where you're going!
Pepe	S-Sorry, effendi! I was in a hurry. Are you okay?
Anxious Passerby	Well, I supposed nothing's broken. Where are you off to in such a hurry? Don't you know there's trouble? First those metal constructs sent all the gems in the city to the Great Bazaar, now they're tearing down houses and chasing us out of the bazaar.
Pepe	The constructs are tearing down houses?
Anxious Passerby	Yeah! There are flying stones and debris everywhere. Hey, why are you still going that way? Didn't you hear what I said?
Pepe	I need to see what's going on!
Anxious Passerby	What do you think you can do, girl? Hey, girl!
<Background 1>
Pepe	...No one's here. They've all gone. By Horakhet...
The streets, usually bustling with people, are now empty, save for constructs moving in pairs or triplets. They raise their arms, and houses turn into sand. From the fallen sand, tall pillars and walls emerge.
Pepe	Yikes, that almost hit me.
Mio	Meow...
Pepe	...? Who was that...?
Mio	Mrow...
Pepe	Huh, where did this critter come from?
Mio	Meow!
Pepe	Go, this is no place for you. Go! Shoo!
Mio	...
The animal is not daunted by her shooing and instead sits down to leisurely lick its own fur. A suspicious Pepe decides to go around it. As she takes a step, the animal looks up and gazes straight into Pepe's eyes. In that instant, Pepe feels as though her feet have become nailed to the ground. But it is such a small animal. She gathers the courage to take another step forward.
<Background fades out>
A deafening roar stops her. She feels her eardrums hurt. She cannot imagine the sound coming from a tiny animal that barely reaches her shins. She covers her ears and closes her eyes, wincing as the sound wave almost knocks her over. As her ears stop ringing, she feels a massive shadow descending upon her.
Pepe opens her eyes to see a formidable creature prowling in the middle of the street, faint patterns with a wondrous gleam roving upon its sandy fur. Transfixed, she meets the beast's gaze and feels as though her very soul is being drawn into those golden eyes. Her breath and heartbeat seem to fall under its control, ready to cease at its will. Unable to move a single muscle, she watches helplessly as the beast slowly approaches, its crimson maw parting... And swallows her whole.
<Background fades out>
All goes dark.
<Background 2>
Anat	Anat, Acting Curator of Varjavandabad Museum. Yes, we are aware, but unfortunately we do not have the resources... Our experts are being deployed across the city. We do not currently have the manpower to assess your losses... Of course we value your sponsorship, but... Anat, Acting Curator of Varjavandabad Museum... no, we are unable to offer any comment at this time. ...What? No, the museum is already on lockdown. No collection can leave the building. The museum has nothing to do with the constructs in the city... Hello? *sigh*... Anat, Acting Curator of Varjavandabad Museum... *cough* *cough* Sorry, we're getting a lot of sand and dust here. I assure you, on behalf of Varjavandabad Museum that we will offer restoration services at the earliest opportunity... *cough* *cough* ...Appraisal? The constructs have built a statue in your garden? And several pillars? May I have a description? ...Yes, the ornaments you described fit the traits of first-century art style. It had gone into decline prior to the founding of Menat-Ha'mait, and many of its techniques are considered lost. I will send someone as soon as possible. Titi, can you go over?
Medjehtiqedti	Do you think it's possible? That the constructs can build, sculpt, and master techniques believed to be long lost?
Anat	I don't want to, but...
Medjehtiqedti	Looks like you have a bad feeling about it too.
Anat	Which is why we need to see it to believe it.
Medjehtiqedti	...
Anat	What is it, Titi?
Medjehtiqedti	You said "see it to believe it", right?
Carried by the dry winds, sand creeps up like an overflowing river, covering the feet of fleeing passersby. Grains of sand gather before their eyes and form into shapes, as though poured into invisible molds. Pillars and walls begin to rise from the streets.
<Background fades out and in>
Anat	...
Medjehtiqedti	Beast reliefs and patterns imitating Originium circuits, coupled with the worship of sundials and time, representative of the era when Lugalszargus's influence was at its strongest.
Anat	Titi, now's not a good time...
Medjehtiqedti	This might be the "memory" of the constructs. Can it even be counted as a form of restored artifact? But we didn't see any constructs nearby—
Anat	—Ruuuuun!!
Medjehtiqedti	Where did they come from, anyway?
Anat	*pant* *pant* Questions later, Titi! You've got to run faster than me, and pull me along! We... we're done for if we run at my speed!
Medjehtiqedti	Don't worry, you're running fast enough. Hang in there, try not to pass out, and let me observe them a little longer... Oh, and don't look back. Probably not good for your heart to see them smashing the curator's favorite murals to pieces.
Anat	Wh-What?! The museum that the curator entrusted to me... the padishah's favorite museum... it's all over... Have mercy on me, Shahanshah! Watch over me, Exalted Lugalszargus!
Medjehtiqedti	Watch out—!
Anat	Great Horakhet, I pray to you again! Allow your child to see your face again! I-I want to see the sunrise tomorrow! I want to see it shine once more on the museum!
<Background fades out and in>
The babbling Anat trips and falls. Titi catches her just before her face hits the ground, but the two of them hear a loud noise. It sounds like a machine turning on.
<Background 3>
Ajani	*pant* *pant* Narantuya! We finally found you!
Ajazi	We haven't heard from you since you bought us drinks last night! We were so worried!
Narantuya	I haven't had a shut-eye in days, so I slept in longer. What's there to worry about? Anyway, good timing. Give me a hand.
Ajazi	Why are you still helping other people carry stuff?
Narantuya	Shh, I'm not doing this for anyone else, it's for myself. This is obviously an old statue. Better to get something out of it than to just leave it on the streets.
Ajani	But Narantuya... Isn't it made by one of the metal constructs?
Narantuya	Huh? What metal constructs? Lay it out for me slowly. I might have slept too soundly last night and missed some headlines.
Ajazi	I thought you were the sharp one, Narantuya. How could you have missed it? There are weird metal constructs all over the street. Didn't they come at you? They're tearing houses apart, making walls and pillars out of sand... and grabbing gems. Maybe you should check? Everyone lost something last night, from onyx necklaces on their necks to astrolabes that simulate the moons and stars.
Narantuya	Is that what happened to your hairpin?
Ajazi	Wha... where did my hairpin go?
Narantuya	You got one thing right, I'm sharper than you. And I'm starting to feel that something is off. Anyway, now that I have the intel, time to come up with a plan. Take off any gems you're wearing and hide them. If those metal constructs are robbers, let them come for me first. Join the fleeing crowds and get your smoke bombs ready.
Ajani	But where do we go? Everyone else can hide in their homes or at least stay in hotels behind locked doors. Are... we going back to the sewers?
Ajazi	No problem, I know the way. I'll help us find our sleeping bags.
Narantuya	No... we're going back to the museum.
Ajani	The museum? How could that place be safe when they'll hire people like me and Ajazi?
Narantuya	Think about it. Who are the experts on caravan routes, desert terrain, dune movement, burdenbeast habits, and tribal faiths? Bandits, meaning us. So, who are the experts on the dead coming back to life, ancient curses, and necromancy? The museum folks.
Ajani	...Makes sense.
Narantuya	I hear something. Perfect timing. I want to see what those metal constructs are all about. —Alright I get it now. Let's go!
Ajazi	Are we practicing our escape?
Narantuya	No, this IS the escape! Let's hope smoke bombs work on these things!
She turns around, raises her hand, and prepares to pull the pin on the smoke bomb—
Suddenly, the streets grow quiet. The sound of marching machines disappears. All the metal constructs Narantuya can see slow down. They stop chasing them and gather around Narantuya. Calm and docile, they watch like tamed burdenbeasts as Narantuya walks past them. —And back.
Narantuya	What the hey...? Am I dreaming?
Ajazi	It's not a dream, Narantuya. I pinched myself just now. It hurt.
Narantuya	Thanks. Then I won't try it myself. What's going on? Say... I saw a shadow of the river god the night before. Maybe it really did bless me.
<Background 3>
Narantuya	I understand now. Ajazi, Ajani, go on to the museum without me.
Ajani	What about you?
Narantuya	Divine duty. I need to find someone. The river god must have wanted me to act the hero, and show Aspasia that I'm the boss.
<Background fades out and in>
Woof	"Those who stand by me need no longer be enemies of your warriors." The jewel constructs are following the pact of the two human sovereigns a thousand years ago. They recognize her blood... You were right, Zubayr. She is the descendant of Kharanduu Khagan. Come, young Nightzmora. Walk into the dream—