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Operation story: BP-2
< BP-2
| Operation | Story |
| Previous BP-1 | Next BP-3 |
| Characters | |
|---|---|
| Backgrounds | |
 1  2 | |
Before operation[edit]
Summary Irene accompanies Secunda in the investigation of a missing data scientist. Meanwhile, Gladiia faces the tribunal at the Sophontheatrum to address the irregularities surrounding the Abyssal Hunters. In the midst of it all, Ulpianus quietly appears by the Doctor's side.
| |
| <Background 1> | |
|---|---|
| Secunda | No one has been in here the whole time? |
| Sea Patroller | Affirmative. No signs that the Little Handy's logs have been altered, either. |
| Irene | Excuse me, how do I view those records? |
| Secunda | Grant her the permissions. |
| Sea Patroller | Yes, ma'am. |
| Irene | Ah, very nice! |
| Secunda takes a device from her belt and dances her pen across its surface, leaving trails like a labyrinth of seaweeds. | |
| Irene | What's your Praefecta doing? |
| Sea Patroller | She scribbles whenever she's thinking. Says it helps her organize her thoughts. It's a habit she's had ever since she was a researcher. No one else can decipher what she's writing... or drawing? Not even that's clear. She's the only one who can parse it. |
Scribbling noises
| |
| Secunda | (Books are arranged by thickness, shell decorations by size, and data downloaded from the Sophontheatrum by time.) (Seaweed cream to prevent dry skin. Is it because Milliarium is approaching the coast?) (There's enough to last three years.) (An ordinary Ægir woman. Cautious, timid even. Matches the data from the Institute of Development Planning.) (Those hydroponic tanks—) |
| Irene | What are these boxes for? Why put them on the wall if they're empty? |
| Secunda | Yes, the hydroponic boxes may provide a lead. Scan all equipment in the room related to plant cultivation. |
| Sea Patroller | Yes, ma'am. |
| Secunda | Also, pull whatever you can from Tullia's files. Education, employment, hobbies; anything that might be relevant. |
Computer beeps
| |
| Sea Patroller | She previously worked at the Institute of Ecological Art, with a focus on the cultivation of endangered seaweed. To quote straight from the IEA's files... "The artist has carefully cultivated these deep-sea seaweeds to weave a dynamic, ever-evolving portrait of life as they grow." These hydroponic boxes were Tullia's belongings. Images of her artwork are also available. |
| Secunda & Irene | How beautiful. ... |
| Irene | They look like they've been left empty for quite some time. |
| Secunda | According to the files, she joined the Waterway Program after a reassignment. |
| Irene | She wouldn't have abandoned her old life for no reason. |
| Secunda | True. Her disappearance may very well be related to her career change. How's that scan coming? |
| Sea Patroller | Nothing unusual with the cultivation equipment, but we found an operating log in the integrated terminal. Two days before she went missing, she downloaded some data from the beacon tower control center and made a backup. We were unable to locate the file itself, though. |
| Secunda | Try to backtrack her steps. Contact the control center and trace the data from their download logs. |
| Irene | If she was still going to work before she disappeared, couldn't her friends or colleagues know something? |
| Secunda | Perhaps. What's the situation on her social relationships? What about the person who made the report? |
| Sea Patroller | We've arranged a questioning. |
|
| |
| Jordi | ... |
Footsteps approach
| |
| Avitus | Anything I can help you with, Jordi? |
| Jordi | Sorry. I have so many questions, I don't know where to start... This, er, metal tree? Do I just ask it? I've heard legends of ancient trees acting as repositories of knowledge, but I've never seen anything like this... |
| Avitus | This coral-shaped integrated terminal is the culmination of centuries of Ægir's knowledge and culture. Everything we think, know, create, appreciate, and even the questions we have yet to answer... they're all here. It's the heart of the Sophontheatrum. |
| <Background 2> | |
| Jordi | And what is the Sophontheatrum, exactly? |
| Avitus | Conceived and established by Mártus, the great scholar of anthropology and prehistoric civilization, it is a public facility that has had a profound impact on the nation. Aside from the mutually-supporting atoll city clusters above sea level and the modular city networks in the trenches, most of our other cities have unique forms and designs. Yet even so, nearly all of them have chosen to adopt Mártus's design and establish their own Sophontheatrum. Look around you. This is a place for people to think, doubt, and debate, eventually coming to an understanding and making a decision. A coliseum of wits, if you will. The most complex equations, the most ancient drawings, the most beautiful songs, and the most well-traveled roads were all born here. I believe this is exactly what Mártus himself wanted. |
| Jordi | You keep mentioning this Mártus... what kind of man was he? |
| Avitus | Simply listing all his contributions to Ægir would take an entire day, perhaps more. But I do happen to have some insight into his personality. |
| Jordi | Oh, you knew him? |
| Avitus | No, no, he lived more than two centuries ago. He'd been gone from Ægir long before I was born. But our professors liked to speak of his eccentricities. He was unmatched in theoretical and deductive reasoning, yet was always reluctant to draw a conclusion. Even on issues where the answer was plain to all, he would refuse to put the question to rest until after an extended debate with himself. Some would say that trapping himself in endless debate showed he cared too much about the value and meaning of things. But is that not in our human nature? Which is why he built the Sophontheatrum. We needed a place where we could engage in intellectual discourse, both with ourselves and with others. |
| Jordi | I wouldn't say I'm up for a debate, but I do have a lot of questions. Should I ask you, myself, or this terminal? |
The terminal whirs a few times.
| |
| "Little Handy" | — |
| Avitus | It seems our little discussion must give way to a greater showdown. |
| Jordi | What do you mean? |
| Avitus | They're holding a tribunal, and it concerns three of those you arrived with. |
| Jordi | The Abyssal Hunters?! |
| <Background fades out and in> | |
Spectators fill the coliseum's seats.
| |
| Specter | Oh, hey, is that our landbound friend I spy? Aw, he looks worried about us. (Waves) |
| Skadi | He won't see you from that far away. Others are looking this way, though. |
| Kal'tsit | This tribunal has drawn more attention than expected. |
| Specter | We Hunters always have, and now they even have the lovely story of our return from the dead. Like it or not, the Abyssal Hunters are in the spotlight now. |
| Skadi | This tribunal will be our final "checkup," yes? Frankly, they're getting tiresome. |
| Doctor | Are you okay, Specter? / Take it easy, Skadi. / Consider it our warm welcome. |
| Kal'tsit | The Hunters need to keep a low profile. We must also act with prudence, Doctor. |
| Doctor | We always find ourselves in delicate situations. |
| Kal'tsit | Indeed. This time, we're not merely mediating between two countries, but between land and the sea. Two vastly different civilizations. Following the tribunal, I will formally address Ægir's consul to foster cooperation between land and sea. But for now, you'll need to assist Gladiia independently, Doctor. The situation remains uncertain for both the city and ourselves. Certain matters become more difficult if I am placed at the center of attention. |
| Doctor | But no one will be watching your "assistant"? / So I should play it by ear? |
| Kal'tsit | Yes, but be careful. I would prefer not to have to change our objective in the middle of negotiations with the Consul. |
Kal'tsit leaves.
| |
| Specter | Dr. Kal'tsit sure uses a lot of big words, doesn't she? |
| Skadi | Does she ever get straight to the point? |
| Specter | Our dear Dr. Kal'tsit thinks too much about too many things, and not nearly enough about how to convey that she cares. Wouldn't you agree that more direct, Ægir-style communication is better, Doctor? |
| Doctor | Absolutely. / Kal'tsit has her reasons. |
| Skadi | Don't worry, Shark and I will protect you. Say, where's Captain Gladiia? |
| Specter | I imagine she'll show up with Consul Clementia. After all, she's the one who will be taking the stand today. |
Someone runs over.
| |
| Excited Ægir | Excuse me! A-Are you Laurentina? |
| <Background fades out and in> | |
Transmission comes in.
| |
| Tired Ægir | I had a hunch I'd find you here, advisor. The environmental sample test results are out. We need you to take a look and see if we need another round of genetic testing. |
| Blandus | Oh... Sorry, didn't see your message. |
| Tired Ægir | You seem preoccupied by the Abyssal Hunter's tribunal. You used to work at the Abyssal Hunter Lab, right? |
| Blandus | I'd rather not talk about it. But yes, I was researching gene splicing methods that would provide a safer and more effective way to perform the Hunter modifications. |
| Tired Ægir | But you didn't like the program? |
| Blandus | It's not about liking or disliking it. It's that it failed to produce results, despite all the sacrifices we made. But what matters now is that they're alive, Gladiia and the others. I have to be here, if only for them. |
| Tired Ægir | Were you two close? |
| Blandus | Hah. If only she thought so, too. |
| <Background fades out and in> | |
Footsteps approach
| |
| Ægir Woman | Magister Avitus. May I sit here? |
| Avitus | Of course, Cassia. Be careful, though; recovery from embryo separation surgery takes time. This is Jordi, a guest from Iberia. |
| Cassia | Thank you. And hello. |
| Jordi | Oh, er, hello. |
| Cassia | There are more participants than I expected. Even when the Institute of Facility Management held a tribunal to discuss modifications to the city's unit framework, only two departments were involved. |
| Avitus | The tribunal system exists to solve problems, after all. The only reason to involve more departments is when the problem is too complex for one. |
| Cassia | But the Sophontheatrum is already half-full. Is the return of the Abyssal Hunters really such a big deal? |
| Avitus | It's a project that took two centuries of debate before implementation. Its philosophy shook the very foundations of Ægir, and its every progress tucks the string of Ægir's future. Besides, the Waterway Program is reaching its most critical juncture. Even the smallest thing out of the ordinary is worthy of attention. Simply reading a report is not nearly enough to come to an informed decision. Consul Clementia needs the counsel of experts in multiple fields. I'm sure that many have come of their own accord, though. The return of three Hunters is bound to cause unease at such a sensitive time. |
| <Background fades out and in> | |
| Excited Ægir | I'm not really here for the tribunal, but I heard you might make an appearance, so... |
| Specter | And who might you be? |
| Excited Ægir | Oh, sorry. I'm Lucilla. I had the honor of meeting your parents once. |
| Specter | Rulers and ink... Are you an architect working on the dome system here? |
| Lucilla | I-I transferred out of that last year, but I'm still with the Institute of Facility Management. Now I maintain the city unit framework and measure ocean currents. |
| Specter | "Envy not the sun, for we have given ourselves the eternal stars and the infinite sea." |
| Lucilla | ... When I was little, the foster parents at the Institute of Incubation took us to hold a performance here. We created a matrix of tiny optical machines, representing neural activity with changes to the brightness of the dots. We'd rehearsed thoroughly, but the Sophontheatrum malfunctioned on the day of the performance, and the whole place went dark. Except for those little machines. But a couple in the audience worked their magic, and ribbons of light fell from the dome, as if arms reaching out to invite our little machines to dance. It was so beautiful that the blackout almost felt intentional... |
| Specter | Ha, I can picture the smug look on their faces. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if they really had something to do with it. |
| Lucilla | When the Institute of Development Planning did its career assessment, I applied for the dome system without a second thought. It was only then that I learned they were famous dome designers. ...That was the only time I saw them. |
| Specter | So they were at the right time and place to inspire you. But you said you transferred out of dome work. Why, when you've already formed such a special bond with our big, transparent friend above? |
| Lucilla | I... |
| Cassia | Lucilla! The tribunal is about to start. You want to sit here? |
| Lucilla | Sorry, my colleague is calling out to me. Anyway, welcome home, Laurentina, and I wish you the best of luck. |
Lucilla runs off.
| |
| Specter | ... |
| <Background fades out and in> | |
| Skadi | Pretty much everyone's here... Hey, where you going, Doctor? |
| Doctor | The Hunters draw too much attention. / I'll just be watching from the stands. |
| Skadi | Kal'tsit's words really got to you, haven't they? |
| <Background fades out and in> | |
Clementia and Gladiia step onto stage.
| |
| Clementia | As you're all well aware, Milliarium has successfully made contact with Iberia. As such, the Waterway Program now enters its most critical phase. |
| A thread of light leaves the massive coral-shaped terminal to surround her, forming a giant ethereal ring in the air that dances to the consul's words. More threads weave together to form cities and tides, Hunters and Seaborn, transmuting words to images and giving substance to sound. The crowd quiets down. | |
| Clementia | And at this crucial juncture, we also welcome home our surviving Abyssal Hunters: Gladiia, Skadi, and Laurentina. The results of their physical examinations and Gladiia's mission report have been uploaded to the Sophontheatrum's terminal and are available for your perusal. I'm sure many of you have already done so. Concerning the irregular circumstances therein... I now call upon Consul Gladiia—leader of Ægir's Honor Exercitus, and Chief Designer of Warfare of the Abyssal Hunters—to answer your questions. |
| <Background fades out and in> | |
The crowd begins discussion.
| |
| You navigate through several rows of Ægir and sit in one of the back rows. With plenty of room around you, you have a clear view of everything happening in the Sophontheatrum. The tribunal has already begun. The speakers do not raise their voices, yet every word is clear in the massive ring-like structure. Gladiia steps forward, drawing everyone's gaze. Suddenly, you hear footsteps so soft they are almost inaudible, like a shadow from the somber dome touching the floor. | |
| ??? | Not a sound. Or I'll crush your throat. |
A shadowy figure silently appears.
| |
| Doctor | ... |
After operation[edit]
Summary Gladiia proves the innocence of the Abyssal Hunters with the help of their former technical advisor Blandus, but suspicions around Ulpianus remain.
| |
| <Background 2> | |
|---|---|
| Legion Commander | Consul Gladiia, is it in your opinion that the issue does not lie with the battle itself? |
| Gladiia | Correct. What you see before you is a projection of the battle plan. If anyone here notices a flaw I haven't, I'd expect it to be pointed out. |
| Legion Commander | No, I have no objections to the battle plan. It was the most suitable one, given what we knew at the time. However, I would like your opinion on what we knew at the time. |
| Gladiia | I have to admit that Ægir's knowledge of the Seaborn back then was deeply flawed. As such... |
| <Background fades out and in> | |
| Skadi | What are they trying to say? |
| Specter | Still not used to their way of thinking, are you? You never did like thinking much, even back home. They mean no ill will. They're simply seeking the truth they need. Identify every flaw and question all perfections. The most heated debates will uncover truth in its full beauty and reveal the right way forward. Just leave it to Swordfish. If you don't want to listen, just take a nap. |
| <Background fades out and in> | |
| Gladiia | ...In conclusion, our greatest error when designing the warfare five years ago was failing to make allowance for flaws in our knowledge. Until every last truth of Terra is revealed, we must admit that our understanding of the Seaborn will remain flawed. Our warfare design must reflect this revelation. |
| Legion Commander | I concur. Your conclusion should be incorporated into our future battle plans. It has been an honor to reflect upon this critical battle and reach a fruitful conclusion with you. |
| Academy of Science Researcher | That said, the battle five years ago is not our only concern. We have more pressing issues to worry about. Your physical examination has revealed mutations that cannot be ignored. The same goes for Skadi and Laurentina. I do not doubt your loyalty, but we need to know how assimilation by Seaborn genes will affect your behavior. Apologies for my candor. Milliarium will soon identify the locations of the remaining nests. Then, the Seaborn will be driven out by Class IV weapons, opening up a Waterway. Is there any possibility that the Abyssal Hunters will become an enemy of Ægir, and of yourselves? |
The audience begin debating.
| |
| <Background fades out and in> | |
| ??? | Hunters out of control pose a greater risk to Ægir than the Seaborn. The Abyssal Hunters are the flipside of Ægir. Created in Ægir's most despicable attempt at salvation, they are now both feared and pitied by their creators. |
| Doctor | Abyssal Hunter Ulpianus, I presume? Shouldn't you be down there too? |
| Ulpianus | You're much calmer than I expected. And you know who I am. It seems Gladiia has built a relationship on land with more than just the one doctor. I've never seen you in any of the operations. You're not an Inquisitor, nor an Islander. The doctor from Rhodes Island brought you to Ægir, but kept your identity a secret. |
| Doctor | I'm just Kal'tsit's colleague. / I'm also from Rhodes Island. |
| Ulpianus | You may introduce yourself however you like. However, the point is that you can help the Hunters. |
| <Dialogue branch starts here> | |
| Doctor | Why don't you just go to Skadi? |
| Ulpianus | This is not her forte. |
| <Dialogue branch> | |
| Doctor | Why don't you just go to Specter? |
| Ulpianus | You mean Laurentina? This is not her forte. |
| <Dialogue branch> | |
| Doctor | Why don't you just go to Gladiia? |
| Ulpianus | Now is not the time. |
| <Dialogue branch ends here> | |
| Doctor | You don't trust the Hunters? |
| Ulpianus | On the contrary. I do trust them. But I also know them all too well. Skadi acts before thinking. Laurentina has not been lucid for long. Gladiia will inevitably be the one to make decisions. I've already shared much of what I know with her. She should be on guard. She knows the potential restrictions, but nevertheless decided to return to Ægir. Overeager to return to a familiar environment, she is oblivious to the fact that she has placed herself in the spotlight, where all that can and cannot be trusted have the power to scrutinize her. Now is not the best time for the Abyssal Hunters to come home. Their decision is a big gamble. |
| Doctor | Why did you sneak into the city, then? / Sounds like you care about them, after all. |
| Ulpianus | Gladiia and the others are not in a good situation. They underwent modifications, but unlike me, they were not part of the Abyssal Hunter project's core research. Explaining the changes in their bodies will be difficult for them. I'll pass on some information to you, and I'll need you to help Gladiia if necessary. Convey my warning to her later. As for the rest— |
| Blandus | May I say I few things? |
| Ulpianus | ...Blandus. He's here too? |
| <Background fades out and in> | |
| Gladiia | Blandus? |
The man steps onto the stage.
| |
| Blandus | Isn't this just like the old days? You and Ulpianus used to get into arguments with the research staff while I was napping. |
| Clementia | Your comments would be much appreciated, Advisor. |
| Blandus | You flatter me, Consul. I was the technical advisor for the Abyssal Hunter project, responsible for the gene splicing research used in the modification process. In other words, at this exact moment and in this exact place, I am the leading authority on Abyssal Hunters. Gladiia, Laurentina, and Skadi have been fighting on dry land too frequently and for too long. It is indeed cause for concern regarding their physical condition. As such, your concerns are not without reason. But my answer is this: No— They will not become Seaborn. |
| The hall goes silent. Blandus clears his throat. | |
| Blandus | Let me try to explain this in layman's terms. Under ordinary circumstances, Seaborn genes exhibit abnormal dominance and will irreversibly overwrite any preexisting traits in their host. In Abyssal Hunters, however, we have managed to extend the timeline of this process until it far exceeds the natural lifespan of any given Hunter. Furthermore, the Academy of Technology made a critical breakthrough, allowing us to implant an "auto-adaptive junction" in all the Hunters before their deployment to eradicate the Firstborn. The auto-adaptive junction was implanted at the splice point between human and Seaborn DNA to assist the Hunters in more closely monitoring their Seaborn genes. If the Seaborn genes exhibited abnormal dominance, the junction would signal the body to resist their attempt at taking over. While there has undoubtedly been some degree of decay of their auto-adaptive junctions after five years without maintenance, the changes they've undergone remain well within acceptable ranges. |
| Academy of Science Researcher | So you say, Advisor, but there is a record of a failed auto-adaptive junction surgery in the Abyssal Hunter Lab archives. |
The audience becomes rowdy again.
| |
| Blandus | ...That was Ulpianus. The archives should also note that multiple clinical trials have demonstrated that the incident did not produce any adverse effects. For this, I gladly take full responsibility and will answer any queries. Now that the Abyssal Hunters have returned to Ægir, their condition will be under control. |
| Academy of Science Researcher | Am I to infer that you already have an effective means to contain their mutation? |
| Blandus | There is an Abyssal Hunter Lab in the city we can reactivate. I will personally perform maintenance on their auto-adaptive junctions. |
| Academy of Science Researcher | What of Ulpianus? |
| Blandus | ... |
| Academy of Science Researcher | How can we be sure that the Hunter who has refused to return to Ægir will not become Seaborn? Or that what we fear hasn't already happened? |
The audience members discuss with one another.
| |
| <Background fades out and in> | |
| Doctor | Sounds like you've just become the target. / Sounds like you're pretty dangerous. |
| Ulpianus | Hmph. It's only natural they would be skeptical. It is both human nature and a hard-learned lesson to be wary of what you cannot control. |
| Doctor | They're not the only ones suspicious of you. / I'm equally curious about your motivations. Did you really come out of concern for the Hunters? |
| Ulpianus | Before the sinking of the Stultifera, I shared my discovery with Gladiia: there is more than one entity like Ishar'mla amongst the Seaborn, those known as Firstborn. The Firstborn are stirring. It, or rather They, are about to awaken. I don't know how many or how soon... but it's close. Too close. |
| Doctor | ... |
| Ulpianus | This is why the Seaborn have begun migrating towards land. I've ventured into many nests recently, and as a whole, they are feeling a sense of crisis. Perhaps not even the ocean contains enough nourishment for the awakening of a new god. Will it become another Profound Silence for the land, or another calamity for the seas? The great migration almost perfectly coincides with Ægir's Waterway Program. One can only speculate about Milliarium's role in all this. Is that not reason enough for me to visit this city? |
| <Background fades out and in> | |
| Academy of Technology Researcher | The Seaborn have proliferated independently, driven by their instincts. But they came from the Firstborn, and cannot defy their fundamental nature. In other words, even if the death of the Firstborn failed to halt their evolution, it should not have caused the rapid emergence of new, previously undocumented traits. |
| Gladiia | I believe I already addressed that in my report. |
| Academy of Technology Researcher | Yes, the Multiple Firstborn hypothesis. A logical enough explanation, but that is exactly why I am skeptical of Ulpianus. Our well-laid plans ended in failure. The three surviving Hunters washed ashore on unfamiliar land, before being reunited with the Hunter who was last to leave the nest. The information Ulpianus brought—that there are more than one Firstborn in the ocean—is more than shocking, it's highly "effective." Effective in explaining why the Seaborn's actions have become more disruptive despite your success with the mission objective. Effective in addressing all our questions. |
| Gladiia | And why does that make you skeptical? |
| Academy of Technology Researcher | Because it's an answer so perfect that it's either the incontrovertible truth, or was designed specifically to put our questions to rest. |
The audience frantically discuss.
| |
| Academy of Technology Researcher | Whether or not to believe the information he gave you will have an enormous impact on our warfare design. If Ulpianus lives, then the most effective way to verify his claims would be to track him down, perhaps even question him directly. |
| Gladiia | ... |
| Clementia | You have been quiet, Advisor Blandus. Do you have anything to add regarding Ulpianus? You were once students under the same mentor, and it was your trust in him that led you to join the Abyssal Hunter project despite your reservations. But I also trust your knowledge and ethics as an Ægir. You need not recuse yourself. |
| Blandus | ... All I can say, Madame Consul, is that I can be accountable for every word I say here at this tribunal. I will not intentionally put forward a hypothesis in his favor, nor will I make any conjectures that could hurt him. That is all. |
| <Background fades out and in> | |
| Doctor | Sounds like you two are pretty close. / I guess even a loner has friends. |
| Ulpianus does not answer. The questioning continues, but Blandus says no more. Suddenly, he looks up towards you, as though he's sensed something. You meet his weary gaze across the length of the Sophontheatrum. He seems to have noticed something. The consul next to him and several other Ægir catch that peculiar moment, and some of them follow his gaze. | |
| Doctor | ... / Em... |
| You look to your side and find the seat empty. | |
| Doctor | Don't mind me. Just a landlubber here to watch. / Sorry, am I interrupting? / Do I need to speak? |
| <Background fades out and in> | |
| Clementia | The tribunal has arrived at an adequate conclusion. Gladiia, Skadi, Laurentina, and the rest of the Abyssal Hunters have made tremendous sacrifices and contributions to Ægir. It is a blessing for Ægir that new ideas continue to emerge from their knowledge and experience even after five years. They have demonstrated that they are both innocent and safe, and that their return at this stage of the Waterway Program is not a threat, but a reassurance. Yet now our attention turns to another of the surviving Hunters, Ulpianus. He has concealed his movements for reasons unknown, and has attempted to influence the other Hunters. Both actions clearly contravene his duty. Based on our present information, we are unable to determine his motives, goals, or even whether he still qualifies as Ægir. Ulpianus must be found. If his intentions are indeed benign, as Gladiia claims, our suspicions must be cleared through proper questioning. Those whose questions have been answered may now leave. Those whose questions have not may continue their inquiries. Do you have anything to add, Consul Gladiia? |
| |
| The coral-shaped terminal at the center of the Sophontheatrum slowly closes and sinks into the ground. The space is now flat and empty, like a stage ready for a new play. Gladiia stands alone on it. | |
| Gladiia | I have told you all I know. I have no objections to the tribunal's conclusion, nor to the suspicions cast upon Ulpianus. |
| People begin to file out, many turning to nod towards Gladiia as they reach the exit. The remaining audience continue to ask questions, and Gladiia responds to each one, whether she is able to answer or not. The water caustics cast by the dome weave a picture of light and shadow with the ring of light surrounding the space, dancing on Gladiia's expressionless face. | |
| <Background fades out and in> | |
| Skadi | Even as an Ægir, I find this hard to understand sometimes. They fling words at her like spears one moment, then thank her for her contributions the next. |
| Specter | They're sincere, you know. Science requires people to separate facts from feelings, and they're good at it. |
| Skadi | I know. I'm just... *sigh* Never mind. |
| Specter | As for Captain Ulpianus, all they have are suspicions. Swordfish, the Doctor, Kal'tsit... someone will think of a way. |
| Skadi | What next? |
| Specter | We wait for Swordfish. Which, unfortunately, will take a while. *sigh*... |
| Skadi | You're sighing too? |
| Specter | She used to visit the Sophontheatrum to watch plays whenever there wasn't a mission. Sometimes I went with her. |
| Skadi | Captain Gladiia... |
| Specter | She's fairly well-versed in the arts. Her mother's influence, supposedly. Unlike everyone else, however, she liked the highest, furthest seats, so I would always end up having to sit apart from her. |
| Skadi | Why? |
| Specter | For her, keeping the distance helps filter out the noise. Ignoring some of the finer details makes it easier for her to fully immerse herself in the story. Right now, though, she's the one at center stage. She’s lost her accustomed sense of distance, becoming the subject of judgment, scrutiny, and discussion. No one in her position can remain unperturbed. |
| Skadi | I'm starting to get why I sighed. |
| Specter | Why? |
| Skadi | Because only now does it really feel like we're back. |