Operation story: CV-2

Operation

Story

Previous CV-1	Next CV-3
Characters
Benny Franka Helena Jessica Laura Leone Liskarm Miles Sylvia Woodrow Bank Manager Blacksteel Mercenary Bored Bank Employee Indifferent Bank Employee Sneaky Snowfield Bandit Blacksteel Technician
Backgrounds
1 2 3 4 5

Before operation

“

The Blacksteel team finally regroups at the diner, exchanging information and doling out responsibilities. In the process, Leone, a local resident, offers to help repair the power plant furnace.

”

<Background 1>
Jessica	Wh-What?
[Jessica rushes to the door...]
Helena	Hey, Jessica, where you going?
Jessica	I need to go find him—
[...as it suddenly opens...]
???	Jessica?!
[...revealing Franka and Laura standing outside.]
Jessica	...Franka? Laura?
Laura	What are you doing here?
[Franka contacts Liskarm.]
Franka	Reporting in. I've confirmed Jessica's location. She was, in fact, at said diner, and her lips are currently covered in oil. Best guess is that she's been getting acquainted with the menu.
Liskarm	Understood. I'm just about finished on my end as well.
<Background fades out and in>
[Liskarm arrives at the diner.]
Franka	Took you long enough, Teacher's Pet. We were starving out here.
Liskarm	It was hard to find this place. It's in the middle of nowhere.
Franka	Well, whatever. Let's just find something to tide us over.
Helena	Miss, I'm extremely grateful you brought Miles home, but if you're gonna complain about my cooking, that's a different matter.
Franka	Complain? What's there to complain about in this weather? Isn't that right, Laura?
Laura	O-Of course, it's absolutely delicious! Better than anything my mom or grandma ever made, that's for sure!
Helena	Good to hear there are still folks out there who appreciate the craft! So what do they do for a living, sweetie? Are they cooks?
Laura	Umm, my mom's a doctor, and my grandma's an engineer. Neither of them know their way around a kitchen... so my dad did all the cooking.
Leone	Pffffft... Ahahahahahahaha!
Helena	Hey. Don't you think you're enjoying that a little too much?
Leone	*cough*... Whoa, easy there! I'm eating, see? I'm eating!
Liskarm	Excuse me... Ma'am, do you have anything to drink? I'd like a glass of water.
Helena	Sure thing, just a moment.
Picking up a random empty glass on the table, the restaurant owner throws open the window and scoops up a cupful of thick snow.
Helena	Give it a bit to melt, and then it'll be drinkable.
[Helena walks to the kitchen.]
Franka	By the way, Captain, did you ever find out why we met up with someone from the bank?
Liskarm	The government here is barely functional and doesn't have the capacity to interface with us, so they left the matter entirely to the bank.
Franka	They left it to who?! Well, what did the folks at the bank say?
Liskarm	It roughly boils down to two things: We'll have their full support, and the details will be discussed at a later date.
Franka	Tch, sounds like we've got our work cut out for us. But you're not the type to come here to eat your sorrows away, right?
Liskarm	They're lacking in supplies and manpower, but they do have money.
Jessica	Money's the one thing we're not short on, though. That said... assuming the bank keeps their word, what do you think about hiring on a few of the locals?
Liskarm	Ever since the power plant incident, most of the people on this plate have chosen to leave. It's hard to say how many able-bodied workers are left.
Franka	That explains how few lights are on outside. It's barely eight o'clock!
Laura	To be honest, we don't need that many people either. I can handle the repair work with just my team. What we really need is someone with a deep understanding of the situation in the energy tower. Is the bank offering any good candidates?
Liskarm	Nope.
Leone	About that... * cough*, *cough*.
Jessica	Sir?
Leone	I was so busy fixing up your communicator that I forgot to introduce myself. The name's Leone Theremin, a blast engineer from the local mine. Pleased to meet ya.
Liskarm	A blast engineer from the mine... Why are you still here, after all this time?
Leone	Hah, a few of us stubborn old farts refused to leave. I've been in this mine since I was four. Wouldn't know how to live anywhere else. When the plant first started having problems back then, I took a team down there to deal with it. Though we never managed to fix it entirely, we did get it up and running for a while.
Liskarm	I'm impressed. It's still working to this day.
Leone	Eh, that's all in the past now. Nothing worth mentioning. But, how would I be paid for this exactly...?
Liskarm	Oh, that... The commission's supposed to be completed ASAP, so we're not paid per diem. Only the required room and board expenses are covered. After the plant is repaired, we'll be paid in a lump sum. The faster we get it done, the bigger the reward. Of course, we can also offer you a portion of the payment in advance, in the interest of cooperation.
Leone	And how much are we talking here?
Liskarm	You'll be treated as a consultant. If we can get the job done in two months, you'll get 40,000. In a month, twice that. In a week—
Leone	Twice that again?
Liskarm	A bit more than that. You'll be able to earn yourself a solid 200 grand.
Leone	Deal!
Franka	Didn't even think twice, huh?
Leone	I ain't turning down 200 grand.
Franka	Sure, but where would you even spend that kind of cash here?
Leone	Depends how old you are. For a young guy, 200 grand is enough to eat, drink, and play to your heart's content, but when you're my age it's just another drop in the bucket called debt.
Jessica	...Debt? Are you in debt?
Leone	Not just me. Everyone left here is in debt. *sigh*... How do I put this? Well, I'll just give it to you straight. You asked about a guy who walked out into the snowfield earlier, right? It's probably 'cause of his debts... That kinda stuff happens all the time here. After being forced into bankruptcy, he had no choice but to...
Jessica	Walk straight into the snowfield, with nothing on him... ...What are the odds he's still alive? I knew I should've stopped him. If we go looking for him right now, can we still save him?
Leone	*sigh*... That ain't even worth thinking about. It's too late.
Jessica	......
Liskarm	It's not your fault, Jessica.
[After a moment of silence...]
Liskarm	Ahem. So, Laura, is there anything you'd like to discuss with Mr. Theremin?
Laura	Oh, right... Come back here tomorrow to meet up with us, sir. If you have any materials, bring them with you too.
Leone	Alright, no problem. I know a few miners too, and they can also—
Laura	That won't be necessary. You're enough.
Leone	Don't be like that. Can't hurt to recruit a few more. Put yourself in our shoes. All the able-bodied folks are gone, and the only people left are... Old farts like me.
<Background 2>
[Miles is sitting together with a young Feline by the name Benny.]
Miles	Thanks for coming to see me, Benny. I'll be fine though, so head on home. Stay out any later, and Leone's gonna be worried sick about you again.
Benny	I still haven't finished my writing exercises... Besides, I don't want to go home. Dad is... Never mind.
Miles	I know Leone's got a bit of a temper, but even after all these years, his feelings for you have never—
Benny	I understand all that, but...
Miles	*sigh*... You warm enough? Should I throw a few more logs onto the fire?
Benny	Don't worry, it's fine... By the way, about those people who brought you home today. Was that the same Blacksteel squad that rescued you?
Miles	Yup. They're here to help us fix the energy tower. When it's all up and running and the heat's working again, we won't even need this fireplace.
Benny	But even if the tower can be fixed up... That doesn't mean the plate will come back to life.
Miles	...You're gonna go bald early if you keep worrying about crap like that.
Benny	Someone has to worry about it, because Dad sure won't. And who else is going to? There was Carl, but he's gone now too.
Miles	Benny...
[Leone runs toward where Miles and Benny are.]
Leone	Miles! Are you there, Miles? Thank goodness, I found us a great job! We can fix up the power plant and make piles of cash while we're at it!
Benny	Dad? What are you doing here?
Leone	Oh, you were here, Benny? Well, you can stay and keep studying. I need to take Miles to go meet those Blacksteel girls—
Miles	I already met them. They're the ones who rescued me.
Leone	Hah, me and my memory.
Miles	Did you already ask the others?
Leone	...I asked all over town. They're either already gone, getting ready to leave, or have given up altogether. You and I are the only ones still willing to put in the work on that plant.
<Background 1>
Liskarm	The safe house isn't expected to be completely ready for use until tomorrow night, so we'll be establishing this as our temporary rendezvous point. Laura, as of tomorrow, the engineering team will be under your command. We must restore this plate's mobility as soon as possible.
Laura	No problemo.
Liskarm	As for Franka and Jessica, I have some odd jobs for the two of you. I need one person to come with me to pay the bank another visit. And the other... Needs to head to the outskirts of the plate to make a security assessment. Employees from the bank have said that bandits occasionally come from out there.
Jessica	C-Can I volunteer to head to the outskirts?
Franka	Sure, why not? Which means I'll be going with ol' Liskarm here to see just how big of a headache these bank people are gonna be.
<Background 3>
[Laura contacts the others.]
Laura	Everyone, please note that while most of the tower is basically safe due to the active Originium dust settling down over a long period of time, there are still areas where the index exceeds standard values. I've already synced your devices with the specific danger zones. This will be a hot repair, as the tower is still in operation, albeit at low output. So please pay attention to your personal safety, and report any accidents ASAP.
[Laura signs off.]
Laura	Thanks, you two. You saved us a lot of time poking around at the danger zones one by one.
Miles	I've worked here for most of my life. This place's more my home than that crappy room in the underpass.
Laura	Then sorry in advance for making a bit of a mess.
Miles	Wouldn't have it any other way.
[Laura opens the door, revealing that the furnace is still actively burning.]
Laura	Gah—! ...It's so badly damaged, but it's still burning? This is practically a miracle.
Leone	Miles and I reinforced the furnace a few years back, both to prevent accidents and to let it burn things other than Originium fuel.
Miles	Heh. The first time a winter like this struck, we still had some leftover Originium products lying around. But later we were lucky to have wood to burn.
Laura	As for now... all we can do is assess the situation.
[Laura contacts the others.]
Laura	Team A is in place. Everyone else, report your location and status. We'll begin diagnostics in one minute.
Communicator	Team B in place. Visual inspection shows approximately thirty percent damage to the combined cycle unit. Team C in place. The cooling system is completely wrecked, but since it's so cold outside we can throw together a makeshift air-cooling system. Team D in place. The ash-discharging airduct is operating normally. We'll adjust our pace depending on the other teams' needs.
Laura	Well then, everyone— —Let's get to work.
<Background 4>
[Jessica contacts Liskarm as she finishes her patrol.]
Jessica	Captain, I've arrived at the last patrol point.
Liskarm	Any sign of bandits along the way?
Jessica	No... I drove all the way out here without seeing anything.
Liskarm	Franka and I will be entering talks with the bank shortly. Be careful. If you encounter any problems, contact us immediately. Don't worry about inconveniencing us. Do you understand?
Jessica	Roger that.
[Jessica signs off.]
Jessica	Helena said that Woodrow often passes by here after hunting... I don't know if I'll be able to meet him today.
<Background fades out and in>
[Jessica noticed the stench of a pine oil...]
Jessica	Why does it... smell like pine oil here?
[...and a burnt pine branch...]
Jessica	Pine branches... Did someone start a fire?
[...as she takes a closer look.]
Jessica	Someone's been through here, but who? Could it be Woodrow coming back to the plate?
[Jessica runs off after Woodrow.]
<Background fades out and in>
[Jessica noticed Woodrow in the distance...]
Jessica	*huff*... W-Woodrow, wait for me!
[...along with a group of bandits...]
Jessica	Someone else is back there...
[...who fires their bows at him...]
Jessica	Oh no! Woodrow, watch out!
[...prompting Jessica to load her anti-materiel rifle and fires, intercepting the bow with it.]
Sneaky Snowfield Bandit	Who's there?! Well shit, you've brought more bad news.
[The bandits flee as Woodrow walks toward Jessica.]
Woodrow	...What are you doing here?
Jessica	Sir, there might be bandits roaming in the area. You should head back to safety on the plate as soon as you can. Um, why do you look so angry?
Woodrow	You sure know how to be a pain in the rear.
Jessica	But that man behind you just tried to snipe you... I came here to save you...
Woodrow	You have any idea how hard it was to lure that guy out? And now, all that evidence is down the drain, thanks to your bullet.
Jessica	O-Oh no... Sorry, I... A-Are you investigating something? Maybe I can help you somehow, to make up for it?
Woodrow	Okay, now that you know there are bandits out here, ever thought about what they might be after?
Jessica	Probably looting supplies... Since it's tough getting by around here?
Woodrow	We can barely keep ourselves fed and clothed on the plate. You think they want our scraps? Their M.O. is to ambush and rob caravans.
Jessica	Th-Then, what are they after here?
Woodrow	Lately, a bunch of people from the plate have gone missing. And my witnesses tell me some of 'em have been seen talking to bandits here before they vanished... So my question to you is this: what're you doing here?
Jessica	I... I was assigned to maintain security along the plate's outskirts, and ensure that any bandits wandering the perimeter don't interfere with the power plant's repair.
Woodrow	All on your lonesome?
Jessica	No... I have teammates. Besides, aren't you also here?
Woodrow	Whatever. Bye.
[Woodrow walks away.]
Jessica	Wait! The bullet— Oh, he's already gone...

After operation

“

The squad technician, Laura, discovers a large amount of Originium sediment inside the power plant's furnace. The repair work must be suspended, and only basic heating functions are left intact.

”

<Background 3>
[While Laura is repairing the furnace...]
Laura	I must be seeing things.
Leone	What's wrong?
Laura	According to the results of the investigation, almost no part of the tower is intact. Everything's either damaged or ruined, and a lot of parts are flat out missing. It should've collapsed ages ago.
[A Blacksteel technician contacts Laura.]
Blacksteel Technician	Same over here. Almost all the spare parts are gone. Even the conveyor belt has been dismantled.
Miles	*sigh*... A caravan stops by Davistown about once every two months. We have to trade for our necessities, usually with defunct industrial equipment.
Leone	Hmph, you call that a trade? More like robbing us blind! See that forklift? Hardly ever used and practically new! Well, at least eighty percent new! And do you know how much the traders offered for it? Ten boxes of canned food!
Miles	Well, we gotta eat.
Laura	...By the looks of it, the plant was already in extreme disrepair even before the accident.
Leone	We used to have a whole lotta workers on the job, but now Miles is the only one left. It'd be great if he could keep things running on his own, but we'd need about ten more of him.
Laura	Tell me about it. Wish I could split myself into a hundred copies and put 'em to use right about now... This job's not as simple as the checklist makes it seem. If we don't play our cards right, we could be stuck here for a whole year.
Leone	C'mon, don't say that... I was counting on that 200 grand after a week.
Laura	200 grand is nothing. Land yourself a security job with a venture capitalist in Trimounts, I guarantee you'll earn a whole lot more than that. When my employer was satisfied with my services, he waved his hand, gave me 200 mil, and whispered in my ear: "Consider this an investment in you. You've earned it."
Leone	Seriously? 200 mil?
Miles	With that much money, we could renovate all of Davistown.
Laura	Heh, just messing with you. I once blew that much money on a little project at Blacksteel, though... Totally not worth it, by the way.
Miles	Stop dreaming, girl, and get back to work.
[Laura continues her work as the technician speaks to Miles,]
Blacksteel Technician	Just so you know, old timer, count yourself lucky when you can hear Laura go off on her random tangents. Her mind's always racing while she's working, so she talks nonsense as a way to release the pressure. If she suddenly stops, it means...
Laura	...... ............ ..................
Miles	It means what?
Blacksteel Technician	...It means the problem's too big, and her brain's short circuiting.
Laura	(*gulp*) ...Okay everyone, listen closely. Stop whatever you're doing, and leave the energy tower back the way you came, hurry! I mean now!
[Laura and co. rushes out as the Originium furnace undergoes a meltdown and eventually unleashes an explosion that destroyed much of it.]
<Background 5>
[As the bank's employees including Sylvia are on their jobs...]
Bored Bank Employee	Sylvia, can you finish processing the bank statements before nine tonight?
Sylvia	N-No problem.
Bored Bank Employee	Then I'll leave you to it.
Sylvia	Okay...
Bored Bank Employee	*sigh*... Ugh, how long has the manager been talking with those two?
Bank Manager	...the situation... the account does not look very optimistic...
Liskarm	...that is not... wise course of action...
<Background 5>
[The furnace's explosion is heard in the distance...]
Franka	Wait, Liskarm, I think I heard something!
[...as a blackout occurs.]
Liskarm	A blackout... The energy tower?! Sorry, something urgent came up. We'll need to confirm the situation first and explain things later.
Bank Manager	I don't mind, go right ahead.
[Liskarm and Franka rushes off as the bank's power is restored.]
Indifferent Bank Employee	Aw, looks like the backup power is working. I was hoping we could clock out early because of the blackout.
Bored Bank Employee	What's the rush? Not like there's anything to do after work. I've just about had it with this damn place. No bars, no nightclubs, just a tiny diner serving barely-edible slop. And now even the half-dead energy tower isn't working anymore. Hey Sylvia, why didn't your mother open up more restaurants when she was mayor? Did she lose her sense of taste or what? Sylvia?
Indifferent Bank Employee	Huh, did she slink away while the power was out?
<Background 4>
[The furnace's explosion is heard in the distance.]
Jessica	What... The plate... what's going on?
[Jessica tries to contact Laura.]
Jessica	Laura? Hello, Laura? Do you copy? Laura?!
[There's no response as Woodrow rushes toward Jessica.]
Jessica	Woodrow!
Woodrow	Did something happen back in town?
Jessica	I... I don't know, but things don't look too good so I'm heading back!
Woodrow	Gimme a ride.
Jessica	...Okay!
<Background fades out and in>
[Jessica and Woodrow gets into a car and drives back to Davistown as Liskarm contacts her.]
Liskarm	Where are you, Jessica?
Jessica	Captain Liskarm? I haven't been able to get in touch with Laura! What's going on over there?
Liskarm	We were briefly able to make contact with her, but the signal is awful. All we know is that an emergency occurred during the repairs, but she isn't in any immediate danger for now.
Jessica	But...
Liskarm	Don't panic. Just worry about yourself, and we'll meet up at Helena's diner. Understood?
Jessica	...Got it!
[Liskarm signs off.]
Woodrow	Can you make this thing go any faster?
Jessica	Sorry...
[Jessica stops the car.]
Woodrow	Stop crying, I'm asking you to speed up, not trying to bully you. Your captain just told you that Laura's not in any danger.
Jessica	Not for now. There's obviously a major problem with the energy tower, so if she doesn't evacuate in time...
Woodrow	Hypothetically, if she really did have an accident, how would you rushing over help at all?
Jessica	I don't know... but I have to. We're partners, so if I'm not there for her, who else would be?
Woodrow	(*mumbles*) Partners, huh... The roads around Davistown ain't in great shape, so you'd best drive carefully. Watch the turn up ahead.
[Jessica continues driving.]
<Background 1>
Franka	Thanks for letting us wait here, ma'am.
Helena	Don't worry about it. The power's out anyhow, and it don't matter who helps with the emergency generator. You're here, and the diner's that much warmer for it. Just gimme a holler if you need anything.
Franka	Is that... one of our squad members outside the window?
[Miles and several BSW mercenaries enter the diner.]
Liskarm	Where's Laura? And the others?
Blacksteel Mercenary	*pant*... *pant*... Still inside the tower.
Liskarm	What exactly happened in there?
Blacksteel Mercenary	Laura suddenly told everyone to stop repairs and evacuate the tower ASAP. Once we were out, she asked all the Infected members to stay behind and had everyone else, including Miles and Leone, get as far away as possible. Then... she took those people back in, and said that if she's not out by eight, all the residents on the plate need to be evacuated immediately.
Franka	Could you confirm the exact situation?
Blacksteel Mercenary	She... didn't say.
Franka	Can you try contacting Laura again?
Blacksteel Mercenary	That... won't work.
Franka	What about the others? We've still got half the team in there!
Blacksteel Mercenary	......
Franka	Enough of this. I'm heading over there myself.
Liskarm	Sit down, Franka.
Franka	Captain, you should know this better than me. Even if there was an explosion in there, it wouldn't take out everyone's communicators all at once. The fact that we can't reach any of them probably means that a shit-ton of active Originium got released, which is jamming the comms. No matter how you slice it, this is an emergency, Liskarm.
Liskarm	And what would rushing over there accomplish? Don't forget what she said: if we don't hear back from her by eight, we need to prepare to evacuate the entire plate. If we went with your plan and something really did happen, who's going to evacuate the residents? The government officials in the bank's garage?
Franka	What, then we're going to let Laura and her team fend for themselves? While we just sit around?
Liskarm	Don't let your concern for them cloud your judgment, Franka.
Franka	I hate to bother you, but what time is it now?
Liskarm	5:57 P.M.
[Someone enters the diner...]
Franka	Laura—
[...who turned out to be Sylvia.]
Franka	Oh... It's you, Sylvia.
Sylvia	Wh-What happened? You all look so... tense...
Liskarm	An accident occurred while repairing the power plant, but we still don't know the details. We're waiting for follow-up report.
Sylvia	No wonder the power went out... If, um, if there's anything I can do to help...
Leone	Hmph...
[Leone stands up and walks off.]
Liskarm	Sir, where are you going?
Leone	Heading out for a walk. This place is too damn stuffy.
[Leone leaves.]
Liskarm	I respect your courage, Sylvia, but what we need right now is patience.
Sylvia	...Umm, my mother... she was the second to last mayor here. She worked here all her life. But, she got sick... and I had to get a job, so I joined the bank... I never meant to betray anyone. I don't know what Mr. Theremin told you, but you have to believe me when I say I want to help...
Liskarm	You seem to be misunderstanding something. Leone hasn't said a thing about you.
Sylvia	R-Really? Sorry for jumping to conclusions...
Liskarm	If you're worried about the energy tower, then you can sit here with us and wait for the news.
Sylvia	No... I still think... Fine... I'll wait here with you.
<Background fades out and in>
Liskarm	If no one else has any objections, this is the plan we'll follow to carry out the evacuation, if it comes to it. Thank you for the hard work, everyone. Franka and I will stand guard, so the rest of you can take a breather for the time being.
Franka	*sigh*... What time is it now, Captain Liskarm?
Liskarm	Seven, on the dot.
Franka	...Only one hour left.
Liskarm	I know.
Franka	Are we... really going to just sit here until eight?
[Jessica enters the diner.]
Jessica	Th-This is Jessica, reporting in! I've returned to the squad! How's Laura doing? When are we heading out?
Franka	If you're asking when we're leaving, that'd be eight o'clock. If you're asking when we're sending backup... I'm not in the mood to argue with a certain Vouivre right now. Ask her yourself.
<Background fades out and in>
Jessica	An evacuation?!
Woodrow	There's less than an hour left. You sure you wanna play the waiting game?
Liskarm	Excuse me, but who might you be?
Jessica	This is Woodrow, a local, umm... hunter.
Liskarm	You two know each other?
Woodrow	I'm the one who took her back to town when she got lost outside. We bumped into each other just now, so she gave me a lift.
Liskarm	...Well, thank you for helping her out, sir.
Woodrow	If something went wrong in the energy tower, why are y'all just sitting around out here?
Liskarm	We trust in our colleagues' ability to resolve the crisis. They're all professionals at handling Originium pollution.
Woodrow	Really now? Your deputy sure ain't as calm about the situation.
Liskarm	Sir, if an accident really breaks out, then we need to be on standby to evacuate the residents immediately. And we can only do that by staying here.
Woodrow	Awful generous of you to share all that with an outsider. But I ain't one of your colleagues. If you're not going, I'll check it out myself.
Liskarm	That would be extremely dangerous—
Woodrow	Thanks for the tip.
[Woodrow walks away, but...]
Jessica	Wait, Woodrow!
Woodrow	What's the matter?
Jessica	...I'll go with you.
Franka	Jessica?!
Liskarm	Don't be rash. Have some faith in Laura. Even if you went—
Jessica	I know. But even if there's not a whole lot I can do... She's still inside that tower. If she makes it out safely, the least I can do is be there for her with a hug. And if something were to happen... I'd have a chance to rush in there.
Woodrow	...... Alright then, let's get going, young lady.
[Someone enters the diner...]
Jessica	Huh?! L-Laura?
Laura	Move over, Jessica...
[...who turned out to be Laura, safe and sound.]
Laura	I'm starving to death here. Don't go blocking the door to the diner... R-Reporting in, Captain Liskarm. I, and the rest of the squad, have safely returned...
[Laura collapses due to exhaustion.]
Franka	Thank heaven you're alright...
Liskarm	Laura...
Laura	Phew... In any case, uhh, the explosion caused a large amount of Originium sediment to build up inside the plant's pipes, which is a critical situation that could've boiled over at a moments notice. Out of safety concerns, I ordered everyone outside first and tried to come up with a plan. But no matter what course of action we chose, there was a not insignificant chance of activating the sediment.
Liskarm	Laura—
Laura	Captain, please stop asking. No matter how much you ask, there's not much else I could do to fix things up on such short notice. But I did manage to find a way to preserve the plant's basic heating functionality. So at least people won't be freezing to death... As for whether the plate can start moving again, that'll have to wait until—
Liskarm	Laura! That's enough!
Laura	Captain... This really was... the best I could do... I'm so sorry...
Liskarm	No, what I was trying to say is that what matters is that you brought everyone back safely.
Laura	Oh, really? That's good then... Actually... I'm really hungry right now... Like, really, really hungry...
Liskarm	Then let's go ahead and eat first. Eat as much as you want, and get a good night's rest.