Operation story: CW-6

Operation

Story

Previous CW-5	Next CW-7
Characters
Doctor Ho'olheyak Ifrit Kal'tsit Muelsyse Rosmontis Saria Silence Blake Jara Kristen Loken Mon3tr Columbian Soldier Power Armor Operator
Backgrounds
1A 1B 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Before operation

“

Saria faces off against Ho'olheyak while the army assaults the lab. The past sweeps over Rosmontis like a tide.

”

<Flashback starts here>
<Background 1A>
[A girl walks into a flower-filled room...]
The flowers... they're so beautiful. Have you come to see me again? I don't know today's flowers. Can you teach me how to spell them?
[...as someone familiar answers,]
Familiar Silhouette	Of course, Narcissa. What do you want to do after you learn it?
I want to put these petals in my picture book, just like I used to. Mom loved flowers. Dad knew a lot about plants, just like you. They're not around any more, but I want to record these new flowers, and tell them about them when I visit their graves. You'll bring me there, right? It's almost April.
Familiar Silhouette	Narcissa, my child, you're always the strong one. Leave the flowers on the table. I'll teach you writing once I'm done with my work.
<Background fades out and in>
It smells good. What's for dinner?
Familiar Silhouette	Why did you come over here? Sit down over there. We're having your favorite potato soup.
I'm hungry. Can you cut quicker?
Familiar Silhouette	Do you want to help out? No need to be scared, I'll hold your hand.
[The familiar man helps out the girl.]
Like... like this?
Familiar Silhouette	Well done. You'll do even better in the future.
The future? Will I grow up to be as tall and strong like you? Become a great scientist?
Familiar Silhouette	No, you'll be greater than I am. Much greater. Does the wound on the back of your head still hurt?
Not anymore. My brothers gave me lots of sweets. They say that one sweet before going to bed helps with the pain, and makes me dream of cotton candy.
Familiar Silhouette	Good girl. You can have them once you've had dinner. Then there's a place I want to take you to.
Over at the corridor? The place my brothers went yesterday? They said there's a nice garden there, just like those in the storybooks, and that's the place you get your flowers.
Familiar Silhouette	Yes. Those who pass through its doors are blessed by fate.
At the end of the corridor is...
Rosmontis! Rosmontis! I can't get the door open! Any ideas, Muelsyse? We need to go! Rosmontis... Don't go... not alone...
Rosmontis. Who is Rosmontis? Who is Narcissa?
<Flashback ends here>
<Background black>
Loken	Welcome.
Rosmontis	You're waiting for me?
Loken	Always have been.
Rosmontis	Where are the Doctor? Where are the others?
Loken	Where they were. This court does not need an audience.
Rosmontis	Court? Is this a court? Who's on trial?
Loken	I, Loken Williams. I am both accused and accuser. In these last moments, before fate devours me– I implore you to witness my life.
<Background 2>
Loken	Here and now, I confess to all my crimes.
"Loken"	Greed.
Loken	Yes. My teacher reproached me. He chided me for my recklessness, and admonished my extraction of infected organs from the dying as being both illegal and immoral. He said my actions did not help patients, only accelerated their deaths. They were already dying; their consciousness had already passed over to the other side. I did not intend to cause any more pain, nor did I change their fate. But my teacher did not agree. He and his teacher pronounced my death sentence in academia, in a private trial with no justice to speak of. They refused to admit that greed is a virtue for a scientist. A small-town boy's biology education is limited to delivering burdenbeast calves, unless he musters the courage to dissect the newborn calf in the middle of the night. The thirst for knowledge was enough to overcome his empathy. He needed to seize every opportunity to climb, to continue on the path of exploration.
"Loken"	Cowardice.
Loken	I have not often been found wanting of courage, but there was one thing that I yielded to. Maylander banned me after my teacher reported me, a mark of shame that shut me out of all universities and government-sponsored research institutions. It was the cruelest punishment you could inflict on a scientist in his prime. They stripped me of my right to research. It was akin to murder of the soul. I began drowning myself in drink. For a year and ten months, I forced myself to face my trembling hands, so that I could forget the pain of not being able to hold a scalpel. That was when they found me.
"Loken"	They. The shameless rascals.
Loken	The Department of Defense. They funded Loken Watertank. In return, I was to develop the most powerful weapon for them in five years. Science is neutral, pure, and free. Practical value, especially in terms of weaponization, can only be a burden for science. I did not want to contribute my research for them, but they knew what my weakness was. Knowledge is expensive. Instruments, equipment, materials, down to the bricks that make up the laboratory–it all takes money. Building the lab of my dreams costs more than building a skyscraper in the middle of Trimounts. I had to admit my weakness and prostrate myself before their power.
"Loken"	How pathetic.
Loken	Is this nation any less so? They have allowed barbaric power to control the lifeline of science! There is no one more short-sighted than the soldier. They are at the helm of science, yet they know not how to use such precious knowledge except to kill their own kind.
"Loken"	Folly.
Loken	Yes, folly. The most unforgiveable crime that a scientist can commit. The foolish soldiers are easy to deceive. Getting subcutaneous Arts units, the result of billions in investment, was enough to satisfy them. But I was too busy, too obsessed with my research, to realize the weakness and ambition of those around me. A foolish student of mine handed part of my experiment data to the Department of Defense. They learned what Loken Watertank was really researching, and were eager to see results, even threatening to take direct control. How could I allow them to steal my dream, when I was so close to finishing my masterpiece?!
"Loken"	You took a risk. You failed. You lost everything. Narcissa destroyed your lab. That wasn't so bad, but then Maylander came again. They took Narcissa, robbed you of your dream again. You were like a walking corpse. The Department of Defense confiscated the scraps, then wanted you to repay the billions of investment. You could not repay it, and you refused to work with them anymore. So you were thrown into prison, like a piece of rotting meat that no one paid any further attention too.
Loken	That was my greatest crime–failure! Now, my final and greatest failure stands before me.
Rosmontis	–
Loken	Narcissa! The only flower in my garden that has not been trampled into the mud. Broken, but still beautiful. Look at me. Look at the Loken Williams who raised you, educated you, oppressed you, tormented you. You witnessed me, inches away from the summit, and witnessed my fall from grace into the abyss. Now I invite you, child, to be the stick that measures my pain, my regrets, my crimes. You are the only one fit to do so.
<Background 3>
Columbian Soldier	Push forward!
[The soldiers fire at the hostile powersuits.]
Columbian Soldier	Area suppressed!
Blake	Gamma and Delta?
Power Armor Operator	No more reinforcing power armors!
Blake	Excellent. Continue the attack and prepare to breach the building. Argh–!
[Ho'olheyak strikes Blake with her tail, sending him flying.]
Ho'olheyak	Not so fast.
Power Armor Operator	Colonel!
Ho'olheyak	Should I start with you? Will killing you buy more time?
Blake	You... traitor!
Ho'olheyak	Traitor? We have always been enemies. Who have I betrayed?
Blake	Argh–*cough*–
Ho'olheyak	How fragile. Should I have done this a long time ago? You almost killed our beloved Vice President. Maybe I can exchange your head for a pardon.
Blake	All units... Attack...!
Ho'olheyak	You want to be a martyr. Perhaps I should oblige.
[Ho'olheyak unleashed her Arts at Blake, but was stopped by a calcified wall...]
Ho'olheyak	Oh, there you are, hero.
[...as Saria reveals herself.]
Saria	The military and Maylander have this building surrounded. You can't win.
Ho'olheyak	Win? It's not victory that I'm looking for. It's a chance. Same for Kristen.
[Saria and Ho'olheyak battles each other.]
Saria	No chance is worth so many lives, including your own.
Ho'olheyak	You think so? Compared to my knowledge, my own life has always been insignificant. I've seen so much history, but to time, I'm hardly even a passing breeze. That's my life. My poor, boring life. A tiny little bit of time, for the chance to touch eternal knowledge, even for an instant–how can it not be worth it?
Saria	You're even fascinated by death.
[Saria and Ho'olheyak continues fighting.]
Ho'olheyak	Don't get me wrong. I'm just... curious. I know thousands of ways to die, over hundreds, thousands of years of history. But I only get to die once. Period. Full-stop, standing between accumulated memories, and the possibilities of the future. How does it feel?
[Saria approaches Ho'olheyak...]
Saria	You'll find out.
Pure, unadorned power. There was no enamel blade growth. Saria simply focused all her strength on her hand. There was no Originium Arts involved. That is why the fist was able to penetrate the distorted air.
<Background 3>
[Saria charges at Ho'olheyak with her calcified fist and overpowers her...]
[...before punching the K'uk'ulkan in the face as the Vouivre pins her down.]
Ho'olheyak	Oh dear, looks like I've lost. I guess that's it, Saria. Kill me here, and make it quick. Or maybe not so quick. I should savor the moment. I only get one chance, after all.
Saria	...... You... madwoman.
Ho'olheyak	What about you? Did you think yourself a creature of reason in all that you do? You wanted to prevent disaster in the most efficient manner. You're standing at the door. Why don't you work with the military?
Saria	They tend to make things worse.
Ho'olheyak	What about Maylander? They have been your firm allies for the past five years. They made the decision to work with the military. Oh, and the adorable little Liberi. The little brown bird, so full of morality and empathy. I saw her in one of the military aircraft.
Saria	......
Ho'olheyak	I didn't know you had that expression in you. Your hands are growing weaker. Everything is going out of control, even your own heart. Is that not a strange feeling to a woman like you?
Saria	Your taunts are meaningless.
Ho'olheyak	Poor Saria. That's not what your eyes, your hands, every inch of your body is saying. Are you sure you don't want to run over to the lab there right this instant? It may already be too late.
<Background 3>
Saria	You–
In an instant, Ho'olheyak is standing on top of a half-collapsed wall. A few more leaps, and she is gone from the battlefield.
<Background fades out and in>
Ho'olheyak	...... The door to the lab is broken... how could it be? Loken...! Well, time is almost up anyway. Might as well call it a day.
<Background 2>
[Meanwhile...]
Rosmontis	You're Loken. You came to the orphanage every Friday evening. You brought different flowers each time. Your clothes always had a strong smell to them. The smell of swimming pools and freshly painted fences. I didn't really mind that smell. I wanted to tell you that you didn't need to hide it with flowers. But I didn't say anything because I liked your flowers. I liked the stories of plants that you told. It reminded me of Dad.
Loken	Good, good! Your memories are coming back!
Rosmontis	Yes, I'm remembering. You used to be very nice to me. Then you became very mean.
Loken	I'm sorry, child, I'm sorry. I promised you... I wanted to give you a happy future. You and your brothers should have been the perfect lifeforms. You would have redefined Originium Arts, freed yourselves from the shackles of talent, the plague of Oripathy. Yes, you... no, we should have conquered fate itself together. Why? Why couldn't I do it? I ruined us both!
Rosmontis	Why are you crying? Tears falling on the hand. Salty. Painful. I have seen you cry before. That day... no, I don't want to remember. I don't want you in my memories. It's painful to forget, but even more painful to remember you.
Loken	Don't forget. Remember me. Please, remember me. Remember the criminal.
<Background black>
Filled with guilt. Filled with pain.
<Background 2>
Rosmontis	No... no... My brothers... Why... why? Why! My memories are coming back... my head hurts... it's cold!
Loken	Grab me. Grab my neck. Clutch it in your hands. Do you feel the pulsating veins? The blood is warm. You won't be cold anymore.
Rosmontis	Blood... how could it be warm? It's colder than ice, more suffocating than water. It's you. It's all you. You took my life and my brothers away. You turned me into... into...
<Background fades out>
A monster. A weapon. A destroyer.
<Background fades in>
Loken	Then kill me. Destroy my broken body. Crush my guilty soul. For all that you've lost.
Rosmontis	Kill you... Will all the crimes disappear if I kill you? The lives that people should have lived won't be taken away again? They can be with the ones they love?
Loken	...I can't lie to you anymore. But at least I deserve it.
[Sounds of people running are heard outside.]
Loken	Time is short. We'll have company soon.
Rosmontis	...... I'll go to them. I won't let anyone... stand in the way of what's right.
<Background 1A>
Muelsyse	Doctor, the army men are coming! We need to go deeper! Hurry!
Doctor	Rosmontis. / Don't leave Rosmontis.
Muelsyse	Old Loken's locked the door! This building is like a maze. It's got Nasti's handprints all over it. We've been at it for a while now, but we still have no clue where they are. I'm concerned about the kitten... but I doubt an old, sickly scientist like Loken could do anything to her.
Doctor	He wants to retrieve Rosmontis's memories. / He wants to incite Rosmontis's anger. Then have Rosmontis kill him. That's his "gift."
Muelsyse	Huh? Did he finally go off the deep end? They say being in prison too long makes you go crazy. But... well, I'm not sure I should say it, but the kitten has a reason to be angry after Loken did all that to her, doesn't she? I was angry when I saw Iffy's experiment logs, angry enough that I wanted to flood those ruins six feet deep. Loken would be getting what he deserved. Assuming, just assuming, that Rosmontis really had vengeance on her mind... I'm not sure I'm really in a position to stop her...
Doctor	I just don't want Loken to get what he wants. / I just want Rosmontis to do what she wants. I want to find her. I want to be with my family. / I want to help my operator.
Muelsyse	Then we'd better hurry... Eek–! Th-That was close... We almost got roasted together!
[Several powersuits show up.]
Muelsyse	Army power armors! Get inside! Doctor, we have to–
???	Over here!
Muelsyse	Am I starting to hear things? Why do I feel like I just heard Iffy's voice?
Power Armor Operator	Come with me!
Power Armor Operator?	......
Power Armor Operator	What's wrong with you? Step on it! You FNG or something?
Power Armor Operator?	Y-YOU'RE the FNG!
Muelsyse	It's sounding more and more like...
Power Armor Operator	–! Target, 3 o'clock!
[The powersuit is struck by the other one...]
Power Armor Operator	Nngh?!
[...taking it down.]
Power Armor Operator?	So that's how it works? It's so complicated... I'd rather use my fire...
Doctor	Ifrit. / It's really you.
The power armor convulses a few times before you. Then, a fiery red girl leaps out in a shower of sparks.
Ifrit	Doctor? MuMu? You're both here!
Doctor	You can drive a mech? / Isn't this thing supposed to be a nightmare to drive?
Ifrit	It's a piece of cake for a genius like me!
Doctor	......
Ifrit	Alright, well, Saria modified it, so she's the genius. Ask her the details. She's close.
Muelsyse	...... Saria's here too?
Ifrit	If only she would let me do stuff myself. But why don't you look happy, MuMu?
Muelsyse	It's not that...
[Sounds of powersuits running are heard in the nearby corridor.]
Muelsyse	Wait, that's the way Rosmontis went... the power armor went there?
<Background 2>
Power Armor Operator	Go, go, go!
[The powersuits are stopped by an explosion ahead.]
Power Armor Operator	Hostile conta–er, it's a young girl. Sensors indicate the presence of an elderly male further in. Should we proc–wait!
Rosmontis	......
Power Armor Operator	Giant floating weapons! High-threat target identified! Attack!
[Rosmontis lifts her superheavy equipment with her telekinetic Arts.]
Rosmontis	You're... a soldier. Cold outer shell... no warmth, no emotion. Are you fighting bad people? Do you stand with the people who have been hurt?
Power Armor Operator	Possible unidentified high-threat test subject! Requesting permission to engage–
[Rosmontis hurls one of her equipment at the powersuit...]
Power Armor Operator	Gah!
[...crushing it under the massive weight.]
Rosmontis	No, you don't have your own will. You don't think about right and wrong before you act, do you? Then, you're just a puppet on strings. Go away, or I'll destroy you too.

After operation

“

Ifrit brings Rosmontis under control. The Doctor sees the sarcophagus. Silence and Saria pass by each other. The laboratory takes off roaring.

”

[As Rosmontis went into a rampage...]
Cut. Cut the potato open, and put it into the water piece by piece. Skulls are much harder to cut. Tear. The softest tissues in the human body are like cotton candy, easily scattered by a gloved hand. Crush. Flowers are crushed in the trembling palm, the juices sticking to the skin, dripping onto new leather shoes. Scream. The instruments sever the nerves so quickly that it can take a life without its owner noticing, just like the use of anesthetics. Cry. My dead brothers cry on the operating table. Why were they the ones who had to be killed? Why was I the one who was made to live? No. No. They are not dead yet. They are behind me, hammering and crying. There was never a garden. There was only cruel imprisonment and cutting, the cage that treated our lives like toys. They want to destroy the cage. As do I.
<Background 1A>
Muelsyse	The lab walls are being torn apart? They're made of advanced reinforced materials... how they be sliced apart like potatoes?
Doctor	Rosmontis. / She's lost control. / That's what I was most afraid of.
Muelsyse	Th-The ground is being peeled like an apple! We'll be crushed into pulp!
Doctor	Someone needs to stop her. Amiya could calm Rosmontis down. But she's not here. / I'll try...
Muelsyse	You don't mean you're going by yourself, do you? Did you see how she shredded that power armor like paper? You're just a regular human! You are human, right?
Doctor	True blue flesh and blood. / ...... / Then I won't leave Rosmontis behind.
Ifrit	...I'll go.
Doctor	Ifrit?
Muelsyse	This is no time for jokes, Iffy! The Diαblo within you... well, your power is plenty dangerous too. Don't tell me you mean to...
Ifrit	No. I won't use its power. I'll do it myself. That's a promise between me and Rosmontis.
<Background 2>
Power Armor Operator	Requesting... support... The communicator... it's crushed? What the heck are...
Ifrit	Don't.
Power Armor Operator	What?
Ifrit	I know what you want to say. Don't say it.
[Ifrit incinerates the powersuit soldier.]
Ifrit	She's my friend. My good friend. We're more than friends. We work together and fight together. Rosmontis...
Rosmontis	...I'll destroy everything that's not right. A lab like this...
Ifrit	It should never have existed. I get it. Damned lab coats, damned labs, all those damned things that tormented us should have been burned to ashes a long time ago! Of course we have the right to be angry, to yell, to destroy it all! But we don't have to do it!
Rosmontis	Why? Are you going to stand in the way of what's right?
[Rosmontis channeled her telekinetic Arts.]
Ifrit	You're tough... but it'll take more than that to stop me! I won't let you become like Darya, Rosmontis... we promised to see the city together, and go back to Rhodes Island together! I don't want to admit it, but you've always been better than I am! You're an elite operator, and you've done so many amazing things. Think of Amiya, think of Blaze the big cat, think of the Doctor! They have soft palms, their clothes smell clean, and they hug like warm blankets!
Rosmontis	Blankets...?
Ifrit	There are people who love us. Life isn't fair, but after all the scum we had to put up with, we still ended up meeting some really good people. Silence's stories always have a happy ending. I know, she made up a bunch of them. Saria is always strict about my homework, but she helps me up when I fall down. Don't destroy these memories. You can stop now, Rosmontis.
Rosmontis	Stop...? I-Ifri...
The vibrations weaken. Ifrit grabs Rosmontis' hand.
Ifrit	Yes, Ifrit. You remember me. No way you could forget. You didn't find out I ate those cookies you hid yet.
Rosmontis	Yes... I think you're right. It wasn't the Doctor who ate the cookies. I should correct the terminal entry.
Ifrit	Hahah... hahahaha!
Rosmontis	You look like you're hurting. Why are you laughing?
Ifrit	I want to laugh. You didn't lose control, right? Even the Doctor was worried about it. But you just wanted to do what you wanted to do in your own way.
Rosmontis	...Yeah.
Ifrit	It's okay, Saria's worried that I'll lose control too. It's not a lack of trust. They just worry too much. As for the bad guys... the power they planted in us, the scars they left behind, none of that can control us. We're the only ones who can. We can turn the tables and laugh in their faces.
Rosmontis	Like... like this?
Ifrit	Yes. Lift the corners of your mouth, find that Loken, and tell him he's nothing to you!
Rosmontis	...Loken. Alright, I'll find him. I know what to say now.
<Background 1A>
Muelsyse	...Things have calmed down. Ifrit did it. She calmed Rosmontis down. Talk about a close one...
Rosmontis's Arts left cracks in the walls around you. The walls of the maze have been destroyed, revealing a hallway deeper into the building.
Doctor	What is that room for, Muelsyse? / I see...
<Background 4>
Doctor	This is... a vivarium. / Your vivarium. Why is there a vivarium in H.A.M.H.R.R.? / It's connected to Loken's lab.
Muelsyse	...... Kristen remembered...
Doctor	And in the deepest reaches...
"Sarcophagus." You are sure you saw the Sarcophagus.
<Background 5>
It is unmistakable. It is the starting point of all memories you have. Even the dizziness is exactly the same.
Doctor	Loken is helping Kristen study the sarcophagus? / What does Kristen need the sarcophagus for? Does she want to destroy herself? / She'll turn into a strange, white-furred creature! No... / Muelsyse?
Muelsyse does not answer. You reach out and touch nothing. There is only a small splash, the reflection of bubbles. The real Muelsyse stands at the heart of the vivarium.
Doctor	You're leaving me? / You're leaving us?
Muelsyse	Doctor... I promised to take you and Rosmontis to see Loken. Our cooperation is over, now that its goal is complete. You can't go any further. We say goodbye here.
Doctor	You planned this from the beginning. That's how you got the address.
Muelsyse	...No. I lied again. I really am evil, aren't I? That hard-head, Nasti... I told her I made my choice, when I really hadn't. I only just now made it, the moment I saw this vivarium. I'm sorry. I came only to confirm one thing... yes, this is where my dreams are. The vivarium and the future it carries... this is my dream. It's the answer for me and my people. Kristen promised to take it with her. She didn't lie to me. She just didn't tell me... maybe she got tired of my cloaks and daggers, how a part of me never seems to be there. Maybe she never stopped believing in the trust between us. She really did it... So I should keep my promise. Tell Saria... I'm sorry.
The water pushes you away. It is soft, but irresistible.
The water disappears, leaving no trace behind. Your hand is empty again, but this is no longer just an intermission in the middle of a dance.
<Background 6>
Ho'olheyak	It's time. Can I go now?
Kristen	The deal is done. You can leave at any time.
Ho'olheyak	You promised me...
Kristen	You'll find it on your terminal.
Ho'olheyak	Is this the entirety of Loken's research? No, there's another address... a blurred one. It looks familiar. You've really done a lot right under Maylander's nose. I'm starting to actually respect you.
Kristen	What a shame.
Ho'olheyak	What's that?
Kristen	You won't see the sky that you should have gotten to see.
Ho'olheyak	The stars? My people have played with them long enough. I've given you all the information I should. Do you really think those twisted spots of light are worth looking at?
Kristen	No, not the sky we see today. Its true aspect, in the future.
Ho'olheyak	Enough. I know about your great plans, but that future doesn't belong to me. As long as your data is legit, I'll be able to fulfill my ancestors' dream and recover my true power–
Kristen	The power that you desire could not even overcome time. You understand that it could be machines that fly the skies of the future, or other evolving lifeforms... But not a shadow from ten thousand years ago.
Ho'olheyak	Are you mocking me... mocking my blood, my memory, my destiny? You–
Kristen	Sacrificing your entire race just to return to the past... is it really worth it?
Ho'olheyak	...... Whatever. I've got what I wanted. Let's say goodbye in peace.
Ho'olheyak jumps down the monitoring platform. She does not turn around to look at Kristen. She does not want Kristen to see the look on her face.
<Background 7>
[Ho'olheyak and Muelsyse walks by each other.]
Muelsyse	You.
Ho'olheyak	We meet again.
Muelsyse	......
Ho'olheyak	......
They are silent for a moment. Past and future pass by each other, without making contact.
<Background black>
Five minutes.
<Background 8>
[Silence tries to break the door open, but it won't budge.]
Silence	I can't get the door open!
Jara	Here.
[Jara uses Silence's drone to break open the door.]
Silence	Huh? It's... the weapon you lent me?
Jara	Not lent. Gave. It's yours. You just need practice.
Silence	Practice... er...
Jara	You're free, once you go out from here. The agents and soldiers are too busy to bother. They've found H.A.M.H.R.R. and achieved their goal. They won't bother you anymore. Run to Trimounts. There, you'll still be Researcher Silence.
Silence	Um...
Jara	You want to go in the most dangerous direction, don't you? You could put your life in danger. You may never be able escape Maylander's gaze ever again. It'll be a struggle of a lifetime. You may lose some things forever. Freedom, the life you know, the trust of your family and friends, the right to live under the sun, and yourself. Are you sure you want a life like that?
Silence	I don't know. I haven't seen the problem resolved with my own eyes. I don't want to give up halfway.
Jara	You're a talented scholar, a good doctor. Have you made up your mind to become a warrior?
Silence	Maybe I'll never be a warrior. But I'll grasp the weapon you gave me tight, if necessary.
Jara	Very well, child. Go forth with my blessing.
Silence	Thank you, Director Jara.
[Silence walks out of the aircraft.]
Silence	By the way, Control... Kristen could be just ahead. Don't you want to see her?
Jara	Do I? Of course I do. But I doubt I can catch her.
Jara gazes at the laboratory. Then, she turns her gaze toward the sky.
<Background 1B>
Blake	You got it yet?
Columbian Soldier	Not yet!
Blake	Keep going. The core of H.A.M.H.R.R. should be in here. And Kristen... she couldn't have escaped right under our noses.
<Background black>
Three minutes.
<Background 2>
Saria	...Ifrit?
Ifrit	Saria! Did you find a way in?
Saria	Not yet.
Ifrit	This place is weird. Even after Rosmontis crushed most of the outer wall like a cookie, it's not revealing any of the stuff inside.
Saria	...It's not a complete building.
Ifrit	What?
Saria	You're right, Ifrit. It's not a lab. This is... it's... Did she install her parents' propulsion device on... how could it be? No... how did I not think of it until now?
[Saria runs off.]
Ifrit	Saria! Where are you going?
<Background 1A>
Saria	...... If I break the wall... She must have expected me. It's pointless.
Then what has a point? You can't change anything. Would we be too late?
Saria	No. I have to...
Have to what?
???	Saria.
Saria	Si...lence? You need to get out of here... it could be...
Silence	No.
Silence	Saria, I didn't come here to listen to you talk like that.
Saria	......
Silence	I know how far a scientist would go for her dream. I know that feeling of rapture, which is why I know the strength it takes to fight it with morality. You've long been seeking a balance between science and order. You do well; perhaps too well. Your order is falling apart. But if you're willing to let balance go... perhaps you'll find your roots amidst the chaos.
Saria	Find my... roots?
Silence	I believe you can. We have all things to do. Let's part here.
Saria	......
Silence	I can tell you now, Saria.
<Background black>
How much I looked up to you.
[...]
How much I wanted to walk by your side.
[...]
One minute.
<Background 4>
Muelsyse	...... Well, there goes a rare friend. How do you plan on making it up to me, Kristen?
[Muelsyse walks off.]
Thirty seconds.
<Background 2>
[Rosmontis returns to Loken.]
Rosmontis	......
Loken	Narcissa... You've returned. Are you ready to pronounce judgment?
Rosmontis	Yes, I want to kill you. Not for revenge. I hate you, but Amiya and the Doctor both say that revenge won't bring back the ones I love. Not for destruction. You want to use me to destroy you. I won't. I'm not your weapon. You're just a criminal. You're nothing to me. I'll do what the law and prison could not do. I hereby sentence you to death.
Loken	Good... good. How does that song go again? Country roads♪ Take me home♪ To the place I belong♪ Soon. Very soon.
Severe tremors shake the earth. Like something very strong and resilient is about to break out. You gaze at the rising inner corridor, and see a figure through the windows.
<Background 7>
Kristen	–
Kristen. A name that has been on many lips these days. Lunatic. Genius. Foe. Friend. Or perhaps a dreamer who does not belong to this time. You see her with your own eyes for the first time. She continues to look up at the sky, as though the blank emptiness is the only thing she should care about.
<Background 1A>
Doctor	What is going on? / You cannot remain on your feet!
A familiar silhouette appears.
Kal'tsit	Mon3tr!
Mon3tr	(Screeches)
It unfolds in an instant, grabbing your shoulders lightly with sharp claws, the massive figure covering you fully. Then, an even more massive shadow rises behind Mon3tr. H.A.M.H.R.R.. Now you can see that the mysterious ring corridor and Muelsyse's vivarium are both part of H.A.M.H.R.R.. Maylander and the military fought over it, then made peace over it, but no one could have predicted that it would reveal itself in this way. The bright flames of the thrusters feel blinding. The blast throws you off your feet. If not for Kal'tsit and Mon3tr, you would have been cast to the winds, like those around you, and the broken remains of the lab.
Doctor	Kal'tsit...
Kal'tsit	Hang on, Doctor.
Doctor	I saw the "Sarcophagus." / I didn't know Kristen's lab could fly. We were so close to the truth...
Kal'tsit	I know.
The figure in the air casts her gaze at you. No, not at you. The dark monster that is protecting you.
Mon3tr	(Growls)
Kristen moves her lips, seemingly inquiringly. You hear Kal'tsit repeat her answer to you.
Kal'tsit	–I know.