EG-3: Burnt Fragment 3

EG-3 Burnt Fragment 3	Episode 08 Previous M8-8 (Story)
SPOILER This interlude is only accessible by clearing M8-8 without defeating Mephisto, "The Singer" and allowing him to enter a Protection Objective.

Characters

Doctor Kal'tsit

Backgrounds

1

“

A matter of choice.

”

<Background 1>
Kal'tsit	I've gained a general understanding of this Infected's behavioral patterns. Despite his now exceptional Infected state, his actions still obey some kind of law. In regards to stimulatory measures, he possesses distinct methods of resolving stressors, which likely are leftovers of habitual thought from his previous human form. Mutations in his infected organs have emerged within this same line: control, as well as be controlled. Violence's cyclical nature has no potential to be undermined. To force, as well as to be forced, beat upon their skin in cyclic fashion. In following, I will attempt to eliminate the possibility he may, owing to his exceptional Infected status, have any negative effect whatsoever on other organisms. I will render his infected organs harmless, halt those organs' action, and destroy their basic function. As a doctor, that is all I am required to do. Even if we set the entire district ablaze, it would only serve to further disperse what exceptional Originium crystal makeup has already arisen, and bring about even more exceptional infection in turn. This operation is necessary. Once this series of tasks is complete, he can return to being a normal Infected. Only, the mutation of his infected organs has already dealt irreversible damage to his bodily function. The rate and degree of infection of his various physiological systems can only accelerate from here on. He is already terminal; in end-state. The world has already abandoned him. This is the fate left for him. The only thing the world has for every single Infected.
Doctor	Is this the only method of treatment?
Kal'tsit	From a medical perspective, yes. However, even if I were to look past my position as a doctor, I still would not have any participation in any facet of administration beyond, regarding Reunion Infected. We don't have much time. Whether or not he can awaken from his coma hinges entirely on how his physiological condition fares following operation. Following the conclusion of the Chernobog core city operation, we'll be completely disavowing any relationship with the Reunion Movement. This is a necessary piece of that puzzle. Put simply, the numerous lives this Infected's organs are tied to, and his own fate, are nothing to do with Rhodes Island.
Doctor	What can I do?
Kal'tsit	You can make some sort of choice. The power to choose has always been in your hands, Doctor. The majority of the time, we've had no time to review the consequences of our choices, and nothing more. But before you make a choice, you should clearly ascertain their outcomes. —Should you regard him as an Infected patient? Or should you regard him as one of Reunion's past leaders? If you regard him as a microcosm of all the evil that runs riot across this land, is he a casualty, or a perpetrator? Should you regard him as an inseparable part of some kind of violent regime, or should you regard him as the lamentable outcome of some hideous logic? In reality, these identities are all fundamentally inseparable. But we don't have the capacity to accommodate them all. Whether you let him run his own course in the core city, or regard him as the ringleader of the Infected violence and apply grave consequences to him in the name of present society, or perhaps take him as an acutely ill patient to proceed down a humanitarian path of treatment... Whether rationally passing judgment and deciding life or death, or directly confronting your own cognition to issue judgment that exceeds our scope of authority, these are all things you can do. Factually, he has already vanished from this land. Only you can decide his fate, whether fortune or misfortune. Whether benevolent, or just, or fair, or resentful, or whether you'd like all four, or whether your decision has nothing to do with these words at all, it doesn't matter to me. I won't issue any evaluation on your choices. Even if I would, I wouldn't speak it. Even if making choices for other people's fates is a ridiculous, laughable affair... He's already made his choice. What should be done next, hinges only on you. I'm only a doctor meeting the patient for the first time. But you are the Doctor who's fought against him numerous times. Your understanding should be deeper than mine. Do what you should do. This is to be your own verdict, and not mine. ...Or perhaps, Dr. {nickname}, you already settled on a choice long ago?