Memoria

Memoria

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Doctor Amiya Earthspirit Eyjafjalla Kal'tsit Central Control Staff Navigator A Navigator B
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“

A Catastrophe looms. The Doctor steps onto the bridge, as if guided by prophecy, to lead Rhodes Island through the crisis. Kal'tsit determines that though the Doctor has lost most episodic memory, a basic understanding of the nature of Originium still remains.

”

4:11 P.M. \ Overcast, Visibility: 10 km Rhodes Island Landship, Medical Cabin
<Background 1>
Kal'tsit	Remove the electrodes.
<Dialogue branch starts here>
Doctor	What's the prognosis? / ......
Kal'tsit	No new developments.
<Dialogue branch>
Doctor	My head feels hot and distended. Not good.
Kal'tsit	You'll feel better after a quick rest.
<Dialogue branch ends here>
Kal'tsit	Dr. {nickname}, I've scanned your brain seven times over the past month or so, and the results are always the same. There's nothing wrong with your medial temporal lobe, and the neurons in other brain areas are as active as they are in most young people. Meaning you don't need to come to Medical for these unpleasant tests so often.
Doctor	Then, what's wrong with my memory?
Kal'tsit	There's no doubt that you've lost a lot of your memory. Even someone like you wouldn't be able to manipulate the results. Those memories are episodic, chiefly concerning the subjective awareness of your identity, and even more so about all your experiences before you fell asleep in the Chernobog sarcophagus. In contrast, your procedural memory has recovered extremely quickly. From my reports or Amiya's and Dobermann's observations, this conclusion is clear. Your ability to command, as exhibited during the Chernobog incident, is not significantly worse than before.
<Dialogue branch starts here>
Doctor	Why would this happen?
Kal'tsit	There are many reasons for memory loss. Some are force majeure, others are subjective. Medical testing can only rule out qualitative pathological changes.
<Dialogue branch>
Doctor	......
Kal'tsit	Of course, you don't make as much noise as you used to. Considering your language center has not been damaged, I can only guess that the deprivation of episodic memory has caused some changes in your personality.
<Dialogue branch>
Doctor	In other words, I'm still useful?
Kal'tsit	To Rhodes Island, you are far more than just "useful." Even if you truly lost all your memories and become an ignorant bystander, Amiya would not have regretted saving you, and there will always be a place for you at Rhodes Island.
<Dialogue branch ends here>
Kal'tsit	In any case, I believe that the skills you possess will play just as key a role as they did in the past.
Doctor	I want to be able to help you. / I want to be able to help Amiya.
Kal'tsit	I know. And I've seen how hard you've been working. After leaving Lungmen, we've been making our way through the wastelands for some time. The operators need an opportunity to rest, Amiya in particular. Likewise, you also need a chance to catch your breath, don't you?
Doctor	I just want some time to adjust. / ...... / I don't want to stop here.
Kal'tsit	With PRTS to help you, it won't take long for you to adapt to your work at Rhodes Island. However, I don't want you to push yourself. Rhodes Island is not the only thing that has just emerged from a terrible disaster. You have as well, Dr. {nickname}. Your physical indicators have more or less returned to normal, but your memory is still damaged, and your mental state is unstable. As a patient, overwork can only harm you.
<Dialogue branch starts here>
Doctor	You're also a patient.
Kal'tsit	Me? I appreciate your concern. Though I can't say I'm used to Oripathy, I can assure you that I'm the last person you should worry about.
<Dialogue branch>
Doctor	Amiya is also a patient.
Kal'tsit	Amiya knows you're concerned about her, and she's been paying more attention to her health lately. I have no choice but to admit, there are some areas in which your words hold more weight than mine.
<Dialogue branch ends here>
Kal'tsit	Dr. {nickname}, in the span of one short month, you've taken over the staffing of several departments on this ship. In addition, I've seen you reviewing past battles together with combat operators to further explore the possibilities of tactical optimization. You've even been reading during this entire examination. Are you looking at the briefing submitted by the new operator who just reported in a few days ago? Furthermore, I've seen your notes. Those records about even the most trivial of the operators' details, those flashes of tactical inspiration... Those calculations for determining Rhodes Island's business efficiency, and even those scrawls that I can't make sense of. They are all evidence of your commitment to your duty. Although most of these tasks can be completed with the assistance of PRTS, I think this is your preferred method.
<Dialogue branch starts here>
Doctor	It's just a way of organizing my thoughts.
Kal'tsit	As the density of your notes increases, your cognition also improves.
<Dialogue branch>
Doctor	PRTS's data lacks a bit of that human touch.
Kal'tsit	PRTS is just a tool. Avoiding overreliance on tools is a good working habit.
<Dialogue branch>
Doctor	You didn't see me badmouthing you, did you?!
Kal'tsit	So that was a complaint? I would rather take those words as a compliment.
<Dialogue branch ends here>
Kal'tsit	All of your abilities are recovering rapidly, not only due to the retention of your procedural memory, but also due to your extraordinary efforts. Conscious exercise will help your brain return more quickly to your pre-comatose state, and may even bring back your memory faster than expected.
Doctor	Do you want me to recover as quickly as possible?
Kal'tsit	I am your doctor. There's not a doctor out there who does not wish for the quick recovery of her patient. That said, if you end up collapsing due to overwork, you'll disrupt Amiya's condition as well.
Doctor	Are you only concerned about Amiya? / ...... / I see. You do care about me.
Kal'tsit	These sentiments of yours that occasionally leak through are quite unlike the past you. While this is rather intriguing, if I am the object of your feelings, let's just say we've no need of that. I've told you many times over that ensuring your physical and mental well-being has always been one of my duties. So, yes, even here, I still care about you. Even without a battle.
Doctor	It's strange that you'd talk to me like this. ...... Alright.
Kal'tsit	Today's exam is over. As I said, you don't need to report back here at the same time next week. The regular morning and evening check-ups will continue for a while. Lancet-2 will look after you for me. If we ever find that your physical condition does not support your continued work, you must immediately return to Medical. As for now, you may return to your work, Doctor.
<Background 2>
4:32 P.M. \ Overcast, Visibility: 7 km Rhodes Island Landship, Hallway outside the bridge
[Earthspirit approaches one of the R.I. landship's navigators.]
Navigator A	Earthspirit? What brings you here?
Earthspirit	I've updated the geological monitoring report I submitted this morning.
Navigator A	You needed to make an adjustment so soon? That's unlike you.
Earthspirit	The numbers changed quickly. Made me miss my afternoon nap. Forward the report to your team leader. My recommendations are at the bottom.
Navigator A	Sure. Strong winds warning, is it? That's no problem. The Engineering Department strengthened the storm shutters two days in advance, and Logistics notified everyone to stay away from the at-risk deck areas.
Earthspirit	That's not all. Keep reading.
Navigator A	Huh... There might be a strong windstorm ahead of our route? Should we slow down or make a detour? How dangerous is this windstorm you're talking about here?
Earthspirit	I don't know. I looked at anomalies in the data and made my best call. All I know for sure is there's more than one cyclone forming ahead, and it's far more intense than anyone would expect.
Navigator A	Sounds pretty vague. We set our route a month ago, it's already been approved. We're looking at a big mess if we change it on the fly. You were in that meeting, right? We chose the route for its super low risk profile. Over the last decade, caravans from Lungmen to Leithanien have been back and forth over this route dozens of times.
Earthspirit	Yes. In theory, we've avoided the Catastrophe-prone areas, and the probability of encountering danger is low.
Navigator A	But you're also not sure? The bosses want us as far away from Ursus and Lungmen as soon as possible.
Earthspirit	Whatever... I just needed to make sure you got my warning. Deciding what to do with it is not in my job description. That's up to you.
Navigator A	Settle down, Earthspirit, we've got protocols. I'll notify the team leader, and we'll discuss...
Doctor	There's no time for that.
Navigator A	Huh, Doctor?! Why are you here? Shouldn't you be in your office?
Doctor	I was going up onto the bridge.
Navigator A	Now that's some coincidence... If you're taking the report, are you going to explain the situation to our team leader in person?
Doctor	The windstorm is right in front of us. He'll notice soon enough. / The situation is urgent, I'll let Amiya know.
Navigator A	What? It's that serious? Well that's not good...
Earthspirit	Doctor, you believe me?
Doctor	I believe in reality. / I believe my operators.
Earthspirit	Then I'll go to the bridge with you. I'll continue to observe the situation in real time and report to you and Amiya.
Doctor	Good. That's the best option. / Not going to ask for overtime?
Earthspirit	This is within the scope of my duties.
<Background black>
4:39 P.M. \ Overcast, Visibility: 4 km Rhodes Island Landship, Bridge
<Background 3>
Central Control Staff	Warning, the wind speed is increasing rapidly! At these numbers, our visibility's going to fall under one kilometer within a few minutes!
Amiya	Did you turn on the assisted driving function for sandstorm mode?
Central Control Staff	We've had it on for a while, it was part of the itinerary. But Amiya, this might not be an ordinary sandstorm...
Navigator B	My god!
[An R.I. landship navigator jumped off his chair in shock after looking at the readings.]
Amiya	What is it, Pavel?
Navigator B	Sensors detecting thunderstorm clouds ahead!
Amiya	...... Open the PA, tell the whole ship that Rhodes Island will pass through a thunderstorm shortly, and raise the alert level by one! Central command personnel, slow us down right now!
[The strong winds of the storms caused the R.I. landship's interiors to rumble.]
Amiya	Ugh... we're rocking a lot... What's the situation?
Central Control Staff	The pressure on the hull side panels is skyrocketing! 70% of the outermost storm shutters have been damaged and are basically failing! Also... multiple abnormal heat sources detected near the hull, energy amplitude approaching critical threshold!
Amiya	Does this mean...
Doctor	Yes. It's a Catastrophe.
Amiya	Ah, Dr. {nickname}! How... can this be?
Doctor	No time to explain. / It's a supercell.
Amiya	Alright... I got it.
[Amiya uses the R.I. landship's PA to make an announcement.]
Amiya	All hands, activate code red Catastrophe alert! Evacuate all personnel on the first deck, bridge excluded. Gather all non-engineering personnel from the second to sixth levels in the central area for safety! Central control, maintain minimum speed cruising... Navigator, how long will this desert thunderstorm last?
Navigator B	These sudden-onset storms usually pass within an hour or two...
Navigator A	It's hard to say for sure. Doctor? Earthspirit?
Doctor	Earthspirit, your analysis.
Earthspirit	Yes, Doctor. Mr. Pavel, the Doctor gave you the report I completed an hour ago.
Navigator B	Multiple small cyclones within two kilometers...? This doesn't bode well! This Catastrophe is no ordinary desert thunderstorm... we could be looking at a maximum strength windstorm!
Earthspirit	Can I borrow one of the sensors on the bridge?
Navigator B	Of course. I should've seen it myself...
Earthspirit	It's alright, Mr. Pavel. This is an extremely abnormal phenomenon and well beyond the scope of normal Catastrophe prediction. An experienced Catastrophe Messenger would have some trouble spotting all the signs in time. If not for the Doctor's assistance, I would've treated the outliers as errors and glossed over them.
Doctor	We still have time to move things in the right direction. / ...... / I'm getting a real bad feeling about this.
Earthspirit	Doctor, Amiya, the small cyclones ahead are converging and intensifying. In other words, the core of the multi-cyclone vortex is about to generate. Once the core forms, I estimate the cyclone will reach two kilometers in diameter and last at least seven to eight hours.
Amiya	What happens if Rhodes Island maintains its speed as it approaches the core?
Central Control Staff	If we come into contact with the vortex, the ship's hull may collide with high-speed active Originium dust, roughly equivalent to the simultaneous detonation of hundreds of maximum-payload Originium bombs across the bulwark. I'm sure you can guess how that might go for us.
Amiya	Do we have enough time to change course?
Central Control Staff	I can try...
Navigator B	The core of the windstorm changes directions very quickly, and can reach a maximum speed of nearly 1,000 kilometers per hour.
Central Control Staff	Then there's no point in us trying. Amiya, even if we try a full speed retreat, if we get unlucky with the direction, Rhodes Island won't escape the storm.
Amiya	Then it seems like the only thing we can do is stay put. Mr. Pavel, give me a potential damage assessment.
Navigator B	If we spend seven hours in a thunderstorm of a similar scale, the first to sixth decks will be damaged maybe 15%... Of those, the first deck will take the hardest hits, and casualties are likely.
Amiya	It'll be the biggest loss the ship takes in a year. But, I don't see any options...
Doctor	There is a way.
Amiya	Doctor?
Doctor	We won't have to take damage. / You don't want to have to dock for a month of repairs, right?
Amiya	Yes, if we have to stop in the wastelands, we could face other threats.
Doctor	We have another choice. / Since we can't retreat and don't want to stop, what else can we do?
Amiya	Doctor, are you suggesting that we continue straight ahead?
Central Control Staff	That's out of the question, visibility is too low! Even with assisted driving, I can't navigate. I'm from Sargon, plunging headfirst into a sandstorm like this is suicide!
Amiya	I understand your concerns, Mr. Kamal. But, I trust the Doctor. Dr. {nickname}, are you sure about leading Rhodes Island through the Catastrophe zone?
Doctor	I need Earthspirit to keep calculating the real-time coordinates of the vortex. / Yes. / I need PRTS to help me calculate the energy amplitude of the Originium on the surface.
Amiya	Good, please cooperate with the Doctor.
Central Control Staff	Calculating a safe route in such a short time sounds like a bad joke.
Amiya	If anyone can do it, it's our Doctor.
Central Control Staff	I've heard stories of the battles and all... but operating the landship is nothing like field command!
Navigator B	I don't know about this... Of course, I don't doubt the Doctor's abilities, but I've never heard of this real-time calculation method...
Earthspirit	It just might work...
Navigator B	Earthspirit, can you make sense of the Doctor's formulas?
Earthspirit	No. But they feel a bit familiar. Right... I heard about a similar formula from some whiz kid a couple days ago, but the Doctor's version is more complicated and varied.
Doctor	I've given the route to the navigator. / Work with the central control staff if you need to change course rapidly. / Amiya, we're ready.
Amiya	Let's head forward then!
<Dialogue branch starts here>
Doctor	I'll help you issue instructions.
Amiya	No, Doctor, that would be too inefficient. Rhodes Island only needs one commander right now.
<Dialogue branch>
Doctor	Leave it to me.
Amiya	Okay, Doctor, go forward until you're at my position.
<Dialogue branch ends here>
Amiya	From the moment I saw you appear on the bridge, I trusted that the situation would definitely turn around. Attention, everyone on the bridge– From now on, I am transferring command of the Rhodes Island landship to Dr. {nickname}!
Doctor	Notify Closure and have her put all cabins into energy-saving mode! / All power to the engines!
Navigator B	Got it, Doctor!
Amiya	Message from Closure: The engine is ready, and she wishes us "good luck"...
Earthspirit	There's nothing wrong with going a little crazy every now and then.
Central Control Staff	If I knew I'd be sailing like this, I would've brought some booze.
Doctor	Rhodes Island, all ahead full!
[The entire R.I. landship rumbles as she treads though the Catastrophe storm.]
Central Control Staff	I'm getting a nosebleed from this speed!
Navigator B	That's because I elbowed your nose... Sorry, but the whole place is shaking so much I can't control my limbs.
Central Control Staff	Is the seismic damper malfunctioning?
Navigator B	Looks like it's not just my imagination – the whole ship's falling apart. Earthspirit, you haven't taken your eyes off the screen at all...
Earthspirit	Cyclone number two is continuing to move thirty degrees southeast, cyclone number three... cyclone number four...
Amiya	Doctor, hold my hand!
<Background black>
Doctor	I've got you, Amiya.
<Background 3>
Amiya	Doctor, did I step on your foot...?
Doctor	Don't worry about it. You can hold on even tighter. / ...... / Your ears are making my face itchy.
Amiya	Are we shaking less?
Doctor	Hard right, now!!
[The R.I. landship banks right to avoid a strong wind.]
Central Control Staff	Haah... I didn't even notice that strong wind just now. If it caught us, there's no telling if we would've been able to stabilize the hull at this speed!
Navigator B	Did the downburst make contact with the ground?
Earthspirit	Only two minutes until the core of the storm forms.
Doctor	Maintain current trajectory and keep moving forward!
Central Control Staff	Wait, I see the cyclone! There's one on the left and another on the right! We're surrounded. Rhodes Island is going to collide in just two or three more minutes!
Doctor	Keep going.
Central Control Staff	It's impossible to avoid them! We don't have enough space to maneuver!
Doctor	Trust me.
Central Control Staff	I'm trying real hard, Doctor! But I don't trust myself so much! Forget it, if Amiya's with you, I'm on board too. Even if I have to tie my hand to the steering handle, I'll keep pushing it forward until the very end!
Central Control Staff	I just regret agreeing to swap shifts with that stinky lad, George...
Earthspirit	Seventy-five meters. Fifty meters. Thirty meters...
Navigator B	(Gulps nervously) I've never seen a Catastrophe-cyclone up close before...
Amiya	Doctor...
<Dialogue branch starts here>
Doctor	Amiya, are you afraid?
Amiya	I'm a bit nervous, but I'm not afraid.
<Dialogue branch>
Doctor	......
Amiya	I am a little nervous. But rest assured, Doctor, I'm not afraid.
<Dialogue branch>
Doctor	You're hurting my hand.
Amiya	Sorry, Doctor, I'm a bit nervous. But I'm not afraid.
<Dialogue branch ends here>
Amiya	We've been through times like this together before. The closer we might be to despair, the bigger everyone's hopes are, the more incredible the outcome will be. Doctor, this is what you taught me.
Doctor	Hope comes from the commitment to never give in, even at the bitter end.
Amiya	Yes, Doctor, you once said the exact same words.
[An alarm blares all over the R.I. landship as she enters the eye of the Catastrophe storm and an automated announcement is heard over the PA...]
"Red alert, red alert..." "Attention everyone, prepare for impact!"
Amiya	Just like before, we'll get through this crisis together.
[...and power was temporarily cut off due to the disruptions which also caused some rumbles...]
[...but in the end, the R.I. landship managed to pass through the Catastrophe storm in one piece.]
Doctor	Yes, we survived back then. / Look. / I think my record's looking pretty good.
Amiya	The wind is subsiding... and the color of the sky is changing too.
Navigator B	Report, Rhodes Island has left the Catastrophe zone!! The damage to all deck levels is less than 5%, and nobody was injured!
<Background 3>
Amiya	Thank goodness...
Central Control Staff	My nose hurtsssss... Pavel, do you know you hit my nose again?
Navigator B	So what if I did? We're alive, I say! Alive!
Central Control Staff	Fine, but you owe me a drink.
Navigator B	Whatever you want, it's on my tab. I almost made a big mistake. Doctor, it's all thanks to you!
Earthspirit	Absolutely brilliant calculations, Doctor.
Central Control Staff	Doctor, is your command always so thrilling? Haha, I'd like to get another taste of that sometime!
Navigator A	Doctor, how in the world did you pull that off? It's like you've got prophetic Arts or something, suddenly showing up on the bridge right before we get hit by a Catastrophe!
Doctor	To be fair, I was pretty anxious through that whole thing. / ...... / Shouldn't we celebrate?
Amiya	Doctor...
Amiya hugs you suddenly, and you realize that the hands on your waist are squeezing you tighter than they were at any point during the storm.
Amiya	Thank you... Thank you standing by my side.
<Background 4>
Kal'tsit	Not half bad.
Doctor	I did what I had to do. / ...... / Thanks.
Kal'tsit	The relationship between the self-replication speed of Originium and the increase in energy– you applied this knowledge to the calculation of wind-Catastrophe trajectories. You demonstrated similar abilities in the past, helping your colleagues at the time mitigate losses from Catastrophes. Some called you a Catastrophe expert. But we both know what you really specialize in.
Doctor	What do I specialize in? / ...... / Look, I really don't know.
Kal'tsit	That formula... You still remember it.
Doctor	I didn't remember it before. / It jumped right into my head.
Kal'tsit	You created that formula yourself. You've recovered a lot of information about Originium and Catastrophes over the past month, and you left a lot of calculations in your notes. Perhaps the sudden crisis dredged up the latent memories from deep inside your consciousness, or perhaps you reinvented it using the knowledge you left behind. The fact that you could recall this formula proves that you still retain a basic understanding of the nature of Originium. In other words, you've never forgotten your identity as a researcher of Originium.
Doctor	I want to continue this line of research. / This seems to be my duty.
Kal'tsit	You may see the study of Originium as your duty, but know that our actions should never be restricted by duty alone. Dr. {nickname}, what drives you to pursue the study of Originium so fervently?
Doctor	Both you and Amiya have Oripathy. / The suffering caused by Originium scars our world. / I want to bring an end to this calamity.
Kal'tsit	I once heard an answer to this question. It was very similar to what you said today, but also completely different. The person who uttered those words had an instinctive desire to unravel truths unknown, and also worked hard to save lives. But sometimes, salvation also meant destruction– that is what the same person told me. Do you still harbor that same answer deep within your brain?
Doctor	Does it still count as being there even if I don't remember it? / ...... / Whatever makes you happy.
Kal'tsit	Amiya said your performance on the bridge today was much like that of an actual "prophet."
Doctor	I did my homework. / ...... / Why are you staring at me like that?
Kal'tsit	The rational part of me wants to believe in science. When the results of your first brain examination came back, I thought I saw some errors in the process, and so there was a second time, a third time... and even a seventh time. The rational part of me told me that repeating the same results three times was enough to prove that you weren't lying. Without a shadow of a doubt, you really did lose a lot of your memories. You don't remember what you did to Theresa, and you forgot why you were standing here in the first place. All of this has caused a significant... dichotomy between you and the person I once knew. But just like I allowed you to do the seventh test, in this moment, I once again find myself doubting... Who exactly is standing in front of me? How much of the past remains, and how much of you blooms anew?
<Dialogue branch starts here>
Doctor	You're being sentimental again.
Kal'tsit	Perhaps, I won't deny it. Dealing with you always has a tendency to sway my emotions. But this is also born of extreme rationality. I hope you understand, there can be errors in our measurements. And in your case, I can no longer tolerate any errors.
<Dialogue branch>
Doctor	It felt terrible having to sit through seven exams.
Kal'tsit	I would like to apologize to you regarding this matter. But taking a better grasp of your memory recuperation will also have real benefits for your body.
<Dialogue branch ends here>
Doctor	There's something I've wanted to ask for a long time. Setting aside your role as a doctor, do you want me to regain my memories?
Kal'tsit	Situations are rarely black and white... and the same is true of human emotions. I've not concealed my hatred for you in the past, but... no matter how much I hate to admit it, there's something else there too.
<Dialogue branch starts here>
Doctor	You want me doing everything I could before.
Kal'tsit	If it's only strength I needed, I believe that you are good enough as you are... Perhaps, you can do even better.
<Dialogue branch>
Doctor	Do you miss the person you hate?
Kal'tsit	Do I... "miss"...? That word is far too simple. The languages of this world have developed over thousands of years, and yet I am still unable to choose the most suitable word to order my thoughts during the many moments I think about you.
<Dialogue branch>
Doctor	You're searching for the truth of the past.
Kal'tsit	Without a doubt, I seek that answer. Ideally, I want to hear the truth from your mouth. But I will not give up looking for that truth in other ways.
<Dialogue branch ends here>
Kal'tsit	Now, it's my turn to ask you. Dr. {nickname}, do you want your memories back?
Doctor	I do. / I don't.
Kal'tsit	Your answer doesn't matter. I see your hesitation. Once your memories come back, many of your questions will be answered. However, not every answer will satisfy you. You will know where all the emotions pouring into you come from, whether it is the hatred from me and W, the unconditional trust from Amiya, or... even further back. Excess memories, intense emotions, will instantly flood your entire brain– Trust me, what you will feel at that time will be far greater than exhaustion. What you should fear even more is, when the past finally catches up to you, you must decide. What if those memories are too strong and engulf all the hard work you've put in recently, and pull you back into the abyss that you failed to crawl out of over countless years? Once the current you is defeated, everything you've worked so hard to build will collapse, and your will may no longer be your own. So, let me ask you once more– Dr. {nickname}, are you ready?
Doctor	......
Kal'tsit	If luck is on our side, you won't need to answer this question any time soon. I want to thank you. Over the past month or so, you've shown me some new possibilities. Especially today. I learned that you still remember the formula. It turns out, you and I are not the only ones preparing for that day. I suspected this long ago, that home-use life functions restoration device was not supposed to have the defect of deleting one's memory– In particular, it's impossible to selectively delete the part of the brain most likely involved in decision-making, but still retaining the parts most meaningful to you. Dr. {nickname}...... What I think is, she trusted you even more than I could fathom in the past. That being the case, we should continue to work hard. Just as I've said countless times already, I will help you, as long as we continue to stand together.
<Background 5>
7:43 P.M. \ Overcast Rhodes Island Landship, Command Center
[Someone knocks the door.]
???	Professor, are you here?
Doctor	Eyjafjalla? Come in.
[Eyjafjalla enters the room.]
Eyjafjalla	Professor, they said you wanted to see me...
Doctor	This is for you.
Eyjafjalla	Is it about my application to become an operator...? Oh, it's been approved? That's great news. Everyone said you and Miss Amiya would turn me down because of my condition.
Doctor	I convinced her.
Eyjafjalla	I see, you even went out of your way to get it approved? Thank you...
Doctor	The briefing you submitted this morning helped Rhodes Island through a crisis.
Eyjafjalla	You mean... the Catastrophe this afternoon? Professor, did you read my analysis?
Doctor	Your Originium vein expansion observations were incredibly accurate. / You were able to predict a Catastrophe through an increase in Originium activation on the surface.
Eyjafjalla	It was just a hunch. They said the density of Originium near the surface around here would be very low, but I saw the same situation in a volcano in southern Leithania... Even a small amount of Originium proliferates rapidly over a brief period when the conditions are right. Two days ago, after finishing my daily treatment, I was walking around the dorms as usual when I saw the approaching phenomenon from the dust samples on the porthole. In sandy terrain, a sudden burst in Originium energy will cause the ground temperature to rise rapidly, leading to a significant increase in the possibility of large-scale wind-Catastrophes. Um... I'm so sorry... I can go on and on about this stuff...
Doctor	Please continue.
Eyjafjalla	You've already seen the report, right? Busy as you are, I never expected you'd read our random notes.
<Dialogue branch starts here>
Doctor	I also read your thesis. / Your research is very interesting.
Eyjafjalla	Professor, are you interested in my research?
<Dialogue branch>
Doctor	I've said before, I'm a hard worker, but some folks are thinking I can use Arts.
Eyjafjalla	Do mystical Originium Arts like that exist? ...... ............ Ah... I understand, you were making a joke.
<Dialogue branch ends here>
Eyjafjalla	If you're not too busy, I'd love to stay over and have a nice chat with you again.
Doctor	After I get some work done. / You're welcome to look around.
Eyjafjalla	There are so many books on your desk... "Annals of the Great Yan Classics," "A Tower Without a Legend," "Columbia Judicial Observation Notes," "Conquest and Assimilation" ...Professor, are these the books you normally read? Your interests are so diverse. It's nothing like the bookcases of the other professors I know.
Doctor	I think this one will interest you the most.
Eyjafjalla	These are your... Catastrophe research notes?
Doctor	Just something to read over. / Just some thoughts I jotted down. / Just a rough draft.
Eyjafjalla	Thank you... Thank you so much! I'll study these thoroughly! If I have any questions, may I come to talk to you?
Doctor	Any time. / You're always welcome. / As long as I can finish my other work.
The young scholar clutches the notes you handed her tightly, lifts her head, and looks at you with conviction-filled eyes.
Eyjafjalla	Professor... my life has been a series of wonderful surprises since coming to Rhodes Island. The stability of my Oripathy has given me a lot more confidence about my future, and people like you have given me the hope to keep moving forward. If you're working so hard, then what reason do any of us have to give up? –Professor. Thank you so much for leading Rhodes Island forward, and on into the future.