Operation story: RI-EX-1

Operation

Story

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Characters
Eunectes Alty Aya Dan Frost High Priest Inam Archosauria A Archosauria B Archosauria C Archosauria D Archosauria E Archosauria F
Backgrounds
1 2 3 4 5

After operation

“

When their vehicle breaks down, AUS goes into the jungle for help. The ladies and the music they bring get a big response from the locals.

”

<Background 1>
[The heavy metal band Alive Until Sunset are trekking through the vast dunes of Sargon in their car.]
Dan	The scorching sun, the wilds, the golden sand, and the warm breeze! Woohoo! I feel a new song coming on!
Frost	(Solo)
Aya	Could the both of you quiet down?
Alty	Please. It's not often we get such a peaceful environment with no one chasing us. Can't we just have a nice, quiet rest?
Aya	But Alty, I can smell the sea from here. Are you sure we're safe?
Alty	Aya, could you not spoil the mood for once? Nowhere in the world is truly safe, but we have to learn to let ourselves relax sometimes.
Aya	Maybe you're right. So what's the next step? How are we going to broaden our path? We can't go back empty-handed.
Alty	At least that doctor gave us an answer this time.
Alty looks at the "key" in her hand.
Dan	Really? That looks like something special. And she just gave it to you? What did you trade for it?
Alty	Knowledge.
Dan	And was that a fair trade?
Alty	I'm not sure. But I think that doctor wants us to put this knowledge to use.
Aya	Wouldn't she know?
Alty	We know a lot, she should just... ...If you think about it, the real trade was her using our curiosity to get us to act.
Dan	So, that means she didn't pay anything?
Aya	Hm...
Alty	Hm...
Aya	We've been cheated.
Alty	More like baited.
Dan	Directed?
Frost	Guided.
Aya	Is that doctor really so important?
Alty	No. I think she's trying to tell us that her actions have no impact at all. What matters is what we think and what we do.
Aya	Then what about the key? Should we go?
Dan	Ugh, this sucks. Could we not go?
Alty	I'm thinking it's sort of like music... Our power should not be to force change onto others, we should just be singing our own songs.
Aya	Sing for them. If it sounds good—
Dan	Then they'll sing too.
Frost	(Solo)
Alty	Hah, then we will give even more knowledge, and the key, over to the one who is ready.
Aya	And who will that be?
Alty	I don't know.
Aya	Maybe they haven't been born yet.
Dan	That would be great!
Alty	No it wouldn't, Dan. We... hm?
Aya	What is it, Alty?
Alty	The car's dead.
Aya	Didn't you prep it?
Alty	Yes, but we took that detour. And I have to admit, it's really easy to lose your heading in the middle of the wilderness with no roads or signs.
Aya	So basically, we're lost?
Alty	I'm not sure that's how I'd put it. It's not so much that we're off course as it is we're carving a new path.
Frost	We're lost.
Dan	We're lost! That's a pretty good theme.
Aya	You know, Dan, I really wish I could learn some of your optimism. So what are we going to do?
Alty	It looks like there's a rainforest over that way. Let's check it out.
Aya	So, who's getting out to push?
Alty	We could take turns.
<Background 2>
Aya	Alty.
Alty	What?
Aya	We've got a crowd here.
Alty	Yes, we do.
[A throng of Archosaurians are gathering around where AUS stands in the middle of the Acahualla jungle.]
Alty	But I don't know what language they're speaking.
Aya	So should we just let them follow us?
Alty	Do you have a better idea?
Aya	We could kill them all?
Alty	You think you can get Frost and Dan to go along with that?
Frost	(Strumming and singing)
Archosauria A	&*......%$ ....& (W-What is this sound? And why do I like it so much?!)
Archosauria B	&%......% (I've never heard anything like it...)
Dan	Hey, how is everybody?! Can you tell me what language you're speaking?! Oh, but I guess even if you told me, I still wouldn't know.
Archosauria C	......%&$ (Where did they come from?!)
Archosauria D	$......&# (And why does this one look so weird? )
Aya	Well, at least there are people here.
Alty	I just hope there's a place we can resupply.
Aya	Wishful thinking.
[Zumama aka. Eunectes approaches AUS.]
Eunectes	You're outsiders?
Alty	Huh? You speak Sargonian?
Eunectes	Yes, it looks like you're definitely outsiders. What are you doing here?
Alty	Our car died, so we're looking for someone with the Arts to recharge it.
Eunectes	...Come with me.
Alty	See, Aya, that was more than just wishful thinking.
Aya	Fine. I guess the world is a magical place.
<Background 3>
Dan	Hey hey hey! What's this?! There's a village here in the middle of this primeval forest!
Frost	(Humming)
Aya	It's really amazing. You can see the influence of modern architecture on most of the buildings, but they still have that primitive beauty.
Alty	It's odd, but very special.
Eunectes	I am the leader of this tribe, Zumama. Most of my people can understand your language. I can have some of our priests recharge your vehicle, but there are terms.
Alty	What terms?
Eunectes	I want to look inside your vehicle, at its structure.
Alty	...Is that all?
Eunectes	Yes.
Aya	Are you sure you won't break it?
Eunectes	I'm pretty sure.
Aya	Alty?
Alty	It's not like we have a choice.
Eunectes	So...?
Alty	Agreed.
Eunectes	Good. High Priest...
High Priest	I'm here! ...Oh? Hmmmmm....? I know of you...
Alty	I know of you... I never expected to see your kind here.
High Priest	Oh, honestly, I was thinking the exact same thing. But I'm more interested in your vehicle than you!
Alty	By all means.
Aya	I said it before and I'll say it again. The world is a magical place.
Alty	I have to say, I agree.
At the same time, Frost hooks her guitar up to the ceremonial speaker and improvises a solo.
Alty	Nice, Frost.
Frost	This village is inspiring me.
Dan	Awesome, Frost, you really switched up the melody this time.
Frost	Heat, repressed... I'll call this song... "D"!
Archosauria A	Where's that sound coming from?
Archosauria B	What is it?I can feel it energizing me!
Archosauria C	It must be the outsiders who just came! Let's go see!
Aya	There are more of them, Alty...
Alty	That's not good.
Frost	These lives thirst for music! For energy! For...
Archosauria B	What a voice!
Archosauria C	Outsider, give us more music!
Aya	Alty... I know it's unexpected, but I think the atmosphere here is actually really good. Why don't we get out the amps and play together?
Alty	I guess that would be fine.
Dan	Yeah, can't let Frost take all the glory! I gotta get in on such a badass track!
Alty	Then let the locals feel the music of AUS!
<Background fades out and in>
[The Eunectes tribesmen cheers upon watching AUS performing live in their village.]
Archosauria A	It's just a few notes, but I'm too excited to sit still!
Archosauria B	It might be like what the priests do, it's called "music"?
Archosauria C	I've never heard anything like it! Who are these people?!
Archosauria D	I know, they must be "Cuicayotl"!
Dan	"Cuicayotl"? What's that?
High Priest	Oh, that's how you say "one who sings" in their language. But it's been a long time since they had a "Cuicayotl" here, and you've won them over with your music. And I must say, your music is vastly different from that of any other "Cuicayotl" I've ever heard before! But no matter. I find yours a lot more fun!
Archosauria E	"Cuicayotl", give us another song!
Archosauria F	I'll give you anything! Just one more song!
Aya	What do we do, Alty?
Dan	Let's stay here, Alty!
Alty	Well, I can't let you forget our goal... But, fine. We've got time.
<Background 4>
Aya	I never imagined there would be a Messenger here.
Inam	And I never thought AUS, from all the magazine covers, would show up here either.
Alty	Where's Zumama?
Inam	She's making the speaker system you asked for. So I'll be taking you. How long are you going to stay?
Alty	Maybe a week, maybe a month, maybe a whole year. This place is doing it for us. I think we can have some fun here, at least.
Inam	Then this is the right place for you to put on a show.
<Background 5>
Dan	So cool!
Alty	It's... some kind of temple?
Inam	That's right. This is where all the tribes used to gather for the "Mahuizzotia", but it hasn't been used since Gavial left.
Aya	"Mahuizzotia"?
Alty	Gavial? That name came up at Rhodes Island... No, it's probably just a common name.
Inam	You can perform here.
Frost	We're going to give the people the best music they've ever heard.
Dan	Yes, hahaha! Yes! We'll leave the mark of AUS right here!
<Background 3>
Two months later...
Inam	AUS is unbelievable... They actually did stay for two whole months. If Gavial ever comes back, she's going to be blown away by the music we have way out here now. The people fell in love with their rock and roll. So what are they going to perform for us today? ...I wonder maybe if I'm their biggest fan. AUS... Huh?
The room is empty. All the toiletries and bedding are neat and tidy, with a piece of paper resting on the table in the center.
Inam	They're gone? There's a note on the table. Let's see... "We left. Don't miss us. I hope you enjoyed the music. Also, we left all our records here for you. Have fun. –AUS" ...Heh, they really are unbelievable.
<Background 1>
Alty	I don't think I'll ever forget that Acahualla place.
Frost	(Humming) It was definitely unforgettable.
Aya	But the people there are really noisy, and wild.
Dan	Yeah? I love them!
Aya	Of course you do. I don't think you'd mind if we left you there.
Dan	I was definitely thinking about it. Don't you think those people have a kind of natural, primal energy? Out of all the countries and cities we've been to, I've never seen people like that. I love 'em!
Aya	Well, you're right about that much.
Frost	They really get our music. They're the best audience we've ever had.
Alty	I think Frost likes them too. But we can't just show up and flip a whole civilization upside-down. We should stick to singing.
Aya	Sing for them. If it sounds good—
Dan	Then they'll sing too.
Aya	Didn't we say that before?
Alty	Who knows? We might've said it a million times already. Let's go. Continue on our journey. If we sing to the world, will she listen?
A few of the bandmates joke around for a bit, until the car goes silent. Alty looks at the key in her hand, "Dr. Kal'tsit, can that Rhodes Island of yours give the world the answer it's looking for?"