Scavenger: The Will of a Coin

Operator Record The Will of a Coin
She knows the rules of survival well, and leaves everything else to the flip of a coin.

Unlock conditions

• Raise Scavenger to Elite 2 Level 1.
• Have at least 50% Trust with Scavenger.

Characters

Scavenger Tulio Factory Guard

Backgrounds

1 2 3

“

On a mission not long after being hired by Rhodes Island, Scavenger is surprised to meet a personal foe who once screwed her over.

”

This is the girl who smashed my window? Hrm. If she was breaking and entering, then we should confiscate everything on her and throw her out to the wastes. Those are the rules of the community. But all she stole was a piece of dried cheese from the storeroom. Hey, you, what was your name again? Hamelin... How about this, Hamelin: I'll toss a coin to decide your fate. If it's tails, you'll be banished. But if it's heads, I'll let you off.
<Background 1>
[Scavenger contacts the Rhodes Island headquarters.]
Scavenger	Reporting in. Day... seven. More deceased got disposed of this morning. Likely extreme Originium particulate density in the building. Conditions for the Infected are turning south fast. For the past 24 hours, haven't seen any workers in any area not covered by walls, let alone leaving the factory. Comms pick up heavy interference when I get even slightly closer. High-voltage network all around outside. No way to locate the control room for now. Got the exterior patrol shifts and movement patterns down. Can't work out the guards inside yet. I want to get this crap over with. If you give the go, I can take the most violent option. Hmph... Fine, Rhodes Island does things its own way. Copy. Plan B? The factory's waste transporter goes down to the basement every morning at three. They stop running the sewer pipes in the meantime. Simple enough to get through, as long as I get a gas mask. I'm only responsible for paralyzing the security systems here, anyway. Not my job to provide followup support or guidance, right? ...I know. I can do this less cleanly, if it comes to it. Figured that's why you called me for this in the first place. End of report.
[Scavenger signs off.]
Scavenger	Insane how Rhodes Island actually wants to save Infected. What an employer. That's the sound of the transporter starting up... It's go time.
<Background 2>
[Scavenger strikes a guard...]
Factory Guard	Ugh—
[...knocking him down.]
Scavenger	Lights out, bozo. Security system here seems almost as complex as a prison. Whatever, it practically is one anyway. Need to find the control room before I tip anyone off—
???	Watch it!
[Someone stops Scavenger from moving on.]
Scavenger	Huh?
???	Any further and you'll trip the automated— —What? You?
Scavenger	...Tulio.
Tulio	"Scavenger". Heh, didn't think you were still kicking. What're you doing here? Guessing you've been dragging that weapon with you through the sewer pipes, huh, li'l rat?
Scavenger	......
Tulio	—Hold on, lower your blade, let's talk this out. Else I'll sound the alarm. The system's linked directly to police HQ. They're gonna read any signal from here as an Infected riot.
Scavenger	You a guard here too?
Tulio	Yeah, but trust me, Scavenger—
Scavenger	Tch. Trust you?
Tulio	I'm betting we're after the same thing. I saw you knock that guy out. You're looking for a way out, aren't you? 'Cause I want out too, or else I wouldn't have stopped you just now.
Scavenger	Hmph.
Tulio	*Sigh* I'm serious, I turned a new leaf since all those years ago. Look, I'm Infected now too. I've been through hella shit, I... I understand you. You've seen this factory up close. You know how things are here, right? They call me a guard, but I'm still just as much a prisoner as anyone else. We're all just as damned here.
Scavenger	Okay, but you're their overseer.
Tulio	You know the sweet lies this place cooks up to lure in the Infected... I don't like it either, but we've all gotta get our hands dirty to survive.
Scavenger	You don't get any sympathy from me, sorry.
Tulio	Hold on, I haven't gotten to the important part. I know the systems here inside out. You can't get past them without my help. There're two watchhound cores monitoring the whole factory at the same time. Throwing the master breaker to cut the surveillance won't get you anywhere either; they'll switch to emergency power, fast. You need someone to work with you, and obviously I need someone to help me out. So no matter how much you distrust me, working together's still our best bet.
Scavenger	I never said I was escaping.
Tulio	I know you're wary of me, but—
Scavenger	—I'm completing shutting down this place's security system.
Tulio	What?
Scavenger	That's the job I took.
Tulio	What kinda merc just comes out and spills the job they're on?
Scavenger	Cut the crap. The sooner I'm done, the better. Tell me where the surveillance cores are located.
Tulio	Alright... so you're agreeing to work together, then? Is that what you mean? I know what you're planning, Scavenger. I'm not gonna tell you every route straight away. Follow me, and keep to the foot of the wall. I've figured out the blind spots.
Scavenger	Is the factory foreman in?
Tulio	He's not. Why would he be? It's three in the morning. He only shows up occasionally. What kinda healthy guy would wanna live in a place where the air's filled with Originium?
Scavenger	So everyone here's Infected?
Tulio	Yeah. Not a problem for you, right? You're already Infected, what's a couple more rocks gonna do? What about the rest of your crew? I figure they all got their protection on? What're you guys after, anyway? There's nothing valuable here, and we don't exactly make high-precision Originium products. Seriously can't figure out why anyone'd rob this place. ...Don't feel like answering, huh? You weren't this hard to talk to back when we used to do business. Although I guess you wouldn't have cut it as a merc if you were the same as before.
Scavenger	Don't waste your breath. Never wanted to work with a piece of shit like you, anyway.
Tulio	Tch... But we've got no choice for now. We have to split ways from here. Surveillance core's right over there, through the workshop.
Scavenger	Then we each make our move in ten minutes. I'll find you after. Once we RDV, we head to the master control room and take out the whole system. You better have turned that new goddamn leaf.
<Background black>
I actually knew which side that coin would land on, the moment it fell. Here, give me your hand. I'll teach you the trick. Like this— It's alright, Hamelin. You might be Infected now, but you don't have to stay that far from me. That's right, you'll be even further after today... You're leaving tomorrow morning, right? I'm sorry. I couldn't do anything about it. We know you got infected so the community could survive, but they won't even let you off for it... I know, you had to take that risk so we could carry on. That's how it's always been. Take this silver coin—as a memento. No matter where you are, no matter what happens... I'm here, and I hope you live.
<Background 3>
Tulio	Base station signal screener's already off. Next, high-voltage network... down. Electric doors... open. Pulling the master breaker. Phew...
Scavenger	Done?—
[Tulio suddenly attacks Scavenger, who narrowly blocked it...]
Scavenger	Tch...! Knew it!
[...and retaliates by striking Tulio.]
Scavenger	Asshole! Backstabbing me again?! How the hell does this work out for you?
Tulio	Heh. Always gotta try, y'know?
Scavenger	Think you can get away with this? A little shit like you's never gonna fool me twice!
Tulio	What else am I supposed to do? Just sit back and wait for you to take me out? Neither of us needs the other now. The factory doors are wide open. Of course I'm gonna make the first move instead of being the victim.
Scavenger	I never said I was gonna kill you.
Tulio	Duh. Why would you? But in what bizarro universe does this end with you letting me the hell go? I'm Infected too. Now I can understand how desperate you were back then... and also how much you must hate me.
Scavenger	True... never had that many clients I could put a face to.
[Scavenger strikes back at Tulio...]
Tulio	Tch. Since when did Zalaks have this much strength?
[...knocking him down.]
Scavenger	I told you, you're not getting away with this. Now don't move, unless you wanna get cut in half.
Tulio	Tch...
Scavenger	Let's be clear. Whether or not I kill you right now is entirely up to my mood.
Tulio	You... This goddamn Oripathy's making me so weak. How the hell are you still just fine? How did you pull this off? You're like a completely different person.
Scavenger	Hmph. Of course you wish I was still that rookie merc. Pure. Gullible. I did the dirty work no one else was willing to, and the client never gave a damn thing in return. I blacked out from an Oripathy attack, woke up in a ditch, and you know what I found? The few remaining things I had from home, gone, taken just like that.
Tulio	You were gonna die sooner or later, so I figured waste not, want not...
Scavenger	Heh. "Waste not, want not."
Tulio	Everyone living on the edge exploits each other like that. Isn't that the understanding? And what was I supposed to do? Wait for some Infected to die and cause a spreader event right in front of me? Who knew you'd live? And still be alive today!
Scavenger	Right... That's probably because I have someone who hopes I live. When I woke up, I still had that silver coin sewn into my clothes. It was still there. That's why I decided to live on.
Tulio	You really know how to hang onto life, rat. What could one silver buy you?
Scavenger	I never spent it. Never will.
Tulio	Then how did you...?
Scavenger	The same way you got tricked into this factory, thinking there'd be a stable enough life for an Infected here. But what you got instead were vile living conditions and inhumane treatment. What I went through didn't stop there. Might've been even worse. But that's life for you.
Tulio	The hell are you saying to me...? Acting like we're in the same boat.
Scavenger	We're all in the same goddamn boat.
Tulio	*Sigh*... Fine, I get it. Bet I look like the punchline of a joke to you now, huh? Must be nice, getting your revenge. No wonder you're in such a good mood.
Scavenger	Pssh... You think way too much.
Tulio	Yeah, and it's all your fault I'm in this mess anyway! Because I hired your Infected mercenary ass, it didn't take long for me to get symptoms too. I should've just stayed away from you and your kind!
Scavenger	Alright, get this through your skull. Touching the Infected isn't gonna give you Oripathy just like that.
Tulio	You think I'd believe that?
Scavenger	No skin off my nose if you don't, but that's my current employer's view. I've gotta tell you on their behalf. Oh... Now I get why you wanted me to work with you, even though you were scared of me getting payback. You were gonna have me bust you out, then dispose of me to complete this imaginary "revenge" of yours. Your whole "waste not, want not."
Tulio	Ha, like you weren't thinking the same thing? Weren't you biding your time with me, just so you could make your move now? So why're we still blabbering? Need me to teach you how they handle the Infected they kill here?
Scavenger	No. I only cooperated with you so I could finish my mission a little faster. I can cope with shitawful work environments, and that includes shitawful coworkers. I don't think the way you do. Besides, my mission was to aid and rescue the Infected, and you're one of them.
Tulio	Rescue the Infected? You're shitting me.
Scavenger	Whatever. Ask my employer.
[Scavenger contacts the R.I. HQ.]
Scavenger	Reporting in. Factory security system paralyzed, but foreman not on site. Um, I don't care how you guys extract the Infected. Maybe you're taking them somewhere or whatever. I just wanna confirm if my mission's complete or not. Factory guards are also Infected. You rescuing them too? ...So, I can handle problems my own way here. Understood. I'll withdraw to the designated site ASAP. End of report.
[Scavenger signs off.]
Scavenger	Hmph. Sounds like they're actually making good on what they said. Never imagined I'd find such a trustworthy client. Let alone anyone who takes the Infected seriously. ...Just like how her wish could never come true. —Anyway, you heard that. They gave me some leeway.
Tulio	Damn, you really don't care about anything except what your employer wants.
Scavenger	Think what you like. I'll toss a coin to decide your fate, then. If it's tails, I clean up the trash here and now; if it's heads, I let you off, and give you one more chance to start over, like the other Infected.
<Background black>
Scavenger slides out a tiny silver coin, and flings it into the air. Many a time, alone with no one to turn to, she's shut her eyes and entrusted it all to the result of a coin toss. "Maybe one day, when you're not using every ounce of your strength just to survive, you'll get to decide where it is you want to go." She doesn't know whether a day like that comes for people like her. But this time, she knows what the coin will answer.