Silence: New to the Workforce

Operator Record New to the Workforce
The way forward is a tough and tricky one, but as new blood, she's done well enough already.

Unlock conditions

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

Characters

Joyce Silence Parvis Cheery Woman Researcher A/C Researcher B/D

Backgrounds

1 2 3 4

“

Silence is hired by Rhine Lab as she wishes. Despite her shy nature, she is able to make a new friend.

”

<Background 1>
Cheery Woman	Thank you so much, Silence! I wouldn't have been able to get into Rhine Lab to observe, if not for you.
Silence	No need to thank me. Just doing my job.
Cheery Woman	It was worth it, waking you up every morning during exam weeks!
Silence	I got myself up too.
Cheery Woman	Twice, in all those years!
Silence	Hehe...
Cheery Woman	There are some real lookers at that company. Tell me the truth–anybody caught your eye?
Silence	Huh? Er, no... I've only been here a few days...
Cheery Woman	Alright, I'll stop teasing you. I know how obsessed you are with science. You'll never take the initiative to ask anybody out. To be honest, though, we're a little concerned.
Silence	About what?
Cheery Woman	Your shyness is your only flaw. Setting aside romance for a moment, we're worried that you won't be able to find a friend to talk to at work.
Silence	...... Y-You don't need to worry. All my colleagues are very nice. Nothing to worry about, at all.
Cheery Woman	...I guess so. I'm in Trimounts for three days, which means I'll be around for the weekend. Let's play all over Trimounts tomorrow!
<Background 2>
Researcher A	Good morning, Silence.
Silence	Good morning, Mr. Miller.
Researcher B	Happy Monday, Chris!
Researcher A	Happy Monday, Susanna.
Researcher B	Go anywhere over the weekend?
Researcher A	Nope. Stayed home and binged a whole season of Blood and Dividends.
Researcher B	Oh, same here. Stayed up all night to finish it!
Researcher A	You like that show, Silence?
Silence	I... I haven't–
Researcher B	Let's change the subject... what did you do over the weekend, Silence? Did you go out?
Silence	Yes! An old classmate came to Trimounts, and we went to a bunch of places.
Researcher B	I liked to go out on weekends when I first got here too. There are some choice places in town, which is your favorite?
Silence	Trimounts Common.
Researcher A	The Common? But it's just a bunch of trees. Why would you–
Researcher B	Chris.
Researcher A	Oh.
Researcher B	Well, we've got a thing, better get going. Happy Monday!
[The researchers leave.]
Silence	......
<Background fades out and in>
Parvis	That's all for this week's agenda. Dismissed. Silence, a moment of your time.
Silence	Of course, Doctor.
[Silence stays under Parvis' request.]
Parvis	How are things going on the job?
Silence	I like the atmosphere here at the company. Everyone is very passionate.
Parvis	As you are yourself. Your talent stands out, even in this place. I have high hopes for you.
Silence	Thank you...
Parvis	But you have a tendency to be aloof, outside of work. There are a lot of young people here. We need to maintain a collegial atmosphere, whether it's having a chat or going out together, some social interaction can be conducive to our work.
Silence	I understand.
Parvis	Of course you do. Everybody does. But the trick is to actually do it. Anyway, I'm not here to lecture you. I have a task for you. I'm not going to force you into a project or a team. Take a look around and see if there's a place in the Structural Section that interests you. I'll take your preferences and our needs into account.
<Background fades out and in>
Silence	Team Sherman... focusing on Originium particle pathology. They're currently working on... I guess Team 7 fits my preferences better. But that team is full of veteran researchers... I don't know if it's appropriate to ask to join them...
[Another male researcher runs toward Silence.]
Researcher C	Hey, you over there! Did you see a Liberi woman who looks half-asleep come through here?
Silence	Liberi woman... half-asleep?
Researcher C	Not you, of course. She has white hair, and she's wearing– Ack, never mind. Doesn't look like she came this way.
[The researcher walks toward another female researcher.]
Researcher C	Don't think she's here, Karen. Let's look somewhere else.
Researcher D	Where could she have gone? Why can't she just stay put in her room?
[The researchers leave.]
Silence	(Are they looking for somebody?) (Liberi woman who looks half-asleep... they might have mistaken me for her, if she didn't have white hair.)
[Silence continues walking through the facility.]
Silence	Only one team left. Let's see... Device #9. Their office should be here. There's a thick coat of dust on the do–
[Silence saw a white-haired Liberi woman.]
Silence	Huh? Liberi woman... white hair... half-asleep... Are you the patient they're looking for?
Patient?	......
Silence	Or did you just happen to be unlucky enough to resemble the one they're looking for?
Unlucky?	......
Silence	Or are you a member of this team?
Team Member	(Nods)
Silence	I see. I'm Olivia Silence. I just joined Rhine Lab recently. Nice to meet you. What's your name?
Team Member	......
Silence	Er...
Silence takes a look at the dusty bulletin board. There is only one name on it–Joyce Moore.
Silence	Are you Joyce Moore?
Joyce Moore	Affirmative.
Silence	Affirmative?
[The researchers from before runs toward Silence and Joyce.]
Researcher D	Found her– You were just over there! Were you lying? Were you trying to help her avoid us?
Silence	No, I didn't–
Researcher C	Enough. This is Rhine Lab, not your college dorm! Did you think it was funny, helping her play hide-and-seek?
Silence	I'm not...
Researcher C	Enough. I don't know what you were thinking, but you're interfering with our work.
Researcher D	I'll report this!
<Background 3>
Parvis	Thanks for the explanation. I'll clear this up.
Silence	Thank you. Did something happen to Ms. Moore's team? Why is her name the only one there?
Parvis	The team was disbanded after a failed experiment. That office has been empty ever since. The names of the others have been removed from the board, but Moore remains hospitalized, so her name has yet to be removed.
Silence	When will she be able to return to work?
Parvis	Hard to say. The equipment used in the failed experiment remains in her brain. No one knows for sure what will become of her.
Silence	What? How could that be?
Parvis	It's a sad story. Moore was an outstanding researcher who volunteered to be our test subject. You've seen what the failure of the experiment did to her. Some measure of sacrifice is inevitable in science, but perhaps we paid too high a price. Never mind that for now. I heard you went around to all the teams. Have you decided where you want to go?
Silence	...... I want to... I want to use my time to help Ms. Moore.
Parvis	You want to take over her treatment?
Silence	Yes.
Parvis	I thought you were interested in the research that Team 7 is conducting.
Silence	I was... but I saw how the two researchers responsible for taking care of Ms. Moore treated her. If she paid an inevitable price for science, I don't think she should be treated like that. I want to help her. I'm sure, if the same thing happened to me, you would do what you could to help me, wouldn't you?
Parvis	Of course. But it's a good idea to be prepared. Working at Rhine Lab has its risks.
Silence	Huh?
Parvis	Take yesterday, for example. I lost a bet and almost had to go on a vegan diet for a week. If that's not fatal, I don't know what is.
Silence	...Hehe.
Parvis	You made your choice. Now you should make your preparations. Hopefully, you'll learn a thing or two in the process.
<Background 4>
Researcher C	They let some fresh grad take my job?!
Researcher D	I thought you couldn't wait to hand it over? Now you got your wish. (Whisper) How much time are you planning to waste on a woman who got her brain fried in an experiment?
Silence	......
[The researchers pause for a while, before...]
Researcher D	Well, then, Ms. Moore is your responsibility now, Silence.
[The researchers take their leave...]
Silence	Wait, you haven't told me what's going on with her yet...
Researcher C	Read her medical record yourself.
[...and closed the door as Joyce stands up.]
Silence	Huh? Ms. Moore? Why are you standing?
Joyce Moore	......
Silence	Let's see here...
[Silence reads the files about Joyce.]
Silence	"Joyce Moore exhibits cognitive and linguistic impairments. She has difficulty communicating. Frequently talks to herself, but what she says is unintelligible..." You're still weak, Ms. Moore. You should go back to bed.
Joyce Moore	......
Silence	Is she mute?
Joyce Moore	Negative.
Silence	Huh? (Come to think of it, I think she said the word "affirmative" when we first met.) (But it's impossible to tell what she's trying to convey with that word alone.) You're Liberi, right?
Joyce Moore	Affirmative.
Silence	When you say "affirmative", do you mean "yes"?
Joyce Moore	Affirmative. Warning: Potential misunderstanding. Dialogue is logically valid even if 'affirmative' denotes negation of statement.
Silence	Huh? Er... let me think... You're right! If "affirmative" means "no", you would still have answered "affirmative" when asked whether "affirmative" meant "yes". You figured that out so quickly? Doesn't sound like cognitive impairment to me.
Joyce Moore	......
Silence	Anyway, it's getting late. I'll fetch you lunch from the cafeteria.
Joyce Moore	......
Silence	(She's gone silent again.)
Joyce Moore	Warning... system... unknown error...
[Joyce faints...]
Silence	Ms. Moore? Ms. Joyce Moore?!
[...prompting Silence to check her.]
Silence	Her breathing is steady, as are her vital signs... did she just fall asleep suddenly? There are some similarities with my own symptoms.
<Background fades out and in>
Silence	How are you feeling today, Joyce?
Joyce	Increase in flexibility detected. High intensity rehabilitation exercises possible.
Silence	Great. But you just exercised yesterday, and it's the weekend. You should take a day off.
Joyce	Dr. Silence's instructions have proven effective, indicating considerable medical expertise.
Silence	No, I only just graduated.
Joyce	Correction. Dr. Silence is a recent graduate with considerable medical expertise.
Silence	(Blushes) By the way, if you're not doing rehab today, I want to...
Joyce	(Tilts head)
Silence	I want to watch a show in your room.
Joyce	Today not a work day. It is recommended that Dr. Silence view the show at home with friends.
Silence	Well, I don't have any frien– ......
Joyce	Dr. Silence is welcome to watch here, if the recommended scenario cannot be achieved.
Silence	Really?
Joyce	Affirmative. What is the name of the series?
Silence	Blood and Dividends.
Joyce	Popcorn is recommended.
Silence	Is there popcorn in the office?
Joyce	Leave this room, turn left. Proceed one hundred and fifty meters, then turn right and proceed two hundred and seventy meters to find a popcorn vending machine on the corner. Note that caramel-flavored popcorn is suboptimal for this series.
<Background fades out and in>
Silence	Oh, we're out of popcorn. (Yawns) Let's take a break, Joyce.
Joyce	(Steady breathing)
Silence	Is she asleep?
Joyce	...Affirmative. ......
Silence	It's fine. I have an Oripathy-related sleep disorder myself, so I understand.
Joyce	Dr. Silence demonstrated below-average attention during playback.
Silence	Oh, you noticed. I'm not a huge fan of finance-themed dramas, but my colleagues are all talking about it, so I felt like I had to watch it.
Joyce	Inquiry: why do you feel the need to watch the same drama?
Silence	To fit in, I guess. Otherwise, we just don't have anything to talk about. I'm from a backwater with very little entertainment. When I went to college, my classmates helped me a lot, and I never had to try to fit in with the crowd. But now... *sigh*.
Joyce	Why do you find it necessary to conform to the collective?
Silence	Huh?
Joyce	Dr. Silence does not appear particularly eager to build social relationships.
Silence	I... I just felt that I should establish a good relationship with my colleagues, so I could be happier at work...
Joyce	Balance must be achieved between insufficient conformity, and excessive conformity.
Silence	You're... right. Maybe I should return this–
[The male researcher from before opens the door.]
Researcher C	What are you doing? You watched a show with her?
Silence	You're...
Researcher C	Don't mind me, just came to get something I left. Kids these days have the weirdest ideas, using a soap opera to teach her how to talk like a normal person...
Silence	That's not it! And Joyce doesn't suffer from any cognitive impairment. Your reports are wrong–
Researcher C	And...?
Silence	What do you mean by "and"?
Researcher C	So she has normal cognitive ability. So what? What are you gonna do about it?
Silence	What in the–how could you falsify medical records like that, reporting symptoms that don't exist?!
Researcher C	Enough, little girl. Spare me your worthless sympathy. I know her much better than you do. Why do you think she's been living in the wards? It's not because of her condition. It's Device #9!
Silence	What's the difference? Isn't Device #9 the cause of her condition?
Researcher C	Whatever... it's not like you'll listen. But you'd better realize that you're the one causing trouble here. Do you know how much data your sympathy has cost us?
Silence	Data? What data are you talking about?
Researcher C	You really don't know? It's so obvious that–
Joyce	Please be quiet.
Researcher C	What?!
Joyce	Please be quiet.
Researcher C	......
Joyce	Please be quiet, Mr. Hancock.
Researcher C	Oh, I get it now. How kind of you to try to shield this naive little girl from–
Joyce	Please. Be. Quiet.
Joyce's expression has hardly changed, but Silence can feel her anger from the way she is pausing between words.
Researcher C	...Hmph. Suit yourself.
[The researcher leaves and closes the door.]
Silence	What was he trying to say? What data?
Joyce	Noise.
Silence	Noise?
Joyce	Harmful noise.
Silence	...I still don't understand.
Joyce	You will, with time.
Silence	Alright...
Joyce	...... Now playing Blood and Dividends, episode 7.
<Background 2>
Parvis	That's all for this week's agenda. Before you go, a word with you, Silence.
Silence	Of course, Dr. Parvis.
Researcher D	(Whisper) She screwed up, didn't she?
Researcher C	......
Parvis	Silence, we need to talk about your work arrangement. I told you to prepare to hand over the care of Joyce Moore. How are things going on that front?
Silence	I've rectified her medical record and included a list of terms in the appendices.
Parvis	List of terms?
Silence	As I previously reported, Joyce's linguistic capabilities are functioning perfectly well. Her condition doesn't manifest in such skin-deep ways.
Researcher D	(Whisper) Like hell.
Silence	Her unique speech pattern is a defense mechanism for mitigating the impact of Oripathy and the experiment. There is ample radiological and pathological evidence to support this assertion. I have compiled a list of terms used by Joyce and their natural language equivalents, in order to make things easier for my successor.
Parvis	Good work.
Silence	However, I would prefer not to hand Joyce over to someone else.
Parvis	Oh?
Silence	From a treatment perspective alone, I have no objection to the change. However, it takes time to change assignments, and energy to establish effective communication with Joyce. I am concerned that my successor may neglect Joyce's emotional needs. Such as...
Parvis	Such as?
Silence	...Never mind.
Parvis	(Shrugs) I've heard Moore's thoughts on the matter. She communicated more or less the same, in her own way, requesting that you continue to be responsible for her treatment.
Researcher D	(Whisper) Birds of a feather.
Parvis	Objectively, Moore's recovery has progressed rapidly since you took over her treatment. A colleague will soon return to our service, thanks to you, Silence.
Silence	I appreciate the kind words.
Parvis	However, we still have a small problem.
Silence	What do you mean?
Parvis	Team 7 has been shorthanded lately, and I would very much like to reassign you there. If you're not willing to give up Moore, you'll have to balance both jobs at the same time.
Researcher D	Her? Team 7? Two jobs at the same time?!
Parvis	What was that, Karen?
Researcher D	Er, no, nothing...
Parvis	But then I gave it some thought. Now that Moore's condition has stabilized, you should be able to devote most of your efforts to Team 7. I've already talked to the team lead, and we're just waiting to hear your thoughts. You'll have a heavy workload, balancing both Moore's treatment and the research of Team 7. Are you up to it?
Silence	Yes! It would be an honor to work on Team 7!
Parvis	We'll be counting on you on both sides, then.
Silence	Thank you!
Parvis	Dismissed.
<Background fades out and in>
Researcher A	Wow, Olivia! That's amazing!
Researcher B	Don't pat her so hard, Chris.
Researcher A	Hehe, my bad. OliviaLet's[sic] hit the bar tonight, Olivia. Your drinks are on me.
Silence	Thank you, Mr. Miller–no, Chris, Susanna.
Researcher A	No need to thank us. We want to hang out with you too. We can talk about anything!
Silence	Like... Blood and Dividends?
Researcher A	Of course!
Silence	I'm not so used to crowded places. Is that okay?
Researcher B	Of course. This is Trimounts, after all! Who cares if you're a bit quiet in the bars, as long as you shine brightly in the labs! As for this guy here, I'll throttle him if he asks any awkward questions.
<Background 4>
Silence	I just can't get used to bars. Plus, I'm not much of a drinker.
Joyce	Oripathy patients are advised to refrain from consuming alcohol.
Silence	I thought I asked for something non-alcoholic, but then I realized I had an alcoholic drink, and a pretty stiff one at that. But I couldn't really refuse under the circumstances, so I took a few sips. The next time we go out together, I'm insisting that we go see the fountain in Trimounts Common.
Joyce	Do you like the fountain in Trimounts Common?
Silence	Yes, it reminds me of a little park back home. There was an identical fountain there, just a little smaller.
Joyce	The fountain of Trimounts Common is known for its exotic design. It is possible that both fountains were built by Trimounts' Munson Inc.
Silence	Ha. I thought it was a fun coincidence, but I guess it's just Munson Inc. expanding its business into rural areas.
Joyce	Dr. Silence appears to be experiencing nostalgia.
Silence	The first few days here were tough, but I feel much better now that I have you to talk to.
Joyce	Please continue to describe your hometown.
Silence	Let me think... It's hard to know what to say, when you ask like that. I understand what you mean, but it's hard to find the words to describe it.
Joyce	Suggestion: Departing now for Trimounts Common will be of assistance in describing your hometown.
Silence	Do you mean... you want to come with me to Trimounts Common?
Joyce	Affirmative.
Silence	So if I say yes... this will be the first time you've left Rhine Lab HQ since the accident. As far as I can tell, you're fully recovered, but Dr. Parvis recommended another week of rest for you, just in case.
Joyce	There is no need to worry. Reason: Dr. Silence is a friend. The risk to health is extremely low, negligible when compared to a friend.
Silence	...... Thank you, Joyce! But let's wait until next week.
Joyce	(Tilts head)
Silence	Me being your friend is all the more reason not to ask you to take risks. Let's go to Trimounts Common once you're fully recovered. I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.