Operation story: TW-2

Operation

Story

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Characters
Folinic Suzuran Severin Tatjana Councilor Militiaman (Rebellious) Townsfolk Townsfolk
Backgrounds
1 2

Before operation

“

While searching around in the streets of Wolumonde, Folinic asks a local girl, Tatjana, for information about Atro. The group accidentally crashes into an assembly of Infected, and the provocation causes them to attack.

”

<Background 2>
3:59 PM \ Cloudy Nomadic Town Wolumonde, Infected Quarter, Zwölftontechnik Strasse
Suzuran	Folinic... Are you angry?
Folinic	The way they were acting, I know what it means. I know it all too well... But... But Atro wouldn't get herself into trouble. She knows Leithanien better than any of us!
Suzuran	Yeah! I'm sure she's fine!
Suzuran	At least, I hope...
[Folinic and Suzuran walks through the quarter...]
Townsfolk	......
[...as the townsfolk walks around them.]
Townsfolk	......
Suzuran	Isn't this place eerily quiet?
Folinic	Yes. Stay close. I'm seeing plenty of Infected among the citizenry, but that's not the main point. I was thinking about it when we fought those rioters before. This residential district is pretty ordinary in design, isn't it? They've just gathered up all the Infected to live together. There's nothing explicitly discriminatory about it.
Suzuran	Hm...
Folinic	But the truth is they're still having their personal freedom restricted. And aside from a few remarkable Infected, most people live more or less like prisoners. What they have is not a prison, but an entire street of cells with a dozen times more inmates. Look here, how long do you think it's been since this bakery was open?
Suzuran	Ew... I think I saw an Originium slug crawling around... so unsanitary.
Folinic	No one's been sweeping up the dust and leaves around the door. There's no functioning economy here. No daily life. I understand they've fallen on hard times, but no one wants to buy or sell bread? There's no public transit? This isn't normal.
Suzuran	Maybe, maybe it's because of what happened before? Like the shop owner got scared off or something?
Folinic	At least they have the right to live, they–
Suzuran	Shh! Miss Folinic...! Lower your voice!
Townsfolk	......
Folinic	I wasn't criticizing them. I was just talking about... those "armed Infected."
Suzuran	Do you think they're...
Folinic	That policeman mentioned "Sarkaz." We need to look into that first. If they do have anything to do with the "armed Infected groups" we know, we'll have to tread carefully. Things here may be far more complicated than that policeman knows.
Suzuran	Really?
Folinic	If the Infected are living well enough, it's only because the situation isn't desperate enough. They must be hiding something from us.
Suzuran	Folinic? Please don't worry. Atro is very smart.
Folinic	I...
Suzuran	You've been looking very scary since that meeting. But don't worry. As long as we try really, really hard, we'll be able to handle this, just like the senior operators! So can you relax for me? At least a bit?
Folinic	Aw, is little Lisa comforting me again? Why's that?
Suzuran	Hehe, let go of all your troubles, big and small!
[Tatjana catches up with Folinic and Suzuran.]
Tatjana	Doctors, please wait a moment–!
Folinic	It's you. Didn't I say we don't need any help? All we need is access...
Tatjana	I'm sorry. I know you said as much, Miss Folinic, but considering the circumstances, and your unfamiliarity with this place, we have to take precautions to guard against potential accidents.
Suzuran	...Miss Folinic?
Folinic	Fine... The locals may be more welcoming if we have one of their own with us.
Tatjana	That's true! *Cough cough*! Zwölftontechnik Strasse was once Wolumonde's biggest Infected quarter...
Folinic	And now, for certain reasons, it's become Wolumonde's number one protest district.
Tatjana	Then what do you plan to do now? I don't think it's wise to go any deeper into this place... But if you want to learn more about the situation in Wolumonde, that is a good choice.
Folinic	Let's just go for a stroll here. No need to rush things. I'd be very happy if you were willing to tell me more about Dr. Atro.
Tatjana	You... really worry about Dr. Atro, don't you?
Folinic	We went to school together. And she is one of my very few trusted friends. Not to mention an employee Rhodes Island can't afford to lose.
Tatjana	...I see. Ah, please come this way. Schaukelplatz is just up ahead.
<Background fades out and in>
[Joined by Tatjana, Folinic and Suzuran walks through Schaukelplatz.]
Folinic	What was Atro doing here?
Tatjana	Um... Treating the local Infected, giving psychological counseling to those who were suffering. Wolumonde was unable to avoid the Great Rift because of an error the Catastrophe Messengers made, and we suffered immensely for it. Dr. Atro could have left, but she decided to stay. After Wolumonde moored here, she set up a temporary medical facility to better serve the Infected. Dr. Atro... is their hero.
Folinic	...She was just doing what she had to do. She's always been better at practical work than rote learning.
Tatjana	......
Folinic	Heh. I can see her face right now, looking so self-satisfied. That's Atro.
Tatjana	This is the first time you've smiled since coming to Wolumonde.
Folinic	Is it?
Suzuran	You've been pretty scary all day long, Folinic.
Folinic	Oh...
[Many townsfolk are seen gathering.]
Suzuran	There's... a lot of people up ahead. Is that where everyone is?
Folinic	Shouldn't you do something?
Tatjana	Peaceful assembly isn't a crime. That alone isn't grounds to detain them. They're looking this way...
[Suddenly the gathering townsfolk looks at Folinic, Suzuran, and Tatjana.]
Townsfolk	......
Townsfolk	......
Suzuran	Why is everyone quiet all of a sudden?
Folinic	No, this isn't right... Who's that talking to them?
Tatjana	Huh?
Folinic	Behind them, in the very back, there's– A Sarkaz...?
Tatjana	Sarkaz...?
[A Sarkaz warrior can be seen amidst the crowd, who charges at the trio upon noticing them.]
Suzuran	Miss Folinic!
Folinic	I know! They're coming at us! Hey, you, protect yourself!
Tatjana	O-okay!

After operation

“

Outsiders have infiltrated Wolumonde to incite a rebellion. With Rhodes Island's help, the rebellion is temporarily quelled. To try to ease tensions between the two sides, Tatjana decides to take them both to the medical point set up by Atro for investigation.

”

<Background 1>
Severin	–When did they appear?
Councilor	I'm not sure. But the "Gramophone" didn't start...
Severin	I told you before not to rely on those experimental automatic Arts devices. If they have some educated Leithanians in that Infected group, they could have easily turned a machine against us.
Councilor	Too late for that. The Infected quarter is crawling with them. They're whipping them up.
Severin	...The people here should be above that kind of provocation.
Townsfolk	B-but there are more and more protesters every day. They're gathering up and–
Severin	What are their demands?
Townsfolk	They want us to start supplying Zwölftontechnik Strasse again... and they want all quarantine measures on Zwölftontechnik Strasse lifted.
Severin	...Nonsense.
Townsfolk	Of course, their main demand is that we give an appropriate response to the fire...
Severin	They don't give a rat's ass about the fire. Just you wait, everyone will forget what this was about soon enough.
Townsfolk	What should we do? Rhodes Island is already here. It's only a matter of time before they find out.
Severin	We all know that. Why do you think I sent Tatjana with them? Before we lay it all out for Rhodes Island, we have to be sure what kind of company they are. We have to know if they're Atro's kind of Infected, or "the other" kind.
Townsfolk	I'm not sure that's right... Won't things just get worse once they find out on their own what we're hiding?
Severin	Ha... Think what you will. If they're the type to turn the other cheek, that's what they'll do. You and I both know what's going on here in Wolumonde.
Townsfolk	I know, but–
Severin	–Then don't try to play the good guy here. Things don't work out for the good guys. We need to focus on outcomes. *Cough* *cough*... What about the real nasty ones? Like the devils?
Townsfolk	They haven't made formal contact yet...
Severin	They're a bunch of vultures, stirring up our people, looking to divide and conquer. How trite of them. They're playing it cool, probing our defenses. When they're sure there's no Gendarmerie garrisoned in Wolumonde...
Townsfolk	Everyone here is ready to fight. And we have the L-44 "Gramophone" defense system.
Severin	But you're not Gendarmerie... *Sigh*, I'm just trying not to get anyone killed, *cough*– *cough* *cough* *hack*–
Townsfolk	Take care of yourself. Wolumonde can't afford to lose you.
Severin	Really? I don't think it makes much difference...
Townsfolk	Who else could keep Wolumonde's defenses up without a single Gendarmerie?
Severin	It's just stubborn blood. Leithanian nobles won't stoop to doing their own dirty work. Give them one more push and you'll see this place go to hell in a handbasket. If we don't come up with something soon, this game is over. We have to get back on our normal course before winter. Stay stuck in this wasteland and watch starvation and rioting destroy the town.
Townsfolk	Maybe... Yes, you're right.
Severin	It's already getting cold, *cough*– ...I hope Wolumonde still has other options.
<Background 2>
Rebellious Townsfolk	Hey! Where are you two from?! Are you here to help those morons keep us locked up in here to die?!
Tatjana	Know your place! Who were you talking to just now? What did you tell him?
Rebellious Townsfolk	Hah. You scared? You should be! It's because you bureaucrats can't do shit that Wolumonde is in this mess! Why don't you let us try running the show for a while?!
Tatjana	This isn't anyone's fault!
Rebellious Townsfolk	You're just gonna call it a Catastrophe and be done with it?! It's your fault we couldn't steer away from it in the first place!
Folinic	...You're begging for a fight, Infected. Have you been to any other cities? Have you seen how other Infected live? Even I can see that Wolumonde is in a crisis, but the non-infected are going through the same tough times as you Infected. Shouldn't you be working together to get through this?
Rebellious Townsfolk	Huh? And who the hell are you?
Folinic	I'm a Rhodes Island Operator, an Infected doctor. We help the Infected through crises, as long as they're not stirring up trouble for no reason.
Suzuran	G-good day. C-could you please stop resisting...?
Rebellious Townsfolk	Pfah! You're here to kick us around. If I let you, that is–! You want us to work together? Why don't you ask the woman who started all this?
Tatjana	That...
Rebellious Townsfolk	Hey, you. You're infected, aren't you?
Suzuran	Mhm.
Rebellious Townsfolk	Nine-tailed Vulpos are pretty rare. Sooner or later, you'll end up just like us.
Suzuran	I don't think so... Everyone's so nice to me...
Rebellious Townsfolk	For now. But that won't last forever. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon enough. If only Dr. Atro was here...
[Folinic punches and grabs the rebellious townsfolk.]
Rebellious Townsfolk	Hey! What are you doing?! Let go!
Folinic	What did you just say?
Suzuran	Folinic, calm down!
Folinic	Did you just say "Dr. Atro?" Where is she? Is she alright?
Rebellious Townsfolk	What do you mean where is she? The fire took everything from us! They've been pushing us out since the Great Rift appeared. They're terrified! They even rounded up the Infected who came here seeking refuge! Why? Because they have to control us, to lock us up like animals, all to satisfy their twisted idea of humanism!
Tatjana	That's not true... the Schultz isn't like that!
Rebellious Townsfolk	Feh. Whatever. If that's all it was, we'd be fine too... At least we had Dr. Atro. At least we had each other. Even if we lost this quarter, we at least had a place to stay... But they... they killed Dr. Atro, and our friends! Because of that fire!
[Folinic angrily holds the rebellious townsfolk.]
Rebellious Townsfolk	...Wh-what do you want?
Folinic	...Atro should have survived that fire.
Rebellious Townsfolk	Huh?! Oh, I get it. They lied to you. Of course. They lie to everyone. It wasn't an accident. It was arson. It was murder. It was self-righteous moralizers showing their true colors.
Folinic	I'm not your therapist. Let's cool the emotional venting–
Rebellious Townsfolk	Heh. You know what they didn't tell you?
Tatjana	Wait, stop!
Rebellious Townsfolk	...The day that fire happened, not a single person made it out of that tent!
Folinic	......!
Suzuran	You mean...?
Rebellious Townsfolk	I think you know whose side you should be on.
Folinic	Enough.
[Folinic punches the rebellious townsfolk again.]
Rebellious Townsfolk	Gah! Take it easy already!
Tatjana	...Behave yourself. You're under arrest.
Rebellious Townsfolk	You're no Gendarmerie! None of you are! There's no law here! All we got is leftovers from the settlers!
Tatjana	The Schultz will decide your fate. I'm sorry.
Rebellious Townsfolk	Hmph. You wouldn't dare kill me. You wouldn't risk a mass Infected uprising! I guess I'll just wait for you to exile me to the wasteland so I can join up with the–
Tatjana	...You and your friends are convinced that we are the ones behind all this. But we're all fellow citizens of Wolumonde, and we're all a part of this town together. We've lived in peace for so many years– Why would you trust some the word of some strange outsiders over ours? What have we done wrong?
Rebellious Townsfolk	...Because you are not one of the Winterwisp. Nor are you Infected. You're just a sheltered little girl. You forget what it means to be Infected. You forget what Oripathy is. I know better than you. It's that simple.
<Background 1>
[Folinic, Suzuran, and Tatjana returns to Zwölftontechnik Strasse.]
Militiaman	Here! Tatjana is here! And Rhodes Island! Are you two okay?
Suzuran	Yes, we're fine!
Tatjana	Take them away, please.
Rebellious Townsfolk	Ugh. I have to see Severin again...
Militiaman	We'll make sure they don't do anything else. But Miss Tatjana, what of the two from Rhodes Island?
Tatjana	I will take care of them.
Militiaman	Very well. Then, we'll go on ahead.
[The militiaman leaves with the captured townsfolk.]
Folinic	Now can you give me an explanation?
Suzuran	Miss Folinic...
Tatjana	I... I will tell you everything. I don't know what Schultz Severin and the councilors are thinking. But I believe... Miss Folinic and Miss Suzuran, I believe you deserve to know the truth. Considering how you just helped me...
Folinic	You're wasting time. I just want to know... is she alive?
Tatjana	I... I don't know...
Folinic	You don't know?!
Suzuran	Please, Miss Folinic. Miss Tatjana... why are you lying to me?
Tatjana	None of us are really ready to accept it ourselves. Please understand, we don't know what Rhodes Island is like. We had to be sure we could trust–
Folinic	Even if we were ruthless, cold-blooded corporate raiders out to make everything worse for Wolumonde, that's no excuse for you to deceive our people!
Tatjana	I'm sorry... I really am... We were planning to tell you the truth...! We, we've been doing everything we can to investigate the Infected outside the town! But I know. I know that's all just for our own sake. It's no excuse...
Folinic	Exactly right. You're making excuses. But... it's fine. All I want... is the truth. Rhodes Island won't abandon you. We wouldn't look past a town suffering a crisis like this.
Tatjana	...!
Folinic	That would make Atro very unhappy. She's such a baby whenever she gets sad. And I hate seeing her cry. It's not too late. For either of us.
Suzuran	Helping the Infected and solving their problems is what being a Rhodes Island Operator is all about. Miss Tatjana, there's so much we can do if we just trust each other!
Tatjana	Thanks. Before the Catastrophe, the Schultz asked Dr. Atro if she would leave with the refugees... Dr. Atro said the same thing–"Rhodes Island won't abandon you." Please come with me.