Tachanka: The Same As Always

Operator Record The Same As Always
As he stands in the center of this equal parts familiar and unfamiliar snowfield, he finds himself as always unable to heed his friend's advice—"Don't get too involved". Unlock conditions Raise Tachanka to Elite 2 Level 1. Have at least 50% Trust with Tachanka.

Characters
Tachanka Alsu Infected Patrol Unit Mercenary Woman/Sani Young Man/Anwar Villager
Backgrounds
1 2 3 4

Summary: Tachanka sees first-hand how Ursus uses the Infected as an excuse to exploit villagers who are too weak to fight back. After witnessing this, he is no longer able to stand on the sidelines.
<Background black>
"It should be almost winter where you are by the time this letter arrives." "I imagine winter in Ursus is even harsher." "I hope you can come back sooner rather than later." "I hope you haven't been dragged into the mess over there." "One last friendly reminder." "I know your style, but don't get too involved." "Good luck, Lord."
<Background 1>
[Tachanka walks around while reading the letter.]
Tachanka	"Don't get too involved"? It's a little too late for that. Sigh.
Alexsandr looks at the device before him, sighs, and puts away the letter. His breath turns to white fog in the cool air. It is a strange piece of machinery, with roughly polished metal rails and slightly rusted plates. Alexsandr carefully maneuvers a wooden crane, putting in the finishing touches next to the strange device. An Originium engine hangs beneath the crane, the last piece of the puzzle for this strange device.
Tachanka	Done! Coupling, check. Where's my wrench? Where on Earth is my level?
The soldier reaches into a box and takes out a level made from birch and glass, calibrating the connection between the engine and the machine.
Tachanka	Let's see... Power supply, check. Voltage... Where am I supposed to find a voltmeter in this place? How the hell did they do this in the 50s? This torque better be enough.
After a few minutes, the sound of machine rumbling begins to echo in the warehouse.
Tachanka	Aha! There we go! Hahaha! It's moving! It's moving!
[An old man appears.]
Alsu	Mr. Alexsandr?
Tachanka	Good morning, Mr. Alsu.
Alsu	You're up early. Oh, it finally started?
Tachanka	I know, right? It's been two frustrating months, but at least it paid off. Too bad we're out of booze. Who knows when the next caravan is coming.
Alsu	They don't like going out too far in winter.
Tachanka	Using this machine, I'll be able to make some simple parts even without the caravans. We could fix that hand pump, for example. We can teach the others how to use it. It'll make life a lot easier.
Alsu	What do you call it... a lathe? I've heard my son talking about it.
Tachanka	I've been here a while now, but I've never met your son.
Alsu	He doesn't work too far from here, but it's on the other side of the mountain, and the roads get really bad in winter.
Tachanka	The east side? There's a mining zone over there... owned by a nomadic city, I think?
Alsu	Looks like you know the area.
Tachanka	I asked some questions when trading with that drifter group. I might have to go again in a few days. Let's hope the snow isn't too bad.
Alsu	You should stay away from the wastelanders for a while... The taxmen are coming soon. There'll be trouble if they find out we were dealing with the wastelanders.
Tachanka	Trouble?
Alsu	I don't know about other places, but Lord Fetisov doesn't like us talking to them too much.
Tachanka	Why?
Alsu	People from the army say that many of them are Kazimierzian spies. Along with outlaws like the Rusthammers.
Tachanka	I see. But most of the drifters in that group look like Ursus people.
Alsu	It didn't use to be that way... In the past, wastelanders mostly came from outside Ursus. They were quickly chased away by Lord Fetisov's guards. But now... Plenty of Ursus have been fleeing their villages and joining the drifters. We had more than two hundred people in this village a few years ago, but so many ran in the last couple of years. There's no one left to till the soil, and the traders aren't coming anymore. The only thing that's increasing is taxes...
Tachanka	Your standard formula for depopulation. What about your Lord Fetisov? Does he just sit on his thumb while his serfs run away?
Alsu	I... I'm not sure. But he's probably busy dealing with the highwaymen up north.
Tachanka	Highwaymen? Oh, the bandits the villagers have been talking about? Who exactly are they? It's been a month. What is your lord doing? Ursus's armies wouldn't have trouble with common bandits, would they?
Alsu	I'm not sure, but rumors say that they're well-trained, targeting nobles specifically. They're even attacking the army. I don't know how bandits manage to do that...
Tachanka	Well-trained "bandits" fighting against the nobility. I've heard that story before. Too many times. What do they say? History repeats itself.
Alsu	Er, you've seen this before?
Tachanka	Oh, no, just an off-hand comment
[A villager comes running.]
Villager	Old man! What are you doing here? They're all looking for you!
Alsu	Take your time, catch your breath.
Villager	You need to hurry home! Your son...
Alsu	My son's back? Wait... why?
Villager	Just go! He's in bad shape!
Alsu	What?!
Tachanka	...
<Background 2>
[Alsu hurriedly enters his house.]
Woman	Alsu! You're here! Your son...
Alsu	What happened to my son? !!
Woman	I was getting firewood in the morning when I saw someone lying at the south edge of town. I realized it was Anwar when I got closer. Who knows what might have happened if I didn't stumble across him.
Alsu	Thank you so much.
Woman	I bandaged up wounds. There's no frostbite, so I guess he wasn't there for too long. But...
Alsu	What is it?
Woman	Listen to me carefully... your son has Oripathy.
Alsu	What?!
Woman	Look at his shoulder.
Alsu	Oh my...
The old man takes a step back in shock. In the span of a few seconds, a multitude of expressions flash across his face - fear, worry, doubt. At last, it settles on sorrow.
Alsu	Who else knows?
Woman	I haven't told anyone yet.
Alsu	Please, I beg you...
Woman	I know. He's your only son. I'll tell people he has wet flu, tell them to stay away from your house for a few days. But this is Oripathy. You know what I mean, right? You have some thinking to do.
Alsu	Thank you... very much...
[Tachanka enters the house.]
Tachanka	Doesn't look good?
Alsu	M-Mr. Alexsandr? Y-You shouldn't be here... my son...
Tachanka	Oripathy, right?
Alsu	!!! Mr. Alexsandr...
Tachanka	Don't worry. I'm here to help.
Alsu	But... it's Oripathy...
Tachanka	It's fine. I've seen plenty of Oripathy patients.
Alsu	Alright.
Tachanka	Take off his shirt and rub this on the crystalline regions.
Alsu	This is...
Tachanka	Like I said, I've seen my share of Oripathy patients. Do as I say. This is for injection. Give me a hand; I need to get some hot water. If the crystals begin to seep blood, drip it on this piece of test paper.
Alsu	As you say...
<Background fades out and in>
A few minutes later.
Young Man	Where... where am I...
Alsu	Anwar! You're awake!
Anwar	D-Dad? How did I...?
Alsu	It's fine, don't speak, I'm just glad you're back...
Anwar	Is this... home? No, I can't stay here! I have Oripathy! I...
Alsu	I know, I know. Say no more. Sani was the one who found you. She didn't tell anyone else. I'll take you into the woods once you're better. There's an abandoned hunter's hut there. You can stay there while we figure out what to do.
Anwar	Dad... I...
Alsu	It's fine. Rest for a bit, while I get you water. Stay put.
[Tachanka enters.]
Tachanka	You're awake?
Alsu	Y-You're a mercenary! Why are you in the village?
Tachanka	Don't worry, I'm a friend of your father's. Your Oripathy is relatively mild.
Anwar	I've never seen you before...
Tachanka	The name is Alexsandr. I came this year. What happened? I thought you were working at the factory.
Anwar	There was a boiler explosion two weeks ago. A few of us came down with Oripathy... So the overseer kicked us out.
Tachanka	That's all? Were you followed?
Anwar	We thought we were being followed at first, but we stopped paying attention after a few days.
Tachanka	I wouldn't expect them to let you go so easily... Never mind. Get some rest.
<Background 3>
[Tachanka approaches Alsu.]
Tachanka	Are you okay?
Alsu	Mr. Alexsandr... what can I do?
Tachanka	You face reality.
Alsu	But... it's Oripathy...
Tachanka	A mild case of it. There are many ways to control the symptoms.
Alsu	How do you know so much about it?
Tachanka	It's a long story. There's a more pressing issue right now. Life in Ursus will not be easy for your son, even if his symptoms are mild.
Alsu	Argh...
Tachanka	He'll need to learn to live like the wastelanders.
Alsu	What?
Tachanka	Like hunters that catch manglers in the wild, he will need to learn to fend for himself. I can teach him a few things.
<Background 4>
A week later...
Tachanka	Steady...
Anwar	(Focuses)
Tachanka	Steady...
Anwar	(Pulls trigger)
[Anwar shoots an arrow.]
Anwar	Argh! I missed...
Tachanka	Don't squeeze the trigger too hard. It'll throw off the bolt's trajectory.
Anwar	I guess I'm just not cut out for this...
Tachanka	It's too early for that. You've made decent progress, considering it's only been a week. Live targets are a different animal altogether. Practice makes perfect. One hour break, then it's physical training. You have a lot to learn, if you want to survive in the wild.
Anwar	You know so much, Mr. Alexsandr... did you used to be a soldier? You're a far cry from the typical Ursus soldier.
Tachanka	I'm still a soldier. Where's your dad? It's almost noon.
Anwar	Maybe he got held up by something?
[Sani comes running.]
Sani	Anwar! Pack your things, now!
Anwar	What's going on?
Sani	No time! The Infected Patrol Unit is in the village! They've gone to your house!
Anwar	What?!
Sani	Pack your things and get out of here! This place is too close to the village. They'll be here any minute!
Anwar	What about dad? I can't leave him...
Sani	Just go! The whole village will be in trouble if they find you! Run!
Tachanka	How many?
Sani	Two inspectors and five brawlers. They look like they're out for blood.
Tachanka	They're all Ursus?
Sani	The two inspectors are, I think. Not sure about the others. Anyway, this is no time to chat. You should get out of here too, Mr. Alexsandr.
Tachanka	Anwar, take your weapon and put on the camo. You're coming with me.
Anwar	...Alright.
<Background 3>
Infected Patrol Unit	Well? Where is he?
Alsu	He... he didn't...
Infected Patrol Unit	Don't give me that. We saw him come into the village. Hand him over.
Alsu	I-I never saw him! I swear! It's all true!
Infected Patrol Unit	Do I look stupid to you? If your son's not here, whose overalls and boots are those? Huh? Fine don't talk. We've got plenty of time.
Alsu	Please, take me! I'll do hard labor for Lord Fetisov! I'll do anything! Please, just let my son go!
Infected Patrol Unit	Pfft. You think hard labor's gonna do it? Round up everyone in the village.
Mercenary	Aye.
Alsu	W-What are you doing?
Infected Patrol Unit	What are we doing? Harboring the Infected is a serious crime. In the name of Lord Fetisov, all your lands are now forfeit!
Alsu	What?!
Villager	We don't know anything about it! This doesn't have anything to do with us! We didn't do anything!
Mercenary	Shut your trap and fall in line!
<Background 4>
Anwar	Oh no... I knew this would happen...
Tachanka	So that's what they're doing. Letting the Infected escape on purpose, following them home, all in order to enslave free peasants and confiscate their land. The perfect excuse. This, too, is an old story.
Anwar	I'll get those criminals, if that's the last thing I do!
Tachanka	Hold on. Don't make any hasty moves.
Anwar	You have a plan?
Tachanka	Go to the high ground to the east of the village and stay out of sight. Fire at the brawlers on my signal. Doesn't matter if you miss. I'll take care of the rest.
[Anwar leaves.]
Anwar	Gotcha.
Tachanka	Time to clean up.
<Background 3>
Mercenary	House to house? Are you serious?
Infected Patrol Unit	Cut the crap and go. You're being paid for a reason.
Mercenary	Fine...
[An arrow hits next to the mercenary.]
Mercenary	Someone's shooting at us!
Infected Patrol Unit	What?! From where?
Mercenary	East side! On that hill!
Infected Patrol Unit	You two! Go around and get him!
[The soldiers run to the hill but are shot.]
Infected Patrol Unit	Take cover! Take cover!
Mercenary	What the hell's going on?!
Infected Patrol Unit	What are you doing? Return fire!
[The soldiers and mercenaries are shot one after the other.]
Infected Patrol Unit	No! No! Where is everybody?
Tachanka	There is no one else.
[Tachanka shoots the soldier in the leg.]
Infected Patrol Unit	My leg! My leg!
[After the soldier falls to the ground, Tachanka approaches him.]
Tachanka	Stay down. Or test my patience. Your choice. Mr. Alsu.
Alsu	M-Mr. Alexsandr！
Tachanka	Tell everyone else to go indoors and stay there.
Alsu	A-Alright.
Infected Patrol Unit	H-How dare you... peasants...
Tachanka	Not so cocky now that it's just you, eh?
Infected Patrol Unit	Y-You'll pay for this! Colonel Lomono's unit is just over the hill! Lord Fetisov won't let this go unpunished! You're dead, you hear me? Dead!
Tachanka	Nobles, magnates, boyars. Is this the best that Ursus has to offer?
Mercenary	Y-You're not Ursus!
Tachanka	No, I'm not. I don't really care to meet those high and mighty lords of yours, but I have a friend who wants to meet you. Let me introduce you to Comrade Degtyaryov.
Tachanka pats his machine gun fondly, cracking a smile beneath his heavy helmet. Gunshots ring through the winter forest, startling a flock of fowlbeasts.