act12d0

I'm asking again: Did Zumama send you into the mines to get ore for her big metal monster?

Yes. Why?

I'm sorry, Doctor. No matter what, I have to pay Zumama a visit.

Because of the 'Stone Disease'?;......;I guess sightseeing can wait.

Nothing gets past you, Doctor.

You're the Doctor, you definitely know why.

Sorry again, Doctor. But I have to do this.

Our tribes don't have much contact with the outside world. To you and the other operators, we're a primitive backwater.

But there is one good thing about this place. You heard it, right? They call Oripathy 'Stone Disease' and treat it like an ordinary malady.

Sometimes people catch it, sometimes they die of it. But nobody thinks it's anything special, because people here die from lots of things.

Everyone looks after Oripathy patients like they're just regular sick people. All they know about the disease is you can catch it in the mines.

So very few people go into the mines. It's been that way for a long time.

Your Oripathy...

Gavial caught it when she saved me.

Yeah. When Tomimi was little, she snuck into the depths of the mines. I went to rescue her, and I got sick.

Lucky she didn't.

If only I got it instead...

Don't you dare say that. Getting sick is a terrible thing. It's just bad luck.

(Whimper)

So they really ostracized you out of here?

You've asked that a couple of times, Doctor.

After I got sick, the other tribespeople wouldn't let me do anything. I couldn't hunt, I couldn't even go to a gathering.

And the little runt Tomimi here was the worst. She came over from her tribe and stuck to me like glue. She did everything for me, and I had nothing to do.

In the end, they wouldn't even let me join the ceremony.

Day after day, time after time, it was 'Oh no, Gavial, let me do that for you,' you know what I mean...? That's no life for me.

Gavial didn't smile much after that...

I was so pissed off, I went to the ceremony anyway, and beat the tar out of everyone I saw on the way.

*Sob*, I shouldn't have been so pushy, Gavial...

...That really is a kind of ostracization.;......;Sure wish someone would ostracize me like that!

The reality is, around here, if you can't fight, you're nothing. A waste of space.

I'd rather you let me put myself in danger than take away my freedom to do anything.

Doctor, don't you think this is funny?

I think it's funny. Only after I left the tribe did I realize what kind of hatred people have for Oripathy sufferers.

It took me a long time to figure that out.

Tch, watch that tongue of yours, Doctor, or I'll rip it out.

But I know what you mean. Out there, discrimination is what you get as an Oripathy patient.

What I went through back then, though, that was still torture for me.

Hey, you got me off on a tangent there. This isn't what I wanted to talk about.

Hmm... What was I saying?

Big metal monster.;......;The cash you owe me.

Oh, right.

Doctor, help me out here.

Oh, I got it.

Bullshit.

Oh, I got it.

I was thinking about how that great big monster of a machine must've taken a ton of iron ore to build.

Put that together with what Zumama was saying, and we know she definitely sent her people down into the mines to get that ore.

Now that you mention it, I have heard something like that.

Now I've got no problem with that, on its face. If she just had them digging around on the outside, no big deal.

But now people are getting sick, and I have to do something.

I don't care about her age of machines or whatever. If she's throwing away lives, she's earned a clobbering.

You have my full support.;......;You're a good doctor, Gavial.

Thanks, Doctor.

Ooh, you've got that penetrating gaze, Doctor.

Hah, but of course.

Gavial...

Tomimi, where is Zumama's tribe?

Um, I don't know.

Hey, Gavial, I'm really not interested in your hopes and dreams and ideals here. What's up with my brother?

Huh? You can understand our Sargonian?

Yes. The leader taught all of us.

...What is that Zumama up to?

Whatever. Anyway, Tomimi, get your minions to carry this one back to your tribe. Have Lancet-2 start treating him.

Hey, what are you doing?!

If you want your brother to live, you'll put your trust in me.

...Okay then, I'll take him back with me.

Oh? You're not coming with me?

Ah! N-No! Of course I want to go with you, Gavial. But I have a few things that need doing first. I'll catch up with you later!

What things? Need my help?

N-No! I can take care of it myself!

Gavial, do you remember the great waterfall? We'll meet up there!

Okay.

Alright. You're the one and only Gavial, I trust you. But I'm going with!

No, you won't be any help. And there's something I need you to do for me.

What?

Go tell Zumama we need to have a talk.

Lancet-2, I have a serious question.

Go ahead.

Isn't your battery running low?

Oh, don't worry about that. Before we left, the lovely Ms. Closure fitted me with a brand new, extra long-lasting battery.

Theoretically, I could function for a week without needing a charge.

The aircraft is also carrying spare batteries, so you don't have to worry about me.

Okay.

Now where did Kay run off to? On our way back, the kiddo suddenly hopped to her feet and jetted away.

It's true, we should be concerned about Ceobe's condition, but considering her strength and constitution, we don't need to be too concerned.

That's true.

Hah, I'm bored.

We fixed up the aircraft, patched up the wounded Gavial sent over, and now we've got nothing to do.

That we can't speak the local language is just a cherry on top. I should've gone to that ceremony with the Doctor.

The aircraft is an important Rhodes Island asset, it's our responsibility to guard it well.

I'm just saying. I mean, I'm a pilot, I know the deal with the aircraft.

You're lucky, Lancet-2, you can just switch into sleep mode when you're bored. I was out for twelve hours yesterday, so I'm wide awake.

Well, actually, I have no ability to feel 'boredom'.

Although I do understand what this feeling is, Mr. Dylan. The lovely Ms. Closure complains about these things a lot. And it causes her to behave in strange ways.

...I think about this sometimes, Lancet-2, are we totally sure you and the other bots don't have a human crammed up in there anywhere?

We don't. My interior is a precisely-designed circuitry construct. Do you want to see?

Although, since I have been programmed with a female personality, I may act out in unexpected ways when presenting my body to the opposite sex.

Err, I'll pass.

If was going to see anything, I'd definitely prefer a swimsuit at a time like this.

A swimsuit?