act15d5

I want to do much more! Not just as a way to give back to Rhodes Island for taking me in, but also because I want to make a little money, so that once I find my parents...

But... But if the civil war keeps going...

(Hey, say something, will ya? I'm not good at talking my way out of this stuff, getting folks to look at the bright side and whatnot.)

You just need to do what you think is right.

We aren't saints, and we aren't all-powerful. That goes for Rhodes Island too. You've done everything they need you to do, and so they're giving you medical treatment.

Doctors who take care of the ill and wounded are of course noble, but they don't have the means to save their patients without supplies.

Neither the paychecks they live on nor the equipment they rely on for procedures comes free.

Their integrity comes from how they're willing to pour their hearts into a line of work that brings happiness to others and making it their lives' work. I'm sure that goes for you as well.

I don't think it really matters what you've done and how great or insignificant the results turn out to be. The goal that you're giving your all for is the only thing that matters. There's strength in your beliefs.

In that respect, you might actually be much stronger than Leon or me. The two of us only know how to survive our way, and it so turns out we can make a living that way. We don't really think too much about it.

What gives you the right to speak for me?!

He's right, though. Being a Catastrophe Messenger is just a way of life that I enjoy instead of some kind of duty.

Ayers and I got to experience all sort of things in life thanks to this lifestyle of ours. That's really expanded our horizons, and it adds that little bit of fun in our boring lives. Helps us always stay cheery and gives us things to talk about.

Oh... and here I thought the Catastrophe Messengers choose to take on the Catastrophes because they want to do something for others... because of their sense of duty.

Take on the Catastrophes? Forget it.

I'm a little different from those Catastrophe Messengers who are fine with causing even worse disasters just to prevent the destruction that the Catastrophes bring and to soothe the fears of those regular folks.

Huh? There are Messengers that extreme...?

Now those are the ones who are really 'taking on' the Catastrophes like you said. Messengers like me who just gather and deliver news are just small fry.

I said this earlier. The Catastrophe Messengers play an important role, but they take on a really big risk. Most people with this kind of knowledge and know-how choose to work at some kind of lab or organization instead.

Those of us who are ballsy enough to be doing this have either found a sugar daddy with deep pockets, have no other way out of the hole they're in like me, or are so firm in their beliefs that they're actually trying to take on the Catastrophes.

And out of those nut jobs, some of them are probably actually trying to give their lives for mankind, while others either have a grudge against the Catastrophes themselves or feel some sort of emotion in them that fuels their urge to take on the Catastrophes.

In a nutshell, they're a bunch of guys who are more than ready to sacrifice their lives and the lives of those around them to save even more lives. Some of them might even give up on that whole saving people idea just to get rid of any traces of the Catastrophes having ever happened.

My guess is that's probably not the kind of doing something for others ideal you have in mind, right?

Hmm... but I heard Rhodes Island has taken on missions like that too... You brought it up just now, too. Something like... Contingency Contracts?

That's true, but those contracts are at most stuff like, fight some broke mercenaries that are trying to blackmail the small nomadic cities in the Catastrophe warning zones.

After all, Rhodes Island doesn't take on the kind of missions where we have to give up on saving lives just to fight the Catastrophes. Of course, it shouldn't claim to be any more noble than the rest of us and interfere with the choices we've made for ourselves either, even if it's their own employees we're talking about.

The Catastrophe Messengers' enemies are the Catastrophes themselves, not death. That's the nature of the job. That said, I should still be allowed to go about my responsibilities the way I want, and, of course, you are allowed to fulfill your responsibilities as an operator however you want too.

To put what he said another way, you should always look out for the opportunity to do what it is that you actually want to do, wherever it is you are standing at the moment.

To Rhodes Island, some missions are probably more important than others; to other people, some accomplishments are probably greater than others; but to ourselves, there really isn't anything more sublime than being able to work the way you want to.

Hmm... I never thought of it like that...

Am I being too impatient...?

You're just using responsibilities as a way to force yourself to do something. It's not just you. Many of those who survived the Catastrophes do the same thing, and this is nothing new to Catastrophe Messengers.

That's not a bad thing in itself, but to take on even more responsibilities blindly doesn't really mean you yourself or anyone else will receive a greater redemption.

There are those who are fighting to give you a better life. Don't let them down just to fulfill your own goals.

Uhh... That makes me feel kind of bad for the doctors at Medical...

You don't even read as much as I do. How come you always have some bullshit argument ready to dole out?

Perhaps you shouldn't spend all your time reading those pointless, impractical Columbian invention magazines, then. Also, if my arguments were bullshit, I wonder what that makes yours.

Heh, I speak from experience, not out of my ass. So where were we? Something about work?

Now that I think about it, Ayers, you always say you aren't picky about work, but I haven't ever seen you take on bodyguard work for those stupid, self-conceited upstarts at Rim Billiton.

Hard to say I won't ever do it. Let me know the next time you take out a loan from one of them to get another dune buggy. I'll think about it then.

Oh, for real?! You're gonna be such a lifesaver, going so far as—

I'm telling you to save up before even thinking about buying all that junk!

And don't ever owe anyone money!

Alright, alright.

I've got to say, though. You've really got balls, Greyy. This is your first mission outside, and it's a rescue mission at a Catastrophe warning zone.

That's just because our mission is to help out a nomadic city that's stranded because of its electrical problems. Most of the missions we get are combat-related, and I try to stay away from those because I'm afraid of holding everyone else back...

I may have passed the operator examination, but I don't have any combat experience at all. I'm sure the real enemies out there are nothing like the practice targets we use during training...

Oh, but I guess I shouldn't worry about that as much as I used to anymore. Whether it's a combat mission or deskwork, they're all a chance for me to accomplish the things I want to do...

I'll keep maintaining the electrical equipment, but I'll also train really hard! I'll make sure I'm not holding anyone back!

You say that, but isn't helping out with the landship's power supply a whole lot of work to begin with? From doctors and patients to the combat operators, every everybody there needs electricity.

And I heard there was this one time you passed out while taking care of paperwork for the Doctor? The Doctor was so freaked and called for the medics right away and took you to Medical. I heard you really got an earful that time.

Oh... It's a little embarrassing...

I promised the Doctor I'd help review the electricity usage reports from the new operators that needed approval, but a set of transformers had gone out the night before.

Hm? Shouldn't that be the electricians' job?

Oh, yes, they took care of the transformer repair work.

But they also needed an Engineer Caster to inspect the Originium unit's output to make sure it was working. They also needed an Engineer Caster to check the energy conversion process, then there's also the cooling...

(Hm, look at that light in his eyes.)

(He's a professional.)

...The collecting pipe needed checking too. It's really complicated, but I have it all memorized!

Eh, this makes me wonder if the power system Closure designed actually works all that well, or if those energy hogs are working the equipment that hard.

We even have a kid here who's into getting worked hard by electricity.

Hehe...

You know, this car is equipped with a data logger designed by our 'highly intelligent Ms. Closure.' It has a voice recorder, too.

Huh? Closure, ignore everything I just said, okay? Please don't do anything funny to my equipment or my Arts Unit...

Just messing with you.

Since when has your sense of humor been this lame? It's drier than an Iberian sea breeze.

And when have we ever been to the Iberian seaside?

I did in a dream once. I couldn't use my Arts, and my throat was so hoarse because of the breeze there. You picked up some sort of funny sword technique. It's like, you attack and parry by tracing circles and whatnot.

Sounds like the most impractical thing ever.

Yeah, you said that in the dream too. You said following what a book says doesn't make it a combat technique, and that it's not a technique until you can wield it so skillfully that you can bend it to the needs of battle.

Who did he fight?

Some guy that was always jabbering. He wore a robe, I think. It was a dream; I don't remember that much about it.

Oh, we're here now. Let's get going.

Huh? I don't see any towns around here.

There should be some three kilometers to go from here, but the road up ahead isn't very suitable for driving. Greyy, get me that portable terminal, will you? Thanks.

Hmm...

Well, this is probably kind of a cliche, but I've got some good news and some bad news.

Good news is, going by the data I've been collecting on our way here, we will have lots of time to prepare for the evacuation.

So that's why it felt like you were in much less of a rush about halfway into the ride. But... you were using Originium Arts while you were driving?

Don't look at me like that, Ayers. The steering wheel's an Arts Unit modified by the craftsmen. I didn't take my hands off my staff to use Arts.

I'm sure both of you are aware, but making predictions based on the data outside the area tends to give you fairly inaccurate results. That's why, as a Catastrophe Messenger, I tagged along with you guys here to the warning zone to get more detailed data to work on that.

The Originium around here's still some time away from saturation. We should have at least half a month until we have to go.

As for the bad news... I guess the mission report this time is going a whole different direction than we expected. Can't say for sure yet, but it sure seems like it.

Which direction?

Hard to say. Might be both.

Huh?

Hm? Did I not tell you about this before?

You were wondering how to break it to him a while ago.

Oh, right.

Well, we know Rim Billiton like the back of our hands since we were on the mining team, but I guess you don't know that much about this place, right, Greyy?

First, this distress signal isn't necessarily coming from a town that's in trouble. It might be a trap.

And suppose it's real, the signal might also attract rioters to loot the place.

And you know what would be really hilarious? If it's both. A trap that draws in some rough looters.

I've been measuring the signal's echoes on the way here, and it kinda feels like the number and density of people at our destination is kinda off.

For a town, there's too few and they're too packed together, but there's clearly a large amount of Originium products and buildings there. I sure hope the townspeople weren't kidnapped.

But well... We shouldn't have a lot of trouble taking care of them, as long as they aren't some pain-in-the-neck creeps like the Rusthammers.

Besides, we're still pretty far away, and even though the equipment we have on the car helped expand the range, it doesn't necessarily mean my Originium Arts were accurate. Maybe the whole town's just gathering in one spot, trying to figure out how to fix the equipment.

But no matter what we're going to face, I guess you are ready now?

Come on, stay with me. This is also the kind of life you want to know. The life far away from home and from the ship.

I guess you're probably hoping that it's your knowledge that our mission needs instead of combat skills now? Well, to us 'operators,' it doesn't really make a difference.