act18d0

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Modern Day

2:48 P.M. \ Clear

Central Sargon, Ibut Region, Nameless Town

No-one here. (We still haven't seen a trace of them. Did they get caught up in something...?)

Strange. This is exactly where we agreed to meet up, right?

Our coordinates check out.

We can't rule out a sandstorm. Let's stay calm.

Sesa... this isn't good.

Hey, now. They're not here yet, but what good is it being so grim? Are we just going to have a staring contest?

Now's not the time for video games, though. Why did you bring that along?

Not important—

Something must be wrong. We should've at least gotten contact at a set time.

Shouldn't we do something or other?

Don't worry so much. What can we even do? The best plan is to just sit tight here, and wait for an answer.

But... it's been too long.

Hold on, there's—

(Sargonian) Good morning.

Heavyrain! Cool it!

Hmph—

S—Sorry, I struck on reflex...

(Sargonian) Oh, your looks deceive. You're quite the quick-tempered girl. This will only damage your first impressions, though...

(Sargonian) This is the Reefsteep Black Market, and we're all in business here. I trust we have words for each other, so no need for an armed conversation, yes?

(Sargonian) What day is today? Why would the 'Sand Soldier' be here?

(Sargonian) Oh, you recognize me?

(Sargonian) The head intel peddler of the Reefsteep market, the puppeteer of the vast majority of all armed conflicts in Ibut, styled by the locals as 'Zuzu.'

(Sargonian) In ancient tongue, it entailed a charm, or perhaps a talisman—

(Sargonian) —but I know what lies behind your new name, 'Sand Soldier.' What's a major player like you up to here?

(Sargonian) Let's not get ahead of ourselves, I just wanted to have a chat with you two. With... er, Rhodes Island.

(Sargonian) Or perhaps... I've disrupted your original itinerary?

(Sargonian) ...Where are our Operators?

Oh... so you're from Sargon too, then. Good. Then let's get right to the point.

Your Operators are safe and sound. Your batch of experimental medical material... also untouched.

Where are they?

Who knows?

You—

Heavyrain, rein it in!

Quite right. Rein it in. You haven't even the capital to start a conflict with me here.

Compared to how valuable your pharmaceutical materials are, a few porters can't be worth much in my concern...

You have your eyes on those materials.

And if I nodded yes?

Let our Operators go. We'll hand over the goods. How about that?

Oh? As simple as that?

But all I took was a few employees... now I'm a little skeptical.

Your goods might've had a small footprint, but they're not cheap. It doesn't seem 'Rhodes Island Pharmaceuticals' is so profligate a company. Would you really be so willing to give them up?

I'll stop you right there. Forget market value. Human life is the most precious thing to us.

A perspective bursting with humanity. But who'll step up to weigh them, then—decide their worth?

Will a certain 'Kal'tsit?'

You nabbed our contract... You know Dr. Kal'tsit?

No, it's a very common name. Over these years, I've sought so many people in error... so many.

Back to our original topic.

Oh, my apologies. Your people are actually waiting right outside, and I have no interest in your goods—

—Heavyrain.

I'll go check now—you stay alert.

As you wish.

Huh! The fixer from the black market... wouldn't come here just to scare our new recruits, would he?

Rhodes Island and the Sargon black market are far from bosom friends. We only had to take this plunge after some of our drugs got jammed up in Columbia.

Oripathy waits for no-one, correct? That's all this is. There should be no conflict between us.

I've heard of you before, the armaments tuner 'Bridge,' having worked for three different arms dealers in the past. A fine reputation. Oh, I believe you're called 'Sesa' now?

Really, you make too much of me.

Well, then, what gives you an interest in Rhodes Island?

During a routine probing of accounts, a completely watertight transaction came to light. You must know, not one sheaf of gold in the Reefsteep passes out of my notice.

And?

No, no cause for worry. You haven't exposed any leverage, and as I've already said, your transaction doesn't interest me. It's just the... signature, on this contract, that I mind.

Come. I have time to spare today. Tell me, what kind of place is Rhodes Island Pharmaceuticals?

'Trek upon Terra, as millions of lives.'

22 Years Ago

1:09 P.M. \ Clear

Central Sargon, Ibut Region, the Town of Redhorn

They're firing! Ambush! Ambush!

Withdraw our cov—aghh—

Are they mad?! With this many civilians around?!

Quick! Hide here!

Shit, close. Thanks.

—Fire, fire! My house—ukh— (The sound of a throat being pierced.)

Hurry! Hurry!!

Eyaaargh—

Too many civilians getting caught up...! Are they trying to pull the Lord Ameer of Ibut's whole army in!?

The Lord Ameer's army? How do you know they weren't the army in disguise?

You mean—

Look at this.

The red mark...? You picked this off one of the corpses—?

I did. We've been fooled by our own. The situation here is a complete mess now. You might not even get it if I gave you the whole lecture—

It's way more than just us who wanted to ransack that squad. Dammit. Grab it and turn it into cash, my ass. This is a full-blown war now—

The sentry sent me all the coordinates before going black. There's four different identifiers all crawling this one area!

Do you understand what this means? Either we break through the line and earn big, or we still have the chance to surrender right now!

—Goddamnit! This is insane!

*pant*... *pant*... *cough*, *cough* *cough*...

...should be... alone here...

*cough*...

...wh—who?

A child? Why are you carrying a body... eugh, get out of here already!

Hold on... your clothes! You're a Columbian!? You're from the 'Sand Soldiers'!

B8 here, we have a survivor, a Liberi child, carrying a grown man's body—

Hey, hold it right there!

Alright, kids, you all heard that. The 'Sand Soldiers' still have one left alive! We need to bring him over!

There's still a chance our target fell into someone else's hands. Just in case, kill every last one you come across. Doesn't matter if they're the Lord Ameer's. Even if Padishah Murad himself is here, he has to die too.

Remember, a silver box. I want to be sitting on that singing before the sun goes down.

We've intercepted their comms band. It seems the 'Sand Soldiers' still have a survivor.

A child, carrying a body, probably a comrade. Think he's got what Padishah's after?