act33side

I prepared a gift for you, {@nickname}.

What do you hear?

This is...

Do you remember? This is the polarization formed when AMa-10 was born. You said you found a rhythm within its waveform. Of course, I added a little personal touch.

I adjusted the direction of the planetary track's array to capture different echoes. The harmony is derived from the lingering neutrinos of extinguishing stars. As for the orchestrator, I used the gravitational folds left behind when the ship sailed through the stargate.

Oh... I knew you'd like it, {@nickname}.

The universe's singing... Even at this moment, it's still as touching as ever.

But this violates the norms we set ourselves, Priestess. These facilities should've kept operating on the preset path.

The stars are losing their color. This world no longer has norms, doesn't it?

This place will fall silent soon, almost like we've never been here.

Come walk with me, before the silence comes.

I hope... we'll get to see this world's future with our own eyes together, {@nickname}.

'We will... I will wait for you in that world.'

Four Years Ago...

Summer, 1090

Rhodes Island of Babel, Kazdel

Phew! Finally done retrofitting the electrical wiring. Now we're gonna be able to withstand any impact... I think.

How dare Kal'tsit make me work forty-eight hours nonstop... Once all this is over, I'm gonna tell Her Highness on her!

Confirmed within the landship's communications range. Signal's clear. The mini bases you hid around are great, Closure.

Of course! Not even Her Highness has seen anything this handy!

Is their so-called research finished?

The energy surge caused by the last couple rounds almost got Rhodes Island to stall. I'm still reinforcing the landship for the next impact.

You know how much I racked my brains to cover up the landship's movement? Like, what if the Military Commission's spies caught wind—

Relax. I've already eliminated all our targets nearby. Just focus on your preparations.

Scout, report.

The infiltration mission is complete. I'm sending the intel back to Babel.

What's the situation inside the city?

Not much has changed over the past few years. Not many Catastrophes. Very little movement.

Our situation's not very optimistic, actually. If the Military Commission continues to shrink our strategic space—

Let's trust Her Highness and Dr. Kal'tsit.

You're right... They've spent so much time preparing for today's experiment just to turn the tide.

Right, Scout, have you gotten your hands on the equipment I was keeping at my place?

I've already entrusted it to a Messenger to take to Babel.

Awesome. With the secret weapon Kal'tsit and I knocked out together, we'll definitely crack that weird control system on the ship.

I'll rendezvous with the Messenger and confirm the package's risk level before bringing it to the landship.

We have been investigating the agent behind our missing engineer too. The threat against the landship hasn't been fully eliminated yet.

Closure, I brought you even more materials, just as you asked. They're so heavy!

Thanks, Odda! Hm... Looks like now I can make more safety equipment for Her Highness and Kal'tsit.

And I should install an extra line for backup. Hope there won't be any unexpected surprises this time...

Do you need any help, Closure?

Oh. You should hurry and evacuate to a safe zone with everybody else. The next wave of impacts... is probably gonna be in thirty minutes.

Now everything's all ready.

Hm... I'm kinda curious... Just what kind of secret experiments are Kal'tsit and Her Highness running? They even need to mod the energy and defense modules, not to mention those weird tests...

There is no one with a better understanding of Originium.

If you want to solve the suffering caused by Originium...

There is no better candidate for the job.

The news you bring is always so... surprising. Even for the King of Sarkaz...

Are those devices really still working...? Are you confident about the resurrection?

The vast majority of lifeforms on Terra can't resist corrosion that spans such a long stretch of time.

The Terra we see today is no doubt a miracle, and so are you, Theresa.

But in the past, the whole solar system revolving around the sun was insignificant in their eyes.

You seem a little tense... and also a little anxious and nervous.

Is there anything else that worries you?

...Yes.

But... I can't tell you.

It's okay! Sorry, I shouldn't have distracted you. Focus. I can feel it.

'Kal'tsit...' You love this name, don't you?

I... I've forgotten almost everything else about those days.

But I still remember how, in that distant, distant past, somebody gave me this name—

'Kal'tsit.'

That was the last time we ever met.

'Kal'tsit. I do not have much time left.

'Search for traces of life. Search for hope and a future.

'Kal'tsit... Go find your own answer.

'Find yourself.'

Then why hesitate?

I know what you mean. It's just...

...I've had a premonition... worry... or perhaps, a conjecture.

At the starting point of this land, at a certain point in time when life had only started budding, something that can never be reversed happened here.

And I don't know what it is.

If it's someone that even Dr. Kal'tsit can put her full faith in, then I'm not one bit worried.

Besides, considering how cautious you are, the safety measures that you prepared well ahead of time have never allowed me to worry.

I'm sorry to say this, Theresa.

This alone, no matter how many contingency measures I prepare, I still can't confidently say anything is conclusive.

Theresa, I can't guarantee that I will always make the most rational decision.

And this time... I want to believe.

Then do what you want to. I'll be here, with you.

Kal'tsit's hand touches the door that has stood silently still for a cryptically long stretch of time.

A new wave of tremors reaches Rhodes Island.

The door loosens.

'Originium will become the beacon, condensed by our civilization...

'If one day, other lifeforms in the universe lose their homeland and seek a way to resolve their plight,

'they will witness...

'...that we once shined,

'we once resisted,

'and this is where we rest.

'We once delivered a gift to those who came after us, before our annihilation—

'—Hope.'

(Unknown language) This place...

(Unknown language) Is... it... time already?

Warning: Unknown power activated.

Warning: PRTS access detected...

Warning: PRTS access detect—

PRTS access reset complete. Administrator permissions confirmed.

All communication module channels open. Communications receiver module overclocking procedure completed.

Search: Preserver... No signal.

Search: Caerula Arbor... No signal.

Search: Celestial Fulcrum... No signal.

Search: (Unknown static noise)... No signal.

Search complete. No signal detected on any channel.