act47side

*Vomit*...

Go on, barf your heart out. At least we got a taste of life in the sky... you won't have anything to throw up when you get back to the frontier, back to the cold and hunger.

Skip the technical inspections before the opening? Absolutely not.

Everyone on Propeller Paradise is racing against the clock to get across the finish line. Mr. Tannen believes that any delay to projects caused by inspections will compromise Propeller Paradise's opening.

In addition, reducing the amount of communication you have to conduct with other tech firms will allow you to devote more of your time to your Rhine Lab research. Mr. Tannen has your best interests at heart.

My best interests?

I spent years wandering the frontier when I first came to Columbia, building houses for the Pioneer Teams and killing bandits for the caravans. Life was hard until I finally got my big break.

If I had someone like Gordon Tannen with my best interests at heart, handling everything I wasn't comfortable with...

That would have been very fortunate, I'm sure.

I would have died out there in the wilderness, I'm sure.

Besides, what he really wants isn't for Rhine to forfeit our control over technical inspections.

How do you know?

You imitate his negotiating style too well. The traps and pitfalls are obvious.

I'm not a Cautus. I'm not in the habit of diving into holes.

Spit it out. What does he really want?

You are as astute and decisive as he said you were.

In that case, I'm sure you understand that, while Mr. Tannen is in charge of Propeller Paradise's overall administration, it is Rhine that has a stranglehold on public opinion.

He doesn't need any accidents at such a critical juncture, nor can he afford one. Therefore, he has put together a list based on project progress, and asks that you perform the inspections in this order.

This way, at least the inspections will have a minimal impact on the progress of individual projects, and minimize the chance of conflict, setting aside the issue of engineering control.

The less hassle for you, the less hassle for him.

I won't try to speculate about Tannen's intentions with the order. We have a compromise.

Give me the list.

Thank you for your understanding, Director Lunorey. I won't trouble you any longer.

One last question. Which rule were you following in the negotiation just now?

The twelfth: Know your boss, and communicate his intentions with absolute faithfulness when negotiating, for you are his personal representative.

However—

Yes?

Before I came, Mr. Tannen stressed how difficult the head of Rhine Lab's Engineering Section was.

I packed blankets because I thought I might have to spend the night in front of your office.

But that's not what I see. You don't need concern from other people, and you're used to cutting through the problem in the most direct possible way. But you still care about people.

Which is why I now have the time to enjoy my lunch in peace, something that I have not done in a long time.

Thank you.

Andrew! Did they hit you again?

Call me Sky.

But you gave yourself that name. Mom and Dad said...

Don't bring them into this! What have they ever done for us, except use us as punching bags? They don't get to decide my name!

I swept floors for six years at TIT and eavesdropped on every course so that I wouldn't turn out like those two piles of garbage!

But...

And you! Don't you have anything better to do than put nagging notes on my bag? It's not like I don't know how to eat—

Those people are here again...

Frickin' hell... they just won't quit, will they? Stay behind me.

You think you're all high n' mighty wearin' that white coat, eh? You and that li'l bitch there will always be slum dregs, no matter what you wear.

Hah... you're a musbeast in a ditch. You wouldn't know greatness if it shat on your face.

Say that again, I dare you!

Andrew!

Wh-What's that?

Catastrophe?! Run!

Catastrophe my ass! It's called exploration! Progress!

The young man, all bruised up, looks up at the sky. He forgets that he is in a dark and dirty alley, with a scared little girl behind him.

He cannot help but go after that ray of light in the sky.

Aren't you worried about the Control?

Like she ever needs us to worry.

We're going the same way. And that's all we are.

We can only play our own parts, and then... pray she's lucky.

(In Sarkaz) If one day, Kazdel too hangs from the firmament, then I'll engrave your name into my stoves.

*pant*... *pant*...

E-Excuse me, ma'am...

Can you tell me about the one who went into the sky...?

Who was that?

Kristen.

Her name was Kristen Wright.

Lucky Cystybeast Food and Beverage will cancel their registration tomorrow, Director.

They didn't pass the re-check?

Not even close. They were one of the first corporations that made the transformation to get into Propeller Paradise, riding on 'sky fever', when review criteria were less strict—

What will happen to the testers they hired?

Their boss can't tell a motor from a transformer. I bet he just saw the name 'Propeller Paradise' as an opportunity to get rich quick...

What were you asking?

Nothing. You seem to like the name.

I wish they would just call it Galleria Stellaria.

I know you didn't approve of publicizing the Ring Lab's technological legacy.

I have no intention of criticizing the Acting Control's decision, but overly conservative decision-making will only cause us to lose the respect we deserve.

Countless tech firms have appeared out of nowhere, based on nothing but speckles of data. The Ring Lab that shone upon millions of Columbians is now educational toys accessible to anyone above the age of five...

'Space' and 'universe' are the buzzwords on every Columbian's lips, but few remember that they came from Kristen's experiment logs that were made public.

No one is truly commemorating her—not even you, Director Lunorey.

Recording and retrospection are historians' work. Our job is to analyze validated data and follow a path that is effective and proven.

And what has come of this data and path?

Over the past couple of years, Rhine has acquired a dozen smaller labs, making progress in projects large and small—with the notable exception of Kristen's legacy.

At this exhibition, we will publish Rhine's subsequent research into the Galleria Stellaria for the first time, putting second-rate tech firms in their place, returning to the realm of aero-exploration and the public eye.

I know the Vivarium was built on the data transmitted down from the Ring Lab, and that the development of a plant-based energy transmission system represents a monumental milestone in engineering design.

Nurturing sprouts, paving botanical units, technical inspections... all these are for the sake of progressing our experiments. But is a 'vivarium' really enough, when it did not even get its day in the sun from the pre-expo?

Please, tell me, Director Lunorey. Rhine has bigger goals, don't we? Like how no one knew that Kristen was going to pierce the sky before the night she did it?

That night over Trimounts was a long time ago.

Get to inspecting the next company. Take note of the change in order.

Yes, ma'am.

Sky.

I know how you feel, and I know that Kristen was the one who inspired you to join us.

Many people looked up at the sky that night. Not everyone chose to chase it.

Don't forget what made you take the first step.

...I'll prepare the inspection documents.

Here's your pass, agreement form and business directory. Once again, I welcome you and your team on behalf of Propeller Paradise!

Next! Can I help you?

I'm cancelling my business registration...

What is the name of the business?

Lucky Cystybeast Food and Beverage.

You will be dismissing eighty-two testers, correct?

Yes, I have their files and my own here.

Thank you. One moment please.

Did the Shadow-Moon fall on my head or something? Why was I so sure I would make my money back that I hired eighty-two amateurs with no corporate experience?

Every company does the same thing. Why does it have to be Lucky Cystybeast that gets the axe?

A million gold certificates down the drain just because we were a little bit slow dealing with problems? You gotta be freaking kidding me!