act8mini

This is within the scope of my duties.

4:39 P.M. \ Overcast, Visibility: 4 km

Rhodes Island Landship, Bridge

Warning, the wind speed is increasing rapidly!

At these numbers, our visibility's going to fall under one kilometer within a few minutes!

Did you turn on the assisted driving function for sandstorm mode?

We've had it on for a while, it was part of the itinerary.

But Amiya, this might not be an ordinary sandstorm...

My god!

What is it, Pavel?

Sensors detecting thunderstorm clouds ahead!

Open the PA, tell the whole ship that Rhodes Island will pass through a thunderstorm shortly, and raise the alert level by one!

Central command personnel, slow us down right now!

Ugh... we're rocking a lot...

What's the situation?

The pressure on the hull side panels is skyrocketing!

70% of the outermost storm shutters have been damaged and are basically failing!

Also... multiple abnormal heat sources detected near the hull, energy amplitude approaching critical threshold!

Does this mean...

Yes. It's a Catastrophe.

Ah, Dr. {@nickname}!

How... can this be?

No time to explain.;It's a supercell.

Alright... I got it.

All hands, activate code red Catastrophe alert!

Evacuate all personnel on the first deck, bridge excluded. Gather all non-engineering personnel from the second to sixth levels in the central area for safety!

Central control, maintain minimum speed cruising...

Navigator, how long will this desert thunderstorm last?

These sudden-onset storms usually pass within an hour or two...

It's hard to say for sure. Doctor? Earthspirit?

Earthspirit, your analysis.

Yes, Doctor.

Mr. Pavel, the Doctor gave you the report I completed an hour ago.

Multiple small cyclones within two kilometers...? This doesn't bode well!

This Catastrophe is no ordinary desert thunderstorm... we could be looking at a maximum strength windstorm!

Can I borrow one of the sensors on the bridge?

Of course. I should've seen it myself...

It's alright, Mr. Pavel. This is an extremely abnormal phenomenon and well beyond the scope of normal Catastrophe prediction. An experienced Catastrophe Messenger would have some trouble spotting all the signs in time.

If not for the Doctor's assistance, I would've treated the outliers as errors and glossed over them.

We still have time to move things in the right direction.;......;I'm getting a real bad feeling about this.

Doctor, Amiya, the small cyclones ahead are converging and intensifying.

In other words, the core of the multi-cyclone vortex is about to generate.

Once the core forms, I estimate the cyclone will reach two kilometers in diameter and last at least seven to eight hours.

What happens if Rhodes Island maintains its speed as it approaches the core?

If we come into contact with the vortex, the ship's hull may collide with high-speed active Originium dust, roughly equivalent to the simultaneous detonation of hundreds of maximum-payload Originium bombs across the bulwark.

I'm sure you can guess how that might go for us.

Do we have enough time to change course?

I can try...

The core of the windstorm changes directions very quickly, and can reach a maximum speed of nearly 1,000 kilometers per hour.

Then there's no point in us trying.

Amiya, even if we try a full speed retreat, if we get unlucky with the direction, Rhodes Island won't escape the storm.

Then it seems like the only thing we can do is stay put.

Mr. Pavel, give me a potential damage assessment.

If we spend seven hours in a thunderstorm of a similar scale, the first to sixth decks will be damaged maybe 15%...

Of those, the first deck will take the hardest hits, and casualties are likely.

It'll be the biggest loss the ship takes in a year.

But, I don't see any options...

There is a way.

Doctor?

We won't have to take damage.;You don't want to have to dock for a month of repairs, right?

Yes, if we have to stop in the wastelands, we could face other threats.

We have another choice.;Since we can't retreat and don't want to stop, what else can we do?

Doctor, are you suggesting that we continue straight ahead?

That's out of the question, visibility is too low!

Even with assisted driving, I can't navigate. I'm from Sargon, plunging headfirst into a sandstorm like this is suicide!

I understand your concerns, Mr. Kamal.

But, I trust the Doctor.

Dr. {@nickname}, are you sure about leading Rhodes Island through the Catastrophe zone?

I need Earthspirit to keep calculating the real-time coordinates of the vortex.;Yes.;I need PRTS to help me calculate the energy amplitude of the Originium on the surface.

Good, please cooperate with the Doctor.

Calculating a safe route in such a short time sounds like a bad joke.

If anyone can do it, it's our Doctor.

I've heard stories of the battles and all... but operating the landship is nothing like field command!

I don't know about this... Of course, I don't doubt the Doctor's abilities, but I've never heard of this real-time calculation method...

It just might work...

Earthspirit, can you make sense of the Doctor's formulas?

No.

But they feel a bit familiar.

Right... I heard about a similar formula from some whiz kid a couple days ago, but the Doctor's version is more complicated and varied.

I've given the route to the navigator.;Work with the central control staff if you need to change course rapidly.;Amiya, we're ready.

Let's head forward then!

I'll help you issue instructions.;Leave it to me.

No, Doctor, that would be too inefficient.

Rhodes Island only needs one commander right now.

Okay, Doctor, go forward until you're at my position.

From the moment I saw you appear on the bridge, I trusted that the situation would definitely turn around.

Attention, everyone on the bridge–

From now on, I am transferring command of the Rhodes Island landship to Dr. {@nickname}!

Notify Closure and have her put all cabins into energy-saving mode!;All power to the engines!

Got it, Doctor!

Message from Closure: The engine is ready, and she wishes us 'good luck'...

There's nothing wrong with going a little crazy every now and then.

If I knew I'd be sailing like this, I would've brought some booze.

Rhodes Island, all ahead full!

I'm getting a nosebleed from this speed!

That's because I elbowed your nose... Sorry, but the whole place is shaking so much I can't control my limbs.

Is the seismic damper malfunctioning?

Looks like it's not just my imagination - the whole ship's falling apart.

Earthspirit, you haven't taken your eyes off the screen at all...

Cyclone number two is continuing to move thirty degrees southeast, cyclone number three... cyclone number four...