Глава 7

A pharmaceutical company investigates the root cause of a problem, adapts to the environment, allocates functions appropriately, and looks for a breakthrough.

Our target is smaller and more precise than in a conventional battle. A small tactical assault team's work is closer to a surgery than it is to a firefight.

What the warmongers can't do falls within our area of expertise.

Rhodes Island is going to take out the enemy command in the core city. All our objectives center on rooting out the cause of this disease.

But even if we excise the cancer, if the cause of the problem remains unknown to us, it will not be fundamentally solved.

Dr. {@nickname}, I do hope you will give this due consideration.

—Who are our patients?

The normal Infected? The Ursus who were Infected? Reunion? Or this city?

And where is the cause of this disease?

We've discussed how Reunion is not maintaining the city's communication networks.

It has become clear that Talulah deliberately kept Originium clusters from the Catastrophe in the city to maintain a state of chaos.

That will massively disrupt our communications.

Even our most advanced equipment will not function under these conditions.

But now, thanks to elite operator Raidian, we can make use of the otherwise chaotic airwaves.

That leaves us with a direct, reliable method of communication, and a tactical advantage.

One advantage isn't enough.

True.

You saw the runners carrying megaphones. The guerrillas use these antiquated methods to carry intelligence and orders in encrypted messages.

We have yet to properly map the movements of these runners, but Rosmontis is working on it.

Their transmissions may not be instantaneous, and are limited in range, but it is the most stable and disciplined method in a hostile environment.

Can you guess what's wrong with this method?

It depends on the person first giving the order?;...the source.;The squad can't survive without its head.

Correct.

The real commander's location is hidden.

What would you do in that position, Doctor?

I'd flush them out!;...Use bait.;I'd have to cause some chaos first.

Correct.

Now we've focused our thinking. This is another tactical advantage.

Doctor, the Arts Rosmontis is releasing will show us the location of every runner and their patrol routes.

She will expand her consciousness and capture every physical structure within range. At the same time, her mental state will grow increasingly chaotic.

Amiya is working to flatten those emotions.

Raidian is the core of our communications. With her Arts, we can communicate unimpeded for a short period of time.

We just need to wait for Rosmontis to finish her part, then we go.

For now, the guerrillas know nothing about us.

They are completely unaware that we are targeting their communications, or that we are able to work against the ancient Sarkaz witchcraft..

We do have our methods, limited as they may be.

After striking the runners, the guerrillas will respond. Within a half hour, they will have new runners working, and they will be hardened against further attacks.

They will be on high alert, and may not have weaknesses to exploit.

What's more, we will have exposed our positioning and tactics, putting us in a difficult situation.

However, we only need to execute a single surgical strike. With that one blow, we will force out their command unit.

The guerrillas won't be expecting another Infected spec ops team.

This is a tactical advantage.

I'm more concerned with implementation. Will it work?

—I'm not going to exaggerate.

Dr. {@nickname}, even with our three tactical advantages, we are more likely to fail than succeed.

Then why do it like this?

Because anything else would be even less likely to succeed.

...Rosmontis should have started her search. Hold your breath, and don't look.

—First—

I... found three.

Rosmontis... you're okay. Come here, a little closer.

...Four.

Your ear. I'm running my finger over your ear like this... you can hear it. These are just fragments of your imagination, and you've seen it all before.

Mm...

Five.

Doctor, are you afraid of getting hurt?

...Huh?

These three teams will split up for the fight. Each will be responsible for enemy teams and crippling the runners in a different sector. We cannot give them a chance to get the word out.

Each of our squads will also redistribute their power projection, which I have already planned for. Don't worry.

As for you, you're with me.

Me?!;...Use bait.;Do I have to?

Bring your security specialist. You can't refuse. I think.

The guerrillas' equipment is of excellent quality, similar to that of the Ursus military, and they keep to discipline and tactics even more harshly and effectively.

Sarkaz, Ursus, Liberi and other races all united under a single banner.

You are safe only under my protection. I don't want Rosmontis to kill you by accident, and I don't want Amiya to distract herself trying to protect you. And Raidian, you haven't even met.

You can't cause trouble with me.

...Wait.

—Rosmontis?

Ah... Nng...

Raidian, sever Rosmontis's connection. Now!

Amiya, her mental state?

But... Rosmontis... The scene I reached out to was stable, nothing strange was happening... It shouldn't have...

It's... falling? She's... looking at the sky?

...Lost. She's lost. She's falling.

Body temperature dropping, shortness of breath... Sharp decrease in endorphin levels.

Does she need the injection?

(Shakes her head)

This isn't like Raidian using supplements to replenish her energy. Rosmontis's Arts throw off a balance inside her body, but not an entirely biological one.

Injecting steroids to increase hormone production can seriously disrupt her endocrine system that could result in a failure of her inhibitor functions.

I... I...

You left me? Why... I have to...

—Why did you leave me...?

But this is very bad.

Bad is not an excuse to indulge my incompetence.

Dr. {@nickname}, I will not resort to emergency measures that cause permanent bodily harm... no matter how effective they may be.

Rosmontis's problem is not biological. She is the only one who can solve it.

Rosmontis.

Rosmontis, look at my hand.

Doc... tor... Kal... tsit..

Look at Dr. Kal'tsit's hand.

My hand is stroking your face now. Look, Dr. Kal'tsit is here. Look at me.

...Hnng.

Rosmontis, Kal'tsit doesn't have much time to stay with you. Neither does Amiya...

Outcast, Misery, Blaze, or anyone else.

But for now, Amiya and I are here.

Uh... huh.

Keep pushing, Rosmontis. Walk forward.

Yes, Rosmontis... over here. Walk this way. On the deck.

It's very hard, I know... But, Rosmontis, this is the deck, you can step on it. You won't fall through.

This is Rhodes Island.