Глава 10

Not happening.

If you're not letting her do it alone, then let's all go.

Settle down, you two. Dagda, have you been hanging around Indra for so long that your brain turned to muscle?

Hey...

If it was as easy as getting some live bait out there, would the two of you still be here making a scene?

Our armor could maybe take two hits from a standard crossbow. Our friends in Engineering spent months working hard to make it.

If you're going to run out there and get yourself killed, you never should've come to Londinium in the first place!

Alright, I get it. But I swear, I'm not letting anything happen to Vina!

We... haven't even been home yet!

True, there's no point in running out there.;It's too early to be saying that kind of stuff.

Doctor, do you have a plan?

The drones.

Drones...? Hmm, hmm, I see... Oh, so that's where you're going with it. That makes sense.

What are you mumbling about now, Closure? The Doctor barely said two words, but you're acting like you had a whole conversation!

Oh, my bad. I just got an idea.

Those cannons seem pretty intelligent, and at such a long range, they can't be completely manual. They must have some way of locking onto moving targets near the ground.

One or two guys running around won't be enough to get the cannons off our backs.

If I deploy all my drones at once, the targeting algorithm might see them as a higher-priority threat than us and the civilians, but...

But there's no guarantee?

Well obviously, I can't promise anything!

Closure, the reinforcement failed. The pressure is too great for the drones to withstand!

The base plate is going to collapse within thirty seconds...

We have no other choice. Let's give it a try.

On the Doctor's signal, all operators prepare to withdraw.

Five, four, three––

Two––

Run!

Drones, launching!

Run, everyone! Go, go!

Did it work?

It bought us just enough time to move to a structure a few steps away... but this place won't last long either.

That was our one shot, too... My precious drones have all been reduced to scrap, and even I can't just conjure up another batch.

We can't safely move forward or retreat backwards. If we want to escape the cannon fire, we're going to have to take some risks.

I wish there were some way around all of this...

I heard you needed a guide?

Huh?

Who's there?!

Miss Cautus, I'd like to talk to you.

But before that, I'd appreciate it if you could have your people lower their weapons.

You–– Who are you?

Let's save the introductions for later.

Claws, a machete, and this... Uhh, this hammer? Ma'am, your weapon looks plenty brilliant, but I'd appreciate it if you could keep it away from my head.

Otherwise, this friend of yours might be in danger.

––Doctor!!

Huh? What happened?;......;Is he talking about me?

Not too close now.

One more step, and your friend's head becomes a mess on the wall.

A-Amiya, the drone...!

One of the drones wrapped around when we weren't paying attention, and it's locked onto the Doctor's head!

You sure know your stuff, Miss Pointy-Ears.

To be honest, I'm getting more and more curious about you lot.

All hands, weapons down.

There we go, that's nice. Oh, make sure you get the message to your snipers around the corner too. I bet they haven't blinked once since I showed up.

Do as he says.

Lovely.

––Sir.

I hope you believe us when we say that we'd never move to harm a stranger unprovoked, but––

Harm one thread on the Doctor's hood and I promise you, right here, right now, I don't need a weapon to ensure you never threaten another human being.

Ahem...

Ugh... This place is already dangerous enough. Are we seriously going to get blown up before we even start our mission?!

Right, if we don't want the Sarkaz to turn us to dust, we don't have time to be pointing weapons at each others' heads.

Listen up, I have an idea. Please come with me, nice and easy.

I'm gonna keep borrowing your friend here until we get where we're going––

That's not very nice.;......;And if I refuse?

Sorry, but you don't get a say. Behave yourself and come along with me, my faceless friend.

Pipes. They are buried deep underground with no end in sight.

These pipes connect the entire city. They are the veins of Londinium. It is through them that the energy is supplied to Londinium's heart, and that is where we are right now.

Never fear the darkness before your eyes. When the sun sets at night, the shadows live on in the city's veins.

When the light is taken, you trust your ears, your nose, and your remaining senses.

Listen carefully. The mechanical rumble is the flow of its blood. The gears rotate rhythmically like breathing.

Indeed, Londinium is alive. Even if we do not sit on its tall throne, it lives on as its own organism.

If you ever find yourself here again one day... no matter what may be chasing you, you needn't be afraid.

After all, you run through the body of Londinium.

Vina, you are home.

Okay, everyone. We can stop here for a while.

Uh, where exactly are we?

We've been climbing down all this time... It's like we burrowed ourselves into some kind of pipeline...

The walkway's broader, but it's still sark as hell...

Waaahhh... Are you those cutthroats who would drive us to some abondoned construction site and slice our neck?

Huh...? *Cough*, you might be right about that.

Who the hell are you anyway, punk? Don't think we'll just follow your every word.

Hm... to be on the safe side, let me ask you the same question.

Who are you people? Why are you trying to sneak into Londinium?

Before we answer that, you need to let our employee go.

Right, you're taking me hostage.;......;Let go already.

Is our hooded friend your commander?

Sure enough. I figured out who calls the shots in battle. That said, Cautus lady, you're the one who's actually in charge, right?

Don't be so surprised. I'll admit you have a few tricks up your sleeves, but... we're locals, and we know this playbook a lot better than you.

A local... You live in Londinium, then?

Were you part of that big fight earlier?

Stop with the guesses. We haven’t worked up the mutual trust yet.

Dublinn and the Sarkaz fighting each other doesn't prove anything. Them bickering doesn't mean we should fall down on either side.

Londinium's veins.

Wh-What did you say?

We've made it inside Londinium.

How can you tell?!

These pathways connect the city to the outside. They can get us past the Sarkaz guards and inside the city.

How long have we walked? Twenty minutes?

I reckon we're right underneath a certain key facility in Sudean right now.

Uh...