Глава 10

The facility isn't far from the walls. And it is a key hub. From here, you can get to many places in the city.

Rail tracks...

Just another kilometer or two ahead, and there will be a train station above us.

You know Londinium well. I suppose you used to live here?

I'm a local, too.

No wonder. I was about to say your hammer feels especially familiar. Feline lady... Uh, you're a Feline, right?

Whatever you are, that's what I am.

*Sigh*. I’m really gonna regret this if you guys are actually Sarkaz spies, aren’t I?

Don't hurt the Doctor—!

He can't hurt me.;It's too late to regret anything.

Huh?! W-When did you take over the drone?

Y-You're holding it in your bare hands?! I could detonate the drone bomb right now, you know?!

You don't have a remote.;This drone isn't even finished. All it can do is fly.

Urgh, this is bad.

When did you figure it out? When I was talking to you? Or when I led you down the underground passage?

Maybe even before that...? Hold on. You didn't... you couldn’t have figured out all the way back when I captured you? That this drone poses no threat?

And you let me drag you all the way down here?!

I had to get a feel of your intentions.;You think my friends here didn't know?

If I had thought for a second you were going to hurt the Doctor, my hammer would've cracked your skull before your hand could even touch the remote.

You know, you really should've picked someone dumber for your hostage, like this punk who only knows to speak with her fists. She might have fallen for your trick.

You think he could come anywhere close?

Uh... so the signal jammer I brought along isn't gonna come in handy?

—Mr. 'Local.'

I think it's about time we put an end to this charade. No more testing each other.

We may not face enemy cannon fire, but there's still a threat to the both of us out there.

Haven't we proven ourselves?

We've had many opportunities to take you down from the moment we met. Suppose we were actually spies sent here by the Sarkaz. We've already figured out the size of things here, so why waste any more time talking to you?

The only reason that the Doctor was playing the hostage here and that we willingly followed you into this passageway is because we believe you mean no harm.

So shouldn't you put your trust in us more and tell us what your goal is?

Hm, that sounds very convincing. I mean, you could say I'm your hostage now.

Rockrock, come on out.

D-D-Dr-Drones...? So many?! With that formation, they're aiming at us, aren't they? T-They could shoot us all full of holes!

Rockrock, stop it.

It doesn't matter if they spot you or your drones. Considering their strength, I wouldn't be able to get out alive, if we came to blows.

If you knew that, maybe you shouldn't have brought me along to play your stupid games.

Fine, you're right.

Hey, hooded friend, can you give Rock-17 back? The drone in your hand there. It's only half-done. If you break it, Rockrock is going to be livid.

Phew... Well, pleased to make your acquaintance.

I'm Feist. This is Rockrock, my partner.

We belong to the Londinium Citizens' Self-Salvation Corps.

How many places do you think there are in Londinium that our eyes cannot reach?

Countless many.

There are thousands of old factories in the city. Roughly four-in-ten are abandoned. The remaining sixty percent are still operational.

Most of the factories that are still running are built on the sites of even older factories. The factory buildings might as well be labyrinths filled with centuries' worth of industrial waste.

As many factories as there are, there are even more slums hidden away between the factory buildings. Not even the top echelons of the city's defense force can say how many there are living in these civilian industrial and old logistics districts.

Sometimes, I even think this place isn't so different from Kazdel.

The more colorful outer shell is the main difference. That, and they buried the rotten parts deeper inside to keep the stench from suffocating the distinguished elite.

Trying to fish a group of troublemakers out of the Kazdel slums in three days is like trying to rob a group of Lateran envoys covered by the Apostolic Knights on your own. Not an easy ask.

It is still built atop the foundation that we were all born in Kazdel.

Londinium... Who dares to claim to know Londinium so well?

How long did it take us to defeat the parliamentary guard and take command of seventy percent of the city's defense forces?

Less than a week.

How long did it take us to hang the aristocrats that took the lead in the opposition and defeat the hooligans they spent great sums to hire dozens of times, until they all finally fell in line?

A month and a half.

Yet we are now months into our tug-of-war with the so-called rebels here in the Sudean streets and alleys.

In just half a year, we seized nearly every borough of Londinium.

Every borough except this one.

A half-abandoned industrial district. From the south all the way to the north, it surrounds the mountains in Londinium's center and connects to the rarely-visited old logistics districts.

'This is where the history of Londinium begins.'

So the history books claim.

I know that there must be at least one king, perhaps even several, who are dissatisfied with my progress.

You mentioned that they wanted to completely seal off this ward.

They are far too easily offended. As soon as command here falls into their hands, they will build a new wall between Sudean and the other wards with the bodies of the Londiniers.

At the very least, the Regent supports you.

No, it is I who must do everything I can to support the general.

The court does not understand the general's pain... They do not understand how fragile the current balance is.

Do you know why I insisted on activating only the secondary defense cannons?

If I activate the primary cannons right now... will the dukes out there march right inside?

Suppose we proceed to slaughter all the people of Londinium. Will that once again stir disloyalty among the nobles in the city and the soldiers who joined us, causing them to turn their swords against us and fight to the bitter end?

Suppose we completely abandon this industrial district. How much longer will the general's plans be delayed without the trains carrying materials to The Shard every day?

The lords' pride prevented them from casting their ancient skulls downward to see these foreign cities.

In my opinion, if we are to control all of Londinium, the most difficult battle we must fight is right before our eyes.

The Sarkaz calls us the rebels. We got no complaints in that department.

If the only way to save ourselves is by standing up against them, then even the most ordinary of Londiniers will take up arms.

Do you know what's happening in the other wards?

Can't be better than here.

All of us either work for the Sarkaz or die.

We've been getting bits and pieces of news from up north. From what I heard, the Sarkaz army there's much more cruel.

Vina, does that mean Baird and the rest who stayed behind...

Calm down.

How am I supposed to be calm?! It's been five years! Five years! I don't even know if they're still...

We'll find them.

Soon, we'll find each of them, one by one.

Okay, Vina. I trust you. No matter where they are. No matter if they're alive or...

Never mind! I won't get so gloomy in front of everyone.

Ladies, as long as your friends are still alive, we should have a way to get in touch with them.

You operate outside of Sudean too?

We can get anywhere in Londinium. Even outside the city.

For each of us they take away, ten more join our ranks.

Rockrock is a born and bred Sudean girl. She's one of our most senior fighters. She knows better than the rest of us how our team grew, bit by bit.

Seeing as you're leading a team now, we might've been adding to our ranks a little too quickly.

Haha, who do you think led you to eleven victories, Lieutenant?

All we did was lead people underground. How does that count as a victory?

Managing to live another day under the Sarkaz's noses, all while we get to keep operating in the dark? I'd call that a win.

It's just as you saw. The Sarkaz haven't taken complete control of Sudean yet.

The terrain and flow of people here are so chaotic that if the Sarkaz really are trying to take control of every inch, then they must really have underestimated the place.

And besides... This is where the last Londinium defense force squad fought the Sarkaz.

Looks like they lost too.

*Sigh*... They fought and they lost.

That battle was over quick... way too quick. Before any of us could react, the Sarkaz were already standing atop the walls.