absin

Underground Ruins

This is... Rhodes Island Operator...

Repeat... This is Rhodes Island Operator Absinthe... and Operator Rosa.

About two and a half hours ago, we got separated from our team during a Catastrophe evacuation in the Ursine borderlands and fell into a sinkhole...

Currently, we have no casualties. The coordinates of our last position are...

Do you read me? Come in.

I still can't reach anyone.

Maybe I should try another spot—

What are you doing standing up?

You should sit down and rest. Your leg...

Natalya.

You've been gone thirty minutes. Have you found anything?

Unfortunately, no. I haven't found anything that will help us out of here.

But you're right. It's a naturally-formed karst cave further in. The light is shining down from above on a much deeper part of the hole, and not in a straight line.

We can't leave through the cave, and the opening above is too far up. We probably won't be able to escape without help.

Sounds like it's more or less the same situation as here. Okay, thanks for checking.

No need to thank me!

On the contrary, I should be thanking you.

That reminds me, Absinthe, are you feeling better? How is your wound?

I learned some first-aid procedures when I worked in the Logistics Department. I can check if the bleeding has stopped and change your bandages.

I'm okay...

Don't be so quick to turn me down. You are injured because you helped me, and you guided me out of the areas affected by the aftershocks. This much is nothing.

The east side's evacuated. No more civilians in the area!

The last family at the bottom of the hill has gotten away. We don't have much time. We need to get out as soon as we can, or the Catastrophe—

—Watch out!

Ah!

Absinthe!

Hold on tight!

Ugh... Ah.

Absinthe groans at the intense pain in her leg, but she quickly manages to bring her breathing under control and forces herself to shift her attention to her surroundings.

Her glimpse into the darkness yields no information whatsoever.

I can't see very well.

There will be aftershocks. We need to move to a safer location.

Ugh—my light sticks aren't here... Ro... Natalya! Can you hear me?

Natalya?

Absinthe takes her hand. Her palm is still warm. Fortunately, the two of them are still together despite the fall.

However, Rosa is not responding.

Is she out?

The stench of blood... and it's sticky... She's bleeding from her head.

A head injury...

We need to move somewhere bright enough that I can see.

(Lightly knocks on the fallen wall)

A hollow echo can be heard through the collapsed walls and beams. It causes the chaos in her head to dissipate. She closes her eyes and blinks. Slowly, her vision starts to clear.

Come on, come on... At least take me somewhere safer.

Absinthe props up her unconscious friend and starts moving in the direction of a faint glow.

I did what I was supposed to do.

Any other Rhodes Islander would've done the same. All I did was help my teammate to a space that's more structurally sound to buy ourselves time for a rescue... It's standard procedure.

Besides, like the wound on your head, my leg injury isn't serious. It's just a flesh wound, my bleeding has stopped. And I don't have any broken bones. There's no need for first aid.

Really, it's nothing.

Then... what about the comms?

I still haven't been able to reach anyone outside.

Besides, we don't have much battery left. We can't keep it turned on the whole time in hopes of catching a signal. We'll have to try again later.

Is there anything else I can do right now?

All we can do is wait.

Alright...

If there's something you want to ask, go right ahead.

Is it that obvious?

I'm just wondering... the mother and child who lived at the bottom of the mountain... the ones we evacuated last... Did they really get out safely? The earthquake came so suddenly...

Also, if we really can't reach anyone, what are we going to do?

First, before I regrouped with you, I made sure they evacuated to safety.

Second, if we can't reach anyone on our own, they'll notice we're missing when they take a head count and send a search team.

This is all standard procedure. Just like I told you before.

Right.

Have you always been so dependable?

What do you mean...?

You're very dependable. It's like no hardship can slow you. I don't think I'd know what to do, if I'd ended up here by myself.

I'm sure you'd be fine.

Why is that?

Remember Chernobog? If you really didn't know what to do, how would you have gotten out of that place, that situation, alive?

This can't compare to that.

How did you—

Oh, right. I forgot you're from Chernobog, too.

Of course. I did things I'm not proud of in order to survive, but I did get a lot of help from the others.

That's exactly why I don't understand why you came back.

Care to elaborate?

You could've gotten out safely, but you chose to come back and help us evacuate the villagers who refused to leave.

Operators without search-and-rescue experience should've evacuated with the crew before the Catastrophe came instead of staying. If I wasn't able to save you, or if we don't actually make it out of this place...

Everything you did to stay alive and everything everybody did to help you will have been for nothing.

That's true, but... if I always choose to leave, I'll always be the inexperienced rookie, won't I?

I'll always be stuck in the same place, never able to help more people.

I want to be like the rest of you and do more... That's also why I chose to work out here on the front lines instead of staying with Logistics.

You can't let that push you into danger before you're ready.

You have to treasure your own life.

(Whispers) Seriously, what would the people who helped you, even gave their lives for you, say about this...?

Care to elaborate?

Never mind.

You didn't finish. Why?

Just leave it. This isn't something I should be worrying about. I shouldn't have said anything.

It's been some time already. Let me find another spot and try the comms again.

This is Rhodes Island Operator Absinthe and Operator Rosa. I repeat, this is Rhodes Island Operator...

Maybe hold it up higher?

I'm trying—

—Probe—

—*buzz*—

Huh?!

Hello? This is Rhodes Island Operator Absinthe and Operator Rosa! We got separated from our team during a Catastrophe evacuation in the Ursine borderlands and fell into a sinkhole!

Our last known position is—

—*buzz*—

Hello? Do you read me? Our last known position is 61.700.20.450—

Hello?