silent

Thank you so much, Silence! I wouldn't have been able to get into Rhine Lab to observe, if not for you.

No need to thank me. Just doing my job.

It was worth it, waking you up every morning during exam weeks!

I got myself up too.

Twice, in all those years!

Hehe...

There are some real lookers at that company. Tell me the truth—anybody caught your eye?

Huh? Er, no... I've only been here a few days...

Alright, I'll stop teasing you.

I know how obsessed you are with science. You'll never take the initiative to ask anybody out.

To be honest, though, we're a little concerned.

About what?

Your shyness is your only flaw. Setting aside romance for a moment, we're worried that you won't be able to find a friend to talk to at work.

Y-You don't need to worry.

All my colleagues are very nice. Nothing to worry about, at all.

...I guess so.

I'm in Trimounts for three days, which means I'll be around for the weekend.

Let's play all over Trimounts tomorrow!

Good morning, Silence.

Good morning, Mr. Miller.

Happy Monday, Chris!

Happy Monday, Susanna.

Go anywhere over the weekend?

Nope. Stayed home and binged a whole season of Blood and Dividends.

Oh, same here. Stayed up all night to finish it!

You like that show, Silence?

I... I haven't—

Let's change the subject... what did you do over the weekend, Silence? Did you go out?

Yes! An old classmate came to Trimounts, and we went to a bunch of places.

I liked to go out on weekends when I first got here too. There are some choice places in town, which is your favorite?

Trimounts Common.

The Common? But it's just a bunch of trees. Why would you—

Chris.

Oh.

Well, we've got a thing, better get going. Happy Monday!

That's all for this week's agenda. Dismissed.

Silence, a moment of your time.

Of course, Doctor.

How are things going on the job?

I like the atmosphere here at the company. Everyone is very passionate.

As you are yourself. Your talent stands out, even in this place. I have high hopes for you.

Thank you...

But you have a tendency to be aloof, outside of work.

There are a lot of young people here. We need to maintain a collegial atmosphere, whether it's having a chat or going out together, some social interaction can be conducive to our work.

I understand.

Of course you do. Everybody does.

But the trick is to actually do it.

Anyway, I'm not here to lecture you. I have a task for you.

I'm not going to force you into a project or a team. Take a look around and see if there's a place in the Structural Section that interests you.

I'll take your preferences and our needs into account.

Team Sherman... focusing on Originium particle pathology. They're currently working on...

I guess Team 7 fits my preferences better.

But that team is full of veteran researchers... I don't know if it's appropriate to ask to join them...

Hey, you over there! Did you see a Liberi woman who looks half-asleep come through here?

Liberi woman... half-asleep?

Not you, of course. She has white hair, and she's wearing—

Ack, never mind. Doesn't look like she came this way.

Don't think she's here, Karen. Let's look somewhere else.

Where could she have gone? Why can't she just stay put in her room?

(Are they looking for somebody?)

(Liberi woman who looks half-asleep... they might have mistaken me for her, if she didn't have white hair.)

Only one team left. Let's see... Device #9.

Their office should be here.

There's a thick coat of dust on the do—

Huh?

Liberi woman... white hair... half-asleep...

Are you the patient they're looking for?

Or did you just happen to be unlucky enough to resemble the one they're looking for?

Or are you a member of this team?

(Nods)

I see.

I'm Olivia Silence. I just joined Rhine Lab recently. Nice to meet you. What's your name?

Er...

Silence takes a look at the dusty bulletin board. There is only one name on it—Joyce Moore.

Are you Joyce Moore?

Affirmative.

Affirmative?

Found her—

You were just over there! Were you lying? Were you trying to help her avoid us?

No, I didn't—

Enough.

This is Rhine Lab, not your college dorm! Did you think it was funny, helping her play hide-and-seek?

I'm not...

Enough. I don't know what you were thinking, but you're interfering with our work.

I'll report this!

Thanks for the explanation. I'll clear this up.

Thank you.

Did something happen to Ms. Moore's team? Why is her name the only one there?

The team was disbanded after a failed experiment. That office has been empty ever since.

The names of the others have been removed from the board, but Moore remains hospitalized, so her name has yet to be removed.

When will she be able to return to work?

Hard to say.

The equipment used in the failed experiment remains in her brain. No one knows for sure what will become of her.

What? How could that be?

It's a sad story.

Moore was an outstanding researcher who volunteered to be our test subject. You've seen what the failure of the experiment did to her.

Some measure of sacrifice is inevitable in science, but perhaps we paid too high a price.

Never mind that for now.

I heard you went around to all the teams. Have you decided where you want to go?

I want to...