level_st_09-03

Leave it to me... You've traveled far to bring her home.

I will take care of the rest personally.

Ashes... and her personal effects.

There hasn't been an emergency transmission to Rhodes Island's deck for eleven months and twenty-seven days, since the end of the Chernobog incident.

—Who's the victim?

Outcast.

Right. I see you holding her revolver's cylinder.

I don't want to admit it, but I already knew the answer. I figured it out on our way here.

I made a bet with her once—

And it looks like she won.

Kal'tsit, I won't be at that next meeting.

Per protocol, you're in charge of an elite operator's funeral...

But I want to be the one to send her off this time.

I doubt anyone will object. Definitely not her.

Since the meeting's canceled, I'll give you my final decision right now—

I know what you're going to say.

Then I'm sure you know what everyone else will say.

The situation has changed. No one's happy about it, but we all know this is the only choice we have.

—We have to enter Londinium as soon as we can.

I'm sure you know that my position has always been the same—

But regardless of whether the rest of you support my decision or not, I must emphasize that Rhodes Island's direction will not be set on the airing of personal feelings.

You're telling me to forget about avenging Outcast?

Don't worry. I'm angry and hurt, but I know my job.

It's just... I need to see for myself what it was that killed Outcast—

It couldn't have been just one person, or even several of them.

Suppose we don't go looking for the truth. The darkness shrouding Londinium, and even all of Victoria, is only going to get worse.

And at that point, it won't just be Outcast...

I'll die. We all will. No one will be safe.

Just like you said, Rhodes Island isn't about avenging the dead...

But I am sure we all want to let the living live.

Er... Where am I now? Did I make another wrong turn?

Oh, whoops! It's almost time. I have to hurry... *sigh*, Uncle Oliver never told me how big this ship was!

Huh? Are you...?!

Wait, please! Hold on!

Mm...

You...

(Why doesn't she seem to know me at all?)

(No, it couldn't be anyone else.)

(I've been meaning to find out what happened to her ever since I came to the ship, but they either didn't know or wouldn't tell me.)

(Hmm... Maybe it's for the best, for her own safety?)

Hello.

A—Are you reading? 'The Legend of Ivanhoe'... I've read it too. It's one of my favorites.

Don't you think this part of Victorian history makes for a really fun read?

Is it... fun? I suppose... but it's not real.

It's a novel... That's all.

Right... I suppose that is true. Do you want to read something else, too? I have lots of books... Oh. No, sorry. It slipped my mind I didn't bring any of them with me...

If you like this one... you can have it.

Huh? Are you sure? Th-Thanks...

I'll be... going now.

Oh, okay! Bye!

(Will we see each other again?)

(She has another book on her... A poetry collection?)

Seamus Williams... The name rings a bell, and I think I've seen that cover before.

This must be the place...

I—Identification code? What is that? Is it in the 'New Operator Guide?'

Ugh, I don't want to be late. I'll just knock.

Come in!

Good afternoon, Miss Willow... or should I call you Operator Saileach?

Oh... Miss Amiya!

Please, just Amiya. That's what everyone calls me here.

I'm sorry about this, Amiya... You're so busy, I shouldn't have you cut into your work to come see me. When I did my physical the other day, I heard you only got about five hours off a day...

Folinic's always so worried about my health. Don't worry, though. I'm in excellent shape, and I've actually wanted to see you again for some time.

So this used to be Outcast's office...?

Yes, but she didn't get a lot of use out of it. We only just convinced her to accept a title change two months before the incident.

She told me she was essentially half-retired before she came to County Hillock...

But she still insisted on taking the mission.

I often think back to everything she told me in those few days... I think she had probably made up her mind, already, to take on everything.

That's just like her.

All our elite operators are pretty eccentric, but Outcast's particularly special—She makes the kinds of difficult decisions that others would have a hard time with.

Right, she told me... she gave up a really high position in the church because she failed to mediate peace in a war.

Hmm... I know she left the church, but a failed mediation?

I don't remember seeing that in her file. Actually, that sounds more like something that happened to Misery.

Ha... haha... I don't know why, but taking someone else's story sounds like something she'd do.

This may be why some people found Outcast a little insincere...

No, even if you tell me not everything she said was the truth, she's still the most sincere person I've ever met.

You really think so? Hmm... I'm not too surprised. Outcast's always had an eye for people.

I know your time is precious... but would you mind telling me more about her?

I don't mind at all.

This is going to take some time, though—

As long as you have time. I'll always be willing to listen.

Okay. I think... we'll have lots of time on our way to Londinium.

Several months later...

Are you done fixing that yet?

Oh, keep your head on. What's the rush? This town's so far from anywhere, it's tough to find a replacement circuit for our comms...

Let me do it. Any equipment you touch always goes up in smoke. That's never changed.

I mean, it's been forever since the last time this safe house was used...

I should never have listened to you and taken this route.

We've been drifting all over the place for the last few months, and we spent half that time in the middle of nowhere, eating sand!

It's only been a few years... How come my Chenchen's so much angrier in the eyes there?

Stop mumbling... I can hear every word. You've got the loudest whisper.

What's the rush, she says? Why aren't you in a rush?!

You know how long we've been out here? Forget the spectre force. We haven't found anything that even resembles a clue!

If I ran into a situation like this back when I was a cop in Lungmen, I would have told you to give up... No hostage would last this long.

...No.

I know the captain's still alive.

And likewise, she knows I'm doin' everythin' I can to save her, and I know she's lookin' for a way to regroup with me.

Eh, fine, whatever. There's no helping you.

If I could talk you out of anything, you wouldn't have been dragging me all over the place.

Just goes to show how sweet you are on me, Chenchen!

Enough, I understand persistence. All those years, back when I had my heart set on finding her, you always supported me... Anyway, let's not talk about this right now.

—The point is, you heard it yourself.

The County Hillock Incident's a military drill gone wrong. That's what they told the public.

Everyone who's hurt or sick will receive compensation and be resettled. According to government documents, anyway.

If Dublinn, or the spectre force, had taken over County Hillock when you left, then they've long since left the place without a trace.

That's not going to change, even if we go back to see it for ourselves.

I agree.

But I still remember everythin' I saw there. No matter how peaceful their things might seem, County Hillock... and the cities around it have gone through a great change.

Besides... isn't it all the more scary, when you think about how those changes are so well hidden in plain sight?

If the enemy chose to lay low after they made such a huge ruckus, that just says they're brewin' an even bigger scheme!

Victoria... might be lookin' at a crisis way bigger than the Hillock situation.

I believe you.

That's why I'm here.

But I'm not sure there are many more out there who do.

That's why we need to work harder!

Then I guess we need to figure a way into the big cities.

Do you remember Hughes?

The, um... the round one who tripped and bumped his head just about anywhere in trainin'?

He's the vice-chairman of Tradersmill City's Business Alliance.

If any of our classmates caught wind of anything on the down low, it's him.

Actually, before you even brought it up, I'd been thinkin' of askin' Hughes to help... No, not just Hughes. I wanted to try Big Green, Ginger Bill... and all the rest!

I've tried findin' them myself... It was plenty tough, though...

But now I've got you here, plus the supplies and intel support that Rhodes Island so generously provides—

So I'm pumped up on hope!

Let me warn you first. I have no idea how easily they'll be convinced—Huh?!

Bloody son of a... Why'd you yank me that hard?!

Chenchen, the transmitter's on!

An emergency message from Rhodes Island...?

They got our location before the transmitter broke, right? Could they have been trying to reach me...?

What's the matter? You look like that message socked you straight in the gut...

Oh, I think I get it... Is it about her?

Sure enough...

I need some time to think about what's to come.

Jessica, how's the mission going?

I'm on the road already.

Don't let your guard down.

Relax, Liskarm... I may not have been back to Victoria much, but we have entry permissions for our aircraft. The navigation system is working fine, too.

Our mission to escort the expats back to Columbia isn't difficult in itself, but the situation could change at any moment.

I was actually pretty surprised when we got their message, though...

The journey's been pretty much smooth sailing so far, but... have things really gotten so bad?

Phew... Sorry, I couldn't really show it when the captain and the rest of the team was there, but I'm actually rather nervous about this.

Your captain's not there...?

Oh, no. She left with a few others not long after we'd got to Victoria.

I guess... they might have another mission?

There's obviously a reason that the expat evacuation was assigned to the Department of Equipment and Applied Technologies.

I-Is there an obvious reason?

It's not necessarily a bad thing that you haven't noticed.

Do you mean... they are still having discussions with others?

But the Victorian government hasn't given us any orders...

Per the confidentiality agreement, I shouldn't be speculating or commenting on the other departments' information.

Forget what I said.

Focus on your mission, and let me know if anything comes up.

Remember, although this mission is Blacksteel's, our agreement with Rhodes Island still stands.

Alright! I got it!

Once Rhodes Island's squads make it to the outskirts of Londinium, I will rendezvous with them, as needed.

We're getting close...

Vina, are you nervous?;......;We've waited so long for this day.

A few months ago, Dr. Kal'tsit asked me if I was ready.

And I told her, I didn't know.

And I still don't know, even now.

So, I can't say for sure that I'm not nervous.

Doctor, thank you for staying with me.

If I'm still here seeking the quiet by your side... does that make it seem like I'm hiding from my problems?

Ever since the day I escaped, yeah, I've been waiting for the chance to return.

I can't help but wonder... If someone's gone for too long from where they belonged before, do they still really have a place to go home?

When I woke up, I didn't even know how long it'd been since I left.;Amiya and everyone welcomed me.

I heard about those days.

You'd just awakened, and right away you had to take command and go through everything that happened at Chernobog... Most people couldn't have handled things as well as you did.

Amiya... Doctor, you're family to her.

Rhodes Island needs you. All of us operators need you as well. There's no doubt about it.

I'm sure someone is waiting for you in Londinium too.

The Glasgow Gang must have a new leader by now. They could never have set roots down in Londinium without one.

As for the others...

I doubt my absence has left Londinium wanting.

If you want the answer, we must keep going.

You told me before... you wanted to go to Londinium to find the truth.

Are we all bound for there together?

It really does lighten me up, knowing I won't take this journey alone.

I hope the answer that lies ahead won't be one too ugly.

But whatever it is, I will do my best to shape it into something half decent with my hammer.

Have they arrived?

Soon, Your Majesty. The Nachzehrer King and the Vampires' Prince of Blood will arrive in Londinium in three days.

With the court reassembled, the Sarkaz have not been so close to reunification since before the civil war.

We mustn't let any other factions get in the way.

Speaking of other factions, Your Majesty, the envoy from County Hillock is still in Londinium.

We've already reached a conclusion on that.

It's just as you said, Your Majesty. They don't truly wish to form an alliance.

Had they such a motive, they wouldn't send a lunatic of a servant in their place as they hide whole behind the curtain.

There is no chance she lays hands on what she wants, but that is not why she left. The force she brought with her has been involved in multiple skirmishes with noble remnants and local residents in Londinium's outskirts.

They're probing the situation in Londinium, as well as evaluating our strength.

Yes, Your Majesty. If we appear weak, the powers behind her will step onto the stage sooner.

Yet if we take a strong approach, she will lose her value as a pawn, and face a hasty disposal.

All those who would wield the blade that is the Sarkaz will find themselves slain by that very blade.

She is not even in the same class as Talulah.

They may come from similar bloodlines, but Dublinn's leader and Talulah are nothing alike.

Compared to Reunion, the troubles that Dublinn stirs in the south have more than proven their strength. And it proves they are either ready to or are preparing to rip Victoria apart.

If one seeks to kick a man when he's down, one will only appear at the climax of the chaos.

At this stage, so long as the objective before us has nothing to do with the Sarkaz, no matter what they are scheming outside, they are unworthy of my attention.

But I will not allow any more chaos in Londinium.

Have Manfred do something about this. Dealing with the nobles is far too simple a task for him. He needs growth, and he needs it fast.

Manfred has always known how you feel. He's made the preparations.

Still not enough. Any movement from Rhodes Island?

For the past few months, their usual, so-called 'commercial activities' have proceeded apace.

Ever since their landship sailed off from Kazimierz late last year, they've come close to Victoria several times. Since then, they've scarcely left our watchful eyes, and never for long.

As soon as they near Londinium... No, as soon as the few of them enter Victoria, report to me at once.

Or perhaps you may report to her directly.

Of course, Your Majesty—The King of Sarkaz knows how to reclaim her promised crown.