Illusion

Why can't I find it? I'm so finished! It's over! Just my blighted luck!

I doomed my entire career! The thing is way more important than my life!

Sorry. My colleague Linnaeus is a little emotional right now. I'm Joan. We're both scientists working in this area.

And I was so close...! Those blighted breakers ruined everything!

The raiders suddenly attacked us. I should have been carrying that bottle of medicinal sample ... but I ... I must have lost it during the evac.

I evacced the place after you left... Ugh. I should have asked you about your situation and maybe found the sample before I left... The LB attack came way out of the blue.

Yeah. Linnaeus is a plant scientist. He's trying to develop a bio-activity booster agent with plant extracts.

He reached a pretty good milestone. His grant for the next phase was even approved... And then he ... well... This couldn't have happened at a worse time.

Thank you, Joan... I ... I used to treat you as my worst rival during project review...

But now you're ... the only one who's willing to stay and help me out.

It's alright, Linn. I know very well how tough research can be. I myself lost plenty of sleep trying to rear my long-ears properly.

As for the grant money... I intend to get my share fair and square, so you'll still see me attending the project reviews.

Leads ... I ... I don't have any leads right now.

I always carried a bottle with me. And ... I was collecting plant samples at the work platform next to the road when the LBs attacked. I ran to the Transport Nexus entrance during the evac but the LBs also occupied that place.

It's probably lost at the Transport Nexus. There's no way I can get it back...

There might be LB bands roaming around the Transport Nexus. I almost ... well... People say the raiders really messed up the place.

Perhaps you dropped it by the road where you often gather your samples. But ... the Blight has covered the entire place.

Really? Oh, thank you so much! The medicine is an orange solution contained with a cylindrical bottle! It's really easy to identify! We'll also keep searching the lab!

You're here! Did you find the bottle of meds?

Yeah, this is the bottle! But ... there's hardly anything left! It's not even enough for a single test cycle...!

At least it's better than nothing... Do we have time to make some more?

No, we're out of time... The pharmaceutical formula can only be catalyzed with a special fungus that's really rare.

I haven't figured out how to culture this fungus in lab conditions ... and I'm almost out of fungal mass collected from the wilderness...

It's not that easy! The fungus tends to grow in well-hidden places. Fruiting season is almost over...

And ... I'm afraid I picked this place dry too...

Don't give up! I just got an idea! During the last test, my long-ears gained the basic ability of tracking various materials.

Feed it something and it'll start tracking the same stuff by smell. Might even work for certain materials.

They ate too much of it! The fungus does have mild mind-altering effects and overdosing on it might drive you crazy.

I did the maths. Just control the dose and things should be alright.

But I'm afraid the amount left is only enough for a sip for the long-ears. This tracking ability sounds largely untested. If the critters fail, I would really lose everything.

This little sip is all I have to prove that I actually worked on something...

No problem! But long-ears can be really fast and enjoy squeezing themselves into narrow pipes and tunnels. They're way too fast for me, so I never really performed a field trial.

Well, Joan's idea seems like the only solution... Let's give it a shot! I believe in Joan ... and you!

Great. I'll set things up. Come talk to me when you're ready.

Thank you so much. I wouldn't know what to do if Joan weren't here. Of course, you're really important too!

No! You're doing more than that! You're saving my entire career! And Joan...

Ah. Perfect timing. I'm all set.

We can try feeding the long-ear with some common plants. Any suggestions?

Great. We'll let it nibble on some buckflower berries!

The first field trial. Hope this works. Fingers crossed...

You're back! What's our result?

Oh, wonderful! The field trial is a success! My long-ears did it!

Well, we should play it safe and perform a second trial to verify this ability. Should we use another plant for this test?

Sounds reasonable... Alright, then. Another test with another plant! We're counting on you!

How did it go?

Wonderful! Linn, let's feed the long-ear with that medicine of yours!

You sure, Joan? I can prepare a dose to match the weight of your long-ear, but ... if something bad happens to the little critter...

Linn, you're a man who's fully committed to science. I'll do anything for you... Ahem, for your research, I mean. Yes, I'm willing to accept this risk.

I ... I don't know how to thank you, Joan...

We must hurry, Linn. We'll ... we'll work out the rest after this is all over.

Yeah. I guess you gotta do one more round of running for us.

How ... how did it go?

Oh! YES! THIS IS IT!

I ... I could never thank you enough for this...

You saved my entire career! Years of hard work salvaged by your miraculous intervention!

And this fungal mass you found is far bigger than the one I had! This is really going to push my project forward!

I ... I'm definitely giving you something in return! It's going to be the best! I'll go and prepare it in the lab!

Well, an overjoyed Linn is quite a rare sight...

Thank goodness his research is saved... I'm very happy for him.

What do you mean by that...? I don't understand.

How...?! How did you find out?

I helped him find his special fungus today, so I believe we're helping each other out.

And you read its contents? Hmph. So I got found out...

My research has bottlenecked for too long. But when my long-ears accidentally ate Linnaeus's medicine, the results gave me new hope.

If pharmaceutical waste itself gave such stellar performances, the perfected formula is guaranteed to propel my research to success.

I... It's true we're competitors... But all I really care for is the success of my project.

I confess that I had my own goals, but they don't contradict my sincerity in helping Linn. What do you think?

Forget it. Why should I care? You can't prove sincerity with mere words. Do whatever you like with that "finding".

I was already out of options... If my research flops... I...

You might think I'm just finding excuses for myself, but I'll lay it out in the open. My project is of utmost importance to me.

I'll sacrifice anything to ensure its success ... even his good faith in me.

You've arrived! I got your present right here! You and Joan are my lifesavers.

And ... I know this may sound weird, but I wonder if I can ask you something...

So I've spent some time with Joan and I think we make a good ... a good match, you know. Maybe...

I mean ... when things settle down, maybe I should confess my feelings to her. What do you think?

Wha...? Why? Did I do something wrong?

What? You gotta be kidding.

I ... I can't believe it! She's after my meds ... impossible...

I guess it happened that night... I sent her long-ears back ... and told her that they nibbled on some grass contaminated by pharmaceutical waste...

Oh, and... This is for you. Take it.

REALLY?! Just ask her out, right?

Don't you think I should prepare something? Things are a real mess right now... Timing seems a little off.

Her long-ears...? Those critters? Oh... I get it!

You really are a lifesaver! And yeah, I got this for you! TAKE IT OFF MY HANDS!

I ... I'm sorry... I gotta calm down for a bit...