Visitor from the Band I

...Oh, you mean someone saw her nearby?

Yeah. Nobody else would be running all over the place and taking photos with their handyterms... But that paparazza is a slippery one. She managed to get away every time...

This one sounds like a royal pain in the butt...

Endmin, you're here! Yeah, we got a suspicious journalist, probably came from the Talos-II General Chamber of Commerce. She's the "unexpected sitch" I mentioned...

Endmin! You came at the right time! We were talking about the cause of our unexpected sitch — some journalist who probably came from the Talos-II General Chamber of Commerce.

During the last couple of days, the crew have been telling us about a strange woman showing up nearby. She claims to be a TGCC journalist.

The Bander sneak took photos of confidential stuff. Then she kept pestering our crew with a lot of weird questions.

She even ignored our warning signs and ran into hazardous areas. Our crew had to stop their work just to get her out.

Let's just say she's a real nasty piece of work.

Yeah, well, we've been stretched thin ever since that Blight disaster.

We're all busy trying to rebuild and get on with our lives. Nobody's got time for that Bander journalist.

Yeah, you've probably noticed this too... Most of the crew are busy with post-disaster relief and rebuilding. No one has the time to keep an eye on a slippery journalist.

But she's from the TGCC. That makes things tricky...

If anything happens to the journalist on UW turf, we'll be in for some major league Cartel-directed blightshow.

So, after *much* consideration, we'd like to ask for Endfield's assistance. You've handled disputes like this before, which makes you skilled mediators. Perhaps you could help us speak with her — and, if possible, send her away from Valley IV?

That journalist is hiding in the refugee camp. Aleeza went ahead to check the sitch. I'll send you the coordinates stat.

Oh, before I forget! The crew also told me something really important. She's a master of disguise!

I strongly recommend bringing a team of specialists with you, just in case.

Greetings, Endministrator. You're finally here.

Hmm. You look rather surprised.

Perhaps Supervisor Perlica neglected to mention that ... *I* was the one assigned to assist you?

Mmhmm. I just completed my last assignment at the Valley. That's why I received the Supervisor's assembly call for the operators.

She was actually quite hesitant about giving the job to me, since my schedule for the entire year seems rather packed.

Then I heard that you get to partner up with the Endmin for this mission ... so I volunteered and nabbed the post.

Oh, there's no need for such politeness. Just think about the ultimate success of this mission ... and what you should compensate me with.

Okay then, I'll stop teasing you, Endmin.

Let's focus on the task at hand — I wonder where Miss Collins went. I thought she agreed to meet us here.

Sure. I guess we'll wait.

From my experience, an unexpected accident is usually the reason why people are running late...

Got anything in mind, Endmin? Feel free to ask your trusty assistant. It's okay to count on me a little more, you know.

What do I think? Well, some of the things in the reports might be helpful.

First, I'm pretty certain we're looking for a Feline lady. It's pretty hard to disguise yourself as that.

Second, our Feline lady may have poor eyesight and need some pretty thick glasses. Sure, contact lenses are getting more popular in the TGCC, but witness reports from the crew suggest otherwise. Her myopia is too severe for those.

The length of her hair is uncertain. She could disguise that with wigs or hide her long hair beneath a hat.

As for descriptions of her headwear, handbags, and other clothing articles, take them with a pinch of salt as they can be easily replaced.

Of course, our rogue journalist is probably using a disguise that lets her blend into the crowd. She made her way to a disaster site, so I guess she's mentally prepared for all sorts of things.

Blighted idiots! Friggin' U-double-U dimwits are acting all crazy...

These woosters are poking their noses in everything... They even deleted all the photos I took! Every last one of 'em!

I was about to get them printed for the shop! Now I'll have to take the photos again!

Take a deep breath, Laurent. This isn't your first day dealing with them woosters. You should've known better.

Is this really necessary, huh? They're just photos of scenery! I need scenic backdrops to help sell the new skirts I've made! Is that a crime?!

How am I supposed to know if the woosters got some secret lab hidden in the hills...? To the blight with them labs! My photos had none of those!

This one got really upset with the UWST over some photographs... This does sound a little suspicious.

According to the lady ... ahem... According to our man, the entire incident sounds like an ordinary dispute...

Wow! Is this what the world looks like with these glasses on...?

It's so interesting!

Give me back my glasses, Vivian.

Dere's nothing wrong with yer eyes. Wearing my glasses will hurt 'em...

Just let me wear them for a while longer, puh-lease?

Fine. Have fun with 'em. I'm gonna help Aunt Carlyn move her stuff.

Go and do your thing! Oh! Don't forget to tell mama that I'm reading!

Aye, aye ... whatever.

That girl is attracting a great deal of attention ... gawking around with someone else's glasses.

But according to that friend of hers, there's nothing wrong with her eyesight.

Lina?

Wha? What is it, Uncle Wayle...?

Why are you here all by yourself? Where's your old man Michael?

Erm... I'm ... I'm fine... I'm just ... just waiting for someone... And my papa's ... f-fixing that new second-hand car he got...

Hoho, getting all nervous waiting for someone? Well, say hi to your old man for me.

Hoo... Almost had a heart attack... Thought papa was out here to get me...

Where's Kevin...? He promised to meet me here...

The girl has the word "sneak" written all over her face...

But a Bander journalist shouldn't look so panicked and scared ... even if she's eloping with someone she found off the streets.

Hmm. That should be good enough...

Only I could have pulled this off...

Now I'll just add some interesting anecdotes to support the general theme...

Done! PERFECT!

O Raquel! You are a true genius! This world hardly deserves someone like you!

Looks like a passerby. She seems to be writing a diary entry, or is she drawing something?

But I sense something else. Her vibe feels really out of place compared to the locals...

We've observed every suspect. What do you think, Endmin? Made up your mind yet?

Oh? Alright then. Time to nab the woosters' most wanted.

Are you serious!? If I were an actual journalist, would I be muckin' about for grub in these parts...? Oh ... my beautiful photos... Those stupid woosters murdered them!

Hmm. I'm afraid our businessman taking display photos ... isn't the journalist we're looking for.

Endmin, you sure you want to arrest him?

I thought I said I'm not the Bander sneak! I'm not a woman and I'm not a journalist!

Ooopsie daisy. We got the wrong person...

Hey! What did I do? I'm just playing around with Vincent's glasses...

Don't play with things that aren't yours, young lady. It's something I tend to frown upon.

But I was having fun with it ... and I was gonna give it back ... *hik, hik*...

Oh dear. We got the wrong person...

Who are you? Friends of Kevin? Did he ask you to take me to our secret place?

Alright, lady. Just gonna lay it out for you. We don't know anyone named Kevin.

Oh, where are you, Kevin...? You promised to take me with you today...

I have a feeling we grabbed the wrong person...

Huh? Who are you? Look. I'm just noting down my receipts for the last couple of days... Wanna see?

Well, well, well, lassie. You seem rather prepared for our arrival.

Just one thing ... and I hope I'm not offending anyone. I've never seen a refugee taking notes with a handyterm instead of plain old pen and paper...

Darn it! You...!

Well, too late to run now, lady.

I ... I'm warning you! I'm the ace correspondent of Civilization Times! I work for the TGCC! If anything were to happen to me, my insurance company would definitely make you pay!

The ace correspondent of Civilization Times?

Ye-YEAH! Remember the article that exposed Triste! They secretly violated the TGCC Practice of Business Management! I wrote that!

Oh, you did? The correspondent for that exclusive wasn't Raquel Jones, I fear.

You!

Why so angry, Miss Jones? Or are you trying to say that ... you're someone else?

How ... how did you know...?

Well, I just saw that bespoke pen of yours. Douglas, right? Very choice. Meticulously crafted by master artisans. They typically engrave the tip with the name of their customer.

Of course, I wasn't sure if you could actually afford a bespoke Douglas. So, I decided to play a little trick instead.

And you bit the bait like a hungry little fin, Miss Jones. It went easier than I expected.

...Hmph!

Alright, Raquel. Now, now, be a nice girl and behave. That will be best for both of us.

Endmin, be a darling and call Miss Collins for me. Tell her that we've "apprehended the VIP and will rendezvous with her".

We really appreciate this, Endministrator!

So, Miss Jones. We had a nice little convo along the way. Do we have a "yes" for you leaving Valley IV immediately?

NO! NEVER! I need more first-hand information for my article! You guys don't know anything! You never appreciate the value of documentary journalism!

Tsk, cut the nonsense, blight-head. You've been a royal pain for our crew for days. We should have made you pay for that!

I only followed the standard journalistic process! I have the right to request and conduct interviews with anyone!

Well, according to TGCC rules, we can also hold you liable for all those delays you caused.

Come now, Miss Collins. With your permission, we can try talking to her and see if we can work something out!

Sure. Hope you can get through to her. Before you decide how to boot her out of our turf, we can put a roof over her head for a couple of days... But after that, I won't have anyone else to spare.

We're receiving plenty of distress calls from other sites in Valley IV. I couldn't meet with you back then because I was getting a fellow crew mate out of a sticky sitch... We're really stretched thin.

Is that so...? I totally understand. Well then, Miss Jones, I hope you're up for a little chat.

You ... you're just trying to scare me... Your tricks might work on common people, but I majored in journalism in college!

And I don't see any difference between the Valley and other wooster factory sites. What's so dangerous about this place...?

In any case, I'll only leave here once I have enough material for my article!

Tsk. You journalists really don't care about your own safety, do you...

I'm afraid a healthy consensus is just out of reach, Endmin.

Miss Jones, may I share a piece of wisdom with you? It made a lot of sense when I was doing messenger work here in the frontier.

"Make a friend and you pave a road."

Here's my card, darling. If you change your mind and decide to leave, give me a call. Any time.

Well. I guess I'm taking this Bander princess back to the sentry post. Have a nice one, Endfielders.

Of course, Aleeza. Catchya later.

Endmin, let me ask my TGCC journalist friends. I'll see if they can convince Miss Jones to return to the Band.

Alright, then. Let's wrap things up for now.

I'll give you a call once I've got news for you, Endmin.