Kal'tsit Esperanta

[Code Name] Kal'tsit

[Gender] Female

[Combat Experience] None

[Place of Birth] Rhodes Island

[Date of Birth] Jan 23

[Race] Feline

[Height] 169cm

[Infection Status]

Medical tests have confirmed that no infection is present.

[Physical Strength] Normal

[Mobility] Normal

[Physical Resilience] Normal

[Tactical Acumen] ■■

[Combat Skill] Normal

[Originium Arts Assimilation] Standard

Kal'tsit, one of the founders of Rhodes Island Pharmaceuticals, also serves as the head of Medical. She has led many of Rhodes Island's large-scale strategic operations and overseen its external communications, making significant contributions to Rhodes Island's operations, growth, and Oripathy research. At present, she mainly participates in Rhodes Island's Oripathy medication projects as a medical expert.

Imaging tests reveal clear, normal outlines of internal organs, and no abnormal shadows have been detected. Originium granules have not been detected in the circulatory system and there is no sign of infection. At this time, this Operator is believed to be non-infected.

[Cell-Originium Assimilation] 0%

Operator Kal'tsit shows no signs of Originium infection.

[Blood Originium-Crystal Density] 0.07u/L

As of the time of this physical examination, Operator Kal'tsit has rarely come into contact with Originium.

Yes, Kal'tsit has finally agreed to undergo a physical examination. Nearly eight years after Rhodes Island Medical Department was established, we finally have a clear picture of the department head's physical condition. This is truly a major step forward in our work, and worthy of celebration. But for some reason, seeing Kal'tsit act as if nothing had happened, as if all those previous moments of stubbornness had never existed, suddenly made me feel less accomplished. Anyway, while drawing her blood, I was finally able to confirm that she is not cold-blooded.

Let us set aside the underlying principles of the Sarcophagus' mysterious technology for the moment and look only at her examination results. Aside from not having had much contact with Originium, in every other respect, she is probably just a little short of warranting concern, but still barely within healthy levels. There is nothing extreme whatsoever, which is reassuring in another sense. How should I put it... She is like an 'ordinary person.'

—Warfarin

Leave her physical examinations to me from now on.

—Mon3tr

After that incident, due to a variety of considerations, the losses Rhodes Island suffered were not immediately disclosed to all Operators, including Kal'tsit's 'death.'

Aside from Elite Operators and a very small number of senior Operators, the vast majority of Operators who had already left Rhodes Island at the time knew nothing about that devastating turn of events. So when they returned to New Rhodes Island, they were only surprised by the completely new environment. Some may have wondered about the mysterious girl who appeared out of nowhere yet frequently shows up in Medical, as well as the Kal'tsit who seems to look somewhat different.

Just what is different about her? Of course, some were curious enough to ask about the strange medical device she carries with her, and Kal'tsit calmly explained that it is an instrument used to monitor her physical condition. Is Dr. Kal'tsit sick? She does look somewhat frail. Aside from asking her to take care of herself, no one said much more. Yet before long, the rumor that 'the suspected cause for Dr. Kal'tsit's change in personality is an extreme worsening of her condition' reached her ears after all.

We all believe that any Operator who knows Kal'tsit holds this doctor in respect. As for how this rumor came about, it was more because everyone was sincerely concerned about Kal'tsit's physical condition. On this point, Kal'tsit stated that there was no need for any special explanation.

Many Operators have noticed that, at some point, Kal'tsit stopped appearing frequently in the operations conference room, while correspondingly, they are seeing her in Medical more and more often. She devotes more time to advancing Oripathy medication projects, as well as guiding young Medic Operators, which is naturally a good thing for those still learning. Kal'tsit's unchanged attitude toward work has also gradually put everyone at ease. As for the rumors of 'Dr. Kal'tsit's change in personality,' let us just say that once people no longer have to split their attention among too many things, their tempers really do improve.

'But I really do think Kal'tsit looks better with long hair. She seems a little gentler.'

'Are you out of your mind?! This is not something you can discuss during work hours! Even if everyone agrees!'

[Classified Log]

'To continue the discussion from the previous Elite Operator meeting, our final decision is that Rhodes Island's experiences in Rim Billiton and its operations in Ursus will remain classified at the highest level... As for Dr. Kal'tsit's physical condition, perhaps that is not a secret worth deliberately hiding or explaining. We need only let everyone know—that she is still here, together with Rhodes Island. That is enough.'

—Amiya

The Sarcophagus. Yes, you saw that past, and came to understand its place in history.

Those past events mirror the present. We have reason to be disappointed, to believe that people have failed to learn sufficient lessons from history, allowing such tragedies and suffering to repeat themselves. Across that long span of time, people never completely overcame the darkness in their own nature, but neither were they defeated by those hardships.

The Sarcophagus cannot save Ursus from the disaster. It is no cure for Terra's many crises. At the very least, it gave me—and you—a second life. This is precisely the result of our choosing hope.

The disaster grows more severe by the second. We have no more time to grieve.

After the mission in Zelgrad concludes, Grypherburg will not be satisfied with the current outcome. At the very least, not everyone will be. Witte's tacit consent to let us emerge unscathed from Zelgrad's chaos is a friendly signal, and we need further contact. But at the same time, Rhodes Island's name is certain to appear in the reports of the various Ursus armies.

Doctor, if you are asking for my advice, then we discussed this as early as when we left Londinium. Rhodes Island can no longer maintain the political detachment it had in the past, and the same applies to what is happening in Ursus.

There is no need to ask my opinion so cautiously. From the Far North to Zelgrad, you and Amiya have led Rhodes Island in accomplishing something remarkable. I would not have done better than you. You should be proud, and have more faith in your own judgment.

Yes. We have reason to judge that the Ursus authorities are no longer capable of resolving the current tensions within their country. The most pessimistic, and also the most likely, outcome is that these tensions will spill into bloodshed. The disaster taking place in Ursus is certainly a crisis that belongs to all of Terra as well. In this crisis brought on by Originium, Rhodes Island can still do more.

We still need to return to Ursus.

We have studied, to the best of our ability, the theories Mon3tr shared with us regarding the Sarcophagus, or rather, the 'home-use life functions restoration device.' According to her, this is already the textbook version after her translation, but after no small amount of effort, we still completely gave up on any plan to fully understand these arcane texts.

From the perspective of our 'limited' biological theories, the Kal'tsit of now, a life-form that can practically be said to have 'appeared out of thin air,' is completely contrary to common sense. It is almost like a scene from many myths—a lifelike doll or sculpture, 'enlightened' by some god, becoming a 'person.' But the endings of these stories, almost without exception, see these newborn 'people' ultimately deprived of life by the gods. Such myths reflect certain basic ethical views: that life cannot be created by means outside natural reproduction. Though it is nothing more than an unfounded worry, we are indeed concerned that such a story could truly play out in reality. And all we can do is continue to monitor her physical condition.

We compared the physical examination results for Kal'tsit and Mon3tr side by side. Our conclusion is that Mon3tr's physical capabilities in many respects far exceed the scope of ordinary Terrans, such as absurdly high muscle and bone density, as well as an enviably healthy immune system. Kal'tsit, however, by our present medical examination methods, is in every respect no different from an ordinary human in Terra. This means that she will fall ill, age, and, at some point in the future, meet an unavoidable death. And yet no one can explain why, when we confirmed that these perfectly natural things truly would happen to Kal'tsit, a strange emotion arose in all of us.

Perhaps an invincible Kal'tsit was only our wishful thinking, and from now on, Rhodes Island will protect her.

>TIMEDATA 1102/02/01

>ADMIN: Mon3tr; Kal'tsit Esperanta

What the Doctor does not know at present is that the original intent of Project AMa-10 was, after the silence descended, for the individual codenamed AMa-10 to serve as a mass-produced multifunctional machine and assist surviving humans in rebuilding their home. And to satisfy this design purpose, one of the most basic requirements was that AMa-10 could not be identified by ■■■ as a life-form.

In other words, although AMa-10 possesses powerful biomimetic capabilities and can simulate nearly all physiological behaviors of a life-form, in its fundamental definition, AMa-10 would not be regarded as life.

But likewise, an AMa-10 individual that could survive after destroying the gemini cycle on its own was not within anyone's original expectations.

'Kal'tsit, what exactly are we, the me I am now, the you you are now...?'

'There is no one from whom we can simply demand an answer. The origins of life are a mystery that even the old civilization never solved.'

'But we can preserve this question. It is worth continuing to pursue... Let us carry it with us, and keep moving forward.'

Now, our communication can finally be unrestricted. This is something we have never had before.

What else would you like to know? I have no secrets left now, do I?

If you wish, I am willing to share those past sights and experiences with you as well, though I absolutely cannot guarantee they will sound interesting.

I have had many identities: tyrant, prophet, monk, or warrior... Each one represented an attempt, an attempt to stop a young civilization from destroying itself. Behind every identity, the only thing that never changed was the name 'Kal'tsit.' Only this name could remind me to remember who I was.

It was you who gave me... No, to be precise, it was the individual then known as Oracle. In truth, even at the very end, I could not be certain whether what that person gave me was a mission, or a choice.

Becoming civilization's guardian and finding myself were two commands that ran counter to each other. One cannot possess meaning and freedom at the same time. I tried to seek reconciliation between these two commands, but I never had a reasonable answer.

However, what I ultimately obtained was a 'wish.'

I hope to see Terra's more distant future, one where people can break free from the barrier's shackles, mend the rifts between races and nations, and even cross that silent curtain. What lies beyond that? Of course I do not know... but I want to know.

I hope that, in that future, traces of Rhodes Island will still remain.

You look rather relaxed, Doctor. I am glad you are optimistic about this as well—that is not what you mean? You mean...

...I am smiling?

1. In the broad sense, all forms of language and writing are born from lifeforms' need to transmit information. This need, in fact, implies the instinctive cognition of primitive living organisms that they themselves can be understood.

2. Based on the basic needs shared by all life, all languages possess a common underlying structure.

3. Language and thought influence each other; different individuals using different languages cannot truly achieve a consensus of thought.

Kal'tsit tells you that this is a theory known as the 'Esperanta Principle,' proposed by a certain linguist in the distant past. It was on the basis of this theory that he dedicated his life to inventing a complete language that could be as universally applicable as possible between different civilizations. He firmly believed that, in that war-torn era, this endeavor would help people resolve their differences.

After returning to Rhodes Island, Kal'tsit chose 'Kal'tsit Esperanta' as her full name. In that language, which ultimately remained unfinished, this word also means 'hope.'

You no longer remember this;

but the universe once nurtured a radiant civilization—the limits of their knowledge practically boundless like the universe itself. Cognition reaches wherever imagination goes. Even the furthest star seemed no more distant than a book on a table.

But even so, they still could not answer a most fundamental question: Is there an innate, inherent meaning to life itself?

Perhaps this is a final curtain left behind by our Creator, a quest for meaning without any exits, life bound for loneliness at the end of our individual journeys.

Sages and scholars eventually gave up on finding answers from the observable universe, choosing instead to believe in our own instincts.

Because we can only believe that beyond incurable loneliness and inevitable confusion, that love likewise exists for certain.

Even the depths of despair cannot stop people from locating echoes of our own existence among the sea of stars, shedding tears over traces of life separated by tens of thousands of light-years, before silence ultimately descends.

I believe I have finally learned from my journey the feeling of this sentiment. Life is beautiful, and on a cosmic scale, 'life' and 'hope' are one and the same.

I cannot restore your memories, and can only attempt to share this sentiment with you.

I trust in your true nature, and I hope that you can trust in your own choice and what it meant.

You will feel helpless and lost, because no one can accompany you forever, no one can comprehend your loneliness.

Rhodes Island has become a home for many, so I hope it can also become a refuge for you.

I only wish to keep your own wishes safe, and I hope that at this journey's end you will not be alone, and your companions will watch as you look forward to the future.

A voice recording, deposited in your terminal's database at some unknown point in time.

When you first laid eyes on these words, Rhodes Island was putting all its strength into preparing for the rescue mission in Ursus, leaving you with little time to spare for grief or contemplation. Even after Kal'tsit returned to Rhodes Island, both of you, by tacit agreement, never spoke of this message.

Yet, this special letter would remain preserved for far longer than you could have ever imagined.

'The names upon these tombstones, who are they?'

'They are... the cornerstones of civilization.'