Zima the Raging Tide

[Code Name] Zima

[Gender] Female

[Combat Experience] 5 years

[Place of Birth] Ursus

[Date of Birth] July 29

[Race] Ursus

[Height] 169cm

[Infection Status]

Medical tests have confirmed that no infection is present.

[Physical Strength] Excellent

[Mobility] Standard

[Physical Resilience] Excellent

[Tactical Acumen] Standard

[Combat Skill] Excellent

[Originium Arts Assimilation] Normal

Zima, leader of the Ursus Student Self-Government Group, has served as a combat squad leader since joining Rhodes Island and recently contributed to the establishment of our Grypherburg branch. Her skills have improved considerably through both training and field experience, giving her a mature combat style that is all her own. She currently participates in Rhodes Island's operations in Ursus as a guard operator.

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 Zima shows no signs of infection at this time.

[Blood Originium-Crystal Density] 0.13u/L

Operator Zima rarely comes into contact with Originium, but needs to improve her awareness of protective measures when operating in high-Originium environments.

Sonya Mikhailivna could hardly have expected the twists and turns their journey would take when she and the rest of the Ursus Student Self-Government Group signed their off-boarding checklists in the summer of 1101.

The road to Ursus was not nearly as smooth and steady as the temperature in the car. It did not take long for them to reach their first stop: the snow-covered land of Kjerag.

Zima recalls that Leto wasted little time in dropping off their tagged luggage at the station before taking the group on a tour of Kjerag's favorite tourist spots, disturbing numerous communal burdenbeasts basking in the sun with their rowdy shouting. Instructor Dur-nar had tried to warn them to stay away from the cliff to no avail. In the end, she had to tie them to her with safety ropes. For Zima, however, it was the departure that left the deepest impression. When the station staff came bearing the bill for luggage storage, Leto simply signed the name 'Paleroche' and said, 'Hand out the presents for me.' As the train departed the station, Leto laughed her ass off at the tall figure standing on the platform with chagrin on his face. When she finally stopped laughing, she told Zima that the 'presents' were not just the junk she had intended to throw away from the start, but also the warm clothing and snacks intended for the journey.

As such, when the USSG arrived in Grypherburg, the first thing they did was not submit their university applications, but purchase clothing. Zima never forgot her mission for Rhodes Island, even as she began her studies at a Grypherburg university. A prognostic sense of anxiety and excitement had come over Grypherburg society. Changes in foreign countries had become evidence for various ideologies, and everyone wanted to have a voice in Ursus's future. She felt that public opinion in Grypherburg was too complex and too far removed from the realities of everyday life. Accompanied by Instructor Dur-nar, she began to travel to nearby nomadic cities and settlements whenever school was not in session, investigating how the people there lived, what problems they faced, how they saw things, and whether their opinions were homegrown or had come from abroad.

But Zima's investigation was cut short by the incident in the Far North. The empire quickly cracked down on public opinion, the Armies' battleships were on the move, and snow had begun to fall across Ursus... Zima brought her thoughts and insights from that period back to Grypherburg. Little did she imagine that it would be far more than the Student's Assembly awaiting her.

The conclusion of the Katorga Incident did little to mitigate the tension in Grypherburg. If anything, it has intensified.

For the people of Grypherburg, some of the changes were visible. The power supply had become even more inconsistent, Katorga Raion was still firmly attached to Grypherburg's power deck—though white smoke had begun to rise from a few chimneys—and the fallen statue of Igor Velikiy lay untouched, just like the broken walls. No one repaired it, no one scrawled graffiti on it, and no one even dared glance at it as they passed.

Meanwhile, other changes happened beneath the surface. Zima and the Ursus Student Self-Government Group were not charged with any offenses—their actions seemingly covered up by certain parties—and they were unable to travel with Crownslayer to where Gummy's parents were located. Amiya spoke directly to Zima and Gummy to explain, while the Doctor personally signed the documents appointing Zima as director of Rhodes Island's Grypherburg office.

[Audio Log]

'I understand Rhodes Island's current circumstances. The company stands out in Ursus like a drop of blood on the snow, and is in no position to openly establish a communications network or send large numbers to Grypherburg. That's what makes our work even more important. The Grypherburg office needs more than a location—but yes, thanks for cleaning the rehearsal rooms, Gummy—we need funding and connections. We need something to keep the nobles from coming after us. We need a front business, as well as reception and communication staff, and we need to do all of this ourselves. Sounds tough, doesn't it? Thankfully, we have some experience in these matters, and we all have our own strengths... Wait, you want to be the receptionist? No, Ukusik, anyone but you! We wouldn't last a week if—say, who let you in anyway? This meeting was supposed to be private! Oh no you don't, you're not getting away when you've already heard our secret. You better sign this application form here and now... Uh, we're not breaking any rules, are we, Istina? Good.'

Look, I'm busy enough as it is—I'm just going to mail in this brief report, because I don't have the time.

You have no idea how much trouble it is to register and operate a pharmaceutical company branch in Grypherburg! Just today, we got a notice that the fire safety inspection had been rescheduled because of a violation. We spent the whole day trying to find it. Guess what it was?

That big hamaxe of mine, which was apparently 'too frightening' and therefore unsafe—what kind of nonsense is that?

You'd never guess how we dealt with it either. We found a glass case, put it over it, and called it an exhibit.

And guess what? It was approved. Somehow.

Honestly, if I'd known this would be such a pain in the ass, I'd have taken my hamaxe to ■■■■ and picked a few fights instead!

—Operator Zima's 'brief report'

A particular conversation occurred between Zima and Istina.

They both independently reported it to Medical, for their respective psychological health records.

I was never good with words. I wasn't sure what I was going to say, even as I opened my mouth.

So I told Istina about Katorga, about what I went through in there, and she told me what she went through on the outside.

I told her about what happened to Leonid, about how Faddey opposed the rescue of our fellow students, about how angry I was and how I wanted to punch him and go do my own thing. But I didn't. At the time, I thought, 'what would Istina do if she were here?' I didn't know. Maybe she would've already come up with four or five reasons to shut those mudak up, but she wasn't there.

I resisted the urge to swing my fist or slap him. I forced myself to calm down and solve the problem like Istina would. I couldn't spin my words like she could, so I spoke slowly and talked about my most resolute beliefs, trusting that they would convince the others as well. Looking back, I think I did the right thing.

But did I? That's what I asked Istina. I said I kind of regretted not slapping Faddey.

She said she was glad, but not because of what I did. Because I regretted it. She said that proved that deep in my heart, I was still determined to be myself.

I didn't know what she meant. It sounded like she was mocking me, but part of me agreed with her. For whatever reason, I even feel a little touched when I think back to that conversation with her.

—Interview with Operator Zima

'Touched'? No, not at all. I wouldn't have even been locked in the kitchen prep room with Sonya if she hadn't felt the need to steal the cupcakes Instructor Dur-nar was baking. It was the most embarrassed I'd felt in a long while, having the instructor come free the two of us 'thieves' when she heard the alarm.

As for what she said... I did say that, but I was not mocking her. When I did what I did outside Katorga, I often forced myself to step into Sonya's shoes, and asked myself what she would do if she were there. And just like her, I have regrets. But regret doesn't mean we did anything wrong, it's simply a reaffirmation of our self-identity.

Sonya could have let loose her slap, of course, and I didn't have to force myself to do those things. But who can say whether the things we didn't do would have been better or worse? At least we're asking ourselves the question. That's good enough.

There was something else I didn't get to say to Sonya, who left as soon as the instructor arrived. I'm sure you're aware that some things are hard to say once the moment has left us, so I thought I might as well say it here:

I'm glad we both chose to affirm who we are, Sonya. I think that's why we trust each other.

—Interview with Operator Istina

They'd gone through almost the entire batch of cupcakes by the time I arrived. It's all good, though. This is why I like baking.

—Operator Dur-nar

We brought down those mudak. We are free. Now we must gather people, everyone who would join us, and show Grypherburg who its true master is!

—Words on a page

I saw the people whimpering in pain. I saw the scarred soil. Not another drop of milk could be squeezed from it, yet the greedy nobles and vile bureaucrats continue to torment it like leeches, torment our motherland. I must resist. I must take up the sword! I am not the only one who thinks this.

—Words on a page

We cut off the commissioner's head! We will cut off more! This rotten nation will fall! Victory shall be ours! Nika, Sonya... I fight for you.

—Words on a page

Zima and Gummy found a large pile of papers in the basement of the abandoned theater that served as the Ursus Student Self-Government Group's temporary base of operations.

At first, she thought it was the script of a particularly incoherent play, but Absinthe's examination of municipal archives revealed that the basement had existed from before the theater was even built. It had been part of the prison system centuries ago, used to store and destroy the possessions of executed inmates.

Zima began to examine the papers again. The inmates who wrote them had likely been put on death row for treason, suppressed and arrested by the enforcers of Ursus. Each sheet was subtly different from the others in texture or color, and each was written by a different hand.

They mark the countless acts of resistance over the centuries, big and small. By farmers, poets, soldiers, and madmen. Their dates are often many years apart. Some wrote in factories driven by Originium External Combustion Engine, while others had only recently heard about that new invention. Ultimately, however, all their final letters ended up in the same dark corner.

Zima tried to identify the writers, but unsurprisingly neither these 'rebellions' nor those who carried the flag of resistance had left their names upon the vast history of Ursus.

The first thought I had might seem childish. I was thinking about how many Sonyas there have been over the centuries, how many Annas, Rosalinds, Natalyas, and Zoyas... how many Peters and Ivans.

I felt a chill when I saw the name 'Sonya' on that piece of paper. Was it fate or coincidence that I came across it?

I put down the papers and looked over the dust-covered basement, filled with history. This time, I thought, it would be different.

I'd make sure it was different.

—Operator Zima

[Classified Log]

Operator Zima's after-action report from their rescue of the student Rania mentioned various accidents in the course of the operation, such as a shadowy figure that flashed by the window at a secret meeting, or a schedule that went mysteriously missing from a locked cabinet. Even on the day of the operation, some students in charge of logistics were interrogated in the alleys by police with their epaulettes removed, as though there were eyes from up high seeing through all their plans, even if they had managed to pull wool over the eyes of the nobles at the hearing.

Zima emphasized, however, that all these accidents seemed to amount to nothing. Even the stamped warrant for their arrest seemed to have quietly disappeared. She initially thought it was the result of Rhodes Island's lobbying, expressing surprise at how we were able to take care of such matters, while still being unable to deliver long-range communications equipment.

As a matter of fact, Rhodes Island's activities in Ursus have encountered tremendous resistance ever since the Far North Incident, as though there were a pair of invisible eyes constantly watching our every move from atop Grypherburg.

The intentions of Ursus's regime remain unknown at this time, and establishing direct communications would be premature. In the wake of the ■■■■ Incident, we must reassess this ancient nation and its sprawling, convoluted organization.