TW-2 Outpost Rebellion

Folinic... Are you angry?

The way they were acting, I know what it means. I know it all too well...

But... But Atro wouldn't get herself into trouble. She knows Leithanien better than any of us!

Yeah! I'm sure she's fine!

At least, I hope...

......

......

Isn't this place eerily quiet?

Yes. Stay close.

I'm seeing plenty of Infected among the citizenry, but that's not the main point.

I was thinking about it when we fought those rioters before. This residential district is pretty ordinary in design, isn't it?

They've just gathered up all the Infected to live together. There's nothing explicitly discriminatory about it.

Hm...

But the truth is they're still having their personal freedom restricted. And aside from a few remarkable Infected, most people live more or less like prisoners.

What they have is not a prison, but an entire street of cells with a dozen times more inmates.

Look here, how long do you think it's been since this bakery was open?

Ew... I think I saw an Originium slug crawling around... so unsanitary.

No one's been sweeping up the dust and leaves around the door. There's no functioning economy here. No daily life.

I understand they've fallen on hard times, but no one wants to buy or sell bread? There's no public transit? This isn't normal.

Maybe, maybe it's because of what happened before? Like the shop owner got scared off or something?

At least they have the right to live, they—

Shh! Miss Folinic...! Lower your voice!

......

I wasn't criticizing them. I was just talking about... those 'armed Infected.'

Do you think they're...

That policeman mentioned 'Sarkaz.' We need to look into that first.

If they do have anything to do with the 'armed Infected groups' we know, we'll have to tread carefully. Things here may be far more complicated than that policeman knows.

Really?

If the Infected are living well enough, it's only because the situation isn't desperate enough.

They must be hiding something from us.

Folinic?

Please don't worry. Atro is very smart.

I...

You've been looking very scary since that meeting. But don't worry.

As long as we try really, really hard, we'll be able to handle this, just like the senior operators!

So can you relax for me? At least a bit?

Aw, is little Lisa comforting me again? Why's that?

Hehe, let go of all your troubles, big and small!

Doctors, please wait a moment—!

It's you.

Didn't I say we don't need any help? All we need is access...

I'm sorry. I know you said as much, Miss Folinic, but considering the circumstances, and your unfamiliarity with this place, we have to take precautions to guard against potential accidents.

...Miss Folinic?

Fine... The locals may be more welcoming if we have one of their own with us.

That's true! *Cough cough*! Zwölftontechnik Strasse was once Wolumonde's biggest Infected quarter...

And now, for certain reasons, it's become Wolumonde's number one protest district.

Then what do you plan to do now?

I don't think it's wise to go any deeper into this place... But if you want to learn more about the situation in Wolumonde, that is a good choice.

Let's just go for a stroll here. No need to rush things.

I'd be very happy if you were willing to tell me more about Dr. Atro.

You... really worry about Dr. Atro, don't you?

We went to school together. And she is one of my very few trusted friends. Not to mention an employee Rhodes Island can't afford to lose.

...I see.

Ah, please come this way. Schaukelplatz is just up ahead.

What was Atro doing here?

Um... Treating the local Infected, giving psychological counseling to those who were suffering.

Wolumonde was unable to avoid the Great Rift because of an error the Catastrophe Messengers made, and we suffered immensely for it.

Dr. Atro could have left, but she decided to stay. After Wolumonde moored here, she set up a temporary medical facility to better serve the Infected.

Dr. Atro... is their hero.

...She was just doing what she had to do.

She's always been better at practical work than rote learning.

......

Heh. I can see her face right now, looking so self-satisfied. That's Atro.

This is the first time you've smiled since coming to Wolumonde.

Is it?

You've been pretty scary all day long, Folinic.

Oh...

There's... a lot of people up ahead. Is that where everyone is?

Shouldn't you do something?

Peaceful assembly isn't a crime. That alone isn't grounds to detain them.

They're looking this way...

......

......

Why is everyone quiet all of a sudden?

No, this isn't right... Who's that talking to them?

Huh?

Behind them, in the very back, there's—

A Sarkaz...?

Sarkaz...?

Miss Folinic!

I know! They're coming at us! Hey, you, protect yourself!

O-okay!

—When did they appear?

I'm not sure. But the 'Gramophone' didn't start...

I told you before not to rely on those experimental automatic Arts devices.

If they have some educated Leithanians in that Infected group, they could have easily turned a machine against us.

Too late for that. The Infected quarter is crawling with them. They're whipping them up.

...The people here should be above that kind of provocation.

B-but there are more and more protesters every day. They're gathering up and—

What are their demands?

They want us to start supplying Zwölftontechnik Strasse again... and they want all quarantine measures on Zwölftontechnik Strasse lifted.

...Nonsense.

Of course, their main demand is that we give an appropriate response to the fire...

They don't give a rat's ass about the fire. Just you wait, everyone will forget what this was about soon enough.

What should we do? Rhodes Island is already here. It's only a matter of time before they find out.

We all know that. Why do you think I sent Tatjana with them?

Before we lay it all out for Rhodes Island, we have to be sure what kind of company they are. We have to know if they're Atro's kind of Infected, or 'the other' kind.

I'm not sure that's right... Won't things just get worse once they find out on their own what we're hiding?

Ha... Think what you will. If they're the type to turn the other cheek, that's what they'll do. You and I both know what's going on here in Wolumonde.

I know, but—

—Then don't try to play the good guy here. Things don't work out for the good guys. We need to focus on outcomes.

*Cough* *cough*... What about the real nasty ones? Like the devils?

They haven't made formal contact yet...

They're a bunch of vultures, stirring up our people, looking to divide and conquer. How trite of them.

They're playing it cool, probing our defenses. When they're sure there's no Gendarmerie garrisoned in Wolumonde...

Everyone here is ready to fight. And we have the L-44 'Gramophone' defense system.

But you're not Gendarmerie... *Sigh*, I'm just trying not to get anyone killed, *cough*— *cough* *cough* *hack*—

Take care of yourself. Wolumonde can't afford to lose you.

Really? I don't think it makes much difference...

Who else could keep Wolumonde's defenses up without a single Gendarmerie?

It's just stubborn blood. Leithanian nobles won't stoop to doing their own dirty work. Give them one more push and you'll see this place go to hell in a handbasket.

If we don't come up with something soon, this game is over.

We have to get back on our normal course before winter. Stay stuck in this wasteland and watch starvation and rioting destroy the town.

Maybe... Yes, you're right.

It's already getting cold, *cough*—

...I hope Wolumonde still has other options.

Hey! Where are you two from?!

Are you here to help those morons keep us locked up in here to die?!

Know your place!

Who were you talking to just now? What did you tell him?

Hah. You scared? You should be!

It's because you bureaucrats can't do shit that Wolumonde is in this mess!

Why don't you let us try running the show for a while?!

This isn't anyone's fault!

You're just gonna call it a Catastrophe and be done with it?! It's your fault we couldn't steer away from it in the first place!

...You're begging for a fight, Infected.

Have you been to any other cities? Have you seen how other Infected live?

Even I can see that Wolumonde is in a crisis, but the non-infected are going through the same tough times as you Infected. Shouldn't you be working together to get through this?

Huh? And who the hell are you?

I'm a Rhodes Island Operator, an Infected doctor. We help the Infected through crises, as long as they're not stirring up trouble for no reason.

G-good day. C-could you please stop resisting...?

Pfah! You're here to kick us around. If I let you, that is—!

You want us to work together? Why don't you ask the woman who started all this?

That...

Hey, you. You're infected, aren't you?

Mhm.

Nine-tailed Vulpos are pretty rare. Sooner or later, you'll end up just like us.

I don't think so... Everyone's so nice to me...

For now. But that won't last forever. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon enough.

If only Dr. Atro was here...

Hey! What are you doing?! Let go!

What did you just say?

Folinic, calm down!

Did you just say 'Dr. Atro?'

Where is she? Is she alright?

What do you mean where is she? The fire took everything from us!

They've been pushing us out since the Great Rift appeared. They're terrified!

They even rounded up the Infected who came here seeking refuge! Why? Because they have to control us, to lock us up like animals, all to satisfy their twisted idea of humanism!

That's not true... the Schultz isn't like that!

Feh. Whatever. If that's all it was, we'd be fine too...

At least we had Dr. Atro. At least we had each other. Even if we lost this quarter, we at least had a place to stay...

But they... they killed Dr. Atro, and our friends!

Because of that fire!

...Wh-what do you want?

...Atro should have survived that fire.

Huh?!

Oh, I get it. They lied to you. Of course. They lie to everyone.

It wasn't an accident. It was arson. It was murder. It was self-righteous moralizers showing their true colors.

I'm not your therapist. Let's cool the emotional venting—

Heh. You know what they didn't tell you?

Wait, stop!

...The day that fire happened, not a single person made it out of that tent!

......!

You mean...?

I think you know whose side you should be on.

Enough.

Gah! Take it easy already!

...Behave yourself. You're under arrest.

You're no Gendarmerie! None of you are! There's no law here! All we got is leftovers from the settlers!

The Schultz will decide your fate. I'm sorry.

Hmph. You wouldn't dare kill me. You wouldn't risk a mass Infected uprising!

I guess I'll just wait for you to exile me to the wasteland so I can join up with the—

...You and your friends are convinced that we are the ones behind all this.

But we're all fellow citizens of Wolumonde, and we're all a part of this town together. We've lived in peace for so many years—

Why would you trust some the word of some strange outsiders over ours?

What have we done wrong?

...Because you are not one of the Winterwisp. Nor are you Infected. You're just a sheltered little girl.

You forget what it means to be Infected. You forget what Oripathy is. I know better than you. It's that simple.

Here! Tatjana is here!

And Rhodes Island! Are you two okay?

Yes, we're fine!

Take them away, please.

Ugh. I have to see Severin again...

We'll make sure they don't do anything else. But Miss Tatjana, what of the two from Rhodes Island?

I will take care of them.

Very well. Then, we'll go on ahead.

Now can you give me an explanation?

Miss Folinic...

I... I will tell you everything.

I don't know what Schultz Severin and the councilors are thinking. But I believe... Miss Folinic and Miss Suzuran, I believe you deserve to know the truth.

Considering how you just helped me...

You're wasting time. I just want to know... is she alive?

I... I don't know...

You don't know?!

Please, Miss Folinic.

Miss Tatjana... why are you lying to me?

None of us are really ready to accept it ourselves.

Please understand, we don't know what Rhodes Island is like. We had to be sure we could trust—

Even if we were ruthless, cold-blooded corporate raiders out to make everything worse for Wolumonde, that's no excuse for you to deceive our people!

I'm sorry... I really am...

We were planning to tell you the truth...! We, we've been doing everything we can to investigate the Infected outside the town!

But I know. I know that's all just for our own sake. It's no excuse...

Exactly right. You're making excuses. But... it's fine.

All I want... is the truth. Rhodes Island won't abandon you. We wouldn't look past a town suffering a crisis like this.

...!

That would make Atro very unhappy. She's such a baby whenever she gets sad. And I hate seeing her cry.

It's not too late. For either of us.

Helping the Infected and solving their problems is what being a Rhodes Island Operator is all about.

Miss Tatjana, there's so much we can do if we just trust each other!

Thanks.

Before the Catastrophe, the Schultz asked Dr. Atro if she would leave with the refugees...

Dr. Atro said the same thing—'Rhodes Island won't abandon you.'

Please come with me.