DV-ST-1 Retrograde

This is bad, Kristen. I think I screwed up...

I'll admit the Colonel's smart. He caught onto my 'little tricks' last time I made a delivery.

He's been all eyes on me along with Ferdinand's people. It took a whole bunch of clones just to get away here.

Ferdinand's gonna make his move at Rhine soon enough, I just know it... and the other Directors have to fall in line. The only other option is to play dumb.

Ugh, jeez. I might have nowhere to run anymore, seriously.

I'm a little scared. Just a tiny, tiny bit, but... you get where I'm coming from, right?

Not to worry, though. I'm still going to uphold our agreement, 100%.

—Kristen... I can't help but wonder...

If she was still here, maybe we wouldn't...

Ms. Muelsyse, I suggest you stop struggling.

Your marathon from Rhine HQ to the commercial district's wasted our entire evening.

...*Sigh*.

Lemme guessie, dead end for me?

You'll always catch me as long as I'm somewhere in Trimounts.

No. Forget Trimounts. It'd be the same in any city.

This is Columbia. The charges stick to lawbreakers, rain or shine.

This is about me breaking confidentiality with the military, right?

In which case, you should give me some time to call my lawyer—and not sic a kajillion armed mercs on me in the middle of the street.

I'll say again. We're in Columbia.

We don't operate by the books unless 'by the books' is what we need. In other scenarios, we like efficiency.

......

Alright. Do I still get a little chat with Ferdinand? Maybe me and him can still straighten out this whole mix-up before it's too late.

Nuh-uh. That's not in my orders here.

D... Didn't Ferdinand hire you?

Ferdinand Clooney might be your coworker, but he's just a partner of convenience to me.

I've got no personal stake in the Rhine infighting. Ecological? Energy? I don't give a damn and my employer doesn't care who exactly we're cooperating with.

What we want is results. Rhine Lab provides the goods, my employer puts thought into their use.

And your tiny little 'oops moment' lost you the last ounces of our trust.

If I said... I didn't mean to, would you believe me?

I'm a researcher, ya know? I've got this habit of hanging onto test data here and there.

Habit? You had all this time to think of an excuse, and that's it?

I'm so, so sorry to tell you, your fancy brand of charisma doesn't work on me.

I'm given to understand Ferdinand warned you not to let a whisper of any of the testing leak before the government passed every bill tied to it.

Your Elven blood's stretched the expiration date on your good looks. That likewise ensures you don't form any forgetful habits, right?

You—!

You know I'm...

An Elf?

I read the files. I know who I'm working with. Part of my job, y'see.

......

So, come, let's cooperate some. Whatever illusion you were going to concoct next, it'd be as useless as the last.

Sheesh, I guess I really am cornered.

——

I guess that's why you were stalling so long... You think you can dupe me?

I'm not the brute forcing type, I don't go off half-cocked, and I'm not one of your colleagues married to the lab.

Got you.

*cough* *cough*...

At this temperature... water molecules... don't hear my call...

Is this your Arts... or some kind of special technology?

I...

Are you really free enough to discuss issues of science with me, 'Director' Muelsyse?

Sorry, but I'm tired of playing hide-and-seek, and I don't want any sudden 'acts' of iced water getting my plumage or hair wet.

Hahah... you're... no ordinary merc...

Flattered.

Now, you still have one last chance—answer my question.

Kristen Wright, Rhine Lab Control, has spent the past several years buying up a massive amount of high-purity hard material from companies high and low. What kind of experiment is she running?

Hfff... hkaah... why are you helping Ferdinand if you and your employer—care so much about Control's tests?

That's not the right answer. That's not AN answer. That's another question, in fact.

Nngh...

I don't have... any of... the answers you're looking for.

Your file says you love using your blood-given abilities to toy with people. I'm a little surprised you turned out to be so loyal to the Control.

Loyal...?

I'm just... looking out for... myself...

Aww... you're telling me you don't want this chance at all.

In which case, Ms. Muelsyse—

Our partnership is hereby terminated.

Terminated...?

Terminate her.

......

Saria...

You've gotta make it in time... for Kristen...

......

Still waiting for your appointment, ma'am?

She should've been here ten minutes ago.

I've never counted on her to be punctual, but if our last comms were anything to go by, she was the one desperate for this meeting.

Maybe she backed out again...

We all know the Director of Rhine Lab Ecological prefers to hide the truth behind all those smiles of hers.

I don't trust Muelsyse.

I wouldn't easily trust anyone choosing to remain at Rhine Lab at this point.

But partnerships are built on more than just trust. Did you trust me the moment I first met you?

*cough*... The truth, ma'am?

When I saw you standing outside my door, I almost went straight to the kitchen to grab a knife or something, and call the cops along the way.

Good head on your shoulders.

Still, Rhine Lab wouldn't use force to threaten a retired employee who signed an NDA.

At least, not while I was still in Defense.

A new message?

......

Something wrong, ma'am? You look serious... serious enough to give me shivers.

Change of plans.

Muelsyse isn't coming.

S... Something happened to her? Right when she was about to meet you?

Erikson, I need a favor.

W-What is it?

Send the info I received to the local branch of this pharmaceutical company.

Ask their operators to immediately inform Dr. Kal'tsit and Dr. Doctor—I know they've been in Columbian territory recently.

I need their help.

Morning, Doctor. You're up as early as ever.

D... Data? You mean physiologically, right?

Haha, you always pack that special sense of humor.

*sigh*... I pulled an all-nighter just to get these figures. Director Franks is gonna rag on me for this.

Uh, is that supposed to reassure me?

Thanks... but even if she lets it fly, there's still Director Clooney, and I don't wanna go back to him...

You're overdue for a good night's sleep, Helen.

Elena... you know we have evaluations next week. How am I supposed to sleep with an eval weighing on me?

I can't lose this job. I'm still paying off my student loans...

Sorry, I know I keep bringing that up.

Hm... how's this sound? I'll raise your situation with the Director once the experiment's over.

S-Seriously? Elena... you're the only one in all of Energy who isn't terrified of Director Clooney. What's your secret?

You've just gotta be like me...

Spending every single day in the lab, making the Director happy with every last thing you do? Th—That's not realistic for me...

Oh, right! I needed to check in with Director Franks! Gotta go!

See you.

I made coffee. You want some?

I hear you, but I'm still not about to give up my life for the word 'may.'

If the docs had the final word, I'd be best off staying at Rhodes Island with my sister.

Same for you, right, Joyce? Medical wants you aboard long-term.

Sure... just a few days, and then you'll meet back up with Dr. Silence in the city, right?

Me and Dorothy'll miss you.

Joyce needs rest. Work gets too intense here at the site.

And you, Elena. If it wasn't for Ferdinand talking you up as his most outstanding researcher, I'd be on the case to kick you back to the city too.

So you're here at last, Dorothy.

Helen just went looking for you. You didn't run into her?

Sorry, I wasn't paying attention...

Seriously, you're gonna work until you faint, huh?

Forget me and Joyce, how many days have you gone without sleep? I've seen the wrappers filling up your lab's trash can over the past week. Agrypnotics, huh?

The experiment's already in its final phase. I promised the participants I'd accelerate the pace, so they can get back to their families sooner.

Got me there. Who doesn't want this done sooner?

Plus, as your assistant, I have to listen to you anyway.

Alright—can I ask my beloved assistant to do me another little favor, then?

I can't be out of the lab for too long. I want you to courier these heat-emitter modules to some friends outside.

Heat-emitters? We've been in the barrens for over a month. Where'd you buy these?

I...

See? It took me and Joyce one look to know you made these with lab materials.

The living fossils up in Business won't like that. You might be Originium Art's Director, but that's not gonna change their tune any.

I know how their minds work.

And I know even better that you won't report something this minor to Ferdinand, or any of the Directors for that matter.

......

They need these things. It's been getting cold lately, and their huts weren't built to last. They won't keep the chills out.

Dorothy.

I've been wanting to say... Don't you think you worry too much about them?

They're... Pioneers. A team of them in Rhine Lab's employ.

No Pioneer's gonna hang around anywhere for long, let alone make friends.

They're just a bunch of kids.

Besides, I know what you're trying to say. You're worried about me. You're worried I'll feel empty once they're gone.

That's my little assistant, always so considerate...

Don't grin at me like that. You're not my teacher, Director Franks.

Elena...

Fine, I'll do you this one last favor. The very last one.

Seeing as... the experiment's nearly over.

Sir, we're all set.

......

Sonny... Sir?

Huh?

Got the heebie-jeebies?

What? Nah, that's never been my style.

You've been pacing laps about the cabin. Seven, coming up eight.

I'm just, uh... I'm getting my mind in order. Lotta variables, what's coming up next.

Sonny, I've been thinking, but, uh, are we really on the right track here?

......

Them scientists, and the doc, they've been plenty good to us, I say.

I told y'all already, one or two acts of kindness don't make a saint.

Back in law school, my classmates loved to do all that charitable business—

You know, donate a thing or three to treatment zones for Infected, maybe join a campus debate for justice, for what they went through.

But once I came to be an unlucky, ill-ridden son-of-a-gun too, well, guess how many times they visited me?

Yeah?

Not a single goddamned time.

A year back, I went to borrow some money from an old college roommate. He worked at the biggest law firm in Max D.C.

Picked up the phone, get this. He asked me who I was.

'Sorry, you were out deferred for treatment, so that's why the grad yearbook didn't have your contact.' —Ha!

Most touching joke I ever heard, I tell you.

Real band of bastards, huh? We've seen plenty of 'em ourselves, all of us.

Once they're at a safe enough distance, it stokes their egos good to throw out a little benevolence, like they're feeding fowl, and it makes a topic for their get-togethers too.

You go on and guess... if right this moment, in that laboratory, those respectable scientists are cradling their coffee cups talking about us, huh?

Nobody minds doling out good intent, not until it costs them anything for real.

Alright, boss, whatever you say.

You seen the most of us, paid it most mind. Your word is gold.

This is the only way we've got.

Nobody in the whole damned test site's gonna look out for us, 'cept ourselves.

C'mon, Joyce, once I finish my coffee, we've got to get to work.

Medic... we need a medic!

You're one of the Pioneers?

You can't really just come in... uh, you haven't gone through decontam yet...

Don't you have a medic or a doctor? Something came over Sam all of a sudden, he's sick!

Sick...? Is it Oripathy?!

Are you? Are you a doctor? You gotta save him, you gotta save ol' Sam, save us all!

He's been running like a kettle since late last night, and he's just started throwing up blood!

He's in the nearest hut... We did like you told us last time, gave him some painkillers, laid him down.

Joyce...!

I... I know.

I'm not trying to stop you, even if we're shattering safety regulations...

Joyce, I'm gonna go with you.

Who gives two cares? Remember, I took basic medical training too. An extra pair of helping hands can't hurt in a situation like this, right?

Plus I've gotta make the trip anyway, with my errand from Dorothy. Might as well be now.

Here!

Where's the patient?

Out of the way! Every second counts with acute Oripathy onset!

......

But...

Don't move!

Is that... a nail gun?

Sure aren't, Joyce. These are some healthy young men here.

Wouldn't have the strength to be pointing dangerous tools at us otherwise.

Hands up, ladies.

You're... the leader of the Pioneer Team.

You remember me? I admit I'm a touch surprised.

Sir, why have you tricked me and Joyce into coming here?

I trust you know, Urbica... Dr. Urbica.

That's how you say your surname, right?

You pronounced it beautifully...

Gonna trouble you to lend us your communicator there, Doc.

Pioneer Team needs to ask your superiors a few questions.