FC-2 Unlucky Reunion

Fischer, urgent correspondence from the Viscount...

...Fischer?

Oi. Pondering some question for the ages again?

Apologies.

While your mind has gone walkies taking in your jigsaw puzzle, that 'Harmonie' Feline has been continuing to act without pause, right here in County Trent.

I assure you, my mind has not wandered, and surveillance of her has not slackened an inch.

The way you act tells me the investigation's not made much headway.

If surveillance during this stretch proves she's still loyal to her duty to Victoria, I'll be happier than if we catch a traitor.

I've never seen you happy period.

After the failure of the last op, I thought I wouldn't see you in this office again.

Don't put it that way. The op itself wasn't a failure.

And your results from the hospital?

Acute infection, active Originium shards abundant in wounds...

Of course, my condition is under control now, I assure. The occasional headaches will not impact my activities.

That said, I haven't reported the diagnosis to the superiors yet.

I consider myself as still able to assume the investigation into Harmonie, not to mention nobody would want to take over the scraps of info on this region.

There is a true goal behind these smokebombs, and I have a duty to find it out.

And I assure, I will maintain a distance from all others during this period.

With my experience handling emergency situations, you didn't even need to add that last part.

We of the Special Forces will continue supporting your investigation, as long as the city hall still lets you in.

Not going to say thanks?

Haha, never mind that. I'm just cracking a joke. Trying to untense your muscles for once.

Find some time to read the Viscount's letter, remember.

An invitation card?

I see.

Listen to you? Where are you going to take us?

We can't keep wandering in these wastes anymore. There's no settlements along the way you're pointing us.

You can forget picking berries in a place as lifeless as this, let alone hunting wild beasts. And besides, you don't know if the rain's going to pelt us with stones one day! No Catastrophe Messenger ever heads through there!

I know exactly how many days it takes to cross the marsh. Food-wise, we plunder a Victorian caravan and job's done.

Oh, and that doctor's got enough medicine for us.

She's not a doctor... and she's headed to a town herself. We agreed she'd part ways after escorting us to one, even. What do you take her for? A personal first-aid kit?

Everyone's got to throw everything they've got in with you, lives included, all because you want to be a little bit selfish, yeah? Am I wrong?

Shut up, Fionn! If you've got a problem, why don't you go off yourself? You think you can handle that?

......

Cowards don't survive.

Selmon!

......

Oh, 'Reed'.

You know how much I hate your nickname? It's like rocks and mud, all over the ground. I don't even know if I'm talking to you or the grass we walk by, haha.

I heard you two arguing.

There's... I have to tell you something. We can't go to Tulla village.

The airwaves just said. The army suspects two factories there of secretly producing supplies for Dublinn. They drove out a bunch of people. A whole clash sparked off.

We'll keep heading that direction for now. Forget catching the carrier... we'll probably get seized the moment we approach the village.

...*sigh* It's a miracle we got someone so capable to help us. Just barely made it out here.

Hah, you say that like you'll flag down a carrier and the good days'll come.

Escape from a factory into a mine somewhere else, until one lucky day a truck takes you somewhere other than Tara... You think that'll be a cakewalk?

I know of a lot who've fled that way.

You saw them leave, that's all. Because their village went up in smoke, because they couldn't put crops in any wasteland around. THAT'S why they left. And you don't even know where they finished up, or if they did it alive or dead.

And, do you even know where Tara is, or how far you go before you've escaped? They've never shown that on a map.

Stop trying to scare me with all these big questions! Does it make you right just because I can't answer?

Forget—forget it. I'll go talk with an old acquaintance here about borrowing some dry rations. *sigh* It's like all that blabbing you do's going to conjure up enough food to feed the dozen of us tomorrow.

He's... very hurt.

No shit. He doesn't like telling lies, but he's got to come up with some porkies if he wants to borrow stuff. I'll be back, I can repay you, things like that.

I'll go and help him.

You talk too much like those Victorian officers from other parts. They won't trust you. Or are you just that good at lying?

I just—don't like having to rob others.

And—I don't... like your selfishness either. It's the greatest lie of them all.

You're sure your friend said he saw Dublinn around here?

Why else wouldn't we be passing through here? Word spread among all the caravans. Everyone's opting to go the long way around just to avoid this belt.

We wouldn't even have come here... if you hadn't vowed so solemnly we'd be fine.

Eh? But we're almost to your destination, and we haven't seen a thing yet.

Erm, it did happen some days ago. There's a chance they're further off by now.

What I heard was Dublinn were scrambling on their way, so much they never even turned to look properly at my friend's caravan.

Oh. How many heads did he count? Which direction were they off in?

That way. Off into uninhabited wastes. As for how many, he said he couldn't count properly, and didn't dare to either.

I've got no reason to lie to you, madams. We've got nothing to fear at all save those armed Dublinn bastards, and your average Taran hoodlums.

Poor places are always crawling with bandits or what have you. We have security measures in place, I can guarantee you that.

By the time we found out County Oak Grove was migrating far and us caravans'd have to alter course through here, I'd already spent a hefty sum arming and armoring my people.

Hold on a min, Chenchen... look over there.

Huh?

There's... someone dressed a lot like Dublinn there.

Fie, I tell you. That new tax ordinance they just announced, it's murder. None of us were so hard up in times before.

Fionn, foreign madam, I'd love to be able to help you... but I'm living on pennies these days too, and you can laugh if you want.

On the one hand, you want to feed a dozen or so a meal each, and that's not nothing. On the other hand, you've got all these people with working limbs and working energy. You're best off coming up with your own solution.

You know they've been sounding lights-out for years on the Scáthanna Fields exactly to hold off the starving, to stop us stealing some noble's prey, right?

Faff. Who gives a toss about rules when you're starving for real? If you're just counting purely on others to help your need, I say you were born eating your head off!

No, no, no, never... They're all law-abiders, come on, that's why I'm even asking for a bite to eat on their behalf...

—Maybe, I can do you something if you've got collateral.

Sorry, Fionn, but verbal guarantees don't do no use now.

A book? That's not gonna do it, madam. Not sure I'd even trust this to prop up my bed.

Hello, is anyone in?

Is that—

Don't answer.

That sick woman's here begging again. Does me in. You open the door for her, she'll be leaning on the frame talking your head off for an hour straight.

Leaning on the frame! She's an Infected! I'm scared she's gonna have my house's doorframe growing stones!

Faff and all, those bloody beggars. I thought last winter might well've starved them to death... Shame they caught ill, but who asked them to loiter all over pestering people?

One sec, though, that voice... No, it can't be? But I wouldn't mistake it...

......

Fionn, do you recognize her?

I—I don't know... *sigh* Better not peek from the window...

Those are sounds of fighting.

Is somebody driving those Infected away?

No, it's from the highway, outside the village.

Oh, God, see what I said... That's what starving people do, they start bashing other people in with hoes!

Stop waiting. We doss around any more and the caravan's gonna pass us.

I'm willing to bet Fionn's not getting us food this time. Laughing stock he makes of himself asking and asking, doesn't even realize it.

Those Victorians sneer at us day in, day out. What's a single bit of robbery to us or them? Weren't we gonna join Dublinn and fight the Victorians anyway?

But. But Reed might get angry with us. Doing something like this.

Let her. Shouldn't we loot while we still have the energy to fight people? You want to wait until our heads are spinning before we do it?

And this is the first caravan we've seen in all these days. Who knows when the next chance'll come?

Then. Maybe if we convince Reed to spring them with us? Then at least our chances of winning are a little better.

Enough, stop bringing her up. What we're doing has nothing to do with her.

Are you going to count on her, a foreigner, saving us forever?

Move. We're doing this.

You goddamned Tarans! Hell's bloody bells!

Cut 'em! Cut 'em down! Teach them a little lesson! Let them know never to lay hands on other people's stuff again!

Right you are! Let's teach the Tarans a lesson!

You hear that, you bloody rabble?

Ugh... my arm...

You want to put us, us Tarans... to death?

Hah... hah... get them! We'll bash these bloody business-doers in! We'll see who it is who dies!

Gurgh—

Fall back!

Wh-What are you using the sheath for? I paid you, in cash! Shape up and act proper!

The scabbard's enough. If you try anything else, I'll hold you off too.

Besides, Bagpipe and I are just traveling with you. We're not your hired guards. Don't get it twisted.

Tch, you're monsters, you and that loon with the spear...

Looks like what we heard before was true. Your average caravans don't dare cross through here.

So you're the leader... Your clothes are an eyesore.

Quick, Miss Ch'en, we're moving!

Hah, scared all of a sudden? Thought you were going to teach the Tarans a lesson?

Dublinn... spectre force, you goddamned maniacs! They were right, you run into those spectres anywhere where Tarans are!

That's right, you don't even need to piss us off. Just catch sight of us, and you'll be slaughtered to a man.

Really?

After pursuing the spectre force with my friend for this long, I've gotten an idea of how they should seem.

Tch.

Ma'am, take your caravan out of here as fast as possible. Bagpipe and I will hold these bandits off.

We'll pursue the Dublinn forces afterwards on our own. We won't be troubling you again.

Fine, fine... ugh, damn it all!

Still feel like chasing?

Rgh—! *cough* *cough*...

...Hey, Selmon, think of something! We need to catch the bastards and do them in!

Forget the bloody supplies... if they scarper, they'll report it to the police, and the army dossers.

You think I'm too thick to figure that out?

You're fully aware the force you're packing can't overcome my sword. That's why just now, you tried to bluff, to scare us off.

...Tch.

So what do we do now? You've got SOME plan, right?

...No wonder you keep wearing this outfit, even with all the risk it brings you.

You want to be this group's 'Leader'.

Ugh...!

I only gave you a light knock. Your head'll be spinnin' for a bit, that's all. I've tested it plenty while savin' hostages—I wouldn't mess it up.

...Oh, you're out. Did I use too much strength? Or have you lot not eaten for days? Really...?

I'm sorry... but, well, it's not right to loot either.

—You're not springin' me!

—Reed?

......

...Are your wounds okay? Are you alright? What are you doin' out here in...

Uh—wait, wait, you're part of this robbery too? I can't just let you go, then.

...No. I wasn't in time to stop them.

But, regardless, I don't want them to be hurt... and I don't want them to be captured, either.

Och, then we're here on about the same mission. No need to eye me that carefully, now.

Whether a Victorian serviceman or a Rhodes Island operator, we can't be harmin' civilians. Me and Chenchen were here to mediate and all.

...Um, I say that, but I'm sorry, I think my strength is a little much for the average folk...

How's about I help you carry the unconscious someplace shady to rest? Were they headed for this village?

...Please, I beg you, leave.

The conflict is defused.

Say it all you like, I'm still goin' to help. You've got somethin' on your mind from the looks of it, na?

......

Ah, alright, still not keen on speakin' then.

They never let me visit you at Rhodes Island, and didn't tell me why either. Best I could guess was, you didn't want to be reminded of County Hillock.

...So what are you doin' out in these parts?

And also, you look like you've been lost in the barrens for days now. What's your mission, even? Want me and Chenchen to come with you?

Oh, there's just so much I want to ask you, my brain's goin' haywire.

...No, it's alright. I just happened to be—invited by these people to... escort them.

In the past, I'd operate alone in the country for very long stretches. The dangers of the wild—don't mean much to me.

And also, I'm not here on a mission for Rhodes Island.

...I'm pursuing some things related to Dublinn.

No wonder... Me and Chenchen are doin' the same. Must be why we ran into each other.

You were so wounded, back in County Hillock. Dublinn must weigh like nothin' else on you too...

There was a person in Dublinn—who changed my fate, so I want to... see, if I can still recover something from there.

Whether it relieves the pain they bring, or brings peace to myself.

...That's amazin'.

We were comin' this way with the caravan lookin' for a Dublinn unit, who'd shown up here in recent. Don't know why, but when I saw you, that gave me the shock of my life.

Thank goodness you lot and Dublinn aren't tied up.

......

Say, I'll go have a talk with Chenchen, and we'll postpone the mission a few days. I bet she's just as willin' to help these people out.

How many people did I just now have shadowing me as I entered this parlor? Take a guess?

I have no interest in the act you put on in the midst of the Victorians and Tarans.

Then I really should thank you for the pains you took, rushing here to County Trent and drawing all the attention. I thought you'd spend a lot longer harboring yourself in the army.

With The Leader's plans progressed to this stage, there is no real difference between my identity as part of Duke of Wellington's guard, and that as an officer of Dublinn.

Seeing as you have Caster's people surveilling you, they must have long gained possession of that information.

We have little nibbles of Dublinn forces cropping up outside the cities, and the rumors of a major Dublinn force passing through... All put on show for them.

Sprinkle in a few mysterious trade orders, and now even the gossiping merchants know the Iron Duke has some design or other for this city.

Everyone is quietly making the rounds, frantically guessing what the Duke is borrowing Trent as a stage for.

Very much as The Leader expected.

Yes, if they'd realized our true aim too soon, and every Duke learned of The Leader's resolution in advance, I fear Oak Grove's outskirts would be in the same merry state Londinium is.

Say, are they more scared of the Sarkaz, or of the Tarans?

Trying to pit Tarans against Sarkaz? You have no right to make such jokes, Feline of Victoria.

...I hear 'The Spy' is dead.

Mmm, yes, and we've had access to far less intel from inside Londinium ever since. It really is a shame.

It's not just Sarkaz in there. You have some... fairly interesting powers in hibernation.

Your impulsiveness will ruin your plans. I've said as much before.

Impulsiveness? My, scant few people would ever think THAT of me.

You should perish thoughts of offering Mandragora survival.

She was used by 'The Elocutionist', to try and fracture Dublinn. She was meant to die in County Hillock along with those six traitors.

Mandragora was the one 'The Spy' most trusted. Executing her before confirming if 'The Spy' had turned his coat, well, that wouldn't have been the wise move.

Excuses.

Even if it wasn't worth myself or you in person, the task of supporting 'The Spy' should have gone to someone more dependable.

Oh? Come to speak of us, you never sat well with me. Don't you find it such good news that I've never had the chance to kill you?

Meaningless, glib blather.

You can't be acting rashly before the Duke and The Leader make their final decision.

If you can discern the importance of Londinium intel, then of course I can. But whether we ultimately march on Londinium or not, that's still an unknown variable.

Hinging upon our progress collaborating with the Duke?

Of course. Why else would I be so busy on my feet right now?

...Hmph. I still remember the enclave campaign four years ago. How bitterly we awaited the result of our partnership with the nobles.

And meanwhile, all our errant representatives were circling thousands of kilometers out, patiently pulling through several weeks just to tell the Duke one single thing.

Harmonie, you'd best stand on The Leader's side.

Or else?

Mandragora is dead. I can stop investigating your whim to assist her.

But she—she's still alive.

Oh, you mean that dear, pitiful Loughshinny.

We cannot have a repeat of 'The Elocutionist's' conspiracy in County Hillock. Each day she lives is a threat to Dublinn and The Leader.

The Leader has assigned control of her whereabouts to you. Don't let personal considerations affect you any further, Harmonie. You have little leeway left to fail.

Oh, you do fantasize far too much about the emotional life of a professional spy.

......

Fine, fine, you can stop boring into me with your eyes, 'Brigadier', unless you want to help by applying my makeup. I do have a dinner party to attend.

Not bad, Fionn. Just like back then. I always think you're a bit useless, but then every time, you get something done.

*sigh* What use is borrowing this bit of rations going to do?

Those two are Victorians, right? They say, they'll go to the city to replace anything we don't need, and sort you lot out some batons for self-defense.

Shouldn't you be happy about getting a decent weapon?

Fine, you listen to your little radio, check if they're broadcasting about merchants being looted. Maybe those cowards are scared Dublinn will get back at them. Might not even report it at all...

...Hey, Fionn?

What are you peering at back there?

...That Infected handful. They've been following us at a far distance since we left the village.

Still? Surprised they've kept up with us going so fast, and them with their sick legs and children to carry.

Right, it must be murder on them coming with us.

I... I'm worried for Moran.

Her eyes went bad in that famine a few years back. She can't see the way in the dark. Now with the lights-out happening, there's not even a single lamp left on.

Oh, no, that's sorry to hear. So, can I ask what they're doing following us? Do we look like some kind of rescue team?

I don't know. Er, probably it's the clothes you're wearing?

Look, aside from me, everyone regards you like you're a real member of Dublinn.

And everyone knows Dublinn's good to the Tarans. It's simple as that.

...I'll—go and see them.

Oh, you made me jump... Your voice sounds a little quivery, say. You alright?

......

...It wouldn't be bad—to have more people standing on guard duty... It'll be easier to avoid the patrol.

I'll... bring them with me.