Arknights story · Retracing Our Steps
OS-1 Amidst the Wailing
The three clans initiate rescue operations after the Catastrophe, but they cannot prevent panic from spreading through the population. Enya realizes that Kjarr has gone missing.
2 scenes, 319 lines
1. Before Operation
178 lines
Team Alpha, drop the supplies in the east-side clearing.
Set up medical tents in conjunction with the Paleroche reinforcements and be ready to receive wounded.
Right!
Team Bravo, take your shovels and wineskins and look for survivors in the ruins of the train station. Be thorough and keep your ears open for any cries.
Alright! Team, grab your gear and follow me—
Try not to make too much noise. We could still be looking at a second avalanche. A team is on its way to investigate the mountains.
Trust our people, and trust in Kjeragandr's protection.
By Kjeragandr.
...By Kjeragandr.
Yes, sir!
Before the voices disperse on the cold wind, the servants of Clan Silverash are already on the move, spreading out on the snow in every direction.
They are not the only ones here. The white tide has torn a gash in the peace.
Over here! This one's alive!
Hang in there! You're a son of Kjerag, you can take it!
M-My leg...
I can't move my leg... my leg is... argh!
Don't move! Somebody in the back, report!
We dug a hole, but his leg is pinned under a steel girder. If we can't get it out of the way, we'll need a surgeon to... no, I'll try to dig it open a little bit more!
Grr—okay! Good news, the girder's already broken! All we need to do is lift it up!
All we need is a little elbow grease! Over here, all hands on deck!
Hold tight, one, two, three...
—Hrragh!!
Argh... it hurts...
We got a gap! Pull him out now!
I got him. Take it easy, lift him up and put him on the tarp. Careful not to pull the wound open...
Slowly, carefully—
Got it! Stretcher!
Out of the way! Stretcher coming through!
Suppressed, restrained cries. Rescues. Stretchers. Survivors.
The rescuers run back and forth on the white snow, their faces red with exertion, hot sweat dripping on the snow.
Take over for me here, Gulo. Save every soul you can.
Right!
But where are you going, sir?
Sir Arctosz... is rescue work in the south already done?
No, not yet.
Gulo's overseeing it. I came to find you.
We're handling things here, no need to worry. The Browntails' help has already arrived, they brought blankets and food.
Madame Ratatos wanted to come personally, but she seems to be otherwise engaged.
...I figured as much.
We know what's going on. Nobody blames her.
Schiisdräck! The timing of this bloody disaster!
It came out of the blue. There were no warning signs, no chance to prepare.
Yes! That's why I came to you.
You know the rules. This avalanche happened on Paleroche land, and we're responsible for the mountains here.
We've been watching the thickness of the snowpack. I've seen the records myself. Everything was normal!
That's why I came to ask. Don't you have people at that research institute of yours whose job is to check on the mountains? What are they saying?
Research institute... you mean Rhine Lab?
Yeah! They spend all day on the mountains carrying all that newfangled gear. You're not telling me they didn't find anything, are you?
They have their own projects to deal with, and they don't necessarily focus all their attention on the mountains.
Besides, we came as soon as we heard about the avalanche. We haven't had a chance to find out what they know.
Sir Enciodes sent Degenbrecher up the mountains with a team. They should be back soon.
Hm...
This is sending chills up my spine. What in blazes is this avalanche...?
The wind wails, carrying snowflakes with it. The man turns around and stares at the mountain. He may be a mountain among men, but he is little more than a pebble before the silent mountains.
Is that...?
A group is moving quickly down the snowy mountain path, heading for the two men.
Sir Matterhorn!
We must let Sir Enciodes know at once! W-We found—
The investigator's expression is deathly pale, his fur boots wet and gray with dirty snow.
In the wind, his rapid and ragged breathing sounds almost like wailing.
If there are no further questions about the framework agreement, let us now move on to the detailed terms of the agreement.
First, concerning taxation of the joint Kjerag-Kazimierz mining endeavor—
(Whisper) Sir, Madam Degenbrecher is outside. She has something to report.
...Right now?
(Whisper) Yes. She says it's extremely urgent...
What's this urgent matter?
We found this on the mountain where the avalanche occurred.
Degenbrecher opens her gloved hand, and a small, black shard of Originium lies quietly in her palm.
On a mountain in Kjerag?
If the mountain by the train station counts as Kjerag.
Both Gnosis and Rhodes Island's have examined it. It's almost certain that...
Degenbrecher looks around her, making sure there are no eavesdroppers, and drops her voice.
This avalanche was a Catastrophe.
...
How many know?
The investigation team is our people, so we can keep them quiet, but a number of those at the foot of the mountain have been infected.
It won't be a secret for long.
...
Instruct Matterhorn to set up a blockade and not allow civilians to approach. I want checkpoints on the mountains as well.
Contact Rhodes Island and request secrecy in the housing and treatment of patients. Tell them to contact Karlan Trade if they need any help.
And tell Ratatos and Arctosz to meet me at the train station in one hour. Whatever it takes.
Understood. Anything else?
...Take a squad and go to Vine-Bead Court immediately.
And tell Gnosis to take a team to protect the Rhine Lab observation station.
Understood.
Enciodes checks his clothes and goes back into the conference room.
I apologize for the delay. Let us continue.
First, concerning taxation of the joint Kjerag-Kazimierz mining endeavor...
...
Preposterous... preposterous!
There has never been such a prophecy in any of the scriptures. Why would Kjeragandr punish us with a Catastrophe? It's preposterous!
But it happened! She has left us because She is angry with us!
How do we explain this Catastrophe, if not by Kjeragandr's anger?
Look at the crowd surrounding the Vine-Bead Court now. They are pious believers in Kjeragandr, gentle children of Kjerag.
Are we to tell them that the families and friends they lost, all their suffering, happened for no reason at all?
The people are troubled. Their faith is shaken... but it is at times like this that our own faith must be stronger than ever.
How do we know this isn't a trial from Kjeragandr to reinforce our faith?
Kjeragandr has not abandoned Kjerag... why would She punish Kjerag for no reason?
Perhaps it happened because we've acted against Kjeragandr's will—
The young cleric takes one look at the Saintess in the middle of the hall, then lowers his head without a word.
You may speak your mind.
Saintess...
I believe this is the fury of Kjeragandr... it's a warning...
Because the Vine-Bead Court... because we made the wrong choice.
We should not have allowed the faithless to build upon Mount Karlan. We should have remained firm, rejected them...
If they did not defile the temple of Kjeragandr and anger Her, why would Kjerag...?
His voice grows lower, but at the same time firmer. The hall is quiet, with no one speaking out in objection.
I see.
You believe that I, the Saintess, have offended Kjeragandr and brought Catastrophe upon Kjerag.
N-No, Saintess, what I mean is...
No, your words offer valuable insight. It is not only the people at the foot of the mountain; many who sit among us think the same way.
This is what is happening now. People doubt the Vine-Bead Court, and you, too, are anxious and wavering.
Cleric Fangot, Cleric Ronoa. One of you believes that Kjeragandr continues to favor us as She always has. The other believes that Kjeragandr has...
She bows and thinks for a moment, her alabaster face calm as ice.
Recite to me the Three Protections detailed in the Kjeragandr.
...Yes, Saintess.
The First Protection, Page 7, Line 9 of the Kjeragandr.
'And so She spoke to the shepherd boy, saying—'
'I shall grant you shelter, and all that you may need.'
'I shall hunt in the woods, and I shall plant seeds in the earth, such that you will have furs to wear and food to eat, and neither frost nor famine shall take you.'
'And thus, She protects us from the harms of cold and hunger.'
The Second Protection, Page 25, Line 17 of the Kjeragandr.
'And so the protector came forth from the people, awakened in the clouds of myriad colors, and built high walls of earth watered with snow.'
'And thus, She protects our homes and our kin, and She taught us the means to defend ourselves from our enemies.'
And... Page 32, Line 2 of the Kjeragandr, towards the end.
'That day, She proclaimed to the people:'
'My eyes shall watch over you, my fur shall warm you, my backbone shall protect you, while my flesh and blood shall bless you.'
'You have learned the way of wind and snow, and learned the form of walking.'
'You are the people of Kjerag, and the land of Kjerag belongs to you from this day forth.'
Very good...
Now tell me... is there anywhere in the Kjeragandr where Kjeragandr promises that Kjerag will always be safe from Catastrophe?
Are you making that promise to Kjeragandr's people on Her behalf?
Many of the seated clerics look down without a word.
It is quiet enough to hear a pin drop. The smell of incense fills the nostrils, but it feels as though their breaths have been frozen in place by the exchange that just occurred.
Your words ring true, Saintess.
Catastrophe has struck Kjerag. Some have died, and others have become afflicted.
The entire Snow Realm has heard the news. Fear, anxiety, sorrow, and even anger, are spreading throughout the people of Kjerag.
Our duty is to seek a solution.
Certainly. Now is not the time for debate, and my words are intended as a warning, not to fall into the twin traps of panic and prejudice.
You are the faithful devotees of Kjeragandr, and you understand the weight that words have. No member of the Vine-Bead Court is to speak of 'Kjeragandr's punishment' from this moment forth.
Tomorrow, I will go into the Hall of Writings, and devote myself to studying the scriptures and hearing Her voice.
Elder Adso.
Yes, Saintess.
As the new Great Elder, you shall oversee the Vine-Bead Court in my stead, during my retreat.
You are to carry out the duties of the court faithfully and diligently, from placating the people to conducting the memorial service and copying the scriptures for the repose of the deceased.
Understood...
We must have faith...
...Kjerag has weathered many storms and overcome many challenges. The Vine-Bead Court is ever with the people.
*sigh*...
At least things haven't gotten out of hand...
The girl exhales and slumps over the desk, finally able to relax the back that she has kept straight as a fir in the snow.
I don't understand. Why do people keep treating our god as a wishing well? Why do they attribute everything good and bad in their lives to Her?
I know, this is not how I should think, as their Saintess, but...
But I don't understand why a Catastrophe would strike now, either.
*sigh*...
Bring in the dressers, please, Kjarr.
The funeral preparations are done. Starting tomorrow, we'll...
Kjarr?
The room is quiet except for the whistling of the wind and the cracking of the fire.
Enya turns to find that the room is completely empty.
Kjarr... where are you?
The handmaiden who should be at the Saintess's side at all times is nowhere to be seen. There is only Enya's own shadow, thin and long in the light of the fireplace, flickering in the dim room.
Kjarr...?
Enya...
Tell me... honestly...
Do you still... hear Kjeragandr's voice?
The cracking of burning firewood echoes through the empty room.
The wind continues to wail outside the window. She can almost hear the cries of the bewildered devotees at the foot of Mount Karlan.
Enya recalls the day that she first came to the Saintess's quarters.
An unfamiliar room, an unfamiliar smell. Home was well in sight, yet she would never return there under her own name. At that time, she felt the same emptiness, as though this room were a snowy cave.
But she has grown accustomed to having a companion, someone to whom she can pour her heart out, someone on whom she can rely.
But now...
The Kjeragandr scriptures lie open on the desk. The dressing mirror reflects the girl's helpless expression.
Kjarr...
You promised me you wouldn't disappear so suddenly...
Exactly... what happened?
2. After Operation
141 lines
That was fast... an observation station of this size, built in such a short period of time...
Business must have cried tears of blood when they approved the budget.
Actually, we got more sponsorship offers from financial institutions than we could handle the moment the committee approved the Kjerag observation station.
If anything, funding was the least of our worries on this project.
Honestly, Silence... I didn't expect the committee to approve the proposal that easily.
I had my reservations. I still think Rhine Lab is too adventurous with regard to research into the Starpod. There are numerous potential risks that we have not fully considered.
But I also recognize that the stability I hope for may never come.
At the end of the day, it's the specific people in whom we place our trust.
Well then... thank you for your trust, Silence of the Scientific Ethics Consensus Committee.
I hope what we're doing is worth it...
Of course it is. This station is a unique opportunity for the company.
In addition to the Starpod research, the low-Originium environment of Kjerag also offers a rare opportunity for biological research. Not to mention Maryam has wanted to visit Karlan for ages!
Even Ferdinand came up with the proposal for the station's core power supply just two weeks after we got approval.
Of course, he buried his head in his theoretical research right after that. Elena from Energy is handling the actual implementation.
Let's hope our interactions with Kjerag go as smoothly.
I believe there will be no need to worry about that.
The door to the observation station opens from the outside. The visitor flicks away the snow that has fallen on his shoulders and walks in.
We meet again, Mr. Edelweiss.
Just a regular visit to see if you need anything for the construction of the station.
It seems like things are progressing quite smoothly.
Gnosis looks up at the bright lights installed on the spacious ceiling of the station.
Rhine Lab and Karlan Trade have worked together to build this little temple, sturdy and bright, in an astonishingly short period of time.
Compared to the houses of Kjerag, its bold, futuristic design might as well have come from another world.
Karlan Trade will do everything in our power to assist Rhine Lab's observation project, and provide any assistance necessary outside of the scope of work.
As long as the terms agreed in the treaty are upheld, you will enjoy maximum freedom to conduct your activities in Kjerag.
Thank you for your generosity, Mr. Edelweiss.
Research has always been the sole purpose of Rhine Lab. We have no reason to violate the treaty.
Of course... I believe as much.
Such transnational cooperation is unprecedented in the history of Terra. It will undoubtedly produce its share of obstacles...
I simply wish to express that, as long as we proceed with due candor in the sharing of scientific information, we will be able to avoid the sort of accident that occurred in Trimounts.
...
Oh, I forgot to ask! Will the Saintess come and visit the station?
I expect she will attend the opening ceremony once the facility is complete... is there a particular reason why you hope to meet her?
Oh, nothing serious, I'm just a curious critter.
I kinda remember the Saintess wasn't too into our project, but then she flipped around and agreed, all of a sudden.
I just wanna know what made her change her mind, and I figured that'd be a chance to ask.
The Saintess has a very busy schedule. If you wish to meet her, you may want to attend some local ceremonies... if the fancy strikes.
The Saintess and the Vine-Bead Court would be very happy to receive you... let me know if you have such intentions, and I'll make the necessary arrangements.
Well, aren't you meticulous? You seem made for this job.
I'm simply showing you proper Kjerag hospitality.
It's our mutual hope that this cooperation will be a fruitful one... free of trouble.
Much appreciated. Our project wouldn't be going so smoothly without your help.
I would not call it help... we are simply trying to achieve the same goal.
Karlan Trade will connect the mountains of Kjerag for you, paving the roads and providing the necessary freedom for your activities.
In turn, Rhine Lab will share data from your studies of our local ecology, and assist with medical development.
The contract details have to go between Director Fitzroy and Karlan Trade, of course.
I'm a researcher, not a diplomat. I just want you to know that Rhine Lab has come to this sacred place in good faith.
On this, I think we are of the same mind.
They shake hands with nods and smiles, an image that could have served as a perfect press photo.
There is no need to worry...
We will continue along as 'friends,' assuming we both abide by our agreement.
The representatives of Karlan Trade are here, Elena.
They want to meet a representative of Rhine Lab as soon as possible.
Why? We don't have any scheduled meetings with Karlan Trade, do we?
...Is it because of the Catastrophe?
Hm...
They want to discuss the cause, and at least obtain the data observed by the station.
Right...
Did you see Carolin anywhere? She's supposed to be in charge of the observation data, isn't she?
That's the other question I have for you.
No one's seen her since yesterday morning.
What?
Men with guns surrounding the station, demanding that all our researchers gather in the lobby for 'questioning.'
Is this how Karlan Trade treats its friends, Mr. Edelweiss?
The researchers stand around the spacious lobby in small groups.
Gnosis and the guards of Clan Silverash occupy the outside area near the door.
The two groups stand opposite one another, as though separated by an invisible river.
It's a request, not a demand... and it seems that not all your researchers are accounted for.
Who exactly are you looking for?
Gnosis scans the faces of the researchers one by one.
The strong guards stand silently while the researchers exchange wordless gazes.
...She is not here.
It seems that Rhine Lab is not fully aware of your researchers' whereabouts.
If you're accusing us of espionage, I'll ask that you submit your complaint through the official channels.
We are unable to cooperate with impromptu investigations like so.
Of course... there is another reason why I'm here.
I'm sure you've heard about the Catastrophe that occurred within Kjerag's borders several hours ago, something that has never before happened in our history.
Panic is spreading. The people's nerves are sensitive, and anything new may provoke a reaction... I'm sure you understand what I mean.
Should I trust that you're not one of the sensitive ones, Mr. Edelweiss?
...
My views on this matter, and Karlan Trade's views, are not important at this time.
What is important is that the people want an explanation. I hope to work together with you to find the cause of this Catastrophe.
I'm afraid you'll be disappointed.
I just checked the station's observation logs. There was nothing out of the ordinary in the seventy-two hours preceding the Catastrophe.
So you're telling me that the observation station did not detect anything abnormal leading up to the first Catastrophe to strike this land in a thousand years?
That's the truth, at least based on our observation data.
Elena?
It's alright. Mr. Edelweiss wants the truth. We'll give him the truth.
The primary objective of this observation station is to study the Starpod.
Current research shows no relationship between the Starpod and Catastrophes.
Similarly, any assertion that building an observation station here might bring Catastrophe to Kjerag is purely speculative with no basis in evidence.
(W-Wait a second, Elena! Now is not the time to be argumentative!)
May I be frank?
...You may.
The young woman's voice is calm, her gaze firm and unwavering.
I won't mince words, then.
This may run contrary to the Kjerag faith, but from a scientific perspective, so-called 'sudden' Catastrophes are not an abnormal occurrence.
It is the peace and quiet that Kjerag has enjoyed for so long, and the attitude of taking it for granted, that is truly abnormal.
The lobby is completely quiet. Elena's words echo to the end of the corridor.
When this observation station was first established, Rhine Lab considered adding a Catastrophe warning system.
Unfortunately, we placed too much trust in past experience, and did not consider the installation of this system to be a priority.
If we are to take remedial measures...
The real priority should be for Rhine Lab and Karlan Trade to go back to the negotiating table and establish an effective Catastrophe warning system in Kjerag as soon as possible.
...
...A most astute observation, Miss.
I agree completely. Karlan Trade will make developing a Catastrophe warning system a top priority.
We would like to obtain a copy of the station's observation data from the past month... may we expect your cooperation?
Of course.
One moment, please.
Sorry, Director Muelsyse... was I too hot-headed?
A little bit... maybe?
I was just angry at how science has to explain for perceptions that are completely unscientific, no matter where we are...
We have to recognize that science can be a very distant thing for a lot of people.
The people and the things that trouble us are part of this land. It's not something that we can ignore.
Like Silence said, 'Science is a clear, incisive look at every one of us.'
I know... but this is just so absurd—
Never mind that for now... let's get the data we need.
Data, data... it's not like we'll find anything...
Wait... this graph—
Elena picks up the scattered papers, and notices the shape of a certain curve on a spectrogram.
This is impossible...
What is it?
This machine is used to study the Starpod's structure, by bombarding it with high-powered particle beams and observing the resulting electromagnetic radiation...
But I just realized that the data obtained between 3-4 A.M. on December 7th is identical to the data from the same period on December 4th.
An unusual coincidence?
No... it's impossible.
Just like how no two snowflakes are completely alike, atmospheric electromagnetic radiation is constantly changing.
There is only one possibility, if the exact same waveform is displayed during the same time period on two different days for an entire hour...
Someone altered these data.
Falsifying data to support a hypothesis? But people don't usually pull shenanigans like that until way later in a project...
Got any idea who might have done it?
December 7th... the day before the Catastrophe...
The one on observation duty was... Carolin.
Could it be...?
Angry shouts pierce through the metal walls.
Give Mount Karlan back to us! Back to Kjerag! Back to Kjeragandr!
Get off Kjeragandr's land!