Arknights story · Retracing Our Steps
OS-5 A Lonely Winter's Night
Elena successfully restores the abnormal readings observed the night before the Catastrophe, and discovers that an extraterrestrial object had fallen on Kjerag. She leaves the observation station to seek the truth, and to find the missing Carolin.
2 scenes, 353 lines
1. Before Operation
184 lines33 hours before the Kjerag Catastrophe
Instruments, check. Terminal battery, check. Pen ink and paper, check... coffee, check!
It's all-nighter time—
Whoa!
A rustling sound coming from a corner gives Elena a fright. Only then does she realize that she is not the only person in the observation room.
A human figure crawls out of the pile of waste paper by the instruments.
Oh... it's you, Elena.
(Yawns) I thought some great scientist was pulling an all-nighter in an effort to win the Max Prize...
C-Carolin?
You remember me?
Of course I remember the rising star of the Energy Section, the youngest researcher ever to join our ranks.
I-I'm flattered...
I thought you had already left. The schedule said I was supposed to be the one on observation duty today—
Heh, like the schedule's ever meant anything—I wouldn't have been sleeping here for two straight weeks if it did.
No wonder I've hardly seen you ever since I came to the station...
Must be tough.
How does it feel to be back?
You mean...?
Coming back to Rhine Lab.
You were the first person I thought of when they started recruiting for the observation station project, but I thought you would turn it down.
Honestly, it wasn't an easy decision.
At the end of the day, though, the company gave me a valuable opportunity. Besides, the achievements of Rhine Lab itself have never been in question.
I still think my time at Rhine Lab was the closest I've ever been to achieving my dreams.
And I have to admit... even Ferdinand was a great researcher, if nothing else.
Indeed. He has a mind for physics, so let him do what he does best.
You know, he's stopped messing with other researchers since he got out of prison, and has been spending all his time on research.
I think there's going to be a new Director of Energy before long... maybe she's standing in front of me now.
No no no no no no, you've got to be kidding me!
I just wanted to get a closer look...
Elena looks up and sees the sky obscured by snow through the observation's clear dome.
She hates this feeling.
Just like she hates her family's backwards traditions and beliefs, all the things in her way that have nothing to do with science itself.
She believes that science should be pure, ever-advancing, solving questions about Terra one at a time...
This observation station is an invaluable opportunity.
I only want to focus on my research, maybe push a little further than the boundaries of existing knowledge, if I can.
Boundaries, huh... this is the closest place there is.
Say, have you heard the legend of Kjerag?
Legend? What legend?
This land has not suffered a Catastrophe for a thousand years, thanks to the protection of their god.
Well, every country once attributed unusual phenomena to the 'gods'.
Kjerag just held onto this tradition longer because of its isolation.
Yet it is indeed true that Kjerag has not suffered a Catastrophe for a thousand years.
It's certainly unusual... but there must be a reason.
Maybe the high elevation makes it difficult for Originium particles to converge, or—
A Feranmut?
Huh?
Come on, I'm being serious!
I know there are legends about the Feranmuts, ancient beings the size of mountains that turn into mountains and rivers after death.
First off, there are no confirmed accounts proving the existence of Feranmuts. Besides, if these beings did exist, where did they find the energy to sustain their biological activities?
Why bring this up, anyway?
Just something that occurred to me while we were chatting.
Well, that's enough gabbing. You can rest, I'll take over observations for the night.
Really? But you've done a bunch of night shifts in a row—
It's not like my circadian rhythm can get any more messed up. And chatting with you woke me up.
If I recall correctly, there are still some bugs to iron out with the power supply to the high-energy particle beam?
Wow, y-you know about that?
Get some rest and put that brain of yours to better use.
Well, I guess I'll take you up on the offer! Thank you so much!
I'll buy you some fins and chips from that Victorian restaurant that just opened at the foot of the mountain when you have time!
Please don't, no Victorian wants to have to enjoy authentic Victorian cuisine in a foreign land.
Hehe... Kjerag cheese fondue, then?
That sounds great.
...
It is another deep and quiet night in Kjerag. The ancient land slumbers, and lamps give way to stars.
The sleeping snowy mountains may seem wondrous to the uninitiated, though most who live on this land have gotten used to this sight.
Few look up at the sky on a night like this.
—!
What's that...?!
Both her eyes and the instruments capture the strange light that cut across the night sky.
Like a sign from the heavens.
It appears that Carolin was an accomplished, intelligent young researcher with a bright future.
This project is very important to both Rhine Lab and Columbia. The recruiting process was extremely selective.
We have yet to find any irregularities in her records and communication logs.
She was originally from Victoria?
I am unable to provide any private information. That would be a violation of Rhine Lab's privacy policy, and basic human rights.
We can only provide information about her time at Rhine Lab, unless your government officially presses charges of espionage.
Of course. I was just asking.
Her application material was very comprehensive, with every shift and fieldwork experience documented meticulously...
Here, it seems she even requested a field survey task for herself.
Collecting information about Kjerag's geography concurrently with her scientific research?
She has been a diligent researcher, highly rated at Rhine Lab, and a model student when she was at school.
Such scientists are not usually involved in the kind of trouble that we currently face.
Yet, at this point, we have no information or clue as to the whereabouts of Carolin.
Believe it or not, we are even more eager to find Carolin than you are.
There are many things at stake. Rhine Lab's reputation, the security of the research data, potential breach of our management system, the mutual trust and partnership between us, and...
And?
...And Kjerag's development.
Are you speaking as a member of the Scientific Ethics Consensus Committee?
Please don't misunderstand. Though it might sound a little condescending, I have the highest respect for what Karlan Trade is doing.
After all, the courage to reach beyond one's comfort zone is the most important quality in a scientist.
Not just in scientists.
There is a saying in Kjerag, 'Black burdenbeasts are bad burdenbeasts.'
They jump their fences and run into the snowfields. Herders who go into the fields following their tracks never return.
They die?
That's what 'go into the snowfields and never return' usually means in Kjerag.
One by one, pages are reviewed and placed on the table—Carolin's notes and actions turn into a tiny pile of papers.
But where did the black burdenbeasts go? It's the same question, in the end.
Perhaps they led the herders into the mountains, getting lost in the forests and freezing to death at night.
Another page is read and placed on the table.
Or perhaps...
Gnosis puts the last page down.
White upon white, like snowflakes falling on frozen cliffs.
They simply found a new source of water, a new haven.
Can you at least tell me where exactly she carried out her fieldwork?
...
I can't. The observation data are badly corrupted. I can't recover the original data from the port...
Stacks of documents and mugs with dried coffee stains sit quietly on the table.
An error tone signifies failure of the data restoration, causing their hearts to sink once more.
There are ID records of all entries and exits, no message left behind in the dorms or labs...
The main security camera malfunctioned, while the two to the sides of the lab didn't capture anything...
It seems like too much of a coincidence. Could Carolin really have...?
...
No. Everyone else might assume she's a spy, but I can't let bias cloud my judgment. I already requested access permissions from Director Muelsyse to get to the bottom of things...
Knock, knock. Who's been up all night?
D-Director Muelsyse?
Surprised to see me?
I hear you haven't been back to the dorms for two straight nights... are you still searching for the data that disappeared?
Yes...
There is little doubt that the observation logs were altered, although we're not sure who did it, or why.
There is reason to believe that the overwritten data hold a crucial clue...
Hm... but...
Never mind. I brought you a li'l snacky. Can't work on an empty stomach, after all.
Thank you. What is this?
You've never had it? Kjerag cheese pastries with sugar frosting and berry jam. It was all the rage at the station a while back.
...
I heard people talking about it and had planned on trying them out the next time I went down the mountain for fondue, but I've been too busy investigating special energy sources unique to Kjerag.
Elena picks up a pastry. It's dried up on the outside, but the cheese and jam inside remain moist after being heated.
The sound of running water ceases, and Muelsyse sits down by her side with two clean mugs in hand.
Mind if I sip a cuppa joe with you?
Not at all.
Fresh coffee fills the mugs, drenching the air in its aroma.
The sound of machines operating is clearly audible at this late hour. A massive window on the wall displays the stars in Kjerag's night sky, deep and boundless as always.
The atmosphere in the room relaxes. Elena lifts her mug after a moment of hesitation.
Midnight coffee in the lab. Brings back memories.
You used to stay up late too?
Who doesn't, in our line of work?
Even when I was a student, it felt like I had more coffee than blood in veins for finals—
Haha... Looks like everyone's been there before.
Working at night's more efficient, after all.
Yes. Night is quiet. Makes it easier to focus.
I used to write one paper while dictating the summary of another using an audio recorder, when I was really busy.
That way, I get to make progress on both at the same time. Crazy, when I think back to it...
Oh yeah! Audio recorder!
Huh? Audio? Where are you going?
Surveillance audio recordings!
Surveillance camera, credentials... the time is... 3:19 am...
There.
Didn't you say the cameras didn't capture what was happening at the lab table?
Yes... but it might have captured sound from the equipment.
Listen to this... a lot of instruments operating. This ticking sound should be the audio sensor.
The frequency that it plays back is directly connected to graphing. We can use this frequency to recreate—excuse me.
Need a pen and paper? Here you go.
Oh, thanks.
Pen tip rubs against paper. The time they spend around the instruments have made researchers intimately familiar with data.
She enters the numbers that she copied down into the computer, then...
There...
This is the hidden data.
Lemme take a look-see...
Looks like a small earthquake occurred on Mount Karlan the morning of the day before the Catastrophe.
No... not an earthquake. It was an impact of some kind.
As if something fell from the sky into the mountains of Kjerag.
And then... came Kjerag's first Catastrophe.
Outside the wide windows of the observation station, the mountains of Kjerag seem to reflect a translucent blue under the moon.
Did Carolin go looking for this extraterrestrial object?
But why would she do it all on her own?
She's never abandoned her post like this. She must have found something...
We might be able to find her, if we figure out where that thing fell!
Which we can calculate from the wave frequency of the sound of impact!
Director Muelsyse, we...
The Vine-Bead Court isn't about to investigate on our behalf.
Strictly speaking, we shouldn't get any more involved in any of this stuff. The most we can do is to report this to Component Control.
But Carolin might be in danger...
You know that's not your job.
You're not exactly close to Carolin. Bluntly, whatever happens to her is none of your business.
...
Muelsyse finishes her cold coffee in silence.
Frowning at the bitter taste, she takes a piece of pastry and puts it in her mouth, speaking as she chews.
...But.
Sometimes, I kinda think the most important quality in a scientist is courage... maybe even recklessness.
You're a sharp kiddo. Got a knack for finding rhythm in music.
Makes for a good dancer. I wouldn't wanna tie you up, gotta let you move around free.
You mean...?
This conversation never happened. Nobody tried to talk you out of it, nobody told you what you can or can't do...
As for this late night snack... you took it from the shared fridge yourself, didn't you?
2. After Operation
169 lines...
You've been tampering with the locks again. You just won't give up, will you?
Unfortunately, the area that the search parties are looking is at least five kilometers from here. Don't expect them to hear your distress signal.
Hmph...
At least eat something.
Malnutrition during the recovery process will increase the time needed for bones to mend by twenty percent, and the chance of complications by thirty-five percent.
It's not my intention to hurt you, or leave an outstanding warrior with a permanent disability.
Cut the crap!
I warn you, you'd better kill me now...
I suppose that's an option...
As I said, however, I have no intention of bringing harm to Kjerag, and I certainly feel no need to take innocent Kjerag lives.
Besides, it was a miracle that we survived that avalanche at all...
It was, in your people's words, 'Kjeragandr's protection'. Right?
Shouldn't that be a sign to a faithful follower of Kjeragandr to value her own life?
No intention of bringing harm to Kjerag? You've been spying for the Victorians and stealing Kjerag's military secrets!
Such an unfair accusation.
Do you really think a few battleships constitute Kjerag's most important secret?
You speak of your god's blessings all the time, but have you really thought about what your god is?
What are you talking about... Kjeragandr is not to be questioned or doubted—
That didn't resonate? Well... I guess the only reason I'm talking to you about this is because there's nothing to do here to pass the time.
Ah well, doesn't matter anyway.
If you want to pass the time, I've got something to ask you.
How did a Victorian spy work for Rhine Lab for so long?
Why are you so sure that I'm a Victorian spy, when I've been working at Rhine Lab for so long?
Well... if you really want to hear it, I could tell you a little story—
There was once a girl in Victoria, who was incredibly fascinated to know how everything worked, and she wanted to spend her whole life studying.
A dozen years later, she went to Columbia as visiting scholar from the Royal Victorian Academy of Sciences...
It was not the research foundations of Victoria that found her, but an intelligence agency.
From that day forth, the only thing she was allowed to be curious about was the secret documents of the Columbian government.
But her curiosity was not so easily stated. As she dug through Columbia's secrets, she found an opportunity to satisfy the very depths of her curiosity...
...
At the end of the day, though, there is little that separates Columbia and Victoria.
People fight over the slightest morsel of profit, the order that took so much hard work to build is now teetering on the brink of ruinous war...
Who has the time to gaze up at the heavens... or even down at the ground we stand on, of which we know so little about?
...I find it all a tedious bore.
Early morning, Hall of Writings, Vine-Bead Court.
Good thing the window isn't too high.
The clerics have gone to their morning prayers... the observation station is a sensitive topic right now. I need to avoid them.
Maps, geographical records... anything that can help...
The morning sun shines through the window, and falls gently on the aged books.
Elena dusts off the books in front of her, but finds the writing of the clerics difficult to decipher. She begins to regret not bringing a dictionary of the Kjeragi language.
How do they categorize this stuff? This one's... a collection of quotes?
'Kjeragandr, showed Herself, to me, and said—'
'Seek not my temple, but my heart.'
Whoa—!
Elena lets go in panic, and the heavy book hits the floor.
Through the bookshelves, she sees a surprised face under a hood, and a crossbow pointed at her face.
I think she's surrendering, Enya. What do we do?
Who's saying anything about surrendering?!
Wait a moment... Enya? Enya Silverash?
...
Y-You're the Saintess?
Shh—
Elena nods in realization.
Keep quiet, and we can talk. Alright?
Elena nods carefully.
Put away your crossbow, Joanna. Let's not scare our friend here.
But she sneaked into the Vine-Bead Court. Doesn't seem like something a good person would do.
Well, we sneaked in too...
Your attire... are you from Rhine Lab?
Yes! I'm Elena, a researcher in the Energy Section.
I'm sorry. I was just looking for a map of Kjerag, preferably recording the locations of mountains and Originium veins...
If I find that special vein, maybe I could—
...You could what?
Elena glances at the young woman before her, who looks about the same age as her, while being the undisputed sovereign of this country.
Elena is unsure if what she is about to say might offend her, but when she sees the pure curiosity on her face...
Maybe... I can explain how this Catastrophe happened!
You mean that Kjerag has been safe from Catastrophe for a thousand years because of a hidden Originium vein?
Yes! There is an undiscovered Originium vein in the mountains surrounding Kjerag, which created an energy field that prevented Catastrophes from forming.
...
Impossible! It's Kjeragandr that protects Kjerag!
Has anyone ever seen Kjeragandr with their own eyes?
I—
Many people have witnessed the miracles of Kjeragandr with their own eyes!
I respect your culture and traditions, but that doesn't prove anything.
Just because you see something that can't be explained right now doesn't prove the existence of some supernatural being behind it.
And how do you prove the veins have anything to do with it?
The interactions between Originium is extremely complex, and what we know is only the tip of the iceberg.
Rhine Lab has conducted a number of experiments in recent years.
Under certain conditions, Originium can form energy fields that cause atmospheric Originium particles to disperse rather than converge, preventing the formation of Catastrophes.
This is something that we have not yet been able to recreate under controlled conditions...
But if an Originium vein with the right conditions exists... then preventing Catastrophe may be a real possibility.
I've made detailed calculations—
Excuse me, can I borrow this map?
Elena takes out her notebook and show it to the other two. She goes on a long explanation about the formulas as she draws on the page, not paying attention to whether her listeners are able to keep up.
Finally, Elena confidently draws a circle at a location in the foothills on the map.
...Therefore, the Originium Vein Theory is the most likely explanation for Kjerag's lack of Catastrophes!
I'm quite sure that my calculations are accurate, and if we find an Originium vein at this location, it would explain everything!
Joanna is in a daze. She glances at Enya, hoping the Saintess will rebuke this blasphemy.
But the Saintess is quiet, biting her lower lip lightly.
(Whispers) Say something! I don't know what the hell she's writing!
...
How do you explain the recent Catastrophe, then?
Based on the data, I suspect something from beyond the Starpod fell on Mount Karlan the day before the Catastrophe.
Look! These are the data that the station observed the day before the Catastrophe. These are infrasound waves created by the impact of the extraterrestrial object.
Elena turns on her portable terminal, displaying a sharp break on the line graph.
This object must be massive in size and scale. I think the Catastrophe was caused by it falling onto the central area of the vein, causing a shift in the energy field!
There are reasons for all these things! It's not magic, or the work of a god!
Enya cannot comprehend what she is hearing. Her memory begins to blur, and she feels a sort of link being torn apart.
'Kjarr.'
A familiar voice, belonging to a friend, a miracle, or... a hallucination?
She can't believe it. She must not. Fear and loneliness comes over her, and it is all she could do to keep her arms from trembling.
Say something, Enya...
I... I can understand Elena's position.
?!
However, I recall a section of the Kjeragandr...
'Her heart is the heart of Karlan, deep within the mountains. From the beating of Her heart grew the flesh and bones of Kjerag.'
This is the description of the origins of Kjerag, as the scriptures record.
We used to assume that the Heart of Karlan was Lake Silberneherze, which was why we built Kjeragandr's statue there.
In my studies these past several days, however, I found that the ancient tomes considered the freezing of the Heart of Karlan to be an unusual phenomenon. But Lake Silberneherze freezes every year...
Sounds like a figure of speech...
Don't interrupt the Saintess while she's thinking!
Maybe the Heart of Karlan actually refers to something else...
The Great Elder guided me to the 'Radsorn', but it is in fact the 'Heart of Karlan' that holds the answer...
You mentioned the central area of this 'special vein'?
Yes! I built a model based on the shape of Kjerag's mountains, and I calculated that the extraterrestrial object likely fell on...
this location.
Isn't this.... the Kjerag-Kazimierz mines?
Mines? Yes! Now it all makes sense!
There's no time to waste! We need to go—
One moment, foreigner! We didn't say anything about letting you around Kjerag on your own, not to mention all the disrespect you've shown to Kjeragandr—
It's alright, Joanna.
We don't force our faith onto others. Besides, we need to find the truth behind this Catastrophe... we'll let her travel with us.
Elena...
Hm?
While Enya and Joanna were talking, Elena put the books back on the shelf, and now sits on the window sill, waving at the other two.
...
Actually, there's usually no one at the main entrance to the Hall of Writings.
Cold moonlight pours through the dark clouds upon the decorations in Ratatos's room.
Sciurus thought she would be afraid to see Ratatos's things, but she feels so tired that she does not even have the strength for sorrow.
She knows full well that she simply imitated Ratatos in dealing with the other clans, a few days ago.
But the more she tries, the more Ratatos's shadow lingers.
Sciurus looks outside. It seems snow is once again falling on Browntail land.
'Look, Sciurus. Do this to the snowball, and it'll go even further when you throw it. Try it.'
'I don't need you to teach me...'
'I don't want to become you.'
'I hate you. I hate everything you make me do.'
The echoes of memory are like the deafening roar of a mountain collapsing. She feels a lump in her chest.
The dust-covered contracts and letters in the box bear witness to the development of Clan Browntail over the years.
Sciurus examines the marks left behind by Ratatos on the family's business documents, and finds, at the bottom of each page, where the name of the Browntail matriarch should be—
'Sciurus'
'Remember, Sciurus.'
'I'm your older sister, and I'll become the leader of Clan Browntail. So you need to listen to me.'
'Prove that you can do better, if you're not happy about that.'
'When that time comes...'
'I hope you'll carry the future of Clan Browntail on your shoulders.'
Sciurus anxiously flips through the pages.
But each and every document has her name on it.
Until she reaches the bottom of the pile, that little box from her memory—
The secret that belongs to the two of them.
'This holds all the things that I want to give you, but don't want the adults to see.'
'Don't tell anyone. It's a secret.'
'A secret between the two of us, you and me.'
This is...
A communicator?
Sciurus gazes at the device in her hand, the dim light illuminating her hesitation.
The final audio log...
I got Karlan Trade's intel about the suspicious woman. I've been watching her all morning, and I think she's planning to make a run for it.
This voice... it's Monch?
Good. Keep a close eye on her. Don't let her get away, or pass the documents to anyone else.
Yes, ma'am... Karlan Trade says we need to be careful and not draw attention.
Take her alive, if possible. There are a lot of questions we need to ask her.
I'll tell Enciodes to send help from Karlan Trade.
Understood. I'll do my best.
Be careful, and don't leave loose ends.
Finally, there is an unanswered call from Karlan Trade.
...
Call time... yesterday?
...Karlan Trade?