UR-5 See and Salute

What the freak is with that tree up in the air?

There are only a few days until the exhibition! How many stands does that thing take up? Rhine Lab didn't apply for upper-level exhibition rights!

Rhine and the ATAO must be colluding! I saw Gordon Tannen on that tree that night!

Gustave, former ATAO Director, promised in a broadcast that he'd have an explanation the next morning. And what actually happened?

Not one word from the committee! I bet they're stalling for time!

Please remain patient.

The credibility of the Propeller Paradise administration and engineering departments is at stake here. We need to deal with this carefully and come up with a plan that can satisfy the hundreds of corporations that have an interest in the project.

Who's asking you to deal with it carefully?

Yes?

Who gives a crap? It's not like this is another Ring Lab.

The engineering department's inspections have stopped, and the administration's vetting is over. Who cares if Propeller Paradise officials are doing their jobs or not?

But the hearing is a necessary part of the oversight process...

Investigations and trials, those are your problem. We just want to know the result of the hearing—

The Air Expo Columbia we expected to make a splash in Columbia and even all of Terra—is it gonna happen or not?

Out of the way.

...

I said, out of the way.

...

You really think that sitting here puts your illegal equipment out of our reach?

It remains Rhine Lab property until the hearing is underway. Besides, what are you calling 'illegal equipment'?

Don't you recognize a floating botanical unit when you see it? The saplings floating around you are no different from the one behind us.

You insolent little... I need more men over here!

Sky, we don't have the numbers. We can only hold out for so long, if they decide to use force.

Besides, we don't know whether this tree-like device behind us is legal, or whether it's safe. After all, it's only been two years since Control Wright...

I'll ask you one question. As a scientist, are you willing to just hand over the product of Director Lunorey's sweat and blood?

No, but...

Then take action. Leave no regrets.

If only we had more people. But Rhine only has so many people on Propeller Paradise...

Did you forget that we're Rhine Lab people too, Mr. Jagger?

I didn't want to drag you into this.

You're worried about the hearing? Hah, it's not like we haven't seen our share of trumped-up charges.

Those guards wouldn't have gotten onto this platform if you called us sooner.

Bunch of slumslugs trying to play the hero?

Possession of illegal equipment, destruction of property, aiding and abetting... there's enough to keep all of you locked away for years!

I'd already be locked away if Director Lunorey didn't take me in.

You wanna touch the tree, you have to go through us!

Don't threaten me with a good time!

...

So... this is Rhine's 'tree'.

It's an honor to see you here.

Oh, you flatter me, Mercia. I've been on an extended holiday and it's about time I got back in the saddle.

Are you here for the hearing?

Yes. The design of the Maylander Emergency Management Council badge is pretty nice. You should try one on.

Is my mission over?

Our mission has only just started.

What are your orders?

No rush. These past few days have been quite eventful. Other than Nasti and Gordon Tannen, are there any other stories that I should hear?

...No.

Good.

See you at the ropeway station in five minutes. There's so much going on with Propeller Paradise that I'm sure I'll need a local guide.

Understood.

(Broken muttering)

Sorry, I should have closed the window.

Company reps and testers are protesting on the streets. The longer the hearing takes, the more restless they get.

Are you feeling better?

(Weak breathing)

You're in poor shape.

You've already seen Director Lunorey. Perhaps I should send you back to the Convallis—

No... no...

Another no, just like last night.

Things will only get messier on Propeller Paradise in the coming days.

It'll be even more difficult to leave.

We're in jail again! They didn't even bother to change our cell!

The time of the hearing keeps changing... you think they might be looking for more evidence and stack even more charges on us?

...

Look, if they ask, I'm telling the truth that you're the impostor!

...

Come on, say something, you're scaring me...

You know, nomadic prisons on the barrenlands could become tourist attractions. The only problem is that it's much easier to get in than out.

You're still thinking about tours at a time like this?

You've already lost one client, and now you're putting your other one in jail?

I'll find her. And there's no need for you to worry.

How do you figure?

No trial, no ID check, no notice to appear... you think the guards are just stalling for time to find a way to charge us?

Yes.

I don't think so. I think it's a sign—

You and I are not the focus of this hearing.

Ferne and Oakley are in jail. Merry hasn't been seen since last night. All the phone lines at the registrar are busy. Everyone and their Originium slugs are looking for me and Nasti.

It's time I put what I learned from the old man into practice. I'll have an answer for everything. I have nothing to fear!

Looks like the old fox has lost his touch. No one's come to interrogate me yet.

Wait a second!

Phew... alright, I still show up as the chief executive of Propeller Paradise on the terminal.

Beep—'Sky Conqueror' is currently under excessive stress. Please remember your health. We are on a long journey that leads beyond Terra.

...

Dammit, are they gonna start that hearing or not? Everything would be over and done with if I were in charge! That old coot just keeps tripping me up. It's been this way for seven years!

Why haven't you gotten one bit better in the past seven years?

Gustave...

How would YOU do it, if you were in charge?

Uh...

You thought you could pat yourself on the back for stopping the Rhine inspections, thinking you could continue to run your little hustle worry-free...

What do you think ATAO was, a kindergarten? Is that how you ended up this naive?

Everything would have gone smoothly if not for that bloody tree! This is all Nasti's fault!

Smoothly? Even a junior assistant under Nasti saw through your tricks.

The whole country would've seen your dirty laundry if he weren't every bit as naive as you, so much that he came to me for help.

...

So tell me, how do you plan on dealing with it?

...Please... help me... sir...

Hmph. Whatever the reason Rhine had to build this floating unit, we can't let them continue to define their own creations.

The administration should have had full authority over this, but it has been excluded from the assessment, thanks to your incompetence.

You mean, we'll need a third party?

A scientific consultant who is objective, professional, with the appearance of impartiality.

Mr. Tannen. It's a pleasure.

He doesn't look like a scientific consultant at all... can he really handle this Rhine stuff?

I visited the floating platform in order to familiarize myself with the assessment subject.

It's certainly an impressive 'tree'. And there was plenty of activity in its shade.

Over our cold, dead bodies!

(Mr. Jagger...)

(Just bluffing.)

Did radiation from beyond the Starpod fry your brain or something? You really want to bleed for this?

You'll get your wish, then!

Stop.

That uniform... you're with Maylander?

We are with the Maylander Foundation's Emergency Management Council. According to the bylaws of Propeller Paradise, the Council has the authority to take over all administrative and management functions in the event of an accident or disaster.

You can check with Gordon Tannen and Gustave.

...

Emergency Management Council?

Yes, Mr. Jagger.

We understand your position, but we advise you to avoid any reckless actions. We are authorized to take extraordinary measures against you and your colleagues, if necessary.

So Propeller Paradise is in a state of emergency, and your preliminary investigation has defined yesterday's event as a—'special incident'?

Yes. The Council has established a special investigation team to obtain evidence from the scene and persons of interest.

The investigation is ongoing. A hearing is the only fair and just course of action, in the absence of an official judicial institution. We thank you for your patience.

Does Rhine keep possession of this 'floating botanical unit' until the hearing?

Of course.

I hope your investigation is as fair and just as the conclusion you just reached.

There is no need to worry.

The safety of the temporary floating platform has been ensured. Bravo is resuming patrol.

Are we just gonna leave, Mr. Jagger?

Maylander's authority looks real, judging from the reaction of the guards.

The hearing keeps getting delayed, and things are still in flux. We won't learn anything if we stay here. Besides...

Have any of you seen Director Lunorey?

A small sandbeast in the forest caught my attention. My knowledge told me that this creature usually makes its habitat in the barrens.

The frightened beast escaped into the bushes. I pursued it through thorn and briar, driven by curiosity, and found myself gazing upon an unexpected landscape...

Do you see it, Fenny?

Yeah!

The great desert and the sky, pink where they meet on the horizon. It's totally different from the pictures in the textbooks.

It smells sweet.

Heh, that's your mom baking cupcakes. They'll be ready soon.

Tell me again about your adventures in the eastern wasteland... no, tell me about the city in the sky!

There's no rush, Fenny. We have plenty of time, and plenty of adventures to talk about.

You'll see everything that I've ever seen, when you grow up and your feet become quicker, I promise.

Stop spinning tall tales to my clients!

Don't blame me for you being boring, trainee. They like my stories better.

My job is to take clients to see places that actually exist.

You think only the places that your company marked exist? What about the things I saw in my youth?

I told you, you shouldn't just read from your tourist manual. You need to walk a path that no one has ever seen—

And achieve nothing in life, get laughed at by the neighbors, and spend my old age spinning tall tales to children?

I believed your stories—the flying beckbeast, floating city, golden-pink deserts... they'll always be precious memories.

But you believe in your stories too much.

Ferne! *cough* Come back here!

Congratulations, Miss Ferne Barn. Your application has been approved. You are now the owner of an independent travel agency.

Thank you. It's a big first step, even if it's a one-woman company!

One woman? I thought there was another name on the application...?

Martin Barn, my dad. Passed away last year.

I'm sorry...

No need to apologize. I wouldn't have decided to start my own travel agency, if not for him.

Even if we won't be able to travel together, Martin Barn will always be an important part of this company.

I'm sure he'd be glad. Have you decided your first route? I can recommend a few popular spots.

Hm... is there someplace that no one's ever gone before?

Most of my peers think my slogan of going into the unknown is just a gimmick. Only my clients and I know how many wonderful sights we saw, and how many amazing things we did together.

Our destination was Propeller Paradise. I wanted to see what the future would be like, while my client had an ambiguous wish.

I swear I didn't mean to sabotage Rhine... my client wasn't in good shape, and you were the only other Banshee I knew of—

No need to apologize. I'm not here to put you on trial. I just wanted to know who you and your client were.

I'll be happy to read your autobiography, if you ever publish one. But right now, time is of the essence.

You're worried about the hearing? I don't think the investigation is complete yet, since they keep pushing the date back.

The trial will come sooner than you think.

Tell me about your Banshee client, as succinctly as you can. When did you meet? Why did you come here? And... how is her health?

It was two months ago, in the Bleached Wasteland...

Brrr... it's really cold at night. The sand's black, completely different from what dad said.

The outskirts of the Bleached Wasteland aren't as scary as the stories say. My flesh hasn't been ripped from my bones, and I haven't heard the ghosts of the dead wailing.

Wait, what's that shadow on the slope? Don't tell me there actually are ghosts here...

Is this... Columbia?

'Guide.'

Gui-*cough*... guide...

Are you alright?!

Pulse and breathing, normal. Doesn't seem like dehydration... well, can't hurt to try.

Am I... back in the Convallis?

No... I haven't seen her yet... do not mourn me... I must not roost...

Calm down. Do you remember your name?

No...

Where are you going?

I...

You're in the Bleached Wasteland, in Columbia. Do you remember what you're here for?

Wasteland...?

No... she's not here...

What are you looking for? Maybe I can help. Ferne's Tours will fulfill your every wish, even the ones you think won't come true, and our prices are fair and reasonable!

My dad always said that if it hasn't come true yet, there's always a chance. He also said... ma'am? Ma'am!

...

She's lost consciousness. Feather horns... what's this Banshee looking for, and how did she get lost in the Bleached Wasteland?

What are these floating symbols? What language is this? And these golden patterns carrying tiny leaves... is this her Arts?

The leaves are moving... pointing towards D.C.?

Her memory got fuzzier and fuzzier. I didn't know what was wrong with her and I got desperate.

You can't stop time.

It's a symptom of age? But her memories...

I've seen this before in the Convallis. It goes hand-in-hand with death.

If a Banshee who's starting to lose her memory showed up here, then perhaps...

It's her last wish to keep what's left of her mind together.

Do you mean...?

You're trying to fulfill her dying wish.

...

She came all the way to Columbia, walked through the Bleached Wasteland on foot, just to fulfill her final wish?

What is she looking for? An object, a truth, or someone she cared about?

...

I see...

Every cop on Propeller Paradise is looking for you. Rhine needs to give everyone an explanation.

This delayed hearing is extremely important to you, yet you came to look for a guide you've only met in passing, asking about her client...

Unless you already know who she's looking for, or—

Is it you she came to Columbia for?

Thank you for caring for my mother, Ferne.

She must still be somewhere on Propeller Paradise! I'll help you look for her!

We're out of time.

Please come with us, Director Lunorey.

A few more minutes, please... wait, your uniform... it's not Tannen who sent you.

The Maylander Emergency Management Council? Your new uniforms look just like the old ones.

The Council has completed its investigation concerning the flight of the illegal device that occurred last night. Please accompany us to verify the findings.

Please communicate any objections that you may have, to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings and waste of time at the hearing.

The investigation is complete... then why hasn't the hearing started? We've been waiting for seven hours!

The hearing is delayed, but the trial has already begun.

...

...

...

I can understand if a scientist doesn't like to talk. Have YOU forgotten how to speak too?

I remember how I was on the shortlist for promotion. The next day, you transferred an official of the same rank over from HQ.

He was young, superb... made all the candidates uneasy. We climbed over each other to prove to you that we were the best one for the job.

Same old story, isn't it?

In the end, you were the one who got the promotion.

I was supposed to get it!

Nothing is ever 'supposed' to happen, kid.

You really think the chief executive of Propeller Paradise is an important post? No, people will only remember the one who gives the opening address.

It doesn't necessarily have to be you.

...

What do you think Rhine's device is, Mr. Consultant?

Mm. Maybe a variation of a floating botanical unit?

Excuses—

No, no. Floating botanical units are electrical cables in the sky. Light weight and mobility are paramount.

What did I see on my way here...? Two empty slots on the tree's internal activator.

My guess is—

Oh, anyone can tell it's waiting for two 'keys'.

...

It doesn't look like the tree will fully activate until a second Rhine Lab section director is present. Unless someone else sneaks into Propeller Paradise unnoticed...

What do you mean...?

People might have many theories and speculations about this device because of its appearance and the Rhine name, but I see nothing more than a flying 'tree', Mr. Gustave.

Are you done? We're not here to write Rhine's paper for them.

The delayed hearing has bought us time. But the reason Nasti concealed the tree's existence, how Ferne sneaked in, and my side hustle... everything needs an explanation.

Enough. Impatience is a sign of fear, and questions are a sign of incompetence.

Our consultant here has already given us the answer.

What is it?

Rhine's device is pretty low-risk, but also invites all kinds of speculation. Therefore, our definition of it can be as big or as small as we want it to be.

!

What else do you need me to do, sir?

Do as you're told.

All you need to do is what you're told.

Stop pushing!

P-Please, let me through, I have something to ask the desk...

Don't waste your time. They don't know when the hearing is.

I just want to know if I should come forward to the investigation...

Listen, we're impatient too. No one can do anything to move the hearing process forward, unless you're actually involved in the case.

Uh...

Let me guess. You took out a 'Sky Loan', didn't you?

Yes... there were six grocers like me back home. We spent our days betting drinks on the direction that tumbleweed rolled, until two years ago...

The sky, the Starpod, life free of Originium, a brand-new frontier for Columbia... I didn't understand a thing that the TV and newspapers said, but I saw the light that night.

I sold my shop, abandoned my wife, took out a huge loan, and went into Propeller Paradise without ever looking back.

I've already heard a dozen stories like that today. Take a banner and go join the protest instead of hanging your head here.

I'll make it... I'll make it through this hearing.

Even if I'm put on trial and thrown in jail, I'll make sure the name Lucky Cystybeast and my exhibits stay on Propeller Paradise, where everybody can see them.

Things will turn out fine. Lucky Cystybeast will bring me luck!

He's never been late before... was he delayed by the protests, or did he get lost on the way?

The structure of Propeller Paradise is certainly complex, but it's not so hard to understand if we see it as a massive Wrankwood film set.

I remember the pioneer-era classics that you starred in. People still think your metal body was some kind of special effect.

You have a good memory.

Transportation on the levitating layer is very interesting. The combination of steel wires and ball pods seems like some sort of amusement park.

I apologize for the delay. I had to make a few rounds to humor these three stooges.

I haven't had a chance to greet them yet.

No need to be nervous. Young Maylander agents always attract too much attention. It takes someone with a calmer demeanor like you to play the part of a secretary. But I can't help but feel like you're starting to go too far with this seriousness thing.

Tannen isn't an easy customer, is he?

He has... a personality. It's not hard to read.

Good work.

Your timing a few days ago was impeccable. A single squad eliminated two major risks before the exhibition. I'll be sure to make a note on your annual assessment.

I'm flattered.

The suspension of Propeller Paradise's administrative and engineering functions has created plenty of room for Maylander to operate.

Gustave's desire to work with us is clear. He has already sent people to deal with Rhine's devices, and he intends to personally instruct his subordinates.

I guess all that's left is a hearing to placate the public?

You have questions about the delay of the hearing, don't you?

It's not like Maylander to stall.

Since when did you pick up an impatient streak? Everything happens in due course. We're not only here to investigate.

Such a beautiful, futuristic city. I leave Columbia for a few months, and all sorts of new stuff pop up.

How long will it take to make a full round of the levitation layer?

Less than an hour by ropeway.

Very good. I would like to enjoy a nice view of Propeller Paradise before the hearing.