15-14 In Dust or Blood

...?!

Now's not the time for karaoke, Friston-3!

You think I wanted to do that?!

My playback module is customized, and I don't have the remote—

Damn you, Closure!

Blaze! Watch out for Justice Knight!

Which damnable subdirectory did Closure put my code synchronization function in?!

—Gonna give you my tears♪

Save my precious—♪

Kitten, on my six. Justice Knight has me in her sights—

Got it. Whoa, almost hit Justice Knight—

Ouch! Stop running into me!

Abnormal THRM-EX

(Rams with burning heat)

Burn, burning—Boom... mmmmmmmmm—

—No matter who♪

Whispers of love, one trap one lifetime♪

Alright, THRM-EX! Let's see who burns brighter!

Hey, don't hurt the buggies—

I know! I got this.

Abnormal Castle-3

Protect, protect, friends—

Abnormal Lancet-2

You need healing, Friston-3.

I guess I should thank Closure for fitting that energy barrier generator—

—Here's my most beloved♪

You shine in my tears—♪

Friston-3! How long do you need?

The synchronization module is ready, but I can't jump across this Originium.

I'll make a path for you. Now!

Friston-3 accelerates up the ramp and takes flight.

As he spins in mid-air, he can not help but throw a photo out.

(Man, it's been so long... so long since I moved like this.)

(That synchronized transmission system that you boasted about had better work, Closure...)

Guide these crazy carts into position and immobilize them. I'll fix them!

—A gift to you♪

This love in my heart—♪

I have a connection!

The song continues to echo in the empty desert.

—A gift to you♪

This love in my heart—♪

Trevor Friston

......

There is no question that the playback module has malfunctioned, playing Closure's favorite ballads over and over, as though this scene were supposed to be some tear-jerker.

But what he is actually doing is sharing the dream of inevitable parting with a few buggies that do not even have minds of their own, sharing his deepest memories as a human.

Trevor Friston would have no shortage of profanities to spew, if he could spew them.

What's this place...? I thought we were trapped in a... in a... uh...

I don't remember anything—

'Justice Knight'

Beep beep! Anomalous target detected!

Who are you?!

Trevor Friston

Use your brains, whatever they're made of!

Closure says you're supposed to be smart!

Castle-3

That voice, that tone... y-you're Friston-3!

But Friston-3 isn't as tall as you are.

THRM-EX

No, he is Friston-3! I feel a familiar warmth from him—

Warmth... how come I can't feel my own warmth anymore—

Trevor Friston

Ugh, this is such a headache.

Maybe this will make you feel better.

......

What is this place?

My dream. A dream that was a surprise to me too.

Now shut up and listen.

Something is wrong with PRTS. I have a pretty good idea of what's going on. Someone made your cognitive modules go haywire, and you were wreaking havoc all over the place. I had no choice but to put a stop to it.

'Justice Knight'

Beep beep. Justice Knight does not understand.

......

Basically, I'm rewriting your bottom-layer code with my core code. I'll ensure that your memory modules remain intact, of course.

This will take some time. In order to make sure that you stay put during this time, I had to connect your cognitive modules to mine.

The side effect is... *expletive from an unknown language* I share my dreams involuntarily.

What is going on, Friston-3?

A friend of mine is waking up from a long slumber.

......

......

......

Stop thinking. It'll overload your brains.

What you need to do is walk with me before things come to a close. The gathering is about to begin...

A blonde dances joyfully in the camp filled with lights and ribbons.

THRM-EX

It is a party!

No... a wedding. My daughter's wedding.

Are we not going to join, Friston-3?

We'll watch from here. I don't want to go there, because it means I'll once again—

Are you sad?

...You can tell?

Of course! Are we not the same?

Castle-3

You said someone made our cognitive modules go haywire. Why did you help us?

No particularly special reason. Like Lancet-2 said, we're the same... at least we are now, on Rhodes Island.

Life on this ship is peaceful. I won't say I like it, but compared to that dream without an end, those unrealized futures, it's not as...

It's not as bad.

Trevor Friston can hear the familiar laughter of his daughter.

A wedding that he must miss, a promise that he must break. Perhaps, if he did not go any closer, he would not have to watch her walk away...

...Code overwrite complete. Let's go home.

He does not wish to stay there, not even for a moment longer.

...?!

What happened to Rhodes Island?

Friston-3? Are they all back to normal?

For now.

I rewrote the sections of their code associated with PRTS, ensuring their basic operation with my own core code.

Great. Now we can go and help Misery's team, kitten.

Where are you going next, Friston-3?

I'll have a meeting with the kids, now that they've woken up. There should be something that we can help with.

I'll talk to Closure. I've got a score to settle with her anyway.

Looks like the buggies are back to normal for now, Amiya.

What about Mr. Friston?

Well, he seems a little pissed at me... other than that, everything looks alright.

Great idea, rewriting PRTS-associated code with his own. Would have been a lot of trouble otherwise.

Are all our PRTS permissions gone?

I'm afraid so.

PRTS is actively blocking all of our access. All of its operations take place in a black box now.

Kal'tsit is fighting to take control, but I'm not sure how long she can keep it up.

Your choice

Cut off the core power supply of PRTS.

Manually activate the backup system and fight for control over the ship.

Cutting off the core power supply means going into the Abyss directly. It's risky.

I'll protect the Doctor.

Besides, we're not alone. The elite operators stand with us.

I'm not abandoning the Doctor or Rhodes Island.

My ZOOT system is unable to fully wrestle control from PRTS.

Kal'tsit and I have done simulations about this sort of situation.

By force-booting it with the ship's power, it may be able to temporarily establish control over certain non-core areas...

But all outcomes end with destruction of its core components due to overload.

You've already made a decision, haven't you?

Hah, I can get to work right now.

If I can make one, I can make another.

Your choice

Let's prepare both options.

We will activate the backup command system at the same time as we attempt to penetrate the Abyss.

Now, you're finally coming online.

I've waited for this moment for too long. Let me take a good look at you—

Closure awaits with anxious anticipation. She had longed for the day when it would truly come online, just as much as she had feared it.

For it would mean that Rhodes Island was once again in desperate straits—

..................

ZOOT command system online. Updating permission log...

Original administrator privileges detected. Confirm key...

Key command 'Machine Oil Aesthete'. Verification complete.

Welcome back, Closure.

Awakening all backup nodes.

Warning: Awakening failed. Unable to bypass PRTS restrictions.

...Activate overload.

Backup power detected. Source—Rhodes Island mobility layer. 71% remaining.

Warning: Overload mode will greatly reduce equipment lifespan.

Estimated power remaining in minutes: Sixty-one.

Overload mode activated.

Awakening all backup nodes...

Warning: PRTS incursion!

Warning: ZOOT core program is being overwritten—

Warning: Insufficient power to continue operating the ZOOT system—

Wait! Hang in there, 'Zeroth Order Oil Tank'!

Dammit. It's all or nothing!

Warning: Severe core component damage.

Warning: Insufficient backup power. Time remaining: Twenty-one minutes.

Communications are online.

We're being attacked by PRTS, Doctor. ZOOT will coordinate defenses with Kal'tsit.

The rest is up to you!

Your choice

All personnel, comm check.

Raidian

In position.

Mantra

Acknowleged.

Misery

Waiting for you on the front lines.

Logos

Moving to rendezvous point.

Mechanist

Be right there.

I'm here, Doctor.