Arknights story · Critical Phase Transition
17-20 Crime's Herald, Punishment's Precursor
The Generalik turns against his mother and stabs her. Scioppa jumps off his ship before it slams into a Fourth Army frigate. Eloysius and Vetochki crash the 'citizen's forum', and Vetochki speaks as a surviving miner. Having learned the honest thoughts of the nobles, Fyodor resolves to dissolve the legislature.
1 scenes, 347 lines
1. Interlude
347 linesGovno... govno, govno, govno!
Where did those casters come from?
Why can't the guns kill them or even aim at them? Blyat, what are they—
Anatoliy.
Oh, Hierda—
Hierda!
There you are. No, why are you here? Didn't I instruct for you to evacuate first?
It's not safe here. I'll come and find you once I retake Zelgrad. Now, go to the base where my mother is—
I'm not going, Anatoliy.
...Even you defy me now?
No, it's not that. I respect your authority and your decision. But did you forget what we talked about?
You want me to return to your mother's side, even send me away first...
Who will protect you if I'm gone?
My battleship, my glorious soldiers of Ursus—they still hold their ground! Many of them are cowards, but they make good enough cannon fodder.
I'll make Zelgrad great again and prove myself to Mother once I clear those fleeing pests out of Zelgrad—
Prove that I'm worthy of her name.
Anatoliy...
I can't always watch over you on the battlefield. Even though you're not by my side, your protection is always with me, isn't it?
The young man smiles childishly as he points to the golden rocks on his body. Somehow, they have been growing in number.
......
You told your guards to escort me back to base, but your mother is already leaving it to go to the border.
...What?
Marshal Svetlana Ulyanova is abandoning you and Zelgrad. She doesn't even want to stay at the base near Zelgrad anymore.
There's still time to come with me, Anatoliy—
Time to catch up to your mother's fleet... to get an answer.
......
The Generalik has reached the base safely. We are ready to depart.
Good. We depart as soon as all units are ready.
Yes, Your High Excellency.
......
Anatoliy.
I can tell by your footsteps.
You can tell it was me, yet you do not even turn. Do you not want to see my face anymore?
I must say that I am disappointed by your actions in Zelgrad.
Why did you not obey my order to retreat?
That's what I want to ask you... Mother.
Why did you abandon Zelgrad? Why did you leave it to the rebels, when you had promised me the city?
We have gained everything we need from Project Zero. The city itself is worthless.
Our priority is to evacuate with the fruits of the research.
Unbelievable... they were telling the truth...
You have betrayed Ursus.
I'm protecting the First Army, and you.
Grypherburg is the epicenter of strife and intrigue right now. With the fruits of Project Zero in our hands, we'd be putting a target on our backs if we took a side.
I had hoped that you would understand this.
Aren't we glorious soldiers of Ursus? Aren't we fighting for the glory of Ursus?
I swore that I would bring down every last one of the empire's foes!
Enough. You're not in a good place. I'll have someone take over your mission. Go to your room and get some rest.
There will come a day when I leave everything to you, Anatoliy... I only hope that when that day comes, you will not be as juvenile as you are today.
I don't understand... I don't even know who I am, Mother.
I'm not a glorious soldier of Ursus, I'm not an Infected, I'm not a pure-blood noble, I'm not even sure if I'm alive...
Enough! No more such talk—
Why... why do you despise me so...?
Is it because I'm the son of a failure?
...No, Anatoliy, whatever the reasons I might be angry with you, your blood is not one of them.
This is the one thing that you never had any choice in.
But you don't deny that I share his blood.
Does it matter?
Does it not?
Anatoliy.
I'm sure I must have gone mad, Mother.
Ugh—
It doesn't matter? How could it not matter? How else can I explain to myself—
Explain your indulgence and exploitation, your pampering and disinterest?
You never saw me as a son! I've only ever been an object, an object that needed no education, a tool for drawing attention!
*cough* *cough*!
No... that's not true—
Then what am I, Mother?
Something that can be cast aside at any moment... right?
Tolya, my child—
You're driving me mad.
Ah... so your blood runs hot too...
Ugh... argh—
Tolya, no...
Why...
Why couldn't I just be your son, a son you could be proud of?
I don't understand... why do things have to be so complicated?
Our previous campaigns were like picnics compared to the pace we're making right now.
This is what a high-speed battleship is like... max speed is usually not achievable in combat scenarios, but now—
Let's see what you can do.
Unknown assault ship...
This is Fourth Army Command. Identify yourself.
...It might be the Volnov...
......
Repeat, identify yourself.
Thirty.
Stay on course.
Unknown ship, you are approaching a frigate of the Fourth Army. Identify yourself.
This is your first warning. Identify yourself immediately to prove that you are not hostile and that you have not been hijacked.
......
The target is not slowing down.
Have deck artillery on standby.
Roger.
Forty-two.
Continue.
Unknown ship, this is your second warning. Identify yourself immediately.
The assault ship is on a direct course for the frigate, the only thing standing between it and the flagship.
Deck artillery standing by.
Fifty-five.
Steady.
Unknown ship, you have entered a restricted area. Identify yourself immediately!
Under fifty klicks.
Artillery positions, begin tracking target.
Maintain radio silence.
Unknown ship, this is your final warning! Identify yourself immediately!
Thirty klicks.
Get a firing solution.
Seventy-eight.
Steady as she goes.
Twenty klicks!
Unknown ship, you are now within firing range!
Open fire. Disable the ship, but do not destroy it.
......
Keep firing.
Ninety-one.
Stay on course.
...Blyat, it's the Volnov... why is it still accelerating?
Keep firing!
Scioppa
...Bzzt...
...Confirm hit—
Confirm speed...
......
Crazy zhopa!
Stop your reckless action now, Scioppa Razin, and I will forgive Sechin's previous transgressions.
Take your men and return to your station.
Pfft...
I gotta give you credit. You're trying to negotiate, even when the other side's practically shitting on your face.
Don't worry, I'm just here to return the Volnov.
Besides, Sechin's no longer part of the Fourth Army, as of yesterday.
Any more stupid questions?
Mudak! You absolute fool—
First zhopa, now mudak. Well, I guess I'll let it slide for old time's sake.
By the way, the navigation system of the Volnov is on lockdown and not even I can turn it off. I suggest you send your men to stop it quickly, otherwise...
Who knows what might happen?
Proshchay. Razin out.
The second-floor deck is closest to open ground.
I'll count myself lucky if I don't fall to my death. I wish I had listened when Oleg was telling me about those safe-fall positions.
Oh, screw it—
'Stand up, they say.'
He's going down to the end of the road, all in our name♪
Up until the second day when the sun shall rise again♪
Still we advance, draw our blades, cut down our foes♪
Still we bleed, fall to the floor, bury our dead with woe♪
Still, history pushes us, back onto our own blades we go♪
For those who passed through the darkness and saw the face of death♪
One more day the land shall live♪
One more day we will be free♪
Hah... singing by myself is boring!
In Baba's name, what I should really sing is—
Durak politics, durak death —
Tupoi, Viy!
Hierda... there you are. I've been looking all over the place for you.
Why didn't you wait for me—*cough* *cough*!
...I'm leaving, Anatoliy.
What?
I said, I'm leaving. I'm going to find my companions, whom I had entrusted to some people who could be trusted.
I should have been devoting myself to helping people who suffer...
What about me? What about me?!
Come with me, Anatoliy.
You will not find salvation here.
Hah... yeah, of course! I stabbed my own mother because of you and that woman—because of what you said!
No, it's not that. That was the right thing to do.
Your mother brought you pain, and brought war to the city, causing countless people to lose their homes. But your actions will bring life to even more.
...What?
You have atoned for your sins, Anatoliy. You have done well.
You—*cough*—ugh!
Anatoliy...
Hierda leans forward to examine the young man once more.
The yellow rocks have spread across his body, creating irregular lumps under his clothes.
It is the end for him.
What you think... doesn't matter anymore. Just...
Help me, one last time.
You can do it. Only you...
But I don't want to, not anymore.
...Hierda?
If this is to be your end, I will accept it. I don't want you to continue to devote yourself to a painful, meaningless life.
This time, I won't help you anymore.
It's almost ten. Everyone who walked in since nine-thirty was a noble.
Most of their faces are unfamiliar to me... but they aren't even trying to hide it, the way they behave themselves.
......
Has the time changed?
No. I think they just decided they wouldn't bother to hide it anymore.
We've reached the point where a show of force feels better than to continue to deceive the Tsar, as one might play pretend with a child.
......
Is the Duchess Volkina not here yet?
The Central Army has not received any orders. The Capital Guard's assignments at the venue are within reasonable boundaries.
Perhaps she has chosen to stay on the sidelines, again.
As expected... five minutes until it starts. Let us go in, Vice Chairman.
You go first... I'm waiting for someone.
Every seat in the hall is filled beneath the great dome of the State Council.
The ushers have led the attendees to their respective seats in an orderly manner, except—
The seats that should have been occupied by citizen's representatives from their respective raions are now occupied by taciturn nobles.
They wear neatly-ironed military uniforms or the latest fashion, wearing medals and luxurious fur shawls.
Clothes of every color surround skin and flesh, while the eyes follow the Tsar's steady steps.
......
No one stands, no one salutes. There's only a slow and stiff applause that seems intended to delay his speech.
(Whispers) Sir, I have sent hands to check on the representatives—
Ensure their safety.
(Whispers) I will. This is not unexpected. All you need to do is commit to pushing the Act through.
(Whispers) The vote is simply a formality.
Fyodor nods wordlessly and passes Witte by, proceeding towards the podium on his own.
Suddenly, a young noble sitting in the front row stands up and salutes the Tsar with a smile.
All eyes are now upon this interlude.
There is no need for formalities. This is a special day.
Sit down and watch.
Your Imperial Majesty, we came because we heard about the 'citizen's forum' being held today.
I did not prohibit spectators.
Of course, though it seems Your Imperial Majesty has made a small mistake.
We are not here as spectators. We are here as representatives of the 'citizens'.
After all—
She gestures at the room full of nobles.
Are we not the most important citizens of Ursus?
......
Before you continue your grandstanding, return to your seat.
You are in my way.
Majesty—
And if you claim to represent the 'citizens'...
Then hear what the citizens of the Empire of Ursus truly need now.
Are you ready, Vetochki?
I-I'm ready!
Don't worry about not being heard. You may stutter a little bit, but you know exactly what you're saying.
You've already said it once in the Far North under fire. These people have no weapons, only their tongues.
All you need to do is reveal the truth...
To say what you truly want to say.
Has the one you were waiting for arrived?
No, she hasn't...
Then perhaps she won't. As you said yourself, she may have chosen to stay on the sidelines again—
Ah, it's about to begin.
The Tsar unrolls a piece of paper.
In recent days, he has spent long hours consulting Witte and his other trusted advisors, scrutinized the details with the Supreme Court, and discussed with the citizens' representatives to arrive at the final draft that he is now holding.
Even he is surprised at how calm his voice is.
On my way here, I saw fire pots set up along the roads to provide illumination at night.
Yet we all know that Deity Grypherburg had long stopped using oil lamps and bonfires to illuminate our streets, well before this became a nomadic city.
Perhaps the Grypherburg's nights are as they were a century ago, a situation that has carried on for two months.
When the Originium mines closed, a once-affluent household in Grypherburg began burning furniture to stay warm.
This was when I resolved to exploit the national Originium reserve, so we would not lose people to this harsh winter.
...Even that seems too little, too late.
Too late to prevent the Katorga Incident, and the reallocation of energy from Tsarevgrad to the residential districts can do little to stem the tide.
This is a crisis on an unprecedented scale. It is not a temporary one, but one that threatens to wipe Ursus from the face of Terra, if no long-term solution is found.
The Winter Emergency Resource Allocation Act must be implemented.
Neither objection nor agreement, only silence.
...It is a provisional measure that will continue to be adjusted in practice, but it will at least save the people from the imminent plight of winter—
Does Your Imperial Majesty intend to nationalize the enterprises that we have worked so hard to build?
Or distribute the energy to the Armies in exchange for their obedience?
......
No amount of industry and enterprise, no amount of territory will mean anything, if Ursus does not survive the winter.
In that case, why not simply read out the provisions and go straight to the vote?
Or have you decided that it is not worth the time to even go through the formalities, seeing our familiar faces?
......
(Whispers) Sir, message from Chairman Witte.
(Whispers) About the original representatives... we just found out—
Fyodor's eyes widen as he sees the names on the piece of paper handed to him.
He frowns as he looks to the crowd.
All the whispering attendees have the same expression on them—one of scorn and mockery.
(Whispers) I'm sorry, sir... we made a mistake. We should have discovered the swap sooner.
(Whispers) Chairman Witte says that there's still a way to reschedule and hold a true citizen's forum, if you wish.
......
No.
...Understood.
Speaking of familiar faces.
I'm sure you know that I have personally met with the elected citizen's representatives from the various raions, in order to make sure that the people's voices are heard.
Miners, grocers, pipeline workers, tutors, and other trades that I had never even heard of. New faces, all of them.
It expanded my horizons and led me to reflect. I thought it was a beneficial thing, to learn about how the people live, to hear more about their real needs—
Only moments ago did I discover the truth.
(Whispers) Did we overdo it...?
It was necessary.
The people I met with were not who they claimed to be. They were not miners, grocers, pipeline workers, or tutors.
They were actors from rural theaters, secretaries of counts, minor nobles whose names occupy a place at the very end of the Almanac of Nobility, the idle sons of wealthy urbanites—
It all makes sense now.
Their unusual eloquence, compromises reached so easily, and ill-fitting clothes riddled with holes in locations unrelated to labor...
Yet I did not realize at the time.
Perhaps it takes a fool to be fooled.
—No—
It is not so!
Who are you?!
How dare you intrude upon the council in session!
Wait, is she—
Upon seeing the face of the interloper, the nobles turn their heads to the Vice Chairman in the front row.
Vasily does not turn or respond to the countless eyes peering at him from behind.
His gaze is fixed on the Tsar on the podium, seemingly waiting for him to speak.
You...
Fyodor waves away the guards trying to stop the young woman.
What do you have to say?
It is not so, Your Imperial Majesty.
You are not a fool. If you have been deceived, it is only because there are arrogant traitors in our midst, trampling upon your dignity with their dishonor.
They are well-prepared, while you and those around you cannot be constantly watching them and their insidious plots.
Gorchikov! Tell your daughter to watch her tongue!
She's a grown woman. She's responsible for her own actions.
You are... Eloysius Vasilyevna Gorchekova.
I am, Your Imperial Majesty.
I do not recognize the one with you. Who is she?
The true representative of the citizens.
How do you prove that she is not an actor, like the ones on this list?
She is a survivor of the Far North, one of the witnesses who should have testified against the Grand Duchess.
Anyone who heard that broadcast from the Far North will remember her voice.
......
She and her fellow surviving miners should have been the representatives of Odoyev Raion.
The miners I saw—
I'm not sure you really saw any miners.
Why do you bring her here today?
What you should be asking is, what does she want?
What do you want, Vetochki?
H-Hello. I-I'm Vetochki. My mother calls me, Anya.
I-I come from the, Far North, Mining District.
I-I want everyone, at the treatment center, to have a, warm bed.
I want, the Infected, to have a roof, over their heads.
I-I want more, people like us—
To live through, the winter.
......
I want to, vote for... uh...
...The Winter Emergency Resource Allocation Act?
......
Of course.
'Of course,' Your Imperial Majesty? What guarantee can you make to this poor girl?
You see? Those 'citizens' you speak of do not know how to rule a nation. You may be demonstrating your benevolence and mercy by allowing them to participate, but you are not truly helping them.
Even this Act that you speak of is ultimately taking from one mouth to feed another. It cannot solve any of the major issues Ursus is facing.
Besides, is this a playground or a middle school? Are people allowed to just walk in, claim to be somebody, and start lecturing on the nation's future?
There is nothing we can do, if you wish to ram this Act through. However, you must know—
I know.
...Huh?
I know all about the consequences.
I thought that the enemy of the empire stood at the border of the Central Governorate.
It seems I was wrong.
The Tsar slams the pile of papers in his hand on the podium.
He scans the room, at the myriad expressions in the crowd.
The enemy of the empire is here.
Majesty! I must remind you that your reckless decision may cause you to pay—
Take him away.
Majesty!
......
Gorchikov! You coward! You and that spawn of yours will pay—
Soldiers quickly 'escort' the noble out of the hall, his shouts echoing in the corridor.
Anyone who wishes to go with him should do so now.
......
If there are none, I shall proceed to the resolution.
Majesty—
Since those present are in agreement that the 'citizens' who comprise more than ninety percent of the empire's population do not deserve to have a voice...
There is no need for a council that claims to represent these citizens.
Your Imperial Majesty can't mean—
Gosudar...
The Winter Emergency Resource Allocation Act is hereby passed into law, effective immediately.
In addition, as the Emperor and Autocrat of All the Ursines, I proclaim...
The entire legislature, both State Council and Imperial Duma...
are hereby dissolved.