9-2 The Ghost Crisis

County Hillock...

A medium-sized nomadic city, a modest distance out from Londinium. Main pillars are agriculture and light industry, not on closest terms with the surrounding counties...

Full match to what the intel describes.

Outcast, you there yet?

Just made it a minute ago. Did you slap a tracking device on me?

I've called you like fifteen times since last night!

I took the wasteland route. As if I'd have signal.

*Sigh*. Okay. Let me get this out there, I'm not the one in a rush. Misery's pushing it.

You know how he is, the worrywart. Not my fault he can't chill out. He's all wound up, even out on a mission, it's like, is he looking to sprout some more wrinkles?!

—Wouldn't be Misery if he was anybody else.

Fair enough. Seriously, though, any thoughts on the city?

Extremely normal.

Intel might be faulty, then? There's at least thirty, forty-ish cities in Victoria at that scale—

No matter how bright the Londinium sun shines, there'll always be places its light can't reach.

You've seen the files. You should know County Hillock doesn't have any noble at the reins. Two counts showed interest in the city, but never saw it through.

Err... because it won't make any money?

Yeah, or because of how ordinary it is.

But the more normal a place looks, the better it is to hide in plain sight. No matter when Rhodes Island decides to get moving, this is a good opportunity to scout the way ahead.

Gotcha. Just call me if you need support. I only just geared up to head for Connor County. I'm still close by for now.

Resettling Infected's not easy work. I'm on basic chore duty compared to your mission, probably down at the branch office drinking tea more than half the time.

Gimme a break. With a storm like this coming, is a Sankta like you gonna be happy chilling with a cup of tea?!

Ugh. You know, I'd love to live it up like a retiree.

Wonder why I'm not convinced...

Whatever, let's just all get our jobs done and head home soon as we can. Unrelated, Outcast, but I remember a bunch of green Sankta Operators waiting for you to hold marksmanship classes?

Relax, they need some free study time every now and then too.

Also, and I know it goes without saying, but Misery won't get off my back about it—

Be careful, Outcast. Hope it all goes smooth.

Smooth?

Hahah, sorry, kiddo, but that's not me.

Leader, it's so stuffy in here. There's no ventilation or nothin'.

You said the same during the Stockton serial bombing interrogation last year.

I'm not gonna be used to it, no matter how many times. You might call Cello instead. With her bein' over two meters, she could scare 'em into behavin' a bit.

You punching a clean hole through a steel table frightens suspects just as much.

Aha, haha... I lost my head for a bit there. He took two children, and then he sat there bein' so sarky about their family. Didn't that steam you as well?

Was I steamed?

You left finger marks in his imprisonment device with how hard you squeezed round his neck. He pissed himself straight on the spot with the shock you gave him, spat his co-conspirator's name and the bomb coordinates right out, all shiverin'.

That was mostly your credit, wasn't it?

It was a necessary means of interrogation.

Oh, I've never been good with those means. I passed basic interrogation theory by the skin of my teeth. Always copied my friends' homework, as well.

Then you're in luck. Our principal role today is sitting on the side, listening.

And thank goodness! Actually, um, it's almost time, isn't it? Why's nobody come to bring us in? Didn't that captain tell us it was goin' from 7 o'clock on?

It's still four minutes to.

Excuse me, is Captain Kelly present? We're scheduled to meet him here.

I'm not sure.

Is there an interrogation set for seven?

I don't know.

Yesterday afternoon, we had a man suspected of smuggling illegal Originium goods. Do you know where he's being kept?

I don't know.

That's three strikes...

......

Well, it wouldn't surprise me if County Hillock keeps slightly different time to Londinium.

Eh, is that a thing?

Seems at least to Captain Kelly it is.

Haha!

I suppose we'll just have to do as the locals do.

......

It's ten minutes past now.

Checking the time over and over won't bring our colleagues here any faster.

Perfect, in a way. I need to talk with you about that false alarm of a battle yesterday.

Huh? Leader...

You aren't getting one past me. I'm asking you, when I gave the order to withdraw, why did you jump at that crate instead?

Weren't you yellin' for the others to withdraw?

......

Before we entered the warehouse, you ordered me to make sure to catch the suspect alive.

That was the initial order.

But orders are orders, right?

We all thought the suspect set off a bomb, didn't we? I judged that I was the only one with a chance to complete the mission.

If I could block the blast wave, I could keep the suspect alive, and you'd all be safe and sound too.

Of course, I had no qualms about your shield, Leader... remember that time you saved me, under all that artillery fire? From the Sargon mercs? 'Cause I'll never forget that.

That's... not what I'm talking about.

If, and I'm only supposing, there really was a bomb inside that crate, you would've taken grave harm. Possibly even thrown away your life.

Eh? No way. There weren't any explosives that high-spec in the stolen goods. Even if someone modified 'em secretly, the force wouldn't be any harder than the Fortcracker shells we use in combat exercises, y'know?

Heheh, I can take those.

Don't be overly reliant on Vouivran constitution in combat. How many times have I told you that?

Er... five?

Ten at minimum, by my memory. And I can't imagine Slim didn't teach you that too.

Might've... taught me that? Ha, haha...

Your smile-beaming has no effect on me. I'm your leader. I'm responsible for the safety of everyone under me.

I'm sorry, Leader...

You know what's coming after we return, don't you?

You can have me run laps, no problem... but I'd hate to go without supper.

......

*Sigh*.

There's times I have no idea how I should handle you, Bagpipe. You're the most outstanding soldier under my command. Your obstinance goes right along with your combat skills... constantly exceeding expectations.

Well, it's got to be that way! My mum told me when I was little, 'Vouivre women must see things through to the end!'

Not even a hurricane means much of anythin'. If you can't harvest all the wheat before it bogs down, your precious grains'll go all moldy!

I... was not singing your praises.

Forget it. No matter how much I scowl at you...

It'll be a miracle if it reforms you any.

Believe me, Leader, you've got a face far from scary... I've seen plenty enough of the sort with eyes all bright, tellin' people all sinister things with all the worst language Victoria has to offer!

Enough. Meaningless platitudes like this won't affect a qualified Victorian serviceman.

You mean to say...?

This... does it have to be this way?

Damian... no, I mean Barry. He was a good'un ever since he was young. I can guarantee, he simply took a wrong turn...

......

You're absolutely right.

My apologies. Yes, I will follow orders.

Yes, those Londiniers are still here...

Understood. I'll pass down the instruction, sir.

My assurances. I never forget, I am first and foremost... a Victorian soldier.

Ugh, Leader, you're checkin' the clock again.

I'm not like you. I can't go blank anywhere, anytime.

Honestly speakin', I've had that Feline from the warehouse on my mind. I still properly like the song he sang.

I imagined a bit, dunno why. That song would be lovely for singin' alongside tractorin'.

'The hibernatin' mountains carry livestock herds~'

......

He's starin' at me. Was I singin' out of tune?

You remembered the words wrong.

Oh! Wasn't it livestock? Was it buildin's, then? Or tillers?

You, Hillock pal over there, do you know what this song's words are meant to be?

You shouldn't be singing in here.

Sorry. Did I violate any of your rules?

At the very least, don't go singing that bunch's songs in front of us.

That bunch? What bunch? I don't get what you're sayin'.

Are you fiddling with me, Vouivre?

Huh? What's got you angry now?

...Bagpipe.

Can't shake the feelin' somethin's off-kilter.

You can save it for later.

Uh, I'm not talkin' about... Leader, I think I just heard someone in there singin' as well!

......

You're right.

You think the man's in there?

Hey, you're not allowed in!

Oi! A—Are you the one we caught yesterday in the outskirt warehouse?

*cough* *cough*... *pant*... D'you mean Damian? Poor Damian... got dragged off ages ago...

Eh?! When?! How'd we not hear?!

......

Where did he get taken to?

Where... ha, haha... you're asking where...

He's already... already...

Shut up!

Or would you like to go the same way he went?!

You're threatenin' him. Why? Where in the world did that man yesterday go to?

Ah... ha... went home.

Went... home?

He got let go? So he had nothin' to do with the spectre force at all? Leader—

Let me in...

You aren't allowed to converse with the prisoner without permission.

—

I want to see Captain Kelly. Step aside, soldier. I know he's in here.

He is not.

You? You were the adjutant at the warehouse with the vile mouth, I remember you. What's your idea here?

The Captain left on urgent business. He asked me to pass this on to you—the interrogation ended one hour ago.

Gah...! So you mean, you went and gave us the wrong time?!

A lapse in communication. Not uncommon at all, is it?

What bloody lapse in communication... do you think we're idiots?

Leader, they gave us false info, led us up the garden path!

That's not the key point.

I'm asking you, soldier. Why did you show up to tell us this information now? Since you've bided so much time, surely none of you will mind us wasting even more.

In regards to your question...

(Muttered report)

Thank you, acknowledged.

Lieutenant Skamandros, the order I received was to inform you of the following—

Convict Damian Barry, your individual of utmost concern—was, ten minutes ago, in an attempt en route to seize weaponry from his escort and assault military personnel, shot dead.

What... what bloody nonsense are you feeding us?

We've seen that lad, he's just a normal man! He was frightened stiff when he saw us! How would he go attackin' a fully-armed regular by himself?

That is to say... you summarily executed the suspect without trial.

I have relayed to you the facts.

Leader, we've been put in the dark. Why wouldn't they let us have access to the suspect? Aren't we stood on the same side?

I'm still unclear about their reasons right now.

The one thing I can be sure of is, if we want to continue investigating, we've only got ourselves to depend on. The attitude the barracks have is loud and clear—they won't be of any help to us whatsoever.

Ugh. I'm not daft, either. I can see they've got a mean habit for trippin' people up.

So what do we do next? We scarcely got a lead, and it's gone again.

We need to think of some other way.

Oh, yeah! I just thought. That man called Damian, he said his work was sortin' the potatoes.

Every outer agriculture plate in a nomadic city has its own channel for transportin' crops inwards!

We should be able to find the farmworkers' settlement by followin' along. If we can have a chat with his friends or kin, we might find our lead again.

It's a very 'you' train of thought.

Then you just leave the information enquirin' to me!

Excellent. We begin immediately.

Leader, are you gonna come with?

I'll stay to negotiate with the barracks. To my mind, they wouldn't slop out an execution without going through interrogation. As long as they held one, there'll be records left behind.

Triangle?

Leader, we were in the outskirts—

You got ambushed?!

They came out of nowhere, and I got rumbled...

This lot's combat techniques and weaponry, they're a full match with previous intel... even Snare's Arts can barely hit them! Damn it!

Remember, your main duty is to come back alive!

Acknowledged, Leader! We should be fine! Triangle, out—

—

This is major intel. Our target, the force they call spectre-like, is in County Hillock this very moment.