9-9 The Innocent

I'm back. I found some bread and clean water. Craig's been running about most of the night, he needs to fill up his stomach...

Er, what's wrong with everyone? What... happened?

......

It's her! She's the one who tipped the Victorian Army off... She killed Saoirse!

What... What are you talking about?!?!

Saoirse... What happened to Saoirse?!

You're asking? She's dead! You black-hearted Victorian soldier! You got close to her just so you could pluck intel from her own mouth, didn't you?

And now she's been executed—are you happy?!

I...

I never even thought...

How could this...

I'm sorry... I'm sorry... Saoirse...

Save your tears! You've no right to be sad for her! And you've no right... to be standing here!

I was sincere with her, always...

Sincere? A Victorian soldier, telling us Tarans sincerity?

What a joke for the ages!

Aren't we all... countrymen?

Countrymen? What do you know of our country?

Have you eaten the grains we eat, spoken the language we speak, felt the pain we feel?

But I've always wanted to help you...

Don't come any closer! Put down your flag! You're not calling for backup on us!

I don't want to... I wasn't...

Get out of our land! Never again will the home of the Tarans need Victoria's ensign!

......

You want... me gone?

We've got no choice.

You saw how... I never even did any wrong, and yet... none of you would just let me go...

I think... Ronan was right, we have a chance now. If we can just win, then nobody will ever come hassling me or Craig again... *sob*...

Craig... do you...?

......

We don't need you!

A... stone?

So it was... me who never figured it out.

I should go.

The troops are retreating in defeat. Over half the blocks in this city will very soon fall into the spectre force's hands.

How'd they break so quick?! I was thinkin', even if their organization and trainin' was rock-bottom level, at least they could hold out until tomorrow mornin'.

You noticed how that squad from the barracks behaved just now, didn't you?

I saw it. We were holdin' the stadium together, but then once the enemy came, they all ran for the rear in a flash. Would've been useless no matter how we held out.

They seem to have completely lost their will to fight.

That might be it. After all, it was a situation just now. The enemy shows up, the residents in refuge all cheer for 'em and open the gates in. Any soldier'd be a little deflated watchin' a scene like that.

But Colonel Hamilton doesn't seem in any way like the kind who gives up this easily. He especially values County Hillock.

The barracks might be at a disadvantage right now, but they didn't seem to be in any chaos at all when they retreated. They still had firm organization.

I can only believe that this present state still falls into the Colonel's plans. He has some other intent in this war situation.

Closest forces are County Kevin's barracks. If we sent out the signal for help, they could get here by evenin' soonest.

...Assuming they receive the signal in the first place.

Worried about problems with the comms system?

It's our third day since coming here, and we still haven't received any news from Londinium. County Hillock is like a lone island at this moment.

—

No problem, just a few grenades and a wee squad of mixed forces. I'll sort it out. This street's still safe for the time bein'.

Bagpipe... remember in training when you just joined us, I gave you two hours of weighted handstand push-ups as a punishment.

Course I'd never forget, Leader. Wasn't much of a bad punishment as far as I'm concerned, but for a while, I really thought you didn't like me too much.

I never told you why.

Actually, it was because you told me as you were reporting in, you'd stuffed mince pudding and blankets in your marching bag.

Eh? That's a hometown treat. It's good, honest.

You said much the same at the time.

On the day of the solo cross-country test, you were already starving when you came back, and you obviously kept food in your bag, but you still wouldn't eat it.

Couldn't really bear to... I was goin' to have it as a reward for myself, once the trainin' was over. Scoff it down at the happiest moment.

I once maintained that a person too attached to her home, unable to surmount the past, could not become a good officer.

So, though your grades at Royal Guard were exceptional, and Instructor Slim spared no effort in recommending you to me, I still had doubts as to your potential.

So that's what it was! But you've been awful nice to me since.

You proved yourself.

I gradually came to understand. It's only because you have an indestructible attachment in you, that you could become who you are today, a most excellent Victorian soldier, someone to surpass me.

Bagpipe, what I say next, you need to listen well—

We have to give up on this block. I'm about to take Cello's group to a comms base in the northeast corner. We're hoping it hasn't been occupied by the spectre force yet.

And you, go immediately to the contact station, find a Messenger, and ensure you find them a way out of the city too.

If there's already no way left, then make one.

Bagpipe, I order you. Shy at no cost. You have to relay out what's happened in County Hillock.

Dammit. The others are all with The Leader doing more meaningful things, and I get the rotten luck of sweeping up here...

Funny now that I think about it. There's fighting going on all over. Why would The Leader insist I sweep clean around the statue?

Huh? Who is it... What are you grabbing at me for?

......

Is this where... Saoirse died?

Saoirse? You mean the traitor The Leader executed? Yeah, it was all her fault. She's dead, and you want me here bloody sweeping up these ashes...

You mean, what you're sweeping is...

Rubbish, nothing more.

...No.

She... She was a good girl. To her family, to her friends... she was so warm. She gave... everything for this city.

Why? What... did she even do wrong? She teared up just reading romance novels—she'd never have it in her to harm anyone...

Wh... What in the world's wrong with you?

Do you sympathize with this traitor? Just who are you?!

She's not called 'traitor.' Her name is Saoirse.

She shouldn't be lying here so alone. I'm taking her back home.

You've got a screw loose. I'm leaving.

What's happening over there?

Sir! There's someone strange, crouching there, going on and on about taking the traitor home! I think she might be an enemy as well, and a traitor too!!

Alright, good on you for reporting.

Hey, who are you?

......

(...Saoirse, maybe you were wrong, and so was I.)

(You used your life to protect these people, and they didn't even care that you did. And they welcomed the rioters, too. The way this city's turned out now, they're not that innocent at all.)

Are you from the other side?

The other side? I don't know anymore—which side I'm even stood on.

Don't move! Any more, and your skull is—

Dealt with yet another few.

Rabblesome dregs... hah, I'll take however many I can do in on the retreat.

Hey, Vouivre over there, have you seen more of them about?

(...Dregs.)

(Calling Saoirse rubbish. Of course they're dregs.)

They just went running that way.

We'll head right over—

Saoirse...

Time to get clear out, Jane.

Here, lemon tea. Warm up.

*Sob*...

If you want to cry, just let it out.

...I can't get the tears out.

I can feel your anger. Do you hate them?

Perhaps...

You got those soldiers to grab a Taran who supports the riots. That make you feel any better?

...No.

Maybe, I hate myself even more.

If... I didn't hand that slip over, Saoirse wouldn't have died, would she?

But all I wanted was to stop a bigger conflict... I thought, so long as I stood up, I could change...

We wouldn't call it fate if it always went how we wanted.

Jane, can I tell you a story?

Go on. I'll try to listen.

I'll keep it short.

Decades ago, when I was about your age... No, maybe a bit older, back when I worked for the Church—

You don't seem a thing like those Laterano clerics.

Years and experience are pretty good at changing a person.

They had me arbitrating a war. Who the sides were, or why they were fighting, that's not important anymore. The parties responsible for getting the ball rolling are probably all dust anyway.

I just remember, there was a city asking for my help. I told them to lay their weapons down, I was ready to be their go-between, and off I went for peace talks with a general from the side sieging the place.

The people in the city really weren't up for it, with the whole 'surrendering to tyranny' thing, so I took some drastic measures to get them talking, but we still never came to an agreement, in the end.

I gave up hope and left, bringing with me just a few who were willing to quit fighting, but the second day after I left, the city was breached.

Pretty much everyone who stayed ended up dead.

I believe... a good chunk of them all thought, nearing death's door, I'd still come and protect them in the end. But I didn't.

Looking back, I guess I was on the other side. I was the sinister pretender who'd given them hope, gotten them massacred.

But you're not!

You sure? Who can say?

After that, I renounced my appointment as a cardinal, and left Laterano.

It sounds like you tried your best...

Really? What if I kept at it, tried harder to stop the massacre that was coming?

Then you probably couldn't save a single one.

Or maybe I shouldn't have gone there with unrealistic hopes in the first place. Maybe I should've walked up and put a bullet in the head of the brute about to butcher an entire city.

Wouldn't that... have other consequences?

No one can tell you the consequences of opening fire before you do it.

But still, are you telling me you'd stand by and watch—just let evil happen over and over, and over again?

...I wouldn't.

You're right. No matter how I keep questioning myself... I don't regret it at all.

Bagpipe... I hope you can still make it.

Triangle?

You came in at the right time. I'm about to dash for a communications center, position not far from here. You don't have to enter the city, we'll rendezvous directly at the outskirts—

...Leader.

What happened to you?! You sound in awful shape! Were you wounded?

Hah... not a... big issue... ahah... forget it, it's a little big. But no need... to fuss about me.

Leader, I don't have much time. We've definitely found what we were looking for.

These Originium products were sent to the artillery battalion.

Artillery battalion?! The barracks' one?

Yes, absolutely. We're in here right now.

The barracks have already been breached by the spectre force?!

To be honest, I don't know.

Another thing you need to know. The Originium products we found had all gone through modification.

What kind of modification?

I only came by a part of it. Their structures aren't whole, someone's taken out the parts with active Originium... Do you still remember the serial bombing case at Stockton?

The offending group created a huge amount of incompletely combusting bombs, and caused grave Originium dust pollution in the core district, in retaliation against the government.

Right... hah... you get what I mean.

They have us surrounded... we're out of luck hiding...

And Snare? The others?!

Snare's... next to me. There's a bolt clean through her heart... she went without too much pain, fortunately. Bass and Mandolin are still in the warehouse. Sorry. I couldn't bring them...

......

You did all you could. You're a fine leader.

Am I, then...? Surely not as good as you, Leader.

These hostiles... they're bizarre. They use weapons just like ours. And on top of that, I can hear... familiar call-outs...

Just who... is our enemy?

......

That's not important, Triangle. You all come back alive for me, you hear that? This is an order!

Hah... got it, Leader. I'll keep it in mind.