Arknights story · Operator Records
Painkillers
While on a mission to rescue Infected children, Vetochki passes out after not taking her medication on time, and no one knows why she has been saving those pills, until,
1 scenes, 237 lines
1. Interlude
237 linesMuffled thunder rumbles behind dark clouds, startling Vetochki awake from her dream.
If one can even call a mess of frightening scenes quickly shifting from one to another a 'dream' at all. Fortunately, it has just ended.
...I, fell asleep? For, how long?
......
The leader of the ad-hoc rescue squad remains fixated on her own dagger, and just as Vetochki thinks her question will not be answered, the dagger is quickly sheathed.
'Asleep'?
The squad leader grabs Vetochki's hand, who now realizes her own stiff fingers are still balled into a fist, nails embedded into her palm.
You fainted on the battlefield.
I'm sorry...
Give me the box.
W-what?
Me-di-cine. Box. Give it to me.
Before Departure
Londinium, Rhodes Island branch office
One second, I'll sign it once I'm done with this medicine list.
Th-Thank you!
Have you gotten the mission briefing yet? Seems like a no. Here, I'll print you a copy. Let's see... Child refugees from a shelter outside the city have gone missing?
I remember the place, on the border to the barrens. A kind old man established that shelter. After the war, many homeless Infected children began to call the shelter their home.
I heard... they, ran off, on their own...
Vetochki bites her tongue, holding back from saying anything further.
Well, it is close to the barrens after all. It's impossible to compare it to Londinium or any other nomadic city.
Food shortages, wild beast attacks, active Originium... Even with people to protect the place, it's a hard life out there.
...You get what I mean, Vetochki?
Huh?
Sigh. If I were your primary doctor, I'd never allow you to take on such a dangerous mission before your condition's stable.
I, I saw photos... of those kids. I want, to help them.
'Help' is a good reason—but it's not enough. Take these pills. I trust you know how to use them?
Y-Yes.
(Knocks on door)
What's taking so long? Isn't it just a letter of consent?
Tch... Don't be so scared by your leader, Vetochki. Her fierce front's just a facade.
Doctor... Leader, you two know, each other?
Could say she's a friend of mine. I already had her promise me she'd take care of you on the road—By that I mean, make sure you take your medicine regularly.
Ti—ck, to—ck, tick tock!
Listen now, Vetochki. I don't care how you convinced HR to let you join this field operation...
But as a doctor, I have one piece of advice; and as a friend, a similar request—
Take your medicine on time, and don't put your own life in danger. Got it, Vetochki?
The Medical Department Operator signs the consent letter, and solemnly places it into Vetochki's hands.
Time to move out. Make sure you keep your pills safely stored.
So, where's the medicine box?
...I, have it. Here.
......
You haven't taken even one pill?
Why?
Vetochki squeezes her lips tightly and does not answer.
...Tell me again, our mission objective.
Go to... the wasteland, and find the, missing Infected, children.
Then, bring them back, to the city, for treatment.
You chose to join us on this mission. Tell me why.
Because, I want to, help them. I want to help, more Infected...
Now tell me why I agreed to let you come with me then.
I, promised you... I won't... cause trouble.
And did you manage that?
......
You fainted in battle. We couldn't just leave you there, we had to stop.
Those kids will have to wait half a day more.
I'm... sorry...
No. Now's not the time for apologies.
Just wanted you to know everything happens for a reason. I let you on this mission because I can see you were once like those kids—all of us were. That's why I said yes.
The squad leader points at the medicine box.
Now I want to know your reason.
Vetochki shies away from her leader's gaze. The next second, a surface wound stings her with pain, spreading into her insides.
She cannot help curling up, but stops herself from making any sound.
Large beads of cold sweat roll down her head, and Vetochki knows the inflammation caused by Oripathy is damaging her nerves. She is all too familiar with this kind of pain.
Her leader hurriedly opens the medicine box, and pours out a bunch of individually packed painkiller tablets. She peels one open, and stuffs it into Vetochki's mouth.
The pain will stop soon.
Vetochki swallows the pill. Rhodes Island's specially created painkillers for acute inflammations work well, and usually take effect within five to ten minutes.
The pill's composition includes algae extracts as a sweetener. But the refreshing taste sends Vetochki into tears.
She cannot verbalize why she is crying. After all... the pain will stop soon.
I heard my friend mention that you were always cooperative with your treatments. So... why haven't you been taking your painkillers?
Vetochki also looks toward the pile of pills. It is obvious that the amount is far more than the dosage allocated to her by the doctor for this mission.
Before I, came to Rhodes Island... I never, heard of this—'painkiller'.
We also, had in the mines, a kind of, medicine. But they... were super bitter, and made your head dizzy. But the pain, would go away.
I've heard of the situation in Ursus. That Emperor did try a little, yet could not ensure his little shred of benevolence would make it down to the bottom rungs of society.
Rhodes Island's medicine is naturally better than what you could get outside, but does it not suit you?
They're... too sweet...
What?
No, I, I don't know...
When I tried, a real painkiller on Rhodes Island, for the first time, I realized...
Vetochki takes a deep breath to manage an uninterrupted sentence.
...I couldn't feel anything at all.
I don't, like pain... but for so, many years, it's my most, familiar feeling.
Treating pain itself as something you can't live without... I don't see it as necessary at all, but of course, you may think I have no right to say that.
I can give you ten more minutes of rest, but after that the squad will move. You can come with us, or you can go back for treatment.
L-leader!
Vetochki picks up the scattered pills, and tries to stabilize her voice for a question—
But, if the pain, we feel, has always been, part of us...
Doesn't that mean, it's there for, a reason?
I don't, fully understand, but I'm scared... to lose it.
...If you choose to come with us, then you'll have to take your medicine on time. There won't be a second warning from me.
(Quietly) Stay alert.
Did you hear something?
Wild tuskbeasts barking... more than one of them around. In a specific rhythm too—they're surrounding their prey and trying to intimidate it.
P-Prey?
Just an act of intimidation, but that means they're not attacking yet. Can you make out any sounds from the children?
(Shakes head)
Tuskbeasts are fierce in packs, and we have ways to disperse them, but I'm worried their barks might attract the bigger guys.
Big... like manglerbeasts? We should...
Point us the way, and we'll hurry. Vetochki, you follow at the very back.
But I... I!
We can't rule out this being a trap just yet. Remember our route, and if we need to retreat, you'll become the lead.
The squad leader stops talking, and takes her dagger from her waist, placing it into Vetochki's hands, then immediately runs forward.
......
A torch lights up, waved by a girl insistent on driving the ravenous beasts away.
Get lost!
The beasts are patient, staring at the beads of blood tumbling down nonstop, waiting for time to help them put the fire out.
Don't, cry... no crying!
Crying will only attract more beasts!
The girl throws a handful of sand to stop the children trying to come closer to help her.
She cannot tell if she regrets bringing the children along on her escape from the shelter.
Wait until they kill me... then you guys keep on running. Londinium has Oripathy medicine... reach the city and you'll survive!
The torch's light suddenly shrinks, and the wild beasts pounce from the darkness, baring their sharp claws and fangs at her—
Hold it!
Multiple figures burst forth from the shadows. A shield lands with a solid thud in front of her.
The girl thinks about how to respond when a tuskbeast knocked onto the ground earlier jumps right back up from her side and bites her neck.
No!!
The collapsed bell tower is riddled with scars of battle. From broken floorboards and scorched rock, multiple pairs of eyes peer out in her direction.
The stench of blood pervades the air, and for a moment, everyone is speechless, unsure what they should say to the children.
They should be the children we're looking for. A group of mostly Sarkaz, infected by Oripathy during the war.
Vetochki, do another headcount.
...Mm.
S-Stay back!
My sister...
Is she dead?
Vetochki stops in her tracks. The child talks of death with such a calm voice—she finds the feeling familiar, yet frightening.
No, she's not.
The girl fighting off the pack alone earlier is lifted by the rescue squad's other members onto a flat surface.
Then, they set up emergency lights and operation equipment.
Prepare for trachea incision.
Vetochki, hand me my dagger.
Dag...ger?
Yes. My dagger.
Preparing for intubation. Someone take over.
Hrrh... Hrrh...
Under the light, Vetochki finally gets a good look at the girl and the other children hidden beneath the bell tower's ruins.
They are quite young, yet there are scary black stones all over their bodies.
Festering wounds, blood seeping through cloth, blank faces hollowed from the pain... Vetochki is momentarily stunned by the sight.
These children hiding in the ruins immediately walk over to Vetochki, looking at the girl with blood all over her with complicated emotions.
Did she make it?
I don't know...
She's conscious again, even if barely. Yes, she's alive.
Vetochki looks at the squad leader, who shakes her head ever so slightly.
A few of the children sit down as if a burden has finally lifted off their shoulders, and now their tears and fears flow freely.
We come from Rhodes Island, on a mission from a Mr. White of Woodland Shelter to save you. We'll escort you out of the wastes.
No. We don't want to go back!
Tell Mr. White we're sorry—but we wanna live!
Our sister said, only Londinium has the medicine that can heal us!
But you don't even know where it is. Londinium is behind you, actually. If we didn't make it to you guys on time, you would've all died out here in the wild.
We want to go to Londinium! It's what our sister told us!
You have to, get your, wounds treated...
Watching these crying and injured children, Vetochki suddenly realizes something, and hurries to open her bag, dumping the contents onto the ground.
What are you—
Medicine! They—help them!
Vetochki grabs her secret stash of painkillers, and places them one by one into each child's hand.
Her face reddens as she tries to calm her throat so she can tell the kids how they should take the medicine, but—
Vetochki takes a deep breath instead, removes the packaging from a pill, and eats it as the children watch.
And so they follow, swallowing their medicine.
She nods, then turns around, planning to hand the leftover pills to the girl they were calling 'sister' earlier.
It won't work on her.
But she's... awake...
Vetochki!
(Whispering) There is no medicine that can stop her particular kind of pain—that's death. The painkiller she needs now is not the pills you have.
(Whispering) Let her watch these children for as long as she can.
(Whispering) She was the one who brought them out into the wastes, yet she was also their guardian.
No one else speaks, and tears no longer fall. Only harsh huffs can be heard in the ruins, like the sound of a ruptured bellows—the anguished hollow howls from the dying.
Vetochki rubs the pills in her hand, numbly watching the girl refusing to die. For just a brief moment, their gazes seem to meet.
It's time to take the kids away.
Where are you taking us, sister?
Vetochki has no idea if the city will be kind to these Sarkaz children, but she makes a vow to herself—
She will keep them safe on this journey, until they reach the 'Londinium' that can treat their sickness.
Thank you for the candy, sister. The pain really stopped.
Vetochki stops in her tracks when she suddenly realizes the raspy gasps from the bell tower have already ceased at some point.
Vetochki.
I just, took the medicine... the box is here, look.
Hm. I see. Very good.
I have something to show you too.
The squad leader opens her collar button, exposing a shocking depression on her neck, where a web of scars seems to spread all the way to her jaw.
What is... this?
It's complicated, but basically, shrapnel cut a bit of bone off with some flesh too.
That was, painful, right?
Yes. I only knew later that the bone was linked to multiple nerves connected to the brain. Even after I left the battlefield for the hospital bed, I would still feel excruciating pain.
I would even scratch the wound that was only beginning to heal in the hopes of relieving my suffering, only to make it bleed non-stop. It'd turn half my pillow red in just two hours.
I got scolded many times, by that very same doctor who signed your form. Then we became friends.
So, what do you, mean?
I didn't answer your question back then, because some answers aren't enough with just talk. You have to look, think, and come to the realization yourself.
What 'pain' means to me, in life... I still, don't know.
You do. You just don't have the means to put it into words.
I found my answer during my sleepless nights on my sickbed. But only after a decade or so, I finally managed to form my feelings into a sentence.
So what, is it?
The pain you feel makes you want to change, to live on.
Ah...
Not so much of a surprise, is it? I said before, you should've known long ago.
That's not, what I'm sad about...
Back then, when I was, in Ursus...
Over there, even if I, wanted to end my, own life, it was not, allowed.
All of us, had no power, to make any change.
Vetochki recalls her comrades on the tundra, the long, long line of miners she used to count over and over.
Each time she reached the end of the line, the number she bit back was a little smaller than the last.
'...Seven hundred and twenty-three.'
'...Seven hundred and twenty-two.'
'...Seven hundred and twenty-one.'
She knows a life stands behind every number—surviving was good enough, but she also knew when they set off, the headcounts used to start with a 'Nine.'
But at least you can change, right now. Change yourself, or perhaps others.
'Change'?
Vetochki recalls the children's faces at the bell tower, remembers how they ate the 'candy' she gave them.
Have those faces changed? Did she... change anything? Was it her, or the pills that did it?
She repeatedly chews on the word in her mind to mine the meaning within.
Her squad leader pats her on the shoulder, then gets up and prepares to leave.
But Vetochki stops her.
Leader, your dagger...
Vetochki remembers returning the dagger to her leader after that emergency surgical operation, but now, it is nowhere to be found on her leader's waist.
(Whispering) There is no medicine that can stop her particular kind of pain—that's death...
The painkiller she needs now is not the pills you have.
......
It's time to take the kids away.
I gave my dagger to her.
She didn't want to die in front of all those kids she brought out from the shelter, and she shouldn't have to suffer a prolonged, painful punishment for her act of bravery...
Before you even ask 'How did you know', if I fall one day in a place like that, when you see the only expression I can muster, you'll understand.
The squad leader walks outside the tent once she is done speaking.
The other members have already made sure the children are also ready to go anytime.
An order is declared, and the group is quick to assemble and march back towards Londinium.
They have spent too much time here with the sun about to rise, but Vetochki is not sure of her directions. She does not know where the sun will rise.
Will we... return?
Once they're escorted into a safe area, I'll go back to fetch the girl.
Vetochki stares at her leader's empty dagger sheath for a long time as the ruined bell tower builds itself back in all sorts of ways in her head.
The sun creeps up from the horizon, and the dim rays cast a long shadow of the tower ruins onto the ground.
Vetochki puts down her shield in that direction, and raises a fist—
Thump.
Again and again, she hits her own shield, like striking a bell.
The metal ringing startles many creatures out on the wastes from their slumber.
She endures the pain, staring right at the sun as it gradually turns whole, walking towards the splendor until tears obscure her vision entirely.