Arknights story · Operator Records
Fatal Attraction
Sesa gets another lead from Passenger about the accident.
1 scenes, 397 lines
1. Interlude
397 lines
Morning, Sesa. Been busy all night again?
I thought I heard a bunch of mercenaries fighting. Turned out it's just you taking out the trash.
In order to break free from the shackles of pain and destruction, right?
Haha, always so hard to understand what you're saying.
I'll leave you to it, then.
One moment.
Hm?
Is this... did you make this out of that scrap?!
Just like that? Incredible!
This old leg of mine hasn't moved so well in... forever! Wow!
You're too humble.
Thank you so much, Sesa.
Look out behind you!
Ouch!
......
No idea what you just said!
But it doesn't matter!
Here, Sesa!
Bread?
Yeah! I got it from a guy who wears weird clothes and talks weird.
Heh, I got two, actually.
So one's for you. Thanks for catching that thief!
Mm-hm!
(Swallows)
What is it?!
'Columbia'
(Swallows) Mm?
Come, reveal your secrets. Who has guided you here...
Sesa?
Are you Mr. Sesa?
I beg your pardon?
Er, has there been a misunderstanding?
The name's Darrell. I'm a merchant from Columbia.
I've been told you're an expert on retrofitting Originium weapons.
So...
(Whisper) I have a shipment of... said weapons... from a certain Columbian company.
(Whisper) Would you like to have a... chat?
I thought this would be a place where I could catch my breath, compared to all the crap in Ursus.
Yes, I was a killer! But I only ever killed that blasted drunkard in the search squad, dammit!
I just want to live a quiet life and take care of my new wife.
I've even tried to stop thinking about the scum who reported me, about what they did to me!
But why...
What would you like me to do for you, then?
A few Ursus mercenaries recognized me. I denied it, but they burned down my shop...
The Lord Ameer's men chased them away, but... I know they've set their sights on me.
So...
Rights?
I know you can find them.
But you could have done it yourself.
I...
Am I wrong? Are you suddenly beset by pity for your fellow man?
To my knowledge, it wasn't just some 'search squad member' you killed in Ursus.
You!
I'll consider this a sign of your mistrust in me. A test, as it were.
But see, you clearly know what you want, don't you?
......
I'm sorry...
That said, that weapon of yours isn't exactly suitable for revenge.
What do you want?
What can you give me?
I'll accept all reasonable forms of payment, even... interesting conditions.
......
Goodbye.
A purpose?
Yes, a purpose.
......
Thanks, but no.
This is rather unlike you. I thought you'd have come earlier.
Or even barged in, rather than standing there like a student waiting for his teacher's answer.
......
Of course, I could consider taking in a student like you.
Give you some necessary pointers, if that's what you're looking for.
I don't know the child.
So?
But I do 'know' them.
I was handing out bread to every child on the streets who passed by, knowing the message would make it to you.
I was simply... matching my behavior to yours.
What?
The caution and wariness you've shown in Sargon... You must be hiding from someone.
The less traces one leaves, the harder it will be for someone to find out.
Who, me?
......
A merchant who says he's from Columbia, claiming to have experimental weapons from that company.
Did you think I'd believe it's a coincidence? What do you want?
It's been many years. Have you found a single thing?
......
This isn't the first time you've done something like this.
Are you having fun?
You give me a piece of intel, then watch me blunder around and end up empty-handed.
......
What do you want?
Did you accept his offer?
Oh?
What a surprising result. I was sure you'd gladly accept it...
Did you not trust his identity? Or did you suspect my motives?
What do you want?
What can you give me?
I'll accept all reasonable forms of payment, even... interesting conditions.
......
Alright. But no more conditions. You've already named your price.
You said you wanted a purpose.
I'll give you one.
Deal.
So, what do you know?
He's not a merchant. Everything he said was a clumsy lie.
Even I could see that. That's why I found him suspicious.
But you knew that and still sent him to me. You must have your reasons.
He showed me a weapon sample from Columbia.
It was... interesting.
The Originium Arts mechanism was more direct than any other product in the black market.
Do you mean...
Compared to your research, the technology used was crude, immature.
But someone is trying to pick a lock which should not be opened.
No one should see a single page of that documentation ever again, much less sell it on the black market.
May I ask what your plans are now?
I cannot say.
No, I would rather place my faith in inspired intuition, rather than the guided hand.
The hidden truth will be revealed.
Ah... what a shame.
How long are you gonna take? I've never seen someone so picky in my life!
Ealayk allaena!
What's that attitude? Ibn al kalb!
Do you really think any of this crap you're selling is anything but scrap metal?
Say that again?! I'll tear you to pieces, I swear!
Try me! Haram alayk, I wouldn't have wasted my time here if a friend didn't recommend it.
Al'ahmaq!
Who're you?
You again!
Just my luck, what a day!
First a fool, now a madman.
Get lost!
Haha, do you not see the weakness and frailty in his weapons?
The imposition of will can hardly disguise foolishness and ineptitude.
......
GET! LOST!
I wish to bridge the gap to the other side. I know what you seek...
I will reveal hidden secrets.
Seriously, are you sick or something?
What the hell are you talking about?
Must have forgotten to take his meds.
Ah, to be blind and foolish.
The weapons from Columbia bring unfathomable destruction and power.
They await their destined bearer.
What?
Farewell.
Get lost, and never come back!
Ealayk allaena!
......
What's your problem? Outta my way!
What did he say? Weapons from Columbia?
How would I know?! Piss off!
Columbian weapons...
(Drunkenly) One more mug!
......
(Drunkenly) *Hic* The people here...
(Drunkenly) Dumb *hic* peasants...
(Drunkenly) They *hic* have no idea *hic* about the stuff I have!
I think you've had too much.
(Drunkenly) Idiots! *Hic*
......
(Drunkenly) I thought I could *hic* make a killing off it...
(Drunkenly) The stuff's so good *hic*... why won't anyone take it?
Hey there, friend.
(Drunkenly) *Hic*...
Hey!
Who's there?!
I saw you shadowing him.
What are you up to?
Allaenat ealayk!
None of your business!
What are you up to?!
Out of my way!
Ugh...
Help! Thief!
Allaenat ealayk!
Hey!
(Drunkenly) Huh? *Hic* What d'ya want?
You're coming with me.
(Drunkenly) Ow!
......
This is... my room...
How did I...
Whoa!
W-Who are you?
You're awake? Where are the goods?
W-What goods?
Don't play dumb with me. You've been telling anyone who would listen that you have a bunch of Columbian weapons.
You wanted to do business. Well, I'm here to do business.
Business...
Who the hell does business like this?!
I want to see a sample. Now.
Business is all about trust. I'm sure you understand.
......
Behind that cupboard.
......
......
Ow! Why you—!
Aren't you gonna show me a sample? Is this how you treat your customers?
No wonder you couldn't sell anything.
......
......
(Even project leads like my brother couldn't have taken experimental weapons out of the labs, much less sold them abroad.)
(So who is this man? Is he really just elaborate bait?)
(The terrible acting, the obvious lies...)
Here... your sample.
Well, well! Very fine indeed.
O-Of course! It's cutting-edge technology!
Simple to maintain, and, er... easy to use.
Even for laymen...
Show me how.
W-What?
But I'm not a mercenary...
So what? Didn't you say it's easy to use?
It's your product. You demonstrate it.
I...
Allaenat ealayk!
Don't point that thing at me! I'll kill you!
......
I-I think it's this one here...?
You don't even know how use your own goods?
I-I do! I do!
Activate the Originium... then press the trigger.
I told you not to point that thing at me!
Allaenat ealayk!
Enough!
Enough!!
Don't touch me again! I'm warning you!
Al'ama! What are you doing?!
Down payment! You wanna do business, you make a down payment!
You want money? You haven't shown me any goods!
This weapon is really powerful!
All you need to do is press the trigger! Wanna see for yourself?
......
How many do you have? The same model as the one you're holding?
T-Tons of 'em!
I'll have someone tell you where the deal takes place once I get my down payment!
How do I know you're not playing me for a fool?
You saw it with your own eyes!
The form, the technology, none of this is possible in Sargon.
Very well...
Alright, friend, I suppose did get a little carried away.
How much are you asking?
I...
Ibn al kalb! You're trying to threaten me?!
I'll kill you!
Whoa!
*cough* *cough*...
Ow ow ow!
Don't move, unless you want to die.
W-What?
That weapon won't help you. I know it better than you do.
Who are you? Where did this sample come from?
I... I...
One... two...
I'll talk, I'll talk!
I really am from Columbia...
Allaenat ealayk!
Who hit me?!
......
Whoa!
If you hadn't acted, the prototype would have overloaded and exploded, wiping away all traces.
But instead, you saved his life, without even ascertaining his identity.
A bout of adventurism? Or simple sentimentality?
Did you find the answer you wanted?
You're an employee at that company?
I've had a lot of business dealings with them. But I've never seen you.
I-I'm just a low-level worker in Logistics and Maintenance. You probably never met me.
Logistics and Maintenance... how did you get the weapon?
We're in charge of transporting and scrapping discarded prototypes.
I found this off the scrap heap.
Scrapped prototypes? How many more like this do you have?
None! This is the only one!
That's not what you said earlier.
I-I was lying to him!
Oh?
But I'm telling the truth now!
There were only so many of them, and most were completely destroyed.
My thinking was that the people here would never chase me down to Columbia, even if they never got the goods.
......
A few years back, your company claimed that an accident had occurred at the lab, preventing them from delivering a shipment.
Did that really happen?
A few years back...
Yeah, there was a serious accident at a lab.
But I don't know what happened... we arrived on the scene afterward.
Did you notice anything unusual?
Hmm... Not really.
But the company removed every piece of scrap from the scene in individual containers.
Individual containers? Where were they taken?
I don't know.
......
I really don't know! Honest!
Everyone was searched before we left, to make sure none of us took anything.
......
I swear I'm telling the truth!
Please, don't kill me!
Did you spare his life out of a sense of conscience, or as a valuable lead?
......
No need to feel embarrassed. None of us act without a reason.
Not that the results are always what we wanted.
I just wanted to know the answer.
To what?
How far you would go for revenge.
Is that so?
What about the researchers?
What?
Did any researchers from the lab survive the accident?
......
I-I don't think so...
(Deep breath)
Your department disposed of the bodies, didn't it? Where were they taken?
I heard from their families that they never saw the bodies. They were just told that they had died in the accident.
The bodies...
(Deep breath)
Yes, the bodies!
......
They were all sent to garbage disposal.
What?!
'It always ends the same way.'
'I tried my best. I always fail, but I'll do anything. Anything for some closure.' Isn't that right?
Are you done?
No plots, no traps, no ulterior motives.
Maybe they have no interest in your investigation. Maybe they've completely forgotten about you.
Worthless.
How far you will go for revenge?
I'm sorry! They were sent to garbage disposal!
Whether intact or damaged, they were all just... there was no order from above.
We just disposed of them according to standard procedures.
......
Please!
Please, don't kill me!
You know it wasn't his fault. He's insignificant.
But you don't want to let anything go, no matter how slim the chance, how flimsy the link.
As long as you achieve your purpose.
Vengeance is the eternal motif.
Like you? Burning down a whole city without any concern for those within?
I gave them time to evacuate.
Yes, you made the relatively correct choice in the circumstances, one that saved you face.
But I completed my revenge. What about you?
......
......
I'm searching for the truth. An answer.
I'll keep searching.
But I won't make the same choices that you did.
......