Vol. 4 Ch. 2 Ep. 1: The Fox's Dream

Good evening! And welcome to the Kronos School of Journalism channel, your one, true source for all the hottest news!

We are currently standing directly in front of the Kaiser Industries' Second Ammo Factory!

This factory produces nearly a third of Kaiser Industries' total ammunition, and recently, strange rumors have been circulating about this powerhouse.

Allegedly, this Second Ammo Factory is developing weapons of mass destruction, in direct violation of General Student Council policies!

However, Kaiser Industries is vehemently denying this, and the rumors remain unsubstantiated. But this story is nowhere near over yet!

With Valkyrie Police School's investigation stalling, another source tells us that the General Student Council President has dispatched a newly-formed special investigation team to...

Ah! Did you get that? There was a huge explosion. This is live! I repeat, this is live!

We're investigating the cause of the explosion now! Could this be a side effect of their illegal weapons development?!

*cough cough*

What the hell, Otogi? You didn't report the booby trap at the exit!

The...? Oh! Oh. Yeah. I was gonna tell you.

Next time, tell us before we trigger the bomb!

Kurumi sure is motivated, as usual!

It happened after the operation was over, and no one was injured. It's okay.

We've spotted what appears to be several heavily-armed students emerging from the dust!

Could they be the rumored Special Response Team recently established by the General Student Council President?

Excuse me, hello! May we have a word? Who are you?!

Heehee. It seems the paparazzi's caught up to us.

There's no time like the present, I guess. The President has been wanting to formally introduce SRT.

Did I hear you say SRT? Does that mean the rumors are true?

Greetings, citizens of Kivotos.

I'm Shichido Yukino, leader of the FOX Squad from SRT Academy.

The General Student Council President formed SRT and the FOX Squad to give Kivotos a means to more effectively fight against threats too great for any one district or the Valkyrie police to address.

If you were made to solve crime in the D.U., does that also mean SRT Academy intends to eventually usurp Valkyrie Police School?!

We could never hope to replace the invaluable work Valkyrie does to protect the public. We are a specialized operations teams trained to respond swiftly to criminals or situations that present an imminent threat to Kivotos' safety, as you saw today.

Speaking of today, what were you doing in the Kaiser's ammo factory?! What was the cause of the explosion just now?

Can you confirm if there really are weapons of mass destruction being developed here?!

Well...

I mean... We didn't receive any embargo orders. I don't think there's any harm in telling you, now that the operation's over.

A few days ago, we received evidence from an anonymous source that a powerful bomb was being stored here at Kaiser Industries' Ammo Factory in violation of General Student Council's bylaws.

Last year, Kaiser announced a development project called A.N.T.I.O.C.H. undertaking the modification of old thermobaric grenades. In actuality, they were developing and storing thermobaric warheads for ballistic missiles here.

Our mission today was to neutralize these explosives, and I'm pleased to report our success.

A thermobarbaric warhead?! Just how much danger were the people of Kivotos in?

It's a pre-production prototype, and we're still in the process of analyzing it...

But based on our research so far and simply the sheer size of the warhead, we estimate the A.N.T.I.O.C.H.'s radius when detonated could span several kilometers.

Several kilometers?! And just your squad was enough to handle something so explosive?

I mean, wouldn't it have required an entire unit with tons of protective gear?

With a bomb that dangerous, it doesn't matter how much infantry you throw at it.

What she said. It's exactly stuff like this that SRT's around for.

SRT's made of small teams of elites trained in securing or neutralizing the targets before they even know what's happening, like we did in this operation.

And we're pretty good at it! It took us less than three minutes to secure the warhead after infiltrating the building.

...Two minutes and forty-five seconds to be exact.

It would have been two minutes and thirty seconds had we not had to handle the unexpected engagement at the entrance.

"Unexpected engagement"... Pfft. Do you mean, if it wasn't for Kurumi accidentally throwing a smoke grenade instead of a flash grenade toward Point Delta?

Accident?! The guards were wearing visors for flash protection!

I made a tactical decision to close the distance with a smoke grenade and incapacitate them.

And that wouldn't have even been necessary if you had taken out the guard as detailed by the operation plans!

Oh. Heehee. Well, sometimes, I forget to count the number of rounds I have loaded.

It's an adorable little mistake that's very common for snipers to make. How can we count all those teensy weensy enemies?

Don't act cute to distract from your mistakes!

Now, now. Otogi, Kurumi, let's not fight in front of the cameras!

To conclude, this operation was a success thanks to the discrete and timely manner in which we were able to execute our plan. The bomb is secured, and the suspect was apprehended.

We were also able to identify the names of several executives of the Kaiser Industries, as well as some members of the Defense Office, listed on classified documents discovered in the factory...

It appears these executives accepted bribes in advance of the launch of the A.N.T.I.O.C.H. project in exchange for forging safety reports for the ammunition factory.

Isn't the Defense Office...an agency of the General Student Council, responsible for policing Kivotos?

So ultimately, aren't you revealing holes in the General Student Council's security?! Is it okay for SRT, which operates under the direct order of the president, to reveal information like this?!

...You misunderstand.

Justice is the path to preserving truth.

No matter the obstacle, SRT's justice never wavers.

...

Oh! Good morning, Yukino.

Morning? What time is it?

0315. Kivotos Standard Time...

We have time until the next shift gets here. Rest more, while you can.

I'm fine. Thank you for keeping watch.

...Were you having a nice dream?

Hm... What makes you say that?

I thought I detected the barest hint of a smile in your sleep.

Hah. It was more like a nightmare.

A bittersweet memory that echoes in my mind.

Ah... That, I understand.

FOX 4. Status?

FOX 4 here. The General Student Council is still snoozin'.

The General Student Council hasn't recovered from the apocalypse towers. They're still in turmoil.

Acting President Rin's got it the worst. She's being criticized left and right for her seeming absence during the crisis.

And because of that, no one wants to pass her D.U. Restoration Policy. They're at a total standstill.

I guess that means the plan's working. If we hadn't attacked Sanctum Tower right before SRT closed and took out all of Rin's supporters, she wouldn't be facing the lion's den right now.

And what of the Board of Administration?

Boring. The Culture and Medical officers still haven't recovered from injuries sustained during the raid. Senior managers are still quietly substituting for them.

It's not affecting their day-to-day tasks, but the Board of Administration doesn't have any kind of official authority at the helm right now.

That's good. Alert me immediately if there are any changes.

Uh... Squad lead... I mean, FOX 1.

But, what if...

What if the chiefs do recover and come back to the Board?

Wouldn't it just be over for Kaya?

I gave you the emergency protocols to review, FOX 4.

"At any given time, the Chief of Defense Kaya must always hold the majority support of the Board of Administration over Chief Officer Rin."

"Should Chief Officer Rin's supporters attempt to return to the Board, the FOX Squad is authorized to use any means necessary to sufficiently incapacitate them for the forseeable future."

...FOX 4, out.

FOX 3. Status?

FOX 3, reporting. We detonated the EMP bomb at the railroad vehicle base in the Kitayama District and disabled the operation management system. Their key electronic equipment has all been sabotaged.

Immediate recovery of the EMP bomb was successful as well, so the cause of the malfunction will be near impossible to trace.

Has the media picked up on it? How is the coverage?

The General Student Council hasn't made an official statement, likely because they can't identify the cause. So the public has been assuming it was an accident on the Council's part.

The Director of Transportation and Acting General Student Council President Rin have been taking the brunt of blame. They won't be able to escape the media scrutiny for a while.

Copy that. FOX 3, return to HQ immediately.

FOX 1, I have a question... Do you think... Is this justice?

During the operation, we encountered a citizen unable to reach the hospital and receive care because the trains were down. If we carry on with this kind of...

Did that citizen interfere with your operation in any way?

...No. No, they did not. Understood. FOX 3, returning to HQ now.

Yukino... Come now...

I don't need your quippy remarks right now, Niko.

Then I won't quip. I'll follow you into hell for the revival of SRT, but what we're doing right now? We're harming innocent civilians.

Kurumi wasn't wrong. This isn't the justice SRT fights for. Don't you think so?

I abandoned those kinds of questions when we took on this operation. I suggest you do the same.

SRT has always been a weapon. Wherever the user decides to point that weapon and shoot it is both their privilege and responsibility.

No one wants a weapon with its own free will. With an opinion.

Morality... Ethics... Those concepts are the curse the user bears.

...

If you can't accept your role, leave. I... The FOX Squad will persevere.

...FOX 2, out.

Right. Our last order of business...

We'll need to make contact with the RABBIT Squad.

The RABBIT Squad?

You're gonna go see the little ones?

...FOX 3, FOX 4. Please don't speak out of turn.

Sorry, sorry. I get excited at the prospect of a good time.

I want to go see the underclassmen too though...

*sigh*

We've handled all of our urgent missions... Why don't we have a group bonding activity? When's the last time we were all together?

FOX 3 and 4 fulfilled all their orders already. Four won't even have to move until after D-Day.

What she said! And the RABBITs haven't even had an initiation ceremony yet, you know.

We would be bereft of SRT tradition if we didn't participate in at least a little light hazing.

Heehee. I'll have to get started now if I want to have enough inarizushi for everyone.

...Okay, okay. Convincing the underclassmen won't be easy, so it'll be better to show a united front anyways.

FOX 3 and FOX 4, return to HQ and begin preparations for our welcome party.

Roger!

It's been quite some time, so let's make sure it's a warm welcome.