Day 3

Everyone, double-check the shipment list. Do we have all the packages? Is our gear squared away?

Once we test this ship's Zero Sail to ensure it's ready for our final day of deliveries, we'll be resurfacing in Reality Space as we originally planned.

Today, our target is North America. Upon arrival, we will carry out our mission in our armored land vehicle.

Oh man! You want us to cover all of the U.S. in a single day!? That's so much!

Not even the Nautilus can handle constantly switching between Zero Sails and driving on land for a full day without breaking down.

As a member of the crew, I want to let my opinions made clear: we won't be able to complete it in time!

Quit your whining, Marine! We all know this is an impossible task!

But we decided we were gonna do it anyway! There's no getting off this ship once it's left the harbor!

'Sides, the land route looks to be safer than we thought, so this'll be even easier than Professor predicted.

Look, there's not a single hostile to be seen on our route. Now if only this snow would stop, we'd be set.

...

Hm? What is it, jerkface Leader? Something on your mind?

Kind of. On the first day, I just thought we'd gotten lucky. But not a single enemy for three days running? That's just not natural.

Oh well, I can interrogate BB about that later.

As for you, Marine, we can't cut down the number of Zero Sails. We're also testing the Nautilus's durability.

You and the other Marines' job is to keep a close eye on it while we're submerged to see if anything goes wrong.

...Aye, aye, sir. Just please don't get too reckless, okay, Captain?

If something does happen to the Nautilus, we won't be the ones who end up hurt. It'll be you.

I know. All right, let's get today's deliveries started.

Santa Claus can't fall behind schedule. We WILL reach our destinations at the time we promised.

Stop! Stooop, Nikola! Cut it out already!

It's me, dammit! Nemo Engineer! We're bird connoisseur buddies, remember!?

Oh! Ms. Engineer!

Forgive me. I'm ashamed a genius like myself could not discern the difference between friend and fiend.

It just goes to show there truly is nothing to be gained from dwelling on the past. And that's doubly true of a regretful past.

Allow me to start over. Hello, Nemo Engineer. And hello, um...

Nemo Santa. I'm currently on leave from my captain duties.

I see. Then hello to you too, Nemo Santa.

I am Nikola Tesla, a genius, inventor, and humankind's greatest pioneer.

I am the true king of electricity, come to illuminate our lives, though I was unlucky enough to fall just one step short of bringing that gift to the world at large.

I am also a noted eccentric, gentleman, and lover of pigeons.

And finally, I am a friend to your technical persona, Nemo Engineer. So please, speak to me as you would an old acquaintance.

Indeed, think of our relationship as teacher and pupil, or father and son, or father and daughter, or

G-got it. I, ah, am not sure about any of that...but I appreciate the sentiment.

...Huh. I had no idea you and Engineer were friends.

Hmm, interesting. Does this mean your shared information network is still incomplete?

Well, I suppose everyone has secrets they wish to keep to themselves. Especially a young maiden such as yourself.

I can understand why you wouldn't want to reveal your close bond with a perfect gentleman such as myself, even to your siblings.

Hey, it ain't like that! I just never told 'em 'cause it wasn't a big deal!

For that matter, what're you even doing in North America, anyway? I thought you were from Croatia.

I am, but America is where I spent the most important time of my life.

This place is especially memorable for me. I felt I should pay it a visit before the final battle to retake humanity's future.

...I see. I was wondering what you were doing in Long Island. Now I know.

This is where you built the Wardenclyffe Towerthe device that was supposed to provide power and networking to the entire planet.

It was the culmination...and ultimately end of your dream.

I don't know about that. This tower was but one of my many ideas.

...But I suppose it is true that this was the zenith of my life. I still think of it even now, especially when I'm in a particularly good mood.

Ohh, it's the tower that comes out when you use your Noble Phantasm! That generator building's so freaking cool!

It's not a building, Engineer. It's a tower. And it's not a generator, either.

It's the peak of Nikola Tesla's ingenious science. It is a matter transmitter...camouflaged as an electricity transmitter.

...Say that again?

It's a matter transmitter. A teleporter.

That device isn't just meant for data and electricity. It's for instantly sending matter from one place to another, right?

Whoa, whoa, hold on. I never made a matter duplicator or a teleporter.

I can't help but blanch at such nonsense, Nemo Santa. Where in the world did you hear such hokum?

Huh? But, they say it was used for teleportation in the Philadelphia Experiment...

I would never assist a military experiment! That tower is strictly for generating voltage!

You're kidding... Then, does this mean youI mean, the Tesla coil can't transmit matter after all?

Shit, I've never seen you so depressed, Captain. Hey, Nikola, are you sure you never invented any kind of teleporter?

(I want to say I never did any such thing...but I don't know if I can bring myself to destroy an innocent young man's dreams.)

Hmm. Yes, well, I wouldn't normally mention this, but the Tesla coil can certainly be used in a wide variety of ways.

So I suppose it's possible that another genius could come up with a way to use it that even I would never dream of.

Yeah? Like what?

Well...perhaps as a musical instrument? There is nothing my Tesla coil cannot do.

Hiya! I'll just let myself in! How was your day, you two!? Nice and relaxing!?

W-well, yeah. That's 'cause I'm gonna go mind the shop soon. I would've rather gotten the gift exchange, though.

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Congratulations on a job well done today, Engineer. Is it just you reporting in?

Yup! You'll never guess what happened during our deliveries today! Our jerkface leader was so shocked, he had to go take a nap!

You should've seen his face when he said he had to go lie down for an hour in the captain's quarters.

Oh no. Does that mean he's starting to burn out after several straight days of hard work?

Nah, nothing like that. He just wanted to cheer himself up with some of his secret pudding stash, as usual!

You wouldn't think it, but he's always been fascinated with wild science ever since he was a kid. He's just pouting 'cause he's been splashed with a dose of cold reality.

Anyway, I'm just gonna leave the list here and get going. Come stop by the shop later, you hear!?

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