Chapter 21: Giant Whale

... Is that it?

I think so. It certainly looks whale-like.

Wow. You've got good eyes.

Naturally. I don't wear these glasses to look pretty.

Commander, is that our target?

How should we proceed?

Okay... but how?

I know I always say my firepower could pierce a hole in the sky, but that's just a figure of speech...

We're not equipped to shoot down such a large transport aircraft, at least not one at that altitude.

What is that thing anyway?

Codename: Mother Whale.

It's a massive transport aircraft that's been in use since the First Rapture Invasion.

That long? It must be really old then.

Correct.

Shouldn't we be calling it Grandmother Whale then? Hehe.

Er... yeah, that's uh... real funny. Hehe.

...

Rapi, the least you could do is pretend like it was funny.

... How highly humorous.

... Thank you.

It's clear that Mother Whale is still in service.

It can transport large quantities of materials by flying at high altitudes.

It's still capable of its primary functions, that's why it's still active.

Not many of them were shot down during the initial invasion, either.

All right then, allow me to repeat my question from before.

Master, what's our next course of action?

Aren't you being a tad unrealistic? How can we possibly take down something that's waaaaaaaay up there?

How come we're chasing after this thing anyway?

Aren't we supposed to be looking for Vapaus?

Yeah, we already used the only bullet we had on that big red meanie.

And that didn't even work out.

Sure, it looked like it hurt like the dickens, but it certainly didn't kill her.

Yeah. I thought it'd cause a lot more damage, and she'd be screaming stuff like, "Noooo, I can't die! This can't be the final resting place for a mighty Heretic!"

... Anis, Neon.

Oh, sorry. Was my acting a bit off?

No, it was spot on. Anyway, I hate to break up the fun,

and while it is nice sitting here watching a flying whale up in the sky,

we have more important things to take care of.

...

As a matter of fact, I'm rather curious myself, Commander.

Is there any reason in particular that we're attempting to take down the Mother Whale?

... What did you say?

...

It's possible, at least in theory.

But I already told you,

once you obtain that power,

there will be a whole lot of other people wanting to get their hands on it.

You're someone of particular interest to the Ark.

I would be fine with all of this if you weren't intending on using the bullets, but you are.

You'll be detected the moment you use that Vapaus. The entire Ark will know about it.

...

It looks like there's no use trying to change your mind.

Very well. If you insist on throwing yourself into the fire, I won't stop you.

To be perfectly frank, this piques my interest as well. It's not every day you get a chance to make a Vapaus Bullet.

I will need something, however.

Yes.

I need you to catch something for me—Codename: Mother Whale.

Hey, Commander. Are you listening to me?

...

...

Wowee, the Commander's keeping secrets!

I knew it. This happens whenever someone starts dating.

Well, I suppose everyone living in the Ark has at least one or two dirty secrets.

... I understand. I won't pry any further.

I still say there's no way we can bring down Mother Whale.

Unless you have a plan?

Understood. Let's move.

Why aren't Papillon and Dorothy here?

I hear Papillon is down with a cold.

Good grief. She could at least have the decency to come up with a half-decent lie.

I suppose Dorothy is feeling "fatigued" as well.

Go figure.

Is it okay for those two to be left alone?

Are you worried about them?

I'm worried about everything except those two.

Hehe. I see.

Well, don't worry.

Right now, each of them wants something from the other, but neither side is willing to budge an inch.

They're not going anywhere.

Correct.

I did some experiments with the Vapaus components found in your blood.

I wanted to determine if it could be implemented into offensive weapons, including bullets, or defensive equipment like armor.

Unfortunately, every attempt resulted in failure.

The components that make up Vapaus disintegrate once they're synthesized with metal.

They simply do not mix, and I can't ascertain the exact reason since the sample was so small.

It's incompatible with Goddesium as well.

I even tried combining it with Rapture parts, but everything ended in failure.

The only thing I was able to produce were bullets that contained your blood, but not the Vapaus.

It's like something out of a bad horror novel. The only thing they'd be good for is putting a hex on someone.

That's exactly what I'm saying.

At the very least, it can't be combined with any commonly used metals.

Is that so?

I assume you used the military scanner on it?

Those scanners only pick up materials used by the military.

The main component of that Vapaus bullet is

something not used by the military. In fact, it's something you can't necessarily "use" in the strictest sense of the word.

...

Human cells.

The Vapaus is flowing in your bloodstream.

To test my theory, I attempted to synthesize the Vapaus with human cells.

The result? I ended up with something that could be considered a bullet, in the broadest sense of that word.

If you must know, I used some of mine. Would you like me to tell you where I extracted them from?

Anyway, the Vapaus Bullet I ended up with is unfortunately a bullet in name only.

It's not nearly as durable as metal, so it can't withstand the initial explosion when being fired.

You wouldn't make a dent in the body of a Heretic, or even an ordinary Nikke.

You could use reinforced plastic or several other new materials instead,

but that won't make much of a difference.

That's where Mother Whale comes in.

...

During the First Rapture Invasion, the Raptures didn't have a semi-permanent power source like they do now.

The power source they did have had to be continually charged.

What do you think they used to accomplish that?

That's right.

Living things. Humans and animals, to be precise.

Yes.

When the Raptures first arrived, they laid waste to everything in their path.

But soon after, they shifted their focus towards capturing humans.

This is most likely because they needed a long-term power source.

I assume I don't have to tell you what they did to the humans after capturing them?

Then again, there's always a silver lining.

After mankind migrated to the Ark, this gathering of "ingredients" ceased.

It could have been that there were no longer any humans on the surface, or perhaps the Raptures found something more efficient.

At any rate, after that, Raptures moved on to their current semi-permanent power.

This whole period of human hunting didn't last long. Only 10 years or so.

It's a behavior that later models have never engaged in.

While there are still some Raptures remaining from the initial invasion, they'll soon run out of power.

That's why we need to get our hands on Mother Whale.

The fuel economy of that ship is astounding.

However, much like the Raptures present during the first invasion,

Mother Whale's power is by no means infinite.

It has had to secure living materials several times in order to reinforce its core.

In other words,

Mother Whale's core is bound to contain human cells.

If we synthesize that core with Vapaus,

you'll get your Vapaus bullet.

Commander. Are you okay?

...

A friendly reminder: You don't need to feel bad if you have to keep a secret from us.

Yeah, as long as you don't betray us, it's all good.

I've got secrets too. The main one is that I'm a spy.

Besides, being too transparent can be a bad thing.

Yeah, Master was so transparent the first time we met, I could see through him almost like he was an apparition!

Whoa! No kidding?

... Commander, we'll be arriving at the meeting point to rendezvous with Johan soon.

Let's go.

You're early.

Let's go.

...

...

Just call me Johan, like you've been doing. And speak normally.

I always hated that nickname.

Big J?

Master. Do you know this person?

Did you say guerilla war tactics?

...!

New Hope!

...

New Hope? New Hope? Really?

What's all this about New Hope?

Him! That's New Hope!

No way! That's... er... what's going on?

Let's just say his reputation precedes him.

Oh, gotcha.

New Hope! I'm your biggest fan! Can I have your autograph?

Are you Master's senior officer? Should we refer to you as Mega Master?

...

...

I can't believe it! The real New Hope, in the flesh!

Mega Master! Mega Master! Mega Master!

Be quiet.

...

...

From now on, no one calls me Big J, New Hope, or anything else.

Yes, Mega Master!

... And not Mega Master, either.

How about Super Duper Master?

On second thought, you're not allowed to talk at all.

Aw c'mon! You're so mean!

There's no need to be so embarrassed, Johan.

It's simply their way of showing you respect.

Exactly! You should be proud of yourself.

I'm with them. You have every right to be proud.

Respect?

Everything I left behind has crumbled and faded into nothing.

How can I possibly deserve anyone's respect?

...

If you really are the famous New Hope, you don't seem to fit the description.

He partook in the Second Surface Reclamation Campaign nearly 60 years ago.

You know your history.

He was also detained in the Rehabilitation Center after being charged with treason.

According to official records, he died from gunshot wounds sustained during a failed escape attempt.

Official records? On whose authority, exactly?

The Central Government, I presume?

... Right.

I'm in no mood to explain every last detail to you,

but rest assured, I am the New Hope that you all are talking about.

I don't care what anybody says, New Hope is my nickname, and mine alone.

Wait, did he just call himself New Hope? I thought that word was banned.

Yeah!

...

Follow me, and you'll find out soon enough.

This isn't another test or anything like that, is it?

You all are guests of Eden.

We both have fought a common enemy, and we consider you our allies.

Allies?! Aren't they more like our backup?

You better watch yourself.

Not that I need any backup anyway. I'm waaaay stronger than any of you. If you're so jealous, then just get stronger!

...

What, got nothing to say? Did I hit a nerve?

You wanna go toe-to-toe without any weapons?

... Excuse me?

Level the playing field. Just our fists. How about it?

...

Wh-what kind of nonsense is this? Why would I waste my time sparring with such weaklings?

Isn't she adorable?

You mean, infantile.

...

You okay, Isabel? You look like something's on your mind.

I can't take it anymore.

Huh?

I put up with it all the way until we got to Eden, but now that we're all working together...

I've got to get closer to my beloved.

I want to take in every last inch and bask in my darling's presence. I need it.

... Um... You go ahead and do that.

Do I not need Johan's permission?

I doubt he will care.

Darling, are you tired of walking?

I can carry you.

If you say so. I'll guard the rear then.

Well, shall we proceed?

That's the target.

An anti-aircraft gun used during the Second Surface Reclamation Campaign.

It was made in the Ark, disassembled, and then transported up to the surface. It took two months just to put this behemoth back together again.

I don't know why you're so intent on taking down Mother Whale, and I don't care.

But I will tell you that in order to make that happen, you'll need this.

Sounds like it's kinda old...

Does that thing even work properly, New Hope?

...

...

Erm... I mean, Johan.

No.

It needs to be fixed.

Hmm... we don't have anyone here with those kinds of skills.

Do we need to call Mighty Tools?

We'll fix it ourselves.

First, let's clear ourselves a path.

Let's get started.

I do, but I won't be the one fixing it.

You will.

I'll guide you along.

But you'll be doing all the heavy lifting.

We'll do it, Commander.

No. All Nikkes stand down.

I only want your help with tasks that can't be done by a human.

Why on earth would you work so inefficiently...?

Wait, you're actually agreeing to this?

...

Get to it.

You see those screws on both ends? Twist them gently until they're in the same position, then tighten them.

With these old parts, the anglers often don't fit exactly right.

If you've got to bend it a little, that's fine. Give it some elbow grease.

Too much oil. Take it apart, wipe off the oil, and do it again.

Oil helps with lubrication, but too much of it and the parts will spin out of place.

When you're done using a tool, put it back where you found it. That's maintenance 101.

Press hard and hold that part down hard until you hear a click.

Not too hard though, because that...

... will cause it to break. Be more careful next time.

You're a fast learner.

Do you know what's that part is use for?

...

Correct.

You do the rest on your own. I'll be watching.

Hmm...

You really do pick things up quickly.

Next up is the circuitry.

*Yaaawwwwnn*

This is killing me. I hate standing guard and just watching.

...

Why aren't you saying anything?

...

Hey, Neon. You okay?

Zzz...

Great. Just great.

When do you think they'll finish with this thing?

Hard to say.

Uuuuugh, I'm so booooored.

Come on. Stop acting like a child.

Hey, I know boring, and THIS is Grade-A certified boring.

What do those two remind you of?

Hmm... an overbearing father-in-law and a long-suffering son-in-law?

Haha! Is that really what you see?

To me, they look like two people who are excited to meet a colleague,

but are unsure how to process their feelings about it.

That about does it.

Let's move on to the next one.

There are three cannons in total.

You're going to fix all of them.

What is it?

... We couldn't kill her even when we used Vapaus.

All we did was damage her.

Fortunately, we did enough damage to render her immobile for a while. She'll need some time to recover from that.

You saw how fast that thing soars through the air.

If she decides to steer clear of us, there's not much we can do about it.

Time is the one thing I don't have enough of.

I'm doing this because Mother Whale could prove useful to us.

It wasn't built to search and destroy. It's only equipped with a rudimentary armament. This thing is meant to transport cargo, and that's it.

It's not exactly a major threat.

That means so long as we're able to drag it down to the ground, it should be easy pickings for us.

It should provide us with plenty of resources.

That's right. The main building blocks of Eden are Rapture parts.

With the supplies on that ship, we could last for eons, not to mention the parts that we could scavenge from it.

Cecil.

She designed and built it.

You won't find me arguing with that.

I appreciate you saying that, Johan.

...

I may be late to the party, but better late than never.

Now, you two were going on about how amazing I was?

...

I see. You must be left speechless in the presence of such perfection.

Did you prepare what I wanted?

It'll take a while longer. I should have it ready by the time you're finished with all the cannons.

Sounds good.

A bullet that will take down Mother Whale.

Isn't it obvious?

I may not know all the details, but it's clearly something related to Vapaus.

Let me give you a word of advice.

Work on your poker face. Don't wear your heart on your sleeve.

Especially if you plan on continuing living in the Ark.

... Tsk.

You need to work on how you speak as well. Don't make your intentions so glaringly obvious.

We've already confirmed that a single shot of Vapaus can't neutralize a Heretic on its own.

It can slow them down, but it won't put them down for the count.

We need to look into this further.

While we're on the topic, let me ask you something.

I heard that the Vapaus you shot brought back the Heretic to normal.

What's the story behind that?

What?

You missed?

How convenient.

... Perhaps you wanted to miss from the start.

No, that can't be it. How would that explain the past reports that the Heretic was incapacitated by Vapaus?

...

It might be that Vapaus has varying effects in different forms.

Is there any difference between the previous Heretic and the current one?

None whatsoever. They're both built of the same materials.

You're referring to nanomachines.

Yes. As long as Vapaus can terminate the nanomachines, it will be fatal to Heretics.

Right. That must be it.

So those bullets we got from the research center...

Are of subpar quality. That's my theory.

Do we have any additional information on those bullets?

Yes.

Good.

Then I will answer the question you asked me a while ago.

If that Vapaus you've got in your hands performs better than the others,

I'll take it for myself. If it doesn't stack up, then I won't.

Let's hope it doesn't come to that.

Hey.

This is just for you.

Let's talk. You can even whisper and I'll still be able to hear you.

No.

If Johan knew about your blood, he'd have split you open from head to toe.

I won't tell him anything.

What good would that do me?

Besides, you can make a deal with Johan.

We'll extract as much blood as we can.

We should be able to craft two bullets that way.

I arrived at these calculations by gauging the ratio of metal to the amount of Vapaus in the blood that will be present during synthesis. I know I'm right.

Relax, it won't kill you. You'll just feel a little woozy.

Once we gain access to Mother Whale's core, we'll make two Vapaus bullets for Johan.

Two months later, he'll get another two bullets.

It's an option available to you. Think about it.

We don't know how Vapaus will react with a bullet containing your blood,

but you should be able to cut some kind of deal.

How is that deceiving?

We're just not disclosing everything, that's all.

And to be honest, both you and Johan have a point.

Killing the Heretic. Giving Nikkes freedom of choice. Both sound like great options.

Heretics are dangerous,

and so is NIMPH.

We'll talk about that next time. You'll arrive at the cannon soon.

This is the second cannon.

The damage doesn't seem too bad. Let's hurry and get this thing up and running.

Are we just going to stand and watch again?

We'll lend a hand this time.

I actually liked just watching.

No. I want all Nikkes to stand back this time as well.

I have to ask...

what is the point of all this?

I can see how it's necessary.

But how?

If we can repair this stuff more quickly, why not let us take over? It's just like putting us into combat.

That would be more efficient, yes.

But having the Commander go at it alone could result in an expanded skillset.

Sure, but not by much.

Every little bit counts. Even something small as this could get the Commander out of a bind in the future.

Hmm...

You're wrong.

??

Not just a little. It expands significantly.

Nearly 100 times more materials were utilized in the Second Surface Reclamation Campaign than the first.

That wasn't only because the number of Nikkes increased.

The number of weapons used increased as well.

Many of those weapons were left up on the surface, and remain there to this day.

Some are damaged beyond repair, but most of them can still be used after a few light repairs.

That gives us another option, one that wasn't previously available.

But will that thing work against Raptures?

Those weapons are decades old. Will they be capable of taking down Raptures?

Who said anything about that? That's not the responsibility of a commander.

A commander's responsibility is to use everything available to them in order to assist their Nikkes in taking down Raptures.

Being on the lookout for gaps in their ranks, lapses in judgment, mechanical malfunctions...

Just doing this much helps a lot.

I guess you're right...

Listen carefully. Commander.

Never rest on your laurels. Keep thinking. Keep analyzing.

This will train your ability to exercise good judgment.

If you build up your skillset, your sense of judgment will improve along with it.

A commander does exactly that. Command.

They don't sit by and suck their thumb while mindlessly sending Nikkes out into battle.

...

Okay.

As long as you're aware.

Let's move on after you're done with this cannon.

I'm feeling hungry.

No, this is a good opportunity to teach you something else.

Follow me. I'll show you how to scrounge up some food.

Nice.

I've never seen Johan act like this before.

Don't they need an escort?

It's okay. Johan can handle himself.

Well, in that case,

I had a few questions I wanted to ask you in the meantime.

Go ahead.

Why don't you guys go back to the Ark?

...

...

...

Uh-oh, I didn't accidentally cast a mute spell, did I?

Oh, cool! I wanna try it too!

But why don't you guys go back to the Ark but why don't you guys go back to Ark but why don't you guys go back to the Ark...

We despise the Ark.

We would appreciate it if you don't mention that place again.

All of you? Even Johan and Cecil?

Yes. All of us.

Why?

I thought I told you to drop the subject.

Come on, just tell me!

I refuse.

It's like watching an unstoppable force meet an immovable object...

Anyway, it's not good to dwell on the past.

I will tell you one thing, however.

We were all betrayed...

By the Ark.

... Oh.

So what? Who hasn't been betrayed before?

What are you talking about?

You'd probably have a harder time finding someone who hasn't been screwed over by the Ark.

Not wanting to talk about the Ark just because of that seems a bit...

What may not seem like much to you could mean a lot to others.

Maybe you can shrug it off, but for us, it left a scar that's slow to heal.

It doesn't do either of us any good trying to compare who got betrayed worse.

What matters is how the person felt when it happened.

Okay, fair enough. Point taken.

I'm sorry, it was careless of me to say that.

I'm sorry too. I apologize for being a bit too sensitive.

Then can I ask something else?

What is it?

How do you get along with the other Pilgrims?

...

...

...

Whoa! I think I cast a whole 'nother mute spell!

No way! I wanna cast one too!

How do you get along with the other Pilgrims how do you get along with the other Pilgrims how do you get along with the other Pilgrims...

In the past...

the Pilgrims stayed with us in Eden.

I figured that was the case.

But our ways of thinking differed, so we decided to go our separate ways.

That's all.

Different ways of thinking? Does that mean you had different goals?

...

Holy cow! Now Rapi's learned the spell!

We were after the same thing.

The difference was the how.

... Okay.

Johan and the Commander are coming back. Let's move.

This is the last cannon.

The bullets are ready to go.

Noah, go to Cannon No. 1 and stand by.

Huh? By myself?

Is there a problem?

N-no. It's just that...

...

Commander, let me go to Cannon No. 1.

You have to haul the ammunition.

I'll do that first, then head to the cannon afterwards.

... Fine. That shouldn't be a problem.

...

Noah. It's okay.

No need to hurry. Take your time.

... Okay.

... Isabel, it's time to move.

Yes, Commander.

Farewell for now, darling.

Boy, that must be convenient.

Harran, you're on Cannon No. 2.

Load it up and fire once I give the signal.

Understood.

See you later.

You fix the last cannon.

I'll go confirm Mother Whale's trajectory.

Whoa! Hold up.

??

Care to fill me in on the plan?

Your Commander will brief you.

Uh? Did you hear anything, Commander?

But then why did Johan tell me to ask you...?

... Commander.

You see the location and shape of these cannons? Look closely, and you'll figure out the plan.

Well?

...

...

...

...

You're just pulling guesses out of your butt at this point! Don't let his expressions affect you!

...

Well done.

Mother Whale has a consistent route.

If my calculations are correct, there should be a point where it crosses into the firing line of all three cannons.

Once it's in the center of this triangle,

that'll be our chance.

Your job is...

Precisely. So hurry.

Commander, I brought the ammunition.

Nicely done.

That's right.

Anything for my darling.

That's so kind of you!

But Johan said the same thing...

...

Your words give me strength, darling. I think I can take flight once again.

I'll see you soon.

I'll load the cannon with this hook.

This is where your Nikkes come in.

All right! Let's show 'em how strong we are!

About time. I haven't known what to do with my hands for the past few hours.

Johan, can you tell us how to load it?

Okay. I'll teach you.

You rest.

There's not much to loading these cannons. As long as you're strong enough, you're golden.

You stay here and take it easy until the battle kicks off.

I'll be back. You take a rest, Commander.

Are you alone?

Now, where were we...

Ah yes, the NIMPH.

Honestly, it's like you don't know anything.

Humans are utterly clueless when it comes to the NIMPH.

NIMPH can control information and memory,

but it's highly unstable.

Despite this, NIMPH is injected into you when you're still human, and it proceeds to make a copy of all the memories stored in your brain.

That information is processed, after which you're made into a Nikke.

Most Nikkes lose all of the memories they had when they were human.

Instead, they're replaced with information that's pre-entered before the NIMPH is injected.

However, there are cases where Nikkes have retained certain habits, traits, and preferences.

There have also been instances where they have retained certain select memories.

What they remember can range from a single moment, to a span of years.

It's exceedingly rare, but there have even been cases where Nikkes retain their memory in its entirety.

In short, how much a Nikke remembers varies wildly depending on the individual. You've witnessed this yourself.

We already know that the NIMPH is unstable. It's been well-proven.

The code pertaining to behavior which the NIMPH implants into a Nikkes brain is its own entity.

The prime directive in this code dictates that Nikkes cannot harm a human.

You've seen for yourself how inconsistent that directive is.

Exactly. Some can't lay a finger on a human,

whereas others can go as far as firing suppression bullets at them. Of course, none of them can kill a human outright, but nevertheless,

there's a wide range according to each individual Nikke.

While it's impossible to say whether its intentions are malicious or benevolent, the NIMPH can apparently, to a large degree, be "overridden" by each Nikke's individual personality traits.

The input is the same every time, but the output is wildly inconsistent.

This is just about the furthest thing from being considered stable.

To say it serves no useful function whatsoever isn't far off.

The basic function of the NIMPH is to erase memories, memorize new ones, and implant comportment parameters.

Out of all those things, does it do a single one properly?

That was one case, out of how many?

It's too unstable. It's far too random.

Let's use a bicycle as an example.

Say I want to change to a wider tire.

I remove the original tire and swap it out for a wider one.

If I want the light on the front to be brighter,

I can put in another bulb, or some new batteries.

I can change all of those things, because I know how they work.

But the funny thing is, if the seat is broken,

I can't fix it.

I know what a bicycle is, but I don't know how every single component works. Only some.

That means I can make some alterations, but there are still parts that I can't touch.

Naturally, making a new seat from scratch is out of the question.

That's what NIMPH is like for humans.

We just don't, that's why.

We don't know what it is, where it came from, who made it, how the inner workings function, or what kind of side effects it may or may not have.

No one knows.

Back to the bike analogy. I can copy and paste certain fix-it methods from other bikes.

I can make small modifications.

But anything beyond that, and I'm out of my depth.

That's what mankind is doing with the NIMPH.

And it's in every Nikke's brain.

Now you see why I say NIMPH is so dangerous?

It's like a ticking time bomb implanted in our brains that could go off at any moment,

yet humans continue to use it simply because it's "convenient".

It may be more convenient, but there's potentially a terrible price to pay.

So I don't disagree with what you are doing.

And neither does Johan.

He's not against it. It's just that he has other priorities higher on his list.

I just wanted you to know that there are humans that feel the same way you do.

It may be for different reasons, but still.

Once you obtain the Vapaus Bullet, speak with Johan.

Try and reach a compromise. You can't both remain entrenched in your positions forever.

Both of you want to use it in ways that will benefit the world.

I think they're finished with the loading.

Phew! That was rough.

But it was more fun than I thought.

Were these cannons invented specifically to go up against Mother Whale?

No, they were just basic cannons at first.

We had to make a few revisions.

That seems like an awful lot of work just to capture Mother Whale.

...

I feel there's more to this. Something you're not telling us.

Correct.

Noah. Stand by here and fire when I give the signal.

Why me?

Your defensive abilities make you the most suitable candidate for staying here on your own.

...

What is this insubordination? When did you...

Master, I'll stay here as well.

??

Huh? Why you?

I don't feel comfortable leaving Noah alone here.

You staying won't make it any better.

Yes, the area we'll be heading to shortly will be our rendezvous point. That's where we'll wait for Mother Whale.

You got it!

What is this? You mean to tell me I've got to carry this weakling on my back? That's a bit too much to ask.

Commander, it seems that Inherit's powers are at their limit.

This could negatively impact our chances of reaching the rendezvous point. Are you okay with that?

... Roger.

I'm more worried about leaving these two here.

I don't know about the firepower, but you're certainly right about the shield.

What are you, deaf? Master clearly said "ultimate firepower".

Neon, don't be difficult.

Whatever.

I've got a bad feeling about this...

Are you done?

Let's move.

This is the rendezvous point.

Here, take this.

Mother Whale will pass over the convergence point soon.

Launch the signal flare when the time is right.

You'll do fine.

Are you familiar with the Quadratic Equation? That should help you calculate the altitude of our airborne friend.

We've got a few spare minutes, let me show you how to...

Sorry, but that will have to wait until next time.

Mother Whale will be passing over any second now.

Fire off the signal flare when you feel the time is right.

What the... why'd it get so dark all of a sudden? Is that thing's shadow really that big?

I'm afraid so.

Wow, it's a real whopper.

Mother Whale is nearing the convergence point.

...

...

First hook, direct hit.

Second hook, another direct hit.

Just look at the size of that thing! I gotta admit, it's kinda freakin' me out.

Hook No. 3 is late! Isn't that Neon and Noah's side?

I told you we shouldn't have left them alone!

It's on the way.

Third anchor, bullseye.

Retrieving hooks now.

Altitude falling. All smooth.

1200...

800...

No further decrease in altitude.

Altitude holding steady.

Johan. Commander. Mother Whale has started a reverse injection.

It means it doesn't want to come down and is starting to fight back.

It's still out of firing range. Bring it down by any means possible.

Get through to Isabel. She can intercept it in the air and...

Wait.

A rear hatch is opening on the vessel.

I'm detecting a lot of Raptures falling... no, intentionally descending.

What? From that height?

It's either coming for us, or the cannons.

It must really not want to come down.

Get ready. Raptures are coming.

Everyone, prepare for battle.

Encounter.

All right! We got 'em all!

Mother Whale is accelerating.

Accelerating?

It's moving. Even with the hooks embedded in it.

I think it's heading towards the closest cannon.

Which one is that?

Cannon No. 3.

Cecil, do you think you can patch through to them?

I'm trying.

...

They're not here!

Damn... did something happen?

Commander!

Roger!

Ugh! I knew this would happen! I just knew it!

Hurry! Let's go, hurry!

They're not here!

Where could they have gone?! Hello! Hello!!!

Neon!! Neeeooon!!

Commander, the flare gun...!

...

Look over there.

Crazy! This is crazy! I must be insane for doing this!

What was that? I can't hear you, the wind's too strong!

I said this is crazy!

Thanks! You're pretty cool too!

That's not what I said!

Yeah! Power to the max!

Agh! It's shaking!

I know there's not much to hold onto, but hold on tight!

Do you hear yourself right now?!

I agree! Almost there.

Argh...! If you can't hear me, just say so!

Huh?

... What's wrong?

Am I crazy... or is that thing headed straight towards us?

What?!

Guess something didn't work out as planned.

...

We need to join the Commander.

Are you talking about Master, or Johan?

Who cares?! They're both at the same spot.

I don't think heading over there will do us any good.

Fine, you do whatever you want. All I know is that we were supposed to regroup if anything went wrong, and th...

...

Do you feel safe when we're all together?

Wh-what?

You must get awful lonely a lot of the time.

Ha! Please. What are you talking about? Why would I ever get lonely?

Defense is my specialty, so I need to protect those pipsqueaks you call squadmates.

That's why I want all of us to gather together... yeah...

Were you the last to join the squad, by any chance?

Huh? Ho-how did you know?

I thought so. Guess you could never really fit in.

Not fit in, me? What are you babbling about...

It's tough when everybody knows something and you're the odd one out. It happens to me all the time.

You try to be nice and get along, but sometimes it feels like there's nothing you can do about it.

Especially since I haven't spent as much time with them as they have with each other.

...

It's lonely. I want to get close with them. I want to be a part of their conversations, and do everything together with them.

At least then I can be useful.

... Please shut up.

But you have to let it be. You can't change the memories they've had before you came into their lives.

For those of us who came late in the picture, all we can do is

make memories of our own, memories that we're proud of.

... Uh?

I say we take this tub of whale blubber down ourselves.

What?!

That's what we came here for, isn't it? It doesn't look like things are working out on their side.

So what should we do?

How are we going to take it down?

We'll climb the hookwire and get inside this whopper of a whale.

...

Once we're inside, kablammo!

We'll send this big boy tumbling down to its doom.

I think it'll work, don't you?

Not at all. I wish you'd say something that made an iota of sense.

If this thing gets any closer, we won't have a good angle to walk across the wire.

It's now or never.

I said make more sense, not less!

Think about it.

You and I bringing down this behemoth all on our own.

They'll ask us how we did it,

and when they do, we won't tell them anything!

It'll be our little secret, all for ourselves.

...

Waddya say? It's enough to get your blood pumping, isn't it?

Think about it.

I've got the firepower, and you've got the shield.

With our powers combined, we're practically invincible!

...

At any rate, I guess it's not a problem that your shield isn't anything to write home about.

My firepower will make up for it in spades.

...

Fine then, I guess we have no choice. Let's go join the others.

Yes, that's right.

Are you sure about that?

By the way, I am the best shield around.

If you say so.

And...

... It would be nice to have something to brag about.

That's the spirit!

All right Four-Eyes,

let's take this thing down.

With a shield and firepower that no one else can top.

You betcha!

Nearly there!

Quick, make us an opening!

Firrreee awaaaaay!!

Step aside, I'm going in first. We don't know what's inside.

You got it.

Ahhhhh!! We're falling!

Gaaaahhhhhh!!

The shield! Land with the shield!

I've got a better idea.

Di-didididididi...

You all right there, buddy?

I almost died...

Your underling certainly has a unique way of handling things.

Hey, you should have told us before doing something that crazy!

Sorry, it was urgent.

Still...!

Are you hurt?

Well, my glasses did get dinged up a little.

... Okay.

Mother Whale's altitude is dropping.

It appears those two managed to damage a part of the propulsion system during their little escapade.

I can't believe I'm saying this, but... it's falling.

Estimated landing zone?

I'll mark it. Let's go. I'll contact Harran.

...

...

Noah. I thought my orders were to wait.

... I know.

...!

Good job.

You exercised your own judgment when the operation didn't go as planned. Hopefully you can make a habit of it.

... Hmph, I know that! You don't have to tell me.

Well? Where's my praise?

No problem, hehe.

Mother Whale is switching to hover mode.

Seems like a last-ditch effort.

We'll intercept it here.

It really is huge.

Won't we be able to take it down more easily if we go inside through the mouth?

Thanks, but no thanks.

Commander, all the preparations are ready.

Roger.

Encounter.

Confirmation, enemy down.

All thanks to me and Noah!

... You don't have to remind us. How did you do it, anyway?

Yeah, what'd you tinker with inside there to sabotage this behemoth?

That...

...

is our little secret.

Hehehe!

You've got no idea, do you? It's killing you not knowing, isn't it?

... Very well. I'll go about this another way.

Now, then.

You. Can you tell me how you managed to scuttle the Mother Whale so quickly?

What kind of an answer is that?

What is our next move, Johan?

We're going back.

So soon?

Yes.

... Do as you like.

We'll be on our way. You can follow us when you're done.

Commander. I'll be waiting.

Got it.

Wowzer, look at the size of that thing. You sure we can lift it on our own?

Only one way to tell.

Commander.

Promise me that you'll tell us why we're doing this later.

Now, Neon. Lift there.

Okay.

Unghh...! Ah...!

This thing weighs a ton!

Wow, you're so strong, Anis!

What are you doing?! I said lift from there!

I am lifting!

Well, put your back into it!

I'm trying my best!

... Neon, scooch over. I'll help you out.

Here you are.

These are the Vapaus bullets made with your blood.

As expected, Mother Whale's core was fused with human cells.

We were also accurate in our prediction that none of the Vapaus ingredients were lost while synthesizing your blood.

This is about as perfect a Vapaus bullet that can be made at this point.

He's waiting outside.

It's up to you whether you take him on and keep both bullets or not. Good luck.

Oh, right.

I compared the bullet found in the research room to the current bullets.

There's a significant difference in concentration.

If that bullet you found before was a 10, then this one is a 100.

Maybe even more than that.

I can't say for sure, but I'm fairly positive this will be fatal for any Heretic. It could also grant any Nikke complete autonomy.

Just to be safe, don't get any of your blood on any Nikkes.

It's exceedingly potent, so much so that we have no idea what it could do to them.

Of course, there's no evidence to say something good can't come out of it,

but we can't say for sure something terrible wouldn't happen, either.

No, thank you. You did great.

Did you get it?

Two rounds, huh.

...

And if I tell you to hand over the other one?

...

I'll put this to good use.

Are you going back to the Ark?

You'd be better off doing that here.

Sounds to me like you intend on lording it over everyone.

I didn't peg you for someone who'd be fixated on that kind of thing.

That's the plan.

Like I said though, Nihilister has her guard up now.

It will take some time.

Please, I don't need a cheerleader. Get going.

Commander, we're all packed.

We can leave anytime.

It doesn't feel right leaving empty-handed...

What's that?

It looks like some kind of jewel. Or a bomb. Oooh, are you giving this to me?

Is that the...

Vapaus...

... Huh? What?

She said Vapaus.

I heard her! That's not what I meant.

Where'd you get this? And out of nowhere!

... Uh-huh. Fine. I know you have no intention of keeping us in the loop.

At least we didn't come here for nothing.

Yeah, no need to bow our heads in shame on the way back.

Roger.

You weren't planning on leaving without saying goodbye, were you? That's cold, guys.

Oh darling, won't you stay a little longer?

Is that right...

Then I'll wait right here for you, like I always have.

Don't lie. You're always stalking them whenever you have a chance.

Did you get what you came here for?

Hehe, you're too kind.

Anyway, you better get going and find Papillon. She's been talking to Dorothy.

See you around.

See you.

...

Hey, Four-Eyes.

??

You gonna be back next time?

Sure thing.

Papillon has decided to remain at Eden.

She must have taken a liking to the place.

It just sort of happened.

...

I thought anyone but you would pull such dirty tricks.

There's nothing dirty about it. You should have seen this coming.

What are you after?

Silence.

And a few secrets.

What secrets?

I'll let you know later.

... Papillon.

... Yeah?

What should I tell Burningum?

...

Tell him I'm in the middle of an operation.

Affirmative.

Dorothy, was it? I can see what you're doing, and it's not right. You know that, don't you?

Of course.

??

... Let's go, Commander.

Papillon is a hostage.

If we tell anyone about anything we saw here, we'd be putting her life in jeopardy.

Although she hasn't told us exactly what it is she wants,

it's clear that Dorothy wants some kind of information from the Ark.

Yes. Probably.

She can hold her own. I don't foresee any major issues.

Dorothy needs her to remain unharmed if she wants to get what she's after.

Let's go. We need to get back to the Ark before we can do anything.

From Eden's perspective, they're doing the right thing. They want to keep this place a secret just as much as anyone else.

While they may not have gone out of their way to help, I'm sure they didn't do anything to stop it either.

Well, standing here debating isn't helping anything. Let's go back.

...

...

They're good people.

Worrying that much about your safety.

I wonder how they'd react knowing that you were here of your own volition?

You're right. They're good people.

Too good to mesh with people like you or me.

...

So, should we continue where we left off?

Where were we again?

Haha, are you really going to make me say it out loud?

It's a topic I never tire of discussing. I wouldn't mind hearing it again.

Take me to the Ark.

As an honored guest.

What good would that do me? What do I have to gain?

You would have brought back a runaway Pilgrim wandering the surface.

Just think of the publicity. Isn't that enough for you?

... I suppose so.

Then what would the Ark gain from welcoming you back into the fold?

I can give them what they've been so curious about.

The one thing they've been dying to have, but could never obtain.

I will give them all that Eden has to offer.

Ahhh!!

Home sweet home! It's good to be back!

Oh, how I've missed you, sweet nectar of the gods...

aka carbonated soda!

Oh yeah, that hits the spot.

Would you please be quiet? I need to study.

Studying? For what?

There's a live presentation on some new weapons being broadcast today.

As a scholar who specializes in all things firepower-related, it would practically be a sin for me to miss it.

Sounds to me like you've got a funny idea of what constitutes studying.

Says you.

... Huh?

The TV isn't working.

Give it a few whacks.

People still do that? Are we living in the stone age?

Well, considering how old that TV is, I'm not surprised it's on the fritz.

I'm gonna kick back and relax while watching some Tetra Connect...

...?

What the... why isn't it working?

Commander,

I attempted to report to Shifty about our return,

but nothing is going through.

I tried other lines as well, but they're all blocked.

...

I can't get anything through to the Ark.

Wonder what's going on?

... Is something going on in the Ark?

Roger.