Zeroth Directive

Archive II

Because she often makes the necessities for daily living by herself, Rockrock has always been conservative with her expenditures, though this does not necessarily mean that she is a 'thrifty' person. A better way to put it is, all words relating to 'money' seem like a foreign concept to her. She even has a very puzzling habit - whenever she finds herself saving up any small sum of money, she'll casually give it to her friends. 'Isn't it natural to give things to friends and relatives who can better put them to use because you have more than what you need at home?' Just like how an ordinary family would give things to friends if they had an extra basket of fruit or an extra set of clothes at home, Rockrock sees money in the same light she sees fruits and clothes. She can't even comprehend the difference between 'money' and other objects, or what's so special about it. As a young adult, it's not as if she's never been asked questions such as 'if you don't hold onto any money, what are you going to do when you need it in the future?' In regards to the idea of saving for a rainy day, Rockrock's viewpoint is that she is hesitant to change the way she lives today to account for possible risks in the future, plus... 'Even if you can buy yourself a few extra months with the money you've saved over decades, what's the point of living a few extra months?' 'Hmm... So in other words, just like if you have too much of something, you can also have 'too much' money. You hate superfluous things, and see them as a hindrance to you, because they get in the way... of you experiencing things like a peaceful life or human warmth. Does that sound about right?' ––When Heidi received this present from Rockrock for the first time, her interest was piqued, and the two of them had a chat in which she spoke the above words. Rockrock herself didn't have any particular reaction to this statement, replying with an indifferent 'maybe' before going to find the next target to give money to. 'Rockrock gave you money? Hehe, I thought she didn't think much of you, but turns out, she already sees you as a friend!'

Archive III

Sudean's old industrial area was once the pride of Londinium. Steam billowed and gears grinded day and night like an indefatigable giant, continuously exporting all sorts of industrial products throughout Victoria and even countries beyond. However, with the advancement of technology and the shifting structure of industry over the last few decades, the status of old industry has been steadily declining. Victorians used to dub the large-scale assembly lines of traditional industries as the prized cornerstones of society, but in contrast with the development of new technology, their bulkiness and bloat gradually become more obvious, and the steam that once covered the sky became festering scars that the same empire came to see as eyesores. As the times changed, more and more factories became abandoned. The machines that used to run throughout day and night gradually ground to a halt, workshops started to empty out, and abandoned spare parts became battered and rusted after being left unattended for long periods of time. Population gradually began to thin out in the industrial areas, with more and more young laborers searching for a way out while the children and the elderly were left at home, the abandoned factories becoming the children's new playgrounds. It was in this backdrop of old industry's decline that Rockrock grew up. In her eyes, ever since she was very little, everyone around her was like family. Everyone was tight-knit. They would visit each other, give each other gifts, and make small handicrafts together. The factory had a free movie screening room. If her parents didn't come home in time at night, she could knock on a neighbor's door and enjoy a fresh, hot dinner. But everything was slowly changing. One day, she suddenly realized that her playmates and the people she knew were gradually leaving. The adults fought amongst themselves more, and the areas that used to be freely accessible were closed off one by one. Nobody could replenish the things that could once be taken freely. Instead, the streets became quieter and quieter, and more and more places were abandoned. New products and new stores occasionally popped up to try to revitalize this aging district, but perhaps because of the dwindling population, perhaps because of the inexplicable sense of decay in the atmosphere, these things all came and went. They would rush in and try to promote their wares and become trendy, but when nobody cared, they would withdraw, leaving only a jumbled mess behind them. From an outsider's perspective, we can lament the inexorable wheels of history trampling over the warmth of the past, or the advancement of technology leaving outdated people behind, but we have no way of knowing what Rockrock felt. She never tells others about the way she sees the past, so the only glimpse we can get is through her peculiar way of life. She did not care about this kind of 'change.' Rockrock was the daughter of a train boiler worker, and as such, her father personally taught her the Originium-powered train boiler technology he was so proud of, but this technology is rarely used today. Just like all the other workers' children, Rockrock also liked running to the factories when she was a child. One day, she and her playmate found various spare parts from an abandoned factory and crafted her first product that could hardly be considered a craft. This event flung open the door to her own craftsmanship. Based on Rockrock's own account, her previous residence was full of things she built herself. From small combs and scissors to large wardrobes and bedframes, everything was made with her own hands. Even if the cabinet's wooden board might've been split unevenly, or the iron sheet from the scissors is poking out from the handle, all of that was of little concern to her. It's not that she didn't have the ability to make these things more refined - but they were already 'good enough.' Though these things may have been shoddy and sometimes difficult to use, the sense of intimacy that they brought to Rockrock was irreplaceable. Of course, not everyone around her understands her way of life. It's not as if she doesn't understand the benefits of industrial goods. She simply enjoys these things, and is willing to spend a lot of her time and energy in order to fill her surroundings with her own creations. Rockrock understands that this is just a personal quirk of hers - she never gives what she makes to others, simply continuing her own way of life, silently, steadfastly, and without fanfare. Just as with the era she had grown up in, time will slowly take away the prosperity of the old industrial area. In the end, the only thing people can hold onto is what they are most familiar with. Oh, by the way, if you absolutely need her to fulfill an order for you, make sure to explain the reason clearly. Otherwise, she can easily reach the misunderstanding that you're trying to poke fun at her, thinking that the stuff she makes is too shoddy. She WILL get mad at you. ––Logistics Department Operator One more thing, she really won't put more precision in her work just because somebody else ordered it. ––Subsequent addendum from the same operator

Archive IV

'As stubborn as a rock' –– this is the unanimous opinion that people around Rockrock have of her. Even in this modern city, she has adhered to her traditional way of living for many years. Naturally, many people tried to persuade her that 'this is not good' or 'that is not right,' but Rockrock has never been persuaded. For example, even if you try telling her a thousand times that an air conditioner is a good thing since it's not good for the body to be too hot or too cold while inside a room, Rockrock, like a curmudgeonly old man, will still stick to her own ideas and view you as a nuisance, even if you install an air conditioning unit for her. But, every rule has its exceptions. 'Viewpoints and experiences shape the human shell, while thoughts and feelings form the human soul.' While returning to the landship to report in one time, Rockrock picked up this sentence from a book that the Doctor was reading. The other operators present at the time thought nothing of the Doctor's choice of literature, but Rockrock took the initiative to ask: 'What are you reading?' After that, she carefully listened to passage after passage of the Doctor's soliloquy that most ordinary people would find esoteric and inscrutable. Not long after Rockrock returned to Londinium, the Doctor received a letter from the Londinium branch. The contents of the letter basically expressed gratitude for the Doctor's teachings, saying that Rockrock had grown a lot since going back. Though neither the Doctor nor the operator who wrote the thank-you letter knew what exactly the Doctor did, these changes were plenty evident the next time they interacted with her. In the past, if she encountered people or things she could not understand, such as Rhodes Island being able to regard Sarkaz as their teammates, members of the Self-Salvation Corps not being able to fully trust their teammates, or teammates who still harbored selfish thoughts on the battlefield, she absolutely would never try to understand their motivations. But since the last debriefing, Rockrock began trying to actively reach out to those people. Even if the process was bumpy at first, she at least no longer shut down those lines of communication altogether and began to seriously consider the situations of people who are different from her. The girl has changed the way of doing things that she uncompromisingly retained for so long. From this we've learned that profound ideas and philosophy may be the right tools to influence Rockrock. Though isn't particularly well-educated and normally describes herself as 'not very literate,' she seems to have an innately acute understanding of more obscure ideas. Give her the wisdom of philosophers. Let her think, debate, and absorb. Then, it will be possible to move her. Having that said, the change in Rockrock's attitude towards the Sarkaz race did not come from books or philosophy, but rather from fighting alongside everyone in Rhodes Island, especially Closure. During the process, she came to realize that not every Sarkaz, or every noble, was responsible for the collapse of her homeland, but rather, only the Sarkaz and nobles with dark intentions. Therefore, the people standing at her side, regardless of their status or identity, are her new teammates and family. Everyone has something they cling to, and we have no intention of forcing her to let go of those things. However, seeing this girl with resolute ideals decide to walk down the same path as us has undoubtedly been a monumental source of spiritual encouragement and support.

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Archive IV