Without a Trace

And also, the last record of the Wrights' final flight.

No one has questioned this limit.

Nobody is angry, confused, or curious about it.

People live on this pea wrapped so softly in a its pod, and couldn't care any less.

And thus, came the shabby poem from an Ursine poet centuries ago.

'Starpod'.

Hmph. A romantic name for the barrier.

I've read through every paper related to the subject of barriers, those sloppy theories formulated by Victorian and Leithanian scholars...

'Analysis on Pressure in Space,' 'Theory on Density Differentials between the Barrier and Outside Matter' ...Old, outdated, and full of holes.

Those Columbian academics announcing their 'pioneer's spirit' merely tinker with that garbage. Then you get the occasional novel theory put out by younger scholars in academic journals.

But they spend way more energy getting tenure and research grants than looking at the sky.

Oh, by the way. The test platform we launched the other day has already fallen back to the ground, due to the same old problems with the barrier.

The sudden change in basic aerodynamics, massive disruption to the Originium Zone, and the extremely rapid decay of any exogenous power.

What about the results of the data analysis from the Transmitter?

The batch from the re-adjusted ones are solid.

I've also already laid out all the energy cables, and connected them to the port you mentioned previously.

But, Kristen. You're well aware of just how much energy you'll need for this.

The theory is sound, however...

That won't be a problem.

Alright.

The test platform's crash landing has caused us some trouble, and the military is burning with anxiety over your disappearance.

Kristen, whatever their next step may be, death might be the most merciful outcome.

I wouldn't even consider that a price to pay at all.

Nasti, do you like stargazing?

No.

Staring at something out reach just makes me feel empty.

And yet, sometimes the unreachable can become a signboard for you.

You are indeed right on one thing.

Death is only the most merciful outcome.

Then I hope you don't die before giving me what you promised, Control.

You should be more careful.

Thank you, I will.

......

Colonel? How am I supposed to take this order?

......

Let me guess... the agent you sent to watch Kristen has gone MIA, and you've suppressed the news.

Your superiors aren't worried about your agents being silenced by Kristen, but rather, they might have signed on with her and betrayed the country.

And they're probably even wondering, have you betrayed the country too?

It's no wonder you've been racing to find Kristen.

......

My last tour was in Bolívar.

In the late forties, the coalition government backed by the DOD was bumbling around like toddlers in its own jurisdiction, and our intervention policy for the Bolívarian Civil War was deemed a failure.

The DOD's rep has fallen so low in the eyes of our people, the General even handed over control of the armed forces....

......

The DOD needs 'Arc-01' to restore its image and regain the trust of the people. And I also need it to prove myself worthy of plucking the General's medals out of the dust.

So yeah, it is my last chance.

But you can lay off the clownery for now, Ferdinand.

Come on, Colonel. Who are you even trying to fool with all that?

This isn't enough of a reason for the DOD to go so far. And definitely not enough to stake your life on it.

Hey, don't you always brag about being as smart as Kristen? Why not use that clever scientist brain of yours and figure it out?

......

It's not like you don't know a thing about Kristen. Surely you ran a thorough check on her before handing the project over.

The situation is pretty bad, but there's definitely a contingency plan at work, your reactions have been abnormal anyway.

If your people haven't gone crazy, then it only comes down to this...

Kristen isn't the actual reason.

No, she's just a fuse.

You didn't meet the Vice President to talk about Kristen... what you wanted was a mood.

......

The Wrights were a pair of lunatics, squandering the nation's tax money on ridiculous notions like challenging the sky.

And all they gave back to the country was a little lunatic by the name of Kristen Wright.

......

Ferdinand, I respect men of your caliber.

Usually, it's your type disrespecting the nation.

Am I wrong? I can't imagine the 'meteor' that fell from the sky having any motive beyond an attempt to provoke us.

The most generous motive I can imagine is her selling the data to another country. She holds a weapon capable of seriously damaging a nomadic city. And the military handed it right to her.

Or the worst, she actually wants to avenge her parents.

She wants to point 'Arc-01' right at D.C., she plans to destroy the Columbia that, in her eyes, treated her parents so unfairly...

We've already seen enough to make people wonder if they were born in the wrong era.

......

Hell, the scarier thing is, doesn't Jackson know about all this? Don't those Maylander agents know too?

Guess how much he already knew about Kristen, me, and you before I even walked into his room?

But he still chose to put it off.

I won't sugarcoat it.

From the moment we lost Bolívar, the coalition government has spared no effort in suppressing the military.

Our current state of affairs is, to them, an excellent weapon.

It doesn't matter if Kristen is exacting revenge or betrayal, what's important is that this is a scandal for the DOD.

And the losses brought on by it seems to be an acceptable cost to them.

Do you want to be part of that cost, Ferdinand?

Do I even get to choose?

If you didn't figure it out just now, you might have.

So you can one, use your connection with me, and just wait till we've recovered 'Arc-01,' when the military will coincidentally be hiring a new scientific advisor...

Or two, die here with me, and be swept into the trashcan of history together.

...I get it, Colonel.

The Vice President has already broadcast live to every citizen that Columbia is about to enter a new era.

But accidents are inevitable on the way to said era.

I believe he'll dedicate everything he has to realize this for Columbia.

......

So that's the situation over there near the Triton factory. The parts regarding Kristen are just my own guesswork.

Judging by the military's response, that seems to hold enough water.

A superweapon that the government hopes to use to re-assert power, or Kristen herself having other plans...

Trimounts is indeed working on a secret mega project using energy at its core, with unimaginable destructive power, yet to be scientifically tested... and it's nearing completion.

That's what I'm worried about as well.

Saria, has there ever been a mass blackout in Trimounts?

Hmm? Never.

Trimounts has separate power grids for residential and commercial use, and each of their power reserves alone is enough allow all the facilities in the entire city to operate normally for several months.

Moreover, Trimounts has a booming technology industry, with dozens of companies dedicated to developing new forms of energy, and nearby mobile industrial platforms regularly borrow energy from the city.

......

No matter if it's a superweapon ordered by the military, or an unknown object that Kristen has other plans for...

The amount of energy and precision required for the 'Horizon Arc Project' is beyond the scope of our imaginations.

Energy consumption and navigation accuracy are issues they must solve.

So you're implying...

I don't know how the Columbian military has assessed the situation, or how Kristen has pulled the wool over their eyes.

Even if she were able to solve the issue of precision, my judgement is that it cannot support energy concentration on such a scale, even if you use all of Trimounts's energy reserves.

Once you start such a huge project, it should drain Trimounts's energy in an extremely short span of time, like stuffing a giant sponge into a glass of water.

Even if Kristen's talents and vision are far beyond the present, the current state of science and technology should not be able to realize such a concept.

But she is by no means a simple mad scientist indulging her delusions.

Unless... she has already solved this problem.

What the heck are they talking about?

It's gotta be about the factory that went kaboom, right? Saria looked kinda serious. Does this have something to do with Rhine?

Doctor, is Silence in Trimounts, too? Can we bring her here?

Doctor, why are you frowning like that?

Oh, I get it. You still blame Kal'tsit for bringing Rosmontis and me here.

We decided to come on our own. I've been here before. I can even be your tour guide!

He invited me to come back here...

I forgot again, Doctor.

Can coming back here help me remember what I forgot? What did I forget...?

I should have it written down... I'm sure I know.

......

I think I should stay.

Me too!

Do you have the data I need?

We have little time to spare, but these should help.

The Energy Section's project and construction plans and reports from the past ten years, Energy and Originium Art Sections' experiment records...

The Scientific Investigation Section's expedition reports and data archives.

It's a lot thicker than I imagined.

Their position within Rhine Lab is rather unique.

From the corporative perspectives of cost performance and efficiency, their contributions to the company are negligible. They shouldn't even be one of Rhine's ten sections.

And even though it doesn't rival what the core laboratories like Energy and Structural get, the budget that Rhine Lab allocates to polar field research and surveying technologies every year is no small amount...

In fact, you could say they're throwing huge amounts of money at them.

They collect and analyze seismic data from the Kazimierzian highlands surrounded by mountains in regular intervals, and have built close to ten scientific research stations in the endless icefields of Sami.

They frequently travel to Columbia's great lakes, as well as the lowland deserts in the south, for their investigations, and even seek to thoroughly explore the ruins of the abandoned cities in the Bleached Wasteland...

Only a few know that the dust kicked up by pioneering young Columbia is much older than the sands of Sargon.

These scientists have not been measuring the boundaries of this world in the spirit of exploration. Rather, they are looking for something.

These last few pages are all about Trimounts.

Trimounts? Why would Scientific Investigation need to factor in the location of Headquarters...?

Every project I've checked so far has an immediate sign-off from Rhine Control.

Kristen...

And so, did this farce just happen to take place in Trimounts? Or maybe... it could only happen here...?

I would prefer to see some evidence rather than hear more of your roundabout explanations.

I have some rough conjectures, but the clues are all a mess, and our present information is inadequate to serve as actual evidence.

Let's take a short break.

You should go have another chat with Ifrit.

......

(Angry howling)

Get down, Kal'tsit!

How is it? Does it fit?

It's a new suit the Originium Art Section developed. I made a few adjustments, and it should fit you okay now.

And I'm sure you know how to test out the new drone equipment.

Yes.

Come here. Let me help you put the contacts in.

Okay.

That'll do it. Stand up and take a look around.

Great. You're like a completely different person.

How are the contacts?

I'm not quite used to them yet.

But it's nice to go without weight on my nose.

I have to say, you look sharper without your glasses.

I'm sure your friends will be shocked as soon as they see you.

I'd rather surprise them another way.

Such as...?

Say... my personality.

You seize the day and work toward that. Don't underestimate what a little makeover can accomplish.

I'll try my best.

Besides, the lockdown isn't going to end anytime soon. The soldiers stopped you once, and it won't be easy to get around now that they've seen you.

Get a makeover, and upgrade your equipment while you are at it. Two fowls with one stone.

Thank you.

It doesn't look like anyone's been here the last couple days... You came to District 13 for a reason today.

I actually bought this as a vacation home, but with how busy my workers have been lately, I haven't had much time for rest. HR Director and all.

I just located a Transmitter from Site 359 near the scene. Are you here to recover it? What does Transmitter have to do with the Triton Factory explosion?

No, Dorothy wouldn't need a low-level researcher like me if you were already on the case.

Ferdinand is out of the picture, but maybe there are other Sections who want Transmitter for their experiments?

I also saw Saria there... Just how many Rhine Lab personnel are involved in this?

You're asking too many questions in one go, Silence.

And unfortunately, I can't answer them.

You should be well aware of Rhine Lab's organizational structure. The departments under General Affairs are only responsible for providing support to the Scientific Research Sections.

Originium Art, Energy, or whatever, Human Resource Investigation has never interfered in any of their research projects... I've never been a researcher myself, after all.

...

My mentor told me some stories about you and Control.

Before joining Rhine Lab, you were the most eccentric and yet, the most successful investor in Trimounts.

You've never attended a single meeting, read a proposal, or listened to a project briefing, but the projects you endorse always miraculously succeed.

There's no need for you to be attached to a company. On the contrary, he said you might even become a tech pioneer to steer the course of the nation.

But after Control had one meeting with you, you announced you were joining Rhine Lab the very next day.

The business world is always brimming with delicately packaged myths and legends.

The outside world is full of speculation, but at my age, I don't Kristen to promise me anything. I only wanted to stay and watch her patch up a few regrets.

Some her own, and some mine.

And well, that girl... I'm not sure where exactly she is now.

......

You performed very well at Site 359. You cleaned up after Dorothy, and followed the trail all the way here to recover the Transmitter. Honestly, that's remarkable.

But the Site 359 Incident ends here, and whatever follows is already beyond the scope of both your responsibilities and abilities. You're done here.

What if I disagree, Director Jara?

Oh, let's not be rash now, I have no intention of getting in your way.

I don't understand... You won't tell me the truth, so why are you still helping me?

Do you remember your first day at work?

You're so reserved, but you still managed to talk non-stop for half an hour.

I was only responsible for checking your background and qualifications, you know. While I handled that, Parvis had already scored your employment exam. With high numbers.

Then why didn't you interrupt me...?

Because you're such an earnest woman, Silence.

I have a lot of respect for serious scientists, same as Rhine Lab.

No matter how far Kristen and the go, no matter what Rhine Lab may become... we'll always need young people like you to take over the reins someday. You are Rhine's future.

As HR Director, my job is to protect our employees as best I can, so I advise you to leave now.

But if you have to see it all happen with your own eyes to make your preparations and choices, then I won't hold you back either.

That's all.

Then, I'll earnestly inform you... that I'm going to continue my investigation.

Leave this to me!

Rosmontis, you protect the Doctor.

I'll melt all these big metal things with my flames.

Out of the way, Ifrit.

Saria!

......

Doctor, are you hurt?

All the data are destroyed.

A distraction and then immediate retreat. The enemy had a clear objective.

There aren't many who know about this hideout.

And there are even fewer who would stand against us.

It was Rhine Lab's mass-produced remote armors that carried out this attack.

Is it someone from Rhine Lab, then?

That's not for certain. The military has already infiltrated Rhine Lab, and decisively eliminating unknown factors in their plans is more their style.

Anyway, you seem to be on the right track. There are people who wish for us to not go any deeper into this.

Or perhaps, we've been going the wrong way, and someone is trying to get us to continue our investigation.

What is certain, at the very least, is that we have hit a critical point somewhere.

And no matter who they are, the people behind this will pay the price.

You're angry, Saria.

Don't let anger cloud your judgement.

......

If Kristen has already solved her energy troubles and cut ties with the military, then we must hurry and find the energy core she's relying on.

It shouldn't be too far from the S.H.A.F.T. under military control.

I already have a few conjectures based on my recent findings. I'll try to look for it, but I require more information.

I need to head back to Rhine.

I'll go with you, Saria!

Don't be silly. I can't watch you right now.

If you're here and you can't leave Trimounts for the time being, you should spend this time with the Doctor. Don't go anywhere.

But the bad guys came to our doorstep looking for trouble... Besides, I helped the Doctor!

You should—

—

No... You did great.

Be extra careful when I'm not around. Take care of the Doctor, and don't let yourself get hurt.