Two Ends of a Dead Knot

Instructor Dur-nar's not here. You can give the report to me.

......

Oh, it's you.

Where's Dur-nar?

Not sure. I just got back a few days ago. Lada—I mean, Gummy and I are the only ones here.

We only just got approval to set up the new office, so the others are probably busy with red-tape and whatever. I'm heading out, too, in a bit; there's a Student Assembly letter that I need to send—

Here's my report. Please give it to her.

Okay.

Just a sec.

What is it?

Uh...

You're always on your own. I guess you're not really into talking to us, but we're all from Ursus, and now we're all Rhodes Island operators.

Everything's starting from scratch with this new office. I was thinking maybe we could get more done by helping each other out.

...What do you want?

That's not what I mean! What I'm trying to say is, if you need something, feel free to ask for help from the office, from any of us. You don't have to do everything yourself.

Of course, we'll ask if we need your help.

Instructor Dur-nar says the only contact you get with anybody is submitting your reports. Not that there's anything wrong with doing your own thing, but I thought I might check in with you, since you're here.

You wouldn't want me to show up here more.

Don't try to decide what I think. I know you had something to do with Chernobog and Reunion, but I don't know what you did, and I'm not about to find out.

It's a wound that keeps getting reopened, but trying to avoid it won't help it heal either.

The important thing is that you're on our side, and we can use as many people on our side as we can get.

So, yeah, if you ever find yourself in need of help, just give us a call.

......

Hey!

Thank you.

I will, if I need it.

Lyudmila!

...I was just going to put in your bail.

Well, you can thank that kind soul for saving us the bail money!

How did you get out? And what was that explosion just now...?

—Run—

After them—!

Nothing to see here, just another ordinary afternoon in Grypherburg.

Never mind that for now, I better get out of here in case the cops show up, or I'll be back in that hole.

Don't go back yet. Come with me. I have questions.

How did you know the cops got me? I thought I was gonna rot in there for sure.

Someone saw the cops questioning you. You remember the kid who lives across the street?

Kid? The redhead? I remember I didn't like that brooding look of his—

Don't judge people by appearances. Have you sold all your goods?

There was one who didn't meet with me. I was waiting for him when I got arrested. Bloke from Odoyev... what's his name again?

Rus, occupation: barber. Lives on Fifth Avenue. Two infants at home, wife died of flu complications.

Yes... that's the one. I got everyone else.

How did they pay for the energy converters?

Huh? I thought they didn't have to pay? They get the energy converters for free as long as they keep buying the goods from us.

Correct.

You were testing me! You trust me that little?

People who are trustworthy don't usually end up in jail.

Come on, let's not talk about that!

Were you concerned that me or someone else might be selling the energy converters behind your back?

Not gonna happen. Everyone's in your debt. We'd all be frozen solid without you. We have nothing but gratitude towards you—

No, I understand some of you would like to make more money, but you should not do it by exploiting people who are in even more need than you are. That's not what I wanted to see when I chose to sell through you guys.

I have other channels, but I chose to work with you instead of working on my own. You should understand that all it does is add extra risk.

Honestly, I don't understand why you're doing this... you're just doing good by people with nothing in it for you.

......

I've dealt with Rus's case, but we need to put the recruitment of new clients on hold for now. I'll let you know when there are any updates.

Oh? Will our supplies be cut?

Our reserves can meet the needs of existing users for about two weeks. I'll try to get supply restored during this time.

If any new clients show up, use discretion and due diligence, and help out where you can with the money that I gave you, but don't tell them about the supply chain issues. We don't want to cause panic.

Of course, I trust you... anything I can help with?

No, this is my responsibility. I might be away for a few days. Find some excuse if anyone asks.

Thank you.

Sure, but how do I reach you if something happens?

Come here and leave a note, just like I taught you.

Lyudmila! Haven't seen you down here for a while. Are you going outside the city?

Yes, I have something to do. Is there an unguarded exit ahead?

No, but they won't give you any trouble if they see you.

Any suspicious intruders from the mobility layer recently?

No. Police patrols have dropped too. If you're asking which exit has no cops watching, it's the same answer as usual. They only come at fixed hours; we keep a watch the rest of the time.

Good, thank you.

Come back soon!

I think this is the place...

Can you hear me?

Hello?

Is it safe on your side?

This is a new safehouse. It's been checked for mics and cameras.

Good. I don't have much time...

...Are you alright?

Not great, but that's not important. They may have found out about us transferring energy to Grypherburg. I haven't faced any consequences yet...

......

They've updated their base stations. It's likely that they'll be building new energy pipelines next, then abandon the old one. We need to make a couple of preparations before that.

You planning to tap the new pipeline?

We must.

The original pipeline was already basically a dedicated Tsarevgrad one. Now they're probably going to pave it straight to the palace. They don't even care about the other nobles anymore.

They say it's to 'conserve resources', but how is it not a waste to keep building pipelines that could be destroyed by Catastrophe any moment?

I heard workers are already being reassigned over here. Anything of the sort from Grypherburg?

No... Grypherburg is dealing with its own problems.

You mean the students—

Although news about the ore exhaustion got out, what you're researching has bought the council time. The Fourth Army also had to dealt with internal unrest of its own...

Nobles, soldiers, workers, no one is making any rash moves right now, except for these students who are completely ignorant of the currents under the surface.

......

Oh, I'm not accusing you. But if you could tell me more about what you're researching—

Let's talk about the topic at hand first. The old pipeline should remain in service until the new one is complete, but we'll need to find a different way to communicate.

If I recall correctly, your comms are using a foreign company's independent network?

Yes, a rental base station operated by a foreign-owned company in Ursus.

That's the problem. Even foreign-owned companies are potentially subject to intense surveillance, especially after the Far North Broadcast.

Not even if we use a new anonymous channel each time?

The base stations on my end have been updated. Hard to tell if someone might have added new 'features'. Can you find radio equipment with an independent network, one that doesn't use a commercial base station?

You're talking about high-level military equipment? That might take some time.

Try. If you succeed, you can continue to reach me on this channel.

If you don't... you may have to wait for me to find an opportunity to contact you from my end. If you don't hear from me in two weeks, destroy all evidence of ever having communicated with me.

...We'll all do our best.

Take care.

You too.

I really can't go out to help?

Leto just went out after leaving a letter. Istina and the others don't come back to the office much either. Don't they need my help?

Zima was taken away because she tried to help me, but I couldn't do anything—

I know you're worried, Gummy, but someone needs to stay here to deal with the office's work until the next group of operators arrive in Grypherburg.

Building a new Oripathy treatment center, assisting the government with the registration and monitoring of Oripathy patients... there's a lot to do.

Besides, we're making sure that they can focus on whatever it is they have to do.

I know it's important, but I'm the only one who's not helping rescue Zima...

I don't want to be like that. They wouldn't have gotten Zima if I wasn't being dumb that night!

I know how you feel, Little Cub, but I promised Istina to protect—

Is Zima in?

Huh?

The cops took Zima—oh, Crownslayer!

...You can call me Lyudmila. What do you mean, the cops took Zima?

Govno, I should have come sooner. Do you know where she is? How can I help?

Zima is in the quarantine zone. We're making plans to rescue her.

The quarantine zone? Katorga Raion? That's basically Pavlovich's own little fiefdom. What can you—what can Rhodes do?

......

The Ursus Student Self-Government Group... the children are trying to rescue their own.

But I'm not helping! Zima's in there because of me, and there's nothing I can do...

You're sure Zima's being held in the quarantine zone?

Rosa has confirmed it through multiple sources, and she's apparently seen Pavlovich herself.

But she couldn't get Zima out... or rather, Zima doesn't want to leave.

Zima doesn't want to leave?

Why do you say that—

A hunch.

Do you have any advanced communicators here that run on their own network without using a commercial base station? I've asked all my contacts, but there's no one selling this stuff, even on the black market.

Sounds like something that only the military will have, or folks like Closure who like to fiddle with things on their own.

Most branch offices will not have something of that grade without making a special application. Why do you need it?

Saving lives.

Rosa said there's a radio blackout on the quarantine zone. Even those communicators won't work.

(Lowers voice) No, I need to contact the one who's helping me steal electricity.

My communications there may be compromised. I need a more secure method.

Steal—

Steal electricity?!

Not so loud.

So you're the one behind the cheap energy in the city these days.

I had a lot of help.

Well, I guess I shouldn't be so surprised. You came to Ursus before us, and you were the one who built our intelligence network in the Central Governorate.

I'll be going if there's no such communicator at the office. Take care of yourselves. I'll see what I can do about Zima.

You take care too. Stay hidden.

(Mutters) Communicator... communicator?

What?

I remember now!

The listening device that we used on the day of the ball was a student's handiwork. Zima said she built her very own set of radio equipment—

Where is this student now?

...I don't know. Zima got the stuff, I guess she's the only one who knows them.