Friends in Far Places

Ahh... P-Please don't hit me... I haven't slept for three or four days now... I'm really tired... Agh!

Stop it.

Who are you, and what gives you the right to stop me?!

Lady Heidi...

Don't worry, just get behind me.

I see. You're the new girl who just got here a couple days ago. You're... a teacher? A journalist?

Whatever, don't remember exactly, but you're one of those good-for-nothing scumbags. A dime a dozen in Victoria.

Save the smooth talk for the rich and noble. It doesn't work on us Sarkaz!

*cough* *cough*... *cough*.

Y-You're bleeding!

If you want to kill me and my friends, then do it, but don't forget that there are some hundred pairs of eyes staring at you right now.

What are you all looking at?!

They want to see how you're going to deal with me.

You think we'd be scared of a bunch of prisoners?

Of course not, but work waits for no one. Isn't that right? You said it yourself. Your general wants these materials done tonight.

Heh, maybe seeing how you two is about to end up will motivate them some.

If they figure out what awaits them tomorrow morning, do you think they'll still willingly spend their last night on Terra forging weapons for their enemies?

You...! How'd you know that tomorrow...

I also happen to know why you must let us live through the night.

......

Hey, she's taunting you. Don't be a moron and spill all the beans. Let's get going. We have work to do too.

I don't take orders from you!

That change of clothes really helped your temper, huh? Remember who was crying for his mother when he was fighting the Victorian remnants not all that long ago.

Piss off, you loudmouthed merc. Your head's gonna roll one day because of that tongue of yours.

You'll have that jerk who's been yelling about everything in my ears to thank. Trust me, I didn't use to talk like this.

I'm too busy to be wasting time on you morons. Fine, I'll let these people live a couple hours longer.

All of you... and you in particular. No funny moves.

......

Listen up! The Sarkaz got no tolerance for slackers! Anyone who's not working wins a date with our blades! Got it?!

Now get to work, if you know what's good for you!

We're safe for the time being.

I-I'm sorry, Lady Heidi. You got hurt because of me...

I'm fine. Just got my dress dirty.

You're always so calm and graceful... It puts my mind at ease just knowing you're here with us.

Then trust me once more, alright?

Go back inside and stay with your friends. The Sarkaz still need you to do their work. They won't hurt us, for the time being.

As for these mercenaries...

We'd better stop watching. We got work to do tonight, right?

But...

Come on, no buts. Hoederer told us to come and do whatever the soldiers say.

Okay, stop staring at the wall. This place is the farthest from the entrance. Not even a bug could fly in here. Look here—

—See how sturdy it is? Let's go.

Forward! Forward!

Report, Commander! The 3rd is all ready! Confirming Exit No. 9 clear—

Confirmed! We can exit safely!

......

Rockrock, what are you doing here? You're still wounded...

Captain, permission to rejoin the team?

But the commander said...

They have Bill. He covered me... and I can't just lie down here when I don't even know if he's still alive.

......

I will rescue him, Rockrock. I promise.

You might think I'm not a suitable leader...

If he was here, he would say that you are.

He always believed in you. We all believe in you.

You do...?

But this mission isn't like the covert rescue operations before.

We might run into a bunch of Sarkaz warriors head on and find ourselves in unprecedented danger.

Rockrock, before you joined the Self-Salvation Corps, you were just the daughter of a train stoker who'd only graduated secondary school.

You're just a mechanic yourself.

Haha, that's true.

The Sarkaz call us rebels... Does that really make us an army, though? We're just normal Londiniers.

You're absolutely right. I'm very normal.

I never remember all the righteous talk the commander preaches. The only thing on my mind is how to keep my family alive.

Feist, I'm actually really afraid of the Sarkaz...

But I'm more afraid of you dying somewhere when I'm not looking!

I know, Rockrock... I'm afraid too. I'm afraid of dying, and I'm even more afraid I could get the rest of you killed.

Phew... Haha.

It feels much better getting it off your chest, doesn't it?

Now, let's go.

Doctor.

Indra and I will guard this place with the Self-Salvation Corps. Dagda and Morgan are rendezvousing with Amiya.

There's no hiding anything from you, is there?

It's nothing important. There are just certain things that we have to deal with sooner or later, and we needed a suitable time for them.

......

Are you all ready?

You've just arrived at the exit closest to the objective. From here to the factory, we'll have to cross two underground blocks.

Our squads are in position. They will make sure our trip to the objective goes smoothly.

I will leave you in command for the rest, Doctor.

Clovisia is a capable leader, and everyone has expectations of her and Amiya.

Doctor, There's been a lot on my mind throughout this journey, but there is still one thing that I haven't entirely thought through.

If there is one thing I have to take care of myself, this is it. If I can't even keep my closest friends in check, then what's the point of coming back here?

Doctor, we got a transmission from Feist. They've made it aboveground already. We need to rendezvous with them right away—

Right, we'll be ready.

Haha... I would like to know, too.

I wish you... a safe journey.

Blake, give me a report of the situation up ahead.

The path is clear, over.

Robben?

Sniper team is in position.

Good. How many hostiles?

I got twelve in sight. All of them Sarkaz.

What about their commander? Do you see him?

I don't.

Stay frosty. Wait for my signal.

Aaah... ah...

Ha... Haah... ah...

Benny, who's in that room?

Uh... the Self-Salvation Corps soldier they captured this afternoon.

Are they interrogating him?

The Sarkaz won't let the chance to get some Self-Salvation Corps intel slip away. That soldier... probably doesn't have much longer to live.

I hope he'll hang in there for a little longer. It won't be much longer now...

Are they here...?

No signs of anyone yet.

Then stay on the lookout.

How's Hoederer's search going?

The mercenaries are watching our prisoners in the cells. They've been working all day, but we have too many prisoners. It'll take time to check each one of them.

What's more, this guy we have in here is a stubborn one. We haven't managed to beat anything out of him...

Hm... Make good use of what time we have left, then. If he still doesn't give us anything...

Is it my time to shine, then?

Ugh—You, you...!

Put your blade down.

General! How did he...?!

Wait outside. I will take care of this.

Yes... Please be careful!

......

I'm sure you know that even if he actually tried to attack us, that blade wouldn't have done him much good.

Please... I would rather you stop startling my men. They're all fairly anxious as is.

Very well. We just didn't want to be late. Especially considering the guy inside isn't even breathing anymore.

You came at just the right moment, then.

Who's in charge of the south side of the factory?

Schwab's squad, Captain.

Schwab, huh...? He was in my squad five years ago.

......

Is that what you meant when you said I should pay attention to the shadows beneath my feet?

Get ahold of Schwab's position. No, have him come see me right now.

Benny, it's a little quiet outside the building, isn't it? Where are the mercenaries guarding the place? Are they gone?

Right, not one of them's still here.

They are acting quite strange...

They were strange to start with, no? The Sarkaz never made any sense, whether making friends or killing.

Don't say that unless you're trying to anger them.

Sorry, Lady Heidi... but I've been locked in here for two weeks. It's hard for me not to hate the Sarkaz.

No one blames you. You're doing very well.

Right, I heard the Sarkaz general paid us a visit at noon, with the mercenary leader.

Manfred did...?

Manfred... that's not good.

What's the matter?

This is a trap. Clovisia... and maybe them...

Are you worried that the commander will start the operation tonight? We need to find a way to get in touch with them... Uh... but it's been so many days, and we still haven't found a way to get any news past these walls.

......

No, I'm sure they've considered that this could be a trap. This might perhaps... be an opportunity too.

Benny, let everyone know that our operation might need to be pushed up. Anyone who can fight should get ready to fight.

But even if we can make it out of the factory building, it won't be easy to push through all the defenses outside the gate...

Then let's come this way.

A mercenary told me this wall here... is very safe.

Higher... A little higher... Yep, this is a nice view, stable and all.

Closure, what do you see?

Hm... Three entrances. Each of 'em have some thirty men standing guard.

The ones guarding the entrance to the east are all Sarkaz. So are the ones to the southwest, actually... Uh, different outfits, though. Looks like they might be mercs.

And there's the main entrance to the north... It's the Dublinn forces who're guarding that one.

Then there are also some five or six squads patrolling the campus, going about between each factory building...

Huh? Wait up... The south... like, the wall closest to us... This place's empty.

Empty?

Going by how things are laid out everywhere else, there should be a squad patrolling here, too... but there doesn't seem to be one.

Doctor, should we proceed as planned?

We need to rescue Lady Heidi, and we also need to get to Central Londinium as soon as possible... No matter the case, we don't have any time to waste.

We'll do as you say in this operation. Commander's orders.

We have someone to rescue too.

Doctor, I was going to say that no matter what your call is, we've got our operation... but my brothers in the 3rd are right. You're the commander.

Alright, Doctor. Dagda, let's go.

Roger that. Let's move!

No problem. Leave it to me.

Others? Are there other Rhodes Islanders aboveground?

Right, Mr. Feist. As soon as they get our signal, they'll know that we'll have an operation here tonight.

Do you see them, Doctor? I'm guessing not yet, right? They aren't close enough.

You said they aren't nearby? Uh, does the Doctor have some kind of special Arts?

What... That sounds like some amazing technology.

Doctor, you have to tell me more about it once we get back.

Doctor, you aren't pulling my leg, are you?

You have to have some kind of special terminal. The kinds with displays and all!

But if someone is here, should we wait outside?

No need. If they determine there's a need to rendezvous with us, it'll be after we head inside.

Then the problem at hand is still how we get inside...

Doctor, it's your call. Which way?

That's a wall...

Ah! I get it.

Closure, Mr. Feist, do you have any way for us to climb over there?

We could blow it up? We made a buncha new demolition devices. Couldn't have blown Londinium's outer walls, but they could work here.

Uh... it might be difficult.

Londinium's factories are usually built with reinforced outer walls. Unless you blow it up from the inside, it probably won't have as much of an effect as you'd expect.

Then... How about if I pack in some more firepower?

No, that'll attract too much attention. Morgan's efforts will go to waste.

Alright... I guess we should've had Morgan take some with her.

How about we use grappling hooks? Rockrock and I use them sometimes to hide from the patrols.

Johnny, bring the stuff over here.

You got it, Captain. I almost thought I was carrying it for nothing.

Preparedness averts peril.

I need Rock-5 to mark the position...

Oh, right, I almost forgot. Here!

Is this... Rock-17? Why do you have it?

Because I was working on it the whole time on our way up! Look, it's all done. It's got Closure's Seal of Quality on it!

Uh... I'm not sure my Seal of Quality is any good to you, though...

I checked it out. It's running well.

What's this ear?

I added it while I was at it! All Closure brand drones get one!

......

Crap... You don't like it? If you don't like it...

No, no need to fix it.

......

Thanks.

Nothing wrong with the drone, then? I'll take the Doctor, Johnny, and Gabby with me. Rockrock... Can you take Amiya with you?

Alright.

I'll launch the device, then—

Rock-17, aim!

Anchor secured!

Let's do this, Miss Rockrock.

Hold tight, Doctor. The wall isn't that tall, but they call these things ziplines for a reason.

Alright... Are we all ready?

This might be our only chance—

3, 2, 1—Launch!