Intertwined Assault/LA-1-1/Script

(At night, Cecht FABN lab in Kyiv's White Zone, clear weather.)

(A brand-new frame is constructed at the quickest speed possible and sent to this lab.)

(Cocoon is standing next to Blusphere's frame in the wide and empty lab. She downloads Blusphere's neural cloud backup from the cloud into her new frame.)

(Blusphere's eyes spring open soon after. She looks around, seemingly confused as to why she suddenly arrived at this location.)

Cocoon: Welcome back, Blusphere.

Blusphere: The mission...

Cocoon: The most recent backup in the cloud is from before your mission began. As for what you experienced during the mission...I had to simulate it using the intel you sent back from your old frame before it was destroyed.

Blusphere: The Survey Corps does not have the capability to destroy my frame.

Cocoon: Correct. You encountered an attacker that wasn't from H.I.D.E 404 or the Survey Corps. Not only did they manage to force you into your self-destruction sequence, it is also highly likely that they have your destroyed frame.

Bluesphere: They still have the chip.

Cocoon: Don't worry. You managed to destroy all the critical information on the chip with an EMP blast.

Cocoon: The local neural cloud information and all access permissions in your frame have also been destroyed upon your self-destruction. You don't have to worry about any data leakage.

Cocoon: The cleanup detail searched for the coordinates of your last known transmission but did not manage to find your frame, nor did they find the whereabouts of the unknown attacker.

Cocoon: This is the new frame prepared for you. Be more careful with it this time.

Cocoon: I thought that you'd be punished for failing that mission, but it seems that management is unusually generous towards you.

Blusphere: The mission isn't over yet. Tell me everything and all the intel we have gathered. I will take care of this.

Cocoon: The mission is a failure. You don't have to pursue it any further.

Cocoon: A new mission is already waiting for you.

Blusphere: A mission left unfinished is not a failed mission.

Blusphere: Send me the coordinates of my last known movements. The chip, my frame... I'll recover them all.

Cocoon: That's not going to be easy. The cleanup detail has already wrapped up their mission, and all we have are some coordinates from back then and an image of the enemy.

Blusphere: That's all I need.

Blusphere: If I eliminate all of them, there will be no more loose ends left to worry about.

Cocoon: Haha, alright then. Do as you wish.

Cocoon: As for your new mission, I'll make arrangements to put it off for later.

Blusphere: This won't interfere with my regular work assignments.

Blusphere:You of all people shouldn't find it difficult to plan both work assignments such that I can work on both of them at the same time.

Cocoon: A wonderful idea, but your current mission is to guard the Conglomerate's top brass. I'm afraid that there are no missions for you in the Yellow Zone at this point in time.

Blusphere: Just... protecting the top brass?

Blusphere: From what I know, the White Zones and Yellow Zones have not reached a danger level that would necessitate our deployment as their guards.

Cocoon: For those in the top brass, staying alive is everything.

Cocoon: Who knows what kind of things they experience in their daily lives?

Cocoon: A malfunctioning aircraft? A traffic jam? or perhaps a slightly slippery ceramic tile in a villa pool?

Cocoon: When unexpected things happen, the odds of survival for them go way up if they have us by their side.

Blusphere: I'm not interested in ordinary missions involving the guard of top brass. Let me handle battlefield cleanup.

Cocoon: Haha... As you wish. I will make arrangements for you.

(Cocoon gives off a smile fraught with meaning. She plays with her hair, curling a lock of long hair around her index finger with gentle grace.)

Cocoon: (Specified guard missions like these aren't ordinary in any way.)

Cocoon: (They are already on the move. I wonder who will be the next person to take up that position?)

(The ops room aboard the Elmo.)

Mayling: Commander, Klukai and the others have returned with the raw materials bound for the pharmaceutical factory.

Mechty: It's finally over. I'm Spent.

Klukai: Get up! There's still cargo left on the transport. Don't you dare sleep when you didn't even go into battle once.

Mechty: Eh... But I spent half the day working as the driver.

Mechty: Kalina did inform the pharmaceutical factory to prepare everything accordingly, but once we loaded the materials into our transport in the Green Zone, we were still flagged down by inspectors on our way back. They told us that they needed to reconfirm our list of items.

Mechty: Why did we have to suffer something like that...?

Commander: It's very likely that the news of rising vaccine prices in Yellow Zones has reached their ears, so they naturally kept an eye out for any shipments related to pharmaceutical products like ours.

Commander: Did they discover the goods that Kalin prepared for me?

Klukai: Those are safe, don't worry.

Klukai: However, they did a thorough check on the extra daily supplies that we brought with us and confiscated some of them.

(Krolik and Nemesis arrive at the ops room with a few boxes as we spoke. One by one, Mayling verifies their contents against her list.)

Mayling: A pillow?

Mechty: Ah... That's my sleep-guarantee pillow. It's important to me, so make sure you don't dirty it by putting it on the floor.

Mayling: Two, three, that's a lot...Wait, that's the wine that I wanted!

Mayling: Did it get stuffed into the pillow?

Mayling: We were supposed to have three boxes, so why are there only two bottles of rice wine left?

Klukai: They were all taken away as "a token of appreciation".

Mayling: Eh??? They took three entire boxes?!

Klukai: But thanks to that, they didn't force more inspections on us and let us leave once they grabbed what they liked.

Klukai: We were granted passage under NOMFA's name for this mission, yet they still dared to mess with the goods that we're escorting.

Klukai: They might have taken more if we were in some other corporation.

Mayling: I understand why the underground brokers have hiked their prices so high now.

Mayling: (Whimper) How long will it take for the prices to go down...?

Commander: Inventory the goods as quickly as you can. I'm afraid the prices won't go down for anything for a while.

Klukai: Prices for vaccines fluctuate day to day in the Green Zones. It's nearly impossible for regular people to secure a vaccination appointment.

Klukai: Team B is flooded with requests at the moment. Vector took the opportunity to raise our rates under Leva's advice, but still, a substantial backlog remains.

Commander: Even 404 is raising their prices, yet our commission rates have not gone up at all.

Commander: The underground brokers have more than tripled their vaccine prices in the past few days. If this goes on any longer, most people in the Yellow Zones won't be able to afford their vaccines, and that will eventually build up to something terrible.

Commander: Keep monitoring our surroundings. Oh, and before I forget, take out some of the raw materials from our mission shipment and send it for checks later.

Klukai: Leva already ran some checks and found no irregularities with the raw materials once she found ties between the Stuart Group and the pharmaceutical factory.

(The Elmo speeds forward with its cargo and quickly arrives at the mission destination, a pharmaceutical factory in the Yellow Zone.)

(A lone, low-rise factory stands in the vast emptiness, surrounded by a silent stillness that induces the belief that no one lives here.)

(The factory spits out three vehicles to block the Elmo's advance, as if it detected the arrival of outsiders.)

Commander: B.R.I.E.F. We came to deliver raw materials for vaccine manufacturing in accordance with our mission terms.

???: Finally. Put it on the ground. We'll haul it in.

Commander: As per the stipulated agreement, this delivery requires an in-person signature upon receipt. There's a total of 82 crates of raw materials.

Commander: I've already arranged for dolls to bring the shipment down. We can haul the cargo onto your vehicles if you wish.

???: Hmph... How obedient.

Commander: Shouldn't we deliver it straight to your factory? It'll take quite a long time to haul everything off once you're back inside.

???: Mind your own business. We're going to personally verify the quantity; there must be 82 crates, not one less.

Commander: Sure. Please confirm and provide the verification code.

???: Huh? Verification code?

???: When did such a thing even get included? Doesn't your task just ask you to deliver it to the designated location?

Commander: The verification is a request from your side. This is to ensure no error upon receipt.

Commander: Might be an order from your management. Perhaps you could ask the staff responsible for such matters.

???: Oh, right, of course. Hold on while we confirm the details.

???: Found it. The verification code is... 4040?

Commander: Got it. Groza, do it.

(Groza stops carrying the crates and shatters the windshield of the lead vehicle with a jump kick. The driver, unable to react in time, is rendered unconscious with his fate unknown.)

Angry Varjager: Hmph...it's an attack! Fight back! Give them hell!

Unconcerned Varjager: What's going on? Why are they attacking us?

Vepley: We've seen through your deception★~

Vepley: The number of crates isn't 82, and you gave us the wrong verification code~

Unconcerned Varjager: How is that possible?! We've already decoded the factory's latest communications—

Vepley: You played right into the Commander's trap.

Angry Varjager: Grab the boxes!

(A mass of Varjagers swarm Krolik, who stands next to the cargo. She lifts a crate with one hand before hurling it forward with great force.)

Krolik: Hmph. Here's your "shipment"! Catch!

Angry Varjager: Don't shoot, dumbasses! Catch the meds!

(A number of Varjagers put down their guns. They are about to catch the crate when it is shattered by bullets from Krolik's gun in the next second.)

(Fragments of the shattered box and shrapnel fly in all directions, leaving Varjagers who got hit crumpled on the ground.)

Varjager: Gaaaaah—

Varjager: No pharmaceuticals in the boxes! Attack them!

Groza: No pharmaceuticals found in this vehicle. Krolik, Vepley, check on the other two vehicles.

Vepley: Hey~ Did you guys bring the pharmaceuticals you robbed from other people?

Angry Varjager: We've run into a bunch of rival crew! Everyone! get them!

Nemesis: Black vines spread hither, chanting doom...

Krolik: Some enemies remain in the factory!

(We route the Varjages who, in their naivety, attempt to rob us of the raw materials. I do not order Groza to pursue them right away. Instead, I ask Mayling to remain on board the Elmo to keep track of where they retreated to.)

(Groza's team enters the pharmaceuticals factory listed as our mission's destination, but finds the spacious factory devoid of human presence.)

Vepley: Is the Phia Pharmaceutical factory entirely automated?

Colphne: I hope that means none of us will need medical attention.

Groza: Commander, there is no trace of injured humans in the factory.

Groza: The humans likely just hacked into the security systems, then took control of the factory.

Groza: All production lines have stopped at the moment. We haven't found any finished medical products.

Groza: Of course, it's possible that the Varjagers took away any finished products.

(The spacious factory gets more eerie by the minute. Groza spends a long time searching, but does not even find any daily necessities that would indicate prior human presence.)

Commander: Place the raw materials onto the conveyer belts as per the request from our client.

Krolik: This is a huge factory. Aren't the owners afraid of it getting robbed clean with this little security?

Colphne: The conveyer belt has started moving. Those metal boards are covering it way too well... I can't even see what's going on inside.

Mechty: Those machines will work normally as long as the program triggers are set well.

Mechty: Now that's an ideal setup... The designer of this factory is a genius.

Klukai: Be more thorough in your search. The designs of the equipment here remind me of something familiar.

Mechty: Huh?

(Klukai walks along the production line. Suddenly, alarms start blaring throughout the factory.)

Mechanical Reminder Voice: Raw materials have been received. Non-staff personnel are requested to leave the factory as soon as possible.

Velpey: Eh?! Hold on, why didn't the factory try to kick out the Varjagers when they were here?

Mechanical Reminder Voice: I repeat: non-staff personnel are requested to leave the factory as soon as possible.

Klukai: The people behind this have likely been monitoring this pharmaceutical factory all along.

Klukai: Commander, should we get our hands on the surveillance footage or change the access permissions?

Commander: No need. We don't have to act rashly at the moment.

Commander: We still have a lead; we follow the retreating Varjagers.

(The Elmo drives through the Yellow Zone, following the defeated Varjager remnants at a considerably long distance.)

(According to intel we gathered by listening in on their comms, these remnants are heading to their base.)

(Their comms channel suddenly erupts with the sounds of explosions, followed by panicked calls for reinforcements.)

Despondent Varjager: We're being attacked! Send backup!

Calm Varjager: We are already on the way.

Calm Varjager: How many? Don't tell me that a few Dolls managed to send you packing again...

Despondent Varjager: More than a dozen vehicles! I-it's Mangi Security!

Despondent Varjager: Missile! Evade! Evade! AAAHHH—

(The comms spits out a cacophony of noises. The missile hits the ground, overturning the Varjager's vehicles in a loud explosion.)

Despondent Varjager: Send backup! They're on us—

(Daytime, office in ODE-07 within the Green Zone, clear weather.)

(After receiving intel from the Commander on the rising prices of illegal Yellow Zone vaccines and the widespread stealing of pharmaceutical materials, Kalina launches investigations into those matters right away.)

(Consulting with Pavel on the aforementioned matters, Kalina unexpectedly learns that he is ineligible for a vaccination. And thus, she uses NOMFA's authority to secure a vaccination for Pavel.)

Kalina: I've scheduled your vaccination. Just show them this voucher at the designated time and place to take the vaccine.

Pavel: You're a lifesaver, Miss Kalina!

Pavel: I-I hope that didn't put too much of a dent in your pocket.

Kalina: Don't worry, we paid the standard price.

Kalina: (And it was that easy to secure an appointment too... I didn't expect there to be such a great difference between how NOMFA staff and regular people are treated.)

Pavel: That's wonderful... (Sigh)...It's nearly impossible to secure an appointment for the vaccine nowadays. The price has spiked way too high.

Pavel: Our guys are running out of vaccines. Most of us have no hope of taking the vaccine on a regular basis... We're lucky enough to even get a dose.

Pavel: I myself was forced to the point of asking around if there were other official ways to get the vaccine. But in the end, I still had to trouble you, Miss Kalina...

Kalina: To be honest, I'm here to ask you about something in particular.

Pavel: Of course. Please feel free. I'll tell you anything I know.

Kalina: Mr. Pavel, how much do you know about the distribution channels for unofficial vaccines throughout the Yellow Zones?

Kalina: According to our investigation, there are still a large number of unofficial vaccines circulating throughout the Yellow Zones despite the recent Girard Group incident.

Pavel: Um...

Kalina: We are here to perform a deeper investigation to prevent tragedies like what was caused by the Girard Group from ever happening again. I'm hoping for you to tell us if you know anything useful.

(The newly-obtained vaccine voucher in Pavel's hands suddenly feels terribly hot to the touch. He looks to Kalina right in front of him, then to the voucher in his hands. Pavel hesitates for a moment before gritting his teeth and pushing them towards Kalina.)

Pavel: I apologize... I can't talk about that.

Pavel: The vaccines may be illegal, but they are lifesavers for those working in the Yellow Zones like us.

Pavel: The official vaccines are way too expensive. To be honest, I've known plenty of friends who have gone bankrupt just to get a vaccine.

Pavel: I... I can't destroy our people's lifeline just to secure benefits for myself!

Kalina: Mr. Pavel...

Pavel: I'm sorry, Miss Kalina, but not all manufacturers of illegal vaccines do it with bad intentions. For people in the Yellow Zones, we're lucky enough to even have cheap vaccines. Who would complain when their lives depend on it?

Leva: But don't you want to know whether the Yellow Zone vaccines actually work?

Pavel: I...

Leva: To my knowledge, prices for Yellow Zone vaccines have gone up quite a bit, and numerous vaccine shipments originating from Green Zones have been robbed on their way to their Yellow Zone destinations.

Leva: We are currently investigating such cases. If the vaccines do work, we won't pursue the matter.

Leva: But if they are defective vaccines, we must destroy the related supply chains before more people are harmed.

Lenna: That's right!

Lenna: If the Yellow Zone folks saved up just to take vaccines that turn out to be harmful... they'll lose their money AND their lives!

Pavel: That's terrible!

Lenna: Furthermore, if we don't solve the root cause of the vaccine robberies, the prices of Yellow Zone vaccines might never go down.

Pavel: Oh, as expected of people with leadership responsibilities, you are far better than I am at thinking long-term.

Pavel: Please excuse me, ladies. I was mistaken.

Pavel: Should I ask my guys to bring all the vaccines they have for a check? They don't have much left.

Kalina: Please do. We'll have a look and exchange them for official vaccines in return.

Kalina: I'm hoping for you to tell us about the prices and distribution channels for these unofficial vaccines. Once you do, we'll investigate the vaccines' safety as soon as we can.

Pavel: We'll receive official vaccines in return?!

Pavel: That's wonderful! I'll call them right now and make sure that they arrive ASAP.

(Pavel is true to his word. Kalina soon receives a variety of illegal vaccines that are currently in circulation throughout the Yellow Zones.)

Lenna: Leva, were you able to find any clues about the stolen raw materials from these vaccines?

Leva: This vaccine belongs to the cheapest yet most effective variety available at this moment. It actually surpasses official Green Zone vaccines in its effectiveness.

Lenna: With tech like this, why don't they just register as a proper company and sell them legitimately?

Lenna: Vaccine companies are earning very well these days.

Leva: The producers of this vaccine probably limited its distribution because they don't want to be noticed by legally registered vaccine companies.

Leva: Intel shows that this vaccine originated from a private hospital in the Yellow Zone, which had been providing cheap, official vaccines over the decades of its operation.

Leva: This ended eight years ago, when the hospital closed down after a massive fire.

Lenna: A fire?!

Leva: Indeed. The married couple directing the hospital died in the fire. The arsonist was an ownerless Doll.

Leva: Turns out that the doll's former owner couldn't afford vaccines, which was why he sent it on an assignment to loot the hospital at night.

Leva: He claimed to have sent his Doll at that time of night in order to avoid entangling innocents into the matter, completely unaware that the couple running the hospital was still around, working on injured patients deep into the night.

Lenna: ...What the hell?!

Lenna: He chose arson and robbery just because of a flimsy excuse like that? And he made a Doll do his dirty work too.

Leva: According to Pavel, that hospital closed to the public after the fire.

Leva: The couple's daughter inherited the hospital, changing the policy to provide healthcare only to trusted long-time customers and those who come with severe radiation sickness.

Leva: Pavel received this vaccine from a friend who had to retire due to radiation sickness. It was given by a doctor in the hospital.

Leva: This vaccine contains live cells that we were unable to analyze properly, but it is excellent at dealing with radiation sickness.

Leva: ...It's a pity for this kind of tech to be confined to the Yellow Zones.

Lenna: Do you believe that they are the people behind the vaccine raw material robberies?

Leva: The illegally produced vaccines exist precisely because someone is willing to purchase the stolen raw materials.

Leva: Perhaps the hospital simply buys raw materials from the underground brokers. Still, the tech in this vaccine is reason enough for us to conduct an investigation into the source.

Leva: Pavel gave us the hospital's coordinates and the intermediary's contact, Lady Isa. She is unable to visit the hospital right now, but you can go to the hospital on her behalf.

Leva: The hospital is hesitant towards strangers for good reason, so if you are unable to enter, make sure you contact Lady Isa for assistance.

Lenna: Leave it to me, Leva! I'll definitely complete this mission!

(Orphi Hospital in the Yellow Zone, clear weather.)

(Lenna arrives at the coordinates of the Yellow Zone hospital. The clean and spacious hospital interior exudes a peaceful quiet that contrasts heavily with the scenery outdoors. A faint, calming scent lingers in the air.)

Lenna: This place... It's in the Yellow Zone, but it definitely won't lose to any hospitals in the Green Zones.

???: This is a private hospital that does not accept unknown strangers as patients. The closest hospital is to the east, 20 minutes away by car.

Lenna: Hold on just a second, I didn't even say anything yet!

???: You are not on our patient list. I won't let you in.

Lenna: Isa is on your list, right? Elinda, I'm here to collect vaccines used to treat her radiation sickness on her behalf. Isa introduced you to me~

Elinda: Huh? I have no idea who you are. Don't go thinking that you'll be able to slip in with a patient's name. What is your relationship with Isa?

Lenna: Uh...

Elinda: I've seen more than a hundred who tried to do what you did, trying to get in on behalf of someone else. This is a private hospital that serves only select clients. If you need medical services, you should go to another hospital.

Lenna: Isa and I are...

Elinda: Stop. I don't want to hear any excuses. My elder sister's rules will not change for you; the patient must come to the hospital themselves.

Lenna: Ahem.

Lenna: Isa and I are...family?

(Lenna recalls information about Isa that was provided by Leva: Isa has a daughter, her sole remaining family member. Lenna hesitates for a long time before she manages to utter the word "family" in an uncertain tone of voice.)

(Elinda, who was already waving Lenna away, stops and turns around to look Lenna up and down upon hearing the word "family".)

Elinda: You... You're a Doll, aren't you? Don't let yourself be tricked by a human.

Elinda: To humans, Dolls are just mere tools. No one would ever treat a Doll as part of their family.

Lenna: The Commander does that!

Lenna: Ahem... What I meant was that...your description was too narrow-minded. But I get what you mean.

Lenna: (I was planning to pretend to be Isa's daughter. Why did I slip up so quickly? ...The good thing is that she didn't seem to realize I was making it up?)

Lenna: It's true that most humans treat Dolls as mere tools, but there are always exceptions!

Lenna: It's precisely because of these exceptions that those who ARE treated as "family" feel so strongly about their human family.

(Lenna accidentally blurts out the word "Commander" in conversation.)

(The young girl stares at Lenna expressionlessly. Just as Lenna starts to question her own acting, worried that she might have given herself away, Elinda unexpectedly gives her a smile, nodding in agreement.)

Elinda: ...You've been lucky, I see.

Elinda: I'm willing to believe you are part of Lady Isa's family now.

Lenna: I see. If you would please help me with the vaccines, then...

Elinda: Still, my elder sister's rules are absolute.

Elinda: Get her to come with you, and I'll allow both of you in.

Lenna: Eh?

Elinda: I'm already making an exception for you!

Elinda: Normally, if a client asked someone else to pick up their medicine for them, I'd remove their privilege to receive medicines from us!

Lenna: It's just an act of picking up medicine. Is there a need to be so strict about it?

Elinda: Of course! Who knows what kind of extreme lengths those radiation-addled people would go to just to ensure their survival?

Elinda: You won't want to know where the last "client" who tried to rob us is "sleeping" at.

Elinda: Anyway, as long as Lady Isa comes here herself, I'll allow both of you into the hospital. This is already a huge concession on my part.

(Elinda has already typed out Lady Isa's contact during their conversation.)

(Isa finally takes the call after a long wait. A large hood obscures most of her face.)

(Elinda subconsciously makes a "tsk" upon seeing how Isa is dressed. An expression of disapproval emerges.)

Elinda: Lady Isa, according to the rules of this hospital, you must be here in person if you want us to give you the treatment drugs.

Isa: I'm sorry, I'm not very mobile...

Elinda: Your symptoms seem to have worsened since the last time we saw you. Did you really take your vaccinations on schedule?

Elinda: Y-you didn't sell the vaccines, right?

Isa: (Coughs)...No...I am very clear on the doctor's rules. I would never sell them.

Isa: I'll do my best to come in person as soon as I can.

Elinda: If you want to live on, then make sure to adhere to my elder sister's instructions to the letter.

Elinda: You are free to come here for treatment any time. I'll make time for you.

Elinda: Just be reminded that clients who sell our drugs will be put on our permanent ban list. If that happens, I'll never let you see my sister even if you beg us on your knees.