Story Reader / Floating Record / ER05 Sands of Wrath / Story
ER05-1 Dusty Memories
>Heavy breaths pump air into the frame, bringing the heavy odor of Construct vital fluid into the sensor of smell.
For Constructs, breathing is not a necessary activity. But right now, it is these remaining human instincts that are still holding him up.
He pushes himself up with his remaining right arm, stumbling toward the cliff's edge, where the person he must kill awaits.
Get up... Get up!
Answer my question!
Gnashing his teeth, he throws a punch at the man struggling to get on his feet, only to find his opponent still maintaining that infuriating silence like he always knew.
Silent, reserved, calm and reliable as always. His one and only "brother."
Yet, that silence is deeply hurting him at this very moment, as he is unable to vent his anger and sorrow.
You just won't say anything, huh... Fine!
Clenching his teeth, Noctis picks up a heavily damaged katana and holds it up, trembling.
Okay then...
Just die!
... ...
Gasp... Gasp...
Achoo!
Noctis, reclining on a lounge chair for a midday nap, is abruptly startled awake by his own sneeze.
The first sight that greets him is No. 21, clutching her tail and baring her sharp teeth in a threatening display.
Growl...!!
Hey! I didn't do anything... Hold on...
Noctis reaches up to touch his nose and finds a strand of white fur resting upon it.
Isn't this your tail fur... 21! You put your damn tail on my face again, you little jerk! No wonder I couldn't breathe during my nap, and my nose was itching like hell.
No. 21 shifts her gaze and hides her fluffy tail behind her body.
I don't know... But Noctis sneezed at my tail. Gross!
Captain said, anyone who is not clean should be punished!
Hmph, alright, let's see who's gonna get themselves punished in the end!
As usual, the two maintain an air of hostility, poised to spring into action and confront each other at a moment's notice.
After a brief standoff, the tension dissipates as No. 21's arched back gradually relaxes. She lowers herself onto the floor, stretching her body in a display of boredom, while Noctis releases a weary sigh and unclenches his fists.
Tsk, I'm not feeling up to anything right now.
I want to go outside and play...
Due to No. 21's unauthorized release of her frame restraints during the event in the Hetero Zone, she and her squad have become the target of the most troublesome faction—the Control Court.
Before the Control Court reaches a conclusion, the members of Cerberus must remain confined to a restricted area surrounding their lounge.
Hey, 21, you caught wind of what those Control Court guys were saying, right? If they actually find any evidence, what's gonna happen to Vera...?
Lying on the floor, No. 21's ears droop as she idly gathers the scattered drink cans. A moment of silence envelops the room before she finally opens her mouth to speak.
Uh... The pink-haired person, with a strange vibe, said... If it's true, I will be removed from the squad for investigation, or...
They will dismiss Captain from her position... making her leave.
No. 21 blinks, her gaze shifting toward the door of the Cerberus lounge. Today marks the final day of the Control Court's investigation, yet Vera, who had gone to the Control Court, has not returned.
If they manage to endure this day, the Control Court will no longer have any right to intervene in the affairs of the Task Force.
I... don't want to be away from Captain.
Noctis sits on the lounge table, crossing his legs, his brow furrowed tight. However, before long, his usual unbridled grin manages to break free, spreading across his face.
Ha, that's why you're just a little kid who can't live without Vera...
Anticipating No. 21's typical response of being provoked by his words and starting a bickering match, Noctis is taken aback when instead she meets his gaze with a serious expression, shaking her head.
Em... It's not true. I'm different now. It's not because I can't live without the squad or Captain, but I "want" to stay here and stay by Captain's side.
Heh, "different now." Good talk, huh?
Noctis playfully tosses the empty drink can he holds into the air, watching as it gracefully rolls through the air. By sheer chance, it lands perfectly on top of the pile of cans that No. 21 has just stacked up.
Oh—! Did you see that, 21? Isn't it impressive?
No. 21 only takes a quick glimpse and answers him with the most faked applause.
Noctis, you're too bored...
You don't understand! It's very hard for my new arm to pull off movements this precise.
Noctis throws a series of punches into the air, generating a powerful gust of wind that causes the nearby pile of cans to teeter on the verge of collapse. Pleased by the display of his own ability, he nods with a sense of satisfaction.
Hey, what do you think? The output is not bad, right?
No. 21 squints her eyes, her mouth forming a pout as she observes his actions. Her tail curls around the pile of cans, shielding them from the force of Noctis' strikes.
Rrgh... Claws are still better.
Shortly after their return from the gruesome forest, much to everyone's surprise, Noctis made a request to the Science Council, asking them to replace his left arm with a full-coverage robotic arm.
—As if he had a premonition.
The elbow joint still feels off... That could cause me trouble. Hey, 21, you hang tight here. I gotta swing by the Science Council and sort this out.
You can't! Captain said we can't get caught by the bad guys of the Control Court. We can't leave the lounge before she comes back.
Noctis snorts in response and waves at No. 21 before walking toward the door.
That's not my concern. The Control Court's got their sights set on you, not me.
Noctis' opinion holds true. Throughout the entire investigation, the Control Court has remained oblivious to his presence.
—And of course, no one would notice that he didn't walk toward the Science Council after leaving the lounge.
Along the periphery of the Task Force's lounge area, vacant offices are available for individuals and teams to use with proper authorization. However, inevitably, some people will just occupy them without seeking permission.
Among all the things that can be seen around these parts, humans are the rarest to be found. However, today, one of the offices is illuminated with light, where a blonde young man is engrossed in reading stacks of documents while rubbing his head.
While Murray holds the title of the Cerberus Commandant, the unique nature of the squad makes him not directly engaged in its combat operations or day-to-day management.
He usually just plays the role of cleaning up the mess left behind by his troublesome teammates, which is one of the reasons why Nikola assigned him as the Cerberus Commandant.
Sigh...
Despite being accustomed to his everyday duties, the interference of the Control Court has caused Murray quite a headache. It even takes a toll on his stomach, which is protesting against the past excessive consumption of coffee.
So, Kurono plays a part in this, right?
Standing before Murray is Noctis, who has managed to elude the surveillance of the Control Court and make his way here.
Haha, all I can say is it's probably a good bet. The violation in this case isn't that serious, to be honest, but for some reason, the Control Court just won't let it slide.
But I'm just a commandant, and there's not much I can do about the Control Court's investigation...
Murray speaks in a slightly awkward manner, even though he has already thought through all the solutions. But if things go down that way, he will undoubtedly find himself in trouble as well.
Sigh, the female Construct of the Control Court... is indeed quite rough to deal with.
During the Hetero Tower incident, Murray had a chance encounter with Ishmael, but he senses that there is more to her than meets the eye.
That's why I'm not expecting anything from you. The thing I asked you before... did you get it done?
After a brief moment of hesitation, Murray retrieves a key from the inner pocket of his jacket and pushes it toward Noctis on the desk.
I know asking is unnecessary, but have you really made the decision?
Don't even bother...
Concerned that Murray might retract the offer, Noctis swiftly takes hold of the key and secures it in his pocket.
Alright, this key is exactly the same as the one held by Vera... The fake data has already been inserted, where you were the one who activated the unlocking program.
Oh! That's right. I didn't consider that... Thanks. Let me buy you a drink next time!
Wearing a bitter smile, Murray gazes down at the contents of his cup, which have changed from black coffee to a soothing Kowloong tea per Lee's request.
Thanks but no thanks... I'm doing this to help myself as well.
Haha, I'm just saying. Maybe I'll never get a chance to see you again after this. Who knows?
If Noctis claims the responsibility of unlocking No. 21's restraint program, it is highly likely that those Kurono people in the Control Court would be rendered powerless to intervene against Vera and No. 21.
But as the person responsible for the event, Noctis will probably not be allowed to stay in Cerberus.
Heh, it's not my first time, anyway. I don't care where I end up, but those two are different...
After all, Cerberus will no longer be Cerberus without any of them.
Murray raises his gaze, fixing his eyes upon Noctis, but eventually suppresses the urge to voice his thoughts to him.
Oh, by the way, for that other thing you needed my help with, I've got a lead as well.
As Noctis examines the picture that Murray has presented, his expression turns serious, his attention captivated by an exceedingly faint figure captured within the image.
Murray initially wondered why Noctis approached him suddenly, expressing a desire for his assistance in fabricating evidence to shoulder the entire blame for this event.
Upon reflection, Murray surmises that Noctis may be seeking an opportunity to leave Cerberus and investigate the individual in the picture... who was once his fellow member of the Purifying Force.
Some Task Force members spotted a Construct that looked like the one you've been searching for. They saw him during a mission near the Clean Zone, and here's the location.
I see. Thanks...
Noctis nods to Murray, tucking away the photo and the note containing the location. He offers Murray a not-so-standard military salute before exiting the office.
Caught off guard by the salute, Murray is shocked, as he has never witnessed such a gesture from Noctis or any other member of Cerberus before.
Oh well...
Murray releases a sigh, a long-absent genuine smile gracing his face as he savors a sip of his hot tea.
Am I more like... a good commandant now?
Lost in thought, Murray taps his temple for a little while. He then opens a desk drawer and retrieves a business card he had received recently from it, carefully examining the name printed on it.
Okay... one last security measure.
Using a specially modified secret channel, Murray dials the number on the card.
Helloooo? Hi, is this Murray?
