Carthaki Experimental Secondary School
Post-Pandemic Age
2162
The dorm window lies half-open. The evening breeze lifts the beige curtains, gently tapping them against the windowsill again and again.
Nirvatia sits at her desk, the open copy of "Cyrano de Bergerac" before her untouched for some time now. Her gaze remains downcast, fixed on the bed by the window.
The bedsheet is immaculately smooth without a single wrinkle, the pillow perfectly positioned. Even Margaret's stuffed rabbit, usually tucked carelessly by her pillow, sits forlornly in the corner as if long forgotten.
The bed has remained that way for exactly two days now.
The setting sun casts light across the desk, the breeze lifting one corner of the training schedule Jagienka tossed there last week. Beneath it are lines Nirvatia has absentmindedly marked to count the days.
...
Click—
Suddenly, the door lock makes a soft sound.
Nirvatia's shoulders tense almost imperceptibly for a moment before slowly relaxing. She listens as the familiar footsteps slip into the room, bringing with them the cool night air and a hint of sweet, fruity fragrance.
Nirvatia! I'm back!
Margaret's voice is wrapped in sunshine as she approaches from behind, reaching her arms around Nirvatia's shoulders to plop two small bags down onto the open book with a soft thud.
Hehe, these are...
—Margaret.
Nirvatia stands up, her voice steady but deeper than usual.
Where have you been the past two days?
The room falls silent for several seconds, with only the soft rustling of wind-blown curtains to be heard.
N-nowhere special. The produce in Uncle Berlioz's garden was ripe, so I went to the countryside and learned lots of interesting things from him.
Her voice remains cheerful, but her fingers unconsciously fidget with the hem of her skirt.
Um... Look at these, look! Hehe, I picked some fresh blueberries for you, Nirvatia. And the other bag has star fruit for Jagienka!
Margaret... why didn't you tell us beforehand?
Nirvatia presses further.
I just... I was just going on a little trip.
Margaret avoids Nirvatia's gaze, looking down as she fiddles with the bag of blueberries, her voice gradually fading.
...
Nirvatia watches Margaret's lowered lashes for a moment quietly, her stern expression gradually softening.
Please make sure to let us know next time, okay?
We... were both really worried about you.
...
Margaret doesn't answer immediately. She just nods slowly, her fingers letting go of her skirt as she mumbles something softly.
Yeah.
A month has passed since the end of the battle to defend Carthaki, where the trio claimed the "Dominik Patrol" title.
Green shoots break through Carthaki's cold soil as early spring arrives. With their Scout training complete, the girls have received an excellent education as they laughed and grew under the nurture of a collectivist city.
In Carthaki, they will grow up like every student there: instilled with fine qualities, becoming the citizens the World Government needs, ultimately joining the battle to protect Earth and building a better tomorrow.
Every person in Carthaki yearns for such a future, and Nirvatia is no exception on this day.
She wants to stand alongside Margaret and Jagienka to fulfill their duty toward a better tomorrow.
But then, Margaret begins "disappearing" intermittently, seemingly out of nowhere. Sometimes she is gone for just a night, other times for up to two days.
Nirvatia and Jagienka pay little mind at first. Carthaki is vast, with endless academic work and labor duties each day. They respect Margaret's personal life and silently accept her secrecy about her whereabouts.
The first time, Margaret vanishes for two days, returning with a smile and a story about helping bake bread for a celebration.
The second time, she misses two consecutive days of training, returning pale-faced yet insisting she has merely caught a cold.
The third time...
The third time, Margaret spends an entire day curled up in bed, drifting in and out of consciousness as if struck by a serious illness. Her hair is damp with sweat, and her breathing is worryingly faint.
They have tried asking, but Margaret always deflects their questions with smiles and gifts.
They have tried waiting, only to witness her condition worsen with each return.
Fearing Margaret is being harmed, Nirvatia and Jagienka take turns keeping a constant watch over her, determined to discover where she has been disappearing to.
One afternoon, Jagienka witnesses someone in a sedan, parked outside the school, roll down the window to speak with Margaret, who has been waiting there.
She sees the person inside the vehicle clearly—
Major Li.
When Margaret returns to the dormitory, Jagienka is standing at the door waiting for her.
Jagienka, Auntie Anna asked me to help her bake cakes for children in other conservation areas.
I might be gone longer this time, but I'll bring back presents for you both!
...Who's Auntie Anna?
She's... a friend of Uncle Berlioz. I met her at the farm last time. She's quite nice!
I checked. Berlioz Karamazov left Carthaki six months ago and boarded the Eternal Engine.
Margaret, I saw the instructor speaking with you.
Jagienka takes a deep breath, her eyes betraying her unease.
...
Margaret purses her lips, clearly caught off guard.
...Yes. Only the instructor has the clearance to take me to certain... far-away places.
She hesitates for a long while before finally speaking in a faltering voice.
Margaret, where the hell have you been going?!
Jagienka's voice trembles, her brow suddenly creased with urgency and anxiety.
She steps forward and firmly grips Margaret's wrist.
Jagienka...! You're hurting me...
What could be so important that you need to hide it from me and Nirvatia? Aren't we supposed to be "family"?
Is someone hurting you? Give me a name and I'll knock their teeth out!
That's not it, Jagienka.
Margaret reaches out with her other hand, gently placing it on Jagienka's wrist with the bracelet.
You and Nirvatia both have your own talents... things only each of you can do, right?
It's the same for me, but... I need a little more time.
Margaret, please, I'm begging you. Be straight with me.
Jagienka speaks with an almost pleading sincerity.
I made promises to many people to keep this secret.
Margaret shakes her head.
But I promise you, I made that decision so that I can stay with you and Nirvatia.
We're family, so please trust me and give me some time, okay?
Her pale fingers apply gentle pressure, slowly pushing away Jagienka's tight grip.
Margaret...
Just as their fingertips are about to part, Jagienka suddenly tightens her grip, firmly clasping Margaret's hand once more.
No matter your reason, neither Nirvatia nor I will let anyone hurt you.
...I need you to swear you won't get hurt, Margaret.
Jagienka squeezes Margaret's fingers, looking straight into her eyes with concern.
...
She lifts her pale purple gaze.
I swear, Jagienka.
Late at night, Nirvatia is sitting at her desk and flipping through "Born of the Storm", a book her instructor recommended.
Suddenly, the door lock clicks behind her.
Margaret?
...
Margaret pushes open the door, staggers forward for half a step before going limp and collapsing straight to the floor.
Margaret?!
Nirvatia rushes over and helps her to the edge of the bed.
...What happened?
Nirvatia holds Margaret's burning wrist and gently lays her down on the bed. Only then does Nirvatia see the exhausted look in her eyes beneath her silver hair.
Margaret stares back with vacant eyes, struggling to breathe between painful, hissing gasps. Her normally rosy cheeks have turned deathly pale.
I'll go get a doctor.
...Nirvatia.
She grabs Nirvatia's hand.
Then, with great effort, she shakes her head.
I'm just... a little tired, that's all... I'll be fine after some sleep...
She forces a smile through the pain as sweat trickles down her face, dampening the pillow beneath her.
What did they make you do? How could they put you through something like this? Don't you realize you're—
She bites down on her words, refusing to let the rest of her sentence escape.
Look... Nirvatia...
With trembling hands, Margaret reaches into her pocket and pulls out an elegantly packaged miniature blueberry cake.
It reminds me of you... I learned how to make it this time, so next time I can...
I don't want this!
Nirvatia presses down on Margaret's outstretched hand, her voice finally breaking as her emotions spill over.
I want you to be safe! Margaret! Don't you understand that?!
Nirvatia...
Stunned by Nirvatia's rare display of intensity, Margaret falls silent for a moment.
...
Seemingly realizing how harsh her outburst is, Nirvatia reins in her emotions and takes a deep breath, trying her best to contain the worry that threatens to overflow from her heart.
...I'm sorry.
She pauses briefly, her voice becoming gentle.
It's alright, Nirvatia...
Margaret manages to force another smile.
You still... can't tell us anything about this, can you?
The time... is almost here.
She closes her eyes and speaks softly, her voice barely above a whisper.
Nirvatia, can you turn the light off for me?
I need to... rest a little.
...
City Council
Carthaki
11:14 PM
Deep into the night, most of the administrative building has melded with Carthaki's darkness, save for a single window on the fourth floor in the eastern wing, which still glows with warm light.
Look, Mom, I don't want to argue. Just hear me out, okay?
The young officer sits on the varnished hardwood desk with his back to the door, swirling a glass of brandy as he gazes out at the star-speckled night sky.
Beside him stands a stack of classical oil paintings, all premium decor he has selected for his new office.
They've reassigned me. Did you see my message this morning? You won't need to stay in our old place anymore. I've arranged a new apartment for you here in Carthaki.
...No, that won't do. I spent good money on it! What's the point if nobody lives there?
As the voice on the other end grows louder, Major Li winces and holds the terminal away from his ear.
Right then, a faint rustling sound comes from beyond the door, but the major, preoccupied with his call, fails to notice.
Why are you so attached to that rundown unit they assigned you...? Old man Ma? He spends every day by the graves outside the city. Do you want to end up like him and spend the rest of your life with the dead?
...Fine, fine, fine, I won't argue with you. Tell Ma I'll buy him a place too. You two can still be neighbors, happy now?
Just then, a cold breeze sweeps into the room, ruffling the major's meticulously trimmed hair and scattering official documents across the floor.
Major Li furrows his brow. Why has the wind outside suddenly picked up?
Suddenly, a hand shoots out from behind him, clamping over his mouth and nose.
—Mmph!!!
His combat-hardened muscles react before his mind can process. His right arm instantly tenses as he drives his elbow back into his attacker—
The assailant lets out a dull grunt of pain, loosening the grip just enough for the major to seize his chance and violently wrench the attacker's arm away.
Who are you?!
As he tries to turn, a cloth reeking of sickly-sweet chemicals strikes like a serpent's tongue, wrapping tightly around his mouth and nose.
The major clutches desperately at the arm holding the cloth, bending his knee to kick at the desk. But within seconds, the arm he has just broken free from lunges at him again, pinning his body firmly in place.
There is more than one attacker.
—Hnngh!!
The acrid chemicals flood his system through his nostrils, his vision gradually blurring as everything around him warps into abstract, indistinct patches of color.
Before his consciousness slips away completely, he clenches his jaw and summons his remaining strength to reach for the pocket on his chest.
Thud—his arm falls heavily onto the desk. The sound of deep, labored breathing fills the room.
...
The two assailants close the window, turn off the lights, and carry the unconscious Major Li out before slowly closing the heavy door behind them.
Then, everything returns to stillness.
Um...
Major Li is awakened by a sharp pain between his eyebrows. He slowly opens his eyes, feeling the world spinning around him in the darkness.
Splash! Ice-cold water hits his face.
Hurk!!
W-we can talk this through! I've got plenty of money—
He raises his head in terror, only to see two completely unexpected faces.
You're awake? Had enough water?
Sir, we'd like to have a word with you.
Have you both lost your ****ing minds?!
Major Li struggles to stand, but the ropes binding his body keep him firmly in place.
Nirvatia! Jagienka! Do you have any idea what you're doing?!
Can you just listen to what we have to...
I am a decorated major of the World Government! The newly appointed instructor of the Carthaki Corps! If anything happens to me, you're both finished!
...We want to know if you were the one who took Margaret away on those days. Where did you take her? What did you do?
Nirvatia crouches down, looking him straight in the eyes.
Help! Is anyone—mmphh!
Jagienka kicks him and shoves a rag into his mouth.
This is the command center of the underground bunker. No one's coming to help you even if you were Trillard himself.
I took counter-interrogation courses at the flight club. Do you know how the Akdilek people used to treat enemy pilots?
She takes out a pair of tongs from a crate and thrusts them into the nearby furnace.
—Mmph!!
Major Li's pupils constrict in fear. From what he knows of Jagienka, the unpredictable girl might actually torture him out of vengeance.
He looks anxiously toward Nirvatia, hoping she will talk some sense into Jagienka.
Be careful. Don't make him go into shock.
MMMPH!!!
Jagienka smirks coldly as she pulls the glowing red tongs from the furnace and waves them back and forth in front of Major Li's face.
We just want to know what you did to Margaret. Can you promise to answer our questions honestly?
Mmm-hmm!
He nods frantically. Nirvatia stands up and exchanges a glance with Jagienka.
Jagienka tosses aside the tongs and yanks the rag out of his mouth.
Cough... cough cough...
I took Margaret to the Carthaki Research Institute, the place where you had your rally, right under the Alliance Heritage Monument.
The research institute? What were you doing there?
The Carthaki Research Institute is under the World Government's direct control. Everyone there works with Babylonia, and only the colonel knows what they're really doing.
She used to just go once a month, but lately their demands have become more frequent.
Nirvatia suddenly recalls her first night after moving into Room 303.
Where were you last night? You didn't come back to the dorm.
So... it has been happening all this time.
Are they hurting Margaret? Why is she always so unwell when she returns?
This isn't one of your movies. The institute's work is all supervised by the Control Court. There aren't any twisted human experiments happening there.
I don't know the specifics and, honestly, I don't care what she's been through. All that matters is if I bring her back there tomorrow, the government will allocate more funding to Carthaki again.
Tomorrow? She was just there for two days!
Jagienka rushes forward and grabs the major by his collar.
Do you think Carthaki can stand against the Punishing Virus on its own? This is modern warfare! We won't survive without the World Government's resources.
She's hurting right now. We won't let you take her.
I'm afraid that's not up to you...
Hurried footsteps echo from the hallway outside. The major tilts his head back, a smug smile slowly spreading across his face.
Instead of worrying about her, you should be worried about yourselves...
BAM! The door behind Nirvatia is kicked open as several fully armed soldiers rush in, training their weapons on the pair.
Don't move! Get down! Or we'll open fire!
H-how did they get here so fast?
The soldiers quickly untie Major Li. As he works his neck and wrists, he looks down with smug superiority at Jagienka and Nirvatia, who are now pinned to the ground.
...What did you do?
He leisurely pulls a golden pocket watch from his breast pocket.
It's installed with a tracker that's meant to protect me from assassins, but you two brats gave me a reason to use it.
Tsk, how paranoid.
Scouts Margaret and Nirvatia have openly attacked a military officer. According to the disciplinary regulations in the Scout Handbook, they are hereby temporarily sentenced to detention, pending a formal Scout tribunal!
Take them to the detention cell!
Detention Cell
6:10 AM
The morning light filters through the air vent, prying open a small bright spot in the gloomy detention cell.
The smell of rust and disinfectant permeates the cramped space. Jagienka leans against the iron bars, sniffles, and wears an expression that screams "just our rotten luck."
Your plan wasn't exactly foolproof, was it? We didn't even last one night.
Funny, that wasn't what you said yesterday when I asked for your input.
How could we be so stupid and not search him? God, I could kick myself right now.
At least he learned from our mistake.
Nirvatia leans against the bars, eyeing the crate next to Jagienka's cell. It is piled with various items confiscated from the two of them, including but not limited to ropes, sedatives, their bracelets... and "Morigan".
I just heard that the guards outside are going to change shifts. It must be getting late, and we have to stop the instructor from taking Margaret.
What do you want to do?
This lock is a piece of old junk. No one's watching right now, so this is our chance...
Jagienka reaches out through the cell bars, grips the padlock, and smashes it hard against the bars.
Keep it down, will you? It's like the rocket factory's up and running again.
Tch, this damn thing is too tough!
The "piece of old junk" proves more resilient than Jagienka has anticipated. Nirvatia crouches down, carefully examining the mechanism on her own cell door.
If I have... a metal strip or wire, I can pick this.
Huh? You know how to pick locks?
It was in one of the elective course textbooks. I read it once and committed it to memory.
Tch, it's irritating when you talk like that.
Jagienka rests her hands on the bars and clicks her tongue in displeasure.
Seeing this, Nirvatia's eyes widen as if struck by inspiration.
Jagienka, can you reach that box over there?
I can try. What are you up to?
Hand me "Morigan".
Jagienka freezes for a moment.
Are you trying to... break it open to pick the lock? Are you sure? You nearly bit my head off last time I just held it in my hand.
It was the only thing by my side when I woke up. Nothing was more important to me back then.
Nirvatia smiles, giving Jagienka a nod.
But now there are.
Phew... I'm glad we're finally out. I was suffocating in there.
Jagienka pushes open the creaky iron door, stands in the sunlight that is streaming through the vent, and stretches her body.
Suddenly, she seems to hear something, her ears twitching slightly.
...The guards are coming back.
...? I don't hear anything.
I'm a pilot, after all.
She taps her ear.
There are plenty of guards posted outside the institute. I'll find a way to draw them away while you go rescue Margaret.
Don't hold me up, Nirvatia!
Without hesitation, Jagienka pushes open the door to the detention cell, and blinding light floods in instantly.
...Jagienka!
Nirvatia calls out loudly. Jagienka pauses, looking back over her shoulder.
Be careful.
Tch, duh!
Without looking back, Jagienka charges straight into the light.
...
Nirvatia turns around and picks up the bracelets Margaret gave both of them, putting them all on her wrist.
Wait for me, Margaret.
To protect the one they call family, the two girls step forward in different directions at the same time.
Carthaki Research Institute
Central Control Room
Meanwhile
The automatic door to the control room slides open as today's operator walks in, bringing with her the stale air from the corridor and the bitter, burnt smell of coffee.
Here you go, Chief. You've been working long shifts for two days now.
Yawn... Thanks. I feel like I'll be meeting Dominik if I pull one more all-nighter...
The operator places the steaming coffee next to the main console. Looking up, she notices the portrait of a silver-haired girl flashing on the holographic screen.
Huh? Isn't that the girl who's always visiting the department next door? The one who brings cakes all the time.
Yeah, I heard they're almost done with their tests over there.
Yeah... A stable sync rate of 92.7%. Higher than all the previous results. This girl's definitely going to make it.
The operator leans in curiously, her fingers unconsciously swiping through the screen.
Tsk, quit snooping. Have you finished your own work yet? The sooner we sort out these test data, the sooner we can clock out.
The man clicks his tongue in annoyance, swatting the operator's hand away.
I'm on it, I'm on it. Look, Chief.
The woman presses her fingers against the control panel, and the massive arc-shaped screen that covers half the wall suddenly lights up.
At the center of the display is a massive, glowing golden core that is pulsating rhythmically within layers of structural encasements. This is "Carthaki Reactor No. 4", the eternal beating steel heart of this city.
Countless streams of brilliant light extend outward from the core, resembling blood vessels and neural networks. They fill the entire screen and continue to branch out until they reach the dotted lines marking the screen's edges.
These connections reach every corner of Carthaki, channeling energy produced by the harmonic reactions of the M.I.N.D. to the city's power grid, central water system, CPF, and factories, sustaining tens of thousands.
The night-time low-power mode has been disengaged. In another half hour... Wait, what?
She stops mid-sentence, her gaze freezing on a corner of the screen.
C-Chief... take a look at this!
What is it?
The operator points to the safety warning light in the corner.
...It's on?
The man suddenly freezes, his eyes widening as his coffee cup hangs suspended in midair.
I've worked here for years and never seen it light up before. What does the safety manual say about this? Go check.
S-safety manual...
Her heart in her throat, she frantically flips through the small booklet beside her.
One light... one light...
Found it! One light means there is partial core degradation that may affect the artificial M.I.N.D.'s reactive efficiency. It recommends reporting this to the higher-ups and performing maintenance checks...
Holy crap... It scared the life out of me...
Realizing it is a false alarm, she slumps back in her chair and lets out a long exhale.
Didn't the Science Council just send people here for maintenance last month? That's weird...
The man mumbles to himself, stroking his chin as he turns and walks out the door.
Where are you going, Chief?
The manual says to report it to the higher-ups.
Wait up, it's suffocating in here. I need some fresh air too...
The operator activates the automatic monitoring system, grabs her coat, and hurries after him.
The motion sensors turn off the lights, and the room is plunged back into silence. Only the Reactor No.4 behind the glass window is still emitting a low hum.
The massive structure's silhouette nearly merges with the building itself in the darkness, its countless indicator lights blinking like clusters of stars across its form.
Energy sufficient to illuminate the entire city pulses steadily into the depths below.
Beep—
In a corner beyond sight, a wave of harsh red lights suddenly surges to life.
