Story Reader / Affection / Bianca: Stigmata / Story
An icebreaker from a previous century, the ship now has scars all over it.
Standing on either side of the port are deserted buildings—a telltale proof of yet another failed attempt by those who tried to conquer Antarctica.
The Constructs set up temporary tents of all sizes around the bay and pulleys that go from the ground up to the ship. In their polar suits, the Constructs travel back and forth between the tents and the ship with tools in hand. It is now apparent what they're trying to do—they're fixing the ship.
An icebreaker from the Golden Age...?
Is this what you meant to show us?
Precisely. The expedition, the Engineering Force, and the Support Force—we put almost everyone we have here in Antarctica on this project to bring the icebreaker back to the sea.
Half a month ago, our Pioneering Squad came across this dock and port from the Golden Age along with this deserted icebreaker around the bay.
Our Pioneering Squad believed this ship used to belong to the Transatlantic Economic Community—unfortunately, however, we didn't find any survivors around the port.
We didn't come across any traces of the Punishing Virus on the ship, although we did stumble across a few dozen decayed human bodies. All the blood traces and the bullet casings and guns around seem to suggest that there was a violent conflict.
We have no idea what happened here at the port, but this much we know—what we have here is a once-in-a-lifetime chance.
If we can manage to get this icebreaker back to life, we'll be able to take our exploration drastically further—even to the Golden Age's extent!
And based on our assessment of the ship's damage level, getting it back to life is no daydream at all with the manpower and resources we have. It is, in fact, totally within our reach!
You see fires burning in their eyes as they speak.
...
Feeling their enthusiasm, Bianca keeps her eyes closed, apparently deep in thought.
If my memory serves me correctly, the message was originally a draft, and one of the guys from the Engineering Force stumbled across the draft box in the system trying to fix the telecommunication system on this ship a few days ago.
And it just so happened that the message was sent out by accident and reached Babylonia when we were testing for communication channels.
We don't know what it says in the message, but the fact that you're both here says something.
All the dead bodies, bullet traces, and violent conflict... It's anyone's guess what happened in the final moments of those on this ship in this corner of the world.
We did try to reach out immediately to Babylonia, though, except all our devices went down from the EMI that took place when we booted up the telecommunication system on the ship.
So we tried to go with a different channel, but with the snowstorm around, we weren't able to reach Babylonia through the long-wave communication we usually use.
And today, we were finally able to bring Babylonia up to speed on what we'd been doing over the past half a month and our discovery of this icebreaker.
See, we'd just finished updating Babylonia and were about to laze away right when you barged in...
Uhm...
Hearing everything the expedition just said, Bianca is lost for words.
Right then, both your and Bianca's terminals start ringing.
Nodding to the expedition and alighting from the vehicle, you and Bianca find a spot with no one around and start sharing your findings with Babylonia.
Whew...
Finishing the call with Babylonia, Bianca lets out a little sigh. You can't be sure what's going through her mind at the moment, but she rarely ever does it.
We've just had everything confirmed with Babylonia.
But the higher-ups don't seem to think that we need to know anything about the message, and I'm guessing it's likely because it has to do with the Transatlantic Economic Community.
Given that they put Bianca—the Purifying Force's ace—on the mission solely based on that one message from the past, one can't be blamed to wonder just how many secrets the now non-existent Transatlantic Economic Community used to hold.
But doing as told is your only option since you're in no position to ask any questions. Years of experience have taught you that knowing more than you should won't do you any good.
We never saw any of that coming, but all in all, everything turned out just fine, though.
And I'm glad to have you here, Commandant.
To be honest, I pretty much dropped the idea that they might be "defectors" or that they might have been "assaulted" before we even came to this port, judging by their attitudes and conditions.
The thought that this whole thing might be a trap still lingered in the back of my mind, though... The nature of what we do as the Purifying Force makes it so that we can't count on our gut feelings.
I'm sure the whole situation would have gotten out of control and ended with bloodshed hadn't you been here today, Commandant.
Lest we forget the door Bianca blew away—you were about to bring up the door but decided to drop it.
In unison, you both turn to look at the bay in the distance.
The Constructs working around the icebreaker are still hard at work.
It's only been a few hours since you met them—but, looking at them now, you seem to share their enthusiasm.
You now share their cravings in wanting to see the ship back to the sea as soon as they can...
And toward that end, they carry on working away.
Yes, of course.
We wouldn't have had the chance to come here and see everything this place has to offer...
Had Command never decided to send us here.
And we found ourselves a "battlefield" we never knew about before, right?
A lot of people came here for travels back in the Golden Age, though.
Because there isn't anywhere quite like this on Earth.
You can come here with the rest of Gray Raven when the command center assigns you your days off. I'm sure Management will say yes if you ask them.
Me...?
Schedule conflicts aside...
Technically, being a member of the Purifying Force means that I'm in no position to have personal contact with the Task Force's Commandant.
This mission itself is already an exception, and I can only imagine there being even fewer contacts between us down the road.
Hey, guys!
One of the expedition members who came from the research station with you comes running this way.
So? Have you had everything confirmed with Babylonia already?
Apologies that you came all the way for... nothing? Uhh... How should I put this...
That's fine. We're glad to see all of you doing just fine here.
The Logistics Department does have quite some work to do to get us back to Babylonia... but I'm just glad that we didn't need to "purify" anyone or anything here.
On the expenditure of deploying the transport craft multiple times... I'll give an explanation in the report when I'm back.
Speaking of which, we do have a huge favor to ask of both of you.
Rubbing his hands, the man looks imploringly at both of you.
So... a few of our men who insisted on staying on the icebreaker to carry on with repair works ended up with some damage to their frames because of the snowstorm... See, a lot of us are of an older version.
And we're actually a bit tight on parts to fix them with here because we've put most of our resources into fixing the icebreaker, and it'd probably take about half a month to fix our men.
But we're also a bit tied down by all the observational work we need to do these days—which is what we were sent here to do in the first place—in addition to bringing the ship back to life, because we're going through Antarctica's active phase of life forms here.
So I was wondering if you could lend us a hand if you aren't in a hurry to leave.
As in... you want both of us to help you with your observational work?
With the mission ending way ahead of schedule, you now have no choice but to request an emergency pick-up if you want to return to Babylonia immediately.
If you accept the proposal just now, however, you and Bianca would be able to take advantage of however much time you have left until you're picked up.
Pardon me...?
Without waiting for Bianca's response, you pull out your communication device and send the command center a mission request.
A few moments later, you get a positive response from the command center stating that you and Bianca can hop on the next resource transport craft that comes to Antarctica.
There is only so much we can do, though, given our lack of professional knowledge.
But if you're fine with that, we'll definitely be more than happy to help.
Really? Oh boy, this is definitely a pleasant surprise. Thank you both so much!
I see what you did there, Commandant.
Rarely, Bianca puts her arms across her chest, mocking you.
Hey, why don't you both come on board for a look with us?
We're setting sail soon.
Yes. This ship wasn't terribly damaged to begin with, and we've all been working around the clock to get it back to life. Our Engineering Force just told us that the ship is ready to hit the sea again.
The ship is far from being able to go all the way out, though. It's just going to be a sea trial for today, but we thought it'd make for a wonderful experience all the same, and we thought we'd invite the two of you onboard since you literally don't get to come to Antarctica every day!
Sure. Let's go, Commandant.
Thank you all so much.
The icebreaker sets sail.
Finishing your conversation with the Captain and walking up the deck, you see Bianca standing alone at the bow staring into the distance.
Compared to the Nighter—which you once took—this icebreaker may seem like a lone leaf in the sea.
What views you're seeing now, however, definitely can't be replicated anywhere else.
Commandant.
Bianca turns to nod at you as she notices you.
Lanternlighter, huh...
Short and sweet, and the name suits the expedition just fine, too... because they literally are looking for new possibilities of the world still...
Bianca stops in her tracks before finishing her sentence.
Apparently having noticed something, she looks down at her waist.
The lantern-shaped Phantom Tracer she carries has been quiet since you arrived in Antarctica.
It isn't exactly a lantern, but... I was still hoping you could tell me why, if you don't mind.
...If it's meant to be something symbolic, then I think it's better if they take it more seriously.
I don't exactly understand why they did this...
But I'm not going to ask any questions if this is what they want.
I don't know if they'd still see the same if they ever saw the Purifying Force in action.
Bianca was key at the full-blown battle that took place at the aquarium a while back.
And who knows—some from Babylonia might have already seen past Bianca's icy facade and now see her for the heroine she is.
Is that so...
I don't deserve to be remembered or learned from...
Well, I guess I should say I don't need people to remember the path I've chosen.
But this sure is curious...
I mean, I thought I was going to have an epiphany when a moment like this did come.
But I just...
Bianca keeps her gaze straight ahead...
As a faint smile creeps across her face.
I just feel so happy, and that's it.
You pull a device out.
Is that... an exploration camera?
It seems very different from your usual camera, though. Do you know how it works, Commandant?
Following your finger that now points into the distance, Bianca sees that the ship has come to a different part of the sea.
At as far out as your eyes can reach, atop the deep blue seawater, an enormous iceberg looms like a flimsy mirage behind the icy fog that shrouds it.
The iceberg is newfound, and it would have taken the expedition many more years to come across it without this icebreaker.
And now, they're dedicating this precious moment to you and Bianca.
With the camera in hand, you're now recording the very first discovery—which is but one single gem among the many Antarctica still holds—Lanternlighter has made on its maiden voyage.
The dignity of the movement of an iceberg is due to only one-eighth of it being above water—once said by a famous author, this line is probably now common sense to everyone.
Still, with the view right in front of you—that is, only one-eighth of something so unimaginably gigantic...
You just can't help but think about what the remaining seven-eighth hidden under the water must look like.
You turn around to look at Bianca.
You see those cold eyes of hers brimming with the same imagination.
Unfortunately, though, you don't think you'll get to see the giant hidden among all the floes and water this time.
Anyhow...
Of course.
Her response is short and sweet. Showing not a bit of hesitation, she leans over this way.
Then, with both your and Bianca's hands on the shutter button...
The camera shines with a flash.
And at this precise moment, you think you can say this for sure...
You know that this won't be the last time.
It's like seeing your future replayed back to you.
In the picture, you see yourself and Bianca with the dreamlike iceberg in the back.
Somewhere down the road, you know that this very person standing right here with you at this very moment...
Will one day uncover and bear witness with you to the ultimate secrets Earth holds.
