You took a Sarkaz down with just one hit? Not bad, Feline. You in the Victorian Army?
Dagda
Stuff it!
Sarkaz Warrior
You're strong, not like those Dublinn weaklings. Very well, Feline, you're worthy of dying by my blade!
Morgan
—Watch out!
Dagda
Let's not jump to conclusions about who's dying by whose blade just yet.
Sarkaz Warrior
Ahh—
Dagda
Sarkaz, you can't imagine how much I want to end your life right now... Too bad my sword is broken, thanks to your friend there.
Morgan
Dagda, snap out of it!
Dagda
......
Morgan
I know what you're thinking. You want revenge, right? This isn't the time. We promised the Doctor we'd make a ruckus, draw the enemies here, and then leave—
Sarkaz Warrior
Heh... Feline, you've killed a Sarkaz or two before! Your life... a Sarkaz will claim your life one day!
Dagda
I don't care about my life all that much.
Dagda
If it was up to me, I wouldn't have run away from you people.
Morgan
What's gotten into you? You aren't even dodging their Arts!
Dagda
I can take a few more Sarkaz down before I die...
Morgan
I shouldn't have brought you here... Don't forget, Vina's still waiting for you down below!
Dagda
Siege...
Morgan
If you want to die, suit yourself, but don't get the Doctor and Amiya killed! You'd bring shame to Vina's name!
Dagda
Fine. Morgan, tell me. How much longer do we need to hold them?
Morgan
Five minutes. Then the Doctor said someone would be here to pick us up.
Right, don't know who they are, but looks like they beat us to the bunch, fighting the Sarkaz.
Horn
Blake, do you remember how I said I got away from Dublinn?
Victorian Soldier
You said someone helped you...
Horn
Right. I didn't see his face, but I knew he's strong. So strong that he could walk into their campground alone even though there were hundreds of them.
Victorian Soldier
Oh? If he was that strong, why'd he need such a ruckus?
Horn
It's not necessarily him, but he definitely isn't alone. There's a team who've been fighting Dublinn and the Sarkaz in Sudean.
Horn
Blake, I've never been so sure—
Horn
We aren't the only resistance members left. We... still have friends out there, spreading fire under the night sky.
Victorian Soldier
Should we go help them, then?
Horn
No, we can't change our objective just yet.
Horn
Let's move up and sneak inside while our friends have the Sarkaz distracted.
Robben
Horn! There's a Dublinn team closing in on you. Watch out! Their leader is... is...
Right. They reported to me they heard fighting just now.
Heidi
Hm. Where are the guards?
Londinium Citizen
Most of them are still here. They haven't been drawn away yet.
Heidi
I knew it... They came prepared.
Londinium Citizen
Should we proceed, then?
Heidi
Let's watch the fire outside for the time being. Our operation has begun.
Heidi
Have everyone get ready.
Heidi
Remember. This is our only chance.
Sarkaz Warrior
Hey you! What's this? Did you break the factory's machinery?!
Sarkaz Warrior
Who let you in here... It's you?!
Heidi
Hello there.
Sarkaz Warrior
Heh, I knew you were planning something. Get over here!
Heidi
Whatever I, of all people, might be planning shouldn't mean anything to a warrior like you.
Heidi
Ever since the Steam Knights vanished without a trace, and the Knights of the Tower fell one after another, how many warriors are there in Londinium... no, all of Victoria, worthy of your attention?
Sarkaz Warrior
What's with the flattery all of a sudden, Feline? Trying to get me to let my guard down? You underestimate the Sarkaz.
Sarkaz Warrior
You're right. I can't kill you tonight. Not yet. But that's not going to stop me from sticking this arrowhead against your throat.
Heidi
Ngh...
Sarkaz Warrior
A pampered, high-class lady like you is going to bleed with just a little scratch to your throat, I'm sure.
Sarkaz Warrior
Haha, I'll let you stand here and watch your friends die one by one. By next morning, you'll've bled completely dry too—
Heidi
If... If my blood will satisfy you...
Londinium Citizen
Take this!
Sarkaz Warrior
Ahhhh! W-What is this?! My eyes! It burns!
Sarkaz Warrior
Ugh––!
Londinium Citizen
Lady, are you alright?!
Heidi
It's just a scratch. It'll stop bleeding soon.
Londinium Citizen
Did you see that? The Sarkaz fell for it! The reagent you told me to keep actually worked!
Heidi
Let's have him lay down here for a little. Just taking his crossbow and knocking him out almost broke my hand...
Heidi
The Sarkaz are a hardy bunch. If their eyes weren't always full of blood and hatred, he would've noticed you sneaking up to him.
Heidi
Never mind... Benny, how is everyone else doing?
Londinium Citizen
We did what you said and took over the factory. We probably won't be able to hold it for too long, though. The Sarkaz are on their way, and they won't fall for this twice.
I see. Perhaps she'd be interested in what is about to take place here.
Manfred
What about Hoederer?
Sarkaz Warrior
Er...
Hoederer
I'm here.
Manfred
I thought you were meant to guard the southwest entrance?
Hoederer
Before I head back to the fight, there is one thing I have to tell you.
Sarkaz Mercenary
*cough*... hah...
Manfred
An injured mercenary... Who is he?
Hoederer
His name is Schwab. We had some dealings with each other, but he betrayed me, leading to some unexpected hiccups.
Sarkaz Mercenary
Betrayed...? That's an awfully terrible way to put it. Hoederer... Have you forgotten who you are?
Hoederer
Maybe you're the one who's forgotten himself, Schwab.
Sarkaz Mercenary
We're mercenaries... Hah... we've never been... anything else.
Sarkaz Mercenary
Hoederer, she's here... I haven't told her about you... Now don't you see what a great friend I am? Haha... I really can't wait to see... the look on your faces...
Rockrock, Johnny, Gabby... All of you landed? Good.
Feist
Phew... We've made it in. Doctor, are you doing okay?
I made it through. Somehow.......I'm about used to this.
Feist
Sorry, I haven't ever had a passenger, and all I could think about was what if the grappling hook couldn't support the two of us.
Feist
That's why I had to hold you so tight.
At least we landed safely.......I thought you'd be more dependable.
Amiya
Closure, can you see what's going on inside?
Drone
I can see everything no problem, Amiya. Even the fur in your ears...
Amiya
*Cough*, why is your drone so close?! I-It's too loud!
Amiya
Besides... Why can I hear you speaking through it? Why aren't we using the comms?
Drone
The comms could be bugged! I mean, you said Sarkaz commander's a real smart cookie!
Drone
Not my Cloclo-1651 though. It's running an all-new security system. That's right. The one I was installing on the whole ship before we left...
Rockrock
Cloclo-1651?
Drone
Uh... Rockrock...? You don't mind, right? I kind of took some inspiration from your drones...
Rockrock
......
Rockrock
It's okay. I like the name... It's cute.
Drone
Awesome!
Drone
Cloclo-... uh, some number... start scanning! Our target—Heidi Thomson!
Drone
Target... The target's not far off. The target... Crap! Sarkaz troops! Enemies closing in!
Amiya
Everyone, be careful. Get ready to fight!
Sarkaz Warrior
What are you people doing here?
Self-Salvation Corps Soldier
Watch out!
Sarkaz Warrior
Are you... rebels? Like a finfish caught in a net... Haha!
Feist
Miss Amiya, there are a dozen Sarkaz behind him!
Rockrock
Rock-17—
Amiya
Let me do it.
Sarkaz Warrior
Black lines—You're the Cautus!
Amiya
Warrior.
Amiya
I will ask you this. Are you willing to surrender?
Sarkaz Warrior
Surrender...? Cautus, what kind of joke is that?! Just watching you wield this power makes me sick to my stomach!
Sarkaz Warrior
I'll never let you touch my emotions!
Amiya
You've seen Arts like this before?
Sarkaz Warrior
Don't make me laugh! All the Sarkaz here have seen it before!
Amiya
......
Sarkaz Warrior
I'd like to kill you myself... but before that, I have to tell the general...
Feist
Uh, someone attacked him from behind? A crossbow bolt... Where from?
Rockrock
Rock-17, aim!
Heidi
Hello, my Self-Salvation Corps friends, and also... my Rhodes Island friends whom I haven't met.
Heidi
Good evening, everyone.
Amiya
Lady... Heidi?
Heidi
That's right. We meet at last, Miss Amiya.
Heidi
I don't have time to explain. Doctor... You're the Doctor, right? You're exactly as Kal'tsit described.
Is that a compliment?......A nice description, I hope.
Heidi
Yes... even your reaction is about what I expected. Doctor, have you thought through how we'll make it out of here?
Sarkaz Warrior
Over here! They're here! Come—
Sarkaz Warrior
Urghh—
Londinium Citizen
Quiet down, Sarkaz. I won't let you draw the other fighters here that quickly.
Heidi
Thanks, Benny. Where are the others?
Londinium Citizen
Milady, we've taken the factory on the south side.
Londinium Citizen
The methods you taught us are working really well... Even the frailest weavers are managing to fight off the Sarkaz guards.
Heidi
Everyone's using the tools and machines they're familiar with, after all.
Heidi
These factories are ours, Benny. The Sarkaz can't control everything here as easily as they thought.
Amiya
Lady Heidi... I never expected you to be such a formidable fighter.
Heidi
Miss Amiya...
Amiya
Please, call me Amiya. Just like Dr. Kal'tsit does.
Heidi
Okay, Amiya.
Heidi
Kal'tsit taught me a lot of things...
Heidi
And yes, that includes fighting.
Heidi
Too bad I wasn't her best student.
Heidi
I was never able to help her with much.
Heidi
But I will do my absolute best to help Rhodes Island in this battle, just as I fought alongside the Self-Salvation Corps.
Rockrock
Another team of Sarkaz soldiers is coming our way.
Drone
Right, I don't want to be a killjoy... but things are pretty tense right now. There's not just one team... Uh, it looks like all the Sarkaz fighters in the factory are coming our way.
They know they lost the building.
Heidi
Right, Doctor. We did our best, but this bought us very little time.
Heidi
That's why I need you to think of a way to get out of this right now...
A friend of ours should be here soon.
Heidi
A friend...?
He's waiting on the east side already.
Heidi
And 'he...?'
Heidi
Is it just a single man? Or a whole team?
Heidi
Doctor, the Sarkaz soldiers that Manfred trained are very hard to deal with. They could be hiding anywhere... We mustn't let our guard down.
Drone
Everyone, I... I'm seeing something really strange! It's way too weird! The Sarkaz up ahead are fighting... Uh, I mean, they're fighting other Sarkaz.
Drone
Wait, are those... Sarkaz mercs?
Heidi
It's the strange mercenaries... One of them seemed to have lent us a hand this afternoon, too.
Rockrock
Sarkaz mercenaries?
Rockrock
No, we can't trust them! They're the ones who took Bill this afternoon... *cough*! I...
Self-Salvation Corps Soldier
Rockrock, calm down. You're still wounded.
Rockrock
I'm fine, but I can't say that about Bill!
Rockrock
Captain, help me out... They need to understand.
Feist
Lady Heidi, you said the Sarkaz mercenaries helped you. Could you be more specific about that?
Captain, the Sarkaz evacuated! This is the perfect opportunity! Should we head inside or...?
Mandragora
......
Mandragora
Let's go.
Horn does not take her hand off her crossbow. Her glare closely follows Mandragora as she leaves.
A single bolt. From this distance, that's all it would take. All she has to do is pull the trigger, and her opponent's chest would be torn open, splattering blood everywhere, just like what happened to Cello.
Having retrofitted this crossbow herself, Horn knows its limits very well, but they're so close to each other. With the two of them now within a hair's distance...
Robben
Horn, they're gone.
Horn
......
Robben
I was really worried about controlling myself, Horn... Thanks for holding me back. You're right. We shouldn't fight Dublinn here.
Robben
If we actually started fighting each other, the Sarkaz would've found us.
Robben
I'm surprised Mandragora could hold herself back, though. She was hounding us like crazy... What are they doing?
*Cough*... *cough*... What was that explosion? Miss Closure. That wasn't you, was it?
Drone
Error—Error—Restarting—
Feist
Err, it wasn't her. She wouldn't have blown up her own drone.
Heidi
Doctor, is this part of your plan? It's a little... flashy, isn't it?
Nope.......Maybe?
Amiya
Doctor, is it...?
Rockrock
Look, someone's walking past the dust! It's... It's another Sarkaz! Rock-17—
???
Again with the weapons? Not to mention... More fresh meat?
???
{@nickname}, is this how you always greet your heroes?
Rockrock
Is this Sarkaz one of yours...?
Amiya
Miss Rockrock, please keep your weapon trained on her.
???
C'mon, little bunny. It's been aaages! Are you really so heartless? That hurts... it cuts deep, you know?
Amiya
Mr. Feist, please check for any Originium explosives in our immediate vicinity.
Feist
No time. We have people to rescue...
???
Aw man, what a shame. Looks like we don't have time for proper hellos.
???
C'mere, Heidi.
Heidi
You're here for me?
???
Hey now, can't you at least sound a little more enthusiastic? We only just met, and it's not like you're the biggest fan of {@nickname} anyway.
???
If it wasn't for that stinking old bitch... the one you love ever so much, asking me to come get you, I wouldn't be here either.
???
Ask any Sarkaz here, I don't come cheap.
Heidi
Kal'tsit sent you?
Heidi
A Sarkaz mercenary... an explosives expert...
Heidi
Are you... W?
W
Whoa, she told you about me? Should I be breaking down in tears of joy? Look at that, out of all my old friends running around, there's actually somebody who still cares about me.
