Our tragically wounded Dame won't hang in there much longer, Shining.
W
Hold on tight, everybody. Incline ahead.
Shining
A ride this rough likely won't benefit Kal'tsit's recovery in any way.
W
So what? Theresis couldn't hack her to death. You think a little bad suspension's gonna be what does it?
W
Whew, the roads here suck. Passing through a bomb crater, guys.
Shining
You could steer around.
W
Too late, I'm going in.
Mon3tr
(Menacing growl)
W
Yeah, yeah, Kal'tsit Jr. Now get your claws off me.
W
You're free to screw off of the car and drag your sorry little master behind us. Your choice.
Mon3tr
(High-pitched braying)
W
Got something ticking in your metal skull? You can try it, I'll play ball with you.
W
Or maybe, I should just throw you off and make roadkill out of you.
Shining
W, we're in a hurry.
W
This hag can't cough a single word at anyone right now, and look at how sad and distressed her stupid wimpy pet is! I've never felt this good in my life!
W
Don't you wanna get payback on your boss? Medical Department shit-stirrer Kal'tsit, reduced to THIS!!!
Shining
She is my patient now.
W
Ugh. You're boring as ever.
W
Tell Closure and her circus troupe to follow our route. With the dukes and the Sarkaz duking it out, I'm the only one who still knows where to find an opening.
Shining
You're very familiar with the terrain and situation.
W
How do you think I survived the past few years? What, did you picture me swimming in Londinium's sewers?
W
A merc's got her ways.
W
Once we're through these ruins, we'll hit our destination.
Shining
Is she already there?
W
You've got my word. I never miss the chance to make someone owe me.
W
But pushing the wheelchair's not on your base plan. I get an extra favor for that.
Shining
...Fine.
W
Oh yeah, what's the deal between you and the hag? Dragging an incap into Londinium's a pretty terrible idea.
If none act, it gives any other dukes fodder against them.
When the crown's vacant, everyone will want to be airtight.
Delphine
You know Victoria better than I imagined.
Ines
Where can we find a comms station?
Delphine
The signal hub for this place got wrecked by the Sarkaz right off the bat, but I know of a small station we might still be able to use.
Delphine
It's in a pub. Best house in all of Londinium before Norport went to pot.
Delphine
They set up a signal transceiver with mad high power in there, so they could get ahead of what their guests from all over wanted.
Delphine
It looks like stones fell and blocked up the whole outside of it, but if we can find a way in, and use the gear that's still left in there, then I think we...
Ines
It'll be an extremely dangerous op. Going by what you've told us, we're in luck if that sorry station still works, after which we couldn't even encrypt the outgoing signal.
Delphine
Bang on. It's an old civilian model.
Delphine
No matter who hears, they'll know what we're trying to say in a flash.
Ines
And the Sarkaz will immediately act.
Delphine
We've just got to gamble on the dukes not wanting a preventable massacre to their name.
Delphine
Besides, I'm trusting... some duke or other will want to step up proper. After all, they're not going to want a Victoria in ruins themselves.
Ines
The Duke of Windermere, for example?
Delphine
......
Delphine
She could be one of them, yeah.
Ines
Interesting. Looks like you do read plenty of newspapers, Delphine.
Ines
Doctor, Amiya, I believe this plan is feasible. We need to inject a little chaos to shatter the deadlock.
Ines
One or more dukes on the offensive can be a smokescreen for us, whether it's finding where that airship is located, or creating conditions for the people to evacuate their abandoned plate.
Siege
Then before we do, we need to put an end to the pointless infighting and cutthroat slaughter in this lockdown zone.
Amiya
We need to give them a reason to reunite.
Letting everyone know hope still exists, for example.
Amiya
Yes.
Amiya
If we can make headway on that, and distribute the remaining resources here to those who need them most... then maybe we can hold out for even longer.
Amiya
Rebuilding broken trust, just like you said.
Ines
Hmph. Real or fake, hope is still hope anyhow.
Cador
So. That's your genius plan? Go to an old pub for an old comms station, and beg the dukes outside to save us because we're all dead meat in here?
Cador
Incredible. I might want to applaud you lot.
Delphine
If you have any good ideas, you can give them right now, Cador.
Delphine
Aside from charging past the Sarkaz blockade walls.
Cador
Just didn't think after becoming thieves and conmen, we'd finally be grovelling on the ground to all those snot-nosed blue-blood boys and girls.
Delphine
If you don't like the idea of it being a mayday, you can think of it as a wager instead.
Cador
Oh, look, what an elite word, 'wager!' Oh, we're off making a wager with the people in their castles now, lucky us!
Delphine
And you can choose to keep robbing people in the street. I won't stop you.
Cador
Pick what you want to talk about!
Delphine
Cador, I know you care about your 'dignity' like nothing else, but NOW IS NOT THE TIME FOR IT.
Delphine
If the dukes attacking can help us, then inviting them is an option.
Cador
Alright. You thought of the consequences?
Cador
The dukes help us. Bang-up. Then what?
Cador
We hop on their warships to march for our great Londinium? Or do we become their subjects, sticking ourselves in Caster or Wellington's factories to feed ourselves to lathing machines?
Cador
This is not going to do us bloody favors. We are about to sell our lives to the BLOODY NOBLES!
Cador
Say goodbye to being Berties anymore, we'll be asylum-seekers for them to snuff out as they feel!
Delphine
AND WE AREN'T RIGHT NOW?!
Delphine
CADOR! DO YOU THINK WE'RE THE FREE AND HAPPY PEOPLE OF NORPORT RIGHT NOW?!
Delphine
WAR BROKE OUT! WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF IT!
Delphine
Do—Do you want to tell me that you think once a hero descends from the sky to guide all Porties together with you to crush the Sarkaz outside, just like you've been dreaming—
Delphine
—that everything can return to how it was?
Delphine
'Dignity!' Look at us, Cador!
Delphine
We know... full well, what the hell we've done!
Cador
......
Cador
I—
Siege
Shit. What's happening?!
Cador
In the street! They're all armed!
Baird
Okay, no panic. We need to clear this up—
Baird
Do they not want to live anymore? Who still has the strength to scrap this hard?
Baird
Every gang sheltering in Norbert should be in the same boat as us in terms of low supplies—
Through the boarded-up window, all that can be seen is still-live smoke.
Then hollering and cursing, coupled with crying and begging. The sort of thing they've had to tune out these days. Blind eye, deaf ear.
But this time, it's not brief clamor from a dingy alleyway. It's not following nervousness or hesitation, or any attempt at cover or disguise.
Within the smoke, a luggage trolley nonchalantly rolls down the street, very well the previous property of some inn, a past life of conveying suitcases big and small belonging to guests from all corners.
Now, pushed out amidst the dust by the explosion's aftermath, it becomes the focal point where everyone's gazes gather—the target of all their ardent desires.
Atop that trolley is a stack of supplies full to bursting. Box upon box of tin cans, clean water, rations rough yet oh so sweet...
Baird
That's...
Her voice fails and falters. She finds herself... unable to avert her eyes.
