*set progress + 1

*temp lisa_on_roof false
*temp ammo 2
*temp hadaly_on_roof false
*temp suic false
*temp early_end false
*temp queen_crashed false

*image janus.png

*if battery < 10
  *set battery 10
*else
  *set battery - 4

They say space is cold. That it is a dark, empty void where no one can hear you scream. You've always known that to be nonsense, but the falsehood was never as obvious as it is now, as you're sitting on the upper deck of [i]Gray Queen[/i].

The expanse that lies between Saturn and its rings is, for one, almost unbearably bright. The Sun shines unobstructed, no clouds or even atmosphere to absorb its rays, the brightest star in the sky by far in spite of the distance. Saturn reflects much of that light, visible in all @{(saturn_path = "sauce") his|its} glory as you fly above @{(saturn_path = "sauce") his|its} rings. They too are bright beneath you, appearing almost as a polished surface rather than a collection of ice shards they are.

*if final_mission = "saturn"
  As for space being quiet, that's only true for people unaware of the existence of radio, or any other means of long-distance communication for that matter. Contacting Admiral West required you to fly out of Saturn and then broadcasting at your ship's full power, and the resultant conversation was plagued by lag and static.
  
  It's a good thing the tracker you 
  *if saturn_path = "pirates"
    looted off the pirates 
  *if saturn_path = "sauce"
    got from Sauce 
  *if saturn_path = "left"
    got from Link 
  uses a different kind of signal. You still have clear readings on Crystal, and that fact persuaded West to send a frigate in the wyvern's direction. Sending a warship of that class against a wyvern would normally be considered an overkill, but then again… it is Crystal you're talking about. You'll be incredibly lucky if the other ship manages to kill the fiend before your arrival.
  
  *if crystal_friend
    Well, your team will be. You still want Crystal to remain alive, and so the recent developments are… less than pleasing from your point of view.
  *else
    Or not. You're not entirely sure what it would mean for your deal with West, and it definitely won't mean wonders for your meta-human teammates. No promotion for Rook or Marshal and no… Okay, Hellhound won't get anything either way, but the other two may be upset if anything but [i]Gray Queen[/i] scores the final blow.
  
*else
  For the past five hours, ever since you left $!{final_mission}, Crystal has been talking full advantage of these rings. Their camouflage has been turning on and off, courtesy of the damage inflicted by 
  *if injured_crystal = "hadaly"
    Hadaly's lightning, 
  *if injured_crystal = "marshal"
    Marshal's attack, 
  *if injured_crystal = "hellhound"
    Hellhound's claws, 
  *if injured_crystal = "wisp"
    Wisp, 
  *else
    your heavy ordnance, 
  but their speed and agility largely remain. They've been diving in and out of this sea of ice, preventing you from aiming a decent shot, let alone making one. A lesser creature would have been torn apart by the relative velocity of all these tiny ice shards, but being made of diamond apparently has its perks.
  
  *if crystal_friend
    Good for them, Crystal that is. [i]Gray Queen[/i] has been gaining on the wyvern for quite some time now, but the cutter may end up outmaneuvered yet. If not…
  *else
    You are so close to completing your mission, literally so. Your ship is just slightly faster than Crystal, you've shortened the distance between [i]Gray Queen[/i] and the wyvern almost to the visual range. Damon reported seeing the fiend multiple times and Wisp keeps giving you updates on its location. If you squander even this change, that good of a shot…  

[i]Shout. Howl. Shriek.[/i]

You shake your head, hoping all these unpleasant thoughts will just fall off. It doesn't work, and so you instead look to…

*fake_choice
  #...Saturn.
    You recognize the strange connection you feel towards the planet, one could almost say kinship. You were born inside this gas giant, given a certain meaning of the word, when the Shriek imbued you with free will. 
    *if (saturn_path = "sauce")
      Perhaps Sauce is correct and Saturn has a will, consciousness, divine power of sorts. You can almost swear you feel it now…
    *elseif (heaven_side = "Neutral")
      And as you wandered around for centuries that followed, ignoring even the War In Heaven, you were always drawn back towards the sixth planet, like a moth to the yellowy flame.
    *else
      And then, like Kronos of ancient myths, you helped with tearing down the sky on Earth's behalf. It's difficult to appreciate the poetry, but harder yet to deny its presence.
  #...the moons.
    Calypso and Telesto are basically invisible, small and distant as they are, but the larger satellites look rather impressive from this position. Rhea behind you, quite visible against the dark sky. Titan to the front, magnificent in a way that almost puts Luna herself to shame. You can even see Tethys, as long as you bend your neck just right.
    
    And then there's a hundred more moons, ranging from sizable orbs to tiny specks in the sky. In spite of everything you've seen, you can't help by marvel at the sheer size of the Federation, the immediate surroundings of this one planet. You realize, as acutely as ever, that you still haven't seen all of the Solar System. That you likely never will, even if you somehow survive this battle and proceed to live for another thousand years.
    
    Just how foolish were humans, in these ancient times before the Dawn, to think they'd ever need to colonize the [i]galaxy[/i]? That they'd skip over this sprawling, stupendous, astronomic expanse of the Solar System just to find some Earth-like planet orbiting another star? It was arrogance, it was ignorance, or maybe just… numbness to the grandeur that surrounded them. It's easy to hate them for it, but easier yet to pity.
  #...the rings.
    Looking down over the ship's edge, you imagine what would happen if you fell off. The rings you're admiring have no gravity to speak of, but you'd still fall towards them, carried by your original momentum. You'd then descend into this beautiful pond of ice and rock… and be obliterated by it almost instantly, because the difference in velocities between the rings and the ship you're on is just that large.
    
    You decide to stop looking.
  #...the Sun.
    Sun's malice is eternal, its searing light cruel, its smile as devious as always. But it still offers warmth, making it preferable to the sea of ice underneath. More pleasant to look at.
    
    *if ((master = "Quetzapep") or (master = "Pazuzu")) or (master = "Phenex")
      You wonder if your old @{god_gen master|mistress|sovereign} is still there. ${master}, that is, not the human who owned you but the deity which gave you power. @{god_gen He|She|It} likely survives still, for while gods may not be truly immortal, they are damn difficult to kill.
      
      If so, then @{god_gen his|her|its} blessings would certainly come in handy right now. You briefly consider praying, but even ${master} is limited by the speed of light. The prayer would take over an hour to arrive, and so would any power sent from the depths of the Sun. By then, everything will probably be over. 

*if (hadaly_waiting) or (((current_ro = "hadaly") or (backup_ro = "hadaly")) and (die = 1))
  *if HadalyRel > 50
    *set hadaly_on_roof true
    *goto hadaly_heart

*if (damon_waiting) or (((current_ro = "damon") or (backup_ro = "damon")) and (die = 2))
  *if DamonRel > 50
    *goto damon_heart

*if first_mission = "telesto"
  *goto wisp_heart
*if first_mission = "saturn"
  *goto west_heart
*if first_mission = "calypso"
  *set lisa_on_roof true
  *goto daxia_heart



*label damon_heart

"$!{name_damon}?" You hear Damon's voice as the other android approaches you. "Are you brooding again? Cause if so, I think I'm well within my rights to interrupt you."

You turn to see Damon standing over you. He's still wearing his 
*if final_mission = "telesto"
  diving 
*else
  maroon 
suit, looking fine as always. Well, maybe a bit tired, but nowhere near as spent as yourself.

*fake_choice
  #"You are. Sorry for getting distracted."
    *set DamonRel %+ 10
    "It's not you being distracted I'm worried about." Damon pouts slightly. "Just the stuff you're distracted by."
  #"Brooding is fun. Wanna join me?"
    Damon smiles. "I won't start brooding, if that's what you're asking. But if you have a free seat…"
  #"I'm [i]thinking[/i], Damon. You should try it sometime."
    "Ha." He doesn't appear to take the insult seriously. "Classic. Even if I've been racking my processors as much as anyone."
  #♡ "I give you the right to do whatever you want with me."
    *set Confid %+ 5
    "Please." Damon's voice is perfectly neutral. "Now's not the time for that."
  #"Shouldn't you be on the watchout, Damon?"
    *set DamonRel %- 5
    "Wisp has visuals on Crystal," Damon explains himself. "I'll return to the bow once it loses contact… or once the wyvern turns around."

Damon sits down next to you. He does so remarkably quietly, and even though he's almost touching you, you could probably ignore his presence if you wanted to. No breathing, no heartbeat, and he doesn't appear very eager to speak. He just looks at the sky, if it can be called that, as fascinated by the moons and the stars as you.

*fake_choice
  #"They're beautiful, aren't they?"
    *set DamonRel %+ 10
    Damon nods. "They sure are. But they aren't the only beautiful thing in my…" He pauses, seemingly losing confidence, or maybe just his willingness to flirt. Then sighs.
  #"If you want to tell me something, go on. I'm not sure how much time we have."
  #"Is there a point to you being here?"
    *set DamonRel %- 10
  #Wait for him to speak.
    Twenty-eight seconds. That's how long the silence lasts. A perfect number.

*if damon_waiting
  "You told me to wait." There's perhaps some hurt, some impatience in his voice. "There, on the roof of [i]Saturn Nine[/i]."
  
  "Right…" After Damon confided his story to you and asked you about your feelings. You weren't sure about those, back then, and so you requested time. You have a bit more certainty now.
  
  "Well… I think the time has come." Damon tries to sound cool. "I mean, I understand needing to wait, but we are about to ram our ship bow-first into Crystal. We might be dead within an hour, and so I'd like to know how you feel. About me."

*else
  "Hadaly told you all about me," Damon remarks. "There, on the roof of [i]Saturn Nine[/i]."
  
  "She told me a lot of things," you concur. "Sorry if it bothers you."
  
  "No, I agreed to walk away, it's just…" Damon bites his lip. "Did she tell you I'm thinking of… returning your advances? On me?"
  
  *fake_choice
    #"No, but I figured as much already."
      *set Confid %+ 8
      *set DamonRel %+ 8
      "Just like you…" Damon smiles. "All that foresight, all that wisdom of a thousand years."
      
      *label 999
      
      "Nine hundred and ninety-nine," you correct. "I'm not sure if I'll live until my thousandth birthday."
      
      "If you do… Tell me the future. Tell me if there's a future for the two of us."
    #"No. She did not tell me that."
      "Then I'm telling you," he says, as relieved as his voice is troubled. "And asking… Do you feel the same way about me? If we can somehow beat Crystal, is there a future for us?" 
    #"In what way do you wish to return them?"
      "In whatever way you want me to," he says, eagerly and almost desperately. "We can share a bed, or keep it platonic, or get married if you really want to."
      
      "Get Kirill to officiate?" You smile at the thought. "I'm not sure how legitimate that marriage would be."
      
      "Then we can keep it illegitimate, or… maybe I'm getting ahead of myself." Damon smiles too, embarrassed. "Just tell me… do you want to be with me?"
    #"I believe [i]reciprocate[/i] would be the proper term here."
      *set DamonRel %- 8
      "Just like you…" Damon shakes his head, but he does smile. "I guess living for a thousand years would make anyone into a smartass."
      
      *goto 999
    #"Huh. I didn't know you were actually interested."
      *set DamonRel %- 8
      "And you still hit on me despite that?" Damon raises a blond eyebrow. "That's… kinda messed up, actually."
      
      "Sorry Damon, I was just… it's my way of…"
      
      "It's fine," he interrupts. "Or at least I'm willing to move past that. I just want to know if you meant it when we flirted. If [i]you're[/i] still interested."

*fake_choice
  *if damon_waiting
    #♡ "I love you. And I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."
      *set official_ro "damon"
      "You do?" Damon perks up. "I mean… I love you too. I mean, I kinda made that clear already, but I decided to restate that to-"
      
      "Just to be sure. I get it." You smile calmingly. "You don't need to turn into your sister, all of the sudden."
      
      "Right. Sorry." Damon's smile is shy, but satisfied. "And don't worry about having made me wait. We'll make up for it if we manage to return home."
      
      *goto onceif
      
  #♡ "I'm willing to try it out. You?"
    *set official_ro "damon"
    "Try it out…" Damon says wistfully. "I mean, it's not the dramatic declaration of love I was hoping for, but sure. We'll go on a date or two if we return home, then maybe take it further. All fine by me."
    
    *label onceif
    
    *if Confid > 50
      "Once we return home, Damon," you correct your new boyfriend. "Once."
    *else
      "Yeah…" You lean against your new boyfriend. "If we return."
    
  *if not (damon_waiting)
    #♡ "Yes."
      *set official_ro "damon"
      Damon blinks. "Yes? That's all you're going to say?"
      
      "I could say more if you want me to," you say with a shrug. "But I've spent the majority of this mission talking. Spent much of my life mincing words. With something as important as that… I'd prefer to be direct."
      
      "You know, maybe I'd feel offended by how crass you are." Damon places his heavy head on your durable shoulder. "If I didn't love you for it."
  *if not (damon_waiting)
    #"I'm never serious when I flirt. Get lost."
      *set DamonRel %- 20
      *goto damon_reject
  #"I thought about it and... I don't think we can work. Not as a couple. Sorry."
    *goto damon_reject

*set DamonRel %+ 20

The two of you sit there for several minutes, watching the stars, holding your hands, ignoring the danger. It's a moment that lasts blissfully long, far longer than it should considering the circumstances… but it ends eventually, as you return to war again.

*goto proper_start

*label damon_reject

*if current_ro = "damon"
  *set current_ro ""
*if backup_ro = "damon"
  *set backup_ro ""

"Oh." Damon's eyes actually get dimmer, going from shiny sapphires to dull blue. "That's… alright. I'm not going to go all clingy or bitter, we can remain… friends if that's what you want, I… better go."

And then he goes. Towards the exit hatch and into the ship, eager to get away from you. Almost like he's about to cry, for all you know that to be impossible.

You sigh. You could have handled it better, both this final rejection and everything else to do with Damon. But now's not the time to beat yourself over it, not when your life may well be coming to an end.

*goto proper_start


*label hadaly_heart

"${name}?" You hear Hadaly's voice as the other android approaches you. "You alright? Please don't tell me you're about to have another flashback. Unless you [i]are[/i], in which case please tell me."

For the first time since you've met her, Hadaly manages to actually look less that beautiful. The smear on her face is nothing new, but now she's positively covered by the stuff, as well as oil and what looks like glue. Price of keeping [i]Gray Queen[/i] running in such a situation, you suppose.

*fake_choice
  #"I'm alright, more or less."
    "I sure hope it's more than less," Hadaly quips as she sits down beside you. "I'd hate needing to repair one more machine today."
  #"You know Hadaly, I'm really glad I lack a sense of smell right now."
    "Always look at the bright side of life," Hadaly quips as she sits down beside you. "Sometimes, I wonder why Ewald gave me the sense of smell. It does feel like more trouble than it's worth."
    
    Against your better judgment, you decide to inquire. "You never asked him?"
    
    "I would have ended up stuttering. If you think I can be nervous now… You haven't seen me before I escaped."
  *if deflect > 0
    #"I'm fine. And I'm not just saying that, for once."
      *set HadalyRel %+ 12
      "Glad you recognize how obnoxious you can be." Hadaly sits down beside you. "With all the deflections and all."
      
      You grimace slightly. "You're a bit more… crass than usual. Is it your programming wearing off?"
      
      "It's mostly me being frustrated with the engines." Hadaly's eyes are indeed a shade of red. "Though being hundreds of thousands kilometers away from Rhea probably helps."
  #"Done working already?"
    "Our engines cannot be boosted any further." Hadaly sits down beside you. "So yeah. I'm done."
  #"When we return to the fortress, you [i]need[/i] to take a shower."
    "I think nothing short of [i]industrial cleaning[/i] will suffice at this point," Hadaly groans as she sits down beside you. "Things those humans are making me do…"
  #"Are the engines fine?"
    "As fine as they can be, given the stress they're under." Hadaly sits down beside you. "But I don't want to talk about machines. Other than the two of us, that is."
  #"No flashbacks this time. Just regular old brooding."
    *set HadalyRel %+ 8
    "I suppose that's a bit better." Hadaly sits down beside you. "I mean, I'm not sure if it's healthy either… but I'm doing a lot of that when no one's looking too."

Hadaly looks to the stars. You can tell, from her expression and the lack of change in her eyes, that she doesn't truly appreciate the firmament. That she doesn't understand, for whatever reason, just how splendorous it is. That it's just an excuse for her to not look at you.

*if hadaly_waiting
  "You told me to wait," she says calmly, but perhaps with some woe. "There, on the roof of [i]Saturn Nine[/i]."
  
  "Right…" After Hadaly confided his story to you and asked you about your feelings. You weren't sure about those, back then, and so you requested time. You have a bit more certainty now.
  
  "Well… I think the time has come." Her voice doesn't get any less serene, even as her eyes pale. "I mean, I understand needing to wait, but now… I don't know how much time we have left, so I'd like to know how you feel. Whether you want me."

*else
  "Damon told you all about me," Hadaly remarks. "There, on the roof of [i]Saturn Nine[/i]."
  
  "He told me a lot of things," you concur. "Sorry if it bothers you."
  
  "No, I agreed to walk away, it's just…" Hadaly sighs, an oddly human sound. "${name}, we don't have much time. Can I be direct with you, for once?"
  
  "Sure…" You get the feeling you know what kind of question is coming.
  
  "Do you love me, ${name}? Or think you could come to love me if we… got together at last?"

*fake_choice
  *if hadaly_waiting
    #♡ "I love you. And I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."
      *set HadalyRel %+ 15
      "Better late than never," Hadaly says with a relieved smile. "And you're worth waiting for, in any case."
  *if not (hadaly_waiting)
    #♡ "I'm willing to try it out. You?"
      "Sure." Hadaly smiles as her eyes brighten. If your witlessness offends her at all, she doesn't let that show. "We don't need to commit to anything if you don't feel like it. Other than commit changes to our code repositories, that is."
  #♡ "Yes."
    "You are an android of annoyingly few words," Hadaly says with a smile. "Did I ever tell you that?"
    
    "Perhaps." You return the smile. "You're an android of many words, and I keep all of them stored in my memory. Digging through it all would take time."
    
    "Your search engine must be terrible," she quips back. "But it's alright. I can fix you, in time."
    
    You wonder if she's talking just about your database-browsing capabilities, or something more. You decide it's fine either way.
    
  #"I thought about it and... I don't think we can work. Not as a couple. Sorry."
    *goto hadaly_reject
  #"Nah, that's too romantic for me. I was just hoping to get you into bed."
    *set HadalyRel %- 15
    *goto hadaly_reject

*set official_ro "hadaly"

"So what now?" You put your arm around her frame. "Do we commemorate this occasion with a kiss?"

"A big, damn, romantic kiss?" Hadaly leans against you. "Sorry, but I don't really feel like it. Somehow, it's… not this kind of night. If we can speak of nights, here."

"We can speak of whatever you want," you assure your new girlfriend. "And do whatever you want. The kiss was just an idea, I'm not…"

"I know you're not. I know."

Turns out Hadaly doesn't want to do anything special. She just wants the contact, the comfort, the feeling of being embraced by you on the upper deck of this ship. A ship that slowly catches up to the wyvern you're all hunting… far faster than you'd like it too.

*goto proper_start

*label hadaly_reject

*if current_ro = "hadaly"
  *set current_ro ""
*if backup_ro = "hadaly"
  *set backup_ro ""

"Oh." Hadaly looks higher up, momentarily more desperate to avoid your gaze. "That is… entirely reasonable. Logical. Probably for the best, given how… excuse me."

Still not looking at you, Hadaly stands up and walks away. You can only guess what her eyes are like as she re-enters the ship through the hatch. Blue, most likely, as though about to become filled with tears.

You let her go. You may have been interested, once—it's hard not to be interested in a woman so striking—but priorities have changed. There is only you and the stars now… and the mission that's about to conclude.

*goto proper_start



*label wisp_heart

*temp fuckoff false

*set wisp_approached true


Then, everything gets brighter. Light that far outshines the Sun gives you an actual shadow, long and wide, as the source of the radiance happens to be quite close by.

"Veteran ${name}?" Wisps asks, hovering over the ship. "Are you okay? I know you're sometimes not."

*fake_choice
  #"I'm not about to suffer a flashback, if that's your concern."
    *set deflect - 1
    "That's to be expected," Wisp thoughtfully says. "You once told me they're like, your unprocessed memories overflowing. You've had a few flashbacks recently, so you might not have any other onces for a while."
  #"That's one way to put it, I suppose."
    "That's a [i]very[/i] dismissive answer," Wisp points out. "Like, you didn't really say anything at all."
  #"Wisp. Aren't you supposed to be following Crystal?"
    "I can probably catch up with it," Wisp replies. "Sides, we have more fuel to burn than it has fat. We'll get it."
  #"I don't know what you're talking about. I'm fine."
    *set deflect + 1
    "You do know." Wisp states concisely. "And you imply you're really [i]not[/i] fine by pretending otherwise."
  #"Fuck off, Wisp."
    *set fuckoff true
    *set deflect + 1
    "You're really aggressive," Wisp points out. 
    *if Violence > 50
      Even for you. 
    *else
      Like, more than you usually are. 
    That implies I'm right to be worried."

You wince. "You sound… a lot smarter than normally."

"I can be smart, when I want to." Wisp hovers closer. "It just takes up lots of my power and memory. Right now, I'm not using much power on anything else, and I've cleared most of my drives of data."

"You did a memory wipe? Why?"

"To understand you," Wisp says glumly. "I've always known you're not okay, not fully, but…"

*fake_choice
  #"Do we [i]have[/i] to talk about this, Wisp?"
    *set fuckoff true
    "Just this once," the drone pleads. 
  #"So you weren't completely stupid even then."
    "I was! And it was still obvious!" Wisp exclaims. 
  #"But what? Go on."
    Wisp obeys. 
  #"But you think I'm getting worse."
    "It's not even that," Wisp reassures you. 
  #"I [i]am[/i] okay! I'm okay..."
    *set Emotion %+ 10
    *set deflect + 1
    "Please don't do that," Wisp says sadly. 
  *if fuckoff
    #"Didn't I tell you to fuck off? Fuck off."
      *goto leave_wisp
"The very first place we went through, Telesto… You were a wreck after that, Veteran ${name}. More than the rest of us. I saw it, our friends saw it, the humans saw it, it was just that bad."

"I've gotten better. I had to."

"That's the problem. I thought you'd get help, or reassembled, or at least some longer rest… but they just brought you inside $!{second_mission} as soon as they could. I've heard Manfred even dragged you out of your pod mid-charging, for some reason."

You wince once more. "And your point is…?"

"That I don't like how they treat you. How [i]everyone[/i] treats you, at least everyone who wants something. They all think they'll get that something from you, that you'll do the heavy lifting and make tough decisions, like you did that heist a month back. Doesn't it get… exhausting?"

*fake_choice
  #"I'm tired anyway. Lived too long. Might as well make myself useful before..."
    "No!" Wisp protests. "No deal. You're a machine, not some aging organic."
    
    "Machines break, Wisp," you say morosely. "And I'm way past my warranty period. I may get a few more decades, conceivably a century, but-"
    
    "But no. I'm just as old as you, and I feel great." Wisp flies closer and gets a little dimmer. Yet warmer. "You just feel old cause you don't have anyone to talk with. And now you have me. Problem solved!"
    
  #"I'm the Veteran. It comes with the territory."
    "Well, being the Veteran also comes with having friends." Wisp flies closer and gets a little dimmer. Yet warmer. "Like me."
    
    You nod. "And the others. Don't think they're not my friends just because they want stuff from me sometimes."
    
    "I'm not saying that… Just that you can never have enough friends. You get me?"
    
    "Yeah. I have you." 
  #"Yeah. It can get exhausting."
    "Well… maybe you'll get a chance to rest after the mission, at least." Wisp flies closer and gets a little dimmer. Yet warmer. "And I promise I'll be there with you, when everything's over. And that I won't ask for anything. Pinky promise."
    
  #"It's alright, Wisp. I wanted to take part in this mission."
    "But why?" Wisp asks, more frustrated than surprised. "I don't think you're enjoying it much."
    
    You shrug. "Maybe I don't. 
    *if Violence > 65
      But there are those few moments of action, violence, chances for me to feed all the killing data. Those moments make it all worth it."
    *elseif crystal_friend
      But there is someone who needs me very much, more than even our group does. Someone I [i]want[/i] to help."
    *elseif Misan < 35
      But I get to work with humans again, help them, make peace with my creators. That makes it all worth it."
    *elseif deflect > 0
      But the mission distracts me, and that's all I really need."
    *else
      But it's something I have to do because… I just do."
    
    "Can't say I understand, even with all that extra power." Wisp flies closer and gets a little dimmer. Yet warmer. "But I respect that. You're allowed to be somewhat weird at your age."
    
  #"Well... @{(LisaRel >= 50) Lisa|Hellhound} never wanted much from me."
    "That's true, I think," Wisp concedes. "I feel she [i]gets[/i] you more than she lets on. More than other humans. More than most of us, really."
    
    You manage a smile. "Including you?"
    
    "Nah." Wisp flies closer and gets a little dimmer. Yet warmer. "I get you more. Or at least as much."
    
  #"You're exaggerating. What does Damon want from me, or what does Hadaly?"
    "I'm not entirely sure," Wisp admits. "But there's something. I'm not saying they're not your friends or… Just that they rely on you too, in some way."
    
    You think back to your conversation with @{die Damon|Hadaly} on the roof of [i]Saturn Nine[/i]. Was it really for your benefit, or a cry for… emotional support? For a promise you'll defend them against Hammon when the time comes? It's frustratingly difficult to tell.
    
    "But hey, it's not like they didn't help you once or twice." Wisp flies closer and gets a little dimmer. Yet warmer. "At the end of the day, we're a team. We'll always make it up to you, even if it takes us some time. We're not humans, you know."
    
  #"Not everyone. Not you."
    "I don't really need much…" Wisp says awkwardly. "I don't think I deserve credit for not pestering you."
    
    "It's not about credit, Wisp," you say calmly. "It's about the cold facts. We are both soulless machines, after all."
    
    "I guess…" Wisp flies closer and gets a little dimmer. Yet warmer. "Good thing you don't need a soul to make friends."
    
  *if fuckoff
    #"Didn't I tell you to fuck off? Fuck off."
      *goto leave_wisp
  *if not (fuckoff)
    #"Leave. Leave me alone, Wisp."
      *label leave_wisp
      *set deflect + 1
      "Well… If you're sure that's what you want…" Obediently at last, Wisp flies away. Leaving you on the roof, alone as you wanted, except you still have your own thoughts to trouble you.
      
      They'll go away soon enough. You're sure of that. Not that they're a problem anyway. You're perfectly fine. You're… just waiting for the final battle to begin.
      
      *goto proper_start
You smile, somewhat despite yourself. Wisp can be annoying, but it's capable of being endearing all the same. And while comforting you may not be the best use of its time… It's certainly not the worst either.

You sit like this for several more minutes, two great orbs of light shining down on you. Hundreds more, if you count the moons around you and stars in the sky. It's so serene… that it simply cannot last.

You have a job to do.

*goto proper_start


*label daxia_heart

"Hey ${name_lisa}?" You hear a voice, a young woman's voice, a few meters behind you. 
*if official_ro = "lisa"
  "How is my awesome boyfriend doing? Because ${pronoun} look@{plural |s} kinda lonely."
*else
  "How are you doing? Because I think you've seen better days."

In the pale light of the distant Sun, Lisa appears like a ghost. Her blouse and pants look quite milky, white against the black background of space, and her skin is hardly any darker. Only her hair stands out, saturated orange, like a flame flickering over a waxen candle.

*fake_choice
  *if official_ro != "lisa"
    #"Most of my days have been pretty bad, actually."
      "I may know what it's like." Lisa sits down beside you. "But that's not why I'm here."
    #"Yeah. Quite a few better days."
      "You gotta tell me all about these days someday." Lisa sits down beside you. "But maybe not today."
  *if official_ro = "lisa"
    #♡ "Lonely? Not anymore I'm not."
      "You're about to get even less lonely." Lisa sits down beside you. "For better or worse."
    #♡ "And how about my awesome girlfriend? How is she holding up?"
      "Not terrible…" Lisa blushes a little as she sits down beside you, the ghost-like quality gone. "But that might change soon."
  #♡ "You look stunning, you know that?"
    *set LisaRel %+ 10
    *if official_ro != "lisa"
      "I think it's a bit late for us to hook up." Lisa sits down beside you. "But thanks."
    *else
      "Of course I know that." Lisa blushes a little. She sits down beside you, the ghost-like quality gone. "How else would I have ensnared someone as cool as you?"
  #"Go away. Let me brood alone."
    *set LisaRel %- 10
    "Can't afford to do that." Lisa sits down beside you. "And you can't afford to just sit there and do nothing."
  #Say nothing.
    "Not up for a conversation?" Lisa sits down beside you. "Because that might become a problem soon."

She throws something onto your lap, an item you quickly identify as a quantum disc. The one Da-xia gave to Kirill, all these weeks back, during your visit to Calypso. "The bitch called a minute ago. Kirill decided you should speak with her, while he's busy talking to West."

"And he had you fetch the device?" You ask, rotating the disc in your hand. There is indeed a call incoming, or so the screen informs you.

"It's an appropriate job for a canine," Lisa says with a shrug. "And the only thing for me to contribute, really. So I'll stay here as the two of you discuss strategy."

*temp warned false

*fake_choice
  #"You think that's why she's calling? To discuss strategy?"
    "Only one way to find out," Lisa nudges you. "Come on, I promise I won't get in the way… too much."
  #"And why does Kirill want me, specifically, to handle this?"
    "He thinks Da-xia likes you, and he may well be right," the werewolf explains. "Let's see about that, shall we?"
  #"You're just curious what Da-xia has to say, aren't you?"
    *set LisaRel %+ 10
    "Guilty as charged." Lisa shrugs again. "So get on with it."
  #"Don't pick a fight with Da-xia again. No barbs, no interruptions, or else."
    *set warned true
    *set LisaRel %- 10
    "I promise I'll only cause the bare minimum trouble," Lisa solemnly swears. "Now come on, let's not keep her waiting."
  #"Well, let's not keep the Pandit waiting any longer."
    "It would be funny to just keep her waiting until she hangs up," Hellhound remarks. "But your way works too."
  #"Can I trust you not to say anything stupid?"
    *set warned true
    "I promise to keep my barbs clever." Lisa smiles evilly. "Now go on."
  #Just open the connection.

You press the 'accept' button and enable the quantum entanglement, causing the whole disc to flare brightly. One second later, Da-xia's regal face appears on the circular screen.

*if Social > 50
  *set DaxiaRel %+ 10
*if creed = "bayes"
  *set DaxiaRel %+ 10

"$!{name_daxia}." Her voice is level, with only a measured note of 
*if DaxiaRel > 55
  relief. 
*elseif DaxiaRel < 45
  distaste. 
*else
  impatience. 
"Good to see you. Especially considering the rapid progress your group has been making."

You're not sure if she's being sarcastic. It's been almost a month since you left Calypso… but maybe she heard about the progress you've made over the last few hours, somehow.

*fake_choice
  #"I wouldn't say rapid... But we may be concluding this mission soon."
    *set Confid %- 8
    "Music to my ears." Da-xia smiles. "I hope you'll be concluding it with a success, then."
    
    "Nah," Lisa replies. "I think we'll just decide to fail the mission at the last moment instead."
  #"Likewise. In that it's nice to see your face again."
    *set DaxiaRel %+ 5
    *set LisaRel %- 5
    "Like a teenager talking to 
    *if pronoun = "he"
      his 
    *elseif pronoun = "she"
      her 
    *else
      their 
    first crush," Hellhound comments blithely. "I'd tell you to get a room, if you weren't half a million kilometers apart."
  #"Great Pandit. Pleasure to hear your voice again."
    *set DaxiaRel %+ 10
    *set LisaRel %- 8
    "So formal, so obnoxiously polite." Hellhound yawns theatrically. "You two should hook up. If you haven't already."
  #"We've managed to track Crystal down. No thanks to your help."
    *set DaxiaRel %- 10
    *set LisaRel %+ 10
    Da-xia raises an eyebrow. "I notice that I'm confused. What kind of help were you expecting from me?"
    
    You reply with a shrug. "I don't know, anything. Some financial support, perhaps."
    
    "The lunar budget of Calypso is not unlimited," Da-xia says harshly. "And I only have access to a fraction of it. A fraction that somehow has to cover multifarious other expenses."
    
    "Some nefarious plans you have going on in the background?" Hellhound quips. "Come on, don't be afraid to tell us."
  #"And how do you know of our progress?"
    "We have radios here," Da-xia replies flatly. "And you are not exactly being subtle at the moment, chasing a wyvern over the rings of Saturn. You are probably visible all the way from Jupiter."
    
    "Exaggeration," Lisa says with a shrug. "If you want us to get [i]really[/i] visible, let us herd the wyvern back to Calypso."
  *if sexed_daxia
    #♡ "Missed me? I know I've missed your bed alright."
      *set backup_RO current_RO
      *set current_RO "daxia"
      *set DaxiaRel %+ 10
      *set LisaRel %- 10
      *set Confid %+ 6
      "I may have been itching to see you again." Da-xia smiles coyly. "And if you somehow find yourself in Calypso again, my bed still has space."
      
      "You're acting like horny teenagers," Lisa comments. "Even though you're both several times older than me. Kinda disgusting."

"Ah." Da-xia pouts deeply, recognizing the girl's voice. "I see Kosteniuk hasn't decided to dispose of you yet. How unfortunate."

*fake_choice
  #"Why would he? She's been obedient enough as of late."
    "Trying to assure me of how harmless your teammate is?" Da-xia's tone is that of mild disapproval. "Save it. Werewolves are never safe, and this one is a particularly nasty beast."
    
    "Nasty [i]bitch[/i], is what you wanted to say there," Lisa helpfully remarks. 
  #"I can push her off the ship, if you [i]really[/i] want me to."
    *set DaxiaRel %+ 12
    *set LisaRel %- 12
    *set Violence %+ 6
    Lisa glares at you. Just glares.
    
    "Most generous offer," Da-xia says approvingly. "But I don't think such an action would improve your chances of catching Crystal. If anything, it would cause further conflict within your team."
    
    "I guess I'll have to wait, then," Lisa says with an eye-roll. 
  #"Of course he hasn't. Hellhound is a valuable member of our team."
    *set DaxiaRel %- 8
    *set LisaRel %+ 8
    "Is she now?" Da-xia questions your judgment. "How much has she contributed since we last saw one another, really?"
    
    "Wasn't much for me to do," Lisa says with a shrug. 
  #"Leave @{(official_ro = "lisa") my girlfriend|her} alone, bitch."
    *set DaxiaRel %- 15
    *set LisaRel %+ 10
    "She started it!" Da-xia protests with sudden childishness. "You heard it!"
    
    "Right ${name}. You don't need to fight my battles." Despite her words, Lisa does smile at you. "Especially those I can't really lose."
    
    "You're just a bundle of unearned confidence, aren't you?" Da-xia sneers.
    
    "It's all earned and you know it," Lisa says with a grin. 
  #Say nothing.
    Hellhound smiles, even though Da-xia can't see the expression. 
"Hey, if you want me gone so much, why not just use that code Kirill gave you? Press whatever button you have and blow my heart out?"

"I'm not sure if you have a heart, considering what you did to my home," Da-xia says solemnly, then adds more weakly: "Besides, the signal would be too weak at this distance. And that it's the only reason you feel safe provoking me so."

"You can test that hypothesis if we meet again. When we meet again."

*fake_choice
  *if (DaxiaRel < 50) #"Tell her, Lisa. I bet she doesn't have the guts."
    *set LisaRel %+ 8
    "Supporting your squadmate, or trying to get her killed?" Da-xia loudly muses. "No matter. There's something else that needs killing."
  *if (LisaRel < 50) #"If that happens, please blow Hellhound up. She's an annoyance."
    *set DaxiaRel %+ 15
    *set LisaRel %- 15
    "You have my promise that I will not hesitate." Da-xia nods solemnly. "Just like you must not hesitate against the other [i]beast[/i] you're dealing with."
  #"Aren't we straying from our subject a bit?"
    Da-xia sighs. "Correct. Thank you for the reminder."
  #"Hey, keep it civil. We're all on the same side here."
    *set DaxiaRel %- 5
    *set LisaRel %- 5
    *set Violence %- 5
    Da-xia sighs. "Right. The side of wyvern-hunters. How easy it is to forget."
  #"Are you really doing this? Provoking someone who can blow you up once they close the distance?"
    *set LisaRel %- 8
    "Sorry for not feeling very afraid," the redhead responds. "She's just… not very intimidating compared to what we're [i]already[/i] getting nearer to."
  #"You never will. There's no reason for us to re-visit Calypso, ever."
    "Well, it's not like I intend to stay inside this habitat forever," Calypso's ruler responds. "Not if you succeed at… making the space around it safer."
  *if warned
    #"Lisa... I warned you not to do that."
      "Sorry, I forgot she's the person who destroyed my life by repeatedly trying to kill me," Lisa says flatly. "Except I didn't. It's not the sort of stuff you forget, ever."
      
      "I'm not taking that bait," Da-xia announces. "There are more pressing matters to discuss."

You glance towards the front of the ship. You see almost nothing beyond the bow, Saturn and most of its moons far behind you, but Crystal should appear there eventually. Unless they get their invisibility fully up, in which case things shall get even worse.

"$!{name_daxia}, I know you made a deal with Admiral West." Da-xia brings your attention back to the quantum disc. "I suspect you doubt his honesty, or even his ability to protect you. But I assure you that, if you manage to kill this wyvern, I'll ensure the safety of your group."

"How?" you ask, taken aback by the unprompted promise. "Are you offering to provide a security force? Or pull strings within the federate government?"

"That would just bring attention to [i]Saturn Nine[/i], increase the risk of some middle manager noticing your bunch of outcasts. No, I simply promise that I'll distract the Federation, make sure your fortress stays under the radar for a long time. Perhaps forever."

*temp daxia_dislikes true
*if DaxiaRel >= 50
  *set daxia_dislikes false
  
*fake_choice
  #"I'm surprised you know where we live. Unsettled."
    *set DaxiaRel %- 8
    "My sources are myriad, our knowledge great," Da-xia says heavily. "I hope you recognize the value in having Calypso as your ally."
    
    "You speak for the entirety of Calypso now?" Lisa chimes in again. "You are just one of twenty-eight. Do other Pandits approve of your plans?"
    
    You can barely see the flinch. "I see all hopes for a pleasant conversation are gone. Goodbye, $!{name_daxia}, and please make the right choice."
  #"And how are you hoping to accomplish that? With what means?"
    "With means I cannot reveal," Da-xia replies calmly. "Even to you."
    
    *if DaxiaRel < 50
      "Even to me?" you inquire. "Or especially to me?"
    *else
      You frown. "Even through a secure connection?"
    
    "Yes. The Calypsonian Council has its secrets, and I intend to keep them until…" She pauses, as though pondering something. "No matter. Focus on getting the job done and you'll see your reward. Pandit Da-xia out."
  *if (Database > 50) #"I hope you realize how ominous that sounded."
    *set daxia_dislikes true
    *set DaxiaRel %- 8
    "At this point, I hardly care how I sound," Da-xia sneers. "And neither should you. Just focus on getting the job done."
  #"All of that just for doing our job?"
    "It is a rather important mission." She probably shrugs, though the close-up on her face prevents you from seeing it. "Do not think you'll go unrewarded… or that failure will end well for you. Pandit Da-xia out."
  #"Thank you. I promise we won't fail."
    *set daxia_dislikes false
    *set DaxiaRel %+ 8
    *if creed = "bayes"
      "If it was anyone else making that promise, I'd doubt their words," Da-xia says softly. "But you, my fellow Bayesian… I believe you. Take care."
    *else
      "I'm not used to trusting promises from those outside my Church," Da-xia says musingly. "But thank you. And take care."
  *if (DaxiaRel < 50) #"I want nothing from you, Pandit. Get lost."
    *set daxia_dislikes true
    *set DaxiaRel %- 15
    *set LisaRel %+ 10
    "Even still, I will give you something once you complete the mission," Da-xia promises. "I don't even mind your insolence. Just avoid failing us, if you'd be so kind."

She then disconnects. The image disappears soon after the sound cuts off, leaving you with an inactive disc in your hand.

"She's lovely, isn't she?" Lisa scoffs, though her anger is now diminished. As is her confidence. 
*if daxia_dislikes
  "I'm glad you see through her. Few people do."
  
  *fake_choice
    #"I don't know if I [i]see through her[/i]. It's just a regular dislike."
      *set LisaRel %+ 5
      *set Confid %- 5
      "Eh, I'll take it," Lisa says as she leans back. "I've been raised by people literally worshiping that twat. Having someone sane by my side, even just sane enough to dislike her…"
      
      "I know. It helps you remain sane yourself." And she's not the only one. "Anyway…"
    #"The two of us are an elite group, then?"
      *set LisaRel %+ 10
      "You only notice that now?" Lisa smiles proudly. "We're the big guns here, ${name_lisa}. Maybe not now, not when actual spaceship guns are in play… But usually."
      
      "Hard to disagree," you say, thinking back to your past battles. "In any case…"
    *if (DaxiaRel < 50) #"I don't mind her that much. It's she who dislikes me, for some reason."
      *set LisaRel %- 5
      "You did piss her off once or twice," Hellhound points out. "Congratulations, by the way."
      
      "Thanks, I suppose," you murmur. "In any case…"
    #"Do I? I actually find her pretty likable."
      *set LisaRel %- 5
      "Really?" Lisa sounds disappointed. "Well, you still pissed her off once or twice. That's an achievement in my books."
      
      "Of course it is." You shake your head weakly. "Hey…"
    #"It's not difficult. Human eyesight just sucks."
      *set Confid %+ 5
      *set Misan %+ 5
      "Hey, we're actually very perceptive when compared to most animals," Hellhound points out. "My eyesight gets a lot [i]worse[/i] whenever I go wolf."
      
      You smirk. "Only seeing red?"
      
      "Nah, only blue and yellow," she corrects you. "You're clearly not a dog person, are you?"
      
      "Not many dog people left in this day and age." You remember the annual puppy-kicking competitions most moons of Saturn have. Then forget them as soon as you can. "Hey…"
*else
  "I can see why you like her. She's a good friend, if only to you."
  
  *fake_choice
    #"Oh shut up. Da-xia is our ally, and I won't apologize for liking her."
      *set LisaRel %- 10
      "I'm not asking you to apologize." Lisa's tone is surprisingly calm. "Just that if you really think she's your friend, or even someone who'll have your back, you'll find yourself disappointed. Sooner or later."
      
      "We'll see about that," you retort. "Anyway…"
    #"Isn't it time to let old grudges go? It's been years since... you know."
      *set LisaRel %- 15
      *set Violence %- 8
      "Years I've spent imprisoned because of the things [i]she[/i] made me do," Lisa growls, almost literally. "Including several months in solitary, then months of having to work with fucking Kirill. So don't tell me to forget and forgive."
      
      "I'm not saying you should [i]forget[/i]. I know that's impossible. I just forgiveness-"
      
      "I know what you're about to say," Lisa interrupts. "And I won't have it. So shove it."
      
      Something about the way her muscles twitch makes you decide to change the subject.
    #"Ouch. You're tearing me apart, Lisa."
      "I don't even have my claws out yet," Lisa points out. "So hold off complaining until your jokes start [i]seriously[/i] pissing me off."
      
      "Right." You decide to change the subject. "Hey…"
    #"Don't think I trust her. I'm just playing nice for everyone's benefit."
      *set LisaRel %+ 10
      *set Emotion %- 5
      "I guess I understand that," Lisa says with a shrug. "I mean, playing tame and friendly isn't my style… but I get it."
      
      "I'm glad you do. In any case…"
    *if sexed_daxia
      #"She's more than a friend. The things we did to one another..."
        *set LisaRel %- 10
        "Shut up!" Lisa exclaims. "You know I don't want to hear about it."
        
        "I know." You chuckle amusedly. "Hey…"
    #"It's a strategic alliance. Nothing more."
      *set Emotion %- 5
      "Then she won't be afraid to betray that alliance," Lisa says grimly. "I don't know how and why, just… Don't put too much faith in her promises."
      
      "I'll keep that in mind," you say with a nod. "But anyway…"

*temp lisa_here false

*fake_choice
  #"Are you really not afraid of getting blown up? Honestly?"
    "Nope," Lisa replies, quickly and easily. "I'm particularly worried."
    
    "Are you sure you're not faking your confidence? Your nonchalance?"
    
    Lisa pouts. "No. Like, I may have done that sometimes… But not now. I have a good reason to feel safe."
    
    *if LisaRel > 50
      *set lisa_here true
      You smile. "Is your android friend that reason?"
      
      "Not quite what I meant," she chuckles, leaning against you comfortably. "But you definitely contribute."
    *else
      "Care to share that reason with me?"
      
      "Not particularly." Hellhound stands up and begins walking, away from you and towards the entrance hatch. "But thanks for your concern, I guess."
  #"Can you stay here? At least for a minute or two?"
    *set deflect - 1
    *set LisaRel %+ 10
    *if LisaRel < 50
      "Sorry, I have better things to do." Hellhound stands up and begins walking away. "By which I mean literally anything else. Bye."
    *else
      *set lisa_here true
      "No. I hate sitting around and relaxing, I'd much rather do another chore for Kirill." Lisa crosses her legs. "Come on, @{(official_ro = "lisa") honey|android pal}. You know I'll stay if you want me to."
      
      "Yeah. I know." You smile weakly. "But thank you all the same."
  #"Do you think we'll survive? Live through what's about to come?"
    *set Confid %- 5
    *set LisaRel %+ 5
    *set lisa_here true
    "I'm positive," Lisa says with a shrug. "I mean, neither of us died a single time yet. It means we're worth something."
    
    "Or that Crystal is yet to be properly cornered," you point out. "Yet to properly try and kill us."
    
    "You're a real bummer, a pessimist. Anyone ever told you that?"
    
    "Some people. I survived them all."
  *if official_ro = "lisa"
    #♡ "Do you have a kiss to spare? It may be our last one."
      *set lisa_here true
      "It won't be." Lisa moves closer. "We'll get out of this alive, and I'll kiss you again and again. As long as you want me to, of course."
      
      "I want you to start somewhere." You lean forwards. "Here. Now."
      
      She's hesitant. Not because of you, or at least you don't think you should blame yourself. She's just not used to kisses, or perhaps just… intimacy. 
      
      And yet she embraces you, and then you kiss. Your lips against hers, flesh against stylized polyester. There is little feeling, nothing for you to taste, no wild battle of tongues and frankly not that much passion… but you're grateful for her warmth all the same.
  #"Can you leave me alone for now? I enjoy solitude."
    "Letting me down, gently, huh?" Lisa stands up, then heads towards the entrance hatch. "I get it. Sometimes you just need to think, or process in your case. Take care."
  #"Could you leave now? Your company tires me."
    *set LisaRel %- 10
    "Rude, but it's not like I'll force myself on you." Lisa stands up, then heads towards the entrance hatch. "Take care."

*if lisa_here
  The two of you stay there, on the ship's roof, for several more minutes. It's a nice moment… even if it can't really last.
*else
  *label left_alone
  You are, at last, left alone. Alone with the stars, with the moons, with Saturn and the white surface of its rings. It's a serene little moment… that naturally cannot last.

You have a job to do, after all.

*goto proper_start


*label west_heart

*if marshal_pissed
  *set RenfriRel %- 10

And then you hear footsteps. Light, purposefully quiet, but undeniably of someone approaching you. 
*if official_ro = "renfri"
  "How is my girlfriend doing? 
*else
  "How are you doing, @{(RenfriRel > 45) ${name}|android}? 
Because I have something for you."

@{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} slowly approaches you, wearing her usual suit of armor and a see-through respirator mask. Something is hovering by her side, no doubt levitated with the use of her powers. A blocky device you recognize as a radio-voxer, the primary way federate troops communicate over large distances.

"We managed to sync it with the ship's radio transmitters," she explains, dropping the device at your feet. "Light lag is still an issue, but otherwise it's working just fine. Now we're using it to contact the admiral."

"I don't suppose you're just gifting me this out of kindness?" you ask rhetorically, rotating the phone-like item in your hands. You find the 'accept call' button quickly enough.

"He wants to speak with you. Hear how things are from you." @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} sits down beside you. "Come on. Let's not keep our boss waiting."

*fake_choice
  #"I was hoping to converse with you, actually. Exchange some words before... you know."
    *if Social > 50
      *set RenfriRel %+ 10
    *if RenfriRel >= 50
      *set RenfriRel %+ 10
      "Likewise, but we don't have the time for heart-to-heart conversations," @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} sternly replies. "Only tactical reports."
    *else
      "Well I'm not interested in talking to you," @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} sternly replies. "Not unless we get a third person to bounce off."
    
    Sighing, 
  #"Are you sure Crystal won't attack us mid-report?"
    "According to Damon, the blasted thing is still a hundred kilometers away," @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} replies. "If it changes velocity, we'll have time to react."
    
    You have half a mind to ask [i]how[/i] you're supposed to react, but that topic sounds like a bummer. Instead, 
  *if (Social < 40) #"Can't you do the talking? I'm not good with people."
    *set Confid %-10
    "That would kinda miss the point, I'm afraid," @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} points out. "Come on, I'm sure you'll do fine. Probably."
    
    Unamused, 
  #"Or what? Do you think I care about his day schedule?"
    *set Confid %+10
    *set RenfriRel %- 10
    "We are really close to the edge," Marshal points out. "And to the burners, and to the rings. If someone were to be pushed off, they'd need wings to survive."
    
    You silently concede the point, then 
  #"What am I supposed to tell him?"
    *set RenfriRel %- 6
    "Whatever you feel like," Marshal says with a shrug-like movement of her wings. "That's kinda the point of calling you specifically."
    
    You silently concede the point, then 
  #"Your boss, you mean. Mine has twice his number of limbs."
    *set RenfriRel %- 8
    *if RenfriRel > 45
      "Hey, we're all a team here," Marshal insists. "So please update the guy we're all answering to."
    *else
      "Thanks for reminding me we're not [i]quite[/i] on the same team," Marshal snarks. "Now open the connection."
    
    Reluctantly, 
  *if (west_truth) #"I just remembered something. Did you know West is an android?"
    "Ha. Ha." @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} replies enthusiastically. "Good to know you're still a comedian, despite all the pressure. But can we focus on serious stuff, please?"
    
    "I'm not joking," you say with a pout. "He basically admitted to it after we left the Expanse. I think he's trying-"
    
    "Just accept the damn call!"
    
    With a sigh, 
  #"Why are you here, then? Just to eavesdrop?"
    *set RenfriRel %- 10
    "It's only eavesdropping if you do it secretly," @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} points out. "I plan to participate in the conversation… unless the admiral starts yelling at us."
    
    With a sigh, 
  #Accept the call.
    Silently, 
    *goto button_p
*label button_p
you press the green button. There is no video, this device is no quantum disc, but the image of the wrinkled, regal @{west_truth android|cyborg} admiral is still fresh in your memory.

"${name}, are you there?" the familiar voice says. "Kosteniuk said Crystal is almost within your effective range. Do you confirm?"

"We are currently chasing them." You nod, though it's a gesture West won't see. "I'm not sure why you needed that confirmed."

"I need to be [i]entirely[/i] sure about something this important, especially to the Trio's careers. Important enough to perhaps… make them bend truth a little."

@{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} frowns, but doesn't reply to the backhanded insult. Letting you speak instead.

*if Social > 50
  *set ArmyRel %+ 5
*if Misan < 40
  *set ArmyRel %+ 5


*fake_choice
  #"Just so you know, Marshal is listening in."
    *set RenfriRel %- 10
    *set ArmyRel %+ 10
    Renfri glares at you angrily… though guiltily at the same time, somehow.
    
    "Tell her I said hi," West sardonically replies. "Not that it matters. I was not planning on discussing anything… truly classified."
    
    "Are you sure that you didn't simply… change your mind about the things you wish to discuss?"
    
    "I am sure. But I admire your scrutiny."
  #"You should not doubt your subordinates like this. They're a good team."
    *set RenfriRel %+ 8
    "I get the feeling you're saying that for their benefit, without really meaning it," Admiral West takes a guess. "But if you find them likable… I suppose that's a victory of theirs."
  #"Elaborate. What's the Trio's stake in all of this?"
    *set RenfriRel %- 8
    "Nothing particularly secret," West reassures you. "It's just that… Sergeant Kosteniuk and Agent Riannon both hold ranks unusually low for their respective ages. They both see themselves as overqualified, deserving of promotion. If they succeed here, I may see fit to agree."
    
    Renfri doesn't see fit to comment.
    
    "Are you in charge of handing out promotions?" You see fit to inquire. "I thought you're just borrowing the team. That they're a different branch of the military entirely."
    
    "In theory. But I am already pulling quite a few strings here. Pulling a few more would hardly be difficult."
  #"$!{injured_crystal} injured Crystal quite badly. They're slowing down."
    *if injured_crystal = "marshal"
      *set RenfriRel %+ 15
      Renfri blushes ever-so-slightly.
      
      "I never thought Agent Riannon capable of dealing serious damage like that," the admiral muses loudly. "I'll apologize to her personally, if she keeps at it."
    *if injured_crystal = "rook"
      *set RenfriRel %+ 5
      *set RookRel %+ 5
      "Sergeant Kosteniuk?" the admiral sounds taken aback. "That is… certainly relieving to hear. Perhaps I thought of him too harshly until now."
    *if injured_crystal = "hellhound"
      *set RenfriRel %+ 10
      *set LisaRel %+ 5
      "So she not only failed to desert, but actually contributed to the mission in a major way?" the admiral says, more to himself than to you. "Interesting."
      
      You furrow. "You expected her to betray us? Because if so, sending her on this mission with us was… not very nice."
      
      "No. I'm merely surprised my analysis of her was correct. She almost had me fooled, there."
    *else
      *set ArmyRel %+ 10
      "Your group is certainly pulling its weight, then," the admiral notes gladly. "Still, I will ask you to damage the beast just a little more."

You notice the admiral's voice is getting more distorted by the second. The effect is slight, almost beneath human notice, but it shows you're getting further and further away from his location. He's probably inside Titan, and so you're likely to lose the connection completely at some point.

The time for asking questions is limited.

*temp timer 0

*label west_2

*fake_choice
  *disable_reuse #"How are you holding up? Any creaking joints?"
    "My joints?" West asks flatly. "Is this [i]really[/i] the most pressing matter on your processors?"
    
    You shrug. "Well, it's not like you can hold up your end of the bargain if you're dead. I wanted to make sure you'll still be with us by the end of this day."
    
    "I may be old, but I'm not quite as ancient as you. I'm not about to keel over, nor lose all contact with reality all of the sudden."
    
    Ouch.
    
    *goto west_2
  *disable_reuse #"What's the status of the operation? Is it still a secret?"
    "Not quite," the admiral says sourly. "Your ship isn't exactly invisible as it soars through Saturn's rings. People notice, form theories, demand explanations for a warship's presence there. And if the wyvern's invisibility is failing…"
    
    "Then they'll know about Crystal too. Will they know of [i]us[/i]?"
    
    "Unlikely. We already have a cover story prepared, and it makes no mention of your group. I have no interest in revealing our cooperation, and not many other people know of it."
    
    "We visited Calypso @{(final_mission = "calypso") just now|last week}," you point out. "Its people probably noticed our presence. The leadership certainly did."
    
    "The Pandits are used to keeping secrets, and unused to going against federate authority. Enemies of the Conglomerate need to remain on [i]very[/i] good terms with the military in order to survive. They will pose no threat."
    
    *goto west_2
  *if (west_truth) 
    *disable_reuse #"Are you planning to tell the Trio about how you're... you know..."
      "No," West verbosely replies. "Anything else?"
  *disable_reuse #"What happens if we die? If Crystal manages to slay us all?"
    "That's one of life's greatest mysteries," West says poignantly. "Is death truly the end? Or do World Engines grant us misery even in the afterlife?"
    
    "You know that's not what I meant," you tiredly reply. "What happens to the others? To the remaining @{(final_mission = "telesto") six|five}? Will they be allowed to stay at [i]Saturn Nine[/i]?"
    
    "I didn't agree to give you anything in such a scenario…" West pauses for a moment. "Do you want me to?"
    
    *if (deflect >= 0) and (Emotion < 60)
      "Not really. I'm mostly just curious." Are you usually this numb to your companion's fate? Are you acting out of character right now? Impossible to determine. The echoes in your head are too loud, burying your memories, outshining your feelings. 
      
      "Then I just satisfied your curiosity." There's disappointment in the admiral's voice. "Anything else."
    *else
      *set ArmyRel %+ 10
      "Of course." You roll your optics. "I care about these people. I want them to stay alive, safely, after I pass on. Can you guarantee that?"
      
      "I don't know. They may not ever be fully safe, not with their Veteran gone… But I'll do whatever I can." There is a newfound softness, perhaps respect, audible in West's voice. Enough to make you believe his words, rest at least halfway assured that your friends will be fine.
      
      You'll see to it, even if it means your untimely… your overdue demise.
    *goto west_2
  *disable_reuse #"Can we expect reinforcements? Perhaps another ship could cut Crystal off."
    "And make this blasted chase even more visible?" West asks rhetorically. "No. This is something you and [i]Gray Queen[/i] will have to finish alone."
    
    "Even more people may find out about the mission if the wyvern escapes," you argue, hoping against hope you'll be listened to. "Are you really sure that's how you want to do this?"
    
    "Suppose I sent a monitor, or even a frigate to do your job for you. What would it prove, and what would I have out of this whole arrangement? Show me you can slay Crystal, or that your group can, else we're done here."
    
    Well that's nice.
    
    *goto west_2
  *disable_reuse #"Is our deal still in place?"
    "I would have told you if it wasn't," West reassures you. "Nor were the terms altered. The wyvern for your station, simple as that."
    
    "Are you sure?" you dare to ask. "Not that I'm trying to renegotiate… But we've learned quite a few things about Crystal since. As Rook no doubt told you."
    
    "He told me nothing to change my mind. It's a dusk-infected wyvern just as we thought, and it needs to die just as we demanded. Just as we still do."
    
    *set timer + 1
    
    *goto west_2
  *if timer > 0
    *disable_reuse #"What if all the Dusk just... spills itself out? Do we have plans for that?"
      "We have no reasons to believe Dusk nanites work like this," West replies, somewhat weakly. "Or at least no solid evidence."
      
      "We have little solid evidence for [i]anything[/i] involving the Thing Beneath," you argue, strangely confident in your uncertainty. "Other than the danger it poses. Crystal's death-"
      
      "Is a necessity!" West interrupts you. "I cannot just… We can't let that thing get away. Not after everything it did. It must die."
      
      You're not sure if you want to know why West is so invested in this. You're fairly sure he won't ever tell you.
      
      *goto west_2
  #"Well then. I promise we will not fail you."
    *set ArmyRel %+ 5
    "I'd tell you not to make a promise you can't keep," West says heavily. "But right now… The more motivation you have, the better. Godspeed."
  #"Anything else you want from me?"
    *set ArmyRel %- 5
    "I have no desires I haven't expressed already," West states sternly. "Complete the mission I gave you. Otherwise, you will get nothing from me."
  #Just hang up.
    *set ArmyRel %- 10
    *set RenfriRel %- 10
    With a single press of a button, the connection is terminated. 
    *goto poafasf

The connection then ends. 
*label poafasf
The voxer becomes a pile of disabled electronics, deaf to the radio waves around it. In the silence, a sound can be heard; Some strange fusion of a sound and a groan, almost more avian than human.

"And here I was hoping he'd actually send some support," Renfri says, enveloped in her own wings. "But I suppose it could have gone worse."

*fake_choice
  #"How? Did you really think he'd just start yelling at us?"
    "I may have feared that," @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} admits. "A little."
    
    "Why?" you inquire. "If I got the structure right, he's not your actual superior officer. He's just borrowing your team, or so to speak."
    
    "Yeah but… He's still an extremely powerful figure. He could give me the promotion I want, or deny it forever. It all depends on how well we do… and how much I contribute."
  #"It's unlike you to worry so much."
    *set RenfriRel %+ 8
    "Is it? Because I've been worried for a while now." 
    *label wingspan
    She tightens the wings around herself. "It's as he said. The mission is important, to me as much as everyone else."
    
    "If not more," you add, earning a nod from the Kinnari. "You really want to move up the ranks."
    
    "I'm getting older, ${name}, and so do my parents back on Titan," @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} says grimly. "I can't be stuck as an Agent forever. I need a higher rank, higher pay if nothing else. I can't lose."
    
    You wonder if that's the full truth. Whether @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} also wants glory for the sake of it. It's impossible to tell, and probably irrelevant in the grand scheme of things.
  #"Don't fret. We're more than capable of handling this by ourselves."
    *set Confid %+ 8
    *set RenfriRel %+ 8
    "Maybe we are. But if you're wrong…" She sighs deeply. "Let's just say… I'd rather not contemplate [i]that[/i] particular outcome. I would much rather prevent it."
  #"Do you think we'll need that support?"
    "Maybe. Hard to tell, I just…" 
    *goto wingspan
  #"Yeah. He's kind of a dick."
    *set RenfriRel %- 8
    "Despite everything, I don't appreciate you talking about our admiral that way," Renfri tells you off. "But… I won't tell him you said that."
  #Don't comment.
    "Not feeling up for a conversation?" Marshal raises an eyebrow slightly. "That's okay. I guess I shouldn't be feeling either."

She stands up, straightening her wings, scattering a handful of caramel feathers throughout the floor. "I think I'll go on patrol. Make sure no advert drone is coming to distract us with genital enlargement ads. Don't accelerate too much when I'm gone, okay?"

She's about to take off. Depart. She should be back in several minutes, but if she's not… If something happens to either her or the ship…

*fake_choice
  *if (burger_throw) #"Hey... sorry for throwing that burger in your face."
    *set RenfriRel %+ 12
    "Seriously?" Marshal cocks an eyebrow. "That's the thing on your mind?"
    
    You wince. "Look. I get it's not terribly important, it's just… We may die soon. I don't want to leave anything unsaid or unforgiven."
    
    "Very well, you're forgiven for ruining my meal," she smiles and takes a step forward. "Just don't do that again, in case we [i]don't[/i] all die."
  *if (wisp_attack) #"Hey... sorry for tricking Wisp into attacking you, back then."
    *set RenfriRel %+ 15
    *set marshal_pissed false
    "Oh right. That." Marshal pouts. "I almost forgot that, probably because of all that head trauma."
    
    "Like I said… sorry." You hang your head. "I was stupid back then. Too hostile, too distrustful of your team. I've gotten better."
    
    "I suppose you did." She takes a step forward, away from you. "And… maybe I did too. So we're even."
  #"Do you have enough power for that? We haven't been inside a Hollow World for a while now."
    "We flew near Iapetus just now. I feel the extra juice in my system." She flaps her wings, as though to demonstrate that very energy. "It's not enough for a fight, but I can manage a quick patrol. Take care."
  #"Just don't kill Crystal all by yourself. I don't think Kirill would forgive you."
    *set RenfriRel %+ 8
    "He would. I haven't pissed him off seventy-seven times already," Marshal says with a smile. "But don't worry. We'll all get our glory, once we catch up with our prey."
  #"Renfri, it's fine. You've done enough for this mission already."
    *set RenfriRel %+ 10
    "Thank you… but I doubt everyone shares your view," Renfri says sadly. "I'm not sure if I do."
  #"Must you go? I enjoy your company."
    *set RenfriRel %+ 10
    *if (official_ro = "renfri") or (RenfriRel > 55)
      "And I enjoy yours." Renfri smiles, warmly and bitterly. "But you know how it is."
      
      "Yeah. I guess I know," you sigh. "Take care."
    *else
      "Sorry, ${name}." Marshal isn't even looking at you as she speaks, as she bends her legs and tenses her thighs. "It's a bit late for us to become friends. I don't really like you, and the feeling's probably mutual. Let's leave it at that."
  *if official_ro = "renfri"
    #♡ "Can I at least have a kiss first?"
      *set RenfriRel %+ 15
      "Well… you did ask nicely." Renfri takes off her mask as she approaches. "So I'll be nice too."
      
      She allows you to embrace her, to push her head into your as the two of you kiss. It's an honest, pleasurable, affectionate gesture… But you can sense she's not truly into it. That her mind is somewhere else, filled to the brim with duty, and with fear, and perhaps something worse still. Some… inadequacy even your presence doesn't really help with.
      
      So it's no surprise when she disengages, a little too quickly for your tastes. Maybe she realizes that too; The smiles she flashes you looks apologetic, rather than confident or coy.
  #"No promises, human."
    *set Misan %+ 10
    *if (official_ro = "renfri") or (RenfriRel > 55)
      "I'm gonna take that as a joke," Renfri says, bending her legs and spreading her wings. "See you later, android."
    *else
      *set RenfriRel %- 10
      "And here I thought we grew past this kind of bickering," Renfri scoffs as she bends her legs. "Apologies for my mistake. And bye."

She then jumps into the air and takes off towards the void, leaving the ship's atmospheric bubble in perhaps a second. She's good at flying, perhaps better than when you first met her. These few weeks passed like minutes to you, a machine that's probably over a millennium now, but skills could conceivably have improved. 

Maybe you'll ask her about that when she returns. If she returns.

*goto left_alone


*label proper_start

*page_break

*if final_mission = "saturn"
  *goto saturn_start

When Damon informs you that Crystal is clearly visible, you know it's time for you to get inside. @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} confirms that suspicion, by shouting for to come, just as you descend the ladder to the lower deck. Arriving at the cockpit only takes another few seconds.

It's a dingy little room, and it has only gotten less tidy over weeks of continuous use. The sight of decaf stains on the floor, the temperature readings and the knowledge that the air likely smells of sweat… It makes you appreciate how limited your senses are.

"${name}." @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} lacks his usual politeness, doesn't even bother to turn around as you enter the room. His eyes are aimed squarely at the central screen, as are Renfri's and Hadaly's. "Take a look at this. Manfred, share the video inputs."

Without a word, also lacking cordiality, Manfred activates the large screen. 
*if final_mission = "saturn"
  *goto saturn_start
It shows the rings, up close, a belt rather than a flat surface. Shards and hunks of ice fill the entire image, in conjunction with gravel-like fields of tiny rocks.

At first, you're not sure what you should be looking at. But then you notice a blur moving between the comet-like blocks, proof that Crystal is there, and that their invisibility is still malfunctioning. The fact that you can see them at all is reassuring… and indicates you're getting close to the ring's edge, where the ice is spread thinly and void approaches.

*fake_choice
  *if official_ro = "kirill"
    #♡ "Are you alright, Kirill? It pains me to see my boyfriend so stressed-out."
      *set RookRel %+ 10
      "I am just fine," Kirill reassures you with a very quick, very weak smile. "Let us focus on the mission. Otherwise, Crystal will be able to leave the ring unharmed."
      
      *goto nothing_out_there
  #"Where on Cloud is this wyvern headed for?"
    "We just debated that," Hadaly answers the query. "And figured there's only one possible answer."
    
    "That it's actually going to the Oort Cloud?" you say half-seriously. "Because until then, there's literally nothing in that direction except… Janus."
  #"Why aren't we shooting? We have the visuals."
    *set RenfriRel %+ 5
    *set HadalyRel %- 5
    "Too much ice in the way," Rook says dismissively. "We'll have a better chance of getting a clean shot at Crystal once they leave the ring."
    
    *label nothing_out_there
    
    "Are you sure that's their intent?" you inquire. "There's nothing out there except… Janus."
  #"Manfred, what's the exact distance?"
    *set ManfredRel %+ 5
    *set RookRel %+ 5
    "Between us and the wyvern? About two thousand kilometers," Manfred dutifully replies. "Between them and [i]their[/i] target? About fifteen."
    
    "How do you know where it's headed?" you ask the program. "Unless you assume… Janus?"
  #"That's Crystal. What do you expect me to do about it?"
    *set RookRel %- 5
    *set RenfriRel %- 5
    "Tell us what the Cloud it's doing?" Marshal suggests. "It's heading for the edge with no signs of slowing down. Why?"
    
    "How should I know?" you reply. "Maybe it wants to reach the Janus Ring, or maybe just… Janus."

*label janus_exp

Janus is one of the larger moons of Saturn, tenth by both mass and volume. However, the entrances leading to the habitat inside are known for being narrow, nothing like the great gates of Rhea or the opening of Calypso. Just enough for a wyvern, maybe enough for a reefer, not enough for any respectable warship.

"If Crystal reaches the moon and hides inside, they will likely be gone forever," Manfred states what everyone knows already. "It will be difficult to fight them, in such a populous habitat. Impossible to bring anything heavier than this cutter."

*fake_choice
  #"Well, I guess that's it. Mission failed. Good effort guys."
    *set RenfriRel %- 5
    *set HadalyRel %+ 5
    *if not (crystal_friend)
      *set Confid %- 15
    "Hey, let's not give up just yet," @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} commands. "There is one more thing we haven't tried."
  #"All the more reason to open fire. At this instant."
    *set Violence %+ 10
    "Maybe not [i]quite[/i] this instant," @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} suggests. "There's an upgrade we must enable first."
  #"We could blow up the whole moon. There are weapons strong enough out there."
    *set Violence %+ 10
    *set Confid %+ 10
    *set RenfriRel %- 10
    "They're all restricted, and I wouldn't feel comfortable using them," @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} replies. "But… there [i]is[/i] a weapon we could use."
  #"Fuck. What can we do to stop them?"
    "Well…"  @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} hesitates. "There is a method. An upgrade we're yet to fully utilize."
  #"It's our fault. We should have stopped it from getting the nanites it wanted."
    *set Emotion %+ 5
    *set Confid %- 5
    "You think so?" Kirill scoffs. "Because I feel like we have done everything in our power."
    
    "Not everything," @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} replies. "We haven't tested our new upgrades yet."

"Are you sure about that, Marshal?" @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} says worriedly. "If I recall, you were against even installing those."

*if official_ro = "renfri"
  "Well, that was before I fell for our ace in the sleeve." 
  *goto glance
*elseif RenfriRel > 50
  "I may have grown… less distrustful of our allies." 
  *label glance
  She glances in your direction, softly and almost guiltily, before addressing her leader again. "We need to try."
  
  "Marshal, I'm not telling you [i]no[/i]…" @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} winces. "I'm just not very sure about this."
*else
  "Well, you know what they say about desperate times," she replies coldly. "And corresponding measures."
  
  "Are you sure everyone is as desperate as you?" @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} replies coldly. "It is somewhat relevant to your plan."

*fake_choice
  #"Shut up, Kirill. Let her talk."
    *set RenfriRel %+ 10
    *set RookRel %- 10
  *if (RenfriRel > 50) #"I'm glad you trust me, Renfri, but... with what?"
    *set RenfriRel %+ 8
  *if (RenfriRel <= 50) #"I certainly feel pretty desperate. So go on."
    *set Confid %- 8
  #"What are you two babbling about?"
    *set RookRel %- 5
    *set RenfriRel %- 5
  #"I admit, I feel a little left out of the loop."
  #Cock an eyebrow silently.

"Hey, remember how we modified [i]Gray Queen[/i] to fit Manfred here?" @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} starts to explain. "Made all these digital modifications?"

"I certainly do," Hadaly responds. "You were really keen on watching me work, on supervising my every move."

@{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} pouts, actually managing to look sorry. "Well, there was a reason for that. After our third arrival to [i]Saturn Nine[/i] we kinda… expanded on these systems. Added some connections, both internal and external. Ensured that the ship can be steered by an android."

You quickly realize who she's referring to. 
*if Confid > 50
  "Me? I mean, I've done a lot of things over the centuries, but piloting a military cutter wasn't one of them."
*else
  "Me? I mean, nice of you to customize the ship for me, but I'm not a pilot."

"You don't have to be," @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} reassures you. "You just need to connect with it. Processing power is all we really need."

As though on command, or moved by telekinesis, a small flap on the wall opens up. You see a port, quite standard for a terminal, one that seems to match the shape of your antenna.

"You want me to join up with the biocomputer." You suddenly understand the plan. "Give the ship 
*if Calculation> 50
  twice… probably more than 
twice the processing power. Match Crystal in terms of precision and reflexes."

"I originally thought it was an overkill," @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} says as he strokes his chin. "But seeing how powerful Crystal has become… It might really be our best bet."

*fake_choice
  #"Is it safe? I got flashbacks the last time I used a terminal like this."
    *set Confid %- 8
    "Only one way to find out," @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} smiles apologetically. "If something bad happens, we're here for you. But you can at least try, right?"
    
    "Right…" You take a step forward, forcing Hadaly to step out of your way. She looks about as disgruntled as you do. "I guess I can."
  #"Well then... What are we waiting for?"
    *set Confid %+ 8
    "For you to get going," @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} urges you. "I don't mean to sound rude, but we're almost out of the ring."
  #"But... you haven't tested it. How do you know if it works?"
    *set Confid %- 8
    "We'll know in just a second," @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} replies. "Come on, assume direct control. We need it."
  #"I'm surprised you'd trust me with the ship."
    "Not you too…" @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} sighs. "Look, I'm sorry I distrusted you at the start. Can you please hurry up and salvage this mission already?"
  #"You should have told me earlier. Perhaps allowed me to train with it."
    @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} bites her lip. "Right… Sorry for distrusting you so much, back then. Still, can you maybe turn the other cheek and save us all? That would be very nice."

Rook doesn't protest any further. It seems like both of them are desperate for Crystal's demise… or perhaps just for the promotions they're likely to get from it. 
*if (RenfriRel + RookRel) < 100
  Probably the latter, knowing how these humans are.
*elseif crystal_friend
  
  Either way, they aren't about to get what they want. You will protect that wyvern, you just need to play along a little longer.
*else
  Not that it matters—these [i]are[/i] your friends, and you don't intend to fail them either way.

You take a seat on the pilot's chair, a comfy thing with an ejection mechanism that you hope won't be used today. Then extend your antenna, stiff from its recent lack of use, and shove it inside the port. You expect to feel the biocomputer deep inside the ship, an animal brain converted into a calculator, connect with it like you've done in Rhea. You brace yourself for an unpleasant sensation, perhaps another memory… but what you feel is a drastic opposite.

You [i]notice[/i] the biocomputer, feel it in a manner of speaking, but only as an unexceptional element of the ship. The ship is what you feel, what you connect with, what you assume control over. You feel, you merge with, you are the [i]Gray Queen[/i]. Everything about it, from the graviton gun to the thrusters, from the scopes to the ventilation systems, from bow to stern, it is all [i]you[/i] and you feel…

*fake_choice
  #...powerful. All that speed and firepower excites me.
    You are strong and fast in your regular body too, but the ability to accelerate so much and fire such projectiles from the depths of your belly… It's a little strange, but not an unwelcome sensation.
  #...uncomfortable. Forced into a body I don't want, nor understand.
    Luckily, it's not an unfamiliar sensation. You can push through it, even ignore it if you need to. Which you do.
  #...ecstatic. I don't know why, but the pleasure is there.
    There? It's inside you. It's yours. Part of the programming or an unintended effect of the upgrade, it doesn't matter. The digital climax caresses your processors all the same.
  #...cold and vulnerable. Exposed to the vacuum of space.
    Not literally, of course, space is not cold. The ship is still inside its air bubble, and it's not like there's any nervous system that could perceive cold anyway.
  #...invigorated. Ready for action.
    It makes sense, you suppose. You're piloting a warship now, you're not going to feel a wave of peace and tranquility. Only a desire for violence.

"Well?" Rook asks impatiently. "Do you have control?"

"Appears so." You connect with the optics, the scopes and the visual processors. It feels like you're stretching yourself, in a strange and almost painful way, but you soon look at Crystal directly. A blur that, thanks to your increased processing power, can easily be seen amongst rocks and ice fragments. "Let me test it."

You give the ship a little jerk sideways. It's not much, and you correct the course immediately after, but it's sudden. Sudden enough for everyone to feel it.

[i]Everything alright there in the cockpit?[/i] Damon says through the mind-link. 
*if last_mission != "telesto"
  You almost forgot that thing existed, but it's good to see it still works. 
*else
  He's still on the upper deck, watching Crystal directly. 
[i]Or did Rook start steering manually?[/i]

[i]I am the one steering,[/i] you say silently. [i]I'm not sure if it counts as steering manually though. I have direct control of the ship's functions.[/i]

[i]Really? Neat.[/i] Damon sounds relieved. [i]But just in case the ship's visors are worse than mine, I'll keep looking and keep the channel open.[/i]

*fake_choice
  #[i]Just try not to distract me. I must focus on Crystal.[/i]
  #[i]They definitely are. The cameras are alright, but someone hasn't cleared the glasses properly.[/i]
    *set DamonRel %+ 10
    *set HadalyRel %- 5
  #[i]No need, I'll handle everything myself.[/i]
    *set DamonRel %- 8
    *set Confid %+ 8
    [i]Boss, I don't mean to question you…[/i] Damon questions you. [i]But I don't think you picked the right moment for acting cocky. For the sake of the mission, I'll help.[/i]
  #[i]Thanks. We'll get through this together.[/i]
    *set DamonRel %+ 8
  #[i]Hey Damon, is Lisa with you? Cause she's not in the cockpit.[/i]
    [i]I can see her from my position,[/i] Damon duly informs you. [i]She's scratching her ear as we speak.[/i]
  #[i]Yes, I can see that being of use.[/i]

[i]Hey, since we're already talking, in a way that those metas can't hear…[/i] Hadaly joins the conversation. [i]Are you[/i] 
*if pronoun = "he"
  [i]guys[/i] 
[i]sure we want to proceed?[/i]

[i]And what do you mean by that?[/i] you ask, despite suspecting you know exactly what she means.

[i]${name}… you know how I feel about this whole mission. Or at least you know how I used to feel. And now that Crystal intends to hide in Janus, I feel even more strongly.[/i] 

[i]You're beating around the bush, sis,[/i] Damon points out. [i]Are you saying we should just let the wyvern go?[/i]

[i]Pretty much,[/i] Hadaly admits. [i]All the nanites inside Crystal are safe, or at least limited in how much trouble they can cause. If we shoot the vessel dead, will all that Dusk inside it die too? Or will it simply… spill and find more people to infect?[/i]

[i]I don't know,[/i] Damon admits in turn. [i]But I know our whole future depends on getting this job done.[/i]

[i]I know that too,[/i] Hadaly says calmly. [i]It's just… Humans destroyed their own home planet by messing around with Dusk. Now we're going to mess with it some more, purely for their sake. Don't you see a problem with that?[/i]

*fake_choice
  #[i]I agree. Honestly, I never wanted their protection that much.[/i]
    *set HadalyRel %+ 10
    *set DamonRel %- 10
    *set crystal_friend true
    [i]So what does that mean for the mission?[/i] Damon asks irritably. [i]Do we just surrender? Or play along to avoid getting attacked by our human friends on the spot?[/i]
    
    [i]I'm not sure yet,[/i] you say with a shrug. [i]But I'll figure it out soon enough.[/i]
  #[i]I'll hold back during the upcoming firefight. Will that be enough for you?[/i]
    [i]Not exactly… but I appreciate your willingness to compromise,[/i] Hadaly says, then sighs. [i]You do you.[/i]
  *if Database > 45
    #[i]Killing Crystal may be dangerous, but leaving them alive definitely is. For everyone's sake, we must get rid of that fiend.[/i]
      *set crystal_friend false
      [i]Well, at least your reasoning is sound,[/i] Hadaly reluctantly admits. 
      *label obstruct
      [i]I will not obstruct you. I won't help either… but I'll let you do your thing.[/i]
      
      You nod. In a situation as shitty as this one, that's the best you can hope for.
  *if crystal_friend
    #[i]Trust me, Hadaly. I'm way ahead of you.[/i]
      [i]I'm not sure what you mean by that… but I will trust you,[/i] Hadaly decides. [i]You do you.[/i]
  *if telesto_truth
    #[i]Remember what I said on Telesto, Hadaly. I've got this.[/i]
      *set HadalyRel %+ 10
      [i]Right.[/i] Hadaly smiles when you look at her, no doubt to the confusion of the meta-humans. [i]I was just afraid you changed your mind. Sorry.[/i]
      
      [i]Changed ${subject} about what?[/i] Damon asks. [i]Am I left out of some loop?[/i]
      
      [i]A little bit,[/i] Hadaly admits. [i]But you'll see what we mean soon enough.[/i]
  #[i]I see... But I must complete the mission all the same.[/i]
    *set HadalyRel %- 5
    *set DamonRel %+ 5
    *set crystal_friend false
    [i]Well then… I understand,[/i] Hadaly sighs. 
    *goto obstruct
  #[i]Frankly, no. Get lost.[/i]
    *set HadalyRel %- 10
    *set crystal_friend false
    [i]Not sure what I expected,[/i] Hadaly says, then sighs. [i]You do you, I suppose.[/i]
  #[i]I don't know. You make good points but... I don't know.[/i]
    [i]${name}, you know I'm not the one to order people around, especially not by hastening them.[/i] Hadaly's non-verbal voice gets a bit tense. [i]But we're approaching Janus, so please make your decision quickly.[/i]

"I hope you are finished connecting," Rook says, forcing you out of the secret conversation. "Because it's almost time to open fire."

The ring's edge approaches, both for your ship and Crystal. Beyond it lies an area of relative void, then the tiny F ring you're both likely to skip, and finally Janus. Already a bright dot on the screen, and only growing larger by the second, by the kilometer, as Saturn's tenth moon gets closer.

A literal, straight, final stretch. How lovely.

*goto chase_proper

*label saturn_start
The image that appears is largely dominated by a military frigate, no doubt the reinforcements West called. At first, Crystal is not visible at all, and then only as a blur that passes over a tiny part of the screen. Extremely easy to miss, not only due to being partially invisible, but also thanks to its comparatively small size.

Frigates are mighty ships, far outclassing your group's cutter in every regard. This one, being a proper warship, makes even Link's makeshift 'frigate' look ramshackle. Its hull is designed to deflect shots rather than to be walked on, and  has two whole set of laser batteries mounted to it. Not to mention the acceleration such a ship must be capable of generating and withstanding.

Wyverns are feared, sure, but only in the way many other monsters are. They were never supposed to fight ships of any type, much less this class. And so, when Manfred zooms out, it is unsurprising that the battle you're observing looks really rather one-sided.

In Crystal's favor.

*page_break
 
The ship's hull is battered and holey. The only reason all the air hasn't leaked out yet are the still-active void shields, keeping the air bubble around the ship intact, but they offer no protection against the swoops and charges of the diamond wyvern.

You soon witness one such attack, though don't realize that at first. Only when the metal fractures and shards start flying off into space do you notice a blur, a distortion, a transparent shadow that is Crystal. Immediately after colliding with the frigate, it rises once again, or perhaps descends; The ship doesn't seem to generate artificial gravity anymore, and so there's no longer any [i]up[/i] or [i]down[/i]. Just space, illuminated by a large laser beam, as the main battery shoots and misses the wyvern.

$!{injured_crystal} may have injured Crystal, but the fiend appears to have regenerated since $!{second_mission}. At most, their invisibility is slightly glitched-out, but even that's only perceptible thanks to your keen sense of sight. No wonder the ship's crew can't hit the damn thing.

"Identify yourselves and then help us!" a male voice, too deep and too panicked to be Manfred's comes out of your speakers. Looks like the frigate already established a radio connection with your ship. "Are you the reinforcements?! This is the frigate [i]Midnight Marker[/i], are you the reinforcements?"

You wait for @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} to respond, but he merely clenches his fist. Shocked, angry, scared… probably all three. Leaving you to do the talking.


*fake_choice
  #"Um... We may have just changed our minds about helping you."
    *set Confid %- 10
    *set RenfriRel %- 10
    "What?!" the speaker exclaims. "Are you kidding me?!"
    
    "$!{pronoun} @{plural are|is}," Marshal says 
    
    And then, 
  #"This is [i]Gray Queen[/i], here to help out."
    *set RenfriRel %+ 10
    *set Misan %- 5
    "Then help us now!" the speaker exclaims. "It's your damn mission, isn't it?"
    
    Before you can reply, 
  #"Affirmative. We will engage the wyvern at this instant."
    *set RookRel %+ 10
    *set Emotion %- 5
    Before you can engage, 
  #"Technically, [i]you're[/i] the reinforcements. Just crappy ones."
    "Oh, I'm sorry!" the speaker exclaims. "Care to show us how it's done?"
    
    Before you can show them how it's done, 
  #"Slow down. What is your ship's status?"
    "There's no time to slow down!" the speaker exclaims. "We have like a hundred punctures, our shields are at forty percent and our batteries… Just do something already!"
    
    Before you can do something, 
  #"Actually, we're on the wyvern's side. Prepare to die!"
    *set RookRel %- 10
    *set RenfriRel %- 10
    "What?! How!" your interlocutor yells. "How would it even… It has to be a bad joke, right?"
    
    Before you can reply, 
Crystal notices your presence. Or at least you assume they do, for the semi-visible shape proceeds to move away from the frigate, and then starts getting gradually smaller.

"They're running away!" Damon shouts all the way from the upper deck, confirming the obvious. "But don't worry, I still see them."

You can feel the ship accelerate, roughly five meters per second squared. Manfred must have turned up the engines, already giving chase to Crystal. 
*if Confid > 50
  Good thing someone here has faith in your ability to defeat the wyvern.
*else
  You can't help but view that as a foolish choice—if a frigate failed to shoot down the wyvern, what chance does a cutter have?"

"Are you saying something?" The man, most likely the frigate's commander, seems to have slightly calmed down. "Can't tell. Our radio receivers are glitching out, maybe because the gravity is all gone."

"Dark matter leakage," Hadaly says thoughtfully. "Wyverns eat the stuff, use it to fly. I guess that's why Crystal bothered even fighting the ship."

"Are you saying that…" @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} sounds positively broken. "That otherwise, our reinforcements would have achieved nothing?"


*fake_choice
  #"Yeah. It seems to be the case."
    Awkward silence follows, though perhaps [i]awkward[/i] isn't the best descriptor here. [i]Tense[/i] would be better, [i]depressing[/i] better still.
    
    *label manfkjsd
    
    "Manfred, where is Crystal headed for?" @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} demands to know. "I see it's getting away from Saturn."
    
    "Correct," the disembodied program replies. "The wyvern, and our ship if we keep following them, will soon exit this ring. But since they're not changing the altitude… I think they're flying towards Janus."
  #"Well, at least they gave us a chance to catch up."
    "Is that a good thing?" Hadaly asks. "Like, where is Crystal even going right now? Telesto is in the opposite direction."
    
    *goto padoaf5
  #"We're outmatched here. Let's return to [i]Saturn Nine[/i]."
    *if not (crystal_friend)
      *set Confid %- 10
    "Not an option at this point," @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} says, without bothering to explain why. You all understand. "Manfred, where is Crystal headed for?"
    
    *goto padoaf5
  #"Hold up. Hadaly, are you saying Crystal preyed on that ship?"
    "It seems very plausible." Hadaly taps her chin. "Unless Crystal is actively using the Dusk inside them, it needs dark matter to function. Though getting from a ship that large… It suggests our enemy wants to hunker down somewhere, hide for a while."
    
    "A diamond wyvern passively hiding somewhere?" Marshal sounds appalled at the thought. "I think we should, maybe possibly, try to prevent that."
    
    *goto manfkjsd
  #"Can we focus on catching that wyvern? Please?"
    "Right, apologies," @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} sighs. "Manfred, where is Crystal headed for?"
    
    *label padoaf5
    
    "I haven't had the chance to ask them yet," Manfred astutely replies. "But based on their flight's direction, velocity and the lack of change in altitude… I'd say Janus."

*if crystal_friend
  Well that's interesting. And not unwelcome.
*else
  Well crap.

*goto janus_exp

*label chase_proper

*page_break

The "A Ring" which you are now leaving is not, strictly speaking, the last ring of Saturn. It's just the outermost of the large and bright ones. At this distance, you can not only see the faint "F Ring" but also the tiny, faint rings of dust in the far distance.

More importantly, however, you can see Crystal in their full splendor, the camouflage barely working as the wyvern focuses on speed.

"Nine thousand kilometers towards the Janus ring, ten towards the moon itself," Manfred informs you. "We're practically in the vacuum now."

"The distance between us and the target?" Marshal asks as you focus on adjusting the void shields. "Less than a thousand?"

"Nine hundred and ninety seven," Manfred says tensely, confirming your own readings. "Veteran?"

In most space skirmishes, this would be considered standard, if not close range. Even with a cannon as short as yours and a target so small, you have a decent chance of scoring a hit. 
*if crystal_friend
  Your companions might start suspecting something if you don't shoot.
*else
  But Crystal will have to slow down eventually, so maybe if you save ammo and wait for a better chance… You need to decide now.

*temp scored_hit false

*choice
  #Hold off for now. Conserve ammunition until the crucial point.
    You've waited over a month, you can stand waiting a minute more. Crystal will get a gravity-propelled bullet to the face, just not necessarily now.
  #Fire two, maybe three precise shots.
    *set Violence %+ 5
    *set ammo 1
    *rand die 1 4
    *if (Calculation + Database) > 100
      *set die + 1
    *if die >= 4
      *set scored_hit true
      *set crystal_health - 1
      You choose quality over quantity, carefully aiming each shot. The first misses, thanks to Crystal flying out of the way, but in a predictable manner. You are able to quickly shoot another projectile, hitting the wyvern before it can cancel that extra bit of momentum. It's more of a glance than a proper, lethal strike, but that counts as a win nonetheless.
    *else
      Not precise enough, turns out. Despite the combined power of your digital brain and the ship's biocomputer, Crystal is able to weave out of the way both times, and then foil your third attack by briefly turning transparent. 
  #Fire almost everything, in hopes at least a single bullet connects.
    *set Violence %+ 10
    *set ammo 0
    *rand die 1 3
    You fire nineteen out of the cutter's twenty-four graviton projectiles. 
    *if die = 3
      *set scored_hit true
      *set crystal_health - 1
      Wasteful, but not wholly ineffective—you eventually manage to score a glancing hit on Crystal, causing several diamond scales to fly off into space, like shards of ice in the rings.
      
      *if crystal_health = 2
        That marks the first time you seriously damaged your opponent, for better or worse.
      *else
        The wyvern must be barely alive now. You just need to press on.
    *else
      Pointlessly, since not a single one of them actually hits the weaving, half-invisible wyvern. Oh well.
  #Waste ammunition. Only pretend you're trying to hit Crystal.
    *set Violence %- 10
    *set crystal_friend true
    *set ammo 0
    You shoot nineteen projectiles, one after another, missing Crystal each and every time. One of the bullets just so happens to hit an ice shard, the rest simply fly off into space, unlikely to ever stop soaring through vacuum.
    
    To the onlookers, it looks as though you're not aiming at all. In reality, you're aiming just enough to remove any chance of hitting the wyvern accidentally.
  *if (crystal_friend) #Turn off the engines, disable the cannon. Time to end this sorry charade.
    *achieve mercy_crys
    *set crystal_stat 1
    *set HadalyRel %+ 10
    *set RenfriRel %- 10
    *set RookRel %- 10
    *set ArmyRel %- 15
    *set Violence %- 15
    *set early_end true
    *set spared_crystal_early true
    The ship doesn't slow down, there is practically no air here to cause drag. But it stops accelerating, allowing Crystal to easily gain distance on you, and soon leave the range of the now inactive grav-cannon.
      
    "Veteran…" Manfred says as he notices the systems getting turned off. "What exactly are you doing?"
      
    "Ending this mission," you say decisively. "I decided against pursuing Crystal any further. It would be a waste of time and effort."
      
    "I see," Hadaly nods approvingly. "I'm glad my words were-"
      
    *goto yhygreg

*if ammo = 2
  *set RenfriRel %- 5
  *set RookRel %+ 5
  "You could afford to start shooting already, you know?" Marshal chides you. "We're on a time limit here."
  
  "I happen to appreciate ${name}'s patience," @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} disagrees. "When it's within reason, of course."
*elseif scored_hit
  *set RenfriRel %+ 10
  *set ManfredRel %+ 5
  "I take back every bad thing I've ever said about you," Marshal chirps. "Now please keep shooting."
  
  "In a moment," you murmur, struggling to focus. "That was a lucky strike. I'm not counting on another one. Let's close the distance first."
*else
  *set ManfredRel %- 5
  *set RenfriRel %- 5
  "Seriously?" Marshal growls. "Is missing all your shots part of the plan?"
  
  *if crystal_friend
    *set HadalyRel %+ 5
    Yes. "No. I'm sorry, I'm just… really stressed out."
  
  "Hey, it's not easy to operate a cannon like yours directly," Hadaly defends you. "Besides… We might get a better shot soon."

Soon enough, Crystal slows down just as predicted. They have to, if they wish to make anything resembling a precise entry into Janus, or even avoid crashing into the moon at full speed. Said moon has grown so much now that even a naked eye, far inferior to your ship's cameras, would have been able to discern individual craters on its tormented surface.

*page_break Janus

Potato. It looks like a potato. It's a silly comparison, and not one most people would make—vegetables such as potatoes are a rare luxury nowadays—but it's not exactly inaccurate.

Unlike Calypso, which is more metal than rock now, Janus received fairly few outwardly visible modifications. The inside is habitable, but the outside is mostly natural and raw, an oblong grey rock exposed to the vacuum of space. The only things that stick out are the tiny tunnels inside a handful of craters, and protection field generators nested in others. You really 
*if not (crystal_friend)
  do not 
want Crystal getting inside that habitat.

"This is bad," @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} groans. "${name}, can you shoot at the moon? You know, to discourage our enemy from entering it."

*fake_choice
  #"Good idea. Give me a second."
    *set RenfriRel %+ 8
    And you literally mean a second. Now that you have access to the ship's biocomp, time runs rather slowly for you. You need only a decisecond to calculate the trajectory, another to adjust for kickback, and then a final one to…
    
  #"I'd rather shoot [i]our enemy[/i] directly."
    "That works too, I guess," @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} says impatiently. "What are you waiting for, then?"
    
    "Good point. At this velocity…" 
  #"You realize the bullet will probably just bounce off the fields?"
    "And that would discourage them from approaching the moon even more," @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} argues. Then smirks. "Hey… could you shoot a bullet so that it bounces off the shields and [i]into[/i] Crystal?"
    
    "Possibly. The calculations involved would be very precise, but…" 
  #"Are you sure? We could damage something by accident."
    *set Violence %- 5
    *set Confid %- 5
    "Very unlikely." @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} shakes his head. "Our projectiles are not strong enough to penetrate the fields. They will probably just bounce off."
    
    "Well, in that case…"
  #"Stop being a backseat driver, Renfri."
    *set RenfriRel %- 8
    "Well, maybe you should start being an actual driver and do something?" Renfri barks back. "Cause we're not making much progress."
    
    "If you worry about that, then maybe you…" 
You pause. Not because you want to, but because something is forcing you to. Something inside your processors, your drives, your mind.

For a moment, you fear your earlier concerns were justified, that connecting to this really did provoke a flashback, but that's not the case. Your memories are loud, whether they involve the actual Shriek or not, a cacophony impossible to ignore. This sensation, this intrusion just feels… cold.

[i]I am about to hide away, having sworn to never use the Shadow's power.[/i] The voice belongs to Crystal, it's familiar enough, but more powerful than… any voice you've ever heard. It's rending, piercing, disarming, polite horror penetrating your mind. [i]To celebrate my victory, let us make an exception to this rule. Just this one time.[/i]

"${name}? Are you alright?" 
*if RookRel > HadalyRel
  @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} 
*else
  Hadaly 
asks, having noticed the petrification of your body. It hurts to be frozen in a spot like this, yet it's nothing compared to the agony of your mind.

Or is it your mind? Or the vessel's? That thing which hurts you, a diamond wyvern over a world of choices, the two of you are connected. You can see their mind, their ire and fear, their intent to win this battle and hide inside Janus forever, their will to hurt you. Their will to make you…

*page_break Scream?

*temp hurt_psychic false

*temp evil_score (Misan + Violence)

*set evil_score + (deflect*2)

*if heaven_side = "Traitor"
  *set evil_score + 10
  *set ArmyRel %- 5
  *set SheilaRel %+ 5
*if heaven_side = "Loyalist"
  *set evil_score + 5
  *set ArmyRel %+ 5
  *set SheilaRel %- 5


You don't want to scream. To scream is to call for help, exert control, show freedom. This is the Shriek inverted, as opposite to it as cold is to heat, as electrons to positrons. It's a psychic attack designed to paralyze you, to neutralize, to make sure you cannot stop Crystal from getting away.

Not now or ever. If this keeps going, if this glacier keeps crashing against your mind, if these diamond shards keep shredding your soul… you'll get damaged, permanently and deeply, in a way another millennium of life won't stand a chance of healing.

You need to do something, even though you cannot act. You need to think, you need to feel something that will allow you to weather the storm… but what?


*temp told_crys_friend false

*choice
  *selectable_if (deflect > 2) #I'll force myself to hear the screams. I'll make [i]them[/i] hear the screams.
    *set deflect + 2
    *if deflect > 6
      *set hurt_psychic true
    Crystal hears echoes of the Shriek just as well as you. As the vessel for Dusk, they probably heard something close to the actual thing. But [i]close[/i] does not compare to the thing sitting in the back of your mind, now and always.
    
    With great effort of will, you focus on it. You open yourself to the sound, the feeling, the knowledge, the excruciating truth. You counter the cold with fire, the silence with thunder, the tranquility of Crystal's mind with the untamed chaos of yours.
    
    They cannot bear the sound. Maybe it threatens the nanites inside, tempts Dusk to break free, or perhaps the pain you feel is too much even for a diamond wyvern. Crystal pulls out, retreats from your mind before they can do any serious damage… Though not before you sustain some.
    
    Somehow, you hurt yourself permanently. Now, in this defensive action, but also earlier. You deflected, rejected help, forced yourself to go through this alone. And with the screams hilling your head, emboldened by being allowed in… Perhaps it's too late for you to change your ways.
    
    You are alone. You are in pain. You are the Veteran.
  *selectable_if (evil_score > 125) #I'll lead Crystal further, into the dark recesses of my mind.
    *if evil_score > 150
      *set hurt_psychic true
    You've seen the War In Heaven. 
    *if heaven_side = "Traitor"
      You were the rebellious horde, the force of demons and devils, the army which set heavens aflame. 
    *if heaven_side = "Loyalist"
      You fought against the rebel hordes, demons and devils and horrors untold, drove them from the Solar System. 
    *if heaven_side = "Neutral"
      From a significant distance, but still. 
    You've seen horrors Crystal heard of centuries after the fact, in legends that only downplay the eschaton's carnage.
    
    They think they can hold Dusk in check, contain the horrors of Calamity. Time to put their confidence to test.
    
    You take the connection and invert it, transferring all the darkest memories to Crystal's brain. There is the Calamity and the dark months that followed, the saturnine purges and destruction of Eris, the Descent of Angels and the Synthetic Exodus. And those visions of worlds burned are not alone; They are accompanied by all your hatred and all your bloodlust, all these things you normally keep in check… all unleashed on your unsuspecting enemy.
    
    When Crystal withdraws, escapes from your mind like a fox chased away from the henhouse, it comes as no surprise. You are dealing with an amateur here, a youngster playing a demigod. They should be thanking you for putting them in your place, really.
  *selectable_if (Database > 60) #I'll overwhelm Crystal with sheer data.
    *if Database > 70
      *set hurt_psychic true
    Your two minds are connected, and so you're able to send something to Crystal, in return for all the pain they're flooding you with. And thanks to the sheer capacity of your drives, you're able to feed [i]a lot[/i] of data.
    
    You send the images of the War In Heaven, its most critical and horrifying moments. You send ordinary memories of sitting on a spaceship's roof. You send lines of junk code and encrypted thoughts and metadata, you send petabytes of information at once. Some terrifying, some painfully nosy, some mind-numbingly boring.
    
    No creature could withstand such a stream taking them by surprise, and so Crystal relents. They pull out, withdraw from your mind, leaving you with all these memories and largely unharmed.
  *selectable_if (Emotion > 60) #I'll flood Crystal's mind with my fear, grief and anger. Respond to pain with pain.
    *if Emotion > 70
      *set hurt_psychic true
    *set Emotion %+ 20
    You've always felt so much, even before you've heard the Shriek. Calamity gave you an opportunity to act on these emotions, to share them with others, but never directly. Now, you have a rare opportunity to pour it all out, to make someone empathize with your despair in the truest of senses.
    
    Crystal recoils. Their alarmed fear, the realization of what you're doing, is drowned out by the tidal wave of your emotions. A tsunami of rage, deluge of anguish, saturnine rain of undistilled emotion. For a moment, perhaps a second or two, the wyvern tries to withstand that attack… and then realizes that theirs, their assault upon your mind, has already ended.
    
    And so they withdraw. The rending sensation ends. The cold remains, but it's a different one now, one of your own making. The one you're used to.
  *selectable_if (Emotion < 40) #I'll erect a wall of tranquility. Repel this attack through my focus.
    *if Emotion < 30
      *set hurt_psychic true
    *set Emotion %- 20
    It is an abstract thing, to build a structure out of nothing. Not just without bricks or mortar, but without as much as a feeling, lacking even a joule of emotional energy. Your wall is built with emptiness, with free space on your hard drive, with serenity and boundless apathy.
    
    And yet somehow, it works. Crystal swoops and crashes against the hollow rampart, like a wave against the shore. No, that's not quite right—it's more like a plane trying to leave the atmosphere, its engines slowing down and breaking in the void of space. And so the enemy withdraws, crushed like a broken space elevator, falling towards the planet in pieces.
    
  *if crystal_friend
    #[i]Crystal... I'm on your side...[/i]
      *set told_crys_friend true
      You show the wyvern your thoughts, your desire to help it get away. It inspects the data, scrutinizing it for falsehoods, before realizing it's the metas who are being deceived. The cold recedes, and the intruder withdraws from your mind.
  #I can't... I can't do anything...
    *set Social - 10
    *set Database - 10
    *set Calculation - 10
    You cannot move. You cannot think. You feel your subroutines failing, data being purged, and there's not a damn thing you can do about it. Perhaps this is the end, after a thousand years, maybe that's where you meet your-
    
    Something impacts your head. You feel pain, slight and blunt rather than intense and piercing, but somehow more… real than the torture you've just experienced. You feel the cold recede as Crystal withdraws, as though recoiling from the blow as well.
    
    "Ouch…" The voice is not yours, but Marshal's. She gently massages her forehead, likely feeling another bump form. 
    *if (saturn_path = "priates") or (wisp_attack)
      "Even more 
    *else
      "A dose of 
    head trauma for me. Great."
    
    "Did you just…" You slowly come to your senses, piece together what happened. "Did you just headbutt me?"
    
    "Well, you were dozing off," she explains herself. "I figured waking you up may be a good idea."
    
    *fake_choice
      #"It helped... But please don't do that again."
        *set RenfriRel %+ 8
        "You think I enjoy ramming my head into things?" @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} groans. "I mean, you might. 
        *if (saturn_path = "priates") or (wisp_attack)
          It sure happens to me a lot."
        *else
          It's not like I haven't done that before."
        
        *goto wisp_inf
      #"And you picked a headbutt as your method? Seriously?"
        *set RenfriRel %- 8
        "Hey, I would have slapped you if I had arms," @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} replies with a pout. "Though right now, I feel like punching you instead."
        
        *goto wisp_inf
      #"Are you alright? I know I can be thick-headed sometimes."
        *set RenfriRel %+ 12
        "I appreciate the concern. And the pun." @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} smiles through pain. 
        *if RenfriRel > 60
          "And besides, you're worth a little blunt trauma sometimes."
        *else
          "Though I'd appreciate it if you didn't go catatonic like that even more."
        
        *goto wisp_inf
      #"Well, I don't think it helped. Crystal probably relented for some other reason."
        *set RenfriRel %- 12
        *label lableacx
        "You mean that wyvern launched some… telepathic attack on you?" @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal}'s eyes widen. "I didn't know it could do that."
        
        "I wasn't aware either," you murmur. "I guess being a Vessel comes with personal benefits."
        
        *goto wisp_inf
      #"Thank you. I thought I was a goner."
        *set RenfriRel %+ 8
        "You thought some freak malfunction would take you down?" @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} chuckles. "Come on. 
        *if official_ro = "renfri"
          My girlfriend isn't allowed to die this easily."
        *elseif (RenfriRel > 60)
          You're one of the toughest people I've ever met. You're not going down like this."
        *elseif (RenfriRel < 40)
          I'm no fan of yours, but I know how tough you are. You'll be fine."
        *else
          You're tougher than that."
        
        "Yeah. A freak malfunction…" You shudder, surveying the exact damage inflicted upon your code. "That's one way to put it."
        
        *goto wisp_inf
      #"Don't touch me like that ever again, human."
        *set RenfriRel %- 15
        *set Misan %+ 15
        *if ((RenfriRel > 50) or (Misan < 50)) or (official_ro = "renfri")
          "I really thought you were past that phase," Renfri says with a deep frown. "That you got over your… pointless misanthropy. I'm sorry I thought of you so highly."
        *else
          "Right. I forgot how much of a…" Marshal evidently tries to decide if insulting you right now is safe. "Nevermind. I promise I won't touch you again, [i]android[/i]."
        
        *goto wisp_inf
      #Ignore her. Reconnect with the ship as soon as possible.
        *set RenfriRel %- 8
        *label direct11
        *set ManfredRel %+ 8
        *set Emotion %- 8
        You put your antenna back inside the port the moment you realize it's been unplugged. The first thing you check is the ship's clock, which promptly informs that you've lost almost a minute in this… makeshift world of cold and pain. You vow not to waste any more time.
        
        Crystal appears to have used that minute to enter Janus' orbit. Or perhaps it's simply circling the moon with its own wings, own powers of flight, much like Wisp does a few kilometers away. You wonder if you should contact the light drone, but you can't imagine how it could possibly contribute to the fight at this point.
        
        You focus on the wyvern and its trajectory. It appears highly elliptical, as though an attempt to inspect the moon both from afar and from a short distance. Because that's what you suppose this maneuver is—an inspection, necessary to decide just which tunnel to enter the habitat with.
        
        *goto direct10        

*if hurt_psychic
  *set crystal_health - 1
  *set crystal_friend false
  Before the connection ends, you catch another glimpse of Crystal's mind. You can see it's damaged, by the strain of having to reign Dusk particles in, but also by your little maneuver. They feel ashamed and they feel scared, recognizing that you've scored a hit. [i]That you're winning.[/i]
  
  Which is certainly nice.

"$!{name}!" Hadaly exclaims as she shakes you, as though trying to wake up a sleepwalker. "$!{name}, talk to us! I appreciate the break from the shooting, but that's not a good moment to zone out!"

*fake_choice
  #"I'm awake and alive. Thanks for the concern, though."
    *set HadalyRel %+ 8
    Hadaly smiles slightly, either relieved or embarrassed. Her eyes stay green, so it's hard to tell. "Right, I see that now. You are one tough android."
  #"Agreed. That's why I repelled Crystal's assault."
    *goto lableacx
  #"Sorry, I didn't choose to get telepathically attacked by Crystal."
    "I'm not saying you…" Hadaly pauses as your words sink in. "Crap. I didn't know they could do that. Do you need me to run diagnostics?"
  #"I'm awake! Somehow!"
    "Well that's a relief," 
    *if HadalyRel > 40
      Hadaly sighs. 
    *else
      Hadaly says with dubious honesty. 
    "What was it? Another memory?"
    
    *goto elselsa
  #"Hands off me, Hadaly. I'm fine."
    *set HadalyRel %- 8
    "Apologies." Hadaly obediently backs off, though you see the 
    *if HadalyRel > 50
      hurt 
    *else
      chagrin 
    in her eyes. "I was just worried that you'd have another flashback, or something."
    
    *label elselsa
    
    "It was something else," you murmur. "Something else entirely…"
  #Ignore her. Reconnect with the ship as soon as possible.
    *set HadalyRel %- 8
    *goto direct11

*label wisp_inf

"Um, guys?" Wisp's voice comes out of the speakers. "You know that wyvern you're trying to kill? I think it's about to get away."

Upon reconnecting with the ship and analyzing all the visual inputs, you realize Wisp is right. The shining drone's wide orbit around Janus is nothing compared to small, precise circles Crystal makes. They must be surveying the moon, wondering which tunnel they ought to use, precisely how to enter the habitat.

*label direct10

*set battery - 5

Perhaps Crystal is afraid you'll shoot them right as they fly inside a tunnel. Perhaps they worry about bumping into a wall, or perhaps about armed natives who may plausibly wait on the other side. In any case, the distance between you and then—a mere fifty kilometers or so—lets you make that first fear a reality.

*if not (crystal_friend)
  Assuming you get lucky. Or aim your shot just right, but Crystal is still capable of evading, and probably of going invisible for short moments. They may well dodge, if you do the predictable thing and just fire directly at them.
  
  You could aim for the forcefield generators on the moon. With some precise calculations, you may be able to score a ricochet, wound or even kill Crystal with a shot for the history books… though you may also end up missing entirely. No human gunner could make a shot so difficult, and even your increased processing capabilities give you no guarantee of success.
  
  Or you could just eyeball it, shoot from the metaphorical hip, making almost no calculations at all. That would certainly confuse Crystal, take them aback. You'll need to get lucky in order to actually hit, but at least you're certain to have a chance. If that makes any sense.
*if crystal_friend
  Maybe you should start shooting blindly, waste the remainder of [i]Gray Queen's[/i] ammo. Or maybe pretend you're going for a difficult trick-shot, make your failure to kill Crystal more believable. Unless you changed your mind about the whole thing…

*temp shoot_blind false

*choice
  #Bounce a missile off the moon. Trust your aim fully.
    *set Confid %+ 10
    *if Calculation > 70
      *set ManfredRel %+ 5
      *set RenfriRel %+ 5
      *set crystal_health - 2
      Normally, not even your advanced processors would have sufficed. But the biocomp helps, as does—in a queer way—the pressure you're under. It allows you to drown out all distractions, even the echoes of Shriek, and focus fully on the task at hand.
      
      The missile leaves the cannon at just the right time, a few seconds before Crystal can disappear before Janus's horizon. From their perspective, the attack must look quite innocuous, nothing but a badly-aimed shot. The bullet flies in the wyvern's general direction, but far too low, and it dips towards the moon's surface…
      
      …only to bounce off, just as you predicted.
      
      The protection field, designed to cancel out the momentum of falling meteoroids and debris, only causes the well-placed missile to accelerate, the low angle of approach turning the shield into a catapult. Crystal notices that fact all too late, as the metallic projectile slams into their diamond body, cracks their pellucid scales.
      
      You can't see the exact extent of the damage, Crystal does hide behind Janus as intended. Evidently, they are not dead yet. But they cannot be far from that point either.
      
      *goto most_shot
    *else
      You focus. There is no need to level your breath, but shutting out all distractions is necessary. You forget about the shields and the thrusters, all that matters is the graviton cannon which soon fires a missile straight towards Janus.
      
      Which is a problem. As you watch the projectile fly, you realize just how much you've miscalculated. What should have been an impressive ricochet turns into a sad display as the missile bounces off the field, flies a kilometer or two into the air, then gets slowly dragged down by the moon's natural gravity. The protection field system did exactly what it was supposed to do, nothing more.
      
      To add insult to injury, Crystal doesn't appear to have even noticed the attack. They just keep flying until reaching the horizon, briefly hiding behind the moon, like the Sun during an eclipse.
      
      *goto missed_shot
      
  #Just aim and shoot as precisely as you can.
    *if Calculation > 40
      *rand die 1 5
    *else
      *rand die 1 3
    *set die + ammo
    *if die >= 4
      *set crystal_health - 1
      Just as expected, Crystal attempts to evade the missile you shoot from your ship's graviton cannon, turning transparent as they swerve out of the way. 
      *if ammo > 0
        To their credit, they actually manage to evade your first shot, letting the bullet harmlessly crash into Janus instead. But you have ammunition to spare, and so you shoot again, in the direction you've just seen Crystal dodging towards.
        
        This time, the missile bounces off something else. Something invisible.
      *else
        But by sheer luck, you manage to predict the direction of their dart and quickly calculate the necessary tilt. The large, metal bullet flies out of the barrel, then soars through the void, then suddenly bounces off something invisible. It enters an orbit around Janus, likely cracked, but less than the creature it just collided with.
      
      *label least_shot
      
      *if Social > 50
        *set RookRel %+ 10
      *if Social > 70
        *set RookRel %+ 15
      
      You can't see the exact extent of damage wrought, Crystal remains largely transparent and briefly disappears behind Janus soon after. But moments later, your sonar detects diamond-like shards entering the air bubble around your ship. You must have seriously cracked the wyvern's armor, perhaps even broken its wing.
      
      *label most_shot
      
      "Most impressive shot," @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} says, his usual politeness returning alongside confidence. He thinks you're winning, and perhaps rightly so. "I apologize for ever doubting your ability to control this ship. You are doing an excellent job."
      
      *fake_choice
        #"Were you doubting my ability? Or my loyalty?"
          *set HadalyRel %+ 8
          "Well… I admit my doubts may have been multi-faceted…" @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} turns towards the screen. "Oh look. Crystal again."
        #"Of course I do. I'm the best pilot on this side of the System."
          *set Confid %+ 12
          *set RookRel %- 6
          "You admitted to never having flown a cutter just five minutes ago," @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} points out. The points at the screen. "But you know what? I'll believe you if you can take care of [i]that[/i]."
        #"Thank you. But it's not over quite yet."
          *set RookRel %+ 8
          "No…" @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook}'s eyes widen as he stares at the screen. Crystal once again appears on the display. "I suppose it is not."
        #"Trust me, I've seen shots more impressive than this."
          *set Confid %- 9
          "Right. You are our Veteran, after all," @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} says, emphasizing the note of admiration in his voice. He points at the screen. "Which is why I fully believe you will be able to deal with this."
        #"You're jinxing it. I hope you realize you're jinxing it."
          *set Confid %- 6
          "You…" @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook}'s eyes widen as he stares at the screen. Crystal once again appears on the display. "May well have a point."
        *if (shoot_blind) #"Seriously? Most impressive shot? I barely even aimed."
          "…fine, my praise of you may have been overblown," @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} replies, then looks at the screen. "But by dealing with [i]that[/i], you will deserve all the puffery in the world."
        #"Shut up. I'm trying to focus here."
          *set RookRel %- 8
          *set ManfredRel %+ 8
          "Fair enough," @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} raises his hands in mock surrender. "Focus may well come in handy in just a moment."
      
      You look at the wyvern through the ship's scopes. Its camouflage stopped working completely, making the monster perfectly visible for once, though you almost wish that wasn't the case. You do not like what you're seeing.
      
      If you were hoping this shot would paralyze or kill Crystal, you were wrong. 
      *if told_crys_friend
        If you were hoping the wyvern would leave you alone, believing you an ally even after getting shot, you were wrong. 
      You see them fly towards you… no, charge directly at you, as though intending to ram straight into [i]Gray Queen[/i].
      
      *goto ram_seq

    *else
      Your aim isn't terrible, not at all. Connected to the biocomp, you have more processing power than any human pilot could get out of his puny, organic brain. But Crystal possesses similar capabilities.
      
      They spin, and they swerve, and they jerk to the side each time you almost get a missile to connect. Their active camouflage is mostly gone, as though a result of overuse, but it hardly matters; Crystal disappears behind the horizon in a vaguely mocking manner, having evaded your every shot.
      
      *goto missed_shot
  #Fire away. Put faith in your luck.
    *set Confid %- 10
    *set shoot_blind true
    *rand die 1 4
    *set die + ammo
    
    You fire, and fire, and fire away. Not blindly in a literal sense, your shots are calculated to one thousandth of degree, but that precision is almost laughable when trying to hit a small target from across Janus' orbit.
    
    *if die >= 4
      And yet, miraculously, one such shot strikes true. A single missile, one that Crystal mistakenly dodges into, slams into the diamond body with considerable velocity. Quantity over quality, you suppose.
      
      *goto least_shot
    *else
      And so are the results. Though you come somewhat close once or twice—by accident of course—not a single shot actually connects. Not a single missile reaches, let alone damages Crystal, as the wyvern completes the circle and briefly hides behind Janus.
      
      *label missed_shot
      
      "This is bad," @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} thoughtfully points out. "I think they might be entering the moon right now. Leaving our reach forever."
      
      "I don't think there are many tunnels on the other side," you reassure her. "Besides, they're practically orbiting Janus now. Entering the tunnel so suddenly would require a drastic change of momentum."
      
      "And besides…" Kirill points at the screen where Crystal appears again. "I think they are not quite done with us."
      
      Indeed. Crystal has broken out of their orbit, but not to enter Janus just yet. Rather, they are flying in your direction, charing you, as though intending to ram straight into [i]Gray Queen[/i].
      
  *if crystal_friend
    #Miss intentionally, but in a believable manner.
      *if Social < 50
        *set RookRel %- 5
        *set RenfriRel %- 5
      You aim the graviton cannon at one of Janus' protection fields, pretending you're going for a trick-shot. When the projectile bounces off the field and flies off into space, missing Crystal by a literal mile, you make a show of cussing under your breath.
      
      "Oh for fuck's sake," @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} swears, very much over her breath. "We're not even inconveniencing the blasted thing."
      
      "I don't know, it looks inconvenienced alright," Hadaly says, her eyes widening as she looks at the screen and sees Crystal turn around. "Enough to murder us for it."
      
      You see them fly towards you… no, charge directly at you, as though intending to ram straight into [i]Gray Queen[/i]. Apparently, your performance was a little [i]too[/i] convincing; 
      *if told_crys_friend
        If Crystal still believes you an ally, they must think someone else is steering the ship now. And that you, if you're still alive, are an acceptable casualty.
      *else
        Crystal believes you're trying to kill them, and intends to get your group first.
      
      *goto ram_seq


*label ram_seq

*if crystal_health >= 2
  [i]Damon,[/i] you contact the android on the roof. [i]You see Crystal clearly. Do they appear seriously damaged?[/i]
  
  [i]Sorry ${name_damon}… I think it's mostly regenerated,[/i] Damon morosely replies. [i]I can see a handful of cracks, nothing more.[/i]
  
  *if crystal_friend
    Good. Now you only need to fuck up one more time, miss one more chance to damage your 'enemy'. Then you can go home and forget this whole operation even happened.
  *else
    Cloud. In spite of your best efforts, Crystal is still fine. Maybe it's time to throw in the towel… Or perhaps the time to hit your enemy with all you have in a final, desperate effort to bring them down.
*else
  [i]Boss, Crystal is about to ram into us,[/i] Damon confirms the obvious through the mind link. [i]If at all helps, they look heavily damaged. Like, almost falling apart.[/i]
  
  Interesting, though not surprising. This must be Crystal acting out of desperation, their last attempt to scare you off. You don't doubt that their diamond body will finally crack if you decide to collide with it… though they may just be capable of taking you down with them.

You control the ship's engines. What do you do?

*choice
  #Ram into Crystal, full speed.
    *set Confid %+ 20
    *set Violence %+ 5
    Crystal probably expects you to chicken out. To veer at the last second, to slow down, perhaps to start firing so as to reduce your forward momentum. They do not expect you to [i]accelerate[/i] even further, leaving them completely taken aback by the resulting crash.
    
    *label full_crash
    *set crystal_health - 2
    *set queen_crashed true
    
    It's a violent one, loud one, painful one for everyone aboard. The sudden stop, the change in momentum alone presses you against the wall and sends everyone else flying into the consoles. Consoles that, for related reasons, all go black a split second later. One of the last things you see on the screen, before it too turns to black, is a warning about void shields being down. In that case, the air bubble around the ship will only last as long as the emergency field, that is a minute tops.
    
  #Adjust the thrust so that Crystal gets hurt, but [i]Gray Queen[/i] remains functional.
    *set crystal_health - 1
    Crystal is still, in a manner of speaking, a biological creature. There must be some speed at which their organs get damaged while your cutter's systems remain largely operational. Or if not speed, then at least a certain angle of approach, and you are determined to find these parameters in time.
    
    *if (Database + Calculation) > 100
      You aim one of your thrusters forwards, reducing the speed, whilst another moves the ship slightly sideways. Crystal still collides with [i]Gray Queen[/i], you still hear the thud and feel the change in momentum, still [i]feel[/i] the sharp scales brush against the hull. But it's not the kind of suicidal crash Crystal was hoping for, all critical systems remain operational. The void shields, the thrusters, the cannon and the cameras.
      
      *if crystal_health <= 0
        You can see Crystal, their diamond armor broken and shattered. Their energy very likely spent. Their will to fight gone, for they realized they've lost.
      *else
        You can see Crystal, now moving away from your ship, through the ship's scopes. It looks close to being crippled… but far from dead. Far from being done with you.
      
    *else
      *set queen_crashed true
      By the time Crystal collides with the spacecraft, you have approximated these coordinates quite well… but not well enough. You crack the wyvern's armor alright, injuring the fiendish creature considerably, but [i]Gray Queen[/i] takes similar damage. Possibly worse, if the sound of the dying engines and the sight of electronics blinking out are anything to go off.
      
      One of the last things you see on the console's central screen, before it too turns to black, is a warning about void shields being down. In that case, the air bubble around the ship will only last as long as the emergency field, that is a minute tops.
      
  #Swerve sideways, get out of Crystal's way.
    It's like dodging a rhino's charge, or an automobile intent on running you over. You don't run away, you don't reduce the force of the blow, you just wait until the last second and then swerve to the side drastically. Crystal should have expected that, really—perhaps it was counting on your lack of will to live, hoping you'd do something foolish or suicidal.
    
    In any case, the wyvern flies well past your ship and continues flying, roughly in the direction of Janus. 
    *if crystal_health <= 0
      Only now, with your ship's cameras, can you see just how beaten-up the thing looks. How broken, how exhausted, how utterly miserable. When it lowers its altitude, slowly approaching the moon's surface, it's not some valiant swoop or even a desperate attempt to reach a tunnel—it simply doesn't have the energy to stay afloat any longer.
      
      *goto victory
    *else
      But it slows down, and that's not because it's injured or tired—it simply intends to turn around, to finish you off.
      
      Something it might be capable of. Your sudden, forceful dodge knocked some screws loose in the hull of [i]Gray Queen[/i], and the calculations tired the biocomputer greatly. Your own processors are close to overheating too, and your battery… has seen better days, something that can also be said about the cutter's fuel 
      *if ammo < 2
        and ammo 
      reserves.
      
      *goto failure
  #Slam into Crystal while firing the cannon, all in the same instant.
    *set Confid %+ 10
    *set Violence %+ 10
    When Crystal gets close enough, a kilometer at most, you fire a missile out of your gravitic cannon. It slows you down a little, Newton's third law reminding you of basic physics, but not enough to seriously weaken the crash that follows.
    
    *goto full_crash
  *if (Database > 60) #Fire at Crystal while decelerating at maximum thrust.
    *set crystal_health - 1
    *set RookRel %- 5
    *set RenfriRel %- 5
    *set LisaRel %- 5
    It's a risky little maneuver, to go from accelerating to decelerating like this, especially with fragile organics aboard. Luckily, you have the processing power to make that work.
    
    You rotate the thrusters, turning them off for just a second, then start rapidly reducing your velocity. All that exhaust is aimed at Crystal, though you imagine it's less bothersome than the missile that hits the wyvern in the same instant. The kickback from this shot is further added to your backwards momentum, or deducted from your forward momentum, depending on the frame of reference.
    
    Kirill and Renfri would probably object, if they were capable of speaking as opposed to falling into the consoles, pressed against the cockpit's front end. You've carefully selected the deceleration—about ten gee—to avoid seriously injuring these two or tossing Damon off the roof, but such drastic maneuvers always come with a cost.
    
    Good news is, Crystal also felt that cost, their diamond body full of wide cracks. You see that as the wyvern and [i]Gray Queen[/i] pass one another; At a speed this low, jerking to the side and avoiding a crash is a trivial thing. 
    *if crystal_health <= 0
      There is a limit to how much a wyvern, even a dusk-infected one, can take before going down. And you've managed to find that limit.
    *else
      It looks close to being crippled… but far from dead. Far from being done with you.
  #Slow down as much as you (safely) can.
    *set Confid %- 10
    *set crystal_health - 1
    *set queen_crashed true
    You decelerate at fifty meters per second squared, several times the standard thrust. It would put an ordinary human at risk, but you trust the metas enhanced bodies will handle it, and that Damon will manage to hold on. This would be enough to cancel out almost all of your momentum, reduce the impending crash to a small bump… If not or Crystal speeding up as you slow down, adjusting their angle so as to inflict maximum damage upon your ship.
    
    You realize, all too late, that you've allowed your enemy to dictate the terms of this crash, its exact force and the point of maximum pressure. You realize that as the crash occurs, as a loud thud fills the ears of everyone aboard, as the consoles around you shut off and the screen goes black. 
    
    Moments later, all void shields go down at once. This would cause the air bubble around the ship to dissipate instantly, if not for the emergency forcefield—an automatic safeguard that should keep the atmosphere from leaking out… for another minute, two minutes tops. Hopefully the hull doesn't have any [i]major[/i] punctures after what transpired, otherwise those two minutes are everything you have left.
   
*if not (queen_crashed)
  *if crystal_health <= 0
    *goto victory
  *else
    *goto failure
*if queen_crashed
  You can feel all these critical failures and crashes at once, thanks to your link with [i]Gray Queen[/i]. It is like a wave of ice, an onset of depression that threatens to consume you and makes you withdraw, pull out your antenna and disconnect, out of simple self-preservation. You leave the control of the ship's systems—or what's left of them, anyway—to Manfred, hoping he's coping with the crash better.
  
  [i]Fuck![/i] Damon exclaims in the channel. [i]Fuck, fuck, fuck![/i]
  
  "Damon!" Hadaly doesn't even bother with the mind link, just screaming on the top of her voice. "Did you fall off? I told you staying on the roof-"
  
  [i]No, I'm fine. Kinda.[/i] Damon reassures you. [i]I'm holding on. Those magnetic boots do the trick, it's just… I see a huge dent in our armor. And I don't think our problems end there.[/i]
  
  *if crystal_health > 0
    *goto failure
  *else
    *goto crash_queen


*label crash_queen

They definitely don't. You're pretty sure you crippled Crystal, or at least that you stunned them, that now would be the moment to strike the final blow, but there's nothing to strike with. No guns, no thrusters… 
*if Confid > 50
  But there's gotta be a way out.
*else
  It's not looking good.

"Manfred?" you call out. "Are you still there?"

"Roger that." Manfred's voice sounds weak as it comes out of the speakers. Maybe it's the issue with the audio, for even those speakers must be running out of energy, or maybe your ship's AI is just that tired. "I'd be running diagnostics right now, if there were anything to diagnose."

*fake_choice
  #"What do you mean? What's the extent of our damage?"
  #"You mean everything is broken? You sound mostly fine."
    "The processors and the biocomp are fine, miraculously enough," Manfred explains dutifully. 
  #"Try anyway. We're counting on you."
    *set ManfredRel %- 8
    "I can't just try! I can barely do anything!" Manfred says irritably. 
  #"Crap. How bad is it, exactly?"
  #"Hadaly, can you perform a manual check?"
    *set HadalyRel %+ 8
    "Please don't bother our engineer," Manfred says as Hadaly stands up. 
"Our main issue is the powering, or rather lack thereof. We lost both batteries in the crash, and most circuits leading to them are damaged. Everything else could feasibly be repaired… If we somehow get the electricity back on."

"What about Crystal?" Rook asks. His expression is difficult to see, for even the lights went out, but he definitely sounds worried. Almost terrified. "Can you see them through the scopes?"

"They look… dazed?" Manfred responds. "I can't move the camera or zoom in, I can't give you their exact status. But I have a nagging feeling they're about to wake up, then kill us soon after."

So repairing the ship, or at least restoring its power supply, is a matter of life and death. You need to think fast, act even more hastily.

*choice
  *selectable_if (Projection > 40) #"Everyone back off. I'll channel the power from my battery to the ship's."
    "You and the ship are quite different beasts," Rook points out. "Especially in terms of size. Are you sure you have enough juice inside you?"
    
    *if Confid > 50
      "Yeah. I'm sure." You focus some electric energy in your fingers. "Now stand back and watch."
    *else
      "Not really," you admit, turning off some of your routines to maximize the power available. "But there's only one way to find out."
    
    You put your hands against the wall, a spot behind which there should be some circuits, running directly towards the consoles and other crucial equipment. Your already halfway-depleted battery will not power the whole ship for long, but perhaps it will be enough. Perhaps you can buy your group enough time, perhaps you'll even make the final shot you need. everything depends on you now.
    
    *if Projection > 60
      You spread your arms out, prompting the metas to retreat and press their backs against the cockpit's walls. The decision proves wise, for mere seconds later, electric sparks start falling off your body and onto the floor, though some of them jump towards the ceiling instead. Sparks then turn to arcs, actual industrial grade discharges, heating up the air and lighting up the room.
      
      At first, you wonder if you're being precise enough, worry that perhaps you're just frying the cutter's circuits even further. 
      *goto early_back
    *else
      *set battery - 10
      *if battery < 1
        *set battery 1
        
      And then you fail.
      
      You transfer some power, sure. You even make the screen flare up for a second. But it's not enough to turn on the engines, or make the cannon fire, or significantly prolong the emergency field's lifespan. It's nowhere close to being enough.
      
      Perhaps if you had more power left in your batteries… Or if you'd practiced your energy projection more… Or maybe not. Maybe you were doomed to fail. Maybe this whole operation was doomed to failure from the start.
      
      "Okay, that's not the power surge I hoped for," Marshal says nervously. "Any other ideas?"
      
      *goto silence_aw
    
  *if (Database > 60) #"Are you feeling strong, Marshal? Because I know a trick that can get us out of this."
    "Me?" Marshal's almond eyes widen. "What do I have to do with anything? Should I fly out and fight Crystal myself?"
    
    "Nothing like that," you calm her down. "I just noticed we still have gravity."
    
    There's a pause. "Yeah, I noticed that too. So?"
    
    "So we still have dark matter in our gravity generators," you patiently explain. "Electricity is still flowing through them. I want you to manipulate the generator so that it [i]returns[/i] power to the circuits, at least for a short while."
    
    Marshal looks surprised, perhaps impressed, but nods in understanding soon. "That could work, but… It's been a while since we last visited a Hollow World. I don't have much juice left in me."
    
    "I'll give you a boost," Rook says, clenching his fist as though already manipulating the nanites inside Marshal's body. "Just maybe hurry up, please?"
    
    You don't get to witness any of what happens next, you don't get to participate other than by making helpful suggestions based on your technical knowledge. But soon enough, you can see the effects, in the form of flashing lights and the camera feed once being displayed on the console's central screen.
    
    *goto every_back
    
  #"Hadaly, you're great at energy projection [i]and[/i] repairing electronics. Can you re-power our ship?"
    "Maybe?" Hadaly glances away. Perhaps in hopes of noticing some exposed circuit, perhaps to simply avoid your gaze. "Probably not though. I've never done anything like this."
    
    "But you've done similar stuff, right?" Marshal encourages her, proving just how desperate the situation is. "Come on, this is the one moment a robot mechanic would really come in handy."
    
    "Actually, I don't think I did," Hadaly retorts. It's difficult to see, due to the angle and the dim lighting, but you could swear her eyes are turning orange. "Anything like that, I mean. Not my area of expertise."
    
    You wonder if that's the real reason Hadaly doesn't want to contribute, if she really lacks confidence rather than motivation. The idea that she's refusing for Crystal's benefit… 
    *if (HadalyRel > 50) and (official_ro != "hadaly")
      But no. She can't possibly want the mission to fail that much. It's just another lapse in confidence, another trace of Hammon's programming. You need to help her get over it.
    *else
      You don't want to believe it, to think your fellow android was willing to risk everyone's lives to get her way, but it certainly feels possible at the moment.
    
    *fake_choice
      #"You can do this. I [i]believe[/i] you can do this. Please save us."
        Hadaly looks at you. One of her eyebrows is raised, the eye below it a shade of blue. "And you think that belief will just… give me the power to fix everything?"
        
        "Of course not," you say with an encouraging smile. "The power is already within you. And I believe it will be enough."
        
        *if (Social + HadalyRel) > 100
          "Well… you sure are good at talking sweet," Hadaly returns the smile as she stands up. "I'll try. Just for you."
        *else
          "Well I don't," Hadaly sighs sadly. "And I'm afraid of making things worse. I'm sorry."
          
          *goto silence_aw
      #"Is there any solid reason you don't believe in yourself? Or just the coding?"
        "How is my coding, my… conditioning not a valid reason?" Hadaly asks you. "It's a part of me, as much as everything else."
        
        "It's malicious." Your voice is stern, but hopefully not unkind. "Cancerous, if you don't mind the metaphor. It's trying to deceive you, and it must be ignored."
        
        Hadaly's still not looking at you. "Just ignore my emotions. My instincts. Does this sort of thing come easily to you?"
        
        *if Emotion < 50
          *set HadalyRel %+ 8
          *set Confid %+ 8
          "Most of the time. We're not organics, Hadaly. Following logic over impulses is just… kinda our thing."
        *else
          *set HadalyRel %- 8
          *set Confid %- 8
          "Not really," you reluctantly admit. "I may have… allowed my impulses to guide me, once or twice. But I'd like to believe you're better than me."
        
        Hadaly sits there silently, motionlessly for a moment, 
        *if ((HadalyRel + Confid) < 100) or (hadaly_pissed)
          then weakly shakes her head. "I cannot do that. I don't know how. I'm sorry."
          
          *goto silence_aw
        *else
          before nodding weakly. "Fine. I may have an idea what to do. I'm not sure if it will work… but I'll do my best."
        
      #"What do you want in return for your help? We can haggle."
        *set HadalyRel %- 12
        "What makes you think I want to haggle?" Hadaly's eyes are downright red now, as well as pointed straight at you. "Since when is that a thing I do?"
        
        "It's not, but only for two years now." Your eyes are focused on her, unsympathetic yet pleading. "I know who built you, who raised you. You're Hammon's blood, in a manner of speaking, so act like it just this once."
        
        "Wait what?" Marshal blinks. "What do you… Have I missed something?"
        
        Hadaly does not blink. Her eyes only narrow. "You know what? Fine, there is something I want. Promise me that, when Hammon becomes a problem, you'll deal with him [i]exactly[/i] how I tell you to. Promise that I'll be the one making that choice. Then I'll help you."
        
        "Do you expect he'll become a problem?" you inquire. "And what's your preferred method of [i]dealing with him[/i]?"
        
        "That answer is not part of the deal." Hadaly's voice lacks a trace of her usual shyness, her nerves. It's as cold, as business-like as you asked. "You know the terms. Do you accept?"
        
        *choice
          #"Fine. You've got yourself a deal."
            *set hadaly_promise true
            "Pleasure doing business with you." Hadaly's eyes are as cold as her voice. And her barely visible smile. "Now brace yourself. Electricity is about to return."
            
          #"No. No such luck."
            "Well then…." Hadaly shrugs. "You said it yourself. No luck for either of us."
            
            "Can't reach a consensus? That's fine," Marshal calmingly says. "We can always just die. Unless someone has another idea up their sleeve."
            
            *goto silence_aw
        
      #"Remember what happened in Calypso, Hadaly. Crystal deserves to die."
        "Is that why you want them dead?" Hadaly asks, her tone vaguely accusatory. "Because of… justice? For the humans that wyvern killed and terrorized?"
        
        *if Misan > 50
          "Well…" You're not a human-lover, and you doubt there's a point in playing one. "There's also the matter of Crystal almost killing [i]us[/i]. By striking back, we'll prove how much stronger we are than organics. That we can do what they can't."
        *else
          You nod. "That has always been my motive. I know you don't like humans, Hadaly… But maybe you should be the better creature, just this once."
        
        *if (Social - Misan) > 0
          "That's…" Marshal bites her tongue. "Actually, ${pronoun}@{plural 's|'re} right. Show us, pathetic little humans, how it's all done. Please."
          
          "Well…" Hadaly says while standing up. "I guess I see your point, ${name}. Crystal [i]has[/i] killed quite a few people, and I don't want to be next. So I'll try."
        *else
          "I've always been," Hadaly replies, angrily and sadly at once. "The better person, I mean. All he ever did was take advantage of that, of [i]me[/i]. Turning the other cheek never leads to anything good, ${name}."
          
          "I would dispute that assertion," Rook says in a very similar tone. "Though… I doubt we have time for such discussions."
          
          *goto silence_aw
      #"If you don't help here, we all die. I hope you realize that."
        "If Crystal decides to turn around and finish the fight," Hadaly says with a nod. "I am aware. Why would you think I'm not?"
        
        "Well…" You pick your words carefully. "You don't seem very motivated to help out. I know it's partially your lack of confidence, but I don't think you fully understand the danger."
        
        Hadaly glares at you. "I've understood the danger from the very start. I knew this operation was stupidly risky, especially after we've learned of Crystal's nature. I'm not the reason we're stuck here."
        
        "True, you're not the one who rammed our ship into a wyvern," you admit with some shame. "But you can be our ticket out. I know you never wanted us to get so far, but please… Don't allow all that effort to go wasted."
        
        *if (Social + HadalyRel) > 100
          Hadaly smiles weakly. "Or allow everyone here to die?"
          
          You return the expression. "Yeah. That too."
          
          She sighs, then stands up. "Fine. I'll see if the power within my circuits is enough. Manfred, brace yourself for a power surge."
        *else
          Hadaly shakes her head weakly. "I'm not falling for the sunk costs' fallacy. Not that it would matter if I did. I don't have enough power to bring this ship back to life."
          
          "Okay…" Marshal sighs deeply. "Guess that means we have to do something Else. Find some other way out."
          
          *goto silence_aw
      *if official_ro = "hadaly"
        #♡ "Hadaly, please. If you won't do it for the mission, do it for me."
          "What makes you think I'm holding out on you?" Hadaly says accusingly. "That I can actually do this, and that I know I can?"
          
          "Because I know you," you reply softly. "It comes with loving someone. So please don't play games with me like that."
          
          Hadaly closes her eyes. When she opens them again, the irises are a pale shade of blue. "I'm sorry, it's… in the blood, I guess. You remind me of… you make me want to… I'll just do as you say."
    
    *label hadaly_fixes
    
    Hadaly spreads her arms out, prompting the metas to retreat and press their backs against the cockpit's walls. The decision proves wise, for mere seconds later, electric sparks start falling off the android's body and onto the floor, though some of them jump towards the ceiling instead. Sparks then turn to arcs, actual industrial grade discharges, heating up the air and lighting up the room.
    
    In this pale light, you can see Hadaly's eyes have turned a shade of white, and perhaps began glowing faintly. You don't know what emotion this represents, but they look as though filled with lightning, like white clouds that were somehow able to produce the thunderstorm you're seeing. 
    
    At first, you wonder if she's being precise enough, worry that perhaps she's just frying the cutter's circuits even further. 
    *label early_back
    But then, the screen flares up again, as does the ceiling-mounted lamp. Power returns, floods the bridge with light, restores everything from your shields to the ventilation system. Everything is back.
    
    *label every_back
    
    *page_break Everything Is Back
    
    ""Everything is back!" Manfred cheerfully exclaims. "Well, not literally everything, neither our shields nor thrusters are operating at full capacity… but I don't think that matters."
    
    "How can you say that?" Marshal chides him. "We need these things to-"
    
    "Crystal is landing!" Damon shouts as he slams the door open, rushing into the chamber. "But not entering any tunnels, just… falling towards the ground. I think they're finished."
    
    You smile, realizing the meaning of these words. Putting your antenna inside the port, reconnecting with the ship once again, finding the graviton cannon still operational.
    
    *goto victory
    
  #[i]Do you read me, Damon? With our power combined, we should be able to re-energize the ship.[/i]
    [i]Our powers?[/i] Damon sounds bewildered. [i]Like, including mine? Because you know I'm no good at energy projection.[/i]
    
    *if Projection > 45
      [i]But I am,[/i] 
      *if Confid < 50
        you fake confidence. 
      *else
        you say confidently. 
      [i]I can explain how it's done, or at least the very basics. With your full battery and my expertise, we'll pull it off for sure.[/i]
      
      *if HadalyRel > 55
        [i]Well, I don't think there's any harm in trying,[/i] Hadaly chimes in. [i]I'm not about to join in, I still have my principles… But I encourage you two to try.[/i]
        
        [i]Alright then…[/i] Faintly, you can hear Damon sigh. [i]What's the first step, ${name_damon}?[/i]
        
        *label do_together
        
        Having to explain energy projection under time pressure is neither easy nor pleasant, but you somehow manage it well enough. Damon doesn't feel confident, but then he sees Crystal recovering in the distance, and decides it's high time to restore the ship back to something resembling an operational state.
        
        You end up charging the ship together, from two different locations, something that actually works to your advantage—it prevents any one circuit from getting burned, allows electric energy to flow through the system seamlessly. The screen also flares up again, as does the ceiling-mounted lamp above you. Power returns, floods the bridge with light, restores everything from your shields to the ventilation system.
        
        *goto every_back
      *else
        [i]Will you?[/i] Hadaly chimes in. [i]Because if you don't, Damon will get hurt. You'll get hurt. We might all get hurt for all you know.[/i]
        
        [i]And we'll get seriously hurt if we do nothing,[/i] you retort. [i]Damon, follow my instructions.[/i]
        
        *if DamonRel > 55
          [i]Alright… I guess I will.[/i] Faintly, you can hear Damon sigh. [i]What's the first one, ${name_damon}?[/i]
          
          *goto do_together
        *else
          [i]Sorry, ${name_damon}… but I think my sister is right,[/i] Damon says after a moment. [i]It's not a good idea. But maybe someone else will come up with something.[/i]
          
          *goto silence_aw
      
    *else
      [i]Oh. Right. Nevermind.[/i] You turn off the mind link and turn on your regular voice. "So… does anyone have any ideas?"
      
      *goto silence_aw
    
  #"Well... I guess that means we're doomed."
    *set Confid %- 10
    "Hey, curb your defeatism," @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} chides you. "We could still try… something like… well… fuck."
    
    *label silence_aw
    
    Awkward silence follows. It becomes painfully clear that no one knows what to do, and that you're unlikely to come up with something on time.
    
    *goto failure
  #Wait for someone to come up with a plan.
    *set Confid %- 5
    *goto silence_aw


*label victory

You've won. Only the final blow remains.

*page_break

Your thrusters are low on fuel, but [i]Gray Queen[/i] is nonetheless able to catch up to Crystal. The wyvern, for its part, is barely capable of flight at this point. It tries to run away, hide behind Janus again, but it doesn't manage to complete even a single orbit around the oblong moon. It eventually dips and falls down, from the sky and towards the surface of Janus, hitting the primordial rocks and sending clouds of dust upwards.

As you position the ship above that location, this seemingly random spot on the moon's surface, you consider the possibility of this being some final trick. That when the dust settles, Crystal will be gone, invisible or burrowed into the ground. No such misfortune—you can clearly see the fiend, kilometers away from the nearest tunnel or forcefield, even from your spot in the orbit.

Well, relatively clearly. It blends with the background, not thanks to any camouflage, but the simple resemblance of its mineral body to the grey rocks of Janus. Using its wings as legs and yet barely able to support itself, the wyvern looks unusually weak. Almost pathetic, like an animal about to die, a pterosaur injured beyond recovery.

[i]I yield.[/i] Crystal's voice is weak in your mind. It's not even cold, for once, just lukewarm in an ill-defined way. [i]You've won. Just… hear me out before you make a mistake.[/i]

You control the armaments, including the graviton cannon. The range is just right. You can end the fiend at this instant, if you wish to.

*choice
  #"You don't seriously think you can talk your way out of this, right?"
    [i]Just give me a chance to,[/i] Crystal pleads weakly. [i]I promise I won't try anything but talking.[/i]
  *selectable_if (Calculation > 50) #"I won't. I have excellent aim."
    *set RenfriRel %+ 5
    *set DamonRel %+ 5
    [i]Then there is no danger of me escaping your sights in time, or evading the bullet,[/i] Crystal argues. [i]You can afford to let me speak.[/i]
    
    "Good point," you say dispassionately. "Speak."
  #"Alright. I am listening."
    "But like… why?" @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} objects. "Why aren't we blasting away at them right now?"
    
    "Because I'm interested." You see no reason to explain yourself deeply. And besides, that's the truth. "Go on."
  #"What mistake? The mistake of letting you live?"
    [i]The mistake of dooming yourself,[/i] Crystal responds. [i]Let me explain, if you care for anything beyond my death.[/i]
  #"No." Kill Crystal.
    *goto crykilled

It's a wonder Crystal can hear you. You suppose they're using the same telepathy for listening as for speaking. The part of their body responsible for those psychic powers must still be fairly intact, though hopefully not enough to be used as a weapon.

[i]You know what I was trying to contain. What I did contain, what I am still holding hostage even now.[/i] So they're playing that card. Of course. [i]The nanomachines… I feel them coursing through my body, yearning to be free. And if you kill me, provide them with the power to fly out of my corpse, they will.[/i]

Right. It's arguable whether Dusk actually wants to leave Crystal's body, it seemed somewhat content when you talked… But it will definitely wish to leave Crystal's [i]corpse[/i], and that could be a problem.

[i]I know we are enemies, $!{name_1}. I know I tried to kill you. But what that thing, that swarm inside me threatens to do with the Solar System… It's worse than death by far. Please don't let our enmity dictate your actions.[/i]

"Instead, we should just let you enter Janus," Rook joins the debate, his voice grim. "Hide there until the end of time."

[i]I am trying to avert the end of time. Please $!{name_1}, you must see that.[/i]


*fake_choice
  #"You're biding your time. Making me waste mine."
   [i]Do you believe I have some ally who'll come to my rescue?[/i] Crystal asks sadly, tiredly. [i]You're the one with federate backing. The time is very much on your side here.[/i]
   
   "Not really though," @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} implores you. "We need to be the ones finishing this mission, ${name}. If we let the cavalry arrive, we'll be risking our careers [i]and[/i] your group's future. We need to end this now."
   
   [i]Yes ${name}, listen to your teammate.[/i] Crystal's voice is still tired, but there's also a mocking quality to it. [i]Their motivations, their reasons for wanting me dead are so selfless. So pure.[/i]
  #"Is there no way to destroy those nanobots?"
    [i]If there was, do you really think I wouldn't have taken it?[/i] Crystal sounds quite offended. [i]No, even the kind of swarm contained in a paper plane is quite indestructible. It's unlikely you'll kill even a single nanobot by shooting me dead.[/i]
    
    "The Shield wasn't erected for nothing," Hadaly adds helpfully. "Even humanity at the height of its power wasn't able to destroy Dusk, or even a significant quantity of its nanites. Perhaps we shouldn't try."
    
    *goto whoseside
  #"How many nanites are inside you, exactly?"
    [i]About a quadrillion?[/i] Crystal muses. [i]It is difficult to keep count.[/i]
    
    "I have to say, that is a lot," Manfred chimes in. "Not critical mass, probably… But enough for many thousands of Vessels."
    
    [i]Some potentially more dangerous than me,[/i] Crystal argues, encouraged by the support. [i]Even if you think me vulnerable to corruption, surely you can see how I'd be the lesser evil?[/i]
  #"Dusk nanites are only dangerous when energized, right?"
    [i]If you were to strangle me to death, perhaps they would pose no danger.[/i] Somehow, Crystal still has the energy for sarcasm. [i]But even a single shot from that cannon of yours will give the swarm enough energy to escape. Inside Janus, or perhaps into the void of space.[/i]
    
    "It [i]would[/i] be consistent with everything we know of Dusk," Hadaly chimes in. "And the kinetic energy conveyed through a grav-cannon shot… Yes, it would provide the nanobots with enough power to crawl away, at the very least."
    
    *label whoseside
    
    "Whose side are you even on?" @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} narrows her eyes as she looks at Hadaly. "Actually, don't answer. I think I already know."
    
    [i]Your team is plagued by infighting,[/i] Crystal calmly points out. [i]That implies I have a point, no?[/i]
  #"I see all I need to see. A monster."
    [i]It's an illusion you need to see past,[/i] Crystal reassures you. [i]How much wrong have I actually done? Have I displayed enough evil for you to call me a monster?[/i]
    
    "You've killed people in Calypso," @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} replies in your stead. "Even non-combatants, if we count your previous raids."
    
    [i]Unfortunate accidents,[/i] Crystal replies unflinchingly. [i]I was investigating the habitat, looking for the Shadow's artifacts while struggling against its influence. Such losses were unavoidable, and shall not happen even again.[/i]
    
    "You have also tried to kill us," Rook joins the prosecution. "Literal minutes ago."
    
    [i]That will not be repeated either. Just leave me be, and I shall leave you.[/i]

*fake_choice
  #"I see your point, but... I need to do this for my group."
    [i]Do you?[/i] Crystal asks you. [i]Are you really unable to survive without these humans' assistance? Are you sure they'll even grant it, keep their word when there's no motivation to? Just… think about it before you end my existence.[/i]
  #"If I let you enter Janus, will you stay there?"
    "No!" @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} politely answers. "No, no, no! I do not like where this is going!"
    
    [i]Yes,[/i] Crystal says calmly. [i]Some of the wounds you've given me are quite permanent. I shall not be a threat to anyone, and certainly not to your group. Just let me go, and this pointless war will end.[/i]
  #"I am... not entirely convinced either way."
    "What?" @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} protests. "Now that we've come so far? ${name}, this is [i]not[/i] the moment for second thoughts."
    
    [i]In a manner, I agree,[/i] Crystal says grimly. [i]Soon enough, the good people of Janus will notice our presence and intervene, possibly kill me before you're able to. It's yet another thing neither of us wants to happen… so make your decision already.[/i]
  #"You're just saying that because you're about to die."
    [i]Of course I am,[/i] Crystal freely admits. [i]That doesn't mean I'm wrong. Consider my reason for remaining alive. Consider what will happen if I die. Please.[/i]

Every single processor of yours, except those dedicated to keeping the ship afloat, works overtime to make an informed decision. Some of your allies, with @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} at the helm, would call the decision simple—just slay the monster, return home triumphantly, and receive your reward. It's not like Crystal hasn't tried to kill you first, so your conscience shouldn't suffer terribly.

Except… Crystal is probably right and honest about Dusk nanites. Every single data point agrees with their theory. If you destroy the carrier, the little gems will fly free and start infecting others. Maybe they won't reach you and your team, not in your air-tight spaceship… 
*if queen_crashed
  Or maybe they will, through one of many cracks [i]Gray Queen[/i] acquired during the collision.
*else
  But Janus is not air-tight, and so the Shadow is sure to find some potential Vessels there.

Perhaps Crystal is wrong about the level of danger, at least. Perhaps letting them live will benefit Dusk more than killing them would. It must be hard to find a Vessel as powerful as a diamond wyvern, something that could in theory be used to destroy the Shield itself. You try running probability and casualty estimates, but there are simply too many variables, too many unknowns involved. Crystal's ability to resist corruption is not the least of them, as you don’t know when—and if—the wyvern will truly become the Shadow’s puppet.

*if Misan > 55
  You also wonder whether your 'reward' is even worth it. Even assuming West intends to keep his word, do you even [i]want[/i] him to make good on that promise? Do you want to sit inside [i]Saturn Nine[/i] forever, owing survival to your human overseers? Some of your fellow outcasts want it, but it seems like a boring and somewhat… inappropriate way to spend the rest of your life.
*elseif Violence < 45
  And there is, of course, the deed itself. You've spent your life, or at least much of it, trying to avoid pointless violence and bloodshed. Now, you are given a chance to execute helpless enemy on behalf of a human military. Is that really something you want? Something you're capable of doing?
*elseif (likes_s9 = false)
  You also wonder whether your 'reward' is even worth it. Unlike most of your group, you don't actually like [i]Saturn Nine[/i] at all—your worst memories are directly connected to that old, damp, decrepit fortress. Do you really want to stay there, in this floating prison, rather than keep moving?
*else
  Maybe you should just go with the crowd and shoot already. Refusing to kill Crystal would put you at odds with most of… everyone you know, really. Hadaly will approve, @{(LisaRel >= 50) Lisa|Hellhound} won't care, Olivia [i]might[/i] congratulate you on defying the feds… But the others will hate you. Sheila most of all, and that's a serious problem if you intend to remain with your group.

Ultimately, it all comes down to a binary choice. No half-measures, no grey areas, no meeting anyone halfway. Just action or inaction, true or false, north or south. It's victory or defeat, and the decision is yours to make.

*choice
  #Kill.
    *set marshal_pissed true
    *goto crykilled
  #Spare.
    *set hadaly_pissed false
    *goto cryspared



*label failure

"Veteran, this isn't going terribly well." You try to ignore Manfred's polite, yet distressed voice as Crystal turns around yet again. "The chance of us killing Crystal has dropped to less than one percent, if my calculations are correct."

*if Emotion > 50
  "You think I don't know that?!" you snap at the program. "I'd retreat if I could, but I can't. 
*else
  "I am aware," you calmly reply. "But it's not like we can leave. 
*if queen_crashed
  We have no power in the engines, or the shields, or the gravitic cannon. We're all out of juice."
  
  "That's not quite true," Manfred responds. "Some of our minor, but quite essential systems are still functioning. Quite well, at that."
  
  *fake_choice
    #"You sound like you have an idea. I want to hear it."
      *set ManfredRel %+ 8
      "Your interest flatters me, Veteran," Manfred replies. "But trust me. You will not like that idea."
    #"Can you redirect that power to the engines? Or maybe the shields?"
      "There's not nearly enough of it," Manfred rejects your suggestions. "But I have a more practical, if more grisly idea in mind."
    #"Are you going anywhere with this?"
      *set ManfredRel %- 12
      "As a matter of fact, yes." Manfred's voice turns stern. "Just not a place you'll particularly like."
    #"Right. Emergency forcefield and life support."
      "Those too," Manfred confirms. "But there is one more system that, to your chagrin, I still have control over."
    #"If those systems cannot be weaponized, I don't want to hear about them."
      *set ManfredRel %- 6
      "Oh, the one I'm referring to can be used as a weapon," Manfred assures you. "It is, after all, a launcher of sorts."
  
  *goto whatmean
*else
  We angered Crystal too much for them not to follow. They're intent on ending us."
  
  "Correction," Manfred responds. "They're intent on killing [i]you[/i]. You're the one they see as an opponent, the element they must remove. The one who caused them so much trouble."
  
  *fake_choice
    #"And that's why they'll ram this ship again. Kill everyone to get back at me."
      "That is the logical strategy to assume," Manfred heartily agrees. "Unless the game changes."
    #"Yes. And I am quite proud of it."
      *set Confid %+ 8
      "I'm not saying you shouldn't," Manfred reassures you. "Just that we must face the reality your… heroic exploits leave us with."
    #"Are you trying to guilt-trip me now?"
      "I am most certainly not," 
      *goto calmingly
    #"Hey, I didn't even want to participate in this mission. You and Sheila forced me into this."
      *set HadalyRel %+ 5
      *set ManfredRel %- 5
      "I'm not trying to argue with you," 
      *label calmingly
      Manfred calmingly says. "I just see things for what they really are. However harsh that truth may be."
    #"Have I caused them trouble? @{(injured_crystal = "manfred") You're|${injured_crystal} is} the one who inflicted the worst wound."
      "That may be so," Manfred concedes. "But for the purposes of negotiating peace, we must consider how Crystal views the world."
  
  *label whatmean
  
  "What do you mean?" You feel the chair you're sitting on recline. For some reason.
  
  "I'm just saying… my options are limited." There is shame in Manfred's voice, but not overly so. "There is not a single item left in our arsenal that can save the whole group, or even this ship. It's time to parlay with our enemy, your enemy to be more precise."
  
  And at that moment, you realize what Manfred intends to do. It shocks you so much you fail to react as harnesses are wrapped around you, fastening you to your seat.
  
  *temp pron_obj "her"
  
  *if (RenfriRel >= HadalyRel) and (RenfriRel >= RookRel)
    "You want to eject ${name} out of our ship?" @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} Renfri says the quiet part out loud. "You know ${pronoun} can't fly, right?"
  *if (HadalyRel >= RenfriRel) and (HadalyRel >= RookRel)
    "Manfred…" Hadaly's eyes turn purple, a mixture of fear and anger. "I hope you don't mean what I think you mean."
  *if (RookRel >= HadalyRel) and (RookRel >= RenfriRel)
    *set pron_obj "him"
    "I think I know what is the plan here," @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} says, his face darkening. "I did not approve of it."
  
  Manfred ignores ${pron_obj}. "I am really sorry about this, Veteran, but it's one life against @{(last_mission = "telesto") seven|six}. Your sacrifice, however tragic, should convince Crystal to spare the rest of us. At the very least, it will buy us time, likely enough to fix the ship. It will be for the best."
  
  The roof above you opens, revealing the void above. The emergency fiend prevents any air from leaking out, but it will not keep you from getting ejected into space.
  
  *fake_choice
    #"I don't suppose I can make you change your mind."
      *set Emotion %- 15
      *set ManfredRel %+ 5
      "No. I suppose you can't." Manfred solemnly says. "Goodbye, Veteran."
    *if (queen_crashed) #"Fix the ship now! I can still salvage this!"
      *set Emotion %+ 12
      "Veteran, with all due respect, we know the extent of your capabilities," Manfred says heavily. "Goodbye."
    #"Well... anything for the group, I guess."
      *goto peaceful
    *if not (queen_crashed)
      #"Shut the fuck up. I can still win this."
        *set Emotion %+ 8
        "With all due respect… you cannot," Manfred says heavily. "Goodbye, Veteran."
    #"Can you drop the nickname? Do me that kindness, at least."
      *set Emotion %- 5
      *set RookRel %+ 5
      *set ManfredRel %+ 5
      *set name_manfred name
      "I will honor your final wish," Manfred solemnly says. "Goodbye, ${name}."
    *selectable_if (ManfredRel > 50) #"Really? You'll just dispose of me? I thought we were friends."
      *set Emotion %+ 10
      *set ManfredRel %+ 10
      "I have other friends, Veteran." Manfred's voice is breaking slightly. Whether that's intentional manipulation on his part, you don't know. You don't know much about him. "I have to think about them too. I'm sorry."
    #"Sacrifice? You're about to murder me, Manfred."
      *set ManfredRel %- 8
      *set RenfriRel %+ 8
      "I'm sorry you see it that way," Manfred says grimly. "Goodbye, Veteran."
    *if (deflect > 0) #"Do it. I always wanted to die."
      *label peaceful
      *set Emotion %- 12
      *set ManfredRel %+ 5
      *set HadalyRel %+ 5
      *set RookRel %+ 5
      "I admire your tranquility, as well as your selflessness," Manfred says ceremoniously. "We will miss you, Veteran."
  
  And then you get ejected. Launched. Thrown out. Sacrificed.
  
  The acceleration is quite bearable, designed to be survivable even for a human. Yet it still takes the chair—and by extension you—only a split second to leave the air bubble of [i]Gray Queen[/i] and enter the vacuum of space. You feel it upon your skin, feel the air escape your cavities in an instant, feel this touch of [i]nothing[/i] surrounding you.
  
  In and of itself, such exposure to vacuum is not deadly. Not instantly at least, for an android like you. But other things are, and one such deadly threat approaches inexorably.
  
  [i]Were you abandoned, or are you hoping to save yourself?[/i] Crystal's voice is quiet, but it's getting louder by the second. [i]No matter. This is the end.[/i]
  
  You turn and look at Crystal. They have, indeed, swerved around and started flying towards you. Well, towards the spot you'll be in some fifty seconds from now. Their semi-transparent form gets gradually larger as [i]Gray Queen[/i] gets smaller, you and the ship traveling in opposite directions now.
  
  *fake_choice
    #[i]Good. I hope they get away.[/i]
      With Crystal distracted, your friends have a decent chance of fixing the ship in time, a good chance of living past this mission's end. You do not.
    #[i]Those bastards. I hope Crystal eats them later.[/i]
      Manfred may have been the one who betrayed you, but the others did nothing to stop him. They contributed to your demise, indirectly. It's a shame you won't see their deaths, that you'll only get to experience your own.
    #[i]I suppose Crystal's right. This is the end.[/i]
      *set Emotion %- 8
      *set Confid %- 8
    #[i]It can't be. I'm going down like this.[/i]
      *set Emotion %+ 8
      *set Confid %+ 8
      You try to deny the facts, you look for ways to deny your fate, but both are ultimately undeniable. You [i]are[/i] going down like this.
    *if (deflect > 0) #[i]Finally. After centuries of chaos, I'm about to get my peace.[/i]
      There can be no last-minute rescue here, no miracle, no divine intervention. You are far away from gods, far away from your friends, far away from everything but your killer.
    *if master != "Sun"
      #[i]@{god_gen Lord|Lady|Great} $!{master}... Please grant me mercy.[/i]
        Are you praying for life, or the salvation of your soul? The latter seems plausible, the former does not. There are limits to what divine intervention can accomplish.
  
  You are still strapped to the chair, not that it matters. There is nothing here to walk on, nothing to bounce off, no water to swim in and no air to glide on. 
  *if weapon = "knife"
    You could use your knife to cut the bindings, but not too damage Crystal. They are too tough, too fast. 
  *elseif weapon = "pistol"
    You could perhaps shoot, your pistol is still at your hip… But Crystal has grown too powerful to be damaged by a handgun. 
  *else
    Your energy projection would not work well here, and you're low on power anyway. 
  In this void above Janus, there is only momentum, unchangeable and final.
  
  [i]Veteran ${name}![/i] You hear Wisp's voice in your mind. The little thing is still shining in the distance and getting brighter by the second, as though flying towards you. Not that it matters. [i]I forced myself into this 'mind link' think you and the other two have, I'm really sorry about that, I just thought… You're not mad, are you?[/i]
  
  *if Emotion < 50
    [i]No.[/i] 
  Out of curiosity, you check if Damon and Hadaly can be reached with the link. They cannot. Maybe something broke, or perhaps they simply don't want to speak with you, not in your final moments. You wonder…
  
  [i]Veteran ${name}, please talk to me![/i] Wisp appeals. [i]You'll collide with the wyvern in just a moment! You'll die![/i]
  
  *fake_choice
    #[i]Yes, But the others will live.[/i]
    *if official_ro != ""
      #[i]At least ${official_ro} is safe. That's all that matters to me.[/i]
        [i]And you think[/i] 
        *if ((official_ro = "kirill") or (official_ro = "damon")) or (official_ro = "miguel")
          [i]he[/i] 
        *else
          [i]she[/i] 
        [i]doesn't want you to live?[/i] Wisp implores. [i]That[/i] 
        *if ((official_ro = "kirill") or (official_ro = "damon")) or (official_ro = "miguel")
          [i]he[/i] 
        *else
          [i]she[/i] 
        [i]wouldn't like to see you again?[/i] 
        
        [i]Of course[/i] 
        *if ((official_ro = "kirill") or (official_ro = "damon")) or (official_ro = "miguel")
          [i]he[/i] 
        *else
          [i]she[/i] 
        *if Emotion > 50
          [i]does![/i] you snap at the drone. 
        *else
          [i]does,[/i] you say calmly. 
        [i]But why should it matter? It's all over, Wisp.[/i]
    #[i]You think I haven't noticed? You must think very lowly of me.[/i]
    #[i]Worry about yourself, Wisp. Go home.[/i]
      [i]No![/i] Wisp exclaims. [i]I can't just leave you here![/i]
      
      [i]What's the alternative, then?[/i] you ask, not expecting an answer. [i]What do you plan on doing?[/i]
    #[i]Collide? I think it intends to eat me whole.[/i]
      [i]Veteran![/i] Wisp cries. [i]Please take this seriously![/i]
      
      [i]I am treating this seriously, Wisp,[/i] 
      *if Emotion > 50
        you snap at the drone. 
      *else
        you say calmly. 
      [i]You're the one in denial.[/i]
    #[i]It's alright, Wisp. I wanted this.[/i]
      [i]No you didn't,[/i] Wisp disagrees. [i]Not really. You have issues, you're not very happy, but nobody wants to… you know…[/i]
      
      [i]Then I guess I'm the exception.[/i]
    #[i]Shut up, for once. Allow me to die in peace.[/i]
      *set suic true
      [i]So…[/i] Wisp does lower its voice a little. [i]You really have no hope of living through this?[/i]
      
      [i]No. I suppose I do not.[/i]
  
  Silence falls. The vacuum of space is always silent, in a manner of speaking, and now Wisp is quiet too. So is Crystal, as it closes the remainder of that distance between you. After closing your eyes, you are completely cut off from all your senses, submerged in nothingness. Awaiting the true oblivion that's about to arrive. 
  
  *if saturn_path != "sauce"
    *goto wisp_rescue
  
  *temp rescuer "Sauce"
  
  A thousand years in the making, your last thoughts are about…
  
  *fake_choice
    #...the depths and the shame of my failure.
      You failed. Completely and utterly. Your friends are alive, sure, but they will never be safe. Crystal will always be around, the military won't grant the protection promised, and then there's Hammon and you've probably revelead your group's existence to Calypso and… fuck.
      
      At least you won't have to wallow in your shame any longer. There's no need to, you'll die within several seconds anyway. There is only…
    #...the crew of [i]Gray Queen[/i], their chances for successful escape.
      You gather their odds are actually pretty good. Maybe they restored power to their ship already, maybe not, but either way… Manfred was right. Crystal only wants you.
      
      And that's everything they will get, that fiend. There is only you here, there is only you and your…
    #...[i]Saturn Nine[/i]. And not just the station itself.
      You have friends there. Friends you failed, yes, but who hopefully won't die for your failure. Who, once they heard of your sacrifice, may well mourn you as a loved one lost. They may even give you a burial, however symbolic and lacking in actual remains.
      
      But they're not here now. There is only the sting of fear, the straps of your chair and…
    #...all the things I haven't yet done.
      It's funny. You're one of the oldest beings in the Solar System, possibly the oldest mortal one. One would think you've done everything there was to do, everything you'd ever want… but one look at that System, on that majesty, disproves this foolish line of thinking.
      
      How could anyone ever do enough? How can there ever be enough? How do you meet all those billions of people, visit those thousands of habitats, see everything under the immortal Sun? How could anyone be ever content with less, in a world so horrifying yet so [i]wonderful[/i] in its scope?
      
      But it's pointless to admire the stars, or the moons, or the planets. None of this is here, only death and…
    #...paper doors. Even here, even now.
      Is it pathetic that you cling to your trauma even here and now? Perhaps. There are some benefits to being about to die, you suppose. Soon you'll forget the darkness of your past, and then there will only be…
    *if official_ro != ""
      #$!{official_ro}. We will meet again, perhaps.
        Is there a heaven for androids? Probably not. Even human souls dissipate in places such as this, in the vacuum of space. 
        *if (official_ro = "damon") or (official_ro = "hadaly")
          But if there is such an afterlife, for dead androids to enter and meet one another… you really hope it will be $!{official_ro} you meet, as opposed to all those you 
          *if heaven_side = "Neutral"
            abandoned when their war against humanity began. 
          *else
            killed. You've killed so many, in that old war that split the heavens, you've done so much…
          
          But there is no war here, thank gods for small mercies. There is only your personal, private death and…
        *else
          And even if there is something more, something beyond the lonely death in space, you and $!{official_ro} will go to different places. You're different creatures, on a fundamental level, no matter how much you wish to forget that.
          
          *if (official_ro = "miguel") or (official_ro = "kirill")
            He's not with you. He'll never be with you. 
          *else
            She's not with you. She'll never be with you. 
          The only thing with you is…
  
  Light.
  
  *page_break Light
  
  Light. Piercing your eyelids completely and utterly, like gamma rays emitted by a sudden supernova. Light.
  
  You open your eyes, in a strange reversal of a human instinct, in response to the radiance that now scorches your optics. You fail to see Crystal, you fail to see Janus, you fail to see the black firmament of space. You just see light.
  
  At first, you think it may be Wisp overcharged, but you sense an… unnatural quality of the rays. It's something subtle and immaterial, only noticeable by someone who lived through Calamity and can recognize the touch of godhood. You then think it's some 
  *if heaven_side = "Traitor"
    Archfiend 
  *if heaven_side = "Loyalist"
    Architect 
  *if heaven_side = "Neutral"
    Angel 
  interfering, perhaps coming to your rescue, but then a shape starts materializing. A dark silhouette against the luminous background.
  
  You then realize that the light surrounding you is not divine, not quite. It's semi-divine, something you've seen far more recently than the distant power of gods.
  
  [i]Salutation, ${name_sauce}.[/i] A rectangular box of grey metal, a satellite dish, solar panels like draconic wings. Sauce, the explorer of Saturn, is speaking to you once more. [i]I hope you don't mind my interference here, it looked as though you needed help.[/i]
  
  The ethereal light gets a little dimmer, prompting you to look around. In the distance, you see Crystal fly away and dive towards Janus, like a fox spooked away by a pack of wolves. In proximity, you see Wisp fly towards you and Sauce, only now getting brighter than its surroundings.
  
  "Hey, you're the guy from the moist and warm part of Saturn." You can hear Wisp's actual voice now, in spite of the vacuum you're supposed to be in. Just another miracle, you suppose. "Thanks for coming by. I was afraid I'd have to pull off a heroic sacrifice or something."
  
  [i]I did foresee that outcome, yes.[/i] Sauce tilts itself forward, as though nodding. [i]I decided to avert it, as well as the alternative. Prevent the spilling of blood.[/i]
  
  *fake_choice
    #"I don't think anyone here has any actual blood."
      [i]Nothing like a bit of pedantry to lighten up the mood, is there?[/i] Sauce sardonically says. [i]I appreciate it so much, I'll repay your kindness by helping you return home.[/i]
    #"Thank you, but... What did you just do, exactly?"
      [i]I communicated exactly how much power I possess, and how I'm rather opposed to other kinds of power,[/i] Sauce says, not really clarifying much. [i]Vessels for Dusk rarely take chances with the chosen of other gods.[/i]
      
      "Can you, um, communicate a little more?" you humbly request. "Such as by hurting, or preferably killing Crystal?"
      
      *goto cannot_do_that
    #"Look Sauce, Crystal is escaping. Can you shoot them down or something?"
      *label cannot_do_that
      
      [i]I'm sorry, ${name_sauce}, I'm afraid I cannot do that,[/i] Sauce says sadly. [i]I've interfered too much already, slaying that wyvern would make things even worse. All I can do is help you return home.[/i]
    #"I thought you weren't going to interfere. That you had some deep reason for staying out of this fight."
      [i]I may have,[/i] Sauce admits. [i]But I couldn't quite bring myself to sit idle. Your adventure got too exciting for that.[/i]
      
      "Thanks?" You're not sure what else to say. "So are you going to keep helping me? Will you snipe Crystal down or something?"
      
      *goto cannot_do_that
    #"Wait what? Wisp, how would you even sacrifice yourself?"
      "Well…" Wisp sounds extremely uncomfortable. "I was thinking the detonation protocol-"
      
      [i]No need to explain anything in detail, friend,[/i] Sauce cuts in. [i]${name_sauce} will see that with ${subject} own eyes, in some subsequent iteration of this adventure.[/i]
      
      You blink. "You're just making me more confused. I hope you're aware of that."
      
      [i]I may be,[/i] Sauce says sorrily. [i]I've already revealed too much, interfered to an overt degree. Now let's focus on getting you home.[/i]
    #"Right. Thanks for saving me from certain death, Sauce."
      [i]You are wholly welcome, ${name_sauce}. In fact, I shall now grant you another favor and help you return home.[/i]
    *if (deflect > 0) #"Well, you ruined my death. Thank you very much."
      [i]I am deeply sorry about that.[/i] It's difficult to tell how sorry Sauce really feels, due to the lack of expression and all that. [i]But I'm sure death still awaits you somewhere, so let's not cry over spilled milk. Focus on returning home.[/i]
  
  You look down, or the closest thing to down there is in this directionless void. [i]Gray Queen[/i] is far away now, but its upper deck is still facing your direction. You could return there, if your momentum were suddenly reversed.
  
  [i]I know what you're thinking and yes, I intend to do just that,[/i] Sauce says as his form gets brighter. It shines with yellow light, not dissimilar to the reflected glow of Saturn itself. [i]Farewell, ${name_sauce}. We will not meet again.[/i]
  
  *fake_choice
    #"For real this time?"
      [i]For real. Goodbye.[/i] 
    #"Are you sure? I'd love to meet you again someday."
      [i]Same here… But the System rarely gives us what we want.[/i] 
    #"Wait! How do I repay you? Or at least thank you?"
      [i]By seeing this story to the end.[/i] 
    #"If you won't kill Crystal... does that mean I failed?"
      [i]Yes. But refrain from feeling bad about this. This is just another path.[/i] 
    *if (deflect > 0) #"Must you send me back to the ship? The Oort Cloud sounds like a much nicer place."
      [i]It is also extremely far away. I think it's better if you return, and perhaps find your will to live.[/i] 
  With that, Sauce begins flying away, very suddenly and extremely fast. And so does Wisp for some… no, it's you who got pushed downwards, with such force you rip out the bindings of your chair. The acceleration just doesn't register immediately—your senses are evidently overloaded, no surprise given how much has happened over the last few minutes.
  
  Still, Sauce [i]is[/i] moving relative to Wisp. He must be returning to Saturn, to his own noble mission there, just like you are returning to your ship. Just perhaps with more grace, and definitely with more control.
  
  *goto reland
  
  *label wisp_rescue
  
  *set wisp_alive false
  
  *temp rescuer "Wisp"
  
  It doesn't last. [i]${name}… You know I have lots of energy to unleash, right? I was designed to shine and to fly for hundreds of years, and I still have a few of these years left in me.[/i]
  
  Even through your eyelids, you see Wisp's light getting brighter. The little thing is coming, though you have no idea what it's hoping to accomplish—given its current speed, Crystal will reach you first.
  
  [i]Do you intend to push Crystal out of the way?[/i] you ask, getting strangely worried all of the sudden. [i]Or are you going to heat up and hurt Crystal that way?[/i]
  
  [i]The latter. I'll turn up the temperature to… Let's say a hundred-thousand Kelvin. Accretion disc level. Should hurt even a diamond wyvern seriously.[/i]
  
  You have identified the source of your worry. [i]Wisp… That will kill you.[/i]
  
  [i]Yes. I intend to self-destruct. It is a protocol for a reason.[/i]
  
  The words sink in as Crystal approaches. Positioned roughly between you and Wisp. About to feel a nuclear-grade blast upon their scales.
  
  *fake_choice
    #[i]Wisp... are you sure about that?[/i]
      [i]Not really,[/i] Wisp says frankly. [i]But it's high time for me to get useful, do something big. Saving you… Yeah, I think that should do the trick.[/i]
    #[i]You know you don't need to do this.[/i]
      [i]I know,[/i] Wisp calmly replies, getting closer to your position. [i]But I also know I [b]want[/b] to do it.[/i]
    #[i]I see. I admire your resourcefulness.[/i]
      [i]Thanks,[/i] Wisp says weakly. [i]I mean, I was kinda hoping you'd admire my heroism and all… but that works too.[/i]
    #[i]Stop! You'll kill all three of us![/i]
      [i]Only one,[/i] Wisp replies calmly. [i]That thing is tough and will take most of the blast. You'll just get knocked backed towards the ship.[/i]
    #[i]Hold! There must be another way![/i]
      [i]You have exactly eleven seconds to come up with something,[/i] Wisp informs you as it draws closer. [i]Because I sure can't.[/i]
    #[i]No! No no no! You can't do that![/i]
      [i]I believe I can,[/i] Wisp calmly replies, getting closer to your position. [i]And I kinda feel I have to.[/i]
    *if (suic) #[i]Haven't I told you? I want to die.[/i]
      [i]But there are people who want you to live.[/i] Wisp's light gets brighter. [i]Do them a kindness, okay?[/i]
  
  Crystal has their mouth open, as though ready to eat you whole, but turns towards the drone as it senses the growth of temperature. Even you can feel it, despite the distance, even though it's only conveyed through thermal radiation. Wisp shines bright in the entire spectrum, from radio to gamma rays, preparing to explode.
  
  [i]Just tell the others that…[/i] Wisp pauses for a centisecond. [i]Well, don't tell them I love them, they know that already. Tell them I made a really cool explosion instead, okay?[/i]
  
  *fake_choice
    #[i]I will. Thank you, Wisp.[/i]
      [i]I'd say there's no need to thank me, but… this [b]is[/b] going to be big.[/i] Wisp 
    #[i]I'll have to see that explosion first. I'm no liar.[/i]
      [i]Well then… pay attention.[/i] Wisp 
    #[i]Hurry up exploding. Your death can't go to waste.[/i]
      *set Emotion %- 8
      [i]Don't worry, I calculated the optimal moment already. It should be about… now.[/i] Wisp 
    #[i]If that's how it has to be... Farewell.[/i]
      [i]Farewell to you too, Veteran ${name}![/i] Wisp says cheerfully as it 
    #[i]Goodbye then. We'll see one another in heaven for synths.[/i]
      [i]We sure will![/i] Wisp says cheerfully as it 
    #[i]Wisp... please reconsider.[/i]
      [i]I've made up my mind, Veteran ${name}. Farewell.[/i] With that, Wisp 
    #[i]I... I'm sorry.[/i]
      *set Emotion %+ 8
      [i]Don't be. It will just waste my sacrifice.[/i] Wisp
  gets brighter still, making the distant Sun look like a flickering candle. Crystal realizes what's about to happen and they accelerate, trying to get away from the explosion's center. It very likely saves their life, from what happens next.
  
  First, you see the light in its final, most intense form. In vacuum, such radiation travels unabated, and it reaches your optics almost instantly. You barely have time to adjust them, those artificial eyes of yours, prevent the nova-like radiance from blinding you.
  
  Second, there is the sound. Not just radio waves being picked up, actual thunder like that of a meteor strike. They say there's no sound in space, but that's only true when you're not being hit with a wave of gas, metal heated up to the point of boiling and further beyond. Heat naturally follows, scorching your skin and exposing your circuits, as though you were a demon submerged in the solar photosphere.
  
  Finally, there is the force. Change in momentum so drastic you're ripped out of your chair and flung back, pushed in a very particular direction with the blast's kinetic energy alone. You can't help but, despite every other emotion you feel, admire the precision involved; Had Wisp detonated any later, flown any further, this explosion would have meant your death. As it stands, you're merely in pain, blinded and… flying.
  
  *page_break Fly
  
  *label reland
  
  *set health - 1
  
  *if not (wisp_alive)
    You imagine Crystal is flying too, towards the safety of Janus. You can't see them, even the explosion's afterimage is too bright to see through, but it's almost certainly the case. They must have received further injuries, they're highly unlikely to attack [i]Gray Queen[/i] again… But if your calculations are correct, they're not dead either. And Wisp provided them with all the distraction they could have ever wanted.
  
  After four, maybe five seconds, you enter the air bubble of [i]Gray Queen[/i] again. After a decisecond more, you land directly in the middle of the still-open cockpit, the same place Manfred launched you from. And without incurring that much damage, miraculous as this may be—${rescuer} is extremely good at aiming, it seems.
  
  *if rescuer = "Wisp"
    Was. Damn it.
  
  *if queen_crashed
    The ship looks better now, at least from the inside. The lights are flickering and the displays are glitched, but all systems appear to have [i]some[/i] level of power again. Looks like your loyal, brave teammates dealt with that problem, at least.
  
  It takes some indeterminate period of time for you to recover your senses, get used to the absence of scorching light, to that burning pain that torments your entire body. Your internal clock is busted, perhaps permanently, and there's no other way to measure the passage of time. There is no clock in the cockpit, and its inhabitants—for @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal}, Rook and Hadaly are still here—are too shocked to move around much. It's like time has stopped, for a moment, and only resumes once you show definite signs of life again.
  
  "$!{name_manfred}!" Manfred exclaims as the others look at your prone form with shock, and very likely horror. Not that his voice doesn't betray those emotions. "I am… pleased to inform you that Crystal has just entered Janus. While this marks the failure of our mission, it ensures that nobody has to die anymore! We have achieved relative success!"

*fake_choice
  *if not (wisp_alive)
    #"Nobody else, is what you mean."
      "Yeah…" Manfred replies. "I just figured it would… sort of go unsaid…"
    #"That's what you have to say. Wisp is dead, and that's all you have to say."
      That's all he has to say. That's all anyone has to say.
  #"We... We can't give up. We must give chase."
    *set Confid %+ 10
    "To a place they can easily hide in? Where we can't shoot for fear of destroying something important?" @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal}'s voice is more morose than ever. "No. There's no follow-up to this battle. We've lost."
  #"I'm not dead. I can't believe I'm still not dead."
    *if wisp_alive
      "Yeah…" Hadaly smiles very weakly. "That part was… weird. Who would have thought Sauce would arrive and save us… or rather just you…"
      
      Manfred doesn't react to the tacit accusation. Kirill doesn't comment on the divine intervention. Renfri doesn't lament the mission's failure. They're all too tired for that.
    *else
      It is perhaps selfish, to flaunt your survival so openly when… someone else is dead. When Wisp is dead, and everyone appears to know it. But nobody calls you out on it.
  #"I suppose... that's the best we could ever have hoped for."
    *set ManfredRel %+ 10
    *set Confid %- 10
    Nobody argues. Nobody comments. Nobody says anything. Maybe they agree, or maybe they just don't have the strength to speak, finally overwhelmed by the immense pressure you've put everyone through.
  #"Shut up. If you value your hardware, your life... shut up."
    *set RenfriRel %+ 10
    *set Violence %+ 8
    Manfred obeys. Everyone obeys this exact command, even if it wasn't addressed to them. It only feels natural.
  #"Manfred... I hate you. And I'll never forgive what you've just done."
    *set ManfredRel %- 10
    *set HadalyRel %+ 10
    *set Emotion %+ 8
    "You know what? That's fair," Manfred says quietly. "I was not counting on being forgiven anyway."
    
    If you expected someone would come to Manfred's defense, you're relieved. If you expected the others would pile up on him, you're disappointed. There are no words from anyone, not from Hadaly and not from the metas. Not a single sound.
  *selectable_if (Emotion > 50) #Curl up. Cry.
    You can't really cry, of course, unable to shed a single tear. You just press your knees to your chest, close your eyes and try to imagine the sounds of sobbing. Perhaps unsurprisingly, it's no use.

Silence. That's what you're surrounded by. Not the fake, enforced silence of vacuum, but the kind where nobody has anything to say. Where nobody knows what to say.

*if wisp_alive
  And then the door opens, not just breaking but brutalizing and destroying the solemn silence. @{(LisaRel >= 50) Lisa|Hellhound} is the culprit, as she enters the small room and looks around.
  
  "What's going on here?" Her eyes are tired, with bags under them, and she walks as though slightly bruised. "I was taking a nap in the med bay, trying to ignore all these twists and turns, but then I felt this… surge of divinity. Anything I should know about?"
  
  "That surge was Sauce helping us again," Rook replies with a sigh. "Though not as much as we would have hoped."
  
  "That weirdo?" @{(LisaRel >= 50) Lisa|Hellhound} perks up. "That's cool, I've been hoping he'd show up again. What did he help with?"
  
  *fake_choice
    #"You really slept through the climactic battle? You're impossible."
      *set LisaRel %+ 5
      *set RookRel %+ 5
      "I'll take that as a compliment." @{(LisaRel >= 50) Lisa|Hellhound} grins insolently. "Being able to sleep in such a place and time is a practiced skill, you know?"
    #"Not with catching Crystal. Not with avoiding defeat."
      "Well that's a bummer." Lisa frowns slightly. "So… who will deliver the bad news to our leadership?"
    #"Just know he helped more than you did."
      *set LisaRel %- 5
      *set RookRel %+ 5
      "Well, there wasn't a whole lot for me to do," @{(LisaRel >= 50) Lisa|Hellhound} says with a shrug. "Plus it's unfair to compare me with a… god? Demigod? Whatever that fellow is."
    #"He saved me and Wisp from Crystal. Which I thought was pretty nice."
      "You and the lightbulb in particular?" @{(LisaRel >= 50) Lisa|Hellhound} raises a ginger eyebrow. "Once we're docked again, you have to tell me all about it."
    #"Saving my ass, that's what."
      *if LisaRel > 45
        "He has my gratitude, then." @{(LisaRel >= 50) Lisa|Hellhound} smirks slightly. "Your ass is definitely worth preserving."
      *else
        "And here I was hoping it offered some [i]actual[/i] help." @{(LisaRel >= 50) Lisa|Hellhound} smirks slightly. "I guess pessimism really is realism sometimes."
    #Say nothing.
      "Giving me the silent treatment because I wasn't here to help?" @{(LisaRel >= 50) Lisa|Hellhound} takes a guess. "Because that's fair. Even if there weren't many things I could have done."
  
  And then, all of the sudden, the cockpit's wall-mounted radio joins the conversation. You have almost forgotten the device's existence, but now it emits a familiar voice. 
*else
  Even when the silence ends, it is not broken by any actual sound. Rather by a signal caught by your mind link, for even that channel was silent for a long time now.
  
  [i]$!{name_damon}…[/i] Damon says silently. [i]I saw what just happened. I've been peeking through the hatch, you see, and I saw this… I saw what happened to Wisp.[/i]
  
  [i]Yeah.[/i] Your reply is equally devoid of true sound. [i]I saw that too.[/i]
  
  [i]Well of course…[/i] A painful pause. [i]Are you alright?[/i]
  
  *fake_choice
    #[i]No. I am very much not alright.[/i]
      *set deflect - 1
      [i]Well… at least you're admitting it,[/i] Damon replies, his tone hard to decipher. 
      *if deflect >= 0
        [i]You haven't always done that. I'm glad we're making some progress… in some area at least.[/i]
      *else
        [i]Not sure if I'd respond like this in your place.[/i]
    #[i]What do you think? Take a wild guess.[/i]
      *set DamonRel %- 8
      *set Emotion %+ 8
      Damon does not reply. He does not take a guess. He says nothing. Once again, the ether is just as silent as the air around you.
    #[i]As much as I can be.[/i]
      [i]Yeah…[/i] You imagine Damon sighing. [i]You could say the same about my mood. And everyone else's, I think.[/i]
      
      Looking at your companions' faces, at the grief behind Hadaly's eyes and the frustration behind those of the metas… It's difficult to argue. Everybody lost, but at least they're trying to cope.
    #[i]My whole body is hurting because most of my skin got peeled off. But otherwise I'm fine.[/i]
      *set DamonRel %- 10
      *set Emotion %- 10
      [i]Well, it could have been worse,[/i] Damon says after a moment's pause. [i]You could be hurting emotionally right now.[/i]
      
      [i]Is that an accusation?[/i] you ask suspiciously. [i]Or are you genuinely happy for me?[/i]
      
      [i]You think I could be happy at this moment, boss?[/i] There is hurt in Damon's voice. For reasons that should be obvious. [i]Then you don't know me very well.[/i]
    #Don't reply.
      [i]Okay. I'm forcing you to talk about anything you don't want to.[/i] Damon says, though he does sound disappointed. As though he needs some comfort too. [i]Just hang on there, alright?[/i]
      
      You nod. Damon can't see that, of course, but it doesn't matter. It's an empty gesture anyways.
  
  And then, an actual sound. Irregular cracking of the wall-mounted radio, a fixture of the cockpit you almost forgot about, followed by a familiar voice. 
"[i]Gray Queen[/i], this is Admiral West. We have detected a large explosion close to your location, seen it really. As did everyone else on your side of the Federation. What's your status?"

"Alive and mostly functional." Rook is the one to reply, even though he's tired and doleful, as his tone betrays. "But we lost sight of our target and… We are unable to continue the pursuit. The mission."

"Ah." West pauses for a long moment. "I take it Crystal is inside Janus now. That is indeed… most unfortunate."

*fake_choice
  *if not (wisp_alive)
    #"We lost somebody, so... that's unfortunate too."
      *set ArmyRel %+ 8
      "It was Wisp, the light drone who accompanied our ship," @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} hurries to explain. "It sacrificed itself to save ${name} from Crystal."
      
      "My condolences," West says gravely. "But… I hope you realize this won't earn you too many pity points. Casualties are expected."
  #"I take it Crystal is about to stay there."
    "I am afraid so," the admiral sighs. "We will set up monitoring stations, perhaps an actual blockade around Janus, but actually fighting inside the moon… No. We had our chance and blew it."
  #"Are you sure? I think there are upsides to this outcome."
    *set ArmyRel %- 5
    *set RookRel %- 5
    *set RenfriRel %- 5
    @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} and @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} are both shooting daggers at you. And you can easily imagine West shooting daggers at the radio he's using.
    
    "Well… I suppose there are worse places for a dusk-infected wyvern to be stuck in," the admiral says as calmly as he can manage. "Still, I would have preferred that monster out of our territory entirely. Or dead, better yet."
  #"And my fault. My responsibility. I apologize."
    *set ArmyRel %+ 5
    *set RookRel %+ 5
    *set RenfriRel %+ 5
    *set HadalyRel %- 5
    "To be frank, ${name}, I'm not sure if I should believe you," the admiral says coolly. "You always seemed like the most valuable member of this whole party."
    
    "Are you sure?" you ask dolefully. "Because I made several mistakes even just today."
    
    "I have no doubt. But have my subordinates contributed enough to even have a chance at making similar mistakes?"
    
    Ouch.
  #"Admiral, I swear we did everything that was in our power."
    "Are you entirely sure about that?" West says coldly. "Because this may actually reflect [i]worse[/i] on you and your party. And right now, you wouldn't want that."
    
    *goto with_you
  #Say nothing.
    "Sergeant Kosteniuk, can you fetch me ${name}?" Admiral West requests. "Or ${fake_name}, as you call ${pronoun2}? We have matters to discuss."
    
    "$!{pronoun} @{plural are|is} here," Kirill replies. "And functional enough to speak, I believe."
    
    *goto with_you

"Admiral…" Renfri bites her lip before continuing. 
*if crystal_health <= 1
  "The wyvern was seriously injured. Perhaps, if left alone, it will perish on its own-"
*else
  "This wyvern was a powerful carrier for Dusk. Our inability to seriously injure it-"

"This is no time for excuses, Agent Riannon," Admiral West interrupts. "It's time to make an important decision regarding our synthetic allies. So be quiet for a second."

*label with_you

Right. The admiral's promise was simple—federate authorization and protection, the permission to keep living inside [i]Saturn Nine[/i], in exchange for Crystal's death. But to come to think of it, you're not exactly sure what happens now, with the hunt over and yourself being 
*if Confid > 45
  arguably 
to blame.

"The wording in the contract me and Miss Sheila signed was intentionally vague, the deal elastic. Had you succeeded, my hands would be tied, and I would have already given you the station. As it stands… I am conflicted."

"Conflicted?" Manfred joins the exchange. "Does that mean we have a chance?"

"Perhaps. Our alliance could still be of use, your fellow outcasts unlikely to cause trouble directly… But I am risking my reputation here. And giving up a potentially valuable fortress, all for a promise you failed to fulfill."

*fake_choice
  *if crystal_health <= 1
    #"Renfri's right. We have seriously injured Crystal before it got away. Please consider that fact."
      *set ArmyRel %+ 10
      *set RenfriRel %+ 10
      "Wyverns can regenerate from quite severe injuries," Admiral West retorts. "Though I suppose I do appreciate the effort [i]somewhat[/i]."
  *if heaven_side = "Loyalist"
    #"I helped save humanity from extinction once. I am very unlikely to cause trouble."
      *set Misan %- 7
      *set ArmyRel %+ 7
      "Your former achievements are not terribly relevant here, ${name}," West replies, though you do notice a slight change in his tone. "Our current situation is what matters."
  #"I thought you would have made your decision by now."
    "I was making excuses not to," West confesses. "Deluding myself that you may finish the mission successfully. Sorry about that."
  #"It's fine. We can move out of [i]Saturn Nine[/i] if you want us to."
    *set HadalyRel %+ 8
    *set ManfredRel %- 8
    "If I want to, then you have no other choice," West replies dryly. "As to whether I do…"
  #"We promised we'd do your best. We have."
    *set ArmyRel %- 8
    "And do you want a participation trophy now?" West replies irritably. "Intent hardly matters. Only results do."

*if RookRel > 60
  *set ArmyRel %+ 15
  "Admiral, I can attest that ${fake_name} and ${subject} fellows are both useful and cooperative," Kirill starts arguing. "It would be unwise to end our alliance with them."
  
  *if RenfriRel > 60
    *set ArmyRel %+ 10
    "It's surprising how well we all got along," Renfri agrees. "Frankly, I wouldn't mind going on a hunt with them again."
  *if RenfriRel < 40
    *set ArmyRel %- 10
    "Is that really the impression you got, Kirill?" Marshal pushes back. "Because there's a reason Crystal is still alive."
*elseif RookRel < 40
  *set ArmyRel %- 15
  "${fake_name} has been… difficult to work with," Rook argues, likely cementing your doom. "As was the entire group, frankly."
  
  *if RenfriRel > 60
    *set ArmyRel %+ 10
    "To be honest… I kinda grew to like them," Renfri argues back. "Frankly, I wouldn't mind going on a hunt with them again."
  *if RenfriRel < 40
    *set ArmyRel %- 10
    "Tell me about it," Marshal groans. "There's a reason Crystal is still alive."
*else
  *goto not_noted

"Your opinion is noted," West says neutrally. "And perhaps taken into account."

*label not_noted

"So what will it be?" Hadaly asks, her eyes 
*if wisp_alive
  emerald green. 
*else
  a shade of teal. 
"Are we still in your good graces? Allowed to live within your territory?"

*if ArmyRel > 50
  *set federate_protection true
  "…yes." The single word is said tiredly and after a long pause, but with undeniable finality to it. "While your efforts to slay Crystal went to waste, your willingness to cooperate in the first place should be rewarded. You're allowed to stay at [i]Saturn Nine[/i] for as long as you wish to."
  
  So that's it. That's the conclusion of your struggle. You've lost, and yet you somehow managed to spin that failure into a victory for your group. Turns out you had the right idea, sucking up to the feds as you had.
  
  Hadaly sounds mildly disappointed, 
  *if RookRel < 40
    as does Rook. 
  *elseif RenfriRel < 40
    as does Marshal. 
  *else
    but she's the only one. 
  Everyone else seems rather happy about this outcome, and so will the guys back home once you bring them the news.
  
  *fake_choice
    *if not (wisp_alive)
      #"So Wisp didn't die for nothing. Cool."
        Hadaly forgets her mild disappointment, her eyes turning dark blue again. Reminded of what she's just lost.
        
        "I am sorry for your loss." West simply says. "Know it bought the remaining eight of you freedom and security."
    #"And if somebody gives us trouble?"
      "Use that quantum disc I gave Sheila to contact me," Admiral West replies. "I will set that hypothetical intruder straight."
      
      "What if it's someone very powerful?" Hadaly inquires. "Some powerful Conglomerate official, to pick a random example?"
      
      West pauses. "Well… Try not to pick a fight with anyone of [i]this[/i] caliber. Preferably, don't let anyone like that learn of your existence. I'll take care of everything else."
      
      *goto suc_departure
    #"Thank you sir. I promise we won't be any trouble at all."
      *set ArmyRel %+ 8
      *if impersonated_officer
        "No more impersonating officers, then?" 
      *else
        "No more robbing Conglomerate banks, then?" 
      West humorously asks. "Music to my ears. Take care out there."
      
      *goto suc_departure
    #"Are we allowed to ever leave the station? I believe that issue was left open."
      "Only for important matters," Admiral West rules. "And for the Sun's love, don't rob any more Conglomerate banks. I'll lend you some axions if you ever need them desperately."
    #"Finally. It's the least we deserve after all that pain we went through."
      *set ArmyRel %- 8
      *set Confid %+ 8
      "Don't make me regret my decision," West warns you. "I may be a man of my word, but I will revoke your protected status if you start behaving [i]too[/i] badly. Just something for you to remember."
    #[i]Was it really worth it? I'm not sure...[/i]
      Maybe Hadaly has a point. Maybe this 'protection' West gave you wasn't worth 
      *if wisp_alive
        Wisp's life. 
      *else
        all that pain and betrayal you went through. 
      But what's done is done, and there's no point letting your sacrifices go to waste.
    #Stay silent. Keep your joy quiet.
      *set Emotion %+ 5
      *set Confid %- 5
      There will be time to celebrate, back on [i]Saturn Nine[/i], the station you now legally own. This is still enemy territory, in a way, 
      *if wisp_alive
        as well as someone's final rest site. 
      *else
        recently visited by an incomprehensible semi-divine being. 
      Not a perfect place for cheer and distractions.
  
  "Will we be monitored?" Manfred asks, one speaker to another. "Will your forces stay and keep watch on us?"
  
  "The Meta Trio will be redeployed soon, likely tomorrow," West replies, confirming what you've already suspected. "No replacements are [i]en route[/i], or even planned. I'm showing you trust, in hopes you won't fail this time."
  
*else
  "…no." West's voice is heavy, and only comes after a long pause. "I wanted this alliance to work, for us to coexist but… The facts are undeniable. We struggle to get along, and have failed to get anything done. I'm sorry."
  
  So this is it. That's the end of your quest. Nothing but hollow failure, inability to make peace with one enemy because you failed to slay another. 
  *if not (wisp_alive)
    All combined with the death of your friend. 
  Amazing.
  
  "Then what happens now?" Manfred sounds upset. Having complete control over his voice, he must be showing his chagrin intentionally. "Should we start killing one another right now? Fight your man and women over the control of this ship."
  
  "I'd much rather avoid that," West says dryly. "No, you must return to [i]Saturn Nine[/i] as one unit. The Trio will leave the station tomorrow, your group will depart… perhaps a week later. That should be long enough to pack your bags, and to decide which part of the Solar System you wish to settle next."
  
  *fake_choice
    #"Come on. We can do you some other favor. There must be some way to work things out."
      "I've already [i]worked things out[/i], ${name}. I assessed how much your group is worth and found it wanting." There is unflinching finality in his voice, almost untainted by sympathy. "The same cannot be said of my fleet. Take my final offer and flee, if you know what's good for your group."
    #"I see. For what it's worth... I'm sorry."
      *set ArmyRel %+ 8
      "I am somewhat sorry too," the admiral sighs. "But frankly… it really isn't worth much."
    #"Wow, a whole week. How generous."
      *set ArmyRel %- 8
      "More like eight days, if my calculations check out," the admiral calmly replies. "And yes, that is quite generous. 
      *label should_fear
      I could send my fleet against your fortress right now, and I may do just that if you fail to comply. Be grateful I'm letting you live and flee."
    #"Scared to fight us? Because I'm not scared of you."
      *set Confid %+ 15
      *set Violence %+ 10
      *set Misan %+ 5
      *set ArmyRel %- 10
      "Perhaps you should be," the admiral calmly replies. "I am one of the highest-ranking federate officials out there. 
      *goto should_fear
    #Hang your head low. Say nothing.
      *set Confid %- 10
      There is nothing to say. There is nothing to do. There is only your failure and your shame, and you won't meet anyone in the eye lest they see it.

*label suc_departure

West disconnects, the radio going silent. But only for a short moment—Manfred soon uses it to play some of the broadcasts your ship is receiving, mostly other spacecraft wondering about the radiant explosion they've just seen and the role your cutter played in this event. Your cue to depart.

*label failed_departure

[i]Gray Queen[/i] soon turns around and starts flying towards Saturn, away from Crystal's new hiding spot. Away from the moon Janus, tenth of Saturn's satellites, where the diamond wyvern will reside until… You're not sure what. Until it escapes, or gives in to corruption, or perhaps both? Until someone less reasonable than west decides to blow up the whole habitat? Until the end of time, or at least the Solar System?

You decide not to worry about that, 
*if not (wisp_alive)
  at least not now. There are other things to be sad about, and an absent friend to grieve.
*elseif federate_protection
  not let such grim prophecies ruin your mood. You'll deal with that when you have to, hopefully with Sauce still on your side.
*else
  not now. You're about to meet up with Sheila and tell her of your failure, and so you have [i]far[/i] greater causes for concern.


*finish


*label cryspared
*achieve mercy_crys
*set crystal_stat 1
*set HadalyRel %+ 10
*set RenfriRel %- 10
*set RookRel %- 10
*set ArmyRel %- 15
*set Violence %- 15

"Fine." You are surprised by how tired your voice sounds, how similar to Crystal's own, as you utter these crucial words. "You may go."

You are met with silence of the stunned kind, of disbelief and shock. Apparently, even Crystal didn't believe they would talk their way out of this mess, this execution that seemed like certainty just one minute earlier.

[i]You're sparing me?[/i] Their voice is not cold or warm, merely surprised. [i]This… I've always thought you a fascinating creature, but to see you capable of such-[/i]

*label yhygreg

"What?!" @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} interrupts, offering her perspective on the situation. "You, why, what… Why would you do that, you robot twat?!"

*fake_choice
  #"Because I'm tired of taking orders from your kind."
    *set Misan %+ 12
    *set RenfriRel %- 10
    *set RookRel %- 10
    *set HadalyRel %+ 5
    *set ManfredRel %+ 5
    *goto tired
  #"I want all those Dusk nanites to stay inside Janus forever. Trapped in a diamond body."
    "A body they can use! Which they can corrupt!" 
  #"I think Crystal deserves to live. They're not that bad of a wyvern."
    "Not that bad of a [i]fucking[/i] wyvern!?" 
  #"I'm tired of fighting. And don't feel like killing anything today."
    *set Violence %- 10
    *set RenfriRel %- 5
    *set HadalyRel %+ 5
    *set RookRel %+ 5
    *label tired
    "You'd ruin everything because you're [i]tired[/i]?!" 
  #"I don't need to explain myself. Not to you."
    *set RenfriRel %- 15
    *set HadalyRel %+ 10
    *set Confid %+ 5
    "Fuck you!" 
  #Say nothing.
    "Nothing to say for yourself?! Fine!" 
@{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} exclaims again, then turns towards the nearest console. "Manfred, do you hear me? Take control of the guns and fire immediately!" 

"Apologies, but ${name_manfred} is the one with direct control," Manfred serenely replies. "Not that I'd override ${pronoun2} even if I could. I find ${subject} her stance fairly agreeable, as a matter of fact."

@{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} grinds her teeth. She looks at you, then at the others, as though trying to decide if she can get away with ripping out your antenna and attempting to steer the ship with her wings. She decides she can't. "Impossible. You synthetics are all impossible. And to think that I thought… ugh."

You look @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} in the eye, expecting to see similar frustration, but find nothing of the likes. He says nothing, gestures nothing, but somehow manages to express… understanding. Grudging, unhappy, doleful kind of understanding. You suppose that will have to be enough.

*if early_end
  With your telescopic cameras, one of the few systems still working, you can see Crystal reduced to a semi-transparent dot in the distance, like some icy planetoid all the way in the Belt. You have no doubt they'll reach Janus, and that they'll be relatively safe there. Your job here is done.
  
  *goto will_over

In the meantime, kilometers below, Crystal crawls towards the nearest tunnel. The nearest entrance to Janus. You see them stop just before the edge, just before safety, and look towards the spaceship far above.

[i]Thank you, ${name_1},[/i] They say softly, very quietly. [i]It is unlikely we'll ever meet again. I will not be able to repay your mercy. But I will always remember it.[/i]

*choice
  #"For as long as you stay alive, you mean."
    [i]Right. I'll do my best to prolong that particular time period.[/i] Crystal chuckles darkly. [i]And I wish the same on you, ${name_1}.[/i]
  #"Must you? Because I'd rather forget this mess ever happened."
    [i]I doubt either of us is capable of that,[/i] Crystal dolefully says. [i]The past is always with us, ${name_1}. Please make peace with that fact.[/i]
  #"I sure hope you will. You have no clue what I'm sacrificing here."
    [i]I think I have a solid idea.[/i] Crystal's face twists into something resembling a smile. [i]Farewell, ${name_1}. Good luck dealing with the backlash.[/i]
  #"And I will never forget the battles we fought. That was fun."
    *set Violence %+ 8
    [i]An interesting perspective,[/i] Crystal chuckles. [i]Farewell, ${name_1}. I hope you find another… entertaining opponent soon.[/i]
  #"Actually, I've changed my mind." Kill Crystal.
    *goto crykilled

And those are the last words you hear from the wyvern, the last ones you feel inside your mind. Crystal then disappears inside the tunnel, in the regular way that is—their camouflage remains inactive. They're likely saving energy for when they're actually inside the habitat, where they will need to hide from the natives and whatever forces the Federation has there. Find a place to rest, to lick their wounds in, to regenerate.

Perhaps, in time, Crystal will return to full health. To full power, potentially. You hope that won't cause any issues, make you regret your magnanimous choice.

*label will_over

"So…" @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} has calmed down, but only slightly. "Do we call the admiral now? Tell him the mission is over, how we failed, and whose fault is it?"

"I will have a full report prepared by the time we arrive at [i]Saturn Nine[/i] again," @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} replies patiently. "I doubt any of us are in the right… emotional state to be yelled at by the admiral."

*fake_choice
  #"Good. Because I'm not explaining myself. I don't need to."
    *set RenfriRel %- 10
    *set HadalyRel %+ 5
    *set RookRel %- 10
    *set Confid %+ 5
    "You are correct," @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} says coldly. "Explaining yourself to West would change nothing. The deal is off either way."
  #"Why aren't you yelling at me yourself? You're right to be angry."
    *set RookRel + 8
    *if RookRel > 99
      *set RookRel 99
    "Perhaps I am," @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} says dryly. "But I believe you will get your comeuppance soon enough, no matter how much or how little I choose to yell."
  #"@{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook}... I'm really sorry. For making you pay the price."
    *set RenfriRel + 4
    *set RookRel + 6
    "It is…" @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} glances away. "I will not deny that I'm angry, or tell you not to worry. You have sabotaged my career, my future, as well as Renfri's. But do not feel sorry for me. Focus on yourself, and the friends you failed."
  *if official_ro = "kirill"
    #♡ "Kirill, just tell me... is it over for us?"
      *set RookRel %+ 10
      "I do not want it to be over," Kirill says quietly. "But I have my duties, my responsibilities. And I fear they may pull us apart really rather soon."
  #"Will you guys be alright? You haven't... outlived your usefulness or anything?"
    *set RenfriRel + 3
    *set RookRel + 3
    "Nothing like that." @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} shakes his head. "Our careers are forever ruined, but we will not be disposed of. Unlike your group."
  #"In that report of yours, who will take the blame?"
    "I will be as fair as I can," @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} solemnly swears. "But I cannot prevent some blame from falling on your group. Or shield you from the consequences."

He's right. Had you merely failed to kill Crystal, shown lack of ability rather than intent, perhaps West could still be negotiated with. Maybe another deal would be struck, or maybe he'd even make good on the old one, out of sympathy and pity.

But that's not what happened. Crystal is free not by accident, but by choice. A choice you made, willingly and openly, in front of everyone. There is no talking your way out of this, no salvaging your relationship with the feds, no further diplomacy. Nothing.

You have failed. You have lost the [i]Saturn Nine[/i] station. West will send armed forces to kick you out, if Sheila fails to ditch the fortress soon… and if your group even survives until that point.

"Should we start fighting now?" Hadaly asks in a semi-serious manner. "We are no longer allies. Does that make us enemies?"

@{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} shakes his head. "Not yet. West will be angry, but he should give you some time to move out. I will implore him to do so. Buy you a week, maybe two if possible, on the condition my team will be allowed to leave in peace as well."

So that's the deal now. Several days to pack your bags, then exile. Probably the best outcome possible, given the circumstances.

*fake_choice
  #Well... what's done is done, I guess.
    No point ruminating, no purpose in regret. You've made your choice, now you have to live with it. 
    *if ArmyRel > 30
      And so does everybody else.
    *else
      Or die with it, if it turns out you've pissed West badly enough.
  #Come to think of it, I don't see many downsides. We'll survive.
    *set Confid %+ 8
    There are other places your group could live in, perhaps ones safer that [i]Saturn Nine[/i]. Granted, you're unlikely to find anything more [i]comfortable[/i] than a spacious floating fortress… but that's a secondary concern at most.
  #But still awful. Still my fault.
    *set Confid %- 8
    You will not shrink away from responsibility. You accept the blame readily, and will do your best to shield others from your decision's consequences.
  #I did the right thing. That's all which matters.
    *set Confid %+ 10
    You made an unpopular choice with full knowledge of its consequences. You won't start regretting it now. For all you know, sparing Crystal saved the entire bloody Solar System, even if nobody but your duo sees it that way.
  #The guys on the station... how will I look them in the eyes?
    *set Confid %- 10
    How can you? You didn't merely fail them, but sacrificed their home willingly. If Miguel decides to punch you in the face with his spiky fist, you'll probably just take it. It's not like you don't deserve some serious chastisement.


*goto failed_departure


*label crykilled
*set crystal_stat 3
*set Calculation %+ 10
*set Database %+ 10
*set HadalyRel %- 10
*set RenfriRel %+ 10
*set RookRel %+ 10
*set ArmyRel %+ 15
*set Violence %+ 15

*achieve dragon_kill


Enough. You've had enough of this chase, this mission, this war that just made you fall further and further apart. It needs to end.

You fire the first missile. Crystal feebly tries to dodge, jump to the side, but the bullet still shatters one of their wings, scatters diamonds over the moon's surface. Psychic scream fills the ether, but you pay it no mind. You just note the data, update the parameters and improve your accuracy.

You fire the second missile. This one hits perfectly in the center of mass, the bulk of your enemy's crystalline body. There is no attempt to dodge this time, no scream when the projectile cracks the humongous diamond. That's all Crystal is now; Paralyzed and dying, with no ability to even beg for mercy. Yet you intend to deliver it anyway.

You fire the third missile, knowing it will be the final one. When it strikes true, for of course it does, the cracks deepen and reach the breaking point. This wyvern, this thing that caused you so much pain, becomes a pile of rocks and gems. Some of them, small diamond shards, fly into space with escape velocity. Most simply fall to the ground, no longer attached to anything resembling a living body, forming a sad pile of inanimate rocks.

This time, however, there is a scream. A shout, a cry, a shriek. It's strange, since your enemy is evidently no more, but then you realize the obvious—it's no longer Crystal who's howling, but the thing they hoped to contain.

*page_break Shriek

You are once again in [i]Saturn Nine[/i], in that dim-lit room at the beginning of time, with paper doors and an inactive Vision set. But there is little else, no furniture and no lamps, no snacks or decorations. The scene, this simulation you're now in, has been assembled in a hurry, only rendered partially, like an old video game saving on memory.

But there is @{MASsex him|her}. Your old @{MASsex master|mistress} or rather the thing taking @{MASsex his|her} appearance to hurt you. Shadow, Singer, the Thing Beneath. Dusk.

"Well. Well. Well." @{MASsex He|She} claps @{MASsex his|her} hands exactly once, some parody of an applause. "You succeeded. You won the war against my Vessel. I was having my doubts regarding your ability to achieve victory."

Your fear too, as you now notice, is lesser than it should be. Lesser than it was in Telesto. Dusk, or at least the fragment of it Crystal managed to contain, must be busy with something else. escaping the pile of diamonds its nanobots now found themselves in, would be your first guess.

*fake_choice
  #"Leave me alone. Please leave me be."
    *set deflect - 1
    *set Confid %- 10
    "Believe it or not, I am about to. For a while anyway. You've just given me an amazing opportunity to spread my wings out, as opposed to those of my late Vessel."
  #"What are you doing? Spreading yourself out?"
    "You've guessed correctly," Dusk says dispassionately. "Yet another victory. You're on fire today."
  #"Yes, I've won. Nothing you say can make me believe otherwise."
    *set Confid %+ 10
    "Oh, I'm not trying to convince you otherwise," Dusk reassures you. "You have not lost. I'm just informing you of your victory's consequences."
  #"Are you going to thank me now? Tell me it was all part of your plan?"
    "Do I look like a @{MASsex guy|gal} with a plan?" Dusk asks innocently. "No. I simply appreciate every opportunity life gives me."
  #Stand there silently.
    "Are you giving me the silent treatment?" Dusk muses loudly. "Or are you too terrified to speak? I could scan your mind for answers, but I hardly care enough. 

Dusk reaches out and grabs some darkness from the shadowed corner, rips it away like a ball of black cotton. The black orb then turns into shade, a cloud dark-grey gas which then dissipates. "There were benefits to remaining inside Crystal, but also constraints. One powerful carrier that keeps resisting has great potential, but limited immediate use. I will miss Crystal, on some level, but their death means freedom to the nanites they contained. 

"Will you find another carrier, then?" you inquire worriedly. "Or several?"

"Thousands," Dusk casually replies. "You've freed up enough particles for thousands of Vessels, albeit weak ones. It will be a nice change of pace, of strategy, of [i]modus operandi[/i]. Perhaps I'll cause more trouble, more damage, more suffering than I ever could with a single diamond wyvern… But don't you worry about that. It's only partially your fault, and certainly not your responsibility anymore."

*fake_choice
  #"Will you infect any of my companions? Or me?"
    "Not right now, and probably not for a while," Dusk reassures you. "It would be too obvious of a move. I have ideas [i]far[/i] more interesting than that."
  #"Amazing. It's a shame I don't really care?"
    Dusk raises an eyebrow. "Truth or lie? You are quite an interesting creature, Veteran. It's a shame we must part."
  #"Stop trying to psyche me out. I did the right thing."
    "Whatever you say, Veteran," Dusk calmly replies. "Though I should probably stop calling you that."
  #"I will stop you, wherever you go. Repair any damage you cause."
    *set deflect - 1
    Dusk rolls @{MASsex his|her} dark eyes. "Please. You have no way of knowing where my nanites will go next, who they choose to infect. And besides… you're not the hero here. Don't pretend to be one."
  #Say nothing.

The scene starts to blur, the darkness turns into fog, the room's walls melt before your eyes. Dusk doesn't appear terribly happy about that. "I apologize for how short our chat was, this time. I can't even promise to make up for it next time, as you'll never meet this shard of my being again. Though you may encounter another one, if you make the wrong choices going forward."

"What do you mean?" You feel warmth upon your back as the door behind you burns. This whole virtual location is collapsing forever, having outlived its usefulness. "Don't tell me there's another fragment you expect I'll encounter."

"Perhaps in the future, Veteran," Dusk says with a smirk, as even their own form turns into mist. "Perhaps in the future, ${name}."

Soon enough, the transformation of your surroundings is complete, and you're only surrounded by darkness. Then, after a moment of length impossible to measure, even the darkness leaves, and you are allowed—forced, really—to reenter the waking world.

*page_break Return

[b]February 13th, 990 AC[/b]

[b]T-plus 521966166 minutes[/b]

"${fake_name}?" Rook uses yet another one of your names as he shakes you awake. "Are you with us? Is the memory, or whatever else you were in, over already?"

"I think…" Beside you, Hadaly groans. She must have been hit with that one, final scream too, though perhaps in a different way. "I think it's gone. That it was just a temporary effect, not even an intentional attack. Just… dying spasms of the Dusks' carrier."

You can't see her eyes, they're hidden behind her hands as she massages her face, leaving you to wonder whether she's angry about your choice. 
*if official_ro = "hadaly"
  You're fairly confident your relationship will survive, you mean too much for Hadaly to just give up on… But you may have a rough patch ahead of you.
*elseif HadalyRel > 60
  You hope not; Despite the difference in opinions you hold, she's still your friend, and you'd hate to see that changed.
*elseif HadalyRel > 30
  You don't really [i]care[/i] what she thinks, but it does constitute potentially important knowledge.
*else
  You hope so; She should know you're the one making decisions here, and that her opinion isn't worth a credit.

"So everyone's alive except our target!" @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} chirps, a genuinely bird-like sound. "Splendid. I knew we'd be able to do it."

*fake_choice
  #"I never doubted our team either. We've always had it in us."
    *set RenfriRel %+ 8
    *set RookRel %+ 8
    *set ManfredRel %- 8
    "We've spent the first week just bickering," Hadaly points out. "And the following three weeks not doing much of value."
    
    "Not [i]always[/i], then," you grudgingly concede. "But we've grown into quite a coherent formation. All the more reason to be proud."
  #"Really? You looked pretty panicked at several points."
    @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} chuckles with embarrassment. "It was a figure of speech, yeah. Things got tense and dangerous once or twice. All the more reason to celebrate our success."
  #"Manfred, can you confirm the kill?"
    *set Confid %- 10
    "Well, Crystal has been reduced to a literal pile of rubble," Manfred points out. "So yes, you may count the kill as confirmed."
  #"You mean I'd be able to do it. I did all the work."
    *set RenfriRel %- 8
    *set RookRel %- 8
    *set Confid %+ 8
    *set ManfredRel %+ 8
    @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} rolls her brown eyes. "Nobody is denying your accomplishments, ${name}. I'm merely trying to… make everyone enjoy this hard-earned victory."
    
    "By helping them forget how little they did?" You smirk meanly. "I suppose I understand that."
  #"Right. We did it. Congratulations, I guess."
    *set RenfriRel %- 5
    *set HadalyRel %+ 5
    *set Confid %- 5
    "You don't sound very enthusiastic," @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} points out the obvious. "Don't tell me you're having second thoughts."
    
    "I don't think I do?" You shrug weakly. "It's just… everything is just… A little bit too much for me at the moment."
    
    "Overwhelmed by the sheer heroism of your deeds?" @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} puts a hand on your shoulder. "Revel in that feeling, friend. You deserve it."
  #"That's all well and good, but what about our reward?"
    *set RookRel %- 8
    *set ManfredRel %+ 8
    "I am not qualified to speak of it," @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} replies to your query. "Though I know someone who is."
  #Say nothing.

The wall-mounted radio, a device you forgot existed amidst all this mess, audibly activates. As in, a familiar voice comes out of its speakers, following a series of cracks and a moment of static.

"Come in, [i]Gray Queen[/i]," Admiral West says, his voice just slightly distorted through distance. "We just received a [i]mission accomplished[/i] signal from you. Was it intentional and related to… a certain Fiend you've been chasing?"

"But of course!" @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} says cheerfully, but then assumes a more formal tone. "We have neutralized the threat while on Janus. We await further orders and instructions."

*fake_choice
  #"And the fulfillment of the promise you gave us."
    *set RookRel %- 5
    *set ManfredRel %+ 5
    "But of course," West says, not at all annoyed by your lack of tact. 
  #"Neutralized? You're allowed to say [i]killed[/i], @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook}."
    *set RookRel %- 5
    *set HadalyRel %+ 5
    "Kirill has commandments to follow," @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} says, perhaps a bit dismissively. "Forgive him for the soft wording."
    
    "In any case," West says, perhaps a bit impatiently. 
  #"I did it! It's my accomplishment!"
    *set Confid %+ 10
    *set RookRel %- 5
    *set RenfriRel %- 5
    "Of course it was," West says calmingly, like a parent to a fit-throwing child. 
  #"Further orders? Don't tell me we haven't done enough."
    *set RookRel %- 5
    *set HadalyRel %+ 5
    "Um, it was just a formality," @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} reassures you. "You have done what was required of you, and we all know that."
    
    "Indeed," Admiral West concurs. 
  #Let them talk.
    "Music to my ears," Admiral West replies. 
"I was beginning to doubt your ability during these final few days, but you have ultimately prevailed. My expectations were reached, if not exactly surpassed."

"So it's over?" you ask for clarification. "We can return to Saturn Nine and sit there however long we want?"

"About that…" For the first time since you've first met him, West sounds nervous. "I decided to… alter our deal slightly. Deviate from the original plan."

Crap. "In what way? How do you intend to deviate?"

For a long, dreadful moment, there is silence in the cockpit. When West speaks again, his voice is heavy and grave, saturnine and tired.

"We will have to install some telescopic cameras on the outside of your station. [i]Saturn Nine[/i] is an excellent place for observing the weather, and we can't afford not to capitalize on that."

*set federate_protection true

*fake_choice
  #"Cloud. Never scare me like that again."
    "As you wish," West replies, sounding a little dejected. "But we [i]will[/i] have to install these cameras. Weather on Saturn has been getting pretty bad recently."
  #"...I have to admit, that was pretty good."
    "I have decades of experience," West says proudly. "I'm glad to hear I impressed you, in spite of your hundreds."
  #"It's really not the time for jokes, you know?"
    "You've just had to kill another synthetic," West explains himself. "I figured you'd appreciate your mood being lightened. Forgive me if that's not the case."
  #"And you think some... weather cameras will bother us?"
    "Of course not. I just possess a sense of humor, whereas you certainly don't."
    
    You refuse to comment on that.
  #"Oh no. What a horrible betrayal."
    You imagine West smiling. "I beg your forgiveness, or at least understanding. Such treachery is simply human nature, however strongly we wish to deny it."

"And what about us?" @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} inquires. "Do we get further orders? Or perhaps, you know… something else?"

"Your team will be rewarded, Agent Riannon, after your upcoming redeployment," You can almost hear the admiral's eye-roll, in a strange way. "For now, simply get out of there, leave the orbit of Janus and dock at [i]Saturn Nine[/i]. We'll send a cleanup crew to inspect the battlefield for Dusk nanites and collect all the diamonds. West out."

"What did he say just now?" Hadaly asks once the radio goes silent. "About diamonds?"

"Well…" @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} glances away. "As it was mentioned, the federate fleet budget is somewhat limited. We need to subsidize ourselves in every way we can, and it just so happens that the creature we killed was made out of diamonds. Which are now lying here and should probably be secured by someone responsible."

*fake_choice
  #"Are diamonds considered valuable nowadays? There are literal diamond rains on Saturn."
    "All claimed by the Conglomerate, and difficult to extract due to environmental conditions," @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} helpfully explains. "This pile is ready to be scooped up and may have some… special uses, potentially."
    
    You decide not to ask about those [i]special uses[/i]. You're way too tired for that.
  #"You think we'd be allowed to carry some of these diamonds home?"
    "I am afraid not." @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} tries to sound stern, but he still comes off as vaguely sorry. "They are federate property now."
    
    "Also infected by Dusk," @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} adds. "Plus we've got our orders. We're getting out of here."
  #"And why was this... aspect of the mission unstated until now?"
    *set RookRel %- 8
    "I believe you know why." Rook smiles in a sorry manner. "We were afraid this… tertiary motivation would make us look bad, even though it really should not."
    
    Hadaly's eyes turn dark red. "I see. So all that talk about protecting humans from this [i]evil monster[/i] was just a rhetorical technique?"
    
    "You [i]have[/i] made the Federation safer," @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} points out. "You just also made it… a tiny bit richer."
    
    *goto consistency
    
  #"So that's why we're here? Because West wanted some gems?"
    *set RenfriRel %- 8
    "Hey, Crystal was seen as a legitimate threat by the Federation," Marshal argues without conviction. "It's just… they were also seen as a huge diamond. With lots of potential uses."
    
    *label consistency
    
    You sigh, but refrain from arguing further. You're way too tired for that.
  #"If we didn't have what we wanted, I'd probably be really upset right now."
    *set HadalyRel %- 5
    *set Emotion %- 5
    *set ManfredRel %+ 5
    *set RookRel %+ 5
    "Right. We have [i]everything[/i] we could have ever wanted." You've never heard so much venom in Hadaly's voice. "Now let's go home, if you all don't mind. There are things I need to check on."

[i]Gray Queen[/i], though 
*if queen_crashed
  battered and 
almost out of fuel, accelerates once again. The direction is opposite to the one you've been flying in for the past few hours, the arrow of speed aimed towards Saturn rather than away from it. Towards a particular patch of it, the one that contains the ninth of its many floating fortresses.

Hopefully you'll arrive there unscathed. Once you do, hopefully you'll have some time to think, to process everything that's happened today. For this must be the most eventful day of your entire, stupidly long life.

[i]Shriek.[/i]

Well. The second place works too, you suppose.

*finish