3 3 301 DialogEnable President Hassen announced a 30-minute break from the World Government's executive meeting due to the unexpected message from Karenina. Liszt must find enough reason to support his proposal during this time.
4 4 301 Liszt puts down the very brief incident report sent along with Karenina's message. It only mentions a Punishing Virus leak accident of unknown reason in the lunar base, which caused the zero-point engine to go haywire.
5 5 201 1 500496 5
6 6 301 1 Liszt We can't let her destroy the zero-point engine... 1
7 7 301 Norman is leaning on the door with a big frown. He has never looked so serious and anxious.
8 8 203 1 0.25 -400
9 9 201 2 500497 4 400
10 10 301 1 Norman Hey, didn't you hear that girl from the Engineering Force...? Everyone on the Moon will die if they don't destroy that whatever engine! 2
11 11 301 Liszt It's only one possibility... Besides, we can't know if that Engineering Force captain was telling the truth. 1
12 12 301 Liszt crosses his hands as if he is thinking of something.
13 13 301 Liszt Karenina had a lot of contact with Collins on the Moon. He seemed to like her too... She even had private conversations with that agent. Who can guarantee she isn't acting like this because Collins was just stripped of his power...? 1
14 14 301 Liszt A Punishing Virus outbreak just when we submitted the proposal... Is it really a coincidence? 1
15 15 301 Norman knows very well that Liszt's words were provoking, but he still has a point.
16 16 301 Liszt Besides, there has never been any sign of the Punishing Virus on the lunar base over the years. When the zero-point reactor was activated, no virus was detected either... Not to mention all the checks were conducted by Karenina herself. 1
17 17 301 Norman There was a serious incident on the Moon before I was born... It was suspected to be caused by the Punishing Virus. Perhaps... 2
18 18 301 Liszt That was nothing more than a speculation. The only survivor, Dr. Kalon, was out of his mind... No evidence could link it to a possible leak of the Punishing Virus. Very few people knew the truth anyway. 1
19 19 301 Given Collins' more senior position, he might know the truth. But it does not matter anymore, for Liszt has zero interest in what happened in the past.
20 20 301 Norman But my sister is still on the Moon. We can't afford to take the risk... 2
24 24 301 Liszt She's no longer your sister. You have only one sister now, which is Victoria. Don't forget that you are representing your family. Think twice before you speak. 1
25 25 301 Liszt gets on his feet and walks to the door.
26 26 301 Liszt Just stay here if you can't watch the Parliament make their decision. I'll take care of everything... myself. 1
27 27 401 2 1516
28 28 203 1 0.8 -700
29 29 202 800 1
30 30 401 2 1512
31 31 301 RImgBg1Shake Norman clenches his fist, but can only swing it toward the cold wall.
37 37 301 AniZhuanchangEnd The break is over. All the participants have returned to the parliament hall. Almost everyone is discussing Karenina's recording and report, each with their own intentions.
38 38 402 212
39 39 401 1 202
40 40 301 Hassen looks around and goes back to his position as the host. He clears his throat, and the hall gets quiet over time. But it does not mean the argument is over—the real battle is only about to begin.
41 41 201 1 500011
42 42 301 1 Hassen Based on the meeting protocols, I hereby announce that the World Government executive meeting is changed to an emergency meeting to discuss how we should respond to the sudden crisis on the Moon. 1
43 43 301 Hassen First of all, I'm quite certain that Councilman Liszt would like to explain, right? 1
44 44 301 Hassen nods at Liszt, giving him the podium.
45 45 201 1 500496
46 46 301 1 Liszt The report was sent by Karenina, the Engineering Force captain. Neither she nor we have any clue how the Punishing Virus was produced or how it caused the zero-point engine to go haywire. 1
47 47 301 Liszt The comms are completely cut, so we are unable to get further information from her. I don't think we have sufficient information to make a rational decision. 1
48 48 301 Liszt's words remain unbiased, but he has a clear objective—to calm everyone down first. He trusts they are rational enough to understand what Babylonia's best option is.
49 49 301 Liszt But there is one thing I would like to urge each and every one of you to carefully consider before making any decision. The zero-point reactor was made by our best scientists after numerous sacrifices. It is the dream machine that will guide humanity toward the future of hope. 1
50 50 204 1 4
51 51 301 Liszt Right now, we have an opportunity to reach that future. Are we really going to destroy it with our own hands? 1
52 52 301 Liszt Are we going to neglect all the sacrifices humanity had made in the past? 1
53 53 301 Liszt Are we stripping all humans of their rights to reach their hope in the future? 1
54 54 301 Liszt's question forces all the council members to put humanity as a whole on the scale. Even those who insisted to destroy the engine earlier have begun to hesitate.
55 55 301 Liszt That is why I am firmly against the destruction of the zero-point engine. I hope this can become the foundation of all subsequent discussions... 1
56 56 204 1 5
57 57 301 He has been secretly paying attention to Hassen and Nikola but does not see anything unusual. He thought those hawks would be in favor of the destruction of the zero-point engine.
58 58 301 Perhaps even they have to admit that the benefits of the zero-point engine outweigh the cost. He has won.
62 62 301 1 An elderly but still vigorous man calmly walks into the hall, followed by two young individuals.
63 63 201 1 500496 4
64 64 301 1 Liszt (Collins... I knew he wouldn't give up easily.) 1
65 65 301 Liszt saw Collins coming and prepared for it. He gives a signal to his subordinate in the Control Court.
66 66 201 1 500340
67 67 301 1 Control Court Member Mr. Collins... If I recall correctly, you are currently under internal investigation for the unlawful imprisonment of the Gray Raven Commandant. You are not qualified to take part in World Government meetings. President Hassen, I suggest we... 1
68 68 301 Before the meeting started, Collins was told that he would be put under internal investigation for the inappropriate "imprisonment" of the Gray Raven Commandant.
69 69 301 He was certain that he did not leave any evidence for Babylonia. Even if they were after him, they didn't have to wait until now. The only possible explanation was Liszt had been planning this all along to set him up.
70 70 201 1 500319
71 71 301 1 Collins Excuse me, you probably got it wrong. I have no intention to become part of the meeting. These two young people have never been here, so I was just showing them the way. 1
72 72 301 Liszt finally shifts his attention to the two behind Collins. One of them is Simon, the commandant of Dark Aries, while the other is... the Gray Raven Commandant?!
73 73 301 Collins I know I'm currently forbidden to sit in a World Government meeting, and I have never been in one in the past anyway. Still, as the Chief Military Advisor, I think I still have the right to refer someone. 1
74 74 301 Collins gives Hassen a meaningful look until Hassen nods.
75 75 201 1 500011
76 76 301 1 Hassen Of course. I trust it is in our common interest to see more trusted young people being referred to this meeting. 1
77 77 201 1 500319
78 78 301 1 Collins (Damn old fox...) 1
79 79 301 Collins smiles. He knows that Hassen and others would strongly oppose him should he have referred anyone else today.
80 80 301 He has been keeping the referral as a trump card, but he has no other option now and can only bet everything on the Gray Raven Commandant.
81 81 301 Collins I'd like to invite them here because they have been through numerous battles on the frontline. They are the experts in making such decisions. 1
82 82 301 Collins In particular, the Gray Raven Commandant is our "hero" who has participated in various difficult missions. I'm sure the opinion of this commandant means a lot to everybody. 1
83 83 301 Collins There was a little misunderstanding between the Gray Raven Commandant and me, but we still developed a great friendship during our conversation... 1
84 84 302 ... 85
85 85 301 Collins Oops, I'm talking too much. Well, it's time for me to go. I'll leave it to you. 1
86 86 301 Collins leaves his final words before walking out of the meeting hall.
87 87 301 AniZhuanchangBegin Collins Don't let me down... Gray Raven Commandant. 1
88 88 201 1 500201
89 89 301 AniZhuanchangEnd 1 Simon Um, Chief... I've never been in a meeting like this... 1
90 90 302 Me neither... 91
91 91 204 1 10
92 92 301 Simon I feel like I'm going to throw up... 1
93 93 301 You are not used to being the center of attention either, whether it comes from the Corrupted... or from the questioning eyes of the humans that are supposed to be on your side.
94 94 302 Just think of them all as Corrupted. 95
95 95 301 Simon Then I'm going to pass out... 1
96 96 301 AniZhuanchangBegin Simon finally forces a smile... Thanks to that Kurono man, the two of you are standing on this unfamiliar battlefield instead of fighting the Punishing Virus.
101 101 301 AniZhuanchangEnd Hours ago, that Collins guy rushed into the treatment room of the Star of Life. Nobody dared to stand in his way except Dr. Hippocrates.
102 102 301 It's the Kurono officer that Nikola warned you about—given his behavior, it is near impossible to not recognize him.
106 106 301 1 Hippocrates They are all my patients... And who are you? One more step, I'll crush your frontal lobe. 1
107 107 302 It's okay, Doctor. We'd like to have some time with him. 108
108 108 204 1
109 109 301 Hippocrates Fine... You have 15 minutes. I'm not taking responsibility if you get worse. 1
110 110 202 1
111 111 301 After she left, Collins explains the situation in the Parliament and Karenina's work on the Moon. You don't know how much you can trust him, but the information about Karenina and Luna sounds quite credible.
112 112 302 What will happen if we don't destroy the zero-point engine? 113
113 113 201 1 500319
114 114 301 1 Collins According to Karenina's report, not only everyone in the lunar base will die, the gravitational waves will also send rocks flying toward the Earth... Then it won't be a matter of single or double-figure casualties. 1
115 115 301 Collins If everything goes according to Liszt's plan, nobody will speak for Karenina. Even if she can destroy the engine and return, they will probably pin some charges on her. 1
116 116 301 After all, destroying the zero-point engine without permission is a serious crime. If Liszt decides to make a big deal of it, Karenina will not get away.
117 117 301 The worst part is that it will hurt the military's trust in the Parliament and may even stir up conflicts between them.
118 118 201 1 500201
119 119 301 1 Simon I've been paying attention to the meeting. Just like Mr. Collins said... most of the voices were supportive of Liszt's proposal. 1
120 120 301 That's why Simon asked if I knew a Construct named "Karenina". He was already aware of what happened.
121 121 201 1 500319
122 122 301 1 Collins How ironic... The "hero" they raised to guard against me is now the only power I can rely on. 1
123 123 302 Sorry, but I have no reason to help Kurono. 124
124 124 301 To your surprise, Collins does not seem to be worried at all but smiles instead, as if he knew you would be giving this answer.
125 125 301 Collins You won't turn me down... Just like Karenina, you cannot sit and watch if other people are in danger. If the Parliament is a battlefield, only you can save them in this war. 1
126 126 302 What's there for you to save Karenina and other innocent people? 127
127 127 301 Obviously, this man would never do anything without benefit. Even when he is driven to the edge, you must find out his exact purpose to avoid any potential repercussions.
128 128 301 Collins Hah, how cautious of you. In fact, I couldn't care less about Karenina and others on the Moon. She means nothing to me after completing that huge Omega Weapon... 1
129 129 301 Collins But just like I said earlier, I firmly believe that agent named Luna is the key to humanity's future evolution. We must not let her die in vain on that deserted Moon. 1
130 130 302 Is that a theory you believe in? 131
131 131 301 Collins No. In fact, it's my instinct... When you get older, you learn that simple instinct often makes more sense than complicated calculations. 1
132 132 301 Collins I trust it is a necessary sacrifice for the greater good. Not only Karenina, I would not hesitate to sacrifice my entire life just to find that answer. 1
133 133 301 Collins But you're different. You are a lot greedier than I am... No matter how dire the situation is, the first thing on your mind is always to save everyone and everything. 1
134 134 301 Collins Honestly, I thought it would be only a matter of time before your kindness got you killed. But you proved me wrong every single time, dammit... 1
135 135 302 Is that so? I'm sorry. 136
136 136 301 Collins stands up next to the bed and reaches out his hand.
137 137 301 Collins Just like what I told Karenina on the Moon, Ascendants aren't necessarily always the enemies of humanity. Neither is Kurono... Only frailty is. 1
138 138 301 Collins If you and I are both too weak, why don't we join forces at least for now? 1
139 139 301 Utilizing all available resources is a basic principle of tactics. Even enemies can and must be used if necessary.
140 140 302 (Hold out your hand) 141
141 141 301 Collins laughs boldly, shaking your hand and ignoring your vigilance.
142 142 301 AniZhuanchangBegin Collins Come, "hero"... Show those people that you are capable of saying more than nice words. Your speech will be our sharpest edge. 1
147 147 301 AniZhuanchangEnd 1 Hassen Gray Raven Commandant... From what I recall, you only just recovered from a serious injury. Are you fit for this? 1
148 148 302 I'm okay, President Hassen. 149
149 149 301 The wounds are hurting so much that you must lean on Simon to stand still. But the pain gives your mind clarity.
150 150 301 Hassen In that case, we shall let the Gray Raven Commandant speak first. Is that okay with you, Councilman Liszt? 1
151 151 301 With a frown, Liszt eventually nods... But he obviously is not giving up.
152 152 201 1 500496
153 153 301 1 Liszt I too would like to hear Gray Raven Commandant's opinion on this sudden incident. 1
154 154 202 1 1
155 155 301 Taking your hand off Simon's shoulder, you slowly walk up the podium.
161 161 301 Just when you walk on the last step, you suddenly feel a sharp pain in the wound on your head. You have to hold yourself up with both hands on the podium.
165 165 301 You quickly signal Simon not to help as it will only expose your frailty... But it seems too late. The wolf already has his eyes on the prey.
166 166 201 1 500496 5
167 167 301 1 Liszt Don't push yourself too hard, Gray Raven Commandant... This might not be a battlefield, but that's no reason for you to overexert yourself. 1
168 168 301 He has seen through your camouflage and is determined to completely crush your confidence. The two commandants may have been through a lot of battles, but on this battlefield, you are not much different from rookies.
169 169 301 Some council members are already getting impatient. To them, letting an inexperienced commandant speak is a pure waste of their time.
170 170 301 Liszt has always had the upper hand. No matter what you do, you can't seem to easily shake his argument.
171 171 301 But that can also become your advantage. The enemy will only expose some weakness when they think they have already won.
172 172 302 Thanks, Councilman Liszt... But aren't you the one who is overexerting yourself? 173
173 173 301 Liszt Me...? Sorry, but I don't quite understand. 1
174 174 301 You need to remind everyone of the one thing that Liszt has been avoiding...
175 175 302 (The security of Babylonia) 176 (The safety of zero-point energy) 177 (The security of the lunar base) 176
176 176 175 301 (No... Liszt isn't concerned about that. Think again)
177 177 301 As an outsider with almost no preparation or foundation, you need to attack the opponent's weak point first. Even if it can't take him down, you can still drag him into a skirmish.
178 178 301 "The data obtained from Atlantis successfully helped the lunar base to reboot the zero-point engine. However, are you able to guarantee it is safe to use?"
179 179 301 "Who can guarantee that incidents like this will not happen again when we are actually sailing in the vast universe? Without the Earth to back us up, we have no means to deal with it."
180 180 301 Liszt Your worry is unnecessary. The restart of the zero-point reactor has been verified both theoretically and physically. No Punishing Virus was detected in the vacuum chamber throughout its booting and running. 1
181 181 301 "So Karenina must have confirmed the results. You mentioned earlier that she was the expert in zero-point energy research, which gave the project a lot of credentials."
182 182 301 Liszt Of course, all the data collected in the experiments is still valid. My proposal is based on this evidence. 1
183 183 301 "Then why are we not trusting the decision she made on the spot?"
184 184 301 "While we are here talking, they are fighting death and disaster, over and over!"
185 185 301 Liszt's deep eyes stare at you. He seems to be thinking about how to spin the argument back on his side.
186 186 301 Liszt In her report, Karenina also stated that she could not guarantee the destruction of the zero-point engine would definitely stop the disaster. It might even cause more dire consequences... 1
187 187 301 Liszt If both options have their risks and I have to pick one, I would prioritize the zero-point engine. 1
188 188 301 "Even at the cost of the lives of those on the Moon, and more innocent people on the ground?"
189 189 301 Liszt It's a "necessary sacrifice"... To me, all the sacrifices are worthy of our one and only hope. We can't be naive and think we can survive this world without any sacrifices. 1
190 190 301 Liszt As the Gray Raven Commandant, you know this more than anybody else... That new specialized frame was used by one of your Constructs. Her name is Liv, I believe. 1
191 191 301 Liszt clenches his fist as he speaks to all the council members in a calm and firm tone, increasing his credibility even further.
192 192 301 Liszt She knew someone must make the sacrifice. Someone must become hope... Without the sacrifice, humanity may never have their future... Right now, the zero-point engine is the only hope! 1
193 193 301 Sacrifices must be made for our only glimmer of hope... No one has ever doubted this axiom, but what truly is hope?
194 194 302 (The zero-point engine that takes us to the future) 195 (The last Eden, Babylonia) 195 (The people who create hope for us) 196
195 195 194 301 (That's no different from Liszt's "hope"... There must be another answer)
199 199 301 AniZhuanchangEnd "I think the real hope isn't a new specialized frame, or the zero-point engine itself... It's the people who created all of them."
200 200 301 "We lost our home, but we can take it back. We suffered many losses, but we can learn from them and never make the same mistake again. Even in a world of despair, we can create miracles together."
201 201 301 "Humans are not strong, but we aren't so weak either. A hope left by the past cannot make us give up thinking or stop going forward."
202 202 301 "The new specialized frame is a new hope created by the people and Liv together... Compared with a zero-point engine that can be remade, I would rather trust the people who create hope in the lunar base."
203 203 301 AniZhuanchangBegin The flow of the meeting begins to change. More people start to discuss and think about what you said.
206 206 301 AniZhuanchangEnd Hassen waves at you, then walks to the center of the conference hall, facing all the representatives.
207 207 201 1 500011
208 208 301 1 Hassen I think that's plenty of discussion. The Parliament needs to make a decision regarding the crisis that Karenina and the lunar base are facing. 1
209 209 301 Hassen Let's leave the final decision to all the humans. No matter what the result is, it will be a "future" chosen by the entire humanity. I hope everyone can think carefully and make your own decision. 1
210 210 202 1 1
211 211 301 The hall is lit up by countless glowing spots that represent all the Babylonia residents, followed by a synthetic voice from Gestalt.
212 212 401 2 584
213 213 301 1 AniZhuanchangBegin Gestalt The decision has been made...
