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1:04

Welcome citizens to the series' conclusion

1:06

of Liberty Vigilance. It's been a fun adventure

1:08

and despite the players dodging my best attempts

1:10

to murder them, well, most of them anyway.

1:13

They've made it to the final session. Before

1:15

we get to the conclusion though, we'd like

1:17

to let you know what we, the creators

1:19

of the show, will be working on in

1:22

the future. First, we are working on season

1:24

two of Dark Dice. We want to bring

1:26

this story to its conclusion, and have been

1:29

working toward that for a very long time.

1:31

We return on August 26, 2025. In the

1:33

meantime, we will be releasing episodes of

1:35

Don't Mind Sealskin Rock every two

1:38

weeks as part of the Don't

1:40

Mind podcast feed. Additionally, we will

1:42

be wrapping up the final touches

1:45

on the Unnatural horrors book, which

1:47

will be printing in August. If

1:49

you have enjoyed Liberty Vigilance, you

1:52

will also be pleased to know

1:54

that Liberty After is available on

1:57

Quest Portal in a totally new

1:59

and updated format as well as

2:01

on libertyenders.com. So go check it

2:04

out either at... Liberty endures.com for

2:06

a PDF or Quest portal.com as

2:08

your virtual tabletop of choice. Finally,

2:11

we just wanted to say a

2:13

sincere thanks to Wayne June for

2:15

bringing this story to life. It

2:18

would not be the same with

2:20

Adam, and you'll be missed. Thank

2:23

you again for listening to the

2:25

show. It means a lot to

2:27

us, and we hope that Atrius

2:30

will endure through you. Until August,

2:32

season two of Dark Dice, we

2:34

hope you'll continue to listen to

2:37

our other shows in the meantime

2:39

and that we are able to

2:41

continue to keep you entertained. So

2:44

what is in store for our

2:46

finale? We can only hope that

2:49

Etrus endures. Vigilance. Episode 13. Just

2:51

rewards. Junior engineer Horatius McBride, investigator

2:53

Sylvanus Claire Hout and Flick the

2:56

scavenger, descend the ladder into the

2:58

lowest basement level of the cultist

3:00

tower. The floor is easily three

3:03

stories in height, making the descent

3:05

by ladder through the sickeningly thick

3:08

haze uncomfortable. Visible on the descent

3:10

are six large cylinders that expand

3:12

outward the lower they drop. One

3:15

of these large canisters hisses loudly

3:17

indicating the site of the chemical

3:19

leak. Upon reaching the bottom, the

3:22

room appears fairly sparse on the

3:24

dirt floor, steel mesh dividers separating

3:26

the cylinders, and additional mesh walls

3:29

not listed on the map further

3:31

by secting the room. Only two

3:34

such walls lie between the group

3:36

and their destination. The excavation site.

3:38

Okay, I'll draw these new details

3:41

to the map in hot pink.

3:43

That's the color of everything. I'll

3:45

draw them in hot yellow. That's

3:48

even less visible with the gas,

3:50

shifting to hot baby blue. Man,

3:52

why do they choose such really

3:55

difficult things to see? So, those

3:57

are the extra rooms we can't

4:00

quite see from where we are

4:02

in the staircase, which is where

4:04

we are right now. And this

4:07

is the location of the hidden

4:09

door. I say we head right

4:11

there. All right, I'm down. I

4:14

mean, I approve of this directive.

4:16

The team approaches the second mesh

4:18

fence. It looks to have been

4:21

intentionally yet haphazardly covered in glass

4:23

and various plastics to obscure visibility

4:26

and partially soundproof the other side.

4:28

With calm awareness, they pass through

4:30

the fence's door immediately seeing six

4:33

unassuming soldiers. The soldiers are seated

4:35

around a table. leaning in to

4:37

listen to soft sounds coming from

4:40

an old data pad. Frankly familiar.

4:42

While the soldiers port holsters for

4:45

potential firearms, none can be seen.

4:47

They are instead armed with close

4:49

combat weapons, a mix of batons,

4:52

large knives, and short swords. So

4:54

could we, do we, do we

4:56

see anything other than the soldiers

4:59

and what they're listening, like, I'm

5:01

sorry. As far as the limited

5:03

visibility allows the team to see,

5:06

the room is otherwise sparse, and

5:08

no entrance to any sort of

5:11

excavation site is visible. The soldiers

5:13

wearing masks and engrossed in whatever

5:15

they're listening to have yet to

5:18

notice the open door. Hey, uh,

5:20

listen, does anybody have anything? Maybe

5:22

we could bar the door, just

5:25

leave, bar the door, and they

5:27

can't get out? Uh, your club,

5:29

maybe? Well, yeah, but I use

5:32

that to hit people. Don't you

5:34

have two weapons? No, I had

5:37

to give up the other one.

5:39

No, no, no, no, no, no,

5:41

I do have two clubs. Yeah,

5:44

I'll use the bad club to

5:46

bar the door, that way. can't

5:48

get out. Okay. All right, let's

5:51

go. Flick begins to quietly close

5:53

the door as McBride's grip on

5:55

his trustee metal pipe tightens. Is

5:58

there anything I could get off

6:00

a perception check? That would require

6:03

a successful perception check. Just as

6:05

it's closing. Though Claire Houghton McBride

6:07

seen nothing suspicious, Flick with the

6:10

focused eye of a lifelong scavenger,

6:12

notices a strange hexagonal outline in

6:14

the dirt floor just beyond the

6:17

soldiers. Oh! Hold on a sec,

6:19

club master. Okay, what? Don't call

6:22

me club master. I was just

6:24

trying it out. I don't think

6:26

that it's gonna stick. Okay. So...

6:29

I think this mode of this

6:31

room than we think. What does

6:33

that mean? Hidden door. Hidden door

6:36

on the floor. Oh darn. How

6:38

will we get there when those

6:40

guys are there? They'll think it's

6:43

suspicious. Uh... Well, they're soldiers. Maybe

6:45

if we just act like whatever

6:48

we have to fix us down

6:50

there, then we can just go

6:52

down there. Oh, yeah, yeah, we're

6:55

cleaning crew. Cleaning crew. Right, right.

6:57

Okay. Have to quietly closing the

6:59

door. Flick kicks the door in

7:02

loudly. Okay, everybody out! The soldiers

7:04

all look up. This? Flick must

7:06

now roll a deception check. Okay,

7:09

no don't all right, so What

7:11

if you guys is wearing a

7:14

privacy hood and I can hear

7:16

you talking? Yes, I know that

7:18

I am Okay, so I'm literally

7:21

gonna say don't make them leave

7:23

if you send them up these

7:25

stairs They're gonna see the dead

7:28

scientist body With the role of

7:30

a natural 20 the soldiers regrettably

7:32

follow Flix orders without question Hey,

7:35

I'm sorry about that. My friend

7:37

was a little, a little confused.

7:40

Everybody out of the way! We

7:42

uh... everybody in the room but

7:44

out of our general space this

7:47

is a critical area the gas

7:49

problem is getting very bad and

7:51

where should we go uh... let's

7:54

uh... you don't need to explain

7:56

if there's no time just tell

7:59

us where to go okay just

8:01

wait outside this door let's uh...

8:03

You don't need to go any

8:06

farther than that, but we just

8:08

need to investigate the situation with

8:10

as few bodies as possible. So

8:13

get out, get out of this

8:15

room. Yes, sir. But don't go

8:17

upstairs. Come on, guys. The six

8:20

hard soldiers take the data pad

8:22

and leave the room, flying obedience,

8:25

assumed ingrained tenet of the coat.

8:27

Hey! Hey! Hey, that was pretty

8:29

good. Look at you using big

8:32

words like critical. Then, been hanging

8:34

with you, Jokers, a little too

8:36

much, I think. Okay. Let's just

8:39

open this fucking door up. The

8:41

team investigates the outline, flick located,

8:43

and brushes dirt away, revealing a

8:46

glistening metallic surface that Claire Hout

8:48

and McBride both suspect does smart

8:51

material. Can I see what I

8:53

can do, investigation? Using his hacking

8:55

tool, Investigator Claire Hout bypasses the

8:58

door as dated security. An image-based

9:00

puzzle. The holographic projections of the

9:02

puzzle rapidly merged to form a

9:05

utopian cityscape under an alien blue

9:07

sky with no moves. Got it.

9:09

The door slowly slides open, revealing

9:12

a short set of stairs engulfed

9:14

in darkness. Glancing back to check

9:17

for followers, the team slowly descends

9:19

the staircase into a dark, cramped

9:21

room. Entirely clear of gas. The

9:24

room houses seven large plastic canisters.

9:26

Six of which are leaning upright

9:28

on the walls. Four erect canisters

9:31

are empty, and two housed decaying

9:33

corpses clearly visible through the frosted

9:36

glass window topping each canister. The

9:38

final canister lying on the floor

9:40

in the room's center is connected

9:43

to a jumble of wires and

9:45

tubes. Within, a young man of

9:47

indeterminate age rests behind glass. He

9:50

notably lacks the mark, but his

9:52

skin looks too clear to be

9:54

that of a fringer. He appears

9:57

to be asleep. And as the

9:59

team steps in for closer examination,

10:02

a motion-activated holographic display projects a

10:04

three-dimensional representation of the resting man.

10:06

The hmm. The hmm. The hologram

10:09

smiles. I'm going to let my

10:11

friend here answer that question. Take

10:13

it away, friend. Take it away,

10:16

friend. Sorry. We've been breathing in

10:18

a lot of toxic gas. Who

10:20

are you? Who are you? I

10:23

am representing myself on digital form

10:25

as my body is still concrete.

10:28

Absolutely. We're a cleaning crew. We

10:30

got sent down here to clean

10:32

up a spill, hence the gas,

10:35

hence the fuzziness. Which one of

10:37

these cylinders is your body? The

10:39

wonder, it's clear behind me. And

10:42

the rest of these bodies, who

10:44

are they? They have a remnants

10:47

of the crew of the resplendent,

10:49

what's that? The resplend law is

10:51

the place of design to take

10:54

the off-world terraforming specially, and their

10:56

families back home after the initial

10:58

colonization of the planet is complete.

11:01

Individuals like Dr. Thong, Dr. Patel,

11:03

and Dr. Song, myself and the

11:05

other two members were placed in

11:08

creative leadership in preparation for a

11:10

mission of a 700 years ago,

11:13

to ensure that we did not

11:15

meet a premature death prior to

11:17

our mission. However... The individuals we

11:20

intend to take off world are

11:22

now long-dead, are now long-dead, long-dead,

11:24

and the core crew of the

11:27

restaurant did not survive the looting

11:29

that took place in the centuries

11:31

following the Azar action. I only

11:34

became a... by chance, thanks to

11:36

the efforts of your leader, Director

11:39

Yale. Yale has made me aware.

11:41

Rather, this part of me aware.

11:43

Are the current situation. It is

11:46

now mind you think you are

11:48

how you say? Return all those

11:50

who've allowed back to the at-risk

11:53

corporation on either millennia or Earth.

11:55

Spending a cursory inspection of both

11:57

sides. Perhaps you don't understand, though.

12:00

So, as you say him. I

12:02

will awaken once the resplendent is

12:05

repaired and navigate you through the

12:07

stars back to your real home.

12:09

Listen guys, I'm starting to think

12:12

I'm really being affected by this

12:14

gas for real. This is really,

12:16

what is he talking about? Maybe

12:19

we should just go. Do we

12:21

just go? Based on the information

12:24

I have received, it is clear

12:26

that this falsely named Arkham is

12:28

the tyrant who has committed many

12:31

crimes punishable by death. I will

12:33

continue to advise that she be

12:35

left to the proper authorities, because

12:38

I am a system that supports

12:40

all them to follow all laws

12:42

and bylaws. However, the actual body

12:45

and mind I represent would likely

12:47

disagree with my stated cause of

12:50

action. Excuse me. But I detect

12:52

a class 6 explosive on one

12:54

of your person. I must advise

12:57

that you do not bring such

12:59

devices close to the splendos rockets

13:01

in the future. It is an

13:04

unnecessary risk that could endanger Germany

13:06

lives as well as the success

13:08

of the mission. Of course, that

13:11

was our mistake. It won't happen

13:13

again. We have to go and

13:16

fix... We got to finish cleaning

13:18

this, uh, spill. So just sit

13:20

tight and we'll be back to

13:23

help you execute the plans later.

13:25

We... This is for the best.

13:27

Have a nice day. Great! The

13:30

holograms dissipates, sending the team back

13:32

into the silent darkness of the

13:34

room. Is there anything else in

13:37

the room I can see? Clara

13:39

can see that the canisters were

13:42

each previously hooked up to a

13:44

space that housed them. Uh, he

13:46

said close to the... Rockets right

13:49

that's what he said to the

13:51

rockets those giant fuel canister looking

13:53

things on the previous floor could

13:56

be what he was referring to

13:58

hmm out of character I have

14:01

no idea how to feel about

14:03

this because he seems like a

14:05

nice guy who wants to get

14:08

us home and everyone else just

14:10

wants to destroy atrius yeah yeah

14:12

he doesn't seem very Nah, nah,

14:15

seems like a normal guy in

14:17

hologram land. Okay, maybe he isn't

14:19

a normal guy, but you know

14:22

what I mean. Meanwhile, senior officer

14:24

Thracius Wyatt stands sentinel over the

14:27

latter leading down, while lab technician

14:29

Diana Azad examines the Gotham controls.

14:31

Someone's coming. Azad watches anxiously, has

14:34

three individuals hauling bulky technical gear.

14:36

begin to slowly descend the staircase.

14:38

Then we need to find out

14:41

what's happening. We cannot afford any

14:43

additional delays. Despite wearing a large

14:45

glass breathing apparatus, Azad easily recognizes

14:48

the face of the center figure

14:50

to be tongs. The original bad

14:53

guy. I would like to note

14:55

that I'm also in my breather

14:57

and wearing a hood and am

15:00

not recognizable just from like... looking

15:02

at me normally. This is true,

15:04

however the two corpses at his

15:07

odd's feet might be seen as

15:09

suspicious. Yeah, there's that, there's that.

15:11

Yeah, and as far as they

15:14

know, I'm the one that's keeping

15:16

everything running because these two people

15:19

have, one of them has gone

15:21

insane and attacked the other because

15:23

of the gases and then the

15:26

other one finally went unconscious. I

15:28

don't know. We'll see how that

15:30

goes. You guys are like, oh,

15:33

let's leave the scientist up here

15:35

and then take a really long

15:38

time. Well, I don't know how

15:40

much time we have left to

15:42

talk this out, but, um, my

15:45

stance. In the fringe, we would

15:47

consider these guys to be in

15:49

the wrong place at the wrong

15:52

time, and execute our mission anyway.

15:54

However, you touchy-feely types, you are

15:56

you atrians, yeah, you innies, are,

15:59

are you interested in finding a

16:01

way to bring these people with

16:04

us or something? Or are we

16:06

just doing this? I don't know

16:08

if we have enough time. Ah,

16:11

smithereens! Maybe if we just seal

16:13

the door super tight and then

16:15

leave, you know, leave and then

16:18

seal the door super tight, if

16:20

we detonate the stuff above, you

16:22

know, it wouldn't be, maybe they'll

16:25

leave. Yeah, it's a reef damn

16:27

shame, but we should get out

16:30

of here. Yep, let's go. The

16:32

team closes the door to the

16:34

excavation site and returns to the

16:37

main room. The soldiers from earlier

16:39

are standing in a circle, listening

16:41

to the data pad. One of

16:44

them notices the open door. For

16:46

now, get on back in there,

16:48

finish your program. Yep, nice. Come

16:51

on boys, let's catch the end

16:53

of Tales from the Tower. Still

16:56

feel like giving up that other

16:58

cane? Ah, sure, let's do it.

17:00

Okay, so we bar the door?

17:03

Yeah, regretfully, I use my normal

17:05

pipe, metal pipe to bar the

17:07

door. With the door barred, the

17:10

team heads back up the main

17:12

ladder. As the team reaches

17:14

the top of the ladder they

17:17

see two guards and a man

17:19

in scientific garb easily recognizable as

17:21

tongs. The figures appear stuck to

17:23

the ground at the base of

17:25

the staircase and Thracius Wyatt has

17:27

a gun aimed on them. While

17:30

Diana Azad is interfacing with various

17:32

holograms at the Gopton controls. Hmm.

17:34

I asked him if they were

17:36

on the stairs and he said

17:38

yes, and I was like, okay,

17:40

the gravity on the stairs is

17:42

now really, really heavy. They are

17:45

stuck to the ground. It appears

17:47

that one of the guards was

17:49

severely injured on his fall down

17:51

the staircase. Good for them. I'm

17:53

going to turn to them, like,

17:55

what did you find, guys? What

17:57

am I doing? We found a

18:00

guy who was in some kind

18:02

of stasis, came out of a

18:04

hologram, started talking about flying... us

18:06

to our true home and there

18:08

were definitely some rockets in there.

18:10

You know we were concerned that

18:12

we were taking a little too

18:15

long so we left but he's

18:17

in there. Yeah this is a

18:19

spaceship this is a spaceship. Yep

18:21

all of those things are true

18:23

that I just said. So you're

18:25

telling me that we're in something

18:27

that can connect the people here

18:30

on Atrias with the horrible creatures

18:32

that exist in the rest of

18:34

the rest of the universe. Yes

18:36

that is That is exactly what

18:38

I'm saying. Gasketing to you? Just

18:40

a little bit. So are we

18:42

still with the whole idea of

18:45

blowing it up? Apparently. Well you

18:47

know as nice as that weird

18:49

guy seemed and he did seem

18:51

like a nice weird guy. I

18:53

am concerned about the possibility that

18:55

linking up with those outsiders could

18:58

put my family in danger. As

19:00

such I think we should blow

19:02

this place to Smithereens. to smithereens.

19:04

That's a vote for smithereens. I

19:06

am also voting for smithereens. Do

19:08

we have additional votes for smithereens?

19:10

Vote in for smithereens? All right.

19:13

Anybody else? Three out of five.

19:15

So far. Okay. smithereens. Okay. Can

19:17

I shoot them now? Okay. Can

19:19

I shoot them now? Okay. Moments

19:21

later, a loud explosion rocks the

19:23

area, followed by the chaos of

19:25

shattering glass, groaning metal, and roaring,

19:28

relentless fire. The tower crumbles inwardly,

19:30

toppling as large segments dislodge and

19:32

crash into nearby buildings. Oh, sorry.

19:34

Wyatt uses an inspiration point to

19:36

reverse time by six seconds, and

19:38

instead of pulling the trigger, opts

19:40

to click the safety into place.

19:43

Okay. Smithereens. Okay. Can I shoot

19:45

them now? Utilize a large heavy

19:47

object like these men do. Okay,

19:49

no, don't kill them yet. I

19:51

guess they want to talk to

19:53

them. Just so it's clear. Will

19:55

shooting set off the gas? It

19:58

definitely would, yeah. Okay. Yeah. So

20:00

here's the plan. I'm going to

20:02

open up the ventilation system for

20:04

the entirety of this tower and

20:06

just keep pumping this gas as

20:08

far up and across the entirety

20:11

of this tower as possible. And

20:13

then we will have to set

20:15

some kind of timed, small explosive

20:17

and then get out of here?

20:19

Or any type of fire, right?

20:21

Can we rig up the blowtorched

20:23

to something? You could rig up

20:26

the blowtorch, you could rig a

20:28

grenade to go off, you could

20:30

do anything. Yeah. Do we still

20:32

have that Iola's grenade? Yeah, I've

20:34

got it. I kind of have

20:36

an idea. Do tell. So what

20:38

if we put this on tongs?

20:41

Set it for four minutes, a

20:43

suitable time for us to lead

20:45

the building. We could undo the

20:47

gravity, tie them up, and... Uh,

20:49

why don't we just take the

20:51

engineer's ladder up instead? Yeah. That

20:53

works. Okay, so we can use

20:56

that, and I can also rig

20:58

up something that will cause a

21:00

fire suitable enough to set off

21:02

the gas, which will be activated

21:04

by the kinetic energy of the

21:06

eyeless grenade. Now that I'm thinking

21:08

about it, with a few adjustments,

21:11

the eyeless will probably cause the

21:13

same desired effect without being so

21:15

needlessly complicated. Sure. I like that.

21:17

It's like you're wrapping a paper

21:19

bag with a plastic bag. Oh,

21:21

wait, I have a question. I

21:23

don't know where it was going

21:26

with that anyway. The gas is

21:28

that I'm pumping throughout everything now.

21:30

You said they're getting worse and

21:32

worse and they're becoming like, you

21:34

said kind of cloudy. Visibility has

21:36

reduced to 15 feet. Okay, so

21:39

if we didn't have our gas

21:41

masks on in this cloud, would

21:43

we be like asphyxiating? Azad doesn't

21:45

need to roll to determine that

21:47

breathing in the gas. would be

21:49

fatal within a very short time

21:51

frame. All right, can we just

21:54

take off the gas masks of

21:56

the people that are in front

21:58

of us? We could maybe throw

22:00

something to try and knock them

22:02

off. As soon as it enters

22:04

the gravity section, it would just

22:06

follow the ground. If someone has

22:09

a long pole or something, that's

22:11

got a spike on the end.

22:13

We could just put it on

22:15

their foreheads and then hammer it

22:17

and that would still work. As

22:19

a matter of fact, I have

22:21

precisely such an implement. It's called

22:24

a pick-ended club, and I'm using

22:26

it to hit people for the

22:28

past 12 hours. Okay,

22:31

perfect. So are we disposing of

22:33

these people now? Or are I

22:35

still not allowed to say kill

22:37

them? Better to dispose them now

22:40

than to have to dispose them

22:42

later when they're standing up. Well,

22:44

if you kill them now, we

22:46

can use the stairs. Yeah, that's

22:48

what I mean. That's also good.

22:51

All right, I'll kill you. with

22:53

strained concentration McBride removes the gas

22:55

mask from the first guard so

22:57

I guess I'll go ahead and

23:00

ping ping you know knock him

23:02

dead his pick-ended club gets caught

23:04

the weight of the mask hey

23:06

does somebody help me pull this

23:08

thing out ping too hard the

23:11

gravity? McBride removes the mask of

23:13

the second guard never mind I

23:15

got it myself oh thanks Wyatt

23:17

I appreciate it Goodbye Tarlens. Phing.

23:20

Until we're absolutely ready to leave,

23:22

having seven times gravity in the

23:24

stairwell is protecting us. So I

23:26

want to make sure that we're

23:28

completely ready to get out of

23:31

this building. So I'm beep beep

23:33

beep booping at the computer and

23:35

somebody needs to be thinking of

23:37

how to make it fire. Beep

23:40

beep boop! I'm a demolition specialist.

23:42

Just hand me the explosives and

23:44

I'll set it all up. I

23:46

believe Sylvanus can vouch them great

23:48

with explosives, right? I'm going to

23:51

pull out the ionist grenade and

23:53

throw it to Thracius. Sweet! Ooh.

23:55

Quiet panics, but somehow manages to

23:57

catch the grenade after it bounces

24:00

off her shoulder. Holy shit. They're

24:02

lucky I caught that. But I

24:04

got to throw those things around.

24:06

Regaining her composure, Senior Officer Wyatt

24:08

sets up the grenade at the

24:11

center console, disabling all of its

24:13

fail safes, and begins to rig

24:15

a timer. How much time do

24:17

we want? Can you put it

24:20

in a less conspicuous area so

24:22

that when we leave, if someone

24:24

comes down here, they can't just,

24:26

like, remove it? No one will

24:28

touch it or it or it

24:31

or it'll explode anyway. Alright, so

24:33

best options, best options, best options.

24:35

Four minutes. Eight? Wait, wait. Should

24:37

we... Okay, where does the security

24:40

hatch go? Does it go all

24:42

the way up to the first

24:44

floor? Azad concludes that the security

24:46

hatch will only lead up to

24:48

the immediate basement level above B1.

24:51

All right, okay, so my plan

24:53

wouldn't work anyways, unless I just

24:55

wanted to collapse this singular room.

24:57

So we're just going to have

25:00

to turn off the seven times

25:02

gravity, get out here as soon

25:04

as possible, and just, yeah, just

25:06

hope. But can I do a

25:08

diagnostic to see if the entirety

25:11

of the building is filled with

25:13

enough gas to explode? If any

25:15

one of those rockets or fuel

25:17

canisters or whatever were triggered, the

25:20

entire building would go. All right,

25:22

so let's just leave, guys, you

25:24

know, let's just go. At the

25:26

very least, it would destroy the

25:28

base of the tower, causing the

25:31

rest to fall down. And if

25:33

by the time we get out

25:35

of here and the thing doesn't

25:37

go off, we'll just shoot at

25:40

the building a bunch until something

25:42

sets off a spark. Shoot in

25:44

the building, I like this plan.

25:46

All right. Five minutes sound good,

25:48

everybody. I don't want it to

25:51

be too long. Well, there's guards

25:53

at the front door, so. Oh

25:55

yeah, how about 10? Ten? And

25:57

even eight? Eight? I like eight.

26:00

Lucky number, let's go. Good compromise,

26:02

all right. Why it starts the

26:04

timer as as odd releases the

26:06

enhanced gravity on the stairwell. I

26:08

don't get to play with my

26:11

drag. can fly. The team runs

26:13

up to the first basement level

26:15

now overly occupied by more individuals

26:17

with gas masks who appear occupied

26:20

in a search. They allow the

26:22

unassuming group to hurry by in

26:24

a power walk. Fair enough. On

26:26

the first floor a minute and

26:28

a half has already elapsed and

26:31

the group reaches the entrance checkpoint.

26:33

A leader of the bloody skull

26:35

chewers sees the group walking toward

26:37

him and a wide grin crosses

26:40

his face. Ah, the bloody skull.

26:42

Chewers. Remember, we are on an

26:44

assignment from the guy, we have

26:46

the thing, we have to do

26:48

the thing. Oh, hey! Hey! Bloody

26:51

sculptures! Yeah, yeah! Hey, we got

26:53

your stuff! Nice! Great! Grab that

26:55

real quick and we're on our

26:57

way to, uh, to, uh, fuck

27:00

up some minis! Am I right?

27:02

Yeah, yeah, yeah! That sounds awesome,

27:04

how you miss me a guys

27:06

till now? The fringer the team

27:08

assumes to be Hicks slowly approaches

27:11

one of the lockers while fumbling

27:13

with a large set of magnetic

27:15

keys He opens a locker which

27:17

is revealed to be empty Ah

27:20

shit I think it's in the

27:22

other locker I'll go get it

27:24

Hicks disappears behind the massive stack

27:26

of lockers. I'm just gonna walk

27:28

out I'm gonna pretend to be

27:31

like a drug user like I

27:33

was when I walked in and

27:35

just like twitch and follow him

27:37

out Like, I'm itching my arms

27:40

and stuff. Hey, you forgot your

27:42

shit. Uh, yeah, yeah, they just,

27:44

uh, they just, uh, they just,

27:46

you know, they need the fix.

27:48

We'll, we'll, I'll grab their stuff

27:51

for them. I gotta check the

27:53

basement ones, give me a minute.

27:55

We shouldn't let them get too

27:57

far away. Uh, yeah, we'll be

28:00

back. Okay, later. Yeah, I also

28:02

follow, I don't say anything, though.

28:04

The team is now outside the

28:06

tower. The team is left. No

28:08

one was keeping track of the

28:11

timer, so it's unclear how much

28:13

time remains. Right. So can I,

28:15

does anybody have anything on them

28:17

that's like a ball? I have

28:20

three more grenades. A ball that

28:22

we could like throw. That way

28:24

it looks like we're playing a

28:26

game and running instead of like

28:28

running away from the building. I

28:31

don't care if you throw a

28:33

grenade, let's just do it. Throw

28:35

it more explosives around. Wyatt pulls

28:37

out a meal canister. Here, go

28:40

long. Going long, because she just

28:42

runs out towards any building that

28:44

isn't going to explode. After a

28:46

minute and a half of tossing

28:48

the meal canister, the team reaches

28:51

the territorial edge for the children

28:53

of Melicore. The perimeter is guarded

28:55

by a checkpoint. However, with a

28:57

successful deception roll, the guards don't

29:00

even glance at the team as

29:02

they run by. Happily tossing the

29:04

meal canister. Nice. Let's keep going.

29:06

The team runs west of the

29:08

molecular controlled territory by about two

29:11

blocks when suddenly the ground shakes

29:13

beneath their feet. Moments later a

29:15

loud explosion rocks the area, followed

29:17

by the chaos of shattering glass,

29:20

groaning metal, and roaring relentless fire.

29:22

As the team turns to look

29:24

on in awe, the tower crumbles

29:26

inwardly, toppling as large segments dislodge

29:28

and crash into nearby buildings. A

29:31

few blocks from the tower. Fire

29:33

erupts from the ground itself, destroying

29:35

nearby buildings with a devastating luck

29:37

to be placed upon connected underground

29:40

pipes or tunnels. Rest in peace,

29:42

bloody skull crushers. I'm sorry you

29:44

never got to give us the

29:46

stuff. In seconds, a wave of

29:49

heat and dust rushes by, and

29:51

small particles of ash and debris

29:53

slowly rain from above. From their

29:55

position blocks away, the demolition is

29:57

frightening and all-inspiring display of power,

30:00

and a safe distance from the

30:02

team. Also, rest in peace, strange

30:04

man who said he was going

30:06

to fly me home. He seemed

30:09

pretty nice. I'm sorry. Anyway, what

30:11

do we do now? Uh. Get

30:13

back to Atrius, report to somebody

30:15

who's worth reporting to. Sounds great.

30:17

Someone who's not on the dossier?

30:20

Yep. The team walks to the

30:22

nearby base, disguised as an apartment

30:24

building. Should we stop being fringes

30:26

now, guys? Uh, I guess you

30:29

guys can. Oh yeah, hey, uh,

30:31

right, I guess, Flick, uh, Flick,

30:33

what happens now? Yeah, well, I

30:35

guess you guys give me a

30:37

shit load of meal is what

30:40

happens. Oh yeah. Excuse me. Okay,

30:42

who has all the meals? One

30:44

of us has a lot of

30:46

meal that they grabbed, right? Yes.

30:49

Somebody does, yes. Who was that?

30:51

It wasn't me. I've got less

30:53

meal than that. But not because

30:55

I'm bad with money or anything

30:57

just because of Circum stands I

31:00

Remember that I was saying that

31:02

I didn't want to grab it

31:04

and then somebody else said no

31:06

we should take it and then

31:09

they grabbed it all and I

31:11

was like that's a lot of

31:13

freaking meal and then we left

31:15

with it and and the slave

31:17

women anyways so Claire how what

31:20

Neil are we talking about I

31:22

have Cassius's meal, but I wasn't

31:24

there for the 300 you looted

31:26

It was 500. Oh my rave.

31:29

Okay, I've got it. All right.

31:31

Well, let's give our butt. Let's

31:33

give our associate here lots of

31:35

meal because boy does he deserve

31:37

it. Arcon does he deserve it.

31:40

What were you promised, Flick? Just

31:42

give me what she got, man.

31:44

Just a quote-unquote shit load of

31:46

meal. Yeah. How does 300 sound?

31:49

Believe that sounds

31:51

pretty good, right? Open

31:54

your pockets my

31:56

friend. I

32:00

believe... I believe we have a

32:02

deal. All right. Yeah, it just

32:05

opens his bag and puts all

32:07

that stuff in there. Ah, pleasure

32:09

doing business with you folks, I

32:12

guess. You're not going to see

32:14

us to the atrium terminal? I

32:16

guess I can walk you guys

32:19

there if you want. Uh, uh,

32:21

why not? Why not? Why not?

32:23

Let's, uh... Let's see how this

32:26

weird fucking show ends. Yeah, this

32:28

this has been a trip Might

32:30

as well see what happens next.

32:33

Why don't we say he's an

32:35

undercover agent for the DFS? Because

32:38

he doesn't have a mark Just

32:40

say he You don't have a

32:42

mark either from what I can

32:45

see Maybe the chemical scent got

32:47

worn away by acid or something

32:49

We can be creative. Would you

32:52

be okay with us chopping your

32:54

hand off? Not really. I used

32:56

that. Would you be okay with

32:59

us cutting a section of your

33:01

skin away from your hand? We

33:03

could just say that maybe he's

33:06

lost it over time. That doesn't

33:08

happen. I'll vouchform. As an ally

33:10

of fatereous. So will I, for

33:13

whatever, that's worth. Yes. You are

33:15

a fringer who smells less fringer-like

33:18

than most fringers. I'm on board

33:20

with the vouching. Thanks? Well, you

33:22

guys have bluffed your way out

33:25

of more ridiculous situations, so let's

33:27

do this. Remember that small hand

33:29

gag? Oh, that was one of

33:32

my favorite parts from our whole

33:34

little adventure. The team changes into

33:36

their normal clothing just outside the

33:39

door. They now are starting to

33:41

look like true citizens again. Dirty,

33:43

dirty citizens. Before they can completely

33:46

finish changing, the door quickly opens

33:48

and a soldier taps McBride's shoulder.

33:50

Come inside quickly. Okay. So I

33:53

want to... set a parameter on

33:55

my privacy hood to automatically identify

33:57

and cross-reference identities that I see

34:00

with those in the dossier to

34:02

make sure that we're not giving

34:05

information to anybody who's in the

34:07

dossier. 24. Azad runs through her

34:09

stolen database, concluding that the RAD

34:12

officer in front of her, Officer

34:14

Magoro, is not on the list,

34:16

and neither are the other two

34:19

officers in the room. What are

34:21

you doing out here? I mean,

34:23

I know what you're doing, but

34:26

what brings you this way? You

34:28

do speak, right? Yeah, lots of

34:30

things. Do you have a commanding

34:33

officer that we could speak to?

34:35

She's out on patrol right now.

34:37

And what is their name? Officer

34:40

Yardawa. Cross reference? Officer Yardawa is

34:42

not on his odds list. All

34:45

right, um, all right, so we

34:47

just blew up that big thing.

34:49

Did you see the big thing

34:52

explode? No. We were wondering what

34:54

was happening. Was that the tower

34:56

collapsing? Yep, that was the tower.

34:59

Officer McGoro looks out the window

35:01

at the devastation. Why the fringe

35:03

did you blow it up? Uh,

35:06

because they were planning to overthrow

35:08

the Arcon. Well, that's the fringe.

35:10

But no shit. Uh, yes. That

35:13

is what we're asking Please follow

35:15

me quickly if you cause that

35:17

someone will certainly be looking for

35:20

you Please give me a quick

35:22

rundown of the names of the

35:24

other people in your unit while

35:27

officer Mogoro leads the team to

35:29

the tunnel Azad confirms the names

35:32

of his as not being on

35:34

the list. Okay, I'm just, I'm

35:36

checking all the time. Well, this

35:39

is the way back. Okay, sounds

35:41

good. It'll be about a six-hour

35:43

walk if you keep a brisk

35:46

pace. Do you know West? We

35:48

need to meet up with him.

35:50

You mean Director West? Or his

35:53

son from the broad? Director West?

35:55

Director West. I think he has

35:57

a daughter as well. Huh. But

36:00

yes, Director West works in the

36:02

Central City. fairly close to the

36:04

main tower itself, I think. Reeve

36:07

indoors. May the Arcon watch over

36:09

you? May the Arcon watch over

36:12

you too? And yep, and also

36:14

you. Officer McGoro closes the door.

36:16

Okay, so here's the problem. If

36:19

we get into the city, and

36:21

Tongs has told anybody who's on

36:23

the dossier, who's still in the

36:26

city, about us, then... If someone

36:28

who's at the checkpoint sees that

36:30

we're coming in, or someone is

36:33

pinged that we're coming in, then

36:35

they're gonna know, obviously. I just

36:37

said that a million times. But

36:40

Tongs thought we were dead. But

36:42

what I'm trying to say is,

36:44

should we try to get a

36:47

message to West before we even

36:49

enter the city? That sounds reasonable.

36:52

So you want to get a

36:54

message out to who? Director West

36:56

of the Department of Internal Affairs.

36:59

I don't see there being any

37:01

harm in it. The team passes

37:03

through a pressure chamber and walks

37:06

for several hours down a long

37:08

dark tunnel. Do you want to

37:10

stay in my apartment with me

37:13

for a while? Have some meal?

37:15

Watch some broadcasts? You might never

37:17

get a chance like that again.

37:20

Got a lot of money to

37:22

spend. I'd love to see what

37:24

you any call broadcast. So Yale

37:27

is on the dossier? Azad confirms

37:29

that Director Yale is not only

37:31

on the dossier. It is one

37:34

of the leaders of the children

37:36

of Melicor. You got one of

37:39

them. fancy pots that got water

37:41

in them and then after you're

37:43

shitting it in the pot the

37:46

water like takes care of the

37:48

shit It's not where I usually

37:50

ship, but yeah, I've got one

37:53

of those. Wow! If you can

37:55

ask him, because Quinn said he's

37:57

the only one we can trust,

38:00

it might be worth asking if

38:02

there's anyone else we might meet

38:04

along the way that we could

38:07

trust? Sure, seems reasonable. Despite what

38:09

Quincy let me run this by

38:11

you guys all right I'm writing

38:14

it for some reason my head

38:16

is I have to write this

38:19

all in caps I think it's

38:21

because when I used to get

38:23

like those emails that were like

38:26

classified it was always like declassified

38:28

Classified safety of Arcon and Atrias

38:30

at risk, compromised atrians inside the

38:33

city and in powerful positions, Director

38:35

Yale, the D.R.D. is working for

38:37

a fringer gang known as the

38:40

Children of Melicorp, please send trusted

38:42

security detail to see the check-in

38:44

of D.R.D. Officer Diana Azad and

38:47

others, bringing info about the betrayers.

38:49

to the Arcon. Could you hit

38:51

the enter button just so it

38:54

sends? Yeah, I wanted to make

38:56

sure these guys said that it

38:59

was okay before I said okay.

39:01

That does seem okay to me.

39:03

Yeah, that does sound pretty. I

39:06

mean, that does seem okay to

39:08

me. All right, hitting send. Wait,

39:10

wait, wait, for some reason it

39:13

only sent the part about sending

39:15

message to Director West classified. Ah,

39:17

he used an ellipsis, that's one.

39:20

The team continues their walk and

39:22

eventually reaches an internet hotspot that

39:24

allows Azad's message to send. Oh,

39:27

fun fact while we're walking. I

39:29

have so much meal now that

39:31

it doesn't fit on the digital

39:34

character sheet. Like I tried to

39:36

type 368 meal into the little

39:38

tab. And it only lets me

39:41

type 36. There isn't room for

39:43

three digits. You had 68 meal

39:46

before we gave you that 300?

39:48

Yeah! How are you more wealthy

39:50

than I am? He looted all

39:53

the corpses. I was watching Dewey.

39:55

Took a bunch of stuff off.

39:57

Yeah, I mean, a lot of

40:00

debt. Getting meals kind of my

40:02

thing. Yeah, you're almost out of

40:04

debt now. I'm almost halfway there,

40:07

after getting three hundred and sixty-eight

40:09

meal. Not including interest. Oh God.

40:11

Looking through my primacyhood

40:14

research history. I always

40:16

have the weirdest tabs

40:18

open, like lists of

40:20

flammable odorless gases. And

40:23

like, what's the name of the

40:25

drug that makes people tell the

40:27

truth? Yeah, I was, while we

40:30

were resting at the throng, Flick

40:32

ran a murder mystery game

40:34

with me and some fringes. And

40:36

at the point I got to

40:39

plan the murder. So it was

40:41

like, what kind of poison

40:43

paralyzes you? How long does it

40:46

take a person to drown if

40:48

you push them into a pool?

40:50

Yep! Yeah, it's the guy

40:52

that was running that murder mystery

40:55

game. My search history has

40:57

to be on a watch list

40:59

somewhere. It has to be at

41:01

this point. I wonder if there's

41:03

like a game people play where

41:06

it's like, so is this guy

41:08

a terrorist or a novel writer?

41:11

Terrorist or novel writer?

41:13

Okay. So we're just montage

41:15

walking? After a few more hours,

41:17

the team reaches the entrance to

41:20

an underground facility. Three RAD officers

41:22

are present and wave the team

41:24

over as Azad receives a message

41:27

on her privacy hood. Team, meet

41:29

me in the grand chamber of

41:31

the Idrias Tower. Agent Dres

41:33

will escort you from the

41:35

entrance. I'm going to ping that

41:37

name through the dossier. Agent Dres

41:39

does not appear to be on

41:41

Azad's list. The closest officer

41:43

speaks while placing a mark scanner

41:45

over her hand. Identify

41:47

yourselves. I am Officer Diana Azad.

41:50

Well Azad, I'm going to be scanning

41:52

your mark with this device. Yep.

41:54

So please just remain calm and

41:56

refrain from any sudden movements

41:59

until after... after I can verify

42:01

your identities. She is literally, she

42:03

has her hood up and she

42:05

is literally checking every single person

42:07

she sees. Assad notes that one

42:10

of the three officers present, the

42:12

brunette guard in the back, is

42:14

on her list. Well, she's gonna

42:16

send a visual message to anyone

42:18

in our group who's wearing a

42:21

privacy hood, including the two that

42:23

she knows are not on the

42:25

dossier and say that the brunette

42:27

guard. is a traitor to Atrial.

42:29

I just need to scan your

42:31

mark. You can finish your message

42:34

after. Typing again. Sorry. Okay. Yeah.

42:36

She puts out her hand in

42:38

like the way that you do

42:40

when you're doing these, I guess.

42:42

The officer scans the marks of

42:44

Azad, McBride, and Wyatt. I'm Investigator

42:47

Claire out. And this is Agent

42:49

Tongs. You're free to return to

42:51

your homes, but when you get

42:53

some time, please stop by and

42:55

see your superior within the Department

42:58

of Special Services about getting the

43:00

visual techings for your marks reapplied.

43:02

All right. There'll be a new

43:04

set of clothes for you on

43:06

the other side of the showers.

43:08

The team quickly showers. An awkward

43:11

process for Flick, and all are

43:13

fitted into atrian day clothes. Oh

43:15

my! Oh my reef, I look

43:17

as sharp as a blade to

43:19

the gut! Sharp as the edge

43:21

of an improperly open meal canister.

43:24

Stop drawing attention to it. Do

43:26

you have a pair of gloves

43:28

we can wear for now? Yes,

43:30

I'll help you get fitted. Despite

43:32

the officer's best attempt, the gloves

43:35

she gives is odd or a

43:37

few sizes too big. It's the

43:39

baggy clothing. It makes me look

43:41

bigger than I'm. Sorry about that.

43:43

I don't care. Let's just go.

43:45

Revendoers. Revendoers. The team is forced

43:48

to relieve themselves of any weaponry

43:50

they acquired while in the fringe,

43:52

although flick, Azad, and Claire Haute

43:54

are able to smuggle their weapons.

43:56

She turns to Sylvanus and she's

43:58

like, you know what, just in

44:01

case, and she pings over the

44:03

dossier to you so that if

44:05

something happens to hers, we still

44:07

have the dossier. Got it. After

44:09

dressing, the team takes the elevator

44:12

to the surface, passing two additional

44:14

checkpoints that allow them to pass

44:16

after a brief verbal interaction. About

44:18

20 minutes later, the team finds

44:20

themselves within district two. The light

44:22

of the atrias tower glows in

44:25

the distance, eliminating the city's center

44:27

against the night. All right, so

44:29

we need to go to where

44:31

I guess we were said that

44:33

we should meet up with him.

44:36

Everybody in agreement with that? Sounds

44:38

like a plan to me. Yeah.

44:40

I know we're home, but we're

44:42

not home yet, so. The walk

44:44

to the atrias tower takes an

44:46

additional hour and a half. As

44:49

the team hits a few additional

44:51

security checkpoints in the central city

44:53

district. At the foot of the

44:55

substantially massive tower, the team notes

44:57

that the tall, open, double-door entryway

44:59

passage is well guarded by the

45:02

gray and black garbed soldiers of

45:04

the Department of Special Services. Do

45:06

any of them ping as being

45:08

in the dossier? Their faces are

45:10

obscured by face shields, preventing Azad

45:13

from properly scanning them as she

45:15

approaches. The team recalls that Creed

45:17

was wearing the same gray and

45:19

black armor. A soldier with black

45:21

lipstick lifts his face shield and

45:23

motions for the group to approach.

45:26

Azad quickly confirms that he's not

45:28

on the list before the man

45:30

even has time to speak. Next

45:32

group, please. We're closing in just

45:34

over an hour, so we need

45:36

to keep the line moving. Thank

45:39

you. Yep, yep, we're coming in.

45:41

Yeah. The officer scans Azad's mark.

45:43

You have a meeting. You should

45:45

have mentioned that earlier, and you

45:47

could have skipped the line. One

45:50

moment. Let me ping dress. Your

45:52

guest at the north entrance.

45:54

I'll wait with them a

45:56

few moments later a soldier

45:58

wearing a civil Defense Force

46:00

Uniform exits the tower and

46:02

approaches. Here they are. A

46:04

quick scan of his face

46:06

reveals him to be private

46:08

investigator, Atos Dres. His background

46:10

indicates that he's a GSPI,

46:13

a private investigator with the

46:15

second-tier lethality mark. Just like

46:17

Sylvanus. Oh, that's what you

46:19

do. Greetings. Please follow me.

46:21

Dres? Absolutely. We're here to

46:23

see with Director Wes. Yep?

46:25

Yes. Please follow me. And

46:27

try not to tell me

46:29

anything classified. I don't want

46:31

to know too much. Sure.

46:33

Fair enough. All right. Dres

46:35

escorts the team to a

46:37

side hallway away from the

46:39

north entrance. He guides them

46:41

past a security checkpoint toward

46:43

a series of private elevators.

46:45

He motions for the team

46:47

to walk into the elevator

46:49

and follows shortly after. I

46:51

will go in. As the

46:53

doors close, the wall behind

46:55

the team becomes transparent. Grand

46:57

Chamber. Investigator Dres enters a

46:59

quick yet complex password into

47:01

the smart glass panel and

47:03

the elevator begins to rise.

47:05

The sun is slowly rising

47:07

in the deep scowl its

47:09

sky over the colony, turning

47:11

the atmosphere yellowed heat in

47:13

the distance. Looking over the

47:15

structures below, the great yet

47:17

distant outer wall dividing atrias

47:19

from the fringe casts visible

47:21

shadows over the edges of

47:23

civilization. The elevator opens, revealing

47:25

a large hallway ended by

47:27

a set of tall double

47:29

doors. A dozen soldiers in

47:31

the gray and black special

47:33

services garb, stand at ease

47:35

in the hallway, and two

47:37

massive armored figures flank the

47:39

doorway. The massive armored men

47:41

opened the double doors as

47:43

the team approaches, revealing a

47:45

vast chamber filled with rows

47:47

and tables of technological marvels.

47:49

At a glance, the team

47:51

suspects these devices may monitor

47:53

all of atrius. The room

47:55

also contains a large window

47:57

spanning the entirety of the

47:59

left wall, displaying diagnostics maps

48:01

and video feeds that obscure...

48:03

the breathtaking view beyond. A

48:05

long 30-foot hollow table ringed

48:08

with chairs stretches through the

48:10

center of the room. At

48:12

the end is a seated

48:14

figure, assumed to be a

48:16

guard, and near the middle

48:18

sits Director Romulus West, who's

48:20

talking with a helmeted soldier.

48:22

Director West turns to face

48:24

the group, presenting an expression

48:26

of sincere gratitude. I was

48:28

beginning to fear that you

48:30

wouldn't succeed. His expression shifts

48:32

to one of disappointment as

48:34

he walks closer. Tertullius isn't

48:36

with you. Oh, uh, no.

48:38

Thank you, Dres. Dres silently

48:40

leaves the room, and the

48:42

massive doors closed. Okay. Please

48:44

explain who each of you

48:46

are. Did you receive my

48:48

message, Director West? I did.

48:50

But I assume that Tertullius

48:52

would be with you. Um,

48:54

no. We, uh, we ended

48:56

up in this mess, and

48:58

we knew that it would

49:00

be... possible to trust anybody.

49:02

It would have been you,

49:04

Director West, so we came

49:06

with the information as soon

49:08

as we were able. Agent

49:10

Quinn must have sacrificed himself

49:12

to destroy the leaders of

49:14

the cult, which included Director

49:16

Yale. The female soldier standing

49:18

behind West perks up. So

49:20

what can you tell me?

49:22

First of all, can I

49:24

see if the two guards

49:26

able to be identified? The

49:28

faces of both guards are

49:30

not currently visible. Okay. Can

49:32

I do a basic perception

49:34

check? Just for anything in

49:36

the room? With the present

49:38

abundance of technological marvels, Claire

49:40

how it isn't sure what

49:42

to focus on. It appears

49:44

to be a Deafcon style

49:46

room designed to control Atrius.

49:48

The female soldier speaks. Leave

49:50

us west. I desire to

49:52

speak with them alone. As

49:54

you wish, Argon. The woman

49:56

takes off her helmet as

49:58

she approaches. Visually she appears

50:00

to be in her 50s,

50:03

healthy, athletic in build with

50:05

short gray hair and marked

50:07

with a distinct scar over

50:09

her left eye. West's posture

50:11

shifts nervously, and he seems

50:13

reluctant to depart, but he

50:15

exits hastily through a side

50:17

door as the arcon looks

50:19

over the team. Her face

50:21

is stern, with an almost

50:23

hostile expression. It doesn't matter

50:25

if she looks so stern.

50:27

Diana has the biggest smile

50:29

on her face, like the

50:31

ultimate fan girl moment. Wow.

50:33

Well, what are you waiting

50:35

for? Tell me what happened

50:37

to the tower? Hello, ma'am.

50:39

Yes, ma'am. Oh, wow. It,

50:41

uh, ma'am. Arcon, it exploded.

50:43

We made it explode, Arcon,

50:45

uh, ma'am. Okay, let's try

50:47

to be better at this,

50:49

guys. All right. How? I'm

50:51

prepared for this. Hello, I

50:53

am, I am Agent Diana

50:55

Zod. I work for the

50:57

D'ard. I work for the

50:59

DRD. Here you go, and

51:01

she pings it to, like,

51:03

the table, because I'm assuming

51:05

the table is smart class.

51:07

As the arkon slowly brings

51:09

the list up on the

51:11

table's holograms, she casually places

51:13

a hand on her side

51:15

arm. Is it hostile? Simultaneously,

51:17

the seated figure rises and

51:19

extends an arm toward the

51:21

arkon. The team is briefly

51:23

deafened by gunfire, as the

51:25

arkon is shot through the

51:27

chest. Her famous form falling

51:29

lifeless at their feet. The

51:31

bulky figure who shot the

51:33

arcon lowers her arm slowly

51:35

and walks toward the group.

51:37

The glass over her face

51:39

becomes less and less opaque

51:41

with each slow and deliberate

51:43

step. She appears to be

51:45

a significantly older woman with

51:47

a similar haircut in the

51:49

same distinct scar. Her body

51:51

is being braced by an

51:53

assortment of metals and plastics

51:56

to help her remain standing.

51:58

I just finished scanning the

52:00

list. sent by Tertulus Quinn

52:02

and noticed. the name of

52:04

my assistant. Unmistakably, the real

52:06

Arcon Reave steps forward, exuding

52:08

a far more commanding presence

52:10

even in her older age

52:12

than the young body double

52:14

on the ground before her.

52:16

Her weapon, the fabled Baselisk

52:18

rifle, the one the Arcon

52:20

has been depicted with across

52:22

posters and propaganda for generations,

52:24

is smoking in its attachment

52:26

on her arm. You

52:30

are the

52:32

citizens I

52:34

have heard

52:36

so much

52:38

about. Can

52:40

fan girl

52:42

and get

52:44

more fan

52:46

girl? loyalty

52:48

is something

52:51

I do

52:53

not undervalue.

52:55

I respect

52:57

the sacrifices

52:59

you made

53:01

to accomplish.

53:03

and return

53:05

to me

53:07

and wish

53:09

to kill

53:11

them. Understand?

53:13

Exactly what

53:15

you Give

53:43

me a clear and

53:46

concise account what has

53:48

transpired from the beginning.

53:50

So, uh, before we

53:52

stop, yeah. is a

53:54

person? I always thought

53:57

it was like a

53:59

god, like a spooky

54:01

ghost you guys talked

54:03

about all the time.

54:05

No, the Arcon is

54:07

a person. She is

54:10

a person who has

54:12

ascended to the highest

54:14

level of being the

54:16

hero of our people.

54:18

So just... Yes, she's

54:21

a person. Maybe you

54:23

should say what it

54:25

is we did. Yes,

54:27

you say I stay.

54:29

I stay here. That

54:31

is amusing. That is

54:34

amusing. That you are

54:36

humbled by my presence.

54:38

But we do not

54:40

have the luxury of

54:42

time. Lives are in

54:45

your hands. All right,

54:47

so did Tertullius never

54:49

come back? Tertullius Quinn

54:51

perished defending Agius. But

54:53

you were able to

54:55

receive the secondary dossier.

54:58

He transmitted it to

55:00

West. along with the

55:02

video feed intended for

55:04

you. I sent resources

55:06

to recover his body,

55:09

and it seems that

55:11

he was able to

55:13

cripple the leadership of

55:15

the children of Melicor.

55:17

All right, so let's

55:20

go back to the

55:22

beginning, guys. Right. We're

55:24

working part-time for the

55:26

DCO, and we're sent

55:28

to find... some people

55:30

who were missing. Right.

55:33

Oh man, that sounds

55:35

like so long ago.

55:37

So we were looking

55:39

for citizen Adrian Baker,

55:41

which led us eventually

55:44

to find that he

55:46

had been kidnapped. by

55:48

a fringe gang called

55:50

the SARS. So for

55:52

some really quite silly

55:54

reasons, Tongs, who you

55:57

know now I'm sure,

55:59

Grand Arcon, that Tongs

56:01

was a betrayer to

56:03

the Adrian people, and

56:05

he decided, actually it's

56:08

quite an interesting idea

56:10

now to send us

56:12

incompetent people out into

56:14

the fringe. Assuming we

56:16

would die. Uh, yes.

56:18

So, eventually we found

56:21

out that a group

56:23

of people called the

56:25

Children of Melicor were

56:27

planning... I'm sorry, I

56:29

don't usually say, oh,

56:32

this much, I'm just...

56:34

very much, you, you're

56:36

in the arkon. Yes,

56:38

this is true. So,

56:40

explain the involvement of

56:42

the sharks. Uh, in

56:45

the end, they weren't.

56:47

Except some of the

56:49

people who were marked

56:51

as SARS belong to

56:53

the children of Melicore,

56:56

I think eventually, it

56:58

got kind of confusing.

57:00

A lot of the

57:02

fringes look the same.

57:04

Sorry. Yes. Fairly mixed

57:06

cult. There seem to

57:09

be both. Fringers and

57:11

former atrians together inside

57:13

of it in a

57:15

good number. They're actually

57:17

quite a few of

57:20

them and they were

57:22

a large, in a

57:24

large tower, and we

57:26

were advised after running

57:28

into some atrian, some

57:30

atrian cultists who were

57:33

disguised as actual helpful

57:35

and loyal atrians, we

57:37

were advised that we

57:39

should go to the

57:41

tower and destroy it.

57:44

So we headed there,

57:46

it was quite a

57:48

large tower with many

57:50

people in it. Some

57:52

of them atriens, some

57:55

of them fringes, some

57:57

of them quite intelligent

57:59

scientists types, and we

58:01

explored it from top

58:03

to bottom. They seemed

58:05

to be living in

58:08

a sort of society

58:10

where instead of things

58:12

being paid for with

58:14

meal, they just handed

58:16

it out, which was

58:19

very strange, and they

58:21

had some sort of

58:23

flying machine on the

58:25

roof. Ma'am. Arcon Ma'am?

58:27

Yes. The entire building

58:29

that we blew up,

58:32

Ma'am. It was a

58:34

spaceship, Ma'am. Also that.

58:36

There was a very

58:38

strange man in the

58:40

basement. There was a

58:43

holographic projection of Jacques

58:45

Guillaume. He said that

58:47

he was in a,

58:49

uh, a cyrostasis. Cryostasis,

58:51

thank you. Cryostasis. I

58:53

was close. You were

58:56

very close. It jogged

58:58

my memory, thank you.

59:00

He was in cryostasis,

59:02

but he was being

59:04

projected as a hologram

59:07

and giving orders to

59:09

these people, so that's

59:11

why they believed him

59:13

to be some kind

59:15

of God, because he

59:17

wasn't physically there, I

59:20

guess. What did he

59:22

say? He said something

59:24

about finishing the preparations

59:26

so that So that

59:28

we can take the

59:31

ship back to our

59:33

true home, which I'm

59:35

assuming is in space

59:37

We lied and said

59:39

that the preparations were

59:41

still complete because Lion

59:44

is how we're all

59:46

still alive right now

59:48

And then we proceeded

59:50

to blow him up

59:52

man. Yes Did he

59:55

mention any names? He

59:57

did he mentioned the

59:59

name of the ship

1:00:01

and the name of

1:00:03

the planet he intended

1:00:05

to take us to

1:00:08

Which were... They're a

1:00:10

splendid man and meridia.

1:00:12

Most interesting. And he

1:00:14

died in the explosion.

1:00:16

We assume so. How

1:00:19

did you accomplish this?

1:00:21

There was a gas

1:00:23

leak that we were

1:00:25

able to kill and

1:00:27

trick our way into

1:00:29

getting to fill the

1:00:32

entirety of the building

1:00:34

or make the spaceship.

1:00:36

And after it had

1:00:38

filled the spaceship to

1:00:40

such a point that

1:00:43

the entirety of the

1:00:45

air was flammable to

1:00:47

some extent, we set

1:00:49

an explosive time bomb

1:00:51

and left, and by

1:00:54

the time that we

1:00:56

were several blocks away

1:00:58

the entire building blew

1:01:00

up with all of

1:01:02

the people still remaining

1:01:04

inside. I have blueprints

1:01:07

of the building if

1:01:09

you would like them.

1:01:11

I also have the

1:01:13

files that they utilized

1:01:15

to try to create

1:01:18

their flying contraptions ma'am

1:01:20

if you would like

1:01:22

to hand them over

1:01:24

to your... Scientists for

1:01:26

a future construction, ma'am.

1:01:28

I like this one.

1:01:31

Well, I must truly

1:01:33

thank you for your

1:01:35

diligence during these past

1:01:37

few nights. I suppose

1:01:39

thanks are in order.

1:01:42

Azad, was it? There

1:01:44

appears to be an

1:01:46

opening. You will replace

1:01:48

Director Yale. Oh, shit!

1:01:50

Oh, research and development.

1:01:52

You will unify the

1:01:55

segmented science divisions and

1:01:57

create a better future

1:01:59

for all ages. For

1:02:01

the better of Atrias,

1:02:03

I can certainly do

1:02:06

that, ma'am. Thank you

1:02:08

very much for this

1:02:10

opportunity. McBride. Yes, my

1:02:12

arcon. I have looked

1:02:14

into your past. My,

1:02:16

uh, uh, wow. Your

1:02:19

family will be given

1:02:21

extra allocation, and you

1:02:23

will be promoted to

1:02:25

be a senior officer

1:02:27

of the special defense

1:02:30

force. You shall leave

1:02:32

them in the pursuit

1:02:34

and and elimination of

1:02:36

the children of Melicor,

1:02:38

using these lists. Nothing

1:02:40

would bring me a

1:02:43

higher honor, ma'am. I

1:02:45

thank you from the

1:02:47

bottom of my heart.

1:02:49

Clear out. You will

1:02:51

be given an allocation

1:02:54

of meal for the

1:02:56

duration of your life.

1:02:58

And reinstated as a

1:03:00

private investigator. All demerits

1:03:02

on your record shall

1:03:04

be expunged, and your

1:03:07

name shall be cleared.

1:03:09

I'd like to look

1:03:11

at Thracius for a

1:03:13

little while, and then,

1:03:15

thank you, my argon.

1:03:18

Wyatt. Oh, that's me!

1:03:20

I have looked into

1:03:22

your past as well,

1:03:24

and you should join

1:03:26

McBride in the hunt

1:03:28

for the children of

1:03:31

Melakor. Yes! They will

1:03:33

die by my hand,

1:03:35

Arcon. Should anyone under

1:03:37

or over your command

1:03:39

vanish, so shall you?

1:03:42

Yes, my Arcon. A

1:03:44

pity about Quinn. Perhaps

1:03:46

Cain will have an

1:03:48

idea on how to

1:03:50

commemorate his sacrifice. got

1:03:53

as well. What you

1:03:55

all accomplished was admirable,

1:03:57

and we are sorely

1:03:59

lacking in such heroics

1:04:01

of late. So I

1:04:03

shall also create a

1:04:06

holiday to commemorate your

1:04:08

bravery. The bravery of

1:04:10

who rolls up to

1:04:12

a different defend atrias

1:04:14

from unseen dangers on

1:04:17

this day of vigilance.

1:04:19

You have served me

1:04:21

well, citizens. You have

1:04:23

served. You were, you

1:04:25

were handing out awards

1:04:27

and whatnot. I didn't

1:04:30

hear myself mentioned. Oh,

1:04:32

please don't kill him.

1:04:34

I, uh... I like

1:04:36

the one you said

1:04:38

about meal for life.

1:04:41

I'll take one of

1:04:43

those and if you

1:04:45

have any places with

1:04:47

like those watery shitpots

1:04:49

in them Just some

1:04:51

just some ideas throwing

1:04:54

out there. What's your

1:04:56

name? Fringe her I

1:04:58

go by flick ma'am.

1:05:00

Then you shall be

1:05:02

given a stipend, a

1:05:05

regular income of meal

1:05:07

and water and resources,

1:05:09

if you agree to

1:05:11

follow my will and

1:05:13

work with the Department

1:05:15

of Fringeal Relations. Are

1:05:18

these terms agreeable? We

1:05:20

will also cover whatever

1:05:22

debts. You might have

1:05:24

a cruel... as

1:05:27

a down payment. Yes.

1:05:29

Yes. I agree to

1:05:31

these times. Thank you

1:05:33

for this opportunity. I

1:05:35

do not know if

1:05:37

I can trust you

1:05:39

to hunt down the

1:05:41

children of Melcore. But

1:05:43

I am looking for

1:05:45

another traitor who you

1:05:47

can assist. in the

1:05:49

location and destruction of.

1:05:51

It is an unrelated...

1:05:53

matter. You will be

1:05:55

briefed on when the

1:05:57

timing is appropriate. Ah,

1:05:59

sure. I'm good at

1:06:01

locating and I'm good

1:06:03

at destroying. Fantastic. You

1:06:05

have all served Adrian

1:06:07

well and may return

1:06:09

to your homes and

1:06:11

enjoy the rest of

1:06:13

the day with your

1:06:15

families. They will each

1:06:17

be given the day

1:06:19

off as well. However,

1:06:21

we will have much

1:06:23

to do when the

1:06:25

sun rises tomorrow. There

1:06:27

is so much work

1:06:29

to be done. But

1:06:31

for now, I believe

1:06:33

you have gone above

1:06:35

and beyond your regular

1:06:37

duties. for us to

1:06:39

get some kind of

1:06:41

protective detail for ourselves

1:06:43

and our family for

1:06:45

as long as it

1:06:47

takes to get rid

1:06:49

of anybody who might

1:06:51

know about the fact

1:06:53

that we betrayed the

1:06:55

children of Melicor in

1:06:57

the city? You will

1:06:59

have one for the

1:07:01

duration of the day.

1:07:03

And I will move

1:07:05

to kill all of

1:07:07

the children of Melicor

1:07:09

inside my walls tonight.

1:07:11

That's a quick job.

1:07:13

That is so efficient,

1:07:15

ma'am. That is so

1:07:17

efficient, ma'am. That is

1:07:19

wonderful. You may see

1:07:21

yourselves out. Director West

1:07:23

will speak to you

1:07:26

on my behalf going

1:07:28

forward. You again. Yes

1:07:30

ma'am, thank you ma'am

1:07:32

once again, ma'am, have...

1:07:34

An excellent time, ma'am.

1:07:36

Ma'am. Yes. Re-endures. May

1:07:38

you endure and protect

1:07:40

our city? Thank you,

1:07:42

ma'am. Yes. Lots of

1:07:44

thanks, miss. Miss Akan,

1:07:46

lady. Ma'am. Etrice indoors.

1:07:48

Etrice indoors. Etrus indoors.

1:07:50

Etrus indoors. Etrus indoors.

1:07:52

Etrus indoors. Etrus indoors.

1:07:54

Etrus indoors. Etrus indoors.

1:07:56

Oh my god! Thanks

1:07:58

a bunch! Oh see,

1:08:00

let's go, everybody! McBride

1:08:02

nervously pulls the fringer

1:08:04

from the room and

1:08:06

the team is escorted

1:08:08

to the ground level

1:08:10

of the tower. He

1:08:12

just barely avoided a

1:08:14

mammogram. And Flick has

1:08:16

his own shit-pot, this

1:08:18

is fantastic. I'm so

1:08:20

happy! Who's the fucking

1:08:22

Orcon? The Arcon! My

1:08:24

parents will never believe

1:08:26

this happened. I should

1:08:28

have taken a cell

1:08:30

fire, whatever these kids

1:08:32

these days do, with

1:08:34

the privacy, so they...

1:08:36

Oh, wait, this meeting

1:08:38

was probably classified. We

1:08:40

could never talk about

1:08:42

it again. Dang. Dang

1:08:44

it to smithereens! But

1:08:46

hey, we destroyed the

1:08:48

children of Melkor and

1:08:50

saved Atrius, so what

1:08:52

more could we really

1:08:54

want? Besides an afternoon

1:08:56

off with our families.

1:08:58

I'm so proud of

1:09:00

you guys. Thank you

1:09:02

for not dying. Yay!

1:09:04

We did our best.

1:09:06

I literally thought I

1:09:08

was going to die

1:09:10

when they all left

1:09:12

me up there and

1:09:14

they all went downstairs

1:09:16

and they were going

1:09:18

to send those guys

1:09:20

up and I was

1:09:22

like, what the hell

1:09:24

do you think you're

1:09:26

doing? Yeah, oops. So

1:09:28

any big plans in

1:09:30

that head of yours?

1:09:32

Director Azad. I am

1:09:34

going to implement so

1:09:36

many freaking things. Read.

1:09:38

Director now. Efficiency. It

1:09:40

was sincerely a pleasure

1:09:42

working with you. All

1:09:45

of you. I'm inclined

1:09:47

to agree with Wyatt.

1:09:49

Yeah! Well, Flick, let's

1:09:51

go find you a

1:09:53

shit pardon. And a

1:09:55

real bed. Recoise balls

1:09:57

and any bed with

1:09:59

any pillows? That's gotta

1:10:01

be amazing. And on

1:10:03

that note? Reef and

1:10:05

durs. Reef and durs.

1:10:07

She does not look

1:10:09

that ugly, the woman

1:10:11

of age. Let's go,

1:10:13

Ska. We got sights

1:10:15

to see. Blood skulls,

1:10:17

let's have a damn

1:10:19

good afternoon. The team

1:10:21

says their goodbyes, eager

1:10:23

to go their separate

1:10:25

ways to enjoy their

1:10:27

day of well-earned rest,

1:10:29

and their new positions

1:10:31

in the grand colony

1:10:33

of Atrius. Created them

1:10:35

produced by Travis Fengraf

1:10:37

with editing and writing

1:10:39

assistance from K.A. Statts.

1:10:41

Starring Peter Lewis, Sean

1:10:43

Francis, Caitlin Statts, Daniel

1:10:45

Thoreson, Caitlin Buckley, and

1:10:47

Ashley Birch, with narration

1:10:49

by Wayne June. Guest

1:10:51

voices include Chris Maynard,

1:10:53

Michael Hall, Alan Sisto,

1:10:55

Eric Nelson, Karine Cromfley,

1:10:57

Grammarawat, Shannon Blado, Andrew

1:10:59

Spittle, and Joseph Teagle.

1:11:01

The music was created

1:11:03

by Ryan Mc Quinn

1:11:05

and Stephen. Vigilance was

1:11:07

mixed and mastered by

1:11:09

Brandon Strader, with cover

1:11:11

art by Dan Stanek.

1:11:13

The original game master

1:11:15

was Travis Ben Groff

1:11:17

with assistance by KA

1:11:19

stats. This episode is

1:11:21

brought to you by

1:11:23

our Patreon team. If

1:11:25

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1:11:27

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Scholar Productions. Thank you

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for listening. can you

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