()||BGM_Empty9<黑屏1>0,10: ()||<黑屏2>202: ()||BGM_Room:12 hours ago. NPC-Kalin(0)Kalina||:Commander, it's the gentleman from I.O.P... ()Commander||:Finally. Patch him through via the encrypted channel. NPC-Kalin(1)Kalina||:Alright, one second. ()||AVG_tele_connectBGM_Empty:...Click. NPC-Havel(0)Havier<通讯框>||BGM_Pervaded:Ah, my esteemed Commander. It's been a while. NPC-Havel(0)Havier<通讯框>||:Did you enjoy your trip to Belgrade?Sorry I couldn't prevent the disaster. I wouldn't say I "enjoyed" it. NPC-Havel(0)Commander<通讯框>||<分支>1:Sorry I couldn't prevent the disaster. NPC-Havel(1)Havier<通讯框>||<分支>1:Don't beat yourself up over it, Commander. You'll see much worse in the future...so prepare yourself. NPC-Havel(1)Commander<通讯框>||<分支>1:...Aren't you unflappable. NPC-Havel(1)Havier<通讯框>||<分支>1:It's important to maintain good mental health, or you won't last long in this world of madness. NPC-Havel(1)Havier<通讯框>||<分支>1:This isn't something that will blow over in a day or two. Steel your heart for a protracted battle, Commander. NPC-Havel(0)Commander<通讯框>||<分支>2:I wouldn't say I "enjoyed" it. NPC-Havel(0)Havier<通讯框>||<分支>2:Oh, why not? Most of the residents made it to shelter in time; you managed to seal the opening before it was too late, and now the decontamination project is underway. NPC-Havel(0)Havier<通讯框>||<分支>2:You were successful in minimizing the damage. That was very commendable in itself. NPC-Havel(0)Commander<通讯框>||<分支>2:That is a gross understatement of the devastation of Belgrade and the loss of its people. +I will never take credit by exploiting their suffering. NPC-Havel(1)Havier<通讯框>||<分支>2:Not bad, not bad at all. There aren't many who are as sentimental as you in this day and age. NPC-Havel(1)Havier<通讯框>||<分支>2:You may consider me cold-blooded, and you aren't wrong in your assessment. I have seen too much in my youth, so I'm rather desensitized to "misery". NPC-Havel(1)Havier<通讯框>||<分支>2:Well, won't you forgive an old man for his callousness? NPC-Havel(1)Havier<通讯框>||:Now let's end the small talk. After all, we're both busy bees. NPC-Havel(1)Havier<通讯框>||:Hmm... Still, where should I begin? Guess I'll start with Statesec's response. NPC-Havel(1)Havier<通讯框>||:To put it simply, they were so satisfied with your performance, they all but burst into dance right in front of me. NPC-Havel(1)Commander<通讯框>||:Is that so? I honestly thought I was going to be executed for having failed to stop an entire city from becoming a contamination zone. NPC-Havel(0)Havier<通讯框>||:If Statesec really wanted to apportion blame, they would have to execute a few truckloads of information analysts and Statesec agents before they finally got to you. NPC-Havel(0)Havier<通讯框>||:I'm sure they'd much rather make a hero out of you than turn against you and hold you accountable. NPC-Havel(0)Commander<通讯框>||:And what about poor Ambassador Roshchin? NPC-Havel(1)Havier<通讯框>||:An unfortunate case of collateral damage. More importantly, the Chairwoman's life was saved and the terrorists' heinous crimes were fully captured and broadcasted all over the world, so you assisted Statesec in completing the mission perfectly. NPC-Havel(0)Havier<通讯框>||:Speaking just from the result, everything is progressing in our desired direction. NPC-Havel(0)Commander<通讯框>||:The problem is the "collateral damage" could've been avoided. +If Statesec had shared their intelligence with us from the start, or at least heeded my warning... NPC-Havel(1)Havier<通讯框>||:Oh, oh, stop, my dear Commander. NPC-Havel(1)Havier<通讯框>||:You aren't the only one unhappy with Statesec. Many, including me, have quite a lot to say about their methods. NPC-Havel(1)Havier<通讯框>||:But you yourself have had dealings with them in the past, so you should know full well that it's meaningless to complain, and it's even more meaningless to complain to ME. NPC-Havel(1)Havier<通讯框>||:What can I do after you whine to me about your grievances? Do you expect me to repeat your yammering to the Chief? NPC-Havel(1)Havier<通讯框>||:Not to mention...you do have plans of your own. NPC-Havel(1)Commander<通讯框>||:...I have no idea what you're talking about. NPC-Havel(0)Havier<通讯框>||:I know what you're planning with Ange. NPC-Havel(0)Commander<通讯框>||:That must've been the funniest joke I've heard in a while. +I followed intel that you provided and went to Belgrade on a wild goose chase for Ange. Now you're saying I'm in touch with her? NPC-Havel(1)Havier<通讯框>||:Commander, I may have no hope of comparing with you in commanding Dolls in battle, but when it comes to analyzing intelligence, I'm way ahead of you. NPC-Havel(1)Havier<通讯框>||:You've been deliberately avoiding any mention of Ange in your communications logs, but looking at the combat records in that time frame, your forces were perfectly in sync with Ange's Task Force DEFY. NPC-Havel(1)Commander<通讯框>||:We have Persica and her brilliantly designed neural clouds to thank for, don't you think? +The situation was absolutely chaotic back then so most of the battles were fought at the discretion of Dolls equipped with command modules. Even you know I was trapped in the cathedral for a good part of the entire operation. NPC-Havel(1)Havier<通讯框>||:Oh, that reminds me. When these Dolls equipped with command modules returned from DEFY to Griffin, did you question them regarding Ange's whereabouts? I clearly remember that the job I gave you was to find Ange. Surely you haven't forgotten, Commander? NPC-Havel(1)Commander<通讯框>||:...Tsk. NPC-Havel(0)Havier<通讯框>||:Hahaha, neither of us wants to show our entire hand. The same goes for Statesec, obviously. NPC-Havel(0)Havier<通讯框>||:It's not a bad thing to keep a few secrets to yourself, but if even an amateur like me can tell, then a conniving bastard like Zelinsky can definitely see through your little ruse as well. NPC-Havel(0)Commander<通讯框>||:My excuse did sound pretty pathetic when you put it that way. Still, no matter what you suspect, I really can't tell you what I don't know myself. NPC-Havel(1)Havier<通讯框>||:Good, you know how to keep your mouth shut, especially after Ange committed treason and seized the Pike Node. You don't disappoint. NPC-Havel(1)Havier<通讯框>||:But you don't have to worry too much. Since you willingly handed over the core of the Pike Node, the Chief of Statesec still believes Griffin is loyal. NPC-Havel(1)Commander<通讯框>||:Why does Statesec want the Pike Node so desperately? What exactly are they planning to do with it? NPC-Havel(1)Havier<通讯框>||:They wonder about the same thing, except the subject of their question is "the Military". NPC-Havel(1)Havier<通讯框>||:Having analyzed the core you returned with, Statesec now have a grasp over the Military's intentions... They'll then deploy their agents to the storage facilities all over the world and foil the Military's conspiracy. NPC-Havel(1)Commander<通讯框>||:Just like that? So simple? NPC-Havel(1)Havier<通讯框>||:It really is that simple. What happens next has absolutely nothing to do with me, you, or Griffin... NPC-Havel(1)Havier<通讯框>||:At least, that was Statesec's plan. NPC-Havel(1)Commander<通讯框>||:I'm sensing a "but". NPC-Havel(0)Havier<通讯框>||:Haha, exactly... BUT! Our job isn't over yet. Your next destination is the Paldiski Submarine Base in Estonia. NPC-Havel(0)Havier<通讯框>||:According to a source, there are traces of Paradeus movements near the base. Military forces are also on their way there. NPC-Havel(0)Commander<通讯框>||:Didn't you just say Statesec would stop the Military from taking the Pike Node? NPC-Havel(1)Havier<通讯框>||:Indeed, you heard that right. NPC-Havel(1)Commander<通讯框>||:Then why are they sending Griffin halfway across the continent to do their job...? NPC-Havel(1)Havier<通讯框>||:Because that facility won't actually contain a Pike Node. NPC-Havel(1)Commander<通讯框>||BGM_Empty:Pardon...? NPC-Havel(1)Havier<通讯框>||BGM_Reverse<黑屏1>:Hmm, one question - have you ever heard of a man known as Lycoris? NPC-Lyco(0)Commander||<黑屏2>54:You mean the chief engineer of Sangvis Ferri Industries? I've seen that name before on the documents that Persica gave me. NPC-Lyco(0)Havier||:Yes, that's him. Lycoris was the one who designed the Sangvis Mastermind...codenamed "Elisa". You probably know that already. NPC-Lyco(0)Havier||:My point is, the data that Lyco used to create Elisa was derived from the Pike Node A-51-241 through inverse operation. That Pike Node is currently stored within the Paldiski Submarine Base. ()Commander<通讯框>||:So Elisa... BOSS-12(0)Havier||:...Isn't exactly a dupe. Lyco had integrated a lot of his own original ideas into the design. It was a truly astounding feat of genius. BOSS-12(0)Havier||:Still, the coding of the basic frames are quite recognizable. In other words, you can think of that particular Pike Node as Elisa's "blueprint". BOSS-12(0)Havier||:Statesec thinks that this is just another one of the many regular Pike Nodes, just as how I used to assume that the Butterfly Incident was purely an accident. BOSS-12(0)Havier||:But this series of events has led me to believe that Sangvis Ferri, the Military, and Paradeus...aren't merely parallel lines that just so happened to have intersected. ()Havier||:And the Paldiski Submarine Base is where it all began. ()Havier||<黑屏1>:I hope you can take control of this facility before the evidence is destroyed. That should also be quite helpful for the friend that you don't want to admit you've made. ()Commander<通讯框>||<黑屏2>202:Havier... You... NPC-Havel(1)Havier<通讯框>||:I know this isn't going to be an easy job. Both Paldiski and Tallinn have long since been ghost towns. It's a huge risk sending you into a Red Zone. NPC-Havel(1)Havier<通讯框>||:Also... Commander, the more we learn about the truth behind the Butterfly Incident, the closer we are to the dangerous pit of flames. NPC-Havel(1)Havier<通讯框>||:You've been miraculously lucky so far, which is a very important reason why I'm willing to place my bets on you, but don't count on the Goddess of Luck's blessings every time. NPC-Havel(1)Commander<通讯框>||:I appreciate your concern, Mr. Havier. I think I know... NPC-Havel(1)Havier<通讯框>||:No, you have no idea. NPC-Havel(1)Havier<通讯框>||:You couldn't have made it this far if you weren't a busybody who would risk your own life for someone else's sake, Commander. NPC-Havel(1)Havier<通讯框>||:That young lady—Persica, I mean—will soon find out that you're heading toward Paldiski and she'll ask all sorts of unreasonable things of you. NPC-Havel(1)Havier<通讯框>||:You need to learn how to say "no" to people, or one day, your luck will run out. NPC-Havel(1)Commander<通讯框>||:...What if I say "no"? NPC-Havel(0)Havier<通讯框>||:Ha, you're a fast learner, Commander. But that's why I'm merely asking a favor, not giving you a commission this time. NPC-Havel(0)Havier<通讯框>||:Take care. I hope you'll still be this sprightly the next time I see you. ()||<黑屏1>BGM_EmptyAVG_tele_disconnect:...Transmission ends. ()||<黑屏2>202BGM_stage1:12 hours later. ()Kalina||:Hellooooo~ Commander, are you up yet...? ()Commander||:Just come in. NPC-Kalin(3)Kalina||AVG_door_elecport:Still thinking about your conversation with Mr. Havier yesterday? NPC-Kalin(3)Commander||:Sigh... I thought I was fully prepared, but he's still way ahead of me. NPC-Kalin(1)Kalina||:...That old gentleman was quite talkative. You must've learned something that's worth looking into? NPC-Kalin(1)Commander||:He did say a lot, but he only told us what he wanted us to know, and he's already planned several moves ahead. +I suppose we should be glad that he's on Griffin's side...at least for now. NPC-Kalin(0)Kalina||:Don't worry too much about what comes later, Commander, because there are many headache-inducing problems that require your attention right now. +The Intercontinental Railway will arrive in the outskirts of Tallinn in around 10 minutes, and our recon echelons have already submitted their reports. +As you anticipated, as the only transport hub connected to the Paldiski Base, Tallinn has long since been in a state of lockdown due to severe contamination. +The AR Team, who has gone to scout ahead, reached the same conclusion - if the quarantine wall around Tallinn remains closed, our train won't be able to advance any further. They now await new directives from you. NPC-Kalin(0)Commander||:So soon? I thought I could at least get some sleep... NPC-Kalin(3)Kalina||:We didn't move Griffin's command center onto the Intercontinental Rail so that you can have an extravagant berth, Commander. +All T-Dolls are prepped and ready to move out as soon as the train stops and you give the word. NPC-Kalin(3)Commander||<黑屏1>:Looks like the itinerary for this trip will be much busier than Belgrade.