Part 138: Thanks, Creepy Disembodied Voice.

Boy's Voice: ...telle...Es...le...ake...
Young Man's Voice: ...u okay...elle...
Nnnn...



Ooh...
Ah, good, you're awake!
Are you all right? Are you hurt?
No, I...think I'm fine...



But everyone else...













I'm pretty sure Zane got a little closer back in FC, when he hit on Kanone.



...Eheeheeeee...Nooo, nooo, I can't eat that muuuuch...



For the...Guess I oughtta be grateful she ain't hurt...
DOROTHY! Wake up, naptime's over!





...As well as can be expected.
Nothing...SEEMS broken over here.
Sensor Operator Echo: I'm...unhurt, ma'am.
Helmsman Lux: Think I'm okay...
Comm. Officer Leon: I thought we were goners!
A real miracle.
Or perhaps...he simply let us live.
That's right! The one riding that thing, that was...
Yes.
It was Loewe. No doubt.
Son of a...
In that case, I'm certain he stayed his hand.
If he really wished to, he could have torn us to pieces.
Kiiiinda not sure how to feel about that...
...
At...At any rate, where are we?
It looks to be somewhere on the periphery of the island.
We should step out and take stock of our situation.

-Liber Ark-









It's really pretty...
Wowowow...Soooo many PIIIICTURES!



Er, Dorothy, don't blow all your photo quartz in five minutes, all right?
Gotta admit, this isn't what I expected at all. This is less like a city and more like a garden.
I wonder...
Perhaps this is like the city parks in some large cities?
It does sorta feel that way, looking at it.
Though I've never heard of a city park so huge that you can't see the end of it in any direction.
The scale of it does overwhelm.
Falcon's Voice: Screee?
Sieg!





Sieg, thank goodness! I was afraid you'd been hurt or got lost.
Don't worry, we're all fine too.
Screee. ♪
Screee! Screee-eee, screeee!
Ah, I see...Thank you.
Apparently, we've crashed on the easternmost side of the city. And...the Glorious is docked on the exact opposite side.



The damage to the Arseille looks worse than it actually is. The engines themselves are virtually untouched, and the flight field generator mostly just needs to be beaten furiously with a wrench.
The problem lies in a lot of our finer systems--our stabilizers, for starters. Ironically, we can plow forward just fine, but hovering steadily would be an issue as things stand.
I see...
Our first order of business needs to be organizing everyone we can for repairs, then.
I may be an outsider here, but I'll help in any way you require.
Thank you, Vander.
That will solve the problem with the Arseille, but our real struggle will be locating the Aureole in this massive city.
Especially since it seems likely our friends in the society are already here.
Yes...If they claim the Aureole, who knows what they may do with it?
Given everything they've done until now, you have to imagine it would be nothing good for anyone else.
We need to get out there and find a way to stop them.
No complaints to that idea here. We should get moving right now.
Trying to run off in multiple small groups would just be chaos, though.
I think it would be wisest to use a single exploration team.
Yeah, I agree.
And the first thing we gotta find is some kinda powered means of getting around the city. Trying to walk would take forever.
...
What is it, Joshua?
It's nothing, really.
Anyway. The exploration team is going to need backup. Ideally, we should have people ready to swap in and out as soon as the team returns to the Arseille.
A good idea. I'd like to join in myself, but right now I need to oversee the Arseille' repairs.
Let's go ahead and decide who's leaving, first.





Do remember that we have no idea what's out there, society or otherwise. Don't do anything too foolish.
I promise nothing.
Don't worry, we'll be fine.
We'll be looking for a way around the city ahead of anything else.
Good luck to you, then!
Everyone else will remain behind on standby and help repair the Arseille.
Okay!
Oh, by the way, that reminds me. One other small mercy...
The shutdown phenomenon doesn't seem to be happening here on the island. Your tactical orbments should work just fine away from the Arseille, even without handheld Zero Field Generators.
Really? Well, hey!
Grandpa, how can you tell?
Well, truth be told, the biggest casualty of the crash was the Arseille's ZFG.
But even with it in pieces, all our other orbal systems are operating just fine. Father Graham's theory seems to have been right on the mark.
Right, the Aureole neutralizes 'foreign' orbal elements...
...but if we can get onto the island, we surely can't be 'foreign,' right, guys?
Yes, I'm willing to guess it can't tell the difference.
Whew, yeah, talk about small mercies.
Going out there without any arts or anything would be kinda...harsh.
I take it that means the orbal workshop tools are also functional?
Oh, yes, everything survived the crash just fine.
If you need your orbments tuned up, just say the word.
Got it!
I suspect we'll be stopping by a lot.







Is everyone ready to take a look around outside the ship?
Yes, let's be off.
...Sorry, Estelle.
I actually need to...prepare something from the ship's storeroom. Something to help if I need to sneak around again. Could I ask you to wait a bit?
Oh, uh, sure!
Do you want some help? Speed things up a little?
No, it's sort of a one-person job.
I don't think it will take more than thirty minutes or so. Could you wait in the lounge until then?
Hmm, well, okay.
Heh...Do not tarry overlong, Joshua.





I think the one you should be apologizing to eventually is Estelle.
Anyway. You're...sure? If I'm right, this could backfire and, uh, mess you up. Like...badly.
Yes. I've made my decision.
Kevin...Father Kevin...please. You're the only one who can help.
Arright, arright. Don't need to lay it on THAT thick.
C'mon, that little lie ain't gonna buy us much time. Let's get to the medical bay.





Joshua! You're done?
Sorry to keep you waiting. That took a while.
I don't mind, but...Joshua, are you okay? You look...tired, unless I'm crazy.
Some of it took a lot of concentration.
Don't worry, I'm fine.
Well, if you say so.
Let's get going, then!



Ship's Cook Casey: I'm finally done cleaning up in here. Make sure to stock up before heading out there.




Of course we brought the latest Liberl News on a priority-one special mission. We're not savages. The News can't deliver here, though, so we'll have to rely on our survival training if we hope to read anything else.



May be a bit late, but this is makin' me remember all those old stories about the Sept-Terrion Seven Treasures things.
Great sources of power bestowed on man by Aidios Herself, huh? Standin' here makes you think it ain't all a fairy tale. Sorry, could you leave me alone for a bit? I'm still feelin' a little shaky thanks to, y'know, common sense blowing up under my feet.



The air's so clean and fresh, too! I'd loooove to live here!
Aww, but wait, there's no factory nearby, huh. So I couldn't get any more photo-quartz. Awwww, that really would be a problem!
Maybe if I convince all the editors and factory people to move here with me...?



Oh, Faye! You stayed with the Arseille?
Faye: Yeah, I figured if the professor was coming, I ought to as well. I talked it over with the engineers, and we all decided to stay aboard. Kinda glad we decided to at this point, lemme tell you.
No kidding, that's great! We really need some help in fixing up the Arseille, after all.
Yes, thank you. Having professional engineers here will make things much easier.
Faye: Haha, don't worry about it. We'll do our best to live up to your expectations!
Thanks!



To that end, I've sent out troops to recover any useful debris they can. It is not the most efficient plan ever, but it is the only one that will work, given our circumstances. I hate to ask, but if any of your team has the time, Ms. Bright, help would be appreciated.
Our first order of business should be restoring internal lights and securing the hallways. Without that, we cannot move personnel through the ship effectively...We should get as much ready as we can before beginning the 'real' repairs.
Forgive me, Ms. Bright, but I must ask that you watch over that moron. In truth, he would simply get in the way of repairs if we had him aboard.
Or so you claim, but you really wish to be alone with Captain Schwarz, do you not? How could you allow yourself to be distracted by the allure of a woman, even though you have me?!
AAAAHH! You CHEAT! You merely wanted me for my body, didn't you?!
...My point is illustrated, I hope, Ms. Bright.
Yeah. Completely.
We'll do our best to make sure he doesn't get into too much trouble.
Helmsman Lux: We've completed a full set of system checks now. It's as Professor Russell said. The damage isn't as bad as we thought. The ship answers her helm as well as she can on the ground, and the flight engines are intact...If we put our noses to the grindstone, we should get this fine lady back in the air on our own!
Comm. Officer Leon: Communications equipment checks out. Everything is working normally. What makes me curious are these occasional transmissions we keep receiving. They're encrypted, so I can't tell what they're saying...but I'm pretty sure they're Ouroboros transmissions. Looks like they're investigating the city, too.
Sensor Operator Echo: There've been strange readings on our various instruments since our landing. Extremely powerful orbal energy readings, completely outside of common sense...Just what is this place?



Nope, we're still getting ready.
Deigning to clean up the room, Schera?
For now, yes. Alas, fie and all that. Unfortunately, I'm hardly able to help with fine engine repair, so all I can do is stand on the sidelines.
Hey, THERE'S an idea, though. I DO have a whip, perhaps I should get out there and...be motivational?
Hahaha! I think that's a great idea!
P-Please be gentle, at least...



Like Grandpa said, there doesn't seem to be any big problem with the orbal engine. We still need to look close at the engine before we know for sure...but we'll probably be able to fly sooner than we thought!
That's good to hear!
It does make things seem a bit less grim yes. Keep up the good work, Tita.
I will!
Ahhhhh, I get to touch the Arseille's XG-02 engine...Ehe, ehehehe....I can't waaaaaait. ♪
Hahaha...ha...Sooooomeone's just died and gone to heaven, I think...
The main engine's orbments are repaired, but for safety's sake it's still on low output. One we make sure it won't throw any more fits, we'll fire it up to full output. I'm afraid we'll be running on emergency lights for a bit longer. Try to put up with it and keep working, eh?
Understood. We'll do the best we can, Professor.
Yeah, gotta do our best.
Be off, then, and take care. If you find anything interesting, let me know immediately.
Mechanic Payton: Ahhh, it's wonderful to have my tools working again! I can finally grind some quartz! Right! You need anything, just tell me!



The Capel is also starting to get through some of those ancient Zemurian datalumps from the Tetracyclic Towers.



Soon we'll be able to read CelDeeGurLee's blog in its entirety. The Capel's display seems to have taken some damage in the crash, though, so I think I'll have to transcribe these.




I just finished cleaning up sickbay, here.
The cabinets kinda, uh, spilled everything out when we made that crash landing. Anyway, you start feelin' like dirt, just c'mon down here.
My trade's in helpin' the soul AND body. I can fix you up.



Royal Guardsman: I'm looking around to see if there are any appropriate materials for its construction. Hmmm. Maybe I could break down a container for metal plates...



Clive: It endured the shock of the landing well. That's good, since it means we don't have to spend time repairing it! Okay, next comes checking the outrigger. Oh, the outrigger? Those are the 'pods' you see on the sides of the hull. They have various supplementary flight engines and whatnot in them. And one of the outriggers was sheared off in the crash. It isn't too surprising, given how we landed.





That'll buff right out.



First, though, we need to clear away this scrap. If any of you have a moment to help out, we could surely use a few more hands. Doing this on my own is going to be difficult, even with my training!
Friggin'...Kinda big for a 'piece of scrap.' Askin' us to move this with our bare hands? Even slave drivers oughtta have limits.
Well, no point in complaining now. Time to put my shoulder to it and get it done.
Royal Guardsman Day: W-We're going to be moving THAT now? By ourselves? Uhh, the captain sure has a lot of faith in us, I guess...
Royal Guardsman Bottoms: You're...you're telling me we're moving this by hand. Am I the only one who thinks this is nuts?!
Royal Guardsman Nederlander: Mmmmmph. Now that I look at it, this thing really is big. We're gonna have to put some elbow grease into moving it at all.



Collecting these by hand, as we must, will be quite the onerous task.
I, of course, shall give my all to help...as a performer. Now, to encourage these fine men and women with sweat on their brow with a lovely tune! I shall support everyone as they work up a sweat...from here, with my songs, as a true bard should. If you have any need of physical labor, speak with Mueller.



Once we've taken stock of how badly we've been hurt, we intend to start repairs.
We don't know what will happen going forward...We need to be able to fly as soon as possible.



Klaudia has to dress up fancy now that she's serious about this whole princess thing.









I will go ahead and give that silly Time Gem a fair try. Kloe can handle all the attack casting just fine on her own.



I'll also try all this cat gear that I bought from Paul the clothier back in Bose Market. The ??? is an additional +15 SPD for wearing all four cat items at once. The Cat Suit and Cat Foot Slippers have almost no DEF whatsoever, and using them together with the Time Gem is probably a horrible idea, but if it lets Olivier throw out Earth Wall before the enemy can attack him then it's no problem.



And here's the Aura Guard, before I forget. Nothing fancy here, just a whooole lot of protection.











Big place.



Ah...I have searched for beauty, and now I find it.
I'm not even sure how to put this...
It's sort of hard to believe we're in the sky, you know?
The ancient Zemurian culture was more than just its technology...
It seems they had a great understanding of how to use their technology, too.
Gated communities in space.













Ah...What an overwhelming view!
The city's...THIS big?
Hey, we're...SURE no one still lives here, right?
I don't think so.
I have to imagine everyone left before the city was sent to that other dimension. In fact, I imagine the ancestors of modern Liberlians came from this place.
Wait, so, like, my great-great-whatevers lived here?! And we never knew?!
That...actually makes some sense.
There have always been so few traces of old Zemuria, not just in Liberl, but anywhere. If the city just disappeared...
Ah, of course.
Those who live in the sky would not leave traces upon the ground...and then their home in the clouds is removed from this mortal coil.
I have to think most sky cities would happily tip all their garbage over the side and not give it a second thought.
This place seems to get crazier with every step we take!
Anyway. The view here is really pretty, but what is this place, you think? It feels different from the rest of the area.
Given the nature of this area so far, it may just be a scenic view, but it does feel...a bit more important. Hmm...



That screen over there looks like something you're meant to interact with. Let's take a look at it.



Hmm...What's a Halo Rail system?
Some kind of rail-based transit system, I guess.
And given that there's a 'Transit Authority' involved, I would guess this floating island is called the 'Liber Ark.'
Oh, yeah. The Liber Ark...Hang on. 'Liber'? No way!
'Way,' I think. We've just discovered the origin of the name of Liberl.
Holy Stregas...
Personally, I find the Gospel reference more interesting. From the way this is written, they must have been ubiquitous. Everyone would have had one.
It sounds like they served as identification...and a portable, personal link to the Aureole.
Graah, this is too much to take in at once!
Anyway, it looks like we don't need a Gospel to do stuff here. Let's see what we can do!
Right. I think I can get it to list available services if I push...this?










There's something coming.





This must be a car for the Halo Rail.
You, um, have to wonder how it works without, well...
Hm! It's very similar to the light rail systems used throughout Erebonia, as I thought.
Ah, to make the rails out of actual light! The ancients knew the value of spectacle. And humor!
It all feels a little over my head, but if it'll get us where we need to go without dropping us into the clouds, I'm all for it!
C'mon, let's hop on and try it!

...Real informative. Thanks, Creepy Disembodied Voice.
It sounds like the other stations need to be in this 'Emergency Operations Mode' if we intend to get around.
For now, I'm afraid the 'Halo Rail' isn't of much use to us.
Nuts. And here I was, getting hopeful for once.
Well, let's see if we can find another way around.

Calmare Station has a couple other options.



The Online Shop is an orbal factory with standard slot upgrades and some grade 5 quartz. Hopefully I can scrounge enough sepith to buy a few, and still upgrade everybody.

And last, but not least...





*GLINK*










We'll see where that goes next time.