Part 119: Right now we must focus on what CAN be done.

-Crushed and Scarred-













But you kids pulled off a genuine miracle this time. Let me give you your reward first. Aidios knows you've earned it.
We...have?

Still...What madness we've fallen into.
I never thought being deprived of orbments would throw us into this much chaos.
No kidding...
Sorta makes you realize just how dependent we've become on orbal power.
It's true. Communication, transportation, defense, production...
Every single function of society is effectively paralyzed at this point.
For most people, I think the real worry will be the lights and the kitchen.
From the sounds of it, the city was really in a tizzy last night.
That's being kind about it. People were mobbing the guildhouse, the orbal workshop, the mayor's mansion, all demanding answers. It was awful. Everyone wanted to know what had happened, and I had no answers to give.
Frenzied fools practically kept me up all night. *yawn*
I see...Sorry, Lugran.
With the floating city on top of all this, this crap's getting dire. Feels like we're one step away from a friggin' panic.
Well...the people of Liberl love peace, so I do not personally expect a riot...immediately.
Should the situation continue for too long, however...people may begin to lose hope.
Yes. We must do something about this, and quickly.
So, then, everyone. What's this plan you said Russell has to bring back the dead, turn water to ambrosia, and save us all?
Bring back the dead? Welllllll...
Professor Russell's come up with a new invention...that isn't too far off.



This, everyone, is my latest invention, the Zero Field Generator.
Zero...Field...What now?
Put simply: you are aware of the special warp-field the Gospels produce, yes?
This is a circuit which produces a field to nullify that warp via a resonance wa--
That does not qualify as 'simple' under any definition.
If I understand correctly, then, Professor...This can actually reverse the Orbal Shutdown Phenomenon?
Whoa, what?!
Is that true, Professor?!
Prevent it, more specifically, but just so.
Ultimately, the 'shutdown phenomenon' is just orbal energy being absorbed by the Gospels. WHERE the energy went was a mystery, but having come this far I think we finally have an answer.
To the floating city...To the Aureole.
It is the only answer which makes sense.
The Aureole uses the little holes between dimensions generated by devices which we call 'Gospels' to cause the phenomenon. Gospels are, all things considered, small holes, so the area affected was thankfully minor. With the Aureole made manifest once again, however, that area has grown immensely.
Enough to engulf the entirety of Liberl and even beyond our borders, I'd imagine.
All of Liberl...
So that's what's causing all this.
Yes, I find it likely that every orbment in the country, without exception, has stopped working.
However, this Zero Field Generator can stop the interference of the Aureole.
Which is to say, put it next to an orbment and that orbment will work just fine.
Wooow...!
Professor, that's amazing!
So we fire that thing up and everything's cool, then.
Erm...Not quite, I'm afraid.
The area this prototype can protect is limited. It can shield, at most, an orbment you could carry in two hands.
That small? Aww...
Well, hell, that kinda limits what we can do, doesn't it?
The other problem is...I only have so many of them. Even as a favor for Cassius, I could only put sixteen of them together.
Sixteen...That's actually a lot, if anything.
Wait, Dad asked you for these?
Yes, he requested that I work on these a while back, actually.
I scarcely imagined a crisis on this scale at the time, but it seems he did.
I, uh, I see...
Just as I'd expect from Cassius. Always seeing further than any other man.
That bein' the case, though.
Pretty clear how we should use these things, I think.
Ah, you're a sharp one, Father!
Uh, I don't quite follow.
So in a crisis like this, the thing you need more than ANYTHING else is fast, accurate communication. Whether it's about the society throwing bears at people, or where goods need to be taken, if you can't communicate, you're up a creek.
Meaning...!
They should be used to restore communication devices all over Liberl.
Is that about the size of it?
Bingo!
That IS a good idea!
Mmm. For the military, not being able to use our guns or airships is dire.
Not having communications between headquarters and our forces is even more serious, however. We should restore communications between Grancel Castle, the Haken Gate, and Leiston Fortress a.s.a.p.
The guild's in the same boat, in a way.
If the branches can't get in touch, it'll be hard to mount a response to anything that might happen.
Hmm, sounds as if we're all in agreement, then.
Well, then, Captain Schwarz. I'll provide ten Zero Field Generators to the Royal Army.
That should give you enough to cover the Arseille, the capital, the gate, Leiston, and all regional posts.
You have my thanks, Professor. I'll order my men to distribute them immediately.
And the remaining six go to the Bracer Guild. That should be enough to restore the phone in each guild branch.
We'll get right on it!
We'll see them safely there.



That would be a great help! Please, set up that Zero...whatever it was right away!
No problem!
Tita, would you do the honors?
Sure! Gimme just a second...



Okaaaaaay... *click*
...Done! It's all set to go! ♪
That was, uh, kind of faster than I thought it'd be.
Heehee! All you really need to do is put it in the right spot inside the phone.
Okay, now for the moment of truth!




You did it!
Hmm-hmm! Looks like it really does let orbal devices work.
Um, so, next I need to test to see if the phone will actually connect. I'll try calling Grandpa. He's on the Arseille, which should have a working phone.

Hello...?
Ah! Grandpa!
Yeah, it's me! I'm at the guildhouse in Bose right now! Yeah, it's okay. It works great!
Uh-huh...Uh-huh! Okay, I will! You do your best too, Grandpa! *click*



No kidding!
Professor Russell's saved us again, it seems.
I'll have to drown Russell in beer and steak next I see him!
Speaking of thanks, Russell seems to be aboard the Arseille still, but...Where did the princess and that churchman get off to?
Oh, they both headed to Grancel at dawn. Kloe said she wanted to talk to the queen, and Kevin said something about the archbishop, I think.
I imagine the Royal Family and the church have their own crises to deal with right now.
The good news is, they agreed to deliver a Zero Field Generator to the capital guildhouse for us. I would expect to get a call from Elnan at some point.
Excellent. Coordinating with him will help.
You lot are off to the remaining guildhouses, I take it?
Yep, that's the plan.
What I'd really like to deal with is that floating city, but...
Wouldn't we all. It seems like our society friends are already there, too.
We can't lay a damn finger on them with our airships grounded.
Pfeh...Real heroic spot to be in, huh?
...
There's little point in flogging ourselves over it.
Right now we must focus on what CAN be done.
Yeah.
Yes...Let's get to it!