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ST2 - The Observers Story



A flashback. Florine and Erica are out on the tundra.
Florine: We were on a mission near the tundra.
Florine: We received a mysterious signal on the way and didn't have a clue what it was about.
Florine: However, we could sense the source was in the vicinity.
Florine: The earth shook when we were investigating. Erica and I fell in.
Siobhan: Weren't you shadowing me?
Florine: We were just carrying out a routine investigation.
Florine: We don't know what you're talking about, Siobhan.
Florine: I'm afraid you're doing some kind of unseemly research if you're so defensive.
Navigator: That sounds like a baseless accusation.
Siobhan: I'm defensive only because you're suspicious and threatening.
Navigator: Why is that?
Vice: The first lesson taught in our expedition class said...
Vice: "Lumopolis wants to destroy all ancient technology to ensure their own power."
Vice: So the greatest threat to an expedition team is the Lumopolis Inquisition tasked with destroying ancient tech.
Navigator: I see the grudge here.
Siobhan: I ran across the Inquisition several times myself.
Siobhan: Every time, we either fought or almost fought.
Florine: We never kept pressing you to divulge your motive.
Florine: And we never tried to stop you from doing anything, afterward.
Siobhan: I was not doing any dangerous research.
Siobhan: I just followed the signal here, since it was sent with Illumina encryption.
Siobhan: Perhaps it was a distress signal from a fellow Illumina.
Vice: We followed the signal too.
Siobhan: Let me see your comm, Vice. Maybe we can still track it down.
Vice: Sure. But it hasn't been working ever since we got here.
Erica suddenly appears behind Vice.
???: I guess everyone got trapped because of that signal...
???: This is like a bottomless pit that draws people in with bait.
Vice: Who are you? What are you doing behind me?!
Florine: Don't get excited. That's Erica, my partner.
Florine: She says weird things sometimes. Just sometimes, though.
Erica: Why did you reiterate that, president?
Florine: I'm worried they might find you suspicious, which would ruin the friendly mood we fought hard to achieve.
Erica: Have you unleashed any secret power, Your Highness?
Erica: The president is making peace with an Illumina researcher... This must be your doing.
Carleen: Secret power?
Florine: D-Don't mind her, Your Highness.
Florine: Did you find anything new, Erica?
Erica: Yes, president, I found a new pretty outfit.
Navigator: Is it suitable for me?
Erica: Unfortunately, no. Weirdly dressed Caelestite.
Navigator: I didn't want to wear this! Don't call me that!
Erica: I'll call you Captain then, the Colossus pilot.
Navigator: Now what a weird name is that?
Florine: As mentioned, don't mind her.
Florine: Why don't we share what we know so far?
Siobhan: I'll start.
Siobhan: I think this was a well-powered, automated city.
Siobhan: It was likely managed by an AI.
The screen briefly changes, showing an image of Soroz, before changing back to the scene of everyone talking.
Navigator: AI? Like Soroz...?
Siobhan: Yes, except this one is partially functional.
Erica: This is the first ancient ruin I've seen that's so... well preserved.
Erica: Even more impeccable than Ms. Hedy's map recreations based on old tomes.
Erica: It's even got machines that spit out wicked drinks.
Erica: They stimulate you and turn you into a hiccup monster.
Florine: Don't tell me you drank it...
Erica: And odd mechanical birds fly around, luring people to specific locations with food.
Erica: The most terrifying fact is... the food is all canned.
Vice: Illumina has canned food too. What's terrifying about that?
Erica: They got cake-flavored cans. Pretty delicious, I might add.
Florine: I did tell you not to eat the cans, right?
Erica: Then there's the evil food-devouring, can-spitting factory.
Navigator: I have no clue what you're saying.
Siobhan: And I just barely do. It means they saw...
Siobhan: Vending machines, can-delivery drones, and can factories.
Navigator: And I have no clue how you understood what she said.
Erica: Everything I've ever read in books about alien worlds is here.
Erica: What a diabolical yet fascinating place.
Florine: Don't tell me you're in love with it?
Florine: Droids? That's right. They're so diehard...
Erica: Droids? That's right. They're so diehard...
Navigator: Why are you shivering?
Erica: They don't get tired, just keep working and working...
Erica: They charge boldly into battle without any fear of death...
Erica: They come at you in swarms...
Erica: ...Just like those horrible Eclipsites.
Florine: Okay, okay, just calm down.
Siobhan: Automated food production and delivery... Do you know what this means?
Vice: It means everyone in every Illumina city can stop worrying about food.
Vice: Especially those on the frontline.
Siobhan: Yes. The labor and resources saved can be used to improve agricultural production.
Siobhan: It can conceivably ensure all Aurorians throughout the land would...
Florine: Hold on. They're also droids controlled by AI. Do you realize what that means?
Vice: That means we can save on labor and resources.
Florine: That means we can't ensure full control of the droids.
Florine: You Illumina folks think you can control machines and use them to defeat Eclipsites, right?
Florine: What if the droids end up attacking Aurorians?
Florine: What if Eclipsites get control of the droids?
Vice: What are you talking about? Eclipsites can't control machines.
Florine: We met intelligent ones before, as well as Aurorian-turned-Eclipsites.
Vice: So we Illumina should count on Lumopolis to defeat the Eclipsites?
Vice: And wait for Lumopolis to ration our food?
Siobhan: Enough, stop with the meaningless bickering.
Siobhan: I just noticed a bigger problem.
Siobhan: Are you sure your comm is showing the correct date, Vice?
Vice: It is. Why?
Siobhan: That's more than 50 days since I first got here.
Florine: Over 50 days? Impossible. I remember clearly...
Siobhan: Yeah, me too.
Siobhan: My devices stopped working, but I'm certain it has been 27 days and nights after I regained my senses.
Vice: Device failure? Can it be ancient jamming technology?
Vice: Maybe they made the devices fail and twisted our sense of time with some special energy field?
Siobhan: I've run across many energy fields in ruins, and I don't think this is the case.
Florine: Impossible. Twisting time and space is a power of divine...
Carleen: But some Eclipsites can create pocket dimensions, and such Eclipsium can affect devices and normal perceptions.
Erica: I knew it. This place and the Eclipsites all shared the same evil power!
Erica: The so-called AI must also be sinister...
Erica: It's watching behind the scene the whole time, planning...
Erica: It wants to devour our minds, to plunge us into madness...
The scene changes. A small AI droid resembling an old, clunky monitor hovers in the air. It addresses two sisters.
???: Begin area scan...
???: Outsiders destroying public recreational area.
???: Destroying food supply area.
???: More newcomers?
???: Probably because there was another earthquake.
Sister: Can't you do something to fix that passage, Butler?
Butler: Currently undergoing... the fourth repair.
???: It's going to break again in the next earthquake.
Butler: Do not... worry. Partial system modules... updating now.
Butler: We will... resolve it soon.
Sister: What can we do other than keep hiding?
???: Those outsiders are too powerful. They could beat the Eclipsites.
Butler: Do not... worry. Production modules refitted.
Butler: Updating... now.
Butler: Please wait in... underground bunker. Do not leave.
Butler: We will... resolve it soon.
???: But your droids are no match for those outsiders.
???: I should go out...
Sister: Hold your horses, Gretel.
Sister: Is the surveillance system fixed, Butler?
Butler: Repair... failed.
Sister: Let's send out Guardian Angel No. 3.
Sister: We can monitor the outsiders through it.
Gretel: No, don't send it. They will destroy it!
Gretel: It's an important gift from daddy!
Sister: We can't keep waiting. We got to do something.
Sister: Even if just a smattering of information.
Sister: I'll tell Guardian Angel No. 3 to be careful and avoid detection.
Gretel: Okay.
Sister: Come here, Guardian Angel No. 3.
Guardian Angel No. 3 appears. It is a droid resembling a dog, with a monitor that has a dog's face on it for its head.
Guardian Angel No. 3: Beeboo!
Sister: Watch them in secret and see what they're up to.
Sister: Keep your distance and don't let them spot you.
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