Oni2 talk:Caged Birds
Talk page talk
Sorry, but I don't know where else to put this since you are using the talk page already for the below content. A few points:
- Talk pages don't get categorized -- they don't even show up in the list of uncategorized pages. Therefore anything placed here will not show up in the Site Map even if a category is applied. If you're just using this as a planning page for what will eventually go at the real, non-Talk page, that's okay.
- The category would be Oni 2 -- read the description on that cat. page for a reminder of what is supposed to go there. Oni 2 projects of course also get listed by their authors on Oni 2 to make them easier to find.
- In any case, the title "Oni Zero" was already taken by me, albeit for an extremely perfunctory page.
- You're also supposed to place Oni 2 projects under the Oni 2 namespace, e.g. "Oni2:Cage Birds".
- I think you mean to say "Caged Birds". "Caged" is the verb/adjective being applied to "Birds".
- Feel free to erase this message once you've read it, in order to get it out of your way.
--Iritscen (talk) 06:27, 4 January 2017 (CET)
Google hits:
- "Caged birds" 519k
- "Cage birds" 386k
Because of the high hit count I assumed the second term is also ok. So I took Cage Birds as it also sounds more normal to my German ears. We use a lot merged nouns.
But if you say I should use the other term, ok.
Actually I had Oni0:CageBirds as name space in mind to keep it consistent with other possible titles like Oni1:Remakes, Oni3:FurtherSequels. But you if say 'just put everything under Oni2', also okay. --paradox-01 (talk) 16:21, 4 January 2017 (CET)
- If you look at the actual results for "cage birds" though, they're not usually even using that phrase; Google seems to remove the quotes and just show all results for "cage" + "bird". A "caged bird" is a bird that lives in a cage, or a figuratively caged-in person (see the title of Maya Angelou's book "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings"). Technically "cage birds" is also acceptable English, and would refer to birds that can be kept in a cage (because of being more domesticated, or maybe some bird species are just more accepting of cages). But most native English speakers will see "Cage Birds" as a grammatical mistake. Just wanted to let you know. As far as namespaces go, we actually don't allow users to just create new namespaces willy-nilly :-) Creating a new namespace also requires the settings of the wiki to be adjusted in several places. But yes, Oni2: is the proper namespace for all fan material about Oni. --Iritscen (talk) 17:46, 4 January 2017 (CET)
Could you please rename the page? You know I cannot do that without leaving a redirect. --paradox-01 (talk) 11:55, 5 January 2017 (CET)
General notes
A potential prequel to Oni - or just a set of many notes. We will see.
The non-talk page is meant for the final notes or writings.
We know little about Muro's and Mai's personality and habits. What kind of "humans" are they really? How does the Daodan alter them?
Also, there is Shinatama, Ryu and Daya whose background story should also be developed at some point.
Caged Birds is supposed to answer open questions and provide the foundation of the actual sequel RS. If CB is going to be a full story, it is not the final name, just a working title, as the children don't remain kept but go to war.
By the way, what category should this page have? [[Category:Oni 0]]?
Story notes
Where do Jamie Kerr and Momuto Hasegawa meet? Why do they fall in love?
How is Jamie's and Hasegawa's daily life?
- After Jamie's death
At court Hasegawa tries to explain wearing a pistole by the threat of wild animals that could carry diseases.
...
Her corpse is examined in CDC's biosafety level 5 lab. It's the first time the BSL-5 was used.
Instead of tubes and cables, the suits were running with energy and O2 capsules. Near the entry was smaller opening to receive new capsules.
The exchange happens during the exposure of cold plasma killing possible pathogens.
When they unzipped the body bag, they stood in a moment of shock and horror.
Jamie has demineralized bones (they break easily now), liquefied organs, melted skin.
The eyes were missing as well. Her mouth was wide open.
She appeared to scream silently.
"From now on we will triple-check our suits before we enter this room."
"When we know how to deal with it send a sample to BSL-4 in Marburg."
- "We also have two dead rangers. How did the husband survive?"
"Maybe only direct contact with blood is contagious. He said he had his gloves on when he applied the hypos. After the head shot he has kept distance. - The ranger rummaged the backpack. It was stained with blood. Probably it happened when she looked for dressing material."
- Hanna: "Enough talk. Laser, TH and CT scan were all done in our absence by the automatic. Time to look what's really inside. I going to open her with a T cut."
"No. Wait!"
The decomposing body has built up gases. Sprays of liquids splashed over the crew's suits. An alarm went off. Hanna dropped backwards.
The Syndicate has contacted Kerr in the past and asked him to work for them but Kerr refused. He still remembers his contact and offers his and Hasegawa's knowledge of course under the condition that they get the professor out of jail.
CDC
Jeff: "This time we will use the exosuits. Every movement will be transferred to our robot avatars. Are you familiar with the procedure."
Curtis: "Yes." -- "How is Hanna doing?"
Jeff entered the exosuit and pulled down the visor. Metal fixations snapped. "Still in quarantine. She was brought her stuff. There's definitive an infection."
Curtis: "How is that possible? The interior of her suit showed no damage."
Hanna's quarantine room was in a white gray. It almost looked like one of TCTF's maximum security prison cells. Hanna sat in the corner on her bed, the back leaning against the wall. The legs drawn to the chest. She hold a pen-shaped device in left hand. A beam of blue light flowed of the other hand. It looked all red and dry, interrupted by yellow patches. (+ red, glassy eyes ...)
Final analysis: It was stress-enhanced MRSA outbreak. The infection probably had spread while Hanna was visiting her terminally ill mother in the Russell Medical, Alabama.
Treatment: full body (skin) disinfection by means of cold plasma and phage therapy in combination of CRISPR-CAS inhibitors.
The usage of a molecular printer is not noted in her medical file as the device is under TCTF's high-tech restriction act, allowing research but not medical purposes. Her team leader K. Walker defended measure as justified as they also used the inhibitors on Jamie's environment, in case that the pathogens were resistant to the CP standard treatment.
Hanna's MRSA is persisting but asymptomatic, reminding her and everyone in her team that they still need better substitutes for antibiotics.
Standoff
The investigation of Jamie's case didn't delivered useful results. Hasegawa and prosecution agree on a deal. They drop his charges of wearing an unregistered handgun, killing Jamie and entering the Wilderness Preserve Sector (WPS). In return Hasegawa doesn't talk about the poisonous WPS with anyone, cuts all connections to the group of activists and resigns his job at university. He tells his colleagues that he needs time to grieve.
[Skipping his doctor title.] "Mr. Hasegawa, don't you think your demand of dropping all charges is highly exaggerated?"
Hasegawa: "No. Not at all. It seems you want to sweep everything under the table. The CDC is a capable institution. No results mean something hold them off. I'm burning to know what's the reason for this and of course what killed Jamie. I'm sure others want to know it too. She was eaten alive by the infection. It's unlikely the CDC found no traces. If we really want to do that farce, no problem. The eco activists will be happy to place it into the right light for you."
"... Is this some kind of blackmailing?"
"How that? I thought you are in the right. It's not me blackmailing you. It's the other way 'round. The WP sectors should be free to access but by cloaking them with the Wilderness Perserve Act you cut a common right and turn it into a juristic weapon against oppositionists and any independent scientist who wants to take the probes with his own hands. You don't even allow fly-overs of these areas... You are the ones that are blackmailing us. Actually I don't care which way you want to go. However, it would serve both parties to not waste time on this farce."
One of the men bent over to whisper the other into the ear.
After a moment of thinking, he replied aloud. "Right now the courts are overloaded. It might be indeed possible to shorten this issue. We will call you next Monday about the details. Until then we insist that you don't leave the town."
>>> Phone call <<<
Kerr: "How was your appointment?"
Hasegawa: "I think the state prosecutor tried to kill me with his eyes but I think there will be a deal eventually."
A pact with the devil
>>> Phone call <<<
Hasegawa: "The case was dropped. Of course they had some conditions, too."
Kerr: "What will you do now that you are a free man?"
Hasegawa: "Actually I wanted to continue research but they made sure I can't do that in the academic and private sector. I had to leave university as soon as I agreed on the deal."
Kerr: "Even if you find founding how can you simply continue now that Jamie is dead?"
Hasegawa: "This is for her. I will not allow that she died in vain. -- I can't get her screams out of my head. I must find a cure for the disease that was eating her alive."
Kerr: "You are right, that plague must be stopped. It's unbelievable these damn WCG bastards didn't react to such a threat."
Hasegawa: "Yea right? It's like they are restricting or ban every bio tech just to protect this rotten status quo."
Kerr: "Too bad we can't cure that."
Hasegawa: "Haha. There's no way we can fix a gov. To such complex and corrupted system there's no universal answer. Kerr!"
Kerr: "What?!"
Hasegawa:" Do you remember my theoretic works about artificial immune cells?"
Kerr: "Yes. Uh! Come over to my place."
Kerr: "Do you think of picking up your old works again?"
Hasegawa: "Damn right. We will create some practical prototypes. I even got some ideas on how to improve them."
Kerr: "Count me in. We will do this together."
Hasegawa: "Thank you, Kerr."
Kerr: "Though, we need a lab someday soon."
Hasegawa: "As I said before, that point could be problematic."
Kerr: "I know some guys. They could possibly give us the resources in exchange for our works."
Hasegawa: "We are talking about them. Right?"
Kerr: "Yes. It's the only way. But since you are not planning to sell that new tech you should be okay with it."
Hasegawa: "I didn't know they are into bio tech."
Kerr: "I talked with one of them. They are interested in any new tech. They even pay double for everything the WCG doesn't have!"
[...]
The sample
Hasegawa asked Mukade for a sample. The Shinobi stole it from the lab in Marburg. It turned out that the sample was too much degraded.
As reaction to the security breach in the BSL-4, TCTF bio treat committee decreed Jamie's relocation to Green Village (GV) which is secured by WCG military.
To continue research Hanna applied for a transfer to Green Village and Walker gave her a letter of recommendation.
The CDC official report doesn't clarifies Jamie's death cause. They suspect the mycorrhiza but can't say so without more evidences and by not causing political disturbance.
Mukade gets in contact with a BlueMountain worker at the construction site. Together they plan a route to retrieve a fresh sample. They are manipulating shift plans and concrete mixtures. The BlueMountains protoype of smart concrete (Another bioc precursor?) will allow them to slip through walls. For the actual coup Mukade remote controls the worker. (He was paralyzed and received artificial nerves to bypass the damaged tissue. Mukade caused that accident so that the worker could be modified by the doctors (Syndicate technicians). Mukade: "Now that you have cybernetics why don't we take that as an advantage? You can inherit my skills.") All in all, the planing, preparations, rehab and body modifications took half a year. Everything that enters or leaves GV is extensively scanned. The capsule's components are distributed on two repair sets inside the truck. After Mukade obtained the sample, they hide the capsule in a still liquid concrete part of a strut. That piece gets declared as mechanical unstable at the same day and gets replaced. The capsule has a X-ray cloak and remains undetected as the strut passes the scanner on the exit gate. Hasegawa verifies the sample. Short after that Mukade met that worker again to offer him a second job. As soon as he agrees Mukade kills via remote control. A perfectly faked suicide. While his death remains a mystery, BlueMountain and BGI detect the irregularities caused by the worker and begin to investigate. (Is Sarai in charge of that case? Paperwork bores her to death. No. She would have been to young.)
Hasegawa needs the mycorrhiza sample to test it against his Daodan prototype. A positive result would give him the certainty that Jamie's death hasn't been in vain.
Pirates and treasures
Hanna passed the hygiene test.
The second test is of trust and loyalty. A typical dilemma. She reports Bertram to not fail on her own mission. Bertram tells her later that betraying him was the right decision to get the position in GV – he’s taking it with humour. Hanna is from now on one of the new supervising officers for the secured sci. She tells them that she supports them if they support her. A cordial relationship forms over the years, they kind of become a big, strange family.
[...]
Bertram: "So actually you turned yourself in to do science?"
Pensatore
Kimura forces Pensatore to leave the research complex where Avatara is situated.
He attaches a device that overrides muscle nerves. After neural mapping Kimura is able to control Pensatore's body by his mind. Kimura trained to control multiple phantom extremities. He can even let people speak things he wants them to. The master ninja kidnapped Pensatore by simply going out the front door.
"In past days I used death threats, blackmailing and such but with this little device I can even paint a smile on your face and let you greet the security at the gate. I'm sure, you as a man of science will find this fascinating as just I do. But you are simply experience it - head on? Pardon me, bad pun. The man who invented this, is Bertram Navarre. He want to bypass damaged nerves, to let paralysed people walk again. First with biotech, then with nanotech. Anyway, the WCG didn't liked his work. And now he's where he shouldn't be. Like you. You are meant to move something greater - than yourself [hinting to Sturmanderung]. Ah, another one. But no worries, doctor. The situation is not that bad for you as it is for that Bertram guy. When you have served you purpose I will even let you go, really. I know to value men of great intellect, those who actually make a difference. Well then, time to check out. Here's your story. Today, you are using up some overtime. Plain and simple."
Kimura was slabbing on the doctor's shoulder. "If you can't remember the lines, I will say it for you. Come on, don't throw that grim look at me. Really, you could smile a bit. It's a half day off. Yay..."
Pensatore showed a forced smile and followed Kimura. He didn't wanted to, but he did.
"Not killing me. That's a straight lie", Pensatore thought. "He will, no doubt. Cutting lose strings."
"Just a few days and I'm thinking this is the most dangerous man I've ever met. Who knows what monsters are hiding within that Syndicate organization..."
Pest control
- Griffin tells one of his black ops fellows to form a task force, Z482.
They are supposed to find and kill Muro. Griffin isn't authorized to do that which îs why the group is supported by (GATC) Blackstars resources.
Griffin and Blackstars have always made business together. In return for the support Griffin shares all TCTF techologies with Blackstars, the Daodan is no exception. He trusts them blindly because he was a member of them. In fact, Griffin and Blackstars helped the TCTF to form their black ops division. The steady flow of information allows GATC and Blackstars to keep under WCG radar.
Even if Griffin wouldn't tell GATC about the Daodan they would find it out themselves and acquire the data. Instead he coops with them from the start to foster their relationship.
Z: "What if Konoko teams up with her brother?"
Griffin pierces him with grim eyes. "Do whatever you think is necessary."
Z: "Okay."
As Muro grows the task force is also meant to kill any children of Muro. He did already so much damage and was only one super soldier.
The team gets eradicated by Muro when they thought they had a good chance to engage. That's why Griffin has to fly to the mountain complex himself.
- You could construct a connection to the different game scenarios.
- If Mai kills Griffin, another (weaker) blackstars teams might be compelled to attack Muro (because they are still in range) which drives him once more into Imago mode.
- If Mai doesn't kill Griffin, the Commander is forced to use his own black ops at TCTF.
The last remaining man of Z482 met Griffin to ask for new directives and help. Griffin didn't want the operation to be traced back and kills the man. This left Griffin angry about his own forced action and Blackstar's incompetence, they had waited far too long. It appears the Muro is out of reach. In his bad mood, Griffin continued the crusade on criminals in Neo-Tokio. Temporary he even allied with other criminals to replace the ones in power. That was to cut off corrupt politicians from receiving Syndicate money.
Konoko
- Phase I: daodan preparation and implantation
- Phase II: daodan monitoring in the lab (Kerr proves it is not contangious)
- Phase III: daodan field-testing
- 00_01_32 Shinatama: That means you're almost ready for field missions!
- 02_09_06 Kerr: This is why I was against moving to Phase Three. We have no right to...
- Konoko is treated as a project
Griffin to Kerr: "Konoko is as much your creature as she is mine."
- ("Creature" is such a harsh word. It's actually a bit confusing unless you know that Hardy tried to translate "Oni" with "monster".)
And as a black "project" Konoko has no rights. Everything she owns need Griffin's approval.
[...]
Konoko is going to be a woman one day. That means she can get pregnant.
After reading Kerr's notes Griffin decides that her ovaries should be removed before Daodan implantation.
The sci staff tries to appease Kerr telling him that the procedure is an standard option for women in the WCG military and high-profit companies. [So that they can concentrate on her career first.] The ovaries can be re-transplanted or used for an in vitro fertilization after generating matured eggs [via 2050 tech]. It also avoids the risk that Konoko can't give birth anymore if the Daodan alters her DNA. Kerr believes in Avatara's competence and dismiss their worries as nonsense. Eventually the sci staff changes opinions. [He made some friends who are willing in supporting him in at least this matter.]
They fake the operation and Griffin is not controlling it as he gets a sudden appointment, an distraction Maria invented.
Maria: "The true abuse of technology begins and end with the TCTF." [She could be the one who wrote the TCTF history in the manual...]
At the end of Caged Birds she and some sci staff guys get fired after Griffin finds out. They can't operate now anymore.
Food control
Griffin wanted a weapon against Muro. But he also didn't wanted a mutant running around in his facility who had nothing better to do than freaking out his personal. He was also on Joost watch list and had his secret anti-Muro task force. So he thought things didn't needed to be pushed. Mai is plan B - in case Muro survives the kill squad (or otherwise cannot be brought over to TCTF). So he demanded a slow down of Mai's Daodan. The genetic program reacts on negative stimuli so the doctors gave Mai Sytropin - growth factors - to support her original cells. The accelerated growth caused fever and pain. She outgrew Jack in size and strength. As soon as this was recognized she was put on a diet. As result felt hungry for some month. The doctors eventually added roughage to allay her hunger. Mai wears subdermal sensors to measure her blood sugar and fats. Overfluent calories were burnt by physical training. When Mai had birthday she always valued the pizzas more than the presents she got. With her growth phase slowing down Jack was tasked to bring her the meals - once again a tactic to foster their emotional bond.
Griffin: "If Muro is taken out of the picture, Mai can still have a normal life within the TCTF. I will just have hide the fact we got rid of her brother. She and the good doctor [Kerr] must never know. With all the attention and education she gets here she gonna be an excellent agent in no-time. It's not that we had much of a choice but we will own her something for what we involuntary had to take from her."
Is that why Griffin acts like a "father figure" to Mai, from the perspective of other TCTF?
- The first real problem was to convince Griffin that the Daodan was not contagious.
Griffin: "You told me that this thing can withstand all biological and chemical threats."
Kerr: "Yes, that's the purpose."
Griffin: And for that it needs to grow. That makes it no different from the green goo out there. - Those whitecoats thought it would remain in its defined area. But it didn't. Hundreds of them were wrong. How can you tell you know it better?"
Kerr: "Just let me make the test and I will show-"
Griffin: "They too made tests, doctor! And it was for nothing. - How did they call it? - An unplanned occurrence of horizontal gene transfer. What the hell."
Kerr: "I promise you. I will show you that the Daodan does not take over cells of other people."
Griffin: "Well, doctor, try it..."
Maria: "If she is so dangerous to the general public how do plan to make use of her abilities?"
Griffin: "We lock her up. Train her in VR and by androids. The tech says they are already working on something. - As far as the interaction with the Syndicate goes, we only have plans for her to fight Muro. We will provide a special suit to minimize decontamination."
Maria: "Who is Muro?"
Kerr: "Her brother."
Maria: "Oh dear Lord! Tell me this is not true."
Griffin: "He has the other Daodan."
Kerr: "You will probably see Muro in action here and there. - I can't possibly convince you with my own tests. But when you screen the people and places where Muro was, you won't see contagious cell remnants."
Griffin: "That's just one more theory."
Kerr: "Why don't you listen-"
Griffin: "Doctor! I will consider it."
- Griffin doesn't really trust Maria's methods to keep Mai doing the sci tests.
In springtime Maria and the tech team had a solution that seems a compromise to everyone.
Shinatama is introduced to Mai.
- Due to biosafety concerns Mai is not allowed to have physical contact with other people which of course also minimizes social interactions.
However, for a healthy developments Maria proposes that Mai makes more friends. A "machine" doesn't really count for her.
Maria: "What if she rebels against you, and rejects order in a critical moment because she never learned how to properly interact with others."
Griffin: "I know you use this as an excuse. -- But you are right."
Maria: "Why did you changed your mind?
Griffin: "I heard Jack and Konoko already met each other ... somehow. So. It wasn't a catastrophe? Fine. I will call it an followup experiment of yours."
Maria: "You wouldn't allow it if it isn't for greater use ... to you."
Griffin: "We will emotionally bind her to him. - Should she elope one day we have the means to get her back."
Maria: "..."
Griffin: "That or a bullet."
Gap filler:
- Commander Griffin, Regional Commander of the TCTF, is your mentor, boss, and even father figure.
- 14_54_20 Civilian: You were one of us. Griffin treated you like a daughter. You should be ashamed of yourself!
- How did that happen?
When Maria's plan with Jack failed she tried again: she wants Griffin to feel compassion for Mai. Naturally she tries to come up with some excuses and Griffin looks right through it.
[Add other events here.]
Griffin and Mai spent the holidays together up in the north, Finland. At these latitudes the strong coldness protected nature from the Mycorrhiza so far, though there are also toxins. They hunt wild reindeer. Griffin needs anti-toxin injections to digest the meat. When Mai gets stomachaches he gives her also an injection - her Daodan is still too weak to develop adaptions in an instant.
Griffin's Finland lesson: "Don't be afraid of it. We kill to survive (or to keep nature(/system) in balance)." (Just an excuse to train her.)
- Mai and Kerr live in a TCTF-secured research facility (a.k.a. science prison) as he has worked for the Syndicate on dangerous technology and she has an unclear status of bio-safety.
Since her Daodan implantation she is living in a sterile room. Sci staff, and anyone else, only get near her in a full-body suit, or she wears one. Shinatama is introduced to her to prevent - as Maria puts it - mental disorders. The android is also used for edutainment and all kind of monitoring. At some points the “kids” actually have fun together which strength their relationship. For Maria the android is only a temporary solution.
One of the higher-ranked TCTFs brings his son Jack frequently to the facility. His wife works there too. Everyday they bring the kid themselves to and from school. They live in constant fear that he could be kidnapped or shot on the way. Many TCTF members are in the same situation. Maria arrange things so that Mai and Jack met.
Griffin is a close friend of that officer. One evening he gets attacked by a hitman by survives by sheer luck. One month later Griffin set an end to this. He lures the five most influential Syndicate bosses of his region into a rigged place (maybe a cargo terminal of Tokyo) and persuades them to agree on some substantial terms.
Griffin: “The assassination of police officers and the kidnapping has come to a stop.”
“Who do you think you are?”
[... ?]
Griffin: “I am the law.”
Boss spits to the ground.
Griffin: “And if don’t want me to be judge and executioner we will make a deal tonight!”
He presses his gun onto the boss’ left side of head. His head is now on table, hands still lifted signaling Griffin not to shot.
Griffin looks through the angry round.
Actually it's a standoff with their and his armed men around. But he seems to be more deadly.
“If you can’t play along things will get ugly. You can trust me on that one.”
He snips with his fingers. A hijacked BGI mech breaks out of his container and stomps one of the limousines.
“Property can be replaced. Lives can not.”
He puts a mobile projector on the table. It throws a live stream onto the wall. Certain family members are taken hostage. The environment looks expansive. Obviously those are the homes of the Syndicate bosses. The black ops are all Blackstars personal.
This makes clear Griffin has a strong sense for family and the TCTF alike.
From that day on Griffin lives at the HQ. He probably is now the most wanted man in his region. He got divorced and leaves his ex-wife in the believe he is just obsessed with his work – which is also true. Unwillingly he has become a symbol for the now cold war between Syndicate and TCTF.
It takes some years before Konoko is consider fully noncontagious. The screening of Muro’s visited places helped her out too. After that she can receive regular training at TCTF locations. Like Kerr she’s also escorted most of the time but without the need of wearing a helmet anymore. In fact she enjoys driving her motorcycle without a helmet to feel the wind in her face that she had to miss for so many years.
- In the following an example how Konoko’s private life was manipulated.
Konoko is taken to some open, dusty space together with other special agents. In an accelerated course they learn how to drive and fly every vehicle the TCTF has to offer. At first she learns how to ride a motorcycle. But also stunts. In the process she wrecks many models. Alex repairs those. He is accepted as another friend. But the roll of a boyfriend is designated to Jack.
Griffin strongly prefers Konoko’s companion to be a TCTF who’s loyalty he believes to be out of question. Maria senses a chance to expose Griffin’s tendency to ignore the protocol. [Issue with cop partnership?] But the other staff members don’t care much. They are on the Commander’s side for various reasons.
However, in the end Jack refuses in finding Konoko or to appeal her. Griffin froth at the mouth and places him under house arrest.
When Griffin finds Konoko, Jack is given one last chance. “Let’s get her back, Jack. It’s also your last chance to show me that I can trust you. If you don’t enter that helicopter I will boot you out of black ops, out of TCTF. You will never work for any police again.”
[Thanks to Griffin’s support Jack got all promotions as soon as possible. He is the youngest member of the black ops since TCTF was founded.]
A few years earlier.
When Jack’s father got doubts about his son’s neath to the Daodan project and his well-being. The Griffin reminds him why they all can sleep calmly at nights again and that he as Commander has to pay the final price one day. Griffin expects him to also make a sacrifice.
“Let’s hear want he thinks about it.” Griffin tabs his smart watch. “Call Jack, audio only.”
- “Hello Sir? How can I help you?”
“I just wanted to ask you if you still enjoy the work at the TCTF. Do your colleagues treat you well?”
“Sir?”
- “I know the work in not always easy, actually pretty rough from time to time.”
“I know when to dodge the bullets – and when not to.” [He remembers the recent bodyguard lesson. - That was an idea of the staff to strengthen the emotional bond. As a countermeasure Maria tells Konoko be strong and independent. Ironically, in many tactical simulations Konoko is the only survivor of her strike team. Further focus is put on single missions where she has to decide on their own under extreme pressure. – That’s the reason why she doesn’t choose to disable but to destroy the Sturmänderung transmitter and blasting the ACCs. “She was wired to cause it.” A fact that GATC tries to sweep under the rug when the man-hunt is on.]
[Add talk of loyalty here.]
Jack’s Father: “You wired him to like her. That’s not a fair decision.” “Life is not fair. Sometimes we have to give more than others do. I thought you would understand that as a police officer.” “Should my son die because of this ... freak girl ... we won’t be friends anymore.” “Fair enough.” Griffin exits the department. He can hear how the bottle that they emptied that evening is thrown against the wall. A short look to the door, then exhales. With sinking head he goes down the stairs. At the parking lot you see how his colleagues [security] gather to drive him back to HQ.
One day Alex ask Konoko out. An officer is sent in civil to rebuke him.
Churi: “If you can’t play your roll, we will find replacement.”
- Alex: “Don’t you have any terrorists to hunt?”
“If you keep up that attitude you will never see her again and we will withdraw all your privileges. Cancel that appointment.”
- “It’s a date.”
“You will not meet her. Is that clear.”
- “Why don’t you tell her this?”
Churi turns to the door. “No, you will. Because you started it.”
Alex don’t listen and drives to the appointed bar. It’s most of the time occupied by police and TCTF. The “Sledgehammer” is famous for his equally named drink that can be ordered on special demand. Most who tried it were sent to dreamland. It’s considered a dare.
Just one more block. He turns right and the white neonlights comes into sight.
Another car speeds backwards out of the byroad and forces him stop. Too late, they crash.
Alex: “Fuck. Are you insane? Out of my way!”
It’s Churi. He exits and reveals gun with a silencer. He shots once in the front window, and then into the wheels at the driver side. “No means no.”
Churi drives back into the byroad.
Alex peeks over his steering wheel. Throws quick glaces left, right and backside.
Board computer: “I’ve detected two damaged wheels. Do you want me to call the police.”
“Call them. – No. Wait. Wait! Cancel call.”
Alex hits his forehead against the steering wheel.
“Just call the wreckers.”
“Call you please repeat that?”
“Call a fucking recovery service you piece of shit.”
“Please speech in calmly and clear.”
“Arrrrrrrr.” Alex jolts the wheel in anger.
The airbag goes off and presses him back into the seat.
5 minutes later Alex arrives at Sledgehammer and attempts to pass the security.
Security: “Today, cops only.”
Alex: “I’m expected.”
Security: “Hm. Give your ID card.”
He scans it.
Security: “Nope. You are not on the list.”
Alex: “Just ask that purple-head inside.” He points at Konoko who sits with her back to the window.
Security: “I won’t ask her. If you aren’t on the list, you aren’t -.”
They hear hoots from behind. They turn around. At the other side of the street they see Churi. He points to Alex, then to his eyes and makes an OK sign.
Alex answers with the middle finger.
The security laughs. “I see you two must be close friends.“
Alex: “Hm. He owns me a car.”
This part is told by Konoko.
Shinatama listens with high interest and admiration for her big sister…
[Add details of their conversion here and how Konoko wonders weather that’s normal. Alex is out of sorts but cannot risk to mention Churi’s involvement.]
She tells her how Alex flips out when he got another call by Churi. [Obviously he tries to sabotage the date and puts it to an end. Not in the cleverest way.]
Soon after Churi entered the bar, he orders three Sledgehammer, one for each.
Alex is knocked out immediately and greets the table with his face.
Churi followed.
Konoko dropped from the sheer.
The room is filled with laughs. But Konoko managed to get back on her feet.
As Churi gains back consciousness she is hailed. “Survivor!” “Survivor!” “Survivor!”
She is lifted in the air. Her head spins even more.
“Get me down! Get me down!”
Churi: “Fly hour is over. Let the little hawk land...”
Konoko numb: “What did you do to me. - Churiiiiii”
She starts for a punch but the experienced agent manage to dodge somehow. Instead she hits Alex and sends him flying. The crowds goes rampage.
Alex’ mind comes back clear and is instantly reminded of his headaches.
Something is strange. He feels it with his tongue. He grabs it with the fingers. One moment later he holds a bloody tooth. “Crazy TCTF bastards.”
The next morning the watchdogs stand before Griffin’s office. Churi has put his sunglasses on.
The Commander passes the lined up group. Churi is the last one. Griffin stops, turns around and stares at the glasses covering the red-through-booze eyes. Griffin searches for any movement in Churi’s face. Nothing. The Commander turns around again. He continues without a word.
The agents are lined up again, in front of Griffin’s desk.
He has pictures of that evening and scrolls through them using the whole desk as screen.
“What exactly was that? Hm? - Are you really elites?”
Slowly he draws a circle, then an X. “Files deleted.”
“How could you allow her to be there? She is a secret project - seeeccrreet - and that building is watched… Oh, is it just that you felt secure?” He turns in his sheer and looks out of the window for a moment.
Griffin: “Damocles. What district has currently the biggest monthly count of casualties?” “Haneda.”
“You will help out the local police. Three month roadside checks in Haneda. - Maybe that will sharpen your senses again. - Dismissed.”
Nobody opposed.
Alex works now at a different car repair shop. His former boss had to choose between him and the TCTF as exclusive customer. The choice quickly made.
When Alex recognize Churi on patrols, he tells his thugs fellows that the cop is actually a high ranked TCTF. The information makes it way up to a Syndicate boss. They decide to setup an ambush and turn him into a double agent(/flatline zombie?) through his cyber implants. Eventually Mukade notice that they possess such a valuable source. Too valuable. He changes the password of Churi’s transmissions.
This solves the question from where Muro knows about Konoko as new active TCTF agent - but not know that it is his sister. Muro to Babaras: “There may be someone with them, an exceptional agent...”
- Konoko is supposed to be a weapon.
Besides the hunt for Muro, Griffin also made plans to let the Syndicate fight each other. At that time Mai was still with Blackstars who were quite impressed by her powers.
Simultaneously to official TCTF training Konoko is send to a Blackstars location.
Griffin: "I want her to function in every situation. The hunt for Muro isn't a job for a rookie. He has killed hundred of men by now. Teach her to kill. Let her kill. Then she is ready."
In her final black OPs "training" Mai is to shot some "enemies of the state".
This was a false flag operation. There was a married couple (Daya Gard's parents) working for the Syndicate managing financial resources of Subboss Kumo. At night Mai takes them both down, the two got burned in their cottage. Kumo was supposed to fail his monthly paying - which would wasn't the first time but known to be his last. Knowing his profile Kumo wouldn't have been gone peacefully. Blackstars had been conspiring with Subboss Victor to cook up a story about siphoned off money. Victor should have taken over Kumo's area. But accusing the Guards and Kumo for disloyalty didn't worked out. In a following fight Kumo survived Victor's attack by help of his capable Controller Vandret.
Few years later Mai is sent to investigate the Syndicate warehouse. Her additional training is the reason why she reacted so calm when she finds dead agent Chung.
Also, in the nightmare she calls herself a murderer because obviously she is one.
Beside that Konoko appears relative normal. She would have to deal with the real world one day so she must had have some regular education too. The sci staff around Kerr was possibly extended with an child psychologist, Maria. That woman and Kerr tried their best to protect Mai from Griffin.
Griffin
Since the deal with the underground bosses he seems to reacts more edgy than before. This behavior is actually a cover-up for the tension he permanently feels. As a regional TCTF commander he doesn't allow himself to show any sign of weakness. But he is watched day and night. Griffin imagines to know the exact reason. They just wait for the right moment to assassinate him. Ironically the opposite is the case. The special group is meant to keep him alive as the bosses fear that Griffin's death will trigger kill orders on their families. They got information that Griffin has ties to the shady GATC Blackstars. This leads to funny situations where they help him out against other rogue elements. Their biggest coup is his evacuation in the hospital.
Sayomi: "Hm. I thought there would be more more scum in this city. Oh well, those will do." (The bosses (including Leonard) who secretly defy Sayomi allowed only disloyal members to join the mission. The bosses are okay with them getting wasted.)
Two dead Griffins? (a.k.a. "The Phönix and the lion (1)")
GATC project: "Spare" (the perfect fake corpse)
Plot twist: "Whose men do you think is she [Saomi] commanding?" The bosses know her plan. They ask GATC for coop. A team is already in the area. They actually planed to retrieve Barabas. (They don't in favor of Griffin. A difficult decision for some. (Random: Surprise, surprise. Griffin didn't know Barabas is a GATC member.) GATC policy is to never back down. They don't let their men behind. (An if one dies they revenge him.) They are going to get him out. The administration sends a SCRAM jet with Griffin's Spare as payload. Actually, they need him alive as he is a key figure in their "Puppet Master" program. GATC plan of last resort was to infiltrate WCG and thereby re-establishing the sovereignty of USA. The program enables them to take control of politicians by means of a combination of colorless "smart tattoos" ("in-burned"/bio-printed circuits) at the inner surface of skulls and ultrasonic micro-devices that can read and manipulate even deep situated neurons. (This is kinda technology is connected to Flatline Zombies...)
The local team is prepared for an exchange. They think they were but they can't do it in time. "Oh great now we have two corpses."
They end up using the artificial corpse as a full-body transplant for Griffins almost dead brain.
Jack's death drives his father into suicide. Griffin doesn't remain unaffected by this but recovers from the lose of this old friend. "I was burnt alive and beheaded. Believe me, I paid." From then on Griffin operates in the shadows. (Rejoined GATC.) He collects resources to let certain people nurse Mai during the years. At the beginning of Silver Dawn he visits Mai. "I have taken your life, Mai Hasegawa. Now let me give you a new one. -- We need you. Please wake up. Konoko."
It is the Puppet Master program that falls into Traton's hand, enabling META to be under his full control.
Griffin seeks to regain control or destroy the puppet master program. Traton foresees such actions and removed the devices. The changes made to the politicians are permanently. So he doesn't need the program anymore. A revelation at the end of Silver Dawn. Ironically Avatara comes around to manipulate EVERYONE'S brain (excluding Jareth and the SLDs) at the end of Silver Dawn / Mind Seal.
"The Phönix(*) and the lion (2)"
The actual leader of Phönix isn't Lionard King a.k.a. the "Phönix". And it is Griffin who isn't the lion (old self) anymore. With his new life and mindset he is the literal Phönix.
King only pretends to be leader. By that he protects Griffin.
Muro
[...]
Life in the Camp.
Rivalry with Ryu.
[...]
Missions with Traton.
Alliance with BGI.
Death of Hasegawa.
Exil of Traton.
Sturmanderung.
War against BGI.
Peace treaty with BGI.
- Where did the furies come from?
"The Valkyries are Muro's personal aides and bodyguards. Their presence always indicates his personal involvement in an operation."
Initial story to be placed here.
[...]
The Amazons
Wikipedia: Members of this bodyguard were allowed privileges such as dressing in Western-style fatigues and wearing makeup, or displaying Western hair styles and high heels.
Muro's reasoning, by chronologic order:
- Soldier's advice: make the most out of your life because tomorrow a bullet might kill you. Party and sex after dangerous Network missions.
- Mukade tells him that in company of women a man can hide more effectively in urban or "social" terrain. And since also women are part of the Network/Syndicate they should get combat training.
- According to Joseph T. Stanik, Gaddafi reportedly employed a cadre of female bodyguards because he believed that an Arab gunman would have difficulty firing at women.
Muro suffers under his shortening telomeres. He knows that he is not unkillable, so he need bodyguards. Gaddafi should be named as reference because it is so obvious similar.
However a "single" valid answer should not be given, the reasoning is multi-causal.
Foreshadowing... Avatara: "Ter Hasegawa is the son of a prostitute and a maniac. No wonder he has complexes."
Shinatama: "When you don't take care of humans they will just help themselves. But that's something you won't like either." (Remembering man-hunt on Mai.)
Shinatama
She felt everything Mai felt. By measuring nerve activities and the level of stress hormones pain gets (more) objective. But why did Shinatama had to actually feel it? Maybe it deepens the emotional bond but the goal probably was to mirror the pain, translating the numbers so that the other operators had a more clear perception in what condition Mai is. Making someone "feel" is not subjective here as that someone is an android. To the TCTF, it was simulated pain, not "real". Their mistake was to not know that the simulation is perfect, so that pain like all other inputs leaves traces within a system, it not just learns by these influences, it gets shaped, it gets defined. Did Maria influenced Shinatama to become more emphatic? Maria wouldn't stay forever but Shinatama would.
Did Shinatama spy on Mai's friends via surveillance of their internet traffic and telecommunication? She was connected to Damocles after all.
Damocles is the house AI of TCTF. It is programmed to record all communication of personal that is in duty but also off-duty. TCTF employees are also under surveillance at their own homes. This makes it impossible that a blackmailed/compromised officer/agent can act against the state organ. This procedure was established when TCTF and Network became arch enemies.
Ryu
Ryu received gen therapies to have the same blood type and immune factors like Muro. In case of an emergency Ryu would become an organ donor. Muro, was too important for Kimura as the boy had the only remaining Daodan prototype. Ryu had to spend more than 10 months in isolation while taking immunosuppressants.
The availability of organ donors were necessary until Muro was an Imago. More Daodan protoypes would require TITAN to carry out calculations for years.
There was another donor candidate at the Camp. In fact, Ryo and the other boy where cell neighbors. He was selected by Hasegawa's idea of scanning WCG medical citizen files. So naturally, his immunofactors had a high match compared with Muro. Ryu and Tomo were in the Camp since then.
...
Kimura defended Tomo, Ryu, and Muro against some bullying red-level Striker at the Camp. The men did not know they were standing in front of the head of Syndicate's intel division.
Kimura was faced with verbal threats too when he tried to send the Strikers away.
The next thing that happened was a non-uniformed mid-aged man easily punching, kicking and throwing the Strikers through the entire room and back again.
Later Kimura explained: "Only the strong are respected. If you lack your training people will kick you around. Out of boredom, frustration, or stupidity. Or everything together. And no, I didn't helped you out. They will be back someday. So, don't thank me. Use your time and get as strong as you can."
Muro: "If you didn't do it for us then why did you wipe the floor with them?"
Kimura: "To remind them of me. Clearly, I was too long away from this place. -- Boys, here a special task for you. At the end of the year I want to hear that you have beat up these muppets."
Tomo: "What are muppets?"
Kimura: "Dumpheads, apparently you guys too."
Ryu: "Hey, that's not fair, they are grown ups."
"What is not fair? They were three and I beat them all. What are you waiting for? Proceed the training, you lazy brats!", Kimura yelled.
...
Traton: "How are things progressing?"
Kimura: "I gave them something to work on ... Should improve their reputation. Other than that, they are dumpheads. Why don't you teach them, Traton?"
Traton: "Hell no? Not my duty?"
Kimura: "Now it is. Give them some base knowledge."
...
...
A few years later Ryu received a help call from Tomo. Ryu found him in a Syndicate house. Inside, it looked like a provisory hospital room. But on a table there lied a slaughtered Tomo, yet he was still conscious, somehow. The situation kind of left a trauma in Ryu. Just before Muro got badly wounded by Z482's car bomb. After Tomo did his last breath, Ryu visited Muro. Kimura told him to leave and not to ask more questions. The two ended up in a fight that Kimura barely won. Ryu counted one and one together: Tomo was sacrificed for Muro's live. The concept of "family" was holy to the mafia, to the Syndicate it was not, just propaganda. Ryu realized what he must get away from Muro and the Syndicate. He thought that Muro was also to be blamed. His instincts told him that Muro made himself a moving target by becoming the next Syndicate boss and thereby bringing everyone around him into danger. This was an accurate guess as the assassination attempts on Muro by Griffin's Z482 would continue. Ryu returned to Tomo's last location but the corpse has been deposed at an unknown location. His remnants were presumedly dissolved in a barrel of acid or "buried" under tons of liquid concrete at some construction side.
Ryu told Muro that he doesn't want to participate in Sturmanderung's madness. The two divided in a heavy argument.
...
...
During the black season Ryu's Yakuza group distributed so-called Tomo (disaster relief) packages which were positively credited by the locals. Ryu had limited financial resources so from the perspective of his organization the costs of those packages were like cutting in their own flesh.
When Muro was resurrected and escaped GOP's devil, he joined old friend Ryu.
In a heavy attack Muro became vulnerable. But Ryu took the strike of a knife, and losses some fingers but Muro was saved.
Muro told Ryu that he would no longer follow his own objectives. Due to all of his mistakes he made Muro was supposed to cut off his fingers in old Yakuza style. Instead he cut off a whole hand knowing that it would regrow.
Muro: "Since Tomo is a part of me, one could say we will be reunited when you accept this."
Ryu: "Do you think this is funny? You and your sadistic jokes...!"
With his left fist Ryu punched the former Syndicate boss into the face. "Don't pretend you know what you are talking about."
"Rrrraaah." The following kick accelerated Muro into the ceiling, with a second clash Muro hit the ground. Everybody in the room was shocked by the power Ryu possessed all the more he had no Chrysalis.
"You have not seen him! How they left him! Butchered! The guts all open! Just to save your damn life. Dare you."
Muro struggled for air.
From his mouth was blood dripping.
"Sorry-- I'm sorry," he gasped.
Ryu had never heard saying Muro such words before.
[...]
Ryu accepted and Muro's hand was transplanted making Muro literally Ryu's right hand in the new organisation. The rest of the Strikers and their resources were then under Ryu's command. But de facto, the organization was run by them both.
Ryu und Muro realized that their genetic traits are no coincidence. Eventually the identify Kimura as the man behind Sturmanderung and decide to take wrath on Kimura and his innocent wife.
Mukade, Kimura's SLD-clone, pleaded to spare Sakura. Ryu agreed on the condition that Mukade disclose the location of Tomo's remnants.
With the death of Kimura, Mukade inherited "his own" identity.
Muro and Ryu came to the conclusion that nothing changed as Mukade has the brain engrams of Kimura and decide to kill the SLD as well.
Avatara, saves Mukade as he is the only one that has information about the hackers that sabotaged Shinatama.
Daya
[...]
Beyond Dragons
Phyllion's Gaia choose Daya to manage the pain of its hive mind due to her experience in enduring and surviving high levels of it.
Gaia wants to cultivate the HM with her.
Nature's Decision
Nomen est omen. (In the early story Daya was standing for another idea but now it means "compassion".)
Her position is put to a test after she gets to know that Mai is still around...
New RS notes based on CB
BGI
GATC develops means to detect heat and bioelectric signatures of Daodan symbionts. [...] Sofia, their HQ AI, discovers that the BGI has potential access to the Daodan program. BGI sells robot technology to them and WCG military. GATC is alarmed that some important equipment might be compromised by Syndicate software. BlueMontain gets visited by Blackstars to clarify the connection.
BGI is interested in steady business. Together with Sarai they established their own Daodan taskforce to keep Syndicate and TCTF in check. "Whatever that Daodan-thing really is. We can't allow them to play with it unchecked." GATC followed suit. Killing Muro with normal men failed. What if they would encounter a whole Daodan army of Syndicate or even BGI?
Mukade used Avatar to hack into GV's security network. When Sarai tries to lock them all up, Mukade turns the security network against everyone that doesn't wear a GV transponder. As counter measure Sarai has to shut it down completely. BGI has a backdoor for it since all military parts were made in their factories.
Bertram
(reminder) GATC fired a nuclear missile to destroy the fusion reactor. They hope the Syndicate [Kumo's team] would get scared off by the nuclear fallout and won't further try to get GV's Daodans. The WCG doesn't believe that the fusion reactor explored by itself. They don't know GATC is in the area so they assume the Syndicate blew it up so that Muro is the only one with Daodans. (/reminder)
BGI and WCG military try to setup a quarantine covering the whole GV complex and a 50 km buffer zone. Nothing goes in, nothing goes out.
Sounds familiar. But they really need medical equipment now.
Due to GV's partial destruction, Bertram and Hanna have to help out in first aid situations. And soon they try everything to rescue their patients.
[...]
Konoko provides dialysis through her own body. Multiple organ failure by fallout or bioc infection. Normally the transplants would be rejected and immunosuppression kills the weakened patients, so they take the organs of dead Daodan hosts.
In the process Konoko ages rapidly. (Telomere degeneration.)
Special fallout case: a Daodan host with sepsis. The Daodan biomass is too young, the antibiotics doesn't work and the phage therapy takes too much time.
"What if we cure the sepsis with even more radiation and protect the human cells with metal insertions."
"Lead? No. Even iron would be toxic in that dose."
"We could cool down the body with ice. It would slow down metabolism and the toxic effect."
"How do you think to remove the metal again. I don't think that would work. - He needs a full body transplanted. Head excluded of course. - All the new immune cells would heal the brain - if they need to. The blood-cerebral barrier should be still intact."
"All we need is a brain dead guy."
"There are no more host available..."
"No problem. We can daodanize a normal corpse - as long it is fresh."
"The accelerated growth would cause immense pain and fever. But that's irrelevant for a dead donor."
"He must be lucky to be dead."
"Uh..."
Colleagues from Silver Village provide blueprints for medical equipment which then gets 3d printed. Also they operate a few patients via remote control.
After first aid is given (now administration-rejecting) GATC team takes Konoko to a saver area as BGI begins to enter GV again. (She is cured in Hasegawa's second lab.) In the meantime the GV staff combines HeLa cells with a Daodan to produce an infinite supply of stem cells. Green Village becomes number one place for Daodan hosts.
The bioc infection remains a persisting problem and energy runs short. Daya could fill that fix those two. [using her new communication means and creating a bioc power grid]
Hanna lectures Navarre for not respecting people's will. She suspects he tried to manipulated the wounded soldier just to experiment with him. "This isn't Picasso Island."
"Maybe it should be!"
"Maybe leave the past behind and finally follow the rules!"
"And embrace the WCG blood-soaked boot camp for renegades?"
"Are you sane."
"Oh right, they told you the pirate story. Well, surprise. My patients visited me on their own!"
Hanna mouth was all open.
"They couldn't afford WCG's upper class treatment."
Hanna remembered that she just received such level of treatment back then at the CDC.
"No one has to starve. No one has to breath toxic air. And no one has to fear lethal disease. With all the technologies that they try to hide here. But no. All they are interested in is status quo and the money. To enjoy themselves while everyone else has to oil the gears with their blood! If the Syndicate is going to robe them and shake the markets- Let them. I don't care. Also! If they aren't going to use anything in this place, now that the ACC exploded, of what actual use are they? -- This is the chance to start over. I don't know what freaking side I'm standing on but I want to see that girl [Konoko] triumph over them [WCG]."
He lifted the fist to the sky. "Daodan to the people. Let us show them the way to a brighter future."
He spinned around with open arms. "A better future than this is!" His words echoed in a walls, blacked from the fire. They ground was muddy, above them a barrier of dark clouds.
"Now," he almost whispered.
Mukade was hiding behind a window. Pensatore was talking in his head: "Someone should clap hands at him. Good talk. But that won't work. The Daodan will change nothing. In fact, it caused all this mess."
Mukade gnashed his teeth. "Shut up."
"How much worse must things get?"
"I could show you how well it would work if you let me."
"No chance. Avatara will handle it. Once and for all."
One more funeral
Bertram and Hanna decide to bury Jamie's remnants. They go to the lab storage and decontaminate the remnants with aggressive treatments.
Bertram: "If you are asked, spare the details. She [Konoko] doesn't need to know this." Hanna was thinking for a moment but then she nods.
Eventually they incarnate the remnants and fill the ashes into a flat glass vessel.
Konoko: "Is this a petri dish? Is this a joke?"
Hanna: "We use these to grow new seedlings. -- I'm sorry, we hadn't anything more appropriate at hand."
Konoko removed the black lid. "I hope there no symbolic gesture with this? As far as I know seeds don't grow in dead soil."
Hanna: "No. No back thoughts."
"What do I do now with this?"
"-- Have you never been to a funeral?"
"--"
"I see."
Her eyes stared into the ashes. "But there will be plenty of opportunities now. I'm sure we all will-"
She put back the lip.
"Really, I can't imagine to bury this."
"A few people simply keep the vessels. Maybe you want to do that too?"
Konoko holds the vessel flat on her both hands. She can't do anything but to stare on this poor excuse of a urn.
"This- this-" She couldn't finish her thought.
The tears run silently over her face.
>> Either she keeps crying (A) or runs away (B).
(A) Hanna: "Oh my. Come. Let's go to the others."
(B) Konoko: "Thanks. Thanks for nothing!!" She stomped away. (I have the feeling she wants to throw it away like a brick...) Why did she gave me this? There's no purpose in this. It's just horrible. Why- (Mukade appears) Why I'm always with the crazy?
A/B cont.
Mukade: "Do you have a location in mind for her?"
Konoko: "No. Not yet. I think I will decide on that when I have found my father."
(Pensatore takes over Mukade's body and prevents him from saying anything more. It's a punishment.)
Even the strongest break
(End of RS? Cycling thoughts...)
BGI still tries to get GV under their control.
Konoko is ready to fight but not the inhabitants. She asks BGI under what conditions they would spare GV.
BGI tells her to surrender. Then GV could remain as a guarded quarantine zone. They are lying, everyone is going to be taken away - or killed in any sign of resistance.
Sarai: "If you come with us. We will consider in keeping this area as it is now. A complicated but safe place."
Konoko: "Is this everything."
Sarai: "You agree on a removal of your Daodan." (They figured out how to exploit the "fixed template".)
They fly back to the TCTF HQ in Tokyo. Before operation they want to download all Konoko's medical files.
While they are sitting in the jets, Jack thinks Konoko is too valuable for Phönix and tries to defend the HQ.
Sarai calls Traton to secure the area. Traton starts Operation Proteus to shut down all remaining WCG law enforcement. To him it's also necessary to silence all voices that are against META.
Jack gets killed by the Syndicate mob. Before they storm the building he manages to download all the files that explain how Konoko became what she is now. It's not just the medical files. It's every available file of her life. BGI wanted to delete those so Konoko could be branded as pure evil and act as scapegoat. Karen escapes with the data, she used an experimental phase cloak.
Konoko breaks out in tears. (...) She drag her to Damocles main node where Shinatama used to be.
Before they can start operation Sarai and company gets attacked by GATC. (They actually wanted to retrieve Barabas location and steal his body in the upcoming chaos. "Heads up. We've got company." (Guess from who Konoko learned this?))
GATC: "No country of any flag should demand from its peace keepers to scarifies themselves - especially if they are just as corrupt of what they claim to fight against. Using her as a scapegoat will not work."
Sarai laughs: "Sure it will. The people are actually begging for it. Can't you hear it?"
GATC: "We had the same idea. I won't help anyone." Fist fight starts.
Sarai: "I see you rejected the idea because of you newly gained moral. Good for you. But they cannot eat moral. -- Call us injustice but we are what the world needs now. A strong hand that will keep the balance. With whatever means necessary."
GATC: "I have heard this tirade my whole life long. -- You know what. Why don't you let us be the necessary evil and beat the shit out of you."
Sarai to Konoko: "This will be everyone's death. How can you allow this. Play your part and save them."
Konoko: "No." She stands up. "I'm done being a marionette." (She tells Sarai that the TCTF controlled every aspect of her life. She lost everyone (Jamie, Shin, Kerr, Hasegawa, Jack) because of the current people in power. She already paid. And now everything that is left is the Daodan. True independency and the strength to correct mistakes. Giving the people a true choice what ways they want to go...)
Sarai is like Pensaore: not believing in human peaceful nature. There better be rulers and ruled.
(Sarai is very strong. Konoko has to disarm her to get the anti-Daodan weapon. ... In the melee the weapon hits both. Konoko breaks down and Sarai get heavily wounded. GATC escapes with Konoko.)
In the final battle of GV Shinatama takes over the body of her sister to help in the fight. ("If you can hear me: don't worry, I'm helping you to fight the battle you can't do anymore.") She must act as symbol of hope and resistance. After it Konoko remains in coma. Her Daodan is in a very bad state.