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[VermilionSkies]

"I believe Gunmetal Rose would be suited towards Mission Three as a pair, Commander Aleksei."

[IronyOwl]

"Capella isn't ideal as a support for Mission 1, but she has useful skills for the cleanup afterwards. Scarlet Star should be able to handle Mission 1 all by itself, if none of the other teams want to join.

If they do, she might be more useful on either of the other two missions."

[Maximum Spin]

"I believe Gunmetal Rose would be suited towards Mission Three as a pair, Commander Aleksei."

"I was thinking the same thing. Certainly, mission 1 is a poor fit for us due to our low LIFE pool. Your thoughts, Handler Roland?"

[Stirk]

“That question is above my pay grade boss, I’ll sign on to whatever plan you come up with.”

[Egan_BW]

I don't think that having low LIFE is directly impactful, the spectre will damage Power.

[Nakéen]

Fixed a mistake in the HARVESTER mission.
Useful Skills are DEFENDER and STRIKER, not CASTER and STRIKER.
CASTER is weak against Harvesters.

That is all.

[The Canadian kitten]

"Capella is cleared and ready for combat, Commander."

[Egan_BW]

"...Let's do it, then. I believe that Scarlet Star will be able to eradicate that Harvester, Commander Lanceheart."

[IronyOwl]

"Understood, Handlers. Scarlet Star will deploy at once.

Scarlet Star deploys to Mission 1 with both ARMs. Baretta on Focus, Capella on Support.

[Nakéen]

Before the meeting, Handler Walter was called by the Chief Operator. The woman seemed troubled.

[4th Division Chief Operator] Lia Valie: "Handler Walter, thank you for coming. Please have a seat, I have something important to tell you and the faster the better. As you might have noticed, your colleage Handler Jocelyn has been away from duties for the past few days. It seems she has been removed from the 4th Division for reasons I cannot disclose."

Handler Walter wasn't too surprised, as he had already guessed. But that wasn't all of it, was it? He could tell, as the woman's amber eyes were still sharp as if ready to loose an arrow.

[4th Division Chief Operator] Lia Valie: "Under usual circumstances, that would have meant Commander Charles Deer would have taken over Handler duties. However... Commander Charles Deer is at the present unavailable. For reasons I cannot disclose again, they will be away from the 4th Division for a little while. As the only active member of Team Green, you will have to handle Commander and Handler duties for both ARMs. I would understand if you choose to refuse, it is perfectly in your right. We are ready to temporarily transfer ARMs "Malakin-12" and "Raven-621" to the other teams were you to decide so."

Her gloved hand passed him a form.
[4th Division Chief Operator] Lia Valie: "We need only your answer to move on with the preparations."


During the actual meeting, the Chief Operator let Handler Walter announce his decision to the rest of the teams, explaining the temporary situation of Team Green.

[Nakéen]

> Be Handler Walter
> Colleague 1 has disappeared who knows where
> Might have deserted
> Commander is away on vacation
> Everyone knows
> But officially we can't say that
> You are now the last member of the "team"
> Superior comes to tell you "You have the choice" to leaaave
> Sure
> You got no choice
> Debt
> "Duty"
> Ugh
> I need a drink

[Prophet]

The already worn Handler seemed to age another few years, but grit his teeth in grim determination. "That won't be necessary, it would be a burden on the other teams and our already overextended resources. I'll handle things on Team Green until Commander Deer can return to duty."


Walter recommends Team Green for Mission 2, noting Raven's results in recent PUZZLE tests, their steady SOUL readings, and their good track record as a pair in combat as his reasoning.

[Nakéen]

(Once the commander of team Gunmetal Rose has decided on a mission, we can move ahead!)

[Maximum Spin]

I don't think that having low LIFE is directly impactful, the spectre will damage Power.

Well, I might have forgotten how it works. We'd probably do fine on Mission 1.
Nevertheless, it wouldn't be right to let an urgent mission go unfulfilled, so let's take 3.

[Nakéen]

Year 450 Cycle 4 - Missions

[4th Division Chief Commander] Talaros Braern: "Commencing operations. 4th Division, deploying ARMs."

[4th Division Chief Operator] Lia Valie: "Each team will be focusing on a different objective. Even if this looks like a routine run for you girls, remain alert for any unexpected variable. Good luck."

The three ARM teams met up near the takeoff area. All girls were already dressed up in their Maiden Dresses, the colorful energy they irradiated bathing the dull area with a rainbow palette. Already on the scene, the petite Baretta was meticulously checking her conjured guns while the silver eyed Capella was stretching to calm her usual nervousness.

Baretta Scarlet: "This D-Class Spectre is going to be a piece of gelato!"
Capella Scarlet: "W-What does that have to do with gelato?"

Raven-621 matter-of-factly explained the improvised expression while Malakim-12 quietly smiled in the background.
Raven-621: "This is a distortion of an usual idiom "that something is a piece of cake" meaning that the task at hand will be easy like eating a piece of cake. That is supposing that said cake is edible, and not poisonous. Or that we are indeed referring to the act of eating. Cooking a cake would be a different ordeal, and it wouldn't be a stretch to-"
Malakim-12: "Gelato is soft and easy to eat. She just means the mission is going to be very easy."
Raven-621: "Malakim-12. I wasn't done explaining."
Capella Scarlet: "Oh I see! Hmm... But then... say Baretta, isn't your avatar called Gelato?"
Raven-621: "I hadn't taken this into account. I might have made a critical mistake due to my assumption... That makes sense now. Baretta must have meant Gelato as in her phantasmal invocation, and not the dessert. And unlike a dessert, her invocation is powerful, enough to defeat a Spectre. It might then mean that the Spectre you are about to fight is stronger than expected? But then again-"

Baretta was red up to her ears, and shouted so suddenly Capella jolted in surprise.
Baretta Scarlet: "W-With what kind of logic do you even reach that conclusion?!"
Capella Scarlet: "Eep!"

There was a laugh behind the four girls. They all turned to see the a tall figure bent in two from laughing too much, that was Tule Vankrels.
Tule Vankrels: "Bwahahaha! W-What was that sketch? M-My sides, it hurts! Ahahahaha!"
Raven-621: "I was being pretty serious."
Baretta Scarlet: "I- I didn't plan all of this! Raven just stop! I'm going to die from embarrasment!"
Capella Scarlet: "Uggh... I want to hide..."

While Baretta tried to stop Raven-621 from explaining herself even more and maybe kill Baretta with second hand embarassment, Daybreak greeted Capella who had retreated away from here.
Daybreak: "Hello Capella. Thank you again for the advices the other day, I'm already feeling more confident."
Capella Scarlet: "O-oh! Hello Daybreak. It was my pleasure."

After they had managed to stop Raven-621 from speaking, and waited for Tule Vankrels to calm down, the three teams departed on their respective missions.

Team Scarlet Star

High-Priority Mission 1: Eliminate D-Class Spectre Type Harvester
Location: Green Area O-04

Location: Green Area O-04
Danger Level: Medium
Difficulty Range: 6-8
Reward: 10000EC
Bonus Reward: 2000EC
Goals:
- Eliminate the D-Class Spectre, Type Harvester.
- Eliminate the Apparitions.

Phase 1: Eliminate the first wave of Apparitions.
Phase 2: Destroy the Spectre's Barrier.
Phase 3: Destroy the Spectre's Phantasmal Core.
Phase 4 (Bonus): Decontaminate the combat zone

Main skills:
1. INVOKER

Useful skills:
1. DEFENDER and STRIKER
2. AID (LIFE)
3. CLEANSE (SOUL)

The red and orange stars of Scarlet Star were flying over the Green Area O-04, chatting a bit as they approached the location of the Spectre.

Capella Scarlet: "By the way Baretta... why Gelato?"
Baretta Scarlet: "Not you too! B-Because it's cute, that's all! Aaah! Case closed! Stop, you are all really going to give me a trauma! I'm sure I will remember this all my life."
Capella Scarlet: "Hehe you are so pure! Gelato is a cute name."
Baretta Scarlet: "When it comes from you I don't know if that's an insult or a compliment..."
Capella Scarlet: "Sorry you said?"
Baretta Scarlet: "Ah n-nothing. Oh! We are approaching the first coordinates. Alright let's do this!"

From above they could see the security cordon established by the Guardians and other ground troops. They were fighting off stray Apparitions to keep them numbers under manageable control.

[4th Division Guardian Pilot] Arrow-8: "This is Arrow-8, reporting. We have this location under control. A problematic wave is forming on the northern segment - I have sent you the coordinates."
Baretta Scarlet: "Understood Arrow-8, thank you for the coordinates! We will take care of this, good luck out there!"
[4th Division Guardian Pilot] Arrow-8: "Thanks. Best of luck to you two as well."

Task Details
Danger: Medium
Difficulty: 4
Type: Individual
Skill: Highest Combat Skill

Rolls
Baretta Scarlet: 9 = [5] + 4 (Invoker) + 0 (Love)
Capella Scartet: 9 = [4] + 4 (Defender) + 1 (Courage)

Outcome
Baretta Scarlet: Overwhelming Success
Capella Scartet: Overwhelming Success

The two shooting stars moved at the location where a mound of stacked Apparitions was moving slowly toward the north defenders. They amounted into the hundreds. Riding atop her Phantasmal Avatar, Baretta called Scarlet.
Baretta Scarlet: "By the way Capella, I wanted to show you a new move I came up with during training! Look!"

Baretta shone with red phantasmal energy, and a little army of miniature versions of her Gelato appeared all around her, each wielding a small revolver.
Capella Scarlet: "Ooooh! That's amazing! They are so cute!"
Baretta Scarlet: "I know right! I call them mini-Gelatos, I figured out I could create extensions of my Phantasmal Avatar, split them and command them! Now show them what you've got, mini-Gelatos!"
Capella Scarlet: "Ah wait let me just put up a barrier to prevent them from escaping!"

Capella punched barriers into existence to trap the Apparitions into a tight area, and the summoned invocations of Baretta engaged the Apparitions, raining magical bullets over them. In mere seconds the hundreds of Phantasmal beings were eliminated, and Baretta dismissed her smaller invocations. She flicked her gray hair backward with a victorious motion.

Baretta Scarlet: "Can you believe it was barely a few weeks ago or so when we fought those for the first time? I can't believe how weak they are now!"
Capella Scarlet: "Yeah... I do remember my blunder back then, aha... By the way your mini-Gelatos are strong!"
Baretta Scarlet: "Well not as strong as Gelato, but against Apparitions they pack just the right amount of punch! I don't think they would fare incredibly against a Spectre though."
Capella Scarlet: "O-Oh right! Speaking of Spectre we still got the one to clear!"

Recalling their main objective, the two girls headed for the Spectre.

Task Details
Danger: Medium (Focus) Low (Support)
Difficulty: 8 (Focus) 6 (Support)
Type: Individual
Skill: Highest Combat Skill

Rolls
Baretta Scarlet (Focus): 7 = [3] + 4 (Invoker) + 0 (Love)
Capella Scartet (Support): 9 = [6] + 4 (Defender) + 1 (Courage) - 2 (LIFE Spectre)

Outcome
Baretta Scarlet: Failure
Capella Scartet: Success

The Spectre was floating on top of a hill, and it looked like a gigantic jellyfish with countless barbed hooks for tentacles, and an immense maw on its underbelly. Its core was visible and in the center of mass of the jellyfish.

Baretta engaged the Harvester with Gelato, keeping it distracted with a barrage of heavy magical projectiles. Meanwhile Capella approached unnoticed, and punched a barrier into the Spectre's defences, shattering them. Immediately the being recoiled upon itself to protect its Core from a direct attack. As Baretta was trying to find a better angle to land a clear shot on the Core, the Spectre retaliated with a flurry of lashes from its barbed hooks, a few of them slashing at Baretta.

Baretta has taken 1 Power damage (1/2)
Spectre Barrier destroyed!

Capella Scarlet: "I got the barrier down! You can do it Baretta!"
Baretta Scarlet: "I'm trying I'm trying! I can't see a thing with all these tentacles in the way!"

Task Details
Danger: Medium (Focus) Low (Support)
Difficulty: 8 (Focus) 6 (Support)
Type: Individual
Skill: Highest Combat Skill

Rolls
Baretta Scarlet (Focus): 8 = [4] + 4 (Invoker) + 0 (Love)
Capella Scartet (Support): 4 = [1] + 4 (Defender) + 1 (Courage) - 2 (LIFE Spectre)

Outcome
Baretta Scarlet: Partial Success
Capella Scartet: Failure

Capella Scarlet: "I will clear you a path Baretta! Scarlet Barrier! Eeeh! Those tentacles really ARE annoying!"

Under assault from the Harvester, Capella still managed to conjure a magical tunnel to give a clear shot on the core to Baretta. She aimed true with her avatar, and shot straight through it, ending the Spectre.

Baretta has taken 1 Power damage (0/2)
Capella has taken 1 Power damage (2/3)
Spectre Core destroyed!

Baretta Scarlet: "It's finally down! That thing was a pain, different from the Messengers. Okay next we have to decontaminate the place... ah I suck at this."
Capella Scarlet: "It's okay Baretta, I got this covered!"

Task Details
Danger: Low
Difficulty: 6
Type: Teamwork
Skill: CLEANSE (SOUL)

Rolls
Baretta Scarlet: 3 = [2] + 1 (Cleanse) + 0 (Love)
Capella Scartet: 8 = [5] + 3 (Cleanse) + 1 (Love)

Outcome
Team: Success

As promised, little Capella took care of most of the decontamination. She sealed the entire area with a barrier and purified it with great efficiency while Baretta took care of the smaller patches.

Capella Scarlet: "And dooone! I can't wait to get home and eat a bowl of super spicy beef noodles!"
Baretta Scarlet: "That sounds like a battle of its own..."

Mission Completed!

Team Green

High-Priority Mission 2: Scan Green Area O-11
Location: Green Area O-11

Location: Green Area O-11
Danger Level: Low-Medium?
Difficulty Range: 2-6
Reward: 5000EC
Goal: Search for precursor signs of Contamination and of hostile activity.
Phase 1: Scan the first area.
Phase 2: Scan the second area.
Phase 3: Scan the third area.

Main skills:
1. SENSE (SOUL)
2. SENSE (variable)

Useful skills:
1. PUZZLE (MIND)
2. Any combat skill

Compared to the chatty Team Scarlet Rose, the ARMs of Team Green were much less talkative. They only exchanged the bare minimum words until they reached the outskirts of Green Area O-11 where they started with the scans. It was a small abandoned town which had been attacked by Apparitions.

Raven-621: "Initiating scanning."
Malakim-12: "I will handle the areas between the river and the tower. Can you handle the rest?"
Raven-621: "Copy."

Task Details
Danger: Low
Difficulty: 2
Type: Teamwork
Skill: SENSE (SOUL)

Rolls
Malakim-12: 4 = [3] + 1 (Sense) + 0 (Love)
Raven-621: 6 = [5] + 1 (Sense) + 0 (Love)

Outcome
Team: Overwhelming Success

The two ARMs worked silently on the task. There wasn't anything unusual about the first area, not a single sign of contamination. Nothing unusual? Raven-621 wasn't so sure, but she didn't mention anything to her partner.

Malakim-12: "No contamination over here."
Raven-621: "Copy. Clear on my side too."

Raven-621 was about to move to the next location when Malakim-12 interrupted her.
Malakim-12: "Hold on Raven-621. Are you sulking? You have been giving me the cold shoulder the entire time."
Raven-621: "You must be imagining things, Malakim-12. I'm the same as usual."
Malakim-12: "You have been replying with copy ever since we left the base. You never do that except when you are in a bad mood. Last you did that was when I accidentally toppled your computer tower."

Raven-621 frowned. A hint of annoyance caused her tone to change slightly.
Raven-621: "And that was entirely your fault. Anyway isn't it you who has been in a sour mood? I thought you liked silence, but today you seem unusually talkative."
Malakim-12: "What? I'm just asking questions here."
Raven-621: "Yes, and that's the issue. You never do small talk during missions. Are you sure there is nothing?"
Malakim-12: "...Forget it."

The atmosphere had become tense. Absolutely undisturbed, Raven-621 followed after Malakim-12 who was moving toward the next scan area.

Task Details
Danger: Low
Difficulty: 4
Type: Teamwork
Skill: SENSE (SOUL)

Rolls
Malakim-12: 7 = [6] + 1 (Sense) + 0 (Love)
Raven-621: 5 = [4] + 1 (Sense) + 0 (Love)

Outcome
Team: Success

The next area was a forest full of recently replanted trees. There had been a few skirmishes with Apparitions according to the briefing, and here again there was no trace of contamination. The two girls worked in absolute silence.

Raven-621: "Malakim-12. Malakim."
Malakim-12: "What is it Raven-621."
Raven-621: "I'm sorry if I was insensitive. I know that I'm not the best when it comes to helping people deal with their issues. But you are my partner, and you seem to be preoccupied by something."

The girl in a qipao didn't reply.
Malakim-12: "..."
Raven-621: "May I speculate?"
Malakim-12: "Sure."
Raven-621: "Is it related to the disappearance of Handler Jocelyn Alabaster?"

Malakim-12 squeezed her fist and avoided Raven-621's gaze.
Raven-621: "It's okay, Handler Walter might appear cold and detached, but he is an excellent Handler. You don't have to be worried about-"
Malakim-12: "That's not it."

Raven's beige eyes widened a little bit. She blinked.
Malakim-12: "I'm not dissatisfied with Handler Walter. I just... I don't know myself. We weren't that close compared to you and your handler. That's why I don't know. I don't know anything about Handler Jocelyn, and I don't know why she left. Maybe it was me, who was lacking something? Sorry, I'm rambling."

Raven awkwardly opened her arms, with Malakim looking confused.
Raven-621: "I don't like it either, but I heard it's what you are supposed to do when a friend needs comfort."
Malakim-12: "A hug?"
Raven-621: "Yeah that."
Malakim-12: "Pfft. Okay."

Malakim accepted the awkward hug.
Raven-621: "So? Do you feel comforted?"
Malakim-12: "More embarassed than anything else. You know everything we do is recorded on mission right?"
Raven-621: "Yeah. That's why you said you don't do small talk during missions."
Raven-621: "By the way. Yes I was sulking. You interrupted me, and you wouldn't let me finish my explanation."
Malakim-12: "Pfft! See I knew it! You... you fox!"

Raven-621 ran away with the pretense of continuing the mission. She was smiling.
Raven-621: "We still have a third area left to check. Let's get a move on Malakim!"
Malakim-12: "I- Hey! You owe me an apology here! Come back! Raven!"

Task Details
Danger: Low
Difficulty: 6
Type: Teamwork
Skill: SENSE (SOUL)

Rolls
Malakim-12: 6 = [5] + 1 (Sense) + 0 (Love)
Raven-621: 7 = [6] + 1 (Sense) + 0 (Love)

Outcome
Team: Partial Success

After a short flight, Malakim-12 had finally caught up to Raven-621. She was both angered and in a happy mood, mostly the latter.
Malakim-12: "That wasn't cool! Okay, once again, you owe me an apology after we are done scanning."
Raven-621: "That won't be necessary."
Malakim-12: "Just to be sure, are you talking about the apology or the scanning?"
Raven-621: "Pft. The scanning obviously. I'm not heartless."
Malakim-12: "Heh. Wait. You aren't going to tell me you did it in... what one minute?"
Raven-621: "If my hypothesis is correct, the area is already perfectly clear of contamination."

Malakim-12 returned to her usual professional expression.
Malakim-12: "What did you find?"
Raven-621: "The two previous areas were clear of Phantasmal contamination. Completely clear, as if there had been no Apparition here a few days ago. But even after decontamination, there should be very faint residues left after a battle. Especially since they couldn't have decontaminated farther than a few days ago."
Malakim-12: "Now that you mention it... I see what you mean."
Raven-621: "Identify any anomaly is what the Chief Commander said. I think that counts as an anomaly."
Malakim-12: "I agree. Alright, let's find out more about it!"

Task Details
Danger: Low
Difficulty: 7
Type: Teamwork
Skill: PUZZLE (MIND)

Rolls
Malakim-12: 6 = [1] + 0 (Puzzle) + 1 (Harmony)
Raven-621: 7 = [6] + 2 (Puzzle) + 1 (Harmony)

Outcome
Team: Success

The two girls backtracked her path, investigating for anything out of the ordinary along the way. What they found were very faint traces of phantasmal energy that was left behind by ARMs, but it didn't correspond to the patterns they were used to.

Malakim-12: "What even is that? An ARM passed by and decontaminated the area? Which division did that, that's odd. That would have been in the briefing at least, but I read nothing of it."
Raven-621: "If that's what I think it is... it's going to soon get out of our hands, and out of our division's hands."
Malakim-12: "Just spill the beans, you know I have no clue what you are thinking."
Raven-621: "It wasn't an ARM that did that. I think it was a Maiden."
Malakim-12: "A Maiden?! Y-You mean a natural born one? Weren't their deployment like, outlawed?!"
Raven-621: "Yeah and that's the problem. We have to report our findings as soon as possible."
Malakim-12: "Do you have an idea of what will happen next?"
Raven-621: "Some, but I would rather not speculate over that."

Mission Completed!

Team Gunmetal Rose

High-Priority Mission 3: Investigate the Sector Barrier Breach
Location: Yellow Area O-05

Location: Yellow Area O-05
Danger Level: Low
Difficulty Range: 4-6
Reward: 5000EC
Goals:
- Investigate the scene for clues

Phase 1: Investigate the Sector Barrier
Phase 2: Analyze residues of Phantasmal Energy
Phase 3: Analyze emotional traces

Main skills:
1. PUZZLE (MIND)

Useful skills:
1. SENSE (SOUL)
2. EMPATHY (HEART)

The new ARMs from team Gunmetal Rose were on their first mission by themselves. As they were flying over the warped area O-05, they chatted a bit about their first impressions of their seniors.

Tule Vankrels: "Wew my sides still hurt. I love the people here already!"
Daybreak: "Yes, our colleagues are kind people. They gave us a warm welcome, and are helpfully looking out for us."
Tule Vankrels: "By the way I haven't asked, but I heard the previous ARMs from our team were... wiped out in the last mission?"
Daybreak: "I heard the rumors too. It seems to be a taboo subject though, so I didn't pry. Whichever it is, let's make our Handlers and seniors proud, shall we?"
Tule Vankrels: "Yeah. Let's go."

They landed at the location of the breach in the Sector Barrier. The great wall built around each sector that was reinforced with a special field that greatly repelled Phantasmal entities. There were regular garrisons along the Sector Barrier, especially when it connected to a Yellow Sector. The wall had been destroyed over a good half kilometer. A man came to greet them along with his team of investigators.

[Segihama Investigator] Arwin Hartman: "Hello ARMs from the 4th Division, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm investigator Arwin Hartman. I will be the one to show you to the site of the breach, after which you may investigate at your leasure."
Daybreak: "The pleasure is ours. Can you tell us what you found while we head there?"
[Segihama Investigator] Arwin Hartman: "With pleasure. There is nothing too surprising so far, the wall was broken by two rogue Spectres of estimated Class C. It seems this part of the barrier was malfunctioning due to negligent maintenance, and the adjacent garrisons were in the process of being reaffected so they were lax on patrol. After the confirmed breach, it seems groups of D-Class Spectres entered Sector O. Next was a cascading effect as areas turned into prime incubation ground for new Spectres, and then on the 9th Division was overwhelmed."

Tule Vankrels: "Is there suspicion of sabotage?"

[Segihama Investigator] Arwin Hartman: "Always, but we haven't found anything pointing towards that. So far, only negligence."

The girls asked a few more technical questions about the materials used, the patrol cycles and the weather conditions. Anything that might have clued them on something. Eventually they reached the secured area and were left to their own devices.

Task Details
Danger: Low
Difficulty: 4
Type: Teamwork
Skill: PUZZLE (MIND)

Rolls
Daybreak: 7 = [4] + 2 (Puzzle) + 1 (Harmony)
Tule Vankrels: 4 = [1] + 2 (Puzzle) + 1 (Harmony)

Outcome
Team: Success

Daybreak went on to analyze the structural damage and all documents pertaining to maintenance, construction history, any accident or malfunctions. Meanwhile Tule Vankrels went to ask questions to the investigators about the personnel of this guard post. Once they were done, they shared their findings.

Daybreak: "So far it is exactly as the investigator said. The wall was merely poorly maintained, but that's partly because of the outdated maintenance cycles. You would think they were in the southernmost part of Nagaea upon looking at this, sometimes they would just clock in practically do nothing. How did it even pass is beyond me."
Tule Vankrels: "Seems like you were right about the weather! It was night time and a new moon, so the visibility wasn't ideal. Furthermore the phantasmal scanners were... hang in there. Disconnected because the light annoyed the operator..."
Daybreak: "Wait isn't that practically criminal negligence here? Someone is going to end up in jail."
Tule Vankrels: "Well this is going to be difficult given they died the night of the attack so..."
Daybreak: "Oh. I don't know how to feel about that. Anyway. There is not much to add, but that's too many coincidences. We might find something more by studying the phantasmal readings."
Tule Vankrels: "Yep."

The two ARMs moved to retrace the passage of the Spectres.

Task Details
Danger: Low
Difficulty: 6
Type: Teamwork
Skill: SENSE (SOUL)

Rolls
Daybreak: 5 = [2] + 2 (Sense) + 0 (Love)
Tule Vankrels: 4 = [1] + 3 (Sense) + 0 (Love)

Outcome
Team: Failure

The Phantasmal residues were mixed and difficult to parse. So many Spectres and Apparitions had crossed the breach that it was an utter mess to read. Sure of themselves that there was something to be found in there, they pushed through until they strained themselves, causing some minor damage to their Maiden Core.

Daybreak has taken 1 Love Damage (0/2)
Tule Vankrels has taken 1 Love Damage (0/3)

Tule Vankrels: "My head is spinning..."
Daybreak: "Ngh. So that's what phantasmal sensory overload means..."

The two girls took a break. After lying down for a moment, they tried again when they felt better.

Task Details
Danger: Low
Difficulty: 6
Type: Teamwork
Skill: SENSE (SOUL)

Rolls
Daybreak: 8 = [6] + 2 (Sense) + 0 (Love)
Tule Vankrels: 7 = [4] + 3 (Sense) + 0 (Love)

Outcome
Team: Success

After much time spent on the residues, they determined that the initial two C-Class Spectres were a Sorcerer and a Reaper. They had attacked the wall at the same time, as if they had decided to coordinate which was highly unusual in itself.

Daybreak: "That doesn't make sense. Reaper types are Life Spectres, while Sorcerer types are Mind Spectres. At the very least the Sorcerer should have tried to avoid the Reaper due to incompatibility."
Tule Vankrels: "Yeah, it wouldn't have been surprising if that was, say, a Reaper and a Terror."

Tule was playing with one of her roses as she tried to make head or tail of this.
Tule Vankrels: "Maybe they cooperated anyway? Even if it's unprecedented, it's not impossible in theory, right?"
Daybreak: "That's what we want to find out. Now to check the emotional traces of the personel."

Task Details
Danger: Low
Difficulty: 4
Type: Teamwork
Skill: EMPATHY (HEART)

Rolls
Daybreak: 3 = [1] + 2 (Empathy) + 1 (Courage)
Tule Vankrels: 5 = [3] + 2 (Empathy) + 1 (Courage)

Outcome
Team: Partial Success

Next they retraced the emotions felt by the people garisoned here the day the attack occured. For ARMs with a weak Heart, it could be quite damaging to undertake a thought dive. The two seemed to be meditating with nothing able to break their concentration. They navigated through the terror, bravery, despair, hope of the people, looking for something that could clue them on any strange happenings that night. Then they opened their eyes at the same time.

Daybreak: "Did you feel that Tule Vankrels?"
Tule Vankrels: "Yeah... It was triumph, right? When the breach occured, someone felt triumphant because of the breach."
Daybreak: "There might have been a malignant actor in the end."
Tule Vankrels: "Daybreak, do you have any idea about who could that be?"
Daybreak: "We will have to investigate a bit more."

Task Details
Danger: Low
Difficulty: 6
Type: Teamwork
Skill: PUZZLE (MIND)

Rolls
Daybreak: 4 = [1] + 2 (Puzzle) + 1 (Harmony)
Tule Vankrels: 5 = [2] + 2 (Puzzle) + 1 (Harmony)

Outcome
Team: Failure

Daybreak has taken 1 Harmony Damage (2/3)
Tule Vankrels has taken 1 Harmony Damage (1/2)

The girls tried to piece what they had learnt together in order to solve the problem. After countless debates and wrong theories, their brains were starting to overheat a bit and they became a bit nonsensical towards the end.

Tule Vankrels: "Aliens. It was aliens."
Daybreak: "That's the third time you suggest that Tule Vankrels."
Tule Vankrels: "No but this time, I have a flawless explanation. See, they are aliens who can mimic the human form, and transform into Spectres- Sorry I was just trying to lighten the mood."

Daybreak was glaring daggers at Tule Vankrels.
Daybreak: "I think we need a break. All this nonsense has managed to destabilize our cores, great for a first day on our own."
Tule Vankrels: "Hum, let's just stop thinking about it for now."

They rested a bit and made a tour of the surroundings to take their minds off things. After they had rested, they returned to the task at hand.

Task Details
Danger: Low
Difficulty: 6
Type: Teamwork
Skill: PUZZLE (MIND)

Rolls
Daybreak: 4 = [1] + 2 (Puzzle) + 1 (Harmony)
Tule Vankrels: 8 = [6] + 2 (Puzzle) + 0 (Harmony)

Outcome
Team: Success

Their minds refreshed, Tule Vankrels and Daybreak saw links they had missed, and dismissed false leads they had endlessly pursued prior. Then Tule suddenly leapt shouting.
Tule Vankrels: "I figured out!"
Daybreak: "Just to be sure, you are not going to say it was aliens, right?"
Tule Vankrels: "Come on, it was a joke! Sure I tried it three times. But that's not the point. It could only have been that woman, Keryl Nelva."
Daybreak: "She wasn't even present that night, so go on, I'm listening."
Tule Vankrels: "Yeah about that... she was. See that surveillance feed? And that one from the month prior, when she was there."
Daybreak: "Wait really? But that's not her at all, that's another visitor. Hold on... the face and body are different, but the gait and posture are too similar to be a coincidence. Ah, that mannerism... it's also on the other video. Tule Vankrels, you are a genius. Did you really cross check everyone from the feeds to the past visitors?"

Tule Vankrels smiled triumphuntly, and adopted the pose of some famous detective in a drama she had seen.
Tule Vankrels: "Hohoho. I narrowed down the suspicious individuals to a dozen or so, and worked from that. It was but a trivial matter my friend."
Daybreak: "The poor imitation aside, you are a genius Tule. Did Keryl Nelva impersonate that person, Jill Mequines?
Tule Vankrels: "I wanted to brag how I also crosschecked the gait and stuff of the original Jill Mequines, and how it didn't fit either. Anyway yeah, I'm pretty sure we got our suspect."
Daybreak: "Hmm... she is on the list of supposedly deceased people that night too. That's shady.

Daybreak let a long sigh of relief, and threw away some papers.
Daybreak: "Let's report this and leave it to the investigators. I would rather fight Spectres than continue doing investigative work."
Tule Vankrels: "Come on, that wasn't so bad."
Daybreak: "Sure thing miss incredible detective..."

The two ARMs reported their findings to the investigators and to the 4th Division, and called it a day.

Mission Completed!