Chapter 1.6 - Return to Archon
Archon Police Station Operating Room
Mikhail helps Jan and the others out of their dive ports.
Melisse: What happened to the children!?
Lactis: That should have been a wide-range compulsory logout, but it seems it was denied.
Melisse: Oh no…
Jan: Were their consciousnesses locked there? Could it have been the influence of some external force…?
Mikhail: As far as I can tell, there’s no evidence in the ambassadors’ trace logs that they were being held against their will!
Jan: Just like you said before the dive. So the ambassadors really were staying there of their own accord?
Lactis: I don’t know about the ambassadors, but that woman… when I think about her behavior before she deleted herself, I can’t deny the possibility that she had her own reasons for staying there. However…
Jan: What?
Lactis: Two things she said before she died are sticking out in my mind. “Promised land” and “that person”…
Jan: Was someone communicating with her consciousness in that place? Someone besides us and those attending the Immigrant Fleet talks?
Melisse: It couldn’t be… Voyager?
Lactis: I don’t know… this incident is just too strange.
Jan: Indeed. The interference from outside… the bizarre actions of that diplomat… I don’t think the criminal merely intends to create discord between the Federation and the Immigrant Fleet. It’s different somehow, more…
Lactis and Mikhail, go over the trace logs for any possible connection between that woman’s words and the perpetrator. Melisse and Bugs, stand by until I give you further orders. I’m going to head to the hospital. I should recover the bodies of the officers who were killed.
After giving everyone their orders, Jan comes upon Bugs standing alone in front of Erich’s body.
Jan: Bugs, you take a break too. I’m sorry, but I have to take him in for investigation.
Bugs: ...Yes, sir.
Galaxy Police Hospital
The examining room is overflowing with the rescued policemen and young ambassadors. Jan is standing in in the doorway.
Jan: I’m with the Federation Police. I’d like to speak with whoever’s in charge here.
Sharon: That would be me, but can we do it later? I have to tend to these people first.
Kate: Doctor, we need your opinion please.
Sharon: Child #2 is triage red [in need of immediate attention]. Bring the physical injuries to me and the neurological injuries to Dr. Pirajat!
Kate: Okay!
Sharon: Wait a minute!
Kate: Yes?
Sharon: Policeman #5’s feedback injuries look severe… based on the last case, it’s most likely anaphylactic shock. Tell them to calm him down with nitrous oxide!
Kate: Yes, ma’am!
Sharon: Someone with a uniform like yours was taken to the room next door.
Jan: Thank you.
Sharon: ...Wait.
Jan: Yes?
Sharon: ...I’ll go too.
They move to the next examining room. Erich and two of the Goodwill Ambassadors are lying there.
Richard: Doctor!! This policeman is in brain stem areflexia [a coma]. Should we resuscitate?
Sharon: …It seems futile. Is that #3?
Eddie: Girl #2 is going into cardiac arrest! Employing the AED! [defibrillator]
Sharon: You!
Jan: !!
Sharon: Watch the monitor while we use the AED… you did learn basic first aid at Police Academy, right?
Jan: Yes. I'm on it.
Eddie: We used the AED up to 400 joules! Still nothing!
Sharon: Epinephrine?
Eddie: No good… no reaction.
Sharon: For a child to die at this time, in this way… it’s truly…
Jan: …
Jan walks alone down the hospital corridor, which is dyed red by the setting sun. A voice calls out to him and he stops and turns around.
Jan: ?
Sharon: Thank you for helping earlier.
Jan: No, I’m happy to be of service.
Sharon: I’m sorry about your subordinate.
Jan: Thank you... but how are the children?
Sharon: In the end, one of them didn’t make it. Damn it! If nanotechnology were more readily available, we could have saved that one…
Jan: Surprisingly strong language.
Sharon: …I’m sorry. I just get so upset when a child dies. The latest medical treatments are used to prolong the life of some rotting old rich man when they should be used where they are actually needed! Don’t you feel anything when you see a child die like that?
Jan: …However disturbed I may feel, I don’t show it on my face.
Sharon: …That must be tough. Or is it liberating?
Jan: I'm not sure even I know…
Sharon: What a mysterious man…
Jan: Thank you for treating my subordinate. Please take care of the death certificates, Doctor…
Sharon: Rozas. Sharon Rozas.
Jan: Thank you. Doctor Rozas.
In the autopsy room, Erich has been placed on a cot in cold storage. Sharon is composing the death certificate on her monitor.
Sharon: Unnatural death in the U.M.N., case 1458. Erich Weber, 28 years old. …Member of the 1875th Federation special-ops detachment squad. Cause of death was physical feedback from damage received from a security unit while inside U.M.N. virtual reality. Time of death was… !!
The power source of the freezer case crashes down and Sharon turns around in surprise. Before her eyes, the lid opens and Erich rises, pulling himself out.
Sharon: He revived!? That’s not possible… his body should be completely dead! Calling all doctors to the autopsy room!! I’m afraid there’s been a horrible mistake! You there! You are in need of immediate medical attention. It is inadvisable for you to try to walk! …Hey! Wait!
Eddie: Doctor, hold on! Maybe we should call the police before we do anything else…
Sharon: And just let him leave the hospital? Under these circumstances!? Wait! You’re in a very unstable condition right now!
Erich: …No problem.
Sharon: …