Tabit: Halt, friends!
Tabit Nanomachine Morph evades an attack!
Yoshiori: That's a thing!?
Esperdica: I intellectually knew it was possible, but still, wow.
Tabit: Taught friends combat maneuvers, know programming. But, nanomachine evasion less effective against Parallel Weapon attack!
Esperdica: Oh okay then. We better keep up!
Coffee smoke can make illusion copies now.
Esperdica: Guess which one is real?
Esperdica starts sweep kicking!
Esperdica: This will cut down on any damage taking. Go Tabit!
Tabit morphs his sword arm to attack!
MC: Wait, Tabit is that really okay!?
Raizi: It's cool, he morphed a blunt sword arm.
Tabit: ...M-871, right flank weak. T-963, slowed reaction at range. Know friends, cannot lose! Super Morph Weapon attack!
The droids are dropping nonlethally towards zero but ready to counterattack!
Red: beep boop p-p-p-pleeeaaase ev-v-v-vaaade
Digram: Eliminating attack. Please be careful of any shockwaves.
Yoshiori: Shoot the bullets, got it. MC!
MC: Okay, go Digram and Yoshiori!
Digram and Yoshiori countershoot the shots made at Tabit, causing them to explode!
Red: beep boop daaaannnngeerrr
The explosion blasts the droids against the wall, where they fall and get KOed!
Raizi: ...okay, we're done. You okay MC?
MC: Yep / Aww you're so nice, Raizi
(B) Raizi: I-I mean, of course I'd worry about a fellow commander. Geez.
Raizi: Yeah we're done. Let's save energy by quitting out of hero mode.
Esperdica: At least there aren't any passengers nearby. Tabit, how are they?
Tabit: Not destroyed. Energy shut down, reboot possible. Thank you.
Esperdica: That's good. Digram, can you check the connector terminal?
Digram: Yes, decoupling order cancelled. However, resending of command is still possible. Making announcement to Car One passengers to evacuate to other cars.
Raizi: (sighs) Man, never dreamed the train disconnecting could be a thing happening.
Digram: Car Two has subengines so train would not have been stranded, but Car One passengers still in danger.
Yoshiori: Yeah, can't expect anyone able to stop them is actually in there. And taking them down nonlethally is hard.
Raizi: Yeah, wish we could do something about the dangers ahead...
Tabit is staring at the droids.
Tabit: Friends, infected despite no radio contact. Must be direct contact with actively infected friends. Everyone get infection at this rate...
Yoshiori puts a hand on Tabit's shoulders.
Yoshiori: You want to protect them. I know how it is. Let's get to it and stop them.
Tabit: ...right. Thank you, Comrade.
Yoshiori: I ain't worried about you or anything. Also I'm not military anymore. But if you can keep going, I'll do what I can...also our Operator just can't leave people alone, heh.
MC: Just like you, Yoshiori / Let's do our best!
---
(A) Yoshiori turns away and snorts.
---
Tabit: Saving friends for sure! (grabs dog tag)
Yoshiori: ...okay, cool. Let's go, MC. We still got engine room droids to deal with.
And so the party continues on.
Later
Digram: Instability increasing. Please watch your feet. Engine room ahead, entry generally restricted to employees on patrol, investigation, and emergencies. Passengers generally prohibited, but entry possible during train tours.
Raizi: Oh. That explains the big door.
Yoshiori: Well it's an emergency now. Digram, open up.
Digram: Opening door.
Digram uses a key card.
Esperdica: ...nothing happened. Is it broken?
Digram: Engine room door locked physically and digitally. Radio-ing in now for digital lock, but key card can only unlock from inside.
Digram tries the card again. Repeatedly.
Digram: ...card reader damaged from external force.
MC: Oh no!
Esperdica: Maybe the soldiers did it based on the damage I see.
Raizi: ...any other way in? Like an air duct or--
Tabit: (steps forward) Entry possible if small gap available.
Esperdica: Oh right, nanomachine body!
Tabit: Digram, requesting key card data!
Phone static!
MC: Phone's jammed again! Seems strong now.
Tabit: ...Digram, requesting direct transfer of unlocking data!
Digram: Understood. Opening port.
Digram opens a port in his arm. Tabit morphs his arm into a compatible plug and sticks it in.
Digram: ...transmission complete. Tabit, please.
Tabit: Order processed. Commencing action.
Tabit turns into a nanomachine swarm and slips past the door.
Digram: ...? Data entry found: "I want to save my friends." Tabit, please hurry. Results may change the quicker they are achieved. Just like before...
Inside
Tabit: Reconstruction complete. Opening door...ahh!
Outside
MC: It opened! Let's go!
Holy crap, the engine core is shining red!
Esperdica: W-what's going on!?
Title Card: What is True Happiness?
Digram: Engine core unstable.
Raizi: Yeah you could tell me it's about to blow up and I would buy that.
Esperdica: Don't bring that up! Digram, we have to fix it!
Digram: Yes. Control console is this way.
Digram leads the party in.
Yoshiori: Hey, look!
Jittery droid spotted!
Raizi: Geez, he's even more jittery than the other droids we've seen!
Tabit: Heavy infection detected. Must patch immediately, main systems badly damaged! Leader, transform us!
MC: Right, stop the guy!
The party is ready to fight!
Red: beep boop n-n-n-nooooo (holds up weapon)
Esperdica: ...we need to stop him. I'll go first and--
Tabit: Wait! Red, unable to take attacks! Might die...
Yoshiori: So what now then!? Hey wait, get down!
Yoshiori countershoots Red's bullet!
Yoshiori: Oof, the shockwave!
Digram: Yoshiori, are you okay? Please take care not to hit the core. Irreparable damage is possible.
Yoshiori: I GUESS but what do I even do then!?
Tabit: ...I go, without weapon.
Esperdica: B-but what if he attacks?
Tabit: No time for new plan!
Tabit nanoshifts behind Red!
Tabit: Red, W-504, I make things better now. Patchi--
Red: L-L-Leeaaadeeer
Red swings his gun around and charges a shot! Tabit presses on with the patch!
MC: Tabit!
Hey look, more droids walk in!
Yoshiori: Oh what the SHIT
Raizi: Wait, those are the ones we fought earlier!
The droids jump Red!
Red: guuuuuyyyyysssss
A-928: Leader, we're back and ready for action!
D-887: Some of the other guys shared their batteries with us!
C-615: We'll stop W-504!
A-928: Patch him up while we do that!
Tabit: ...roger! Resuming patch application!
Esperdica: Let's focus on the engine while they do their thing!
Digram: Understood. Accessing engine core control unit.
Raizi: No wait! Something's up with the core! Can you investigate it before you jack into it?
Yoshiori: Huh, that makes sense.
Digram: ...understood. Utilizing analog control console.
Typing on the space computer~
Digram: !! Continuous output of error code messages in error log!
MC: Oh no!
Digram: ...yes, presence of active space robot rabies virus inside engine core is extremely high.
Raizi: Score one for instinct. Can you do anything about it from here, Digram?
Tippity tap tap
Digram: Performing quarantine of virus for--[beep beep]--error, console disconnected. System unresponsive.
Esperdica: I see the virus is doing its work here too.
Digram: (stares)
Digram decides to open the plug port on his arm and is about to plug into the engine!
Yoshiori: ...wait, we all know what'll happen if you do that. You'll get infected, dammit!
Digram: ...acknowledged. However, safe running of Stella Campanella must be prioritized. Time is running short, but there are still options. Infection cannot spread further.
Digram looks at Tabit. He's trying his best over there.
Digram: ...my Parallel Weapon can transform in response to any obstacle in my way. I can act as substitute for engine system for a short time and quarantine infected files inside myself.
Yoshiori, Raizi, and Esperdica: !?
MC: NO
Digram: ...thank you for your concern MC, but I believe this to be our best option. Purging the infection by myself will be difficult, but I understand the engine core's systems and I have Tabit's patch. (stares at arm)
Digram: I will not go down easy to this virus. Requesting everyone's cooperation in restoring this unit after infection.
He's serious.
MC: what does that even mean?
Digram: I will be performing two simultaneous operations: substituting for engine system and clearing of infected files. All processing resources will be prioritized on those operations, meaning bodily control may become unstable. In case of infection-caused activity, permission granted to curb actions by force.
Yoshiori, Raizi, and Esperdica: ...
Esperdica: ...it's that important to you, isn't it?
Digram: Affirmative. Such is my order.
Esperdica: ...okay, I'm in.
Yoshiori: ...you sure, Esperdica? I figured you'd be against this.
Esperdica: Life wouldn't be worth living if I couldn't enjoy coffee anymore, if I were to reframe this towards my perspective. And so it is for keeping the train safe for him.
Raizi: (steps forward) Alright, bet. Waiting and losing by default sucks like hell anyway. I never take a bet I'll lose, so let's go win it together.
Digram: ...thank you both.
Yoshiori: ...what about you, MC?
Everyone looks at MC.
MC: ...I'll keep you safe, promise / wait, don't we have other ideas? / I dunno...
(A) Digram: ...thank you. (shakes MC's hand) But prioritize your own safety first.
(BC) Digram: ...there's no more time. Requesting your belief, MC. (holds out hand) ...I will complete this without fail. Please help me.
MC: ...okay
Yoshiori: Okay, I guess I'm in too. I'll protect everyone on this spaceship train!
Digram: Thank you...accessing engine core now.
Raizi: ...sorry Digram, but I think we should tie you up first and prevent as much rampage damage as we can.
Digram: Understood. No objections if arm module is still usable.
Esperdica: I wasn't expecting us to use the villain restraints like this...
Yoshiori: Dunno if it'll do much on Digram, but I guess it's better than nothing.
Yoshiori and Esperdica tie Digram up.
Digram: Accessing engine core now.
MC: ...be careful.
Digram makes one last acknowledgement before continuing.
Tabit: Everyone, W-504 all better now! (runs over) ...!? What happening?
MC: Tabit, get ready too! Digram's going to try to fix the engine systems.
MC catches Tabit up on the plan.
Tabit: ...Digram has patch. He will be okay. Only Digram can fix engine system.
Esperdica: All we can do is believe in him.
Plot twist!
Digram: BWOOOP
Digram snaps the wire restraint!
Yoshirori: Oh dammit all! MC, Raizi, get back!
Esperdica: Digram!? ...oh no, he can't hear us. Your orders! We need to stop him!
Yoshiori and Esperdica square up!
MC: Digram...
Raizi: MC, I know you might not want to see this, but you need to look at Digram! If you want to save him, then you have to believe!
MC nods and looks ahead.
Digram: O-o-operatiiing enginnnne systemmm
Digram has lost control and fires cables everywhere!
Tabit: Oh no! Everyone!
The cables hit all the mob droids!
A-928: What!? Everyone g-g-gettt awa-a-a-yyyy beepboop
C-615: C-c-controolll losssst, p-p-p-patch inefffec-ec-ec-ectiveee
Yoshiori: Goddammit, this again!?
Tabit: But why!? ...oh no! Virus evolved!?
Esperdica: We have to fight! MC, Raizi!
Raizi: Right, line up guys! Getting this operation on track! Sucks, but we'll have to stop them! We also have to protect Digram since he's running the engine now!
MC: Believe in Digram!
Party: !?
Digram: V-v-v-virus patch ap-p-p-pliiied
Digram and the droids are charging their weapons!
Raizi: ...welp, this is it MC! Hold the line!
Yoshiori: Yeah! I'll protect them too! I can get everyone through this alive!
Esperdica: ...Digram promised to have coffee with me later. I can't be going down now!
Tabit: ...I WILL protect Digram and friends. Still hope! Leader, your orders!
MC: Let's goooo!
BATTLE START
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