Chapter 4 – Conversations in Ash

Chapter 4 – Conversations in Ash

Chapter:

↓ Transcript
Splash page for Chapter 4: Conversations in Ash. It features a wall of salmon and pink-ish colored rocks with blood dripping in some of them. In the center, the O SARILHO logo is written to resemble a Salamantine font and as if painted on the wall with blood.

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Ch4p01

Chapter:
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As Nikita Kirchhoff awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed in his bed into a gigantic insect.

↓ Transcript
As Nikita Kirchhoff awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed in his bed into a gigantic insect.

Panels.

Panel 1:
Nikita wakes up from uneasy dreams.

Panel 2, 3:
The alarm clock rings "TITITI, TITITI, TITITI". Nikita releases a single "AFF" before he turns to the machine. His left arm is in a cast, and some bandages cover part of his face.

Panel 4,5,6:
Nikita opens the blind and turns off the alarm with his other hands. The morning sun comes in. The clock notes the day and time: May, 3rd, 06:00 AM. Nikita steps into his slippers.


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Ch4p02

Chapter:
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INFO: MAY, 3RD, 508. RÉGULA II.

4 Panels.

Panel 1,2,3,4:
Top view of Nikita's room as he dresses his uniform with the help of his other hands. There's a bunnk bed to the left, and his clothes are organized in tidy piles. There are a few items on a desk, photos and a number of certificates on the wall, along with a big banner with MAI written on it and the symbol of the empire. On the desk there is an ashtray where something is burning, surrounded by an orange ribbon.

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Ch4p03

Chapter:
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Ever looked at the mirror and thought maybe you don’t like what you saw?

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4 Panels.

Panel 1, 2:
Nikita clips the star to his uniform and puts two fingers in the ashes.

Panel 3:
He puts the ash over a picture of a young Mikhail.

Panel 4:
He puts the finger with the remaining ash over his face, leaving a long dark strike on his cheek. His face is partially covered in bandages and an eyepatch covers his right eye.

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Ch4p04

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INFO: MAY 3RD, 508. SALAMANCA.

6 Panels.

Panel 1:
Dária is laying on her back on a bed, looking at her gloved hand. Her ring finger is gone. She's dressed in blue civilian clothes, but has the bright red star of the army on her shoulder.

Panel 2,3:
Dária throws a tantrum while Pepper pretends not to see it.

Dária: This isn't how it was supposed to happen!
Pepper: Knock it off, that finger will grow back in no time-
Dária: FINGERS DO NOT GROW BACK, YOU DUNCE!!

Panel 4:
Pepper is reading a book and not looking at his friend. He continues as if the interruption didn't happen.

Pepper: -After the ceremony, we go back to Madrid and it'll be as if none of this ever happened.
Dária (off panel): Pepper, I...

Panel 5, 6:
Dária grabs the bedsheets.

Dária: I don't know if I want to go back to Madrid...



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Ch4p05

Chapter:
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↓ Transcript
6 Panels.

Panel 1:
Pepper is sitting in a chair with his legs crossed. He shuts the book close with a loud "THUD!".

Pepper: That's it! You don't know what you're saying anymore.
Dária (off panel): Don't dismiss me, Pepper! How can I go back?

Panel 2:
Pepper gets up to face Dária and folds his arms, angry.

Dária (cont): DANCE AND DRINK? After our comrades just DIED?
Pepper: Ah yes, sure! Because going back and getting yourself killed is sure to bring them back! Gee, Dária, your mind!

Panel 3:
Dária cries in frustration, clenching her fists.

Dária: I can't take it anymore... I can't just sit here and do nothing!

Panel 4,5:
Pepper presses his forehead with a hand while sighing. He pushes Dária towards the door.

Pepper: Look... Let's go to Rua Mayor and get that icecream you really like, ok? You're just hungry!

Panel 6:
Pepper pushes Dária outside the room and into the corridor as she's talking, but they are interrupted by noise coming from furher away.

Dária: I know what I must do, Pepper, I'm not asking you to come with me if you-

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Ch4p06

Chapter:
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4 Panels.

Panel 1:
Two voices come from behind the corner of the corridor. They are speaking in Italian, which is noted by a different font. Pepper covers Dária mouth.

Voice 1, Giulia: WHAT?? And you put my daughter on that team?
Voice 2, Alessandro: Come on, Giulia, you are not this naïve.
Giulia: Does my sister know? About the computers being against it?
Alessandro: Screw those odds! It was a Special Operations mission, nobody will look into it too much.
Giulia: You sent my daughter on a doomed mission!

Panel 2:
Alessandro, an older dark-skinned man wearing purple, puts a hand on Giulia's shoulder. She's tall and blonde and looks exactly like Dária.

Alessandro: Hah! Doomed? But it was a success! This outcome favours both of our families.
Giulia (annoyed): Clearly, you have no problem with having a martyr for a son!

Panel 3,4:
Giulia wisks his hands away from her.

Giulia: If you're going to play with my daughter's life, at least have the DECENCY of keeping me in the loop! This was not your decision to make! And I am not spending another minute under your roof! We are leaving!

Panel 5:
Pepper grabs Dária away from Giulia's view and back into the room. He and Dária stare at each other.


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Ch4p07

Chapter:
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↓ Transcript
INFO: AUGUR OFFICES. RÉGULA II

5 Panels.

Panel 1,2:
Nikita walks through a door, with a plate saying "GABINETTO DI ÁUGURII". A blue box full of papers follows him through the corridor. There is MIKHAIL written on it.

Panel 3:
Nikita walks by two smoking Augurs, who mutter under their breaths: ÁRGON, HELP ME.

Panel 4,5:
Nikita halts next to a door. The plate on it says "SHIZUKA NAKAMURA. AUG.", with a few more imperial symbols.

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Ch4p08

Chapter:
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↓ Transcript
6 Panels.

Panel 1,2,3:
Shizuka's office. It has more stuff around it than the previous time it appeared. Shizuka was sitting on a chair near the window, but she's startled up by Nikita's blue box, which crosses the room in a rapid fashion with a "SWOOP!" and lands on her desk with a loud "THUD!".

Shiza: WHAT THE FUCK, NIKITA, ARE YOU INSANE!'
Nikita: Is this important?

Panel 4:
Shizuka fiddles through the box's contents. She looks at one paper, which has incomprehensible scribbles on it.

Shizuka: The possibility of an international conflict does not change my deliveries schedule. My, ya brother's writing is awful.

Panel 5:
Top view of the office. There are two monitors on Shizuka's desk and a Comcata in another chair. Cables all over the floor. A printer is continuously discharging paper, noisily.

Shizuka (cont): He was always a slow reader, but I did not take him for an... ARTISTIC writer. Do you know anyone who can translate these for me?
Nikita: No.

Panel 6:
Black background and Shizuka looking at the papers, her expression a mystery.

Shizuka: Oh... Guess I'll be needing a new electrician, then.

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Ch4p09

Chapter:
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↓ Transcript
6 Panels.

Panel 1:
Shizuka wipes a tear from her eye, with her back to Nikita so that he doesn't see her emote. Nikita addresses her.

Nikita: I need to make a phone call. Mezzaferro.

Panel 2,3:
Shizuka puts her reg Augur gloves on. On her desk we see one of the computer monitors and a pile of coffee mugs, next to Mikhail's blue box full of papers.

Shizuka: It's gonna be hard to get a General on the line.
Nikita: Tell them it's Captain Kirchhoff calling.
Shizuka: Didn't know your name could open doors now! Lemme see what I can find ya...

Panel 4,5, 6:
Nikita looks at the printer. It continuously and loudly prints more papers, which are flooding the room.

Nikita: Where are my men, Shizuka?
Shizuka: Nikita, you were dismissed for ten minutes and your team has already been disassembled. Not a good omen, in my professional opinion.
Nikita: Find them. And get me all documents you can on the mission.

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O Sarilho