[Combat concluded. All mortars have been disabled.]
[...The helicopter tasked with transporting the cargo has landed safely.]
IWS 2000: Fräulein Welrod, we’ve disconnected all Sangvis mortars, over.
Welrod: The enemies on our front door have all been cleaned up. Cargo is currently being loaded onto the helicopter.
What’s your location, over?
IWS 2000: There may still be other dangers lurking around. We’ll cover your exfiltration, over.
Welrod: Understood, and thank you. Our victory is owed to your unwavering tenacity on this day.
[...Transmission terminated.]
IWS 2000: We did it... We did it!
Fräulein Welrod even praised our performance!
Glock 17: Haha! With that, we’ve redeemed ourselves! Those squawkers on that dissing forum can shut it!
IWS 2000: Dissing forum?
Glock 17: Oh...crap...
IWS 2000: We were on it...?
I’ve been browsing through all the posts but I couldn’t even find a peep of anything like that?
Glock 17: W-Well, that hardly matters anymore! They should all have their neural cloud updated!
AUG: ...
“The Ides of March are come, Spurinna,” Caesar said jokingly to the seer the day of his assassination.
IWS 2000: ”Aye, Caesar; but not gone.”
...Though, the earliest record of this dialogue is apocryphal, if not altogether fictional.
AUG: Just a well-intentioned reminder that your mission isn’t entirely over yet.
IWS 2000: I know... Once Welrod confirms the cargo has safely reached the base, it’ll be my job to bring us all home...
I won’t put us in the same situation again!
AUG: You don’t even remember any of it, so why are you so hung up on that past failure of yours?
IWS 2000: The fact that I don’t remember it is the reason why I can’t let it go.
AUG: If some accident beyond anyone’s control happens, you’ll be beating yourself up again for quite a while.
Don’t be so conceited. You’re neither Emperor nor God.
IWS 2000: It is nonetheless my duty as your team leader.
AUG: The burden you carry may seem insignificant now, but it will grow heavier as time goes by.
Glock 17: Hold on... SSG is gone...
I haven’t seen her since we disabled the mortars. Has she gone scouting?
AUG: There’s something she needs to attend to. She’s running some extra legwork in the neighborhood.
IWS 2000: Why didn’t I know about this?
Did you request this of her?
AUG: Indeed.
IWS 2000: Why did you send SSG off on her own behind my back?
You know how dangerous this place is!
AUG: You said you trusted me. Now is the time to prove that.
We both know what SSG’s made of. She, too, understands that her objective’s importance is beyond our current mission.
IWS 2000: I can’t accept that. What if she runs into trouble?!
Hailing SSG! Where are you?! Answer me, please!
AUG: I just don’t understand. What exactly do you want?
IWS 2000: I want to ensure that our squad will not fall before we reach the end! I won’t let that happen again!
AUG: Blind fervor will only cause you to make the same mistake again.
IWS 2000: I’m not like you, AUG. It’s because I can’t let go that—
Glock 17: Guys... Calm d—
[...Click...]
SSG 69: L-leader...? Fräulein IWS...?
IWS 2000: SSG, where are you? Are you in any danger?
SSG 69: I’m quite safe here...
I found the remains we’d left behind...
IWS 2000: Remains? What’s the point in finding them?
SSG 69: Things...don’t look good over here... You’d better come quick.