“Vulnerability. That is one of the critical flaws that makes Suha unsuitable for the Guristas… in a weakened state, she’ll capitulate. She’ll open herself up for others to take advantage of her as a means to survive just a bit longer… This organization sustains itself by exploiting such meekness, she is the very thing the Guristas prey on.“
- Utatis Parinen
“I find hate to be unprofessional.”
October 22nd YC 126
H-PA29 IV - Moon 2 - Guristas Assembly Plant - SoE medical center, Patient room 452, Suha Raibuya
“W-Where… Where am I…?”
“A hospital, Suha…An SoE operated one”
“Utatis…?”
“Yes, it’s me.”
“I don’t… I don’t remember what happened…”
“You overdosed.”
“W-What-”
“-The blue pill you bought from your H-PA Crew contact? They were combat grade. Used by Capsuleers to dull the pain they feel when operating shield modules… Your body wasn’t built to handle such chemicals… ”
“…”
“I dispatched Felch, Reks and Friran to do a wellness check. You were not returning any calls or messages… They entered your residence, you were found in a catatonic state. Paramedics were called. You had to be rushed here…”
“…”
“… Your heart stopped. You had to be revived.’
“…”
“Do you understand what im telling you, Suha?”
“…Y-Yes.”
“I’ll spare you the details then.”
“…”
“…”
“…< Inhale>"
“…”
“…< Exhale >"
“…”
“… Why are you here?”
“Reks relayed back to me. I cleared my schedule and-”
“-WHY are you here, Utatis?”
“Well… You paid me a visit when I was laid out… Figured you’d appreciate the gesture in return.
“Like that actually mattered to you! I know what you really are! You never cared about that! You never cared about me…”
“…it’s my job to care about you Suha.”
“Y-Your job?!”
“Yes. My job.”
“T-Thats all I was to you? Just work?”
“… You’re taking this personally-”
“-You made this personal after spying on me for the last five-■■■■■■■-years Utatis! You’re gonna lecture me about ‘Taking this personally ’? Really?! ■■■■ you!’
“… I think you need more rest Suha.”
“I-I don’t need that! I’m fine!”
“Lay down! What are you doing!?”
“J-Just watch me!”
“Suha. Don’t.”
“I’m-”
< Suha slipping and crashing to the floor >
“…Suha?’
“I…I can’t feel my legs!”
“Suha…”
“W-W-Why can’t I feel my legs?!”
“Severe numbing. Booster flooded your nerves, effectively drowning and disabling them from getting any signals to your brain.”
“…?!”
“Doctors flushed your systems out once already, but there’s still more detox to undergo. You’re not well Suha… You’re lucky to be alive.
“… I-I just wanted to mellow out for the morning…I didn’t think it would be this bad.”
“…”
“…”
“…”
“…Utatis? C-Can you help me up?”
“Of course, Suha.”
“Thank you…”
“Slowly now.”
“…”
“…”
“Do you need help getting back in bed?”
“No! No… I-I can do that.”
“Alright…”
“…”
“… So the doctors informed me that-”
“-Why did you help me just now?”
“… You asked.”
“But why follow through with it?! You could’ve left me there on the floor! It’s… It’s what I did to you!”
“…”
“D-Don’t you hate me…?”
“I find hate to be unprofessional.”
“You were upset.”
“No! NoNoNo! I know what you’re doing! You’re pretending everything’s fine! Just so you can get close to me again!”
“Well Suha… I need you to cooperate with me.”
“I knew it! You-”
“-Silence.”
“…!?”
“… My life is tied to yours. Not because I made that choice, but because it was the assignment given to me… And I take my assignments very seriously, Suha.”
“…”
“We don’t have to have feelings for one another… We just need to understand our failures will lead to mutually assured destruction… Survival is my motivation, Suha. Nothing more.”
“…”
“I need you to stop hiding things from me.”
“And why would I do that?!”
“So I can protect you.”
“P-Protect me?!”
“Yes… Suha, I have kept you alive far longer than you should be based on your record.… Now, I can’t help you keep your head much longer if you continue to cut me out of the loop.”
“And where would you think I’m cutting you out of the loop?”
“< Sigh > Alright… If you really want to try and be naive with me. Let’s start with these arrangements you’ve been making with Felch… Did you know he was planning on exploiting you for money to keep your overdose hidden from me?”
“I-”
“-A rhetorical question, you were unconscious the whole time. Reks brought it to my attention alongside the news… As I’ve come to understand, you were using Felch’s greed to do a few ‘Under the table’ jobs you didn’t want me to be aware of… I peered at your personal accounts and noticed a pattern of ‘bonus’ payments made out to him… Suppose I’m not surprised he found an opportunity to profit in your weakest moment.”
“…”
“You started to utilize him very frequently once you and I had our falling out… Even to bump off this pimp you had issues with.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about…”
“You didn’t think I’d find it peculiar you’d use me to scrounge up all that intel on him, only to hear of his demise soon after?
“Things happen…”
“I saw the security footage for that day, Suha.”
“…”
“One of the bartenders that night looked awfully familiar… Served the man a drink and several seconds later? Goes ballistic, starts attacking patrons and has to be gunned down… It’s almost as if someone slipped something into his drink that night.”
“… He disgusted me.”
“I figured as much… Which is why you put Felch up to it. Caused a mess and likely would’ve gotten some of Helmatt’s Harriers injured or killed… That’s serious Suha. Deadly serious.”
“…”
“And now… We talk about Avio.”
“What about him?”
“It’s cute, isn’t it?~”
“He puts in the work, becomes a man of authority in the Commando Guri, and what does he do? Cobbles together a unit with your name…”
“So?”
“We talked about this a hundred times by now Suha… You have no place in military matters, yet here you are using your boy toy Capsuleer as a proxy… Again.”
“You got it all wrong!”
“I do? You didn’t put him up to this?”
“I found it all flattering, But past that? I have no involvement in what he does in the Commando Guri… So my name was used for branding, that doesn’t mean I’m secretly controlling anything…”
“…”
“… It’s the truth, Utatis. Maybe if you had someone that loved you, you’d understand.”
“Maybe so…”
“…”
“…”
“… When can I go home?”
“Whenever the doctors clear you… Aside from more detox procedures, they’re likely gonna run some tests to see if any of your motor functions are compromised…”
“It’s… It’s that bad?”
“Possibly… Your brain struggled to receive sufficient oxygen for several hours. The likelihood of sustained brain damage is probable…”
“…”
“I should let you rest… I’ll have Reks and Friran take shifts. If you need anything, you can go to them… Or contact me directly.”
“What about Felch?"
“… I’m going to be putting him on some special assignments, don’t worry about it.”
“Okay…”
“Get well soon, Suha. We’ll get you out of here before you know it.”
“…U-Utatis?”
“Yes…?”
“T-Thank you…”
“Of course…”