Vaan...

Vaan

I Brought you some of those flowers you like: Galbana lilies. Remember?
You always said how they smelled nice, and how pretty they were. Remember?
The King –
Did you?
Were you really a part of it?
Even if –
Even if you were –

Balthier

You’re awake.

Vaan

Where are we?

Balthier

Prison, where else?
More a dungeon, but it’s really all the same.
Relax, it’s just a corpse.
Jump at every little thing down here and you’ll wear yourself out.
It’s not even a proper dungeon.
They just sealed off the bottom level of the fortress.
Take a look around. We’re not the first they’ve thrown down here.

Vaan

Where’s Fran?

Balthier

She’s off trying to find us a way out.
Remember what curiosity killed. Just a friendly word of advice.
This is all the water we’ve got. I’d save your strength if I were you.

Arena

Bangaa

Save me!

Vaan

No, don’t!
He was defenseless…

Balthier

Something stinks in here all right.
I’ve changed my mind.
This is no dungeon, it’s a sty.
I said you’re the one that stinks, hamshanks.
Hear me now?
You all right, Vaan?

Balthier

Great. They just don’t give up, do they?
Now is looking like a good time for us to leave.

Fran

Through the oubliette, there’s a way out.
Only –

Balthier

Only you sense the Mist.
Then we’ll need weapons.

Imperial

What did you call me?
Say that again!

Ba’Gamnan

What, you couldn’t hear?
I merely said that the lot of you are incompetent fools.
If you’ve the sky pirate in your hands, where is he?

Imperial

You’d have done better, Ba’Gamnan?
By your own words, it was the Imperial army who caught this sky pirate of yours.
We’ve done your job for you!
We don’t require the assistance of filthy headhunters.
The Empire will restore order here.

Ba’Gamnan

Eh? What’s that you say now?
Maybe I’ll whet my blade on you…before I kill Balthier.

Gabranth

That’s enough, Ba’Gamnan.

Fran

A Judge.

Vaan

Judge?

Balthier

Hmph.
The self-proclaimed guardians of law and order in Archadia.
They’re the elite guard of House Solidor.
Which effectively makes them the commanders of the Imperial army.
If you ask me, they’re more executioners than judges.
Not a friendly lot, at any rate.
What are they doing here?

Gabranth

The Emperor is willing to overlook race for his more talented servants.
However, those that do not show respect will receive none in kind.
You travel freely through our lands because the Emperor wills it.
Am I correct?
Where is the Captain?

Imperial

We have him in solitary, Your Honor.
We’re ready to begin our interrogation.
This does not concern you, bounty hunter.

Ba’Gamnan

He’s in here somewhere!
Find him!

Rinok

Bwagi, that way!

Gijuk

I was going this way!

Balthier

Time for the hare to follow the fox.

Fran

The magicks binding the door to the oubliette are quite strong.
Too strong even for my talents.

Balthier

That’s why we’ll get them to open it for us.

Vaan

How is going deeper into this place -

Balthier

What’s wrong?
You don’t trust her?
Viera’s noses are sharp.
If she says there’s a way out, there’s a way out.

The Confiscatory

Fran

Look.

Balthier

Ah! The prison repository of wrested relics and raiments.

Vaan

So our things are in here?

Balthier

That’s what I said.

The Black Watch

Balthier

There are more turnkeys than cutpurses down here.
I’ve had my fill of chains.
Let’s tread lightly, shall we?

Gabranth

You have grown very thin, Basch.
Less than a shadow.
Less than a man.
Sentenced to death and yet you live.
Why?

Basch

To silence Ondore.
How many times must I say it?

Gabranth

Is that all?

Basch

Why not ask Vayne himself?
Is he not one of your masters?

Gabranth

We’ve caught a leader of the insurgence.
She is being brought from Rabanastre.
The woman Amalia.
Who could that be?
Such a faithful hound to cling so to a fallen kingdom.

Basch

Better than throwing it away.

Gabranth

Throwing it away?
As you threw away our homeland?

Basch

Who’s there?

Balthier

This the place?

Fran

The Mist is flowing through this room.
It must be going somewhere.

Basch

You! You’re no Imperials.
Please, you must get me out –

Balthier

It’s against my policy to speak with the dead.
Especially when they happen to be kingslayer..

Basch

I did not kill him.

Balthier

Is that so?
Glad to hear it.

Basch

Please, get me out.
For the sake of Dalmasca.

Vaan

Dalmasca!?
What do you care about Dalmasca!?
Everything that’s happened is because of you!
Everyone that’s died, every single one!
Even my brother –
You killed my brother!

Balthier

Quiet!
The guards will hear.

Fran

I’m dropping it.

Balthier

Pirates without a sky.

Barheim Passage

Balthier

Spare us your quiddities.

Vaan

Yeah, but –
But he’s a –

Balthier

A traitor. I know.
Stay here and fight, if you want.
If you can walk,
Let’s go.

Vaan

You’re taking him with us?

Balthier

We could use another sword arm.

Basch

And you have it.

Balthier

Let’s have a look.
Hm…the fuse is blown. That would explain why there’s no power reaching the switch.
If the wiring is any indication, I’d say this is a central power relay of some sort. As it stands, I doubt we’ll find much still running down here.

Burrogh

Don’t get many visitors down here. You come scavengin’ fer odds and ends, have you?
Oh, the way out? It’s just back up those stairs –
To smithereens, you say!? Then there’s nothin’ left but to find some other way out through these tunnels.
You’ll need to get the power workin’ again, ‘fore that gate’ll budge, though.
The fuse in that contraption up the stairs is blown…but this oughta fix it up.
Made that tube fuse from parts I found down in these very tunnels. It’s good as any you’ll find, and better’ an most, mark my words.

Burrogh

I see you got the gate open. Oughta be able to look fer all manner of ways out, now.
While the lights are on, the Passage ain’t so bad.
But let the charge drop, and some fierce beasts start comin’ out in the dark.
Openin’ this gate probably took the charge down some. That gauge oughta show you how much charge is left.
Hrm, ‘bout thirty percent to operate somethin’ the size of these gates, I’d say.
Who knows how many more of these gates they got down here. You look fer these switchboards, you oughta be able to make yer way.

Op Sector 29

Vaan

Hey! Who turned out the lights?
One of those!?

Balthier

I’ve heard of these: Mimics.
They disguise themselves as all manner of things, then strike when you’re least wary.
Some of them have a fondness for energy, I’m told.
They gorge themselves on the stuff till there’s naught left.

Vaan

So…what happens then?

Balthier

Lights out. And it’s worse in the dark, Much worse.
So, let them get too close to one of those conduits and they’ll suck it dry.
But don’t worry. It’ll give the energy back, if you ask nicely.
Sticking it with a sword helps too.
Clock’s ticking!

North-South Junction

Fran

(The) Mist seethes.

Balthier

It reeks.
Something’s close.
Nice moves there, Captain.

Vaan

You mean “traitor.”

Balthier

So they say.
But I didn’t see him kill anyone.

Vaan

My brother did.

Basch

Reks.
He said he had a brother two years younger.
I see.
He meant you.
Your brother.
What became –

Vaan

He’s dead.

Basch

I’m sorry.

Vaan

It was you who killed him!

Basch

I give you my word: that was not the way of it.

Basch…

Reks

Reks, sir.
My name’s Reks.
He’s two years younger than I.
Living in Rabanastre.

Vossler

It’s time, Basch!
Save the discussion for later.

Reks

But if we arrive after he’s signed the treaty –
Sir! We have little time!
You must go to the King!

Vossler

It’s as I feared.
They’re slowing us down.

Reks

Captain, why?
Our king –
What have you done?

Basch?

His majesty was a traitor.

Balthier

A twin brother?
Fancy that.
But still, the pieces fit.
I’ll give you that much.
And he did look like you.

Vaan

I don’t’ believe you.

Basch

Of course not.
It was my fault that Reks was there.
I am sorry.

Vaan

My brother, he trusted you.
He trusted you, and he lost everything.
How can I believe you?

Basch

Not me then.
Believe in your brother.
He was a fine soldier. He fought to the last to protect his homeland.
No. Surely he fought to protect his brother.

Vaan

You don’t know anything!

Balthier

Believe what you want to.
Whatever it takes to make you happy.
What’s done is done.

Dalmasca Estersand

Basch

To think Dalmascan air could taste to sweet.

Vaan

Where are we?

Balthier

The Estersand, by the look of it.
Let’s back to Rabanastre before we shrivel up.
By your leave, Captain.

Basch

Yes, the hour of my return is already over late.
The people may hate me, but that does not free me of my charge.

The Royal City of Rabanastre

Basch

I thank you.

Balthier

I’d avoid crowds, if I were you.
In this town you’re still a traitor, you know.

Basch

The Resistance will surely find me soon.
Fates will we meet again.
I would pay my respects to your brother.

Balthier

You’re a fugitive now, too.
Stay low for a while.

Vann

What about the stone?

Balthier

Do as you like.
That stone’s ill-favored.

Fran

We feel regret. We sought that stone and found ourselves only worry.

Balthier

You offering it?

Vaan

It’s mine!

Balthier

Then why do you ask?
Our regards to your girl.

Fran

We stay in Rabanastre a while.

Vaan

What do you think?
Can I trust Basch?
I gotta get rid of this thing.
But maybe I should show it to Penelo first.
So she knows I got something.
She’d be at Migelo’s place this time of day.