THE EMPIRE | |
Nabreus Deadlands |
|
The Muted Scarp |
|
Basch |
This is all that remains of Nabudis. 2 years ago it was destroyed ??? by a mysterious force. |
Vaan |
This? In just 2 year? |
Basch |
As the Dawn Shard brought down the Leviathan and her fleet, (A fell) I found Mist spilled forth. |
Fran |
Is it revenge that you desire? |
The Salikawood |
|
Living Chasm |
|
Moogle Boss |
Once the gate¡¯s fixed, everyone will be able to go to the Phon Coast, kupo. It¡¯ll take a little while longer, yet. |
Layabout A |
What? No, we¡¯re working on the gate up ahead¡ |
Layabout B |
Kupo? We¡¯re here working on the gate up ahead. |
Layabout C |
We¡¯re here working on the gate up ahead. Except, right now we¡¯re taking a break, actually. |
Layabout D |
Oh, we¡¯re here working on the gate down the road. |
Vaan |
Yes. |
Layabout D |
Then let¡¯s be off, kupo! |
Moogle Boss |
Now that my apprentices are all back, the repairs took no time at all, kupo! Witness the power of moogles! |
Phon Coast |
|
Kaukula Pass |
|
Balthier |
It would seem we made the right choice. |
Hunters¡¯ Camp |
|
Vaan |
I'll race you to the water. |
Balthier |
Why the capital? |
Ashe |
The nethicite. |
Balthier |
Are you sure? |
Ashe |
Lusting for ever greater power, blinded by the nethicite. |
Balthier |
That does sound like someone I know. |
Ashe |
You were a¡a Judge!? |
Balthier |
Part of a past I¡¯d rather forget. |
Ashe |
It¡¯s hard to leave the past behind. |
Cut off the past to be free... | |
Ashe¡ |
|
Rasler |
A marriage of convenience. |
Ashe |
They do, do they? |
Rasler |
These roles we play. |
Ashe |
I will play mine. |
Rasler |
I would have no other. |
Balthier |
The choice is yours to make. |
Ashe |
I¡I pray you¡¯re right, Balthier. |
Tchita Uplands |
|
The Chosen Path |
|
Archadian |
This weak-kneed bangaa is worthless, utterly worthless. Just like every other hunter my father employs. |
Bill? |
A terrible menace plagues the Sochen Cave Palace. Calling hale hunters of all ages and races to deal with this scourge upon us. |
Vaan |
[Ask about this bill] |
Archadian |
East of here you come to the Highlands. |
Sochen Cave Palace |
|
Doubt Abandoned |
|
Vaan |
Hey, you sure this rabbit hole¡¯s really the way into Archades? |
Balthier |
Better a hare unseen than a rat in a trap. |
Penelo |
But what about once we¡¯re inside? |
Ashe |
We¡¯ll do what we can to blend into the crowd. |
Vaan |
True, true. |
Ashe |
I noticed. |
Old Archades |
|
Alley of Low Whispers |
|
Vaan |
Smells less like a capital¡and more like a sewer. |
Balthier |
Even empires have need of sewers. |
Vaan |
I guess it must be a lot nicer than this place. |
Balthier |
Oh, to be sure. |
Alley of Muted Sighs |
|
Imperial |
Entering the capital? You have credentials? |
Vaan |
I have not. |
Imperial |
No credentials!? We can¡¯t just throw open our gates to any old riff-raff who happen to be passing by. Be off with you, commoner! |
??? |
Well, well, well¡there¡¯s a sight for sore eyes. |
Balthier |
Oh wonderful. Enter the streetear. |
??? |
A pirate would do well to smile. Wouldn¡¯t want to sour his reputation. |
Vaan |
You know this guy? |
Balthier |
An old¡friend. He¡¯s a streetear ¨C a peddler of rumor and hearsay, by the name of Jules. |
Jules |
Sometimes an ear with right purse strings¡¯s the order of the day. Like when a pirate decides he fancies going up in the world. |
Vaan |
To the City? You know a way? |
Jules |
In Archades, knowledge is power. And power has a way of opening doors, boy. Now, a fool will buy a sack of feathers for his pillow, but a wise man¡He¡¯ll buy the whole stinking cockatrice and get his fill of meat into the bargain. |
Vaan |
[Pay up] |
Jules |
Bright boy. You learn fast. |
Vaan |
Actually, I did hear about a man who picked a bag of coins out of a barrel. |
Jules |
Bags in barrels, eh¡? A boy would do well to bring that morsel to a man named Beasley near here. Tell him what you¡¯ve heard. |
Jules |
You told him just as I told you? Good boy! |
Vaan |
I¡¯m not sure what any of this has to do with going up in the world. |
Jules |
Oh? Witness the power of knowledge, m¡¯boy. |
Commoner |
¡®Ey, ¡¯tis a fight! Beasley¡¯s gone wild! |
Vaan |
Now¡¯s our chance! Thanks, Jules. |
Balthier |
Never thought you¡¯d go for such a meager price. |
Jules |
A pirate should know that words are worth gil uncountable. Here¡¯s some words for you: The prodigal Bunansa son¡¯s come back to the Imperial roost. See? Words of much value, these. |
Balthier |
Bah. |
The Imperial City of Archades |
|
Trant |
|
Penelo |
You¡¯re gaping like a fish out of water. |
Vaan |
I¡¯m just checking out the city. |
Penelo |
You¡¯ve changed, Vaan. |
Vaan |
Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯ve seen more now. |
Penelo |
You always were a soft touch, Vaan. |
Vaan |
I know! |
Basch |
Good, Vaan. You¡¯ve come to understand the difficulties of serving royalty. |
Vaan |
Hey, I¡¯m just along for the ride. |
Penelo |
That wasn¡¯t a complaint, was it, Basch? |
Basch |
Right. Let¡¯s get moving. |
Penelo |
Hey, don¡¯t change the subject! |
Basch |
Right. |
Balthier |
We go our separate ways here, Vaan. I¡¯ve some business to attend to. We¡¯ll meet again later. |
Vaan |
Huh? Hey ¨C |
Nilbasse |
|
Cab Guide |
Only those with 9 or more chops may ride this cab, boy. Nothing personal, I assure you. |
Vaan |
A chop? What¡¯s that? |
Cab Attendant |
If you lack a chop, you pay coin. |
Penelo |
What? That¡¯s crazy! |
Jules |
Having a spot of trouble, are we? |
Vaan |
On this? But we need a¡a chop. What is a chop, anyway? |
Jules |
When a boy wants information¡that¡¯s right¡ |
Vaan |
[Pay up] |
Jules |
Why, any upstanding citizen of the Empire carries a chop. It¡¯s a mark of status sometimes, a writ of transit others. |
Vaan |
How do you get them? |
Jules |
Like I¡¯ve said, the key is knowledge, boy. You do your part here on the street, talk to the right people, you¡¯ll earn your chops in no time. |
Vaan |
That doesn¡¯t sound so bad. |
Jules |
Oh, people in Archades love doing good deeds. |
Vaan |
Uh¡ Not sure I do, but I¡¯ll give it a try. |
Jules |
A friend of Master Balthier¡¯s a friend of mine. |
Cab Guide |
Ah, I see you have some chops, sir.. Splendid. |
Van |
Take me to Tsenoble. |
Tsenoble |
|
Balthier |
Ah, so pleased you could join me. Jules had a morsel for us: a light airship used by Draklor researchers is just up ahead. |
Imperial |
The complices of the Senate have been quelled, Your Honor. |
Judge |
You have leave to withdraw. |
Imperial |
My Lord. |
Vaan |
Do you think they¡¯re on to us? |
Basch |
It would seem not, though this will make our task more difficult still. |
Balthier |
Certainly took your time getting here, didn¡¯t you. |
Vaan |
Not likely. Do you know how long it took to get the chops to get up here? |
Balthier |
What¡¯s that? But I gave Jules some chops¡ |
Vaan |
Jules! |
Jules |
Tsk, tsk. A squad of Judges has been sent to Draklor. You¡¯ll find the service entrance rather a difficult proposition, I¡¯m afraid. |
Balthier |
Your doing, no doubt. |
Jules |
The Ministry? Oh, Judges make poor customers, my friend. Too many rules, too many laws. |
Balthier |
People like¡Rozarrian sympathizers worried about the Empire¡¯s weapons programs, and anyone else who might be opposed to House Solidor hegemony. |
Jules |
And in exchange for your service, I¡¯ve spoken to a cabbie. When he asks where you want to go, tell him: ¡°you know where to go.¡± Simple, no? |
Balthier |
Ah, a deal, brokered in true Archades fashion. Why, it¡¯s just like old times, Jules. Brings a tear to my eye. |
Jules |
Good to be back, eh? My regards to your lord father, Master Ffamran¡er, rather, Master ¡°Balthier.¡± Anon, anon. |
Cab Guide |
Welcome to Tsenoble! And be proud you¡¯ve made it this far. |
Vaan |
You know where to go. |
Cab Guide |
You want to go there, eh? You sure? |
Vaan |
Let¡¯s go. |
Cab Guide |
All right. All aboard. |
Vaan |
So, this Jules¡is he some old friend of yours, Balthier? You two seemed¡close. |
Balthier |
Close enough for fisticuffs¡ Driver! Faster, if you please. I would be loathe to expend any of the violence of my present mood on my companions. |
Cabbie |
S-Sir? Yes, sir! |
Vaan |
Where to? |
Balthier |
Come. This way. |
Draklor Laboratory |
|
66th Floor |
|
Basch |
It¡¯s too quiet. |
Balthier |
Passing strange. |
Vaan |
Maybe we¡¯re just lucky? |
Balthier |
Maybe you¡¯re just optimistic.. |
Basch |
Something may be afoot. |
Balthier |
No time for caution. |
Vaan |
Despicable¡ |
67th Floor |
|
Fran |
He¡¯s had visitors. Ones lacking manners, by the look of it. |
Vaan |
Someone after the nethicite? |
Balthier |
The Jagd Difohr was it? |
Imperial |
Up! Above us! |
Vaan |
They found us! |
Fran |
His earlier visitors, more like. |
Balthier |
No, we¡¯ll use their confusion. |
70th Floor |
|
Reddas |
Ah. My apologies. You bear not the stench of Cid¡¯s lackies. |
Basch |
And you are¡our earlier visitor. |
Cid |
Yes, a valuable man, one I¡¯d sooner not lose. Yet he knows too much. |
Energy Transitarium |
|
Reddas |
Cid! |
Cid |
And you¡¯ve come here to stop me? |
Balthier |
Consider your bones, old man. |
Cid |
Pirate scum of the skies. |
Balthier |
Treasure. What else would a pirate want? |
Cid |
You¡¯ve come all this way for that trinket? |
Ashe |
You¡¯re a babbling fool. |
Cid |
A trial for Ashelia B¡¯nargin Dalmasca! |
Reddas |
Lend him not your ears, m¡¯lady. |
Fran |
Manufacted nethicite! |
Balthier |
How could you do this? |
Balthier |
Always hiding behind your toys. |
Cid |
Venat, you shouldn¡¯t have. |
Balthier |
This creature¡ |
Cid |
Ashelia B¡¯nargin Dalmasca! |
Ashe |
Your words mean nothing to me! |
Cid |
The reins of History back in the hands of Man. |
Follow me, sky pirate! |
|
Balthier |
(I) Hate it when he does that. |
Reddas |
Mayhaps you think me remiss! |
The imperial Senate, powerless to resist House Solidor¡¯s brutal Purge, was dissolved. |
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