The Dreadnought Leviathan & The Shiva

[On the bridge of the Leviathan, Ghis awaits them.]

Ghis: Such a tremendous honor to again be graced with your presence, Majesty. You left us with such great dispatch upon our last encounter that I must confess… I had begun to worry that we may have given some cause for offense.

Ashe: Such a heartfelt display of remorse. Now what is it you want?

Ghis: I want you to give me the nethicite.

Penelo: The nethicite?

[Penelo protectively grasps the nethicite from Larsa in her hands, behind her back.]

Ghis: That is a base imitation! We seek Raithwall’s legacy… the ancient relics of the Dynast-King: deifacted nethicite. [pause] Did you not tell them, Captain Azelas?

Vossler: Majesty, he speaks of the Dawn Shard. That is the nethicite.

Basch: Are you mad, Vossler?

Vossler: If we are to save Dalmasca, we must accept the truth. I will fight this profitless battle no more!

Ghis: Captain Azelas has struck a wise bargain. In return for the Dawn Shard the Empire will permit Lady Ashe to reclaim her throne, and the Kingdom of Dalmasca will be restored. Think on it. An entire kingdom for a stone. You must admit, ‘tis more than a fair exchange.

Balthier: And when all is said and done, your master will have another pet.

Ghis: Lady Ashe, let us take him for the people of Dalmasca. Your Majesty wallows in indecision on peril of their heads! [Ghis draws his sword and holds it to Balthier’s neck] And his shall be the first to fall.

Balthier: Well, at least your sword is to the point.

[Ashe hesitantly steps forward with the Dawn Shard in hand. Ghis lowers his sword and takes it from her; she sighs frustratedly as she lets it go.]

Ghis: To think the relics of the Dynast-King were deifacted nethicite. Doctor Cid will be beside himself.

Balthier: What did you say?

Ghis: Captain Azelas, take them to Shiva. They should have leave to return to Rabanastre soon.

[The party is escorted out. Ghis turns to one of the ship crew with the magicite.]

Ghis: I want you to assess its power.

Researcher: Did our orders not specify that we return the stone for testing?

Ghis: I will not chance returning with a Stone that is yet unproven.

[The 8th Fleet of the Archadian Imperial Army – Light Cruiser Class Ship Shiva]

Vossler: When we return to Dalmasca, we can announce that you are alive and well. I will then continue our negotiations with the Empire. I believe Larsa is the key. He’ll listen to us. We should trust him.

Ashe: Who are you, Vossler, to talk of trust?

Vossler: A son of Dalmasca.

[On the Leviathan, the researchers place the Dawn Shard inside a glass capsule; the instant the lid shuts over it, Fran perks up as if she can hear it. The researcher explains to Ghis as the capsule locks into place.]

Researcher: Our equipment here is limited, so we’ll be using the ship’s drive to make our assessment. Once we’ve connected the Stone, the reaction should be easily measured –

Ghis: Methods do not interest me. Only results.

[On the Shiva, the party hears Fran begin to pant, and turn to her, concerned. She is doubled over, seething.]

Vaan: Fran?

Fran: Such heat. The Mist – it’s burning!

[Back on the bridge of the Leviathan…]

Researcher: Sixty-eight hundred, sixty-nine hundred, seven thousand! This must be deifacted nethicite! The count still climbs!

Ghis: We’ve found it at last: true deifacted nethicite. The power of the Dynast-King in my hands. Blood alone does not an emperor make, Vayne.

[A red light starts flashing; alarms go off.]

Researcher: What is this? Something’s wrong!

Ghis: What is it?

[Back to the prisoners - Vaan and Penelo stand over Fran, who is slumped over on the ground as if in pain.]

Imperial: You! Stand!

[The Imperial is knocked back. Vaan and Penelo move away. Vossler makes a command to the other Imperials.]

Vossler: Hold her down!

[Fran scrapes her claws against the floor, then jumps up with a scream and starts taking down the guards. The rest of the party is fiddling with their cuffs while the Imperials fall around them.]]

Penelo: What’s wrong with her?

Balthier: I always knew Fran didn’t take well to being tied up. I just never knew how much. [to Ashe] How about you?

Ashe: I like Fran’s idea. Let’s get out of here!

Vossler: No farther! Sky pirates! The future of Dalmasca will not be stolen! [pause, as Vossler raises his sword] Why do this, Basch? This struggle is futile. You must know where it leads!

Basch: I do know. All too well.

[After defeating Vossler…]

[Vossler falls before Basch. Ashe looks on sadly from a distance. Back on the bridge of the Leviathan, all hell is breaking loose.]

Researcher 2: Engine power falling rapidly. It’s… negative? Impossible! We cannot maintain hover!

Ghis: I want to know what’s happened!

Researcher 1: The nethicite’s draining the ship’s power!

Ghis: Disengage it at once!

Researcher 1: We’re trying. It’s no good!

Researcher 2: It’s inflected! She’ll reach critical in three hundred! Cascade failure!

[Back to the party, who is scrambling to escape as the ship begins to shudder forebodingly.]

Vaan: Ashe, let’s go.

Vossler: All I have done – I’ve ever thought of Dalmasca first.

Basch: I know you do. I would ne’er gainsay your loyalty.

Vossler: Look on what my haste has wrought. Did I act too quick? Or was your return too late? [pause] I can serve her no more. You must take up my charge.

[Basch finally leaves him. On the Leviathan, flames break out. Vossler, alone, looks up as a bright light erupts.]

Balthier: This might get a little dicey.

Fran. The Mist. It manifests now.

Vaan: Is that what you call this?

Penelo: What’s that?

Ashe: I think it’s the Dawn Shard.

Balthier: Then what are we waiting for?

Escape

[When the party steps out onto the port launch, Ghis is waiting for them.]

Ghis: Such a great shame. I must confess: I thought you the one who would help us restore peace to Dalmasca. No matter. We hold the proof of your royal lineage. A maid of passing resemblance will serve our purposes now. As for you, my dear…

[Ghis summons a great magickal ball of energy which expands and levitates, crackling in the air between them.]

Ghis: The Empire requires you no more.

[Suddenly, the magickal energy is sucked out of the air, as if by a vacuum, and into the glowing magicite in Penelo’s hands. The party looks curiously at the stone.]

Penelo: What was that?

Balthier: The nethicite.

Ghis: Your Majesty does not disappoint! Ever quick to spurn an honorable surrender, as was your father.

[Ashe, furious, pauses, struggling to find a response.]

Ashe: You know nothing of my father!

[After defeating Ghis and Imperial soldiers…]

[Ghis’s helm falls to the ground, and he falls to his knees, his vision hazy. Vossler steps out onto the port launch.]

Vossler: We’ve secured an Atomos. Come!

[The party starts forward. Balthier looks dismayed.]

Balthier: An Atomos? All skiff, no ship. Hardly fitting for a leading man.

Vaan: So I can fly it then?

Fran: Are you mad?

[The scene changes to a cinematic showing the party departing in the Atomos, Fran steering the ship.]

Penelo: Can’t we go faster?

Fran: Not yet.

[A couple of small craft pass by within close range. Ashe and Penelo duck beneath the dash and emerge again after they’ve gone by.]

Ashe: They passed.

Fran: Any faster and they’d have noticed.

The Dreadnought Leviathan

Imperial: The prisoners, my lord.

[As Vaan and co., still shackled, are escorted to the bridge, we see Amalia is present. Seeing Basch, she scowls and approaches him.]

Basch: Majesty –

[Upon reaching him, Amalia slaps him squarely across the face.]

Amalia: After what you’ve done! How dare you! You’re supposed to be dead!

Ghis: Come now, come now. Have you forgotten your manners? This is hardly the courtesy due… the late Princess Ashelia B’nargin Dalmasca.

Vaan: Princess?

Ghis: To be sure, she bears no proof of her former station. No different than any mean member of the insurgence.

Ashe: The Resistance.

Ghis: The Consul asks the ministry of the disthroned royal family in restoring peace to Dalmasca. Those who foster instability and unrest, who claim royal blood without proof… they shall meet their fate at the gallows. There are no exceptions.

Ashe: I will not play puppet to Vayne.

Basch: King Raminas entrusted me with a task. Should the time come, he bade me give you something of great importance. It is your birthright: the Dusk Shard. It will warrant the quality of her blood. Only I know where to find it.

Ashe: Wait. You took my father’s life! Why spare mine now? You would have me live in shame!

Basch: If that is your duty: yes.

Vaan: Stop being so stubborn! Keep on like this and you’re gonna get us all killed.

Ashe: Don’t interrupt!

[Suddenly, the stone Vaan stole from the palace treasury begins to glow again.]

Balthier: Vaan. That stone.

Vaan: It was in the palace treasure.

Ghis: Well, well. Splendid! You’ve brought the Stone with you! This spares us a great deal of trouble.

Ashe: Don’t give it to him!

[Vaan looks at Ashe, then at Balthier, who nods.]

Vaan: You have to promise: no executions.

[Vaan resignedly hands the stone to Judge Ghis.]

Ghis: A Judge’s duty is to the law. Take them away. Lady Ashe is to be quartered separately.

[The party is escorted off the bridge. Ghis gazes at the stone in his hand.]

Ghis: Vayne Solidor. What fascination does this hold for you?

Bhujerba - Lhusu Square

[As the party emerges from the mines, they see Lamont approach the the Archadian inspection party that is lingering outside. They hid behind the columns to watch.

Judge: I see you’ve been out walking without the company of your carriage… Lord Larsa.

[An Imperial steps aside to reveal Penelo is with the Imperial party.]

Judge: We caught her wandering out of the mines. You must take care with such undesirables about.

Penelo: I was kidnapped –

Judge: Silence!

Larsa: If it is a crime to wander on one’s own… then I, too, am guilty. Marquis. I trust that your estate can accommodate another guest?

Ondore: Why not?

Larsa: Judge Ghis, I shall heed your counsel. I will not travel unaccompanied any longer.

[Larsa takes a stunned Penelo's hand and walks away.]

Judge: That was unexpected.

Larsa: Thank you, Penelo.

Penelo: O-Of course.

[As the Imperial party leaves, Vaan & co. feel safe to come out.]

Vaan: What’s Penelo doing? And what’s the deal with that Lamont?

Balthier: That’s no “Lamont.” Larsa Ferrinas Solidor. Fourth son to Emperor Gramis… and brother to Vayne.

Vaan: What? That kid!?

Fran: Do not worry. I believe he will treat her well.

Balthier: Nobody knows men like Fran does.

Basch: Our purposes lead the same way: to Ondore. We must find means to approach him.

Balthier: The Marquis is channeling money to organizations opposing the Empire. We’ll start there.

Aekom: The one with the shiny armor, he was a Judge of Archadia, yes? Haa… More impressive than ever I imagined, he was! The Marquis must do as they say.

[Upon approaching the area at the top of the stairs…]

Basch: Marquis Ondore announced my execution 2 years ago. If news of my survival were to spread, the Marquis may find his position compromised.

Balthier: The men he’s been funding bear little love for the Empire. They won’t be thrilled to discover that rumors of your death were, in fact, greatly exaggerated. If we were to raise a clamor to that effect, we might just get their attention.

Vaan: Nothin’ to it! I’ll just go around town spreading the word. How ‘bout this?

[You are prompted to press the square button…]

Vaan: [yelling] I’m Captain Basch fon Ronsenburg of Dalmasca!

[The denizens of Lhusu Square turn heads at Vaan.]

Vaan: Well? What do you think?

Balthier: That certainly qualifies as a clamor. All right, Vaan, get to it. For the girl’s sake, eh? Oh, and the more people around to witness your little performance, the better. If we’re going to reach the Marquis, it’s up to you. We’ll be waiting here, if you need us.