Faust curses under his breath, the strength in his body leaving him, finally finishing a commentary track and sending it almost immediately. Faust takes an air canister near his desk and sticks it onto his mouth, breathing the poison into a filter built into the air canister, eyes red, face turning purple as his skin slowly turning rough, cracking, blood surfacing through cuts. 'It feels like my head will split open.' He thinks to himself, tears forming in his eyes. Faust curses again, carrying the air canister as he leaves his room, propping himself onto the hallway walls, workers laying dead on the floor.

"Fuck!" Faust screams, muffled growling coming from his oxygen mask, storming into Velonica's room. Velonica stares at Faust, panicked, dressed in a full Mexe outfit, helmet on, one of the Ddjöfull's arms wrapped around her for comfort. "Did she breathe it in!?"

The Ddjöfull shakes her head.

"How many casualties!?"

The Ddjöfull hesitates, her hands shaking, "I believe that it's around twenty."

"Is Pieter alive?"

"No."

"Alice?"

The Ddjöfull hesitates, "No."

"Kyrie...?"

"She is not... she can survive. That is all I know."

"I..."

"Uncle!?" Velonica runs over to the collapsing Faust, face as pale as a ghost. "Uncle!"

"They planned on taking... all..." Faust nods off, barely able to keep himself conscious. "Fuck... I'm..."

"Uncle! No! Stay awake!"

"What a shitty... shitty... day." Faust pulls away from Velonica, leaning onto the door, keeping his breath short, purposely grasping at his oxygen canister. "I feel like vomiting... my room had the most poison it seems... do you know what it is...?" Faust asks the Ddjöfull.

She nods, "It's most likely the Mesker disease from Ac'iritat in Lorimey Nors."

"Didn't you... s-scan it...?"

The Ddjöfull lowers her head, "I did, but I have doubts. It could be a whole new type of poison created by someone else for all we know."

"Doesn't matter... just... just as a-as long... just as long as we know where it's from and... what it is."

"Yes... sir."

Velonica, grasps at Faust's face, "You're so cold..." She comments, her voice trembling, face not visible behind the visor.

"Disappointing that I'd... I'd... die... like this."

"No... you won't."

"You just had your birthday too..."

"Uncle, no!

"Hey..." Faust pauses, his hand cranking and clacking as it feels through Velonica's hair. "Tell your father... that... t-that I don't... I never wanted to do this... I don't want to be... useful... I don't want to be looked up to... it's why... t-this is so... so... sad. I have so... many regrets... but... the boy is hope..."

"What are you talking about!? You aren't dying! Don't say you're dying!"

"A potent disease... pumped through the ship... most of it aired through... through my room," Faust shakes his head, staying awake. "My blood is all that... keeps me... k-keeps me alive."

"We can... something... we can maybe!" Faust goes limp, his body leaning forward then collapsing on his side. Empty eyes devoid of life, his face as hard as stone, lips dry like sand.

***

"Send a rescue vessel now Orlanis!" Paul demands, slamming his fist into his desk, causing a dent.

Orlanis is sweating profusely, brow furrowed. "I am! Calm down, Paul! Now tell me, what happened!"

Paul swallows his saliva, as if a knot was in his throat he struggles to speak, "I was... I was talking with Faust. He was talking about inheritance than a few minutes into the call, he said that there was poison. I don't know what he meant, it could've been stress but Faust knows the difference between those things! That's why I called!"

"I'll be going too."

"Orlanis, you must not! I suggested you send someone else for a reason!"

"I already did, I'm going still." Orlanis immediately starts prepping himself, sealing himself in a red and black Mexe suit. "I will be fine, we will be cautious."

"The rescue vessel you sent! Was it close!?"

"Close enough that it doesn't need me to send them myself. They should be there already, I'll still be going."

"It will take you a day, there is no point!"

"I will see it myself! I have to see myself what really happened! If there was really poison in his room, that means it had spread through the whole ship! It is impossible to have a poison go through one specific vent only since there is only one oxygen room! They can change the dosage for each room but they cannot control it from spreading to everyone else so I will go! I want to at least see if my daughter is alive or not!"

"You thought of all that in just a few seconds!?"

"I used to be in the military Paul, don't underestimate me." Orlanis shuts off the call, storming out of his quarter's doors.

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I was looking at Carrion movements when it happened. They had almost broken through the defense team but they managed to push the Carrion back. I was relieved but then quickly distressed when I heard the news. It was announced seconds after the rescue team had arrived at the ship apparently. Faust Marlekees was pronounced dead, including thirty others. Someone had managed to poison the air supply with an extremely potent disease without anyone noticing. We could only assume that the cause for such a situation even being a possibility is through the staff's own irresponsibility but that would undermine this tragedy to an incredible degree. I will not do that. I am not someone who would ever do that. I am someone who has had an insane amount of respect for the Great Duke and I will not desecrate his name by slandering his hard work and dedication while working to help the Ddjöfulls become what they are today.

Well respected by military and citizens, spat upon by nobles and the like. When we find out who caused this... when we find out who had caused this tragedy... we will hunt them down and massacre them all. We will make sure that their intestines are strewn across walls and shown to their own. We will make sure that not a one is left alive!

Sorry... this is the first time I've gotten this emotional... isn't it? I heard that he had a final message before he went and bit the dust... turned to a statue of what he once was, blood dried and turned into a gelatinous paste. What a horrible way to go, for everyone who couldn't react in time... for those who couldn't resist the poison for long enough. People will undermine it for the small number of losses there were on board but those who had died were extremely skilled warriors and fighters who had shown their prowess over others thousands of times.

Even the emperor reacted... that should say something, shouldn't it?

Commentaries from the Abyss, Ludis Minor, Commander of Terra.