No Occupation

Chena: She runs to Warui and reaches him.

Chena: She wraps her arms around him from behind and places her chin on his shoulder.

Chena: Warui.

Warui: I’m alright.

Warui: I don’t-

Warui: Did you see that?

Chena: She grabs at Warui’s exposed chest.

Warui: Chena, seriously, I’m fine.

Chena: You yelled.

Warui: Nothing hurts now.

Zay: He comes up and stands in front of Warui and Chena.

Zay: You’re telling us what the hell you just pulled later.

Warui: I don’t know what happened captain.

Zay: Then figure it out.

Commander Mercer: Zay squad.

Commander Mercer: Search the town hall and look through the civilian registries.

Commander Mercer: Zay, I know I said your squad.

Commander Mercer: But you’re with me.

Zay: He walks past Chena and Warui.

Zay: You two heard the commander.

Chena: She unwraps her arms from around Warui.

Chena: Come on.

River: He runs up to them.

River: Warui.

River: Did you mean to do that?

Warui: …I didn’t.

Zay: He walks up to Mercer.

Commander Mercer: He’s clueless?

Zay: Seems like it.

Commander Mercer: Address it later.

Commander Mercer: We need to talk to commander Vance.

Commander Mercer: He shouts.

Commander Mercer: We enter their headquarters!

Commander Mercer: The mission is not over!

Tiria Soldiers: They step to the front of Fort Avelorn’s headquarters.

Tiria Soldiers: Multiple soldiers hold flintlock muskets toward the door.

Commander Vance: From above, he shouts out the window.

Commander Vance: There’s no need to barge in Commander Mercer

Commander Vance: Let’s talk.

Commander Vance: You’ve gone this far.

Commander Mercer: He looks up.

Commander Mercer: Open the door.

Town Hall: Zay’s squad looks through cabinets and chests as they uncover civilian registries.

Kiel: The most valuable is birth records.

Sarah: We’ve heard that for months.

Khyrie: Warui, what did you feel?

Khyrie: With that sword looking thing?

Warui: When it appeared, it hurt.

Warui: He looks down at the birth record he is holding.

Warui: I know that much.

Sarah: Can you do it again.

Warui: No-

Warui: What?

Chena: He’s not going to do that again.

Kiel: Just keep looking.

Kiel: The faster we find the birth lists, the faster we ride back home.

Headquarters: Commander Vance sits at a desk with Commander Mercer standing across the room from him.

Tiria Soldiers: They hold Avelorn soldiers at gunpoint in the room and throughout the headquarters.

Commander Mercer: Please excuse our caution.

Commander Vance: We’ll do our best to look past it.

Room: It goes quiet for a moment.

Commander Vance: He clears his throat.

Commander Vance: You still think this was necessary?

Commander Mercer: I don’t know what it’s for.

Commander Mercer: But we had no choice if you wouldn’t allow access.

Commander Vance: Why couldn’t you refuse?

Commander Mercer: Who’s going to lead Tiria’s army if I do?

Commander Vance: I see.

Commander Mercer: Fort Avelorn must allow Tirian access to the trade road.

Commander Vance: We'll comply.

Commander Mercer: Then we’ll proceed with the inspection of your civilians and their records.

Commander Mercer: And we’ll be on our way.

Commander Vance: You didn’t kill any civilians?

Commander Mercer: Only Avelorn soldiers.

Commander Vance: That’s reducing harm to you?

Commander Vance: Mercer?

Commander Mercer: His shoulders go tense for a brief moment, then relax.

Commander Mercer: To the Tiria soldiers. about half of you!

Commander Mercer: Assist Zay squad and begin processing the people.

Tiria Soldiers: Yes, sir!

Fort Avelorn: Three hours pass.

Warui: He approaches a house with Chena and River.

River: This is the one with the woman that screamed.

Warui: He walks up to the door and knocks.

House: They wait, but no one answers.

Warui: He is about to knock again.

Chena: We can enter.

Warui: I know.

Door: It opens.

Child: He stands in the doorway.

Warui: He stares at the child with Chena and River.

Warui: Hey there kid.

Warui: You’re one of the last ones.

Warui: So just come along with us.

Child: He takes a step outside.

Warui: He starts walking with Chena and River.

Child: He walks beside River.

River: Where’s your parents?

Child: [Low]. My mom said to let the soldiers do what they want with me.

Child: [Low]. I don’t know my dad.

River: He scratches the back of his head.

River: Our seniors are just going to give you a checkup.

River: That’s all.

Warui: Yeah, so you could tell your mom later that she didn’t need to be so worried.

Child: Points ahead at a tent with kids lined up in front of it and soldiers holding papers.

Child: [Low]. Is that what you're talking about?

Warui: Mhm.

Child: [Low]. Then you aren’t taking us back north?

River: We're not doing that- 

River: Wait, north? Are you from Tiria?

Child: [Low]. my mom told me that.

Warui: Did she say why she left?

Chena: We’re asking a child too many questions.

Warui: We’re trying to keep him comfortable.

Chena: Nothing about this is comfortable.

Warui: He stops walking.

Chena: She keeps walking with River and the child.

River and the child: Look back at Warui.

River: He turns away and looks toward the child.

River: Hey, so uh-

River: What places are fun here in Fort Avelorn?

Warui: He watches them for a moment longer, then starts walking again.

Forty minutes pass

Open Plains: The Tiria soldiers gather outside the front exterior of Fort Avelorn.

Tiria Soldiers: Everyone is on horseback. A few horses carry two soldiers, and some carry bodies completely wrapped in white cloth.

Commander Mercer: He faces all the soldiers with Zay.

Zay: Seven casualties.

Zay: We haven’t had to honor any comrades in a while.

Commander Mercer: We follow procedure.

Commander Mercer: Their families get to decide.

Zay: Mm.

Commander Mercer: He shouts.

Commander Mercer: Now we ride home!

Tiria Soldiers: The horses begin moving as soldiers shout.

Warui: Amid the shouting, he stays quiet as he rides his horse.