Episode 11: The Medina
We've arrived in old Cairo, you can see this is the first area to resemble areas that actually exist in real life. Above us the sky is emitting a sickly purple colour, it's more of pollution than actual light atmosphere.
[spoiler="CLICK TO VIEW EPISODE"]Hey look we got a map of the Medina!
...
Haha, anyway we found these in the landing pad tower:
We're going to the other part of the Marina to look for the Nassif family then going to the Mosque to meet up with Billie. We're not rushing to do what the WTO askes us to do. We'll get to the Archology next update.
On the way we bump into old friends.
Damn Templars. Leo is right, why should you trust them running about when you're full of biomods?
Also Nano-swell 11, woh-oh.
A lot of interesting announcer stuff:
So the purple haze... heh.
So the purple haze... we shouldn't worry because it's only nanobot parasites eating away your skin in the atmosphere of old Cairo. Anyway, more announcements:
We arrive at the block of apartments, there's a well off female and a very sick man pleading to her.
Sick poet: "It's good to see you again, darling. Any news about that apartment?"
Arcology citizen: "Apartment? Oh, that one. Already leased. Sorry."
Sick poet: "Are you really trying to find me a place to live in the arcology? Don't you want to be able to see each other more often?"
Arcology citizen: "It's a lot of money. We'll attract my husband's attention if I don't handle this properly. He is pretty clueless, but has started asking questions about certain expenses..."
Sick poet: "I'm stuck out here. (cough cough) And I haven't been able to work on any of my poetry... I was always meant to be an arcology citizen. No one here will ever appreciate my writing."
Arcology citizen: "I will, sweetie. Hey, thanks for being here for me. I love this, and I love US. But you know that I've got to get back. I'll send word when I find an apartment."
(The woman leaves)
Sick poet: "If only I could get away from all this, I just know I could be a poet."
Sad story.
Little entry with these two chaps...
Interesting, anyway, we arrive at the Nassif family home after the first flight of stairs.
We should rescue the niece for sure, but once again, no rush. Before leaving you find this in the bedroom:
Let's head to the Mosque.
Music: Cairo Mosque
We get an usual weapon check and disabling once inside.
: "This is a weapons-free zone. To enter, you must submit a deactivation procedure -- I'll transmit the encrypted safety-lock bytecodes to freeze all your weapons, on or in your person. When you leave, sensors will reactivate everything you've got."
: "Okay.": "Thanks, you're free to enter now."Before heading inside the mosque to liason with Billie, there's an infirmary that catches my eye. As we enter there's a woman muttering "citta" over and over, there's two ill men talking by her.
Sick man 1: "Maybe it IS a judgement on us..."
Sick man 2: "Someone in the arcology started that rumour so that we'd blame ourselves."
Sick man 1: "Everything has a reason."
Sick man 2: "They think Plague 11 is just another punishment for us being lazy and poor."
Sick man 1: "They cannot be so wicked as that. No one chooses to live in the medina."
Sick man 2: "Exactly. THEY do all of the choosing. First I'm not from the right family, now they shut me out because I'm sick. No one works their way up from Plague 11."
Sick man 1: "Then why am I sick? I exercise, eat right, I always wear my breather when I'm out in the medina..."
Sick man 2: "But when did you start using it? Only years after of breathing this air, just like me. We did not know any better. Then by the time they started getting the word out, we were already sick."
Sick man 1: "Sometimes I don't know how long I can keep fighting this. (cough cough)"
Sick man 2: "Hey, don't give up. Someone will come up with a cure. Maybe one of the Nassifs. They have the real brains in that family."
The room on the far opposite is full of casualties from the plague. The infirmary's physician snarls you.
: "You look fine to ME.": "Anything I can do to help?": "Just stay out of the way. Too many patients, no time for chitchat.": "As you wish. I just stopped by to talk to a friend of mine, Billie Adams. She's working with the Order Church.": "The woman from Seattle -- yes. Where are you from? New Cairo? Why come here? The air in the medina is polluted.": "Is it that serious?": "Just take a look outside. It's nanite dust these people breathe -- from Nanite Swell 11. Particles like little insect -- unaffected by the wind. Probably a leak from a pre-Collapse laboratory that's been forgotten for two decades.": "(sigh) These poor people..."Your attention focuses to a little girl and her mother.
: "Maybe if they knew that I'm sick, they'd let me in."
: "I wish it could be that way, baby.": "I guess I just wasn't smart enough.": "Nonsense.": "(cough cough) Why won't they at least let us in the city?": "The air's not so bad inside the mosque. You'll start to feel better. Just get some rest and forget about Tarsus. It's a very selective program."Tarsus?, this sick kid was trying to get into Tarsus Academies? Relevant, let's intervene.
: "Wha---!": "I don't mean to interrupt...." [sic]: "You startled me there. Guess I'm a little preoccupied.": "What's wrong?": "Well, it's my daughter, Mina. Look at her!": "(cough cough) it's okay, Mom. I'll get better.": "Ever since she didn't get into the Tarsus Academy, her infection has been getting worse. She should be up on Level 107 right now, in her own dorm room, studying and breathing filtered air. She's always been such a... good student... (sobs)": "I wish there was something I could do.": "That's very kind. (sniffle) But unless you're on the admissions committee at the academy -- or unless you're someone who can hack in and put "Mina Ameer" on the acceptance list, there's really not much to do except wait and pray.": "Really, Mom, I'll be fine.": "Some of us still worship the old gods, despite everything that's happened.": "She wants to get into Tarsus, huh? I'll see what I can do."We're going to do this. It's just not fair. The front of a corporation that spied on our lives did offer Alex D and Billie Adams a lot even from the slums of Chicago, this is nothing but benefit to Mina and Mrs. Ameer.
Let's go into the interior chambers of the Mosque, wow, this looks nice for a 2003 game...
Let's go see Billie, who is having a conversation with the middle aged man in the robe -- looks important.
Interesting views, sects in a sect?
In the Order office we take a weapons mod, forgot what it is, regardless.
Upgraded to EMP converter, we had a spare I wanted to use.
Next update we will be approaching:
Through the Mosque entrance, convenient, no back-tracking![/spoiler]
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