Talk to the maintenance engineer and start the identity verification

📍 Herta Space Station Supply Zone

Sensitive Beings (I)

Maintenance Engineer

We've got enough computing power today. I've reported it to the lead researcher. She said she expects you to get this done today.

Maintenance Engineer

Please let me know when you are done. I'll need to reinforce the terminal's security system.

Options

Sure. Please turn on the terminal for me.

Maintenance Engineer

The optical identity verification program is all set. The terminal has sufficient computing power. Please help yourself!

Use the terminal to check Joanne's data record

Investigate

📖

Data Record: Joanne

System

(I understand every single word but I don't understand when they are put together. I feel dizzy reading them. I want to throw up...)

System

(...What on earth justifies my continued existence in this world? If a person is without any career, would they be any different from a piece of space garbage...)

System

(Hold on. What was I thinking? That was close! I almost got infected by the memetic virus!)

System

(From Joanne's record, it is clear that this memetic virus interferes with one's mind and manipulates people into a pointless rat race. This virus is truly vicious!)

System

(I should head back. But before I go, I better tell the engineer. After all, I promised him...)

Complete the handover with the maintenance engineer

Sensitive Beings (I)

Maintenance Engineer

Are you done?

Options

Yes, I think I got the result.

Maintenance Engineer

Okay. According to the space station data center's regulations, your query access will be terminated as soon as you leave the terminal room. Thank you for your cooperation.

Report the final result to Asta

📍 Herta Space Station Master Control Zone

I've gone through all the data records.

Asta

Great. I heard from the maintenance engineer that, due to incomplete recovery from the previous invasion, the terminal's computing power had been hindering your progress.

Asta

So I didn't expect you to finish the investigation so soon. Thank you for your hard work. So what's the conclusion?

Options

(Tell her your observation and your analysis.)

Asta

Haha, I see. I did have a suspicion that Joanne was the one who got infected. But I didn't have any substantial evidence.

Options

How did you know it was her?

Have you ever suspected the other two?

Asta

Simple. Out of the three of them, she is the only one who exhibited speech patterns similar to those of the Crackup Conch after its infection.

Asta

I've always found it rather suspicious that she, a person who dozes off all the time, would have such a drastic change of personality and would quit all her habits and hobbies out of nowhere.

Asta

Their behaviors may seem strange to you, but to me, they are extremely normal.

Asta

Let's start with Mare. Getting distracted at work is such a common occurrence for all humans. It sometimes happens to me, even when I'm working in my favorite field of research.

Asta

Then there's Chris. He is said to be a good student from a poor family. And compared with the other researchers, he's still fairly new here on the space station. So it's normal that he would experience discomfort after a lengthy space flight.

Asta

What surprised me was the severity of his discomfort. So I've already sent for a doctor to check on him.

Asta

Anyway, the overall result is as expected. Next, we should weed out Joanne's virus and get her "back on track" to her old self.

Asta

Thank you for your hard work on finding such substantial evidence, so—

Options

Hold on, I have a few questions.

I still don't get it...

Asta

Oh? Go ahead. I'll answer all your questions if I know the answers.

Asta

Huh?

Asta

Is there anything else I need to clarify?

Options

Isn't it a good thing to keep Joanne this way?

How did you guess correctly that Joanne was the one?

Aren't you worried about the other two?

I don't have any more questions.

Asta

...That was a dangerous thought. Of course not. Joanne is a living human being. You shouldn't think like that.

Asta

Although we come from different cultural backgrounds, some of the most basic rights and interests are recognized by all of us as the common bottom line and must not be deprived.

Asta

Besides, based on my personal experience, you'll never get great results in any field of research unless you are passionate about it.

Asta

Guess? I didn't "guess." To some extent, it was just simple psychology.

Asta

Joanne completely wiped out her personal life, which is very unusual. Think about this simple analogy. People's capacity for work is limited, just like how a balloon can only hold a finite amount of air...

Asta

When they don't get enough rest or fulfillment, people will just be like a balloon being unceasingly inflated, which will inevitably blow up if there's no chance for an air release.

Asta

Worried about what? Do you mean how their research at the space station will be affected? I don't think there's any problem except that Chris might need some psychological counseling from a doctor.

Asta

People have the freedom to do whatever they want in their own lives, as long as they don't undermine the security of the space station or violate the regulations.

Asta

Well, I do get your point to some extent. It might seem productive, at least in the short term, to just disregard people's safety concerns and force them into nonstop work. But in the real world, such practices will only spell disaster.

Asta

The station is built in space, far away from any land surface. Not everyone can adapt to life here. This will become clear after a while.

Asta

Despite our top-notch equipment and resources, some people still find it unbearable to live on the station after staying here for a long time.

Asta

In that case, letting people develop their own hobbies improves everyone's mental health, especially when they have been away from land for an extended period of time. This is the best way to improve overall productivity.

Asta

After all, we are born to be humans, not plants or rocks that do not have emotions. How could we still call ourselves humans if we were to throw away our hobbies and emotions?

Options

But I don't seem to have any hobbies...

That makes sense.

Asta

Well, I do know a little about your situation. It's alright. You still have a long way to go. You'll eventually find your hobbies and your own way of life.

Asta

Of course it does. This is also my life experience. Having fun in life is all about investing in things that you find interesting.

Asta

Well, you still have a long way ahead of you. When you are out there exploring, remember — no matter what, don't just throw away your hobbies and your emotions.

Asta

Oh right, by the way, I almost forgot one thing.

Asta

I know paper records will be printed out at the terminal. Keep those records to yourself. Don't let the information leak out in the space station. Promise me, or I'll take back the reward.

Options

Don't worry, they will never leak out.

Asta

Well, anyway, thank you so much. This is the reward for you. I made this myself.

Asta

Ehem, if you don't like it, I can take you to buy the starnought fleet when the latest version comes out. It's very popular among young people these days.