The Vault – 1 August 1944
They went back to Lutz's study and continued the conversation with Lutz standing behind his desk and Jan and Elisabeth standing before it.
"So, how do you feel, Elisabeth?" Lutz asked her.
"I'm fine, just slightly disoriented is all. It felt really… strange, to be stuck in that coffin, to not be able to move but be completely lucid."
"So, no pain at all?"
"No, thankfully."
"Good, that's good," Lutz said. "Now, I want to hear what you two think of this whole thing."
Jan wasn't sure what to think. He looked to Elisabeth, who looked back at him. He thought they were thinking along the same lines.
"Well, what do you think, Lutz?" Jan asked.
"Me? Well, I think we've just been given a really good hand. Granted, we don't know if this thing actually works. It might be more than 5,000 years old for all we know. Who knows if it can still fire? We could barely make that eagle talk. But if it does, I'd be heavily persuaded that a God exists."
"So, you want to try using it?"
Lutz nodded. "We could bring the war to a swift, immediate end – and the Templars with it."
"I'm quite concerned about what Aquila said though," Jan said with some hesitation. "He said that the weapon could destroy the target, but also a large area surrounding it. Not to mention, I'm not sure what effect it would have on Elisabeth. We were just turning on Aquila, but firing this weapon… I don't know what could happen to her, connected to the machine like that."
"I understand your concerns, Jan. But think of it this way. Say there were two ships. One's got 1,000 people. Another has 10,000. They're about to collide and nothing can stop them unless they sink… and you have a single bomb. What will you do? Do nothing? You'll doom 11,000 people to die. But if you destroy the ship with 1,000 people, you save 10,000. I know how it sounds. But this is a war we're fighting. Everyone has a sacrifice to make."
"But are we really the ones to judge who dies and who lives?"
"Jan… come on now. We're Assasssins. We kill Templars to bring forth a better world. Killing, deciding who lives and dies, has always been part of our Creed."
Jan shifted uncomfortably. Lutz saw this and turned to Elisabeth.
"Elisabeth, what do you think?"
"Well, Jan makes a good point. But the enemy we are facing is indeed the Templars…"
"I know it sounds cold. But by doing this, we'd be saving more lives. Not doing this would mean more lives lost every day this war continues. Is that really what you want?"
Elisabeth looked down, her eyebrows furled and deep in thought.
"No… of course not. If there's a way to end this war faster…"
"Like the weapon?" Lutz asked.
Elisabeth nodded. "If it can truly end the war faster, then I think we have a duty as Assassins to use it. Not to kill, but to save."
Lutz nodded in approval then turned back to Jan.
"I'm still not sure… but if you two feel that way, then I won't push this matter."
"Alright."
"But I'm still concerned for Elisabeth."
"Why?" Lutz asked in genuine curiosity.
"Well, she went stiff the entire time she was in that thing. Who knows what would happen if we use it to shoot this supposedly very powerful weapon?"
"Her blood was simply acting as a sort of authorisation method. I'm sure it won't affect her in any way. You weren't in any pain after all, were you, Elisabeth?"
"No, no pain. Just couldn't move."
"See?"
Jan stayed silent for a moment, brooding.
"So you're okay with it?" Jan asked her.
She nodded. "If by going into that machine I can save thousands of lives, I think it's something I have to do. Even if it means I go through a little bit of pain, that's little compared to the suffering going on around the world."
"Above all," Lutz said to them both, "We don't know if she'll even feel pain. We'll see a bit. But you have my word, if it's too much for our Elisabeth we'll just take her out of the machine."
"Alright," Jan said as he threw up his hands. "Let's go do this. Hopefully this dreadful war can end, and all the deaths and suffering with it."
Lutz smiled. "Good, then we'll do it tomorrow. I need to think about our targets."