.--†=%####                                          ####%=†--.
..--†=%###                                          ###%=†--..
...--†=%##                                          ##%=†--...
....--†=%#                                          #%=†--....
.....--†=%                                          %=†--.....
....--†=%#       .- ------- ------- ------- -.      #%=†--....
...--†=%## NICK WILDE  IS A RED FOX AND  A  CONMAN. ##%=†--...
..--†=%###      .- ------- ------- ------- -.       ###%=†--..
.--†=%####                                          ####%=†--.
..--†=%###    HE'S NOT ABOVE PETTY CRIME, BUT HE    ###%=†--..
...--†=%## KNOWS THAT IF HE PUTS IN A BIT OF WORK,  ##%=†--...
....--†=%#     HE WILL FIND MUCH MORE LUCRATIVE     #%=†--....
.....--†=%                 REWARDS.                 %=†--.....
....--†=%#                                          #%=†--....
...--†=%##      AND THUS HE'S CURRENTLY WORKING     ##%=†--...
..--†=%###   ALONGSIDE HATSUNE MIKU FOR A COMPANY   ###%=†--..
.--†=%####  THAT MAKES SYNTHETIC MEAL REPLACEMENTS. ####%=†--.
..--†=%###  HE'S GOT A VAGUE OUTLINE OF A PLAN, TO  ###%=†--..
...--†=%##    SCATTER WITH SOME PRODUCT, OR EVEN    ##%=†--...
....--†=%#  BETTER, SOME FORMULA? THESE THINGS ARE  #%=†--....
.....--†=%       WORTH A LOT TO A COMPETITOR.       %=†--.....
....--†=%#                                          #%=†--....
...--†=%##      HE'S BEEN LUCKY; THE PLACE IS       ##%=†--...
..--†=%###  SURPRISINGLY UNGUARDED. ONCE HE'S GOT   ###%=†--..
.--†=%#### HIS PAWS ON SOMETHING WORTHWHILE, IT'LL  ####%=†--.
..--†=%###  BE EASY TO JUST WALTZ OUT. UNTIL THEN,  ###%=†--..
...--†=%##          KEEP DOING THE WORK...          ##%=†--...
....--†=%#                                          #%=†--....
.....--†=%     COME TO THINK OF IT, THE PLACE IS    %=†--.....
....--†=%#    ALMOST EERILY EMPTY. THERE ARE FEW    #%=†--....
...--†=%##    COWORKERS. (IN FACT THE COMPANY IS    ##%=†--...
..--†=%###    AI-RUN AND ONLY A FEW KEY ROLES ARE   ###%=†--..
.--†=%####         FILLED BY ACTUAL PEOPLE.         ####%=†--.
..--†=%###                                          ###%=†--..
...--†=%##     NONE OF THE EMPLOYEES KNOW THIS.)    ##%=†--...
....--†=%#                                          #%=†--....
.....--†=%                  --- ---                 %=†--.....
....--†=%#                --- --- ---               #%=†--....
...--†=%##                 --- ---                  ##%=†--...
..--†=%###                                          ###%=†--..
.--†=%####   NICK AND MIKU ARE BOTH STATIONED IN    ####%=†--.
..--†=%###  EARLY PROCESSING, HOUSED IN A STATE OF  ###%=†--..
...--†=%##   THE ART FACTORY CLOSE TO THE DOCKS.    ##%=†--...
....--†=%#   THEY CREATE THE EARLY BUILDING BLOCKS  #%=†--....
.....--†=%  THAT ARE LATER COMBINED INTO THE MEALS  %=†--.....
....--†=%#         THAT'S SOLD TO CUSTOMERS.        #%=†--....
...--†=%##                                          ##%=†--...
..--†=%###       THE BASES ARE MOSTLY SLUDGES       ###%=†--..
.--†=%####           OR PASTES, SUCH AS:            ####%=†--.
..--†=%###                                          ###%=†--..
...--†=%##  †- PLANT MATTER                         ##%=†--...
....--†=%#  †- BLOOD COLONY                         #%=†--....
.....--†=%        (MADE WITH A TYPE OF BACTERIA)    %=†--.....
....--†=%#  †- WILD FLESH                           #%=†--....
...--†=%##        (FREE ROAMING ANIMALS)            ##%=†--...
..--†=%###  †- ORGANS                               ###%=†--..
.--†=%####        (TAKEN FROM A LIVING HUMAN THAT   ####%=†--.
..--†=%###        IS WILLING TO SELL)               ###%=†--..
...--†=%##  †- MINERALS                             ##%=†--...
....--†=%#  †- BLOOD COLONY TWO                     #%=†--....
.....--†=%  †- INSECTS                              %=†--.....
....--†=%#        (WHICH ARE MAINLY USED FOR THEIR  #%=†--....
...--†=%##        BRAIN, WHICH IS USED TO EXTRACT   ##%=†--...
..--†=%###        RECEPTORS THAT DETECT PHEROMONES) ###%=†--..
.--†=%####                                          ####%=†--.
..--†=%###                 --- ---                  ###%=†--..
...--†=%##                --- --- ---               ##%=†--...
....--†=%#                 --- ---                  #%=†--....
.....--†=%                                          %=†--.....
....--†=%#      MIKU IS IN CHARGE OF THE BLOOD      #%=†--....
...--†=%##    COLONIES. THERE'S LARGE VATS OF THE   ##%=†--...
..--†=%###    ORIGINAL CULTURE WHICH IS FED BLOOD   ###%=†--..
.--†=%####   MEAL, BONE MEAL, WHAT DOESN'T QUALIFY  ####%=†--.
..--†=%###   TO GO IN THE "WILD FLESH" PASTE, AND   ###%=†--..
...--†=%##   SOME PROCESSING CHEMICALS. ALL THESE   ##%=†--...
....--†=%# INGREDIENTS HAVE AN EFFECT ON THE BLOOD  #%=†--....
.....--†=%        WHICH IN TURN AFFECTS MIKU.       %=†--.....
....--†=%#                                          #%=†--....
...--†=%##     THERE IS A LARGE TANK BEHIND THE     ##%=†--...
..--†=%###  FACTORY THAT CONTAINS A VAST NUMBER OF  ###%=†--..
.--†=%####  AUXILLIARY BLOOD COLONIES. MIKU WATCHES ####%=†--.
..--†=%###   OVER THESE AS WELL. THEIR PURPOSE IS   ###%=†--..
...--†=%##                 UNCLEAR.                 ##%=†--...
....--†=%#                                          #%=†--....
.....--†=%  THE FACTORY IS SURROUNDED BY THE BLOOD  %=†--.....
....--†=%#      MEAL FARMS. THERE IS A CONSTANT     #%=†--....
...--†=%##  EXCHANGE OF BLOOD AND BLOOD MEAL. THIS  ##%=†--...
..--†=%###  PROVIDES TWO OF THE MAJOR MATERIALS FOR ###%=†--..
.--†=%####       BOTH THE COLONIES AND MIKU.        ####%=†--.
..--†=%###                                          ###%=†--..
...--†=%##                  --- ---                 ##%=†--...
....--†=%#               --- --- ---                #%=†--....
.....--†=%                  --- ---                 %=†--.....
....--†=%#                                          #%=†--....
...--†=%##       NICK IS UNCOMFORTABLE AROUND       ##%=†--...
..--†=%###          THE "WILD FLESH" VATS.          ###%=†--..
.--†=%####                                          ####%=†--.
..--†=%###                                          ###%=†--..
...--†=%##                                          ##%=†--...
....--†=%#                                          #%=†--....
.....--†=%                                          %=†--.....