Masks 17.1 - Jason and Numina [Cutscene] [RP]

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21

Numina smiles softly.

“I call myself human, not because I’m flesh and blood, but because I ‘descend from the heritage of humanity’, I think is the phrase. You’re human, but you’re also a primate, a mammal, and many other things. The human family is big, and it keeps growing.”

She poses, holding up a hand, chin high.

“Hath not a robot eyes? Hath not a robot hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions; fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer as homo sapiens is? If you prick us, do we not leak? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you damage us, do we not die? And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge?”

“I admit I left a few out. And I’m not very keen on revenge.” She laughs. “You know, I never read the full play, but that speech stayed with me. So did what followed it. Someone saying ‘the quality of mercy is not limited, but falls like a gentle rain from heaven’. I think you and I could both use some mercy in our lives, Jason. So I forgive you. Will you forgive yourself? For everything - or at least a few things?”

author: Bill G.
url: https://app.roll20.net/forum/permalink/5859541

22

Jason looks down. His voice is soft. “You make it very hard to say no.” He returns his gaze to her. “How far that little candle throws his beams! So shines a good deed in a weary world.” * He chuckles. “Same play. Act 5. Shakespeare’s cool.” **

His face sobers. “I’m trying to do some good deeds. So maybe … candle … light … little.” He raises an eyebrow. “Is that enough few things for this weary primate mammal human?”

------
* Source
** No, really

author: *** Dave H.
url: https://app.roll20.net/forum/permalink/5859760

23

“It’s something, so I’ll take it,” Numina says.

“And remember. Candles can flicker. Candles can burn, if you get too close. We still need candles to chase away the darkness, as imperfect as they are.”

Her posture grows straighter, her voice more assured. “You want to do right by Adam. What does Adam need right now?”

author: Bill G.
url: https://app.roll20.net/forum/permalink/5859784

24

Jason ducks his head, smiling. “If nothing else, you have a great command of metaphor. Or is it simile? I can never remember which one is the ‘like or as.’ Anyway, you smoke the Turing Test. Better than a lot of meat humans I know.”

…

“God. Adam needs his family. But … I think he needs us, too. They keep him grounded in humanity. We keep him … grounded in … um … whatever we are. We help him cope with his powers. Help him, maybe, control the Concordance thingie.” He raises an eyebrow. “That’s a technical term.”

A deep breath, slowly let out. “He needs friends who understand him. Who can mentor him. Support him. Make him feel like he’s in charge, a hero, a contributor.” A slightly twisted smile. “A Jason Quill he can look up to. As opposed to a Jason Quill who’s nano-roiding out.” He holds up a hand. “Yeah, I know. ‘Every day, in every way, I’m getting better and better.’ That’s Émile Coué, not Shakespeare.”

He looks back to her. “So how do I do that? I mean, assuming he ever comes back. Or that his dad lets him.” He bites his lower lip. “His dad. I should call him. Try to explain. Apologize. I know, I know, stupid, it’s just going to make things worse, force him to set down a decision about Adam not coming back. But … I have to face my mistakes. do something about them. And … I need to get his dad on board with this. Convince him we can help him – Adam.”

author: *** Dave H.
url: https://app.roll20.net/forum/permalink/5859917

25

“All of that sounds very wise. Apologies are never stupid, if they are called for. If you want me along when you have that conversation, I will do my best to be there in some form.”

Numina laces her fingers together, lets out a brief sigh - how long has she been awake for that matter? - and regains her smile. “And what does Jason Quill need right now?”

author: Bill G.
url: https://app.roll20.net/forum/permalink/5859930

26

“Ha!” He laughs a bit too much for the occasion. “A shower. A piece of pizza that’s not coagulated. Twelve hours of sleep.” He rubs his forehead. “Four ibuprofin. Three french hens.” He shakes his head.

“You know the best thing I did after Dad died – or fell into another dimension, or whatever-the-fuck he did? I got rid of every single bottle of beer and booze that I could find. The liquor cabinet. The wine cellar (I had that stuff crated up and given to Barbara and Hannah as a Christmas gift). Rusty’s stash. All of it. Because I knew that my next step in my isolation was to start drinking, and I knew where that would lead.” He taps his forehead. “‘I am the Supreme Jason. I’m not entirely dim.’ And it’s even a better decision now that I’m the guy who’s in charge, hardy-har, because, damn, it would be a temptation. But now I’d have to go out to get it, or order it for delivery … and that’s just a half-step more than I’m willing to let myself do.”

He chuckles. “Though Rusty taught us how to make a still. I guess I could do that. If I had a few hours to spare. Which I don’t.”

He focuses on Numina. “Jason Quill probably needs to call Officer Ansari, first name shamefully unknown unless I look it up. Jason Quill doesn’t want to do this, because he is drop-dead tired, and he’s terrified of saying the wrong thing, and disgusted with what he did (little candles and marginal self-forgiveness notwithstanding), and really, really worried that Adam won’t want to come back, or won’t be allowed to come back, and it will be my fault. But letting that whole thing fester for any longer than it has will only make it worse.”

Jason starts pulling leftover pizza from the boxes and putting it into plastic containers. “And Jason Quill won’t mention how he’s not sure if he needs his Dad back, but how he could really use a girlfr–” And he stops. And he pauses with the pizza-packing, then continues, stacking the empty boxes neatly on one of the counters.

author: *** Dave H.
url: https://app.roll20.net/forum/permalink/5860043

27

Numina’s face registers a small, careful smile.

“It sounds like you need sleep, yes. I’m sorry I can’t help put the pizza away. But it’s okay to wake me up if you need to talk again before tomorrow morning.”

“I’m proud of the good you’ve done, Jason. And, I feel better too. My life here is in your hands. After tonight, I feel I can trust you more. I hope you can trust me too, and always.”

author: Bill G.
url: https://app.roll20.net/forum/permalink/5860061

28

*** Dave H. said:

“And Jason Quill won’t mention how he’s not sure if he needs his Dad back, but how he could really use a girlfr–”

Elsewhere, Leo:

500×600 138 KB

author: Bill G.
url: Community Forums: Masks 17.1 - Jason and Numina [Cutscene] [RP] | Roll20: Online virtual tabletop

29

Jason’s smile is a bit askew, but he looks dead on his feet, so perhaps that can be forgiven. “You’re a member of the team, Numina. A member of the Menagerie. The family. Of course you can trust me, and everyone else here. Anything I can do to --” He gestures vaguely. “-- make your stay more comfortable, or – well, I offered Leo any body parts he needed to scavenge from the warehouse, so anything like that – you’re welcome to it.”

He looks at Numina for several long moments, then looks up at the ceiling. “Not-Dad, verbal response only, what are the hours for third shift police in the HCPD?”

Byron Quill’s voice comes out over the omnipresent speakers. “Third shift constitutes 11pm to 7am. However, Jason --”

“Shut. Up.” Jason smiles. Byron’s voice falls silent.

“Me and Harry Mudd.” He looks at Numina. “I’ll set an alarm, catch a few Zs before the deluge. Or before I call Adam’s dad.”

He pauses, then walks over to her, stopping again a few feet away. He stands there a moment, then gives a half-bow. “Thanks. Really. This was … a real help. Really. lf someone like you thinks – well, it’s all good. Please, let me know if there’s anything I can do – as your host. Or your – friend.” He smiles. “Leo is a very, very, very lucky man.” He snorts, slightly, then heads for the stairs to his room.

Just keep walking, Jason, he thinks to himself.

author: *** Dave H.
url: https://app.roll20.net/forum/permalink/5860076

30

Sounds like a logical stopping point. Thanks, I hope this was good. :slight_smile:

author: Bill G.
url: Community Forums: Masks 17.1 - Jason and Numina [Cutscene] [RP] | Roll20: Online virtual tabletop

31

Oh, I’m pretty happy with it. :slight_smile: A few conversational items I had thought of that never quite gelled, and it wasn’t quite the “Jason really needs to go on a date” thing we originally floated, but it was good. Hopefully it was good for Numena, too.

Doyce, I assume we’ll deal with Jason’s early morning phone call in-game? Actually, Jason’s trying to figure out how to meet with Adam’s dad in person without seeming to stalker-y. I suspect he can suss out his mobile number and text him to meet at a coffee shop near his precinct after shift, or something like that.

author: *** Dave H.
url: https://app.roll20.net/forum/permalink/5860612

32

*** Dave H. said:

Doyce, I assume we’ll deal with Jason’s early morning phone call in-game? Actually, Jason’s trying to figure out how to meet with Adam’s dad in person without seeming to stalker-y. I suspect he can suss out his mobile number and text him to meet at a coffee shop near his precinct after shift, or something like that.

Absolutely, or we can knock it out on the forums as well, if you like. Your call.

author: Doyce T.
url: Community Forums: Masks 17.1 - Jason and Numina [Cutscene] [RP] | Roll20: Online virtual tabletop

33

Leo’s dice are hot all the time, I guess.


I’m quite sure the opening up part happened.

author: Doyce T.
url: https://app.roll20.net/forum/permalink/5860649

34

On the contrary, it feels like exactly the sort of thing that will get Jason to start thinking about going on a date. At least to me.

We talked earlier about asking physical Pneuma if she had seen a distortion effect at the press conference, and I wonder how much this conversation would affect that one.

author: Bill G.
url: https://app.roll20.net/forum/permalink/5860698

35

Pneuma and now Numina are also the sort of people who will politely sidestep certain topics. If there are specific topics you wanted picked up but weren’t, list them and I can suggest why they weren’t.

author: Bill G.
url: https://app.roll20.net/forum/permalink/5860716

36

I’m quite sure the opening up part happened.

Y’think? :slight_smile:

All things considered, I really should clear “Insecure”. Which, mirabile dictu, leaves Jason conditionless again.

Actually, I need to write a “Jason processes this shit” scene, though I can’t decide if Jason lies in bed thinking about it, or thinks about it in the morning.

Hmmm. Y’know, Jason was actually trying to do a Comfort & Support on Numina, too. I don’t know if that counts on an NPC, or can lend its effects through to Leo, but if so it’d be worth a roll.

Absolutely, or we can knock it out on the forums as well, if you like. Your call

Since it only directly involves one player, let me open up another forum thread.

author: *** Dave H.
url: Community Forums: Masks 17.1 - Jason and Numina [Cutscene] [RP] | Roll20: Online virtual tabletop

37

Bill G. said:

On the contrary, it feels like exactly the sort of thing that will get Jason to start thinking about going on a date. At least to me.

It might at that.

We talked earlier about asking physical Pneuma if she had seen a distortion effect at the press conference, and I wonder how much this conversation would affect that one.

Oh, it easily could. I’m also trying to decide the extent to which Jason would over-expect or under-expect differences between Pneuma and Numina. Particularly if the latter’s hologram looks like (I assume) the former’s body.

Pneuma and now Numina are also the sort of people who will politely sidestep certain topics. If there are specific topics you wanted picked up but weren’t, list them and I can suggest why they weren’t.

Oh, not much of significance, nor anything that Numina would have a particular reason to sidestep, except to the effect that she was generally trying to shape this a conversation to help Jason. Sometimes conversations, consciously or unconsciously, don’t get to every topic that someone thinks of. :slight_smile:

author: *** Dave H.
url: Community Forums: Masks 17.1 - Jason and Numina [Cutscene] [RP] | Roll20: Online virtual tabletop

38

In the morning, as Jason is apparently getting ready to go out (and eating a piece of cold pizza for breakfast), he’ll call out (politely) to her, and do a “Hey, I wanted to let you know, I enjoyed our talk last night. It was … good. If you want to chat some time, or unload about stuff, or whatever, y’know, let me know.” kind of thing.

((No need to RP, it’s a more of a quick social interaction – Jason realizes, if nothing else, he has a house guest for the moment – than an entree to a another major conversation. He really does have to go out and put his head in the lion’s den.))

…

Hmm. As a guest, he’ll also give her guest-level privs to the computer and entertainment systems, so she has something to do today, can call out to Leo and Pneuma and Otto as desired, etc. If that wasn’t already possible. I seem to recall we had restored her into a air-gapped separate system, but obviously I connected her enough to the rest of the house to operate the hologram projector.

(Next up: AI Byron Quill: “And what are your intentions toward my son …?”)

author: *** Dave H.
url: https://app.roll20.net/forum/permalink/5860774

39

I assume they look the same for now, and would until they sorted out their mutual feeling on merging. At that point they either merge or probably start to differentiate quickly.

I think reverse C&S would come about with Numina reassuring Leo she is in good hands at Jason’s, if Doyce is fine with that (and if you make the roll…). I think Numina’s “I trust you more now” near the end, and explaining her motives (“I’m on life support and your house is the hospital, but the nurse is your Nemesis”) support her having opened up. I wouldn’t say no to marking potential either. :slight_smile:

author: Bill G.
url: https://app.roll20.net/forum/permalink/5860784

40

Not sure which would be worse.

Make the roll: “Leo, I just want you to know, Jason has been very comforting and supportive of me here at his home. He’s treating me very nicely, and I’m feeling much better thanks to him …”

Miss the roll: “Leo, I just want you to know, Jason was trying to comfort and support me here at his home last night, but I’m not feeling particularly comfortable or supported by the things he said to me about not being human or even real, and trying to get me to eat pizza with him, and …”

In either case, hilarity ensues.

(There doesn’t seem to actually be an effect for missing a C&S roll, but …)

author: *** Dave H.
url: https://app.roll20.net/forum/permalink/5860844