[I’ve got a Pierce the Mask coming online, but holding fire until another exchange.]
author: *** Dave H.
url: https://app.roll20.net/forum/permalink/6005123
It’s Amir’s turn to give a short, startled chuckle. “Attracted to Alycia?” He shakes his head, bemused. “I’d always assumed they wanted to make sure the two of you wouldn’t ruin their plan by trying to kill each other again.”
Numina returns with drinks and, unbelievably, a plate of crackers and cheese. Her focus is mostly on the tray - either entranced by being able to manipulate the physical world again, or not entirely trusting it. “Alycia and Jason rarely try to kill each other these days, unless ulcers count.”
Again, Amir chuckles, genuinely amused. Then his eyes track between the two of you, and see only smaller, polite smiles. “Wait.” His eyes narrow as he tries to understand. “She’s alive?”
author: Doyce T.
url: https://app.roll20.net/forum/permalink/6005733
Jason’s watching Numina. For the twentieth time he has to remind himself, She’s not some brand-new person who has access to Pneuma’s memories. She is Pneuma, or was, and just knows that she was suddenly in a virtual body, with some hours gap in her experience, and people were calling her _a backup and she had to choose a new name, and Leo … That’s got to be – man, I would be pretty messed up if I were in that boat. But she seems to handle it all with such … aplomb._Then she makes a bon mot about Alycia, which causes his face to grow hot. He tries to keep his smile polite, even as he’s simultaneously aghast with embarrassment and uncomfortable about Numina talking to him about Alycia _because you’re headed down a dangerous road, man, with the guard rails missing on boths sides.
_And what must Amir think, even if he’s not immersed in the melodrama that’s Jason’s life right now? _Alycia used to point guns at him as much as me. I think. Who knows whether I have any basis for counting that sort of thing, after what Dad did with my memory.
_Something niggles at him. The effects of the Veil also kind of resemble the memory manipulation Dad did. Occam’s Razor be damned, though. He knew who had done what kind of memory edits and motivational mind-fuckery on him. He just had to wait for the right moment to confront the both of them, and wasn’t it ironic that both Hecate and Dad would stoop to –
“Wait. She’s _alive?”
For a half-moment, Jason thinks Amir is talking about Numina, which strikes him as being uncharacteristically impolite. Then – “Alycia? Well, yeah. She’s threatened to kill me a couple of times, in public. Harry – Mercury – ran into her, too, and it turns out she was actually at, I mean, I’ve seen her on recent security tapes.” No point going into that fiasco right this moment._ “Why, you thought she wasn’t?”
author: *** Dave H.
url: https://app.roll20.net/forum/permalink/6005931
*** Dave H. said:
Something niggles at him. The effects of the Veil also kind of resemble the memory manipulation Dad did. Occam’s Razor be damned, though. He knew who had done what kind of memory edits and motivational mind-fuckery on him.
In his mind’s eye, or… possibly in the room, against the far wall, Li’lalycia scribbles furiously on a blackboard…
… then she turns and does a combination wink/finger gun at him.
[second post coming]
author: Doyce T.
url: Community Forums: Masks 22.1 - Sepiatoned Images of Florida [Cutscene] [RP] | Roll20: Online virtual tabletop
“I assumed you’d killed her by now,” Amir exclaims, as if it were obvious, then: “Or… that Chin’s people had some kind of civil war.” His hands toy absently with the head of his cane. “I’ve spent all my spare time in the last two years trying to understand what happened - reconstructing it after the fact when most of it was covered up - and I’ve never heard or seen any hint she was still around.”
He is still processing that information as Numina sets down the tray and returns to her chair. He nods his thanks, absently, as you offer him a glass, then shakes his distraction away and focuses on you again.
“Who do you suspect did this to you - to us? I’d think they might be the priority, right now, before they act again.”
author: Doyce T.
url: https://app.roll20.net/forum/permalink/6006091
“She never bothered you, then?” Jason asks, suddenly feeling a vague relief. Even as he’d asked why Amir thought she was dead, his big brain had been working out a dozen nightmare scenarios like she was all in his imagination, or she was the Sepiaverse Alycia (Sepialycia?), or … “That’s probably good. But – well, she always kind of seemed to have a mad-on with me more than with you. I don’t know why.”
He glances over at the “chalkboard” that Li’lycia’s been scribbling on. I’m beginning to really hate that finger gun thing.
Or maybe – “Maybe someone thought I was a bigger threat? I was being --” He slightly gags on the word, glances at Numina, then continues. “-- manipulated. To not come after you. To not try and rescue Dad and Rusty – heck, to not even think they were alive and might need rescue. Maybe someone’s been manipulating her the same way. Bumping up the fear in her, or the anger, or something. Keeping her from reaching out to me, like I was kept from reaching out to you, and vice-versa.”
He ticks off on his fingers. “Three different avenues of mental manipulation: the Vyortovian Veil, making everyone believe that Vyortovia exists, Iceland is a myth nobody’s ever heard of, and Oceania has always been at war with Eastasia.” He looks at Amir. The surge of joy at deciding his brother was as much of victim as he was (which sounds awfully weird, but better than “… still hated him” or “… was part of the conspiracy”) has crested, a bit of paranoia creeping back in. All of Amir’s questions have made sense, but there have been an awful lot of them. On the other hand, in this situation, wouldn’t anyone be asking questions? Wasn’t he asking questions in his own head, right that moment?
Okay, cards on the table then. If Jason’s guessed wrong, he’ll just have to bull his way through.
"So that ‘veil’ was erected by Hecate of the HHL – you remember, the witchy one who kept calling Dad an Androhegemonist? The HHL decided that the public couldn’t handle the idea that there was some sort of interdimensional incursion and that entire nation, if not the world, might be merged or swapped or something. So she did whatever the hell she does and edited, for the most part, people’s sense of reality, even if the public records didn’t quite back that up.
“Second avenue --” Another tick. He’s taking them in a different order, just to spite her. “I think Hecate targeted us – you and me – more specifically.” He’s watching Amir carefully. Jason was never as good in a brawl as Rusty wanted, but he’d always drawn top marks in contingency analysis. His mind is already branching through new scenarios from “Amir is totally on the up-and-up and is asking just what anyone would ask and I’m really sorry I didn’t eat Hecate’s face off when I was in GG’s body” to “Amir is a puppet of Hecate who’s hiding in the next room watching us and trying to determine what we know and how would I best attack us if I were her, and man, I really wish I’d eaten off her face …”
“She’s the one responsible for keeping us apart – 'cause were a lot stronger team together than apart. She’s the one that’s kept me from going after Dad – heck, from not even going to the Sepiaverse when I know how to do it.” Not to mention another way he thought of on the flight down that he’s not sure would actually work, but the Palm Key place does have the micro-fusion power generation capability, because solar cells don’t let you run a cyclotron on your island estate. “That spell got kicked in the teeth when we broke the first one, all from the same person, all from the same effort, and that part designed, most of all, to strand Dad (and Rusty, for that matter) over in the Sepiaverse.”
A shrug. “I don’t know where she is right now. I know there are a lot of folk who would really like to talk with her, and not in a friendly manner, and I’m not sure her HHL buddies are going to stop that from happening. They were of a real mixed mind on the first veil; the second was an abuse of power, to say that fucking least. And, yeah, she’s a priority, but rescuing Dad and dealing with the Vyortovians have to come first. Especially after what you just told me about their plans.”
Jason sits back, trying to maintain an outward calm, trying to keep his senses open, continuing to focus on Amir, his tells, his reaction to this, to figure out what’s actually going on with him.
_
[Which I think probably means a Pierce the Mask attempt, he only thinks of belatedly, herp-derp.]_
author: *** Dave H.
url: https://app.roll20.net/forum/permalink/6006201
Before I type replies:
And…
Numina is here, so if Bill’s willing, she can spend a team to get you to 10.
author: Doyce T.
url: https://app.roll20.net/forum/permalink/6006291
Approved. But since she is sort of distracting Jason passively, I want Dave to tell us how she helped.
author: Bill G.
url: Community Forums: Masks 22.1 - Sepiatoned Images of Florida [Cutscene] [RP] | Roll20: Online virtual tabletop
actually, depending on what options Dave picks from the list I know exactly how she’s going to help
author: Doyce T.
url: https://app.roll20.net/forum/permalink/6006341
I think I’m going to keep it simple and take the first three. I’m not looking to take influence over him.
Numina’s advice on trust is helping Jason control his paranoia at least a bit, so that assists with his judging this a bit more rationally. She also engages with Amir through the food and drink service, allowing Jason observation points where Amir is (or isn’t) distracted.
(Alternately, she just smiles and says, “Jason is concerned about speaking too frankly, given the experience you’ve both had with being deceived. Is everything here as it seems, Amir?” Sometimes Numina is disarmingly direct.)
Or if someone has an even better idea…
author: *** Dave H.
url: https://app.roll20.net/forum/permalink/6006463
[I’m going to answer this in three parts, so you can reply to his stuff one bit at a time. If your reply tied that bit of the conversation up, I’ll post the next one, and so on.]
“And, yeah, she’s a priority, but rescuing Dad and dealing with the Vyortovians have to come first. Especially after what you just told me about their plans.”
**[What do you want me to do?]
**
“Even with only the information you have, I’d actually say Hecate might be the priority, as odd as that might sound.” His eyes go to the end of the room, where inset bookshelves surround a rarely-used fireplace. “I might have some additional information, but I’m not sure I’m the best to explain it, or that I have the right to do so.” He uses his cane to push himself upright, and walks - steady, if not regular steps, with help - to the shelves, where he pulls down a book. He looks at the cover, nods, and starts to return to his chair, then reaches across and hands it to you at your end of the couch.
“Ms. Randal is part of the physics faculty at Harvard, I believe,” he says, gesturing at the book, “and I believe she can give you a great deal of insight into Hecate’s motivations, among other things.” He rubs at his mouth, eyes on the somewhat dated, circa-early-2000s book cover. “Harvard’s probably only three or four hour’s flight time from here, and as a bonus, you can see she’s uniquely qualified in a number of fields relevant to your interests.” He motions back toward the rest of the house. “She’s in a group picture with Father, I think, back in the lab. The one where they’re all holding martinis and look twelve years old.”
author: Doyce T.
url: Community Forums: Masks 22.1 - Sepiatoned Images of Florida [Cutscene] [RP] | Roll20: Online virtual tabletop
Well, that’s message-fraught. If I could only figure it out. Except…
… He’s being very circumspect. Are we under observation?
… Is this Mandel… Hecate? Someone who actually knows her? Or some other piece of the mystery? [Dave has meta thoughts, but none that would occur to Jason as yet.]
… Picture. I try to think of the photo he’s referring to. [Do I? Is there such a photo? Or does that seem more of the message?] Twelve years old. Metaphor, or message?
“Thanks,” Jason takes the book. Looks at the back to see if there’s a photo of the author there. “I’ll add that to my itinerary. Right away.” He glances at Numina, then back to Amir. “I’ll get the book back to you soon as I can. I might skim it on the flight.”
author: *** Dave H.
url: https://app.roll20.net/forum/permalink/6006837
*** Dave H. said:
… Picture. I try to think of the photo he’s referring to. [Do I? Is there such a photo? Or does that seem more of the message?] Twelve years old. Metaphor, or message?
You can easily see the picture in your mind’s eye. Lots of egg-heads, looking smug and tipsy. Some kind of academic gathering. These are physicists, so not MANY women, and you can probably recall the one in question.
“Thanks,” Jason takes the book. Looks at the back to see if there’s a photo of the author there. “I’ll add that to my itinerary. Right away.” He glances at Numina, then back to Amir. “I’ll get the book back to you soon as I can. I might skim it on the flight.”
“No worries on the book return,” Amir says. “It’s Father’s, not mine.” He motions with his chin toward the other end of the room. “Shelved out here, with all the other books written by peers of his, so they could see he bought their books when they dropped in to visit, I’d imagine.”
The picture on inner flyleaf is a more recent picture - a woman in her early fifties, rather than mid-thirties.
author: Doyce T.
url: https://app.roll20.net/forum/permalink/6006903
**[What do you intend to do?]
**
“She’s the one responsible for keeping us apart – 'cause were a lot stronger team together than apart.”
He settles back into his chair, as if the trip across the room took a toll. “I don’t imagine I’ll ever do much in the way of globetrotting, again, even with my brother at my side,” he smiles faintly. “But now, with the veil down and these… compulsions gone, I can broaden my research, try to figure out what the Family is up to now. I hope I can be of some help in that regard, feeding my action-adventuring sibling information he can use.”
author: Doyce T.
url: https://app.roll20.net/forum/permalink/6006908
Jason smiles. “I’d – like that. Being fed usable information by my brother is always nice.” He meets Amir’s eyes, gives a short nod. “But --”
He gestures at his brother’s legs. “Your legs. They’re not as dire as I was told. But I can see they still – well, is there anything I can help with there? Anything I can --” It sounds lame even before he says it. “-- build?”
author: *** Dave H.
url: https://app.roll20.net/forum/permalink/6007336
Amir makes a dismissive gesture - the expression of someone who’s been fighting an illness long enough to find it boring - tiresome. “I’ve already been built and rebuilt a number of times - I believe I’ve exceeded my tolerance for surgical tables, at least for the moment. Any frequency higher than every forty-five days would probably put me in open revolt.” Seeing your worried expression, he offers an olive branch. “I … promise the next time I go in for one of the consults I’m putting off, you can come along and badger the doctors on my behalf.”
“So…” he folds his hands on top the cane. “Hecate. How bad is the situation there, already?”
**[What are you really planning? (Numina helps)]
**
“She’s the one that’s kept me from going after Dad – heck, from not even going to the Sepiaverse when I know how to do it.”
“That spell got kicked in the teeth when we broke the first one, all from the same person, all from the same effort, and the part designed, most of all, to strand Dad (and Rusty, for that matter) over in the Sepiaverse.”
“I don’t know where she is right now. I know there are a lot of folk who would really like to talk with her, and not in a friendly manner, and I’m not sure her HHL buddies are going to stop that from happening.”
It’s Numina’s turn to smile, though it’s more of a smirk, as she listens to you rattle off a list of problems and potential adversaries.
“Too many secrets, Marty,” she murmurs.
Amir raises an eyebrow, and you think it might be at least in part because she spoke up in the middle of your conversation with him. But the very mild surprise shifts subtly to bemusement. He glances toward her, then back, giving you a bit of a teasing smirk as well.
“I’m afraid your assistant may be malfunctioning a bit, Jason,” he says, laying just the slightest bit of emphasis on your name, to point out Numina’s error.
author: Doyce T.
url: https://app.roll20.net/forum/permalink/6007674
Wheels within wheels.
Amir’s been clearly acting squirrely, trying to convey messages, the emphasis on the book, the prioritization of Hecate, feeding him information. Are they under observation?
Another thought/scenario unwinds in Jason’s head. Amir was in the Sepiaverse when Dad, et al., got blown across – and was so clearly blown back. Into the hands of the Vyortovians who were trying to stop Dad? But Amir was happy to go over Dad and Chin’s plans and the background to the whole Vyortovian mess, and would that make sense if the Vs are the ones monitoring things here?
But if they are, might they be interested in Hecate? Maybe too interested. (Alternately, hell, who’s to say she’s not one of them, or working for them?)
Too many secrets.
He’d always liked Sneakers better than Amir, but they’d watched it enough times, his brother knew that line. He’s either subtly acknowledging that, or emphasizing it as – a distraction?
Jason sighs internally. Amir, Li’lycia, and Numina are doing a lot better with the cryptic comments than he is. Hell, they were probably both rolling their eyes at each other when he wasn’t looking at them. So maybe he needs to just shut up. Regardless of who’s listening, he’s probably already babbled too much. He’s been working at cross-purposes, trying to be both candid with his brother and test him by feeding him information to get a reaction, but the third purpose – operational security – have have suffered for it.
Amir always had been better about talking his way past the guards than he was.
Okay, shift the tone. And hope that he can acknowledge both their messages. If they are messages. “Yeah,” he says, looking at Numina and hoping she doesn’t take all this wrong. “Yeah this prototype has been kind of glitchy. Spec contract for a three-letter government agency using some parts Dad designed for some West Coast toy company. Quality issues sneaked by. I’ll have to examine her closely back home.”
Jason blushes slightly at his own final comment.
author: *** Dave H.
url: https://app.roll20.net/forum/permalink/6008095
He’d always liked Sneakers better than Amir, but they’d watched it enough times, his brother knew that line. He’s either subtly acknowledging that, or emphasizing it as – a distraction?
author: Doyce T.
url: https://app.roll20.net/forum/permalink/6008300
Okay, shift the tone. And hope that he can acknowledge both their messages. If they are messages. “Yeah,” he says, looking at Numina and hoping she doesn’t take all this wrong. “Yeah this prototype has been kind of glitchy. Spec contract for a three-letter government agency using some parts Dad designed for some West Coast toy company. Quality issues sneaked by. I’ll have to examine her closely back home.”
Amir nods. “I confess I haven’t stayed remotely abreast the business side of things. I had no idea you were involved in production contracts, but I’m glad you are. You always had a knack for invention.” He starts to stand. “Next time, I insist on a longer visit, but for now… you and I both know we have some urgent things to see to.”
author: Doyce T.
url: Community Forums: Masks 22.1 - Sepiatoned Images of Florida [Cutscene] [RP] | Roll20: Online virtual tabletop
Jason’s blood runs cold as he reads Li’lycia’s writing.
_Or he’s never seen the movie.
_Is she channeling his paranoia now? Or deflating his deep-seated desire to reunify with his lost brother.
_You won’t know who to trust.
_Amir’s words don’t help his uncertainty and fear. Camouflage against those who listen? Or genuine ignorance given in such a confidant way that they seem like that.
_I cannot kill my brother.
Kill my brother.
_“We do. Jeez, this is – unbelievable.” Jason steps forward. Part of him wants to strike out, but he simply doesn’t know. Regroup. Withdraw. Consider. There’s time, but not in this place.
_GET OUT. Think later.
_He embraces Amir, resisting the impulse to armor up. He steps back with a smile. “I’m so glad I came here. It’s good to have my brother back – and have some direction.”
He turns to Numina. “We’ve got places to be,” he says, and shoots her with a finger gun. Hopefully that will mean something from the stories he’s told her. Did he mention the finger gun? Great time to have to wonder that.
Fight or flight. But he’s unsure whether or how to fight – and Numina’s a possible collateral target. But flight – literal as well as figurative – has to be controlled, restrained, serene, appropriate.
“Stay in touch, man. I’ll be back.” He waves the book. “Thanks for this.”
Further niceties, politeness, bonhomme, as he flees in slow motion to the jet. He forces himself to take the walk-around he was trained a hundred times to do, pays special attention to the diagnostics on systems start-up, considers how a bomb might have been slipped aboard …
_How paranoid am I? Is it worth doing something crazy with the nanobots to search for something? At the cost of killing myself a little bit, to try to avoid being killed a lot? Or, if this really is as dire as it maybe is, is their purpose just to get me away as a useful ally-slash-tool, whoever “they” are? Or “he” is? That makes the most sense – but can I trust my judgment on that?
Breathe._
He looks over at Numina, strapped in such that major clipping is occuring in her visual image. I need to trust myself. _And that means reining this reaction in. Don’t literally kill myself. At least, not yet.
_“If something happens, I’ll protect you,” he tells her quietly, imagining a sudden fireball, trusting to the nanobots to protect him if at all possible, but telling them with everything he can think of to make sure that any protection they extend includes her. Whatever that costs.
“Of course you will,” she says, and it isn’t a snarky comment but an expression of confident trust in him. Which – means a lot, he realizes.
He gives a wave to Amir – sincere looking enough that if this is all on the up and up, no offense can be taken. And if it’s not, that no warning flags are raised. “Palm Key,” he says into the radio, doubling into the external speakers, “we are clear and heading out. Thanks for the hospitality, bro.”
Then he eases back the throttle, and takes the VTOL up.
-----------------------
[If I’ve stepped on intended or more interesting plot toes, feel free to interrupt the above as necessary.]
[If this was the end of the intended cutscene, I do have some post-discussion I’d like to have with Numina, dialog or monolog. Some of that depends on (and vice-versa) where Jason’s next destination actually is…]
author: *** Dave H.
url: https://app.roll20.net/forum/permalink/6008627