There is no treason in the Red Zone
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Date: 09/14/2018 Time: 10:00am EDT |
Hall of Science, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
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Cast: | |
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Friday, September 14, 2018 Late morning for a birder The desk lamp is a little off from where it was, there is a small sliver of oval where it sat before. It's only halfway smudged because Alma wasn't thorough in tidying her desk. tsk tsk. Things are mostly in order. They satisfice. She's tiptapping on her laptop surrounded by notebooks and some feathers. Note is on her desk looking at the notes with her. She's expecting Arthur. Arthur knocks on the door, and pushes it open slowly. "Good morning Alma," he nods to her, closing the door behind himself. "Were you telling me yesterday, what I thought you were telling me?" Alma considers this. There's a little wrinkle in her forhead. She hmms. "I don't know, exactly. Maybe?" Arthur chuckles, and grabs a chair to slide into it. "You're leaving your organization and becoming what they call an Orphan. Like that young lady at the meeting we had." "Oh, right. I'm sorry I haven't read through all of your book yet. Yeah, I went ahead and," She pauses, a little puzzled. "Anyway, that's all in the past." She chews on her pencil tip a little, then scritches Note with it. Note makes a little clicking trill. "I still volunteer, you know? It's all a part of life. It's--do no harm. Not exactly Ahimsa. It's the core of me. Alexandra didn't understand that, so she's--scorched earth. Anyway, I hope you can still work with me. But there's another problem that affects my availability." Arthur folds his hands on the edge of the desk, and hums. "Yes, I could see her point. I'm more of a researcher, but she's more operational. She has a good head for security, and that would be a problem. I can still work with you. However if you do betray the, er, Chantry, there will be no stopping her. And I will be arming her." "I would expect nothing less. It would dishonor you not to." Has he seen anyone more ernest than Alma? Arthur smiles faintly, and looks around the desk. "As for the book, don't worry about it. I gave it to you as a professional suggestion of my own. You're a scientist. You do real research. You have your own team of kids to do your bidding." Never mind she's barely older than Tori and Jim. "I do think if you broke free of some of this..." He makes a sweeping gesture with one open palm. ".. these trappings, you'd be a beast." It's interesting, Alma thought she had more life experience than those two but when it comes down to it, it's not exactly /more/. It's different. But, yes, she does have a few years up on them. "It's the over-stimulus. These really help me focus. They... siphon energy. Anyway, have you read about the murders?" Arthur sits up. "Ah. Well, if you find yourself on a plane, or in a waiting room, and want something to read. Give it a shot." Had to try. But the murder word makes him look sharply. "I try not to read the local crime reports. It would get depressing. What happened?" Alma says, "Two dead bodies. With weird mutilation. They may have been murdered in Measure 2, or may have been taken there to make a delay--because naturally the authorities are making it Not Their Problem by arguing juridiction. So, some of us are looking in to it. We think they might be---ritual murders." Arthur scrunches his face. "That's awful. Ritual murders." He pauses. "Is that why you're leaving....?" "No, no. Not at all. Wait, do you mean my... former tradition? There's no way that could be them. anyway, that's all done. I left. it's the past. ... actually, I'm worried it could be someone from another tradition. But I doubt it's anyone we know. Anyway, I feel a duty to investigate. This is something I was made for. I mean, not that I'm a teological biologist, mind you. but.. they kill abandoned people. And it might be driving the ruination of the city." Arthur nods, and exhales. "Yes, it did occur to me that your former colleagues may have done such a thing, and that would be a good motivation for you to leave. So that's not who's responsible. But you think it may be... fortean in motivation. Is there anything I can do to help?" "No, no, no! I don't think... would any Foteans work with bodies? not, like wires and extrused, uh, rheotats or whatever? I was actually thinking it was Hermetic, but didn't want to get carried away telling you everything before digging some more. also, no," her eyes water, but her face is mostly calm, "there's no way someone from my tradition would do that. It's not like them at all. No, they would kill a person who was doing that." Arthur folds his hands again, and nods. "I see. So you think it's a renegade of Alexandra's own who is responsible for this. Hmm. If she was short with you, maybe that's a reason. Maybe they have their own internal problems. Have you spoken with any of them about it?" Alma sighs. "Not yet. and Alexandra is not going to want to be in my presense. I'm going to talk to Aaron about it." Arthur nods. "Sounds good. And again, I offer assistance on this. The cloaking device is coming together nicely, and then after Operation Fighting Maple Leaf, I will be looking for more projects." "Thank you," She looks releaved. Another colleague who will still work with her. "I appreciate your offer. I might talk to you later to see if you have any equipment for field work? And if this gets resolved before your operation, I will definitely help. I might even be able to do some preliminary work for you--but I have to be cautious not to overtax myself." She blows on one of the spinny things at her desk. Arthur smiles. "My interns probably won't be of use for this kind of field work. I'd have to do it myself. Keep in touch." | |
