un: jaycetalis | video

[hexcope]

[In a rare moment of using video on purpose, there's Jayce. To those who know him, he looks the same as he always does. To those who don't- he's an early 30's man with seemingly a permanent five-o-clock shadow, bright golden eyes, and perfectly coiffed hair. The background is out of focus, but to those who know it, it's clearly a part of S.T.A.R. labs. Normally a little more jovial or at least less serious sounding, Jayce looks into the camera like he's giving a press release.]

We’ve got about forty-eight hours or less until Aurora allows that toxin into Etraya. Which means if you haven’t started taking precautions already; start now. Get easily carried food, medical supplies, whatever you think you'd need. Better to be over-prepared than under.

Considering what Aurora's told us about the "mission"... If you’re someone prone to having weapons, do us all a favor and throw them into one of our many, lovely lakes, before you wind up using it on someone else. Or, if you’re going to be touchy about it, let me know, I’ll talk with Harold about how we can get them locked up somewhere for the mission’s duration.

As a reminder to those who don’t want to think about it, and maybe new information to those who are new: if you die here, for whatever reason, you lose something. I don’t know what, you won’t know what, and you might not even know what it is you’ve lost even after you’ve lost it. Maybe it’s an eye, maybe it’s the memory of your best friend. Either way, whatever you're afraid of by not having your weapons on you isn’t worth what you’ll be making someone else lose because of your bad decisions.

If you have any special concerns, worries about any specific denizens in this upcoming mission, now's also the time to voice it.

Comments

private

[hexcope]

Including your man.

[He means Carver, but you know, maybe Harold interprets this another way...]

Do you have a timed lock? We toss the weapons in there, set the lock to expire in 2 weeks?

I'm not getting involved in whatever SleepNear is trying to start. It'd by hypocritical of me.

Re: private

[ornithologist]

[ Harold actually assumes he means John, all automatically, before he realizes Jayce must mean Carver. Either way... ]

Yes, that is unfortunately true.

That would be simple to accomplish, yes. Though it makes me feel a bit like I'm setting up a lethal coat check.

Thank you. He was already severely hurt in retaliation, and I fear further measures may occur.

[hexcope]

I knew it'd be a hard sell to go for full disarmament, but now with only less than a handful of people agreeing to this, it feels more like certain people are just going to be defenseless against the majority. At the same time, every weapon out of someone's hands, the better, but the ones more likely to give it up are less likely to be the ones to fall for paranoid delusions.

...Was he? I didn't know that. I didn't think anything could get through his barriers. Should he... keep his gun then? If there's someone already willing to hurt him, even with his abilities?

[ornithologist]

Not much different than normal, I'm afraid. Sometimes all you can do is protect the people that are in front of you.

He was caught by surprise from his account. As much as I think, like you, that we should all disarm ourselves, whether or not Accelerator should keep his gun is not a decision I feel equipped to make. I'll respect his choice.

Though perhaps some non-lethal alternatives would be in order. [ Harold is suddenly grateful for the acoustic-based stun weapon Accelerator had given him. He doesn't normally carry it around, but now he is going to. ]

[hexcope]

Right.

[He agrees with that much at least. Which is why he's maybe on the downlow building a little gilded cage for Viktor.]

I've thought about that. Sedative blow darts, maybe? A sentence I never thought I'd be writing, but here we are.

This "SleepNear," the one that Accelerator killed, doesn't sound like he's unjustified in his feelings considering what supposedly happened to him. I don't have all the pieces, but can you confirm? There's degraded ethics, and there's... torturing a paralyzed person to death. That's more than a little oopsie.

[ornithologist]

That's one idea. Aurora did say on her post that sedatives are available at the hospital. And Accelerator gave me an acoustic-based weapon that is non-lethal -- he may be able to provide more.

I didn't ask him for details but I know what he's capable of, so that is possible. I'm not defending his actions. I doubt that he would try to, either. But I won't leave him to deal with the fallout alone.

[hexcope]

I'll grab some before this all starts. Distance will be an issue to get one actually injected into someone, but it's better than nothing.

I assume it's some sort of frequency-based stunning device. Useful as long as you don't turn it up high enough you bleed someone's brain out.

I'm not saying he should just relinquish himself to someone else's revenge, but we can't let him be held unaccountable for this, Harold. I get it, he wasn't himself. He had less restraint on holding back than he would normally have. But I'm sure I don't need to tell you what happens when it seems like some people are allowed to get away with doing anything to anyone.

[ornithologist]

[ He could argue with him, explain his own perspective, born of long experience rehabilitating murderers. But Harold doesn't really like to argue, and he thinks there's a faster approach. ]

Very well. What do you propose to be done?

[hexcope]

[He was waiting for some kind of argument, because this post has been nothing but arguments, but... one doesn't come. So.]

Both sides come to an agreement on what counts as a satisfactory concessions without it becoming an eye for an eye. If Accelerator was attacked already, then we've got to concede something before it becomes worse bloodshed.

I can try and find out from SleepNear what he considers a fair recompense.

[ornithologist]

[ Well, it's more reasonable than he'd been expecting, but he thinks it somewhat misses the point. ]

How very victim's rights of you, Mr. Talis. However, I'm not much for an eye for an eye mentality.

I'd prefer to gather more information before taking any action. It was someone else who attacked Accelerator. Appeasing 'SleepNear' may not be sufficient to prevent further violence.

[hexcope]

It sounds condescending when you say it like that.

You think the attack was unrelated? If it wasn't by SleepNear himself, then it was someone doing it on his behalf. The attack can't have been random.

[ornithologist]

I suppose it is a little. Justice is a concept everyone defines differently. I find it a waste of time.

I don't think it was random or unrelated, but I'm not certain rationalizing with 'SleepNear' is the answer. He's referred several times to someone as His Majesty, a username 'JossSweden'. I would be inclined to start there, from the top.

1/2

[hexcope]

Oh.

[hexcope]

Barnabas.

[ornithologist]

You know him? Them?

[ Cue trying to prod him for information... ]

[hexcope]

Of course. He's a real pain in the ass. Pretty sure he lives in that tower in Purple Windy, along with Cid. Connections to Clive and Dion, the former's nice, the latter's a stick in the mud.

[ornithologist]

I take it you're still talking to 'SleepNear'. Please inquire if they would consider Barnabas the authority in this matter.

[ The conversation vanished, so he assumes that means it's private. Harold is leaving it at that and not hacking it solely because he respects Aurora and doesn't want to irritate her. They've had a cordial relationship so far. ]

[hexcope]

I am, but I don't appreciate being used to further your goals. Even if SleepNear considers Barnabas "His Majesty," he doesn't think Barnabas would "go out of his way" for something like revenge on his behalf.

[ornithologist]

Forgive me for assuming you'd be interested in preventing further violence. Should I correct the assumption that this is a shared goal?

I don't think Barnabas is the culprit. I think his involvement might be effective at stopping the whole morbid cycle.

[hexcope]

Don't be a jerk. Clearly that's what I'm interested in, but don't get used to me digging up information for you like one of your errand boys. I'm volunteering it, because we have that shared overall goal even if I don't agree with your method.

As in he issues some sort of group 'stand down' orders?

[ornithologist]

I'm familiar with the concept. It's not as if I was offering you a job.

Perhaps. He's certainly going to be more familiar with all the players than either of us trying to piece it together.

[hexcope]

Sure, but he's not their leader either. His sway might be limited to one or two of them.

[ornithologist]

The amount of sway I personally exert in this sphere is zero, so it seems a place to start.

[hexcope]

I get it. But if you want to talk to someone who's a little more personable than a guy who thinks he's "the Warden of Darkness and Ash," I suggest Clive. He's a decent, normal guy.

[ornithologist]

Personable is not the defining quality I'm looking for. More like someone powerful and authoritative enough to keep everyone else in line.