... and then Luke learned psychic bridge [WALKABOUT]

[returnofme]

Hello?

[That psychic voice belongs to precisely none of the Investigators currently in Sarmatia... but Callum and Cassandra, at least, might recognize it from the pizza place liminal.]

Hi? This is Luke Skywalker? Can anyone hear me?

Comments

[fearinahandfulof]

The word sounds familiar... Do you know which Arcana are competing this time?

[She listens as he rattles off the list... until he gets to Yakumo's armor and weapons. She doesn't know who Yakumo is, but...]

How did he get those?

[returnofme]

We think it's the Emperor and maybe the Hanged Man?

Kinji and Yakumo were brought to Nevermore's stronghold by his subordinate. They fought there... and lost quite badly.

[After a moment, he adds,]

Have you seen Raidou or Lupa around yet? We think Raidou tried to cross over and Lupa went after him.

[fearinahandfulof]

So not Devil, then...

[That's good, right?]

Are they all right?

[She thinks for a moment.]

I saw Lupa a little while ago, but he's turned into his overlay again. The other person, I don't know.

[But if people are coming over here, then...]

Is Melissa on your side now? She was here for the first two weeks, but I haven't been able to find her since.

[returnofme]

No, not Devil. And Kinji and Yakumo are sore and smelly, but none the worse for wear, except Yakumo's lost his heirloom arms.

I don't know Melissa personally and nobody new's shown up on the network, but Pogfessor Malik's wife just recently woke up from her coma and if Lupa's Infiltrating on your side I suppose it means Melissa can Infiltrate on ours.

[fearinahandfulof]

Someone was calling Devil that on the network, or else one of the Arcana was calling Devil that. That's why I was wondering.

I'm glad they're all right.

[But getting Yakumo's weapons back sounds like it will be difficult.]

That seems like it would match the time frame...

[But despite everybody leaving and returning to Liminal Space at the same time, Jaunts and Walkabouts don't always move at the same pace.]

How long has it been for you so far? This is the third week for us.

[returnofme]

I'll relay that over to the others--but I think we've actually met them. They were disguised as Mineral Pogemon.

It's the third week for us too. So at least our time-schedules match. I guess that's something.

[fearinahandfulof]

It might not be relevant, if Emperor and Hanged Man have already appeared. I... don't always understand things.

So she could have jumped over and then woke up as Malik's wife.

[returnofme]

They could be doing a three Cham-- Arcana match, I guess. Maybe.

Yeah. She could have. I'll let the others know and see if it is our Melissa.

[fearinahandfulof]

That goes against their pattern, though.

[Then again, some of them had cheated a lot during Phase Two.]

It would be good to know one way or the other.

...How tiring is what you're doing?

[returnofme]

Or maybe one snuck in? Hm.

I've been through worse. I'm working for that man who yells a lot. Agent Jules Thibault. He's a government inspector here. I'm trying to convince him not to call in a 'National Guard' but it's not working very well. It's a lot of long hours and late nights... but hopefully I'll be useful.

What about you? How tiring is Sarmatia?

[fearinahandfulof]

I... meant the mindspeech. Between the Jaunt and the walkabout.

Government inspector?

The Americans keep asking people if they're vampires or werewolves and now the younger vampires and werewolves are pretending to be humans pretending to be vampires and werewolves. Melissa and I were telling people we were here on vacation before she disappeared; some people have asked about her, but I wasn't sure what to tell them. Maria is working for the filmmakers and I think Callum is, too?

[That or acting as Melissa's corviger... which could be a problem now that she's gone.]

Other than that, I'm not finding it tiring at all, but I'm not a good judge of that.

[returnofme]

More than a bit. I don't know how much longer I'll be able to do it. Maybe another standard minute or two.

Agent Thibault is trying to 'assess the dangers of the Pogemon incursion.' Which mostly just means he's trying to see if things are safe.

I'm glad you've all found things to do. Jaunts when there isn't stuff to keep busy with can drive people a little nuts sometimes.

[No, he didn't go stir-crazy in Belljar, why do you ask?]

[fearinahandfulof]

[That sounds like a very Jules-like role.

She wants to ask him more about the incursion, but she doesn't think she wants to waste what little time he's got left to maintain communication on something she's not going to be able to hear about in more detail until after the Jaunt.]

Could you maybe let us know how things are going over there later? After you've rested?