Whose Round Is It Anyway?

[reallymean]

[Early in the day - well before her own abduction - Allura's voice comes across the network, the pattern of her thought-speech quick, but oddly lacking inflection.]

Given recent events, I think it's time we work out just which of our patrons is hosting this Jaunt, and whether or not we can allow their preferences to dictate how we go about freeing those who've been captured.

Does anyone have any insight into which of the Arcana are playing this round?

Or into the security measures we're likely to see at the detainment facility?

Comments

more info to come when i get a mod answer

[theflyingone]

I am scouting the fortress. Are you leading a rescue?

[professorwolf]

I think it's safe to say that one of the patrons is the Moon, given a variety of things in the last liminal space.

... I have no idea about the other, though.

[reallymean]

I intend to.

You've found them already? How far are they from the city?

[reallymean]

Moon is...secrecy and illusion? I'm not familiar with all of the symbolism, but I can see how that might fit the mists.

That could make the other player the spotlights - unless the creatures had some significance.

[theflyingone]

About forty American miles from the city. But I do not want to try to rescue them until we gather more information. That may have to wait until nightfall. Using the cover of darkness will be better anyway.

[neverfeltthatway]

I can sense where they are with the network.

Do we know if the kidnappers are Travelers too, infiltrating? If so, I have some psychic abilities that might be useful in a rescue attempt.

[neverfeltthatway]

I have confirmation of that from Raidou. Apparently she switched him to the walkabout to prevent us from finding out about Area 54.

[reallymean]

[It takes her a few moments to convert that to actually usable units of measurement.]

We'll also need to secure an escape route, and transportation. I doubt the captives will be up to travelling that far on foot.

[reallymean]

If that's the name of the facility the captives are being held in, then that was wasted effort on their part. But at least it tells us whose interests we're likely to be opposing.

[reallymean]

I'm not familiar with anyone who fits the description given, but I've only just started to reacquaint myself with our fellow Travelers.

[neverfeltthatway]

That's understandable. You have a description, though? [Armin's not 100% sure of recognizing it, but he's more likely than the majority of Travelers, at least.]

[neverfeltthatway]

It is.

That was the motive ascribed to her actions, anyway, but it didn't make much sense, since his overlay wasn't likely to share anyway.

[professorwolf]

Secrecy, illusion, mystery, darkness, fantasy... really, all things that suit a kidnapping organization and a "starlight" music festival, as well as a dark liminal space full of alien spacecraft and musical animals. Er, those cows, or whatever they were supposed to be, were made up of a kind of musical recording substance. What's in the cassette tapes for sale at the festival.

I'm not sure what the spotlights could be. Sun? Shining light on something, inducing honesty and understanding? Of the two, I'd much rather have a Sun win, so maybe the goal is to bring secrets to light, here.

[reallymean]

Justice is truth too, isn't it? It could be either, if that's the correct interpretation...

Unfortunately, exposing the kidnappers might also mean exposing their victims. They must be looking for something - we need to know what. Or whom.

[reallymean]

Maybe not willingly.

But if she is deceptive by nature, she could have been lying about her motives...

[reallymean]

Just the one that's been put around on the network by the Travelers who've been abducted.

[rustyhonesty]

Good luck with the rescue. If it's not tonight, the I will gladly come to help you... otherwise I'll stay behind and watch over the festival.

[neverfeltthatway]

Oh, of course. [That's the last out of him for a time, anyway, as he goes back on the network to look through the relevant posts. A couple times, he'd had to shut out the network when he was with his band in the jaunt, so he could concentrate on playing his role. Normally it wouldn't be too difficult, but his role and his relationship to Eren and Mikasa is so similar to back home that it can be hard to keep them separate, if he's not careful.]

[neverfeltthatway]

I'm sure she could have. I just can't see the reason, since we found out anyway - and since she knows we have the capability to speak between the jaunt and the walkabout.

I'm not really sure what part the bands play in all this, either, unless they're just a distraction. They don't seem to have much to do with aliens - unless the real aliens are in the bands? Or at the festival somewhere, anyway. [Not that he knows what they should do with the aliens if they find them.]

[photonicfighter]

Seeing as I'm at the facility, I wish I had more information to share. But they're doing a fairly good job in keeping us ignorant as to what's happening.

...isn't there a way to replay memories? I've never tried that, but don't people do that? Would that be helpful?

[neverfeltthatway]

That is possible, yes, and it's a fairly easy skill to pick up. Would you like me to teach you?

[professorwolf]

Hmm, Judgment has aspects of truth, too, but I would have expected more light from Judgment. Sun, too, for that matter. That's the problem with using broad definitions of the tarot cards... a lot of them have overlap. So that's three potentials, though. All of which I'd rather have winning a Jaunt than Moon, to be honest, though Justice is a bit iffy.

Armin is talking about aliens. Where did that come from? If this Area 54 is looking specifically for aliens... that could be a lead. I might be able to to sniff out anyone who smells non-human, perhaps, if they do in fact exist here.

[photonicfighter]

Is it? Yes, please! At least, if it's not likely to be noisy or disruptive. I'm trying not to do anything to compromise our cover, in here.

[neverfeltthatway]

It's unlikely to be noisy or disruptive, as it will all be happening in your mind and on the network.

Do you mind if I join you? It's easier to do this in person, even if we do all the talking on the network. Ah - by 'in person', I mean that I would send a psychic projection to you. I won't physically be there, so only you would be able to see or hear me.

[photonicfighter]

Join me? But, but I'm... [The protest trails off as he continues to explain himself, however.]

I don't mind. I didn't know that was something that was possible, either!