Meowselsworth's attention turns towards Sir Jiminy. "I thought she had scanned me soon after we first met. I guess I was wrong. I thought she was certain of my innocent. You were the name she mentioned, the name that I had ommitted, Sir Jiminy, to protect you from any mutants who might want to attack. And now that I must plea for my life, I must note that I kept that information secret because I thought you were an agent, whether or not it's true. Your accusation only shows that she had lingering distrust of myself and of another... Nothing about my provision of my communications with Sutra would have affected such an accusation, anyhow." The feline's ears twitch a few times, visibly upset. "If you kill me (and please remember the proper helmet cat disposal procedures) and the mutant kills another one of the innocent... you will be left with three. I suppose you could do worse, and kill an agent, which I am not... I will accept my death, so long as proper helmet cat disposal procedures are followed, I will even initiate the helmet cat emergency suicide procedures, but before you decide to euthanize me outright, Sir Jiminy, I want a chance to pursuade you to allow me to live. And believe me, I would rather find and dispose of the mutant and live, than to die with the mutant yet uncovered. If I were the mutant, Sir Jiminy, your questioning would have frightened me enough that I would certainly have killed you, and Mr. Ryxis would have gobbled you up, but even imagining that makes me sick. Instead, I have nothing to hide, and I thought my honesty would help us to find the mutant, as you had insight, since as I said before... I had thought you an agent."
To Taraz, Meowselsworth says, "If you feel you are persuaded by those words, grant me that: a chance to change your mind. If I am the mutant, it's only when your eyes are taken off me that I could kill. If I am not, well, then I think I deserve this chance to beg for my life before my neck is broken, and my body is disintegrated by my helmet."
Jin moves forward to the table to honor Ryxis and eyes the funeral meal being prepared. There is a LOT of Ryxis... but it's what he would've wanted. He grabs a glass of whatever liquid he can find -- he doesn't care about the year or label, and raises it high. "To the well meaning Wrexian - let his travels continue in the next life... and I belive his people would want us to add: 'Ryxis, you will not be forgotten nor go to waste'."
Jin takes a long drink.
Then turning his gaze to Meowselsworth and trying to pick back up with all of her plea to Jiminy... When she pauses, "The cat makes a good point, if she were the mutant than she probably would've gone after her almost-accuser, Jiminy... but then again, maybe that would've been too obvious."
"Helmet cat, *I'll* listen to your thoughts. We've got time. Honoring Ryxis will take a while... But I hope they are truly convincing, because as of now I'm siding with Sutra's concerns over you."
Taraz suddenly looks deadly serious, and he takes a long swallow of his goblet before saying, "Interesting development. Meowselsworth is now proven not to be an agent. As only three remain who could be an Agent, I now know that the choices are down to Sir Jiminy, Wowbagger, and Jin. This leaves Meowselsworth as either a mutant or a Citizen. The worst part of course is that if Meowselsworth is not the mutant, the mutant will leave me alive as it will most likely believe me to be a citizen. It will launch its attack at one of the aforementioned trio being that it is also of that grouping. This will split up the Council duo, leaving the remaining member in a world of uncertainty. The mutant's next move would then be to try to cast suspicion on me with the remaining Council Agent backing it up. Hmmm...I imagine the mutant then has already been badmouthing me and cultivating a suspicion against me, one that was only slightly less than that of Meowselsworth...unless of course the mutant is Meowselsworth."
Taraz hands crack together like a whip. "So then it is time. You who are Agents must publicly reveal yourselves now, or if your assertions against Meowselsworth are unfounded, whichever the pair of you will be permanently separated from the other by death. The mutant knows better than to leave itself with the two of you intact as you will overwhelm it in the end. If you are wrong then one of you will die this cycle, and the remaining two will be a mystery to you. Come forward now and the remaining citizen will be able to know you and will then also know the mutant as he knows of your purity. Then at the end it will be whichever Agent is left alive who will make the choice to live or damn themselves as we know that both the others will have to vote for each other as they know you are pure."
Taraz spreads his hands. "It is of no consequence if you are revealed, and Meowselsworth is the mutant. You will have already saved the survivors by eliminating her, so that knowledge will harm no one. The vote counts against her already assure her death unless both Jin and I were to vote together for another, and Jin has already announced his intention to consider the helmetcat the mutant. As this makes my vote superfluous at best or irrelevant at worst, I will abstain the vote. I will trust you Agents to choose the mutant as I have been blinded in these final moments. I do not find it within myself to believe anyone left alive is the mutant. I implore you to be sure of your vote before you make it. At this late stage, the mutant needs every death it can get, so if you are wrong the count will drop to three.
Only advice can I now provide. Reveal yourselves before it is too late and the chance to prove your purity is lost."
Not knowing what else to say, Taraz scratches Meowselsworth's cheek with a smile full of heartbroken sadness, sits down and begins to work on a large helping of Wrexian brisquet.
"Roasted Ryxis sure does smell good." proclaims Sir Jiminy as he takes a seat far from the mutant cat. "I suppose I could try some of that Wrexian roast."
Meowselsworth decides to also honor Ryxis by partaking in the meal, though apparently not in good appetite at the time being. "Firstly, I do not think that Sutra scanned me before she was found dead, as I had always assumed she had scanned me prior. Her doubts were expressed to others, which I find surprising. As I said, the potential ally she directed me to was Sir Jiminy, which was the last message I received before she died, but I did Sir Jiminy a courtesy by not speaking his name. If I was a mutant, I would have killed him directly after Sutra's death. I had never spoken to Thoen, and his death was surprising (and interestingly occured directly after Mr. Wowbagger asked for protection), nor had I spoken privately to Hammish, who died shortly after working together openly with Mr. Taraz, also interesting. This mutant seemed to have uncanny ability in killing the militant and scanners, though it seems that the agents have done well in keeping beneath the mutant's notice. As I've said, I imagine that Sir Jiminy is the agent, and I have thought so for awhile, but I can't be certain. I was hoping that I would be able to work with Sir Jiminy and his partner, whoever that is, in order to be certain we were safe, since I thought Sutra must have cleared my identity with him, though I suppose I'm not sure whether it was Sir Jiminy or I who she cleared, more likely it was Jiminy if she still expressed suspicions of me.
Secondly, and this counts for very little, if she did scan me at the time she died, and I don't think that she did, if I plug this into my helmet calculator, if there are fifteen people and two are mutants, and you scan them all with a scanner that works three quarters of the time, and this is generous as scanners are not quite perfected... when you scan the mutants, you should get 1.5 positive readings and 0.5 negative readings. When you scan the non-mutants, the 11 remaining, as that was how many who were around when Sutra was scanning, you should get 2.75 false positives, and 8.25 negatives. At the point in this situation that Sutra scanned, a positive result would either be a member of the 1.5 true positives or 2.75 false positives, which means that there is a 1.5/(1.5+2.75) or about 35.3% chance of the identification actually being accurate at that stage, and thus a 64.7% chance of innocence for the one scanned, so it is not conclusive evidence. Does anyone have any issues with my defence so far? My helmet runs these calculations automatically, which I am thankful for, as my mathematical abilities run about the same as any other cat: terribly." Meowselsworth looks down at her paws before licking the front ones. "I hoped that if I died, it would be at the hands of a mutant, dying instead of an agent so that some of my friends may survive. Instead, I fear I will die at the hands of said friends. Better myself than an agent. I think I will run the odds of whether it will be more beneficial for the agents to reveal themselves or not through my helmet next..."
Meowselsworth falls silent, rubbing her cheek against Taraz's hand as her eyes half lid again, enjoying her possibly last chance at some pets.
"Let me get this straight, Meowelsworth wants the mutant to publicly reveal themselves. Then he will be killed."
"Taraz wants the agents, who have only one in five chance of lynching the right person to decleare themselves. IF they are wrong they have a 50% change of winning the next round by being left alone (the mutant then only has a 50% chance of getting an agent [2 out of 4]) to immediately throw that a way and tell the mutant who they are."
"Agents, do not listen to Taraz. Keep your secret. He is making a case for him being the mutant. If an agent is killed this round by a mutant, mark my words and lynch Taraz next."
"Only the mutant would want to stop a great chance at sure victory next round by having the agents reveal themselves."
Wowbagger look at the cat, "Sorry kitty, Taraz could be just a little slow, he may have ridden on the really short buses as a kid. You are still the prime suspect."
Wowbagger looks at Taraz, "Taraz, if you are more clever than I thought and turn out to be an agent, I will apologize to you."
"I know I'm your prime suspect, you were quite quick to turn your pointing finger towards me, as you have been in the past. And as I've said, I'm under the impression that Sir Jiminy is the agent (which may not be the case), that Mr. Taraz is a regular citizen, but I'm not so sure about you. But if you are a mutant, it is rather clever of you to be trying to set up your victory so early by casting the next round's suspicion upon Mr. Taraz," says Meowselsworth. "It smells fishy. And believe me. I know fishes."
"So you do not share any suspicion for Taraz. You think he is a regular citizen. That makes this round's vote quite easy."
"From my perspective, either you or Jin is the mutant. But Mr. Wowbagger, I don't think you are an agent given what you've said, and with my opinion that Mr. Taraz is a civilian, and my knowledge that I am a civilian... well... I guess that makes me think my vote is quite easy as well, after some thought. Your accusations are quick, which quickly garners support for your side, but if I am killed, and I fear that I shall be, I will repeat the sentiment of the late Mr. Stilgrasen: My glassy, dead eyes are on you, Mr. Wowbagger."
"Also, yes, I would like the mutant to publicly reveal themselves before any more needless deaths. As leader of the social committee, it's a formality that I doubt will be observed. I think it is the mutant's social duty, so not to ruin the rest of our lives any further," says Meowselsworth.
"Well, that was not a good way to get me to switch my vote to Taraz, Ms. Meowselworth."
"Well if Zapphod can run the galaxy, then maybe Taraz may have been hired as an agent. Taraz, I may owe you that apology. I am sure somewhere in the agent handbook is section that says: DO NOT reveal your identity to the mutants you are trying to stop. They may use this information to kill you."
"Little Meowselsworth, Taraz and Wowbagger were the first to follow Hammish's vote against The Hollow, the only mutant we've uncovered so far, and that very vote you abstained from voting for the Hollow, a decision only made by you and Bruce. Still, we know this is not perfect logic, as proven by Bruce's demise. We are simply fishing for clues as it may be, our little fish connoisseur. Sutra appears to have contacted many of us, and some having no other means of deriving the truth have made alliances based on those contacts, I myself even contacted you earlier, curious about Sutra's thoughts. If you are truly not the mutant, then give us something better to base a decision upon, and please try not to rely upon the calculator in your helmet as I think a chip may have burned in there." Sir Jiminy sniffs the air, trying to detect the smell of burned electronics.
"Sir Taraz, in the gravity of the events I almost forgot to complement you upon your excellent dissertation on the merits of Wild Grain Ricron with Camigo Sauce. Provided we find the time, I certainly hope you do expand your lesson to include Roast Shnootallen in Azure Wine Cream Sauce.”
"I don't think that Mr. Taraz is a mutant, unless I've been deceived, Mr. Wowbagger," says Meowselsworth, "And I would rather die than have someone of greater value than me die, but I would rather a mutant die than I die. I would have to be persuaded that Mr. Taraz is a mutant to vote for him, but to me, it seems more likely that you are the mutant. I am voting with honesty. I am quite happy to change my vote if I'm persuaded, but given my opinion of you and Taraz not being agents, and myself being a civilian, if I think that Taraz is not a mutant, it logically follows that you are. If I think that you are not, then I would think Taraz is, but I would not much like to think that... And Sir Jiminy, my helmet calculator's math is quite sound: It is an application of a classical counterintuitive diagnostic result. I abstained from voting for the Hollow because I was concerned that his 'cloak of mystery' was for the mutants, so that they would not target him, so that he could scan. I didn't want to be a part of it, if he turned out to be a scanner, though I knew my vote made no difference. If it is a crime to be wrong, then behead us all, because we have all sent innocent comrades to their deaths."
"Though I suppose abstaining creates the possibility of a tie, which is advantageous to a mutant..." says Meowselsworth, "Perhaps I should initiate the helmet cat emergency suicide procedures now, because this paranoia will give me a heart attack anyways..."
Taraz looks at Wowbaggerwith interest. "How fascinating that you attempt to twist my logic and obfuscate the true purpose of my suggestion." Taraz looks at the others with a wry expression and an eyebrow raised.
"You three say you are certain your votes for Meowselsworth are correct, and if so then the Agents revealing themselves would cause no danger to themselves as we will live to leave this place. I merely point out that if you are wrong, then two will die not one. Once again the mutant will have had rein to kill at its whim. It will not choose to kill me as I am but a mere Citizen as I have stated previously. Of all present only two have said openly that they are not an agent. The mutant will know that he must kill an agent this round if it wants to survive. So I know the mutant will not kill me. However, as potentially the last regular Citizen, I will not know which of the final two to trust. If the Agents step forth now, then the the mutant will not be in control of the final vote, but rather the Agent as each of the remaining will have to persuade the Agent of their purity.
At this, Taraz stands up and begins to circumambulate the room both hands clasped behnd his back.
"Of all creatures here in my mind, Wowbagger, you are the most suspect of being the mutant if one disregards Meowselsworth's astention from the vote against the Hollow. It is you who have been the first to cast the vote for innocent citizens almost every time, and as I pointed out before, the one who asked for Thoen's protection the very cycle when his own life was the object of the mutant's attention. You are quick now to vote for the feline and also quick to immediately begin casting suspicion upon me...coincidentally exactly as a I predicted. Despite your very obvious slights that I might be a mutant, I noticed you did not change your vote to me. Saving it for when Meoselsworth is proven pure?
"I point out that I have been the one to call for caution and well-rounded thinking when making a vote while you, Wowbagger, have led the charge with snap judgements and little evidence. As I believe in transparency and none of this duplicitous secret messages, let me now bring to light information from the few secret communique that I have received."
Here Taraz stops behind the chair where Sir Jiminy is eating.
"Sir Jiminy: I received an unsolicted message advising me that strong alliances were called for at this hour and that he felt he could trust me to provide advice since my feelings against the Hollow had been correct. He then asked me to accuse Bruce Stilgrasen due to the blue devil's silent manner. Next, I sent Jiminy a message to assert whether Meowselsworth was under suspicion to which he replied that yes, the next vote was to go against the helmetcat."
Taraz moves on until he is once again near Meowselsworth.
"Meowselsworth: I sent the purring feline a message saying that I feared that suspicion may be falling to her next if I was reading the prevailing logic which had been followed to cast suspicion. Before she could respond the votes were already being cast against her at which time she implored me to be patient with my decision and allow her time to prove her innocence through discussion."
Taraz continues his stride until he is standing next to Wowbagger.
"Wowsbagger: I sent a message to indicate that I thought either he or Meowselsworth would be the most likely to be suspected at this late hour. Wowbagger quickly informed me that he had an oft-shifting alliance that currently included the two he believed to be the Agents and that suspected me of mutation but also considered Meowselsworth as a potential.
"Considering the subsequent accustion against the feline, this would make Jin and Sir Jiminy the Agents if one assumes that Wowbagger was telling the truth. It also means that Wowbagger has been instrumental in the ever-shifting patterns of votes and death which is itself suspect as this is exactly where I would expect the mutant to be. I do however have to admit some trepidation about the implications of Sir Jiminy's role. It has been revealed that Sutra may have trusted the wrong person, and however coincidentally, the three beings she trusted have lived this far. Sir Jiminy has potentially been allied with...well, everyone here it would seem. What causes him to switch potential targets at whim has yet to be disclosed and the reason I feel I am remiss to immediately take his suggestions to heart without some examination first. I also note that Meowselsworth did not attempt to cast suspicion on any other following the accusation against her. Quite thought-provoking."
Taraz regains his seat and sips from the refilled goblet of Gale Force '77. He looks around at the group and says,
"This leaves me at what I feel is the only way to prove that I am a citizen. If the shaky evidence at hand is correct, then Sir Jiminy and Jin are the Agents. I know I am pure, so either Meowselsworth or Wowbagger is the mutant, but no one else is convinced save the one who stands accused. Jin has withheld his vote so far. I will now risk my own life."
Taraz reaches over to Meowselsworth and strokes her fur. "Meowselsworth, would you do me the honor of giving me your vote for lynching. If you do so, then it will be Jin, whom I believe to be an Agent, who has the final say. Or perhaps it shake up the thinking of this round and cause everyone to re-examine what they believe."
Taraz nods to Sir Jiminy. "I am glad you enjoyed the myth behind ricron. I am certain you will enjoy the story of Roast Shnootallen in Azure Wine Cream Sauce. It is rather amusing. Allow me a few moments to catch my breath and collect my thoughts."
Taraz now begins to eat a spinach salad which has chunks of Wrexian along with radish, dried cranberries, walnuts, and feta cheese with a fruity citrus dressing. Eyeing the remaining amount of meat, Taraz comments, "Eating Rhyxis is going to take the rest of the cycle I fear."
Sir Jiminy raises his glass at Taraz's recounting of the events, when the Wastrel stops behind his chair and recounts their private conversations Sir Jiminy nods in agreement, "Yes, it is as you say, I've not tried to hide anything and have voted in alliance with you from the Hollow to Bruce and told you true when I suspected Meowselsworth for the reasons I've stated for all to hear, I even listed the messages from Sutra while encouraging Meowselseworth to do the same. And Yes, I have tried to establish alliances with anyone that was willing. If anything that bespeaks to the actions of a Citizen, though I don't feel the need to shout it at everyone as you do yourself." the man-cricket looks reproachfully at the Wastrel and shakes his head slightly in an incredulous manner.
Wowbagger drinks his single malt in single gulp. "Well done Taraz. I like your way of doing things. If the cat turns up innocent, you have made a case for being a citizen by being selfless or for being a clever agent."
Meowselsworth seems upset at Taraz's suggestion. "If I vote for you, Mr. Taraz, it is only as a placeholder, a symbolic gesture and not the belief that you are guilty. I've said I would prefer to die than to kill someone I believe to be innocent... and I do believe your innocence. I do not want to vote for you to save myself, unless we understand. This gesture is only symbolic... However, I am honoured to die in order for you to live, if it comes to that. You are cleverer than I am, I think, and have a better chance with the mutant at the end..."
There is a pause, and Meowselsworth remarks quietly, "Ryxis was so very big, and I am so very small... I fear I will burst if I honor him too much more..."
"I will point out that is the worst round to have a tie. The mutant would be left with a 3/4 rather than a 4/5 times 2/3 chance of victory. Mutant chances will go from about 53% to 75%."
Taraz nods at Wowbagger. "And so we now rely on the wisdom of Jin to prevent such a clamity, Wowbagger."
Turning to Sir Jiminy, "You have spoken well for yourself, as have all here which is why I have suffered in trying to choose amongst you to be the mutant. Jin has spoken the least, but has also been the last to vote many times and requested many clarifications and explanations from the accused which is why I believe him to be an agent, but perhaps I am mistaken.
"I choose to think that you are not the mutant, Jiminy, and my discussion of you was merely to point out the only suspicious fact against you of which I am aware." Taraz shrugs. "I am vast beginning to think that perhaps this mutant is one of the most clever beings I have yet to encounter. I, for one, fear we are being played skillfully and that none of us will leave this station alive. I will point out again that neither will the mutant. The Cold Star's computer will never release the quarantine as long as it yet lives."
"Actually, next cycle is the worst for a tie," notes Meowselsworth quietly, "But this is indeed a very bad time for ties. That's why I will withdraw my vote at Taraz's word. If I die, so be it (please, just assure me vocally that we will all remember the proper helmet cat disposal process so that at least my kittens gain benefit from my death and an invitation to the funeral), but understand that if I do, there will be a next cycle."
Sir Jiminy considers the implications of the current situation, then sighs as he knows what must be done.
"We cannot allow a tie in this cycle and it draws to a close. Sadly , it seems my hand is forced. Sir Taraz, I've enjoyed our conversations, your banquet was splendid, and I'd hoped we would escape this mutation threat together on your space yacht while we continued the fine dissertations of the galaxies best meals. Yet it was not meant to be. Forgive me Sir Taraz, but I must vote for you as well."
Taraz raises an eyebrow. "That's certainly a very interesting response. Knowing that I am not a mutant myself, I regard this move as rather suspicious. You say your hand is forced; pray explain. It sounds as if this was a card you planned to play all along. For your sake, I hope you are an Agent after all, or else your coalition members may also see the contradiction here."
Regarding, Jiminy with a cool expression, Taraz sips his goblet.
"I have had time to ruminate on many things these last silent hours. I would like to point out it is very suspicious that Jin has chosen to let this remain as a tie up until Jiminy's change of heart. Have any of you considered that? I also reflected this is not the first time he has 'almost' voted without actually voting allowing him to remain 'blameless' for the loss of innocent blood. Thought provoking, no?"
Taraz thoughtfully chews a piece of Wrexian in the bouillabaisse the Serv-Bots served next. Then he shrugs.
"It seems we all have potentially suspicious actions on our record. I am just sad that you have chosen to end my life next as it only proves that you are as uncertain as me about the helmetcat."
"Actually, I think it is still better to have a tie than to kill someone you are sure is not a mutant, Sir Jiminy... If you actually suspect Mr. Taraz might be a mutant, then that vote makes sense, but if you do not... this puts us closer to all being doomed..." says Meowselsworth, softly.
Taraz approaches the helmetcat and pets her softly. "I would like to end my time in this form believing you are untainted, Meowselsworth. I certainly hope I am not blinded by your appearance of kindness.
"Not that my current status is an attempt to save you specifically. Think of it more as a test for everyone's shoot-from-the-hip voting. If someone is convinced of a path then they stick to it, no matter what."
Jin quietly utters, "I have not remained 'silent'... I have spent these last hours in quiet communication with my allies here." Jin sighs, knowing what comes next. "Some of you have suspected as such - it's no longer worth hiding. I am one of the servants of the Galactic Council. I am an Agent. NO, I will not divulge the identity of my council member -- they have asked to stay protected and thus far I believe we have done a fine job of not showing we are together. So, I wish to keep it that way. Besides, I will get to my other reasons soon enough."
Jin stands and, while his appearance still looks more caveman than spaceling, the look in his eyes grows calculating and cool. "Mutant, your time is done. You cannot hope to survive. I believe very strongly that Taraz is our mutant -- he has privately mislead many of you. I believe his pending 'godhood' has blinded him to all truths... So, with the full support of the Galatic Council, I say we be done Taraz."
"If I, and my associate, are correct, then we all leave comfortably here on Taraz's yatch this evening. If I am wrong... and I appologize ahead of time for that if that is so... if I am wrong, then we kill a citizen. BUT MUTANT - " Jin's gaze sweeps the room resting in turn on each person Jiminy, Meows, and Wowbagger. "Mutant, know that your time is done. There is no attack that you can hope to make that leaves you alive at the end of this. Let me be clear. We have determined through comparing notes, that the mutant is down to two of you."
Calmly Jin relates:
"If Taraz is the mutant, we are free this night.
If Taraz is not, we'll be down to 1 Citizen, 2 Agents, and 1 Mutant... assuming the mutant kills again this cycle, it has no winning move. If it kills me (and it should), my partner knows percisely who the other suspect is... and that means the mutant dies next cycle. If you don't kill me, then sure you have a chance of killing the other Agent, but that still leaves us knowing the final suspect."
Jin pauses, takes a sip of whatevers in front of him, lets his words sink in... "Mutant, your death is assured. You cannot win. Your hunt ends here and now (), or in a few short minutes ()... either way, you're done."
Jin sits.
Taraz stands and walks to one of the large windows overlooking the planetoid the Cold Star orbited. Since it appears his gambit was not causing the others to reconsider the path they were taking nor producing any enlightening arguments as to the guilt of Meowselsworth, Taraz realizes he is set to end his time in this physical form very shortly. He marveled at the expanse of the galaxy he could see past the planetoid and the light from millions of stars as they filtered through the translucent plasteel. Ah, what sorrow fills this place, Taraz thinks to himself. The weight of it is almost more than one can bear.
"You may withdraw your vote now, Meowselsworth, if you wish. The count is against me regardless, and your withdrawal will only be symbolic as you wish not to be party to the death of an innocent."
Turning, Taraz eyes Jin coldly. "Without your fellow, your words are hollow and baseless. It is my belief that you have been misled. And since you are foolish enough to condemn me despite all that I have said and done, that only proves it to me."
Jin doesn't flinch from Taraz's stare, though places his hands flat on the table in order to braces himself for another otherworldly display of power... "Taraz, if you are the mutant, the other four of us go free this night."
"If you are not the mutant (and you have the appologies of the counsel ahead of time), then it kills one of us... we kill the mutant next cycle and 2 of us go free. We know the identity of one of the citizens, it has been confirmed by multiple scans. We are just in question of two of you. So, we're picking the one that has mislead us in private conversations over the one that has seemed truthful.
The mutant has no escape. It's a matter of numbers... and now those numbers are on our side -- you're calm and logical, I thought you would appreciate this move."
"Meowelsworth asked the mutant to come forward and save him. Taraz, outing yourself as a mutant was a bold move. We do not condem you, just the mutant in you. You said you would take the word of the galactic agent. Are you reneging now? As Jin is staking his life on this vote, I have to go with him. You would have the agents reveal themself clever mutant and try to get them."
Taraz scoffs at Jin's statement. "Multiple scans? Radically improbable you have any way to confirm that. What scanner was able to determine this other citizen was true as well as then also verify you as an Agent? Sutra lived but two cycles and her final scan is a mystery. Hamish had but five, and unless he scanned each of you twice in addition to his certainty against the Hollow, there would be no such guarantees. At best that is exaggeration at it's most extreme. At worst, a baldfaced lie to assist with psychologically preparing those of you who remain after my death to find this mutant for more such misdirections."
Taraz turns back to watching the stars. "Considering your statement that you now choose the one who misled you in private communications, when have I ever misdirected anyone given I have received only five communications?"
Turning to Wowbagger, Taraz says simply, "His claim to be an Agent is as would mine be if I chose to make it. Unverifiable."
Once he again, Taraz views the cosmos. "Honestly, his claim seems more likely to be a misdirection, and that he is not actually an Agent whatsoever. Hence why he claims it alone. That way, the mutant will attack him, and the two Agents would know for sure who remains is the mutant. The deception is far too obvious to fool the clever opponent you face however. I fear the truth will be more startling."
"I think there has been misleading done. I still think that Taraz's behaviour is not that of a mutant... but I don't know who is doing the misleading... I feel lost and deceived," says Meowselsworth, meekly. "I am not sure whether I should hope that you are the mutant, Mr. Taraz, so that this killing is just and we may escape, or that you are not, so that I knew you this time as you truly were."
"Also, Ms. Wowbagger, please stop calling me a boy cat. I am a girl cat."
Still facing the window, Taraz raises his arms (all of them) and his visage once again appears mighty and awesome.
"I will face this fate as I truly am. I am a Wastrel and being born as such I have been blessed."
Wowbagger continues to drink the smoky single malt whiskey.
"Jin has put it out there like you asked. The difference between his claim and yours, is you have backed up his claim before. Unfortunately your claim to be an agent would be false, as Jin would not accuse his agent partner. I, for one, have no reason to doubt Jin. It is funny, you asked for Jin the agent to vote and you would abide by his decision, now you claim he is not agent and his vote is wrong. Lucky for us this will be the last cycle Mr. Mutant."
"No, it is you and Sir Jiminy who have chosen not to abide by his decision. That is why his announcement is suspect. And I do not name him mutant. Who I believe it to be will not matter shortly."
Taraz, knowing his time is up, takes an easy way out. Locking himself into a small room and making the computer take the breathable atmosphere. He asphyxiates peacefully, and soon his physical form melts into that of an energy being. Those watching feel suffused with peace, until a scream interrupts them. Jiminy looks down at his torn open thorax with horror. "The mutant... the mutant is..." He cannot finish, and his death answers no questions.
"He was not a mutant, just misinformed."
"If Mr. Jin is the agent, then... The mutant must be who I thought it was. Very clever, Mr. Wowbagger, very clever indeed," growls Meowselsworth, hair standing on end.
Jin watches in peace as Taraz melts into energy and then jumps when he hears his friend's death scream. Jin bows his head. He had feared this may happen.
"Taraz, may peace follow you into the next world. I expect that when my day finally comes, that I will face you on the other side. It is my fault you died today." If only I had voted with my original suspect, Jiminy and Taraz would be alive to drink this night... curse me and my second guessing!
Jin locks eyes on the fiendish cat.
"Mutant. I told you privately and publicly, there was no way out of this. We were down to two possibilities, you and Taraz... If we were wrong on the first, I PROMISED YOU, that you would die next. Yet, you played your game and now two more have died needlessly. You knew your life was forfeit; your end has been inevitable. You die now." And no, Jin doesn't look like he's willing to honor the proper disposal process of a helmet cat...
Meowselsworth hops up to the highest place that she can find, looking down at the others as if treed by dogs. "If we are all so certain that I am the mutant, then nobody will make it out of here alive. As Taraz said, the mutant will be stuck here. I am well aware of your statements, Mr. Jin, but I am still well aware of the fact that I am not the mutant and so my paw was not involved in prolonging this thing. Rather, those threats of assured destruction made me the logical choice for the mutant to keep alive until now. For I fear when my neck is broken, you will have to keep an eye over your shoulder, Mr. Jin. At this time, it's no longer the time for secrets. The truth may yet save two of us. How are you so certain that Mr. Wowbagger is not the mutant and in turn, that I am?"
"Nice try feline, but you won't sway me. You are the mutant. Hiding on the top of the holoprojector stand won't save you."
Wowbagger tears up for the first time and reveals his galactic agent badge. "Because I am the agent, Mr. Mutant. Sir Jiminy died believing in your innocence. He was the better agent than me. I just got the job because I knew everyone after insulting them. We knew it was you or Taraz. Unfortunately Taraz wanted the agents to out themselves and revealed the Agent Jin gambit. Taraz hand to be lynched for that, as it was definitely mutant or mutant-friendly behaviour."
"Sir Jin had the recommendation of many including scanners from the beginning. He has been solidly on our side."
Wowbagger kneels at the corpse of Jiminy. "You were the best agent we ever had."
"Sir Jiminy was quick to accuse me of being a mutant, though given his last words, I am sure he /did/ die believing my innocence, may he rest in peace," says Meowselsworth from atop the holoprojector stand. "And I am sorry for your loss, Mr. Wowbagger, though I am surprised that Mr. Jin is not the agent. If you are the agent, then I change my opinion on the matter. Though if I may insult you in turn... you have a record of sending innocents to their deaths, quite firmly convinced of their mutant state until it's too late." The small cat paces on top of the holoprojector and says, "Eventually this will fall, my weight unsupportable by its structure. But at least this will give me the chance to once again plead innocence and failing that, if you do kill me, to make the case that we should remember the proper helmet cat disposal procedures. Nobody's said they would and it is making me more nervous, because if it's not done, this will all have been in vain. And Mr. Wowbagger, that's Ms., not Mr. I am a female cat, mother of fourteen kittens. At least give me a sliver of respect if I'm to die, since I will die wrongly. I have treated you with respect, Mr. Wowbagger. I thought that Mr. Jin is the agent, but as you've produced evidence otherwise, I am convinced the he is the mutant. It's the only possibility, though for a long while, I had thought it was you, Mr. Wowbagger."
"I have believed strongly that Mr. Taraz was not a mutant, I advocated for his survival, and yet here we are, with Mr. Taraz dead, and a very clever mutant pulling strings on this whole thing. I would like to ask for these messages you received in private vouching for Mr. Jin's purity, in the same way I quite happily produced any private messages I had received," says Meowselsworth, only peeking over the edge of the holoprojector once in awhile to make sure nobody attacks her while she shows herself, "I find his purity rather impossible. And it was interesting that he survived the gamble. I would have slain him, if I were the mutant, since I was quite sure he was an agent. Keeping me alive would have been necessary, since I was an easy candidate to shift the blame onto since he already found himself a part of your alliance. He was clever enough to root out all of our scanners, and our militant, seemingly without fail, and you think he is not clever enough to wriggle his way into your alliance? We're doomed, all of us, I fear, since everyone seems rather set on my guilt. Be it honest conviction," says Meowselsworth to Wowbagger, before she peers over to look at Jin, "Or mutant lies."