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The week that follows sees much more Crow than Pigeon, given the less dangerous nature of their days. Seth does leave the encampment, every single day, walking the stairs, somedays up, somedays down.
He is trying to get the SENSE of the tower. Running his fingers against the walls, humming to listen to the echoes, noticing details in the grains of stone, anything really. He has no particular skill in magic, or spells to help him understand this place. No brilliant mind or honeyed tongue. No god or pretty bird.
Just him. And time.
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On days Lyra makes an appearance, she of course doesn't stray far from either her wizard or her cleric, picking one at random if they part, Needing as always to protect even if the needing is not needed.
She also seems a little annoyed at her brother for straying away on his own, on his days.
"Is there more information on Rosethorn in the library?" Gavin asks, hoping to be pointed in the right direction.
"Given that the Elves of Redwatch received essentially the same report, what do you suppose their response will be to the inhabitants of the foggy realm?" he asks Morgan.
"I don't believe there are any works on Rosethorn specifically," Morgan answers, "although members bring back tomes from their explorations from time to time, so it's possible something has snuck in without my notice. And, with proper research you may be able to find interesting information hidden away in texts of which the principle focus is something else."
"As for how the Redwatch will respond to this revelation, I can't say with certainty but I suspect they will attempt to contact these other elves and determine what diplomatic relations might be possible. Theldrassil has a predisposition towards goodness that will make him uneasy allying with someone who employs the undead to enforce his reign, but he's also committed to the rule of law and if he recognizes this Cirilith as an equal, or even superior, he may feel compelled to form some type of alliance."
Once their business is concluded, the field agents retire back to Redwatch's residential district where Gaius summons their shelter. A quiet evening marks the end of a very long day and the following morning marks the beginning of their first week of downtime since arriving in the Tower. After joining in Gavin's feast, the Witness makes his way up to the Research Institiute to begin researching his spell and the others set about choosing what to do with their time.
Cracking his knuckles, "Welp, I think I'm gonna go help me a certain Princess Kalia. Don't wait up for me, fellas," he winks. Just as he's about to leave, he quickly stops, turns back, and says, "Oh! And Lyra either. You know, just in case she hears all this, Crow." Feeling a might embarrassed now due to his ridiculous talk, "Ummmm... I gotta go." The warrior quickly leaves.
Once he finally makes his way to the Princess, "Okay, Princess, I'm here to assist you in any way I can."
He will also perform
And then besides that just try and get along with people.
Gaius' first order of business is to propose his expedition plan to the Institute. He prepares a document and submits it, requesting to speak to elaborate on any points needed to convince his benefactors of the worth of his plan. Then again, it's quite possible that someone else has tried it before...
Each morning Gavin supplies his Hero's Feast breakfast, casting it an additional time if attendance requires. After that, or during perhaps, he introduces himself to any new faces .
When time allows each day, he goes to the Temple to check the mailbox and perform 4 castings of Enhance Water
If, after the first three days, it seems like there are no new people to meet, Gavin will switch to helping the Order of Benevolent Healers. Also, if any of the group want to borrow Gavin to assist them with anything, he will prioritize that over meeting new people and assisting the healers.
Seth and Lyra's love life will never be simple, so Seth no longer flirts with Eskarne, but they both consider the sisters to be friends, so he spends time with them, telling tales and inventing songs about their legends outside the tower.
A musician almost always should find time to befriend the local barkeep. It doesn't hurt that Finn is fun to chat with.
Seth has become slightly fascinated by gunpowder and the cheerful Ilse is both an expert and a delight. He'll buy the two (Johann) a bit of lunch and chat when they are not busy.
Gaius has a busy and varied week: making himself useful, meeting with allies, reading books, telling stories, healing, and meditating.
You spend the day wandering the Tower, dragging your fingers along the barely perceptible lines where its large white stones meet and trying to remain open to its power. You do feel almost as though you sense something from it, by it remains elusive and out of reach.
You spend the day playing your fiddle in the Temple and are treated to numerous free drinks in return. One of the Redguards is so impressed that he declares you must have Eldramir's Fiddle itself.
You spend the day working on your standing with Eskarne Montoya. After having been rebuffed by your sister, she remains a bit distant in your conversations but by the end of the day you are squarely on good (if still somewhat cool) terms.
You spend the day working on your standing with Johann Weiss. In the course of conversation you learn that he is from Verstadt (the capital of Villig) and entered the Tower 18 years ago, from the year 2124, as part of the Verstadt Exploration Company, which merged with another group 9 years later to form the Mercantile Exchange.
You spend the day working on your standing with Finn O'Donal. You learn that he is from a small town near the coast of Braemar, has been inside the Tower for 2 tran, and is an accomplished portrait painter in addition to his lovely singing voice.
You spend the day working on your standing with Eider Montoya. You have a lovely day sharing about your successes and frustrations thus far in the Tower. She maintains her usual measured, diplomatic tone in all things, but by the end of the day confesses that she understands why her little sister was so disappointed to find your heart unavailable.
You spend the day working on your standing with Ilse Albrecht. You learn that she is also from Verstadt and entered with her now-husband Johann (though they were not married when they entered). The two live together in the Lombardi complex in the residential area, along with the other members of the Mercantile Exchange.
You spend the rest of the week aimlessly putzing around Redwatch and discover that Teague the stone carver and his dwarf friend Gerrik do basically the same thing. After spending some time doing nothing with them, you learn that they given up on understanding anything about the Tower and have resigned themselves to a mundane existence doing manual labor for the elven outpost.
The first day you meet Giovanna Lombardi. You recognize her as the woman who was getting accupuncture the first time you visited the House of Healing, and you discover that she is the wife of Archbanker Giorgio Lombardi, and mother of his daughter, Maria.
The second day you meet Tania Gayle, a human magician and partner of Faunra Moonbrow in Moonwind's Magical Sundries (a shop in the Redwatch marketplace).
On the third day you meet William Brandt, one of the security guards for the Mercantile Exchange. He, like many of the other members of the exchange entered 1 tran before you, from the year 2133.
On the fourth day Tania introduces you to Willem Aames, a human cleric around your age who has been friends with her and Faunra for decades and does the divine casting needed for their shop.
On the fifth day you meet Grunyar, a dwarven paladin who entered the tower with several other members of his church on the same day you did (but not from the same time).
On the sixth day you meet Lorelei Stein, a woman from Verstadt (the capital of Villig) who carries an unusual firearm and sometimes works in the Mercantile Exchange or Perfect Powder.
On the seventh day you meet Bembe of tribe Zyanaya, a cousin of Abund the woodcarver who mentions that their clan has their own area near (but outside of) Redwatch.
Shaking his head, "Man, I gotta say, you guys are dull. You can't just give up, guys, you gotta keep fighting! Eventually, I'm gonna win this thing. And when I do, I'm gonna bust this whole 'secret Tower' business wide open. You'll see. It's just a matter of time, fellas, it's just a matter of time." He nods confidently, giving a wink.
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You spend the first of your down days carefully and eloquently laying out the experiment you intend to conduct, and then submit the proposal to the Research Institute for review.
You spend your second day with Iker chatting about your proposal and eventually working up to asking for the location of a portal you could use. He seems tentative, perhaps even uncomfortable, with the request but despite his misgivings he reveals that "on no-fourteen, as the elves count" (14 floors below the Redwatch guarghouse) there is a portal to "the ruins of Mechanopolis" which is not far from the cave where you met Mordigran.
On your third day, you hangout in the Temple offering a series of stirring orations. Your efforts are rewarded with numerous free drinks and you learn that Archbanker Lombardi is a great fan of traditional Vitolian epic poems.
You spend your fourth day digging through the Institute's library for enough information to deduce the location of another portal. You stumble upon a write up of an expedition from the early days of the Institute to the forests of northern Eastwatch. It actually names the location of the portal as being "floor 128, two floors below Redwatch."
On the fifth day, you feel a quiet inward draw to just be with the Tower. You give the day over to reflecting on the curious ebb and flow of time around it, and allowing the subtle energies that pervade its structure to move through you. By the end of the day you feel somehow more connected to the place, and more comfortable with its magicks.
You spend your sixth day volunteering at the House of Healing alongside Friedrich Bern, a member of the Order of Benevolent Healers originally from a small town in the foothills of Villig. Most of the few injuries you treat are elves who suffered training accident, and the most interesting thing that happens there is that Baldric arrives in the afternnon with news of your proposal: it has been denied on the grounds that it replicates work that has already been done. Your disappointment, however, is tempered when he hands you a short treatise titled "On the Consequences of Causality in Expeditions from the Tower of Ages." You spend the rest of the night reading and rereading it and learn that if you 1) observe a location outside the Tower, then 2) exit the Tower again in an earlier time and alter that location, and subsequently 3) revisit that location in the first time period you will find a) the location altered according to your actions in the past, and b) that your memories of your initial visit will be violently reformed to include the alteration; it further observes that vague memories will change without notice while clear and detailed memories will become a painful cacophony of contradictory memories until either the subject is able to hold them as two distinct sets of memories or a vague memory of the altered history replaces the original clear memory.
On your seventh day you make your way up to the floor the Daughters of Alvorex had brought you to and spend some time with the unusual extraplanar pair dwelling there. Throughout your dealings with them, which include long periods of contemplative silence, they remain oddly removed in a manner you imagine only creatures of the outer planes could. Still, by the time you return to the stairs they do seem more receptive to your presence, and more attentive to your words.
As evening falls on the end of the week, the explorers gather once more in their shelter.
”My spell research progresses as expected. I have also deduced that physically The Tower is most likely on the same plane as the rest of our world, It simply interacts differently with time.
“How has everyone else fared this week?”
Shrugging, "Pretty boring on my end. I did a whole lot of nothing and topped that off with even more nothing. I gotta be honest, I am NOT complaining." He grins.
After letting her brother have week, Lyra is out and anxious "Seth talked to people a lot." the lack of activity lending a complaining tone to her voice (unlike Maximus). She relates all the bits and bobs about people they had learned (other than the part about Seth's heart Eider).
Gavin is quick to invite all the new acquaintances to breakfast and introduce them to the others. He also makes them aware of the 'mailbox' method of contacting them or requesting aid.
"Very productively," Gaius intones, a look of excitement in his eyes. "I learned about a few potentially useful portals opening near the same location in different eras, two and fourteen floors below Redwatch respectively. I also met and meditated with Thaelek and Kaeleth, and believe that they'll be more receptive to future visits. Oh, and if we need a further in with the Archbanker, he's keen on Vitolian poetry. A copy might be a nice gift to curry favor. But I have even more interesting news."
"During our last foray to Cardriss, I concocted a plan to test a theory of temporality, in a way that we had discussed, Witness. Fortunately or unfortunately, someone had already done it I have the treatise, should you wish to peruse it, but it does appear that time is not fixed." He lets that revelation sink in. "Our actions in each era that we visit are independent rather than fated, and will ripple across time, to the point that altering even a small feature and observing the alteration later can cause a violent change in one's memories to conform to the altered feature."
Pigoen looks up sharply where she had been cleaning her rapier "That is a... worrisome idea." she says with the exploding dread that suggestion should bring.
"Yes, I would like to peruse the treatise; thank you, Gaius."
Pigeon looks up sharply where she had been cleaning her rapier "That is a... worrisome idea." she says with the exploding dread that suggestion should bring.
"It's worrisome indeed, Pigeon." The Witness pauses, considering his next words.
"I hesitate to share all my thoughts on matters of The Tower. They're mostly untested hypotheses; acting out of an incorrect assumption of their validity could be more dangerous than acting out of ignorance.
"Also, I find the general level of knowledge among our fellow residents regarding The Tower Itself - how It functions and why - rarely stretches beyond immediate observable effects. I think educating our peers on these matters is likely contrary to our own best interests. However, I've noticed that most of you are very keen to share knowledge and insights with acquaintances and strangers.
“The Stair Scholar Baldric Moore told me ‘what’s dangerous to be widely known across Cardriss is seldom dangerous to be known to a small number inside the Tower. Particularly if the knowers have all learned the importance of prudence and restraint in sharing such things.’
“I find few place the same importance on prudence and restraint as I do.”
"Sharing our ideas foster the sharing of ideas from others, and together we might find a solution." the swordswoman raises her head and gestures to the door. "We are among the best and brightest our land, across Time, has produced. Shouldn't we use that resource?" Lyra is not arguing to argue (most of the collected people have seen her do just that). She seem generally interested in the debate.
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”A solution to what problem? You seek life for yourself and your brother as separate entities. I seek understanding of the mechanics of reality. Gavin to seeks to follow his dream. Gaius seeks his father. Maximus…” a short, slow intake of breath, as if his next words require more effort than the rest. ”Maximus seeks to ‘beat’ The Tower.
“What is it the others here in The Tower seek? It seems most have changed or abandoned the goals they had when they entered. What goal did Theldrassil seek that required he bring an entire company of elven soldiers with him? What goal do the Flame of Kundir and his brothers seek, knowing now that, as it stands, their empire will be destroyed, their people scattered, their culture forgotten by all but the most ardent of historians?
“What of Teague? He seems to regret having entered The Tower at all. Shall we give him the means to rectify his error? Should he exit The Tower into his own past and prevent his prior self from entering, what happens to him? More importantly, what happens to everyone who spent time with him inside The Tower, or knew of him only due to his entry?
“If these concerns seem minor or inconsequential, then I pose these questions to you all:
“What is the Cataclysm? And why is The Elder haunted by memories of things that have never existed?”
The Witness pauses for a moment to collect himself. ”I believe The Tower is a tool with the power to destroy everything and everyone to ever exist in our world, and I believe the fewer people who even entertain this possibility, the better.”
After the inflection the Witness used about Maximus's goal it was obvious to any and all that for Once, Lyra Posfurore was PISSED. Cheeks blazing, breathing out of her nose, hands tight into fists.
Yes, okay, I know, she's been angry before, even to this level, but not, EVER, at the Witness.
She respected him, admired him, but belittling someone's dream?? It cracked her a bit.
Still, she listened, eyes intent, waiting to retort, no longer wishing to debate the ethics of free information, but wanting to explain why no one person's dreams were Lesser than others, just because someone else didn't agree.
But then he finished.
He said that. She didn't know if she believed him, but what if he was right?
She liked the Witness, his brain brightly sucking in all around it to expand over and over, but... that...
She looked to Gavin, who cared so much, to Gaius who wanted more than anything to be the man his father would respect, to Maximus who lived but protected with all he had, and then back to the Witness...
Distrust blossomed.
It shown like the sun across the world. What would the Witness do with that power, one that he worried anyone else having? So she asked "What would you have us do then?"
Gavin smiles a bit at Lyra's reaction, remembering his early conversations with the Witness.
"I believe no offense was meant. Our friends direct and pragmatic demeanor can sometimes seem coarse, but ethical judgment is simply not something he delves into, despite my gentle prodding." he says, placing a calming hand on Lyra's shoulder.
News that the past can be substantially altered by Tower resident meddling is disconcerting.
"I wonder if the Institute has recorded any instances of changes?" the old priest thinks out loud.
”I suggest we all practice prudence and restraint. We gather information about The Tower rather than disseminate it. We choose expeditions outside of The Tower carefully, and remain cognizant of the impact we may have.
“I realize that most of you are social creatures as much as I am not. When tales of our deeds are told, simply omit the details specific to The Tower - phenomena we consider unique to our experience, the exact time periods we exit to, and the locations of portals we use. Outside of The Tower, I suggest you adopt my observance of never using your real name to reduce the chances of being identified in historical records.
“Currently I view working with The Institute as a necessary risk. We add to their knowledge, but likely less so than they do to our own. And they possess the only resources I know of inside The Tower needed to conduct spell research - research I need to craft spells specifically tailored to The Tower.”
A slight furrow develops in The Witness’s brow at Gavin’s words. He dips his head to Lyra. ”I assure you, Pigeon, I do exercise judgment. I simply hold to different values than Sarenrae.”
Gaius nods sagely at Lyra's initial observation, which matches his own. Although much of his interest had been academic, the implications of the finding were significant. He hands the treatise over towards The Witness, wondering how much more quickly he would be able to read it than he had.
He's more inclined to agree with Lyra's estimation of information-sharing than The Witness', and he says so. "I don't believe that Lyra is suggesting that we become open books, telling all to all without consideration for consequences. Nor do I believe she would concede to pure altruism, providing information with no expectation of a return on the investment. But the paths to knowledge are open to all who are willing to follow them, and pretending otherwise breeds more resentment and distrust. For those with compatible goals, we can trade, and I believe we should."
His opening case made, he folds his hands under his chin and looks to the Witness. "Of course the Tower can be used to destroy everything and everyone. But it is not the only such power in the world." He takes a deep breath. "Any one of us in the Tower, any one of us at this table, could likely take on the average Cardrissian army single-handedly and destroy it. As we move closer towards our goals, we will achieve even greater might. I would venture that if even a tenth of the current residents of the Tower were aligned toward a single end, they could easily bring it to fruition. It is perhaps because of the nature of the Tower that this is less likely to happen."
He holds his left hand out, showing the Tower Seal. The glowing azure lines pulse softly. "I communed with the Tower this week and I feel more connected to it. It did not impose itself on me, nor I on it. But I feel as though I am more readily able to move about freely, for instance. I would recommend that you all try this--even Maximus."
It's admittedly a scattershot argument, not so much responding to each of the Witness' points as providing an alternate--and not completely incompatible--view.
Gaius' words hang in the air for a moment as the clever minds of all those gathered run through the same calculus (at different speeds) and eventually arrive at the same result: not merely ten percent but more than one in three of the Tower's known residents are aligned towards a single end... to enact Theldrassil's unknown plans.
”I perceive a significant difference between the ability to single-handedly defeat an army through force of arms or magic, and the ability to single-handedly cause that army’s nation to have never been founded and most of its people to have never been born. An assault which the targets can’t conceive of, let alone be aware of, and against which they have no defense. The results of which can be thousands of years of births, deaths, cultures, nations, wars, catastrophes, and achievements that replace those that were.
“To rewrite history so a global storm giant kingdom never was, in its place a scattering of remote villages with but a single mystic who can recall fleeting glimpses of what was taken from them, soon to be marginalized out of existence by human societies, for instance.
”As I believe we’re all the product of such an act, I’d prefer not to suffer it myself. Certainly not by someone else’s hand.”
Lyra doesn't respond to comments, debates, or concerns, she simply listens and watches. When she does finally speak she answers to Gavin "Someone who may one day hold the existence of all at the tip of their tongue SHOULD delve into ethical judgment." then looks to the Witness and questions "Anyone else's hand? Anyone other than you?" the tone is not angry anymore. Exasperated, tired, a little sad, with a healthy dose of determination.
"Anyone else's hand? Anyone other than you?"
”Yes. I value self-determination. Should my life already lived be altered, or erased entirely, I’d prefer it’s because I deem it necessary. Not because someone or something else deems it so, nor as a byproduct of their actions.”
He cocks his head, struck by a new thought. “Excepting possibly Gavin’s devotion to Sarenrae, do any of you feel differently about yourselves?”
"We put our lives in each others hands in every fight, I trust them. If they got the power of this tower I know they would not hurt the very existence of space and time." Lyra says simply in the same tone as before. "None of us, not even you, made it here alone. So deciding to do so from here on in is... madness." she sighs, a loooooong sigh, shaking her head and finally unclenching her fists.
”I’m not suggesting we haven't accomplished more together than we could have separately, nor that we dissolve our partnership,” the wizard replies, confused. ”I’m suggesting we exercise greater discretion and err on the side of caution in sharing what we know of The Tower with others, as I believe the risks generally outweigh the benefits. I value the self-determination of the individual and the unit. If it’s decided by quorum that we not follow my suggestion and instead continue to function as we have up until now, I will abide by that decision, as I have all past decisions where my preferred course was the minority opinion.”
Lyra turns rubbing the bridge of her nose "dissolving our partnership" little words clattering to the floor. Then she looks up "That is not what I was suggesting." taking a breath she continues "I do not what that either."
"Nor do I, Lyra." Gavin says, not even capable of imagining his life without his family.
"I have always thought that the sharing of knowledge led to others reaching the right decisions on their own. However, that tenet has never before had such a profound implication. In this case, I believe the Witness is correct. A measure of Discretion is a wise course. I have no desire to change the past. That is not how the problems of the past should be addressed."
”I believe that is two votes for and two against withholding information about The Tower from others unless we, as a group, agree it’s prudent to do so.
“The final vote lies with Maximus.” The Witness looks to the pun-obsessed soldier, curious what his decision will be.
"Somehow I find the notion of someone using their power to irreparably destroy the whole world unlikely. Not impossible, but unlikely," Gaius says. A thrum of excitement undergirds his words: he had not had occasion to debate like this, especially when the stakes were so high, and particularly with the Witness. "I consider two distinct possibilities. One. Say that someone decides to go back and fundamentally change the nature of Cardriss. Yes, the implications would be tremendous, and almost inevitably cataclysmic. Such an actor would need to consider the myriad implications of their actions, including the fact that they could unwittingly prevent the very conditions that led to their birth or entrance into the Tower. Either the Tower only permits those who cannot or will not use it in such a manner, or its existence is not dependent on our actions or lack thereof."
"Of even clearer direction is the notion of motivation. If one sets out to erase even a single person from the world in the past, then how would such an action occur? They would have had to exist to spurn a Seeker on to seek their death. If the person succeeded, then the future motivation would be absent. Would such a paradox be able to occur? Unknown. But I think it more likely that a second thing would occur."
Gaius holds both of his hands palm up on the table. "Even though time is not completely fixed, we don't know how much of it is mutable. I'm not saying there's no risk. We clearly killed a griffin when we were last on Cardriss together, and we don't know if or how much that changed things for the Horses or others in the region. But even if a tremendous change was made, it's possible that time is much more static than we expect. Events could reorganize around a changed point to ensure an unchangeable outcome: a fixed point, if you will." Gaius lifts up his right shoulder in a shrug, his hands flexing with the gesture. "I'm not saying that our actions don't have implications or that we shouldn't be careful. I'm merely postulating that our actions in Cardriss up to this point, in the last couple of weeks since we exited the timeline of our births, may not have been sufficient to drastically affect outcomes. Otherwise there could have been changes to our memories along with those of the other residents. Perhaps we have just been lucky."
His hands close palms-down on the table. "If we take the implications to their extreme and accept the idea that every action taken outside of the Tower could have catastrophic, unforeseen consequences, then the logical thing to do would be to stay forever within the Tower. To accept that we know too much and cannot be trusted with the power to shape history. Perhaps some among the current residents have independently arrived at such a conclusion, whether they have the information that we do or not. But I believe that such a choice is counter to our goals, individual and mutual."
Gaius pauses before launching into the final component of his theory and growing raison d'être. "I think my father came to a similar conclusion and proceeded forward. Based on everything I have learned about him so far, and the fact that he is no longer here, he must have worked out some deeper knowledge about this place. I am less concerned about changing the past than I am about changing the future. Preventing the Cataclysm." A deep breath. "What if the Tower is a mechanism to provide the Seekers with the tools needed to save Cardriss?" He looks around at the others. "I know that you all have felt it as well. We are more attuned to the Tower than when we first entered. How did this happen? By staying idle within the Tower? No--we accomplished things outside of the Tower, in Cardriss. I believe we demonstrated ourselves worthy and capable of taking bold action. We were curious and we took risks--the sort of risks that might be necessary to even attempt to save the world." Gaius sighs. "When the oldest of the current Residents entered the Tower three Tran ago, they found it empty. What happened to all of the Seekers who entered previously? Did they all complete their Attunement and pass on? Doubtful. Did they die? Perhaps. But there is more to this."
Gaius looks over to Maximus. "To a certain extent, I'm coming around to Maximus' point of view about 'winning' against the Tower. I'm not saying that we tell everyone everything we know. But I think we can gather those we trust around us. I would vote we be bold rather than timid."
”The oldest residents of The Lower Tower found it empty three tran ago because no Seekers entered before them - they were the first entities from Cardriss to enter. When A Seeker arrives in The Lower Tower’s timeline is determined by a cycle set by the final tran it’s possible to enter from. There are Seekers who have already entered The Tower throughout history in Cardriss but haven’t arrived in The Towers timeline yet.
”Preventing the Cataclysm is exactly the thing I’m most worried about. I don’t believe in predestination. I believe the events of our world to be very mutable if the right changes are made. My example of a storm giant kingdom isn’t of my own invention. I believe it’s what happened due to the Cataclysm, based on The Elder’s account of his memories, the ‘mindplague,’ and it’s effects. If the Cataclysm were not to occur, I don’t believe any of us would exist. Whether being attuned to The Tower might provide us any protection from being erased from The Towers timeline, I don’t know. But even if it did, I believe the Cardriss we originated from would no longer exist save in our memory. We would save The Elder’s great storm giant kingdom at the cost of the Cardriss we know.
“There are additional, and increasingly more abstract, hypotheses I have regarding The Tower and Its relation to Cardriss which I have been unable to gather reliable evidence on, and which currently would provide no substantial further weight to my argument for enhanced discretion.”
Gaius smiles and shrugs. "Well reasoned, Witness. I'm not necessarily admitting that I agree wholeheartedly, but it's good to hear your piece as well. As you said--we have theories and evidence, but little reliable yet. I am, admittedly, more prone to trust my intuition when I lack more concrete data. It's how I got this far."
Gaius puts his hand on Maximus' shoulder. "Well, then, maybeuncle, it sounds like the group's decision in this pseudo-semi-democratic coalition falls to you. Do we keep our knowledge secret or share it openly?" His smile broadens. "Which do you think is going to help you win?"
With his arms crossed, Maximus raises an eyebrow as he looks to Gaius in thought before cutting his attention over at Witness. "Wow. You've put a lot of thought into this, Witness. Impressive." He nods. "Well okay then. Let's do this the 'Witness Way'. Let's keep it secret and see what happens," he says, grinning. "And you are all correct, I'm gonna beat this thing. And when I do, the past, present, and future are going to remember the name: "Eugene Fitzherbert"." He nods confidently, giving a sly wink.
Gaius claps his hand down on Maixmus' shoulder twice. "Sure they will, buddy." He shrugs once more. Just as they would know Gaius' alter-ego, Arthur Baltar. "I don't suppose Lyra could ask Seth and force either a tie or a supermajority?" Gaius shakes his head. "No, I accept it. But you all may have to help me keep old Fitzherbert here from mouthing off."
Lyra's eyes flash in annoyance, but says "Fine, talk to no one about anything that could truly help. Given that talking is out now can we please do something other that waste time for another week."
"Does anyone want to come with me to visit my father's favored portal, the one I spoke of last week? It has the benefit of not being well-known outside of us and the Research Institute."
"YES!" Lyra exclaims, surprising even herself, before coughing and saying much calmer "Yes, that would be lovely."