Charlie shrugs. "We can meet up anywhere. So long as we all have these," he holds up a version of the tablet that Terry brandished. Charlie's looks like it has a wood casing on it.
He quickly IMs everyone on a group chat. Here we go.
Then a loud belch. "Excuse me. Sorry about that. I...uh...you can get anything from the Estate. I had a fictional meal. Fictional! A whole bottle of Nuka Cola. It's good...but I think I might be mutating. Anyway, not important."
Charlie will wait around to hear what everyone else has to say before calling an Uber.
Brian nods. "Well, you're not going to get much done right now. How about we meet up 6-ish tonight. My place is probably more comfortable than your studio, and I'll order a pizza. How does that sound?"
To Terry once the other man is gone, "Just to check that my brain is seeing what's really around, he was cute, right?"
Terry thinks for a moment, and nods. "You did not imagine that."
"This Ruk must be a fascinating place."
"This sounds like a plan," Terry agrees. "I will bring beer if anyone else drinks. Otherwise, I will bring San Pellegrino. No point in trying to ferry it over."
Terry thinks for a moment, and nods. "You did not imagine that."
Good. These place seems to mess with my senses so I wanted to make sure."
"This Ruk must be a fascinating place."
Kari nods with a grin, "Looking forward to seeing it first hand."
Then a loud belch. "Excuse me. Sorry about that. I...uh...you can get anything from the Estate. I had a fictional meal. Fictional! A whole bottle of Nuka Cola. It's good...but I think I might be mutating. Anyway, not important."Kari smiles, "I need to actually look at the 'My Room' app when I get back."
My place is probably more comfortable than your studio, and I'll order a pizza. How does that sound?"
Kari shrugs, clearly ceding the comfort point. After a moment she shoots a IM to Terry, unabashedly adding real world puppy dog eyes to the request.
She also waits to see if anyone has anything to add before walking off.
Terry looks at his IM, looks up at Kari, smiles a bit of a wry smile at the puppy dog eyes, and nods. "It works for me," he says.
"Any specific requests for drinks for Brian's place?"
Terry looks at his IM, looks up at Kari, smiles a bit of a wry smile at the puppy dog eyes, and nods. "It works for me," he says.
The "Thanks" is quite sincere.
"Any specific requests for drinks for Brian's place?"
"I'm easy, if I'm not at work I generally drink tap." With a shrug.
You're right, I'm not! How'd you know?
"Thanks for sharing," Abby says when Terry is done with his story. Tears are running down her cheeks. Baruchiel let out a 'heh', which for her seems like possibly the same level of amusement Abby experienced. "Honestly, I sometimes wonder if, given the right circumstances, octopi would have been Earth's first representatives in the Estate. Smart buggers, they are."
Abby and Baruchiel both sample the cheese curds, and concur that they are, in fact, delicious. Baruchiel's n'th drink arrives, same pink concoction as before, and she sighs into the first sip of it.
"Well, it would be easy for me to tell you it's dangerous and leave it at that, but I'm curious what more specific questions you might have." She spreads her arm out, and Terry notices the room has begun to fill up. "And we have as long as you need."
Baruchiel discreetly checks her tablet, sharing a quick look of concern with Abby before tucking it away.
"I can't say I know what that is, but we do have plenty of pikes laying around, if you're interested in something more stabby instead?" She watches him wielding the staff, nodding assent that the weapon looks comfortable in his hands.
When you see Nigel, he accepts your notice graciously, telling you that you'll always be welcome back, asking if everything is okay, and if you need anything. He's a chill dude and hates to see you go, but it's Seattle, maaaan. He wants you to pursue your dreams.
If Kari looks for any options on her tablet, she doesn't find anything to magically pack her apartment. However, she does find an option for shipment that will allow her to mark what she wants to send to the Estate for 'pickup'. It doesn’t elaborate on how that will work, but it's an option the group can utilize if they don't want to try and bring back anything by hand.
"You have my number if you need me," Terry says to the group. "Call if you need me immediately. Text if you need me eventually."
He looks at his watch. "Uwajimaya is closed. Glad I had those cheese curds."
He waves, and starts to wander off.
Terry takes a deep drink of his Duff. "I'm not going to ask what's the worst that could happen, because the answer is almost always death. And I have seen Mason. What I want to know is...."
Terry drops his volume a bit and leans in. "...and I realize this is a bit of a personal question for someone you've just met. What's the worst thing that has happened to you physically as a result of this job?"
His eyes almost don't flick down to Baruchiel's arm, where she rubbed it earlier.
He leans back, and speaks at a more conversational volume. "And if that's too personal, I would like to know when we go after Fenwick if you don't hear from him."
A few of the things you said implied that you might not be. And I'm beginning to understand that an Earth origin is just one of many possibilities as opposed to a reliable default.
Charlie heads home to his apartment. It seems...smaller now. And pitiable in its way. He picks up a few things, including his laptop, and puts them in the suitcase he used to use for traveling.
He sits down on his couch, in the dark, then takes out the tablet and IMs Abby.
What are you supposed to do about your old life?
"Oh, I guess you never watched Babylon 5. They had a weapon on the show much like this staff that collapsed and expanded. They called it a 'Minbari Fighting Pike'."
"So, yeah. I'll take this."
Abby holds a finger up. "Death is very seldom the worst thing that could happen," she says, looking askance at Baruchiel. "Which is probably the worst part of all this. At least in death, you can kind of… escape the worst of what's out there. Unless you're in Ardeyn."
"Spirits end up in the Night Vault there. It's at least a chance for life." Baruchiel explains.
"...and I realize this is a bit of a personal question for someone you've just met. What's the worst thing that has happened to you physically as a result of this job?"
At this, Abby leans back and takes a long drink. She seems to be weighing whether or not to share. Or what she should share.
"The most dangerous part of traversing the Strange, different recursions, all of that… it's that depending on where you are, you are beholden to physics laws that don't make sense. Are you in a recursion where your soul can be stolen somehow?" She nods, as if settling on something. "I'm pretty sure it happened to me. And it's not a physical thing, per se, but it's had… physical consequences." She takes another drink, and seems unwilling to elaborate. For now.
Baruchiel considers Terry. "I was dismembered and cut open. In Ruk, actually. I'm still unsure if it was Karum or some smaller faction, but they claimed to want to see what made a Qephilim tick." She doesn't shy away from the eye contact, but the tightening corners of her mouth are a subtle indication that it's not a pleasant memory she's revisiting. "They are very good at biological experimentation there. Fenwick and Abigail saved me. I owe them my life, and I will not return to Ruk."
Abby doesn't bother correcting Baruchiel's use of her full name.
"As for when we go after Fenwick… tomorrow, if we don't hear from him. Thank you for asking, and caring." Baruchiel says, draining the rest of her drink.
"So… if that put you off your curds and your desire to be an Agent, we completely understand. I've actually been bothering Katherine for permission to collect stories like these, some of the worst of what can happen, to include in a more formal onboarding program for new Agents." Abby sips at her drink, lips glowing momentarily. "Strange-touched people find out what's what and want to figure out how they can find Princess Leia and whether or not she's open to propositions. They want to play in their favorite cartoon, they want to speak with Picard." She waves a hand. "I'm not saying we shouldn't do those things. But there's more responsibility that comes with working with the Estate. There are big problems out there. Monsters that eat planets, namely. But plenty of other problems, too."
Oh, yes, of course. You're right - I'm from Ardeyn. The population in the Estate, Agent or otherwise, is about 50% Rukian, 35% Terran, and the rest is made up of Ardeyn citizens, or 'other'.
Another pause.
This is why I study recursions. So few Terrans are Quickened, and yet, have created an absolutely massive blanket of defense against planetovores purely by the strength of their imaginations and creativity. 100% of Rukians are Quickened, and yet they account for so few recursions of their own. And I have not been to Earth yet, myself, so the only Terrans I know are the ones who end up here.
The response is swift.
It depends on how much of it you want to keep
A moment later - If you could do anything about your old life that you wanted, what would it be? Leave a doppelganger? Work from home? Burn it all down?
If she knows Charlie and the rest have translated back to Earth, she doesn't acknowledge it.
"You would be correct, I've never seen Babylon 5, nor have I visited its recursion." She says cheerfully. "Sabine of Summer Meadows would be a good person to chat with about it. She's our resident expert on popular culture on Prime worlds and how they protect us from the dangers in the Strange.
She voips all the other weapons back to the seemingly endless warehouse o' weapons that must exist.
"She teaches classes on it, but if you reach out to her, she'll also just talk your ears right off about it without needing a classroom in which to do it."
"Any specific requests for drinks for Brian's place?"
Charlie thinks for a second. "A damn fine up of coffee," he says.
Earth isn't all that interesting, but it's possible I only think that because I'm from there. Anyway, Professor Summermeadow, thanks for your time. I don't want to take up too much of it. I'm looking forward to your class.
I don't particularly like my job. I could quit that.
I think I would like to have a place to return to just in case. Can I assume rent won't be a problem? There's something about becoming a vanishing urban legend that appeals to me.
" Sabine of Summer Meadows. I'll remember that name," says Brian.
Brian takes out the tablet when he hears the alert sound. He reads the message.
"It seems I'm needed elsewhere." He shrinks the staff to its smallest size and pockets it. He then dashes off a response.
"Thank you, Abby," he says, before running off.
You can just call me Sabine, no need for formalities. I really appreciate your time as well, and I'm looking forward to meeting you in person!
Sabine doesn't correct your use of her name.
Rent won't be a problem. You'll just need to give permission to the Estate to handle it, and a portion of the money you earn, whether through work or turning in cyphers or whatever else you end up doing, will… go where it needs to.
I'm fully on board with helping you become an urban legend. Do you need any help making your circumstances more mysterious and maybe a little more public?
"Good luck, have fun! Be careful not to put your eye out!"
Abby waves and seems completely unphased by the quick exit.
As Kari takes in the whole of what she's done and plans on doing, she feels a strange warmth coming from the tessen she picked up in the Estate.
If she pulls one out and opens it, the colors shift and move as normal, resolving into a scene of a very watercolored version of Kari sitting in a rough semblance of the park around her. It resolves again to Kari, dressed slightly differently, dancing with the fans and protecting a group of people huddled behind her against a faceless threat. Another scene, Kari sitting in lotus pose in front of a lake. Around that lake, trees covered in beautiful, blue blossoms fill in the rest of the landscape, with an unfamiliar mountain range in the background.
Then the colors dissolve and resume moving around without aim.
In the park Kari smiles at the images on the fans, giving them a happy pat before she slips them back where she had them.
The rest is boring, she gets boxes. Once she finds the tagging system on the tablet she feels more than a little silly for not checking ahead of time, but she starts with boxing a few things she doesn't want to trust to the randomness of the Estate. The kehipili her grandmother made for her, the tiny bit of jewelry she has (mostly cheap, a gold bracelet her mother insisted on sending for her 15th birthday, earrings Dad sent a year or two ago). And the books which are her favorites. Just two boxes since she already asked Terry to help.
Then she just starts boxing books, starting with the ones she likes and moving down, until she runs out of boxes.
A few hours after they arrive in Seattle all of the others gets a IM: Brian, Let us know when you are comfortable having us over. -kari
Charlie thinks for a second. "A damn fine up of coffee," he says.
"I think I can handle that," Terry says, deadpan. No indication whatsoever that he got the reference.
Terry listens thoughtfully to the stories.
"Thank you for your honesty," he says to the both of them. "I don't know what a Qephilim is, apart from yourself, Baruchiel, but I oppose vivisectionists and I oppose soul-stealers on a deep knee-jerk level."
Terry finishes his Duff. "Bad things can happen anywhere," he says, as though he has made a decision.
"There are a lot of things I don't do on impulse anymore, and taking a new job is one of them. I will know by tomorrow for sure, but even if I opt out, I want to be a part of Fenwick's," he gestures, grasping for the word. "Whatever."
"Sorry for killing the mood," Terry says. "I figure that I owe each of you at least another drink, although...."
Terry looks around as the place is starting to fill up. "Do we pay for drinks here? How do I pay for this?"
He looks back at Abby. "Please don't tell me ... um ... " He trailed off. "Yeah, that's not funny now. Sorry."
Terry goes home. Goes to bed. The next morning, he takes an indeterminate leave of absence from his job, and makes arrangements for his union dues to continue to be paid.
Terry packs up several T-shirts, , his spare phone charger, and that's about it. He doesn't own a lot. All his mail already goes to a Post Office Box.
He takes a moment to send a message on the tablet (after taking a little bit too long to figure out how) to Abby and Baruchiel, "In Seattle. Should be back in time for Fenwick." Then he waits for Kari's text.
Heading over. Bringing muscles and a sound spatial perception.
Then, to Abby:
Are you from Earth?
A few hours after they arrive in Seattle all of the others gets a IM: Brian, Let us know when you are comfortable having us over. -kari
Brian responds Whenever you're ready. I'm just catching up on emails.
Brian includes his address .
She points at the two boxes by the door, "After I got into this, I looked at this," motioning to the tablet, "There seems to be some kind of moving protocol. So it's only those that I feel the need to drag over to Brian's."
She looks down, "And I didn't cancel because I've felt jittery and off since we got back and still wanted the company."
And at that point her tablet dings with Brian's message.
Making coffee is like second nature to you. However, after what you've experienced over the last 24 hours, let's say your mind is slightly more occupied than normal. It's not the best coffee you've ever made, but it's definitely soild. It could even be said to be damn fine.
"Thank you for your honesty," he says to the both of them. "I don't know what a Qephilim is, apart from yourself, Baruchiel, but I oppose vivisectionists and I oppose soul-stealers on a deep knee-jerk level."
Before Baruchiel can explain what Qephilim are, Abby cuts in with a "They're aaaaangels."
"Descendants of, yes."
"You didn't kill the mood, by the way. I love getting to know new people," Abby says, cheerfully, when the Qephilim conversation has wrapped up.
"And I might not seem like I do, but I do." There is only the slightest slur in Baruchiel's voice now. She pauses. "I just tend to... get very focused on the job."
He looks back at Abby. "Please don't tell me ... um ... " He trailed off. "Yeah, that's not funny now. Sorry.
She snaps her fingers. "So that's what happened to my soul! I knew getting that bottle of Suntory Yamazaki sent to my room was a bad idea."
She laughs, shaking her head before he can answer. "Everything here is tabbed to come out of work you do, cyphers you turn in, it's kind of nebulous. Just being an Agent allows you access to all the amenities here though, so don't worry about it. There won't be anyone banging on your door for gold coins or anything later."
Yes! Born and raised in Cambridge. I miss it occasionally, but it's changed so much, I barely recognize it. Are you from Seattle, or somewhere else?
A few beats.
I know you said groups weren't your thing, but if you're feeling like you could use some coffee, or tea, and a chat… I'm around
Oh, good, you got translation all figured out!
Well, whenever you get back...
A little picture appears in the message thread. It's a tall drink, glittering gold with the rind of a lemon wound around the rim.
Pan. Galactic. Gargle. Blaster.
Brian responds Whenever you're ready. I'm just catching up on emails.
Terry and I are on the way. Should be half an hour or so.
And a moment later, Not trying rush you, Charlie. Promise.
When the pair gets there each is carrying a box. Heavy box based on the thump.
When the pair gets there each is carrying a box. Heavy box based on the thump.
Terry is also wearing a black backpack, and a different T-shirt. This one has a faded screen print of a dog, and the words "Shabooh Shoobah."
Terry is wearing a small black backpack and a different T-shirt. This one has a faded screen print image of a dog and the words "Shabooh Shoobah" on it.
He looks at the chaotic assemblage of boxes, and visibly relaxes when Kari points him to the much smaller stack.
"I should be able to carry those," Terry says. "Do you mind if I test-lift them?"
Terry lifts one box, and then another. "Jittery and off," he says as he is moving the boxes. "So many reasons. Which thing bothered you the most?"
He makes a point of watching what he is doing, at least long enough for Kari to start talking, if she does.
"Strange and wonderful," Terry says at the end of the Qephilim explanation. He looks at Abby. "Do people ever use the pick-up line on her that I am immediately thinking of?" He turns to Baruchiel. "Does it work?"
He laughs, and waves his hands. "No no, don't answer that. I already owe you each a drink. One set of impertinent questions at a time."
"Did you want that now, or in a rain check?" Terry takes another look through the menu, stopping at a drink with a little icon of a brain and a slice of lemon wrapped around a brick. "Not tonight," he says to the dangerous-looking concoction.
I hope this email finds you well.
I won't be coming into work tomorrow. Or the next day. I'm quitting.
Yours sincerely,
Charles E. Speck
With everything in his backpack, he leaves.
To Abby: I think I'm just going to vanish for a little while. Thanks for the help.
Charlie arrives at Brian's with his backpack looking slightly more full than when he left. He somehow manages to look more distracted than usual.
Terry is also wearing a black backpack, and a different T-shirt. This one has a faded screen print of a dog, and the words "Shabooh Shoobah."Kari is wearing the exact same clothes, just more funky as she's been doing manual labor.
He looks at the chaotic assemblage of boxes, and visibly relaxes when Kari points him to the much smaller stack.Kari grins, "It wasn't going to be everything, I promise. I figured I'd just ask with help translating a bunch of more time in the next few weeks, but apparently the Estate provides." She's happy about this, but also a little creeped out by it.
"I should be able to carry those," Terry says. "Do you mind if I test-lift them?"She nods as she manhandles the box she closed onto a low shelf. Sticking one of the ubiquitous unicorn stickers to the outer side as she does. They are heavy, but doing have that packed solid with books feel... just almost. Kari takes a breather, hands on knees, "I can carry one, that's just the stuff I'd regret if it got lost in the move."
"Jittery and off," he says as he is moving the boxes. "So many reasons. Which thing bothered you the most?"
"Part of it is the stuff I want to talk to you all about, I know." She shakes her head, moving to the half-size fridge, "Water?" As she pulls an old blue menehune liter bottle from the fridge, he seal ring long gone. "Tap. But cold." She pours the water into an old beat up metal camping cup and does the same for Terry.
"The other part..." She shrugs, "I'd built myself a place here and the dissonance of being so willing to abandon it in less than 24 hours..." She shakes her head, "I feel like I'm rushing to get everything I can done before I wake up from a dream." She reaches behind her to touch the fan she has 'holstered' by the small of her back. Already reassuring herself its there.
"I can go back out for the coffee," Terry offers.
"It wasn't going to be everything, I promise."
Terry chuckles. "It's okay. It's like how there's always the guy with the truck who you call when you need to move your stuff. It's karma to take that spot once in a while."
Terry shrugs. "...and it's what I do for a living. Did. Do. Huh."
"I guess that's going to be hard to get used to."
Terry takes the cup of cold water, and takes a drink. "Good tap water here," he says.
"I have a rule," he says between sips. "A rule arrived at through mistake after mistake. I don't do -- take a job on the first day it's offered. I don't move in -- or out. I don't drink to excess. I don't spend more than a thousand dollars at one go."
Terry finishes the water, and hands back the cup. "Far as I'm concerned, I haven't decided on the job until after the Fenwick thing. Keeps me from rushing into things."
He puts his hand over his eyes, as though he is shading them from the sun, and peers at Kari. "For you? Is it the speed, or the change, or just the whole package? Because a lot of weird stuff went down. A lot. So all those jitters? Completely normal."
Terry takes an earbud out of his ear, and tucks it into a pocket.
"I can go back out for the coffee," Terry offers.
"I'm fine. I've actually already had dinner."
"I can go back out for the coffee," Terry offers.Kari grins, pulling an beat-up but shiny thermos from her bag. She offers it to Charlie, "I wasn't on the top of my game, but I think its damn fine coffee." A beat, "Nigel let me make it after I quit."
"I'm fine. I've actually already had dinner.""Oh." She puts the thermos down, "There's enough for more than one, anyway."
"For you? Is it the speed, or the change, or just the whole package? Because a lot of weird stuff went down. A lot. So all those jitters? Completely normal."
"All of it." A shrug, "Also the voice in my head that sounds like Mom saying how I'm just like my father."
"Well, in that case," Charlie says. He puts his backpack down and pulls out a coffee mug that looks like the head of a Grey alien, and holds it out to be filled. "Please and thank you."
Abby puts her hand up to her mouth and giggles coquettishly. "Oh Mister T with a Y, you scoundrel." Then she laughs for real.
"One man did try that pick-up line on me, yes…" Baruchiel starts.
"Some say he's still running to this day." Abby says stoically.
"Hard to run with no legs." She sips her drink, very casually, a slow smile spreading on her face.
Abby looks over at the menu as Terry scrolls and stops on the dreaded Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster.
"Oooh, that's a fantastic choice if you want to skip a few days of your life," she says with a nod. "I wouldn't mind another drink…" she looks to her teammate.
Baruchiel checks the time, then shakes her head. "I'm going to try and get some rest and not let worrying about our wayward Rukian keep me up all night." She stands. "Thank you both for the company. I haven't laughed like that in a long time." She waves, and once goodbyes are said, heads out of the cantina.
Abby grins.
"If you thought that was a raucous good time with Baru, you should have seen her during the famous Chuckle of '08."
Your boss eventually gets back to you with several admonishments about giving proper notice, but otherwise, doesn't seem to take it personally. She also doesn't suggest you'll have a spot waiting for you if you elect to return.
Anytime. I have so many ideas of how to mysteriously disappear you
Immediately following that
So sorry
That sounded much more hostile than intended. Anyway, right, if you need actual help that isn't ominous, let me know, I'm here
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When you look up personnel files for your new companions, you see a message that indicates the system is waiting on them to say yes or no to having information publicly displayed. They are listed as active Agents, but with no other information beyond their names.
When you access your file, you see a request to make your information public, and can safely assume the others have seen that in their own files, or don't even know it's a choice.
When you look up the three senior agents, this is the information that comes back to you:
Abigail Swain - From Earth, age redacted, born in Cambridge, listed as a Mentor for new Agents (this file leads to a list of all Agents that can be called upon to mentor newcomers). No family listed, but she does talk about a bucket list desire to visit every recursion she can and collect a souvenir from it. She's listed as Active - On Mandatory Holiday following successful field ops.
Baruchiel - From Ardeyn, age 105, born in the Queendom, listed as a Mentor for new Agents. She is also listed as Active- On Mandatory Holiday. There is no other personal information, which lines up with how private a person she seems to be.
Fenwick Grimm - From Ruk, age 35, born in the Hub of Harmonious, listed as a Mentor for new Agents. There's a lot of information in the bio; he seems very forthcoming and happy to share information about himself. His bio lists information about his childhood, his late wife (who was lost in active duty in service to the Estate), his hobbies, and favorite snacks. He is listed as ACTIVE - WHEREABOUTS UNKNOWN with a red flag at the bottom. It's clear his absence is noted, but the general alarm has not yet been sounded the way it has for other missing Agents. Yet.
Sabine of Summer Meadows - From Ardeyn, age 29, born in the Green Wilds. She is listed as a recursion theologian and on-site professor of the same. Her bio is of similar length to Fenwick's; she talks about her childhood among the flowers and of the luck she had growing up in the branches of a star sapling. She also lists several fictional worlds she studies with particular relish, and seems to have a preference for horror, mystery, and science fiction.
Although the bio doesn't call it out specifically, it would not be a bad guess that she's some version of the Fae. If the name didn't tip you off.
"Well, in that case," Charlie says. He puts his backpack down and pulls out a coffee mug that looks like the head of a Grey alien, and holds it out to be filled. "Please and thank you."
She fills the grey mug with a warm smile. "I have sugar and," she digs in the messenger bag, pulling out a baby thermos, "milk. Didn't know how you preferred you coffee." She puts the sugar and mini-milk on the counter.
Kari tries to sit, but ends up hopping up to her feet, not quite pacing but unable to stay still. Finally, "As I said, I need your guys help." A pause.
"When I did, whatever it was, to Mason's computer, I found a file that someone tried to scrub from his hardware. It wasn't much that survived, a list of three names which Mason identified as potentially compromised or targeted agents."
She pauses, "I'm going to try to lay this out in a just the facts kind of way. I have some theories about it, but just the facts first."
"Three names. Sarah Davies. Riku Takahashi. Valen Dilucca. I tried to cheat by asking to read Takahashi's missions in the library when we got to the Estate but those are locked without the agents permission. The force that controls the library did let slip that Takahashi and Mason never had any missions in common."
"Research on the public database did give me a little bit about each of them. For Davies the pertinent being she went MIA three months ago and is suspected rogue."
"Takahashi has been MIA for two months and is suspected as kidnapped."
"Mason's non-agent partner, Ashley Adams, went missing about one month ago and we say the effects of that first hand."
"Dilucca is still an active agent working undercover on Ruk."
"Davies, Takahashi and Dilucca are listed in the system as a pod, although Dilucca is working with a junior agent currently."
"We were told that agents have been going MIA or darkside with a much greater frequency than standard and they don't know why."
"Those are the facts. When I first found the file, I assumed that Mason had gone darkside a while ago and was trying to turn agents and did something to hurt or run off Ashley." Kari winces, "I started reevaluating that when I saw both our mentor's reaction to him and just the raw pain."
"There is obviously something going on at the Estate," Kari smiles, "I wanted Mason to be the cause of it, because then it'd be over now that he is in custody."
She breathes out, finally able to sit and stay, "Instead I think he was investigating the disappearances and found that list, maybe something else?" She shakes her head, "Maybe something that led to whatever happened to Ashley a month ago, which led to Mason going... well it stopped him from continuing his research into agents at the Estate."
"What it all screams to me is that there are darkside agents active at the Estate for" she waves a hand, "some reason. Maybe just to corrupt more of us, maybe because there is something big ramping up?"
"I do know I can't investigate this by myself and," Kari looks very guilty, "and the list of people at the estate I trust is currently three." She looks around at the three. "Which I do not like, because I like the people I met there and I don't want to have this twitchy feeling that they might be working against the whole purpose of why we found the Estate." She has a copy of some working notes that she also hands out.
Brian nods along as Kari details her findings and theories.
"That's pretty heavy," he says after taking a beat to take it all in.
He scans over the notes.
"Charlie? Terry? Thoughts?"
Terry looks at the piece of paper, frowns at it, folds it up.
"Not enough info," Terry says. "But a bad feeling about the whole thing. The only person on this list whose location we know is in this Ruk place? Definitely don't like it."
"What can we do about it?"
Terry holds up his hand, palm out. "Stop. Wrong question. What do we want to do about it?"
"She strikes me as the sort to tell a really raucous Platonic dialogue," Terry watches Baruchiel leave, and then turns to Abby.
"What am I buying for you? Obviously nothing that will lose you too much time." Terry pokes at the menu some more. "This is overwhelming. No more. Please. Help." His tone deadpan.
"Not enough info," Terry says. "But a bad feeling about the whole thing. The only person on this list whose location we know is in this Ruk place? Definitely don't like it."
Kari give an apologetic shrug. "Davies' partner Raya is a retired agent in Ardeyn, but she wasn't on the list."
Terry holds up his hand, palm out. "Stop. Wrong question. What do we want to do about it?"It would be clear to a blind man that Kari wants to do something but she practically sits on her hands to give everyone else a chance to talk. Especially since they have listened to her so far.
Terry squats down to heft the boxes again, tilting them slightly to check whether the contents inside are likely to slide.Weight at the bottom is solid, stuff that might slide a bit at the top of the box.
"But you're doing this anyway." Not a question.
"I'm doing this anyway." Kari affirms the statement.
"There is so much out there to see, to learn, things that were just fantasy and fiction a day ago."
"Always start with family. By partner, I'm assuming the implication is romantic as opposed to like...someone you'd raid a crackhouse with. I'd start with this Raya person. If she doesn't know for certain what happened, which is possible, she will have some insight into Miss Davies's character. And there's the likelihood that she will attempt to warn Davies, which might let us follow her to Davies."
He frowns. "I don't know what warning someone in Ardeyn entails. A spell maybe? A palantir? Sending a raven?"
He pulls out his own tablet and taps at it.
"I think starting in Ruk would be a bad idea just because blundering into an active mission isn't going to endear us to our new employers."
"I agree with Terry. There isn't enough information here. We need more information to go on. Which I think means we need to do some quiet digging."
"But I'd like us all to keep an open mind while we dig. I'm reminded of the Sherlock Holmes quote about not making theories when you don't have enough information. 'It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts.'"
"There may be an innocent explanation. Maybe it's not a person doing the corrupting; maybe there's something about the Strange itself that does it."
Brian turns to Charlie. "This kind of diggings seems more your bailiwick. How do you want to start? Ardeyn?"
Brian turns to Charlie. "This kind of diggings seems more your bailiwick. How do you want to start? Ardeyn?"
"We can start at the Estate. It looks like Kari has pulled the records of all three names. We should develop a list of their associates, pull those as well. Then we should familiarize ourselves with Ardeyn, if we're going to go there."
Charlie considers. "In the meantime, we should talk to people at the Estate. Carefully. If Kari's right, we need to find out who is on the side of the angels." He pauses. "Or...uh...Nodens, I guess. I don't know."
"Once we gather a little more information, we should take the next leap, which yes. I think would be Ardeyn. Raya seems like the weak point there." He blinks, pauses. "We need to pull her records. I don't know if that was clear. Her and whoever this Bubba Zanetti is working with. Then others, if our poking around unearths more contacts."
Charlie sips his coffee, drifting into himself. Then a shrug, like he just made a point to himself that he has to concede. "I should point out that I am...was...an insurance investigator. I looked into possible insurance fraud. I never did...Cthulhu...fraud."
"She's a good sport," Abby says fondly. Then she leans over to watch as Terry flips through the menu.
"Yeah, I think most people here, when first faced with the truly tremendous amount of choices they have, end up landing on a couple of favorites and never deviate from them."
As Terry scrolls through various drinks, Abby says 'oooh that one' to a very cartoony can of Slurm.
"Your Duff inspired me."
After it's ordered, she sits back in her chair. "You know, you don't have to be an Agent. You can throw that badge right back at us and we'll even still let you hang out in the Estate."
It's no bother! The response isn't immediate, but comes within a few minutes of yours. If you're part of the Estate, your tablet will work there… kind of.
She sends a picture - a sketch of a moth with stained glass wings.
Flickermoths are one of the more popular ways of quick communication. Ravens are slower, but still reliable for transferring messages. If you really need to chat with someone quickly, there are people who'll teleport you There And Back Again for a nominal fee.
Another pause.
Oh, and mirrors. There are magical mirrors that messages can be sent through. I think that's how our Estate tablets usually manifest there, as little pocket mirrors.
"I should point out that I am...was...an insurance investigator. I looked into possible insurance fraud. I never did...Cthulhu...fraud."
Brian smiles. "At least your job title had the word investigator in it. I think that puts you a leg up on the rest of us."
Kari nods with Charlie's suggestions, feeling a little bit better that someone agrees with how she started looking into this, whatever it is.
Charlie considers. "In the meantime, we should talk to people at the Estate. Carefully. If Kari's right, we need to find out who is on the side of the angels." He pauses. "Or...uh...Nodens, I guess. I don't know."
"That's been the hardest part for me." A little smile, "I really like the people I've met at the Estate but the part of my brain that figures out which 'nice' person in the book is working for the villain just screams at me that I don't know the score."
"Once we gather a little more information, we should take the next leap, which yes. I think would be Ardeyn. Raya seems like the weak point there."
"Terry and I did met someone who teaches translation at the Estate. It probably wouldn't be hard to convince him that a jaunt to a safe, strange connected place like Ardeyn would be a good learning experience for new Agents." She shrugs, "Apparently it is not easy to translate to some place you've never been," she looks at Terry, "That was what Aleph said or at least indicated, right?"
"We need to pull her records. I don't know if that was clear. Her and whoever this Bubba Zanetti is working with. Then others, if our poking around unearths more contacts.""And Aleph. The paranoid part of my brain thinks checking anyone who reaches out to new agents should probably be checked." She pulls out her tablet, "I did copy over what I did pull into a note file," She pauses, "I also copied it by hand since physical records are harder to manipulate," a pause, "outside of magic and advanced technology. In case the records change later."
- Sarah Davies - She's from Earth, 58 years old, born in Alabama, an Agent with a love of gardening. She's survived by her partner, Raya, listed as a retired Agent who relocated to Ardeyn. Sarah has been MIA for three months after being sent out to investigate Karum activity in Louisiana. There is a small note at the bottom that says - Suspected Rogue: Investigation pending
- Riku Takahashi - He's from Earth, 38 years old, born in Tokyo, an Agent who loves cats and making ramen for his friends. Riku has been MIA for two months, last field location listed as REDACTED. The note at the bottom of this file says - Suspected kidnapped: Investigation pending
- Valen Dilucca - They are from Ruk, age unlisted, born in Harmonious, an Agent who has an extremely lengthy bio covering just about anything you could want to know about another person, and more. They are listed as active, participating in undercover work in Ruk and scheduled for a check-in over the next couple of days.
It's worth noting that these three agents were listed as a registered pod (the term for a group of 2-6 Agents that take field ops together). Valen is currently in the field with an Agent named Aion (whose bio lists them as a junior Agent from Ardeyn).
- Ashley Adams - Listed only as a partner to Ratliff Mason. Appears to be unaffiliated with the Estate, or at least, not listed as an Agent of it.
- Ratliff Mason - There is a large IN CUSTODY - PENDING STATUS on this file.
- Abigail Swain - From Earth, age redacted, born in Cambridge, listed as a Mentor for new Agents (this file leads to a list of all Agents that can be called upon to mentor newcomers). No family listed, but talks about her bucket list desire to see every recursion she possibly can find and to document them. She's listed as Active - On Mandatory Holiday following successful field ops.
Mandatory holiday link: leads to one of the few requirements Katherine seems to have, and it specifically has to do with working in a dangerous or banned recursion
- Baruchiel - From Ardeyn, age 105, born in the Queendom, listed as a Mentor for new Agents. She is also listed as Active- On Mandatory Holiday. There is no other personal information, which lines up with how private a person she seems to be.
- Fenwick Grimm - From Ruk, age 35, born in the Hub of Harmonious, listed as a Mentor for new Agents. There's a lot of information in the bio; he seems very forthcoming and happy to share information about himself. It's not quite as unnecessarily detailed as Valen's bio, but it does talk about his childhood, his late wife (who was lost in active duty in service to the Estate), his hobbies, and favorite snacks. He is listed as ACTIVE - WHEREABOUTS UNKNOWN with a red flag at the bottom. It's clear his absence is noted, but the general alarm has not yet been sounded the way it has for other missing Agents.
- Kari Weer - Permissions need to be updated for this Agent but age and Earth are listed.
- Charlie Speck - age, Earth
- Brian Kincade - age, Earth
- Terry-with-a-Y - age, Earth
"Yes, I looked all of us up. I was curious." A pause, "I also don't have a clue what a Karum is, but didn't get a chance to look into it."
"I should point out that I am...was...an insurance investigator. I looked into possible insurance fraud. I never did...Cthulhu...fraud."Brian smiles. "At least your job title had the word investigator in it. I think that puts you a leg up on the rest of us."
"Yep. My titles are far less impressive." Kari says with a grin.
"Apparently it is not easy to translate to some place you've never been," she looks at Terry, "That was what Aleph said or at least indicated, right?"
"Harder, he said," Terry agrees.
"Yep. My titles are far less impressive." Kari says with a grin.
Terry almost doesn't snicker at this. "Sounds like the Estate is still our next step?"
"There is so much out there to see, to learn, things that were just fantasy and fiction a day ago."
"And they still are," Terry frowns at the box, then stands back up. "Decently-packed, I think," he says.
He stops frowning, and looks back up near Kari. "It's a very high upside with a moderately-high downside."
Terry looks chagrined for a moment, but admits, "And they have really nice facilities. Looking forward to seeing more of the place."
For Terry's second drink, he finds something called ffuD, a photographic inverse of the Duff. "I will risk the beer/anti-beer reaction," he says when he orders it.
When Abby lofts the idea of Terry turning his badge in but staying Estate-adjacent, Terry leans to one side, and pretends to watch something flying past.
"Not the offer for me," he says. "Not much of a tourist. My trained skills are moving things from point A to point B. Trust me, deadly terror is a step up."
Terry drinks his ffuD, and makes an unhappy face. "Not quite the opposite of generic beer, but wow."
He sets down the can. "Speaking of which, are...." He shakes his head. "I can read the thing myself."
"I just can't put this place together in my head as a coherent whole," Terry admits. "Part of it make sense, but others ... not so much."
Terry almost doesn't snicker at this. "Sounds like the Estate is still our next step?"
Kari nods, "And the next mission we get assigned might take us to Ardeyn, which would give us a chance to look into this without drawing suspicion if there are black hats at the Estate."
Kari looks at the dive she lives in, "It will be a bit of a step up, I guess."
"But you aren't in, yet." She says with a smile, "I don't think I could straddle the in and out, I'd be worried about letting one side or the other down."
Charlie taps at the tablet.
Terry almost doesn't snicker at this. "Sounds like the Estate is still our next step?"
Charlie squints up from the tablet. "Do you seriously not have a last name?"
Terry drinks his ffuD, and makes an unhappy face. "Not quite the opposite of generic beer, but wow."
Abby laughs. "I've never thought to try one of those reverse drinks. You have encouraged me to stay the course with that choice."
She seems to thoroughly enjoy her cartoonishy bright can of Slurm. "I'm not sure what this tastes like. Surge, maybe? Like off brand?" She smacks her liips. "Good, but I don't think I need to try this one again." She confirms. "But life without exploration is not one worth living."
"I just can't put this place together in my head as a coherent whole," Terry admits. "Part of it make sense, but others ... not so much."
She nods, looking as serious as she can while sipping a bright can of Slurm.
"Stop me if I'm getting too professory here, but… okay, so the Strange is also known as the Chaosphere. What little we know of its origins is that it was a construct of something we call the Precursors, billions of years ago. It's mostly made of dark matter, able to store limitless amounts of information, and it expands with new worlds and pocket dimensions that are always popping up when humans create things."
She taps her lips, considering what information to throw at Terry. "The Strange was a big computer that some ancient aliens built, it grew way beyond what they expected. There's intelligent life out there, of a sort. Lots of it, and most of it we don't understand. That's where planetovores come from."
She taps her device and a map appears on her screen, which she tilts towards you.
"As you can see, there's lot going on just in our tiny speck of sand in the wider ocean of the Universe. The first time I saw the Strange, I'm fairly certain I had an existential crisis and slept for three days straight." She tucks the map away, but not before sending a copy of it to Terry's tablet.
"All of that is to say… the Strange barely makes sense to us, either. The Estate was built as a bastion of safety and protection, one of the few places in the Strange everyone can meet and work together. An embassy, is maybe a good way to put it. It's mostly cobbled together of Rukian technology, but there's plenty of Precursor technology that's been scavenged and repurposed. We have an entire division dedicated to going out there," she waves her hands to indicate the Strange, "to find and bring back more Precursor information. So Agents do more than just close gates - they save collapsing recursions, save people on Earth or Ruk from bad actors, study technology, experiment, teach, anything. There's so much to do."
She pauses to catch her breath, take a drink, and waits for any comments or questions that might arise.
You're not as familiar with the Estate as you are your own home city. As you go through your translation trance, you try to remember what it felt like to see ever shifting fractals instead of sky. You remember Katherine, sitting in front of a desk, looking at you as though she could read your life written in your eyes. The strange absence of smell in her office, the overwhelming possibilities offered to you just by way of decorating your little corner of the Estate.
It's with some difficulty that your group manages to end up in what you'd consider to be the center of the Estate. It took you roughly an hour to translate there. With no sun or moon or stars, there's no sense of time, but your tablets tell you that it's midway through the 'day'.
There are small responsibilities you all must attend to if you're set on keeping your badges and continuing work as Agents. Each of you receives a notification requesting, very politely, that you check your personnel file to set your privacy preferences, and you all receive the same request for an official looking meeting with Abby, to be scheduled sometime within the next cycle at your convenience (however, she does want all of you to be there at the same time).
The extra cyphers your team found in the field on your first mission are in holding, waiting for someone from your team to confirm whether or not you'd like to release them in exchange for money… or more cyphers.
You also have a note letting you know that you've officially been assigned to a pod together, but if you wish, for whatever reason, to sign up with other Agents, the option exists and you merely need to put a request in through the system.
Kari staggers trying to pull out the tablet while not dropping the box shes carrying, eventually sliding it to the ground with one hand and her body so she can read the messages. Her eyes start to glaze over with the morass of the inbox. "What time do you want to met Abby?" The nervous energy that was driving her through the meeting seems to be ebbing and she's almost swaying on her feet. She pokes at the tablet.
"Kari Weer (23) Seattle, Earth. Barista. I have books for trade."
She looks up Ardeyn, Raya and Aion's public profiles before she forgets
Then she checks if their are any updates on Valen Dilucca. Just because Kari doesn't think its been more than 24-hours since she last checked doesn't mean that is the case.
And finally she looks at the list of classes and teachers. Because she apparently doesn't need to pay for classes in this universe which is exciting.
Charlie squints up from the tablet. "Do you seriously not have a last name?"
"Of course I do," Terry says.
"What time do you want to meet Abby?"
Terry shrugs, the box he's carrying moving very little. "I have no preference, and no plans yet."
He thinks for a moment.
"Sooner, to get it out of the way?"
"After putting these boxes away," he amends.
"I am 98% in," Terry admits. "And I have my own deadline for making the final decision. It really helps."
He looks around her walk-up. "It seems fine, as a place to be when you aren't where you want to be."
Terry shrugs. "Mine is a lot emptier. Yours at least has personality. I'm sure your place at the Estate will, too."
Terry looks over the map. "I imagine each one of these has hundreds or thousands of words written about it as well."
"...Baldran's Maw? That doesn't sound good."
Terry shakes his head. "Thank you for all of the info, but this is the opposite of the getting some space and clearing my head and processing things I was hoping to get done tonight."
He stands up. "Do we bus our own, or is that done for us?"
"I do appreciate the chatting and drinking, and I hope to do more of it in the future."
He starts to turn away, then turns back. "Oh, one last thing. You and Baruchiel clearly have a thing.... Which name do you prefer to be called?"
When you look up Valen Dilucca, you see that they're listed as Active - Mandatory Holiday. They clearly have come back from their mission and are very likely somewhere around the Estate now.
Also, the classes are much less structured here than in a normal university, but yes, there is no cost for attending. There is a roster of staff who count teaching among their duties, including Aleph, Sabine of Summer Meadows, and Abby. Basically, anything that might interest you has the ability to be signed up for, and if enough people sign up for it, or if you make a special request for a 1:1 session, a class will be scheduled.
There are topics as broad as Recursion Theory or Translation, and as narrow as "Ruk: A study in a Prime that became a Recursion and Why They Don't Generate Their Own Recursions".
Raya - Very little information remains in the system, and looking her up redirects you to an archive. Her name, Raya Davies, and that she currently lives in Alabama.
The archive, at a glance, is overwhelming with the number of Agents that are listed as officially retired, missing for over a year, or dead. Anyone poking around in the archives finds that a lot of information has been redacted.
Aion - He's from Ardeyn, 18 years old, born in the Queendom. The only extraneous information he's listed is that he's Qephilim and really likes cereal from Earth. He's listed as Active - Mandatory Holiday.
Ardeyn is going to get an
"Oh, you wanted to clear your head? The Gargle Blaster would have done it!" Abby says. "It's done for you, don't worry about it. The glasses and cans and plates will all get voiped away or picked up by one of our esteemed bartenders."
She stands, politely, so you don't have to stare down at her in the chair while you're making your goodbyes.
"I hope the same! And hopefully the next place you travel to isn't so… banned."
"Oh, one last thing. You and Baruchiel clearly have a thing.... Which name do you prefer to be called?"
"I've been Abby for a hu… a long time. Abby will do. Abigail was another woman entirely. Baruchiel has never been one for nicknames, though. So it's mostly reflexive when I correct her."
She holds her hand out for Terry to shake. Her handshake is firm and confident. Before she lets go, she says-
"Give yourself an actual break. No one is going to bother you if you spend a day or three in the spa, or in your room eating cheese curds. Don't underestimate the damage even a short trip into a dark place can do to your wellbeing."
Then, she lets go, and wishes him a good night.