[End act II] Sheriff Jovenan – That’s a great plan, I never doubted you! Well, I did, and I still do, but just take the compliment!
Jovenan
((Wiener Wagon, Vellum Pines, Wherac-98))
MacKenzie: I would love to entertain a better idea if any of you have one.
Jovenan allowed the “space officers” to take the first go in responding. If their newly (re)acquired memories were supposed to be so great that they were worth an ego death, then they better also be useful in finding a solution to the predicament they found themselves in. She looked at each of the people aboard, studying them. In Vellum Pines, they represented different classes and walks of life – their clothing revealed so much – but they were supposedly all highly trained and very qualified officers on a spacefaring ship. It was difficult to believe. She tried to imagine Mrs Bellinger shooting rayguns at slimy space aliens alongside the worker who seemed to keep glancing at Jovenan, but even her best attempts were closer to a comedy show than a serious profession these people were living. And yet, none of them were having a laugh.
Bergmen: We should pull their power plug. No energy, no tomfoolery…
Breys: The consequences are just too vague. We don’t know what will happen to people who don’t remember the Artemis.
If the rest of what Wieçek had told them was true, Jovenan could see that interrupting the simulation would have undesirable consequences. She noticed Bancroft doing something with Aesop – she supposed he was caring for the injured child, but how much would an architect know about medicine?
Bancroft: Breys is right. We don't know what that power is actually holding up. Could be the scenery. Could be half the crew's brains.
Silveira: Response
Munro: :: taps her PADD :: I might just have a solution to that problem. I recovered this from the memory room and Mrs. Bellinger may have tried to use my memories against me but I also remember hers. She knew what was in the PADD - the location of all the memory rooms. They must act as back up interfaces with the simulation.
Oh, so Mrs Bellinger doesn’t even call herself Mrs Bellinger? Jovenan couldn’t even begin to guess what her “real” name was, besides that it replaced “Mrs” with a military rank, maybe something like Subcommander or Master Chief. And just call it a data slate like a normal person.
As for the plan, Jovenan didn’t know the meaning of it. This person seemed to have multiple memories in her, in a fight against each other. That didn’t seem a pleasant outcome, somehow even less pleasant than an ego death. The meaning, purpose and appearance of the memory rooms was equally obscure to her.
Wieçek: Response
K’Wara: A transporter.
A what now?
K'Wara: Guys, a transporter!! ::looks between their faces:: There's a single transporter PAD down in the Memory Room! I remember the other Tamio seeing it before Ava gave me my memories back! It may still be functional!
Jovenan wrinkled her nose. The person who had thought it was a good idea to announce their location by a loudspeaker in the warzone had just happened to remember that there was a teleporting device somewhere in the high school. Assuming it was real – had she stooped so low? – and actually could teleport people, it was likely going to do so either by using an inverter that folded space, by creating an artificial wormhole or by deconstructing and reconstructing the object. One of those options required so much energy that she doubted it, one probably severely damaged cellular structure and one literally involved killing a person and making a copy that thought they were the same person. And in the end, they were blindly aiming for a ship that she wasn’t entirely convinced was even real. She’d rather stay in the place she knew – in the place she belonged to.
Jovenan: The Mother has activated the Joy Imperative. For as long as it remains active, her control over the town remains strong. I don’t know who the heck any of you are, but I’m the Sheriff of this town, so I’ll remain here to defend it. ::nods towards Aesop:: The Mayor is also needed for the deactivation.
Breys: Maybe we can still slip someone out? Having a contact on the ship could be a boon.
Bancroft: Hang on. I mean, yes, slip someone out, but… this kid is the mayor?
Jovenan merely hummed. It was rather inconvenient for them.
Silveira: Response
Munro: The Captain. We should transport her back to the Artemis. It's home turf and she might be able to :: looked at Librarian MacKenzie:: She might be able to do something if we get her memories back. She has the command codes.
Turning to look at the librarian as well, Jovenan wondered what good it would be getting her there. Although the first-aid skills had seemed to kick in instinctively when faced with a life-and-death situation, there was no guarantee that the librarian could just walk to the cockpit of a spaceship, enter her password and command the ship. As happy as Jovenan was that she didn’t need to get to the ship herself, she felt sorry for Miss MacKenzie. She was, after all, Jovenan’s fellow in not having a clue what the rest of the team were talking about, and it would have been quite unfortunate for their cause to lose a reasonably reliable temp deputy.
MacKenzie: Big if. What do I know about a spaceship?!
Wieçek: Responses
Velik: ::rising from the floor, more carefully:: Here, this seems basic but should have enough to make continued treatment easier at least. ::reaches to hand over small emergency kit:: For now I would suggest we focus on keeping the child stable and finding somewhere we can set up as well.
K'Wara: We can't set up anywhere that's safe while the Mother has control over the weather grid like this... ::looks up at the stormy weather:: There has to be some way to disable it.
Bergmen: So should I turn it to this Weather Grid Station? (beat) But someone would need to tell me how to get there…
Bancroft: I don't know where it is. Keep us moving. Whoever does, tell Ollie where he's going.
Jovenan had been following the architect replacing Aesop’s dressing, after going through a first-aid pack and seemingly disregarding some of its contents. He didn’t seem like doing this for the first time, much like Miss MacKenzie had not been caring for him earlier. Perhaps the space officers did have proper first-aid training, but then again, Wieçek’s attempts at helping had given more to be wished for. At least, in the end, they had saved Aesop.
Silveira/Wieçek: Response
Velik: Artemis seems disinclined to release us from the simulation, clearly, and there is still the vast majority of crew unaccounted for likely still suffering from memory alteration. My understanding is this Aesop is in control of the situation. Of the two, he is more likely to be helpful, as he isn't currently trying to kill us.
K'Wara: If Ava can't restore their memories without another Memory Room, finding one of those is of a pretty high priority, I'd say. ::considers:: Velik, give me your tricorder.
Right. Returning their memories, a high priority. Despite these people sharing an opponent in the form of the Mother, Jovenan had to remind herself that she needed to keep them at an arm’s length. She had to be ready to ditch them, or worse, at the moment’s notice once they had solved their more pressing issues. She didn’t want her life taken away from her, no matter the promises of another one. It wasn’t her who would live all that.
Breys: That much data on technology of this era means magnetic tapes. If you can scan for strong magnetic fields, we might have some direction.
“Of this era”. She felt like she was in one of the silly films she and Mielikki had watched where someone travels time to the past and talks about the typical things that nonetheless confuse the locals… except this film was even more bizarre than that, so much so that she didn’t believe anyone would ever want to write or watch it.
Silveira/Wieçek: Response
The air was engulfed in bright light and deafening sound as the bus shook and then swerved. Yet another lightning had struck near them, a reminder that their pursuer wasn’t giving in yet. Jovenan had to use all her strength not to be thrown against the wall or the floor. She caught the clinging sound of the first-aid kit’s contents falling under a seat.
Velik: ::grunting, pained:: Putting distance between us and Mother will give us time to plan. Hopefully one involving a less easily-spotted means of escape.
K'Wara: Bingo!! ::shows the tricorder to Ava:: This seems like a good place to start the search, don't you think? It's a bit of a drive, but it's on the way to the Weather Control Station.
Bergmen: Search quicker! And think even faster! The dashboard already glows like a shore leave tree!
Breys: Just towards the control station! That way!
The person pointed at a direction. The rush had made Jovenan lose her sense of direction, but after a brief look around, it seemed that they got the right way towards the station.
Velik: Control station? Controller for what?
Jovenan: The Weather Control. Although I’m still a bit lost why.
Silveira/Wieçek: Response
K'Wara: Commander, I suggest we send Vitor and Velik through the Transporter with the Captain. If what you say is true, and she managed to lock down key parts of the Artemis against the AI incursion, her presence on the Ship would simply be too enticing an opportunity for the Mother. She would be distracted, and unable to focus us down like this.
Now Jovenan felt particularly sorry for Miss MacKenzie. They were planning on using her as a bait against the Mother! This was an odd use for what they thought of as their Captain, so much so that Jovenan was questioning again if they were telling the truth or just lying to them to get them to sacrifice themselves for their useless dreams. That said, if Miss MacKenzie did manage to get Mother’s attention from them, the rest would come much easier…
Breys: It could definitely work. Only dealing with one AI would simplify everything greatly.
Bancroft: ::without looking up from Aesop:: Remember how much you loved telling everyone what to do in the park? Now you get to do it on a Starship. Trust me, you’ll love that even more.
Was he trying to provoke her? Okay, this person was either different from the architect she had met in the park earlier today, or he was still the same and had lied about a thing or two back then. She was willing to bet he had eaten those strawberries deliberately.
Silveira: Response
Munro: Do it. The Captains safety is the priority. No heroics. Get back to the ship, no detours. I hope your instincts will be right Tamio.
Miss MacKenzie practically jumped from her seat.
MacKenzie: Now wait just a minute-
Velik: ::Nodding with a wince:: Affirmative; I will leave my comm badge with one of the groups staying ground-side to facilitate communications should we gain access to them ship-side. The rest of my gear can stay as well - it will be of more use that way.
They really ignored their Captain like that? Even Jovenan’s deputies were more loyal and respectful than that.
Wieçek: Response
K'Wara: Where would the Joy Imperative be disabled from, Lt. Commander Jovenan?
Jovenan heard her name, but the rank title “Lt Commander” caught her off-guard and confused her. It even took her a moment to realise that it was she who had been asked a question. Even after that, it took her a moment to think what to say – it hadn’t been her responsibility to organise the event, after all, just keeping it safe. The festivities were supposed to take place all over the town, but what was the crucial point where it all was governed from?
Bancroft: I'm not Commander Jovenan – obviously – but... the park would be my guess. Everything about the Joy kept ending there. The parade, the Choice... all of it.
Well, there it was. Jovenan gave a solid nod.
Silveira: Response
Munro: Breys and Bancroft you go with Jovenan. It's likely a lot of the Artemis crew members will be going to the park. If I remember correctly you designed the structure Roy?
Roy? Now Architect Thad Bancroft also had a different name? Jovenan turned to him – she couldn’t guess which of these people was Breys, her other assigned teammate/subordinate/supervisor – and wondered if she, too, had a different name. Maybe she had a first name… or a last name.
Bancroft: I’m… familiar with the schematics, yes.
Hm, quite.
Velik: The clouds are convalescing again. I estimate another close strike will occur within less than two minutes if that.
Wieçek: Response
Jovenan: Very well. Leave us as near to the park as we can safely get to. Aesop can’t walk, obviously, so I need you to fashion as a harness or something where we can carry him. Mister Bancroft and… ::looks around:: Breys?
Breys: Aye, sir.
Jovenan pointed at her – this was Breys, got it. She hadn’t made much sense of who and what Architect Bancroft was in “reality”, but even less with Breys. She didn’t seem a fighter type, although looks could deceive. As much as Jovenan would have preferred to have soldiers to their difficult missions, someone with brains could do more than well as well – and it was not a bad strategy in the long run to surround herself with people she could win in a fight. Just in case.
K'Wara: Aleks, Olliver - once we've dropped the others off, the three of us will be heading for the Weather Control Station.
Most of them had received an objective. It was interesting to see the plan form in front of her. Out of what had seemed incompetence and chaos, these people had managed to divide their goal into smaller objectives that complete each other, form teams based on their collective and individual abilities and skills and agreed to complete their tasks with significant personal risk without a question. Jovenan pressed her lips tightly together. Perhaps she had judged them too eagerly. Or maybe not. They were riding on a wiener wagon to a war against a god, after all, and these people didn’t seem to even acknowledge the fact that their mission was hopeless. Then again, maybe that was for the better. Fear is a formidable enemy, and idiots don’t fear like they should.
Munro: Take Aesop with you. And I'll go here.
Mrs Not-Bellinger pointed out a spot on the map, but Jovenan turned to look at the child that was breathing slowly. Could he really be anything but a hurt child, innocent and needing of their care, not the Mayor of a town doomed in a war nor a manipulative intelligence? She turned away.
MacKenzie: ::flatly:: We're all going to die…
Definitely. We just don’t know when or how.
TAG/End act II
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Sheriff Jovenan
Chief of Police
Vellum Pines
E239911J11