Here is a post to reach any of the NPCs active within ALASTAIR. Please specify which NPC you are looking to reach in the header of your first comment.
As a note, NPCs will not always be available to reach. They are often busy on their own missions or with other mechanics within ALASTAIR, so please check to be sure the post is currently open before beginning a thread. ICly, a message sent to an unavailable NPC will bounce back to the character that had sent it as an unanswered echo of their original message.
The NPCs should be contacted for plot-relevant purposes and direction only. Think of them more as plot devices than characters.
I need to talk to—[There's a pause. Ugh, why hasn't he bothered to actually learn more about ALASTAIR? Writing them off as people he didn't want to bother with because they were authority figures who stole his lion was probably a bad idea. Especially since he's realized they probably didn't steal his lion.]
Someone, anyone, about the Taraxa. I found a file here.
[ Normally, LLoyd prefers text; it's easier, not to mention quicker given the myriad other things that occupy his time. But as soon as he hears the word 'Taraxa', he knows that he's unlikely to like whatever's coming.
The image Keith sees is the dungeons of Oska castle, AKA the drafty, dingy part of the castle no one likes to be in. The room is small, cramped, and absolutely filled with various folders, storage cases and whirring terminals spouting holographic data in real-time. Lloyd has his communicator on his wrist, and is peering down at Keith. His expression is held almost entirely in the tightness of his jaw and the knot of his brows. His face is silver like the moon, made of flexible plastic, and its eyes are twin black lenses, whirring gently as he focuses his attention. ]
Talk to me, chief. [ Pet names; his only vice. ] What did you find?
One of our goals was to find out what mess ALASTAIR left behind. [Man, if it weren't for all the weird stuff he's seen since getting in that blue lion that day, he would genuinely be disturbed by Lloyd's appearance.
(Okay, he still is. Just a bit.)]
That's why you wanted us to look into whatever was left, right? Well, those "Deemers" are your fault, right? Something you left behind to fix whatever else you were trying before? Because to me, that sounds about right. [Accusatory, blunt, and to the point.
Oh, and angry. Keith doesn't hide it well. He's cynical to a fault, and Rey isn't in good shape to draw on the hope that usually balances him better. So, here they are.]
Perdition's Rest, right? Let me pull up your mission brief...
[ He does so, and scans the contents, nodding to himself while Keith fills him in. ]
Okay, sorry, run that by me again—these 'Deemers' turned out to be Taraxa? [ His voice has a mechanical vibration to it that smooths out as he keeps talking. ] I need you to be as specific as you can be. Please.
Keith does the visible version of counting to ten which is basically him drumming out the numbers on his side while his facial expression slowly relaxes. As much as he wants to shout this guy down, he knows he won't get anywhere. (Unless he will. But so far, it hasn't worked. Just give him a reason, Lloyd!)]
We got into a fight with them. They turned up and said—said that we were getting too close to a thing. It was crazy how they fought. They always seemed to be able to cover each other. I didn't think anything of it at the time. Syncing up with people ... it's something I've done. [Insert form Voltron references.]
Rey went after their leader because he wouldn't shut up. [That had to be why, right?] She ended up killing him. [His voice wavers here, and there's another count to five.]
A slug popped out of his head. Er, slithered out, maybe? You know, I didn't really ask ...
[ Lloyd listens, pairing up Keith's words with the file he's got in front of him. ]
I'm sorry any of you had to experience that. [ He prefers a more casual tone because his synthetic voice has difficulty carrying out every nuance of emotion a natural body would; still, it's clear he's genuine.
His face relaxes a bit, but it's only for his expression to turn grim. All right, first things first. ]
ALASTAIR used to employ Taraxa, but I don't think we've had a new one in....at least seven hundred and fifty years, but it's probably closer to a thousand.
[ He considers this. ]
Huh. Guess that makes me the last one. [ His eyes refocus with a sharp whir. ] You probably have a lot of questions, and I'm the resident expert. So shoot.
Good question. It says in your mission debrief that the Deemers started appearing one year ago? Around the time the Qorral were hitting literal rock bottom. And before the Qorral, there was no known sentient life anywhere.
[ Which would imply that the Taraxa did get sent, but definitely not by ALASTAIR. No matter how he tries to put the pieces together, the final picture still sucks donkey balls. ]
ALASTAIR's objective is to preserve the planet by stopping the mining... The Deemer's objective is the opposite. That's the thing, though: we don't actually know why this planet was flagged by the Timeline, because we've lost the original files—but I'm willing to put solid money on the fact that they're keeping you guys away from an old ALASTAIR base.
[The good thing about talking to someone else who's more knowledgeable about this is that Keith is inspired to set aside his biases and concerns and look at the facts. The facts are clear: ALASTAIR wouldn't cause this. They might employ an agent, but it's not like he has a slug in his head. That isn't really their goal. They aren't interested in recruits who will act blindly.
All right, so there's that.
Next step: the base.]
Do you think the Mother is hiding in the base? That's what I was assuming. That's why they'd want to protect it. Why do you think it's a base, anyway?
[ Lloyd is surprised--and admittedly a little impressed--that Keith seems to have quickly put aside his misgivings about his species in order to focus on the mission. Good attitude. ]
Doubtful, she won't be too far from her group if she can help it. Are there any women in positions of power around? Mothers prefer female hosts, if they can help it.
I doubt that they had her already, but there was a woman in charge of the saloon. I wouldn't say that she was close to them, but they might have her now. She disappeared after their ambush on us.
Don't put all your eggs in one basket. Be thorough. If you can find and eliminate the Mother, it'll be easier to take on the rest of the group.
[ In many respects, individual Taraxa are a lot like individual humans--kinda dumb, kinda erratic. The Taraxa's strength lies in their capacity to function as a completely seamless unit. ]
I'll see what we can manage. [The file is a good place to start.]
I have a few more questions. [He doesn't wait for Lloyd to tell him to ask them before he just ... rushes on ahead with them.]
How would they have ended up there if it wasn't for ALASTAIR? Isn't it a bit suspicious that they have exactly the opposite mission? Does ALASTAIR have any enemies that want to mess up the Timeline? And uh, back to the Taraxa—how do we get them out of their hosts so that the hosts don't die?
This body is synthetic. It was made for me by Crowley and Cherenkov as a gift. [ A pause. The corners of his mouth curl up as he remembers. ] They really pushed for a feline body, but I held out. Opposable thumbs are very practical, wouldn't you say?
[ Okay, more seriously: ]
I don't know how much you read about my species' history. Most of it is ugly, and I won't even try to deny that. You'll be hard-pressed to find Taraxa nowadays who Walk on borrowed time, though. They either build or clone bodies. ALASTAIR employed groups of us, usually for infiltration or espionage, because we're naturally good mimics. Sorcerers would make bodies out of magitek for us to inhabit.
[ He stills. The next bit is ugly. ]
You're right about the nose and ear: on a living host, those are the points of entry. Do you think most people would survive that?
I'm not the boss of you, chief. I can't tell you which way to go. I know Audentes has some good souls in it; it's what makes you guys work.
[ His mouth tightens a bit. He thinks. ]
If you could, somehow, capture some of these guys—or if you could figure out a way to get the Taraxa out without damaging the body any further...then you could bring them back to Oska, and we'll see what we can do.
[ He opens his palms, implying it's the best he can offer. The more merciful thing to do would be to kill them. Taraxa invasion is like a crappy lobotomy; what quality of life is there after that? But Lloyd knows Audentes by now: if anything fuels them, it's hope. And it's been, what, hundreds of years since the last time they dealt with hosts? It's worth a shot. ]
But I'll tell you this: they'll kill themselves before they'll let themselves get caught. Whatever option you choose, it's at your own risk.
[A grim thought occurs to him. It isn't an easy one, and he knows not everyone will like it. But it seems like something that's important to consider.]
If we take out the Mother, will they be less likely to do that to themselves? Can we get anything from you guys to keep them knocked out? [Someone on the team might have something, but ALASTAIR might be able to help with the end result of capturing and transit.]
No, because it's not related to being Taraxa. You should still take out the mother because they won't be able to sync without her.
As for what you can get from us: I can pretty much guarantee that you have everything you need on-hand. Is there some kind of pharmacy in this town? An apothecary, any kind of general store?
Skip the pills and go straight for the chloroform.
[ Money??? Doesn't your team have literal ninjas? ]
Just don't try to knock them out the hard way. Any blow that'll concuss a human is likely to kill a Taraxa and damage the softened tissue. Aside from that, I don't know. Ropes? Magic? C'mon chief, your team's got skill. Put it to use.
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futurologists) wrote2016-02-23 06:53 pm
video; un: redlion | post-fire, pre-infos post
Someone, anyone, about the Taraxa. I found a file here.
video;
The image Keith sees is the dungeons of Oska castle, AKA the drafty, dingy part of the castle no one likes to be in. The room is small, cramped, and absolutely filled with various folders, storage cases and whirring terminals spouting holographic data in real-time. Lloyd has his communicator on his wrist, and is peering down at Keith. His expression is held almost entirely in the tightness of his jaw and the knot of his brows. His face is silver like the moon, made of flexible plastic, and its eyes are twin black lenses, whirring gently as he focuses his attention. ]
Talk to me, chief. [ Pet names; his only vice. ] What did you find?
no subject
(Okay, he still is. Just a bit.)]
That's why you wanted us to look into whatever was left, right? Well, those "Deemers" are your fault, right? Something you left behind to fix whatever else you were trying before? Because to me, that sounds about right. [Accusatory, blunt, and to the point.
Oh, and angry. Keith doesn't hide it well. He's cynical to a fault, and Rey isn't in good shape to draw on the hope that usually balances him better. So, here they are.]
no subject
Perdition's Rest, right? Let me pull up your mission brief...
[ He does so, and scans the contents, nodding to himself while Keith fills him in. ]
Okay, sorry, run that by me again—these 'Deemers' turned out to be Taraxa? [ His voice has a mechanical vibration to it that smooths out as he keeps talking. ] I need you to be as specific as you can be. Please.
no subject
Specifics.
Keith does the visible version of counting to ten which is basically him drumming out the numbers on his side while his facial expression slowly relaxes. As much as he wants to shout this guy down, he knows he won't get anywhere. (Unless he will. But so far, it hasn't worked. Just give him a reason, Lloyd!)]
We got into a fight with them. They turned up and said—said that we were getting too close to a thing. It was crazy how they fought. They always seemed to be able to cover each other. I didn't think anything of it at the time. Syncing up with people ... it's something I've done. [Insert form Voltron references.]
Rey went after their leader because he wouldn't shut up. [That had to be why, right?] She ended up killing him. [His voice wavers here, and there's another count to five.]
A slug popped out of his head. Er, slithered out, maybe? You know, I didn't really ask ...
no subject
I'm sorry any of you had to experience that. [ He prefers a more casual tone because his synthetic voice has difficulty carrying out every nuance of emotion a natural body would; still, it's clear he's genuine.
His face relaxes a bit, but it's only for his expression to turn grim. All right, first things first. ]
And you think those Taraxa were ours? ALASTAIR's.
no subject
They had to be, right? Why else would there be a file waiting around?
no subject
[ He considers this. ]
Huh. Guess that makes me the last one. [ His eyes refocus with a sharp whir. ] You probably have a lot of questions, and I'm the resident expert. So shoot.
no subject
Oh.]
Why do you think this happened?
[It's pretty obvious he's deflated now. There's very little chance of him going all bombastically angry again in this conversation.]
no subject
[ Which would imply that the Taraxa did get sent, but definitely not by ALASTAIR. No matter how he tries to put the pieces together, the final picture still sucks donkey balls. ]
ALASTAIR's objective is to preserve the planet by stopping the mining... The Deemer's objective is the opposite. That's the thing, though: we don't actually know why this planet was flagged by the Timeline, because we've lost the original files—but I'm willing to put solid money on the fact that they're keeping you guys away from an old ALASTAIR base.
no subject
All right, so there's that.
Next step: the base.]
Do you think the Mother is hiding in the base? That's what I was assuming. That's why they'd want to protect it. Why do you think it's a base, anyway?
no subject
Doubtful, she won't be too far from her group if she can help it. Are there any women in positions of power around? Mothers prefer female hosts, if they can help it.
no subject
I doubt that they had her already, but there was a woman in charge of the saloon. I wouldn't say that she was close to them, but they might have her now. She disappeared after their ambush on us.
no subject
[ In many respects, individual Taraxa are a lot like individual humans--kinda dumb, kinda erratic. The Taraxa's strength lies in their capacity to function as a completely seamless unit. ]
no subject
I have a few more questions. [He doesn't wait for Lloyd to tell him to ask them before he just ... rushes on ahead with them.]
How would they have ended up there if it wasn't for ALASTAIR? Isn't it a bit suspicious that they have exactly the opposite mission? Does ALASTAIR have any enemies that want to mess up the Timeline? And uh, back to the Taraxa—how do we get them out of their hosts so that the hosts don't die?
no subject
What did the file tell you on how Taraxa hosts are made?
no subject
They crawl in through the nose or ear, right? Hey, how did you get that body? Did you take it against its will?
no subject
[ Okay, more seriously: ]
I don't know how much you read about my species' history. Most of it is ugly, and I won't even try to deny that. You'll be hard-pressed to find Taraxa nowadays who Walk on borrowed time, though. They either build or clone bodies. ALASTAIR employed groups of us, usually for infiltration or espionage, because we're naturally good mimics. Sorcerers would make bodies out of magitek for us to inhabit.
[ He stills. The next bit is ugly. ]
You're right about the nose and ear: on a living host, those are the points of entry. Do you think most people would survive that?
no subject
If you're asking, then I already know the answer. [Clearly, he had just been in denial of it. His "realist" perspective hadn't helped him there.]
Do you think we should just give up on trying?
no subject
[ His mouth tightens a bit. He thinks. ]
If you could, somehow, capture some of these guys—or if you could figure out a way to get the Taraxa out without damaging the body any further...then you could bring them back to Oska, and we'll see what we can do.
[ He opens his palms, implying it's the best he can offer. The more merciful thing to do would be to kill them. Taraxa invasion is like a crappy lobotomy; what quality of life is there after that? But Lloyd knows Audentes by now: if anything fuels them, it's hope. And it's been, what, hundreds of years since the last time they dealt with hosts? It's worth a shot. ]
But I'll tell you this: they'll kill themselves before they'll let themselves get caught. Whatever option you choose, it's at your own risk.
no subject
If we take out the Mother, will they be less likely to do that to themselves? Can we get anything from you guys to keep them knocked out? [Someone on the team might have something, but ALASTAIR might be able to help with the end result of capturing and transit.]
no subject
As for what you can get from us: I can pretty much guarantee that you have everything you need on-hand. Is there some kind of pharmacy in this town? An apothecary, any kind of general store?
no subject
no subject
[ Money??? Doesn't your team have literal ninjas? ]
Just don't try to knock them out the hard way. Any blow that'll concuss a human is likely to kill a Taraxa and damage the softened tissue. Aside from that, I don't know. Ropes? Magic? C'mon chief, your team's got skill. Put it to use.
no subject
We'll handle it.
What about my other questions?
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