[b]ARCHIE[/b] [hr] [i]"What kind of disaster are we talking about here?"[/i] [indent][b]“The likes of which that may put the Promise, and every living soul on it, at risk of demise.”[/b] [color=gray][b]“[i]Some[/i] conscious force was behind the breakout last month, and it would be safe to assume that they are planning worse for the future.”[/b][/color] [b]“We don’t know when, or how, or why.”[/b] [color=gray][b]“But we believe it best to be prepared.”[/b][/color][/indent] [b]NATALIE[/b] [hr] [i]"I came here to get treatment! Because there was nothing Earth could do for me anymore! How am I going to be of any help to anyone else?! That's supposed to be your job!"[/i] [indent][color=gray][b]“Miss Ellis, we understand that you are experiencing a degree of mental anguish, and for our apparent disregard of it at the present moment, we apologize.”[/b][/color] [b]“But we are not directly recruiting you into any specific plan of action. We are informing you of what may likely descend upon you in the future, and advising that a shared network of information could aid in lessening the damages.”[/b] [color=gray][b]“We stated before that we occasionally serve as counselors. If you wish, we can discuss your personal issues at length another time, and potentially aid you in that regard.”[/b][/color] [b]“For that, however, you would have to trust us enough to speak with us at all. And that’s something you will ultimately have to decide for yourself once we’re all done here.”[/b] [color=gray][b]“But if you are willing, we are always available.”[/b][/color][/indent] [b]ELI[/b] [hr] [i]"I want to ask the person that you answer to."[/i] [indent][b]“A party concerned for the future of both the Promise and beyond.”[/b] [color=gray][b]“As well, wishing to remain unidentified, and we intend to respect said wish.”[/b][/color] [b]“We understand this answer is unsatisfactory.”[/b] [color=gray][b]“But even [i]we[/i] have rules we must abide by.”[/b][/color][/indent] [b]KEATON[/b] [hr] [i]“Letting us know who we’ll ultimately be helping is important, but so is winning our trust. Why should we trust you? Why do you see us as ‘core components’? Trust is a two-way street, so if you could explain in a way that helps us come to the same conclusion, that would be great.”[/i] [indent][b]“As we explained to Miss Wessex, we cannot elaborate on the nature of our supervising party.”[/b] [color=gray][b]“We understand trust is an issue, and of course, we don’t expect all of you to trust us right away. Miss Wessex and Agent Radvi have their own opinions by now.”[/b][/color] [b]“That is why we are laying most of our cards out on the table at this moment. So you can unpack it all at your own pace, and when we speak again, you’ll have a better forming of your own opinion.”[/b] [color=gray][b]“We are individuals concerned with the safety of this station’s inhabitants, and we feel - given the events you’ve all been involved in - that you will ultimately end up in better positions than most to aid said inhabitants.”[/b][/color] [b]“It’s not a choice we’ve made on our own accord.”[/b] [color=gray][b]“But it’s how things have all fallen into place.”[/b][/color][/indent] [i]“A few more things. To confirm, were you in the room during Lynn’s interview? If you don’t mind me asking, could you explain why you were able to do that, able to watch us in this mall and know precisely when and where we’d all be gathered together if you can’t even locate a suspect for a staff murder?”[/i] [indent][color=gray][b]“Yes, we were there.”[/b][/color] [b]“For all of your interviews, not just Miss Holmes’.”[/b] [color=gray][b]“We can hide our presence without affecting our own perception of our surroundings.”[/b][/color] [b]“Invisibility, in short. It’s all the cloak-”[/b] [color=gray][b]“-without the dagger. We apologize, but it was at our superior’s request. And Chief Gennedy… [i]disapproves[/i] of our presence, during matters of police business.”[/b][/color] [b]“As for the suspect, locating them [i]is[/i] what we are attempting to accomplish.”[/b] [color=gray][b]“We can go anywhere, but we don’t always know what the right place and the right time are.”[/b][/color][/indent] [i]“And why was Salamandra aboard the ship? She was arrested years ago, and there was absolutely no reason she shouldn’t have been sentenced to death. Why was she aboard this ship? Why were any of those criminals who escaped last month aboard this ship?”[/i] [indent][color=gray][b]“At first, it was for the purpose of rehabilitation.”[/b][/color] [b]“When that failed, it turned to incarceration.”[/b] [color=gray][b]“Criminals who can accrue such high body counts in such short amounts of time were deemed best put far away from Earth’s populace as feasibly possible.”[/b][/color] [b]“And this station was considered the best available option, in that regard.”[/b] [color=gray][b]“Having an educational facility within arm’s reach of a prison is an awful situation, most assuredly.”[/b][/color] [b]“But they are both governed by one party. A party who, ultimately, take the safety and considerations of humans over parahumans.”[/b][/indent] [i]“Give us access to Cara—not the censored, tame program you have installed all over the ship. The real deal. The one that has access to the cameras, the files, and everything else we might need. Give us what we need to help you."[/i] [indent][b]“We cannot fulfil this request. Not by our will, but because we don’t have such control over Ms. Fuller like you believe we do.”[/b] [color=gray][b]“However, if you wish for Caroline to assist you in your endeavors, perhaps you might exercise treating her more as a person than a mere tool.”[/b][/color] [b]“Try addressing her by her real name. That should help.”[/b] [color=gray][b]“Caroline Fuller. A woman. A soul.”[/b][/color][/indent] [b]RADVI[/b] [hr] [b]“What about you, Agent Radvi?”[/b] [color=gray][b]“Is there anything you’d like to share?”[/b][/color] Radvi stood there for a moment, as it dawned on him that he had something that may improve his chances of getting these other ‘core components’ on his side. Or rather, both he and Freaky-D had it. He took out his phone, but then briefly thought of an alternative, better method that was available. He looked at D and snapped his fingers at him, and as if in some form of perfect synchronization, D knew exactly what to do - he balled his hand into a fist, gave his own helmet a knock, and his jolly toothy grin was suddenly replaced with a playback of all the POV footage he’d sent to his friend the cop. First, the few seconds of footage from day one, showing the woman - Arianna - standing by a not-dead-yet Dr. Arthur Coleman in mid-torture. Then, the footage from the day of the breakout. [i]“Well, can't have you running around anymore and ruining my fun. Or food.” “Pay the court a fine or serve your-” “Y’know a lot of people die quieter than you.” “Dead or alive, you’re comin’ with me!”[/i] And then D getting his ass beat, a full display of his enemy’s abilities, and finally the weaponization of [i]incredibly[/i] loud noises (the playback having cordially lowered volume so as to not blow anyone’s ears out), and him scooping up a lump of her in a mason jar. And the last shot was him handing that jar to Radvi. [@JunkMail] [@He Who Walks Behind] [@Silver Carrot] [@Typical] [@Skai]