lucetilocked | [ Locked to the Residents ]

[ Locked to the Residents ]

[ The following post is both spoken (by Masaomi) and typed (by Shikamaru). Shikamaru is typing it as Masaomi says it, so it's possible that the text form includes a lot less rambling and snide comments in it. The text form is assumed other than the bullet point list of key points at the bottom, so use your imaginations ]

Hoooooohkay. It's been a while, Luceti, and this is your friendly store-fronter, Masaomi Kida. I'm also here with my main man Shikamaru, which some of you might know better or worse. This is coming from the private network that the Malnosso don't have access to. Anyway, we've have a pretty interesting summer all things considered, right? [ Well, mostly. But... ]

Anyway, a lot of stuff's happened, so I'm going to be making a bit of a forum here. If you think I've missed anything, or have your own insights to throw on out there, I know all of us would love to hear them! So don't be shy, and step on up!

[ But okay, that's enough wasting everyone's time. He inhales, exhales, and then in a more sober voice: ]

Let's go back to the beginning, here. After all, some of you might be newer than this intel.

Back in March, we had some intern from the Malnosso come on and give us the usual PR thing they do after our yearly Valentine's experiment. Thing is, it was early March, but that fellow swore up and down that it was February 18th according to their clocks. Guy also said that several of the members of the Organization we know and "love" went missing. Molly, Alice, and Carol were all MIA, and our blue friend Bil is a wanted man to them, still. No surprise, given the whole affair with the Iron Eye... Ah, but I shouldn't throw too much more into the story.

[ That'd be someone else's job: Who is the Third Party, who are the sections of the Malnosso. Who are the FTSA, the Iron Eye, what's the deal with Zompano. He's giving the facts as best he knows them, but only as it pertains to the events of the last few months ]

Either way, sometime after that, a lot of little shifts started happening. Elevators popping in and out of existence, little glitches with weather... it was hard to pick it out at the time, but I'd say this long after the fact, all of them had to do with time. Things going forward or backwards a bit. Thing is, these things have been going on ever since then, and keep getting worse. Buildings have vanished, and even-- ah. Well, the point is, these "time shifts" have been going on for a while. Have to wonder if those little things [ the "ghosts" ] some of us are seeing are related, huh?

Anyway, fast forward to the end of May, and we had that draft that we experienced in Zompania. I'll... just keep this one short, and say that it wasn't a pleasant experience for anyone involved. Curtis-san put out an explanation for it- [ A beat, as someone just off from the mic seems to say something and then- ] Oh, right. I forgot the newer people can't actually see that. Etto- Okay, so during the draft, the initial draftees were deployed at the tail-end of a losing battle, only to die - specifically, they got a Shift Bomb dropped on top of them. [ While he's dead serious, he keeps a somewhat airy tone about it. Coping ] However, instead of being dead-dead with no hope of recovery, like you'd expect, instead they ended up getting sent back in time thanks to John's efforts. Maybe someone should send him a thank-you card.

[ Anyway ] So they got to experience three days in the past to turn the battle around and dismantle the bomb, and some of us who came to reinforce them came in after that. The battle was won, and we even captured the Third Party scientists involved with the bomb's construction, but it's not without losses. Externally, my man and I confirmed that Specialist Davis and his squad were all killed. No, more so, they were sacrificed. They won't be returning.

[ . . . That was harder to say than he thought, even if it has been months ] --And on the personal side, people who got Bombed back there have been having nightmares, or so I've heard. Specifically, nightmares about some thing which touched all of them before they came back from the brink.

[ ... ] But let's continue the story. So the time shifts continued after we won the day there, of course, and one particularly big one happened on June 19th. Specifically, the whole Ocean disappeared, resulting in it once more becoming a desert environment. A lot of enterprising folks took that chance to go out and explore the Temple on the far end of our enclosure, and given they turned the thing into Laputa, I'd have to say they found something. As to what they found...? Why doesn't someone who was on that expedition speak up, please?

Anyway, the next step on the story's in the middle of July - when we got assigned for some clean up missions to Pagoda and Zompania. See, it turns out the Third Party's offensive damaged a lot of other enclosures - offhand, we know they had "sleeper agents" which betrayed Quell, Pagoda, and Zompania from within. We'd just won the day in Zompania a few months before, and it was to be burned to the ground and memorialized. Pagoda was to help be rebuilt. I don't actually know what happened to Quell, but if anyone does that's be ace. Anyway, in Zompania, Shikamaru and I actually went and found something special.

Well, someone, actually. Specialist Davis - Shikamaru and I recovered his body, to take it back to Luceti so he could be buried here. He was one of an older generation of people from Luceti, before the first of any of us were here. So... we figured it seems to have a sense of respect to bury him here. Which we, ah, did. During that last shift, specifically, because Shikamaru and I got stuck in the mountains, so we buried him then in a spot which overlooks the village, one where we'd heard of him and Carol going to. It's not that far from the Hot Springs - it's a short hike south if you want to pay your respects.

In terms of what's on his body - there wasn't anything interesting there other than some sentimental items, and damage to show he went out fighting. Trafalgar-san's autopsy did reveal a few oddities though - some ice-pick like tip broke off in his skull and he had some green wax under his fingernails on both hands. [ He's got no idea what's up with those, but... someone else might. So it's fair to mention ]

If anyone's got more insights to add from those missions, particularly the Pagoda one I didn't see with my own eyes, that'd be great.

Anyway, so that mission was in July, the time shifts and nightmares continued and... here we are! Given that my waffle rotted on me this morning and I saw the same bird land on the same tree branch five times in a row only to find that the shelves I'd stocked earlier today at the Convenience Store were all empty, it's fair to say things got worse. And given that the Malnosso love to do twisted stuff in time for Halloween - I'm not sure about you guys, but I'm not looking forward to October.

So, that's what's that. As a few other little things though: the Time Shifts have been throwing off the efforts of a few of us [ Well... Shikamaru and Raine, at least, and whoever else was still on that ] to open up those chambers in the tunnels. The last one got opened almost a year ago, so as a refresher for those who don't know: there's a side-passage hidden in the tunnels which leads to a lot of locked rooms. We opened the one labeled Classified a while ago, and we've been working on cracking the code on the Garage before now.

It'll probably still take a bit more time to open that one up... but following that, there's till plenty more work to open up the rooms for [ and now he sounds like he's reading off a list] Archives, an Armory, the Call Center, Research, Recreation, Security, and Storage. Not necessarily in that order.

Aaaand, that's it. Unless anyone has anything I missed to add, which's possible! Now, Shikamaru'll be putting out a bullet point form of this for those of you who can't stand to listen to my melodious pipes for too long, so just skim that at the bottom. Let's get talking, folks!

[ And he signs off. He's still here, of course, but the promised (typed) bullet point list is: ]

Molly, Alice, and Carol have been missing since early March.

The Malnosso consider Bil a fugitive and are looking for information on him. In the past he's been both an ally and potential enemy, so use your discretion.

In May, Luceti was involved in a draft in Zompania. A Shift Bomb was used, initially wiping out all draftees. Thanks to John's intervention resetting time, the bomb was dismantled before it could be used and the battle was turned into a victory, but those who remember being "killed" in the bomb's blast have been experiencing distinctly similar nightmares since then.

Specialist Davis was sacrificed in this draft. An autopsy was performed and his body has been brought back to rest in Luceti.

Luceti has been experiencing ongoing time-related shifts for several months. Things that have happened as a result of that:

The ocean disappeared in June, allowing a group to explore the Temple Ruins that were previously underwater out there. Since the ocean's return, it has so far remained floating above the water and thus accessible.

The hidden chambers in the tunnels remain locked, due to interference with the computer's ability to generate access codes.

As of the past few days, these time-shifts appear to be escalating.

[ OOC: Obviously this is a reply to anyone who want sort of post, like most/all things on Lucetilocked. Have at ]

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[That's definitely a lot to take in. She was around for all of this, but she didn't know half of this information.]

I guess I should mention that while I was on the Pagoda mission, the Commandant allowed me to shadow one of the technicians working on the barrier. It's not much, but I did manage to pick up a few things.

Mostly that the barrier has an external power source, like a generator, that can't be reached from the inside. Also, it had to be tuned to match the frequencies of the shifts it protected us from.

I wasn't able to get much else. Our tech lingo didn't exactly match up.

If anyone else knows anything more about the barriers, I'd really like to know.

What you were told about the barrier is accurate to what we have been told and otherwise observed. The barriers surrounding enclosures consist of multiple artificial shifts to block out natural shifts, constantly changing as the natural shifts change. This leads to the relatively stable environment and consistent shifts that we may see, such as the replenishing of supplies in the stores and the rebuilding of many structures in the village.

The Third Party, the cultists, are able to use their progressive shifting to break through the layers of the barrier, though this is apparently a process that requires a significant amount of time and concentration on their part. This was how they initially managed to break through the Luceti barrier several years ago.

Outside forces have also proven capable of damaging the power sources for the barrier, such as an earthquake that caused a massive cave-in of the tunnels several years ago. When the barrier has been weakened, some of the differences we have seen are a reddened sky and the strengthening of residents' powers closer to their normal limits.

[B'Elanna is taking notes of this. One of these day she plans to figure out these barriers.]

Thanks, that helps a lot.

[Then she realizes she doesn't know this guy.]

I don't believe we've met?

[He switches over to voice now that he's done with his long explanation.]

No, I suppose we have not. Albert Silverberg, a long-time resident.

[Far too long a time.]

[She can hear it in his voice. That long, huh? You have her sympathies.]

B'Elanna Torres

[He nods upon receiving her name.]

I wish you persistence if you intend to continue researching the barriers. The researchers focused on shifting technology are notoriously close-lipped.

So I've noticed, but I think I've gotten my foot in the door at least.

[It was a good start anyway. If only there had been more time to learn. The techs were too busy to really explain anything.]

[Her mention of the generator reminds him of something... It might not gel and it doesn't 100% have to do with the barriers so he doesn't mention it right away, but it might be something to bring up later. For her main question though:]

Albert covered most of it, but it's worth noting they upgraded the barriers about a year ago. They beefed up its security to make it harder for the Third Party to invade again, but it had some drawbacks. It knocked the barrier's ability to guard against natural shifts down to 99%, according to CJ.

All right. Thanks for letting me know.

Has there been an increase in shifts since that happened?

[A 1% increase might not be so noticeable but you never know.]

There's been some, yeah. They call it Shift Sickness. You might get tired for no reason one day, or your skin turns orange out of nowhere. Stuff like that.

Really.

[She hasn't heard of or experienced that yet. That she knows of anyway. It doesn't sound fun. This is all going into her notes though.]

You wouldn't happen to know anything about the transporters in the village would you?

[She's been curious about them and hasn't gotten around to asking someone about them yet.]

Like the ones that go to the mountain, and the beach?

Whoa... so much has happened since the last time I was here.

[A lot of this goes right over his head due to a stuttered memory, but he figures it's good to file away for when he remembers. Or heck, even if he doesn't, this is important stuff.]

[He's going to regret asking, but they did mean this as a catch-up for people...]

How long were you out?

Looks like... a year and a half, I think? Give or take. A long time, either way.

There's been a lot of changes since that time, yeah. If there's something in particular you're interested in, I can try and catch you up.

Well... there's a lot I don't really understand, but that's probably my own fault. Um. Is it bad I don't know who this Davis person is? Was he a friend of the town?

[The name isn't even familiar. Actually, a number of them are, but that one seems so significant. He just seems so important.]

He'd be more familiar to the mission-goers than the village, exactly. [Though he was here once.] Davis was a Specialist for the Malnosso Security Forces. During high-risk missions, you stood a good chance of getting him as a handler.

Ah, that explains it. I didn't do much in the way of drafts or missions or whatever. Kinda stuck close to home.

Heh. Lucky. [For drafts anyways, since they're less voluntary.]

Like most of the people we meet, Davis wasn't the most forthcoming guy, but he stuck his neck out for Luceti on more than one occasion. And it's in thanks to him that we even discovered the hidden section of the tunnels in the first place.

Ah... he sounds like a really great guy. I'm sorry that he's... gone.

[Wait, sacrificed? That sounds familiar, too. And sinister for obvious reasons. Looks like he has more reading to do.]

Don;t get me wrong - he had his shady side just like anyone we deal with. But no one deserves to go like that.

[He feels kind of bad for Carol, wondering if she knows yet. Actually, on that note:]

Hopefully the others are still alive. We need whatever allies we can get.

Yeah... I may not know them, but, you know, being alive is always good.

[Even with what little memory or experience he has with this place right now, he does remember things weren't great outside the barrier.]

[Her time to shine, huh. Hilda has kept these things a well-guarded secret on the most part, but now it seemed she'd have a chance to speak about it. The journal's actually situated to be pointed down onto the floor of her apartment and off her body, though her gloved hand will make appearances.

Two books, four still blood-encrusted (she hadn't wanted to wash them just in case, though they're somewhat tidied up by virtue of her handling) pins, and a broken dagger.]

Regarding Pagoda: While cleaning up, there were a few things which I found within the rubble which were of interest to me and may be the same to any of you as well. In front of you now are two books I am unable to translate - the residents of Pagoda claimed they were of the Third Party neither could nor would translate them for me - which I will allow any to see if they would like. However, they will not leave my current residence.

[She picks up one of the pins, mostly to demonstrate that it's about the size of her palm.]

There were more of these pins, however I only took a few of them. I am unsure of their use and they ranged in size from [around an inch] to [the length of her hand, from fingertip to wrist, just a bit past it]. The small ones were lost too easily and I was not sure I would be able to sneak the larger ones out of Pagoda.

[That's right. Princess stole. Anyways, she sets it back down and her hand motions to the dagger.]

Finally, as you can see, I was also able to collect a sorrowfully broken dagger. I had more, however I lost them sometime during the stay there. [Silver.] They were no different than the one I have left. I would appreciate any sort of help help in regards to studying and finding out what we can - if anything at all - about these objects. I am Hilda, Princess of Lorule, and I reside on the third floor of the Flame building, room twelve.

[... Yeah. That's all, so she lifts the journal and settles it in a way that they can see her too. Hi. What a bounty of information...]

In regards to the rooms, I believe it would be most fruitful to seek entrance into the ones labeled Archives and Research. Though that is my own personal desire and I would not mind in helping out however I can.

Edited 2014-09-25 07:45 (UTC)

[Oh, this is interesting.]

I shall come by to assess the dagger and pins. The books I shall look at once I've recovered my sight. [In a few more weeks.]

I'd also agree that those two rooms are the most likely candidates. Presumably we desire information rather than toys.

I look forward to working with you then. My doors are open to all, and I do not mind visitors.

[Thank you for agreeing with her room thing too.]

[Oho, he'd wondered what all had been found in Pagoda.]

We saw books like those too, when we were dealing with the Scientists on the draft. [He thinks some might have taken a few but he's not sure.] I'd be interested in coming over to examine them and the pins.

As for the rooms, after the computer's finally cracked the code to the Garage, we'll hold another vote for the next door. [They couldn't change it even if they wanted to right now, with the time shifts, and it'd be kind of a waste after all the work to get it going again.] Just for speculating now though, those are two of my picks as well. I think Storage is the room most likely to have been overlooked when they were clearing out the place, but Archives and R&D are gonna be the most useful to us if there was anything left behind there.

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