malnosso | [video, locked to luceti residents]

[ The message is locked to Luceti residents. It's a unique sort of filter rarely, if ever, seen on the residential journal system.

But, Luceti, you have a new resident. She switches on the video function, and somehow manages to look fairly calm. Those who assisted in her dramatic rescue attempt will perhaps recognize some of the changes about her; there are faint scars around her wrists and neck, noticeable only to the sharp-eyed or those who would know where to look. There is, however, one far more significant thing of note about her appearance: her wings. They are not as small as those of the residents, but they're not quite so big as the full-sized wings Lucetians might be used to seeing on those from outside the enclosure. They're a somewhat awkward medium size, and when she adjusts them with a sharp flap, a few feathers flutter away. They look strangely unkempt considering her otherwise neat appearance.

She sits at a table, the journal propped up to give a clear view of her, in a nondescript location. When she speaks, it's very different - those familiar with her unique style of speech will probably be surprised to hear the very slow, very clear, and very deliberate manner of her speech. Pronouncing words as slowly and clearly as she is may or may not be more irritating than her previous severely pronounced stutter. ]

Hello, Luceti. M-My name is Molly. I d-don't know which of you s-s-still recall who I am.

[ It's been a long time since her introduction almost two years ago, now. So dark, so bleak. She was so young, so scared. She feels so much older, now. Worlds older. ]

I must thank those of you wh-who c-c-came to get me. It was ap-p-p-- [ … ] I am grateful.

You must b-be wondering what I'm d-doing here. This m-may come as a surprise to many of you, b-but from this day forward I w-will be living am-m-mongst you in the enclosure.

[ This won't be the first time such an arrangement has occurred. But it certainly is under very different circumstances. ]

I c-cannot tell you wh-where, for my own safety. [ Her voice is carefully neutral, though it frosts on the outside edges, and her expression is not kind. ] But every so often, you w-will find me in a sh-shop in the central square. The c-c-clothes shop, t-to be exact. Wh-while I am there, I will b-be willing to talk t-to anyone who w-w-wishes to speak to me, a-a-a-- [ A breath. ] And answer your questions.

Those of you wh-who wish m-m-may bring me information you g-gather on your excursions outside of the enclosure. Those who d-do will b-be rewarded with information in exchange.

[ She lowers her eyes. Her hands twitch, briefly, as if she might raise them but thinks better of it at the last moment. She adjusts her head, moving her neck just so -- as if some phantom feeling were there, causing her discomfort.

But the moment passes, and she looks into the camera again. ]

I w-will t-take your questions now, if you have any.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

No.

If you do, I would be willing to help that much.

... I'll be fine, Ami.

Then while you're here, help us. Tell us more than what we know so far. [The wings would be a start, Molly. That isn't how you looked before.]

I-Information for information. That's wh-wh-why I'm here.

In this position, it's us who require a show of good faith from someone who was our captor.

You're here for your own purposes, then. I won't support those.

I d-don't care what you do.

The information we've gained recently gives us even less reason to trust you among us. [Those wings. Again.]

I don't want to hurt someone needlessly, even you. But if you're bringing these troubles on the people here, my first priority is to protect them.

[You are really, really not helping your case by the 'I don't care'.]

[ With a fairly nasty tone ]

I d-don't trust you. And you don't t-trust me. D-d-do what you want. I-It's your choice. B-B-But I owe you people n-nothing.

[She becomes less hostile, but even more serious somehow. Somber, reflective.]

Can you really look at what you've helped to do to the countless people here, and say they're worth so little that it doesn't matter at all?

[She's lived thinking that of humans. She never wants to live that sort of life or be so far gone again.]

[ She is silent for a long moment. Finally, she sighs, her animosity fading into something just sort of exhausted. ]

I n-never liked it. But I w-wasn't the one m-making the decisions.

This is all I can do.

There was a war in my world, between many large countries. It was discovered that in one of those countries, very terrible things happened. When questioned, the ones performing those acts said that were only following orders. It wasn't an adequate defense.

[That said...]

However, I also want to believe things can change. Because, I've also done things that I regret. You're right about exchanging information. Between what we've seen and know, and the information you also have, there might be something new we can try.

[ She considers Ami during a moment's pause, then simply nods. ]

Th-That's the idea.

... I'm n-not here t-to make things harder. Whether or n-n-not you choose to believe me i-is up to you. B-But I have a j-j-job to do. And that job r-r-requires exchange.

What are you hoping to accomplish? We can help you better if we know that much at least.

What I said. Exchange.

Of information?

Yes.

What subjects do you want to know more about?

I-It won't work like th-that. If a-anyone has information th-they think is w-worthwhile or new, they can b-bring it to me. It can b-be anything. If it is, I will give them information in exchange.

You know it can't work that way. No seller would hand over their goods with no guarantee of any payment at all. If your intention is to cooperate with us, you need to do so.

No.

[ She's getting a little tired of this. ]

You aren't obligated t-to do anything. But i-if you do, I m-might be able to reward you. Y-You don't go on missions after r-receiving your reward.

No; but the reward is agreed upon beforehand.

... information is the reward. If I t-told you what information it w-was, that would defeat the purpose.

[ A pause. ] You c-c-could request a specific subject. I c-could tell you in advance if I could provide information on that s-s-subject. That is the best I could d-do.

[Video]

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