[Locked to Luceti Residents]

[malnosso]

My dear people of Luceti --

An invasion, all under the guise of a fantasy. What’s been done will not be forgotten. Certainly not by you, and not by the denizens of a dozen other enclosures who suffered similar attacks at the same time. As we speak, programmers and engineers hard at work combing through the barrier’s nuts and bolts. If the Cultists and his Lordship exploited some natural weakness in the dome, they will find it. Patch it up. Curious, isn’t it, that the Count chose yours to invade with his own two feet?

But there are other matters to discuss. I spoke with some of you only a few months ago. Let me announce more completely what I, back then, only intimated. I’m Carol, and I intend to spend some time in our little town. If you like, you can consider my resolve to continue my work here a sign of good faith. I remain unarmed and -- I assure you -- wholly peaceable. In this way, I hope I may have faith in you as well. After all, we are kin in a strange kind of way.

It is my duty -- as well as my pleasure -- to be Luceti’s liaison with the Organization. You must have many questions, concerns, and many many curses. Bring them to me, and we’ll see what can be done. We can talk here. But if any of you find the journals distasteful, you can also come have a seat with me at the sweet little tea shop. I’ll be there for the afternoon.

[As usual, this voiced post has a neatly typed 'written' section as well.

A thread with CJ can be found here.]

Comments

[liaising]

...Did anyone speak to you about taking extra actions against the Count, during that mission?

[chikaidestroyer]

[Albert shakes his head at that, frowning. He recalls what Leonhardt had said about the mission long after the fact, after their encounter with the General, but that was not the question asked.]

If anyone was spoken to about extra actions, it certainly wasn't me. [He continues with a wry tone.] Even if I was spoken to about such things, I hardly have the skill set necessary to take on such a man.

[liaising]

And yet, I wondered for a moment if your apparent unsuitability might have, in the end, made you the perfect candidate. Ah, well. It's not a mystery that's mine to solve.

[chikaidestroyer]

It was an odd mission overall, even if it wasn't apparent at the time; infiltrating a festival to gather information doesn't seem to quite align with the majority of missions that are handed down. Whatever the case, someone profited from the Count being deposed.

[Just a little conspiracy talk. Even if it wasn't much of a conspiracy as it was the truth.]

[liaising]

He had many enemies. Although, I wonder if it might be more accurate to say he rather had much competition, instead.

[chikaidestroyer]

Besides his unique position of being in charge of our enclosure, I can't say I know his agenda well enough to speculate further.

...Did you know him?

[liaising]

Not personally, no. I think we may have both been in attendance at a few particular events, but his circles were never my circles. As far as the corporate ladder goes, my rung isn't as high as many seem to think it is. I choose to take it as a compliment.

[chikaidestroyer]

Considering the attention that we received from the former CEO, some of the residents may be under the impression that there is a certain level of authority needed to have access to our enclosure. [Something of a verbal shrug.] But you are here for a specific job.

[liaising]

Indeed. And I can be patient. There's no reason they should trust me from the initial meeting. Goodness knows, I never trusted our Liason within a full year of his arrival in the enclosure, years ago.

[chikaidestroyer]

[A wry look.] And how are you getting along with him now, if you are still in the same line of work?

[liaising]

We don't speak. Last I heard, he'd given up field assignments. At the risk of sounding ungrateful, the cause is doing all that much better for his retirement.

[chikaidestroyer]

The cause? [He raises a brow.] Did the Organization not angle their efforts well with past enclosures?

[liaising]

...It was hard to inspire confidence in populations who may have suffered under the Count's particular way of operating things. Luceti is one such population.

[chikaidestroyer]

I see. [...] So you will be available to speak to while you are acting as our liaison? What exactly are you hoping to accomplish with us?

[liaising]

The Organization is large. There are always positions in need of being filled -- I, myself, started with their HR department a few years before leaving my enclosure. MSF recruits generally enlist shortly after an enclosure's half-life point. These are the sorts of deals I'm here to broker.

[chikaidestroyer]

So, if there are residents who express interest, you may help them in finding ... job opportunities within the Organization. On a more official level than participating through the MARS missions.

[liaising]

Exactly so, Mister Silverberg.

[chikaidestroyer]

[He makes a faint gesture with one gloved hand.]

It seems a bit premature if the majority of the enclosure is still considered impermanent to remaining on this world. But I suppose that's somehow taken into consideration with your work.

[liaising]

Yes, the majority is considered just so. But all the same, we know there must be some among you, now, who are as stuck as the rest of us. Best not to try your patience any longer. Or...that's my take on the matter. Make you useful, while you still want to be.

[chikaidestroyer]

While you still want to be. [He finds himself echoing her last words with a wry frown, glancing away as the shop seems to get a few more customers.]

I suppose it's best to ask this now and not over the journals... Do you still believe the Organization can send people back to their worlds? [For good?]

[liaising]

If I didn't believe it, sir, I think I would fall to despair.