malnosso | [Locked Against Malnosso]

Entry tags:

the eccentric

[Locked Against Malnosso]

Well, first of all, I expect you're all a bit cross with me given the past two weeks. No doubt there's more than just a few of you who wished you had got a piece of me while you had the chance, aha! I shan't apologize for it. I suspect it won't make much of a difference and I'm afraid it was quite necessary.

But I shall give you an explanation of sorts! To put it quite simply, I've moved in! There's been a bit of trouble with the organization, I'm afraid. I'm afraid with the war effort going so poorly, the renegades have been becoming more daring and the security forces continue to do whatever they please. I'm afraid you have all felt the brunt of that in the recent battles you've been called into. I'm reluctant to say that it will happen again and I won't be involved at all. I won't be able to speak on your behalf.

As for myself, I've become a bit unpopular. So before someone attempts to take my place, I've decided I might lie low a bit. And as everyone knows, there's nowhere in this world quite as peaceful and secure as Luceti! I did use some deception getting in using the latest experiment, but I'm afraid it was the only way I could ever safely arrive in the village without risk to my life. An old man like myself wouldn't have lasted long against you all. Oh! I do hope none of you mess about with those nasty beasts about. They weren't after any of you, they were just looking for me.

You may also have noticed I brought an assistant with me. I have some contacts in the organization who will gladly supply those various conveniences you enjoy so much. She'll be assisting in these transfers, so please, don't be shocked if you hear her lovely young voice answering you. Molly's a bit shy, but she means well. Aha, I'm afraid she's even a little taken to all of you. She's not very happy with how I do things at all.

Nevertheless, take heart! I don't plan to be here forever. I will return to head the company again in due time. It may start to look a bit grim, like your early days, but it's always darkest before the dawn. Or is it the other way around?

[Filtered to John]

Oh, Great One, I do hope you'll forgive me for that bit of fun with the festival. But you do deserve it! I only wish you would have come out to enjoy it!

But I'm afraid I must ask something of you. I've scrambled the journal system's signal to prevent real time monitoring by the Organization, but I suspect it won't be long before they catch on. I thought, perhaps, you might be able to come up with something a bit more permanent?

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Well, you know what they say about authority.

[dryly-- but tiredly. And moving on to questions he doesn't see asked already. Robert's will be worth watching, if you give a straight answer. Which is doubtful. Almost an exhale-]

That shift- was so detailed.

That a shift is capable of changing emotions and desires and memories isn't really a surprise anymore but-- [shaking his head as he's speaking] Those were years, and years worth of completely new, detailed memories --for hundreds of people.

Edited 2011-04-30 03:39 (UTC)

Oh, not that detailed. It was all a bit sloppy and thrown together, if you ask me. Goodness, there were people with children older than they were! But what can you expect from a trial Shift?

[frown] Sure, working with the raw materials available. It's all the memories -- [or just the impression of them, now]

-- what was the trial? [pause] A way for everyone to live happily-- with no reason for resisting? If it even let you walk past Yuber...

Edited 2011-04-30 04:00 (UTC)

Oh, nothing so innocent, I'm afraid. The Security Forces merely wished to see how viable it would be to make your fighting force more efficient by means of memory alterations. I suspect the resulting answer would have been a success.

[frowns] Wouldn't have changed my mind about fighting. Or a few others, I could think of... [he can see the idea but-- there are better, if even more sinister ways to achieve that, you'd think]

[but. As he doesn't find it satisfactorily explained anywhere, yet.]

So which parts were your manipulation-- and which are you attributing [let's not take anyone at their word, for all eternity, in this place] to the Security Forces?

Oh, most of it, in fact. But my own personal flair was my own inclusion and the dedication of the festival to The Great One. It was, after all, quite warranted! Though perhaps with a little less fervor, I think.

Oh. And the orchards. I've always loved fruit. I'll rather miss my Venerarian Tree while I'm here.

It was quite a tree. [absently. Not even a little angry. The point of no return has been crossed.]

But -- I understand the desire to protect loved ones, and a home-land, and how powerful that might be. But wouldn't it be more effective across the board to make everyone feel violent and aggressive toward the Third Party?

... or is our role more complicated than just aggression?

You are all very special, unique people. There is not a single one of you that is not vastly more important than any member of the Organization. Even myself, in fact! Though what I seek to accomplish, I suppose, makes me quite a bit important, in my own eyes at least.

However, the outside world has no need to be more aggressive. The threat is quite real and persistent for their part. They are, however, nowhere near as capable of wiping out hundred of their forces nearly so effectively as your fellows are.

[Yes, he remembers hearing that. From Rem. And it was equally mysterious a statement.

A heavy exhale.] I guess you can't elaborate on anything that would be compromising, when we're in a cell waiting to be experimented on....

but is this "uniqueness" really something so vague or secret that you can't explain it? Or that we can't use it, or control it-- [in some way that benefits us]

Unless you're just talking about the gross physical strength. [~~damn shounen physics defying bastards~~]

Hmm, one way it might be best to put it is this. Albert Silverberg is a resident from the very start of this experiment. He's been here for three cycles, I believe. Yet I'm afraid I've lost count of how long I've been here!

Indeed, most live entire lives... or several lives, before they ever return home. Or they may willingly give themselves to the Third Party for final absolution. And yet, there are those of you who last merely a week! That, in itself, is what makes you special. When you have a disease, you inspect those least infected. It's there you find the cure.

Hnnn. [a slight frown. Because diseases don't so much always work that way, in his world. But that's an interesting idea.] From what I've seen-- every stage of a disease can offer a different observation.

But I guess the healthier stand up best to inspection. [leans heavily on one arm] Has anyone found anything more concrete or useful that just the circumstantial fact that-- we disappear, sometimes?

I mean... what makes long-time residents like Albert, who have never vanished-- any more unique than people like you?

Edited 2011-04-30 04:50 (UTC)

It's quite difficult to say! Perhaps me misjudged him or perhaps there's yet more to be found. But success was almost near at hand until that nasty business last year with the earthquake. After all, the arrival of new individuals to this world had been temporarily halted for months.

[you know, blue man, there's an interesting disparity of conversations where you let it be thought that you created the last shift, or attribute it to the Security Forces.

He really hates these journals, sometimes.]

Yes, it was memorable. [rueful] Still ... hard for us to know for sure whether that means they just weren't reaching Luceti, or had really stopped coming. [and the longer he asks, the clearer it is that nothing has any reason to be straightforward-- or true. Or a lie, in some cases. Just asking for the sake of asking.]

Ah, then I should clarify! It was worldwide.

[..... yes, not that they could observ--

you know what fuck this shit.]

.....

Are there a lot of trees like that one, from your world?

I can only hope! But sadly I can hardly remember details of my own world. It's been such a long time and I'm afraid I've gotten quite old again.

And that girl, Molly-- is she feeling better now, that the shift is over with?

Alas, she's still a bit wound up! Afraid you'll all manage to break in and kill the both of us. She's a meek little thing, really.

Heh.

You should tell her not all of us are nearly so violent. [raised eyebrow] And she'd probably fare better than you, against that particular kind of break-in, even if she was responsible for the whole thing. Looking as completely miserable, as that.

Aha, perhaps I ought to see if she can teach me a thing or two in turn.

You might be a bit more endearing if you weren't so cheerful, directly after life-altering crisis.

Oh yes, but I can't afford to fret about my own situation, dubious as it is. It's best to face the future with confidence!

More as a matter of curbing that negative public opinion, you know.

But can't help but agree.

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[Locked Against Malnosso]

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