malnosso | [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?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

One large and effective weapon, casualties simply a minor inconvenience. [Wonderful. It's more the lack of advanced planning that displeases him. But it adds another ... "sensibility" to the Shift; if they had little experience with strategy, they would adapt differently to the sudden lack of support.]

And you? What can you do to improve your position from within the enclosure, while we are being drafted and affected by those experiments? [Please don't tell him you intend your return to power to take a decade, Bil.]

I would love to discuss my plans in detail with you, Sir Albert. I'm certain your input would be invaluable, as always. However, I'm certain you can understand the risk of you knowing too much, should you be kidnapped. It's better for the both of us the less you know!

...Hn. [There's a noticeable drop in tone there. The Organization would undoubtedly know how often they had conversed and the likelihood of him being contacted by Bil again.] Very well. I won't ask.

And the girl, Molly? [She is not one of you.] I take it she is safer with you than in the heart of the Organization?

Indeed. There's no safer spot for her. It's just as well, there are those who would see her share the same fate as I.

I am surprised she survived her initial capture at all. [Considering how brutally they had dealt with the rogue facility and the lengths to which the rogue scientists had gone to ensure they were not captured.]

...You will have to forgive me the distaste in referring to you as Sir Catherine now. I'm afraid that last Shift has ruined the moniker for me.

Ah, I was afraid it might come to that. Perhaps something more suitable is in order?

Your actual name, unless the secrecy is truly necessary at this point? You are practically among us now.

Oh! Yes, I had thought you would all know it by now! yes, I think Bil will suffice. It's not nearly so interesting a name, but alas!

[They'd known for quite awhile now.] Sir Bil. ...I admit, it doesn't quite have the same flow to it as 'Catherine.'

Indeed not. It was such a clever name, I thought. It would be a pity to permanently lose it.

Perhaps you will have some luck in keeping it alive among other residents. [But definitely not him.]

...It comes as no surprise that all of this has happened, you realize. [The knew about the frequent changes of power in the Organization, about the people inclined to use them as weapons, about Bil's fall from favor. All the signs had been there.] But how can you guarantee that we will not be affected by such an elaborate Shift again? Unless all means to replicate the experiment have been demolished, the possibility exists that they will produce the Shift again -- unless you have countermeasures.

Oh no, not surprising at all. I've been preparing for this for some time, after all! I'm a bit forgetful, but I do pride myself on being quite clever. A bit like you in my younger days, really. They will no doubt realize what went wrong with this experiment and try again. If all goes as planned, they'll find it even less successful than this time.

[...This is probably not the first time Bil has compared himself to him, and it still gives Albert slight pause. He turns it into a contemplative silence.]

So you have covered your tracks, so to speak. Do you suspect they will attempt it again before the next draft? [He deliberately pauses again.] --Ah, but I suppose your contacts may not be able to give us warning of drafts ahead of time.

I suspect it will be quite some time before they are able to. That particular Shift was a project over a year in the making. And that one was quite sloppy at that!

[A year. Well, he knows what to keep in mind for the future.]

Sloppy or not, the Shifting technology can be improved upon and made more efficient. Did they consider the ramifications if that particular Shift could have remained in place after a person had left this world?

The projected results is that it would have no permanent effect. I, however, believe that such prolonged exposure to a Shift could potentially make it nearly impossible to send someone back home.

...Thus nullifying the entire effort made with the Luceti Project. Does that not trouble the scientists who had dedicated their time and energy into this?

[Locked Against Malnosso]

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