[network - late night 114 ] @JPHawkins, video; A KEY DEVELOPMENT [open]

[rattlingthestars]

[ Jim, in the first segment of the video, appears to be leaning against a mostly empty jewelry case. He's calm, though his eyes occasionally track something across the room rather than the tablet he's speaking into. ]

Hey, Norfinbury. Think we found something that might be important, and we need your help. See, a few days ago we went digging in the storehouse near the bookshop - didn't find anything interesting in the papers, but what we did get ahold of this.

[ He spins the tablet around and Zell is elaborately presenting an old-fashioned brass key. Ooh, ahh. ] We tried it at the creepy toy shop and the bookshop before we finally found the door it opened at the cobbler's.

[ This is where the video switches over to something from earlier in the day. It's filmed from chest height, apparently one handed as the other hand holds a hockey stick that prods at what appears to be a spring-loaded trap over the door to a small room. Whatever kind of trap was sprung is gone, though there's a deep gouge in the doorframe where it landed, and a trail of fresh blood briefly visible when the camera pans around to show the rest of the small room.

It's stuffed with old furniture that looks like it was all pushed out of the way when the door opened, and Zell is walking around it, cautiously poking around with the second hockey stick. The video ends there. ]

Might be a boldhole from someone in the last cycle of people. There were empty food bags and stuff. We found a backpack like ours with -

[ Zell, again, presenting a second key! This one is silver so it's probably protecting better loot. ]

Ta-da. Another key. We tried that one at the jeweler's, but no luck. We're going to try the bookshop and toy shop again, but if anybody knows of any other locks that look like they might match let us - me or Zell or Kain or Zack - know. Keep an eye out for treasure chests or lockers or anything like that, too.

--

[ Text, tacked on some time later and locked from @zd: ]

-And this is unrelated, but if you already gave someone here a pretty cool gift and need to give them a better one for some reason, what would you give them?

[ ooc: answers will come from Jim! Possible threadjackings from Zell, Kunsel, and Zack whenever he stops barfing. ]

Comments

[advanced]

[There's a lot of things he wants to know, but he is wary of using these devices. He doesn't know who's listening, only that someone definitely is.

He thinks for a minute before picking a question at random. Not one to help him with this place, but perhaps to get a better measure of his new helper.]

Why standardissue?

[deus_ex_phs]

[Really? That's what he wants to know? The corner of Kunsel's mouth lifts with amusement.]

I'm a standard issue kind of guy. I've been military long enough that I can say I've worn standard issue clothing and equipment for almost half my life.

[It's more than that, but it would take some explaining to let anyone in on the joke about being Second Class, and that's not the kind of information he wants on the public network. Besides, the other explanation works just fine.]

[advanced]

[This tells him a lot more about Kain than he knew before. Half his life, or almost half, means he must have either joined the military very young or be near retirement age. He obviously places a high value on the career he has, so he's probably disciplined and competent. Probably not highly ranked if he thinks of himself as standard issue.]

Which military?

[He wonders how long he can go on asking without answering, but he'll try for as long as possible.]

[deus_ex_phs]

[Yeah, no, this is starting to edge into more dangerous levels of detail. Kunsel frowns at the line of questioning. It hasn't escaped his attention that the other person is being really cautious with his own information, too.

That tells him a few things, too. Paranoid to the point of using a letter for an alias, wanting to know the identity of anyone talking to him or her, wanting to know exactly what they're dealing with before giving anything out - if they have any intention to give anything out to begin with. Someone probably on the run, then, or with good reason to hide. Might or might not be something Kunsel should be concerned about.

There are all sorts of reasons to hide.

Still, that doesn't mean he owes this person detailed answers.]

Does the name Gaia mean anything to you?

[advanced]

[Bucky knew his luck had to run out sooner or later, and a military man would be unlikely to keep answering questions without pause to think who he might be giving the answers to.

So he's not surprised when his question is answered with another question.]

Yes.

[He knows it's a term for earth, or the natural mother, or something spiritual like that. He's not sure how it pertains to the military, but he won't display his ignorance by giving any more than that one word answer.

The ball is in Kain's court, Bucky still wants his answers.]

[deus_ex_phs]

What about Balamb Garden? Or Burmecians? Or Wutai?

There's more than one Gaia. Have to narrow down which one you know about.

[No, Kunsel's not going to take a one-word confirmation as sufficient to spill everything. He's smart enough to test just how much this person is being honest and how much he's bluffing. Elements from three different worlds, though only two of them are actually a Gaia, should make whatever answer J gives telling.]

[advanced]

[He's not heard of any of those places - at least, he assumes they're all places, especially with the first being a 'gardens'. They sound like they may be names for bases rather than countries, perhaps they're code words to identify another member of the military to talk safely?

He considers, but in the end he doesn't lie. He doesn't want to be that person any more.]

I don't know them.

[deus_ex_phs]

[Just as well that Bucky didn't lie. Kunsel probably would have caught it, and truth is more likely to get a better response.]

Ah. Then whichever Gaia you know, it's not my world. The name of the military I'm part of probably wouldn't mean very much to you.

Are you from another Gaia? Is that how you know the name?

[advanced]

[Other worlds isn't as fantastical as all that.

Even if he hadn't read the guide and cautiously believed most of it, aliens were already a problem on his own world. Asgardians, Chitauri-- who was to say there wasn't a Gaia out there?]

It's just another word for earth.

[deus_ex_phs]

Huh. So in a way, Earth is also a Gaia? That's interesting.

Any reason why you wanted to know which military I was in?

[advanced]

No.

[A lie, but he's not about to reveal anything about himself. In fact, he's probably talked too long, it's getting too risky.]

Thanks for the information.

[And then he's gone without hesitation.]

[deus_ex_phs]

[Hm. It's possible that J is telling the truth. Possible that he's not. In the end, though, Kunsel shrugs and just mentally notes the other as one to watch.]

You're welcome.

[He'll sign off, too. He is still tending to Zack, after all.]