cradleproject | WEEK 11

WEEK 11 - TRIAL

the pygmalion. . .

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CAPTAIN'S LOG:
WEEK (11)

saturday TRIAL DAY ONE

(13) survivors

At 9 AM, a klaxon alarm begins blaring in every area of the ship. The alarm will continue to go off until everyone has gathered in the conference room. Should anyone be running late or avoiding the trial for whatever reason, a robot guide will appear wherever they are and gently but firmly escort them into the room. Once all the living players are present, the conference room doors will lock shut; anyone who wishes to leave for whatever reason will need to ask AL-2955 or one of the robots. Anyone leaving for non-investigative purposes, such as bathroom breaks, will be accompanied by a robot escort.

The large round table in the center of the conference room has been set up to help the trial run as smoothly as possible. Three holographic screens hover above the center hollow of the table, visible from every angle. The first screen displays the pictures and profiles of the suspects and victim; the second displays the autopsy report; the third displays a blank word processor. Each of the chairs comes equipped with a virtual keyboard which can be used to type information directly into the third screen, such as theories and updated information; they can also be set into privacy mode, which will transfer whatever notes someone writes directly into their datapad instead of on screen. There's also a tablet function for those who wish to draw charts or pictures on screen. The keyboards will detect the DNA of whoever's using them and record who's typed what - simply press an area of text and the name of whoever wrote it will pop up.

The area to the right of the table has been temporarily sectioned off with a glass partition and sliding door for hygienic issues. Inside, the victim's body has been laid out on a metal autopsy table, covered by a plastic sheet. Above it is a holographic screen that displays a close-up color photograph of the body when it was found. A hand sanitizer dispenser has been considerately attached to the wall nearby for anyone getting up close and personal to the body.

To the left of the conference table is a display case. Any evidence found during the investigation will be carefully collected by the robots at some point the previous day and placed here before the trial starts. Beneath each piece of evidence is a small tablet where players can type up information, such as a short description or where it was found. There are also empty areas left over for any evidence that may be found during the trial. The shelf at the very bottom of the case has been reserved for an extra rulebook in case anyone needs it.

Food will be served throughout the day by the robots, who will take individual orders whenever you're feeling hungry. The trial will end at 9:00 PM, at which point all players will have been expected to cast their vote.

victim

suspects

Character Statuses
Setting
Rulebook
Voting

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[He's fine with being a pillow even if his thoughts are bouncing around about the queen and about Adam and about the other people in this room and the fate of the ship. "Fate." Still a stupid word. They're comfortable on the floor and he idly thinks about the fact that at least Adam's warm enough for now.

Through the haze of his alcohol-clouded brain he recognizes that shift in Adam's tone, leaning his chin into Adam's hair a little.]

Yeah, I know. [It's said softly, but he's interested in the rest, too.] I don't think it's a bad idea. After what we saw nobody really has a reason to say no. She told me about the general but I have no idea what that meant. It's someone still alive here though...if we can take out their minions, sure. Good idea. We can figure it out in the morning, too.

[ They do have a reason to say no, and it's what happened to Judar and Fiona. Maybe it's not entirely logical, but it he couldn't fault anyone for being wary. Of course, that wariness would only cause suspicion. There's no winning here. ]

Take out the minions, don't let them isolate people... Though, you know, I'd risk it to be able to get back in our room. [ Because being around a lot of people while sleeping doesn't seem entirely safe... But he also has Luke here. He's pretty sure it'd be hard to stab him and avoid Luke. He smiles. ]

You mean this isn't lulling you to sleep? You're gonna feel awful tomorrow, you know. You should stay on your side but also not barf on me.

Mm...we can try that tomorrow, too. [He lifts a hand up in front of Adam's face and wiggles his fingers a bit. Even if everything's broken, maybe he can still use his abilities. But he's had the same thought and it's partially why he's caging Adam in. He's against a wall so it's harder to get to him. If he's bracketing Adam in with his arms, Adam's much harder to get without risking getting to Luke, too. It's a fool-proof plan. Or at least that's what he's convinced himself.

There's an amused snort.] I think you're underestimating me just a little big, Parrish. M'not gonna barf on anybody and I feel fine. [For now.] Besides it's still kinda early for sleeping don't you think?

[ Adam lets out a soft laugh and grabs Luke's hand, pulling it back over him like a blanket. He is basically expecting Luke to play the role of both pillow and blanket. He can appreciate how lucky he is to share a room with a lockbreaker so it gets him in a good enough mood to stop talking about possible deaths. ]

Kind of hard to tell the time when all the lights are out. [ He could probably ask something like, why are they doing this when Luke isn't planning to sleep, but. ] You're not going to drink more, are you?

I can sort of guess. [The time, he means. He could argue, but...eh. His movements are loose and it's easy for Adam to control his limbs when Luke allows him to and thus he's apparently human bedding. On the other hand, he can't help it when his voice sounds more amused, a little more dragged out than usual.]

You took away the bottle and you took my hand. I'm not really sure how I'd do that even if I wanted to. [He wonders where the bottle went but he has no true desire to go after it for now.] Bother you that much?

[ Because of that, he will keep his hand if it means Luke's not going to drink more. It doesn't really bother him. Ronan drinks heavily, Gansey drinks, everyone else in the room is drinking—Adam's the weird one. But he knows the more he drinks, the more it's going to hurt in the morning. ]

No. But you're going to be useless tomorrow if you keep it up. Think I once told you how I'd definitely target a drunk person if I had to. [ A pause. ] Plus, it makes you smell.

You've definitely told me that, but I know you wouldn't target me 'cause you like me too much. [It's hard to believe that moment ago he'd just been crying into Adam's hands but the fact that he's still wrapped around him like a protective shell should say enough.]

...and take that back, I'm always going to smell great.

Not really. [ While keeping Luke wrapped around him. It's kind of weak, so he turns it back. ] You're the one laying here when you're not tired.

[ Even though Adam's not letting him go anywhere. ] You smell like alcohol and fire.

You're the one who made me lay here though. [Adam, come on. But the argument's pretty low and instead he snorts to himself.] So I smell flammable? That's good to know. Sorry not all of us can smell...Parrish-ish.

Not like this. [ By which he means being a blanket. Well, now he is. But semantics. ] Are you saying I smell good?

I am not saying anything about it. [But considering he's sort of headbutting Adam's shoulder somehow that should say it's not exactly a negative answer. This is probably fine.] I'm drunk, are you really gonna listen to anything I have to say right now? [To be fair he's not even that drunk. Not at all sober by now, no, but Luke is enough of a control freak in his older age now to know most of what he's saying and doing. Part of him figures Adam might know that. Part of him also doesn't care that much.]

I always thought being drunk made people more truthful. [ He doesn't know. But he also has no desire to find out for himself. The idea of not being fully in control of himself is terrifying. ]

Or are you saying this has all been a lie? [ His free hand moves to the back of Luke's neck to get him to stop headbutting. There's a challenge in his tone, daring him to say that this hasn't all been heartfelt. ]

Dunno if that's true. I never really had alcohol before being locked on the Pygmalion. [Kinda didn't have time and all that. Not being in full control is both good and bad right now. It's bad because he hates that, but it's good because it's Adam and right now everything's a little uncertain.]

...you've slept in my bed and now you're asking if all of this is a lie? [He can't help but laugh to himself.] Man. We've gotta work on your timing. [The hand on his neck does work to still him though.] Gimme something to work with. What do you really want me to say?

[ That makes Adam move slightly to look him in the eye. He hadn't known that about him, that he hadn't drank before coming here. It's a little sadder that way. ]

What does sleeping in your bed have to do with anything? [ But he smiles when Luke laughs anyway. ] How about we test my hypothesis? Tell me something you wouldn't tell me while sober.

Just how many people do you think I like and trust enough to do that? C'mon. [He rolls his eyes, trying to think but drawing a blank.] At this rate there's not a lot I probably wouldn't tell you? Who knows. [But the smirk on his face says he's just making this difficult on purpose.] Be more specific.

[ That's fine, he can be difficult too. He returns the smirk and it probably looks a lot like Luke's now that they've spent so much time together. ]

So tell me that. How many people do you like and trust enough for it? Am I special?

[That's a scary thought, and yet at the same time it means Adam's getting a little more confident and that alone is a good thing. So, he hums to himself before letting his eyes drift toward the ceiling and shrugging, fingers tapping on Adam's ribs one by one.]

The amount of people I've trusted like that at all could be counted on one hand, I think. [There's a disgruntled huff though.] And don't be an idiot. You already know that you're important to me even without me saying it, otherwise you wouldn't be as bratty as you are sometimes. [Adam knows he can get away with it. Luke knows it, too.] ...I wonder about you sometimes. Wonder how you don't get that sometimes you leave way bigger marks than you think you do. You talk about Ronan and Gansey and all of the things they've done and the kind of people they are. I'm not interested in that. Ronan and Gansey aren't the people that've stuck it out for months here...well okay, Ronan's been on Nuwa but I bet he's fine. He's on ship with Annabeth. Bet she found him and everything, she's good at finding dumb teenage boys.

[...what was the point? Oh.] Anyway they're not the ones who've made and kept promises to people they just met. It takes an insane amount of bravery to trust somebody like that and it's not just me trusting you. [He settles with his chin to Adam's shoulder again, words a low mumble.] ...you gave me my life back. Did you ever even think about what that would mean?

[ He knows logically he's important to Luke, but he never really thinks about it that way. This has just happened and he never really cared about what this specifically was. He expected maybe some kind words before an insult, but it's completely different to hear these things come from someone.

His initial reaction would be to squirm away from all of this, flustered and uncomfortable, but he doesn't. Things have changed, maybe Luke has changed him. His face still feels warm and his gut twists like he's sick, but he listens instead of trying to escape. Bravery. He likes the sound of that and he thinks he's earned it.

What he mumbles is more of a shock. He takes it literally at first. Of course he didn't revive Luke or anything, but even metaphorically... he has no idea what that means. His hand moves up from Luke's neck to settle in his hair without thinking. ] What? No, I— [ But he doesn't want to sound stupid. ] How did I do that?

[There's silence for a minute. He allows Adam's hand to move and does nothing to stop him and seriously, this would be the prime position to just murder him in should Adam be so inclined. And yet that's not happening. Instead he settles for looking at him with a very bemused expression.]

I know you're not a necromancer. [So no, not literally.] But it's not like that. You--[And here he gently pokes Adam square in the forehead]--are the one who made me remember things I thought weren't me anymore. [He'd explain if he were more sober. He'd explain that being around Adam and training him and befriending him has pushed him back to the way he was before he struck a deal with Kronos, before he let his own bitterness take over. Adam reminded him that Luke's sole purpose was to make people feel like they mattered and be a better example, that he was someone people admired. (To be fair, several of the people on this ship have reminded him of that and it's alarmingly overwhelming. At least with Adam he can sort of pinpoint the timeline of things.] ...when I first got here, I didn't care about what was going on. I wanted out of the game, and I thought about ending my time here early. But that was because I didn't have anything else. Everyone else here...most people were playing to get home and get back to people they cared about. I don't have that option anymore, so why keep playing? But you--[Another forehead poke, though his hand soon curls and drops to cup his face a little.]--kinda gave me things to look forward to. Reminders that I'm still needed here. A lot of you people have, but you started it. I didn't think that I'd have a chance to do something like this again and make things right, and you proved me wrong.

So...I guess some congratulations are in order.

[ Adam makes a face when Luke pokes him but says nothing in order to let him finish, genuinely curious and also aware that he started this so he can't blame Luke for his drunken antics. For now.

His expression softens anyway, all of this a surprise to him. Maybe it shouldn't be, but he's only ever really considered all the things Luke has done for him and not the other way around. He's tried, of course, by making promises to him, trying to give him a home to go back to, but this is separate. ] You can't ever escape who you are. [ Which sounds a little sad coming from him because he's certainly tried. It's never worked. ] Even Kronos couldn't take that away. You were yourself in the end. I guess—if I helped, then I'm glad.

[ He might have rejected it entirely beforehand, told Luke that he didn't do anything for him or to deserve congratulations. But he'll try because Luke is trying. ] You're so... stupidly good. Like Gansey and Ronan. [ He remembers what Luke just said about always bringing them up, so he shakes his head, glancing down to the hand on his face. ] You were born a hero. Of course you're needed. But I—I need you the most, probably. If you'd ended things early, I'm not sure I'd even be around anymore. Or who I'd be, or... I don't know, I think you've made me become a better person. The congratulations cancel out.

[He has to absorb that for a moment because "good" isn't really a word he would use to describe himself. Stupidly, yes, but good...what qualifies as good and bad? He knows that Adam has a tendency to see the world in some black and white but he doesn't think this is the case.

Is this what Annabeth saw, too? That he was himself in the end? It's possible.]

You're only as good as the people around you, Parrish. [When he was by himself, that's about the time he went a little overboard and aligned with Kronos. Here, he has people keeping him accountable and Adam does, too.] ...this is the dumbest conversation we've ever had. [But he's not pulling his hand back and he actually looks fairly pleased with himself. This is still all true. Adam gave him a life back. Luke's made Adam a better person. This is still the dumbest conversation solely because he's sort of always known.] The dumbest and most true one. Guess we should just agree we've done a lot for each other and call it even? [His thumb taps into Adam's cheek.] I'm here. I'm not going anywhere else.

[ The moment is very quickly ruined by Luke and Adam huffs and glances off. ] It's not dumb. [ Because he hadn't actually known that was how Luke thought of him. And even if he had, it's nice to hear it actually said. There's always been a lot implied in his friendships back home, how much they trust and care about each other, but it's never been said. It doesn't need to be, but... it's nice to hear for one of the very first times in his life that someone cares about him. ]

You mean not until we both go to Henrietta. [ A smile returns for a second, but then he pulls away from the hand on his face and shifts, turning over onto his other side. He moves Luke's arm with him to be used as a pillow like he owns it. ] I don't know about you, but I'm going to sleep. These sort of conversations always happen when we're both tired.

[There's a noise that indicates that yeah, it's kinda dumb, but that's okay. He doesn't mind being a pillow and to make up for calling the conversation dumb he tightens his grip around Adam's waist to keep him trapped there. It's dumb, and not dumb enough for him to push Adam away.]

Not until we both go to Henrietta. [He rolls his eyes though.] Of course these always happen when we're tired though. It's convenient for me to pretend to fall asleep if I don't want to keep talking. [The smirk is nearly audible in the dark.] But I get it...there's not much we can do until the morning anyway. [So...settling down to sleep is a good idea. G'night Parrish.]

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WEEK 11 - TRIAL

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