WEEK 6 - Trial

[al2955]

the pygmalion. . . ONLINE CAPTAIN'S LOG: WEEK (6)

saturday TRIAL DAY ONE (29) 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

Comments

[jackhole]

[ glancing between elizabeth and jack here and for a moment, he considers lying -- pretending he was just making it all up but.

well.

no, he's sick of people not knowing how jack really is and the reality of people getting mad at him for stabbing jack. he's not going to pretend anymore. ]

Angel is dead, Jack. Everyone knows the story, you locked her up since she was a kid using Hyperion funds. Drained her power. She begged the Vault Hunters to come and kill her so she could stop you. At Hyperion, they consider it a tragedy. Do you even know how much Blake had to argue with the board after your death to justify that misappropriation of funds? The Bunker's a glorified tourist trap at this point, Hyperion's been trying to take it back from bandits for like, a year.

[brooches]

[ Have your meltdown, it's all good. For the most part, Elizabeth is cluing in onto everything. She knows briefly of Hyperion - of Jack's "rise to power" and how so hard working he was. How dangerous it was because it's a dangerous position. An illustrious one, but he did it for Angel. To give her a great life! She thinks... oh, she thinks.

Elizabeth is team Jack so it's hard for her to really agree to this reveal, but when he says Angel's dead, she immediately snaps her gaze to Jack. Oh my god... no? It can't be true.

But then fuck that because locked up and draining power makes Elizabeth feel light-headed. It's crazy how quickly the body reactions and in that moment you can see how quickly Elizabeth's heart snaps into two. ]

You're lying.

[ Oh my god, Elizabeth chill. She looks to Rhys with a solid glare, but then shaky to Jack. ]

What is he talking about? Angel's - you said you had to save her -

[ Sorry, she's inserting herself into this dramafest but the continuation makes her knees feel weak and stomach upset. No... this isn't lining up, is it.

Go Jack before Elizabeth flips the fuck out. ]

1/2

[refactor]

[ Jack's expression is still full of a very dangerous anger, but it gradually softens as Rhys explains his story. He doesn't say a word as he listens, but his stare shifts from that frightening intensity to open pleading. He desperately, desperately doesn't want this to be true, and even if it would piss him off for Rhys to sink this low, it still wouldn't be any fraction of the one thing that Rhys is saying here. But Rhys doesn't back down. He continues. And Jack knows that he's telling the truth, because he knows that there are things he doesn't remember.

Ultimately, this was his worst fear, wasn't it? This is the worst reminder that there could be that he's just a copy of the real Handsome Jack. He doesn't even remember his daughter's death.

Jack's posture shifts and the emotional weight is almost visible as his posture sags. His aggressive stance all but disappears, and he looks down and away from them both. This isn't how he would want to do this, to find out, because even if he's a monster, the grief he feels is overwhelming, and Elizabeth's words are just a twist of that knife. For just a single, predictable word, his voice is thick with that emotion. ]

Angel...

[refactor]

[ Jack reaches up to cover his face with his hand, because now? Now is not the time for him to try and deal with Elizabeth on top of this. Now he would prefer to leave this trial just as much as Rhys would, but that's a luxury neither of them have. But the difference is, Jack is used to that. He's the hero, so like any hero, he has to swallow this grief for now, even though he'll never be able to swallow the anger. That comes through in his tone, because even though it's calmer, it's low, dangerous, and sharp. ]

I did have to save her. You're-- You're both just hearing that, but neither one of you, you don't get it. No one—

[ He makes a frustrated noise, then shakes his head as he runs a hand through his hair. ]

Chr, Christ. My daughter's, Angel, she's... She's dead. Don't-- Please don't ask me to do this now.

[jackhole]

[ rhys is still trying to process the very extreme reactions of both side of the coin here -- elizabeth and jack. sure, he knew elizabeth and jack kept hanging out but the extent of their relationship was a bit lost on him and now he's a little... baffled? he looks to fiona for help before renewing his resolve and bracing his hands on the table.

okay, he has to make this hurt. he has to get them to leave him alone. if he can't leave this room, he has to make sure both jack and elizabeth, apparently, give him the space to think. ]

I don't know what's going on between you two and honestly? Don't give a shit. Angel is gone because of what you did and if you're doing some... weird... thing with Elizabeth and that's why she's being all ... caring about this -- just FYI, lady, you're hanging out with a guy who pretty much enslaved his daughter till she committed suicide and also nearly wiped out the population of an entire planet.

[ then he bangs his hand on the table for a moment before wagging a finger at the two of them. ]

I won't be forced into feeling like shit because I stabbed a guy who has tried to kill me multiple times and ruined Fiona's home planet and did the worst type of shit ever. You've known him, what, a few weeks? Fuck you. There's a reason you're not inside me anymore, Jack, and it's because you were killing me! I'm honestly still kind of mad about that!

[brooches]

[ It's complicated. Between Elizabeth trusting Bad Guys far too easily and Rhys making things more dramatic... she's left silent. She knows nothing about either of them and is very well aware that both of them could be lying. She doesn't discredit Rhys and his claim, but Jack... they had some very interesting talks so her bias was natural.

But... no. The fuel behind Rhys and his words was too much to ignore - the blaze of his accusations nearly causing her to burn alive. She feels her fingers grow limp and it was as if Rhys knew exactly what to say to make her belief in Jack falter. To shatter. ]

... No. No way. There's no - [ This was between them. This was Rhys and Jack fighting. Rhys tried to kill Jack, but Jack... Jack comforted her in a way that she can't ignore. Well, can she? She looks to Jack, her teeth clenched and fists tightened. ] Tell me he's lying. Tell me you never locked your daughter up "for her protection" or some other insane reason... Please.

[ There's a crack in her voice. She feels exposed, as if someone took her biggest weakness and turned it on her. This wasn't a nightmare, but she looks to Rhys, almost apologetic. ]

He - he just wanted to save his daughter - [ NO, BACK TO JACK. HE HASN'T ANSWERED, HAS HE? ] Tell me you didn't listen to me prattle on and ... and you knew what it was like... Tell me you weren't on the other side of the cage!

[refactor]

[ Jack's grief is giving way to anger fairly quickly, because once again, Rhys doesn't know when to stop talking. If looks could kill, Rhys would be facing a slow, agonizing death right about now. Jack's jaw is clenched tightly, as if it's taking all of his restraint to not jump across this table and snap Rhys's neck. Because just like that, it clicks. The way Rhys is speaking here, the way he's bitterly talking about what Jack has done, the way he blames him for why Jack isn't in his head anymore—

He understands, he thinks. Or even if he doesn't understand, it ultimately doesn't matter, because there's only one way he can take these words. ]

—Y'know, I'll admit it. You really had me going, kiddo. My programming isn't clean, huh?

[ By the end there, there's venom in Jack's words, because he knows. He's absolutely sure that what Rhys had told him when they had both woken up here is a lie, and Jack is nothing short of furious that he bought into it. He'd underestimated Rhys. In another context, he might feel proud of him, and there's are barbed words on his tongues to drive in that fear that had caused all of this, but at this point, he can't ignore Elizabeth as she starts to process all of this too. ]

Fine. You want to do this now? We'll do this now.

[ His expression reflects a colder anger, because he had truly meant it when he had asked to not dig into this. Pleaded, so far as he sees it. He knows why Elizabeth is upset. He's not so blind that he doesn't understand why she would see the parallel, because he certainly had seen it as soon as she'd explained. But he still, delusionally, doesn't think it's the same at all. ]

So, Liz, never asked, but what about your powers? You ever kill someone with them? Because my Angel, she killed her mom when she was just a little girl. Killed her right in front of me, because she couldn't control her own powers. So, you don't have a lot of options when you have a daughter that can kill people by accident. What, you let her just go mix with other people? Traumatize herself when she kills them? Have people think of her as a monster? But, yeah, go on, judge me! [ He's starting to get angry here, more animated as he gets defensive ] Because you think how much I love about my daughter is fake, huh? That I just kept her away from people because I wanted to?

[ Jack throws out his arms and laughs, though it's frighteningly tense, well past hysterical rather than his usually animated laughter. ]

Ha— Haha, no, you-- Both of you, you don't get it one goddamn bit! You have a kid. You have a kid that's a Siren, and you see how you decide to handle it when those powers appear! I did— I did my best and now-- Haha, now, what do I even have if I make it off this goddamn ship? Tell me that!

[hatslinger]

Whoa, whoa, whoa, this needs to stop. Now.

[ honestly, this is more than fiona cares to know — she was only listening in case she felt like she needed to break this discussion up, and now was absolutely, 100% a time when she needed to do that. fiona practically barrels over, immediately getting in the mix here — she positions herself near rhys and elizabeth, a ways away from jack, and she's immediately grabbing rhys by the shoulder. ]

This is not a conversation for here. At all. You guys are totally free to do it later, but not now. [ turning her gaze to rhys. ] And I thought I tould you to stop shit-stirring. You're making, like, a shit disaster right now. All over everyone.

[ she eyes elizabeth, too, but she's not really sure what to do. all she can do is frown towards her. she doesn't know how volatile she is right now — really, all three of them. she's starting to feel like a very careful bull trying to make its way through a china shop here. ]

[jackhole]

[ you know, there's something different in rhys when he sees jack this angry. he's afraid, clearly, but there's a grit to his teeth that shows that yeah -- he's seen this jack before. he knows how to handle this. his hand slides into his pocket, wrapping around something and before fiona interrupts, there's a clear sign of rhys tugging a certain wiring out of his pocket.

but then fiona distracts him and he pushes it back in, softening as he sees her. okay, yeah. she's right. this isn't for here and it doesn't -- it doesn't matter. he looks a little guilty as she scolds him and he glances over at jack and liz before grabbing fiona's arm. ]

Come on, we -- we have to go to the bathroom.

[ and he's going to drag fiona out to... go to the bathroom with him, apparently, followed by one of those robots. see ya, jack and liz. ]

[brooches]

[ This.. all happens far too fast. Time is the biggest truthteller, it seems. Despite Elizabeth following the wrong crowd, trusting the wrong crowd, she's vulnerable. You might as well have put her up on that list because the look on her face screamed the word "vulnerable". ]

Jack - [ He doesn't stop. He doesn't stop for a second. His charisma is powerful, dripping with each venomous words that impale her deeper than any knife could. For a fragile young lady, Elizabeth handles it well. She flinches twice when he admits, thinking back on his daughter apparently being suicidal because of her captivity. Her words fail her and she looks truly, genuinely crushed. ] How could you?

[ With everything. She's so ignorant to his name. Blind to the leader he truly was. Unaware of the pain and suffering that Handsome Jack's regime inflicted upon worlds, families, people. She speaks on her experience. How he taught her the basics of programming. How he sat there and scorned Comstock for keeping her locked up. For giving her hope only to snatch it away. Oh, how she cried against him after Hancock's death... it leaves a bitter taste in her mouth that mixes with the impending horrible words that follow. ]

Y-You listened to me. You comforted me. You acted as a friend when you did the very same thing my father did - my very own father. How could you look me in the eyes and smile?! I - I wanted to help save your daughter too!

[ She sees Fiona and bites so hard on her bottom lip. She can't speak anymore - she respects Fiona too much to erupt. To let her anger fester her and control her. She's seen how men fall into it - how they do horrible things in their anger and she refuses. Elizabeth watches as Rhys tries to evade and drags Friona with them, her back turned and she walks away, sobbing to herself. ]

[refactor]

[ He hates telling this story. He hates it because no one ever understands. Her mother, his second wife, anyone that ever even knew about the Bunker, they just saw-- Well, they saw someone that Jack had paid a lot of money to make sure she ended up dead. But they didn't get it. It was never like that, because he had no choice. He should have never explained it at all, because when it's rejected, it's painful in the way that Jack like to pretend he's above.

Elizabeth's words are a twist of the knife, and part of him wants to reach out, to explain, but. He feels he has. He's explained so much as anyone could ever grasp, and something he so rarely shared that he knows it's not worth it. Just like that, a switch is flipped, because whatever weight, whatever value that he had placed on his kindness to Elizabeth is gone.

Ultimately, she's not that different after all, is she? It's what he gets. It's what always happens, because every time he opens up, there's always that knife waiting for him. Rhys, Elizabeth, anyone at all on this ship, they would betray him the moment he showed any weakness. ]

Hah—

[ Jack laughs again as Elizabeth walks away, his grin splitting his face with a wild, angry expression. It's just another confirmation of what she'd been told about Jack, because in that moment, he's more unhinged than he has been so far. This is the man that would gladly raze a planet in fire, and it seems like he'd like to do nothing more than that in this moment. There's no sadness, no regret, just that clear, open love of destruction. But he turns away too, stalking off to his own section of the conference room, though he's laughing to himself. ]

It's not like- Man, it's not like it even friggin' matters anymore—

[ But he just breaks out into unhinged laughter as he massages his brow with a furious energy. He takes a seat in his chair angrily, he just stares at the door, waiting for Rhys to return. If Rhys actually looks at him, Jack will just mouth two words:

You're dead. ]