WEEK 8

[al2955]

the pygmalion. . . ONLINE CAPTAIN'S LOG: WEEK (8)

monday - thursday (23) survivors Sunday's trial was only mere hours ago, but you find yourself faced with a new week on The Pygmalion. When you awaken, you will find the ship restored to its previous state, all areas interfered with during the murder looking mostly the same as they did before. Along with this, it appears there are new areas opened on the ship. It seems you have more exploring to do. The robot in the cafeteria has prepared another breakfast of various foods. (OOC: Please submit your murder proposals by 9 PM EST Tuesday.) taken list profiles private conversations setting rulebook murder proposals ENTER COMMAND_

Comments

[antietam]

I guess we'll have to check their datapads, even if they'll lie about the importance of it to them. [ He's fine with this so long as it isn't him. At the airlock: ]

Can you still hear me? I'm going upstairs next. [ He looks around it as he waits for an answer. Once he gets it, he'll do just that and... oops, looks like they're both getting static.

He comes back down. ] Alright, I think that's the limit.

[thanatosincarnate]

Checking each suspect's datapad will be pivotal as necessary insurance.

{ Good idea, Adam! Let's pretend he gave Adam his answer, and then he'll focus his gaze on Adam. }

... An inquiry. Are you used to investigating, reaching on point deductions and looking matters in general back at your home?

[antietam]

[ He'll play around with the walkie talkie to see if there are any hidden functions to it. Just in case. ]

... Yeah, I guess so. My friend was trying to find a dead Welsh king for a while, so it took a lot of investigating. I'm pretty fond of researching. You can learn a lot, even if it's not relevant at that exact moment.

[thanatosincarnate]

{ ... }

Good. At least someone has the experience. It is no wonder you are able to perform well in your investigations.

[antietam]

Oh. Thank you? [ Is that a compliment? He'll take it. ] I can't say I'm great at making deductions, but I am used to looking at small details for information.

I think you're more used to putting theories into action, right?

[thanatosincarnate]

I see.

{ He almost smiles but he does his best to fight it...hah. Smiles are contagious but he's not really in the mood for them. }

I am, if only because taking action is what I'm used to. It takes me long to produce results with investigating matters that have mysteries wrapped deeper in enigmas I can barely begin to even fathom. This extends to the trials, since the killers like to make the mystery complicated for obvious reasons.

{ His words are said softer here, but with an undercurrent of frustration. He does his best, but he oft feels inept despite his best attempts. Granted, he's been doing better than usual, but he's curious as to how he could approach things, like Adam can, and get better results. }

[antietam]

I don't think any of us are particularly good at that on our own. I guess the reason it seems convoluted is because we tend to look at the overview, whereas the killer is taking things one step at a time. They tend to not be nearly as complicated as we make it.

I'd recommend we try to take things bit by bit, but it's hard when they deliberately obscure the events. Like with Shelley. I mean, that was pretty smart. [ An impressed tone. ]

[thanatosincarnate]

No they don't.

{ He'll grunt-- there's a point there. It always seems to wind up more simpler than they could have imagined.

He'll sigh at the mention of Shelley. }

... She was rather intelligent. If only she had said something to someone sooner-- or -- hrn. It doesn't matter now, I suppose.

[antietam]

[ Adam frowns and sets the walkie talkie down carefully after turning it off. It's good to know how that works. ]

I know. I'd... Well, when I talked to her earlier in the week, she seemed really depressed. I just thought it was about everything else, not the motive. But I really don't think anything we could have said would have stopped her. For a sibling... You'd feel worse if you did nothing at all.

[thanatosincarnate]

{ He moves to set the walkie talkie he's holding off. }

...

The relations between a human and their family are normally close, so I can understand that easily enough. She didn't know if she would have any other chance to be able to reach her sister, even if she were not to trust what the AI was offering.

{ ... }

Do you have any siblings, Adam?

[antietam]

Oh, no. Not biologically. [ But yes otherwise. ] Do you?

[thanatosincarnate]

No. I have no siblings.

Those related to me by DNA are likely dead as well.

[antietam]

[ Awkward. ] Likely? You don't know?

[thanatosincarnate]

We'd never met and many of those from my homeworld were brutally slaughtered by an alien race. Therefore, the chances they're alive are slim at best.

{ Sometimes that's how life is. Which is pretty shitty, but there's nothing that can be done about it. }

[antietam]

Oh. I'm sorry. [ He wonders how Arumat must feel about the aliens here, but he thinks it's too insensitive to ask. ]

Would you want to meet them if you had the chance?

[thanatosincarnate]

No need for apologies.

{ Adam should definitely ask to see Arumat fly into a rage. Or maybe not. }

... I don't know. I have never thought about it. I am used to being on my own for so long, I cannot fathom meeting with anyone even related.

Possibly.

[antietam]

No, I think that makes sense. Even if they're related, that doesn't really make them family.

Sometimes the best family isn't related. Do you have anyone like that at home?

[thanatosincarnate]

... No. Anyone I knew like that also died.

{ He falls into a brief silence. }

There is this group of people I did recently meet before coming here... but I wouldn't be surprised if they died too. Anyone who gets close to me shares that fate.

[antietam]

Do you really think it's your fault? [ Maybe he shouldn't go into this, but. He's curious. ]

[thanatosincarnate]

I know it isn't now, but... it feels that way.

{ He has a hard time believing it wasn't -- but it still came true so he couldn't explain it. Most people who got near him died and it even happened here too.

Some part of him believes it's only a matter of time for those who haven't. }

You've never believed something like that? That because you're not strong enough to prevent something--

{ He stops and he frowns. }

[antietam]

[ Adam nods slowly, understanding. ] Well, yeah. I think everyone feels that way at some point. And maybe sometimes it is your fault, sometimes it isn't.

But that sort of feeling only holds you back. The way I see it. If you blame yourself for everything... you're gonna want to give up.

[thanatosincarnate]

... Hmph, like I'd ever give up.

{ It's said gently, and he wondered if his response to Adam's inquiry would be different, if he hadn't spoken to Adelina much earlier right after Kazuma's execution had passed. }

Yet, I understand what you mean. It's embarrassing to admit it, but it took me nearly a decade to even realize that though I feel it may be my fault for situations like those, the reality paints a different picture.

[antietam]

[ He smiles at Arumat, glad that he seems to be relatively well-adjusted as opposed to many others on the ship. ]

It's good that you know that now, at least. We need more... mature attitudes here, I think. To keep everyone holding it together.

[thanatosincarnate]

{ He'll be tempted to smile somewhat too... and guess what? He actually does. He's actually probably not one of the most well-adjusted people originally, but he's been making an effort after speaking with some of the people here...

Someone's got to be the mature, responsible adult. }

Indeed. We cannot allow ourselves to be consumed by how the situation may bring us down. We must rise up and persevere.

Therefore, I believe as long as we keep looking ahead, we'll figure out the road that hasn't been artificially created. That is, our own path to victory.

[antietam]

I really hope you're right. [ It's hard for him to be that optimistic, but he's glad that some people can be. ]

It'd help if... there was something more concrete that we could do, you know? To stop feeling so hopeless.