003 - Besides, by and large she was having a very good time.

[una_persson]

[AUDIO, public. Una sounds as composed and friendly as ever, her cut-glass accent as reassuring as a BBC news anchor's.]

To those of you I've not met before—hello. My name's Una Persson. I'd like to canvass the foreigner population here with just a brief question—who here is familiar with time travel, in the world from which they come? I'll be quite transparent: it's something with which I'm very familiar, and I'm curious to know who else is as well. Should you prefer to discuss this face-to-face, I live in the Wood sector. [A pause.] And if you're familiar with the technology behind it, I'd be especially interested in hearing from you.

---

[TEXT, separate messages sent privately to Bruce Wayne and Dorian Gray, basic encryption. Subsequent to her conversation with Iorveth, after his fail!private post.]

You may recall that there was a name in my notes that I showed you. Do not speak it out loud and be very careful with whom you share it.

Comments

audio;

[una_persson]

That's quite a gift. [Not a word she usually uses for it.]

Can I ask how much control they had over it?

audio;

[fatedchaos]

It was... something. [She hates time travel.]

The last time I saw her, she had practically perfected it. Or at least her landings. I'm not sure how far she could travel back, though.

Re: audio;

[una_persson]

Precision in navigation is always tricky. I'm guessing from what you're saying that she's essentially self-taught?

audio;

[fatedchaos]

For the most part, yeah. She spent a lot of her time... messing with time.

audio;

[una_persson]

That can be damn dangerous. Not that you need me to say that though, I'm sure.

audio;

[fatedchaos]

It was painful, that's for sure. She did stupid things, but for the most part, she did things that helped.

audio;

[una_persson]

I'm glad of that. Significantly better than the alternative.

Can I ask what sort of world you're from, that one can be gifted with time travel?

audio;

[fatedchaos]

Yeah, I've seen what happens in the alternative. [A sigh.]

Just regular old Earth. [A pause.] Maybe not regular, but it's just Earth. Not a lot of people have powers, as far as I know.

Re: audio;

[una_persson]

Would it be rude to ask if you were one of them?

audio;

[fatedchaos]

I don't think it's rude. I'm one of them.

audio;

[una_persson]

Ah. But time travel's not your thing, specifically?

audio;

[fatedchaos]

It's not, but I've done the time travel thing before. [She definitely doesn't like it.]

audio; -> private, base-level encryption

[una_persson]

It's certainly not for everyone.

[She switches then to private, out of courtesy.]

Can I ask what your powers encompass?

I don't know what you might have heard about why we're here and all that, but I think exactly what people are capable of going is going to become increasingly important.

audio; -> private, base-level encryption

[fatedchaos]

[Since her whole coming out, she wouldn't have been bothered by the question still being public, but it does put Vanessa at a little bit more ease.] I've heard. Iorveth, the elf, told me.

[A pause.] I can manipulate molecules. Mostly, this manifests as the ability to become invisible. I can make other people invisible, too. And objects, on a small scale.

audio; -> private, base-level encryption

[una_persson]

I spoke to Iorveth as well. Most enlightening, if disturbing.

That ... is a very interesting talent. Have you ever been in a position to discover whether you can make visible something that's invisible to begin with?

audio; -> private, base-level encryption

[fatedchaos]

I'd say more disturbing than enlightening.

Not that I can recall. Things don't tend to be invisible already, but I guess if I could... see the molecules and pull it back together, it's possible?

audio; -> private, base-level encryption

[una_persson]

Fair enough. It was just a thought—wondering if it was something we could use against our unspeakable friend, to identify and locate it if nothing else.

audio; -> private, base-level encryption

[fatedchaos]

[Oh, that idea is terrifying.] I don't even know if I'd be powerful to find something like that.

audio; -> private, base-level encryption

[una_persson]

...Sorry. I know it's not a pleasant thought. It seems I can't stop throwing ideas about this at the wall, in hopes that something will eventually stick.

audio; -> private, base-level encryption

[fatedchaos]

No, it's okay. I mean, your suggestion. It sounds awful, but... It's an idea, at least. I haven't heard any others, and I don't know. If there was a possibility, I could try. [Even though the idea makes her want to stick her head in the sand.]

audio; -> private, base-level encryption

[una_persson]

If we're lucky, it'll be a while before you have to put that to the test. And if we're really lucky, we'll have a solution we can be sure of.

audio; -> private, base-level encryption

[fatedchaos]

I've got a feeling that none of us are really all that lucky.

audio; -> private, base-level encryption

[una_persson]

Arguably, if we were, we wouldn't be stranded in a threatened city on an enormous turtle to begin with.

audio; -> private, base-level encryption

[fatedchaos]

I think you've basically just summed up any counterargument to anyone who might say we have a little luck on our side.

audio; -> private, base-level encryption

[una_persson]

[At that, Una can only laugh. Because really.]

...it's not really that funny, is it?