004; video; notably completely unencrypted;

[ruinsprofessor]

[Raine hesitates, for a very short moment, at the start of the video feed before firming the line of her mouth and plunging ahead. She looks tired, but determined.]

For those of you who don’t know me, I’m Raine Sage. Please pay attention; I’ll try to keep this brief.

[She sounds more like she’s lecturing a classroom than delivering potentially shattering news.]

If you have previously thought none of this affects you, or if you simply missed the information, at the end of last month our enemy asked us to guess where it really is. Some of you will have already formed your own conclusions about this; I know I’ve certainly talked to some who have.

[Deep breath.]

There’s sufficient data with independent verification that I’m now sure, and everyone needs to be aware of this, sooner rather than later.

Our enemy has possessed Asti himself.

[A pause, considering. Well, the words are out now, no taking them back.]

That’s all. If you wish me to justify myself, either my conclusions or my lack of caution, I’ll do so, but more pressing right now is coming together to find a way forward, now that everyone is apprised of how severe the situation is.

[She lifts her chin a little then, and adds, not to any Foreigner but to the being she is pretty sure is watching,] Well? Do you care to confirm or deny?

---

[ooc; this actually is directly related to Nilin’s post a few days ago! I have talked this out with a few people, Xhan (Nilin-mun) included, and I’m keeping track of what’s happening there for continuity’s sake, but Raine is unfortunately not the most subtle person in the world and is past the point of waiting and watching. For questions comments plotting or concerns, I can be reached at makaricrow, ceryu (AIM), or makari.crow@gmail.com.]

Comments

[insertdadjoke]

[ The letters take a moment to decipher and a bit of entertained headtilting is involved, but he does get the message. He quirks a brow at her and gestures that he might have the pencil next. ]

Clever, but tricky to tell. If we wanted to be the height of paranoid we could adopt man-made cypher languages that he would be unlikely to know how to decipher.

Some kind of transcendental language that even applies to writing. I even know those languages they were replying in and I still saw all his replies as my native one.

[ruinsprofessor]

[She hands it over when asked, takes it back when he's done to read. Hm.]

There's one generally reliable way to get its attention, it seems. It's no guarantee, but it's been talkative enough lately that I imagine it'd respond to its name.

I wonder if it's actually a universal language, or something else, relating to how we're all translated to each other in the first place. It is part of the turtle, after all... Hm.

[If its ability to make itself understood to anyone is at all telepathic, a cypher probably won't work, but the idea itself is a good one, and she likes the way he's thinking.]

Did you have other specific questions?

[insertdadjoke]

We would want to get its attention... Why? I thought the idea was avoiding it.

Like voice but in text. Maybe he just got the translation function booted when we weren't looking.

[ Cain considers that. ]

Are there any plans in place yet?

[ruinsprofessor]

[The look she gives him is wry. Plans? Of course not. What group does he think he's talking about.]

There's value in being able to control the flow of information.

Not yet, to my knowledge, but it's possible others have ideas in mind already. If they have, however, they're keeping it close. [Which is wise, but frustrating, and part of why she made that network post; it's difficult to have a strategy when no one's on the same page.]

[insertdadjoke]

[ One he obviously doesn't know well enough yet. That look says it all, however, and he offers a guileless shrug in response. ]

Tell him something we want him to hear, then.

Give it time, I guess. This is new information, isn't it? Relatively new.

[ruinsprofessor]

To the city at large, yes.

[She's been mulling it over a little longer than that.]

I expect there'll be some movement soon, at any rate. Even if it's merely reactive.

[When she takes the notebook back she doesn't keep writing, just taps the pen against the page, thinking.]

[insertdadjoke]

Hey, if you hear anything, let me know. [ He offers a small smile. ] Can't say I'll do anything with it, but more eyes on the problem always helps.

[ruinsprofessor]

I will. [A little smile back, but a tired one.] Other points of view are always helpful. Thank you.