tushanshu | 2nd Kill ~ Console / Video

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2nd Kill ~ Console / Video

So, bein' the community-minded fellow I am, I found something when walking in the Metal Sector this mornin'...

[Down an alleyway. Don't ask why he was there.]

...It says "Etra va, ilso Deo." Now, I'm a wee bit rusty, but... it sounds Latin to me.

[He holds up something to the camera.]

The back is covered in blood, but... it says... Tetravaal Robotics Division... whatever that means. This doesn't look native, so... Any claimers?

[He's fully aware that there may be more words under the blood, and that "etra va" could be Tetravaal, too, but... Well, he'd like to keep some of his intelligence to himself.]

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[The man at the console is one Shay may have seen around the Hotel and has a few shadows creeping over his shoulders down to the console's controls. He's also got a number of thin healed scars across his face and around his eyes, and gazes into unseeingly into the distance.

[Also, he sounds slightly annoyed. With a faint but cultured Irish accent.]

Deo is the dative singular of the Latin deus, but the rest are smattering of Spanish and Italian.

[And one case of nothing at all, as far as Solomon can tell.]

The back of what?

[In contrast to Shay's broader, common tones, Solomon's accent is even more cultured.]

It's dual-sided, but the back is mostly covered in dried blood. I don't want to wash it off, in case it's important.

Which does not in the least bit answer my question.

[Flatly, and he motions at his face.]

I can't see. What are you talking about?

Oh.

[Fuck. Well...]

I, uh... [He looks down at the ID badge, turning it over in his hand, frowning at it.] I'll be honest... I don't even know what it is... It's three inches long, two inches wide. Has a black strip across the back, fastened to something that extends when you pull on it. It's also made from some hard material, slightly bendable... Nothing I've come across before.

[A soft sigh.]

I'm sorry, I'm not much help, am I?

[It takes a moment, frowning, before Solomon slots the clues into place; after that, it seems stupidly obvious. It has writing on it, on a lanyard, 'Division' ...]

It's an identification badge. It's made of plastic--a synthetic material. Etra va ... That's most likely part of the word 'Tetravaal'; the words don't collectively make sense otherwise.

[Drumming his fingers on the dash. This is the most he's had to put his mind to in weeks. Fixating? Hell yes.]

Tetra is Greek, implying an aspect of four. Vaal is a river in South Africa, but other than that I can't be sure. 'Ilso' and 'deo' are probably incomplete words as well. Whyever do you think blood could be so important as to not wash it off?

[True, the kedan probably have some kind of testing facility at the hospital, but Solomon doubts they have a large DNA database, in which case the blood is practically useless. Same for any fingerprints that might be on it. Besides which, taking pictures of its state, a sample of the blood and then washing it off would be perfectly serviceable for an investigation.]

I don't know. I'm new here, and, well... I've come across me fair share of artefacts that don't like being disturbed.

[A shrug; the sound of heavy leather.]

Besides, it's not mine to tamper with. If no-one gets back to me regarding it, I'll clean it up.

[Solomon lifts an eyebrow.]

It's an identification badge; it's hardly an 'artefact', and it's certainly not meant to be bloodied. If you wipe off the blood, it'll say who it belongs to. Then all you have to do is ask around for the name. But, if you're that worried, can you tell me which parts of the 'ilso deo' words have been cut off? It's only a matter of extrapolation after that.

[Shay's tone is clipped when he responds, because, excuse you, princess.]

We don't have things like identification badges where I come from. For all I know, it could have exploded, or be a key to something.

[And then back to normal tones.]

It looks like the first part is covered on the first word, last on the second. The blood splatter is only over the edge on the first word, that means it's missing a letter, but there's blood just after the N. Could be the middle of a word.

[Solomon's expression and tone don't change all that much. He's too used to people being annoyed over his simple existence for it to have much effect. How many ways could 'identification badge' be construed, anyway?]

Hence my explanation of what it was. ID badges usually use surname-first name format, so the 'Deo' is most likely part of the first name. That would give us Deodatus, Deoiridh, Deon, Deonne, Deorsa, Deorwine ...

[Hm. He'd have thought there would be more.]

Deon is the most common among those, at least in worlds with ID badges. 'Ilso' ends on an N, only missing one letter? Running under the assumption you can see five letters, single 'L', it could be Gilson, Milson, Nilson, Wilson. Of those, 'Wilson' is the most common. If it's double 'L', it could be Tillson.

Or.

[And here's a thought;]

We could wait for whoever's it is to own up. Give it a couple of days, if no-one's answered, then we can do word games to find out who it is.

[A pause.]

I'm sorry, I can't offer anything else for you to use your mind, sir, all other puzzles I have require the use of the eyes.

[... Is he serious? Good grief, he is serious. Solomon's face shows his disbelief.]

The owner could be bleeding to death somewhere and you'd rather wait and see whether they show up before investigating their potential presence? Well, I'm glad Keeliai hasn't been inundated by the heroic types of late.

[That takes a callous apathy even Solomon finds dangerous.]

There wasn't a body, nor a trail of blood indicating anyone had staggered or walked away.

[He even scanned the area with his Eagle Vision. Nothing much pertaining to his mystery person. The trail dies off after a while.]

If I thought someone was in danger, I wouldn't have come to this... network. I would have looked myself. Which I did.

[His tone takes on a colder note.]

Looks to have been there a while, the blood is dried, and any trail was dead when I looked into it too far past the Metal Sector. At least a day, or two. Considerin' we haven't heard about any deaths or bodies, and I think death is a big thing, even on Keeliai, I'd assume whoever owns this is still alive.

[A pause.]

And before you question my investigative skills, I have ways of tracking people. There's a set of tracks, animal-like, heading out of the alley. There's drag-marks, and they seem to go in the direction of the Water District, which is where the Healer's Guild is located.

Animal-like?

[He looks thoughtful. There aren't many large animals on the turtle's back, especially not ones that roamed the city at will. He's heard of a wolf, but not in connection with a name. Then, finally, he shrugs. Solomon isn't the type to make apologies, so he doesn't. He does sound sardonic.]

Good for you. Next time it might be a good idea to lead with that, however, seeing as--as you say--death and bloodied items are big things even in Keeliai.

Aye. They would seem to be wolf-like, just... a bit bigger.

[And that's fine; Shay makes his slight distaste known in his voice.]

I'll bear that in mind next time.

There is a rather large wolf in the area, but who owns it--or, as the case may be, who it is--I don't know.

[And now he has nothing with which to occupy himself. Damn. Solomon sighs.]

Ah, well. Good day.

[But he doesn't really wait for a response before signing off.]

[Deon had been going through the archived console posts to get an idea of what he'd gotten himself into, showing up here. Imagine his shock when he sees his ID badge staring at him. He'd never even noticed that it had been missing...but then again, he'd had other things on his mind.

He sounds a little surprised.] Hey - that's mine. [And also, it's his blood. Whoops.] It must have fallen off my belt on the way to the doctors. Healers. Whichever.

[That's a nice way to say 'I got dragged to the Healers' Guild by a terrifying hellwolf', Deon.]

[Oh. He'd almost forgotten about that.]

So, this... ID badge is yours? Want it back?

Er...

[He's not entirely sure that he does, to be honest. Especially if it's all covered in dried blood. His own dried blood, come to that. But...it is one of the few things he has left of home. Even if he doesn't much care to think of Tetravaal right now.]

Yeah, all right.

[There's a pause, there, one that Shay has noticed. He frowns slightly.]

Are you sure? I can throw it away if there's a reason you don't want it.

No, no, it's okay. I should probably have it back. Even if it's not going to be any use to me anymore.

Want me to wash it?

[He's not particularly keen on handling his own blood.]

If you wouldn't mind...?

My pleasure. Where should we meet up so I can return this?

The Hotel? The lobby.

Aye. I'll be there in a few minutes.

[And Deon turns around and gets up from the console in the lobby, trying to stay still and pacing around all the same. He's always been twitchy and fidgety.]

[And, entering the lobby, is the man Deon was speaking to over the network. He notices Deon almost straight away, walking towards him.]

Ah, hello, [Deon says, turning towards Shay.

...wow, he's short.]

Thanks for getting here so quickly.

Well, it's not like I have anything better to do.

[He reaches around to a pouch on his belt, opening it, and fishing the ID card out.]

There was quite a bit of blood on it. Are you alright?

Yes, I'm fine now. [And he is. Aqua and Raine had really fixed him up properly.] I was just in a little trouble when I arrived.

[Or dying of a gut wound. Six of one, half a dozen of the other.]

[Eyeing the ID card as he holds it out, he goes back to studying Deon. Rather openly.

He's being assessed by a man quite considerably shorter than he is.]

I'd say more than just a little.

[Deon is visibly uncomfortable thinking about it. And also uncomfortable being studied.] Anyway, I'm out of trouble now, so.

Alright.

[Hand still extended with the ID card in his gloved hand. He's now meeting Deon's gaze... granted having to crane his neck a tad.]

Thanks. Er. I'm Deon. That's what the badge says. "Deon Wilson". Or I guess "Wilson Deon", because it goes in surname-first order...

[Quit babbling, son.]

[You're also getting a bland look, there, Deon, because he's not that stupid, lad.]

Shay Cormac.

[Offers a hand.]

A pleasure.

[Thanks for saving him from himself.]

Right, well, [he says, and shakes Shay's hand.] Good to meet you, Shay.

[And the ID card gets pressed into his hand by Shay's other.]

Pleasure's mine, Master Wilson. Just try to keep tighter hold o'ya possessions next time, eh?

I'll do my best, [he says ruefully.]

Good.

[A pause.]

Now you have my attention, anything else I can help you with?

Not at the moment? You've really done me a solid here, so thank you.

...A solid what?

Um...it's just a figure of speech, when someone does you a favor.

...Right.

Well, no problem. It wasn't exactly out of me way.

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2nd Kill ~ Console / Video

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