Stage 1 ► Video [Console]

[makesright]

[ The video feed flickers on and Tom is staring into the camera, then glancing off to the side -- then smiling. He looks tired, but relieved. ]

Well, that was simple enough.

Hello, there. My name is Dr. Thomas Light. I arrived some time ago, during a festival, and... I seem to have lost some time? I'm not sure what day it is, but I have one of these now --

[ He holds up his arm, motioning toward the simple metal bracelet on his wrist, with a dark stone set neatly inside it where a watch face would normally be. ]

If anyone could be so kind as to tell me how long I was out? And why I woke up... somewhere completely different?

[ A quick glance at the world behind him reveals he's in the... water sector. ]

Comments

video;

[craftlife]

[Deon briefly looks like he can't believe what he's seeing, before breaking out into a grin.]

Dr. Light! It's good to see you!

video;

[makesright]

Deon! Hello! Aren't you a sight for sore eyes?

How have you been?

video;

[craftlife]

[Lately? Traumatized.]

I wasn't sure I'd ever see you again after the festival. That was about two months ago. I've been all right in the meantime.

What happened? You didn't go home?

video;

[makesright]

Should I have?

[ A pause, then a thoughtful look. That's... troubling, to say the least. Did he see his children again? Did they even know he was gone? He looks up again after a moment. ]

If I did, I don't remember.

video;

[craftlife]

[Deon looks a little troubled, too.] There've been people who were at the festival showing up here again. Not all of them remember Keeliai after they've been home.

[AND THANK GOD FOR THAT. Because a fully-healed Vincent remembering how Deon had bitchslapped him in a fit of impulsive rage? There'd be no safe place in Keeliai for the young engineer.]

audio;

[skeletonenigma]

The Ni Zhihuan festival was almost exactly two months ago.

[There's a short pause. Skulduggery didn't meet Dr. Light personally, but proof that the temporary Foreigners from the festival can come back is a piece of good news he wasn't expecting.]

Do you remember anything in between now and then? Did you go home first?

audio;

[makesright]

Two months!

[Tom shakes his head, looking bewildered.]

I feel like I just slept through the night. I don't recall going home.

audio;

[skeletonenigma]

[That's interesting. And a little worrying.

But now that Skulduggery's here, he might as well be helpful.]

Has anyone explained what the gem is?

audio;

[makesright]

Only that not having one got me free admission into that crowded hotel last time -- and it was a very strange thing that I didn't have one.

What is it, exactly?

video

[looksfine]

[A warm, pleased smile is the very first thing Dr. Light will see upon Aya's initial console visual receptor activation. She paused just long enough to adequately process his questions, in order to provide the most useful answers.]

According to my calculations, it has been approximately 73 days since we last spoke. [Give or take] You have woken up in an alternate location because you have since departed from this world, returned to yours, and were brought back at a later point in time and space.

Re: video

[makesright]

Aya.

[ He matches that smile, happy to see another familiar face. ]

I don't recall going home -- if that's what happened, it must have been quick.

[ His expression falls at that. He didn't even get an opportunity to speak with his kids. ]

video

[looksfine]

From your perspective, that is the most likely scenario.

[She could not speak from personal experience, having never left the world herself, but rather from second-hand accounts and theoretical mathematical equations that would account for the discrepancies.]

It is also entirely possible you were never brought back to your own world, but simply displaced for the aforementioned duration. As such, you would technically have been transported through time only, from the moment you last recall to now.

video

[makesright]

I see. I've done some basic tests on spacetime manipulation back home to design an AI intelligent enough to handle the technology that was being developed, so I do know a... basic thing or two about displacement, though I'm hardly a quantum physicist.

I understand there's some sort of magic pulling us in -- I suppose, given all the scientists already here, that force has been measured and observed to the best of our ability. Has anyone managed to gather useful data on it? Perhaps that might shed some light on my displacement.

audio

[pushtheboundaries]

[guess who isn't even responding to the comm at first

guess who's just in water sector and then when he realizes he's still not a hundred percent sure of...where exactly...Tom is...

...but what if okay you know what let's try something]

Long enough, Thomas.

audio

[makesright]

[ Tom's eyes light up at the sound of that voice, and his smile is audible when he speaks.]

Robert! I was hoping you'd respond!

audio

[pushtheboundaries]

[well, if his smile wasn't audible then, it sure as hell is now]

Where are you? Are you still in Water Sector?

audio

[makesright]

[ That brightness in Robert's voice makes his heart pound that much stronger, and this time he knows it's not just nerves. It's almost embarrassing.]

I am. At the very least, if I'm going to have a miniature crisis, this is certainly the place to do it. I'm sure I'd find this sector very relaxing under better circumstances.

[whitelotustile]

Ah, hello again, and welcome back. You just missed us coming to port.

Iroh :D :D :D

[makesright]

Thank you. I'm afraid port might be a bit overwelming for me, anyway - I've barely taken in the city as it is!

I'm afraid I don't recall you from my last time here, but I'm pleased to meet you, mister...?

Re: Iroh :D :D :D

[whitelotustile]

Iroh. Just Iroh. No need to stand on formality.

[makesright]

Iroh. It's a pleasure.

Well, as long as we're foregoing formalities, you can just call me Thomas. Honestly, given the varying state of technology in this place, I'm not sure how much value my doctorate even has here!

[ the way he says it, it's clearly a joke, because of course his education was important and expensive ]

/late :U

[akito]

[ :|a ]

...Ah! You're that Santa Claus guy that Oyaji-sensei made friends with?

:U

[makesright]

[ Tom laughs at that, remembering the last time he was here, and really did meet Santa. ]

No, I'm afraid not. Santa's much taller than I am!

Though I suppose its an easy enough mistake to make.

[akito]

There was an actual Santa here? [ you're lucky he even noticed you - he was so wrapped up with his 'twin' he barely paid attention to anyone else. ]

[makesright]

There was! Quite a spry fellow. Lots of fun, and fascinating to talk to.

Good to know you still believe in him. He'd be happy to hear that. What's your name?