(IC) Lost in Dreams (Julian)

[TGLS]

Originally Posted by ericthered

Albak: "You will be safe on Koru. Its not a war zone like Panogos."

"Bumundo wasn't a war zone either."

Originally Posted by ericthered

I think he'd still be at Panogos, and he might still be waiting on his pile of money. I'm not planning to jump him after just five days.

Eh, I figured we'd be in gloss over time by now if things went as planned.

Originally Posted by ericthered

"Twenty two, twenty one, twenty... three, two, one. You're in excellent shape. Now we're going to rest you for five minutes. While you're resting we're going to do a 3D scan of your intestines. You remember the fluid you drank earlier?

"Yeah, it tasted horrible."

Originally Posted by ericthered

His dinner is quite late, in an empty cafeteria. He's told the next day he'll eat with everyone else.

I really hope I don't stick out any...

Originally Posted by ericthered

In the morning, he wakes up to an alarm he did not set without any recognizable source: speakers must be built into the walls.

Like most alarms, loud and annoying. I get up and wave my arms around. "I'm awake! I'm awake! Turn it off!"

Originally Posted by ericthered

And then begins a dedicated attempt to quantify everything astropic that he can do, starting with the Telekenesis. (Did I give you stats on that?)

Here we go:

Originally Posted by ericthered

*Jullian has TK 5

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by TGLS

"Bumundo wasn't a war zone either."

Albak: "Tell me about Bumundo."

Albak will keep asking questions about it until Julian stops answering questions, or until he has about as much detail as the diary.

Eh, I figured we'd be in gloss over time by now if things went as planned.

Us the players or us the characters? I think there would actually be more to resolve if he was trying to get his hands on his fortune while dodging Loyalist forces.

"Yeah, it tasted horrible."

I'm not going to disagree with that...

I really hope I don't stick out any...

Santiago: "You'll do fine. They'll all be older than you, but just sit and listen. Or answer questions. We'll watch out for you."

Like most alarms, loud and annoying. I get up and wave my arms around. "I'm awake! I'm awake! Turn it off!"

The alarm turns off. Santiago gives more specific instructions on how to turn it off, though it appears that his instructions were sufficient already ("Turn Alarm Off", spoken)

He eats breakfast. It seems he's in an adult cafeteria. The food is really good. Everyone seems to know exactly who he is.

Julian gets a real workout with his TK. The weight lifted is measured. the speed is measured. The range is measured. His brain activity measured in more ways than he can count or understand. They try to measure directions he can do it with. They check directionality. They check what he can do blind. Some of the results seem to be expected, some of them are surprizes. He seems to be weaker than all but younger starpus.

The lessons today are on astropic physiology and concordance history.

The next day is Telepathy. They start with other astropic humans. They have a team of two, who seem to be researchers themselves. They're particuarly interested in his range, which is well over an order of magnitude greater than anyone else who can do it, and something about his brain activity has Santiago saying "That's enough! Today is for baselines. You'll get your chance later!"

[TGLS]

Originally Posted by ericthered

Albak: "Tell me about Bumundo."

Albak will keep asking questions about it until Julian stops answering questions, or until he has about as much detail as the diary.

And Julian will answer questions about Bumundo until he feels that Albak is patronizing him. Which will either be fast or not at all given that he'll start with its strange location (i.e. Above the Sun and Clouds) and then into describing Vasic.

If the questioning continues, I'm sure at some point Albak is going to ask, "Why were you kidnapped on Bumundo". If so,

I realize that I should have realized he'd ask about this earlier, and consider lying about it, saying I don't know why. Then I think about how he said I should think about him as a resource, and I decide to tell the truth. "The truth is, I'm a piece of Vasic."

Originally Posted by ericthered

Us the players or us the characters? I think there would actually be more to resolve if he was trying to get his hands on his fortune while dodging Loyalist forces.

Originally Posted by ericthered

Santiago: "You'll do fine. They'll all be older than you, but just sit and listen. Or answer questions. We'll watch out for you."

He eats breakfast. It seems he's in an adult cafeteria. The food is really good. Everyone seems to know exactly who he is.

Well, only one way to figure out how people feel about me. I walk up to one group with space, "H-hi. Can I eat with you?"

Originally Posted by ericthered

Julian gets a real workout with his TK. The weight lifted is measured. the speed is measured. The range is measured. His brain activity measured in more ways than he can count or understand. They try to measure directions he can do it with. They check directionality. They check what he can do blind. Some of the results seem to be expected, some of them are surprizes. He seems to be weaker than all but younger starpus.

Like, surprises in terms of precision?

Originally Posted by ericthered

The lessons today are on astropic physiology and concordance history.

Particular topic in history? Any chance it contradicts anything I read while on Panogos?

Originally Posted by ericthered

The next day is Telepathy. They start with other astropic humans. They have a team of two, who seem to be researchers themselves. They're particuarly interested in his range, which is well over an order of magnitude greater than anyone else who can do it, and something about his brain activity has Santiago saying "That's enough! Today is for baselines. You'll get your chance later!"

"Why's my range so big, but my telekinesis so weak? I haven't used either until this week."

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by TGLS

And Julian will answer questions about Bumundo until he feels that Albak is patronizing him. Which will either be fast or not at all given that he'll start with its strange location (i.e. Above the Sun and Clouds) and then into describing Vasic.

If the questioning continues, I'm sure at some point Albak is going to ask, "Why were you kidnapped on Bumundo". If so,

I realize that I should have realized he'd ask about this earlier, and consider lying about it, saying I don't know why. Then I think about how he said I should think about him as a resource, and I decide to tell the truth. "The truth is, I'm a piece of Vasic."

Albak takes it all in without asking for any proof, but never seems to be patronizing.

Well, only one way to figure out how people feel about me. I walk up to one group with space, "H-hi. Can I eat with you?"

"Yeah, why not? have a seat."


They then talk about various vacations they plan to take over the course of the next two months.

Like, surprises in terms of precision?

The exact Strength. The sudden dropoff on his range. His inability to effect much blind (starpus seem to be able to "see" with that sense).

Particular topic in history? Any chance it contradicts anything I read while on Panogos?

Panogos is generally skeptical of the story you're hearing, claiming its a sculpted/cherry picked/ made up founding myth, but it it can't actually contradict anything.

"Why's my range so big, but my telekinesis so weak? I haven't used either until this week."

Scientist: "Probably because your astropic brain is built differently than starpus or the K672 mutation*. Its just the way it its. Why it has so many capabilities outside of the Koru environment is the real question."



*The K672 mutation is the official name of the genetic marker that makes concordance astropics.

[TGLS]

Originally Posted by ericthered

Albak takes it all in without asking for any proof, but never seems to be patronizing.

Strangely, not asking for proof feels less believing than asking for proof...

Though given the threaded timeline a glowing kid on public transit might not be ideal...

Originally Posted by ericthered

"Yeah, why not? have a seat."

They then talk about various vacations they plan to take over the course of the next two months.

Well this is an awkward conversation topic... I keep quiet. Maybe in two years?

Originally Posted by ericthered

The exact Strength. The sudden dropoff on his range. His inability to effect much blind (starpus seem to be able to "see" with that sense).

"How well do Starpus even see? Maybe they just got really good to compensate for poor sight."

Originally Posted by ericthered

Panogos is generally skeptical of the story you're hearing, claiming its a sculpted/cherry picked/ made up founding myth, but it it can't actually contradict anything.

I suppose they really don't have much ability to independently research Concordance history though.

Originally Posted by ericthered

Scientist: "Probably because your astropic brain is built differently than starpus or the K672 mutation. Its just the way it its. Why it has so many capabilities outside of the Koru environment is the real question."

"So... The mutation happened to the people living on Koru?"

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by TGLS

Well this is an awkward conversation topic... I keep quiet. Maybe in two years?

Julian sits and listens. I expect this may become a habit.

"How well do Starpus even see? Maybe they just got really good to compensate for poor sight."

Technician: "Starpus have vision, though our sight is better, ever underwater. Its possible they get used to doing this without the aid of vision. Or that you overly rely on vision as part of your process."

I suppose they really don't have much ability to independently research Concordance history though.

No, not really!

"So... The mutation happened to the people living on Koru?"

Scientist: "No, the mutation appeared in Cyrus Mirish a century and a half or so before Koru was discovered. There is some debate is that is a coincidence or if bearers of the M672 gene were drawn to the planet by some trace astropic phenomenon."


***********************************


Julian will have a week of this sort of thing. I'm looking at his disadvantages to see which will trigger. What reactions to you expect?



Nightmares haunt his dreams. They include a few new characters and aspects (which ones would you expect to show up most strongly?). Santiago notes he's not sleeping well, an inquisitive tone in her voice.

[TGLS]

Originally Posted by ericthered

Julian sits and listens. I expect this may become a habit.

Depending on how much they know about Julian's situation and how much they talk about things at the Academy, they might not ask Julian about what he does beyond the Academy and they're might be little for Julian to add beyond, "What/Where's that?" and "Whoa, cool".

Originally Posted by ericthered

Scientist: "No, the mutation appeared in Cyrus Mirish a century and a half or so before Koru was discovered. There is some debate is that is a coincidence or if bearers of the M672 gene were drawn to the planet by some trace astropic phenomenon."

"So how sure are you that it started with him? Maybe it's been around for some time."

Originally Posted by ericthered

Julian will have a week of this sort of thing. I'm looking at his disadvantages to see which will trigger. What reactions to you expect?

Apart from nightmares:

Bad Temper might trigger if someone's less than kind with him.
He probably has to time to do Curious beyond inquisitive questions.
Low-Self Image will probably trigger if he fails at some challenge they designed to test his powers.
He might feel that he might lose out on his requisitioning suddenly, and might just start requisitioning things to satisfy his Miserliness.
Everything's so controlled I don't think Panic Attacks will trigger
If someone who's nice to him gets into trouble or does something sketchy, he'd probably want help out, either by getting involved (albeit in a scared way) or by looking the other way.
I suppose he might be put on a higher calorie diet to compensate for being very underweight

Originally Posted by ericthered

Nightmares haunt his dreams. They include a few new characters and aspects (which ones would you expect to show up most strongly?).

Time for an example!

I find myself standing over a girl's body, face down. I can't tell who it's supposed to be, my head says Myla and my heart says Aura, but I'm holding a knife and my hands are covered in blood. I drop the knife and stumble backward. I didn't mean to hurt her.

A door slams open and a large imposing man enters. He resembles Beatty but he speaks with Tarbreth's voice. He looms over me, pushing me into the wall as he berates me for what I've done. I apologize and apologize, but he only grows angrier. Eventually, he grows tired with my pathetic excuses and slams me into the wall, but it gives way.

I tumble over the wall, now short enough to be a railing on a platform, I swing my arms around in sheer panic, hoping to find something to grasp to save myself from certain death. I find a hold on a vegetative cliff side; it's precarious but I'm saved for a moment. I gratefully hear the sounds of a crowd, but I'm shocked as I see Royal standing above. We share no words, just a silent moment, before she turns away. The crowd is apathetic to my further cries for help, and my grip slips.

I'm in free fall again. The wind whips past me as I pick up speed. My vision fades, and I find myself in another research room, strapped to a gurney. I hear the Paldrian, Florence and Santiago discussing me. They eventually decide I'm no longer useful. Paulis Tatim approaches me, and I try to bargain with her, but he has none of it. He takes a pillow from behind my head and begins to smother me with it.

I wake with a start, face down on my pillow. In a panic, I roll out of bed, desperate to get away from the pillow. I sit on the floor, next to my bed, thoroughly rattled.

Originally Posted by ericthered

Santiago notes he's not sleeping well, an inquisitive tone in her voice.

"I haven't slept well in a long time. Bad dreams I guess."

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by TGLS

Depending on how much they know about Julian's situation and how much they talk about things at the Academy, they might not ask Julian about what he does beyond the Academy and they're might be little for Julian to add beyond, "What/Where's that?" and "Whoa, cool".

They are quite slow and reluctant to ask him questions, so he probably just listens (and hopefully learns)

"So how sure are you that it started with him? Maybe it's been around for some time."

"The Mirish Family lived on a deep space vessel. Genetic monitoring was standard. We have complete Genomes of the whole ship."


"M672 is just a marker though. There is a whole complex of genetics that matters, its just that M672 is a good way to find it and it seems to be a good predictor of Astropic ability."

He might feel that he might lose out on his requisitioning suddenly, and might just start requisitioning things to satisfy his Miserliness.

That almost certainly happens. He'll quickly find he can get most things he asks for, but he won't have much time to use them.

Everything's so controlled I don't think Panic Attacks will trigger

I suppose he might be put on a higher calorie diet to compensate for being very underweight

True enough... that's exactly the sort of thing Santiago would do. Not much story there though.

He probably has to time to do Curious beyond inquisitive questions.

Hmmm. What in this place is going to trigger curious? He's been seperated from the Starpus, I was expecting more action on that angle. Would trying to get to see his file be tempting? Trying to figure out what the limits of the area he is in are?

Low-Self Image will probably trigger if he fails at some challenge they designed to test his powers.
Bad Temper might trigger if someone's less than kind with him.

These two probably work together.

Time for an example!

So all of it crunched together.

I wake with a start, face down on my pillow. In a panic, I roll out of bed, desperate to get away from the pillow. I sit on the floor, next to my bed, thoroughly rattled.

"I haven't slept well in a long time. Bad dreams I guess."

Santiago: "You guess? Lets see what I can do about this..."


Santiago gets a prescription for a drug course that is designed to effect his sleep. Julian isn't sure at what point a doctor looked at him for that... though he spends a large portion of his current life hooked up to sensors.



The drugs seem to work: he goes into a deep sleep... but when he gets up his brain is foggy and isn't working as well. A much slower wake up.



That day is hard. This day is studying the scream. There is a lot of poking and prodding and telling him to make sure he aims right. He's not quite sure what they're having him aim at: its a new creature, and they aren't being very forthcoming about what exactly it is. He can detect it if he uses the seeker trick. Something about this whole thing makes him very cross and frustrated.

[TGLS]

Originally Posted by ericthered

That almost certainly happens. He'll quickly find he can get most things he asks for, but he won't have much time to use them.

Between rapid requisitioning and a lack of free time, Julian's room begins to resemble a teenager's room on a TV show. Over-furnished and way too tidy.

Originally Posted by ericthered

Hmmm. What in this place is going to trigger curious? He's been seperated from the Starpus, I was expecting more action on that angle.

I mean, part of that was, "well I shouldn't brazenly defy the people who've given me this good deal" and (probably correctly) assuming that telepathically shouting, "Hey Starpus! How are you doing?" would be noticed and hear no response. I kinda forgot about seeking ��.

Originally Posted by ericthered

Would trying to get to see his file be tempting?

My ears perk up at the mention of a file about me. "File? What file? What's in this file? Can I see it?"

After getting either a non-answer or a negative response,

My thoughts drift towards the file about me. What might it say about me? Why won't they show it to me? Does it say that I'm doing something wrong? I... I should look at it. Where might they be keeping it? Probably digitally, not paper. If I got their login, maybe I could read it at my leisure... No, they'd figure out that it was me who logged in. Maybe I need their device...

Originally Posted by ericthered

Trying to figure out what the limits of the area he is in are?

Originally Posted by ericthered

So all of it crunched together.

Well, not all the time. It's probably like three or so dreams mashed together.

Originally Posted by ericthered

Santiago: "You guess? Lets see what I can do about this..."

Santiago gets a prescription for a drug course that is designed to effect his sleep. Julian isn't sure at what point a doctor looked at him for that... though he spends a large portion of his current life hooked up to sensors.

Well, I guess they need all that information to do their job. Even when I'm asleep maybe I'm doing something they want to watch out for.

Originally Posted by ericthered

The drugs seem to work: he goes into a deep sleep... but when he gets up his brain is foggy and isn't working as well. A much slower wake up.

"Everything seems foggy and slow. Do I need to keep taking this drug?"

Originally Posted by ericthered

That day is hard. This day is studying the scream. There is a lot of poking and prodding and telling him to make sure he aims right. He's not quite sure what they're having him aim at: its a new creature, and they aren't being very forthcoming about what exactly it is. He can detect it if he uses the seeker trick. Something about this whole thing makes him very cross and frustrated.

"What am I screaming at?"

"Where is it?"

"I don't like being touched like that."

"Why do I have to seek it?"

"I'm trying to get it."

"Please don't poke me like that."

"Why won't you tell me what it is?"

"Seeking and screaming is hard!"

*yelps* ... "If you were sorry about poking me like that, you would have listened to me earlier!"

"I'm not getting it!"

"Just stop it! Stop it! Stop it!"

I try to get out my chair and retreat towards a corner of the room.

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by TGLS

Between rapid requisitioning and a lack of free time, Julian's room begins to resemble a teenager's room on a TV show. Over-furnished and way too tidy.

Ha.

I mean, part of that was, "well I shouldn't brazenly defy the people who've given me this good deal" and (probably correctly) assuming that telepathically shouting, "Hey Starpus! How are you doing?" would be noticed and hear no response. I kinda forgot about seeking ��.

Yeah, he's trying to be good rather than thinking "What are they really going to do about it? he's a little scared for that".

My ears perk up at the mention of a file about me. "File? What file? What's in this file? Can I see it?"

After getting either a non-answer or a negative response,

My thoughts drift towards the file about me. What might it say about me? Why won't they show it to me? Does it say that I'm doing something wrong? I... I should look at it. Where might they be keeping it? Probably digitally, not paper. If I got their login, maybe I could read it at my leisure... No, they'd figure out that it was me who logged in. Maybe I need their device...

Scientist: "You've got a bunch of files. You can look at this one... its just a bunch of readings."


Further pushing reveals that there is a giant stack of paperwork on him, and some of it is not available to him. Some in order to "not contaminate the experiment" and the rest of it is his "Criminal file".

Well, I guess they need all that information to do their job. Even when I'm asleep maybe I'm doing something they want to watch out for.

"Everything seems foggy and slow. Do I need to keep taking this drug?"

Santiago frowns: "Looks like we need to calibrate it more. We'll try a lot less next time. Did you dream?"

"What am I screaming at?"

"Where is it?"

"I don't like being touched like that."

"Why do I have to seek it?"

"I'm trying to get it."

"Please don't poke me like that."

"Why won't you tell me what it is?"

"Seeking and screaming is hard!"

*yelps* ... "If you were sorry about poking me like that, you would have listened to me earlier!"

"I'm not getting it!"

"Just stop it! Stop it! Stop it!"

I try to get out my chair and retreat towards a corner of the room.

"Hey, get back here! We're not done yet!"


"Calm down Torez."


There is a bunch of commotion. Santiago approaches Julian. "What's the problem?"
Her voice is business like, calm, but with a slight sharp edge.