Move 3.3 Recap

Requested reports: messages involving Alaric, Jedao, Reshad, Sasha, Sulen, and Xiulan

After the meeting, Xiulan sends a report to Sasha on evacuation plans. She recommends keeping sufficient supplies aboard the moths and having people ready to handle the weapons on them. She has flagged a request for information about people who can use the Cantata's weapons. She also asks whether the base has critical supplies other than food.

Early in the morning, Jedao sends a report on the known abilities of Heptarch Nirai Kujen to Reshad and Sasha:

Known abilities:

• Immortality by jumping into and possessing other people, range unknown; ability usually drives the host mad in short order unless they are specially chosen to fit an unknown psych profile
• Notably, can survive the death of the initial host body. Unknown whether he can persist in ghost form without a host.

Known skills:

• administration (R&D divisions)
• psych surgery, including drastic personality modification
• calendrical mathematics
• stardrive R&D, specifically as relates to mothdrives
• gate-space mathematics and mechanics
• warmoth weapons R&D, including threshold winnowers (experimental)

Notes:

• I have seen tests and demonstrations of his weapons research and can attest his effectiveness. I am unfortunately unable to assess the extent of his knowledge in mathematics and physics as I lack expertise in those subjects.
• I have strong reason to believe that Heptarch Kujen is responsible for the prevalance of torture in the high calendar ca. 850 (my timeline).
• Kujen is highly risk-averse, and terrible at small-unit tactics even in simulation.

Reshad sends a quick thank-you.

Sasha forwards the report to Sulen and Xiulan. She also sends it to Alaric, with an added question: "can u figure out mechanism? need defense vs. undying ghost. lmk if u want to task Remi/Shess/Cantata to help w/ details." Alaric reflects that this strategy is "obviously inferior to ripping out your heart and placing it in the care of a reputable institution, but fascinating." He promises to work on the problem, adding, "when you say defense do you mean 'prevent hijacking slash infiltration' of individuals or 'best defense is a good offense' where you want to kill the ghost. more than the ghost is already killed." Sasha replies, "def. A. possibly also B, depends on assigned mission + ongoing threat level assessment + difficulty of implementation."

In response to the report, Sulen messages, "In my time the Nirai seemed baffled by the rifts. Perhaps worth considering if this secret heptarch had more information than the Rahal were led to believe." Sasha replies, "Or if he found more information, later. Thanks."

Around 06:00, Xiulan responds to the report with thanks: "Good thing we’re a small unit. You brokering questions or want to meet with involved individuals later?" Sasha, who has been checking the new team members' augments and electronics, replies, "Pls. share questions. Meetings TBA pending briefing. ~S." She dry-swallows a caffeine antagonist, digs a blanket out of her bottom desk drawer, and curls up under her desk to nap.

Breakfast arrivals: Dar, Jedao, Remi, Reshad, Sasha, Sulen, and the mothlings

Dar lays out a breakfast spread, working quickly and repurposing some of the leftovers from the previous night's party. Istradez looks extremely grateful; he takes duck buns and coffee. Dar offers him a lopsided smile and a little bow. Gerae takes sweets and more coffee. He watches Fluffy and the nestlings on his slate.

Sasha and Xiulan arrive around a quarter past 08:00; Sasha drinks black tea with a stim, while Xiulan chooses green tea. Xiulan quietly introduces herself to Istradez and Gerae. Sasha thanks her for the report on evacuation options.

Jedao follows a few minutes later; he has already exercised, and looks for protein. Remi appears shortly before the meeting is scheduled to start. He has made a sort of mesh torus that allows him to wear the mothlings around his neck. Reshad greets Remi and the mothlings, noticing that he has chosen not to be separated from them.

Sulen arrives, carrying the magenta pseudo-dragon. They add a large quantity of powdered stimulants to a mug of black tea and ask Sasha, "Any updates since last night?" Shrugging, Sasha says, "You saw the reports. Do you have any sense of where they're leaning?"

Before the meeting: Ashari and Seyli; Ashari and Sasha

Seyli arrives for the morning meeting early. Noticing Ashari's agitation, they ask, "Is everything all right?" Ashari tells them, "I'm as all right as any of us are. I don't know who started rumormongering about the emptiness of this timeline, but I suppose it's hard to get people not to talk. You're military, right? It's good to have some more practical people in the mix." With a ferocious grin, they add, "I would never be accused of being practical, of course. Not in public." Seyli confirms, "Ex-Kel," reflecting that they are not about to "throw Sasha out of an airlock like that" for her part in information-sharing.

Ashari says, "Both halves of that are good. We have a few too many foxes...but of course, one fox is a fox too many, isn't that the saying? At least the party gave people a chance to blow off some steam, and me time to make some inquiries." Seyli says, "I'd agree with that statement. It was...unconventional, but I enjoyed the chance to dress up." Apparently pleased, Ashari says, "Good, good. I always appreciate someone who knows how to have a good time. It'll probably be your last chance for extravagance for a little bit." Seyli says, "Not something I indulge in often, but it was...good."

Sasha joins the conversation, bowing hastily to Ashari and nodding to Seyli. She asks, "Is there an agenda for this meeting?" Seyli nods in return and moves away. Baring their teeth, Ashari says, "One: the very empty universe. Two: our need to evacuate the base. Three: a plan for your crew to get the hell out of here. Four: your next mission. Anything you'd like to add?"

Stepping closer to Ashari, Sasha asks, "Are you familiar with the situation involving the heptarch Remi na Kujen?" Eyebrows raised high, Ashari says, "I am not. Pray do tell. I presume, since you are bringing it up now, that it's a matter of some urgency." Sasha explains, "Jedao was in contact with a Nirai who was pushing him to test the threshold winnowers. This Nirai was a ghost, able to possess the bodies of others, and to jump into a new body if the old one was killed. I don't know if he possessed the official Nirai heptarch, or if they shared power in some way. We learned last night that Remi is the person who became, in Jedao's timeline, this ghost Kujen. I don't think Remi is a danger to us. But I think we have to ask why Quill wanted him, and if she knew of this secret heptarch."

Eyes narrowing, Ashari says, "Quill does seem to be collecting heptarchs and hexarchs, doesn't she? You were right to flag this for my attention. I want you to put it to the science team--is there some kind of high-and-mighty calendrical attack that would involve the heptarchs like this, or is this 'merely' timeline meddling?" Sasha confirms, "This ghost might still hold power, in Mishka's day. I will ask." Ashari says, "Good. Anything else? Please say no." Despite their words, they are clearly listening. Sasha tells them, "Nothing that we can't cover during the meeting."

More breakfast: Ione, Remi, Seyli, and the mothlings

Seyli chooses a selection of food and some sweet black tea and takes a seat beside Remi, asking, "Can I help feed them? I had fun last night spending time with them." Ione sits near them, smiling at Remi's mothling necklace. Remi nods to Ione and Seyli, looking a little bit tense. He tells Seyli, "I'm sure they'd enjoy a chance to interact, if you don't find them too distracting." He places the mothling ring in his lap, and a few tentacles reach toward Seyli. Seyli enjoys playing with the moths and feeding them breakfast.