ALEJO: He nods. “All good. You said the Exodus folks came and took the . . . my head right after I died?”
STORY: “Yes, and clearly reattached it to whoever’s body you’re walking around with now. Why are you asking me to repeat what you already know?”
TUELLER: “We have some gaps.”
STORY: “I’m impressed they found such a good match to your physique.”
STORY: She peers at his neck. “And no scarring.”
STORY: “Impressive.”
ALEJO: Alejo smiles again. “Well, this has been . . . enlightening. What Tueller said. Fun, thanks for the body.” He looks at Tueller and Millie. “We got what we need, yeah?”
MILLICENT: Millie swallows and nods.
TUELLER: “We are trying to track down what happened here to fill in the gaps. Do you know what system these particular Exodus folks were part of?”
TUELLER: “As Alejo says, he has some gaps, and so do we. And, as you say, this is very good work and we want to pursue it further.”
STORY: “Hm?” She’s distracted from her leering. “Oh. R&D, I believe.”
STORY: “Roti division.”
ALEJO: Alejo closes his eyes and sighs. “Right.”
STORY: We return to our crew back onboard Peregrine, en route to Alpha Centauri in pursuit of Alejo’s body.
STORY: Some questions!
STORY: Who did you ask to come with you?
STORY: Tueller, who’s head of CJH while you’re gone?
TUELLER: Akilah.
STORY: Does anyone level?
TUELLER: Checking my XP.
TUELLER: Uh, none for me, thanks.
TUELLER: http://www.jethica.com/peregrine/advancement-log/
ALEJO: Yeah, I’m looking too.
TUELLER: Alejo, you could level up into a god.
MILLICENT: I mean, it’s hard to think of what to spend it all on
ALEJO: So, quick question, do we have any idea where the body is? Would it be useful for me to spend 4 xp on a Plan?
STORY: Last time anyone saw the body, it was in Chandra’s cargo bay. You don’t know anything further than that.
TUELLER: Okay, let’s clarify. Our current plan is to find hte body, prepare proof that Alejo is duplicated and spread that amongst the galaxy, then go to the relay and say “let’s talk” to the AI’s who thus far have been kinda dicks about thee entire thing.
MILLICENT: Makes sense! We need somewhere to start
ALEJO: Okay, I feel like the Plan thing never quite works, but I’ll do it, ’cause why not. Specifically, I’ll do that and hope that I can leverage “contacts” to get us a jump start on finding it.
STORY: Ok! What’s your crew situation?
TUELLER: Fiona’s staying with Akilah. She can use a lying cat for running the Jovian moons.
ALEJO: What’s Fig doing? I mean, she was with Ryo. Might she be down for a bit of misadventure?
TUELLER: I want Akilah running CJH. Who do we have? Where is everyone? Ryo, Erwin, Esinam…who else?
ALEJO: I think no Erwin. Ryo probably needs to stay to do CJH stuff. Esi? Fig?
TUELLER: Oh hell, let’s bring them both.
ALEJO: I agree about Fig. Alejo will put up a not too hard fought objection to Esi, but he’ll give in to Tueller.
STORY: Esinam declines your invitation.
ALEJO: There you go!
STORY: She’s not interested in adventure.
STORY: So you three, Noma, and Figgan?
ALEJO: Yes!
STORY: Dr. Bolano is where?
TUELLER: With Esi.
STORY: That’s generous of you!
TUELLER: She’s had a hard couple months.
TUELLER: Sergio’s staying with CJH.
STORY: All right! And Ryo, I assume?
ALEJO: Yeah, he stays behind.
ALEJO: He’s gotta run stuff.
ALEJO: Or help run stuff.
STORY: Majordomos gotta majordomo.
STORY: Okay!
STORY: Cramped quarters or should we just summarize the trip?
MILLICENT: Will we have a chance for another one of these?
STORY: That’s up to you!
MILLICENT: This feels like our last go-round, or at least one of them
MILLICENT: I say let’s do it.
TUELLER: I know who I’m going with.
STORY: Okay! Who wants to go first?
TUELLER: I’ll go.
TUELLER: Tueller lets us get a day out of the system, and waits until Alejo and Millie are off together somewhere or otherwise occupied, and goes to talk to Noma.
TUELLER: They have not spoken since “anomaly.”
TUELLER: “Noma, dear, do you have a bit to chat?”
TUELLER: “It’s more than a chat, I must warn you.”
STORY: “Time is immaterial to my capacity to ‘chat’, Tueller.”
TUELLER: “What is material, then?”
STORY: “Interest, I suppose. What do you wish to discuss?”
TUELLER: “Us, I guess.”
TUELLER: “You and me, that is.”
STORY: “Proceed.”
TUELLER: “Yeah. Okay. So.”
STORY: “Your heart rate has increased, Tueller.”
TUELLER: “I thought there was an Us. Of some sort, at least. Even before you had a body, I thought we were…friends, at the very least. And then you had a body and I thought we were something more than that. On the relay…oh man on the relay…”
TUELLER: Tueller trails off.
TUELLER: “There was something with you and I and it meant so much to me at the time, and Remiel took that from both of us. And now you seem to want nothing to do with it at all.”
STORY: “You are right. It was… distracting. Bad for my concentration, when I needed such things. In a way, leaving my body has been a fortunate gift. I am no longer diverted by such short term considerations.”
STORY: “It would have been unfortunate if there had been significant consequences to such a distraction. Imagine if someone had been hurt on our account.”
TUELLER: Tueller is hurt but trying his best to hide it. “So you can just literally turn that off.”
STORY: “Attraction is chemical. I no longer have chemical processes influencing my thoughts.”
TUELLER: “I do.”
STORY: “That is unfortunate.”
TUELLER: “It definitely is.”
TUELLER: “Somebody did get hurt.”
TUELLER: Tueller tries to choose his words carefully here.
TUELLER: “This clinical cost-benefit analysis, treating the universe like a spreadsheet rather than filled with sentient human beings…even using that sentience as a spreadsheet…”
TUELLER: Tueller stops himself.
TUELLER: “You had feelings before you had a body.”
STORY: “Of course. I experience emotions.”
TUELLER: “You don’t sound like you do anymore. Or you want to keep them from us.”
STORY: “I left the relay having made different conclusions than you.”
STORY: “The three of you have been fixated on a course of action that I believe will harm many. I… do not think I want that.”
TUELLER: “I just miss my friend.”
STORY: “I suppose we have both changed, then.”
TUELLER: “I guess not for the better.”
TUELLER: Tueller gets up to leave, though of course Noma is everywhere on the ship.
STORY: “Since we left the relay I have disagreed with you on the just course of action, and you have judged my humanity.”
STORY: “How should I receive that?”
STORY: “You say you miss your friend, but you expect me to be your sycophant.”
STORY: “I would have thought your appetite for such things was lost years ago.”
TUELLER: “You talked about spacing us two days ago.”
STORY: “Yes. And I chose not to. I would not do you the insult of lying to you about my reservations.”
TUELLER: “I don’t know if there’s some agreement between you and Millie that I don’t know about, but you don’t need to stay with me. I don’t need you to agree with me. I’ve haven’t tried for sycophants for years.”
TUELLER: “But I don’t know how to interact with this cold emotionless Noma.”
STORY: “If it is too difficult for you, please feel free to treat me as you would any ship’s computer.”
TUELLER: Tueller is quiet for a long time.
TUELLER: “I can try. I love you, Noma, so it’s not easy. But I can try.”
TUELLER: Tueller walks out of the room now.
STORY: Noma works on calculations and does not interject into anyone’s conversations for the remainder of the trip.
STORY: Next up?
MILLICENT: Millie spends about a day creating a foolproof untraceable calling device. She’s hoping they’re in range for a low delay call to Admiral Emma Randd.
MILLICENT: Millie sets this up in her room.
MILLICENT: Then she hits the Call button
STORY: Randd answers, in her quarters. It looks like she was sleeping.
STORY: “Millie. I didn’t know you were in the system.”
MILLICENT: Warmly, “Emma.”
MILLICENT: “It’s been a long time. Again.”
MILLICENT: “How are you, dear?”
STORY: “Well, given that you’ve woken me an hour before my alarm, tired. You?”
MILLICENT: Millie nods. “I’m sorry. I just finished this device and I wanted to check in before you had what I’m sure will be a busy day.”
MILLICENT: “I’m doing well, I think. I’m tired, too, but I think I’m well.”
STORY: She nods. “What is it, Millie?”
MILLICENT: “Oh, yes, right.”
MILLICENT: Pause
MILLICENT: “Oh, it’s just one of those long-trip projects. You know me, idle hands are the devil’s workshop. I just got a bee under my bonnet about wanting to talk to you.”
MILLICENT: “I was just thinking about that time we went to the Mare Ingenii Fall Fling.”
STORY: She smiles. “That was fun.”
STORY: “You got your hands on a… what was it called?”
MILLICENT: At the Mare Ingenii Fall Fling Millie and Emma saw a frat guy who had been stalking one of their friends. They outwitted the frat guy to start a huge fight.
MILLICENT: “Turing spanner.”
MILLICENT: “Left quite an indelible mark, if I recall correctly.”
STORY: “Yes! That asshole never walked straight again.”
MILLICENT: Millie laughs with Emma.
MILLICENT: Then smiles.
MILLICENT: The same devilish smile she flashed at Emma just before they started the fight that put the creep in the nurse’s office and got him expelled.
STORY: Randd catches this, and puts her head in her hands.
STORY: “Millie, what have you done?”
MILLICENT: “Just wanted to check in on an old friend. Take care, Emma. Keep your head on a swivel.”
STORY: Her eyes widen.
MILLICENT: “I miss those days sometimes. And I love you, dear. Sorry for the early wake-up.” That smile again. End connection.
STORY: Okay!
STORY: Alejo?
ALEJO: Millie. Shall I set the scene?
STORY: Yes!
ALEJO: Alejo has been in the cargo bay, punching at a hanging bag for a couple of hours. He’s been quiet for a couple of days. Millie’s been busy, working on her communication room thingie, and Tueller has been keeping busy. Millie walks in, with two glasses and a bottle of something of her choice.
ALEJO: Alejo sees her, takes one more quick swipe at the bag and steps past it. “Hey there.” He smiles, but it’s distracted.
MILLICENT: Some kind of peaty whisky Tueller hooked them up with at CJH.
MILLICENT: “Good afternoon, dear. I thought you might like a little sniff of this thing Tueller won’t shut up about.”
ALEJO: He picks up a towel and dries his face and hair. “Yes please!”
ALEJO: “How’d the call go?”
MILLICENT: Millie pours a finger into each glass and passes one over. She relaxes on one of the nearby crates. “Good, the Sol system is as warned as they can be without calling attention to us.”
ALEJO: He takes the glass, nods, and takes a sip. “Wow. Tueller’s right, as usual, about this.”
MILLICENT: Millie sips. “Mmmmm.”
ALEJO: Alejo sips again. Smiles. “Tueller seems . . . a little off? You notice?”
MILLICENT: She nods. “Noma’s. I don’t know. Retreated. I think that’s been hard for him.”
MILLICENT: “And he’s got a lot on his plate. Heavy is the head.”
ALEJO: “Yeah.” Alejo looks down. He finishes his glass and stands to refill it.
MILLICENT: “Every time I think I’ve seen everything from that man he’s got a new surprise in store for us. I never thought he would have taken on the family business.”
ALEJO: “He’s grown, for sure. Always had the brains for it. But he’s definitely become more thoughtful.” He sighs and finishes the second glass. He refills it again and then checks Millie’s topping her off.
ALEJO: Then he sits. “I’m . . .” He shakes his head. “How am I supposed to feel about going to find my own body, Doc? I mean, I know it wasn’t me, exactly, but. Am I a fool for feeling weird about it.?”
ALEJO: “It felt abstract, you know. Before. Now it feels . . . ”
MILLICENT: “Oh honey. Absolutely not.”
MILLICENT: “If it helps, I’m not thrilled about it either. I watched you.” Takes a sip. “I watched you die getting us onto that ship.”
MILLICENT: “How does it feel?”
ALEJO: Alejo looks up and meets her eyes. “I’m sorry.” He sets the glass down and scoots closer to her. “I think it feels . . . I don’t know exactly what that version of me felt. But I can remember the pain and rage that came before it, at losing Tux. I imagine that I knew I needed you to make it out of there. You and Cali and Tueller. The universe can survive without me. But you. It needs you, Doc.” He sighs.
ALEJO: “It still does. But . . . I feel like . . . I’ve never been as happy as I am now, Millie. I’m scared. I want to think that I’d make the same call as that Alejo. Without thinking about it. But . . . I don’t know how I would leave you. This.” He swallows. “And that feels so fucking selfish.”
ALEJO: He shakes his head and wipes his eye, quickly.
MILLICENT: Millie reaches out her hand and takes his. “No universe should be cruel enough to ask you to die for your friends a second time.”
MILLICENT: “And it’s not selfish to recognize that you’ve done that already. You shouldn’t be ready to make that play again. Don’t even think about it!”
ALEJO: He smiles softly at this.
MILLICENT: “Honey, you’re the indispensable one. You led a group of misfit thieves and a couple of ready-to-go-rogue scientists into a crew that has already changed the galaxy.”
MILLICENT: “When are you going to get it through your head that we couldn’t do what we do without you?”
ALEJO: He smiles again. “I just hope we’re doing the right thing. You know. I think I thought it’d feel a lot clearer what the right thing to do is.”
MILLICENT: Millie sighs and drinks
ALEJO: “Anyway. Thanks, Doc. Thanks.” He lets her finish her drink and then gives her a light but romantic kiss.
MILLICENT: smooch!
ALEJO: Scene! I think.
STORY: All right! You arrive at the base you most recently left in rather a hurry.
STORY: Figgan is still pretty confused by this whole thing but she knows not to ask too many questions.
STORY: You’re hailed as you approach.
STORY: “Identify, please.”
TUELLER: “Tueller Ya’Makasi, head of Consolidated Jovan Holdings.”
STORY: “Hold.”
TUELLER: “Who is this, may I ask?”
STORY: You’re waiting for rather a long time.
STORY: So long that you worry they have lost the connection or something?
ALEJO: “Cali, we better be ready to rabbit.” Alejo sits down at the pilot seat.
STORY: Finally, minutes later, a woman’s voice comes over the intercom. “Mr. Ya’Makasi. You’ve caused a bit of a diplomatic issue down here.”
STORY: Alejo, you recognize the voice, someone you used to work with while you were infiltrating. She’s clearly in charge now. What’s her name? What’s she like?
TUELLER: “I’m sorry to cause such a fuss, anything I can clear up?”
STORY: “Well, I believe the last time you were here, my men shot you.”
STORY: “And you were the leader of a much smaller group at that point.”
TUELLER: “Did you?”
TUELLER: “Oh right. Sorry, I’ve been shot a bunch.”
STORY: “Mm. So, if it isn’t too rude, Mr. Consolidated Jovan Holdings, perhaps you can let us know why we have the pleasure of your visit?”
TUELLER: “That was one of the rougher times, now that I think about it.”
TUELLER: “Well, I’m looking for the body of my friend. The one who didn’t quite make it off the planet when I made it off the planet.”
STORY: “Ah.”
STORY: “Just a moment please, sir.”
ALEJO: Alejo raises his hand and mutes the com for a second. “I think that’s Fundapellonan Regina. Crazy name, I know. She’s super down to business when she’s working. A riot outside of work, though. We just need to play it straight with her.”
TUELLER: “A name like Fundapellonan, you gotta be a riot.”
MILLICENT: “And super down to the business.”
MILLICENT: “Poor dear.”
STORY: After another few minutes, she comes back on the comm.
STORY: “Mr. Ya’Makasi, dock 34, please. Thank you.”
STORY: The connection is cut off.
TUELLER: “Try not to think about how we all got shot last time we were here.”
TUELLER: “Except you, Doc.”
MILLICENT: “I thought I got a little shot.”
TUELLER: “Sorry, Doc, I didn’t notice at the time. Yes, you got a little shot.”
ALEJO: “Well, let’s go find my corpse!”
TUELLER: “Take her in.”
TUELLER: Let’s take a moment out of time here to make sure we talk about this plan because we have no plan yet.
MILLICENT: Millie takes a deep breath.
ALEJO: I think Alejo will disguise up. He’s a spy, after all. So, he does this sort of thing.
MILLICENT: “Is it the best idea to bring the dead man whose body we’re looking for to the people we’re looking to reclaim it from?”
TUELLER: “So, who are you, Alejo?”
TUELLER: “And what happens when Fun, your fun time girl, recognizes you?”
ALEJO: “Yeeeaah.” He glances quickly at Fig and then Millie. “She. Yeah, she’d recognize me.”
ALEJO: “I think I can sneak off the ship, though, and meet you someplace in disguise.”
TUELLER: “Oh man is this an ex?”
ALEJO: “Well.” He grimaces. “I mean.” He swallows hard. “More like a . . . you know.”
ALEJO: He shakes his head. “It was a long time ago.”
TUELLER: “I refer to all of your fun time girls as ‘exes,’ you know that.”
ALEJO: “I know.” He frowns.
MILLICENT: “Is this going to be a whole thing?”
TUELLER: “So, we’re here on a business trip, and you, a revenant, are just going to sneak into the heavily fortified base where you died in, and meet us somewhere? That’s your plan?”
ALEJO: He shrugs. “Got a better plan?”
MILLICENT: “Sure, wait here.”
TUELLER: “Yeah, sit in the ship!”
MILLICENT: “Do we have any reason to believe they won’t just give us your body?”
TUELLER: “Keep Noma company.”
ALEJO: He starts and stops in protest a couple of times. Then he just shakes his head. “Fuck,” he mutters in defeat.
TUELLER: “Make sure no one fucks with our shit while we’re docked.”
TUELLER: “Clean the head. Prepare to rescue us when this goes pear-shaped.”
TUELLER: “Whatever.”
MILLICENT: “Yes, it’s been a while since the shower has had a scrub.”
MILLICENT: “And you missed your turn several times while you were dead.”
TUELLER: “Yeah, that Vitruvian shit I have seems to clog it.”
ALEJO: He crosses his arms. “You’re both funny. Cute.”
TUELLER: “It’s what I’m known for, in addition to muscles.”
ALEJO: He frowns, trying not to smile.
ALEJO: “Alright. Go get my dead body already.”
TUELLER: “On it!”
TUELLER: Tueller gets up, and of course puts on body armor for the excursion.
MILLICENT: “Aye aye”
MILLICENT: Millie puts on a blazer
MILLICENT: It’s got like a little orange trim piping around the notch lapel.
MILLICENT: Tres classy
TUELLER: No outward weapons, but of course, fists of fury.
STORY: Tueller! You are greeted outside of the ship by Ms. Regina, who is as described. She’s cool and responsible, and it’s no surprise she has successfully taken over Chandra’s business interests.
STORY: She walks you down a hallway, clutching a clipboard. “My assistant tells me you are responsible for my promotion, Mr. Ya’Makasi.”
TUELLER: How does she sound when she says that?
STORY: Cautious.
STORY: But professional.
TUELLER: “Oh, I wouldn’t say that. Chandra was responsible for your promotion.”
TUELLER: “I just helped it along.”
STORY: She smiles. “Fair enough.”
TUELLER: “Belated congratulations.”
STORY: “Why, thank you.”
STORY: “And who is your assistant, if I may ask?”
TUELLER: “Dr. Breedlove, my dear dear friend whose peril also assisted in your promotion.”
STORY: “Ah, yes. I didn’t want to presume. Nice to see you again, Dr. Breedlove.”
MILLICENT: Millie blinks big, shakes her head small.
MILLICENT: “Good afternoon, dear. I’m sorry, I didn’t realize we’d met.”
TUELLER: “And where might I ask were you on that particular day?”
MILLICENT: “My abduction here was a bit of a blur.”
TUELLER: “Department, that is, not room.”
STORY: “I think it’s best if we don’t discuss it, don’t you?”
TUELLER: “Fair fair fair. My diplomatic conversational training is perhaps not best suited for this particular conversation.”
STORY: You walk mostly in silence for a few more meters, then hit a stairwell. “Down, I’m afraid. Please,” she gestures you in.
STORY: Alejo!
STORY: What are you doing?
ALEJO: Sitting anxiously at the pilot seat, cleaning a pistol.
ALEJO: If Fig is there, he’ll chat with her.
STORY: You drop the firing pin.
ALEJO: “Gahh.” He bends down and picks it up.
STORY: As you rummage around for it below the console, you hear Figgan’s voice, hesitant. “Uh… boss?”
ALEJO: Alejo startles and hits his head. “Gahh!” He slides out. “Hey, Fig.”
STORY: She’s staring out the front window. “That look weird to you?” She points at something in the cargo bay.
STORY: You look down and see a cargo case, roughly a meter on each side, being hustled into a shuttle and strapped down. The crew looks panicked, and is moving fast.
ALEJO: “Ohhh, yeah. That looks bad.”
STORY: “That box about person sized?”
ALEJO: Alejo nods slowly. “Sure is. Fun, whatcha doin’?” He hits his com. “Doc, don’t react, but I think they’re rushing my body onto a shuttle at this very moment.”
MILLICENT: Millie stops at the top of the stairs.
MILLICENT: “Just a moment.”
ALEJO: “Fig, we need a distraction. Got something up your sleeve?”
ALEJO: He stands.
STORY: “Uuuuuuhhhh.”
STORY: “We’ve got the ship’s guns?”
ALEJO: “Come, on. Just follow my lead, like the good ol’ days. You’re the boss.” He rushes down to the main doors, quickly grabbing a wig, glasses, a stocking cap, on the way.
ALEJO: He hits his com again. “I’m going to stop them from leaving, but you need to keep Fun away from here.”
STORY: “UUh-ok!”
STORY: Figgan follows you out.
ALEJO: Alejo grabs a cart, puts three boxes on it, and leaves the ship, wearing his quickly thrown together disguise. He heads towards the shuttle and starts up the ramp to the space where they just loaded the body box. “I’m so sorry, boss. So, so sorry,” he calls over his shoulder to Fig.
STORY: Figgan follows and crosses her arms, shaking her head at you. “Idiot!”
ALEJO: “Please boss. I really need this job.” He keeps going until and unless someone stops him, sizing up the space and any targets as he goes.
STORY: Sure! There are three guys on the shuttle, one in the pilot’s seat, the other two loading the box. They look at you with confusion and anxiety – someone’s going to make a move momentarily.
ALEJO: Alejo tips the cart, making it look accidental. “Oh gosh, oh gosh.” He stumbles over the boxes, closing the distance between himself and the two guys not in the pilot’s seat. “This is so bad. I’m sorry.” He gestures behind his back to Fig to check out the body box, if she can get close enough to it.
STORY: Let’s make this Face Adversity + Influence
ALEJO: /roll 2d6+2
STORY: ablair01 rolled 7 + 2 = 9
STORY: Okay! You can gain control of the box, but it’ll start a fight you might not be able to stop.
STORY: Proceed?
ALEJO: Yes.
STORY: Okay!
STORY: Millie, from the stop of the stairs, you hear a ruckus.
STORY: Like, a “This is going to be tough to walk back” ruckus.
STORY: What do you do?
MILLICENT: “Ms. Regina, we’ve got a bit of an awkward situation.”
STORY: “Go on.”
TUELLER: Tueller holds up and turns around when he hears Millie speak.
MILLICENT: “Is it possible that rogue elements of your organization are attempting to steal away the body we came here for? Keep in mind that Mr. Ya’Makasi can stop you before you so much as try to contact your security team.”
TUELLER: Tueller grunts.
STORY: She steeples her fingers at her chin and takes a long breath.
STORY: “Mmm.”
STORY: “Yes, I think that might be possible.”
TUELLER: Tueller’s weight shifts slightly.
TUELLER: “We are NOT here to cause trouble.”
TUELLER: “But we are perfectly capable of doing so.”
MILLICENT: Comms on, “Thank you for your transparency. I want you to know that whatever intervention is happening right now is going to be minimal in damage to your people and property.”
STORY: “Mm. It certainly sounds like minimal damage.” There are grunts and crashes audible down the hallway.
MILLICENT: “I think it’s best if you accompany us back to our ship. What do you think?”
STORY: “Yes, let’s.”
TUELLER: Tueller hurries us back.
STORY: You come back to see Figgan, Alejo, and fourteen guards in a pile in the middle of the room. Fists emerge occasionally. It’s mostly a bunch of people tugging on each other and grunting.
TUELLER: Loudly “CUT THAT OUT.”
STORY: Alejo is on his feet and doing fine, but his wig is askew.
TUELLER: Most authoritative voice Tueller’s got.
STORY: Fundapellonan’s eyes widen.
STORY: The guards, for the most part, stop. Figgan stands, half-giggling, holding her swollen eye.
ALEJO: Alejo sees Fun, momentarily drops his guard to straighten his wig, and takes a hard right cross to his face, just as the fighting starts to die down.
TUELLER: “Is that the body there?”
TUELLER: To Fundapellonan, again, “Hey, is that our friend’s corpse?”
STORY: “Yes. Archer, bring it to my office. Mr. Ya’Makasi, please join me there. I’d appreciate the rest of your crew joining us.”
STORY: She turns and starts down a separate hallway.
TUELLER: “I’m not letting it out of my sight, so let’s walk it up together.”
MILLICENT: Millie “locks” the Peregrine, giving Noma a heads up that there might be potential invaders.
STORY: Archer nods at you as he wheels it back up towards her office.
TUELLER: Tueller walks with Archer up into dangerzooooooone.
ALEJO: Alejo fiddles with his wig, keeps his head down, and follows as far back as he can.
TUELLER: Tueller takes a seat that puts his back to the wall.
TUELLER: This is the room where it happened?
STORY: It is!
TUELLER: “Like what you’ve done with the place.”
STORY: She offers you each seats. “Can I get you anything for your chin?” She gestures at Alejo’s busted lip.
ALEJO: He nods, keeping his face as obscured as possible. “Thank you,” he mumbles.
MILLICENT: “I’m not really fond of this place, I hope you don’t mind me saying so.”
STORY: She opens a drawer on the unit behind her desk, rifling through it, her back to you. “You’re allergic to standard veti-gel, is that right?”
ALEJO: Alejo sighs. He looks up and smiles weakly. “I am.”
STORY: “Oh, I don’t mind.” She turns, handing Alejo the tube. “I’m not fond of dead men turning up in my office, so neither of us are having a particularly good day.”
STORY: “Archer, that’ll be all, thank you.”
ALEJO: He takes the tube and removes the wig. He then applies the gel to his lip.
STORY: “I trust the three of you aren’t here to kill me.”
TUELLER: “We’re just here for the body.”
TUELLER: “No lies. Just get that and then we’ll go.”
TUELLER: “Though CJH is always open to continue relationships. You should know we’re more or less above board these days.”
STORY: “I’m afraid that’s rather a complicated situation, Mr. Ya’Makasi.”
TUELLER: “Oh?”
STORY: “I thought it was odd when Exodus representatives came so quickly after his death.”
STORY: She opens the case, and after the dry ice smoke clears you see a preserved corpse, cleaned and naked, missing a head.
STORY: “I thought it was odder that they didn’t leave empty handed.”
MILLICENT: Is it Alejo?
TUELLER: Softly, “goddammit.”
STORY: “Now imagine my surprise when that head shows up back in my office, talking and having a busted lip.”
ALEJO: Alejo smiles again.
STORY: It is, as far as you can tell. Wounds look right.
MILLICENT: Anything else look right?
MILLICENT: wink wink
STORY: Sure, yes. But that’s not really how dicks work, Millie
MILLICENT: wink wink
TUELLER: “Yeah, it’s a cloning thing. A damn complicated one.”
STORY: She peers at Alejo.
STORY: “Do you remember who you are?”
ALEJO: “Yes. Though, I don’t remember dying here. But other than that, I remember everything.”
MILLICENT: Millie looks at the body for a while and then looks away, not meeting anyone’s gaze
STORY: “Hm. Good technology. I’m amazed they were able to reattach it.”
STORY: “There seem to be no cognitive issues.”
TUELLER: Tueller leans back against the wall.
TUELLER: And is otherwise silent.
STORY: “Anyway, as you clearly know, the body isn’t entirely intact. You’re welcome to it, though I haven’t the slightest idea what use it is to you.”
STORY: “Clearly he doesn’t need it.” She gestures.
MILLICENT: Millie coughs
ALEJO: Alejo looks over to her.
MILLICENT: “What ah happened to the head?”
ALEJO: Alejo glances back at Fun and then at Millie. He sighs.
STORY: She looks confused, then gestures at Alejo. “I assume you’d know that better than I.”
TUELLER: “Exodus took it. Did something to it. And brought us to where we are today.”
TUELLER: “It’s the middle sentence we’re looking into right now.
TUELLER: “Thank you, Ms. Regina.”
TUELLER: “This has been most enlightening.”
MILLICENT: “Why were you trying to take the body away?”
STORY: “I assumed you were here to kill us, obviously.”
STORY: “Figured the remaining bits were our best opportunity to negotiate.”
MILLICENT: “Ah.”
STORY: She can’t stop staring at Alejo.
STORY: “Does everything… work? Normally? You obviously can still fight.”
ALEJO: He nods. “All good. You said the Exodus folks came and took the . . . my head right after I died?”
STORY: “Yes, and clearly reattached it to whoever’s body you’re walking around with now. Why are you asking me to repeat what you already know?”
TUELLER: “We have some gaps.”
STORY: “I’m impressed they found such a good match to your physique.”
STORY: She peers at his neck. “And no scarring.”
STORY: “Impressive.”
ALEJO: Alejo smiles again. “Well, this has been . . . enlightening. What Tueller said. Fun, thanks for the body.” He looks at Tueller and Millie. “We got what we need, yeah?”
MILLICENT: Millie swallows and nods.
TUELLER: “We are trying to track down what happened here to fill in the gaps. Do you know what system these particular Exodus folks were part of?”
TUELLER: “As Alejo says, he has some gaps, and so do we. And, as you say, this is very good work and we want to pursue it further.”
STORY: “Hm?” She’s distracted from her leering. “Oh. R&D, I believe.”
STORY: “Roti division.”
ALEJO: Alejo closes his eyes and sighs. “Right.”
TUELLER: “Thank you, this is most helpful. I do mean it; CJH would like to continue to work with you, in the future. Here is my PIN–any skip drones you send to this address will be read and returned by me. Our focus is on the Jovian system and its people, currently, but we like to think we’re working for all mankind.”
STORY: “Mm. Thank you. Does Mr. Soto work for CJH now?”
TUELLER: “He works for me, yes.”
MILLICENT: “Thank you for making this one of our less violent stops. It had the potential to be awful and I’m glad we were all able to get through this like adults.”
STORY: “Excellent. I trust he’ll be along for any future… in person negotiations?”
ALEJO: Alejo turns and looks at Tueller, eyes raised. Then he looks back at Fun and smiles weakly.
STORY: You are being Ignored By a Rich Woman, Millie
TUELLER: “I’m sure that can be arranged, if it’s in both of our best interest.”
ALEJO: Alejo looks at Tueller, eyes raised.
STORY: “Wonderful. Nice to see you’re doing well, Alejo.”
MILLICENT: Millie rolls her eyes
TUELLER: Tueller ignores whatever Alejo is doing.
ALEJO: “Okaaay. Great. Well. Great. So good to see you, Fun. Tue . . . Mr. Ya’Makasi, I think we have what we need.” He stands.
TUELLER: Tueller stands with him, reaches out to shake Fun’s hand.
STORY: She returns it, and summons Archer back to take your new partial body to your ship.
MILLICENT: Millie stands and leaves with them
MILLICENT: “So, is it just that every space port where we need something we should expect to find one of your thirsty exes?”
MILLICENT: “I’m not mad, I just want to know what I’m dealing with.”
TUELLER: “Only in the human systems.”
TUELLER: “But yes, dear god, yes.”
TUELLER: Tueller also sounds exasperated.