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.”
Chapter 77
STORY: You find the room relatively quickly. You can see a smallish man inside the machine, prone, not moving. It’s on.
STORY: A large glass window and a locked door bar your entry to this room.
RYO: Ryo is with Millie.
RYO: He looks for something to break through the glass.
STORY: Ryo, there’s a cart with some equipment on it nearby, about hip height, looks liftable.
MILLICENT: Millie points.
MILLICENT: At the room they need to get into.
RYO: Ryo dumps the equipment and heaves it through the glass.
STORY: The cart bounces off the glass and rattles on the floor, its contents scattering everywhere.
RYO: Ryo looks at it for a long moment. Then adjusts his glasses. He looks a Millie and shrugs. “Other ideas?”
Chapter 6
MILLICENT: “They thrive on adventure, Emma! Their meat is combat and their drink is…other kinds of combat!”
STORY: She looks down at your hands. “Obviously.”
TUELLER: “Whiskey, actually.”
MILLICENT: “And whiskey!”
MILLICENT: “The tall one drank the Scotch we were saving!”
TUELLER: “It was alright.”
STORY: Her jaw drops, an unusual show of emotion. “You’re kidding me.”
TUELLER: “You’d be better off with a scotch from Enceladus, if we’re being honest. I’ll see if I can get you some next time we’re in port.”
TUELLER: “It was overcasked.”
STORY: “The Balvenie Nikka… my father rescued that from his commission when they broke apart in the Nier asteroid belt.”
TUELLER: Shrugging. “Overcasked. You’re better off without it.”
Continue reading “Chapter 6”