Legends of Avantris - Stardust Rhapsody: Anthem | S2E5 | Another Brick in the Wall

Episode Date: August 28, 2026

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It's that time again. Don your sunglasses, grab your instruments, and lend your cosmic course to our Stard Us Rhapsody. Let's jam. The threat to Ziggy's brother, Callicus Woug, now immediately present, the party hatches a plan to protect him from Portia Bellagones. Staking out his planned place of channeling, you wait to catch Portia before she can get to him. However, you underestimate her skills. Before you can understand what's happening, Portia neutralizes the guards and drops a silence over the area. You watch her dash into the reflecting pools to confront Calicus. Blanketed in the silence, no words need be exchanged for you all know what to do next.

You charge forward. The scorned widow draws on you as you enter, recognizing you to be the ones who killed her Quibbley. A brutal fight erupts, Callicus immobilized at the center locked in his channeling with the harmony. The battle shifts in your favor as Portia Bella is wracked with pain in the form of worsening headaches. She runs, but you give chase across the rooftops of Zalekan. Eventually, you catch up to her in a clearing of the jungle. A punch the head sends her into a wild psionic state, and the fight rages once more. more. She uses your pain against you as figures of your past take shape, but it's her ominous

warning that gives you the most to fear. It's too late. He has me now. They won. It's annihilation for all of us. You finally bring down Portia, but not without scars. Stabilizing your friends, you all take a moment to catch your breath. You realize quickly that this night was not planning on giving you a moment as sirens cut through the quiet. A heavily armed Sorian guard levels a heavy gem rifle at you as he announces you're being arrested for the attempted murder of channeler Callicus Woo. Humming crystals surround you, Rhett.

As you sit in a small room of stone and metal, somewhere deep within the Zalekin holding facility, they drift uncomfortably close to your head as you sit across a small table from a Tikal who introduced himself as Inquisitor Karnak. The stone of his construction is a deep gray and the intricate patterning etched within. His glowing crystals and piercing eyes all glow violet. Despite his imposing frame, a guard captain is stationed in the back of the room by the singular door. A burly yango with a shaggy orange fur and blue blue.

tinted skin. He is heavily armed with a crystalline rifle and sidearm, but you feel it is unnecessary given the simple gem-encrusted hilt at the Inquisitor's hip. The Inquisitor leans forward as you again notice the communication jamming bolt on your cybernetic arm from the corner of your eye, still not used to it. He opens his mouth to speak. I remind you that this investigation is of critical importance. to the Sarak dynasty, and the veracity of your speech will be confirmed or denied by the resonators around you. I suggest you speak truthfully. I plan to, Inquisitor.

Rhett Indigo. Did you enter the Temple of Harmony intending to assassinate Chandler Calicus Woolg? Uh, the opposite, actually. We, uh, the reason we're here is we wanted to see. save his life and I'm happy to report in case you hadn't heard. We were successful. Why did, uh, you believe that to be true. I did. And that is true. I do. The gems, the crystal gems that move about you as you sit there in the seat, they take on a faint, almost jade glow as you answer truthfully. Okay.

Why did you enter the temple armed and without authorization? Given that there was an armed and deadly assassin that intended to bring an end of the life of the channeler, we needed our weaponry to put a stop to it and succeed. And this assassin you speak of. Who is it? That would be one Portia Bella Goans. And what is your association with Portia Bella Goans? the Gun Hulk Network or anyone acting on their behalf.

Well, as far as I know, which isn't a whole lot, we got a little bit of intel. It turns out that agents of theirs have tried to kill myself and my crew multiple times. And I'm also proud to report. Not sure if this is in your files, but we successfully saved the life of the son of Senator and Ambassador Wooke. from at least one of their agents, but beyond that nothing. Hmm, our files are thorough, and I see that you have had many successes in your journeys,

some of which for the Cavalon Empire. I have to ask why did you present falsified records to Soarok authorities and what else were you intending to conceal? I assure you, inquisitor, that it wasn't for any kind of nefarious purpose. We just knew that time was of the essence and we barely saved the life of the channeler. So, you know, I'm glad we put together those documents because we thought that we might be intercepted and by your welcoming parties here on Craida. So we, you know, wanted to kind of brush over some of the work we've done, but you have to understand.

I don't know if you've worked with bounty hunters before, but we work for anybody that has a contract, everything approved by the Galactic Bounty Guild. So I happen to be ranked B. I don't know if you found that in your records. but other than that I did take a contract or two for the Cavalon Empire when I was a Merca Grimco

but most of my contracts were for the Solar Federation in independent systems so hopefully you don't think of me as a bootlicker inquisitive roll perception check oh 16 16 he has a steely

expression in this inquisition as it is. But even on this question in particular, as you asks you about previous dealings, you get the sense that he is aggressively watching the responses of the crystals to see if you are telling the truth. Yes. Are you employed by or acting

on behalf of or indebted, per your previous dealings, with the Cavalon Empire, any of its vassals, agents, military officers, or associates? No. What do you know of Operation Waltz? Castle Ascalon, General Garland Sigurd, or any of his surviving loyalists? With all due respect, Inquisitor, do I look like I know anything about those things? Oh, I look at the crystals. No, the answer is, the answer is no. Have you taken planned or assisted in any hostile action against the Sorok Dynasty, its officials, citizens, or its territories?

Yes. Like I said, I had a few conference. tracks for Capillon and we were, you know, dropped off at a couple worlds where y'all were in a spat. So, yes, I did. I'm just being honest here. But again, that was a past life. We were hired guns and I'm sure you all pay for Grimco services too, so I think surely you understand. You claim this to be in your time as a Grimco mercenary. In the events of you as a bounty hunter, have you had any hostile action against Sorok Dynasty, its officials, its citizens, or its territories? Not that I can recall, I'm just thinking back, I've had a lot of bounties, I'm just trying to be completely honest for your crystal friends here. No, I mean, I think he was a Sorian, but I don't think he had any connection to the...

I see me, maybe he did. Oh, to my knowledge note, as far as I can remember, and I got a pretty good memory. Roll a perception check. 18. Notably, the crystals

respond, even as you speak, as you're giving answers to these questions, they seem to flare a light jade. As you said the words, I'm doing my best to tell the truth, to answer truthfully

for these crystals. And so he sits back for a minute. Why should the dynasty believe that you were attempting to prevent the assassination rather than participate in it? What is it to a bounty hunter?

I mean, I think that our actions were speaking for to speak for themselves. The channeler was moments from death. We've been chasing Portia Bella Gones for quite some time. I'm sure you can check all the various records of all the different world that we've been following her and tracking her.

She hasn't been easy to track down, and we failed quite a few times. And she got to her mark and killed them. This is the first time we've successfully prevented it. And so, you know, to further answer your question, you should believe that because the channeler, Survived, I present. I guess I don't know if I've gotten confirmation of this yet, but is he alive? The channeler's status is none of your concern. As you are under investigation for his attempted murder,

I will ask the questions. Well, anyways, um, his brother's on my crew. And to me, my crew, we're not just a crew. We're like family. We share pizza off. we share pizza often. And I pay good wages and I contribute to their retirement funds

that they don't even know about. The crystals start bling the ground. Incredible. Green, green, green, green, green, green. And so, I don't know what else to tell you. We saved his life. We almost took down Portia Bella before y'all showed up.

And we, I feel like we were pretty successful and obviously I understand you're just doing your job, due diligence and all that, but I hope that all of this can get cleared up soon and we can go on our way. I don't even need a reward. Although if you don't mind, I would, if you could, let us take Portia Bela to the guild so we can collect on the bounty. I don't have high hopes for that. As you should not, you are charged with attempted murder of the channeler, and until this situation is sorted, Mr. Indigo, you and your crew will go nowhere. But one final question. What is the location of your ship, the Rhapsody, and all remaining crew on board?

Oh, the Rhapsody, my ship. The Rhapsody. That Rhapsody? That's the one. Well, you see, one of our crew members. I don't know if he's in your record. But sometimes he likes to take little joy rides here and there while we're kind of on world He looks over the shit make sure that the computer system stay you know plugged in and running and cleans up around the place sometimes cooks a meal here and there and so He's basically you could say my guy equivalent to Friday You know he gets bored sometimes and he shoots off in his base and flies around but he always picks us up when we're done but, you know, I haven't had a chance to get in touch with them.

When you say that there was something on my arm. Yes, there's like a gem, there's a gem crystal that's been attached to your arm that is nullifying any communications, anything you'd be able to use the arm to accomplish outside of functioning as an arm itself. It still works for it. You can bend it, you can move it, you can move it. But all the computer systems of the comms or whatever. Anything beyond simple movement has been completely disdemeanor.

disabled from your arm. But I mean, as you know, you turned off my comms here in my arm. And even if you could turn it back on, I mean, he might be so far that sometimes I don't hear from him for a week or two when we just hang out and when he's ready to come back, he brings her right back down and we go on our way. That's just how Hank lacks to roll. Are you telling the truth? I am telling the truth in that as we were arrested, we would have some sort of button,

like emergency code red button where Hank just gets the fuck out off the world that we're on. So Hank, presumably, is flying the Rhapsody somewhere out in space, hopefully far away. He would know what to do, and I'll leave that up to you, what Hank would know. If this were animated, there'd also be a B-line plot line

that's happening wild these adventures. Hank should turn into a wonderful adventure with like a robot cat. Haydeno, no, Hank and Meg. Yeah, Hank and a cat don't know. Having an incredible time about it. Yeah. So that part is true,

my embellishments or not, so I'm happy to make any check you want me to. Roll a, if there is anything that feels untruth, misleading, embellished, there's definitely embellishment. Roll a deception check. So is it a lie by omission? I would say that's zero. Come on, baby. We have to roll both.

Come on, baby. Twist it, twist it, twist it. Oh, no, no, no, no. I just see what my bonus is. My bonus is plus zero. Okay. I got a one. The crystals crush you into

Dane. Bho. The crystals that swirl your head have been bathing this stone room in a warm, welcoming, almost calming, jade. As as you, as you answer this final question.

They turn the color of violent. Violet. And there's almost a like, violent thrum in the air as the color shifts. And it casts a much darker glow into the room.

Oh. Mr. Indigo, and you were doing so well. I don't understand. I'm telling the truth. Pike Starfall. Did you enter the temple of harmony intending to assassinate

Chandler Calicus Woo? We time jump presumably. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. This is, Devin, you're gone. We're, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. This is, so you are now alone in the same room that Rhett was in. We've cut away.

You're alone in the same room that Red is in. Oh, boy. What am I wearing? Oh, that's a great question. You are all in have been changed into Kind of like t-shirt pants like prison garb In a not like a not like a forested but in a We'll say a white

Top and pant legs with kind of a green Stripe down the down the arm. Okay Do I know how many days it's been if days at all is it like? It's been a couple of days a day Okay. Not yet a full week, but it's been a couple of days. I assume my right hand and arm, forearm, or bear. Bear. Yeah.

Oh. I figured. Can you continue? What was the first question? You're sitting in the chair however you deem fit. It is still that stone room, the crystal still swirl about your head. As of yet, they remain dormant as you sit as well in front of the Inquisitor. front of the Inquisitor. He leans forward looking at you. Did you enter the Temple of Harmony

intending to assassinate Chandler Callicus Woo? That's kind of a leading question. Can I get my SIGs? Mr. Starfall, you are here under the suspicion of an attempted assassination against a channeler. You will take this seriously and with the that the situation commands. I will ask the questions you will answer them. It is a simple process, and one, I venture a wild guess you have been through before. Fine, no. Those days are over.

What days are over? Pike would be alluding to his days as potentially assassinating people. Okay. Uh, the harmonite that swirls around your head. that swirls around your head, bays the room in a light jade. Ooh. I take note of it. Why did you enter the temple armed and without authorization? Listen, like, we just recently spent, like, way too much time on this planet that was full of, like, Halloween people.

I'm talking, like, straight up, monster mass shit, and I needed a vacation. Rolled this out, Jack. You're about to get blended. I got a five. Oh, no. Pike is not concerned with trying to mask what he said. It's a blatant wine. The crystals spin about your head.

They shift and bathe the room in a violet, cast of violet glow. Mr. Starfall. That does not seem to be the truth. Oh, really? What gave you the, uh, that hit? You will find out very shortly. What happens if you are not forthcoming? Okay. Why did you walk into the reflecting pools armed and uninvited?

I wasn't exactly armed, but, you know, uh, we were worried. that the guy was going to be murdered. We were there to stop it. The lights turned jade. What is your association to Portia Bella Goams, the Gun Hawk Network, or anyone acting on their behalf? Are you allowed to just, like, detain famous racers?

I've got, like, records at the prismatic pathway. The crystals shift violent. You not going to let me roll for that? I'll take you this. It's another five. Okay, the Crystal Ship Violet. Mr. Starfall, you... The Crystal Ship Violet.

You begin to be racked, not by pain, but by sorrow. As sensations of regret fill your body. As you're forced to face truths within yourself, you don't see visions, but you get sensations. of it's not unlike the experience you had in when you attended the harmony. It's not unlike the experience you had when you attended the harmonic ceremony, and you sat before the crystals and you attempted to receive the boon. It is not pleasant.

Ah! Oh! Is that all you got? I will ask you one last time. What is your association with Portia Bella Goans, the Gun Hawk Network, or anyone acting on their behalf? No, no association. She's a bounty, that's it. We're bounty hunters. Green. Why did you present falsified records to Soarok authorities, and what information were those records intended to conceal? To avoid this exact problem, all right, you're damn bureaucrats with their checkpoints and your rules.

We wanted to avoid all that shit. Are you employed by acting on behalf of or indebted to the Cavalon Empire or any of its vassals, agents, military officers, or associates? I wipe the sweat from my brow and I kind of get a smirk on my face again and say, uh, that depends. how well do they pay. Dash action hired gun has done a lot of work for him, and he's always broken out of a job. Rule of deception. 16.

Ooh. With a 16, the Harmonite crystals turn violet. Captain, I think he needs a stronger hand. The Yangh guard standing at the back of the room, uh, straps the rifle to his back and he walks up quickly. As you're being racked with these sensations of sorrow, uh,

he's a hulking, this is a large guy. Uh, he walks up and lightning quick throws a fist into your gun. No. No, no. I've never... He takes seven points of damage.

Oh. I've never taken a job that wasn't from the bounty, the bounty guild, the GBG. Understand I don't delight in your suffering, Mr. Starfall. I am simply here to navigate to the truth. You are accused of the attempted murderer of a channeler, and we will understand what happened. If you have ties to Cavalon, if you are here on their behalf, you will be sentenced accordingly. If you obscure information, you will be dealt with accordingly. I take no pleasure in it, but I will get the truth.

We're not. I'm not. I'm not. What do you know about Operation Waltz? You mean Project Samba? I heard that the Empire can blow up planets. Is that what you're talking about? Is that what that thing is? Roll your check. A 14.

Plans once more of your god. You take six points of bludgeoning damage. I've never heard. I've never heard of an operation vaults. This conversation does not have to be unpleasant, Mr. Starfall. Oh, really? You simply have to cooperate. How many more of these we got left?

A lot of us tales and stories. The lights aren't great. Have you taken planned or assisted in hostile action against the Sorrock Dynasty, its officials, its citizens, or its territories? No, no. Why should the dynasty believe that you were attempting to, to prevent the assassination rather than participate in it. I don't give a damn if you believe me or not.

What do your crystal say about that, jackass? They hold green. That is not an answer. Understand that this is a heinous crime that you're accused of. And tensions are high. If you have any hope of being free again, free again, you will answer. All right, all right. This has been fun, but enough. You should believe me because

we're just bounty hunters and the kid's brother needed help. I want money for taking in Portia Bella. I want to make sure that my friend is okay and his family was in danger. All right. That's why you should believe me. We're just doing a job. The crystal shine green. Very well, Mr. Starfall, very well. Co. Tetsetora. We have once more changed to a new room.

Or the same room. New scene. Did you enter the Temple of Harmony intending to assassinate Chandler Calicus Wulg? Okay. just get this fucking over. Is he going to kick my ass? Are you going to kick my ass? Is there going to be both of you?

You're going to take turns? Because I'm not really not into that. This doesn't have to be an unpleasant conversation. Miss Tetsotura. Why does he have a fucking gun? Because I am here to get to the truth. And I believe that I can achieve that through you. I am happy to get it through conversation. But if the answers must be pulled the front,

From you they will. Good luck. People less goofy than you have tried. People less goofy than you have tried. Is that true? Absolutely. The lights turn green. At least she believes that.

I don't know. That's why. Ah, man. He scowls. Did you enter the Temple of Harmony intending to assassinate Chandler Callicus Woolg? Come on. Come on. You will answer the question. I'm not fucking talking.

I'm not a fucking snitch. I don't bow to boot lickers. Do what you're going to do? Let's get this fucking over with. The light shines and continues to remain green, as you say all this. I'm hungry for some prison slop. The light stays. rain, shockingly.

Captain convince her. The captain walks up, once again, a rifle on his back. This imposing Yangu. It's hard to tell if you were standing up which one of you would be taller, bigger. It's hard to get an exact size, but I think even from where you sit, you're confident that it would be you.

He throws a punch square into your stomach. Okay, it was you, yeah. You take eight points. You're a big fucker. Damn. That's a head. I don't want this to be an unpleasant conversation, Miss Tedzutura.

You must understand that times are turbulent and that you are accused of a heinous crime. It is my job to ensure that there are no threats to the empire, to the dynasty, to the channeler, and you stand accused of it. You will give me the information. I don't care how big and hairy and ugly your fucking thug is.

I'm not saying shit. None of us are saying shit. None of my team is going to tell you jack's shit, okay? Get a fucking warrant, pal. He leans back in the chair as the gems stay green. Keptin. You're struck again. In the stomach, eight points of damage, and then once across the face. Oh, no!

Three more points of damage. Okay, no worries, no one. Why did you present falsified records to Sorok authorities, and what information were those records intended to conceal? Okay. See, I mean, look at this fucker. I made his day. See, you know, you would have been pissed off if I told you shit. Do I get the sense that the guard is enjoying this?

Roll a perception check. Oh, good question. Or insight? Yeah, or insight, yeah, sure. Insight, insight, 16. 16. With a 16, you get two understandings of the emotions in the room.

The Inquisitor across from you does not seem to, truly does not seem to delight in the punishment you're receiving, but is, we'll continue it to get to answers. The guard, with his back kind of towards the Inquisitor, facing you as the blows land, there's a distinct grin as he takes pleasure in,

he takes pleasure in this part of the job for certain. It's so fucking predictable. If you do that to the fucking Sorin this with us, you're gonna get puk all over each. So I suggest a different fucking strategy. The light remains green. How did you obtain surveillance materials matching those recovered from the assassin? Look at me.

Do I look like I know about falsified fucking records surveillance, schematics, blueprints, or anything else? Fuck off. Another blow lands. Two points of bludgeoning damage. Oh, you're getting softer. The light remains green. The captain,

I'll show you soft, throws another punch into your gut. Still two more points of damage. Captain, that will be enough. Are you employed by acting on behalf of or indebted to the Cavalon Empire or any of its vassals, agents, military officers, or associates?

I look up with the guard. The captain. Is this a name? I know his name? No, it was not announced to you. It was only the, he was standing kind of in the room on guard. With the inquisitor, but only the inquisitor has been introduced to you. This person remains nameless.

When the inquisitor told him to stand down, did he, did he react to that? Yes. Almost with, he listened. He stepped back. Not out of arms reach of you, but he did not level the third blow that he was loading. And there was a there was a bit of a Click at the side of his mouth almost a grimace as he took a half step back Yeah, it'd be a good boy listen to your daddy good cuz get the back get back the fuck up bitch

Okay You know those goofy guys that did the jost around on their horses? No, what the fuck you talking about? Shut the fuck up What do you know about Operation Wolts, Castle Ascalon, General Garland Sigurd, or any of his surviving loyalists? That sounds like... That sounds like some shit. I don't want of those cartoons. Ziggy listens to, what are you talking about? Light remains green.

No, what... Fuck you, not talking. None of us are going to talk. You're going to get nowhere. Miss Tetsu-Torah. I am afraid we are gonna be in here for a long. Because, you know, your prison slop sucks anyway. It's not the quality of the food you need to worry about. Pixel. Oh.

Go ahead. Pixel pop. Did you enter the Temple of Harmony? Yeah. I'm not talking. I'm not saying anything to you. I'm not giving you any answers. Co. I'd be so mad at me if I said anything. But yeah, we did.

We entered the temple, for sure. We went in there. Oh, God, Pixel, what are you going to do? What are you doing here? Why did that guy have a gun? Actually, do you have a drink? Can I have some water? I need sugar.

My blood pressure is low. Do you have any Jorts moon? It's like a... In the little pouches, you know? The Jorts moon? It is like a raven here. The light is going from green to violet to green to violet to green to violet. As you shout,

all these answers. Notably, just to the very first portion of the question, do you enter the temple? Yes. Jort's moon. You know, they're in the little pouches and you take the store and you just stab them. We didn't stab anybody. I didn't stab anybody. You didn't ask that question? I'm not saying anything. The light turns violet. It means that you're not telling us the truth. Well, that wasn't the question. Enough about Jort's moon.

We don't have that here. If you have me water, can he put his gun away? I wanted these before. Captain Holster your rifle. Hi, hi, Captain. How nice to meet you, please don't shoot me? He's scowling kind of arms crossed in the back as he, his eyes don't ever leave you.

Unimpressed with this frantic display. The Inquisitor almost for a moment, a crack in the steely exposure as he almost struggles with how to move forward questioning you with this presumption of, The mix of a torrent of honest answers mixed in with back and forth, uh, uh, maybe untruths, maybe, maybe ramblings. Um, Miss Popp, understand that you were accused of a crime. I am simply here to get to the truth. You will not be harmed if you deliver the truth. But these are turbulent times on CREDA for the dynasty.

I need to understand what you were doing in the reflecting pools. And so I will ask again, did you enter the Temple of Harmony intending to assassinate Chandler Callicus Woo. Oh, heck and silly. Why? The lights turn green. Oh, shit, I'm not supposed to answer questions. Uh, the lights stay green. Why did you enter the temple armed and without authorization?

Because I cut my shoulder. Why did you and your party enter the temple with weapons? Oh, yeah. I'm going to kill that Portia Bella person. So you did enter with murderous intent. Oh, shit. What is your association now that you speak of her with Ms. Portia Bella Goans? Well, I don't personally have any association with her, but I know that Red and Pice and I think Ziggy and also Co.

They knew someone called Glump Blardo in squiggly cones, and then something happened with them, and there was like death and stuff, and then Ziggy was rescuing. He became one of our friends. And then they were traveling around, and then she was like, I'm going to explode you. Because they're going to kill Ziggy. And then, oh, gosh, we got to do something about it because, oh, my gosh, she's a murder. She's killing everybody. She's going to all of that. I'm running everything. I'm just running all of that.

Yeah, so basically that's what happened. Are you telling the truth as you believe it to be the truth? The light remains green. Fascinating. We have not heard of squibbly bones. No, no, no, no, no, squiggly cones. Squiggly cones. And then the other one was Glump Blotto. Glump? Yeah, yeah, you see. And I'm pretty sure that's the key to all this. A slime room, you say. Glump left the slime there.

Glump left the slime room. And how does Glump? Factor in all this. You know, I call this now I think bloat. Captain, you may leave. I don't think we'll be needing you. Goodbye, Captain. Glumpy, said. Can I ask a question, though?

Well, sure, you have been very forthcoming. If co- asks, if I was a snitch, can you lie? If you continue to flip on your friends, I will hide anything that you share. No. Oh, no. Towards him. Continue with your truth-telling. I will not share with co-uh, anything that you say.

Okay, great. Yeah, so basically glump blardo and then had that cones guy. Fascinating. And then somewhere in there, Portia Belli has a husband, but I don't know who he is. Hmm. Couldn't be squibbly cones. No, because they had different last name. Of course.

Anyway, how did you obtain surveillance materials matching those recovered from the assassin? In that sentence formed together. Probably just listen to music at the time. Your party was found with footage of the chaneler photos, schematics of the reflecting pools as well as the temple. How did you come to have this in your possession? I think I may be, the channeler, is that the guy where that Rex was fucking his wife, or am I mixing people up?

And repeat, where it was like, ah, ah, ah, and they were like banging. The channeler is not married to my watch. The channeler, tellicus Woo. That's why you're here. Oh, he was like he's brother, the hot guy we saw. Someone come in here and save me. Are you talking about the guy that looks like he could be on all of those, like, magazines, like the cinnipoles?

Yes, that's him. he's extremely attractive. It's really beautiful. Yes. Can you give me a favor, not tell Ziggy, I said that? I think he'd be weird about me wanting to, like,

drool over his brother. I'm sure he knows how handsome his brother is. What the hell? Yeah, I know. I think that's the problem. Oh, sorry, what was the question again? Oh, oh,

how did you come to have surveillance materials of the temple, the reflecting pools? patrol routes. You know, Ziggy, he's kind of the nerdy younger brother of a hot wug. So the thing is, we were flying all over the place. I don't remember how all of this happened. Look, I used to do a lot of drugs, so my memory's a bit hazy.

But anyway, somehow we wound up in this rat-infested arcade room and there's trash everywhere. I'm telling you, I've never seen a dirtier place before in my life. And buried in it is this kind of wholly messed up. Kind of cat girl, really? Really? I mean, she can make a lot of money. That's what spiders have been.

Anyway, whatever, it doesn't matter. What I'm trying to say is Ziggy found her. How did Ziggy find her? I think, anyway, it doesn't matter. So he found her, and she had all this ability to do hacky stuff, because Ziggy does hacky stuff, not hacky sacks or anything. That's with this weird little ball that you flip around with your feet. That's not what he does.

He's on the internet looking up weird things. Not like super weird things. I don't think you should go look at a search history or anything, because I've wheeled the burrito into the, the bathroom when he was in there. He wasn't like, wasn't too weird. It's a little weird, but not too weird. Anyway, he found her on there, but she could have better than him, and he didn't like that. So they got into a hacker fight, and then we kind of got in a fight too, but then we beat her up, and then we forced her to do our dirty work and our bidding. And so she found all this information

for us, and she gave it to us. It was really, really cool, because Ziggi couldn't do it, but don't tell him, I said it because he'd be really mad if you found out that I said he couldn't do it, but she could do it, because she had a really big big. It was awesome, but she's super dirty, and I don't know if I like again or not. I won't tell Ziggy that the dirty cat girl is a better hacker than he is. Don't worry. I think she's in love with him though. That guy? Yeah, it's so cool. You know everyone deserves love. So they say, I'll ask the questions here. Oh yes, sorry, sorry. Why should the dynasty believe that you were attempting to prevent the assassination rather than participate in it. You can tell that if we were going to assassinate someone, we would accomplish it unless it was Portia Belligones.

And that's only because I don't even remember what happened there. What was the question again? That is enough. You have been most helpful, Miss Popp. Rest assured, I will let none of your allies know how you have fought on them. George's Moon, please. Zygman Woug. Ziggy.

Did you enter the Temple of Harmony intending to assassinate Chandler Kellikas Woo? My own brother? I mean, I do not recall, and I won't be able to remember until I talk to my lawyer, Lyle Luphole. Roll deception, check.

There's no way Lyle Wimpole's real. I don't get that. Roll deception check. No way. No fucking way. Deception? 3020.

He's a fan. The Harmonite crystal remains green, or turns green. I like channel a little bit. Yeah. You impacted somehow. Your words, even as you speak of... Holy shit.

Lyle. Lyle. Lupa. He's a... Lyle lupil. He's a grebel. And he looks cram. I know, but he's very effective. Fascinating.

And you believe that to be the case. Why did you enter the temple armed without authorization? I'm a woo. Look at me. That's authorizing. I mean, I cannot recall at this time. I'm so facto. I have met several wounds.

By the sight of you, I would never have guessed. Oh, geez. That's harmful. I don't care for that. You don't have to say it like that. Why would you say it like that? I know that I know that I don't look like my brother, but...

Enough, Zygman, Wogue. You will answer the questions truthfully. Your lawyer is not coming. You stand accused of attempted murder of a channeler. You, your brother, surely you would know as a woo-of-what-hapens beyond CRETA now. And if you do not, that only proves my point further. I don't know why you're accusing me of this. All you have to do is go talk to my brother.

Just go ask him. I was trying to warn him. What is your association with Portia Bella Goans? I don't recall at the present time, Captain. beyond m torr. Roll of the Seventhagg. Oh, God. This time I get a set.

The light of the crystals turns violet. Is that good? You should know that's not good. You are lying, Mr. Woug, and that will not be tolerated. How could I lie about something I don't remember? Objection, hearsay.

Before you say all that funny stuff in response, you do feel the racking pain of guilt and sorrow as almost like a catulcade of faceless masks spin around you. Impossible to discern the features of any. As shifting visages dance just beyond your ability to perceive them. And you feel that sorrow that pulls

into you. What is this? What's happening? Why did you falsify records to Sorak authorities? And what information were you attempting to conceal? I can't recall. I understand that your name holds no weight in these walls. And if you think because you are a woo, we will not act appropriately. you are surely mistaken. You might have me in this room, right, with your fancy crystals and your, and your gun guy over there, and you, but you must understand.

If you know the woops, and you know what, if you, if you, if you misharmed me or, or, or, or, or, or any of that, it'll be your job. Do you believe that your family would come to your aid? Oh, no. Oh, no. Oh no.

Oh, that's... If you were hurt or mistreated, do you believe that your family would come to your aid? Yeah. Roll a deception check. The lights turn violent. It seems that is not the case. These things are broken.

That says I'm a woo. Your gaze starts to shift back and forth between the Inquisitor and the captain as he approaches you. The captain holsters the rifle at his back and throws a heavy punch into your abdomen. Sidebar! Sidebar! Sidebar!

You take eight points of bludgeoning damage. Oh, God. You should know, I do not delight in this, Mr. Woug, but you will not keep this information from us. You should want to help my investigation. claim your brother was in danger? Would you not want to help him? I was trying to help him. Light turns a jade. Yeah. Interesting. How did you obtain surveillance materials matching those recovered from the assassin? I don't remember. Roll another deception check. 11. Oh, Mr. Woug. Please.

Please don't make me do this. You are not, Miss Ted Sotora. Are you sure that these things aren't calibrated improperly? I swear! I, I, I, I... Another punch comes square into your abdomen. Five points of bludgeoning damage.

There's no more throw up. What do you know about Operation Waltz? Castle Ascalon, General Garland Sigurd, or any of his surviving loyalists? Castle Ascalon? You mean like that fortress outside, like that Orbit Zooten? Operation Walts is a really cool name. Uh, well, the lights turn jade as you begin to answer.

However, now you must roll a deception check. As you say, I don't know anything. The lights turn violet once more. What do you know of Castle Ascalon? Do you know of the plan? What plan? I... Honest!

I don't know anything! Understand that if you were an instrumental in the actions of Ascalon, name or not, you will not leave this place. Would a woo-g have anything to do with any of that? The Rock Dynasty 100% of the time. I just, I just, you know, even if I don't look like my brother, it doesn't mean anything. Jade.

Have you taken, planned, or assisted in any hostile action against the Sorok Dynasty, its officials, its citizens, or its territories? I look up at the guy who just punched me twice. No. Jade. Why should the dynasty believe that you were attempting to prevent the assassination rather than participate in it? He's my brother. We don't always get along 100% of the time, but I don't want anything to happen to him. I don't want anything to happen to anybody.

We were trying to stop the violence. We were trying to stop that Portia Bella Gones person. She was the one. We almost did it. I don't know how your crew has navigated the Harmonite, but understand Mr. Roug. We will gain the full truth of what happened at the pools. We will navigate to the truth of your responsibility in the attempt on Channeler Wu's life. This will not go unanswered.

It will not go unpunished. When you find out the truth and you know who's really responsible for this, you're going to be apologizing from the gutter, because you'll be fired, because my brother will be like, no, that's wrong what you did. I'll tell them that you punch me twice in the stomach and then I threw up one time. The lights shimmer a little bit in there is the undecided nature of the words that you're delivering until they eventually rest on Jade. Very well, Mr. Wooge, very well. Ziggy, you are led by Captain Taurak from the interrogation room.

through the Zalikan Holding facility, which is clearly Sorok in construction. It is definitely a detention center with heavy defenses, but it is more in tune with nature, and the technology's advanced gem tech. Feathered raptors patrol the halls with the guards, and in the open air spaces, the heads of brannosaurs peer into the yards past towers, clinging with enormous toothed pterosaurs. Eventually, you are brought back. to a cell with shimmering laser bars emitting from crystals embedded in the floor and ceiling.

It is there you see your friends waiting. Tarek shoves you in before reactivating the bars and turning away. Fortunately, you have a cell with six beds and it is just you. You are alone. What do you do? What do you all do? I'm gonna throw out. Nice. Other than that, did they break you? Yeah. What?

What? Yeah, I just, I spilled the spaghetti. What? I just did everything that was in my mind. I told the whole thing. Pigs, you say you aren't going to fucking sing like a canary. You know, I sang. I practically an opera.

We did nothing wrong, all right? I mean, we can tell them anything they want. They're going to soak this all out once the channel are talked to them. No, no, you can't tell them anything they want. Trust me. Yeah, you're supposed to say, like, I don't remember and I don't recall. But apparently that's a lie and that's fucking bullshit. As soon to tell them anything, the fucking cops are going.

gonna construe this why you never fucking cop to cops or any bootlookers like that you shut the fuck up i mean he was really nice after i started telling him about um what was his name glump florado and squeakly cones and everything and and after i told him about about um new new hot stuff over in a weird trashy uh ladies house oh my gosh so they know about mecca this prior yeah i couldn't remember a name though so I don't think I gave a one. Oh, that was information they didn't need. And I told them about the slime room. They didn't need that either.

I forgot to mention about the 50 pound gallon of lube. How many gallons is in that now? I spilled it. It was only like one or two gallons left. Whenever I can scoop back in, it's all. I like that cold open from the office where he's built for children. I think Hank's still cleaning it up. I finish my Jorts moon.

Let me throw it away. Oh, oh, yeah. Where is Hank? Where's the Rhapsody? I don't know. But, I mean, we have a signal, and he followed orders. Presumably, based on the line of question, and he got the Rhapsody off world.

What, did they ask you about the Rhapsody? Yeah. Hmm. We must all got different questions then. What did they ask you? That's what my favorite color of nail polish was. No, I didn't get that one. Yeah, definitely different questions.

But didn't ask me about the Rhapsody at all. Well, I presumably since I'm the captain and I own it, you know, and they have that information. Look, again, I'm sure we just got to bite our time. Let's not- So you told the truth then? Well, I mean, yeah. I was honest. We tried to say... Oh, God.

I've been so afraid you guys were gonna kick me out of the group because I just, I said everything. Every last, every thought that came to my head. I said it. Come on. I didn't reveal any more information than I had to. To me, that was important. They knew about the slime room.

I think it's dangerous. Don't even worry about it. It's just fun to mess with those jackasses. Okay. Pike and I got our asses kicked. Pike and I and Ziggy got our asses got our asses. This is good fucking talk, right? He's cold a Jortsmouth, and he even kicked that guy with the gun out,

and we just hung out and talked. By the time we were done, he told me all about his family and how he's doing. He's up for a promotion, you know? I hope he gets it. No, we're not. He's got to get five. Review. I think things.

You really fell for the, hey, we're just here to help. You have nothing to worry about. Yeah. Oh, boy, for future reference, that's how they get you. Well, never trust what the authorities are trying to tell. They'll lie to you left and right. What do you mean by Getcher? I'll get you to say something you're not supposed to say, or on false pretenses and charges.

Oh, man. I didn't embellish one thing, but I think he knew. Uh, so I just hope Hank's okay, and they don't send fighters after him. Did you tell him, Hank was a rhinoceros? A rhinoceros? Yeah, I've read about it and want to think he's weird books. with all the colored drawings in it. No, I didn't mention

that Hank was anything besides a member of the crew. Well, what did you embellish then? Just that he left because he liked to take jewel rides occasionally. Oh. I didn't do very well. Picks, no you didn't.

That was his level of embellishment. I didn't do very well, though. Picks. I think I might be thrown into the slimmer. We're... We already are in this laughing. Oh, no, we're different for everyone. No, to be fair, it can get worse.

If we had tried and convicted, then we're to go to actual prison. It's probably much worse than this. Yeah, so it can get fucking well. It's gonna be fine. This isn't prison. What is... It doesn't matter what you said or what any of us said. As soon as my brother shows up, he's gonna clear up all of this. In this case, Siggy's right. You're right. We didn't do anything wrong.

And plus, they had a way to... to determine whether or not we were even telling the truth. Yes. I told him that we stabbed people with knives. In what context? I don't know if there was one. Then it probably doesn't matter. At the end of the day, that's right.

We didn't do anything wrong. But just for future reference, if somebody starts asking you questions, don't just give them everything they're looking for. That's all. All I'm going to say is that the, Fucking Guard Captain, fucking the big hairy fuck.

I mean, I torture way better than he does. He got nothing out of me. That was like the beginner's torture. I don't know. The only thing that's in the back of my head is that I guess technically we did do something illegal by falsifying our records

and making landfall on the capital world of the Sorok Dynasty with fake IDs. But that happens every day all across the galaxy. That's like a slap on the wrist at best at this point. I mean, come on. I'm just hoping that, you know, when the Chandler finally comes

and clears all this up, they'll look past that and not throw the fucking book at us. Is it wrong to lying about your identity? Yeah, that one's technically a crime. Well, then Ziggy, stop telling people you're 6'5 in those chap rooms. Six foot five. Life. Look.

You can get arrested for that. Stop going through my face. Okay, sorry. Look, I, my brother, when he gets us out of here, if we get fined for any of those things that we supposedly allegedly did, then he'll pay for. I think he's seen to us now? I'm sure. Well, I don't know.

Maybe they bug the rooms. I would. I mean, this is what? You call this, I think, jail versus prison, right? I can't imagine that it's too, you know, we haven't been convicted. We're not an actual prison. We just got to wait until they figure things out. We'll be let go.

We'll be on our way. I don't think they're going to let us take Portia. Do you think they're going to split us up guys anymore? Well, without you guys. Well, I've seen no evidence that they're going to. split us up. But if we are convicted and sent to prison, it's entirely possible. They can't convict.

They have fucking nothing. Oh, I mean, I think they have something. What? I mean, the crimes we did commit and we committed crimes to you know, I guess we did sort of break an ender into the harmony

temple and, you know, we scaled walls. But that was only because we asked and they said no. Well, yeah, they said no, and then we broke the law to get around that no we received. I don't think I know how the law... It's crooked. Always. It's always, you know, it's whatever the fuck that they want, they can justify it. So what are we going to do now, then? We're just sitting here.

We're going to survive, and you just stay with me, Picks. Don't let any other these creeps that are in here. All these creeps and weirdos anywhere near you, okay? No new friends. We're going to survive this together, okay? Yeah, if anybody tells you to do anything, don't listen to them. You come to us first, all right? Okay. I don't think this will be quite as rough as when I met Coe, but don't take any chances. Yeah, it really looks like a fucking day spa in here. It's a lot cleaner than the Janok sector. And that was a lot cleaner than the other.

prisons I was in. Oh, that's Silver lineman. Any other tips we should keep in mind? How much time you got. Picks, number one tip. Remember shitmouse, shit, Jones? Yeah, I'm a sim. Remember how you would spend hours at a time

at the break just staring at them? He didn't like that very much, I don't think. That's going to get your in-ins to become out-ins. Never fucking stare. Don't look at people. Avert your eyes. Keep your head down. That's really hot.

What for me? I got big global and I. This is a lot of what I'm gonna say you face is gonna be hard for you. Oh, I'm not gonna do so very well in here, I don't think. What if there's a stranger who comes up? Was I'm gonna come up with this? He's gonna say, gonna come up and he's gonna say, what are you in here for?

Well, we- You shut the fuck up. I tell him that? Keep your mouth. No. Oh. It's important distinction. Keep your mouth shut.

I- We don't talk to people unless we have to, unless we need to lay down the law, or they can be useful. Okay. That's it? You keep your nose out of people's business? Oh. You don't touch what's not yours. Aw. And we got to...

Pike, I think we got to find the biggest fucker wants his meal time. Teach him a lesson. Are we going to eat somebody? No, we're going to kick his ass. Why? Because we're going to prove that this is our place now. And no one's going to fuck with us. Yeah. Once we put on a little display.

Okay. Here's another hypothetical. Okay. You don't answer. Let's say somebody comes up and says, hey, I got, you know, I made five extra notes. You know, five extra notes this week, and I bought an extra candy bar. Okay? With my allotment. Five-note candy bar? Is that how much they cost in here?

Five notes for one candy bar? I mean, it might be. Oh, my God, you can get a value meal and blowbows for five notes. Depends. You know, or cigarettes. It doesn't fucking, it's a candy bar. It doesn't fucking matter.

It might be a soda. It might be a candy bar. It might be cigarettes. It might be... Five notes for a soda. A single soda. No! The point is, someone offers you,

it's like, hey, I don't want this. Will you like it? No. No. Never! What? Nothing. is free.

So I- Wait, I scream out of him and say, no, never! You politely decline. I'm good. No, thanks. We can't do the candy bar? No. Why not?

And if something in here is free, what is it? Friendship? It doesn't, it means it doesn't cost anything. It's not free. Oh. I'm making fucking sense here, Pike? Yeah, this is just gonna be a tough one for them to wrap their heads around. Five notes for a soda.

How did they get the candy bar in the first place? I want a candy bar. Well, that actually leads us to another point. I need a cigarette. Certainly someone around here will be able to get us stuff. I'll take that as my job of finding this person. Alright? Now's a perfect opportunity for a clean break.

You don't have to smoke anymore. You can just treat this like a, you know, know the reset that you need in order to break yourself free from that filthy habit. I would pick your next words very carefully. That's all I'm going to say. When we find this individual, if there's stuff that you need, you come to me and I'll go to them. You don't talk to them, okay? Is it someone you know from the last time you went here?

No. But there's always somebody who can find anything that we need for a price. How do we know which one they is? Leave it to me. So if we find them... Oh, you probably won't. We leave it to you. I'll take care of.

If we need something, we leave it to you. Just let me know. There's always signs. And if anyone talks to me, I don't say anything. But if they offer me an overly priced candy ball, I don't say anything but also decline politely. You're getting it. Yeah. What else we got?

What do you do for entertainment? Yeah. Like, you know, are there the games and the, and then the electronics? Yeah, we're in the arcade in this place. You should watch the shows and like, oh, uh. Kid, you're in for it. I mean, if you're lucky, there'll be some old reruns of some shit on tiny TV. It's going to be turned on whatever channel, the biggest fucker in the room at the time wants to watch.

But is that the one that you're going to beat up? Oh, we'll kick his ass. so maybe it won't be mere pipe. Yeah, but there's nothing good. It's all bad. There's so many channels, but there's nothing to watch. You all got a crowd around and it stinks. They got a library, but only the nerds go to read that.

Do you think they... No, say that. Oh, you should not, Vickle. As you're discussing what to do, as you find yourselves confined, in this holding facility that you hear a voice shout out lights off

and the whole place starts to go dark eventually it's not long until you see once more you all have come to know at this point Captain Tarek comes back to your cell stands in front of it and looks in down at you you think I bought any of that for a second

You Cavalon scum, then you're fools. I got a fun day planned for you tomorrow. You better get some rest. Is this, this was the guy with the gun. Yeah, and he's still like, you know. It's good to see you. It's been so long. I hope you enjoyed your break. Did you get some bag of chips?

You were looking peckish from beating up all my friends. You're so strong. I hope you have a good night's sleep. Yeah, have a good night, Captain. and we'll see you tomorrow. I'm gonna sleep great. You get your rest as well. I'm sorry about your shoes.

I have fun with you. I didn't mean to do anything. Get my hands on the mood. We're just trying to get to sleep now, so, you know, it's hard to sleep with all the, you know, chatter and chit-chat. Is that back talk? Nope, nope.

You're just, you know, you're telling us to go to bed. Lights off, so just follow in order, sir. Hope you're all ready for work tomorrow. You too, I heard that you're up for your promotion soon. Good luck, I hope you get it and have a safe drive home. Bye. Thank you. He walks away.

As he walks away, I looked up Brett. He doesn't believe us. They have magic crystals that tell whether or not we're telling the truth and he doesn't believe us. What a jackass. He's really nice. Well, I mean, Based on what I heard from all of you, I don't know if all of us were entirely truthful.

So, you know, him not necessarily trust in everything we said, the veracity, doesn't surprise me. And for the record, big guy, try not to respond too much to the questions they throw out. Some guy like him, he's got a power trip and use any excuse he can to pull one over on you, okay? All right, I just, you know, I've never, anytime I got picked. up, I was out that night, you know? I just... That must have been fucking nice. I just respond to their questions,

and as long as you don't do anything wrong, the guild, I think, helps a lot. I'm starting to understand... Where the fuck is the guild now? Do they know? I'm not sure they do. What's the point of my shitty little badge? Don't we have protections or something?

I was hoping something would come through, but, you know, it seems like if something has come through, they don't give a... Okay. Entertainment. There's a lot of gambling that goes on here. That sounds pretty fun, right? I can gamble. Can you gamble? Oh! Are you fucking kidding me, Red? Never fucking gamble. It is the worst degenerates of this fucking place, usually the cutthroats, the murderers, the people who do the real heinous shit that are running the gambling ring.

and as soon as you get in debt, you're fucking dead or worse. Okay? No gambling. Okay. Oh, I think it's terribly wasteful, but we used to shoot dice back in the core, so, you know, I don't know.

It'd be fun to kind of... They'll be shooting dice here. There'll probably be some scrawny little fuck who's going to try to, oh, well, come on in. He's going to seem real friendly. It's to seem real friendly. It's just one game. It'll be a lot of fun.

and then you are theirs until you're out at dead. Okay? Okay. So no dies? None. I know that we've all seen some pretty messed up stuff, but 15 guys stabbing one dude is pretty brutal. Yeah.

What? You saw that. It's horrible. It's happened. Do you, have you, I mean, I know you've killed a lot of people, Zingy, but have you heard what it sounds like when the air leaves someone's lungs from the back? Like from their butthole?

Like from their butthole? Technically. From a certain point of view. From a certain point of view. As you talk about what to do the next day. Thank you. Lights are off. The quiet sets in.

And eventually you continue your chat or your conversation about how to handle prison for as long as you may see that go on. But eventually, you all fall asleep. And it's not terribly restful, but you will enjoy a long rest. Hot dog. I was bloody, I think. Or almost bloody at the very least. You eventually awaken to the lights coming back on. the bars of your cell, the energy that courses between the crystals,

disperses from amongst them. And everyone in unison begins to exit and stand the detention, everyone who is here in this holding facility. You look around and you see several different prisoners, all being held here awaiting trial. you're directed to move together until you eventually walk through a corridor and you open up into a much larger section of the holding facility, still with the stone walls that move throughout. But Coe and Pike are absolutely correct in the sense that this is one of the, or feels as one of the almost a nicer facilities you've ever done time in. There's intermixings of almost a lush greenery growing up through the stone of the wall as you make your way and you enter into a mess hall for breakfast.

A much bigger, wide open area, you see a larger collection of inmates, some of which already seated with trays ahead of them eating what appears to be just some form of gruel. So it's like the communal... It's like a communal cafeteria area you've been brought here for breakfast. How tough do the people look here? Roll perception check. Four.

That's very funny. That's very funny. You are... You're accustomed to reading a prison room and getting the sense of how tough people look. Your eyes, it's getting really hard to judge the crowd, levels of violence, who you might expect, what from.

But you can't help, but allow your gaze to fall on one imposing figure that stands out to you. Back turned, you see a large frame hunched over a table, certainly the biggest inmate in the room. Is that by a considerable margin? A considerable margin. Power gap. A power gap for certain. certain. I am going to, I'm presuming we're all sitting down. We're all sitting down. We have our plates. I'm going to kind of look. I'm going to look at Pike. I think that's the one.

I'll just give you like a nod, a silent nod. That's the one you're going to beat up. Yeah. Why? What did he do to you? Look at him. Look at how big that fuck are his. He looks so sad. He does look kind of sad. Is he sitting by himself? He's sitting by himself, but his back is turned to you, but he is sitting by himself. Because he's mean, though.

Maybe that's why he's by himself. No, look at that. I'm sure he's a, he's in prison with the rest of us. I'm sure he's a piece of shit. Well, I'm not a piece of shit. Ziggy isn't, none of us are pieces of shit. And I'm gonna look around. Do the people, do the other inmates, does it look like they recognize us as fresh blood, and especially since weakness and pixel in Ziggy?

I don't know if I get to serve that. I don't know if I get to serve that. Roll an insight check. Roll another insight check. 16. 16. I think as you certainly, you would have moved through into this room,

you would have known immediately as you kind of crested in that almost, it's hard to tell if anybody actually eyes turned to you, but you get the sense that the room is watching you. You've moved through the line, murmurs, Oh, look who they just brought in. Look at this group. Some small, some slightly more imposing

before you get your food and you sit down and you definitely get the sense that the room is sizing you up. Deciding, waiting. You can feel eyes on us. You can feel eyes on you. As you look around, it's hard to find anyone looking, but you can feel the room watching you. Like I have my, my spork or whatever prison you tell you that You see all these fucking creeps? Yeah. Look at us. Like hunters, right? And we're vulnerable now, we're new.

So we need to prove that we're not a bunch of bitches and they shouldn't fuck with this. And as long as I kicked that guy's ass. And people know that y'all are with me. We're gonna be good for the entire rest of our time here, okay? Okay. Hey, do you want my slop? I'm not gonna eat it.

the pop, I need the pop. I would love to stop. Keep your mouth shut. You're giving your slop award? Yeah, I'm Pixel Pop. Nice to meet you. Who are you? Oh, hey, I'm Wormo. I'm Wormo. I'm agreeable.

Can you spell that for us? Wormo. I'm agreeable. Hi, Wormo. I've never met agreeable before. He's my slop. Oh, hey, what did you say your name was? Pixel Pop. Oh, well, thank you.

You're very nice. Hey, ugly. Get the fuck away. No one asked you to be here. Oh. Yeah. Get the fuck away, Wormo. Yeah, get away from our slop. That's his slob.

Look at his horns. Oh, I was hoping to make friends. No, we're not going to make friends. No, you don't be mean to Wormo. You're in jail. Okay. I'm going to pass Wormo, my slop. Don't listen to them, Wormo.

Oh my gosh. If anyone treats you like that, you tell him, you know what? You can talk to my palpixel about it, okay? Oh, we're pals? Yeah, of course. I'm giving you my... Thanks, Pixel. What are you in for?

Tempted murder, and then I'm going to turn. Oh, I was hoping my tax evasion. That's what I'm in for. I knew it was tax evasion. While this is all going on, and, and, uh, Co was like, I thought that was a different section. And Coe was like, you know, surveilling the scene and looking for this big guy. I know that this will probably be a multi-day process or, you know, several checks over the course of staying here.

I want to start to look around this eating area for, like, the classic telltale signs of who might be the person you go to to get stuff. I'm going to start like observing and making mental notes of people and the way that they're behaving and trying to narrow down who I can talk to to get some fucking cigarettes. You're on alert. Go ahead and give me a, I'll call it a standing perception check. Or investigation, whatever is more.

Technically, investigation's a lot worse, but it doesn't. matter because I rolled very badly. My head hurts. I'm in pain. I look. I'm in pain. I look rough. I'm going through withdrawal. I am not happy. And I got a five. Okay. With a five, you do a quick scan in the room. And you are certainly, not even from time in prison, but just your ability to work with people, understand them. But the many unsavory characters you've dealt with over your career, you've gotten a sense of who, uh, Who are the fixers? Who can kind of get stuff done? Who's the person that looks like this around this room?

You start to keep an eye out for that. You do not yet see someone. I will be happy to make that check as like we are experiencing different things over the course of however long this is. But right now, I'm beat up, I'm rattled from the investigation. It's been a rough couple days. It's been a rough couple days. I'm going to severe withdraw on my teeth hurt. I have a splitting headache.

It's like I'm in roughshed. You're basically back to right where you started. It's not good. I am going to look at my friends and say, okay, I want to handle this. Keep an eye on me, but don't get involved. You look for the fixing. Keep your heads down. What do you want the rest of us to do?

Just make sure that no one tries to pull a knife and shake me in the back, okay? Wait, wait, wait, before you go, what's going to stop you for? from once you start this fight, getting stabbed by 15 guys. Me, I'm gonna make sure that she doesn't get stabbed by 15 guys. But if you're looking for the fixer at the time, what if you're looking in the opposite direction once the stabbing starts?

I'm never gonna take my eyes off of Coe once things begin. All right, so you're gonna stop her from getting stabbed by 15 guys. So my next question is, what's gonna stop you from getting stabbed by 15 guys? Are you gonna let 15 guys just stab me from mine? All right, so

I'll stop 15 guys from stabbing you, so that leads me to my next question of what's going to stop me from getting stabbed by 15 guys? No one is going to stab anybody. Everyone's staying out of each other's fucking business. He's obviously going to stop you from getting stabbed by 15. Do you know the kind of

fucking coordination it takes to get together for the guys? A 15 guys stabbing is not a spur of the moment decision. That takes planning and coordination, yes. Snooks of blank weeks. If this were in a TV show,

we would pan out and there'd be 15 guys sharp-time-and-dives of their size. I thought you're talking about that guy than 15 guys. You mean 15 individual people stabbing you guys. All right. Well, that's a good point. And you need to, I guess, procure 15 shives at least. Yeah.

Were they dual-wielding the knives when this happened? You'd be surprised how effective just a single shiv per guy is. Time is this happening because in an hour and a half. In like 30 seconds. Oh, okay. Because in an hour and a half, that guy over there, the one that Scallon's going to give me a prison tattoo.

Bix! Oh, hey. It's me the prison tattoo guy. Yes, yeah, an hour and a half. Oh, yeah, no, thanks for scouting the appointment, Biggsville. Yeah, no, thanks for getting me in so soon. It's me. Grim, Grim Greg.

Grim Greg. Grim Greg. With Merse. With Mursa and in a gang in like the first three days. Oh, yeah. Hey, don't you ever fucking look at her ever again? Hey, she booked the appointment, okay? I got my calendar, it goes up quick.

I don't give a fuck if the fucking empress of the Cavalon Empire booked it. Turn around, asshole. Roll an intimidation check. Oh, my God. What is that? That is a 13. 14. 14. Oh, okay, okay.

She gave them to me, alright? I don't fucking care. Okay. All right. Sorry, but you'll find your tabbord. Find your prison. To be somewhere else. Grim Greg.

All right. If you come to me, maybe that's found your friend. Go, go beat up that guy. No, just, I feel like things are going to get a lot better once you beat this guy. Yeah, you're right. Okay. Did I come with you?

No, absolutely. We're going to stay here, the three of us. You're going to all keep your nose out of people's business. I'm going to get in his business. Show him who's boss and then no one's going to fuck with us, okay? Okay, but if I'm not with you, can I go to that table over there? No! Stay right here.

The three of us, until we assert dominance through this process of display, we're going to stay right here, nice and safe, all right? Fine. Stop, stop looking over there. There's more tables and dangerous men. We're all going to fucking die. I scoot my chair. back up and I walk over and I get around and get a look at this like big silhouette. I see what he looks like and I'm gonna basically then sit down. I like to get a look at him first and then possibly sit down across him.

You start, you walk across the room. You close the distance. You move around and there are these like he's seated at kind of a rectangular table. The stone built into the ground comes up, smooths out at the the very top and he's plenty of spaces for people to sit. And I'm sure he hasn't eaten much of his meal at all. He, you start moving around the table and what you see, he is a huge hulking Sorian of the deep fin lineage. He resembles a mosa sore with deep green skin and subtle striping. Yeah, okay. As you move around the table and you start to get kind of eyes on him,

He's looking down, he's, has a tray of food in front of him half eaten. I'll sit down and I'm gonna see if he registers my, and I just sit down very confidently, just across from him and see if he registers me. He does not. Your vision is now obscured by the hulking brute that sits in front of you. You can't see beyond him. Wow, I didn't know they make him that, that and ugly. And I'm gonna reach for it. I'm gonna grab his plate. Oh, I was hungry. His tray. Oh, good, I finished my food and it wasn't enough. They don't. It's really

fucking serve you enough food here. And I'm gonna grab it. I'm gonna try to try to pull it. Roll a I guess Roll an intimidation check. I can't plus seven though. 11. I'm not rolling. Good. You reach out and try and grab his tray. and he looks up and he puts his hand down, a huge hand,

webbed, looks like it could fit your skull in the palm of his hand easily. He opens his mouth to speak to you. You see teeth in his elongated mouth. They're jagged. And as he looks up, one eye serrated,

gouged out with a nasty scar across his face. If you're hungry, plenty of places to get something to eat. And he'll put a hand out and stop you from moving the tray. Can Coe tell how strong he is just like through the little tug of war they're playing with the tray? Like, is it easy to feel like is he using a lot of four? I'm curious. Depends on how much, I'd say based on how much pressure you're beginning to exert to take the tray from him,

you would see that with his hand down, he's matching it so far, pound for pound of pressure. I'll take my support, not a shank, just my sport, and I'll say, you know, true, true, bud, years looks tasty, and I want that. I'm gonna try to reach forward and grab a scoop and like take a bite of it. How hard are you pulling on it? I'm keeping it basically where he's at

and I'm with my other hand, I'm basically gonna try to reach and get a scoop, just reaching over. If he's not gonna let me, I'm kind of leaning over to get a scoop and, and, and, and taking a bite myself. He will reach out with the other hand and grab your wrist gently, but stopping you from trying to eat off his tray.

Why did you come over here? I told you, I'm hungry, step. There's plenty of food at your table. I would like to, I would like to, if I can, if he has a finger on it, easily yank the tray and to hopefully get the food and try to start eating it if I can quickly, just like eating it like with my face in the food.

Rollin athletics contest. Okay. 23. You pulled the tray free from his hand, though he is exceptionally strong. You start to get the sense in it in a straight-out brawl you'd have a very tough time with him But you free the tray from his grasp and you start eating He sits up and looks at you Hey, this is pretty good. I was right

I'm like I'm pouring this the slop into my mouth Well, that wasn't nice at all I guess I'll just go get another He stands up from his seat and he's starts working. Wait a minute. I'm fucking thirsty. I'm gonna reach him to grab his water or his drink. He kind of closes his one eye for a minute that's not scarred.

And it looks like he's taking a minute to like steady himself. I can get another one of those too. This guy's been through therapy and his heels. I like lean over to everyone else and I'm just like, how is he going to get more? How did he get more food and food? I want more food and drink. I'm so hungry. I'm stunned.

Me too. Be too. I'm going to do. What the fuck is your problem, man? I just ate your shit. And I drank your water. And what were you expecting in return? Have some self-respect. You're gonna let me treat you like that? What would you have me do? Strike you? Like a brute?

Well, yeah! Oh, it's how animals act. I'm not gonna hit you, hit people. I think he's in fativation. What, what are you even, what do you even in here for? They came to my village. They tried to constrict, conscript me into the military, and I refused, because I'm a pacifist.

Oh my God. What's your name, ugly? It's dredge. Yeah, that makes sense. I thought just because my hands were big didn't mean they had to harm people. I spent my time pulling up

things from under the water and making pulses. Healing people. I got healing hands. That makes sense. He puts the fist in pacifist. Look at that. Oh, fuck. Oh, fuck. What the hell?

Tredge. Yeah. I really feel bad now. I really wish that you tried to kick my ass. Did you come over here to try and take the biggest guy out on your first day of prison? I mean, obviously. Happens a lot to me. It's kind of upsetting.

People very often come up to me because I'm really big, and they think that, you know, hitting me or punching me make some kind of thing. Most of them break their hands. Do we see all this happening? You're pretty not far away. Pixel was told him not to stare like she did shitmouse shit-draws, but she is staring at this guy. I'm looking down directly on the gruel.

If I see that you're like floundering, and I've already seen that Pixel has already given away her plate and gruel, I would pick up what's left of my food and my drink, because I really haven't touched it at all. Like I'm not eating. I'm not feeling like I'm eating. I'm going to walk over to Coe and be like, Look, I never would have seen this coming either.

And I'm going to place my tray and my drink down in front of dredge and be like, Hey, Hey, ma'am. I kind of wish, I mean, you know, yeah, I was trying to kick your ass, but, you know, I wish I didn't say it. I was going to sucker punch you until you started talking.

I'm co. Here, this is my buddy Pike's sludge, and I still haven't finished my sludge of the fat. He doesn't eat it already. So if you say if you're still hungry, if you're still hungry, yeah, we're over there. Well, you guys turned out to be kind of nice.

What are you in for? It's, uh, well, allegedly. It's a long story. Well, are you guilty? Of course not. Does it really matter? Are you saying we're fucking guilty? I get like a little excited again.

No, I'm just asking. Ah, fuck. Well, you just seem like good people is all, so I'm surprised you're in for something. Well, or not. Yeah. Don't make assumptions. Sorry. How do we get more food?

Well, you know, this is the holding facility. There's no cap. You just walk up to the line and they'll keep feeding you. I will be right back. Why are you talking to the guy? I'm supposed to sit here and stir at the table. There's only one game on my glasses and I'm going to lose my mind! I'm gonna lose my mind! With my freight to the swap line. I will leave.

I'll stand up and I'll say, well, have a nice breakfast. And I'll walk back to my friends. I'll walk with you. I'll walk back with you. Well, never saw that going like that. Yeah, that's not usually how it fucking goes. Well, I look around. Has the perception of us changed at all?

Roll and insight. check. They all think we're barbaric monsters. Oh my. Just uncouth. No, just rude uncouth. 17. With 17. There is definitely started, like, a little bit of a murmur of like,

holy shit, are they friends with Dredge now? Like, what, like, what's going on? They were just talking to that guy. That guy's huge. And they didn't throw down? What's the, oh, I don't know, you know. You get the sense that there's definitely a shift in the air, a shift in the attitudes.

That went exactly according to plan. Okay, fine. Exactly according to plan. Hey, Trench. You look over and I'm sitting in front of him. This is my buddy Picks. She's the best friend I got. And she's someone you can turn to when you're in a bind. Anything you need?

You let us know, she's the one you want to look after. Yeah, so give me your hand. Okay. I got to clean up these cuticles, and I just start giving him a manicure. Oh, oh. You can have the prettiest fist this side of, I don't know, whatever this place is called. You are very nice. Thanks, Dredge, you too.

I wouldn't hate the company if you guys want to finish your breakfast here. Nobody ever sits with me on account. God, come on. We're having breakfast with lunch. Come on, guys. Come on. Co-work. Are you sure? Yep. I'm sure.

Nothing makes any sense anymore. Come on, big guy. Oh, it's my friend, Dredge. My friend, Dredge. As I am very much now making a show. Roll a performance check at advantage. Or a deception, whatever you prefer. That's a natural 20. Natural 20.

Biggo, bago. People are now, that sensation of all eyes on you. Nobody has now missed this new this new flourishing of my friend Dredge. You sit down next to the hulking brute, the jagged

scar across one eye. The absolute massive Hulk of a person who looks like he could crush anyone in this room clapping his hands together. You now join him for breakfast. All right, Murmoh, you heard the lady. Let's go.

Oh, Vermeau and I both get up with me. Oh, thanks, right. Oh, yeah. Whoa, he's been really scared of this guy. He's so big. I just assumed he was terrible. Come on, Wormo. Okay.

You have to bring Wormo. You're facing all of us and call this all over. I thought you meant like all of us. It's fine. We're all right. Oh, my name, Pixel. Hey, you can't sit with us. No, you say to me.

Oh, thanks, Pryxel. Stop being... Make a persuasion check. 27. Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Oh, yeah. What, Warma, hold on.

Let me just ask a question at two. Warma? Yeah? Can I trust you? Of course. I need to know one thing. Okay. What are you in here for?

I told you before. It's tax evasion. Nice. Oh, thanks. You're okay. I've always thought. the government should fall and, you know, like, go up and, like, brutal flames. And the fact that they try and take things from you in taxes, well, I just hate that.

I pull up a shit. I pull out of shit. You drop your crowd, king. Welcome somewhere. Basin Wormow, please. I'll say, you know what, Wormo, you're all right. Hey, Pitch, do you want my cup and cake? Actually. Of course, yeah, it's free. There's no strange attached. Thanks.

Oh, you're welcome. And then I'm gonna hand it out to our big guy friend. I already forgot his name. Dredge? Dredge? Yeah. Dredge, do you want the- Oh, but you just did my nails. What's okay, I'll feed it to you,

and I'll stand up on the table and I'll just feed him the cup and cake? His large, like, jagged tooth, mouth. I mean, this is like terrifying. If you knew fear in this moment, you would have it. But you're not comfortable with these ruthless inmates that you've come to find yourself surrounded in your, and you're ever-expanding group of survivors. His toothed, sharp, toothed, massive maw opens,

and we dropped the half a cup and cake in. It looks like a pebble falling into this giant mouth, but he eats it and enjoys it. Thank you. You're welcome. Do you think they were impressed by the fact they stuck my hand in his mouth and came away with my whole hand?

Yeah, I think so. Just keep up. Whatever the fuck you do and keep it up. I don't know. How much did that cup and cake? cost. It was free. Wait, who did you take it from? Wormo. How much of that cup and cake cost?

Oh, it was $7.7?7 notes? Seven notes? Oh, my gosh. Seven notes? Oh, yeah. Seven notes for one cup and cake? The prices are high. Prices are high. I guess, uh. What's the limit per week here? Uh, limit of what? A lot. Pursus we can spend. Oh, it depends on what your job is. I don't know. Have you guys found out yet? No. We have to work. I know, I hit it too.

What's your work? What do you do? I do the taxes in here. I do the taxes on the facility. Wormuz's back to shot, I was looking at his shoe. He's wearing fake few of normal shoes. I also do you look at those little his head of you frame.

Holy shit. I do the taxes reward. Oh no. One day, worm was just gonna be gone. He didn't just disappear like a fart in the wind. Geology is the study of time and pressure. There is salvation

in that book, Wormo. Even now, Wormo is making his way to the coast of the future I find I'm so excited I can't even sit there. Dredge was here. No, no, no. I could tell you've been to

prison before picks. You're really doing it right. Yeah? You're making friends and talking to people. I was really afraid of being in prison because, you know, Cole was making it out to be so scary, but James, I'll be over there in a minute. No, no, no, this is it. This is it. This is it. No new friends. No, there's no James. I don't care. You hear...

My name is James. My name is James. My name is James. Lady luck is never on my side. Oh, brother sucks. This is five, there's seven of us. But those 15 guys... You turn it.

Oh, my God. They're the most dangerous gang I've never seen. They're all jossa. They're all jasa. Oh, shit. What you did was an initiation ritual, and so I scheduled it for 30 minutes after my prison tattoo. No.

Picks. Okay, you got it. Every single prison. Well, I mean, I... This is... It's blown everything I know about this, or maybe it's not the case. Has a group of weirdos who, like, real cult shit, like worship cacophony, actual, like, fucking fiend worshippers.

You only go to them if you're absolutely fucking desperate, okay? Stay away from him. Oh, so like that guy over there that gave me this weird necklace with a symbol on it and said I had to chant this weird thing to get in through the door on the left down the hallway? Yes, yeah. It's a good idea. It's a foresight of, tell me. What is it in me?

That's very funny. I throw it. It hits the ground. All right. Well, now that we got a prison gang, does that mean you can start to look for a source? I mean, you're not looking too hot, Pike. I'm working on it.

Just give me time. I'm working on it. All right. I'll talk to Dredge and me might have some pointers and thoughts, but we can't make it too obvious, all right? All right. you carry on the remainder of breakfast. You're in the room for about an hour.

You commune with... I ate six trays of slop. I just have to make that clear. Let me know. I just have to be extremely clear. That's Canada. Oh, yeah, that's canon. One of the servers behind the bar says,

oh, you're a hungry lad. Yes, more flop. You carry on breakfast. You talk to Dredge, you talk to Wormo. You eventually come to understand the person that makes things move within these walls. They can get you what you seek, regardless of what it is,

is a Sketic named Velka. It's not cromie in the room, but once you move to time outside after breakfast, that's often where she can be found away from the the inner walls. And you finish your breakfast, you have, shockingly, somewhat civil,

enjoyable, enjoyable time. The slop is not good, but not bad. It's full of dense nutritional. There's quite a bit of vegetation mixed into it, but you feel full, especially those of you

who have eaten six trays. Excuse me. You're eventually moved once more. Everyone kind of stands up as you finish your meal, you're lined up, and you begin to move to time outside. As you had kind of seen before, you walk into an open air section of the holding facility. The ground kind of moves away as the vegetation. You move on to grass. In the center of this location, actually a small pool as natural water takes place. Walls do go up and you see these heads of brannosaurus is peeking out over top. Lining the distance now, you also spy

harmonite crystals that edge the sections of this kind of more open portion of the facility. The crystals lay at just the bank of what looks like a very dark water moat. Otherwise, you move about into this open area. You see things, something that looks like maybe even a flea net, a fling court, sections of workout equipment. The hard woven almost looks like a branch of wood that's come off with two large rocks, the roots woven around either end, strapped to a bench. you see on another section

what almost looks like an intense kind of playground jungle gym if you were. A series of climbing sections, bars you can move across and you see various inmates that are on all of these things, using their time outside,

enjoying the sun that now hangs above you, and burning off some energy. We've all, like, as in the whole vote from breakfast out into this area. Yes. A rotation of some inmates have moved in as your kind of collection of block has moved out into the...

It's open air? It's open air. What's the weather like? Sunny day. Relatively nice. Almost you would describe, if you didn't know that at the end of the day you were in a holding facility on Zalekon for attempted murder, a relatively enjoyable day outside. I'm hurting, but I think I take a moment just like feel the sun on my face. And it's probably felt like it's been a while,

given everything that we've been through the last few days and then where we left off before all this went down. And I would just take a few minutes just feel the sun on my face before, you know, asking Tredge if he had any tips on how to find somebody if I was looking for something. Yeah, and

he had mentioned Velka to you. And he had mentioned Velka and described her. And so you'll spend a minute. Roll another, you mean updated perception, investigation, whatever applies most. Oh, much better. I got a 17.

A 17. Across the yard, close to a section of wall at the other end. end of this outer area, past the workout equipment. You see Eschetic that matches her description, talking to a Volkar. They're standing very close to each other as she kind of leans up and you can see her mouth moving.

I would probably assume that she's busy in the middle of doing what she does best. And I would wait and I would watch and I would just basically keep an eye on her until, you know, there's a moment that she's not busy anymore. And basically just wait for my opening. You do that. You were looking for Vecla and rolled a...

Velka. Yes, yeah. And rolled a 17? Yeah, and I found her. I was waiting for an opening. Because I can tell she's probably doing business. You found her across the way. You, your gaze lands on her.

You see this... Sketic. the one you've now come to know as a Velka. She's doing a deal very obviously, or what it seems to be, a deal very obviously, with someone else. And you give it a moment before she kind of frees up and she's standing there available for an instant.

One foot kind of back against the wall. She has this bright shock of nearly pink feathers that form a hairdo that looks like a drooping mohawk. of a contrast with her grayish purple skin and patches of gray feathers around her neck and arms. I would basically super nonchalantly take my time walking over in her general direction and maybe my hands in my pockets

and kind of just like looking at my feet as I'm walking, maybe whistling a little tune, just like super casual. And as I walk kind of, Within four-ish feet, you know, I'd kind of just be, uh, you Velka? Uh, her eyes track you. Even as, not as you cross the entirety of the yard, but as it starts to look like your destination is her. And I'm not looking at her. I'm just, I'm just making, I'm speaking to her, but I'm not looking at her.

Um, keep it cool, baby. Keep it cool. A new, a new customer. What, uh, what were you looking for? That's why they all come to Velka. If it matters, Dredge send me. Oh, friends with Dredge, huh? Yeah.

Well, the question stands. People come to me because they want something. You want something to get in these walls and you can't get it yourself. Where to begin? Name it. Velka? get anything. Well, first off, the name's Pike. Second of all, I'm sure this won't be the last time that I come to you. We haven't received our jobs yet, but the first thing I'm going to

need is some cigarettes. If you have no notes, then you have nothing unless something to trade. I'll be back. I just wanted to make the introduction. What's your brand? Flamingo slums. Unique, a unique selection. I will make sure to have them on hand when you can pay. I appreciate it. And just as casually, I'll turn in Liefling. make my way back across the yard.

She stays where she is. Looking, you'll see as you now know who she is, you track her throughout time in the yard. You'll see one or two, three or four people kind of come and go as they move towards her away from her. Every now and again, you see the glancing movement of hands as someone stands relatively close to her as good services,

exchanges, you can't quite make out what, but she very clearly delivers to those who are seeking delivery. I would rejoin the rest of my friends or if we're not all together, then I would find Rhett and basically just fill him in and let him know that we've gotten in. And if anything comes up where we need to get something, we've got, we've got our hookup. We just need money, more things that trade. All right. Well, so you still have to wait then. You got to find a way to make some money then. I figure once we figure out what our assignments are, I'll start saving up and we'll do it the right way. I don't want to, and I don't have anything to trade right now.

And like Co said, we do not go into debt. Not here. Yes. Um, you know, I can be pretty inspiring sometimes. Do you think I could sell my services at the gambling ring for money? I don't think that's a good idea. If Coe were here, what do you think she would say? Oh, shit. I'm right over there.

I'm not there. I don't know. I don't know. How much would it make us, Picks? That is not what Coe would say. Hold on. It's a full conversation, Pipe. Continue. Keep going. How much is it gonna make us, Picks?

Oh, well, probably like a whole lot of money. Like a whole lot of money enough to get us out of here, Picks. Oh, no, probably not that, but we might be able to get Pikes his smokes. Well, then it's not good enough, Picks. What did I tell you about talking to people out here? You said don't talk to anybody. And so, what are you doing? Well, I would be talking to people.

That was actually really good. You took the scenic route, but you got there. I'm impressed. So I should do it then. You should not do it. You just pretended to be co-telling you not to do it. I don't even be here long enough to even make use of any of this, all right? Just in case.

But I wouldn't mind, you know, working for a few, you know, a few bucks. Brett. Yeah? I think we're getting life. As in like, life in a Sorok prison. Yeah. For saving the life of the Grand Chandler. I think we're being framed.

Framed? Yeah. You know what was weird? They wouldn't confirm whether he was alive or dead. No, no. I think they kind of did, though. Because they said attempted murder. Which means it wasn't successful, right?

She's got a point. At least in terms of what they're charging us with. But I tried to ask if he was okay, and they wouldn't say. Well, no, because you tried to, well, but anyone who listened allegedly tried to kill him. I don't know how the harmony works, but when we showed up and he was in some kind of trance, maybe getting like disturbed means you're trapped in the harmony.

Maybe that's why he hasn't come yet. Or maybe I don't know how it works. Maybe he's in a coma. Or, I don't know, maybe Portia Bella did something to him. Speaking of, what's going on with her anyway? What happened to her? I haven't heard anything one way or the other. Like you would think, right, if Ziggy's brother,

is Ziggy here with us? Oh, hey Ziggy. Welcome. I'm looking extremely dejecture. Ziggi is sitting there, and he has his hands on his glass. and you've seen him doing this basically non-stop. Yeah, yeah.

For sure, they let him keep his glasses, right? Or perhaps they have special, like, prison glasses. You can have your glasses. You can have your glasses with a one video game. If he's using his classic glasses, when it's not hooked up to his Gridboy, there's only one installed app. It's the Nokia original classic bounce game

from 2001. Like Brick Breaker? It's enjoy 11 teeth-shattering levels collect all all rings and beware of the dangerous thorns. And he's just, he's already gotten the high score like a hundred times at this point. He's literally just trying to beat how fast

he can do it, but he's looking bored, dejected. He doesn't know what to do with himself. He's fairly listening to. He's out of it. Biggie's hot brother isn't dead and they can find Port Chabella. Then we should be able to get off scarp free.

For one, it's worth. I think the reason that we haven't seen Portia Bella at least is because she's probably pretty dangerous still. That's what I'm saying they just got to catch her. I think they probably have her. But if they had her, then they would know... Oh yeah, but the thing is, if they had her, though, then they would know for certain and for sure that we didn't do this. I mean, only if she's able to talk to them, willing to tell the truth and not trying to blame us. But those lights would have gone purple so they would know she would know she's.

She was lying. This is why I think we're getting life. I think we're being set up. I mean, we saw what kind of crazy psychic power she had. Who knows what she's capable of? I mean, I can't imagine they let her walk around here. You know, she's a dangerous assassin. We've seen what she can do. That's why I think we've been set up. Well, I think it's just a big misunderstanding. And I know that they want to clear and make sure that we weren't working with her and that we were against her. It does look, kind of bad that we were there with her in the temple, and then we were there with her in the jungle, even though we were the one, you know, knocked her un-contact.

Well, I guess it was it us? Hard to say. What if she lied and said she's with us? She could. She could set us up. What if she blamed everything on us? And I don't even have a way to call shitmouse shit jaws and let them know that we're in trouble.

Don't call him. Take it from me. When I got locked up before we met you, I barely even did anything, and it took months and months and months for it to get sorted. If it wasn't for some happenstances, I might still be in there. How'd you get out?

Well, I got lucky. Some strings were pulled, and the guy that was talking to me towards the end knew who I was before we knew who he was. And it's a whole thing. But even if we're innocent, it could take a very long time

to sort all of this out. So I'm right, then. Well, you're not necessarily wrong. It's entirely possible we are being set up. That's exactly right. And maybe that's exactly what Portia Bella's doing, and she can use her psychic powers to trick them crystals,

and we have no idea. But regardless, as long as Ziggy's brother is alive and well and can talk to him. I'm sure he can clear all this up. I'm going to take the hit. I'm going to tell him I did it all. No, Picks will stop it. Don't know you're lying. You guys have to get out of here.

I'm picky. I haven't eaten anything. I gave my slop to warm all. And I put my cup and cake in. Oh, you didn't eat anything after you gave me your slop? No, the last thing I had was one of those joots moons. And it was one of the sugar-free low-calorie joach moons. From last night?

Yeah. Well, look, Pixel, you don't need to confess anything you didn't do. We just got to wait and survive. What would co-say? Co-would-say. Pixel, what did I say? What did I tell you to do when we were inside a prison? Um, you told me not to talk to anyone.

Yeah, and that freaking meets the feds, doesn't it, Picks? Yeah, I guess it does. What good you think it's going to do? You getting yourself stuck in here forever. We've got to figure out how to get all of us out of here. We need you, Picks. All right, if you say so. It's like she's hearing the flesh.

Man, fake code is a lot more effective than real. Who walks up? Who walks up? I've been eyeing all of these people in the yard. I think that we've gotten Dredge's protection. Yeah. That's fucking crazy. It's really sweet. People do seem to be giving you a wide berth,

paying very cautious heed to the fact that you're out there. Dredge is on the exercise bench currently with the press of almost what looks kind of like a branch strapped to now what are six rock boulders on either side of this thing.

as he's pressing it up and down. I would have worked out with dredge. It's kind of like basically make sure that I am seen and like I'm helping him out, I'm spotting him, you know, and making it very clear that like that's the level of protection. But I kind of keep a wary eye up at the towers

and the terracores that are over. I'm like, you sons of bitches. And just, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I now hate Terry Dachry Dachry. I hate Terry Dachians forever. That's so funny. For ruining my cool, cool.

Fucking job. Brutal. And so, but beyond that, I'm kind of just making sure that like we have, like my main focus was just safety, so we didn't have to constantly look over our backs. And if I feel we've achieved that, I mean, we'll like relax a little bit. You definitely do a little bit. It's in your time in the yard.

There's another, what, It seems to be a triggering crystal light that indicates a movement from one sector to another. However, this does not yet signify the end of your time in the open air yard. It does, however, open a set of double doors that walk into another room. As you would come to understand this is the harmonic service that happens. as you approach midday, just beforehand. And if you would like to join, you may. A very small handful of people

moved from the yard into these double doors. Oh, they got church here. Wait, church. Ziggy, you think you could maybe reach out to your brother through the harmony or something? That's something you can do? That's right, what he was doing, wasn't it? I really know anything about crystals like that.

Like, I can try to tap it. into it, but like, I'm not a channeler. That requires all kinds of practice and knowledge, right? Like if it were the hypergrid, then I would do it right away. But like, all I can do is say some words and then, and, and, I'll give it a shot, but I, I'm not, I can't make any promises. Let's go to the chapel or whatever. Let's try it out.

I miss... I know the better to do. I miss my grid boy. Is that why you're being so mokey? You're not mopey about the fact that we might get executed? I'm mopee about everything. Wait a minute. The food is terrible.

Everybody's gonna punch me until I throw up. I don't have any games to play. I don't have any media to watch. I can't talk to anybody on the hypergrid. I'm... I spend life in prison. And my brother, where is he? What's going on? And also, let's not forget that very short while ago,

my brain was infiltrated and I experienced like 50 deaths in a row. Oh. Oh, yeah. Zicki, can I ask you a question? Yeah. Is this about that smelly-cladaron girl? Yeah. There's no way that would be it, right? You like miss your girlfriend or something?

She's not my girlfriend. You haven't asked it yet? Where is she? Not here. He's on the Rhapsody thing. He's far, far from here. Do you think the Rhapsody's going to be stinky and coveted in trash when we get back to it? I don't think Hank would let her out.

Hank will keep a close eye on her. Ziggy, your annoying Pikes question. I'll go pray to some crystals. Let's just, let's just, let's just, yeah, sure. I can just talk to my brother. No problem. I'm sure he's still doing his meditation thing, and that's why he hasn't come. All right.

Well, let's go talk to him. Lead the way. That's how that works. You walk through the double doors and what ends up being a relatively quaint, small, not extremely ornate,

but a chapel of sorts dedicated to the harmony. Behind the Tikal, who's robed in the dual jade and violet robes that kind of cross each other as they come down, stands behind him a crystal in front, a single pew to kneel at with a similar crystals that you dealt with as you were in the hall when you first came, when you were waiting

to meet Callicus and you accepted the boon there. This is far less ornate, but a similar service to provide reflection, to provide atonement lies in front of you. Aside from the one pew to kneel at, with about six or seven harmonite crystals. You see most people. Otherwise, it's just chairs laid out, turned towards it as the channeler begins their sermon. You see at this stage, there are very few people in here. Three people stand in front of the crystals kneeling currently.

There is one other person in the room who sits in a seat. looking forward. Roll group insight check. Ooh. Oh, 10 total. 15. 20. Nice. Not bad, folks. Not bad. Team work. Together, and especially you three, you really get the sense. You see this person.

He's a surprisingly slender aculek with a scaly hide of earth-colored skin. He's a huge singular eye. It's bright green and a long tail that ends in a club hanging low, shackled to his leg. He looks, there's a very particular slump in his shoulders, a very particular dejected nature. You haven't quite seen as prevalent in this facility

until laying eyes on him. That guy looks sad, rejected over there. Should I go give him a friendship bracelet? Pakes, let's be respectful. Remember for the temple? Well, yeah, but no one should be alone at the temple. Why don't we go sit next to him? I'm gonna go by myself and meditate. Well, no one in, that means you too, Cole.

I'm fine. It's a place of solitude, Pix. I'll be okay. Do you want a friendship bracelet? I made you a special one. Do you have it now? Yeah. Okay. Now, before I handed to you, I don't want you to judge it too harshly. It was the first one I made, so it's a bit uglier than the other ones.

But it comes from the heart, unlike the ones that I made afterwards for Jerry and Charles and Greg and Thomas and Alphonse and Creguilar out on the... Cregglar. And Mace. Oh, I didn't get one. And I'll put it on your, I'll put it on your wrist. It's way too big for your wrist. But it's clearly these like little pieces of like shirt yarn that have been woven together.

And there are two beads on there. One, one says K and one says O. Thanks, Bix. You're welcome. I'll walk over. It slips under my forearm. And I'll kind of just kneel if there's a little quiet spot to reflect.

You do so. You move to, in front of one of the crystals. Oh, yeah, yeah. You move to a familiar, you take a familiar stance in front of a familiar harmonite crystal at this point. And you begin to reflect and take a solitary moment. All right, Ziggy.

Doing your thing. It's inside you. Whatever that is. It's your people. They're connected to it. I feel like even though, you know, You know, you're not as connected as your brother is. I have faith.

Is there anything we can do to help you, like, give you some of our energy? I don't really know church songs, but I could, like, hum a little, I don't know, like, a God's tune or something for you to just give you a little bit of boost. I'm just going to sit down and I'm going to try to, I don't know, like reach out with my prayers or something. Do you want to maybe redo the Velcro on your sneakers so they're not so tight around your ankles? Yeah. All right. What the hell?

That helped a little. I'll pat him on the back. You got this, Ziggy. I'm going to walk up, find a comfortable place before one of the crystals, and I'm struggling. I am not in my element. I am frustrated because I'm angry. I'm not just frustrated. I'm angry because I thought that by now we would have heard from my brother

or been pulled out of this situation. I'm not used to enduring these conditions. And I'm scared because the last time I sat in front of a crystal and prayed, I tried to serve up something good. I thought of those that I had extinguished in my career as a bounty hunter, and it was thrown back in my face. When we encountered Portia Bella, that those memories that I tried to honor were spoiled. And without any distractions, snacks, games, media, pop culture,

the hypergrid, the life of the Rhapsody, my friends, even them in this context, nothing feels right. And so I don't feel in touch with myself or with the harmony or with any of that. Wrette encouraging me to go do something which I already think might be impossible. feels hopeless. And so I sit down and performatively just put my hands together and think about it. Grasping for, I don't know what.

But those are the emotions and the thoughts that sort of swirl through Ziggy as he takes his position here in the church. Reluctance falls from your body with every step you take towards the crystal to coes right, the words being delivered in this sermon, flit around your ears like a fly to be swatted. Nothing brings you comfort.

You're angry. You're confused. You're in pain. You kneel down at the crystal. There's a portion of you in the tort of complicated emotions. that swirl within you. There's a portion of you that reaches out

with the smallest modicum of hope. You're in pain. You have fear. Some of that fears for the well-being of your brother, and even though you don't think this will work, you think Rhett is wrong. You think you have no connection.

You reach out. You try. Are you in there? Brother, find me. Roll a religion check at disadvantage. Ooh, come on. Dirty 10. That's not bad for disadvantage, though.

Yeah, not bad. You pour this emotion into the crystal as you beseech it to give you answers to Callicus Rooog. Your anger, your fear, your pain, the disdain for the last time you sought answers and not receiving them. Why does it keep this from you? You're good.

You're seeking answers. You want to help. And yet here you are after everything. The last time you turned to this crystal, the faces it offered you, and you see them once again as the color of the crystal swirls and begins to turn violet with this pouring of negative emotions. You see the faces for a moment as they start. As you think about this, you're, you're, you're,

anger, your fear, something you tried to offer that was good. You move to pain the discomfort, the imprisonment, and you see that swirl around you as you walk these halls where some might seek comfort and experience they've not had before in a facility like this. You see nothing but a lacking of freedom. As you feel these weights shackled to your wrists, the glass is torn from your eyes, the power taken from your your arm that you traverse normally so easily through a world, not even the one in front of you, but that expands so much further beyond. And you've lost access to it. And then you think of Calicus. You think of your brother. You think of the moment in the reflecting pools when you wrapped

your arms around him. The changing of the light from violet to green. As something reached out to turn the tide, you think of him. You focus on him. You focus on him. him you try you pour all of your hope into this crystal as the light shimmers and turns from violet and it dances to jade and back to violet and back to jade and back to purple and you reach out with everything you are with your connection your inherent tied to the harmony you search for familiarity for family but you are no channeler you find no presence of Calicus Woo. You call out and there is no answer, except that of a deafening silence and the vast sea, which is the harmony. When I get there, I don't want to disappoint. Red

or my friends, I'd probably sit with that for a long time to try and make it seem like I really tried. But I arrive at that conclusion pretty quickly. And so the minutes that extend beyond that moment of silence are me just kneeling in a prison church, circling those same emotions over and over. Eventually, I'll get out. If he saw or heard me, I didn't get anything in return. I tried my best. Why you try it, see?

Maybe, you know, we can just take some town to reflect. on things. I know you don't got your games, but maybe praying is kind of like a game, you know? Take your mind off of everything. I feel like it. It sort of puts my mind on everything. I don't like it. I don't like to sit and just, I'd rather, I'd rather play bounce, honestly. I played it a hundred times. I played it a dozen times. I played it a dozen times. times in the last hour, honestly. I'm not suited for this. Well, why don't you go back out in the yard and play some bags? I might pray a little bit while we're here, you know.

When on Craena. If the kid's going to go back out to the yard, I'll probably join them. All right. You'll be all right? Yeah, I'll be fine. Do you want privacy, too? No, you can join me if you want. I think I'll go back out to the yard. All right. Unless you want company, I don't really know how to pray is the thing. I don't really think there's anything specific to it. I mean, maybe certain gods would feel otherwise, but I think you can pray however feels right.

I want to, I'll just get up and I want to approach the, uh, I want to very kind of quietly walk up to the oculock that we saw. It looks kind of sad and dejective. You do so. You close the distance. He doesn't take note of you before you're close. And then if you're moving relatively close to him, he would turn and slide over just a little bit in the seat providing room. Do you mind?

I don't mean to interrupt. No, please. Anyone can sit anywhere. I'll come and I'll sit down next to her. New to this whole harmony praying thing. How about you? Well, it hasn't worked for me yet. So I suppose I'm new too.

Well, we're new together. We can both pray to get out of us. fucking place, huh? Oh, I'll save my prayers for something that could happen, I think. What you mean? What are you in for him? I was accused of spying, leaking information.

And I'm afraid for those crimes, there is no, there is no freedom. In fact, the trials are swift and the sentences are even swift. I don't have many more days here, I'm afraid. I'm afraid. I can information. You don't happen to be from Morsi, do you? I am, yes.

You've been? Yeah, just once. I know y'all are tied with the Solar Federation and I'm a former Grimcoe, so one of my contracts sent me there to clear out kind of the, mutant incursion. It wasn't long, maybe a couple weeks, but... I mean, how'd you get all the way here? I mean, I feel like y'all, I mean... Were you working with Solar Federation? You don't have to tell me, but who are you leaking information to? Oh, it doesn't matter now, I suppose. I was part of a small team. They brought us on to build something.

We've always had this stance that we don't get involved, Morzeeb. stands separate from these battles, these squabbles, these territorial fights. And I always felt that should be the case. So when they reached out and they wanted us to assemble a team to build a weapon, something someone could pilot. But when I discovered it was to strike it somewhere in the Cavalon Empire. I did it. I leaked information. To level the playing field, to stop it all, I don't know what I was hoping.

I just didn't want to be responsible for all those lives lost, I guess. God, the Sorok Dynasty working with Morsi under the nose of the fucking Solar Federation? They needed a special material and they needed a team of people that knew how to work it. You know how to work Brindium? Man, a couple others. They had an engineer or two of their own to work harmonite into it. It was an unbelievable thing we were creating. You know, I'm an engineer myself, and I got to admit, when I saw those necks y'all had on Morsi,

I was blown away, engineering marvels. Seriously. You're probably better than I am. Oh, I don't know that that's the case, but if it is, don't worry. You'll have the title soon enough. I don't know about that. What's your name, friend? I'm red. Some of my hand out. Bronius. Pleasure, Bronius. And better or not, I'm up for execution.

Shit. You don't think that you don't think. there's any way out of it. I think the problem is, Rhett, I, I did the thing they're accusing me of. Morzeeb has never gotten involved before and I, I didn't want to be in this. And I did it. They found out, no, I'm here. Did you save lies? Gods, I hope so. You know, it's impossible to know the true impact of our actions in life. I hope you did. What was it worth it? As he said here,

do you have any regrets? Regrets? Was it worth it? I faced down the end of my days. Do I wish I had taken a different path? Absolutely. Do I wish that that was not intervening, not leaking the information?

No. I wish that we hadn't have gotten involved in the first place because I have stopped it before it began. I don't know. I don't know. I thought they were coming to peace about all this. I feel like no matter what happens, everyone's trying to kill everybody else. Everybody's trying to rule the goddamn fucking galaxy. What is it all for? That's a great question.

I think no matter how many so for peace, there will always be a lot of, those who worked to destabilize for war. That doesn't mean we have to stop trying. You know, I respect you, Bronius. I hope that if given the same choice, I would do the right thing that would save lives. I don't know, I feel like in my life, the times I try to do the right thing,

people get hurt. And... Here you are. You're the one that's facing the end. I'd almost prefer it that way. My partner landed six months in prison because I was hot on this fucking

drug cartel. We could have taken other jobs. But it felt like I was doing good at the same time. And I wanted to get that shit off the streets, but a lot of people got hurt. Some got killed. I hope it was worth it. But like you, I don't know if I saved any lives, truly.

Did you get that stuff off the streets? Yeah. Yeah, I know that stuff. That stuff's off the streets, but... Isn't there always just one more drug? One more drug lord, one more criminal, one more mob boss. trying to make a name for himself. Yeah.

I guess the hope is just that there's always one more person trying to make a difference. I guess as I go into the next bit, that's what I gotta believe. I'll say a prayer for you if you say a prayer for me. How about that? Deal. And if, you know,

you both meet the faceless when it's time, Maybe I'll recognize you. And if you want to sit with us at our table during breakfast or lunch and dinner, they're more than well. That's kind of you, Rhett. Maybe these last few days don't have to be so miserable. Maybe that's true. Anyway, I didn't mean to interrupt. I'll let you get back to it.

See you around. And I'll get up and I'll put a hand out. I say, pleasure me. He's been kind of slumped forward, his arms resting just over knees, but at most of this conversation, he's been looking forward towards the crystal that hangs behind the, to call that's giving the sermon. He leans back in the chair and turns towards you,

and his one eye kind of meets your look, and he reaches his hand up. It was nice meeting you. I think the storm's coming. I can feel it. I'll turn, and I will leave and join my friends in the yard. You do so. Everybody wants more gathers outside. How it's still in the...

Oh, sorry. I'm sorry. You're still... Yeah, please. The temple. You're in the chapel. You're the temple. You're kneeling at the crystal. I don't know if you wanted to go anywhere else.

You tell me what... We're heading back outside. Listen, you're welcome. I think this whole time, Coe is trying to kind of block everybody out, and I'm sitting, I experienced this a couple days ago, I don't know how long we've been

here, a couple days, and I will try to get as much as quiet, I'll be whispering as I kind of think. I stare at the crystal, I close my eyes, and I try to get into a meditative spot, and I'm just I'm just so tense. And I just realize, like, my fists are clenching.

I'm gritting my teeth. I'm grinding my teeth down. And look, there's so much tension in my neck. And it takes me a long time to finally realize that I'm just on such high alert that I need to breathe. And I breathe and I'll look into it and I'll close my eyes and say very softly. Mrs. Ume, the Tredge and Picks and all of it. I think I'm starting to get it. I didn't learn anything from the last time I meditated.

I tried to control the situation. I tried to beat down that poor oaf who just didn't want to kill anybody. And every time I try to protect Picks, it doesn't work. She's fine. Nothing bad happens. And I don't know why I'm so scared. And I think I finally get it. And I think...

I don't know if it's you. I don't know if it's dead. I don't know. I don't know who it is or what it is, but I feel it. And I think I need to... I need to try if you can help me or... If you can try to... give me a sign if she's in there or not.

She's still alive. Is she... She dead. I know I'm stupid and I'm blind, but I think I finally see it. I think I finally get it. And I will try to kind of reach out and see if I can peer into the harmony or pray into the harmony, not being any kind of channeller. But feel as if there's a, I feel like I felt the presence of Mrs. Euma before, right? Mm-hmm. Where she's there. And I have no idea if my sister is alive or dead. And I will try to get a sense and try to reach out, try to call out, and focus and meditate and see if she is dead.

Is she in the harmony? Do I hear anything back? And so I'll say, okay, I'm ready. Mrs. Zuma, help me. I don't know what I want, but I hope. I think maybe I don't want you to be here, sis. Come on. Are you there?

Come on, Peanut. And I'm going to try to sense if I get anything back. Roll a religion check at advantage. Oh. Something good. 10. I know it's a long shot.

But I did give her the friendship bracelet. Is there any chance that I could channel just a little bit of inspiration as she's trying to pray, she looks down and she sees it? And she notices that the beads turn over and where on one side it says, K-O on the other side. On one bead, it's scratched in P.I. And then on the other one, X.

I think absolutely. I think especially as Co. beseeches the crystal. If you expect to spend that resource. I will use that resource. Considers the power that you've been able to bring in to bear within these walls, seen how you've been able to operate and has respected it. I think absolutely.

Got an eight. Nice. 18. 18. Wow. Huge. With an 18, you beseech this crystal before you. And for a moment, you think of yourself. Even the first time you met the crew extended when Pike brought them to that bar in Macoro. And you're punching and you're kicking and you're tearing through streets and you're throwing thugs around and you're breaking chairs over them. the crystal for a moment

begins to reflect that violet light and then there's something in the shimmer that bounces off that reflects off the beads as you think your mind goes to

Pixel and Mrs. Ume and how she at once walked to the streets of your hometown where you grew up and she went door to door and she was loved she was respected she was powerful once and the crystal once more turns green the jade light pours over you you walk with her for a bit until you start to think of peanut you fall to your

knees and Mrs. Ume stops and she turns and she reaches out of hand and she stands you up and for some reason she stands taller than you in this moment as she looks down at you and this green light from the crystal bathes you and it's warm glow and you get a sensation you gain knowledge that the presence you seek is absent from the harmony. Ooh. Maybe one day out among the stars peanut. And I'll kinda nod, feeling kind of this sudden certainty,

and I'll stand back up and eventually join my friends. You all meet back out in the yard once more. You start to collect yourselves, you start to think about What comes next? What do we do? Is it almost a lunchtime? And then you hear a now familiar voice shout out. Captain Taurak. Well, well, well, the accused Cavalon scum. Time to meet your job, I think. What to do with you? What to do with you? you. Oh, that's right. Cleanup duty.

I'm an accomplished mechanic, sir, and engineer. You need anything that needs fixing. I don't give a damn. You're on cleanup duty. All right. We're going to head outside. Slezno. Grab a couple of your boys. You're coming, too. You got it, boss. You got it. He turns. He turns. He turns. He turns. He turns. He turns. He turns. He turns. He's towards a scrawny Yagov, wide, bulging

eyes, fly-like features and fleshy tendrils hanging from his chin. Tendrils from his head are pulled back like a ponytail. He has four leathery wings than are bound behind him. Whatever you say,

Cap, I work for you. Clean up duty, happy to take care of it. All right, everybody. Outside. And he collects you all together. You change your outfits into these like white jumpsuits now that cover you. You're given a series of equipment, large shovels.

And these push like barrows that aren't quite on, or are on wheels at four points. But they're heavy. He actually takes you outside of the walls of the yard as you start to circle around. It comes to you very quickly what cleanup duty entails. This place is surrounded by dinosaurs, large dinosaurs. They eat, they defecate.

And it is all over the place. A thought crosses your mind as you look out. You see this ring of gems. that surround the outer wall. The only thing that stands between you and the treeline jungle of Crayda is a dark water moat that seems to surround the entire area. You think to yourself for a moment,

escape. Why not? That's bait. Why not? Guard geese. You think, this is silly. I'm on the bank of this dark water. What could possibly threaten me? Roll a group

perception check. Also, what are the chances that Sleezno is a nice guy? 22. It's Slezno. Which briefs of perception? Yeah. I got a 22. Holy smokes. That's like every single person

over a 20. 15. I'm still, unbelievable. Is Slezno a fellow inmate? Like another? Yes. Slezno is a fellow inmate like we do. He has also kind of like he's brought a

along a gang of a mixture of different inmates, some Zorbrax amongst them. There are other people on this duty as well, but the ones he's brought, you've been able to call out, but yes, he seems to have been almost like elevated at the beginning of this cleanup duty. He is moving through and he is actually just identifying large mounds.

of dinosaur shit. There's no other way to say this. Large mounds of absolutely atrociously stench-riddled dinosaur shit. Ah, over here, boys, here's another one. Get to scooping!

And everyone is expected to move forward and begin to shovel shit. We're shoveling this into a... It's like a giant kind of movable barrow. Is this like going to like the agriculture? We like

shipping off to the, like the wealthy farmers? Or is it just clearing it? Well, you do see, you would know through a couple of days of being here. It's collected, and it is used for another purpose. It doesn't seem to be thrown into the jungle wantonly. They bring it in and they keep it for a purpose. You're unsure as to why. I kill Salyzno in my shoulder.

It's Slesnow. How dare you? We all kill Slezno. You want to get shanked in the other? killer with our shovel. I'll give you a shovel. Can that be one of the, one of his goons? It's a giant jarza of the triple.

I'm a giant jazzo with a shovel and I study the blade. My name's Grimior. Okay. Your perception check. You resolve it. You do understand now that this is the work and it is terrible and it is grueling and it is now hot. He has pulled you into this with this sun and its absolute zenith. absolute zenith. You were actually forced to skip the afternoon meal, so you're starting to feel

hungry as you do this as you do this work and as terrible, it's grueling. You think about escape as the sun beads down on you. You look out at the water as you get hot. You start to think, I've seen nothing. There's no threat. Until then, you all notice very slight ripples is the only disturbance on the top of the water and the the the ripples happen once twice now in the distance one more time behind you something many some things perhaps dwell within the dark moat that surrounds this facility even beyond the moat you think maybe if I'm fast enough maybe if I jump far enough and I cross it, into the tree line, into the jungles.

And then you feel the rumbling. Something you've felt before, but now towards the tree line, it becomes clear that just beyond the edge of this water, the jungle hides yet more threats, large dinosaurs, the likes of which you've not yet encountered shake the very earth that they walk on. Something you get the sense stalks you from the tree line is that that they're not that they're Is that an eye? A large yellow slitted eye looking out through the trees or a trick of the sun reflecting a leaf? It's impossibly high. What could be looking at you from such a vantage? Such a large eye. All these thoughts occur to you as you shovel shit. I'm not happily, but very dutifully. I get right to work.

Hey, sleaze now, I'll give you 400 credits to stick your dick in the moat. It's Slezano. I just might throw you in the motor if you don't shut the fuck up. No, I know how this works, and I'm right there. There's no talking on the line, Starfall. Woo!

I grew up on over Ziggy's shoes. No, I don't actually say that to that. No, you've committed. You took five points of bludgeoning damage and you throw up on Ziggy's shoes. That's fine. But Pike would never actually tell Slisnow stick his dick in the mode.

Dude deflected. No, I'll get my ass even more, Kitt, Brett. Thank you. No, I understand how this works. I'm right next to Rhett, and I am doing my job dutifully, and I'm keeping my mouth shut. You go about this business for

some time. You actually circle the facility. It's not easy work. It's not quick work. You're outside the walls for probably what approaches five to six hours before the sun almost reaches the horizon. The captain, and there are other people outside of, I want to call him Sleazna now,

outside of Slezno's kind of group that he brought with him. There are more than just that. Other people who this captain has decided to pick on, and he is a brutal leader. If you're not moving fast enough, he gets in your face. If you continue to not move fast enough, you're struck. You perform the action dutifully and quickly. or you were dealt with swiftly. I have two things the same.

I played enough of the aisle to know not to go anywhere near the water. Yeah. That's true. Coe, once again. I'm thinking of a very specific moment at the aisle in fact. No, you're not.

Surely we're fine this close. A very personal moment. I'm still thinking about what I've experienced. And I'm like, I'll kind of look up and I'll say, I don't think I should have called him a bitch so many times. And then I do my job, and I shut the fuck up. And Mikey would like to know how Ziggy's doing at this. Ziki, how are you doing this?

He's going to die. He shrugged. How do you even begin to articulate? After five hours of shoveling, he dies of rabbi? Yeah. I mean, he's, like, he's, the tug of war between wanting to get through the day and not wanting to do anything is miserable. Like, he shovels, he moves slowly, he trudges. The fact that he's doing it shows how defeated Ziggy is.

He's not even fighting, but he's going slow. You all go about this work, and it's brutal, and you don't like it. And another thought occurs to you. As you see a terasaur that comes out of the jungle that almost looks like it flies directly at you as if to strike Until it hits the harmonite crystal line on the bank that's just on the other side of you before the water and as it moves through it It seems to calm and it flies up above the facility and purchase within it Oh the hell the work ends before you eventually are ushered into a room where you can

do your best to clean off. You strip out of these overalls that are covered in just, you smell horrendous, you're covered in shit. You strip your clothes off. You have a level of exhaustion. You have a level of exhaustion. This is like holes.

Yeah. You don't have to make a concept of that. And you get in and you do your absolute best to shower it off, but you can't quite remove the stench. You're famished. You've moved from, you skipped lunch, you've moved into dinner, you've done grueling work for the whole day,

and you find yourselves once more ushered into the food hall. People give you wide birth. It is not impossible to tell that it is not because they fear you, but because they can smell you. That as hard as you try, you could not quote. cleanse the stench. Uh, nothing quite like a day of hard work. What do you think, team?

I can think of a lot of things that are a lot more pleasant than that, right? Yeah. That was so nice to him and he still made me shovel shit. Nice to who? The good guy and sickie. That's what happens when you lick boots, picks. A lot of times they're covered in shit. I mean, it seems to be working for Slezno and his crew.

I didn't see him touch a fucking shovel. He's got a stand around in point. And when I asked him why he wasn't helping, he said, every job needs a supervisor. Fuck that guy. Damn it. Wish I'd said that. Maybe they got like seniority and like this on good behavior.

You know, some of these guys, they're like, they're effectively career inmates. They weren't even nice. They were mean. They said a lot of really bad things about Pike behind his back and in front of his back. The longer you've been here, the more often you get to pick your role.

Yeah. Those guys probably haven't lifted a finger in decades. Yeah, we're just the new, you know, we're the new kids on the block. I mean, you know, and maybe, maybe we'll all just get executed as enemies of the state, and we won't have to shovel any more dino shit, and that'll be that. Well, I don't know. I've been a while since I really worked with my hands like that. You know what I mean?

It's a nice day of hard manual labor. sometimes just kind of hits different. You know what I mean? Well, I'm glad you're enjoying this, Red. That's real nice to hear. I'm glad you think this is a vacation. No, it's not a vacation. It's just, I feel like I accomplished something today. You know what I mean? You better be kidding. There are these old-timers

who are lifelong prisoners, and they get comfortable with it. They don't even want to go out. When they go out, they find some reason they commit a crime to go back in. And you're starting to get your brain rotted in that same line of fucking thinking, right? You gotta fight against it. Sometimes when all you do is use your brain all day every day, it just gets kind of exhausted. And when I was out there, it was almost like it was kind of nice in a way where I didn't have to think about anything. All I had to do is walk to the next pile of dino shit, scoop it into the cart, and then move on to the next pile of dino.

No, then we'll get you a hobby, but we're gonna get out of here and I'm not letting you stay here. What are you talking about, man? No, I'm not saying, I'm not saying I'm gonna stay here. I'm just saying that, you know, I don't know. I... You should consider learning how to DP. DP? Yeah, it's just doing the same thing all over again.

You stick it and stick it. Stick it and stick it. You know, maybe I do need a hobby with it where I can just turn my brain off instead of on, you know? Great. I'm going to do. Glad we're in agreement. I don't know. I've just been thinking. Well, that's the problem.

You gotta stop doing that. Met that oculoc in the chapel, you know, and he's here, and it doesn't look good for him. Oh, is that why he was so sad? Yeah, it looks like he'll be executed in a few days. Just like us? Well, no, not like us. He got mixed up in the war and leaked some secrets, but, you know, he's this brilliant. mech engineer for Morsi.

He knows how to work Brimzium. Not even I know how to do that. Bless you. And yet here he is. It doesn't matter. All those things he accomplished with his brain and he's rotting in a jail cell waiting to get tribe, sentence, and execute.

This kind of puts things in perspective, you know? That, I guess, the message is that just sometimes you do the best you can and it's not enough and then you get your head cut off. Something like that. It's kind of hard to put into words how I'm feeling right now. All right. Can you pass the packets of pepper? The pickle peppers?

Yeah. I fucking hate these things. You go about in the mess hall. You go about in the mess hall. You get your food from the line. You get your pepper. You find eventually your table with dredge and Wormo and you see Bronyum.

Branius? Branius. Branius. You see Branius now sitting there as well. And you have these conversations, you enjoy the meal, or as best as you feel like you can, a horrid stench feels like it has crawled into your nostrils, died,

and now infects every bite of food that you take. And it will carry on like this. Is Broméy's joined us for dinner? Is he at the same? Yeah, yeah, yeah, he's sat down. Oh, here he comes, here he comes. Just quickly, I'm out of execution. He's real bad.

Don't bring up that he's gonna die. Keep the conversation lines. He'll see sitting there and he walks up and joins you. What a crew we have. That is an absolute rag tag. We only need seven more to conduct your staff. Dr. Stavent. Your own changer.

You really said it for the insidcache maneuver? Good news. I'm already done six of the required 15 shoes. It should take me to three weeks. You go about your meal. You have conversations. You discuss inner workings of this facility,

what to expect, how to navigate as best as you possibly can in this scenario. scenario. You dine with this group. Once more, you are told when to eat. You are told when to stand, you are told when to walk, you are told when to sleep. And that regiment continues daily. You go forth and several days pass, much like in the fashion that you have experienced this day. Maybe you continue back to the chapel here and there or the temple. You are forced to work every day. you in fact miss the midday meal every time. Oh my god.

The captain keeps you out there in the sun working. And Slezno is there always pointing out the excrement, taking delight, taking pleasure in your suffering. Every day, Ziggi looks up at the dark water moat, and the moat calls. Louder and louder. Zieg yearns for the moat. Called the void.

Yes. And this kid, Just another month and Sleez-No's going to get it. The days, the days, with one eye open. The days are long and the nights are hard. Once more, after several days, you find yourselves this time actually awoken in the morning,

moved into the mess hall for breakfast. And you're sitting with a very familiar crew now. There's seven more of us now. There's seven more of you. The tattoo artist, all those people you named for, Greg is there. Mace.

Mace. Little bit of service. One more shi. Regular Greg. You're actually at a war host. You're at a war host of 14 people. You are one shy. You are one shy for the 15-person staff.

One more shiv and slees-knows out of it. And you're discussing how to recruit this final person so you can shiv, Slezno, Sleez-no, with your 15-person chab attack. Shib-Tek. I pass out our group newsletter. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. It's got beautiful, colorful drawings.

How do you feel about breakfast? It's amazing. How do you feel about stabbing something? Then your attention is drawn to the side of the room. Strange, because everything so far has been extremely timely. Something happens a little out of sync. You look to the other end of the room. Then you hear the guards unlock the door.

They escort a small inmate. inside, sitting her down in a chair before giving each other a nod and leaving. With how she looks, you barely recognize Portia Bella Gones. Gone is the black outfit and makeup of a widow. She is far pinker than you remember. Her ominite cap ruffled and streaked with shades of maroon and pink. Gone is the rage from her face. There are no tears. Her eyes are wide and almost vapid, and her mouth is in a smile. Oh, shucks. Is it supper time?

I sure am famished. Can I get an extra plate for my dear old man of mine quibble gones for when he returns from his business trip? Wait, did you hear that? How close are we to her? She is at the... She's been sat at a chair at the far end of the room.

You've moved almost central. You are... I'd say 60 feet. You know what this means? I would have bet money that she was dead. I don't understand. She just... Do we hear that, presumably, what she just said?

Yeah. She was almost, like, loud. As she exclaimed asking for food. And with a strange... It's not like you know her extremely well, but you've now encountered her. you've studied her, you've battled her. And this almost cheeryness to her is unsettling.

Strange, so out of character from what little you know of her at this point. The deadly assassin, the scorned widow. And yet, here she sits. Cheery almost. That's not the assassin that we were hunting for months. Oh, the gods. what'd they do to her? Was it them or was it when she tried to say

whatever she was trying to say at the end and looked like her brain was going to explode? You think something's wrong with her? Well, we're looking for her 15th, right? Why even keep her alive? Why change her? You know? She thinks Quibbley's still alive?

Does she still have her powers? Can you just turn it? that off? Does anybody know how that works? Well, I know that when, I know that when, Mr. W.

died, I, I had some moments where maybe I thought he was still there. Maybe she's just going through something really hard right now and,

and she's having trouble coping. Like an expression of her grief. Yeah, we, we don't know that they did anything to her. They didn't, that anything happened to it. She could just be having a hard time. If that's the case, she's going to see us and she's going to go ballistic.

That's more what I'm worried about. With as dangerous and as powerful as she is, we might all get ripped as shreds. You guys should talk to her then. Who? The three of you. Yeah, the three of you. You're the one she at least partially blames.

Yeah, Colin, I didn't do any of this. It's not awful. It might not go well. I mean, she's no guards looking at her. She's just in a chair by herself in the corner of the room. If she was dangerous, they wouldn't... Her hands are free. You willing to make that bet?

You think that they would risk losing all the guards in here, potentially all of these prisoners escaping if she were dangerous? Coe's got a great point there. They're not going to do that. I definitely think they're stupid enough to not understand what they're dealing with. I think back to the conversation I had with Bronias. And then I'll say, No, you're right.

Horsabella Gones! Come sit with us! You need a table to set your supper. Who is that? Who is that calling after me? Do I know you? Yeah, the name's Captain Red Indigo. I employ your husband. You should call you.

over to her. Oh, hold on, hold on. You're coming with me. She stands up. You know what you're doing. She stands up for sure as you call that out and moves. She's at one side of another long rectangular table, but she moves to a corner of it as you stand up and you go over to meet her. You know my.

Yeah. Don't you know who I am? Don't you recognize the three of us? Well, why? Did you use to work with him? Should I? Oh, are you business? associates of him? You weren't on that trip he was on, is he?

Oh, is he on another one of his business trips? Oh, he show is. A vacuum salesman. I hope he packed his medicine. Oh, how he does get those allergies. What does he do for a living, if you don't mind me asking? These days, I mean, I know what he used to do. He was a vacuum salesman. Well, that's funny. Now that you mention it, I, oh, it's hard to remember what he does oh I just know he travels vacuum salesman that sounds right is he still

doing that oh oh um so you don't recognize me or him or him at all right now stand up you're slouching stand up a little taller straight in your shoulders goodness sakes how's supposed to recognize a man like you okay let me see how about now? No, nothing comes to mind or your friend you. Red in the go, doesn't ring a bell? Shouldn't? Pike, Starfall, Ziggy Woog,

Ambassador Woog, and Ambassador Woog? Know that? Rings a bell? Oh, I'm sorry. I must be confused. I'm turned around something fierce. I don't think none of this rings a bell. I don't, do you all have something to do with vacuum sales? How did you find yourself

in a place like this, if you don't mind me prying? What do you mean? I'm just here. I'm just waiting on my quibbley. My little honey bunches of oats. My little sugar snap pee. I'm just waiting for him to come get me. I'm just out with this. This is where you wait to be picked up, isn't it? Where do you think we are? My little bumbleberry muffin. I just love taking a bite out of him. Oh, and then I'm full. Oh, what was that? Where do you think we are right now? We're just in a waiting area. We're just waiting.

I'm just waiting for Quibbley. I'm just waiting for him to come back. I'm sure he'll be here any second. You happen to talk to a large stone fella with like purple lines over his stone skin. That ring a bell at all? I guess a lot of folks have come in front of me since I've been here waiting on Quibbley, but I'm sorry I can't be in more. help to you. Well, I hope that your husband shows up soon. He was a good fella. I knew him pretty well.

Oh, he's the best sword, isn't he? Handsome, too. While we're, this whole time we're talking, I'm going to try to like kind of get a little closer. And I'm not just try to like range medicine check if I can. Look at her eye, check her pupils. Like, yeah, look at her pupils. Look to see if I see any marks on her, any like bolts in the side of the head. Um, you know, maybe all like, decisions. I'll be like, oops, I dropped one of our pamphlets. We're recruiting the 15th member of our team. And I'll like go down and pick it up and look at the back of her heads to kind of see.

Oh, what does your team do? Roll a medicine check. We stab people. Well, hopefully. One guy. Roll a medicine check and roll a, as you lean forward and your vantage, Vantage shifts and your sight moves. Roll a perception check as well.

Medicine was an eight. Perception is a 14. Medicine. You move down and you started to go to pick something up, something you dropped, give you the excuse. And you try and let's scan, as you go down, and nothing jumps out at you, but something is off. And it says you, your gaze moves down to grab the thing, you catch a glimpse of a table.

Eyes are locked on the three of you having this conversation. You, this heightens your awareness. You get this sense, hair on the back of your neck stands up. There's a pressure in the air. It starts to feel like the room is strangely, a boiling pot. There's a tension. It's almost palpable.

And then as you stand up straight, you go back to talking with her. Is that storm coming? You hear something from behind you. Across the cafeteria, you see that a group of inmates has surrounded Dredge and your table. Shouting insults at him,

you realize that it's Sleznos Lackeys. As Dredge's calm Demeter gets increasingly frustrated. when finally you hear a roar of pain as Dredge is stabbed by a sharpened toothbrush The boiling pot of water

You sense around you Has bubbled over I'm gonna start to rush over to help him out Yeah I think we'd all be rushing He grabs the human Who did it tosses him across the room He crashes into a table immediately as you start rushing back towards dredge,

towards the table you came from, the room turns into a full-blown riot. Then you notice movement close to you. As you turn, you see that Portia Bella has turned around in a blur, lightning fast. Her hand gripping the wrist of Slenko, who has a serrated combat knife pressed against her abdomen. The tip having...

pressed in a few centimeters her prison jumpsuit slowly stains with blood as her eyes are wide with surprise but still docile. Slenko grunts as he angrily tries to push the blade further, but he can't overpower her. Portia Bella seems to have a moment of realization. Oh my, I think you're trying to kill me. And that's where we'll end the session. Oh, holy shit. Oh my god. This just went sideways real quick.

So Slezno. It's like Slezno. It's the... It's not Slezno. It's Slezno. Got it. This dude's dead. I'm gonna... Not that I can do it. I mean, I think Porsche is gonna kill him. I mean, I'm worried about Dredge. I think if anybody hurts Dredge, we rewrite. Yeah, no, we hurt. We have to f-well.

If 14 other people start stab him too, then we have a thought.