Episode216p2

Back to Part 1

Present: Maer, Andy, Bobby, Jay, and Tony
Air Date: 17 Nov 2009

Sunday, 30 Jun 2520
Jibril Spaceport, Angel
Kalidasa (Xuan Wu) system
06:00 hrs, local time

Arden determines that both Nika and Rick need to take some time off from the rigors of space flight to recover from the wounds they've received from the Reavers. They need either a hospital or fresh air and relaxation. Lucifer's Landing seems like a good place to visit. And this will give Arden time to look over Lem's charts.

Christian: I don't think having either Nika or Rina walking around a city like Jibril with Sharia law is such a good idea.
Rina: I'm not going to burn the Gorram city down.
Christian: I'm worried you are going to get flogged. Maybe we should go to Lucifer's Landing, we have friends there, and the law is considerably more relaxed.

They refuel the ship and prepare to head out to Lucifer's Landing.

Christian: Joshua, you are neither crew nor passenger, do you want to stay here, or get off at Lucifer's Landing or stick around?

Arden recommends they buy some drugs for Joshua before they leave Jibril. Christian arranges to get those and other medical supplies, immunization packs etc..

Sunday, 30 Jun 2520
Lucifer's Landing, Angel
15:27 hrs, local time

The ship makes a short hop to Lucifer's Landing, and they approach from the crater side rising over the cliff face and float over the small mining town. They land in the yard of Fairweather Flyers the original owners of Summer's Gift (née MakeMake). The yard hasn't changed much in the year that has passed since their last visit.

They find Emma and Hilde have occupied a house and repaired it to its former glory. They appear together and reasonably happy. They work a variety of jobs, and do their best to make a living. They have changed almost beyond recognition. Without the pampering make-up, cleansers, and humidity of their Core worlds, their skin and hair are natural and weathered.

Christian: Welcome to Lucifer's Landing.

They disembark and lead Lem out into the first natural light he has seen in some time. He is skittish around strangers (understandably) but he seems happy to back on terra firmer. He seems excited to know that there are other children (a handful) in town. The crew begins to settle in for a pleasant stay.

During the stay Arden discovers, by rooting through the incomplete brain scan data, that there is no sign of advancement in Lem's Prion disease. Also there is evidence that the existing prion disease has been reduced. It appears that he should, in time, make a reasonable recovery, although it isn't clear whether there is any permanent damage. He may need to stay on his anti-prion drugs for the rest of his life, but as this is a new treatment for a new disease, no one really knows.

The more promising medical news is that the tests done on the samples of protein paste. The generic protein paste appears to be normal. But the sample run through the ProMagic texturizer shows evidence of prions. The ProMagic works by altering the raw proteins (derived from algae, fungus and other sources) to transform the texture from a firm tofu-like texture to anything from creamy ice cream, to juicy steak and everything in between. Somehow in the process one in a million of those proteins is transformed into a Prion, and that is enough. This seems to validate Arden's hypothesis of the origin of Prion Disease. And with this information, the epidemic could be stopped in its tracks (as soon as people learn to stop using the ProMagic).

Arden sends this data to the Dr. Lawrence back on St. Albans, and spends some time writing up an article for the medical journals. Although because of the distance it will be some time before he hears back.

Christian, Rina and Joshua go visit Summer Fairweather who gifted the MakeMake to the crew. She is in her cave working on her orchids.

Summer: Look at that… I thought I heard a ship.
Christian: We needed a place of sanctuary and rest.
Summer: It is perhaps appropriate that you would seek sanctuary here, although the innocent people of the town might not share your desire.
Christian: At this point, I don't believe anyone is actively pursuing us. The sanctuary we seek is spiritual. We've have some people that need healing, both physical and spiritual.
Summer: I was told you brought gun-fighters down on the town on your last visit.
Christian: Yes unfortunately, I'm sorry for that.
Summer: It is difficult to do as you do without endangering innocents as you do. (Sensing some discomfort, she changes the topic.) And who is this?
Christian: This is Joshua. He is a ... wandering soul we picked up not long ago.
Joshua: That is a polite way of putting it.
Summer: (Looking a little ill at ease with the small crowd.) I'm afraid I am not much of a conversationalist, if that is what you seek.
Christian: We merely came to pay our respects and, if you want, to tell you what we have done with the ship. We've tried to keep our promise to you.
Summer: I'm glad that you have tried.
Christian: We believe that we have found the root cause of the disease that is afflicting Blue Sun.
Summer: I'm afraid I don't know much about that. (It is quite a ways away).

Christian explains the disease, how it is transmitted, and what it has wrought in the system. They arrange to get some orchid clippings and spend the afternoon meditating with the monk. Even Rina!

Days pass and the crew enjoys some pleasant relaxing time down. Rina does the maintenance, they do their part to help the local economy. Rick finishes Jake's retrospective collection. He had quite a bit of footage of the crew. He seemed to have an exceptional grasp of the individual crew's personalities. It is bittersweet and poignant. There are a sparse handful of shots (mostly stills) of Jake setting up shots or doing light checks. It was a fitting tribute to the crew's lost crewman. They agree to send a wave to his family of his fate and asking what they'd like to do with the body.

The group gets to know Joshua during their convalescence. Joshua seems confused that no one was going to interrogate them. He brings the medical tool to Arden to ask him what it ie. Arden concludes that it is a NewTech tool called a Sonic Caelum (or sonic sculptor), basically a high tech plastic surgery tool. It is a "non-invasive" surgery tool.

Arden: Is it a subtle message that Joshua is ugly?
Rick: That he should change his appearance to better hide.
Joshua: Or setting me up to do my job?
Arden: What exactly is your job? Since you brought it up.
Joshua: I was what we referred to as a Borrower. I assumed other people's identities.
Arden: Okay, what happened to those people?
Joshua: It was not a replacement. I would be asked to do so for various reasons, for example: if a politician needed to be…
Arden: In two places at one time?
Joshua: That was one of the reasons..
Arden: (interrupting) So what were you doing on the Trafalgar with Reavers?
Joshua: Well, that's one of the other things I do. Occasionally they may need a way in to places. And so I substitute the identity of a real person who has access to those places. In this case, I was borrowing the identity of an Alliance commander, and I had very specific orders to transfer those Reavers to Blue Sun from Alliance possession.
Arden: So you worked for Blue Sun that time?
Joshua: I work for Blue Sun every time.
Arden: How W’rin Bu Lai, Whai W’rin Bu Jwo We haven't had good experiences with Blue Sun.
Joshua: I always thought of them as Human Resources.
Arden: Everyone on this ship has some sort of thing with them in the past. Mine is a little weird.
Joshua: Do you have a brother?

...

Arden: Uh yes, sort of, kinda, sorta. it's sort of hard to explain. Why, have you met someone who resembled me?
Joshua: Not so much... seen, but not met.
Arden: Perhaps we should have this conversation with the rest of the crew.

At dinner that night...

Arden: Joshua was telling me about his job, I think you should hear it from him.
Christian: Obviously it involves him impersonating people?
Arden: How did you know that?
Christian: Because we met him impersonating a Navy Officer. Trust me, he is no Alliance Officer.
Joshua: He's right.
Arden: He always is. The point is that damn companion training means he gets it before any of us do, with no clues whatsoever.
Joshua: There are clues.
Christian: You just need to know how to look for them.
Rick: I have one question.
Everyone in Unison: He's not a robot!
Christian: You were saying about your job..
Joshua: I am what was referred to as a Borrower. At least that is what my handler, Virgil, used to call it.
Christian: What were you borrowing, not people's identities, that is obvious. For what reason?
Joshua: Multiple reasons: body doubles for politicians, the other reasons… it is important to understand that it wasn't until recently that I was able to interpret my past jobs as what they were. I've done espionage, using an identity to get into a place where I wasn't supposed to be where Human Resources wanted me to be.
Rina: Human Resources?
Joshua: Blue Sun.
Arden: Were you are freelancer, or what for Blue Sun?
Joshua: Blue Sun.
Christian: You specifically worked for Blue Sun, you weren't contracted out to them?
Joshua: No.
Christian: I'm going to guess they taught you all your skills and this was a lifetime contract?
Joshua: Contract I don't know about. There were about a dozen of us there.
Christian: Some special program, how did you get there. Did they raise you, recruit you?
Arden: Were you born in a creche?
Joshua: I don't remember. I wasn't born there, but I don't have any memories outside of there.
Christian: Was it you've had so many jobs your memories are confused?
Joshua: Possibly, I've had so many jobs, I can't remember my own face. This one I see in the mirror, is me, for now.
Arden: Unless you want to change it.
Joshua: But.. it was a living environment. We were all there. There were about a dozen of us that worked in the same area. I don't think we all did the same thing, but, we were all there. We all had handlers.
Arden: Does the planet Sophie ring a bell?
Joshua: No, not with me.
Arden: It's where I am from.
Joshua: Really, this is my first time out.
Rina: Can I ask you a question Joshua? You say this is your face currently. So what are you? Is this the body you were born with, or did you borrow that too?
Joshua: It's not borrowing in a physical sense.
Christian: They change him to match the person he is imitating. At need. That is very NewTech, in order to keep his face from scarring and being damaged.
Arden: It is pretty impressive. Blastomere implants, the whole nine yards.
Christian: Of course this sounds like a program where they would use the berry best. So tell me, why did you want to leave?
Joshua: They keep us sheltered and I began to realize what was going on. And I didn't want to do that. So I was looking for my chance to run. Which is kind of surprising how quickly I found one.
Christian: No, no it's not.
Arden: Why not?
Christian: We ran into Reavers in the one place we were going. We were in the right place at the right time to run into him AND the reavers? It can't be a coincidence. If you haven't noticed we have an amazing ability to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. My point is our karma is leading us around. It is not surprising.
Arden: I have no other life to compare it to, so this is normal for me.
Christian: So everyone wanders aboard an Alliance ship to do brain scans at the same time Reavers are being transferred and an Resistance group is trying to take over the ship.
Joshua: "With regard to that..there is a reason I was sent aboard as an Alliance Commander. They are the ones getting the Reavers. I was sent to take them off the hands of the Alliance and deliver them to Blue Sun. Blue Sun is interested in Reavers for the same reason the Alliance is interested.
Rina: For bio-weapons, super soldiers?
Joshua: I'm not happy for the method for which they had planned.
Christian: I suppose it would be too optimistic to hope that they were looking for a cure for the Reavers.

Everyone looks at Christian in disbelief.

Arden: I am interested in how one captures a Reaver.
Joshua: Bait.
Arden: So they put some ship with some random people out there, and when the Reavers went after them, they grabbed them?
Joshua: Yes.
Christian: That's not surprising.
Arden: That's really wrong!
Rick: They wanted to capture the Reavers and study them, how else are they going to do that?
Arden: Not by letting the Reavers have them!
Christian: What were Reavers doing here in the first place? We are very far from Miranda. This is about as far as you can get.

Since the battle of the Universe Moon the Reavers have spread out from Burnham Quadrant. But no one expected them to spread so far. The crew discusses how the Reavers spread and wonder whether these Reavers are originals, or 'neo-reavers' products of either Prion disease or Chempliant.

Rina: (to Joshua) Tell me how these Reavers that seem only interested in killing, raping or eating can fly a ship from one end of the Verse to the other?
Arden: Why are you asking him?
Rina: He is connected to the organization responsible for all this?
Joshua: I.. I.. I'm not management. I don't get told why things are being done, or what for. That is half the reason I don't want to do any more. I was a tool, and I mean that in the literal sense.
Arden: Multipurpose tool.
Joshua: That is something I am able to do, I can pick up personalities, accents and skills. For example, like in that surgery.
Arden: You picked that up from me?
Joshua: Yes.
Arden: That's a nifty trick.
Christian: I've heard of savants who could do things like that. In fact we had one on board.
Arden: But he is only a savant in one area.
Christian: Being able to do it in any area is beyond Lem's ability.
Joshua: I went to school, and there were operations.
Arden: Anyone can do this, anyone?
Joshua: Well, I don't think so. We were always told we were very special.

Arden's scan revealed that unlike himself (with an extra gland), Joshua was missing several bits from his brain in similar places to another person he has witnessed, Johannes Volker.

Arden: His brain resembles that of that young passenger Volker.
Joshua: I knew him. He got kicked out. He was not much of a threat.
Arden: Here's a question. With your rare skill set and talent. Are there going to be people coming to bring you back?
Joshua: I am pretty sure she did tell me that. I said a short life in the open is better than a long life in captivity. She said, and I quote 'It will be short.' Period.
Christian: He knows too much.
Rina: He certainly knows things that make him a liability. Excuse me speaking of you in the third person. How do you get past the retina scans?
Joshua: Retina scans are an issue, but there is technology to circumvent that. Most of the time, I've had the cooperation of the person I am borrowing. Most of the time I am not going places that needs such things.
Rina: Maybe we ought to… rearrange his face a little. Make him harder to get back?
Joshua: Honestly, I was just starting to get used to it.
Arden: Your story is very similar to mine… So I have no qualms about having you aboard the ship.
Joshua: Where does your brother fall into all this?
Arden: He's not really a brother, he's a clone, an earlier clone from the same stock. Sophie was founded by a group of people intent of making a perfect place. Everyone from there, is a clone of one of the original founders.
Joshua: Was Sophie made by Blue Sun? After all, your brother was there.
Arden: I don't know. He may also work for the Alliance.
Rina: Where?
Joshua: The Academy.
Rina: The Academy, what's that?
Joshua: It's where I went to school, where I got trained.
Arden: I honestly don't know what he'd be doing there.
Joshua: He was overlooking our class, just standing there.
Christian: We'll just say like you. When they need special jobs, he is the one they call.
Joshua: Oh, one of those.
Christian: Just a different kind of special job. We have an idea that he works directly for Parliament.
Arden: He has a lot of pull with the Government.
Rina: One more question. Who forges your papers? Do you do it, or do they do it for you?
Joshua: Usually they give them to me. I will forge signatures and such.
Arden: Anywhere, back to my society. We were all cloned to be something. Like I was made to be a doctor.
Christian: Or something.
Joshua: You think they cloned your brother to work for Parliament?
Arden: Maybe.
Christian: There is so much oddness behind the scenes in his society we don't really know.
Arden: I just live it. And your story seems similar. So whatever you want to do, I want to help.
Rina: I want to help.
Rick: (Thinking this will significantly increase the odds of running into the Blond Hand of Blue) I've got a good feeling about this.
Christian: (Picking up on Rick's thoughts, and teasing) Maybe if you are here, Rick will finally get some action from the Blue Hand agent. Which to be fair, is something even I can't claim to have done.
Joshua: The times we saw them, we didn't ever see them as 'sexual' or even emotional beings. We couldn't imagine them as people.
Christian: What do they feel like?

(Snickers from around the room)

Christian: I mean...
Joshua: I know what he means.
Christian: When I look at them, it's like they're dead inside.
Rick: But we did see as she was walking away.
Christian: True, there is some life there. Still I have a feeling that whatever training they go through for their job tends to strip them of their humanity, either that or they specifically recruit sociopaths. I mean these people are mass murderers.
Joshua: Maybe they are made into mass murderers.
Rick: It isn't like we didn't kill a ship load of people ourselves.

The crew looks around as each member does a mental tally of those they killed. Guilty smiles cross their faces as they consider the numbers.

Christian: But generally, it was in self defense.
Arden: There was the factory..
Christian: But...
Rick: I'm not going to go through what was self defense and what wasn't, but I will say that both times I encounter the female agent, I've been able to get her, to at least show some visible signs of.. agitation.
Christian: I'll give that to you. You did draw something out of her.
Arden: I'd call it annoyance.
Rick: Yes, but how badass can you really be if even 'I' can annoy you to the point of showing it?
Christian: I think it has been shown by two of our crew members, conditioning doesn't always take 100%.
Rick: And that's what I am thinking about.
Christian: May I recommend next time some alternative methods of seduction?

(snickers around the table) After the tension is dispersed with the laughter, Joshua gets a little serious again.

Joshua: The other thing that might be relevant. One was the device, the Caelum, and the note with Rubicon written on it. I think I recognize the handwriting. I got a note in similar handwriting once before, from a note" (He gestures to Rina who nods having seen it herself.) It wasn't my trigger to get out, but it did confirm that my suspicions about what Blue Sun and Human Resources was doing was, in fact, correct. I had that note left for me.

He retrieves the note from his room and shows it to everyone.

Christian: I want to see how close the hand writing was to your handwriting.
Rina: So, Joshua, the note was a signal to you to tell you that what you thought about this Reaver operation was true.
Joshua: Not just the Reaver operation specifically, but the academy as a whole.
Christian: It was a sign to get out of his life.
Joshua: The academy isn't a job, it is a whole living environment. The dozen of us live there, but there is also a whole other group, hundreds of other people supporting the operations, perhaps conducting other operations. It is like a mini city where everyone is working for the company.
Rina: I understand, they control you by controlling your environment, what you eat, where you sleep, etc. Rubicon to me, means you've crossed a point of no return, you're going into territory that you're not supposed to go.
Joshua: I think you're right about that.
Rina: So who left it for you?
Joshua: I don't know.
Rina: What does it mean to you?
Joshua: The first note was a confirmation that what I was seeing was not what they were telling me. That I was right, that I wasn't just imagining conspiracies where there were none. So, the Rubicon one... I don't know. Your interpretation sounds as plausible as any other. I don't know who this person is, obviously they have some reach. If they left the original note on my bag at the Academy, and left the second note on my bed on Trafalgar, that suggests...
Christian: Specific messages sending you in the direction of a specific goal.
Arden: Does sound familiar.

They examine the note left on a simple baggage tag.On it, handwritten is the word Rubicon.

Arden: What does Rubicon mean? Does anyone know?
Christian: It was the river that Julius Caesar crossed in violation of Roman law.
Arden: Pretend for a moment I know what you are talking about.
Christian: One rule of the Roman armies, was that they could not go across the Rubicon into Rome. It was how the Roman Empire was able to keep a vast army without constantly having coups. But, Caesar defied the law, crossed the Rubicon and took control of Rome from the Senate. But Rina had a good point, it was for Caesar a point of no return. If he crossed the Rubicon, he had to either succeed or be killed. And in his case he did both. Metaphorically it is taking the step that changes your life forever.
Rina: So Joshua, are you the hand that casts the die, or are you the die?

Arden thinks about from his own unique perspective, one less molded by historical metaphor and cultural bias.

Arden: I don't know if this means anything but It is also the only Blackrock in the Core.
Rina: That's right, luggage tag, travel to. Maybe this was a sign post! Should we go visit?
Christian: That depends on whether Joshua wants to go.
Arden: Hmm, do I want to go back to White Sun?
Joshua: Also, Dr. Arden knows this, but so that the rest of you know it, I need a drug, everyday.
Christian: I was curious, but I didn't want to ask.
Joshua: The end result of not getting it, is pretty bad.
Rina: This isn't the same drug you injected me with.
Joshua: No. What I injected you with was something they gave me as a precaution in case they needed to use their sonic weapons. Which it turns out they did.
Arden: You gave me some of that stuff?
Joshua: Yes.
Rina: So you have immunity to the sonic weapons?
Arden: I'm sure it is gone by now.
Christian: But this other drug you need to get regularly or...
Joshua: I was told that I would die without it.
Rina: How do you know it's not just a sugar pill just given to you to keep you in line?
Arden: Flomoxipan is a real drug, a powerful anti-depressant. It is unlikely it would be just a ruse. We don't know enough about the effects of his brain surgery, or what other factors are going into this to experiment with removing the drugs. Valerie would probably know more about it. But last we saw her, she wasn't at the top of her game, despite being highly suggestible.
Christian: She'll be glad to tell us if we just ask her.

The crew ponders where to go next and begins plotting a route. First to Red Sun to drop off Jake's body, then on to White Sun possibly to check out this Rubicon lead. But that would be weeks away, no need to commit right now. They spend the rest of the rest stop enjoying the quiet pace of Lucifer's Landing. They are never quite free of the fear that someone of their enemies has tracked them here. They are always looking over their shoulders expecting to see the Hands of Blue or who knows who behind them. Every now and then an Industrial Shuttle comes to collect the ore mined, but mostly it is just quiet. After a week or so the people of Lucifer's Landing get to know them, and accept them as their own. Lem is playing with other kids, people are asking for help around their houses, and offering to help them with the chip. Christian begins to make contacts and scope out the job prospects in Jibril and the surrounding area. He learns that he is the only licensed Companion, but a former companion runs a small business catering to women exclusively. There is undoubtedly some form of prostitution for the majority male population, but it is heavily frowned upon so difficult to get word of without being more involved in the local scene. While it would be difficult, it will probably be quite lucrative.

About two weeks in, at a celebratory dinner, Christian makes an announcement.

Christian: I've been thinking a lot about this, and, if we were a normal ship, a ship without the luck we've had things might be different. Lem has, in the last year been abandoned twice, seen people get Reavered, been in the middle of riots, and he has been kidnapped. And if we continue like this, the damage to his psyche will be irreversible. Especially considering his condition. So, it is irresponsible for us to keep taking him everywhere.
Arden: Maybe we can find him a good boarding school.
Rina: That is another form of abandonment.
Arden: No it isn't.
Rina: Yes it is.
Joshua: I went to boarding school.
Arden: Me too.

They all let that sink in a moment.

Christian: We are not sending him away again. He needs to be in a place where he is not in constant danger. He needs someone that he can trust.. There happens to be a very nice building here that used to be a shipping business. There are unique business opportunities here, which I could find almost no where else in the 'Verse. I won't go into all the details, it might make your brain explode. But more importantly, do you remember when we were thinking of buying Potemkin's business? There were some good ideas in that discussion, just at the time we weren't ready. I think now with the way things are that I could make it much easier for us to have regular work, if I am working from a place that isn't the ship and I don't have the responsibilities of stewarding the vessel and taking care of passengers. So I am going to stay here with Lem.
Arden: Are you doing this for yourself or for Lem?
Christian: I'm doing it for Lem. That's what a parent does. But at the same time it would be nice to have a steady stream of clients, which I have not had since getting my license back. And I am pretty sure I can arrange a pretty nice base here. There are a lot of repressed desires, and any time you make something illegal, chances are people are going to want it more.
Arden: It sounds advantageous for the guild, but I wouldn't want you to give up something that you love.
Christian: I would be, but I think, at this time, it is the right thing to do. I don't think we can trust Lem with anyone else.
Arden: Your parents?
Christian: My parents have already raised a child, it isn't fair to ask them to do it again. Besides which it is my and our responsibility.
Rick: What about his real parents?
Arden: They got nuked.
Rick: We don't know that.
Christian: Even if they are alive, he is probably better off with us, than with them.
Rick: I understand that, I am just saying that maybe in the future, if we find out that they are alive and well, that is a possibility.
Christian: Of course. But with Summer's permission, which I am sure she doesn't care. I am going to take over the offices. I am going to start working to establish some business relations, so that wherever you are. I will find the jobs that are available and negotiate the best rates. And you can decide based on the circumstances whether to take the job or not. This way you won't always be scavenging for work. It will be waiting for you.
Arden: Of course, staying in one place will make it easier for the Hands of Blue to find you.
Christian: I am not worried about them. They don't want me, and I am a registered Companion, they might not want that hassle either. I'd be more concerned about certain Core families. On the other hand, I feel more protected out here on the Rim. It is harder to muster resources out here than in the Core worlds, even for an organization like Blue Sun.
Rick: And we could leave your shuttle here so you can escape if you need to.
Christian: Yes, I would need my shuttle.
Rina: I'll send you regular waves.
Rick: We should probably stay a couple more days and help you fix everything up for the business(es).

The discuss what will be necessary to refurbish the building and getting it ready for operations. Then they also look into fixing up a local house for he and Lem. Over the next few days they put this plan in motion: cleaning repairing, rewiring etc... They take possession of a pretty, though dilapidated house perched on the cliff and set to work fixing it as well. They introduce Lem to Muleskinner, and the boy takes quickly to helping out the double amputee with his work. Lem seems to settle in. The crew has set up Christian and Lem with a large home suitable for both home life and business. Arden writes up a prescription for Lem. They've restored the original Fairweather Flyers building. Christian assured them that he is fine and ready to start working. So with his blessing they prepare the ship for lift off. Once alone Christian watches Joshua taking his place, and watches the crew return to their duties and the life that he has known for over a year. All his training to control of his emotions is used to keep a brave face. As much as he thinks he is doing the right thing, part of him will be left on the Summer's Gift.

This marks the last appearance of Christian as a regular PC in the game.

Back to Part 1
Back to the previous episode: Trafalgar | Forward to: Morningstar and Fallen Angels
Back to Season Two: Hitting Our Stride
Back to EPISODES
Back to Mutineers Homepage