Hello, this is Pumpkin Perrier, director to producer GM and perhaps a replicator.
If you enjoyed my podcast, please make sure to rate and review and
head over to table story dot tv for our extensive library. Thank you for
your support and enjoy. Would you like to describe where you are? I
am standing on a rain soaked rooftop of an abandoned warehouse. The views not
the best, but it is discreet, and that's what we're going for here.
I've parked my spinner a few blocks away, and I've walked here on
foot, and I'm just waiting, and the tension in my body would be
visible to anyone that could see me. But I'm not even thinking about that
right now. I am just what are you thinking about? Right now?
I'm thinking about all the ways that the next ten minutes of my life could
go incredibly wrong, not just for me, but for others. And I'm
thinking about the magnitude of everything I've dealt with up until this point, and
the lives that will be changed by my decisions or my lack of decision,
and that I don't know how many people I can trust, but it's at
least one more than it was a few weeks ago, and I'm hoping that
by the end of this conversation that I can add another name to the list
of people that I trust. And who are you meeting? I'm meeting a
woman by the name of Rosetta. Do you want to go into any more
detO. She's an incredibly, incredibly gentle soul, but a tired one.
Tired and gentle. Okay, what else is she like? Just because someone
is tired and gentle does not mean that they are harmless. She is a
very caring person, but that caring can be exceedingly dangerous if you are putting
yourself between her and the things she cares about. And that's what has me
nervous, Okay, because I'd like to think that I'm one of the things
she cares about, but I don't know that for sure. Does she trust
you? If she shows up, that means she trusts me enough, but
I might be about to push it, Okay. And how long have you
known her? I've known her for as long long as I've had the implants
in my skull, which is about fourteen and a half months. Okay,
Okay, how long do you think you're waiting here before she shows up?
At least half an hour, which makes me terribly anxious. Last question,
did she do that on purpose? Was she the type of person and make
you wait on purpose so that you're anxious? If I was her, I
would be watching me. Yeah for a while. Okay, So I understand
that anything that I do during that half an hour might be something that causes
her to walk away. So what have you been doing in the last half
an hour? I've just been myself to the best of my ability. Are
you smoking? I'm fidgeting, Okay. I'm folding and unfolding a piece of
paper until it's so worn that it's basically falling apart in tatters, like beginning
or agami, but never quite committing to a shape. Okay. And have
I seen you nervous like this before? Yes? Can you tell me when
when I first told her I was transferring to the LAPD. Were you worried
about my reaction? Yes? Okay, But we remained friends. There's a
personal reason, but there's also a professional reason why we've remained friends. And
she knows that I rely on her for something that no one else can give
me. Okay, Okay. Then I think you wait around for about a
half an hour, it's pouring rain, and eventually you hear her footsteps as
she approaches, probably from behind you. She has been watching you for about
a half an hour, and I think you knew that. Hey, what
do you want? What I want? Is? Is that the only greaton
I'm gonna get right now? It is It's good to see you, well,
hopefully it's good to see you too. Hey, you don't gotta worry
about me. You have your badge with you, No, it's in the
spinner. Well, forgive me if I'm not assumptions get people killed. Right
now. I know, and you have every reason to be distrustful of me,
and the fact that you've come here means a lot to me. I'm
not alone. Don't try anything stupid. Don't even have a gun on me.
My eyes flit sway up and down to see if I can see any
truth to that statement. I think, and then I realize that I did
it without thinking, and I a little my cheeks flush a little bit.
I feel ashamed that I just did that without thinking. I raise both my
hands defensively and say, we both have a lot to lose right now.
I'm about to make you lose what you have I'm here because I need your
help, because what is it exactly that I have sawyer, a skill set
and a set of connections, and that's what I have to lose. You
got a lot more than that to lose. Yeah, I do. And
what do you have to lose? Because I don't think it's the same my
life and the life of a lot of innocent people. If I don't do
my job right. If I do it wrong, people will do right.
What does that entail? Retirement? No? Protecting people? Am I?
People? Do you want to be? What do you want? I subconsciously
touch my ears. I can't help it. Okay, I can't do that
here. I know. I was hoping we could set up an appointment.
You've been safe since the Act? Safe enough? Same here? No,
I haven't been safe enough. I've actually been doing a lot of stupid shit,
to be honest. What kind of stupid shit other than standing here talking
to me? Breaking and entering? Corporate espionage? Corporate espionage on who lawyer?
That's not important right this second, I think it might be, am
I am I gonna get a shot if I don't answer you? You wanna
try me? No, I really don't corporate espionage on who very well why.
I had some things to learn and they had it. So what did
you learn? A lot? Am I a people? In my eyes?
Yes, you could go anywhere in the world for any philosophical debate, for
any argument between two sides, and draw a line in the stand and accept
that on either side of that line, there's going to be good people and
there's going to be bad people. That's a more luxury, Sawyer. We're
still fighting for the people part. I understand that certain people are making that
fight a lot harder for you right now. Yeah, I'm just trying to
determine if you're a certain people or not. If I wanted you retired,
I would have just reported you in right, Yeah, But then who would
help you with your problem? I'm sure I can find an enterprising medtech somewhere
else in the city. Go for it. Then. I don't want to,
I want you. I think you could use my help with some things
like what documents, travel papers, identification. Not for you, obviously,
but for the people that you're helping. I don't expect you to understand this,
Sawyer, but we have a lot more to lose. I have a
lot more to lose than my life. So I'm not going anywhere, and
you don't need to trade me for help with your implants. But I'm doing
it now. We're not arranging a meet. Sure the people that you're helping
careful, one might think you're working, okay, and I really don't want
to think you're working right now. I'm not working right now. I'm putting
the offer out there that there are are in individuals you might like to help
that are not combatants, right, Yes, those are the people that I
want to help. I'll have to have a conversation. Okay, that's fair.
I was worried when it passed. I was really worried. I don't
know if I'm supposed to make you feel better about that. You being alive
makes me feel better about that. Okay. You have every right to be
suspicious and every right to be paranoid. I'm angry too, angry at me
maybe maybe just the angry Okay, yeah, anger is natural. I'd be
pretty angry too. I am angry a little bit, actually natural. I'm
treating you the same I've always treated you. Yeah, I just wasn't sure
that was gonna stick. I understand that i'd like to gain back your trust
what seems to be the problem and my gesture towards your ears. I walked
through a security countermeasure, and you know that they frits on good days.
Sometimes it's been getting real bad, and I'm I'm here and things that aren't
there? What kinds of things. I'm a fairly paranoid person. Yeah,
it's hard to sleep, all right. I hear my mother's voice, my
father's voice, Selma's voice, and I could just use some peace and quiet.
Okay, let me get my kit. Don't move, you got it?
And I walk over around the corner. There's like a little probably a
duffel underneath a uh an awning. It's very clear I'm alone. I think
now at this moment, you recognize there was nobody here. I was just
bluffing and I unziped this bag. It's like I knew what you were gonna
ask me for. And then I come back over with probably just like almost
like thieves tools that I would unroll or unwrap and then be able to work
on your implants here. But I don't want to do this in the rain.
I wouldn't expect you to trust my spinner. So unless you have yeah,
that's not happening somewhere else nearby. Here it is. And then I
walk towards maybe an awning at least so that we're not under the something where
there's a light, even if it's a neon light, would be better than
nothing. I joined her pretty quickly. Okay, you're a painfully good liar.
You know that it could be better here. And I unwrap the kit
and I'm I think, I'm like, I'm using a either you know,
an external air conditioner or something like that to crouch down and unroll my kit
on. It's not a very good situation, but I'm making do. And
I hold out my hand for your implants. Yeah, I imagine they just
sort of there's some kind of access behind that's like maybe it's even a piece
that ejects from another mechanism, So I only need that one piece to be
able to work on it. Yeah, I give her one at a time
so we can at least still keep conversing. Yeah, this takes me no
time at all. For those listening, that is a three that I have
just rolled. Takes me no time at all. I'm concentrated. I'm still
able to hold a conversation with you. If you ask me something. But
I'm working and it'll probably only take me a couple of minutes to fix this.
This is weird. I don't know why it's doing that. I don't
know what you walked through. You set a security field. It's like a
Faraday cage. It's a bit extra. We have to do a contested role.
I think I'd like to do insight on what you just said, if
possible. So I'm gonna roll insight and you roll manipulation. Yep, A
one my own normal, I am okay, I'm gonna do disadvantage zero.
Okay. Then I think you see me pause for a second while I have
the moment of did you just give me information that I find interesting? And
then I ignore it and continue working. But I will say you did see
me clock that? Okay, all right, here's this one me the other
one? Thank you? Yeah, I slot that one back in the second
it's synced back up by pop out. The other one. Well, I'm
not a good liar, as it turns out. I don't know about that.
Why do you want to why do you want to help me help people?
I'm worried that certain movers and shakers that have a few things in common
with you have pushed the discourse in a certain direction due to their actions.
And I think that means that good decent folk get caught in the crossfire because
of their actions, their actions in response to another set of actions, bad
actors provoking a situation that has been responded to with violence and aggression and bloodshed.
How diplomatic of you. The situation has nuance only for the privileged.
And I pull out the implant and I hand it to you, and I
stand up, and I wrap my kit up and I tuck it into my
raincoat. Let me help some good people that you care about. To prove
that I mean when I say please, I'll have the conversation. Okay,
where how do I reach out to you? And I even anymore? Not
through the usual means. You wouldn't accept any hit or drive or piece of
software at hands? You would? You? Would? You? Let's do
from you? No? I mean if you were me. No, I
used to ask you for all that kind of shit. Anyway, that's my
go to. What's sorry? Do this handwritten communication? That'll do? You?
Tell me where I leave it? Oh boy, roll me manipulation one
more time? You can have advantage. Hmm, Yeah, was that a
zero? It was? Yeah, I'll I think okay, so pushed it
was a one? Correct? You know it's not showing. I haven't pushed
it yet. Oh weird, it shows me one. Yeah, so sorry,
yep, Oh wait, that was there? Yeah, okay, there
went okay, okay, So I got a zero. I'm gonna see if
this works. There we go. Sorry chat okay, So and I got
a zero. Yeah, I will. I'll give you an address. Do
you have something to write with? Yeah, okay, I take it.
I take that a note pad and scribbled down. Yeah. I scribbled down
an address, and I hand it back to you. Ah, it'll be
around back on the back door. Uh, there's a there's a street light.
There's a blue box. It'll be on the back side of the blue
box. Kay, around back street light, back of the blue box,
street light, around back back of the blue box. Okay, I'm glad
you're okay. I'm glad you're okay too. I've missed you and I mean
that. And I wouldn't come to you if I meant I wouldn't come to
you if I didn't mean it. I thought for a while when I didn't
hear from you. Oh, you know there are certain people trying to kill
me right this second. Ah, that makes two of us. Wow,
it's always nice having something in common. Thank you for doing these tyroll.
That makes two of us. Goodbye, swear by Rose. I put my
hood up and I walk off. Do you do anything remaining here? Or
do you also leave and head to your spinner. I take a few minutes
just to listen to the rain. I watch your leave. I don't move
to watch your leave. I just stay right where I am. I'll give
her a few minutes, and then I take a deep breath and I take
the walk back to my spinner. I need your role observation for me.
Now you can have advantage actually, because your implants are fixed. Now,
Oh, can I imagine you're actively looking? I'm definitely soaking in the sensorium
at the moment. So yeah, oh three. Okay, you were on
a rooftop, correct, So I think, and did you choose this place
or did she? I think she picked the area, okay, and I
picked the building. Okay, that makes sense. Okay, So I think
as you're looking around, you'll see maybe some placements of where some ct some
cameras might have been or still are, but they are busted. It's very
clear that it's recent vandalism. So it looks like potentially she or somebody else
came here prior to and made sure that it was very clear that nothing could
be recorded. So at least in that regard, you're safe. What building
is this actually doing it? Corporo of some sort? This isn't abandoned or
at least disused storage facility in sector for Pition center. Yeah, okay,
okay, yeah, that I think when you kind of do your look around,
you see that care has been taken to make sure that they're you were
not recorded, either of you. And that's it. And where do you
head? Straight to the spinner? Yepkay? And I believe you're going to
go meet up with your coworkers, correct, Yeah, okay, I am
at the diner. But what we're gonna do is we're gonna switch over to
that crew and let you enter in probably midway through their conversation or at a
point where you feel is appropriate. Meanwhile, at the diner, four coffeesh
So what's everybody think? What are we doing? You get a few leads
right now? Yeah, we have to make a decision, right, I
know, I definitely want to go check out Electric Dreams, and I'm not
sure what happens after that. I think, uh, Skiff, I'd like
to maybe get more information on where you think we might find another clue in
that establishment that as the record show, and I haven't been the most careful
so well, that really lack a solid direction before we just go poking around.
Well, according to our friend, this place is sucking a lot more
juice than it needs and there's only only really one good explanation for that,
so we know there's something going on there that is not tied to the business.
I have to just chime in here, be on vice. We had
to make sure before we went ahead with any sort of raid. And if
we did the same thing here in Electric Dreams and we're wrong, or if
we're right and they hide, not going to matter much about earning those medals.
It's always the last thing that you do that people remember you for.
So here suggesting we go in, we go in quiet, or we go
in with police procedure. I'm suggesting that if we go into Electric Dreams,
we have to know for sure before we use the resources of the LAPD.
Otherwise we could get in a world of hurt. So I have some concerns
in regards to seeking out the mole. Doing that could cut us off from
a lot of things depending on how deep that goes. I'm not one to
be paranoid, but my concern is the resources we have available right now might
be a lot harder once we do that. And I do agree going into
electric dreams. I don't know how hard we're supposed to go in there,
but I think it's better if we have the potential for backup first, So
we don't know what we're going into. If we walk into a den of
replicants, I don't know what could happen. There's going to be a lot
of a lot of damage. Yeah, if we go with procedure and there's
a mole, they get word of it, they burn the location, We
get nothing. Right, If the mole is on their side, I don't
know how many, and who's on what? Whose side with them? All
beyond besides theirs Tyrrel's. If they're on Tyrell's side and we say something about
this, they might swoop in while we're there to take out for whatever reason.
I mean, there are always a corporation that has them to hide,
right, that's what corporations are, right. I think going in quietly to
Electric Dreams first might be the best chance of success. But again, what
are we walking into. We don't know. I'm not sure I know that
they know who I am. I mean, that is a place I lost
my badge, so I show back up, it might look a little suspicious.
I certainly don't think I'd be able to go undercover, is what I'm
saying. So we would have to approach it as if we were just there
for a drink. I'm known there too, but one of the least one
of the bartenders, and that real nervous guy that we saw when we went
back there during the daytime. Here's what we do know, all right,
here's what we do know. They're drawing a lot of power. We have
some what we assume to be fairly clear cut clues, but we have nothing
solid to go off. They could be doing all manners thing with that extra
power. There's no indication that we know for sure that it's replicants. But
there is because we spotted Vanya there, all right. So Vanya or whatever
she is, whoever she is, she was there. She was in the
underground somehow or or whatever is going on in electric dreams, she's involved with
it because she went around a corner and disappeared. What do we bring to
hold in to make that matter? I'm not sure where you're going to need
to bring too much because if we find something that's going to be its own
thing anyway, if we go in there and we discover a dan of replicants,
whatever happens, happens, the law is going to be on our side.
Right now, Holden isn't gonna I don't know how much he's going to
protect us. But if we get into a rough situation where there's bloodshed involved,
if if if it's retiring replicants, We're not going to have too much
of an issue. No one's going to be on our backs. Is a
seat taking Welcome? Welcome, How you doing? I smile so painfully awkwardly
at you. I'm great. How are you? Yeah? About the same.
We're just waiting. So I'm waiting on some coffees. We're discussing next
next course of action. Here I think we're talking about how to approach a
certain a certain location. Here, I'm glancing around very nervously. I'm fidgeting.
I look incredibly anxious, probably because I haven't been out in public in
a context like this for a very long time. I'm going to like cigh
kind of deeply and say, sit down, I sit down. I'm gonna
slide a coffee over to Sawyer and then stop and take it back. And
instead, what I'm going to do is, I'm looking right as you Sawyer,
and I said, do you need something to help with the nerves because
you're freaking everybody out? I don't want to. Yeah, I'll sure,
I'm uh, I'm gonna pass Sawyer or something underneath the table. I take
it very awkwardly. I'm not going to be a shithead and make you roll
st oup. But what is it? Yeah? So, uh, this
will be uh Soviet happy, also known as happy pills. Mechanically, if
you take it, it heals one point of resolve. There's one use for
shift. Okay, this is a nice habit for me, is it?
Oh? They all are? I'm sure? Oh sorry, definitely definitely.
So yeah, I just shut up and take it. Sure you got it?
Every single minor sound, I'm just picking up and walking onto it.
But I take whatever you give me without much complaint and just sort of let
it settle in after a few minutes. But I'm just listening. I have
nothing to say. I'm just listening to everybody else at the table. So
so direct plan of action. I think I need to go there. If
we're going, if we're gonna split up, if we're gonna split the team,
Bob and I, maybe we go there. We maybe grab a drink
and maybe just have a look around. And this I'd also like to get
guidance from Skiff here as to where you think we might be heading, if
we're heading in the right direction. I know, all I know is that
I've got a feeling about that place, and I got a feeling when we
went back from it. It was they're just they're holding something there, They're
hiding something there. There's something there that's it's not obvious, and it's driving
me insane. So I mean, that kind of power draw, the kind
of equipment they must have, and there is gonna be it's gonna make sense
the second you figure out what it is. But until then, that could
really be anything. Yeah, is there no way that you can give me,
like any sort of idea of the layout that's outside of the outside of
the right or the bar, the club itself. I mean, like where
the energy is hottest. I suppose, oh, like a heat map something
like that. Yeah, I could definitely look into doing that. I mean
the reason I the reason I ask is because there's absolutely no fucking way that
this place only has one entrance. It's got to have an exit to the
street for bugging out. So if we can find that exit to the street,
will be one step closer to get it in there without them knowing.
We did discuss getting blueprints for this place, didn't we yep, Yeah,
but the getting the blueprints for the place is not going to give us what
it looks like now, what whatever's going on? Now, let's add on.
If you have the original blueprints, you might be able to figure out
where something is being covered up or hidden if nothing else, you know,
I'll get an idea for what dimensions are not being shown to you. You
get an idea for exactly how much space they're working with, and if you've
been in there, you might be able to eyeball it. If we have
a schematic or diagram, Yeah, it might be hard from the inside though,
but it might be able to what floor was it on. It was
either thirty or fifty. It was one of those floors, right, I
can't remember for a place that high up to have some sort of access within
it and an exit outside of it. It's either going to go to the
ground floor or go through it. I don't know. We're we're looking for
spinner docks or elevators to the street, yeah that are not listed. Yeah,
okay, I can work with that. It seems like we have a
predilection for this for this place over the Tyrell Corporation at least that's what I'm
getting here. Are we all on the same page. I mean, I'd
love to expose the rodent problem personally, that's more present for me. But
that is a bigger button to push compared to this one, if you ask
me, so, I'd rather that one be done later. That's where I'm
at too. I don't know the sort of heat that that's going to bring.
This is within our per view of the job, so I think we
can we've we've got a little bit more we can do here without it causing
too much more blowback. But if that's the case, then just as sound
I's talking about, we do need to figure out who's doing what where We're
going to be and how we're going to be able to deal with the situation
as it comes right, Oh, are we doing this from multiple angles?
Are we having people on the outside and people on the inside that's exciting?
It depends on what we feel like we're going to need. I think I
really feel like the more bodies on the inside the better. The better.
I'd like to know what well. I guess I could find this out,
but I want to know what what neighboring businesses or anything like that that surrounds
this club, and see if it has the same owner or something like that.
Because if you're gonna make a clandestine meeting place whatever, you want to
own the stuff around it, make sure it's innocuous, like warehouse space or
storage or something of that nature. So no one is going to be No
public is gonna be knocking on the door trying to come in. Why would
they be though? If they're replicants, no one would really know. I
guess it depends on how paranoid they are likely to be. We can do
what we were doing before, We can show some pictures around and see how
people react, But beyond that, I don't really know what else we would
be able to do we get that kind of confirmation. I haven't had time
to look into the poetry that you mentioned, but it's possible if we do
a remote access, we might learn a lot more by accessing their systems and
seeing what we dig up that way before considering going back inside. It doesn't
have to all be done at once. I'm for that idea. Actually,
I think it would be useful. Knowledge is power there at least, so
yeah, it could be worth doing something digging. But if it's a closed
system, which it might be true, how all right, let's look at
this from the two different angles. Remote access to get a little bit more
information of the surrounding area. That gives us some idea of what we're working
with. But again, that's going to be spotty at best, right,
I mean, unless we can find old paper copies of whatever that building is,
and even then how much can you trust that? But this place is
drawing power, so draw more than power, it's drawn data too. Yeah,
so if it's drawing stuff from the outside, then there's a way to
at least see where it's coming from, where it's going. Potentially, God
give us an idea if it is on that floor, or if it is
on a separate floor. If Electric Dreams is just the entrance or it's more
than that, I think Bob's got the right idea. To me, that
seems like our most feasible angle. That in Vonya. Beyond that, we
don't have anything. We have a haiku written in some strange cipher and strange
ink basically, and some strange drink names too. I remember them naming their
drinks specifically something or at least yeah, that's yeah, or at least that's
something we've encountered before. Do you remember the names of the drinks because they
might be codes, you know, order the right drink, you get the
right service. Now, I believe, if I'm not mistaken. Narrator,
there was one dream called an Electric Sunset that one stuck with me. I
think that was that seemed that seemed to be not on the receipt. I
think there was something that didn't line up with my receipt the last time,
and it was it was kind of strange, and I think it when we
inquired about it, I think skiff skiff, and I don't remember inquiring about
the drink itself, but I tried. They were they were very they were
like, no no, don't worry about your bill, like they didn't really
want me to look at it. And I thought that was very interesting.
I said, I'll go you one better. I apologize for not recalling it
until just now. But they served me a drink called vonya. That's interesting,
all right? All right? Well that's the link that we didn't have
before. And I wasn't sure if it was I misheard them or happenstance.
And I understand, it's just do you think I'll hold on that potentially enough
to bring to hold them because now we have a connection. Well, I
argue that they are not forthcoming with that information when we asked them, when
we inquired about this, they were insisting that it didn't exist, this kind
of thing that we were sure of that could have been a clue. They
wouldn't even let us into the establishment when we came back. It definitely doesn't
seem like they're going to present that as ever having been on the menu,
you know what I mean. But maybe I mean it might be enough.
I just it's all word against something right now that we can't prove. I'm
curious if someone went in there to that very bar and ordered themselves of anya,
what would happen? Yeah, I could do it, you know what,
I think it would. I think that's something we absolutely should try.
I mean where else. You know, that's that's a huge clue. And
I know that they must change their staff. They must, they must have
they must have several teams of people working there because I inquired. I think
I inquired about Bertrand last time, and I kind of lean in and I
don't know if that guy was even really working there. I think he was
just there. I don't know if he was employed there, but there was
something going on with that guy. Weird weird guy. All Right, So
let's let's sort of figure out a bit of a game plan, at least
for the initial whatever this is going to be going forward. If Galen goes
in, you're gonna need back up to some degree inside outside We can figure
that out. But if you're going to go in and order this thing,
we need to be aware of a few things. Skiff. If you were
in there and they gave you this drink name, this was that a nod
towards you for some reason? What the history you've told us, is it
something that is recognized that might get your foot in the door. Honestly,
I have no idea why they gave that to me. It's like they knew
me. It's like they read my mind, right, that is they were
I'm just curious. Maybe they were testing you. Maybe they're we're looking for
a response from you when they offered it to you, or Vanya was there
and Vanya was trying to signal you. I mean, at this point,
we know that the program exists. There's the time periods makes sense. The
fact that we have discovered that we the memories can be pushed forward, moved
on to something else. What is the likelihood that that was a signal make
me the best choice to go in again? Then if she was signaling directly
to me, which it seems like that, that's that's plausible. But she
wanted me to follow somehow, and I didn't pick up on it. I
mean, let's consider how common we hear that name at all. It's not
you know, this seems like the logical path. If she is indeed a
replicant, a be involved with the underground, who better to have on her
side than someone that knew her from a child from childhood and was a blade
runner in the lapd skiff I want to. I want to ask something,
though I don't want to know if you're prepared for that. This could be
a Bob and Sam situation. This this, this I hesitate to say,
as say, person, I know the history. What if they don't recognize
you at all? What if this is just a shell? I mean,
I doubt I just forget anything. I certainly didn't. But what if?
What if? What if they turn to you with that same level of unfamiliarity?
I mean, Telma, we could what if? Forever? I know?
I know, Well, why don't we do this? Let's start there.
Let's start with Skiff going in insane vonya. We also have the what
was that electric sunset? Was that the other name of the drink? It
could be code words? Yeah, and that's what I'm wondering. I don't
know, Bob. It seems silly at the time, but now thinking of
it, it's just like, well, why would they hide that? Electric
sunset? Could be another phrase for retirement? That's pretty good actually, so
it could be a warning real quick, GM did I when I went in
there before? Uh? Uh? Jog my memory here. I was the
first person to say the word von you right to the bartender and the bartender
gave me a drink called that. Is that how that worked? No?
So okay, at least from my memory, you told me the GM her
name and then he served you the drink that was called that. But you
were asking him about information related to who that was. I think, okay,
but I didn't say the name. You didn't say the name to him.
He just drink and that's how you knew, Like okay, Yeah,
and the drink had a had an aroma that reminded me of her. Absolutely
with the maple, I believe, yeah, yep, yep. So if
we can assume to start that Skiff is going to be there and dropping some
words, specifically vulnue to start, then we also need to figure out how
we can provide back up in the best way possible. Sound like, give
face before we move ahead, Bob, if you don't mind for sure?
No, no, please go ahead, Skiff? Are you okay to do
this? You just got out of the hospital, you got new parts,
and this is somebody that meant something to you. If I'm on a scalen,
I would say it's the only thing I really want to do right now.
But I don't know if that makes it the right thing to do.
Narrator, We've been thrown around a lot of names and stuff. Can I
just roll observation to see if I see if anybody's taken an interest. Oh
yeah, sure, there goes Selma. Given the corret, that's a three.
I'm going to assume that this is standard procedure for you now to put
your Kia down and do the little like bubble of no one can hear us
type thing. And I think maybe you've seen a couple people glance over like
why can't I hear anything from that table? But other than that, pretty
much you've been ignored. I will say Lill's is very close to the LAPD,
and I feel like it would I feel like it would be really foolish
to try to listen in here. You might if even if you were a
regular here, people probably would take notice of that. So I think that
knowledge, along with your observation, and along with the idea that you guys
have this Kia doing the area sweep to negate all sound, I think it's
safe to say you feel pretty confident that nobody's watching you guys or listening in
here. Okay, okay, great, thank you, well sooner the better,
I'd say. And I know we've suffered quite a bit. Our squad
has definitely suffered some injuries here. So I'm here. I'm here whenever we
want to get moving. But I think, well, if I'm not mistake
with the club opens that the club opens at seven. So we got an
hour and a half ish from now, okay, And it makes you feel
any better. I did spend some time kind the range, and I requisition
myself a proper sidear in terms of the access. The mention about a closed
system got me thinking it's possible that we could still access it from a floor
above or below. If we could find a suitable business, something that might
not be open at that hour. We could start taking a look at things
like that, so we'd be a lot closer to the danger. But it
also might be much more effective for our breach like that to figure out what
those uplinks are being used for exactly, because they're definitely not being used by
the customers, all right, So potentially two different locations for us as a
group. If Skiff goes in, and if you think you can find a
place sawyer up or down wherever to connect, you need someone with you because
if your back's going to be turned doing that, you need someone to watch
skiff. You need someone watching your back. There's enough of us to figure
this out. The only thing I'm worried about is recognition. Who will be
known, who will be seen? You've been there before, sell none,
Yeah, I mean you've been there. I lost my badge. That's that's
gonna be something that sticks with me for a while. So they would probably
recognize me. I will I don't. I don't want to be foolish about
that. So is it smarter to use that or to hold you off from
going in there? I'm not sure. I'm not sure because if we want
it to look, they would have to know that I know that they know
who I am. You know, so they're going to know your your your
LAPD exactly, so they'll know as soon as I show up, they'll know
that I'm aware. So because they're aware that I know I'm LAPD, they
know I'm LAPD, why would I be there to try anything? You know?
So it's almost like hideing no one or the obvious. I know it
sounds kind of crazy, but if I went under some kind of like I'm
just here to have a drink, and relax. I don't know if that
would look suspicious to them, or if it would look like she's here for
something. Well with Skiff, I going along, Okay, if that was
a signal to me, it's just for me, Okay, all right,
they smell something off, but they'll dead end us, all right. Yeah,
if you're sure, absolutely, we also have to need to be safe.
We have to be under the assumption that all of us have been identified.
Sure Frenzo got away once true, that's very true. If Forrenzo is
a part of this Replican underground like we assume, and again the assumption that
Electric Dreams is part of the Replicant underground. These are two big assumptions,
then all of our covers have been blown. I think they probably know who
we are. I think that's a safe bet. I changes some things then,
not so much as Skiff going in there. I think that's still the
still tracks someone having Sawyer's back, or two people don't know but not comfortable
with skipping in there by themselves. Yeah, well, I'm absolutely here for
Sawyer as well. If if either of you are needing back up, I
think that Skiff, you're right, You're right, one hundred percent that this
was meant for you, at least some kind of why, or maybe something
we can use to keep in touch with you. I think it's dangerous to
go on alone, but truly, at this stage, we've all been very
hurt. Well. I think if they want to kill me, they probably
know where I live, probably could do it in my sleep and my apartment.
So that's not their objective. I think their objective is to turn me,
and then if I won't be turned, to decide what to do with
me. So I might have to say things and possibly do things to gain
their trust, but I won't do anything that'll put you in jeopardy. Any
of you promise you that? All right? I respect it. Okay,
So Electric Dreams opens, Skiff, I don't know if you go in right
when they open or if you want to wait longer. I feel like we
che have someone on Overwatch, and I'm kind of jittery. The coffee is
making me a little shaky, and it's one reason I'm also a little paranoid,
is that I feel like it's like they know we might be coming,
and I'm just really worried for Skiff in this moment. I'm also really worried
for Sawyer, But I don't think I really make that clear, So I'm
just gonna keep it well, sighing and rubbing myles. Uh, tell me
what you guys think about this opinion. M If I go to Electric Treams
and they do indeed know who I am, their attention might be focused on
me and whoever I have backing me up. If we do this at the
same time we do you're in Sawyer's mole hunt. M HM. Could be
the best time to do it is when they're concerned with me, because I'm
out in the open and you guys are sneaking in somewhere. Then again,
we don't know where the mole, who the mole is working for, and
we don't hell, we don't even know if there's just one true I would
at least hope there is. But in my opinion, it's it's definitely something
to do with the Replicans, because that's how they got three of them in
there. Unless somehow the Tyrell Corporation has still has some measure of control over
some revicants and they got them, they snuck them into the morgue. I
strongly believe that the attack on the LAPD was orchestrated by Tyrell. Do you
okay, Now, wait a minute and follow me on this one. If
we have electric dreams and we have a potential mole inside the LAPD, that
is, let's make the assumption that they could be from Tyrell. Tyrell specifically
looking for these replicants that may be operating out of electric dreams. These are
two different things. Now, if we attempt to expose this mole using the
information of us going into a electric dreams, it would cause a lot of
fervor it caused a lot of activity. There might be enough communication in chatter
to catch something. Should we do that, Should we go for both,
some of us will be a time at the same time, we will have
some of us at the LAPD very loudly within earshot and vision of whatever surveillance
equipment is going on, of us actively trying to do some information along the
lines of us going into electric dreams, us having a conversation so that it
is picked up that we are going into electric dreams to see if we can
see if there's any chatter in regards to that coming out of Tyrol, if
it's something they're going to move on. But it would be hard to time.
But if you can get in their skiff and if things can go if
things go in that direction, if you say the word Vanya and you get
swept up into something, there's not much a lot of us can do,
but it would expose them. I think we can use whatever we learn at
Electric Dreams for the later plan personally, anyway, you know, you could
even just reporting it to Holden would probably get that information out there in a
way to light up whatever signal we're looking for. I personally think it's better
to keep both plans separate, but if you feel strongly about doing these both
at the same time, then I can do either way. The only reason
why I'm suggesting both at the same time is the sort of pressure it creates.
A time limit means that some parties in the background may not be able
to move as safely as they would Someone on the outside may be able to
see outside of Electric Dreams seeing vehicles show up that are from Tyrel. Do
you know what I mean? You're talking about flushing out somebody by me going
to Electric Dreams at all. It's it's essentially us using ourselves as a sort
of bait. You would be bait to be picked up by the replicants.
We would be a sort of bait. It's not really the right word.
But for us to plant the information that we're going into Electric Dreams, it's
just and then with Sawyer watching the channels of communication from whatever point of view
that you need to, so that you can see if there's information coming from
Tyrel, if it's going through the LAPD, where it's coming from, who
it is. Okay, all right, I think said that you did?
I think I think all right if that's if that's the plan, give me
half an hour at the LAPD to put one or two pieces in place.
We go to the Electric Dreams breach and I can hopefully be monitoring LPD chatter
while we're there. We gotta have somebody just back you up. Yeah,
I'll have Sawyers back. I'll be there, I'll be within your vicinity and
I will watch out for you. Sure. So then let's make this clear.
Electric Dreams and this is a recon situation. We're trying to find something
to tie Electric Dreams to solid evidence so that we can raid it. Yes,
yes, we are not trying to raid this place without knowing more.
Okay, now you're starting to think like vice cops. I don't know if
that's an insulder compliment from Galen. That's a compliment. I'm jok by the
way, okay, uh Galen, Selma, where are you going to be?
Let's make sure we know. I know where i'd like to be,
and that's observing the data as it comes through. I think that that would
be a pretty amazing Now i'd like to back y'all up if you're going to
be at the LAPD. The thing is also concerned about the gift, so
I don't know in this instance. I just think i'd like to go where
I'm needed most, and I think that might behind a be behind a screen.
All right, So what if it's you and Sawyer and myself will be
at the LAPD? Galen, do you think you can get inside either incognito
of some sort? Can you blend in and be some level backup for Skiff
if it's needed? Sure? Okay, then I think we need to get
prepared. I uh. I opened the door to Selma's office and as I
walk in, I look over at the nutcracker that she has that we previously
determine hand surveillance equipment in it. From the angle that I'm at at the
door. Can you see me roll stealth? I suppose give that shot one?
Uh no, they cannot. I linger at the door for just a
minute or a moment, and I look towards Sawyer and do a slight nod
at that in that direction, and then I continue to walk inside, and
I walk first to the side to let Selma and so walk in. As
soon as they're in, I close the door. All right. I know
that Skiff and Gelan are going to be getting into position, so I'm not
sure what you need to do to monitor that, but we'll just be listening
and waiting. Appreciate the use of your office. Selma, Oh yeah,
no problem with a'll bob. Yeah, well, I suppose ill let's get
started, all right, I sit down, I pull up the couple monitors
here, I pull out my KA and send a message over to Selma.
And it's very quick. It just says, don't mention the name Electric Dreams
yet. Okay, okay, okay, yeah, I'd like to try and
get an eyeball on this, on this monitoring equipment and see surreptitiously if I
can ascertain exactly is it audio only? Is it video only? Is it
is it both. We would have told you what we determined is that it's
both. We were able to see that there is a camera inside the mouth
of the nutcracker, we would have said that it's likely that they would be
listening in as well. So it's and we don't know past that what other
monitoring is in this room, but we do know that those two elements are
there. Gotcha in that case? I'm I'm somehow more nervous in the lapd
itself, which should be a sanctuary, and anywhere else you've seen me so
far, I'm I'm I seem somehow in my own place of work the most
out of my elements so far. But I take a seat beside Selma and
I go to work. I set up whatever we need to set up whatever
terminal, I use my I use my Kia to up some of my own
programs, and we get to work. I think that since we're, you
know, we're we're waiting for them to get into position, I probably would
have sent some other messages. But before I get into that. For the
office door itself, does it have one of those windows, you know,
those long window slits that have like the the crisscross sort of like yeah,
wire in it. Does it have one of those? Or is this a
completely that's a good question. How much of you out is there? I
would say that it's incredibly rare for there to even be an enclosed office in
this where, you know, in this old reality spaces is extremely rare.
So I think there's probably quite a view out. It's up to Selma to
decide if she has like blinders or if she just continues to just like work,
or if it's frosted glass or it was Actually it's funny to say that.
I was thinking frosted glass like that, like kind of like old timey
detective you know. Yeah, yeah, so probably that, But I know
Selma usually likes to work in private. She doesn't like anybody like peringin,
So probably frosted Okay, if that's an option, yep, it is it
most certainly is. They have frosted in the first film quite a lot.
So I'm afraid of that. Your office was Oh, you know, it's
all right, Yeah, they'd better be giving me a at least something that's
nice for being here this long right to stand in desk. You know,
I liked it, and maybe this and I kind of fiddle with the with
the desk like, maybe this one can stand. I don't know. Oh,
please don't make it. Okay, if you need it, I can
raise it lower at whatever whatever you whatever you need to work best. I
ingratiate the I appreciate how private it is. I then go over to the
door and say, you know, I'm a little hungry. There's some uh
into machines. Uh just across the way. Do you do you only need
anything before we start this. I'll take those little cheese cheese crackers at a
little little bag of those if they have them, Yeah, sour candies.
All right, I'll see what they have. I opened the door and I
guess I'm I'm probably am. I met with a and a fairly open floor
plan at this point outside of the office itself. How much of this floor
has people in and around it? Just in the space that I can see?
Are there tech workers? Are they other cops? Like? Yeah?
Uh yeah, I mean because the way the LAPD is set up, it's
kind of an open concept. So you've got kind of a scrum style workplace
where you've got you know, cubicles that are kind of open where they can
talk to each other. Again, it's incredibly rare for for Selma to for
somebody to even have an office. But the people who are more likely to
have an office, believe it or not, are the analysts where they need
to be able to lock their stuff and have some sort of security, or
even just a place to stack papers upon papers because everything's analog right now.
So yeah, i'd say it's it's fairly busy. It's an average day at
the office, and it's five ish six o'clock, depending on when you guys
started. I believe we said it was going to be around five o'clock,
so it's probably about six now. It's been an hour you guys sat at
the diner, so it's a pretty busy evening shift. I'd say, Okay,
okay, then I'm not expecting much. But I think as I'm walking
across the floor to get to the vending machines, I'm looking to see anyone's
paying attention observation please, Oh it's a one. I think you'll find a
couple people notice you, but it's probably the same as normal, like oh
hey, Bob or you know whatever, but nothing really stands out as somebody
who's taking a little bit more of interest than they should. I never really
didn't expect that, but it's good to look. Yeah, I will get
over to the vendom machines. I will get whatever are there, sour candies
and those little cheese crackers here, I am trying to get exactly what they
ask for. Yeah, in the world lore of Blade Renter, right now,
vending machines give you everything. Almost anything that you get nowadays is from
a vending machine or deodorant, like you know, your tools, you know,
food, coffee. It's just like so much more than that. So
absolutely basically anything you fucking want is here in one of the vending machines.
You probably even have like a vending machine that has personal products like that like
toothpaste and toothbrush for people who stay at the office long. So yeah,
I'm badly of gun willoows. Well, I'll I'll get that for both of
them, and then I will walk back towards the office, and then I
will go into the office, but I'm going to leave the door open just
a crack, okay, and then I'll go ahead and give them their stuff,
and then I guess we should check in and see if they're they're ready
to start. Oh, thank you, Bob. Yes, Oh my gosh,
these are my favorite. Stir it and rappit them. Mm hmm.
Is Selma using her own terminal to work at the moment, I thinking,
sitting next to you as you use. Yeah, yeah, this is the
same one. Yeah, we're using the same terminal. Okay, So the
first thing that I'm going to do before we even type the electric dream stuff
is I'm trying to see if I can locate any monitoring stuff that's been snuck
onto Selma's terminal to see if we can control what information it receives. You
gotta roll me that tech and then also a stealth please. Yeah, you
can have advantage on both because you know the room is budged Stelton tech.
It doesn't matter which order. I don't know why I'm nervous. Well,
maybe it's because everybody's lives depend on this. I don't know. That's so
that's a two and a four for those listening. Why don't you describe what
this looks like? I think I think as much of a fish out of
water that I am in all these social situations, and especially when you see
I was so anxious coming into the building, like like I was going to
my own execution that the second that I have something to key into, you
see, I like, it's almost like I chew my my implants down.
So I'm I'm I'm honing in. And that's the calmest you've seen me at
this point is when I actually have a task to do, and I I'm
just hyper focused and you might even have to speak to me twice to get
my attention at this stage. All right, I'll I'll go ahead and open
up the the calm line, Skiff, I read you. We are as
set up as we are going to be here, Dalen, are you there?
Compy all right, when you're ready, just let us know and we
will be monitoring, be listening. Roger that all right, there we go.
Did I discover the Did I discover monitoring software? Absolutely? With this
tech of two, I think I think you're going to discover more than just
software on her computer. But I kind of want to know what it is
that you're doing to look for this, like how are you finding this?
So basically, I'm anything that the terminal uses to in terms of an uplink
is what I'm examining. So if it has any kind of uplink capacity,
that's the first thing I'm examining is if there's anything unusual in the data feed
there. So why don't we say that you are looking at this uplink and
the data feed and you see that absolutely is set it is set up,
and you follow that trail along going okay, well where exactly is this going?
And you notice that every terminal in the LAPD is also set up to
be delivering. There's also camera footage that is going to this uplink as well,
and if you want to follow that uplink to find out where it's going,
I'm going to need another role. Sorry, my cat is eating something.
One second, gotcha, I very quietly just say I knew it.
Oh nothing, Just I just brush past the question and I take a breath,
and yeah, I'm going to try and I'm going to try and see
where this information is being sent. If I can find a relay of some
kind, I'll just need another tech role. Your stealth role applies you rule
to four, So I'm allowing you to be stealthy the whole scene. Again,
not that your character would know know that, but like I think you
feel pretty confident that you know what you're doing, So gotcha. This is
a normal role. Yep, A normal tech role. Please. Absolutely,
I'm going to push this. This is zero for those listening and with ash
you got a two congrats. I'm gonna type it to you so that you
may reveal it in RP. Gotcha, I am. I'd give a very
very slow exhale, and I just take a scratch pad, you know,
a notepad, and I just thought penciling down some things. But in the
middle of the page, in very big letters, I write, well,
I write one letter, just a big capital T right in the middle of
the page. All right. I think I would look at that and then
look to Selma. Yeah, well, I think we absolutely both notice it.
Okay, and I look. I think the look of my face in
the moment when I delivered that information is sheer terror. Just for a second
before we go, because I know they're getting ready to go in. We've
had enough discussions at this point, and this is to you, narrator.
We've had enough discussions at this point about Tyrel's influence and possible involvement in this
situation. I would like to essentially retroactively ask that we would have been able
to come up with something to communicate if we discover it's Tyrell to the other
shore. Sure, absolutely, what do you think that code would have been?
Bob's not a code guy, so anybody can come up with the code
word. You're just improve it right now as you give that code word to
the other team. Sushi. That can't be our code word. We have
too much sushi. It's got to be never say you say no, no,
no no in this situation though, it has to be. It has
to be possible to say a cot like quotes reactor or something like that,
something that comes up, and especially if you're in a room, you can't
just be like, you know, pineapple juice or something. You want to
be like out. Yeah, by the way, will come up with that.
God is all right, So it's so obvious. I think. Okay,
so over over the colms after looking at on the and looking at Sawyer,
hey, Galen and scip you, maybe after this is done we can
go out for some sushi. And I think that's a great place to switch.
Where are you both outside or inside? Well that sounds delightful, all
right? Where are you both? Are you outside? I think we're meeting
like a couple of blocks away, and uh, I think I think we
both would have agreed to like take cabs here, so our spinners aren't just
like you know, out where they can see it. So uh I walk
up to uh Galen, I'm ready to you is yeah, well that's the
same thing on our mind. You know. I thought i'd be nervous.
I'm not. That's good. How about you. I have to admit this
whole thing is a little nerve wracking. Yeah, oh I did it.
I did see you at the range earlier. I just I was in my
own head and kind of in the zone. So uh I meant to come
up say higher, which wanted to know that I did see and I wasn't
ignoring you on purpose. It would have been fine if you were. Sometimes
you just well, you just have to shoot the gun, right. I
did never take time to practice after I passed the first initial test. Well,
the reck required amount of practice. That's all I put in. I
find myself wanting to go down there more and more after the last few days.
I don't know if they ever said anything about this, but I remember
more shots that I missed when I needed to hit and the shots that I
actually hit. I really want to make tonight a hit. There's a lot
of eyes on us. Now, yeah, it didn't get put past me.
These medals and all that, the heroes. You know, that just
makes us a bigger target, right, yeah, the higher ups are gonna
look at us, blame us if anything goes wrong. Now wow, just
hop notything goes wrong. Where are you going to be in the crowd.
I'm just gonna be another patron drinking and I'm flirting. I'm am I going
in first. You're going to first. Probably better if I go in first.
Roger my uh, my name Willie Jake, got it? And uh
before you go in. It seemed like the kind of guy that would takes
everything with a bit of skepticism. But I'm glad it's you here tonight.
Ship goes down, what you want? If sh it goes down, out
You're the person i'd want next to me. I love Selma, it's like
a sister. But I want a cool head, a cold gun. I
think that's you. I don't really, I don't really hear that very often.
Don't make it easy to compliment you, my friend. I suppose not.
Look, this is extra dangerous, skiff. There might just be a
whole mess of replicants in there. If things go sideways. We need an
ebact plan. You have something in mind. Yeah, I'm gonna open up
my jacket and got two grenades there, so if there isn't a hole,
you'll make one. Is that what I'm gathering? Flash bang to your gas.
Ah? Okay, train and fight, you know that right right?
If we stay and we fight, that means we're ready to die. No.
I fully plan if I even get get past the first barrier, I
fully plan on them taking my firearm away, maybe even make me strip down.
Who knows, so count on me probably being unarmed. Oh, we
know the go word thanks to I'm sure Selma, is that a go word?
I thought that was the Jiggies upward, that was the bug outword,
get your show, get gone. I just thought they were hungry. No,
it's Selma was sitting in the in the please station and she says,
I can just picture. Well, we need some sort of word to let
everybody know that if if it all goes down badly, we should have a
word that tells everybody that it's going bad. I think sushi is a good
word. Have you done that impression before in front of Selma? No?
When if you say, if I tell her. I'll deny it. She
might like it. She might have thought, just remember this, Vanya.
It's probably not your Vanya more ways than one. That all right, I
better, I better get in there. I'll see in there, Jake,
m h, I'll uh walk up. I guess is there a bouncer?
Absolutely there is, And I need you to roll something for me. Manipulation
or stealth, either one. I am going to definitely choose manipulation in this
case. I figured that is a one. Would you like to push no?
Okay, then absolutely there is a bouncer. Let me just take a
look at the schedule. You guys are approximately shortly after open, right,
just to make sure, and I've got the right time, or you weren't
planning on like waiting for a couple of hours or anything. Okay, then
if that's the case, you see, uh see a fairly short woman who
is wearing glasses after dark. Uh, And she looks at you and doesn't
even think twice and waves you in. You look like a party person.
She's absolutely gonna be like, fuck, yeah, we need more of you
in there. Yeah, smile and walk through. Uh. And as I
do, I will, I'm going to slip just like a pathetic amount of
cash towards the bouncer. Really, yes, when you say pathetic amount,
you mean just pitdley. Yeah, it's like it's yeah, it's like an
embarrassing amount. It's like the you know, somebody thinks they're really slick when
they get into the club and they're like, yeah, oh, like pull
out the five dollars. Yeah, all right, so you slip over a
few chinion and she not that you can see, but she rolls her eyes
behind her sunglasses and just accepts, not in my head, and have a
good time, sir, Oh I will and then rule me observation once you
get inside. Okay, one, okay, what are you looking for?
First? Uh? I'm probably gonna go to the bar. That's what most
people would do, okay, I think. Okay, proper social lubrication to
start things off. Yep, it's not quite super busy yet, it's just
opened or you know. Getting there, you've got one bartender at the moment
she takes a look at you, nods and waits for you to give her
your order. Oh, what is good today? She just shakes her head
and smiles and says, whatever you're about to order, what's your favorite.
I would love something that, uh, you know, just really picks me
up. Do you have anything like that? Role manipulation? I think she's
trying to see if you're asking for something a little extra, like a stimulant
in your drink. Oh yeah, so are you? Are you kind of
putting that vibe forward? Yeah? For sure? Oh yeah, for sure.
Then she just she big huge grin and says, oh, yeah,
we've got something like that, and ends to make is something that you probably
gauge is a little bit of a citrus drink. And that's so that I
can hide the stimulant she's about to give you. Yep, And she does
that and then passes it over. Not that these stimulants are illegal in this
corporo world, but yeah, so she hides the taste of it anyway because
it probably doesn't taste great. Would you like me to start a tab?
Oh? All right? And she already begins to make another one. Who
I'll take that as a yes, I had a little I had a little
zip, Yeah, just a bit. Can you give you more zip if
you want? Uh ooh uh yeah, uh definitely start tab. I'll probably
come back, you know, yeah once it starts picking up a little bit.
Where is everybody that's still a little bit early? Given maybe forty five
minutes, really that long? I thought, uh, I thought things get
started here early. Everybody's talking about this place. Sounds like you should get
things started for us me. Yeah, it looks like you can dance,
of course, gestures to the floor the dance floor. Yeah, I'm looking.
I'm looking. Is there like a DJ? Yeah? Why don't we
say that there is? Yeah? Because remember this has two floors, and
there's a lot of like dining in the area as well, but there is
a small like place in the middle. And remember there are fish flying around
or floating or swimming around in the air in this place. Those of you
who don't remember electric dreams, so they're kind of like bumping into you as
you wander through here. And the dance floor is lit up with las of
neon and bright colors. So I'm like looking around for the DJ or whatever,
and I'm just like, yeah, yeah, I could do that.
Maybe not right now, but at some point I feel like I could get
the ball rolling and this is definitely gonna help. Thank you so much.
What was your name? Petrie Petree? Like the dish, that's right,
okay, all right, it's good now, Petrie. How long have you
been working here? Why do you ask? Well, I'm just wondering if
you could direct me towards anybody that might be looking to have a good time
tonight. I'm a little hard up, Okay, I've got to be honest
with you. It's been a little while, you know, a little nervous.
I'm still going based off your three manipulation. She's going to point to
a group in the back. They will show you a good time regulars.
You can tell them I sent you. Okay, okay, good to know,
good to know. In fact, you can bring them this tray drinks.
And she pulls out a tray, slaps it down and starts making a
couple of drinks and putting them on the tray one by one, and then
slides the tray towards you and sets the drink she made you, the second
drink she made you on top. There you go. I look over there.
Do you recognize any of these people? Rule? Please, we'll do
connections or observation. Probably connections would make sense more so on connection, would
you like to I'd say you can recognize one person if you'd like so,
I don't want to recognize anybody here. Oh okay, well, I was
gonna say from you that it's not like you know that I'm not seeing like
people that are going to recognize me. Not as a cop, but you
could potentially see somebody that would recognize one of your personas from vice or something
like that, if you'd like, if you don't want to, you succeeded.
There's nobody. Okay, I'm gonna I'm gonna say, uh, I'm
gonna say that nobody recognizes me. Then okay, sounds good. Yeah,
I will pick up the uh, pick up the tray, I said,
Petrie, thank you for the inn. I'm sure that that will make my
night enjoyable, have fun. Well, here we go, Jacob, let's
do this. How's your night going? Well? How about you? How's
it looking in there? Could be busier and I wait for them to yeah,
they to wave you in. You However, this is the same woman
from before, the same bouncer from before. So do you look different?
I see that you are wearing something different. Are you trying to be sneaky
or are you just trying to be like you're talking about ursa. Yeah,
that's right. The bouncer, right, you're talking to the bouncer, not
the bartender or written down as I have written out as bar back. But
yeah, okay, yeah, so the person who was nervous before, Yes,
that's the one who's at the door right now. Yep, okay,
okay, And then you got Petri at the bar tonight. No, I
don't. I don't make as though I recognize them. Yep, you're just
trying to slide right on by. But yeah, I see if they recognize
me, Yeah, okay, then I'm gonna have you roll stealth for me.
That seems to make sense, either stealth or manipulation, one of the
two. And essentially what I'm doing here with this role is she either you
know, might vaguely recognize you and be like huh, But then she vaguely
recognizes everybody that walks through here potentially yep, uh a zero. She definitely
has an expression cross her face. Even with the sunglasses. You can tell
she kind of recognizes you. For a second. Do you say anything to
her? Nope? You just let it go, okay, and do you
you just walk on? Okay? All right, you walk in because I
might work for my favor. Yeah, so I see the recognition, or
what I think might be recognition. Yeah, And I keep walking forward and
I make my way down to the bar that's by the dance for the bar
that I went to last time? Who is working the bar? Is it
someone I recognize? It's not somebody you recognize, it is Another's not Derek.
It's not Derek. It is somebody new. Her name is Peatree,
although you don't know that. Actually she probably has a name tag on.
But she's got brown hair, straight fringe, nice dangly earrings that reflect the
lights in here, so probably like some sort of clear crystal looking like obviously
not real, but they're pretty heavy and gaudy and they're reflecting a lot of
light. And she smiles at you. What can I get for you?
You know, there was a barge in her here before they gave me a
drink, and uh, I was wondering if you know how to make it?
He called it a vanya connections or manipulation. Let's go, baby,
Oh, let's connections. Here it comes. I'm gonna I'm gonna push that.
Okay, that's a one for those listening. And he's still pushing.
Okay, my god, you have no idea you have no idea. I
mean, maybe you do, because you know this isn't your first rodeo with
me. But my lord, okay, I changed a one success end to
a three success fucking hell. Okay, So all reservation she has with you
immediately relaxes and is gone. Uh and she just points to the door.
It's your first time not obvious. Well, I mean if you're asking,
yeah, it's back that way through there against the wall. Just solve the
riddle and you can go in. So what's your favorite drink? You disagreed
about it, would you? Okay? And I head back. Fucking hell,
dude, and uh, I look for the thing that she's that she
was describing. Yeah, so she pointed to the place where you watched Avonna
leave right and go through. And so you walk down that corridor again and
you hit the dead end or what seems to be a dead end, and
there there is still something there. It looks like it's etched into the to
the holographic like wall. There's like a fish tank there, or at least
it looks like a fish tank. It's Florida ceiling fish tanks. I'm realizing
that it's been a while since we've been here, but it does look like
there's something etched onto the glass. Okay, let's hold while I get it
out. Endless paths entwine in choices. You define, that's what's etched there,
And I'm assuming you've got your light with you? Yeah, yeah,
yeah, then yeah, and see, I say, what's this journey mine?
The wall in front of you changes from a fish tank to the images
art oil paintings that looks like I have to move you over here year so
that you can see it here. I'm gonna go ahead and drop them also
in the discord so that the rest of you can take a look. Let
me make sure I'm put over yep okay, And one second I'll drop them
in the discord. But in the meantime, you can pull open the stream
here yep okay, I can see it, yep okay. So that is
what you see, and they appear one by one slowly in no particular order
that you can really gauge. That's what appears up there on the wall for
you. And that's it. Come here often does so? I does it
look like I'm supposed to like touch one of these? If you touch them,
nothing happens, Okay, I mean they might they might have some sort
of like light up response for a second, but it's just like a regular
I'm touching a thing in the screen is interactable, but nothing in particular happens
beyond that. So I bring up my light thing to see if there's anything.
It has finished the line that you gave it, so it says endless
paths and twine in choices. You define what's this journey mine and I've put
Okay, So I'm looking at these, uh, just make sure I got
it right. I'm looking at what looks like a spider web, two swans,
that's right, a sheep yep, and a a person, a human
with a skeleton face. Okay, and then I just I say kind of
I say out loud, but you know, sort of under my breath hidden
face I wear. And I look at the one with the skeleton face.
I looked for some interactable part of it. I kind of touch around.
M there's nothing interactable. You might be able to, like zoom in on
the image, like if you put your fingers on it and pull like you
would like an iPhone or something like that to zoom in on the detail of
the image, but other than that it's just those four images there, and
if you would like any sort of hint or anything like that, you can
roll for that as well. Well. I was I was thinking like,
would this be like a tech roll I could see like what this? Yeah,
I don't even know what this is. I know, I know,
I know, I know, but this puzzle is not for you, So
that makes sense that you wouldn't know. Fuck well, I don't mean you.
I built PD built this puzzle for you guys, the puzzle solvers on
the thing. But I mean, like you know, Skiff, you know
it's not You're not supposed to be here, so it makes sense that you
don't know what it is. So you can do insight or you can do
tech and either one will give you like a different result. Okay, then
I will definitely do insight. Okay. Oh should I gotta take the stress
for a push? Yep? How are you doing on stress? By the
way, do I get a free one? Or no? A free one?
A free? Do I get a free Oh? No, I get
a I get to push more times? Nevermind? Yeah? Okay, how
am I doing? Actually? Since we had two shifts in between and I
have this the smoke's ability I went back up to five, and now I'm
down a four again. Okay, yayat insight, here comes two successes.
Okay, oh, I think for you, So we're gonna go back over
here for a second. I think for you. I'm trying to think about
how I let you come to this conclusion in character. But all of these
images have something in common. This is sort of, in a weird way,
an empathy test. Okay, man, I'm so like, I'm good
at puzzles, but I'm bad at puzzles in that like so many times I
just overcomplicate them. Yeah, and I hate it because I can look at
four images and go, well, it's not just because both of the numbers
are even, and like, keep in mind, I know I know you
pretty well. I know you pretty well, and I'm not kidding when I
say I built this puzzle because I have I have puzzle solvers on the crew
this time, Like you guys are nuts with puzzles, so it might be
a little bit difficult, and I apologize, but here's hoping that it's not.
So. If it's like if we're talking like a like in the same
vein of like a psychopathy test to see if you have proper emotions or whatever.
Then I would definitely like examine the two swans like looking at each other.
They also kind of made a heart. Yeah, I think it's safe
to say that the association deals with an emotional piece. It's not just going
to be like, oh, they all have read. It's got to be
some sort of yeah. So and that's all I'll give you, and I'll
let you and you can freely communicate to the team without being penalized by the
way, except for maybe Galen who's partying, unless he just like shouts random
shit because he's fucking high. So that's fine. I just I want you
all to be able to participate without penalty, and I'll just go ahead and
tell you that that you can do that. Can I can I make the
like the insight with my with my two successes? Can I make the the
either connection or or rule out a connection between the haikup and the paintings.
Yes, they're connected, Okay, okay, thousand percent. The hiku is
kind of like a hint as to, okay, what you're looking at.
Well, if it's the if it's the first one, endless paths and twine,
it's got to be the spider web. So I'm going to look for
like I'm going to tap the middle of the spider web, or like trace
my finger along the like the the edges of the spider web and look to
see, like what reac that. I mean, it registers that you're touching
it, but again, nothing really changes. You can't really move it around.
It's more that you're touching a screen that is meant like you can interact
with it, but like the advertisement signs and stuff out there do the same
thing. So I don't think it's something where you have to physically interact with
it. Since you rolled to on your intuition, I will give you that
the first one was verbal. You needed to say the last line, so
it's probably verbal. Oh you're saying, I said, what's this journey mine
is? And that's what opened this, So you probably have to then also
say something verbally. It's not just something that you touch. And that's honestly
why I said it. Maybe I didn't say it like I maybe said it
to you under my breath. Yes, I hidden face. I'll say it
louder again. Yep, hidden face. I wear no reaction, no reaction.
I don't have the other fucking part of that, iiku. But I'm
assuming that your team heard you say this stuff, right, Yeah, okay,
just making sure let's got a skiff. Can I pass along this like
what I'm looking at? Yeah? Absolutely, you guys can do that kind
of thing. But I think it does probably strike you as interesting because if
it were interactable, if you could touch the screen, there would be a
better way, to easier way to hack into this. But because it's a
verbal component, it's probably more secure. Money means this this, whatever this
is, whether it's a hidden entry or whatever it is, was made with
money, tons of money. Right. I just sent you an image file
as to what I'm looking at completing the high coup that we already have.
And I'm not saying this super loud, but you're good, You're safe,
you can communicate. I want you all to be able to engage in the
puzzle without being penalized. So completing the high coup out loud verbally got me
to this screen that I'm looking at now, and I've tried touching it,
but it seems like it's probably another verbal component and we don't have the Uh,
there's the beginning of another haikup that we never got heaven never got finished,
and I'm looking at it now. M. And you said I showed
up after you finished the haikup. Yeah. They gave me the first two
lines. I gave them the third. I I think I look over at
at a Sawyer and Selma and I uh, with an understanding of where the
nutcracker is in the camera, I hold it in a way that they can't
see it, that that camera can't see it, but I'll hold it up
to the two of them, not really saying too much, but just any
ideas. I don't know, not right off the bat, I put all
my glasses. M. Why why would there be a series of images right
after saying haku? What would be the purpose of this? I don't know.
Maybe some kind of verbal correspondence, but I don't know how that fits
into the puzzle. All right, God, uh, he's Galen for this?
Do I feel like my memory is jogged with regards to the files I've
examined regarding Project Vanya. Is there anything about the use of imagery in conjunction
with poetry that I recall? I can have you roll again, because I
don't remember what your previous role was for that, so it can be a
tech Please, No, you don't recall seeing anything like that, other than,
you know, potentially the ramblings from that one particular worker talking about poetry
and art. Just being surprised that they took an interest in poetry or were
able to create poetry and art. Maybe maybe you should use the prompts and
try finishing it, you know, come up with some creative of your own.
Could be a test like that, you know, see if you can
fit the poetic structure and finish it with your own words. Ever been very
good at poetry, I'll do my best. Endless pass and twine like a
spider web. You believe in memories, because every moment with you is one
I never want to forget. All Right, Skiff, we're taking a look
at these images. I'm going to run through them with you. All right,
we'll just talk them out. We'll go one at a time. Got
an image of a spider whip. I've never been very good at representative art,
but that one feels like something trapped, stuck danger. Help me out.
No, that's what I'm wondering. I get the feeling they want some
sort of It's like their own version of voy com. So the case rather
than asking me questions, they show me images and I give them an emotional
response. Like for the spider web, it makes me feel trapped, For
the swans, I feel loved, For the sheep, I feel watched,
okay, And for the the human or person I fear death, I feel
fear okay. Uh, you're saying all this out loud. Yeah, you
notice the words in the iiku kind of flickering light up as you're saying these
things. They're responding to your voice. All of them light up? Are
certain words light up? The last line, what's this journey mine? Is
probably brighter than the rest of them, But they're all kind of reacting to
you. But that one is brighter than the rest for sure. So something
just happened as I said that out loud. The letters the last line of
the haiku, what's this journey mine? It lit up when I was with
what I was just saying to you. Damn know if it reacted to one
of the words for a specific image. Did it react when you said the
fear I'll go again and I'll go slowly? Yep? All right? Trapped
lights up about the same love, same fear, same watched, same they
all they all the the line all reacts the same with all those words.
It's almost like you're in putting the wrong password. It's acknowledging and accepting the
word, and then nothing happens where the lights flicker and fade. What's this
journey? My mm hmm. Life lights up, it reacts, but it's
not really a confirmation. It's the same. Maybe we have to answer the
question, it's this journey mine you from off world? You've got another worldly
charm? Is it a I don't know, a path of life. I
mean we've got moments in life Ryan with love and death. Uh, life
is choices, isn't it. I mean that's kind of how I define it,
making choices or the freedom to do so right free will, free will
pre you will kind of lights up a little bit, but it seems to
be about the scene we're getting. I mean, it's like we're putting in
the right input but the wrong password. It's accepting what I'm saying, but
it's not it's not the right We haven't twigged on the right thing yet.
Think about saying it right or in the right order. Let's think about Vanya.
Let's think about what Project Vanie is about. I think it ties back
memory, memory and consciousness, right or consciousness? Yeah, So just to
recap because we heard most of it, but I want to make sure you
walked in this place. He went up to the bar, you said the
name, and it let you hear the right yes, all right? So
and from what it sounded like from my point of view, it sounded like
this is something that happens somewhat routinely, an expected path that I'm assuming replicants
go on through. Won't one choice it an underground information system or something they
wind up here? Does that make sense? But to prove that they're supposed
to be here, they have to show something. They have to be able
to say I should be accepted because of this. And this is supposed to
elicit some reaction in the replicant that they would express that would allow them access.
So what I'm thinking is, I would a replicant do the opposite of
the voiding contest, and that is they're trying to prove their replicant that they
belong or that they belong with the replicants. Skiff, I'm going to go
out in a limb on something. Are you able to zoom in on these
images at all I send them to you. You should be able to do
it on your end if you want sure. Okay, oh you mean yes,
I can't with my own hands. And I do that, and I
go, we got two faces here. Can you take a look at both
of those as big as you can. I want to see if you got
a wolf in sheep's clothing hair like a pentimento. That's the word. I
don't know, skiff. I read it somewhere. It's about art that's painted
over other art. I was more taking it if you shine the right light
on it. I was more taken hidden face quite literally. I thought that
as well. See if I blow this image up to take a look at
it. If I'm taking a close look at the face of the sheep and
the face of the skull, do I find any detail there that isn't there?
Otherwise say the question again, I'm so sorry. If I expand the
image of the lamb's face and the skull face, can I find any additional
detail when I enlarge that? Absolutely, but just in like the color,
probably the texture of the oil paint, things like that. But there's nothing
I don't think that really strikes you. Actually go ahead and roll observation or
oh boy, the technical skill required to make these images and these paintings is
flawless. And that's really all I can say, unfortunately, other than that,
you don't see anything else in particular. So do I get the feeling
these were definitely not made by a human? I'm not going to say that.
Actually, it's just extremely masterful. And I don't think you know,
sorry, this is not my specialty. You gotta say so. Spider,
swans, sheep skull. I mean, all I can see is that there's
two webs there, there's one that's kind of hidden, and there's two swans.
But the bottom two pictures there's only one thing, only one subject.
I just I can't make head or tails of it, but clearly there's only
one one answer. Is this a spinner or did you take me to New
Heights? Considering how far we are away from Electric Dreams? Is there any
possibility for a remote access into their uplinks from here or is this the Is
that not an option you can try? You can certainly try. You'd be
rolling a disadvantage because you're super far away. Keep in mind everything is being
tracked. But I guess you've rolled a four on your stelf. So I
think you're pretty confident that you can do it without getting noticed from here.
All right, all right, I'm going to take a shot in the dark.
Give me a second. I'm going to push this one. Okay,
don't forget to take your resolve down. Kay, you have pushed to give
it one. What were you looking for? I'm looking to see if there's
any activity coming in and off the uplink at this place. Activity. How
is there any sure I'd love to dance? Are there any active users on
the uplink at the moment? Yep? Four? And I believe if our
call correctly, the number of terminals we had there was four? Yes,
that is correct. M. And I'm saying all this out loud. Yep.
Is it fate? It's a destiny, Sam. The wall reacts to
destiny and each of the photos light up one by one. Uh, and
then it disappears and got it? The iku disappears and is replaced with hidden
face. I wear in shadows, I disappear. What's my art so clear?
And the wall is back to being a fish tank? Hidden face?
I wear in shadows? I disappear? What's my heart so clear? And
are you verbalizing? It back as you read. Are you reading it out
loud? Yes, I'm reading it out loud to tell them. Yep.
Then absolutely, as you read it out loud. As soon as you say,
what's my art? So clear, a new set of four images appear.
Uh, and I will drop those in here for you guys as well.
Hease old. Did you say something happen? Yes, we have a
set of new images reacting to which word destiny might be a clue for the
next thing to come. I think I know it all right, Maybe avari
tricks is nothing happens? I mean it lights up, but there's no I'm
seeing. Yeah, I'm seeing a crane and owl. I want to say,
a robin or a sparrow and a butterfly. So off, flying creatures,
freedom, Maybe freedom, it's flashes, but nothing changes, flying escape,
not quite wings. The answer didn't face? I wear in shadows,
I disappear. What's my art? So clear? Light in shadows? I
disappear, light disappears in shadow. If the previous I co was asking a
question, what's this journey? Mine? With an answer destiny? So what's
his asking? What's my artli clear? Okay? Hid in face? I
wear in shadows? I disappear. It's likely maybe it's one word like the
previous one that you're u and if we had destiny, and this was in
regards to the replicants and what they're they're understanding, their wants, what they
expect, hidden face, outwear in shadows. I disappear, I mean a
hidden face. That's just a mask. It It is a mask. I
I saying that one mask. It will light up the certain areas on the
image where if you notice, each one of these has a very visible mask,
aside from perhaps the butterfly, but that is a typical butterfly that can
camouflage, and so the entire wings light up a little bit on the image.
It doesn't disappear, but those areas light up. The areas light up.
I say, I say mask again, and they all like that again,
come here often. So just just so i'm i'm I'm sure you're talking
about like the face of the owl. Yes, the math, the entire
physical mask of the of the crane, and the you see how the sparrow
is also wearing a mask as well. I don't think it's actually a sparrow.
I think it's a warble or whatever. But it's it's got a physical
mask, and the owl also has a physical mask on, and then the
whole wings of the butterfly light up. It's a ball cuts and classes,
but nothing like this vast. So when I say the word mask, m
the butterfly wings light up the face of the owl. If you look,
you see the crane, it looks like, you know how it looks like
raccoons are wearing like burglar masks. I think it's like that. Oh,
oh, we know. It's likely not the word hidden, because hidden it's
in the handku that you said out loud, but it's in regard to what
we're seeing. Well, if if a part of it lit up, and
I'm not saying this out loud, but if a part of it lit up,
I try to like drag the owl's mask off, like with my fingers.
Yeah, when you go to interact with it, it responds to your
touch, but there's you can't drag anything. Yep. Okay, what's my
art? So clear? Hiding hybe camouflage or disappears it disappears in the show.
I mean, if that is it, I guess a mask implies that
you're trying to not be what you are, right, stay it safe,
stay safe, clean clean, sneaky maybe safe sneaky continues to light up about
the same and loves me gile, subterfuge, gile. What's my art?
Camouflage, deception, deception yep, that lights up and reacts to that uh,
And it slowly disappears. And then you have a new haiku that appears
on the wall. It says, whispers in the night, fleeting visions take
their flight. What am I so light? And these are the images?
These won't so un reacted to? Deception, yes, okay, yes,
and deception maybe the maybe the third word is is d as well. It's
very fleeting. Visions take flight, dreams, dreams reacts. It disappears immediately
and there is no wall here anymore. It is a stairwell. There's a
stairwell. Oh, oh my god. Skill okay, is it land?
Is it dark? What do you say? Sorry to interject, but I'm
I'm trying to schmooze my way over to an area where I can see skiff.
You can't really he went behind the corridor, behind the bar, unfortunately,
unless you want to sneak down the corridor. No, I think I'm
going to move to a spot that is. I guess whichever path he took
to get there. I'm trying to position myself near there. Okay, so
if there is a loud noise, I'll be able to hear it at least.
Okay, Skiff. As far as what you see, it is a
stairwell, but it looks like it continues down along the floor to ceiling fish
tanks. Sorry, I was like, aquarium is the word I'm looking for,
And that is the word I'm looking for, the Florida ceiling aquariums.
And it looks like you're just descending down maybe into another level of the club,
but you can't see anything in terms of anything that's down there ahead of
time. Would you like to walk down the stairs? This is your journey.
I'm heading down. Okay. I'll let you know if I can,
if I need you. And I start descending. And as you descend down
the stairs, there are no fish moving around in this environment other than behind
the walls of this fish tank. And you see what is another level of
the bar, but lots of terminals. There is no bar down here.
And a woman sits at a table directly facing the stairwell and is enjoying a
drink and locks eyes with you. As you hit down to the floor,
she says, Hello Skiff two something like that. Hello, this is pelpe
Perrier, director to producer GM and perhaps If you enjoyed this podcast, please
make sure to rate and review and head over to take the storybout tv for
our extensive library. Thank you for your support and enjoy anymore. You don't
know diaty good ship more Yokoso