(too late) you're at the party

[scouserer]

[Well, it's safe to say that trial fucking sucked. Therefore, some sort of afterparty is in order. Constantine is admittedly not good at throwing parties without some sort of liquor or other drug involved, but that's where Data and Sylvando guide him.

First order of business--invites. Upon returning to your rooms, crumpled pieces of paper have been taped to the doors. Written in poor handwriting is the following:]

meet at the lounge
bring whatever you want
[Simple, but effective. The lounge itself has been livened up a bit with Sylvando's help. Some nicely patterned fabric has been draped around on the tables to liven up the place a little, and snacks from the café and vending machines have been placed out for people to peruse.

A few supplies from the first aid room have been gathered, as well, for those who may need it. But perhaps the help is unnecessary, as tomorrow will likely bring another New Years Eve. And with it, another week of despair and frustration.

But for now, they can forget about that and pretend that all that matters is the present.]

Comments

[jibunwo]

...I wish I had answers for anything that transpired today, but I fear I simply do not.

[onlyyoucan]

...

[She sighs and just nods sadly.]

You're the same as me.

[It's something she knew already, in a sense.]

[jibunwo]

[A quiet sigh from inside the helmet.]

...Yes. I think that is accurate.

[onlyyoucan]

[She's not going into detail here in public, so she won't follow up. Just nod and look out on the subdued room.]

We know he's here now. [The Captain.] Not hiding somewhere far off.

[jibunwo]

We do, and that confirmation is important. If he's within reach, then he's placed himself in danger no matter how confident he is in his victory. We just have to last long enough to find the means to defeat him; whether through regaining our powers or maneuvering him into a corner and forcing this all to end.

[onlyyoucan]

There'll be another motive. Probably another loop.

[jibunwo]

No question of that. Things will continue as they have and our options are limited. As it is, all we can do is continue to investigate and hope he's slipped up somewhere. But we have to keep surviving in order to do that.

[onlyyoucan]

Right. And voting, even in cases like this...

[jibunwo]

--is just a matter of survival. It doesn't absolve us of our hand in their fates, but it is a necessary evil if we're to see the Captain dealt with.

[onlyyoucan]

...right. If there's no other option, it's what we have to do. At least this time we know more.

[jibunwo]

It isn't a hopeless endeavor, not yet. Our enemy is not infallible, no matter how powerful he may be.

[onlyyoucan]

Right. He says he can do anything, but he has to have some kind of weakness or limitation.

[jibunwo]

We just have to find it and reach him. Then it'll be checkmate.

[onlyyoucan]

[She nods, holding Emily firmly.]

If he let us see him in the first place, was that deliberate, showing us more of what he can do... or a mistake, because he knows we can't do anything with it?

[jibunwo]

[eventually he is going to ask what the fuck is up with the rozen maiden shit but you know, place and time]

I think perhaps the answer is 'both'; deliberate, because he thinks we can do nothing with it. I don't think him truly careless, no matter his presented demeanor.

[onlyyoucan]

So he's probably just taunting us. There has to be a time where he'll slip up for real.

[jibunwo]

He's already given us valuable information. For all we knew before now, he was within communication range but nowhere near this ship. Now, we know he's far closer than that.

[onlyyoucan]

[Sara nods.] I know that's what we wondered. It would make sense, too, with how this place tampers with spacetime. It probably also interferes with communication outside of it.

[jibunwo]

Possibly, yes. Even if we could find our way to the bridge, surely sending a message would not be so easy. And that's assuming anyone that may or may not be beyond this ocean would hear it to begin with, much less believe us.

[onlyyoucan]

We'd have to somehow get whatever let him take us from across time and space.

[jibunwo]

Indeed we would, a task which is linked with defeating him. Once we can travel the ship freely, then we can access whatever areas he can and discover what it is he's truly hiding.

[onlyyoucan]

Mm.

[She won't say it's impossible. Instead, she just keeps watching everyone else brooding in the lounge.]

So what you're thinking is we just need to get one step behind him while he still thinks we're several paces back. So he'll let something slip that he thinks is inconsequential.

[jibunwo]

I know it's not an ideal approach. But we don't have much else to work with.

[onlyyoucan]

I won't complain. I'm used to starting again with nothing.

[jibunwo]

Starting over from zero, you could say.

[was...did he just tell a joke]