FIRST INVESTIGATION

[bathymetric]

Friday, the deadline for The Professor's generous offer, dawns like any other. The automated cycle of lights, the only real indication of time passing here on the seafloor, passes into an imitation of daylight with a series of clicks and the hum of bulbs intensifying their glow.

Just last night, spirits were high as many of you watched movies and chatted. But as you leave your rooms today, there's something... foreboding hanging in the air. A quiet stillness, almost unnatural.

... Eh, it's probably fine, right?

Comments

[philoxenia]

[ Oof. On the one hand, she'd rather not have to stick around, but on the other-- She's not exactly into the idea of anyone taking her phone, even for a little while, so... ]

... It's alright, Ema. Um, I can handle it... if it'll help.

[snackooed]

It definitely will. It's crucial to create a permanent record of how the scene appeared before we start moving things around. It'll be important to have references when it comes to detailing the events that led up to this...but I don't mean to put pressure on you. I'm sorry, Mira.

[ Poor girl... ]

I'll make it up to you later. For now, I'll guide you through the specific photos we should probably have going into this. If you need to take a breather, let me know at any time, and we'll pause.

[philoxenia]

It's-- You don't have to apologize at all. I'm just... glad to do whatever I can to help.

[ She nods, though. She understands... but Ema's compassion means more than she could ever, ever say. ]

... Thank you. I'll do my best to follow.

[snackooed]

The fact that you're here and willing to pitch in means I should be thanking you.

[ She puts a hand on her shoulder. ]

Deep breaths, okay? We start with an overall orientation photograph: the scene of the crime relative to the rest of the room. After that, we'll need the general scene from multiple different angles. I'd say probably about three or four should do it.

[ ... ]

Keep your distance, but not so distant that the pictures aren't clear.

[philoxenia]

[ Usually, she'd shy away from the touch, but... she finds herself comforted by the touch. She gives Ema the tiniest smile, but the gratitude? That's undeniable, even if it's faint. ]

Okay.

[ She does her best to follow Ema's directions, and once she's snapped the photos, she rejoins Ema to show her. ]

Are these alright?

[snackooed]

Perfect. These'll be important to establish the scene, and it's always better to be more thorough than less.

[ It may be morbid, but she does need to give credit where credit is due. It's a job no one wants to be stuck with, but a job well done nonetheless. ]

Unfortunately, this is going to be the hard part. We need to photograph the complete blood spray, her body, her face, and her injuries....In this case, that means the laceration to her neck, the bruising to her ribs on her right side, the cut on her left arm, her broken wrist on her right arm, and any other bruising on that arm. I think that should be everything until we actually move her, and then we'll just need one more photograph of the ground beneath her.

Are you okay with that?

[philoxenia]

[ She's... relieved she's doing an acceptable job, at least. But Ema's next question is-- Well. Even if she's not okay with it, it's something she has to do. ]

I'll be alright. I just-- More than anything, I just want to figure this out. I hope these pictures will be able to do that.

[ It's much, much more than uncomfortable. But she'll do it all the same. For a long time, she's been unable to do much of anything, so as difficult as this is...

She approaches Aela's body, and takes a deep breath before kneeling down and snapping the photos Ema needs. ]

[snackooed]

You're right. Once we're done in here, we'll figure out who did this. I promise. With the evidence we've found and the photos you're taking, we're going to put it together and get justice for her.

[ Though she doesn't necessarily want to believe that one of them is responsible for it. Not after they were all having such a good time together last night... ]

Finding the truth is the least we can do for her, now.

[ She has to commend Mira's steady hand, all the same, though. ]