Final Investigation

[bathymetric]

Good morning, New Rapture. You may yet see the sun today.

But before that, there's work to be done. The Mayor has sent you some sort of ultimatum, though as usual was reluctant to explain herself. You're going to meet her, to some end? It's unclear. But one way or another, you're aware that things are ending today. Spirits may be low, but at least there's that. After a night of bowling, you're probably ready for this.

As you wake in the morning, though, each suite will find something unexpected in the common area, something that absolutely wasn't there last night: an envelope, addressed to the surviving members. An attached note on the outside reads as follows:

Good morning, citizens of New Rapture. In accordance with new directives from Designations: Misfire, Space Dandy, et al. I have been asked to deliver this. Please use the included to lift your spirits, and feel free to use your new bathysphere access to gain what information you can before you face the Mayor. You know what the key does, I gather, and the card will grant you access to Fontaine Futuristics Headquarters, where the Mayor currently resides. If you do not gather information properly, you will be unable to do what she is about to ask of you. Your friends will be watching.

Included in each envelope is a silver key, a limited Hall of the Founders bathysphere access card, and a copy of this letter. Your friends are counting on you. Go rally in the Hall of the Founders and get ready.

It's time for one last investigation.

Comments

[bathymetric]

[ So! The first thing he'll note is a small model of what looks like a... cryotherapy chamber, maybe? There's some attached research nearby on what's apparently called a Vita-Chamber. ]

[inaclearing]

[Oh, weird rich people stuff. He gets it! Let's just skim that research and see if he gets any of that?]

[bathymetric]

[ Okay, so! The Vita-Chambers are... in an absolutely wild move, apparently through a complex combination of quantum physics and plasmid use that you do not understand, able to reconstruct bodies at time of death, provided the death was violent trauma-related or otherwise sudden and non-medical. If you've been stabbed, it transfers you to a body that fucking hasn't been. If you've been poisoned, it gives you a body that hasn't been poisoned. But if you're sick, it can't make a body that isn't. ]

[inaclearing]

Oh, hey, one point against the Matrix thing.

[He comments idly to Floyd, though he's still over here looking through his stuff. Probably no one else is any more able to parse the technical stuff, but Brett has Research and Journalism habits, and also a bag, so he's just taking all these papers with him anyway.

What else is here? Can he poke the little Vita-Chamber model?]

[bathymetric]

[ He can definitely poke it! There's a little note inside that says "Could I sell this back home? Call it a 'New You Station,' take a percentage of any stupid bandit's money who dies." It's not relevant but it is a funny joke for borderlands fans, and an indication of the attitude of this H. Jack fellow!

There's also some laminated old blueprints here! ]

[inaclearing]

[Do they look like anything he can recognize? Like this chamber, even?]

[bathymetric]

[ There's a sort of nagging familiarity to the arch in them as you look at them, but it's clear what they are after a moment: the plans to an interdimensional gateway, signed R.L.. ]

[inaclearing]

R.L. Stine. I knew it.

[lol okay no not really. he's taking these too, fuck it, he's just taking everything he can.]

[bathymetric]

[ Valid to steal, buddy.

The main other thing of note on the desk proper is a single unlabeled button. ]

[inaclearing]

[Oh, no, he knows enough to be nervous about that! Is it visibly connected to anything?]

[bathymetric]

[ Nope :) ]

[inaclearing]

[........well. The guy probably wouldn't have a button on his desk that just killed everyone in the room or anything, right? That's a stupid button to have!

Let's just press it and see what it does...]

[bathymetric]

[ There's a click and a door opens in the wall behind you! ]

[inaclearing]

Oh, shit -

[That's actually kinda neat? Brett goes to try the door!]

[bathymetric]

[ Sure! The door grants you access to a storage area behind the wall, which includes racks and racks, up towards the ceiling, of inert models of those creepy bird robots.

... Notably, several are missing, which is weird, but uh. All of this is weird, probably. ]

[inaclearing]

[Well, that doesn't feel great.

Is there anything else to find in here, because if not Brett is gonna just slooooowly back out and shut the door again.]

[bathymetric]

[ At least they're not moving?

There is another thing to note in here uh. There's... a bunch of broken glass under the bots? Upon inspection, it's shattered bottles of Corona beer, just like... so many of them. As though someone came in here regularly to chuck them full force at the walls and bots. ]

[inaclearing]

[You know, as you do! This is probably a little much, but he'll crouch down and carefully take a larger bit of glass with the label on to put in his bag. Like a man from 2017, he muses aloud:]

Why does she hate Corona so much?

[Not that it's Brett's own favorite brand of beer or anything, but like?]

[bathymetric]

[ It Is A Mystery.

Nearby, however, you will find your final piece of evidence: an audio log! ]

[inaclearing]

[Oh boy, his favorite (halfway derogatory?). Let's hear it!]

[bathymetric]

[ It's the Mayor! ]

Input music for commands... alright, I'm going to be here for a while. Clean command, retreat command... fight command, though I doubt I'll need it. Let's see what's on the old efficiency playlist.

[ And what follows is the Mayor playing through some of all the different songs you've heard when the Sparrows are around. And then some! Apparently, if she had ordered one to kidnap and restrain anyone, you would have heard this! ]

... I wonder if I could do the same to them? Food for thought.

[inaclearing]

[Brett swallows, the idea sinking like a stone in his stomach. He glances over his shoulder, but - no. He'll just bring it up with the group.

He takes the tape and stands to go.]