[PCA] UNIVERSAL CONSTANTS

[skinstealer]

The sense of dread in the main hall is palpable, Rosetta, Jester and Ruby geared up in horror-proof suits matching Maes' own- 

-Smith shooing away curious residents, and JB going over a lockdown checklist.

JB: Here's how we're going to do it.

 

The construct taps his clipboard.

JB: Your team of four- Rose, Jester,  Maes, Judgment- is going down there to investigate. 
JB: You'll have two sub-teams. 
JB: Rose and Judgment, you're the firepower, but Rose needs a guide and has less experience than Maes with her aids. 
JB: Equal potential for tight quarters and large open spaces with no landmarks are going to be tricky for her on her own, even if she can fight like crazy. 
JB: Maes tells me you do good work with guiding her, and volunteered you for this. 
JB: Take it as an order from up top.
CHARON: Mm, quite a bit to toss me right before the job but I can make do.
I'll have accommodations ready.
JB: We didn't exactly have time.

 

JB sighs.

JB: Frankly it's a pretty slapdash plan, but we can't risk any casualties. 
JB: Treat it like a horror breach.
CHARON: I'd like permissions in that case to use any means necessary to avoid injuries.
JB: Granted. 
JB: We want to take this thing in alive if possible-
JB: ...as alive as it is, anyhow-
JB: -but the priority is keeping residents safe.
CHARON: Nothing but my all in that regard.
JB: Good.
JB: Maes, you and Jester are team two. 
JB: You'll be leading the group, and running detection.
JB: Simply put, Maes knows the most about the Devil's Advocacy program out of this team, along with Synna on comms. 
JB: Her being up front with Jester means we have people able to identify this thing both, uh, however Jester does it, and Maes' know-how. 
JB: If it's a ghost, that...should be handy. 
JB: According to Ruby, anyway.
CHARON: Scout and engage, ideally de-escalate and rescue. 
CHARON: No casualties is the goal.

 

JB nods.

JB: The cleaner you can do this, the better.

 

Synna clears her throat.

SYNNA: My job means I have to know whatever magic shit is needed for the job, and I have some proxy questions before we go in.
SYNNA: How's your range?
CHARON: Within sightlines. 
CHARON: Anything past that is dependent on the proxy.
SYNNA: No dice on sending one with the lead team if you get separated, then.
SYNNA: How about visibility? 
SYNNA: Folks definitely seemed to see your bunch from what I've heard, how are you handling that?
CHARON: Case by case, there's a few methods to allow those that can't engage to do so. 
CHARON: Observe....

 

The dog reaches into his cloak and pulls out some dust, a spark within his palm, burning through it like a sweet flowery incense. Taking a whiff gave almost a heightened sense of reality to those nearby.

Rosetta's tail immediately starts coughing, Maes equally confused.

ROSETTA: Hgh- what-
JESTER: Some kind of dust!

 

Jester's eyes widen.

JESTER: This is how you make people see them!
SYNNA: Memorium powder.

 

Synna taps her elbow, thinking.

SYNNA: ...never worked with it. 
SYNNA: It safe?
CHARON: Mm, should be enough to get people going here. 
CHARON: It's also particularly useful for finding ghosts too...

 

He reaches into his pocket, a little mechanical bird in his palm.

CHARON: This thing can travel ahead to find tracks so to speak.
SYNNA: Full of gadgets, huh? 
SYNNA: Respect.
CHARON: Have to do something with my free time...
SYNNA: Useful now too, I hope.
SYNNA: Hows it work?
CHARON: It detects recent activity and dispenses raw powder in the direction of the biggest source. 
CHARON: Like a little bloodhound so to speak.
SYNNA: Worth a shot.
SYNNA: Anybody have questions?
CHARON: None that come to mind from me.

 

Quiet as people thought, before Jester pipes up.

JESTER: It...sounds scared. 
JESTER: Scared and angry, when I hear it.
JESTER: I never really- I wanted to help it- 
JESTER: -but I was always scared to-
JESTER: ....but I'd, um-

 

He hesitates.

ROSETTA: Out with it.
JESTER: ...I'd leave it cookies, from the lunchroom. 
JESTER: And they'd always be gone when I'd come back.
SYNNA: ....
MAES: ...........
ROSETTA: ......................
CHARON: The dead do appreciate a offering...

 

He thumps his tail in conviction.

JESTER: I knew it.

 

Maes moves to massages her temple, made ineffective by the suit helmet.

MAES: Jester, I can't believe I'm saying this- but you can't be feeding ghosts.
JESTER: But now we have a bait method!
ROSETTA: You didn't even believe in ghosts until last week.
MAES: My opinion on the afterlife isn't relevant. 
MAES: What if it was a terror? 
MAES: Or god knows what else?
JESTER: I figured they would be more interested in me than chocolate chip if that were true...and they never came after me!
CHARON: He has a point.
MAES: Well. 
MAES: Great. 
MAES: Can someone get some-

 

[image description: Jester in a full body hazard suit similar to Maes, albeit proportioned toward his larger body. His helmet is on, little glance of his eye facing the viewer visible through the mask. He holds a ziplock bag full of cookies.]

 

Jester's already pulling out a plastic zip bag, Maes scrunching her eyes shut at the sound.

MAES: ...okay. 
MAES: We now have bait.
CHARON: You're doing fine.
MAES: ...I'll feel like it once we catch it.
CHARON: It won't be a problem for us I imagine.
MAES: ...mm.
SYNNA: Then we should get to it. 
SYNNA: It's a walk, but you should be...more or less fine. 
SYNNA: Maes and Jester can tell you the layout on your way over.
MAES: ...Right.
CHARON: Mm.. Rosetta?
ROSETTA: I can follow fine up until we hit Intake. 
ROSETTA: ....I don't enjoy it in there. 
ROSETTA: Unfamiliar.
CHARON: I'll do what I can to make it easier on you.

 

Rosetta says nothing.