Zero Divide: Episode #2 "Black Star"

[Vanifae]

"It seems humans have made the first contact." tells Ian to himself, seeing Talos.

Dee nods, "Looks like it, I guess we have missed a lot in our absence."

"Lead the way... hmmm... sir?"

“Sir will suffice human male, I am a male of my species,” Talos continues to approximate a grin, “Please follow me humans, I do hope that my English is understandable. If you prefer another human language please let me know.”

 

[James Heard]

Alan and Michael’s Duplicate

The group is ushered to a landing pad where presumably an aircraft awaits. The engines spin up, and a ramp leads to the interior. Ashana leads the group inside, where the modest accommodations of jump seats await. Overhead the road splits open as the craft rises.

A cloudy sky greets your view with snow and winds.

Ashana speaks, “Strap them in.” Her two associates assist you both with getting secured in your seats.

Alan continues to be unperturbed at the proceedings.

"Ashana's a pretty name," he says with a friendly smile as he's strapped in.

Closing his eyes for the moment, Alan takes the opportunity of takeoff to mentally review the day's happenings and test them against what scattered pieces are left of his longterm memory.

Who is Alan Tighe?

 

[Victim]

Is Veranthian the species for this Talos. I suppose so. If his teeth are like ours, their background must be omnivorous. "English is fine. There is some time pressure here, so let's proceed." Ashley looks for obvious weapons.

 

[Avalon®]

"Michael, do you still have contact with your double? What is his and Alan's condition right now?"

 

[Shayuri]

Facade keeps silent for the moment, merely nodding and following at the alien's entreaty. Inwardly though she's fascinated by the new face, the new features. She finds herself studying Talos' movements and structure...the play of inhuman musculature over alien skeleton. More, like a sponge, she soaks in his speech; intonation, tonality, expressiveness. She felt as if she were clay, and Talos was a figurine being pressed into her...leaving an indentation in his own image.

And yet, through it all, there was a core of her somewhere inside, watching it all as if it were happening to someone else. A detached essential identity that was vaguely amused at the whole process, and her own reaction to it.

 

[Vanifae]

Is Veranthian the species for this Talos. I suppose so. If his teeth are like ours, their background must be omnivorous. "English is fine. There is some time pressure here, so let's proceed." Ashley looks for obvious weapons.

Talos approximates a smile, “Of course human female, and may I add that you have lovely if small eyes. They are quite fascinating.”

He turns and starts walking, “Follow humans we are nearly free of this place; we are fortunate that my security backdoor, I believe that is the proper human term, was not found till it was much too late for them to anything about.”

He turns a corner and there is what appears to be a small subway like station, with a tram unit on rails, although the apparatus seems magnetic in nature. Talos continues speaking as the doors slide open, “This should take us to Uvon, I have prepared a safe house for you humans, and your benefactor was quite explicit in what was needed and quite generous with funding. Please have a seat humans.”

Alan & Michael’s duplicate

Ashana takes a seat across from Michael and Alan, “Doctor Tighe, what can you tell me about the others that left you behind?”

 

[James Heard]

Alan & Michael’s duplicate

Ashana takes a seat across from Michael and Alan, “Doctor Tighe, what can you tell me about the others that left you behind?”

"Not very much I think, I spent most of my time in the simulation interacting with Vanessa. I'm having some dissociative fugue as well, though I haven't identified whether or not that was caused intentionally or if the affliction is the result of trauma. The others are also suffering from it to one degree or another, though it's plain they're not aware of the possibilities of Gudjonsson's syndrome given the general lack of interaction with the upper levels of the sim."

Dr. Tighe scratches his nose as if rubbing the place where glasses might normally be.

"I'm just afraid they're Spanish prisoners, or maybe I am. Either way, no one gets to know the odds unless they're informed on how many sides to the coin, right?"

Alan shrugs diffidently.

"If you really want to know more about them, you should ask him," Alan nods at Michael, "...And I suppose he can just ask them? I don't even know if some of them have names, or if they've completely adopted their assumed identities as reality."

"Am I a prisoner, or have I been rescued?" Alan asks conversationally, still trying to get a good look out of the windows.

 

[Velmont]

"While we travel, can you tell us a bit more about who has come to our benefactor, or maybe just about this world. Where are we, what is the actual situation of this world. Political, religion, latest technology. You know, the kind of thing that could interest anyone who has lost two hundread years of memory." ask Ian.

 

[Hammerhead]

The Tram

"Wow, you're good Talos. I'm impressed," Michael says, stepping into the tram. Although to be totally fair, I did distract Ashana while she working at the panel. That could have made a difference. "I can still sense my double; right now the cleaners are lifting off in an aircraft with me and Alan. He's cooperating: not resisting, giving them information...about us," Michael says disgustedly.

The Aircraft

"You know, I never know what this idiot is babbling about either," Michael's duplicate says scornfully. "So," he asks cheerfully, "Where are we going?"

 

[James Heard]

The Aircraft

"You know, I never know what this idiot is babbling about either," Michael's duplicate says scornfully. "So," he asks cheerfully, "Where are we going?"

He laughs, winking patronizingly t the other man with amusement.

"Don't worry, eventually the grown ups will finish talking and you can go back to acting out and being sullen."

Alan leans to address Ashana a bit.

"There's some indications of age regression going on along with the other reactions: hypersexuality, a heightened distrust of authority, the whole fanciful pretend names they've invented for themselves on occasion?"

Alan shrugs, gesturing helplessly with his hands.