hadriel | Video emergency call

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Video emergency call

[ Shortly after Henry and Maketh are murdered by Maketh’s double, Curufin is standing by the rail of the bridge that crosses the river through the lower part of the city. It is dark here and a convenient location from which to take stock. ]

This is a call to any surviving members of the City Guard.

I’m your fellow guardsman, Curufin Fëanorion. As I hope everyone is aware, many Hadriel citizens are being impersonated by hostile unknown entities. One of these imposters has just murdered Henry Percy and Maketh Tua.

I’d like to hear from any Guard members who have avoided this fate, and from anyone else who wants to help. We are all in a very bad situation, and I hope we can band together to do something about it.

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Ahsoka Tano, reporting in.

[ aka the colorful, always battle-ready alien around guard hq at the end of her patrol shifts. she's usually friendly, but right now her expression is terse. ]

Outside of trying to neutralize any immediate threats, I'm open to suggestions for things we should be doing to protect people right now.

[ Very pleased to hear that voice and see that distinctive face. ]

I think the first thing to do is to figure out how many of us are still alive. What we do depends on our numbers.

Have you spoken personally to any of the others in the last hour or so? [ That is, guards she knows well enough to know whether they are themselves or a double? ]

I haven't, no. And I'm not sure I could trust myself to tell them apart from their impostors without a lengthy conversation. I can't find anything unique about these... whatever they are.

[ she'd love it if the force would just highlight the doubles for her, but no, that would be too easy. she can't tell. ]

I have heard others use the word doppelgangers, double-walkers. I have spoken to two of these doubles, but they were making it obvious that they weren't the originals. Otherwise, I do not know if I could tell the difference.

[ Oh, if only there were such a Force here! ]

I am not normally one to use caution, but I think this situation calls for it. I would not want to mistakenly kill anyone we know.

It makes me wonder. . . how would a person know if he or she has a double?

Glacius. Still here. [The ice alien's voice is cold--he'd watched Maketh die, after all. If he wasn't able to assist her, he's going to do his damnedest to make up for it by honoring her last instructions and redoubling his efforts with the guard.]

I am to inform the rest of you that Nick Valentine is in charge until she returns.

[ Curufin's eyes light up. Three guards besides himself! He's fought battles with worse odds. ]

Pleased to hear from you, Glacius!

That is good, then. He has my support.

{Maedhros stalks up to his brother, eyes darting around warily and he keeps a hand on the hilt of his sword. So far he's been lucky, if luck has anything to do with it.}

You know I stand with you, Brother. Have you learned a way to tell between who is true and who is not?

{He looks better than when he'd arrived, though still needs a good number of meals - unlikely - and more rest than he allows himself.}

[ And he'd better keep a hand on that sword! There is no telling what the situation out here might be. Curufin hears a step and whirls around to see his brother approaching. ]

Maedhros! I am very glad to see you. No, I haven't learned any way to tell the difference, other than by intuition. Not very methodical.

Are you well? When we last talked, I was concerned about you.

{The sword is never far from hand. Maedhros stops at Curufin's side when his brother registers who has come upon him.}

No, though it is better than nothing.

{He looks his brother over quickly, searching for signs of injury.}

I am better than I was. I should have stayed nearer, forgive me?

[Glacius does not feel nearly so good about this situation, but then he has been direct witness to a lot of suffering on behalf of these doubles already. It's hard to bear, but it also makes him all the more determined to act against them, to protect the people still left.]

And mine as well. We must all be keeping our eyes open--these doubles are cunning and cruel, and I have not yet discerned any way to tell them apart from those they mimic... save for their motives, and by that point the harm has usually been dealt.

Another of your members, Faith Carr, is dead.

( Honestly, you're lucky she even manages to get this out. )

[ And Glacius' motivation is one that Curufin would respect. ]

Yes, exactly. The doubles seem to have some sort of arcane knowledge of the people they are impersonating. It is as though they are a ghost of the original, except that they are flesh and blood, and they do not quite have the original's heart. There is a kind of soullessness about them.

Are you all right? Have you been attacked by any of them?

[ Curufin is uninjured, as of now. He lays a hand on Maedhros' shoulder. ]

I am glad you are better. Of course I forgive you! -- you are my brother.

By the way, if you like, you can come and stay with me. Celebrimbor has said he will come too. If you already have other plans, that is fine, and you are still welcome to visit any time. Delight's housing, #06.

I am hoping this calamity will pass, and we will have a chance to pursue our lives in peace. [ HA! Even Curufin doubts this, at this point. ]

Edited 2017-01-22 02:41 (UTC)

That is heavy news! Thank you for telling me.

[ Brief pause while he stares at the line of text and wonders about the person behind it, and what she has experienced. ]

Are you all right?

This is Jill Valentine.

[She can't believe both Henry and Maketh have fallen...]

I'm here. Whatever you need.

I am glad you are safe.

[ He didn't know Maketh and Henry well; he hasn't been in the Guard long. But he can tell, from the tone of the communications of those who have answered, that the two Guard leaders were trusted and respected, perhaps even loved. It is a hard thing, to lose such people. ]

Glacius tells me that Maketh designated Nick Valentine our leader. So, if he has survived, then we will hope to hear from him.

Meanwhile, I guess we had better keep track of each other and give warning if any doubles show up. I am continuing my patrols of the city, but I keep coming back to the bridge here, where anyone is likely to pass if they are going to Guard HQ or departing from it to get back to the central areas. [ Of course he means, any doubles of Guard personnel. ] We could share these tasks.

{A fact which relieves Maedhros!

He attempts a smile, though it is tight.} And you are mine. {Regardless of all that has happened. He steps close enough to wrap his right arm around his little brother's shoulders, to pull him close for a quick, fierce embrace.}

I will come stay with you. We should stay together, now more than ever.

We will weather this, Curvo. Because we must.

[ They have always been an affectionate family. Curufin returns the embrace. ]

Good. I agree. . . now more than ever!

We have survived worse events, have we not? [ Well, "survived" is probably not quite the right word. But in the end, even death could not divide the brothers -- in a way, they had triumphed over it. ]

[Jill doesn't know them well, but what they've done for this city can't be denied. It's Jill's honor to serve the guard and do whatever she can for the people here. That's only possible thanks to them both.]

It's not always easy to tell them apart. Some are more discreet than others. I've been patrolling the city as well. Make sure you don't work yourself too hard.

{Fire and love drives their family. And loyalty.}

And we will again. Death is only temporary, as we both can say.

{Maedhros has been reluctant to join the City Guard, working to regain his strength first and gain his feet in this new city. But now?} And I will join my sword with yours on the Guard, if you and your fellows will have me.

[It's been a trying time for Nick; he responds to this transmission later in the day, but he gets to it.]

Nick Valentine here, better late than never. Had a few things to take care of.

[Or one thing in particular. He wasn't about to just let Maketh's murderer get away with what she did, trying to take her place and ruin everything she's done for the city. It's too much like home, too much like the Institute synths of the Commonwealth for comfort.]

[ Their three great strengths! ]

If once again, death should be our fate, we will overcome it. The darkness is only temporary, as you say. And it is another of our strengths, that we know this.

I would be so pleased if you would join me and Celebrimbor in the Guard! And I do not doubt that you will be welcome. You are an extraordinary warrior, and the need now is very great.

[ Curufin would agree. To serve is both an honor and an expression of gratitude to those who took on the responsibility of creating an organization such as this. ]

Yes, it seems so. These doubles can be very stealthy.

[ He smiles. ] If I didn't work myself too hard, I wouldn't know who I was!

And you? Are you working yourself too hard? [ It wouldn't surprise him. Her first words, "Whatever you need," suggest an intense sense of responsibility. ]

I am glad to hear from you. Glacius says that Maketh named you as our leader, until she returns. I'd like to say that you will have 100% support from me, and I believe from all of us.

[ Curufin's reading of Nick's words is that he has dealt with Maketh's murderer. He nods to show he understands, and knows Nick may not want to say this aloud on the network. There may be other doubles listening, and if they don't know already, it's better they not hear it. ]

We are all busy these days, aren't we? [ Ironic humor. ]

Do you have any orders for us?

Edited 2017-01-22 06:53 (UTC)

[Curufin is right on the money in terms of his interpretation. Nick and Shadow did what they had to do, and while justice was served, it wasn't something the synth is happy about. It never is.]

Given how some of these copies are harder to spot than others, we can't exactly go hunting them down without risking innocents getting caught in the crossfire. Stick to the patrols, and I'll see that someone is keeping an eye on the headquarters.

[Or what's left of it, as it's still not back to 100% after the mess Sato made. When it rains, it pours. Nick keeps anything more personal off the public channels... and out of this transmission, just in case this isn't the real Curufin Fëanorion. Not all of them are bound to be as over-the-top as Maketh's was.]

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