retrospec | (no subject)

[ For the past few days, Retrospec users may have noticed that Zee has been unresponsive. On the 29th, a message from Delta#68422 appears - for once a network connection in video form. The girl on the screen is recognizable to some as Joanne Wiseman: a blonde teenager with blue eyes and curls tied back, in a Retrospec technician's white labcoat. Far from her usual bubbly appearance, she looks upset and stressed out, her eyes red-rimmed. ]

Hi... [ She scrubs at her eyes for a second, then tries to smile. ] Um. So! The thing is - the thing is, I can't tell you exactly, but one of you - someone got something back, and it's...

[ Joanne pauses. There are voices in the background, and she glances off-screen to her right, lips thinning before she turns back. ]

We can't take it back, you know, we reroute items - Maurice does, I mean - but it's not like we're giving things on purpose. I mean, those we are. He takes them back now if you don't want them but it's not like you can take back things you can do, and - and. Someone did something, but I can't say who, or how, 'cause of restrictions. But I can tell you something happened, and - with all those deaths recently.

[ She takes another breath, deep and slow. ]

And. Our liaison, Zee, he - he wasn't on the same level, you know? Mid-level management. Like - so he didn't have the... [ another pause as she scrubs at her eyes again. ] So - the news, the normal news, it probably said already but you might not have known if it was real but he's. He's dead, and it's the permanent kind, and we can't fix it. I'm so sorry, he already - he'd already, we'd already done it before, and he ran out of - he ran out. My Aunt doesn't want to send anyone else in until - the, the issue. With one of you. Until something's done, but even then...

[ A helpless little shrug. ]

I never got to clear up the mess last month, the message. I'm sorry, we've been a little - it's been hectic. I'm not sure this won't get messed up before I send, but I think I can route it around - well, anyway. Jim said it would work, he helped me with it, and...that's. That's it for now? We're trying to - this is bad, but we're trying to avoid something else right now, so. I can't - we can't - focus on this. I'm sorry. I'll try to contact you next month as soon as I can - we're trying to avoid a repeat of August. I mean, last August. God. Stay safe, and -

[ And with that, the message ends in static. ]

As of this post, Zee is no longer in play until further notice due to player plot and game plot reasons! He may make a reappearance in the later months and player action can change this outcome if characters come up with a solution. Anyone who goes to look for information about this death will find out that Zee has been killed and his body was found staged in front of the Wiffle-Waffle waffle house. What a bad break.

We are now entering the final phase of the summer event; please be on the look-out for September's plotting post with details for the next month!

Please feel free to use this post as a network mingle. Every toplevel can be considered a new post, and threadjacking is permitted. No NPC response will be given. Characters IDs will be comprised of the following: The date your character first appeared on Retrospec (so in Zee's case, that was 02/01/18) and the last four digits of your character's IC inbox as found in the HTML (in Zee's case, 8329.), not aliases or chosen nicknames or usernames, and seemed to have filled themselves in; nothing characters do can change or obscure their names currently.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Alpha#02010681 Do we?
Alpha#02010681 This name thing is annoying. It's Hitori Togusa.
Alpha#02010681 I'm going to draw the line here, nobody, not even me has the authority or responsibility to start turning on other Retrospec users.
Alpha#02010681 There's no justice outside the system.

Alpha#02014597 Sorey here, we've spoken before.
Alpha#02014597 We have powers that the rest of the city doesn't. What can they do against magic, or a monster? I'm not sure what happened or what the suspect's capabilities are, but if they've got an edge then we should keep that in mind. A normal jail might not be able to hold them.
Alpha#02014597 I'm not saying anything. I just want to make sure people are safe. School starts next Tuesday, and I have a lot of kids on the app.

Edited 2018-08-30 01:26 (UTC)

Alpha#02010681 Sorey. I'm sorry.

[It feels like Sorey is owed far more apologies than others on the application.]

Alpha#02010681 Your worry is more about detainment? If it turns out the person responsible needs extra force to be detained, then, all right, I can completely agree we should step in.
Alpha#02010681 But after the Department has done their jobs. We shouldn't be the ones to try to determine guilt.

Alpha#02014597 It's okay. I understand how you feel, I really do.

[The Shepherd's always operated kind of outside the law, though, so that's why they're bumping elbows now.]

Alpha#02014597 I don't believe in answering death with more death. It perpetuates the cycle.
Alpha#02014597 Still, I hope we can set up a fair trial. It's important that we try-- Zee's memory deserves nothing but the truth. I don't think any of us can say we're unbiased after this.

Alpha#02010681 We shouldn't be involved in the trial, I hope, because I agree with you. We are too compromised.
Alpha#02010681 I want this person found. But I want this done right.
Alpha#02010681 This whole thing goes right back to day one of Law School and the argument between Justice and Law. Never thought I'd find such a practical example.

Alpha#02014597 Yeah, of course.
Alpha#02014597 Taking someone else's life is a heavy burden. It's too much for one person...
Alpha#02014597 Do you think it'd be appropriate to leave flowers where the Retrospec building used to be? I want to... I should make sure that his spirit is seen after.

Alpha#02010681 Of course! It's the right thing to do, isn't it? I was already thinking of setting out incense for him at the shrine. He needs a sendoff, like anyone else.

Alpha#02014597 I think that's a good idea. Do you know if he drank at all? He always struck me as a beer kind of guy, but I bet he'd appreciate the sake I've been saving.
Alpha#02014597 And... Thank you for thinking of him, too. This is the other part of our duties to the departed, as strange as it might seem.

Alpha#02010681 Beer, I think. He was also one for candy.
Alpha#02010681 It's not strange at all. My grandmother made sure I knew. Respecting the ancestors and the departed, it's important.

Alpha#02014597 Thanks. I had a feeling.
Alpha#02014597 It's a little bit for us, too. It lets us get our thoughts in order so that we can grieve properly and begin to heal. And from a more personal standpoint-- encouraging spirits to move on means they won't become bad spirits instead. Usually, anyway...
Alpha#02014597 Zee deserves to return to his world and his family. I don't want his spirit to be part of what goes on here.