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

[ IF HE DOESN'T KNOW HOW HIS BOYFRIEND TYPES—wow, hypocritical of a post, to be honest. He won't be dragging him into the spotlight. ]

👏👏👏 good talk.

don't you think this is the time where we should band together and find the culprit?

[how Rude what a Callout.]

And cause a witch hunt in the process? No thank you.
If it continues, there'll be a slip up eventually. We should just keep our minds as open as our eyes.

[Not enough people use emoji sarcastically in his direction but he's not gonna Assume.]

[ wow.......... it wasn't sarcastic. he thought it was a nice comment.......... hidoi. ]

so we should gamble lives in hopes they make a mistake.

i don't want to take those chances.

[don't be genuine...... that's gross,]

Rare is the soul that does.
But it isn't as if we have leads to go off of at the moment, unless you can profile the person from their victims?
... Well, I say that, but as someone with a detective's memories, I suppose I should try and sleuth around myself.

[haha,]

we won't ever have leads unless we snoop around like meddlesome kids.

we would definitely benefit from your expertise., but take your own advice and be careful if you're going to do some detective work.

[ HaHa. ]

[The layers here are incredible. He's going to sleuth and then cover it up if necessary. Blood is thicker and all that. Even if the actual meaning is more towards battle-forged comrades than actual family.]

You can't get anywhere without a little danger. ☆
But I'll keep that in mind. There'd be many who would be sorrowed at my passing, so I wouldn't like to disappoint them any by dying in a stupid, easily avoidable manner.
And I don't want to see them sad either. They look better with smiles on their faces.

[he's Anon No One knows who he is this is Great he can say Slightly sappier things and the only person who knows it probably sena. And that's fine. They've had their quiet conversations over lunch.]

[ This is the beginning of the Divide. For now, he'll be living in bliss, trying to find clues about this mysterious serial killer. ]

slow down there, bad boy/girl/person. we wouldn't want to lose one of Retrospec's many stars.

do you have any tips for those new to this detective thing? other than to stay out.

That's all the advice an amateur needs in a case like this.
But more seriously, don't stand out too much. Keeping your head down is the only way to survive when dealing with murders.
Secondly, no one is above suspicions. Your significant other? Your cousin twice removed? An acquaintance you have as a customer? All could very well be the culprit, even if you wouldn't like to think so, even if you believed they would never. Everyone has their breaking points, though I will say that most won't turn to violence as their answer.
What else... Ah. Not every clue is going to make the case; there are often red herrings, particularly when dealing with smarter foes, but there will always be a slip up of some kind, a lead.
Well, it's not a particularly good one, but the lack of names that appear now; Retrospec doesn't seem to have a reason for essentially rendering us anonymous, which makes it suspicious. Are they trying to keep the killer from picking out a new victim? Or is there something else afoot? It's something to keep in mind going forward, I feel.

[... And because if it really is what he thinks it is (and he's almost positive that it is) then this was a very smart move on the part of Retrospec, goddamn.]

There's a million and one tips I could offer, but those are the most important in my opinion.
But really: Do keep out of the way of professionals. The more feet on the ground the hard it is to track someone down, which is detrimental to their case... but if you feel there's something for you to offer, anything at all, however small, then they'll hear you out.

[ how does he make Goro type in succinct sentences or bullet points ]

thanks. you should write a guide or a book.

i have a skill that might come in handy later, but i’ll tread carefully. 🚶

[haha funny joke, him being to the point.]

Oh, certainly not. I ramble far too much to be an enjoyable read.

[He's Aware. But also pleasantly humble. Self-deprecating.]

Good. I'm certain your presence would be missed by those around you if you weren't, so they'll thank you greatly for your care.
Anything else you'd ask of me? I seek to help where I can, as a humble servant to the public. ♪

that’s why editors exist.

what’s more likely to be involved with this case: alien technology or something supernatural?

[ Serious, but also not. ]

Editors would hate me. Actually, they do, when I go to get my essays read over.

Aliens don't exist, so the latter.

[Very Serious.]

[ oh my god Goro this is all supposed to be anonymous why are you so easy?? ]

prove it.

Edited (What is html) 2018-08-31 01:43 (UTC)

[please have mercy on him.]

No, you prove it.

[ no ]

i’m not saying that they exist. i’m asking you to back up your argument.

[mmmmmMMMMMMM,]

On the announcement of someone's passing? Have you no tact?

well played.

[ He’ll let him go this time, but Goro’s dissertation does raise more questions that he’ll just have to ask him in person.. ]