1.3 Bounty

## Ricochet

On July 10th, Dr. Sharife Chakrabarti was found in The Center for Quinential Cognition (CQC) at The University of Azoicleigh. He died in the CQC's Spire Compression Chamber from concussive trauma via utility misuse.

In the past 10 years, other members of the CQC have also perished from various means. The coincidental nature of events places suspicion of homicide, calling forth available ER fishers to seek out relevant memories. The Parable was quickly signed up, eager to join the fray.

## Assignment

#### Route D

The Gia, Henry, and Mimi met with Captain Cor in the meeting room. There they asked her a series of questions regarding her recent absence, confirming and denying some speculated relations to relevant individuals. While mostly forthcoming, Henry couldn’t help but notice the captain’s nervousness. In uncovering the forgotten past of her late mother, answers beyond their current understanding begin to shine through.

[ Cor Interrogation Log ]

The Parable sits in Azoicleigh blanketed in a thin sheet of snow. The bridge suddenly lowers, showering flakes of white as the vessel shudders. Climbing in is Captain Cor, long absent since the debrief of the investigation. The captain remains focused as she approaches the meeting room, sliding to coms to announce “Heyo, kiddos! Mind finding me in the meeting room?”

In a HALF HOUR, Captain Cor will arrive at the Parable for questioning! You are free to prepare what you wish to discuss in the meantime. The interrogation will be an open roleplay lasting around 60 minutes, so try to confirm or clarify whatever speculation you have while you can.

**GIA:** "Cor!" Gia immediately runs towards the captain, holding a large woolen scarf in her hands. "Cor! Where have you been?" She practically thrusts the scarf towards her.

**HENRY:** Henry's reaction is far less enthusiastic even as he pours out an extra cup of coffee. So now she shows up. He furrows his brows. Why so focused? He pushes one of the cups towards her, waiting for an answer to Gia's hounding.

**COR:** Cor takes the scarf and lets out a hearty laugh, "Hey there girly! I've been busy like you, yeah?" She places the scarf on the table and looks to the two of them, "I'm sure you've learned quite a bit. A peculiar case it'd seem."

**GIA:** Gia frowns because Cor didn't put the scarf on. Regardless, she sits down and gets all her things in order. "Yeah, this one's weird. What've you been busy with? We didn't see you at all."

**COR:** She gives a half-smile, "Meeting old friends, kiddo. I know the academics quite well in the Easter Reach, family business an' all."

**GIA:** "Oh, right." Gia straightens out some of her papers. "Do you know a, uh, Phyrus Meyer? Or a Perkah Miah?" Points a thumb at Henry. "Henry went 'n talked to 'im."

**HENRY:** "Yeah, I'd say so. Meyer went ahead and told me to say hi to you for him," he adds on, an easy smile on his face as well even as he takes a sip of his own cup of coffee. He nods in agreement at the thumb jerked in his direction.

**COR:** She gave a slow nod, not quite phased by the expected line of question. "He would, wouldn't he? Phyrus was much like an uncle to me, so he's a bit cha-cheeky when it comes up to bein' all cute." She turns to Gia with a half-hearted laugh. "Perkha Miah. Where'd you get that name exactly?"

**GIA:** "Where d'ya think, Cor? Sharife's records. Did you know him?"

**HENRY:** An uncle? He glances towards Gia for a second before meeting Cor's gaze. "Someone familiar to you as well?"

**COR:** "Records?" She purses her lips before turning to Henry with another nod. "I saw a lot of them growing up..." Thinking for a second she lets out another laugh, this time more nervous. "I'm sorry what kind of records mentioned her name again?"

**GIA:** :slight\_smile: "A letter. Why are you nervous, Cor?"

Gia leans back and crosses her legs. "Were you familiar with the CQC team before Sharife 'n Phyrus went to Azoicleigh? Or, well, I mean- not the CQC team. But them. The researchers. Including Perkha."

**HENRY:** He doesn't shift even as his eyes flick between Gia and Cor. "Like family, right?"

**COR:** Her eyes soften at the question, "Yes." she admitted. "A letter explains quite a lot actually. Especially with how secretive my mother was. How Perkha was..."

**GIA:** "Huh."
She looks between Henry and Cor. "Uh, Cor, who's your mother again? Remind me, I, like, totally forgot."

**HENRY:** "Close friends of your mother?" He guesses.

**COR:** She scratches her cheek. "My mother was a scientist. Not quite renowned, but with good standing with Eastfall authorities. If she really was in the letters, I'm sure you kids heard of her quite a bit then-- especially from Phyrus, yeah? Perkah Miah." Another fit of nervous laughter. It didn't seem like something she was quite proud of.

**GIA:** "So Perkha's your mom," Gia repeats. "But..." Cor's tone makes her scrunch her eyebrows. "Were you familiar with the research they were doing?"

**COR:** A sigh escapes her, "Not as much as I should be."

‘’HENRY:’’’ He blinks and says nothing for a moment, electing to drink from his coffee cup instead. "And Chakrabarti's... interest in your mother, what do you know of that?"

**GIA:** "Hey, it's fine." Gia comfortingly pats Cor on the shoulder. "Just 'cause you're the kid of some researcher doesn't mean you've got an obligation to know their entire body of work."

**COR:** She displays an impish grimace, along with a slight chuckle to Henry. As she places a hand on Gia's, Cor thoughtfully continues, "Interest is an understatement. They were very much a pair for a while. But my mother... mh... I guess I never grasped how devoted the doctor was."

**GIA:** "Yeah. After askin' around a bit, it seems that Sharife had some trouble coping with your mom's death. To the point where he might've been taking, uh, anticholinergics."

**HENRY:** Figures. He returns the grimace with a lifted brow and an almost apologetic smile hidden behind his cup. "Devoted." He repeats, waiting for her to expand on that. "So you saw him often?"

**COR:** She squints a bit at Gia's words, "Anti-what? Oh fudge-pistols." Turning to Henry, "I didn't see him a lot, but my mother spoke of him often. He was... practical... meticulous? He seemed very gentle and grounded, which she admired. Which begs the question... what did you say he took, girly?"

**HENRY:** "Doesn't sound anything like how they talk about him now," he mutters mostly to himself, writing that down.

**GIA:** "Anticholinergics. Unmarked white pills, we found 'em in the same lockbox the letter was in, and sent them into the police lab to be analyzed. Forcibly lowers mental fortitude."

"It creates dementia-like symptoms, so it could've been for his research, but... they could also be used if you're tryin' to hear the whispers of someone. I think he might've been, uh... Not over your mom..."

**COR:** She thinks for a second. "My mother had dementia. She went into the research once she picked up symptoms..."

**GIA:** "Oh. Huh. That's pretty brave, actually," Gia says, a little awestruck.

"But yeah, what Henry said. Most of the uni students agree that Sharife was weird. Barging into lectures 'n talking about the end of the world, collected articles about the, like, thinning of the Memory Sea, was a little erratic and weird, kind of like Rori and Amani who died before him. Total opposite of gentle and grounded. ... Do you think he was someone who would have, uh, potentially abused those pills?"

**COR:** Cor is silent for a long moment, pinching her bangs a bit as she sinks in thought. "I think he knew what he was doing..."

He taps his pen on the wooden desk and glances towards Gia. Honestly, he hadn't had a single doubt about that. "So she kickstarted the research as a result of her dementia?"

**GIA:** Gia nods. "So you think he was intentionally taking them. Right. Confirms that, at least."
"... You don't think they were all taking the pills to... copy her, right?"

**HENRY:** "...Did your mother know Chakrabarti prior to this? She started off the research and was an old friend according to Meyer." He sighs, this is... a Mess. And it shows on his face what he thinks of it.

"Or as a means to emulate her success in the field due to her first-hand experience with the symptoms?"

**COR:** Looking at Henry, her expression grows somber, "Something like that. My mother was always very determined. The situation enlightened her in a way. I'm not sure if for the best though." Nodding along to Gia's words, she gave a familiar absent chuckle, "I wouldn't doubt it. Especially with how he died."

Carrying on the conversation, a reminiscent smile grows, "Oh Sharife was an absolute lad. They worked together for as long as I remember and he was always the best to me-- Phyrus too. After she passed we all separated. I assumed the two were continuing her studies but not whatever this is." She sighs. "If I'd known I would have come here earlier. I had no idea Sharife..."

**GIA:** "... I don't think Phyrus is also taking substances. But if you want to bring it up with him, you probably should. Sharife, on the other hand..." Gia sighs and pushes her thumb into her forehead.

‘’’HENRY:’’’ ...To help her then? Was that what they had done all this for? "From my understanding, Meyer was rather adamant that the antichol- the pills were Chakrabarti's 'thing'," He agrees. "And it seems he's working with someone. Someone we haven't tracked down yet."

**GIA:** "His devotion to his research was totally his... downfall."

‘’HENRY:’’’ "Though that said, the information we've gathered on Chakrabarti was concerning. Apparently, he was convinced the world was ending. Ring a bell?" He looks genuinely concerned.

**COR:** She nods along with them. "I think Sharife was trying to prod with something he didn't quite understand. Phyrus at least understood tha--" The mention of the 'world was ending' derailed her train of thought with a low "Oh," and a chuckle, "I guess he did know."

Another long pause bore at the air as her mind sifted through what little options she had. "Did any of those 'records' say how my mother died?"

**HENRY:** ...Interesting reaction. He looks towards Gia because from what he remembered, it most certainly didn't. "Sounds like there's a story behind that."

**GIA:** "Huh? Wait, you also think the world is ending?" Gia is rifling through papers to see if anything says how Perkha died.

"Doesn't look like Phyrus mentioned how she died... But that she was researching how to manipulate the soul container."

**COR:** "The compression chamber. She tried to determine her memory's polarity... or some wish-wash like that. Sounds familiar, yeah? Didn't even know they had a chamber out here." She sucked in a breath, sifting through the information in her mind, "I wonder if Sharife got what he wanted..."

**GIA:** "... The chamber here is based off her blueprints."

**COR:** Cor shakes her head, "Right, yeah, ok we have to stick with the bounty. Just know Sharife isn't a bad guy. I'm sure we can empathize with him there, if anything. He... truly loved my mother I think. Sippy-sappy kind of stuff."

**HENRY:** "...The trial she mentioned in the letter," he says after a moment, glancing to Gia. "You think its the same one that took her life?"

**GIA:** Gia sucks in a breath through her teeth. "Ooh, I didn't even think of that."

She glances at Henry. What do your legal eagle eyes see, Hen-hen... Does your intuition say anything…

**COR:** She nods to Henry's inquiry, not quite giving an answer. After observing the Captain, Henry may notice how tense she is. In fact, she had kept up that demeanor since the mention of her mother. It seemed she had yet to say something plaguing her mind this entire exchange.

**HENRY:** He pauses for a moment, having not clarified what letter he was speaking about, interested in why Cor was so quick to nod. "Something else on your mind, Captain?" He hints gently, glancing towards Gia.

**GIA:** Gia gives Cor the Puppy Dog Eyes. :dom: "Yeah, Cor, you didn't even put on your scarf."

**COR:** She immediately puts on the scarf.

**HENRY:** "The coffee will warm you up," he adds, pushing the cup he's poured out closer to her.

**COR:** "That's a big maybe, kiddos. I'm sorry to drag you all into this but I'm sure we'll find Sharife's memory. I'll see you all during the Final Hunt, yeah?" She takes the offered coffee with a warm smile before taking a sip, "Maybe talk to Phyrus some more? I didn't know how much Sharife changed, which won't be good for finding his whispers. I'll look into some things myself."

The mug was raised a bit before taking another sip and placing it on the table. "Oh, and thanks for the scarf, girly! Quite bitter-brr out there, yeah?" And she takes her leave.

## The Final Hunt

#### Day One

With your crew, you concentrate on the sentinel placed before you. You think of the doctor, taking upon what you believe defines him. It is only then you’re swallowed up by a weight pinching at your body. Sensations gush, murmurs lapping against the shores of your mind’s eye. Like hot oil, their caress is anything but gentle. Heavy, almost suffocating as you can never wash away their slippery grip trickling into the seams of your own memories. You feel dense, waiting to burst into a sloppy stream, but you hold on-- you listen. Only then do you see it, the threads connecting one sensation to another.

These threads drift, weaving and twining into a wiry web. Certain ones seem stronger, thrumming like a heartbeat. They pull you in and twirl your mental compass, echoing distinctly above, below, left, right. You know these to be the whispering paths you can follow, but the question is which one is Sharife’s?

[ Whisper 1 ]

*> “She’s with the angels now, I’m sure.” My vision drifts as they trace the floor tiles.
>
>*
*> He looks to me somberly, “Maybe it’s better this way.”
>
>*
*> “Better in what way? Me being here. Her being gone?”
>
>*
*> “I mean.. yeah. She left us long ago. For good reason too. She was just… more pure than we can ever be.”
>
>*
*> A sniff betrays me as I quickly turn away to hide the burning tears. “Maybe… I can be with her too, you think? As an angel? Everything can be better if I just forget.”
>
>*
*> With a vexed grunt, he reaches over to snatch the flask out of my hands. “Alright, I think you’ve had enough of this.”
>
>*

[ Whisper 2 ]

> *There’s so much I don’t understand.*
>
>

[ Whisper 3 ]

*> He shakes his head, “Don’t you think you’ve dragged enough people into this?”
>
>*
*> I stop writing and say nothing.
>
>*
*> “You hear yourself, right?” He continues, “It’s madness. Even if it’s true, what good would this path do? It will only make things escalate no matter the variable. I see no happy ending for any of us.”
>
>*
*> Annoyed, I pop the cap on my marker before turning to him. “There’s nothing we can do from here, you know this. She found something great but she can’t control it alone. I just…” An exasperated sigh weighs the air, “...I just want to help her.”
>
>*
*> “I know you do, but what if you shouldn’t?”
>
>*

Without much discussion, the crew believed Wisper 3 to be Sharife's. It easily tugged them in the correct direction, further into the trail of the sea.

#### Day Two

[ Whisper 1 ]

*> My pen taps rhythmically as if tracking each second I fail to put words to this paper. It’s been days since he last wrote, but even longer since he’s left. I can only fear he finally flew too close to the sun.
>
>*
*> “Dear--” That’s as far as I got before my tapping resumed. If he really is gone, then it’s my fault. He died doing something I asked. Something even I couldn’t do. He died because he trusted me. My tapping slows as I glower at the letters.
>
>*
*> ‘Dear.’ He really was dear. I’m undeserving of what trust he placed in me if this is what becomes of it. Rubbing my temple, I watch the letters dance in a mocking daze. Goodbye, dear.
>
>*

[ Whisper 2 ]

*> To think he thought he knew what’s best for me. That he was better than me. I comb through the news with an outward scoff before tucking it aside. He really thought he could prove me wrong and just look where it put him. I even told him upfront the inefficiencies, the foolishness of his concepts. But of course, he puts this upon himself.
>
>*
*> Notes continue to scrawl with newfound exhilaration. It wasn’t long before they slowed, as did my enthusiasm. Why is it that I now feel utterly alone?
>
>*

[ Whisper 3 ]

*> “You can do this for me.” Her voice is gentle as she holds my hand, giving them a reassuring squeeze. “It won’t hurt me, I promise.” I don’t believe her for a second.
>
>*
*> “Shouldn’t you wait? I can call the others and--”
>
>*
*> “I want it to be you.” A slow exhale paces our racing thoughts, “I can’t do much on my own anymore. One way or another I will even pass, but if there’s a chance I can somehow stay I just…”
>
>*
*> “What if it doesn’t work?”
>
>*
*> “All souls allow us the ability to learn. Whatever happens, I believe you’ll blossom from it.”
>
>*

TBA

#### Day Three

[ Whisper 1 ]

*> “Do you hear it?”
>
>*

[ Whisper 2 ]

*> Her voice is so clear as it gently whispers in my head. The whirling of the chamber is only a sweet breeze to her tune. “I hear you,” I tell her.
>
>*
*> Words begin to flow jumbled and aimless, coursing too quickly for me to recount. “She’s… speaking too fast,” I yell out to him. He watches from the doorway with crossed arms. “Maybe she can’t hear you. We should turn it up,” he yells back.
>
>*

[ Whisper 3 ]

*> “Come say hello.”
>
>*

[ Whisper 4 ]

*> I write these words down regardless of their value. He told me every bit is useful, and I believe him. Ever so faintly I can make out more. Lost details wading in my mind. Their importance is lost to me, but… every bit is useful. There must be something there that he needs, so I will find it.
>
>*

[ Whisper 5 ]

*> There is no pain.
>
>*

TBA

## Summary

The Parable crew successfully finds the target's memory and retrieves it. Only a moment later, a great shadow-like creature passes by the ship. Gia looks out and notices the mysterious beast seemingly consumed many of the sea's memories. Cor deflects questions with promises of future answers and lands them back in Azoicleigh for a memory reading.

The reading was released a week later, revealing the relationship between Sharife and his peers. With evidence of Phyrus's involvement with the construction of an illegal machine and a hand in Sharife's death, he was swiftly detained.