843/Drake Interrogation

Drake Interrogation
Date of Scene:	23 October 2014
Location:	Terra Majora
Synopsis:	The Union interrogates Drake Wightseer for information on the Shajem.
Cast of Characters:	92, 168, 253
Tinyplot:	New Blood

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Elliana Fairchild (92) has posed:
    The terms of this interrogation had been set long ago, and thus it shouldn't be a surprise that Elliana was here. The meeting location was not on her giant tree fort though, but instead in a small cell on the borders of Confederate territory, near an ostensibly neutral zone. The room was actually pretty comfortable, with the chairs padded and a table for receiving drinks and some small sandwiches. Oh, the door was pretty solid, that wasn't any different, but it was hardly the dank cell one would expect.

    Drake had shaved and made himself presentable, but was still missing the plant-arm he'd created with his powers. He had, in fact, been provided with a cybernetic arm by Confederate medical. It was a very simple, fragile matter, but it replaced his arm well enough to be used for most household tasks. It probably also included a bomb or something, knowing the Feds. He looks a little uncomfortable with this whole situation, but then he isn't in control any more.

Nathan Hall (168) has posed:
    Nathan Hall's arrival at the isolated imprisonment site is likely with guard from Psyber, and also likely via whatever vehicle he's elected to arrive here in as well. His approach is measured, deliberate, and emotionless as always, with a particularly quiet, unassuming sort of shuffle.

    Nathan will hopefully have a chance to meet Elliana outside the meeting area of the cell. "I would like to avoid forcing you to retread ground you have already gone through." He drones in his traditional monotone. "Has he been inclined to give up information in the initial interrogation, or will I be approaching more resistance than that? What information, if any, has he been willing to provide without our pressure?" All business, very professional, even when talking to his nemesis of sorts about this collaboration.

Psyber (253) has posed:
    Psyber had asked to be along with Nathan during the interrogation. Partially as security, but there's also the fact that the half-angel is very averse to being betrayed, and so this was a bit personal from him. Whereas Nathan may want to play diplomatic carrot, Psyber, at least, believes that it's the stick that makes the carrot more appealing.

    "Hey Ell," Psyber says pretty basically before Nathan begins speaking, hands in his pockets. He's being well-mannered enough not to smoke in the indoors environment, though that may change when he wants to annoy Wightseer, "Has anyone tried to find him? Asked about his whereabouts? Attempted breakouts?"

    A different line of questioning from Nathan.

Elliana Fairchild (92) has posed:
    Elliana is meeting both outside, of course. Nathan gets the answer first, with a shake of her head. "He has given some interesting information, but it would be best if you heard it from him. I will fill in any holes you may have missed that I got from him, that I deem relevant. I largely questioned him on the ritual he used and what he was attempting. The answers were both more and less informative than I thought."

    To Psyber, "No, none have tried to claim him, though the Starshine Empire did inquire about his whereabouts and I suspect they may request extradition. It will not be granted."

Nathan Hall (168) has posed:
    "I understand." Nathan says, simply. One of those sorts of situations. "Then there is little else we need do besides begin speaking to him, in that case. I trust you will manage the exchange appropriately." He shuffles his way to the big door, awaits Elliana's unlocking, and begins to open it, slowly. There's particular notice of her mention of the Starshine Kingdom's interest, but you can barely see it on his blank expression and it manists as the slightest bit of blinking.

    When he arrives in the chamber, he does so in a friendly sort of way, without any real fanfare, as if he were just room service or something. He'll probably be taking a seat without any particularly assuming postures, whether or not Drake has taken one. He's not waiting for Drake to speak up his greetings; he needs to appear to have some measure of control, without aggression. "Salutations." He says, simply. "I am told you have matters that you are willing to discuss with us. Despite the souring of our past dealings, I see no reason to not open discussion." He clasps his hands. "And I have no interest in wasting your time with repetition of questions you have already dealt with. This will not, for the most part, concern the details of the ritual until later, in other contexts, if at all.".

    "I have questions. About the Starshine Kingdom, the Windward Empire, and your own personal history. So before we begin, perhaps you would like to clarify your own posture concerning this." Since he'll show off how cooperative he intends to be anyway, Nathan might as well prompt it to look more like he's in control.

Psyber (253) has posed:
    To Elliana, Psyber sighs, "I see. That means either, in the good case, he was acting at least somewhat autonomously and may not have a support network. Or that network, in the bad case, is so compartmentalized that it works without him," Psyber rubs his chin, "Either very good or very troubling, wouldn't you agree?" He says to Elliana before heading in after Nathan.

    Psyber leans up against a wall not too far from Nathan, "Hey Drake," His tone is casual and slightly cordial. If Nathan wants to try at this nicely, he's more than willing to facilitate that. He reaches into his breast pocket and pulls out a flask which he takes a sip from before offering it to the man. It's Scotch, "Drink? You can water it down a bit in a glass if you need."

    "Drake, I mostly wanna know why," Psyber says on his end of the questioning, "Why you'd want to reverse engineer what she did. Why you would want to betray us and your faith. What happened?"

Elliana Fairchild (92) has posed:
    Drake has his cup of water, and he nods his thanks to Psyber as he adds a dash of scotch to it to give it a shot. "I have some matters. But if you're expecting a long story about how I was wronged and wish vengeance upon the Empire or somesuch, you'll be disappointed. My reasons were simple, and had nothing to do with my affiliations." It appears he's answering both at the same time.

    Drake leans back as Elliana takes a seat, but he barely looks at her. "I don't have much animosity toward the Starshine Kingdom, except for the veneer they have. They treated me as well as I could expect, but I can't really tell you more about them." He frowns. "Though the Empire's expansion is pretty worrying, from a purely defensive view."

    He shrugs and leans back, sipping his drink. "I had a mission, and it was... is... glorious. I'm sure you've seen the corruption that rules my world. I wanted to burn it away. Reverse-engineer? I was using the /original/ ritual. I don't know what Lady Fairchild did, but it was much different from what the scrolls talked about. I was just doing what the Blooded did so many years ago."

Nathan Hall (168) has posed:
    Several matters flash through Nathan's mind quietly, prompting no shift in his expression. The Empire wiping out the Binders. Drake's access to enough Shajem influence to become Twisted. Another individual having come to the same realization as Nathan and Elliana, regarding the One Hundred and Ten Thieves. Someone with leads on the creation of the Blooded. The Starshine Kingdom continuing to be interested in him... Something fits together here.

    "Certainly." Nathan says, simply. "Not all histories are melodramatic. Regardless, I believe you may know more than you, yourself, realize. And while, given your methods and the source of your power, I cannot say that we will work for your release, I can say that we do intend to work towards a goal not especially unaligned with your own." He leans forward. The posture he has is the kind that he gets when he's deep in serious discussion.

    "'Scroll', you said. Let us guess, for a moment, that this was more abot your affiliation than you thought. You say scrolls, scrolls that taught you about this. You must have received them from somewhere. From someone. Tell me, would I be accurate in guessing that the source of these scrolls may be, in some way, connected, both to your... Unusual secret power, and to the Starshine Kingdom?"

    Nathan's interested in this. But, of course, that's all a subterfuge, too. He's even more interested in finding these scrolls himself. Of course, for the same reason he acted as though he wouldn't ask about the ritual, he can't let Elliana know that. Elliana's no doubt listening to see what Nathan's interested in finding out; he has to use his previous truthful statements of an agenda against potential conspiracies within the Windward Empire to mask endeavors to seek out information on a more subtle agenda.

Psyber (253) has posed:
    Psyber takes back his flask and puts it in his jacket after Drake is done with it. He then listens to the responses they're given. They're pretty direct and he doesn't have much reason to suspect Drake of lying. So he accepts it as a loose truth and nods his head to Wightseer.

    "What was the end game?" Psyber asks in contrast to Nathan's question. Nathan can search backwards into the origin of the plan, Psyber is willing to move forward into where the plan was supposed to go, "The ritual was completed, you got the end result you wanted, and then what?" Psyber asks curiously.

    "Elliana said that it would have woken up again anyway. And the power you siphoned would have dilluted over generations. Two generations later, gotta reseal it, power you get weakens down the bloodline. What was the plan?"

Elliana Fairchild (92) has posed:
    Drake chews on that, before finally answering Nathan first. "They were difficult to track down. It took me many years, and I burnt them afterward. I knew that I could do this, with enough willing vessels. Translating the scrolls was the hard part. It was never all about power... it was about release. The Shajem ache to be free, and that's why their influence is on the world. I felt it, I could hear them calling to me, when I went out. Then, one day, when I was out hunting for an escaped criminal... I just understood. And what I understood..."

    He looks at Psyber, because his answer addresses both. Elliana's fingers tense, which hints she may know what he's about to say.

    Then the knight continues, "It would be difficult, at first, but we could collect and distribute the power of the Lord of Rage amongst ourselves... and more Shajem still. Taking their power, we could force them into dormancy. It would let us challenge the Blooded, eliminate the unworthy ones... and perhaps it may have awakened again. Lady Fairchild knows much of this. But tell me, if that were inevitable, then I have a question for you:"

    He sets his cup down, folds his artificial fingers with the real ones, and asks the two men before him, "Where are the rest of the Amethyne?"

Nathan Hall (168) has posed:
    Nathan makes a quiet, tense noise of frustration. He's so CLOSE! And yet, he can't actually seem to nail down anything here. His paranois and obsession with identifying some culprit for this flares up again. His mind races to connect things to see if they fit. What can he find here...

    "Of course, I had the added bit of evidence that the ritual I used to bind Wrathborn to me was partially based on ancient Binding techniques..."
    "Translating the scrolls was the hard part..."
    "Then, one day, when I was out hunting for an escaped criminal... I just understood..."

    Something encoded into the historical information about Binding itself? Something memetically encoded, some telepathic influence from something? This was two people who both independently came to such similar conclusions with such intensely destructive potential end results, there HAS to be a connection, Nathan thinks!

    Of course, he can't openly obsess about the scrolls. He's almost about to ask about the criminal when he instead focuses on the next part. He realizes he doesn't know well. Neuvina is the 21st. Chalaine... Chalaine? Wait. Elliana had assaulted her temple. The Amethyne had been there inside the temple... Right? His look flashes to her, and she'll likely see the unspoken question about that attack in his eyes, boring a hole right through her immediately before he flashes back to Drake. "I have seen only the one you have seen, myself." He says, with a terse pacing to the monotone. "I am assuming you intend to answer that question yourself, because if you are implying the falsehood of our current understanding, I should very much like to hear the alternative you insinuate."

Psyber (253) has posed:
    Psyber may already know the answer, but it's a dreadful and terrible one indeed. And one he's hesitant to take a guess at, "The other Amethyne..." Psyber begins. He tries to think of how to phrase the thought formulating. He doesn't know as much of the world history as Nathan or Elliana do, being more a detective of action. But he bites his lip and says, "They're not all in their Temples, are they? Or mm... not there voluntarily."

    "There's a reason why the Blooded don't fade out over generations, why the power never dillutes." Psyber frowns a bit, "Logically it should. People theorize it should be with the Blooded, but no studies are able to prove it." He takes out his flask and takes another, this time longer, drink. Steeling his nerves before pitching a very dark idea.

    "That ritual. If it were done consistently, on a schedule if you will..." Psyber looks to Nathan, hoping he's on anything close to a right track, "If it were done out of the public eye and always split in the right way, you could create the illusion of a staticly perpetuating power."

    "And then, if you created that illusion, what was once a short term solution becomes the status quo, doesn't it?" Psyber clenches his jaw a bit, "They're using the ritual on Amethyne. To make it look like the power never dies down, but in reality it's just recharging Bloodlines off a battery."

Elliana Fairchild (92) has posed:
    Nathan's look to Elliana just has her sipping tea and lifting an eyebrow. Has he even gotten anywhere that she hasn't yet? Either way, she nods... he's on the right track, at least not so far off she feels it's going nowhere. And so is Psyber, for that matter.

    Drake answers with a spread of his hands. "I don't know. My plan was to free the Shajem... eventually. At first, we would be nigh-unstoppable compared to the Blooded, and could force them to take the roles they were meant to have, or show themselves unworthy. In time, the seals would weaken again... or with some outside help. The Shajem would rampage unchecked, unless we were given the means to keep them weakened as the Amethyne are. It was to force their hand into revealing how, but I don't yet know exactly how it is done... or how many know how to do it. Now that I'm thinking more clearly, it may not even be something they're aware of doing."

    He picks up his cup again and takes a long pull. "Mmhm. But I think your friend here is right. Somehow, they're continuing to draw from the Amethyne. One side of the war is sealed away, the dangerous side. The other prevented from enjoying their victory by being used as... batteries, as you describe it."

Nathan Hall (168) has posed:
    Here we go. This is more Nathan's speed. And yet, somehow, more confusing. Competing internal factions? Some potential connection between the Binders being destroyed and the forceful charging of the Blooded? He thought he had some bearing on how this fit, before, but everything's suddenly being thrown into a disarray! Even if one excludes Elliana and Drake and their sudden genesis of similar techniques and ideas, who could stand to benefit from keeping the Blooded empowered while weakening the people who keep the Shajem in line?!

    Nathan's going to need to buy a pegboard and some strings.

    "Certainly quite a plan. I will leave it without judgement; I doubt it would be productive." He says, leaning forward more. Not a single damn twitch to his face to show his distressed feelings. "You had plans regarding the others. In fact, you even found the second one that you went after. A product of your connection with the Shajem? It could not have been. You went looking for scrolls, and, I expect, for the Shajem. Did your connection with them start that as well? There has to have been some source, someone who might..." Nathan says, making more soft, frustrated noises.

    He's actually a little distressed about the thing Psyber's on too. This sort of conspiracy will make it vastly more difficult to address this problem, much more so than the way he had originally intended. He makes a vaguely worried noise at him.

Psyber (253) has posed:
    "Worrying," Psyber says to Nathan, "If I'm right, like he thinks I may be, man didn't just steal fire like you thought. Man put Zeus in a jar," Psyber notes, expanding on an older analogy that Nathan used during a discussion with Elliana. He frowns and then looks over to Elliana, "How long have you suspected?" He asks her pretty directly, figuring she has no reason not to answer.

    "You placed the breadcrumbs months ago to lead us here. Years, even, if we count Nathan's experiences. A temple attack, Drasillum, verses from lore and scripture, even mentioning dillution in the Blooded," Psyber seems to have taken attention off of Drake and onto Elliana. It's not an annoyed tone, like one might expect. He's come to expect it from Elliana. She doesn't respect people who just want answers, she wants people to understand how those answers are arrived at. Or so he'd guess internally.

    Psyber looks to Nathan once more and it's a hard stare, "If this is true, it extends to the highest levels, globally. The only person that could feasibly be uninvolved are... the people in this room. Almost everyone else is suspect."

    Psyber walks over and leans in and whispers something quietly to Nathan before placing his hands on the table, "So Drake, you're a smart man. If this is the information you will give up freely, what are you keeping in your pocket to trade for your freedom?"

    Psyber theorizes THAT question may be where gold lays for him. Nathan has a mind for politics, but Psyber isn't sure that he knows how criminals play. And Elliana grew up on the streets, but Psyber thinks she holds herself above that past.

    "This information is the appetizer. I bet you have a main course that you're gonna give us in exchange for... what? Protection from extradition? Death Penalty off the table? Amnesty?"

Elliana Fairchild (92) has posed:
    Elliana answers first, shrugging her shoulders. "I suspected soon after I sealed Wrathborn, and had been gathering evidence for some time. It was the capture of Sir Wightseer that first convinced me that I was on the right track, though I had some details wrong. I did not want to level such an accusation without some amount of proof... it changes matters greatly."

    Drake lets her finish before he answers both Nathan and Psyber. "My bargaining chip is that I know something very, very important that all of you want. The answer to your question-" He points to Nathan with the cybernetic arm. "Is what I'm keeping to myself. How much I tell you depends on what you're willing to offer me." He frowns grimly. "But this part is for free. You're missing something big here. Something very dangerous. I'm sure you'll figure it out without me, but will you in time?"

Nathan Hall (168) has posed:
    Nathan gives a nod to Psyber, a grim sort. It's serious. His analysis is right. Nathan's looks at Elliana were meaningful in many different ways. His focus on this is intense and powerful, overcoming any of his other emotional concerns and focus, or, in this case, replacing them.

    Then Psyber pushes in a different way, and hits gold. A potential lead! And hell, Drake is probably playing him something harsh here about his obsession with figuring out what's going on here, but Nathan doesn't care for the moment!

    "Wightseer. You have dedicated your being to the disassembly of the selfish Blooded heirarchy, purging the unworthy from their positions of power. What I offer to you is what I intend to do already." Abruptly, Nathan shows his emotions in a brief spike of movement, unclasping his hands and SLAMMING them into the table, palms down, as he leans forward. It's a stark contrast to his monotone, calm voice. "I am not a man capable of violence and destruction. But promise you that if you tell me what you know, I will not be resting until the Blooded are forced from their position as the perpetuators of strife and misery, and either protect the people as they were meant to, or find themselves under the swords of those who do. You are not a man who cares about material goods, trinkets, even your own freedom and welfare, as long as your goals are accomplished. What you have demonstrated that you care most about is principled action."

    Nathan grits his teeth and says, "I already intend to provide that. If your price goes further, /you need only name it/." Somehow that last line, while promising anything, somehow manages to sound slightly aggressive and threatening from Nathan. Clearly he really, really wants a lead on this whole conspiracy thing he's after.

Psyber (253) has posed:
    "Mmm... I figured it would be something like this. Negotiation isn't my strongest suit," Psyber says to Drake, stepping back and away to show his detachment from that particular negotiation, "Now if they want me to get a phone book to like... punch you like an answer pinata and not leave bruises, that's my area of specialty." He admits a bit coldly, perhaps being overly threatening to make himself seem scary.

    Psyber does put a hand on Nathan's shoulder at this comment, trying to bring some calm back to his friend. Not in a 'hold him back' kind of way, but to remind him that he has a friend nearby. And to perhaps make him aware of his current position.

    "I dislike the Blooded as much as Nathan," Psyber says to Drake before looking over to Elliana. He has yet to reply to what she told him, but there's not much TO reply to. Instead, he says to Drake, "Put your offer on the table. We'll consider it."

Elliana Fairchild (92) has posed:
    Elliana clears her throat, "I remind you, Sir Hall, that he is in the custody of the Confederacy right now." It's a quiet reminder, though, as she is also waiting to hear his bargaining chip. "I have not pressed him for this information, believing it important enough that you should be present as well, but if I do not believe it is worthwhile..."

    Then Drake says something that shuts up Elliana, by clasping his hands together and stating in a quiet, even tone: "I can give you the location where the twenty-first Shajem will be born."

Nathan Hall (168) has posed:
    Nathan actually seems a little bit calmed by Psyber's hand. But, not as much as he really should be. Of course, the change is near imperceptible. It's not entirely clear why he's so intense about this. Hmmm.

    There's a look to Elliana. "He stays with you. What he asks, and what I do after I leave, are not bound by those terms." He says, simply. "You are both quite aware of the limits of my capabilities. And I suspect there is little else besides practical action that Wightseer intends to demand."

    And then there's a wide-eyed, intense look to Drake. "Another?" He whispers, urgently. "Like the twenty-first Amethyne?" He leans forward again. "What. How? No, /where/?" He knows that Drake wants offers. But what does he want? This is serious, and needs Nathan's prioritization more than almost anything else, even if he's being manipulated.

Psyber (253) has posed:
    "I can't make an offer for the Confederacy." Psyber says. Despite not being the best at negotiations, he does feel it necessary to step in when Nathan begins to show how much he wants this information. Psyber pats him on the shoulder again.

    "For the Union side of this I am prepared to offer you this..." Psyber says in a firm tone. His voice is cool and mellow, "Publically, Drake Wightseer will be returned to Starshine Kingdom as a corpse, executed for numerous murders and the attempted murders of several high-value Union Personnel. His crimes were horrific and he committed atrocities against humanity by all accounts."

    "Privately..." Psyber cracks his knuckles, "We will see about getting you a plot of land. Some small farm, out in the sticks. You will stay there forever. You will be monitered. This will give you a front row seat to the proletariat masses finally toppling the bourgeoisie when Nathan and I succeed. You will be irrelevant to history and to the world. You may get visitors, spoilers it'll probably be us, and you can talk to them, and by talk I mean you will answer questions."

    "But please be assured if you even think of straying off the little farm," Psyber says seriously, "I will hunt you. I will hunt you like I have hunted every other monster. And whether you flee through forest, river, land, or desert. I will creep up on you one night and you won't see the knife that ends you."

    Psyber looks to NATHAN, "I do not speak for the Confederacy, but will you agree to this offer from the Union, General?"

Elliana Fairchild (92) has posed:
    Drake nods, "As there was a new Amethyne born, so too is a new Shajem incubating. I don't know why it is taking longer, but I do know what I felt." He rubs his chin at the offer, but Elliana can give him a better one.

    "The Confederacy can give you a better offer," Elliana states. "You will work for us on a... mission by mission basis, and otherwise live in a pleasant but modest home. You will be monitored, but allowed occasional visits and may offer your services in order to build favor. Your arm will be replaced with something a little less delicate, and I may even release the seal on your powers if I feel you can control yourself. It is rare to find a sane Twisted." She gestures. "Or if you wish to live a quieter life, you may take the Union's offer."

    Drake shrugs. "I'll think about both offers. I can tell you where you can start looking, before I choose. The Crystal Forest is what you want. But... that won't get you to the bottom of the conspiracy. I doubt even the Union and Confederacy can spare enough skilled help to handle both at once." He holds up his hand. "I can give you better coordinates. All I ask is that once you find out more about what has happened... tell me. I'd like to die satisfied."

Nathan Hall (168) has posed:
    "The Union will honor the offer Psyber has made." Nathan says, putting a hand up in an official sort of gesture in Psyber's direction. "As long as information you provide bears fruit, I will let you know every last detail of its harvest. I do not care that it is not enough to unravel the whole conspiracy. That there could bea lead at all is enough. I intend to find out /everything/ that has happened to throw this world into so much chaos, and make things right again."

    "If that suffices for you, you need only give us a location." He says, tersely. "And we will move to deal with this."

Psyber (253) has posed:
    "Both offers are appealing in their own way," Psyber says vaguely, looking to Elliana doubtfully as she makes hers. Whatever judgment he has about it, he keeps it quiet. Instead he looks back to Wightseer and says, "Admittedly, I hope you choose a peaceful and quiet life." He shrugs.

    "Otherwise, pretty much what Nathan said."

Elliana Fairchild (92) has posed:
    "I'll give you what I remember, but how you take care of it is up to you," Drake grunts. "Obviously you don't approve of my method." There's also the matter that he could be lying about his intentions. "I'll mark it on a map when Lady Fairchild provides one."