trial #2

[judgejudy]

DAY 4 (afternoon) Complex Population: 32 At noon, the same tone from the morning rings out, and Judy's voice filters out over the intercom. "Good afternoon, residents. As per Safety Protocol 6227-A, it is time to conduct a trial to bring justice for the victim. Please proceed to the courtroom on the first level." Just as at night, if you don't go to the courtroom, you'll be treated to an electric shock of increasing strength until you go to the courtroom or are unconscious. Though considering the ominous penalty for not participating in a trial, you should likely just go rather than risk not voting because you've been knocked out by your own stubbornness... Once you're in the courtroom, you'll find that bottled water and light snacks are provided, but otherwise you'll have to bring anything else you may need. As you come to your conclusions about who to vote for, you can step into the judgement theater to cast your vote at the terminal. You may change your vote as many times as you'd like, but at 7PM, your vote (or lack thereof) is locked in. You have until 7PM to discuss and vote for who you think the murderer is. — ic rulebook character statuses character profiles Voting will close at 9PM EST on 10/15. voting

Comments

[selfsufficiency]

About the bracelets...

[Alice has to pause to cover her mouth because of a coughing fit, but once that's passed, she picks up right where she left off.]

Judy said last time that she didn't want to tell us too much about them because she didn't want the people who took them to know how they worked, right? And then this time, they took it again. That implies they're still trying to figure it out.

It also implies that, if the person who killed Rayfa doesn't have some kind of technological knowledge, they're working with someone who does. Otherwise, why take them? They wouldn't be able to do anything.

So I think... if we're trying to figure out who the staff members are so we can vote for one, we should look at people with that kind of knowledge first. It's at least somewhere to start.

[tearable]

That's pretty good deduction there. [ That's an honest one, even if you're sicky Alice :( ] I agree. We're all stuck in a place with limited resources, but if you can tinker and manufacture...? If you can deconstruct something and create something new - that is where I believe the bracelets come into play.

[selfsufficiency]

So... who of us can do something like that? Rhys is into robots and Jack said he's an engineer, so it shouldn't be too hard for either of them to do those things. Angel said she has a way with computers, too...

[But she doesn't really think it's Jack or Angel, honestly.]

[adlucem]

Rhys seems to be too sensitive to murder, if a woman looking at him the wrong way is enough to make him swoon.

[Can we volunteer Rhys for decontamination, he's gross inside and out]

[selfsufficiency]

[Makes a face in the direction of the broken, puked-on terminal.]

Maybe... but then, if it was him, that might explain the victims. If he has trouble with full-grown women, then of course he'd go after kids who wouldn't be able to make him swoon.

[she just really doesn't like rhys tbh]

[adlucem]

[Team Anti-Rhys]

Still, with all of that blood... do you think he'd be able to manage doing that with such a weak stomach?

[selfsufficiency]

[She shrugs.]

Maybe, maybe not. But I guess the lack of vomit around where the bodies were found is a point towards him not being the killer.

...that wouldn't stop him from being the person with technological knowledge that the killers are collecting the ankle monitors for, though.

[selfdenying]

[He nods.]

Exactly. Even if Rhys wasn't the killer, he still might serve a role within the group. Not every staff member would be a murderer, I assume, especially if it's a group instead of one or two people.

[selfsufficiency]

[She reaches over to tug on Alfendi's sleeve and lowers her voice.]

We need to at least catch one of them so Judy will tell us how many we're dealing with. How can we make sure that happens?

[selfdenying]

We have to be very careful, Alice. At this moment, we're rather caught between a rock and a hard place, but even if we catch a staff member that technically wasn't a murderer...

Well, I'd think that would count, wouldn't it? They were still complicit with the crime.

[heroizes]

[ Jack shakes his head since he has to speak up for this poor idiot whose face he's probably still mopping off with his foot... apparently... ]

Ehhh, I dunno. I mean, the guy is kinda-- Okay, look I promised I wouldn't call him crazy, but he's unconscious, so. Just don't tell him. He's a little crazy. But stalker crazy, not axe murderer crazy. If anyone's got anything to worry about from this guy, it's prrrrobably me.

[tearable]

You do know that's how romance novels turn into horror stories, correct?

[heroizes]

[ He groans in exasperation and probably digs his foot into Rhys's face a little more ]

Ughhhhhhh I knooooow. But, look, I've got this other stalker, and he's way worse. Like he's trying to make an AI of me or something, I dunno, it's weird. That's the kind of guy you worry about because like, he probably digs through my trash?

[ poor nakayama, getting dragged like this ]

Whatever, I'm getting distracted. Point is. No. Just. No to the whole sentiment but especially the romance part.

[tearable]

Just... look, just don't do anything stupid.

[ She gives him a narrowed expression. ]

We may have some questions about what the bracelets could be broken apart for. Seems you, Rhys and Angel may be getting some suspicion thrown your way. People are latching onto the theory about the bracelets being needed for something ... bigger.

[heroizes]

[ He shrugs in a way that seems to say "no promises," but at least he'll broach this subject with her first before bringing it up elsewhere...?? ]

Yeah, and I mean, fair, when we're working with nothing. But-- I dunno. Not that I'm itching to, uh, die here. In fact that's kinda why I super want to step away from that subject, will admit, because yeah, Rhys the vomit factory may be crazy, but that kinda... makes things worse for me? I dunno. No puke by the kid, so.

[ He sighs and shrugs ]

Never thought I'd say this, but I'd rather be saving the freakin' moon right now, that's for sure. Those answers? Nice and simple.

[selfsufficiency]

Crazy is crazy, though.

[Says... the crazy girl who wanted to torture people...??]

I guess as long as you don't turn up dead, he's probably not the one doing the killing...

[heroizes]

[ yeah Alice definitely gets a Look for that one, but he doesn't comment on it because he's babysitting her now so... Well, it's not fine, but he's just accepting it. ]

Yeah, if I turn up dead? Please vote for him. Holy crap. Like, it's 99% going to be him and he's probably going to do something super weirdddd, so I will even lift my torture restriction. If he does something weird. If he doesn't just kill his ass, though.

[selfsufficiency]

[Okay, Alice can't help but giggle at that. Jack, you're cooler than she thought? She guesses she can put up with being babysat by you.]

I promise I'll vote for him if you get killed! ♡

[heroizes]

You're-- kinda worryingly cheerful about that.

[ Jack laughs, though, and he shrugs. ]

But, uh, fine with it, considering the subject! Because man, if I die, I at least want to be avenged?

[tearable]

Then it's worth asking those three more information on what could be done. I don't think it's fair to discredit anyone, but this is a solid avenue - I think... but, I accept full responsibility if I'm wrong. If no one else fits the bill as far as skills go...

[ Oh god, oh god. ]

[selfsufficiency]

...I guess we'll have to wait for Rhys to wake up before we can do that, though.

[Rhys why.]

[tearable]

He did talk to me earlier about a possibility - he seemed sick thinking about it. Possibly catching you or Luke's cold as well? He doesn't seem like someone who could do something so brutal... but people can easily wear masks.

[ And honestly, she whispers to Alice. ]

I'm not as collected as I'd like to act - honestly fairly scared myself.

[ Her normal tone resumes. ]

He seems a bit paranoid, so we best tackle any subject with these three carefully and not discredit anyone else who seems to fancy being a craftsman.

[selfsufficiency]

[Alice sneezes and brings both her hand up to cover her nose and mouth, then sniffles before continuing.]

If he seemed sick to his stomach and wasn't coughing and sneezing, it's probably just that he has a weak stomach... unless that's what he wants us to think.

[People can wear masks. Alice blinks at Elizabeth in surprise when she whispers that to her, because honestly? She sort of did think she was honestly that collected.]

...yeah, I guess we should be careful asking them. Rhys doesn't seem to like me at all, though, so we'd probably get better information if I didn't have any part in questioning him.

[tearable]

[ Definitely not going to get too close, though. ]

That's a valid point. [ The symptoms are different. ] Could be nerves. I don't blame him.

[ When Alice mentions Rhys not liking her, she perks a brow. ]

I'll try... but I'm not sure how much of a result that would yield if I make him sick by just talking to him. [ UGH!!! We need backup. ] Uh - and you've been kind to only eat soup, right miss? If you don't take care of yourself, your cold could worsen.

[ There's a pause there. ]

Just keep your meals light and yourself hydrated.

[selfsufficiency]

[Legit. Rhys already got sneezed on once this trial - nobody else needs to be.]

I don't either. Especially not in a trial like this, where looking just a little too suspicious might get you killed. No wonder he's nervous.

[Because... he's... already suspicious to start with? Or something.]

Or maybe he's just intimidated by you. ♡ A lot of men get nervous when a woman stands up to them.

[...Elizabeth's concern also catches her by surprise, and she blinks rapidly. She's... not used to having people worry about her? This is weird.]

I'll keep that in mind from now on. I...

[Alice is really not used to people being nice to her.]

Thanks.