Conversation · Noid

"We repeat: Were you alone?"

"Yes."

...

You hear the sound of a page ripping.

"Thank you, Firewalker. Please stand by while we transmit our summary..."

"No."

That reminds you, where has your half-brother gone?

You are the Doom-Speaker. It is your lot to ply these somnolent roads, declaring your lonely truth...

You don't need anybody else. You're the lawbringer...

Your head is so full of colourful thoughts, you never feel alone...

How could you expect anyone to stay around with all your standard-issue thoughts and opinions?

"I can only describe it in terms of curdling milk."

"I experienced nothing. A complete lack of phenomena."

"When the raver put the compressor through the other thing, it made the beat really hard core. Like, too hard core."

"I have no idea what you're asking."

"Answer the question, please."

"External."

"I've never heard of any of those places."

"Please answer the question."

"You already know exactly where I am."

"Now that you mention it, I learned something very strange about the victim in my murder investigation..."

"We're listening. What did you learn about the victim?"

"He said it was love that did him in."

Oh dear, you seem to be losing the thread...

No way. Sex and death is what it's all about.

"Come again, Firewalker? You're saying that the victim was killed in some sort of... romantic imbroglio?"

"That's right. It was love, for sure. He told me himself."

"We're afraid we're not following. Did you speak with the victim before his death?"

"Let's say I have my ways of knowing these things."

"Uh, right, we spoke beforehand."

"Nope, after."

"I don't know that love killed him, but it definitely did him in."

"I want to be very precise: it was love that did him in, but it was communism that killed him."

"I heard that something 'miraculous' was coming, from way out west."

Oh dear, you seem to be losing the thread...

No, this is right. Who doesn't long to believe in miracles?

"Come again? Something 'miraculous,' you say?"

"I don't understand it, either, but that's what I heard."

"We're afraid we aren't quite following. Who told you all this, exactly?"

"I'm not really sure. Maybe the hairs along my arm? I'm still trying to figure that part out."

"Listen, it's the miracle that matters. Did you write that part down at least?"

"No, Firewalker, we did not."

"From the northwest, specifically."

"He said it was communism that killed him."

Oh dear, you seem to be losing the thread...

Don't listen to them, everyone loves a good political angle.

"Come again, Firewalker? You're saying the victim was killed by communists? Was this a politically motivated homicide?"

"I want to be very precise: communism may have killed him, but it was love did him in."

"It wasn't communists, it was communism itself that killed him."

"Yeah, that's my working hypothesis."

"Acknowledged. But there's still something we don't understand: Did you speak with the victim before his death?"

If the lieutenant were here, he would remind you that you don't speak only for yourself but the entire RCM. What you say now will reflect on all of your half-brothers and sisters.

"And now there are multiple casualties on both sides of the conflict. The harbour is locked down, the Wild Pines rep is gone. It's... very bad."

"Good god. Is there anything else the Committee should know?" You hear the sound of a page turning, followed by fierce scribbling.

"What's more, I believe the Union has been trying to escalate the situation so that they can seize control of the entire harbour."

"I've also uncovered evidence the Union may also be orchestrating a takeover of a local fishing village."

"We have it. Is there anything else the Committee should know?" You hear the sound of her pen scratching against paper.

"The Wild Pines completely failed to control the paramilitary death squad they hired..."

"I haven't worked out the details yet, but there's something weird going on with the Wild Pines..."

"Yes? What else?" You can hear her impatiently tapping her pen against a metal desk...