Conversation · Interfacing

All these mesmerizing machines, just waiting to be plugged back in and played.

Run your finger across the dust of the 'White Deora' machine.

Feels like it might jump back to life any moment, the lights illuminating the white robed woman.

"Let's move on then." [Finish thought.]

Think: Kim Kitsuragi... Kim Kitsuragi...

Kim 'Pinball' Kitsuragi!

Kim 'Pinball' Kitsuragi, AKA Kimball?

Exactly. That's what he's known as. His reputation proceeds him!

I'm not gonna talk to him about that.

Of course, of course. Just something that swam to the surface. Go on, do real police work. This isn't a pinball mystery.

He also really doesn't want to talk about it.

"You're Kim 'Pinball' Kitsuragi."

"So now he remembers..." He looks at you in the silence of the workshop -- then takes his glasses off and cleans them.

"Fine. I'm Kim 'Pinball' Kitsuragi." he puts them back on. "AKA The Kimball. You remembered -- congratulations."

"You don't seem to really 'like' pinball."

"No human being should. It is a game that requires no skill and a childlike affinity to flashing lights. And to fantastique, science fiction, and historic romance franchises."

"It is lame."

"Then why are you called Pinball?"

"I am not called Pinball. It was used to taunt me -- a long time ago. Before I became a homicide detective. And got my lieutenancy."

"How did you..."

He puts his glasses back on. "Fine. I was a juvenile police officer -- for over 15 years. It's how I started out in the RCM. Once I had to infiltrate a pinball ring. As you do -- when you're a juvie cop."

"Lame."

"Unbelievably," he nods. "To do that I needed to become a... pinball champion. I trained for nine months. The job was successful and I was moved out of the juvenile wing -- to homicide."

"End of story."

"You were a juvie cop for 15 years?"

"That time is over now." He looks at the pinball machine and breathes in. "I was already a 38 year old man. It was unbecoming. As was playing pinball."

So that's why he doesn't want to talk to Cuno. Trauma-and-Stressor Disorder from being a juvie cop.

"I'm gonna call you Pinball now."

"No. You're gonna call me Lieutenant Kitsuragi -- or on rare occasions 'Kim', because it's shorter." He nods. "Let's go."

Any plan to call him Pinball or Kimball is immediately wiped from your neocortex, as if with some sort of mind altering device. It is simply not going to happen.

"You're Lieutenant Kitsuragi to me."

"Not only to you -- I am Lieutenant Kitsuragi to everyone." He nods. "Now -- we really need to continue our sweep of what appears to be a secret path through the Whirling."

"Wait, so that's why you didn't talk to Cuno."

"It's best if you handle the juvenile delinquents," he nods.

"Don't worry, I'll keep calling you Kim."

"Lieutenant Kitsuragi is good too." He nods. "Now -- we really need to continue our sweep of what appears to be a secret path through the Whirling."

"I'm gonna call you Kimball now."

"Okay."

"It was not okay. I needed to become a... pinball champion." He shudders. "I trained for 9 months. The job was successful and I was moved out of the juvenile wing -- to homicide."

"Wait, but I still can't remember anything else."

"Wonderful. He only remembers hearing about the pinball policeman."

"Hey, Kimball."

"What?"

It's strange that he doesn't like pinball. Kim here is a Seolite. His people are incredibly dextrous, and they all love pinball. Matter of fact...

"Hey, didn't you guys, like, invent pinball?"

"Us guys?"

Stop.

"No matter. This is a failure. I'm failing and I'm going to stop."

"Okay." He thinks for a moment. "I don't like pinball because I had to learn to play it for an undercover job at a pinball ring. And it's a lame, boring, and unchallenging game -- there. We can move on now."

Super. Tip-top! This went pretty well all things considered.

"You know -- Seol guys. Massive pinball people."

"Seol is an extremely protectionist isola, inaccessible to the rest of mankind. As it has been for over a thousand years. I have no special knowledge of them, despite my heritage."

"But even I know that they don't play pinball. They have a rigid class society, and a punitive justice system..." He looks around. "We should continue with our exploration of this place. It doesn't matter."

"So you're not all, like, pinball aces? Because I could swear I know you are."

"No. They're not -- let's move on. There's more to this place than pinball machines."

"Okay."

"Okay." He thinks for a moment. "I don't like pinball because I had to learn to play it for an undercover job at a pinball ring. And it's a lame, boring, and unchallenging game -- there. We can move on now."

You still feel he's holding out on Seolite pinball tricks, but fine. Explore on then.

"What about that other one -- the Franconigerian Ball. Wanna play that?"

"No."