Conversation · Bird's Nest Roy

"A vortex? Sounds fascinating."

"Yeah, it was pretty wild. I didn't really know what to make of it, but I know it meant something."

"Does that mean you don't have any idea who the driver was?"

He shakes his head slowly.

"Yet another sign that the end is nigh... It must be destiny that brought me here. Tell me more about this vortex?"

"The end... I don't know about that. Seemed more like a sign of a large-scale transformation. Shook the entire shack."

"The vortex is going to become much bigger -- it is an integral part of how it all ends."

"An end implies a stable state, whereas we can see from experience that everything is in fact always transforming. Thus, there can be no end."

"But that is merely our meagre sense experience. There are dark forces at work now that we cannot even envision, much less see."

"The dark always has its counterbalance in light. Neither will prevail. The cycle will continue." He folds his arms with finality and turns away from you, concentrating once more on his light show.

Is Roy high -- and if yes, then what is he on?

Feeling warm and enthralled by the movement of light, while the mind continues to race forward? Lucky bastard -- he's probably on Pyrholidon. It's tough to come by on the street.

Pyrholidon? What is that?

A drug developed by the military to treat and prevent radiation sickness. It has psychedelic side-effects. And it makes your eyes turn yellow!

"Is it just me, or is it really warm in here?" (Look around.)

He tilts his head. "I try to keep the shop at a comfortable temperature."

There's a note of indignation in his voice. Interesting.

Those triangle patches on his vest... you have a feeling they mean something. Like they're similar to the halogen rectangle on your jacket.

"No judgement -- just curious. I probably did loads of Pyrholidon before I lost my memory."

"I've had to take it, you know, since the People's Pile clean-up," he responds carefully. "I was with the Emergency Relief Brigade."

He's taking it for mental and emotional, not physical pain these days.

"It must have been tough -- radioactive clean-up."

He hesitates. "There's a reason why everyone's tried to forget any of it ever happened, and why no one has tried to repair or replace the Pile."

"So much disappointment -- and early deaths, cancer mostly. And we knew all that was coming even as we were cleaning up as best we could."

"Whose fault was it that the generator failed?"

"No one's, everyone's..." He sighs and shakes his head.

So much bitterness.

"A bunch of poor people built themselves a primitive nuclear reactor, hoping for the best. What do you think is going to happen?"

"Tell me more about this Emergency Relief Brigade you were part of."

He points at the white triangle on his orange safety jacket. "We were an all-volunteer force, self-organized. Tried to help fire brigades contain the spill."

On the patch -- gamma radiation lines crossed with a red drop of blood.

Tough son of a gun, this one. Respect.

"I lived by the river since I was a small boy. The Esperance... didn't have the heart to let it all go to shit without trying to do something, to help out."

"There wasn't much the volunteer force could do, however. We wasted years in the river mud. Years getting sick..." He looks at the spiralling light and stops.

"How did you end up running a pawnshop?"

"The clean-up happened fifteen years ago. I was young then. Later my second aunt died, left me this shack and the assorted junk in it."

"So I came to Martinaise. People told me don't go there, it's a shit-hole. I said: people, we just had a nuclear pile meltdown. I'm gonna get as far from Faubourg as I can. Still in the same city, but..." He shrugs.

"The People's Pile? What's that?"

"A bad idea. Some poor leftists built a particle decay generator in hopes of bringing affordable electricity to under-served communities. It malfunctioned. Radioactive waste everywhere, probably some of it in you, too."

The People's Pile was a Type U particle decay generator that failed immediately after entering service, releasing radioactive waste into River Esperance.

What is a particle decay generator?

A primitive nuclear reactor, also called a pile.

Why did it fail? (Conclude.)

An emergency valve defect resulted in steam pressure blowing the turbine, taking the fuel containment vessel up in the explosion. Both the faulty design and lack of finances contributed to the catastrophe.

Why is it called the People's Pile?

Construction began during the Commune of Revachol. The people continued work on it after the Commune fell -- they wanted a cheap source of energy for Revachol West.

Needless to say: things didn't work out.

"Thank you for telling me." (Conclude.)

He shrugs. "I like theory more than story. Outward movement, not vortices."

Yeah... you gotta get in on those vortices, my man.

"Chill out, man -- I'm a chill out cop who just wants some of what you're having." (Wink.)

He frowns. "Pyrholidon is just something I... you know, since the People's Pile disaster." He coughs, as if to mark his words.

"I was with the Emergency Relief Brigade. Had to take it for radiation sickness."

(Point at his clothes.) "Say, what's with the triangles on your vest?"

He hesitates. "I was... I was with the Emergency Relief Brigade. You know, after the People's Pile disaster." He coughs, as if to mark his words.

"Had to take Pyrholidon for radiation sickness. That's what you were hinting at just now, wasn't it?"

"It's pretty obvious that you're under the influence, sir."

"I didn't mean to offend you." (Drop the subject -- you don't want drugs.)

His loosens up. "I'm not offended, officer."

(Get straight to the point.) "So, where does a man get Pyrholidon these days?"