exsilium | video;

[ Hello, fellow transports. Tonight when you check your networks, enjoy a look at one of your newest, a serious-looking man (flippy blond hair notwithstanding) with a politely neutral expression. ]

If it isn't too much trouble, I'd like to ask a few questions. While the woman providing the introductions was enthusiastic enough, her explanations were somewhat lacking. For instance, how many people are here in Exsilium right now, and how many are fellow transports? I understand there's a war going on - in that case, what kind of organized armed forces exist in this city? I'd assume there's a system in place to protect civilians or those unwilling to fight, but [ a bit of that politeness slips out of his tone ] please correct me if something so obvious hasn't been attended to.

[ He reaches to turn off the feed, but pauses as if remembering something, and straightens again with a friendlier look and a half self-deprecating sort of tone (all affected of course, with the ease of someone used to putting on a public face). ]

My apologies, it's rude to ask questions without giving any answers. My name is Barnaby Brooks Jr. Additionally, I'd like to hear from anyone familiar with me, whether personally or from Hero TV.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

The United Earth is a totalitarian government that have a select few in power while the rest of the world remains locked in drudgery. From what I have heard and read, it seems that they have little entertainment and far too many laws to actually be allowed to breathe even in their sleep.

Ah. So what we're meant to be fighting is a dictatorship.

[ He says this dispassionately, just assessing it as yet another factor to their situation, and writes it down before pausing with his pen poised just above the page.

It makes a good fairy tale, doesn't it, swearing to be the good ones while forcibly drafting unrelated people while talking about the evil oppressors they're just trying to fight. It could, conceivably, be enough to convince some or even many people to go along with the situation, especially if there's a promise to be sent home - if they win, of course. Even if it is true, he has no intention of taking it at face value.

He glances back at the camera, tilting his head to the side a little. ]

The Initiative has been very forthcoming with details about our situation, it would seem.

I'm afraid that they are still trying to figure out how to handle such a disrespectful group of people in their midst. We aren't like the kind of people they are use to, so the information I am telling you what we have figured out so far.

[ Interesting. He straightens a little, eyebrows pulling together slightly. ]

And how was this information gathered?

A small group went on a fact finding mission about three months ago. Before that, about a week after I came here, a group of heavily armed people called The Masked appeared to tag us transports. They were here for about two weeks and then left.

[ Writes that down too, information confirmed as of three months ago

the masked, heavily armed, targeted transports for - . ]

Tagging transports?

Placing tracking devices under our skin. They were easy to remove the first time, but if it was damaged during the removal, they would return and insert a second one that fused to the spine.They also moved and acted as one mind in several bodies, and their equipment was rather tough. And if a transport managed to defeat a group of them, the next group knew everything about that person and how to defeat them.

[ His eyes keep narrowing as Takegami goes on, until they're almost bright green slits. It's not visible on the screen but his hand's clamped around the pen now, and he has to make himself relax it before he can even consider writing any of that down. Tracking devices, fused to the spine. And the next parts remind him of Rotwang and the androids, how every fight was just battle data to him, just giving the androids the ability to fight them all the more effectively and target their weak points.

If he'd had any thoughts about not wanting to oppose these people, they're vanishing fast, and he has to unclench his jaw before answering. ]

How do you know they were affiliated with the United Earth?

I have eyes and ears. [ Another tight smile. This is why he doesn't want to end up as just a fighter - he can spot things and put them together far more easily than a normal person. It was an instinct of a kind. ]

My skills don't lay towards fighting but towards information. From what I have seen of this place, the Initiative does not have the understanding or the equipment to fund a group like those Masked. They do have the ability to steal, but that seems to be imperfect for the most part. There was nothing imperfect of the Masked.

So. The most powerful and better funded group has to be the ones that holds the keys to them. That would mean the United Earth. I have also heard that these Masked patrol around the outside of this island to make sure we stay here, though I am thinking that they must now know about our time traveling missions.

[ Logic. Now, this appeals to him. He'll have to verify it for himself of course, but it more than matches up with his preliminary observations. ]

That's very good.

[ He doesn't sound impressed, but he's certainly taking Takegami a little more seriously. ]

Though, if they're monitoring us so closely, it would seem to be flaw that transports can leave for these missions...

[ ...although there's nothing to say they have to leave Exsilium for that, but if it's so easy for these Masked (who may even belong to a third party, he'll have to look into that) to get in, and they're so well-funded, what's stopping them?

Are they being toyed with? How maddening.

He changes tack, asks the next thing almost like he doesn't care as much. ]

And what happened to the transports who were tagged?

I am quite sure that they might have missed it at first, but now, they probably are not. First time, we went in a coherent group under tightly controlled circumstances. Last time, we were scattered, fragmented and ended up in several unnecessary areas.

They are still here. You can ask them about the tagging yourself if you wish.

[ Frown. ]

What caused the difference?

Really? Who are they?

There were problems arising from the first mission that made everything unstable with the time line. The second mission was meant to fix the instability but the unfortunate side-effect was that people were sent back to random times.

Some of the people that have been here the longest. I think one is a mage, another a shapeshifter.

Hmph. What kind of problems?

[ Not that he knows that much about time travel, or how even they might be doing it here. He's never heard of a NEXT with that kind of abilities, and in Sternbild time manipulation is strictly in the land of science fiction.

With some impatience: ] Do you have names?

Memory loss. People disappearing. People aging rapidly. People becoming children again. People suddenly outside of time.

I do not collect names and save them for later use. Just check the files on the netbook.

[ Time anomalies. That doesn't bode very well for them, if their employers of a sort are this unorganized. ]

Very well, then. Thank you for all of your assistance.

Good luck.

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