Phillips Harbour
Wednesday, October 28. Late Morning.
Once the ritual has begun, Caliban and Herbert slip out of the boathouse - both to give Slate some breathing room and to make sure nobody is likely to come poking around. "Hopefully we can speak to Hale alone, but if not we'll have to give our questions to Prayer," the man notes as they head for the church were Hale is staying. "I'm ambiguous about informing the Mikkelsens of the Portal location just yet."
I don't think you could stop them from coming, Boss, once they learned Kari was going to be there, Caliban opines.
"We'll need to know where the witch-hunters are before going to the Inn anyway," Shaft says.
The witch-hunters, as it turns out, are at the wreckage of the Shelley manor, poking around it and talking to the locals. Rev. Hale greets them with a nod. "Good morning, gen -- sir." For a moment, Hale was about to include Caliban in his greeting.
"Good morning to you as well, Reverend," Shaft says, doffing his hat. "How goes the good work?" he asks, gesturing to the demolition.
"Ook ook," the chimpanzee says, doffing his fez by way of a trained monkey's greeting. Morning, Rev!
"We can't take the credit for this one," Hale says. "Though Sheriff Ponds has tried to give it to us. Do you have any notion why the building would have just ... collapsed?"
The chimpanzee looks over at his master, then doffs his fez and scratches behind an ear thoughtfully. Load-bearing spirit? he ooks.
From Hale's jacket pocket, a mouse head peeps for a moment, and squeaks a mousey laugh at Caliban. His quip is wasted on the humans who don't understand it.
"The remnants of the possessing spirit were ripped out by Marseilles Shelley," Shaft whispers. "It was apparently enough to bring down the structure. The Hill will be the location of the event, by the by. Your friends don't know where it is, do they?"
Hale shakes his head. "No, and God willing, they won't find out. I'd like to think you were wrong about the location, but I ran the calculations last night as well and that matches my results," he murmurs back. Louder, he says, "You're a man of science, come have a look at this," and steers Mr. Shaft towards one end of the wreckage, where no one else is around. "Any news?"
"The Unicorn will fight against the Master spirits if we Open," Herbert whispers. "Miss Townes is attempting to contact Mr. Girard for additional support. We have weapons that may be effective, but limited defense as yet. The Shelley ghost can get into people's minds and manipulate them, so we are assuming the Master spirits can do the same. Pau has a defensive spell prepared, but doesn't know if it will be of use, and I've no idea on what Mr. Waite can bring to the field. Our only certain defense is in your ability to Close. Have you used your Artifact in previous Games?"
"I've only been in the one Game, the one that didn't really happen. I attempted to use it then. I suppose -- there was no Opening, so you could argue that I Closed. But honesty compels me to say that I do not think there was any danger of a Portal that night. We lit the Banefire and went through the motions, but there were none of the signs of a Portal," Hale replies. "You're not serious about Opening, are you?"
"If there is a chance that we can contain or defeat the Master spirits, then I'm willing to Open," Shaft says. "That said, I want to be sure we can close the Portal even after Opening. My device can amplify the power of your Artifact, and the Unicorn also has the power to Close. I had hoped you had fine enough control to actually restrict the size of the Portal, but for the moment I have to assume it is an all-or-nothing option."
"I've never heard of any one restricting the size of the Portal. That Mikkelsen woman's contention that there was a first Opening and it was Closed aftewards is the first I've heard that it's ever been Closed after an Opening. Frankly, my good man, I'm dubious of their motives. This whole thing feels like a trick by the Openers to keep us from stopping them until it's too late," Hale says. "'Overpowering the spirits' is a fool's game. As well hope to cage the devil himself! Worse than fools, I fear; they have a demon summoner's lust for power. I pray you, do not fall for it."
"I've seen too much evidence for what they say, and it is difficult to argue against the word of a Unicorn," Shaft says. "My own experiments have confirmed some of what they say. And I've no reluctance to fight the Devil, Reverend. Isn't that our calling as human beings?"
I've been suspicious about that too, Caliban ooks, knowing that Prayer will hear and understand him, even though the Reverend doesn't seem to have a gift for understanding animals. But I can feel it when they speak the truth, and when they say the spirits are dyin' on our world... I feel the truth in that.
The chimpanzee pokes around a little inside the ruins, looking curiously about for something that might explain the mysteries of Marseilles or the House's animating spirit.
"Evidence can be falsified," Hale says, dourly. From his pocket, Prayer squeaks and nods to Caliban. The reverend sighs. "Even my own Companion seems swayed by this unicorn's words. I cannot change my convictions so easily."
"Mr. Waite seems of the same, if opposite, conviction," Shaft says. "I had hoped we could all work together."
"I can't see how that's possible. My business here is Closing, Mr. Shaft. If these ... spirits that are already in our world are indeed benign, hunted, and on the edge of extinction -- well, I am sorry for their plight. But it does not change my own duty to mankind. I cannot risk an Opening," Hale says.
"I don't suppose you'd be willing to meet the Unicorn, Kari?" Shaft asks the reverend.
I think our biggest problem here, Rev, Prayer, is that we just don't know enough to see who's tellin' the truth, Caliban suggests. Maybe these Masters all dried up an' vanished ages ago. Or maybe they're real an' more powerful than we can handle. I got an idea, suppose the Openers an' Closers are balanced just right, could we sneak someone through to have a look around, an'... Sorta stretch the fight out, on purpose?
Hale hesitates, then nods. "I'll meet her. But don't get your hopes up. Even if I were convinced that everything she said is true, it would not change my duty to the race of Man."
Prayer squeaks at Caliban, I don't think the Rev. will go for that, but I'll ask him tonight.
"I'm not asking you to change it, just to.. coordinate it with the others," Shaft says. "I'll see if I can arrange a meeting somewhere convenient."
Don't get me wrong here, we still need the option to Close, Caliban opines. None of us want the world to get taken over by these Masters. I'd be just as happy if we could figure out how to steal whatever stuff it is spirits need, an' close it 'til the next time we have to steal s'more.
That sounds tricky, Prayer squeaks. But he might relate to it better. I'll see. Too bad Miss Townes isn't around to translate for us.
Eh, she's got her own worries, the chimpanzee agrees. I know you'll talk to your boss about it, Prayer. I'm just worried, so many open questions, so close to showtime.
"I understand your concern, but I think you are making a terrible mistake," Hale advises. "You cannot trust these people. They want the way Opened, and if they get it Open they're not going to let us Close it again just like that because we find out we can't contain these monsters as you hope to. Mr. Waite certainly isn't."
"Due to the location, it is quite possible that St. John will be able to influence things as well," Shaft notes. "Caliban and I can probably neutralize her the same way that he disrupted the Manor spirit, if we need to. At the moment, however, the advantage is to the Openers, even without any help from me."
"It's three on three -- " Hale starts to say, then rolls his eyes. "Right. That Mikkelsen girl. She can't Play now, surely? She was not a Player at the start of the month. The Game doesn't work that way," he says, with more hope than conviction.
Well, we have to get that staff back from Trouble, if we're going to count the Doc, Caliban opines.
"Miss Townes and I have no direct way of Closing," Shaft notes. "Mr. Waite may possess two Artifacts now, and Pau has one as well."
Hale doesn't have an answer for that. He glowers. "So. You've been spending your time looking for defenses and ways to capture spirits, then?"
"Well, not capture so much as.. destroy," Shaft admits. "Render them down into energy that we can make use of against them. I have a means of defense, but it is unfortunately impractical. We have a small room aboard the Babbage where spirits cannot enter or even detect the presence of anyone inside."
"That is interesting," Hale admits. "But not something you can fabricate more of?"
"Not in the time that we have, no," Herbert says. "And even then, our experiments show that even a small opening could be used by a spirit to gain control of a person. That is the primary threat that I am looking to defend against: possession. Without a way to prevent it, there isn't much hope of fighting. I don't suppose you have a means of pre-exorcising somebody?"
Boss, if spirits could just take over anyone, they'd own the world already, Caliban points out. I think there must be limits of some kind to their ability.
Herbert takes a few moments to figure out what Caliban is saying. "The Masters maintain control of their slaves somehow, but we never tried to test the limits of Marseilles' ability either. Perhaps a mental block could be created in someone who is prepared for that sort of attack?"
"There are many defenses against possession," Hale says. "Woodrome could speak to you all day on the subject. How effective they'd be against this 'master race' of spirits I can't say."
"I suppose I should try to talk to him then," Shaft says. "It would also provide a distraction for you to go off without them."
"I wouldn't mind someone else babysitting them for a change," Hale admits in a low voice. "I've certainly enough preparations of my own to attend to. Was there something in particular you wanted me to do? Other than consider Opening and talk to this unicorn?"
"Consider defenses and options should Closing fail and fighting is necessary," Shaft suggests.
The chimpanzee finishes poking about the wreckage - it doesn't look as if anything is going to jump out at him, and announce itself as the key to Marseilles or the House. Can the Rev exorcise somethin' as big as the Hill, if it's St. John an' Alorn in it? he asks of Prayer. Maybe with help? I'm bettin' they'll make a showing.
"I'll think about it," Hale agrees, albeit grudgingly.
Um. Maybe? Prayer sounds very uncertain. One or the other and I'd say yes, both, I'm not so sure.
Hmm, I have a feeling it'll come up, so maybe just let him know to be ready with the exorcism stuff, an' maybe we can Amplify it, Caliban suggests. No harm bein' prepared for anything.
Will do. Take care of that human of yours, don't let him do anything too crazy, Prayer squeaks.
The chimpanzee looks sheepish. I'll try, I'm not promisin' anything!
The mouse gives a sympathetic squeak and ducks back into Hale's pocket.
"I pray that you do more than just think about it, Reverend," Herbert notes, and looks to see if Caliban has finished his exploration. Might as well pick up some lunch, as the women will probably be hungry once they make it back to the boathouse.
Herbert fluffs Rowan!