Trinity RPG: Back to the Stars - Prelude: Lunar Vision [Marvin Melrose]

[Krul]

Luna, the hub of the solar system, still called the moon, most have shifted to calling it Luna, the heart of human culture, an ever growing and changing nation all of its own, and outside of earth, one of the most populated locations in the solar system. Using the Pseudo-gravity system, allowing energy to increase gravity, the majority of human inhabitants on Luna have full gravity, except on those locations where the usual 1/6th gravity pull of the moon would be more useful for human purposes, including entertainment.

Luna is run by the Lunar Advisory Council(LAC), and is a mix of all kinds of folks, from nations all over the world, containing many different locations all over the Moon, including even prestigious schools and universities, beautiful towers, and even gardens in some places, and yet, deep under the surface, a criminal underworld thrives.

Here also, is the center of the clairvoyant order, the IRSA, founded by the clairsentient Proxy Otha Herzog, sometimes known as the Man Who Sees Everything. Unlike some of the other Proxies, who lead directly, Otha regards all clairsentients, also called seers, or clears, as his siblings, and rarely seeks to guide them directly, his words have incredible weight within the order, and without as well. Nearly a religious figure in reverence by some, regarded on the level of a messianic or avatar figure, he has taken steps to avoid such as much as possible.

It is a place of incredible diversity, and as they say 'Anything can - and usually does - happen on the Moon"

And at the moment, for one officer Melrose, something of great importance is about to happen.

[Hypothetical]

At the moment, Marvin was bored like hell waiting for the call from the ULPF at the Blueline to show up.

It was a rather uninspiring finish to his investigation, but he expected that it would not end a failure. He had no reason to expect the ULPF to screw up, thanks to their reputation.

Sitting at his desk, he felt more than a little satisfaction at putting a rich creep like Holfal away, and that Ms. Kale would get closure at her son's death.

Holden Kale had been a male prostitute, with men like Reginald Holfal as quiet clients. Kale had made the mistake though, of taking additional money to prevent the scandal from reaching the playboy's family. Holfal had eventually throttled him instead.

Holfal had been smart enough to realize when Dectective Sergeant Melrose was going to finger him for the murderer, and so as Marvin understood, had left for Upside, starting with a trip on the Blueline.

The idiot forgot that the ULPF monitored these stations, and Marvin had left a call and ID for the ULPF to take care of. Then, he would be sent back to the station, arrested, and tried in a Downside court that would not recognize his status.

It was a good end, but Marvin was darn bored of waiting for the call that confirmed Holfal's capture.

[Krul]

While he was waiting, there was a knock at the door, and once he allowed them to enter, a young courier put a package on his desk. "Delivery for you, sir." With a nod to the officer, he then turned and left, leaving Marvin with a unmarked package, wrapped in brown paper, with a string tied around it. When he opened it, it would contain number of puzzle pieces, maybe about 200? They blank on one side, and a holographic look to the other side, so he knew it would have to be put together in order to actually see what it was.

[Hypothetical]

Well, anything can happen, Marvin thought. Might as well do this while waiting for the call. He picked up the first few pieces that he could quickly match and fitted them together. Thanks to his eye for details, it took much less time than the average person to finish the whole puzzle. It was blank side up, so he flipped it to observe the other side.

[Krul]

Once the picture was turned over, the picture became three dimensional, rising out of the now perfectly completed puzzle, and it showed a layout of part of the Olympian Towers, and one particular location was gleaming a blue color, distinct from all of the other colors used in the puzzle.

[Hypothetical]

Now, that was odd. The coloring seemed to indicate that the location was important for him to be at, especially odd considering the Olympian Towers were definitely not part of his jurisdiction. Probably someone wanted to transfer or hire him, which he had no interest in. He belonged in the Downside. They needed help, and he was more than happy to give it to them.

Nonetheless, it paid to be polite. So Marvin took the time to get a drink, strap on a taser to get as much protection as legal Upside, and talk to a friend in the station who knew about the location and got general directions, plus a promise to watch the phone.

After that, he left and took the Redline, before getting out to a place where he could cross Upside. He felt like a fish out of water in the Upper parts, a honest man and do-gooder in what he considered an elegant but somewhat rotten place.

[Krul]

The location that he went to, had only a package, the same size as the other one, a number and a letter on the package - 2, and I. Once again, it contained a puzzle, should he put that one together, it was a different location. In other words, it was a bit of a mystery, but if he should go to all of the locations, he would get a series of seven puzzles, this series of letters and numbers, 3-R, 4-S, 5-A, 6(no matching letter), and 7-U. Interestingly enough the last puzzle showed a location he know, Oberstufe, the IRSA school.

[Hypothetical]

It took the course of a week, as Marvin, though intrigued, had no interest in sidelining his job for this strange puzzle. By the end, it seemed suddenly obvious.

ISRA wanted to talk to him, most likely for a recruitment. The thought required time to think this over, as the situation was astounding.

Holfal had been caught, but he barely remembered that. Was it right to leave, to abandon his career for ISRA? Granted, it sounded much more beneficial to more people if he joined, but should he leave?

But... The Man Who Sees Everything had to have a reason for his interest in him. The clears see things to come, and that have came. A very good reason, to be sure.

That decided him. At 4:00, he explained things to the station Captain, took a leave of absence with the likelihood of quitting noted.

By 5:30, he had stepped off the Redline, and walked the remaining distance to Oberstufe. Time to see what was in the cards.

[Krul]

When he arrived at the school, a man was waiting for him, someone who at a glance appeared to be some oriental descent. He stepped out when Marvin showed up at the doorstep, and reached out to shake his hand. "Hello, there, it's a pleasure to meet you, I'm Lui Chi" He stepped back and when Marvin would have spoken. "And your Marvin, a strong latent clairsentient, who is also a cop, here on Luna."

[Hypothetical]

Marvin nodded his head after the shake. "Well, given that the ISRA has reached out to me through the method you have, I already assumed that this might be the case. And if you had decided so, then you would know I'm a cop, from looking into me Chi."

A smile grew on his face, a simple pleasant one. "It's a good fit, I think, the ISRA and me. If you want me to join the ranks of clears, then I will accept."

[Krul]

"Oh, I'm almost tempted to say that we were not looking at you to join us, simply to mess with you a bit.." There was a twinkle in his eye as the said this. "But it would be a lie, and we try to avoid lies among us." He consider Marvin a moment, then he shook his head slightly. "Actually, it's a better then good fit, in our opinion, but there's no need to quit your present work yet, unless your department has issue with having a seer in their ranks."

[Hypothetical]

Marvin laughed. "I haven't yet, no and there might be grousing from the grumpy fellows at the station, but I don't think anyone would object. But..." It was a good fit, yes, but there was something deeper telling him this was the right choice.

"There is a reason for me to join, somewhere, somehow. That this is important for me to accept. There's... a reason I know it was meant to happen. Unless that's just your standard sweep-up, in which case I'm wrong. But there is... isn't there?"

[Krul]

"No, your right, there's a reason, but I can't really say exactly what it is, just that you'll be needed." He shrugs slightly as he moves to pick up some sort of puzzle, sort of similar to the 20th century rubix cube, twisting and turning it in his hands.

"And when the Old Man suggests something, well, we tend to take it very seriously." The respect in the mans voice almost makes it certain that he means Otha Herzog, when he says old man.

[Hypothetical]

"And so do I." Marvin replied with a firm, determined look on his face. "If Herzog says it's important, then I'm not about to evade whatever it is. I assure you I will join."

[Krul]

"Well, in that case, tomorrow, take this ticket, go to the station and give it to the pilot of the Echo and you'll be transported to Huruf al-Hayy, things will proceed from there." He hands Marvin a ticket, which contains everything he needs on it, then turns to go back inside the school somewhere, leaving Marvin to decide himself what to do next.

[Hypothetical]

Marvin scanned the ticket to clarify the details labeled on there, and returned home. Most of the remainder of the day and some of the next was to set his affairs in order, as much as possible, in an intense busy work burst.

At 3:00 pm, he arrived at the Echo, handing his ticket to the pilot and boarding with the same 'lightness' that Scrooge had at the end of A Christmas Carol.

[Krul]

Things went completely normal, there was nothing unusual or unexpected that occurred, as usual for anyone going to Huruf al-Hayy, he was sedated as the ship moved though it's supposed extreme speeds, and in due time, he found the ship docking at the space station, and the sedative seemed to be wearing off.

On the other side, was a blond woman, apparently in her prime, and she smiled at him. "Welcome to the Huruf al-Hayy, I'm Aria, please come with me, we have your initial training, dormation period and preparation before you end up in the chamber."

[Hypothetical]

Marvin inclined his head. Thank god the wooziness was wearing off, because he could swear the gravity was no different than the moon's. He followed the woman and tried to learn more about the upcoming trials. "So training I understand. What's a dormation period?"

[Krul]

"Hmm, hard to explain, but basically, you'd consider it roughly equivalent to basic orientation. It's part of the process, and it your case shouldn't take long, the Old Man already has said your needed. But sometimes it can last a month, at the moment, let's just say this is going to take a day or so, to prepare, then we'll move on." The blond woman moved though the room with a certain measure of grace and skill, and she began to speak as she guided you down the hall. Even as she did, you see a man exit a room with some measure of goop on him and a towel around his waist, followed by another young woman, and they turned the corner.

"That was Erin and John, you'll meet John later, he's been here for a bit, and just got out of the tank, so to speak." She then lead him to another room, where they began to try to explain how his mind and perspective were going to change soon.

[Hypothetical]

Over the course of a day or so, Marvin struggled to understand the impact of the changes he would get. He was a very perceptive man, as neutrals went anyway, and he knew the analogies of sight to the blind or hearing to the deaf didn't really match the extremity of this situation. He probably wouldn't understand till it happened, to be fully honest.

In the end, according to Aria, he had progressed quickly, to his surprise.

She told him it was time for the chamber, so she took him into the room. She introduced him to a rather damaged but living person in the tank, Tatie, who he would rely on for this. He was kind and courteous, used to rape victims or others badly hurt.

When asked, he dutifully stripped and got into the chamber. The goop inside coated his skin, giving an uncomfortable feeling. But he cast it aside, and turned his mind to the beginning of a whole new world.

It was to see the world in a truly clear way.

[Krul]

How to explain how color to a blind man? If they are blind from birth, only metaphors will work, but even then, they never will quite know it. As he was there in the tank, it was as though the world opened up, and he found himself in a great 3-D puzzle, actually, it was 4-D, but how to explain to someone how a 4-D puzzle works, the mind that can fully grasp it is rare.

Thousands of images, touches, tastes, sounds, he knew they were of the future, the past, and the present, they were of everwhere, and everything.

Colors, richer, sounds, more resonant, tastes, more intense, smells, stronger, touch, deeper. Light and life seemed to transform around him, and for a moment, he caught a vision.

A ship in the void, standing side by side, a thousand planets, world after world, a threat approaching all of humanity. Standing side by side with others, and for a moment he knew their faces, and knew he would see them again. A strange spiral ship he knew was alien..

And then it was over, the world, the universe, had changed, he was reborn, to a different vision of things.

[Hypothetical]

When Marvin pulled himself free, he took a moment, breathing heavily to study the changed world around him. His senses could just... it was like a great haze had been pulled from them. And he knew... knew there was a reason after all for him to be here. Something coming, he and the others, including that man John, he realized. We're going to do great things.

"Marvin?" Aria asked, breaking his awakening. "Uh, yeah. It's marvelous." Marvin breathlessly responded. Glancing at the clinging goo, he asked "I think a shower is order, right?"

Aria nodded and they left for the showers together.

[Krul]

The new clear is taken to the showers even as Aria monitors him carefully to see if he is adapting to the change, or at least managing, and he seems to be doing fine. In due time he was showered and had his clothing returned, allowing him to get dressed and then Aria smiled at him as he exited the showers. "Care to get a bit of rest, or a bite to eat?"

[Hypothetical]

Marvin shook his head. "Sleep, I think. It would help a bit." After Aria nodded her assent, he was taken to a fairly spartan room, where he slept on the bed for several hours. When he awoke, Aria was outside, waiting for him.

Soon, he had a sandwich in his hand, and a question on his lips. "More training now?"

[Krul]

"The basic and initial orientation, yes." She responded, reaching out to take his hand a moment, then to lift it up so that his palm was facing outward, and she put her own against it. "Like the Old Man says, we're all part of the noetic Totality, and now that your part of the order, you can see some of what he means, in a way you couldn't before." She drops her hand, then gestures for him to follow, to room filled with a dozen different items on a table.

[Hypothetical]

Marvin stared at one of the items, a carved wooden statuette. Feeling there was something about it, he picked it up and tried to focus on its noetic vibes.

Feelings of Aria, splinters, shaping and the like filtered across his mind, which connected the seperate strands together into the history of this object.

He nodded in appreciation of her skills, the statuette was well made and elegant. "I never knew you carved wood, Aria. This was what, three days ago? Impressive job."

Click to reveal..

Psi pool 9/10, Used Insight. No roll thanks to Krul.

[Krul]

She smiled as he looked over the piece of wood, and then her smile became almost radiant as he identified it as her creation. "Why thank you, Marvin, if you can ascertain that so quickly, then as the Old Man suggested, presently, your most effective mode is likely Psychometry."

[Hypothetical]

Marvin grinned that he was finding his niche. And not that far from sleuthing, in a sense. "If that's what Psychometry is like, then yes. I just was able to sense key details. And as I know from being a police detective, all you have to do is put the pieces of the puzzle together." As he smugly added the reference to his ISRA recruitment test.

[Krul]

She laughed. "Who do you think designed that particular puzzle, Marvin? Who put it together and told me to how to deliver it to you, hmm? I think, perhaps it's just about time you met the Old Man himself, he said it would be soon."

[Hypothetical]

Marvin looked at her inquisitively. "You think so? I think it is." As they left the room and began to depart, he began wondering about Herzog. The proxy was someone Marvin was very anxious to meet...

[Krul]

They didn't get past the entrance to the room, upon opening the door, Otha Herzog was standing right in front of it, and with a wink and smile, he gestured for all three of them to return to the room.

"A pleasure to meet you, young man." He glanced over at Aria a moment. "You should get used to Aria's company, as co-pilot on the Xiao Dao, if both of you take my advice, you'll see each other quite often." He paused a moment, to turn his gaze to Marvin, and for a moment, it seemed almost as though he evaluated him down to the deepest part of his soul.

"The Xiao Dao needs an investigator on board, Melvin, and in my personal opinion, you would be ideal.. interested?"

[Hypothetical]

Marvin nodded as Herzog greeted him,and raised an inquisitive eyebrow about the ship mentioned. Obviously it meant more work with Aria, which a definitely male side of him felt was a good bonus.

That did remain as to clearing the purpose of the ship with the Old Man, though Marvin did not expect being lied to. "The Xiao Dao. What is it out for? How long will this prospective mission be?"

[Krul]

"It's one of the Jumpships, and it's mission is to reestablish contact with our extrasolar colonies, as well as the alien species we've come into contact with. The local Qin in particular are eager to return to their home system. It is also under the purpose of exploration and to attempt to find the lost order of Upeo Wa Macho"

[Hypothetical]

"That sounds very good. I think I'll join." Marvin agreed. Then he connected the mention of the ship to his chamber vision, and wondered about the men and women. "Who else is on this ship, apart from myself and Aria and John?"

[Krul]

He smiled slightly. "The future isn't certain, Marvin, John could still chose to go his own way, rather then follow this particular path.. the choice, is after all, his to make. Due to a request from IRSA, you'll be aboard as part of the ship's security team." The proxy moved though the room, with an almost distracted air about him, as though he was looking at more then what was presently in front of him. "And Erin is slotted as the Pilot to Aria's co-pilot, she's presently working with John."

[Hypothetical]

Marvin nodded, as he went over the words of the Old Man. There were he understood other orders. "And other than us? Who will be on there?"

[Krul]

"Plenty of folks, actually, the crew assigned to the Jumpship is going to be around 200, counting the bioVarg and Hybrid pilots it's going to be even more." He responded, then he gazed at Marvin then Aria, a moment, a distracted air about him as though he was sorting though a dozen different visions of this moment, before speaking again. "A few of them are here, if you'd like to meet them."

[Hypothetical]

"No thank you." Marvin murmured. "I'm assuming we aren't the only order involved in this undertaking?"

[Krul]

"Don't make assumptions anymore, you don't need them, reach out to the noetic totality around you, and look for yourself." The Old Man winked at him, then moved to the door. "Your vision is now clearer, use it, my young brother." And with that, he slipped out the door, leaving Marvin and Aria alone once more.

[Hypothetical]

Marvin sheepishly smiled at Aria. "Clearer, yes. I'm still getting used to it." Taking his own words to mind, he decided that understanding his fuller powers was in order right now. "Let's go back to training, please? It helps to know how I can use it."