Part 8: 19:07-20:36: These Pants Are A Burden
Chapter 8: 19:07-20:36: These Pants Are A BurdenWell, lets go see if we can find another way past Measurehead.
CALL ME MAÑANA: Sorry. Busy surveying the situation. He takes a swig from his flask. Im sure youll figure something out. You guys gave all sorts of gadgets these days. Wire tapping. Telescopic batons. Futuristic circuit-bending to infiltrate harbour machinery. Maybe you could even knock that Kvalsund crane over using some remote controls
KIM KITSURAGI: Because we dont. We dont have air supportor any of those other things.
CALL ME MAÑANA: I get it, hush-hush about the secret technology. He pats the side of his nose with his index finger.
CALL ME MAÑANA: Firstdont fight him. Obviously. Second, get him to share his theory by being *subordinate*. Admit your lack of expertise. Basically grovel. Thats how Id do it, he tips his beret and concludes: Youre welcome.
CONCEPTUALIZATION: [Easy: Success] Hmm maybe that *would* work? Well have to see.
We never checked out the watermarks under the headlights, so lets get on that.
KIM KITSURAGI: He turns the pre-heater on, waits, takes out his keys and says: All right. Ready. I turn, you press STARTits next to the pre-heater.
COUPRIS KINEEMA: The lights unfold with a little click, casting electrical light onto the ground before the vehicle.
KIM KITSURAGI: There she is: Revachol West. Theres a note of pride in the lieutenants voice.
DAMAGED LEDGER: You catch a faint glimmer from a broken beer bottle. In the distancesounds. Two men engaged in a drunken argument, followed by the closing of some distant window.
KIM KITSURAGI: Let me see. He takes the ledger for a moment and inspects it.
KIM KITSURAGI: Those are *perforations*. They represent your record as an officer of the RCM. Theyre your statistics, as it were. I should have guessed you keep a record, officers often do. Lets take a look
KIM KITSURAGI: Yes, that *does* seem quite likely. Your youth coincided with some heady days for Revachol. But lets move on, shall we? This next rowthe one that wraps all the way aroundis your number of closed cases. *Closed* is good. It means finished. Youve got, lets see
KIM KITSURAGI: For an RCM officerespecially Precinct 41, which is in the Jamrock Quarterits rather tame. I mean that in a good way. There are certain officers who treat their kills like some kind of ghoulish game. If they do happen to *solve* a case its usually by accident. Its obvious the lieutenant doesnt think very highly of these officers
KIM KITSURAGI: Yes, he says, declining to elaborate.
KIM KITSURAGI: Everyone has their own method of coping, some more effective, or self-destructive, than others He gives you a meaningful look.
KIM KITSURAGI: Why not gardening? Youve already got the gloves He points at your yellow gardening gloves.
KIM KITSURAGI: Right. Ill go turn off the lights He presses a remote control on the key.
We put a point into Logic.
Heres that tank top we found last update, by the way.
And heres our Officer Profile, showing our statistics.
Lets go check our ledger again.
Dammit.
CUNOESSE: Im going away for a long long time, Cuno. Going away for life!
CUNOESSE: Stay away from me, pigyou dont wanna see what happens when you corner me.
KIM KITSURAGI: Probably some kids... The lieutenant inspects the rigged slot.
COIN-OPERATED VIEWER: A thick layer of graffito covers the lensesyou spell out the word ONUC written on the other sidewith N and C scribbled backwards.
COIN-OPERATED VIEWER: Under the graffito a sea of blues and greys appearsbehind the water lies a coast studded with concrete and reeds. On ita church on stilts, lanky weather-worn wooden planks, an x-shaped cross topping its tower.
INLAND EMPIRE: The church looks old and weather-worn. There are no lights in the windows.
Lets inspect the other viewer now.
Probably not the best idea when Im about to die on the street, but what the hey.
COIN-OPERATED VIEWER: The lenses shift, the ghost sharpens into an islet in the bay. In the runs a man-made structure is visible: a half-sunken sea-fort, its concrete almost reconquered by nature. It looks as if it was abandoned quite some time ago, nothing but a rotten tooth remains of the anti-aircraft tower. A lonely birch tree grows out of it.
This late in the day, the Whirling-In-Rags is busier. Were not here to talk, though.
Theres plenty of bottles we can pick up in our room, if you recall.
KIM KITSURAGI: He takes a step toward the door. Like hed like to leave.
After picking up all those bottles, we head back over to the suspicious Scab Leader for more tips on Measurehead.
SCAB LEADER: He smirks. Not before you get in there and get your ass whooped. Learn by failure, I always say.
Well, that didnt help much.
INLAND EMPIRE: Yes! Buy something nice! A figurine.
KIM KITSURAGI: Franconigerian knights. He looks at the dusty figurines in the dim light. I used to be very serious about these guys.
BIRDS NEST ROY: Youre probably talking about the revolutionaries, yes? the man behind the glass answers. Yesthey are soldiers. Revolutionary soldiers.
BIRDS NEST ROY: Maybe.
BIRDS NEST ROY: The Headless FALN Rider. Its an urban legendabout a man who rides the streets of Revachol sporting a FALN tracksuit. As you can see, hes missing his head. He points at the decapitated figurine.
Neat.
SHELF OF BOOMBOXES: One especially catches your eye. Deep gold and amber plastic with a big old handle on top. A classic boombox that says: STEREO 8 approved.
INLAND EMPIRE: This is you. Gold and orange. A sunset suite.
BIRDS NEST ROY: If police work means playing tapes, sure. You can use it for that. Or any other time youd need to play a tape.
Damn, cant afford it at the moment. Something to remember for later, you suppose.
BIRDS NEST ROY: What can I do for you? he asks.
BIRDS NEST ROY: Oh, no, not at all. He flashes a smile. I guess I havent had many customers lately, RCM or otherwise.
KIM KITSURAGI: Who are your customers usually?
BIRDS NEST ROY: All kinds of people come through here Locals, travellers. People looking for a deal. People looking for a keepsake. People who are terminally bored.
BIRDS NEST ROY: Why on earth? He staggers away from the glass, but quickly recomposes himself. These are prescription. I cant really see without them.
EMPATHY: [Medium: Success] Theres a note of indignation in his voice. Interesting.
BIRDS NEST ROY: He hesitates. I was I was with the Emergency Relief Brigade. You know, after the Peoples Pile disaster. He coughs, as if to mark his words. Had to take Pyrholidon for radiation sickness. Thats what you were hinting at just now, wasnt it?
BIRDS NEST ROY: 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. I lived by the river since I was a small boy. The Esperance didnt have the heart to let it all go to shit without trying to *do* something, to help out.
BIRDS NEST ROY: He hesitates. Theres a reason why everyones tried to forget any of it ever happened, and why no one has tried to repair or replace the Pile.
BIRDS NEST ROY: No ones, everyones He sighs and shakes his head.
EMPATHY: [Easy: Success] So much bitterness.
BIRDS NEST ROY: 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 dont go there, its a *shit-hole*. I said: people, we just had a *nuclear pile meltdown*. Im gonna get as far from Fauborg as I can. Still in the same city, but He shrugs.
BIRDS NEST ROY: I like theory more than story. Outward movement, not vortices.
BIRDS NEST ROY: The corpse behind the hostel, I assume He looks into the swirling lights, then to you: I dont have a truck with a mounted platform or anything of that sort myself...
BIRDS NEST ROY: Someone else came here earlier today asking the same questionI promptly sold her the gun you pawned a couple days back.
LOGIC: [Medium: Success] This is a pawn shop And it *did* feel as if youve met before. Oh god
BIRDS NEST ROY: You, uhh
VOLITION: [Medium: Success] With Kim here too?! That just sounded really, really bad.
BIRDS NEST ROY: You were adamant about getting rid of it, officer. He hesitates. Said you were *undeserving* of a service weapon of the Revachol Citizens Militia. And I dont like keeping guns around the shop for long. Off-the-charts photon emissions. The unhealthy kind.
BIRDS NEST ROY: You were very distraught. You said the gun was a threat to your life, and that you cant *trust* yourself with it tonight. And you need the money. When I said that I dont normally buy firearms, you put the gun barrel in your mouth and sort of sucked on it. Then I agreed to take it.
BIRDS NEST ROY: 15 reál.
KIM KITSURAGI: The lieutenant looks from you to Roy and then back to you. Its clear that he hopes this tableau might still turn out to be a bad dreamits not, though.
ESPRIT DE CORPS: [Medium: Success] This has got to be the most wow
BIRDS NEST ROY: She didnt seem like a policeman, although she kept referring to herself as a *Pig*. Which was odd. I found her interest in the gun a bit.. obsessive. But I was just happy to get rid of it. And of her. Truth be told, she was terrifying.
KIM KITSURAGI: Right, so let me get this right, the lieutenant turns to you, you sold your sidearm, issued by the Citizens Militia, and now a civilian is running around the streets of Martinaise with it.
BIRDS NEST ROY: My apologies, officer, but I have no idea where she was coming from or where she went.
That went about as poorly as it could have.
SAWED-OFF STREET LIGHT: The light pole has been carefully cut, and the wiring has been redone and attached to a standard indoor plug. The light buzzes faintly but persistently.
BIRDS NEST ROY: Yes, officer. As you can see, its in perfect working order.
BIRDS NEST ROY: It was brought to me to be altered.
KIM KITSURAGI: He leans in so the pawnbroker wouldnt hear him. Were not here to investigate the theft of city property.
You know instantly that you will not find enough money to purchase this street light even if you actually wanted to.
Lets talk to Kim.
KIM KITSURAGI: Well, sort of. Its less a matter of who *gets* to police Martinaise than who *has* to. Its an orphan district, in other words I think the dispatch desk just told both our stations about the hanging. There was quite the brouhaha at the 57th, I can tell you that. Time to *settle it*, they said, *Cop Off*. But He leans in: I assure you, I am not their *finest* or *toughest*, with *one-hundred-and-two cases solved*. What I am is *least interested in a pissing competition*.
KIM KITSURAGI: I agree. Too dark.
Fuckin snake eyes, goddammit!
Well, lets head back to Measurehead for now.
*sigh* Lets give it a shot, I guess.
I like how Kim reaches for his gun. Hes got our back.
Looks like Kims got something to say to us.
You already said that.
KIM KITSURAGI: He nods. Lets think of something else.
Well, I dont want to subscribe to Measureheads ideology, so we should probably see if we cant find that other route.
Behind the Whirling-In-Rags, we find whatever this is. Also, if you look closely, youll notice that we appear to have fused with Kim into one, unstoppable Hypercop.
KIM KITSURAGI: Perhaps not? He looks at you. This is below our pay grade, detective. However He points to the ladder in the corner. See that *ladder* there? Its probably another way into the industrial harbour, no? A secret path the local kids use.
Youre so smart, Kim.
We end up on the roof of the office next to Mañana.
KIM KITSURAGI: Yes. Its probably yours. It bares the RCM insignia and you have a bad habit of being careless with your equipment He judges the drop.
EMPATHY: The look in his eyes is a mix of the engineer-like interest and the wonder of a six-year-old seeing a horse for the first time.
KIM KITSURAGI: Is it? He looks at you, impressed. Kvalsund makes a lot of heavy equipment, but this is phenomenal even for them.
KIM KITSURAGI: I was under the impression we could ask the leader of the union to help us get this body down. This is why were here, right? He doesnt wait for you to answer. He looks around, wind rustling his hair. Or it could be that were just *exploring*.
KIM KITSURAGI: The cloak? I *do* think its yours, yes. As to whether you should go for it... He looks over the ledge, at the cold pavement below. Well, it doesnt seem too dangeroustwo metres tops. Whenever youre ready to do it, Ill be right behind you.
Ugh, not liking these odds. What to do?
If we want to make this jump, we could always
...take our pants and shoes off!
Much better chance of success now.
SAVOIR FAIRE: As the concrete floor welcomes you, you realize its been a while since you felt so alive, alert, capable. Must be the adrenaline.
KIM KITSURAGI: I knew you could do it! The lieutenant exclaims. My climbing down might not have been as disco as your jump, but at least we can explore the harbour now.
Thanks, Kim! Wait, you climbed down? Laaaaaaame.
And we've finally entered the harbour.