Disco Elysium Part #52 - 10:19-11:38: Fire Guy

Part 52: 10:19-11:38: Fire Guy

Chapter 52: 10:19-11:38: Fire Guy

Oh? What’s this?

KIM KITSURAGI: The lieutenant crouches, touching the fuel oil with his finger.

KIM KITSURAGI: “And blood. Some of it is even yours.”

Would not have pegged Interfacing for a pyromaniac, but I guess it makes sense.

One of our side missions for today will be going around to everyone and seeing what they have to say about us getting fucking shot. If I don’t cover someone, they had nothing to say.

CUNO: “People. They say you kind of *died* for a moment. That you let your shit out already, but then came back. So I guess that’s what’s cool now. Just don’t think coz’ you got half your dick shot off—and you’re an invalid now—Cuno’s gonna treat you different. Cuno doesn’t reward weakness,” he says looking at your pathetic limp. “It’s business as usual with Cuno. Cuno’s cold like that.”

Well goodbye, horrible nightmare children.

TOMMY LE HOMME: “Man, what a day… I missed out on most of the action, but I heard it was quite the encounter.” He nods thoughtfully. “Had a strong sense of *finality* to it.”

TOMMY LE HOMME: “Fuck it,” he shrugs. “I’m a bad guy now. There’s things more important than holding a grudge. It’s okay—you’ve been through enough.”

TOMMY LE HOMME: “Okay…” He seems a little apprehensive.
DRAMA: [Easy: Success] Is it… *wise* to share information about the case like this, sire?
KIM KITSURAGI: The lieutenant throws you a quick glance.

ARIST: [Medium: Success] Fuck it.

TOMMY LE HOMME: “Whooh… good on her. And good on *you* too, my man. That’s…” He looks for the words… “*Merciful*. Downright merciful—you cops keep exercising *that* muscle and people will be more willing to cooperate, you know.”
EMPATHY: [Medium: Success] He’s clearly relieved.

The dockyard is locked down. Measurehead and his goons are absent, as is the racist lorry driver. That said, we can still go talk to Call Me Mañana.

CALL ME MAÑANA: He shrugs. “There are types of danger. The one I’m usually concerned with is lung cancer, or getting mauled by wildlife. Not… bullets.”

CALL ME MAÑANA: “I’ll be okay here, doing lookout.” He surveys the red flags, draped from the harbour gates. “Quite the sight, aren’t they? Getting to like that red, I am…”

I realize, looking over these shots, that I forgot to check if the Paledriver was out and had new lines, but… not worth going back! She probably didn’t anyway!

PLAISANCE: “Oh my god, even the *police* can’t take care of all this… just look at that limp! Someone should do something about this.” She rubs her pendant between two fingers, thinking. “Maybe… I should close the bookstore and open a *psychic studio*! Yes!” She nods to herself. “It makes sense. Crime is the sixth element, you see. The darkest element.”

KIM KITSURAGI: “Yes, what Martinaise really needs is more vigilantes roaming the streets.”

ARIST: [Godly: Failure] Wait, shit, was that what she was suggesting? Man, you kinda zoned out there. Plaisance is exhausting.

PLAISANCE: “Exactly. It’s a brilliant idea. Thank you, officer! I’m going to start drawing up business plans right away.”

This should go well!

LOGIC: There isn’t. If only you had more time… more resources… who knows what you could have come up with? Maybe if there had been more money… and less speed…
ELECTROCHEMISTRY: [Easy: Success] Or *MORE* speed!

Rats.

COUPRIS KINEEMA: No reply. Only the mindless drone of static, crawling through the air.
KIM KITSURAGI: “It’s been this way for a while now.” The lieutenant shrugs. “My guess is, the Union is listening in on our conversations—and jamming outward communications to protect themselves from Krenel.”

KIM KITSURAGI: “No more dangerous than stepping between three armed mercenaries and eight Union men, I hope.” He glances over his shoulder. “I don’t like it either, but that’s the way it is. The streets seem safe enough to me. If anything, taking out the mercs made things calmer. For now…” He flicks off the radio. Silence. “You can try calling again—just don’t mention the tribunal. And remember, they’re listening in.”
PERCEPTION (HEARING): [Medium: Success] Everything sounds okay. No drumbeat of total war yet. If anything, everything sounds *too* okay…

WASHERWOMAN: “Aye, even *I* can see that. I told you not to bring your trouble with you, policeman. We’ve got troubles of our own here…”

WASHERWOMAN: She nods. “I’m not sure those were the last of the men with guns, either. There are always more coming for your kind, officer.”

That it has!

Acele is the only person in the church who gives a single shit that we’ve been shot. And we have to bring it up first!

ACELE: “Ouch.” She looks at your leg. “I did notice you limping, but I thought maybe it was your *thing* or something… When I was sixteen I used to date this guy who had a limp. But it only showed when he was sober, so I guess it wasn’t real or something. I don’t know.” She shrugs, eyes glazed over…

Well, that’s all the people we can talk to about that. Let’s go head over to Lilienne and ask about that boat.

LILIENNE, THE NET PICKER: Doesn’t look like nothing. Looks like you got banged up real good. What happened to you anyway? We heard gunshots from the town. They were closer than usual.”

LILIENNE, THE NET PICKER: “That’s nothing to brag about, officer.”
KIM KITSURAGI: “It’s not serious. He’ll be okay.”

KIM KITSURAGI: “Of course, ma’am. It’s only for a day or two—official police business.”

LILIENNE, THE NET PICKER: “Mhm, used to be some kind of fortification there before the war—for the communards. An anti-aircraft gun, I think. Bombed to bits in the landing… I haven’t been there myself—always steered clear of it.”

LILIENNE, THE NET PICKER: My husband used to drink there. Him and his drinking buddies. Always seemed like a bad place to drink to me. People died there during the landing, you know, my mother told me…”
ENCYCLOPEDIA: [Medium: Success] This must be one of the many fortifications that was used in the dying days of the Revolution. Against Coalition forces—before they took this city.

KIM KITSURAGI: “Can we maybe ask your twins about that place—before we go? Would that be all right?”

LILIENNE, THE NET PICKER: “Well—most of it’s sunken. Underwater. That means concrete under water—cut your boat if you’re not careful. Be sure to enter from the south side, water’s deep there.”

Let’s talk to the twins again.

LILIENNE’S TWIN: “That’s… uhm… nothing?” The boy pauses to think with his finger in his mouth. It’s just a sea fort and some plants. You can take a raft there. It’s great.”
LILIENNE’S OTHER TWIN: “And! And!” the other one butts in. “We make a fire. We make a… we make a fire.”
LILIENNE’S TWIN: “Mhm,” his brother nods. “Gather the sticks for the fire—and bullets. Or not real bullets, empty bullets.”

LILIENNE’S TWIN: “There are lights. The fire guy comes and asks us to put the fire out.”
REACTION SPEED: [Medium: Success] Your nerve endings *sting* from the mention of a *guy*.

LILIENNE’S TWIN: “No,” the boy answers, shaking his head vehemently.
LILIENNE’S OTHER TWIN: “Yes,” he says.

LILIENNE’S TWIN: “Because… because…” The boy pauses to think.

LILIENNE’S TWIN: “Uhm… I don’t know. He doesn’t like it. He doesn’t like people to be there. You shouldn’t go.”

LILIENNE’S TWIN: “I…” starts one of them—it’s hard to tell which one now. “I don’t know.”
KIM KITSURAGI: “Did you mean there are *electrical* lights?” He points to the streetlight.

LILIENNE’S TWIN: “No, he doesn’t live there. I don’t think.”
LILIENNE’S OTHER TWIN: “No, he lives there.” The other nods. “He’s been there twice, two times.”
LILIENNE’S TWIN: “Huh…” The first one pauses to think, then comes to some kind of conclusion. “He doesn’t live there. He isn’t there sometimes.”
KIM KITSURAGI: “Anything else? What does this guy look like?”

LILIENNE’S TWIN: “Our father killed himself.”

LILIENNE’S TWIN: “I don’t know…” The boy who made the claim finds himself unsure of it. He looks around.
LILIENNE’S OTHER TWIN: The other watches him, brows knitted. “It doesn’t even have anything to do with this, you. Father isn’t the fire guy.”

ARIST: [Challenging: Success] Okay. There’s a fire guy. You’re going to the island, where a fire guy may or may not be waiting for you. Another piece of the picture puzzle falls into place. Hopefully the result is what you’re after.

INLAND EMPIRE: [Easy: Success] Once you get in, that’s it—one pull of the starter handle and you’re off into the bay. A strange trepidation comes over you: are you sure you want to go *now*?
SAVOIR FAIRE: [Easy: Success] Have you made all the necessary preparations? Closed all your accounts?

KIM KITSURAGI: “Fine.” He gives you a resigned shrug. “Let’s *blast* Sad FM then.”

Boat Ride (Watch this)

PERCEPTION (HEARING): [Medium: Success] In the silence—a sputter of wings. A flock of quails takes off in the distance…

And so, we’ve made it to the island.

KIM KITSURAGI: “For bringing munitions to the island, maybe? And supplies. You could also *lock* the bay, when you raise the chain.”

PERCEPTION (HEARING): On the islet? There is almost no wind, just the light movement of air through the reeds. Bulrushes swaying on the waterline, long dried leaves chafing against each other.

KIM KITSURAGI: “Yes?”

KIM KITSURAGI: “Insulindian Citizens Militia. It’s the official name of the communards’ army. The Black and White Army of the Revolution.”

KIM KITSURAGI: “It’s impossible to say.” He looks toward the darkened doorway. “It was chaos after the war. The name was good for getting people to join us—Revachol West was mostly workers and criminals…”
RHETORIC: [Medium: Success] …nice *political* thoughts rush through your neocortex.

KIM KITSURAGI: “No.” He looks at it. “An *upside down* star.”

KIM KITSURAGI: “No. That’s the *uninhabited archipelago.*”

KIM KITSURAGI: “After… He thinks. “44 years? That’s not nearly enough to hide what happened here, lieutenant-yefreitor.”

From here, our only option is to head inside through the nearby door.

KIM KITSURAGI: The lieutenant puts his hand on the metal barrel, checking for warmth…

KIM KITSURAGI: “Liquid carbon, I would imagine it takes *mazut*.” He points to the open fuel cap on the side of the dynamo. The kind that’s favoured by vagrants and fuel thieves. It’s been a long winter… Long and cold.”