luministi | [02] Full of Ideas

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[02] Full of Ideas

[Hello, fellow residents. Have a Doctor, pacing in front of the bar. The CAT is in his hands, video turned on.]

Oi, you lot! Listen up. If your CAT says it's August, it's wrong -- June was eleven months ago. Now, either someone's been tampering with these things on purpose, or there was a bug in the programming. I'm about to find out. Might even clear up a few other things while I'm at it. I'm full of ideas about this case, got a whole list of potential suspects. If anyone wants to swap clues, come find me. Could do with a bit of company.

[filtered to Ten and Brax;]

Speaking of company, I think we ought to move in together. Bit domestic, I know, but it's...lonely, being by myself. 'Course, it's been lonely ever since I blew up Gallifrey. Er...since we blew it up? Blimey, it's odd having a self around all the time. Mind you, I think it's fantastic, even though you're annoying.

[/filter]

[and now he's walking into the bar, looking for Audrey]

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What sort of potential suspects do you have, Doctor?

And you mean it's...May? I would have expected nearly September, but you're right, the weather's certainly wrong for that. How strange.

Is that the White Rabbit? I can be there shortly.

The Sheriff, Audrey, Resarci, Calign, even whoever the bloke is that programs the CATs. And yep, it's May! Apparently it's gonna get very hot in the summer. Someone's been mucking about with these things, and I think it's on purpose. Audrey knows a lot about them, so I'm thinking she can tell me how.

[smiles] It's the White Rabbit, yes. I'll be waiting for you.

My, that's quite a lot of suspects... Do any of them seem more likely than any others?

[Sophie herself looks rather more cheerful than usual] I won't be long. [in fact, she's on her way there already]

Edited 2010-08-03 01:26 (UTC)

We're about to find out if Audrey's a likely suspect -- all I know is she knows a lot about the CATs. Resarci and the Sheriff both seem likely too, considering all the stuff we've learned about them. I'll fill you in when you get here.

[and when she does arrive, she gets a hug. Yes, a hug.]

[Sophie is surprised by that hug, but thankfully she's in a pleasant enough mood that she lets him hug her without even stiffening. in fact, she might hug him back just a little]

Are you all right, Doctor? Only, you seem to be acting a bit odd. Are you sure you're well enough to talk to Audrey? Not that I find her a terribly likely suspect, unless you have more information than I do? Is it simply because she knows so much about the CATs? I suppose they could be used to explain our weather troubles and the like...

[yay hugs] Odd? I dunno, I feel fine. Just a bit lonely. More than usual, I mean. And yeah, that's why I'd like to talk to her. Think she might know about that glitch, and who could've caused it. If she's got an eye for technology, she might know about the phone booth, too.

Really? Well, I'm glad you're willing to talk instead of stalking off to blow things up this time. I could use a bit of conversation.

Do you mean, why the other residents couldn't see it? I have received several odd messages over my CAT recently. Have you? Perhaps you're right. We might be able to learn something by talking to her.

Are you ready to go in?

You and me both. I could always use a bit of conversation, actually, I just don't like talking about me, 'cause who I am and where I'm from is a touchy subject, considering my planet's gone now and it's all my fault. [he looks vaguely horrified that he just admitted this and slaps a hand over his mouth, simply nodding and walking inside, approaching the bar]

[stares at him, taken rather aback by that sudden and unexpected admission] But aren't you and Mr Braxiatel and the other Doctor from the other place?

[but she has enough sense to take a break in her questioning in order to follow him inside]

[Audrey's busy at the bar, wiping things down and rearranging things, but something isn't right about her today. normally, she's relaxed and chatting up the regulars--even shouting and butting in on other conversations halfway across the pub--but today...she seems off. nervous, even.]

[that is, until she notices the pair entering the pub. she looks up expectantly, then her shoulders sag a bit, but she still puts on a smile. they're customers, after all.]

Hello there, my darlings. What can I get for you?

[gently] A few answers, Audrey, that's all. I've heard you're the one to talk to about the CATs, and I wanna know why our dates were wrong. D'you think it was a glitch in the system, or was it on purpose? Who could've changed them, and what for?

[Sophie would have let him take the lead, but she feels the need to say something as well] And why do we keep receiving such strange messages over them? Has that been happening to you as well?

Not your typical date then, huh? [she sweeps a strand of hair out of her face as she smiles, then reaches behind her to untie the apron she's wearing.] Hold on a moment, huh? I do this sort of thing on the side, so hush. Go have a seat in the corner booth over there and I'll join you. I'm due for a break anyway.

[she walks away into the backroom, yelling at someone to cover for her]

Said it was August, instead of May. But alright, we'll take a seat. Come on, Sophie. [he tugs her into the booth, watching Audrey walk away. then, quietly;]

I don't find her a terribly likely suspect either, but something's off, I think.

She's certainly upset about something. And concerned about us talking in front of everyone. I wonder why that would be.

[it takes a couple minutes for her to emerge from the backroom, and when she does, she's carrying three glasses and a basket piled high with steak cut fries balanced carefully on a tray. she leans back to yell:] --and let me know when Andre gets here! It's important. [then she makes her way over to the booth]

Sorry about that, darlings. Don't like to keep two budding lovebirds waiting. [she smiles, setting the tray down and sets a glass down in front of both of them, before she reaches behind her for one of the chairs and sits backwards on it.] So! CAT business, huh? I don't know too much; just what I've figured out in my spare time, you know? [reaches for some fries, talking with her mouth half-full] So you think you got a glitch in yours, huh? Give 'em here.

[embarrassed] Oi, we're not lovebirds, we barely know each other. And here's mine. Got an unregistered message and the date was wrong, but the Sheriff fixed it. [hands it to her] He says you taught him the trick for recording, too...have you taught him anything else? What's your opinion of him? And what sort of important business have you and Andre got, if you don't mind me asking? [he takes a break from questions now, because omnom food]

No, we certainly are not! [she sounds almost amused, though; it's all a side effect of the happiness, really. otherwise she would be quite affronted right about now]

I received an unregistered message as well, and the date is still wrong on mine. [hands her CAT to Audrey] Although I didn't know that it had a date function until after I found out it was wrong, but I know how to see it now. I thought I'd come here on Midsummer's Day, but it seems it's much earlier than that! It's really very surprising. What could anyone possibly gain by confusing us about the date?

[frowns, wiping her hands quickly before taking them both] Is that the same for everyone? [fixes Sophie's date] And I don't have any important business with him. He's late for his shift and I'm getting worried about him. He's never late...

But are you kidding? You should've seen how much trouble Sheriff Iussus had learning that function alone! I had to create a special shortcut for him on the main menu so he'd quit his bitching. There's no way he'd stand to learn any other sort of "tricks". They're not really tricks either. Things like that and other things should have been explained in the man--[cuts off, frowning even more.] Now that isn't right.

[frowns too] I think it is, yeah. What other things should've been explained? And what's not right?

Yes, please, is there more you could tell us about the CATs? I'm afraid I come from a world without any such technology, and I find it all terribly confusing. No one has told us a thing about how to use them!

But that's the problem! These should have come with a how-to guide to access things like the music player, the video/audio recorder, the temperature gauge--even a little laser light guide for when you want to put up shelves! But that guide isn't here. Not on either of yours. You have the correct model of the CAT device, but the software lacks all the extra drivers and fixtures. I bet you can't even change--[changes the shape of Nine's CAT into its pin form]--well, at least you can do that.

[she falls silent while she plugs away at both CATs] Both of you ought to be able to record messages and live conversations now, except I gave you a tiny little red light instead of the big glowing thing Iussus wanted. Only wanted it that way because he thought the light would be intimidating.

Anyway. [she sighs and hands the CATs back to them] The most important functions on these, you already know how to use. You can message people with a video, strictly audio, or text only, and I've seen plenty of you doing that just fine. But you mentioned something about an unregistered CAT device, huh...? [takes a drink of her water] That's another thing that isn't right. All CATs are supposed to be registered, due in part that there's a little GPS signal inside that tracks your whereabouts. It's part of the reason you can't leave a room without it. It lets any CAT user know where to find you if you go into the Town Directory and look them up. [pulls out her CAT, taps Sophie's name and picture, and it shows a little arrow on the screen pointing at the White Rabbit--then turns it around to show them] See?

But if it's unregistered, then that person can go about as they please and wander around without a CAT. They're virtually untraceable. That is...until they contact a registered user. Then there is a chance they can be traced, but it's awfully difficult.

Thanks, Audrey. D'you know why ours haven't got all the bells and whistles? And I'd appreciate a few pointers on tracing an unregistered CAT. I'm very, very good at this sort of thing, trust me. We've got messages to work with. But whoever's been sending these messages isn't the murderer, they're a friend. They don't trust the Sheriff to sort things out, though, that's clear enough.

Yes, they tried to hint to us who the murderer might be. They must know, but, for some reason, think that we need to know more than the sheriff. [blinks] That really is quite odd, now that I think about it... After all, only townspeople have died; not the new residents.

Couldn't the same principle be used to find the murderer? We would simply need to know which CAT was in the location of the murders at the proper time. Is there a way to check that?

I can't think of why they wouldn't. It could've been reset when that stupid weather systems update went out. Damn program never did work right for me.

I'm not at all surprised they're trying to help you with the investigation. Sheriff Iussus is a good man, but...he's not always too bright. He relies too much on the evidence in front of him and not enough on his intuitive thinking skills.

But truthfully, I'm not exactly sure if there is a way to trace the CAT location on the days of the murders. They only do real-time locations, not past. And Andre's the one you should talk to about tracing CAT signals like that. I only know so much... Sorry. [takes another fry, stuffing that into her mouth. the door opens again and she spins around to see if Andre's there, and it isn't. just another regular. she sighs and starts wringing her hands around her glass, her expression worried]

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[02] Full of Ideas

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