melodiesoflife | Hidden Truth [Log]

What: A log for everyone to gain the information in the Hidden Truth video tape.
Where: The Observatory.

There had been a flurry of letters sent out from Jack and Chiaki, first to Zelda to ask to borrow the Observatory, and then to every Hero of Light, alerting them that they had uncovered some intelligence received in the Heran Empire before the Capital had fallen to Crystal, and that everyone needed to see it immediately.

Jack, Chiaki, and a few others brought in a screen connected to a machine that some would recognize as a VCR. "With our peace mission to the Imperial Capital over Christmas, we returned with a recording made on 20th-century Earth technology, the kind that doesn't have an analogue on Crystallis. It took us time to build a machine to be able to play it. This information comes from Kalki, recorded what appears to be years ago. We obtained it from the Imperial Spy, Jenni. As of right now, we still have no reason to believe that Kalki is alive. But this comes from her, and I apologize to everyone who might be upset by seeing her again."

With that, Jack plays the recording. He stands by the screen and repeats the words for everyone to hear, for those who cannot understand English. Since Kalki's first words are to explain why she is recording it this way, it makes sense why he has to do this. He keeps his own emotions in check throughout, until the explanation of the Bard song that everyone gets to hear. That seems to upset Jack.

Once the recording is over, Jack pauses. "We will need some help from any other English speakers to create a written transcript of the recording so that anyone can access this information at any time. The tape and player will remain here for any Heroes to review. We ask that you please be careful with the machine."

Finally, Jack sits down to let the room descend into the inevitable chaos.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Upon receiving the message, Sheena had hightailed it to the meeting, curious about what was going on. As she sat and watched the video, she was reminded of the hologram communicators at the human ranches, but this had been recorded? And wasn't live? Like a moving painting...

But even as she watched Kalki's expression and listened to Jack translate, there was one thing that had caught Sheena's attention. By the time the video ended and Jack sat down, her confusion had deepened into complete puzzlement.

"If there's nothing like this...tape...on Crystallis, then how did Kalki get it? Did she make it? How did she learn it? Is there a connection to this Earth we don't know about?"

Were the "Ancients" from that world? And is that connection part of the problem they now faced?

"When he was here, Dr. Banner had an interesting idea about that, actually. Each cycle, people have been coming here from various worlds and building or bringing their own pieces of technology. Things not native to this world. As complicated as a motorcycle or the telescope. As simple as a ballpoint pen."

"The Calamity kills all life on the planet, but maybe it doesn't erase the technological advances that we have made while we are here. Lost technology and remnants of worlds we can't even understand? Maybe somebody just left behind a damn video camera." Jack sounds a little sad as he talks about the theory and he finally shrugs. "It's one idea."

Sheena really didn't know what he was talking about, but she was reminded of the Rheaird that had appeared from her home. Had it be transported to this place, or had it been built somehow?

Sheena's confusion doesn't ease any as she watches and listens. "So, each time the Calamity comes, it kills all life? What happens then? Does it go back into that Rift thing and reset time or something?" They do have the Time Mage job and there was the whole Time Travel thing at one point.

Not to mention pulling people from different times and...realities?

Jack holds his hands out to the sides. "To be fair, we aren't sure of that? Maybe it really does destroy the world utterly. We've been under the assumption that some sort of reset happens, and now at least this confirms that the reset is controlled by Garland."

"There's very little proof that we have outside of memories, except for..." He glances at Sheena uneasily, because this is the most disturbing thing to explain to someone who hasn't already heard about it. "You are aware of the presence of the doppelgangers on this world?"

Please don't let Jack be the bearer of this news...

Sheena shook her head. "According to what we found at the Tower, it's more than 'maybe' I think. About destroying the world, I mean." She paused. "There was a note written in what did they call it? Ancient. Wishing the next round of Heroes good luck in stopping the Calamity. And there was also a simulation." Since there was no other note saying they had succeeded, what else could they guess. But that led to another question.

Which would wait for a moment.

"The doppelgangers? Are you talking about there being doubles of some of the Heroes?" Like the two Yunas?

"See, that!" Jack points at Sheena in excitement. "The machine, the note! If the whole world got destroyed, that wouldn't have been left behind! So, the technology has to stay!" He grins, and then the look slowly melts off his face. It's incredible how he can suddenly become so excited almost like a kid and then his mood swings right down again.

"Bruce figured that all out in only a week... Didn't know what we knew, but he got it. He didn't even need any context. Why couldn't he have stayed? I-" Jack shakes his head. Not time for that now.

"I meant...not Yuna, but the other versions of Heroes? Were you here? When we had that vision of the previous cycle?"

Reminded of Raine in one of her "Mania" moments, Sheena flinches slightly from Jack's excitement, half expecting him to get out of hand. Luckily, that doesn't happen, and she's able to focus on what he's saying. "Not just the technology, but for the most part, the buildings too." Well, the tower at least.

There's something about the way he speaks about Bruce that touches Sheena, and her brows knit in concern. But perhaps that's a matter best saved for later. "Sounds like your friend is pretty smart," she says instead.

"Oh. No," she tells him with a shake of her head. "I arrived when... Well... Aqures Tosf." She doubts she has to say more than that. "What happened?"

Hidden Truth [Log]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject