SERGEANT NPC CONTACT

[cartesio]

The Lodge is located on the hills near the town, large and strange. It contrasts a lot when compared to the rest of the town -- its gray and white walls are quite the change from the vibrant and colorful Cartesio, the plants and bushes that are planted on the lower levels of the Lodge only make the contrast more obvious. There are many windows, but no matter how much you look you don't see anyone passing behind them. If you didn't know better you'd think it was completely empty.

But it isn't empty. The Sergeant is there.

You won't get too far into the Lodge before you encounter the Sergeant. There he is in the lobby, standing in front of a door that leads deeper into the building. No matter at what time you come or what you do, he'll always be there, reading self-help books, or with a mirror, practicing his next speech/confrontation. When he's not facing all of you at once, he seems to be easier to talk with.

Want to bother him?

Comments

[cartesio]

[Exactly, Kino]

I think I was born with it.

[quickpersuader]

I didn't realize you came from a world with powers like that.

...

I'm starting to feel left out.

[This is possibly a dry joke.]

[cartesio]

I'm not like most people, that's why I can. That's why I'm in this job -- not here in Cartesio, I mean in this job with my superior. Only I can do a few things others can't.

[Someone who can keep the thirty people he kidnapped under a certain measure of control through sheer force is the best kind of people for the job, even if he's not experienced in other important areas such as, you know, being shrewd enough to do this]

[quickpersuader]

Like what kinds of other things?

[Why's everyone got powers what the heckie.]

[cartesio]

You have seen me, right? I can use some electricity, use blunt force, some telekinesis... [He puts a hand against his ear for a moment] Other varied minor abilities I can't list right now because it'd take too long.

All I can say is that I can deal with anything you guys do. That's a certainty.

[quickpersuader]

["Because it'd take too long."]

I'm starting to be envious.

[Boo.]

Then you can just wave your hand and people think they live here?

[cartesio]

.........pretty much.

[Well that was a pause. It doesn't seem like he has lied about the ability to modify memories, but it does seem he's concealing information about how easy it is]

[quickpersuader]

[...What an impressive pause.]

What about undoing it? Does it damage their memories completely?

[cartesio]

I could reverse it, but I don't see a reason to do so. There should be no lasting effects if I do.

[quickpersuader]

I see... that's more impressive than the methods used in my world. Operations, drugs... as far as I know, none of them can be reversed like that.

[If only. There's a whole country Kino would like to recall.]

How precise is the erasure, anyway? Rean kept talking about people - it seemed both he and Millium knew them.

[cartesio]

I wanted to leave most of their memories intact. A person's defined by their mind, and a mind is partially defined by its memories. Removing too much would mean it's not the same person anymore.

That's something I'd really like to avoid.

[So yeah, the Sergeant removed very specific stuff and left the rest untouched]

[quickpersuader]

[Oh. That's weirdly careful.]

Why is it so important for them to have the same personality? Does it even matter if they're going to stay here forever as townspeople?

[cartesio]

It's the least they deserve.

[He shakes his head]

Can we not talk about this?

[quickpersuader]

Why? Do you feel bad for them?

[cartesio]

Today I promised someone I wouldn't talk about this. Their part of the deal hasn't been done, but I'm certain they will do it. If I keep talking, I will say something I shouldn't.

Better safe than sorry.

[quickpersuader]

[Kino's eyes narrow just slightly.]

Then is it okay if I ask about the lodge instead? It's weird - I found blueprints for everything except that.

[cartesio]

...there's not really much to say about it.

[He seems evasive. You're hitting the tough topics today, Kino!]

[quickpersuader]

[Destroying his stomach wasn't enough. ]

Did you or your group build it?

[cartesio]

I'm pretty sure my superior's group built it. When I joined them, it already existed.

[quickpersuader]

Did the group exist before you joined it, then?

[cartesio]

Since several years ago. I haven't told much about the history of the group, but I think they have been around for quite a while -- founded by my superior, most likely.

[quickpersuader]

Did it exist in this world for some time, too? Or only your own?