200 cycles after Catastrophe, how should those events be marked? Commemoration could bring comfort and unity. Will you help to make it happen?
Level: 12
Start: Ava Dusol, Government Center, The Maid of Orléans
Introduction
Before you, the forecourt of the government center thrums with activity as busy workers prepare for some sort of event. A huge flag with the number 200 on it is being unfurled ahead. The public address system squawks and peeps as someone runs audio checks. You stop to take it all in. Occasionally a harried resident bustling to an errand inside the building stops briefly to check out the view, before wandering off again. You notice that, off to the side, an agitated figure darts from one passerby to another, as if pursuing a fruitless query. After meeting with another shake of the head, she turns her attentions to you.
She says: Excusez-moi, I'm looking for an old man; Cédric, little bit frail-looking, sometimes with a pebble in his hand, you have seen him, yes? Somewhere nearby?
The stress in her eyes is clear as she waits nervously for your answer.
- "I haven't seen anyone matching Cédric's description."
- "Is Cédric missing? Is he in danger?"
Missing:
Me: Is Cédric missing? Is he in danger?
She shakes her head quickly.
She says: No, no, danger. Nothing like that. But he was supposed to be here by now… I hope he didn't change his mind. He's very important for our event. Oh, Cédric, you silly man! Where did you go?!
As she talks, you notice that she wears a pin badge with the same number on it as the huge flag being hoisted up behind her: 200. She fiddles with it nervously as she checks her pocket slate for good news but, apparently, there is none. She shunts the slate back into her pocket in frustration.
- Ask about the event.
- Wish her luck in the search and leave her to it.
- "I haven't seen anyone matching Cédric's description."
Luck:
Me: That sounds stressful. Good luck with your search. Good bye.
She sighs heavily, wiggling her shoulders as if trying to release the tension from them, before dashing off to ask the next person about Cédric's whereabouts. You walk off the other way, trying to remember what you were planning for today before she approached you.
You have failed the "A Difficult Anniversary" mission. You can retake this mission and try again.
Haven't seen:
Me: I haven't seen anyone matching Cédric's description. Sorry.
She replies: Ah zut! Where can he be? This is not good…
Her eyes scan the surroundings once more, but seemingly to no avail.
- Wish her luck in the search and leave her to it.
- Ask about the event.
Luck:
Me: That sounds stressful. Good luck with your search. Good bye.
She sighs heavily, wiggling her shoulders as if trying to release the tension from them, before dashing off to ask the next person about Cédric's whereabouts. You walk off the other way, trying to remember what you were planning for today before she approached you.
You have failed the "A Difficult Anniversary" mission. You can retake this mission and try again.
Event:
You glance again at the bustling scene in the Government Center forecourt. A small fork-lifter is maneuvering a large public display screen onto a tall scaffold stand.
Me: This looks like a big event. Is Cédric one of your workers?
The woman emits a somewhat impatient sigh, as if the answer to your question should be obvious.
She says: Don't be a dummy! Cédric is a survivor; the most well-known on Orléans. We don't need him for physical jobs, he's part of the ceremony! We can't commemorate the 200 without survivors, can we?
You suspect she's taking you for an inattentive local rather than a visitor, but let it slide on account of the evident stress she's feeling.
- Wish her luck in the search and leave her to it.
- "What's the 200?"
- Offer to help find Cédric.
Luck:
Me: That sounds stressful. Good luck with your search. Good bye.
She sighs heavily, wiggling her shoulders as if trying to release the tension from them, before dashing off to ask the next person about Cédric's whereabouts. You walk off the other way, trying to remember what you were planning for today before she approached you.
You have failed the "A Difficult Anniversary" mission. You can retake this mission and try again.
200:
Me: What's the 200? Is it something to do with Catastrophe?
She looks at you like you're a bad student who finally got something right, then smiles warmly.
She replies: Bon. You're not a complete alien, after all! Yes, we're marking 200 cycles of survival since Catastrophe. Well, we may not sync with the clocks exactly… But what matters is to bring people together; to recognize we're lucky to be here at all. An important message, I think. Better late than never!
There's evident passion in her voice and you sense that this event means a lot to her. You glance about, hoping to catch sight of the old man she seeks, but see nobody of that description.
- Offer to help find Cédric.
- Wish her luck in the search and leave her to it.
Luck:
Me: That sounds stressful. Good luck with your search. Good bye.
She sighs heavily, wiggling her shoulders as if trying to release the tension from them, before dashing off to ask the next person about Cédric's whereabouts. You walk off the other way, trying to remember what you were planning for today before she approached you.
You have failed the "A Difficult Anniversary" mission. You can retake this mission and try again.
Help:
Me: I could help you find Cédric?
She says: Really, you'd do that? It'd be a big help. I'm so busy here with the final preparations… We want to bring everyone together. Young and old; survivors; next generation; Consortium and Gaule… It's time to remember what we all have in common. We're all human, after all!
It's clear to you that this is much more than a simple party, and that finding Cédric is important. This anniversary seems to matter a lot, at least to some people.
She says: I don't know where Cédric is, but he's not at home. I already checked there. Maybe he got scared, with all the painful memories coming back. I know he likes walks, but I don't have time to search the whole station for him… If you can find him and get him back here, I'd be so grateful! Oh, and I'm Ava by the way, I'll be here waiting!
With that, she flashes you a grateful smile, before walking off to check on the progress of the workers in the forecourt ahead.
You have accepted the "A Difficult Anniversary" mission.
Search The Maid of Orléans to find Cédric Delastre and persuade him to attend Ava's 200 event.
Next area: Lounge, The Maid of Orléans
OR
Next area: Market, The Maid of Orléans
OR
Next NPC: Cedric Delastre, Ruins, The Maid of Orléans
Market:
- Search the Market for signs of Cédric.
The Market is quiet at this time but you find a bored-looking snacks vendor towards the rear.
He says: Cédric? Yeah, I knows 'im. Nice fella. Stops here for a crêpe every now and again. Chats a bit, sometimes. Nothing too personal, though… I know he likes Gaule classics though, never has anything imported off a Consy station, makes a fuss about it n'all! Anyway, I better get myself back to it, no rest for the wicked, haw haw!
He chuckles gruffly as you thank him, before heading off to continue your search.
Keep searching The Maid of Orléans to find Cédric.
Lounge:
- Ask around the Lounge for Cédric.
In the Lounge, your queries are met mostly with shrugs and stares. Everyone knows of Cédric, but nobody knows where he is. Eventually, you find a woman who says she saw him earlier and suggests checking the ruins. You thank her and continue your search.
Go and search The Ruins for Cédric.
Next NPC: Cedric Delastre, Ruins, The Maid of Orléans
- Talk to Cédric.
Walking down the eerie walkways of The Blocks, you come across a shuffling figure moving in the opposite direction, mumbling to himself as he goes, and fidgeting with a small stone in his right hand. He's somewhat startled by your voice.
Me: You must be Cédric. Ava sent me to look for you. She's worried you won't show up to the 200 event…
Cédric scrutinizes you for a moment, before suddenly becoming quite animated.
Cédric retorts: Bah Oui! Of course I will not show up! I didn't survive that hell 200 cycles ago, so I can now stand with my enemy, pretending we're friends! Non, non, non!
Cédric's outburst is over as quickly as it came, and he returns to his ruminations, continuing his steps down the walkway. You walk alongside him.
- Ask Cédric about the enemies of which he speaks.
- Ask Cédric about the small pebble in his hand.
Pebble:
(Social check)
Cédric seems lost in his thoughts as you wonder how to get through to him. You rack your brains to recall the few words of old Gaule which you once learned, hoping it'll break through.
Me: Cédric, écoute-moi… I'm here on behalf of Ava. I only want to help.
It seems to work. Cédric nods, then gestures to either side of the walkway, where ruined buildings sit much the same as they've been since Catastrophe. Minus a few scavenger removals in the meantime.
Cédric says: I was a boy when Cat came. Alone, and scared; father mobilized and mother killed. My stone, which so interests you, is a piece of rose granite. A reminder of the little hiding place in the station wall, where I lived, hungry and cold, through it all… I'll never forget Catastrophe, Ava knows that. But I won't play her little unity game… I won't smile with my enemy!
Cédric's fingers clench white around the polished stone in the palm of his hand, as he stares you in the eye. Ava's hope for unity and reconciliation seems far-fetched now.
- Ask Cédric about the enemies of which he speaks.
You ask Cédric who he's referring to when he speaks of "enemies". He opens his palms out as if it's obvious.
Cédric says Who do you think? Consortium! Who else could've caused Catastrophe? Weren't content with what they had, so they came after us! Only they messed up; nearly destroyed humanity in the process. No chance I want to stand beside them at Ava's little birthday party!
To your shock, Cédric spits on the floor, as if to underline his disgust for the Consortium further. You're suddenly very glad that he hasn't seen your own ID documents, otherwise he may be spitting directly at you.
- Ask if there's any way Cédric can be persuaded to attend the commemoration event.
- "You think the Consortium caused Catastrophe?"
Consortium:
Me: You think the Consortium caused Catastrophe?
Cédric shrugs: Not just me. Many here here think it. You have a better answer? Non. Neither does anyone else. So, I don't want to stand next to them now, pretending like it's all OK…
It's not the first time you've heard these kinds of arguments. They feed a hunger for answers which grips systems far and wide. Something bad happens and people try to explain it. Only, even if they can't, they won't accept not knowing. So the easy answers start to look more and more tempting. It'll be difficult to persuade Cédric to set aside his feelings for the Consortium and join in with Ava's commemoration.
- Ask if there's any way Cédric can be persuaded to attend the commemoration event.
Me: Please Cédric. Isn't there some way I can persuade you to come? You're well-known here… Ava says she needs you. The whole point of remembering is to bring people together!
Cédric shakes his head firmly.
He says: Non. I know why she wants me there. If I can smile, standing next to some blue, then anybody can. But I won't do it. It's either Cédric or Consortium, but never both!
With an emphatic flourish, Cédric stomps his foot and resumes down the walkways of the Ruins. You wonder whether it's worth trying to persuade him one more time, or to seek another way to change his mind.
- Find another way to get Cédric to attend Ava's commemoration event.
- Give up. Getting Cédric to attend the commemoration seems impossible.
- Try to convince Cédric to change his mind.
Another way:
You think back to Ava's noble ambitions to help humanity. It's a worthy cause and you're not ready to disappoint her just yet. If only you could diminish Cédric's hatred of the Consortium somehow? You wonder if there's someone else on the station who could help. With a determined march, you set off - more in hope than expectation - to search for some mysterious stranger that can help you change Cédric's thinking.
Search the station for someone to help you change Cédric's mind about the 200 event's Consortium visitors.
Next NPC: Miranda Saiph, Lounge, The Maid of Orléans
- Talk to Miranda.
In the Lounge you come across a striking figure, whose outfit contrasts with those around her: a long gown in a deep shade of Consortium blue. A beautiful brooch on her chest catches the Lounge lighting, drawing your attention. It features the number 200. You approach her.
Me: Not from around here, are you? I can spot a fellow blue in a sea of red. Here for the commemoration?
She says: Yes. I've come from Tau Station, so I'm a long way from home. Sit. Join me. I'm Miranda Saiph. You here for the same thing?
She smiles gently, beckoning you to join her. You perch on a stool next to her, contemplating your answer.
Me: Kind of. Yeah. I'm helping the organizers actually. Need to persuade a stubborn local survivor that it's worth attending…
She replies: Well, I'm a survivor myself and I didn't need much convincing to come… It's a beautiful thing, this commemoration. I wish more stations were doing something like it.
She nods her head, as if in agreement with herself, then takes a sip from a cup of herbal tea.
- Ask Miranda what made her come all this way for the event.
- Ask Miranda about her survivor experiences.
Experiences:
Me: So, you lived through Catastrophe? What was it like?
Miranda smiles kindly in a way which suggests she feels your question is naive, and she forgives you for it entirely.
She says: Sometimes, big questions have short answers. I was only a little girl at the time, alone, and I didn't have anybody to explain it to me. But I think…
Miranda blinks away a solitary tear, wiping her face with a synthetic-silk tissue.
She continues: It was humanity's most desperate moment… Take the worst horrors you ever heard about on old Earth. Then imagine it in an environment a thousand times tougher. Words can't describe it, young one. Those who lived it can never leave it behind. But, that doesn't mean we're powerless. We can all create a little kindness, if we try… It helps.
Miranda smiles serenely in the way that only those at peace with themselves and the world can.
- Ask Miranda what made her come all this way for the event.
- Ask Miranda to persuade Cédric to attend Ava's commemoration event.
What made her come:
Me: You've come so far. Why? Isn't there something like it back home?
There's a knowing smile on Miranda's face as if she's been asked that a lot already.
Miranda replies: Not all stations wanted to mark the anniversary. Too divisive, they said. Reminds people we still don't really understand Catastrophe. But here, on The Maid, they weren't scared of that. And they invited visitors from all over, even Consortium stations… That's not a little thing. You know how some Gaule feel about us.
Miranda pauses as if trying to gather her thoughts into a single, clear expression.
She says: Ava, the organizer, she gets it. She sees the divisions everywhere, new and old, and how Catastrophe only made them worse… And she wants us to look at each other differently. All human, all with something in common… It's a good message.
Miranda falls silent again, turning back to her cup of tea.
- Ask Miranda to persuade Cédric to attend Ava's commemoration event.
(Social check)
You compose yourself, thinking of the best way to explain things to Miranda.
Me: Remember Cédric, the old survivor I mentioned? He won't attend the event because Consortium residents, like you and me, are invited… Kinda undermines the whole point of the thing. Maybe talking with you would change his mind. Would you do that?
Miranda says: I like you, <name>. You care… Alright. I'll talk to Cédric. Just tell me when and where.
You quickly give Miranda the details of where she can find Cédric, then resolve to go tell Ava of your progress.
Return to Ava Dusol at the Government center to tell her of your progress.
Next area: Government Center, The Maid of Orléans
- Find Ava Dusol.
You arrive back at the Government Center to find the 200 commemoration already underway. The forecourt which was completely clear earlier is now filled with thousands of station residents and visitors. You shuffle forward, eventually taking a spot near to a huddle of observing newscast reporters. The event seems to have attracted quite a lot of attention: even the famous writer, Shadow, is in attendance, tapping away at a slate while watching the scene unfold. Ahead, the display screen toggles images of residents from far and wide, accompanied by the words: 'Togetherness. Unity. Celebrate 200'. Below it, you see Ava standing on a small podium. Her voice comes through the public address speaker.
Ava says: Citizens of all creeds, I thank you for being here! My message to you is simple: today is not about a number, but an idea instead! We all, in our own ways, live with Catastrophe; but it is up to us to decide how! Today, we stand together and say: it will not divide us!
There's a burst of applause that echoes deafeningly off the station's pink granite walls.
Ava continues: Let us now take a moment to reflect on our achievements. Resilience and survival are to be cherished and celebrated!
Behind Ava, you notice various dignitaries on a stage, sporting the diverse crests and colors of their home stations and affiliations. Many are elderly, and likely to be survivors. In the middle of them all stands Cédric, alongside Miranda; both listening intently to Ava's words. Even from afar, you can see Cédric's hand, fidgeting with a small pebble as a tear runs down his smiling cheek. A 50-unit silence of remembrance follows, after which the commemoration comes to a close. As the formalities disband, Ava approaches you from the crowd.
Next NPC: Ava Dusol, Government Center, The Maid of Orléans
- Talk to Ava.
Ava says: There you are. <name>, the miracle worker! I don't know how you did it, but thank you so much for persuading Cédric to attend. It really means a lot… It just wouldn't be same without everybody represented.
Ava smiles again as she glances around the still-busy forecourt, where people of all ages and backgrounds are lingering to chat and share a moment of fellowship together. The whole scene resembles a rare festival of normality; a welcome respite from the hardships and tensions which more often define their days. Ava turns to rummage in her pack for something.
Ava says: Here. I got an extra 200 pin badge for you. Something to remember this day by… Plus, I talked my secretary into paying you an honorarium for your efforts. It's not a lot, just symbolic really, but we wanted to show our gratitude. Thanks again!
Ava bids you farewell and goes to join a nearby huddle of retired military officers, some in Gaule uniform and others in Consortium colors. It's a strange sight, and not one you've ever seen before. Maybe, if Ava keeps up her good work, it'll be one you see more of in the future.
You have received 200.00 credits.
You have received 1 'The 200 Commemorative Pin Badge'.
You have completed the "A Difficult Anniversary" mission.
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