Reaping the Reaper II [TTRPG bluebooking]
"I don't like it."
Orion took out a cigarette and a lighter. He was nervous, even though he seemed relaxed. Minz knew that he was not very fond of smoking, but he couldn't control himself when anxiety hit.
"You mean that story about the skull dude and stuff?"
"I mean all of it. Okay, I get it; Militech doesn't give a flying fuck about personal matters of their employees, even those in high-ranking positions. I understand that the mother turned to you because you were the ones who witnessed her daughter's last minutes. But what makes me suspicious is the footage. I have a feeling that this whole thing was carefully orchestrated by this skull-masked puppeteer. But why would he target you and yours of all people?"
"I don't think it's about us. It was a "wrong place, wrong time" sort of situation."
Orion shook his head and started a cigarette. He sighed, letting out a thin track of smoke.
"I want you to listen carefully now. Your enemy is a manipulator with some sort of God complex. They deemed Jess unworthy and pathetic, deserving of death, and uttered similar judgments about you. They knew that the drones are not going to stop you. I bet they didn't even want to stop you. They were playing with you. Testing waters. The worst thing is that all of you can be put off balance without breaking a sweat. I needed just two sentences to enrage you. They needed two sentences to upset Star. And she is very cool-headed, like every good medtech should be. This implies they are aware of your trigger points and will take advantage of your vulnerabilities. That's precisely what I do in difficult situations. When people are off-balance, everything they do is off-balance too. And since I know how effective this tactic is, I have my concerns."
"Finding zen takes years. I'm not sure we have any good strategy against them."
"Well, you mocked them back, and it's actually good. But it's not going to be effective. They are, very much like you, a control freak."
"Getting things out of their control will put them in a vulnerable position, right?"
Orion smiled.
"Exactly. Your crew's biggest strength is how absurd you all are at times. Use this. Surprise them. And do not show anger, fear, or sadness. These emotions give them more power. Even though laughing at them won't do anything, I can totally say it stings. And the sting of one bee is rarely lethal if the person doesn't have an allergy. However, once the entire swarm stings you, it's nearly impossible to recover. Still, be aware of their breaking point, because rage blinds and can be very destructive."
Minz smiled back.
"A shame you can't come with us. Your help in this situation would be priceless."
"I wish I could. I love confronting those wannabe manipulators. They hide their face because a wealthy story could be read through it. Or because they simply do not have a body. Or there are a few people in charge of this persona. Anyway, you are welcome to message me with any questions you may have. I cannot guarantee that I will be helpful from a distance, as I require more context and visual information, but I will do my best."
They sat in silence for some time. It felt so strange how they didn't need any words to understand each other. Perhaps this was one of the most wonderful moments in their communication. Minz hated to talk a lot. Orion didn't need his words, even though he was a damn good listener.
"Oh, and. If you or anyone from your crew feels very much off-balance, call me. I will find a time, even in the middle of an appointment. I will do my best to detox you and ground you back. Ultimately, I received training from a top-tier crisis psychiatrist. I know what I do."