[Heroes Linkshell - 8th April - At least Loop 30-something?]

[neverbeamemory]

[OOC: This post appears following several loops concerning this, specifically at the start of the proceeding loop.]

I'm in need of assistance from anyone who was present at the first meeting with the Empress before I arrived, or otherwise has any intelligence regarding either of her two known associates.

In particular, one of which may be conflicted as to her intentions.

You'll have to trust that it's relevant.

~Sephiroth

--

Private; Finn

I may have found the way.

Thought you might like to know

~Sephiroth

Comments

private;

[hatejakku]

How?

[ And as an afterthought: ] I was at the Empress' dinner, too. I don't know much about the other men, I only spoke to one of them.

Re: private;

[neverbeamemory]

Ramaa has a way to temporarily maximize the skill set of Calamity Knight. If I can get a hold of the means to do that, preventing the calam-ification across the World would be achievable.

I was informed that one of her associates may be able to be swayed to assist in this regard.

Hence the question

[hatejakku]

[ Oh boy. Oh man. ]

I can't remember the name of the one I spoke to. He was the more well-dressed man. He talked about how Bahamut was linked to the Goddess of Death, and that he thought she wasn't really gone.

Which makes a lot more sense now.

I don't know if he would help, but he was willing to say all that to a perfect stranger.

[acapriciousreaper]

I was present at the dinner, and learned a few things from Ramaa when I... visited.
What is the situation?

[neverbeamemory]

Oh? Do enlighten me.

From being involved with some of the experimentation at the Nah Nami Reserve I discovered that Calamity Knight can be used to achieve some sway over the calamification of the monsters, yet I do not yet have the advancement necessary to make a significant impact.

Yet from a certain inscrutable individual in Sen Riqeaux -who is entirely too well informed, it seems- I discerned that Ramaa has the means to temporarily unlock the asterisk in such a way. There seems there is a confliction within one of Ramaa's closest which could be exploited to that end.

[neverbeamemory]

Sounds like,

I'd need at least a name to reach out to, though.

Text

[whirluendo_of_puns]

You're looking for either Prime Minister Meghamaal or Commander Balahaka.

I ran into Meghamaal at the festival before the meeting. Very polite and cordial, that one. He has known the Empress since she was young and they're apparently rather close. I doubt he'd easily turn against her, but... Maybe he could be reasoned with.

I haven't had the chance to get a good read on Balahaka. Didn't seem like the type for pleasantries. I recall him saying he was in favor of taking military action against Bahamut but he got shot down by the prime minister. Either they were all putting on an act or he was never included in Ramaa's plans.

[acapriciousreaper]

Frankly, I don't trust Calamity Knight. But if that's our only option for proceeding...

Ugh.

The short version, I suppose, is that she knows us. Each of us, knows things about us that nobody else knows. Apparently those who resonate with the Melodies were known beforehand, on Crystallis, by a group called the Herans. I'm not certain what to do with that information yet, but it does provide an answer that she at least does not somehow have access to our thoughts and memories through the Dream Width, which was a theory I had for some time. This may explain why your contact seems well-informed.

As for which one may be having second thoughts... If I were a betting man, I'd put money on Balahaka, the commandant-in-chief. He's a military man, and there tends to be a sense of loyalty to one's men in positions such as that. Possibly he may be less than comfortable with what Ramaa is plotting, given that it will necessarily result in the needless deaths of his soldiers just to protect her.

That said, do take care. When somebody offers you a weapon that cannot be equaled by anything yet conceived, and tells you it is yours to use, you'd best look at the fine print of that bargain very carefully.

[hatejakku]

[ He cannot remember the name for the life of him much like his mun, but after some time passes between messages and he sees other responses- ]

The Prime Minister. He's the one that talked to me.

[neverbeamemory]

Ultimately both of them are disposable to her, facts taken into account. I doubt either would be particularly thrilled about that if they had been included or even slightly aware unless of course, as you say, they're putting on a front.

There could well be larger strings in play as well.

The information is appreciated, my thanks.

[neverbeamemory]

Considering her revelation as Kalki-incarnate, given what information I've gathered about Crystallis til now, your judgment seems sound enough. We shall have to see what comes of it once we resolve our current...predicament.

As for Balahaka, perhaps there might be a point there. If indeed he's the type to be loyal to his men in that way when such loss is exactly to be expected in a role such as his.

Your concern is noted, yet I'm no stranger to the responsibility of such power. Bargains are very much what you make of them.

[neverbeamemory]

Yes, Meghamaal does seem more likely in my opinion as well.

I reached out already, there wasn't any reply to my Mogmail but I suppose the fact I'm still here in this loop so far can mean that she hasn't been alerted. Either that or Mognet is having one of it's 'moments'-

I'm going to try to meet.