voidtreckernet | Video; Fiddlesticks Day 17

[For once, Webmind doesn't sound happy.

He sounds worried.]

Given that the first time a heart appeared next to someone's name - and, since I wasn't here for it, this is only hearsay - was when that person died on a mission...

I can only assume it means someone has died on the train.

[Has he figured out it's A-Qing? Yes. Is he going to mention it on the Network without her permission? ... No. Because if it happens again, she has the right not to be harassed over it.]

[ She takes in a sharp breath. ]

No way...! So someone's dead right now?

Or died; the only thing that consistently indicates someone has disappeared from the train entirely is if their name is printed in gold outside their room, on the name plate.

[They had lost a lot of people at the last platform, but not all of those people.]

Some of them reappear at the platform and leave; others merely reappear in the Luggage car.

The Luggage car?

Maybe someone should check there then, just in case.

I can be there shortly.

[But he's probably not going to be the first, even if he's in Sleeper One right now-]

You are in Sleeper Four, correct?

Yeah, that's right.

Should I...head over too?

[In another rarity for Webmind, there is a pause before he responds.]

We may not need to go that far.

I- I haven't seen this much blood before-

[The calm manner of the vocal snippets Webmind's smushing together into recognizable words and syllables does not truly belie how disturbed he is right now.

More to the point, Webmind has seen death before, so what he is saying is not entirely the truth.]

[ Kitty's stomach twists. ]

Wh- Is there someone we should tell about this? I know these posts are public, but...

Team leaders, perhaps - those names are in Eva's introductory guide - or the council.

[Webmind still sounds distracted, trying to look at the scene without disturbing it, along with its potentially crucial evidence.]

There is someone here I know will want a look as well; he is listed as Shinichi Kudo, but he answers to Conan Edogawa.

He has practical experience investigating these kinds of scenes.

No need to call me. I came to see as soon as you mentioned the heart.

[He comes through the door of the dressing car behind Webmind, and immediately begins assessing the scene in a very professional manner.]

Webmind. Is everything here the same as when you entered the room?

[He doesn't stop to think that hearing all of this coming from a child's voice might be rather confusing for someone who didn't know his secret.]

[Webmind does his best to recover from his first major Disturbance here since arriving on the platform, managing a likewise-professional smile for Conan.]

Yes, precisely. Where would be the best place for me to stand, in order to help conduct this investigation?

[Because there is no doubt that they ARE investigating, now.]

All that we have left to analyze are the bloodstains, unfortunately, as well as how they are positioned.

We should likely check the Luggage Car as well.

Just away from the scene at the moment. The first step is to collect all of the information from the area before anything is disturbed.

[As he speaks, he is pulling out his notebook and quickly sketching the blood spatter. A camera would be preferable, but he had to work with what he had. ]

The lack of a body will be a challenge, but the bloodstains are enough to start.

[A frown.]

Do you know where to find any lighting?

[Webmind nods, as he's pretty sure the victim isn't going to want to talk about this!

Most humans are more private than he tends to be; he's learned that lesson well.]

As in a flashlight, such as on the SCAs, or-?

[Webmind has some degree of control over his screen; forgoing showing an expression, he sets it to glow a white light.]

Perhaps this will do.

[The carriage itself, given this is daytime hours, is already lit by whatever lights it has.]

After Joss, Conan wasn't willing to put much trust in the victim being both coherent and willing to share information any time soon."

"Anything directional will help. Overhead lighting doesn't always let you catch all the details."

He kneels down beside the seating and frowns. "It was a bladed weapon, longer than a knife." He could easily see that much from the spatter pattern. "And here." His hand passes over the arc of spatters. "This was a slash, not a stab. And the culprit was right handed."

Webmind adds his SCA's light to the efforts, if only as backup. Pointedly trying not to touch some spiderweb-fibers, he joins Conan on the floor.

"Would you call this done by an 'expert', or merely someone proficient in the weapon's use?"

Without a body to analyze, again, this would be harder to pass judgment on. What sort of injury was the perpetrator aiming for, versus what they caused?

"I am recording visual, or as much as my sole webcam will allow."

"That I can't tell from this. He or she knew how to use a blade, but I would need to see the body to say whether they were an expert." He nods in thanks, and peers at the other spatters.

"Something odd about the other two spatters too." He ghosts his hand over the largest stain, where it had pooled on the seat. "For there to be this much blood, the body must have been here for a while. I would estimate at least two hours after death. Although of course we can't estimate time of death without the body." He moves his hand to the other spatter. "And here. This wasn't created by a weapon. The only thing I can think of that could have created this pattern, was if someone had a mouthful of blood, and spat it out."

A frown. "But for that to happen, there must have been damage to her mouth. But why?"

Webmind watches Conan piece apart the scene with rapt attention.

"... There are several possibilities. But the most obvious one is that the murderer aimed for her throat - or, more likely, her tongue. To keep her silent."

Webmind's screen was blank, else he would be frowning as well.

A nod.

"And that does not bring up any pleasant possibilities."

Conan stands up.

"So we're looking for a right handed man or woman, possibly with some knowledge of swordfighting, who is possession of a bladed weapon of some size. And there are also some things missing from this scene. The weapon, for one. Clothing as well. With this much blood it would have stained and needed to be hidden."

If Webmind could sigh forcefully, he would. The task ahead of them is not a pleasant one.

"We need to question, at minimum, everyone who was present in Sleeper One this past evening."

So, everyone, basically.

"The killer could not have traveled far - either with or without the murder weapon. Not while bringing her here, or leaving."

It wouldn't have been practical in terms of avoiding notice, day OR night.

"We should monitor which clothes appear in the laundry with the appropriate bloodstains - and question those who prefer to wash their own clothes separately, to be thorough."

It helps, to be able to coordinate a plan.

He doesn't feel quite so helpless, this way.

Conan nods once, business-like.

"Interviews probably the most logical step to take next. Provided either one of us have enough influence on the train to get people to cooperate. We may need to involve the council for that. As for the clothes, we most likely need to recruit some assistance to monitor the laundry. The rooms also need to be searched, in case the culprit tried to conceal the clothes and the weapon elsewhere."

"It is fortunate that we both are on laundry duty."

That will simplify the evidence-gathering stage.

"Perhaps searching rooms and the interviews could be conducted simultaneously? It would keep things systematic."

The metadata on the passenger roster entries is very limited. Which is to say, I don't know what "meaning" you're talking about.

However I do know when the most recent heart appeared! You're referring to that, I assume?

[As according to mod confirmation, SXT-2 goes on to give the timestamp of A-qing's death, likely accurate to the minute at least.]

[ Based on this information as well as what she was hearing from Webmind and Conan, it all seemed to line up. ]

So, what should we do? If someone died on the train...

.... if "someone dies", I'm supposed to ask a human what to do.

What should we do?

[ Sorry, she's just a touched freaked out right now. ]

...Someone [ Webmind, was it? ] said to tell the team leaders? Or the council.

[ If there was someone killing other people, it would be a good idea to alert people of potential danger. ]

[Tell the team leaders? Okay, gonna do that now.]

Sure. I'm messaging Tony Stark from the council, and Ignis from the Blue Team.

[Specifically, she's ringing straight to their cabin ICPs. But if anyone else on the Council or Blue Team want to jump in, feel free to handwave that they've been contacted!]

Oh, okay. Thank you.

[ She feels like there should be something else she could do, or at least there should be. But right now she's just worried. ]

[It isn't long before Tony's image appears on the ICP.]

What?

[He didn't look quite as friendly as he had when baking muffins, but judging by his hair they may have caught him napping. Why else would he be back in his cabin?]

[Maybe Kitty might be embarrassed but SXT-2 continues as if nothing's wrong, because why would she use her eyes to look at ICP video footage.]

Hello, Mr. Tony. Allegedly, someone died!

["allegedly".]

There's currently a discussion on a new heart next to names on the passenger roster. The conclusion is that someone died. What should we do?

[ Kitty is a bit embarrassed, but recovers quickly enough and clears her throat. ]

Sorry, Mr. Stark. But yeah, it sounds like someone's died on the train. There are some others already in the dressing carriage taking a look.

[ She'd been trying to follow that conversation as well, but mostly heard that there was a lot of blood. ]

[That's one way to wake him up in an instant.]

Dammit. Which name has the heart?

[He needed to reach out and find out what was going on here. The council needed to be notified fast.]

[ She takes a moment to check again. ]

...The name on here just says 'Qing'.

Sending details to your cabin ICP.

[So A-qing's doesn't get put on blast to the whole network. Tony gets all the information on A-qing's Passenger Roster entry: MR/MS. QING, AGE: 15, CABIN: 1E, TEAM: BLUE. Her name was added to the roster at the last station, and the was heart added to her name about 2 hours before the train day began.]

-sent. There was 30 seconds where the name was assigned gold status before the heart appeared, but it's back to normal now.

Should this be announced to the others officially?

I'll let the council know. Don't announce this over the ICP where everyone can hear. Is there anything else you two need from me?

Got it.

No, I...I think that's it. Sorry about this, Mr. Stark.

Video; Fiddlesticks Day 17

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[Voice] Now from the Dressing Carriage! CW: Blood mention.

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[Voice/Action] Fade-to-black at this point? Or are we gaining another person in this thread?

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I pinged the council's ic contact to jump in if that's okay!

Works for me!

You rang?

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