Star Trek: Starbase 777

Feeling just a little bit dumb in their own group, but heading over to the last spot for various other reasons too (not just because their group members were out-competenceing them), Nenn stepped into Club Epsilon. “Please let this place be normal…” They whispered, to no one in particular.

The club was alive with bodies bumping to the music, synthetic alcohol flowing. As Nenn approached, the bouncer held an arm out to stop them.

"Got any ID, kid?" she asked, peering down at them through dark sunglasses.

“Not… on me, no. Hold on.” They searched through their pockets, before stopping and remembering the fuckery that was going on. “I’m 34, dude.” They blinked, “Can you just, like… let me look around?”

The bouncer narrowed her eyes, plucking the toothpick from her mouth. "What for?"

“The murder. Someone got killed, I gotta look around for clues and stuff.” They offered, “See anything weird, or… weirder than normal?”

"You coulda just said you were with the investigation team," the bouncer grumbled, stepping aside to let Nenn in. Her brows furrowed. "I may or may not have seen a thing or two. What's in it for me?"

“What, is my charming personality not enough?” They attempted to retort, trying to dig into their roleplaying skills from years of TTRPGs and a whole lot of free time, “But I’ll up this business’ revenue, if you’re looking for cash. I own a business just nearby, I can put in a good word with my regulars.” Confident, Nenn. Be confident. Act like a detective. Act like the guy from the movie.

Huh. Why was the civilian alone here? Rojin thought he remembered this one leaving with a group, including Mandukar. "You're having trouble entering or something?" Rojin piped up a bit before approaching the club entrance. Mismatched eyes gave the bouncer a once-over glance, before landing itself back on Nenn.

“I don’t have ID, but it’s… I’m working on it.” They whispered, snapping out of the horrible James Bond impression and suddenly feeling like the biggest fool alive, “The others found the body, so I’m just looking for the weapon on my own while they deal with it.”

"Body?" he sounded a tad too interested in that fact. "Where is it?"

“In the holo-arcade. Shoulder pads and Galankir found phaser burns, but I didn’t see any working phasers that could’ve done it. They’re still looking, I think.” They stated, “Q is… not great at being a dead body.”

She leaned on the doorframe, watching the conversation unfold with mild interest. Rojin was given a nod of greeting and nothing more.

Curious. He looked over at the rest of the group: "Mind if I go compare notes?"

"Oo, let me come! I wanna see the body." Freak.

2

“Go for it. I… honestly think Galankir might be sick of Shoulder Pads. The Romulan guy, with the… shirt. I don’t know his name.”

"I hope he's wearing a shirt," Maggie mused in a sing-song voice, heading off towards the arcade.

1

There was a peculiar sort of sigh that this man let out. Suspiciously similar to a suppressed snicker. "I'm sure he's fine. Let's go, then. I wish you luck in your search for clues." And so he followed.

2

"Yeah?" picking their conversation up flawlessly where they left off, and Q leaned forward, lowering her sunglasses. "Promising exposure, eh?.."

1

Snapping right back into James Breen’d mode, Nenn leaned in with a grin that couldn’t be seen through their helmet. “Yeah. You ever heard of Shooting Star? That’s me, that’s my business. We sell things other people can’t seem to get their hands on.” Damn it, Nenn, now it sounds like you sell drugs.

The bouncer arched an eyebrow, looking Nenn up and down. "I might know a thing or two about that. Though, not a great look for an investigator to be peddling goods, is it?.."

“Eh, latinum’s hard to come by in a society that doesn’t use money. I do what I can.” They replied, keeping things nonchalant as much as they could, “So, what do you say I get a look inside the club? I won’t take up too much of your time.”

Having decided to not accompany the other people from the bar group at least not initially, Elohae remained near the conversation as it proceeded. He didn't really get involved though. No. He just watched for a moment before, as he considered further, he decided to head to the holoarcade. They'd stated something about a body. He wondered if he could be of more help there. This. Well, this seemed like the breen had this handled. That or needed someone with a more socially minded head on their shoulders than him. He happened to well, not be that. So, he departed.

Panic flashed in their mind as they saw their last hope, another person who seemed rational, begin to depart, and Nenn desperately waved behind their back in hopes that he would stay. “My friend here can vouch for me.” They said, “We’re just here to check out the place, thanks to the murder.”

She wandered in after somehow becoming lost multiple times, her attention landing on the few people in the room. “HI?- sorry sorry yelling, hi?”

Well. He'd started to depart, but as he'd started to head off, thankfully he'd spotted the movement. A movement he failed initially to identify. So he turned, looked to the Breen and cocked his head. His version, being someone who just signed and was non-verbal, of a softly issued 'Huh?'. Issued as he watched the two people. Signed. "I didn't quite catch what my friend said." The deaf man started to say then, the choice plumped upon to sign friend. A lie but he hoped the Q who happened to be playing a role, would well. Buy that. Elements, he hoped this Breen happened to know sign. It'd be awkward if they didn't as well, the mask thing happened to mean they were someone he'd never have managed to lipread! "But, we're here investigating a murder that occurred recently, if you're able to let-" He remembered the wave, decided he'd not be going to the holoarcade then, or so that non-verbal request seemed to make it. "-I and my friend in to look around, we'll do our best to be out of your hair as the humans say it, as quickly as we can." When someone else turned up, Elohae initially twitched in surprise! He'd failed to notice them as they approached, a fact he quickly recovered from then. "Hello, do you know sign?" He rapidly signed then to Khal before he internally kicked himself, having realised he didn't know if this Q happened to know sign either! He hoped so, or he'd not be much help. Well, until he pulled his PADD out. He'd do that if he needed though, it wasn't something that phased him much. Elements though. Part of him, in the face of all this, really wanted to do some research into those visor things he'd encountered once or twice. They seemed rather useful.

Yes! Thank the fucking gods!! If these people were better at this than they were, hopefully, things would work out. Two new people means more likelihood of an ID, or just getting let inside in the first place.

”OH OH sign!!- uhhh…” Well, she did know sign, but… it was a specific sign language people don’t use regularly, very regional to the place she grew up in. She tried anyways, signing “Hello, I know sign” and flashing a rather distressed looking smile, not sure if it all got across.

Q opened their mouth to say something, but was quickly bombarded with more investigators, and she just sighed, stepping aside. "Sure. Not sure if you'll find anything in there, though.."

“I’ll keep to my promise. I owe you one.” They stated, switching right on back to the “cool spy that isn’t freaking out” character. Once inside and out of the bouncer’s sight, Nenn let out a deep, frantic breath, sighing in a way that looked like they were deflating. “Holy shit.” They muttered, trying to sign alongside speaking as they didn’t have visible lips to read, “You guys saved my ass back there, thank you.”

”You’re welcome..?” She still wasn’t fully sure on what was going on, but they seemed to know what was going on somewhat.

"You sure do," came the answer under her breath as Nenn vanished into the music and noise. Q leaned back against the door, plucking the toothpick back into her mouth.

Elohae, when this person signed to him, smiled! While they'd signed in a sign language he happened to be less fluent in than he'd have liked, he knew enough! He also really, really appreciated the attempt! Elements, it was beyond good to be signed too when he'd been anxious a fair few moments before that. That anxiety something that proceeded to bleed away a fair bit then as he responded in not at all fluent and therefore fairly carefully signed CSL. "I'm not sure of your dialect, but I know a bit of CSL, I'm a art shop owner so have tried to pick things up." "Is this, understandable?" Came the ask that followed in that same broken sign. That ask accompanied by a slight movement as he repositioned to keep the Q, the Breen and the Cardassian in sight. The first observation from the Breen missed, as it was verbal, Elohae simply followed them in! Once in, Elohae promptly perked up at the attempted signing. "You're welcome, glad I saw your waving." He signed then in SSL. With that, as he glanced at the Cardassian and attempted to ensure he'd see firstly if she'd responded to his CSL and secondly, if she attempted more sign, he pulled his assistive PADD from his satchel! With it now in hand, Elohae rapidly tapped it on and tapped out a short text only message. He'd noticed that the newcomer seemed well, a bit lost, so he rapidly formulated a message. Did so and then presented it to her! "Hello, we're currently investigating a murder and looking for clues related to it in the club, any help you're able to provide would be greatly appreciated." (edited)

”Ohh yes yes yes I can understand you! You know a lot more than I thought you would!” She signed rather quickly, realizing it might be hard to keep up with her, and slowed down. “And the murder… yeah yeahhh I know about that…” She signed, frowning and slouching to indicate a sad tone. “I’m not sure what I can give BUT-“ she signed very exaggeratedly. “I can try…!!”

“What we know so far is that our victim was killed in the holo-arcade, and some of the others are still working on figuring out how exactly they died, but we know they had burns from a phaser that wasn’t in the room.” Nenn explained, “The Q’s are kinda… weird about it, and they wanna keep us playing the game, so any clues probably will have us going all over the station.”

Elohae once again smiled faily happily when the Cardassian indicated they could understand him! While some of the variations within the regional dialect they utilised were ones he struggled with, he'd learnt enough of CSL to muddle through or so he reckoned! Not that his understanding of CSL happened to be anywhere near what he'd have considered good but well. Some of the signs somewhat explained themselves, at least as he reckoned it as someone who knew SSL, RSL and had been pestered by a small Romulan into renewed VSL studies. "I've been around a lot and with a shop on a starbase, it seemed like a good idea to learn more sign languages" The Romulan smiled then! The slouch something that caused his smile to grow ever so slightly. Well, as far as could be managed when the mix of emotions he'd experience included a certain degree of Q related stress but, still. That and the decidedly exaggerated signs were something he appreciated. Not that this was the time to out and out say about that, he reckoned. So, Elohae nodded a bit. "Trying is enough, any help is good help, we've got a mystery to solve after all." At what the Breen then signed and he presumed spoke as well, Elohae nodded a bit. Did so as he signed first in SSL then in slower, broken CSL. "I and a group went to the Supernova bar, what we found there seemed to indicate someone who was having a drink left in a hurry." The Romulan informed the duo then. "I suspect they'll find out more related to that from the 'corpse', the others who were with me left to go and check on it-" He paused. "I think, I'm pretty sure I missed some stuff." At the Q comment, Elohae mimed a sigh. "We're playing a game, entertainment for them, I think you're probably right." The Romulan opined.

”Do you know what kind of phaser it was from the burns? That might help...” She tilted her head a bit, speaking out loud and signing. She didn’t like the idea of having to play a game to figure out a murder mystery, she was too familiar where that type of “investigation” was way too common.

“It was strong, stronger than the ones that were in the rooms. Otherwise, I don’t think I know.” They exhaled, “I think I’ve missed some stuff, if they’ve been searching the body for this long. I wish we had comms.”

A strong hand was placed on Nenn's shoulder, and the bouncer leaned down; "Your friends're lookin' for ya. In the event hall," she said.

"Entertainment for us too, if you think about it," Verelan said, still cheerful. The people around here were really approaching things with a seriousness she didn't feel nor wanted to attempt to emulate. As Nenn was grabbed, Verelan simply walked after them, kind of just wanting to talk to someone. "Ohhh, you're in troubleeeee~" she joked at the sight of the bouncer, offering the gorgeous woman a signature Verelan wink.

“Oh—“ They jumped a little at the bouncer’s sudden appearance, “Thank you. I’ll— I’m… we’ll head over. Thanks for the entry today.”

1

"All of you." The bouncer offered Verelan a nod before heading back to the entrance.

”Okay okayyy.” She grimaced, before heading the event hall. Great…

Having thankfully positioned himself to try and get as much as he could from people as they talked, Elohae lightly shrugged at Verelan's comment. "Not sure I agree, not sure I disagree." He'd then signed, SSL and CSL kept to as he'd clocked they'd responded to him. *At what happened next, Elohae looked to the bouncer, then to Nenn, then back to the Bouncer. He'd then looked over to the other Romulan briefly before his eyes alighted finally back upon the bouncer and he nodded. "Okay." He'd signed then. With a glance directed to the Cardassian, then to the breen as he started to head toward the Event hall, Elohae signed. "Hello by the way, I'm Elohae." First in SSL, before he repeated that in CSL as he signed and moved, headed to the event hall!.

She turned around quickly, signing her own name and shouting it out loud. “IM KHAL!!” and back on her way to the event hall.

2

As usual, Charlotte was at the front of the pack of the club crew. Mainly because any tall people would walk way faster than her, and she didn’t like the idea of being left alone in the Q murder mystery scene.

After… whatever the hell happened with them and the bouncer, Nenn was so happy to take the middle of the group, rather than the front. They were all for improv and live-action-roleplaying, but somehow, they had fallen flat on their face with this, proverbially. “Okay, so… clues. Weapons, objects, people, what do we think?”

Said bouncer was still at her post, chatting with someone— though as they made their way towards the club, the other pressed something into her palm and quickly moved inside. The bouncer stepped aside to let the group in with no issues.

2

Charlotte slowed a moment, trying to make out whatever had been pressed into the bouncer’s palm, but she didn’t linger. She tried to catch up with whoever had given that item to the bouncer instead.

No beans, she'd already swiftly hidden it, it seemed. And the other person had vanished into the crowd— a faceless NPC, maybe? Someone meant to leave a clue and nothing more?

“Hey!” They called out, stepping up beside Charlotte in hopes of catching the bouncer’s attention, to maybe distract them whilst Charlotte could get a better look, “I have a question, if you don’t mind me asking.”

"Sure." The bouncer crossed her arms, leaning against the doorframe. "Pick your poison," not how you use that phrase, babe.

“Well, I was just wondering what your favourite drink is here.” They tilted their head, one hand on their hip, “I wanna get something, maybe get into the vibe of the place, but I just can’t seem to choose. So, I thought, Q must be a person of taste, and I wanna know if I’m right.”

Meanwhile, Charlotte was indeed looking for whatever clue that faceless person had left behind- something left on the floor, maybe? At least Charlotte was the closest to said floor out of anyone here.

He tripped backwards into the club. "Oh shit, it's android central in here." Yeah, he still didn't know Nenn was a Breen.

3

Nothing on the floor, but there were.. mutterings in the crowd, what little she could hear over the music. Some of the names of her compatriots..

Q worked her jaw for a moment, considering. "I don't drink," she finally answered. "A mocktail does me just fine. Somethin' tropical. Listen, about that deal.." She leant forward, lowering her sunglasses to look Nenn in the helmet. "I might be able to connect you with a few people, but I gotta know what you're sellin', first."

“Makes sense. Gotta keep sober for the job?” They replied, hoping to shy away from the topic of what they sold, “I’ll look for the tropical stuff on the menu.” Fuck it, fine. They could make shit up. “The issue is what you need. I’m resourceful, I can find anything.”

Elohae slinked in then. He'd headed that way a bit later than them all so well, he half suspected he'd not find anyone outside. So well, when he happened to discover a conversation in progress, Elohae cocked his head slightly. He then waved, as discretely as he could, to the Breen then. Did so and headed for the group, moved to ensure he was positioned to catch what of the conversation he could. He knew things would be missed by him after all, the Breen happened to be masked. So no lips to read.

He slid up to Nenn. "Hi, I'm a resource. I'm sellin' green leaves, shrooms, and mysterious white powders." Only one of those things was a real drug, and there was a non-zero chance the last one was just flour again.

1

“Okay.” They froze for a moment, before reminding themself to just go for it, “Yeah. The pale dude helps me with some orders. He’s handy in a pinch.”

"Actually, I'm pretty tanned for my species," he lied, lyingly.

4

While Charlotte’s eyesight was kinda shitty, her hearing was quite good. So, she tried to listen in on some of the mutterings to make out what they were saying.

Having noticed that well, nobody had noticed his wave, Elohae just watched the conversation for a time. With what he gathered of it, Elohae determined that well, things seemed to be in hand here. That and well, if he attempted to go on in, the conversation at play might be disrupted. It seemed well, important. So he attempted to lipread what he could of what was being discussed for now.

Oh, shit! Other guy was here! Nenn shot him a quick wave, and a smile, although the mask made the later invisible. Gods, some days they just would rather be goop in the open air. “But back to you, Q, what kinda people do you know that’d be interested?”

Q narrowed her eyes at Noid. "...Sure," she said tentatively. Oddballs, the pair of them, but oh well. "I've got more than enough of that sort of thing, so unless you're looking to buy something, I suggest you enjoy the club."

"Yeah, sure." He actually wasn't much of a dancer, but he'd get some drinks after he asked an important question: "Do you have evil drugs? For murder?"

1

"'Evil drugs for murder'?" She quoted, and for the first time, a half-smirk curled her lips in amusement. "Sure. What sort are you lookin' for?"

"Putting in a burger." If he makes burgers later, nobody accept them. "Or for making someone have an allergic reaction, or look like they did."

Jaws_theme.mp3 was playing in the background, steadily growing closer... (edited)

4

Okay hi what the fuck does the pale guy have going on. What?? Huh???? Nenn stepped back slightly, letting the person more experienced with drugs take the lead here.

Her brows furrowed. "Dunno 'bout anything that'd do that besides actual allergens.. You got arsenic," she counted off on her fingers, "hard patches on the hands 'n feet, garlic scent. Belladonna, pupil dilation. And cyanide——" With footsteps approaching, Q quickly clammed up, all but shoving the two into the club. "Enjoy your stay. Let's talk later, yeah?"

1

He yoinked Nenn back to ward him as if to say 'get back here, you're part of this scheme now', and then they both got pushed into da club, which was like the opposite of a yoink. "My poisoned burger theory is looking likely, gotta say." Maybe another bread product.

“Okay… so we have a lead on the weapon, but who did it? Who would technically have access to it?” They questioned, “Would Q have just done it for them and then pinned it on them?”

1

Tal-terrh arrived alongside Rojin, feeling Nenn and Noid get pushed along as they walked up. He would let Rojin do the talking, but he was no slouch either, keeping his face contorted in concentration that others often read as frustration. He missed the scabbard on his hip now more than ever, the weight and security of his sword and the casualness of his handling it clearly denoting him as dangerous without any movement or energy expended. It tended to make people talk.

"Uh, I dunno. Kitchens? Where do they serve food here again?" He pointed to the entrance, where Jin and Tal were. "There's more dudes there, maybe they'll know more things."

"Hello again," he offered to her casually, a polite sort of smile on his lips that didn't promise anything good. "Busy work, I see?"

"Sure thing," she said, eyeing the two over her sunglasses as she resumed her position. She jerked her head towards the entrance. "You're both good to go. Investigators' privilege and all."

"Mm," he stayed exactly where he was. "Clearly the bouncer's job is not enough for you, though. Found out you dabble in other things, too." A slight tilt to his head, then. "Anything you could tell us about that, by the way? I just find it very interesting, in lieu with everything that has happened so far."

Elohae headed toward the door where the other had been shoved, having lipread what he could of that conversation. As he did so, having both noted he'd not been shoved and that the bouncer had clammed up, he turned a bit. It seemed like someone else had arrived, from how the bouncer had acted. So, he looked about for them. Once he spotted them, Elohae's eyes alighted briefly on the Romulan. He'd never met them before but well. He still signed in RSL, as discretely as could be managed. Hoped they'd understand it. "Knows a lot, clammed up when you approached, seems to know about poisons." When he managed to lipread a bit more from them, Elohae nodded a bit. Seemed they knew enough already. So well. He turned, signed to the bouncer. "Can I go in, too?" And started to head into the club.

If one Q had been able to perfectly sign to Elohae, why wouldn't the others be able to understand it? The bouncer bristled, holding her arm out in front of Elohae to stop him from entering. "Actually, I just got news that we're full," she signed, expression dark, before a sarcastic smile split her expression. "Find somewhere else to drink."

Elohae watched the other for a moment as they signed to him. The sarcasm noted and well, ignored. Ignored as he simply nodded, signed. "I suppose there's other areas to look into." And started off. Elements, he hoped the Romulan he'd signed at knew RSL. Not that it seemed to matter too much if they well, didn't. It seemed like they had other sources of information. So. Off he headed, the casino seemed like it might have more in it to be looked into. So, he headed there!

Now. With that out of the way, she sighed, running her fingers through her hair. "If you're accusing me of somethin', investigator, I'd rather you just out with it. Otherwise, I've got more important things to worry about."

"Well, not me. But there's a pretty little file compiled just for you," he spoke as he watched Elohae walk off. "First of all, I'm curious if you've recently dealt anything out. Or not. And if it's the latter, has anything gone missing?.."

Now within the club, Nenn and Noid could hear exactly what Charlotte was listening to— occasional conversation as they brushed past people, hardly audible through the music. "If you ask me, there's never really a good reason to wear a mask unless you've got something to hide..." "Playing dumb is smart, you have to admit." "I mean— the tall one is creepy, no?.."

1

The bouncer chewed at her lip. "No," she answered honestly. "Not today. Someone asked a few minutes ago, but I didn't have nothin' to offer."

"Hmm, I see." A brief glance at Tal, then. "Thought for sure you'd have something that leaves small rashes around a person's mouth and on their lips..."

Subtle.

Anything but.

"That's a lot of things, sir. You'll have to be more specific," she answered innocently. "Plenty of poisons can cause irritation."

You're asking too much from his puppeteer. "Poison, huh? Well, let's see... something that might've been consumed via a pastry," he offered. "And didn't soak through the clothes to leave rashes on the skin of the palms. The rash itself wasn't too severe, also, and concentrated around the mouth specifically, without spreading further or obvious clustering."

So, a poison. If this were a real murder being investigated, this Q would just have given away their murderous friend, and likely earned themself an accomplice charge. "It would be helpful if the substance were easily obfuscated or masked, too. The ingestion should preferably happen entirely unaware."

"Well— did it smell like anything? Some things would have left behind more clues than just irritation.." forgetting her persona for a moment, Q adjusted, crossing her arms tighter and fixing her expression to a scowl. "Like, flushed face, for example."

Playing dumb, huh.. plenty of people were doing -that- in this investigation. Or at least, she hoped they were playing, and they weren’t actually that dumb. She went up to the actual bar itself, listening in on any more conversations and looking for anything amiss.

Hm. All good questions. Rojin took a metaphorical step back to try and recall the instance when he was inspecting the body. Did he smell anything? Was there a flush to the Q's darker complexion? That one was red-blooded, and Rojin found it easier to spot a green flush, like with V-- Back on track.

2

No particular smell hovered around the body besides the stench of burnt flesh. Not much of a flush, either.

"No smell," he finally said, then. "And no flushing, either. We didn't check if there was any swelling to the throat, but even if there was something it wasn't, mmm... eye-catching."

"Right," she said, slowly, processing, then nodded. "Then there has to be something else, maybe?.."

The whispers within the club faded, leaving one lingering; "Violence runs rampant in the group— how can you trust anyone?"

1

They usually had drinks in clubs, so he went and got himself one. "Oh shit, Nenn, you hear that? There's violence." He sipped his drink. "I actually only wanted to talk to the bouncer, so I think we should probably leave." (edited)

Charlotte made her way back over to the others- silent as she usually was. “I think I’ve found all I can here. I’m going to go to the bar and see if there’s anything there.”

"Sure. Have a drink on me." She doesn't have a mouth. "You want some?" He said, offering a drink to Nenn, who was fully masked.

"Not currently," he sighed. "If that's not enough, I can return to you later."

"I'll be here." Huh. This exchange started with her being borderline threatened with blackmail. How did they get here?

"Are you guys done? Find out anything new?" He whispered loudly to Rojin as he left, presumably with Nenn in tow.

Dunno man, the puppeteer's incompetence probably. He gave a slight negative shake to Noid as the group passed by them in response.

"Okay, I'm gonna, uh, go back to the event hall and use my brain I think?" He was doing it ahead of time because it would take him longer to think. "I saw some nice pastries in there earlier."

"I think those are supposed to be evidence." Had people been eating the pastries? In the supernaturally ordained murder mystery-or-die scenario? Tal was going to have an aneurysm.

"Don't worry, I wouldn't die." Not the point. "And maybe I'd sense if there was poison in it or something. I dunno."

“Maybe I don’t eat them, then.” Nenn held in a bit of a laugh, which was extremely inappropriate at the time, “But neither should you. Are you, like… immune to poison?”

"Yeah," Noid lied, lyingly. "I'm half Vorta. That's why I'm slightly purple."

“Ah. I thought you were just, like, anemic or something. No offence.” They replied, just going with it at this point. (edited)

"That too," he said, lying but also thinking about how he kind of was anaemic because his energy systems were inefficient and he needed alcohol transfusions to live, but like, they were transfused in his mouth, so actually that was more like having a digestive issue?

"I cannot sense their emotions, so I am forced to assume a level of artificiality to this person," Tal said, hoping that would clarify some things to Nenn. It was a little disorienting, being able to talk to a person without being able to sense them, but Noid was... unsubtle. Loud, for one, and rather unapologetic about it. It was hard to miss him, for better or for worse. Tal would argue it was for the better, anyway, for him at least.

“Oh, shit, that’s cool.” They looked at Tal, then Noid, mostly unaffected by the new knowledge. At this point, any new information they took in just sort of sat at the top of their brain pile.

Damn. The game was up. He was actually a little annoyed Tal'd outed him, though it was at least partially his own fault for not informing him of this at all and being inconsistent with his lies. "Um, literally not true? Why would you lie about me like this? Murderer behaviour." (edited)

“Well, I’m not the android here, so… whatever.” They held up their hands, “If the person who can sense people with his brain senses Android, it’s not me.”

"We-" Tal hesitated. "I do not lie. I was raised to speak my mind, and speak it plainly and honestly." He had been forced to modify his understanding of it on occasion, grappling with his relationship with the truth as it shifted through the years, sometimes growing closer towards it but often slowly drifting apart through non-engagement and lies of omission. All of this too he did not speak aloud. "I had never met an artificial lifeform before this station. Now, I have met several. They always announce themselves, because their tread is not light and their voices rarely quiet, but I can never feel them coming." Sometimes, in throngs, he was able to spot them; a non-entity in a sea of people stood out in its own right. But it was rare, and therefore more useful to rely on his other senses.

He shrugged, his animosity disappearing, replaced with an unreadable expression. Perhaps it was thoughtfulness, or a careful neutrality? "Honest people are the best liars. All you gotta do is make sure you're being technically true. I only trust people who lie badly."

“So you are an Android?” They blinked, having hopped off their own train of thought too early, “I’m lost, I’m sorry. Slime for brains, and… whatnot. Anyways, murder mystery?”

Tal had nothing to say to that. It was the practical wisdom of someone who had clearly not lived by moral codes he'd been taught, but by whatever realities he'd been shaped by; it was something he himself had not been raised with as a child, but could relate to regardless because of his many wanderings. He was forced to wonder about the childhood of a- robot? -but found his knowledge lacking. Still, he could not entirely find it in himself to agree. "When a liar lies, it is for the sake of the lie itself. What he says means nothing, and the lie is ineffective if only because one can guess as to the truth of its nature. An honest man lies only for the sake of something bigger. As a result, it becomes a lie worth believing." Tal tried to never tell an actual lie, himself, but he was known to leave out a detail or two when it meant protecting himself. It is not what the Qowat Milat taught, but then, the Qowat Milat didn't think to teach her disciples about the realities of surviving outside of the convent walls: that was simply not a place where nuns survived. "But the honest man speaks also a truth worth investigating. The true answer is to accept what one hears but to reserve judgement until one's personal experiences can inform as to the truthfulness of the words." Life advice, perhaps, but also advice for how to win a murder mystery, if you squinted.

He listened for a while, and for a bit you might have thought he was carefully considering what Tal was saying. Then he laughed. "Who are you, Kant? The problem with you philosopher-types is you can never fit anything in a snappy one-to-three-liner. You're right about one thing, though: nothing I say means anything at all." Then he left, Nenn in tow.

“Uh— bye?” They watched in mild horror and a bit of amused surprise, being dragged along to whatever their next location may be by Noid, “We’ll check back in later!”

Tal did not know a Kant. "We will talk again," he simply said, waving a little as they left.