The Cavalry Arrives

ARCHIE AND CHARLEY ARRIVE AT THE ST. FRANCIS, ENTERING THROUGH THE LOWER GARAGE.

Do Charley and Archie take the stairs or the elevator from the basement? Also upon entering the spookily deserted basement level of the hotel, both of you need to give me a roll against Observation, which looks like it's 10 (Perception minus 5) for both of you.

Rob

I don't think we know that the elevator has been an issue? So whatever seems faster -- if we're just one level down from the main lobby, probably the stairs, if we're like 3 or more levels down the elevator. (in which case Charley can press the button -- 7-year-olds always get to press the button, even the ones who don't have machine empathy).

Yeah, it would be very easy to take the main staircase up to the lobby floor and unless you're going straight to one of the URIEL suites on 12 first, no need to get on the elevator.

OBSERVATION // ... success

OBSERVATION // ... failure

So as soon as Archie enters the basement from the parking garage, he's able to see (and smell) the aftermath of the battle against the girtablullû ...

... an array of bullet holes (including a shattered interior window at the hotel's coin cleaning service, a lingering odor of gunplay, and most importantly, a big honking dead scorpion-man lying on the floor of the basement of the St. Francis. In their haste, the URIEL team members must have been unable to hide the body: it's not being un-created, that's for darn sure. I would like Archie to give me a Mild Flashbacks roll (flashback occurs on 6 or less) because this is the first time I'd say he's been within throwing distance of a real firefight in quite a while.

FLASHBACK // ... failure

Archie sort of

z o n e s o u T

looking at the girtablullû corpse for a few seconds: but in his mind's eye, Archie is staring at the bloodied corpse of a GI on a dirt floor, his mind misted with rage and anguish, his eyes full of tears. Charley sees Archie slowly place his hands behind his back, in a position as if his wrists are tied together. And in his mind, in his memories, Archie hears a woman's voice saying, quietly and calmly:

"Rúguǒ nín bù chéngrèn zìjǐ de zuìxíng, jiāng yǒu gèng duō de rén sàngshēng, zhōngwèi."*

* "More of your men will die if you do not confess to your crimes, lieutenant."

Charley give me a Psychology roll please.

(the memes are good the memes are good the memes are good ... )

PSYCHOLOGY // ... success

Mel

Made it by 2. Any bonus for Special Rapport?

Oh God. God of course.

I would say that Charley, given the proximity, the ability to read Archie's body language, and the Rapport, would be able to tell that Archie is reliving one of his single most traumatic memories, one he received while at war, before Charley (or Charlie) were ever even born. Not all the specifics above, mind you, but a general sense that a beloved friend, a comrade, a fellow-soldier of Archie's, was just killed in front of him.

Mel

“Dad?” She says as she places her hand on his arm and moves in front of him. Not blocking his view of the body (because she is a little thing) but there between.

“Dad you’re okay. You’re having a bad memory. Whatever you’re seeing happened a long time ago. But now your here with me your Charley.”

(Arch will snap out of it in 10 seconds which is pretty much just long enough for this Flashback and Charley's words of encouragement.)

Rob

While he's in the memory, Archie staggers, spits out in broken Chinese: "Tā zhǐshì yīgè nánhái!" (he was just a boy!) Then Charley's words bring him back to 1973, with perhaps a stop in 1963 or so along the way (vis, "your Charlie"). He tries to steady himself.

"I'm sorry, Charley. Thank you." Taking her hand again, inwardly cursing himself for putting Eddie and Charley in danger. "We need to go quickly."

Okay, you two head upstairs.

You can see what has happened . . .

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