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[adlered]

[ tranquility, you may remember this woman from her first broadcast or from the various times she's popped up in others. those who know her are aware that you could have either gotten a woman who has barely anything on or someone who looks rather put together in whatever she happens to be wearing. the second option is the one she chooses to show off today, dressed in a white suit, with her hair done up in a deceivingly loose bun. off camera her nails are tapping a steady beat like she's waiting for someone before she finally speaks, her tone rather dry to start off with. ]

Since no one felt like stepping up and saying what I'm certain a number of us have considered, I suppose the task falls to me at the moment. [ she pauses, exhaling quietly before continues. ] For those of you who are new, most of what I'm going to mention makes little to no sense, but the basics for understanding what I'm saying lies in knowing that there is a list of certain individuals on this ship that, for all the geniuses we have present on board, no one has figured out the meaning to. The people on this list vary from those who are from the first jump, 001s if we're going by tattoos to those who came aboard on the sixth jump, the 006s, if we are, again, going by tattoos. 

I realize that no one wants to perhaps deal with the ramifications of what I'm about to suggest, but avoiding it may prove to be as damaging as letting it out into the open. [ another pause. ] There are eight individuals from the list that have taken their leave of this ship. Considering the fact that the list is comprised of 38 individuals, that is a bit more than twenty percent of it. A slightly distressing number when we're in rather confined space, if you ask me. I realize that only two of the individuals have officially died, but the other six have disappeared without warning, and though it pains me to say it, I believe you can't confirm that they're dead or alive. 

I'm certain some of you have already theorized this in private, but in the interest of disclosure, I believe we should share the theory with the metaphorical class. [ her lips curl into a bittersweet sort of smile and then she says it: ] It's beginning to look more and more like it is a hit list. Or at least a list of the individuals the one we call Smiley doesn't necessarily want on the Tranquility, which considering who is on the list, I must say, I'm slightly concerned.

This is just a thought, though. It's probably just a rather unfortunate coincidence. 

[ and then there's this really long pause before irene appears to have remembered something that she had meant to say. ]

Just out of curiosity, has anyone figured out how to charge a phone from home on this ship?

Comments

[jilt]

Darling, when you've finished terrorizing the inhabitants of this ship with blunted fact, we really must speak.

[adlered]

You must admit, someone had to. They are the type to ignore the facts otherwise. Besides, I distinctly remember hearing something about getting through a jump without a mishap being said by a certain someone.

It's hardly terrorizing anyway. [ a beat and then. ] How pressing is the need?

voice;

[snaketrap]

While your theory is most alarming indeed, I must bring up a further point. That being, have we ever completed a headcount of all individuals? Certainly a task that might prove tiresome yet I would say that without such information to compare unexplained losses with -- this theory holds little weight. It may very well be that just as many who are not upon 'the list' have also disappeared.

One would not wish to rile the new arrivals with such gruesome news, would she?

voice;

[adlered]

The last I checked, we had. Well, I haven't but there has been at least one complete headcount floating around from time to time. Whether or not it's up to date is another matter entirely and one I choose not to bother myself with. But, you assume I haven't already taken your point into account. I am well aware of there being individuals who have left who aren't on the list. It's the combination that's disconcerting.

If someone is riled by this they should consider themselves lucky to have missed previous jumps.

[voice]

[jurisimpudent]

That is a foolish conclusion.

[voice]

[adlered]

[ edgeworth, you don't understand, but the tone you're getting, the creepily calm one? yeah, that's a tone that means she is so not even remotely pleased with you, but hey that's okay, because you're going to recant your statement in a bit if she has her way. ]

And pray tell Mr. Edgeworth, what makes it so foolish?

[northerner]

There have been others who suspected as much, though saying it like this will most likely do more harm than good.

[adlered]

Would you have preferred that I sugarcoated it? Perhaps dressed it up a bit with ribbons and bows? It's the same information, just packaged in a way that I'm afraid those who would want to avoid it can't pretend that it's something you can brush.

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[puppydogeyes]

Just as many gone who weren't on it.
Doesn't mean shit.

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[adlered]

[ ...sigh. let the world know that tyke may be one of the very few who irene will fight with but at the same time not really fight with. irene knows that dean disappeared lie the others, but in her mind, it doesn't detract from what she thinks about the possibility. ]

I'm less inclined to assume that the worst happened for those who weren't on it.

There's always a possibility that it could mean "shit" when combined with the other factors.

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[amethysts]

Counter-theory:

Besides seeming ominous and using scary colors, our friend Smiley hasn't done anything but help us. Why are we so sure it's his list? Maybe it's not a threat. Maybe it's a warning, for us. Maybe it's just a list of interesting people.

I'm wicked sick of blaming everything on Smiley. Maybe people should take some fucking responsibility around here.

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[adlered]

Help is rather generous word, Libby. Also open to interpretation as to what you define as help. For example, I do not define helping as coming in at the last minute to save the day- ah wait, you are new, I forget, one jump under your belt so you haven't really seen them, have you? Not like anyone from 007 and back.

But I'm curious, who are you going to blame? If not our friend Smiley.

[ and then sent a minute after. ]

Red isn't a scary color if you're deciding to pull that particular argument.

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[sebasher]

[Oh, you're not American. You can't possibly be Irene Adler.:D]

This is by no means an attempt to debunk such an obvious theory, but what proof is there that the two individuals who are officially dead were offed by this 'Smiley' fellow?

Upshot is, it's not especially hard to commit a murder. Any blighter with a brain and at least one arm can do it. [It's the getting away with it that's for the experts.]

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[adlered]

[ Oh sweetie. That assumption is going to end rather badly for you, now isn't it. ]

The first individual who was dead had the misfortune of being trapped in a room during a jump. Not of his own choice, mind you, he was locked in there and couldn't get out. When it was investigated, the locking mechanism didn't appear to be physically tampered with and he should have been able to get out. Which mean, it was locked electronically to where he couldn't open it. Everyone else was already in their pouches and couldn't have done anything as far as unlocking it. If such a feat was possible.

As for the other, it's hard to say. Truthfully, you have proof either way. Though, if it was murder, that's even more of a distressing thought to think about, don't you think? [ Spoilers: This is a test. Your answer is going to either be very good or very bad. ]

[theyalldieforme]

Do you have a potato?

[adlered]

[ four for you john coco. four for you for getting that. ]

Do you see one on my person at the present moment?

video.

[shoyu]

[ looking a little confused by all of this and trying very hard to say what he means in a logical fashion: ] Ah -- please do forgive me if I've gotten anything wrong, but isn't there at least some overlap between the people whose names are on those lists, and those who were helped by the Smiling Face -- either during the stasis sickness, or at Strela? [ pause. ] I'm afraid I wasn't present at Strela, and don't know of the exact details, but from what I've heard it sounded like the Smiling Face could have easily let a much worse fate befall those from the ship through inaction, but instead chose to be of some help ...

video.

[adlered]

You haven't, for the record, I know of at least three off the top of my head. But I want you to think about it, say you were it and you had a choice of drawing out killing or doing it all in one swoop. What would you do? For minimal consequences?

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[invalided]

Ah, right. Unfortunate coincidences. What's not to love?

video;

[adlered]

I could answer that sincerely, but something tells me you already know what that answer would be, don't you?

It could be marginally worse.

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[grandseigneur]

A hit list?

How terribly crass. [but he's curious, and very new to technology] Where would one find such a thing?

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[adlered]

And rather unkind to those who seem to be on it for no other reason than choosing to exist. Pity. [ her eyes narrow slightly, as if she's trying to consider rather or not this man would even understand the posts that had been flying around with the list itself. she relaxes a moment later, even as her mind thinks on whether or not it's even a goo idea to tell him. ] In a number of places if one knows where to look. Do you plan on looking?

Voice;

[certainproclivity]

A valid theory, miss. Although, I daresay, a list of thirty-eight is barely a fraction of the entire ship.

[He's going somewhere with this, Irene. Follow along~]

Voice;

[adlered]

Ma'am. Not miss. [ Dear Sark: miss doesn't enter the vocabulary if you're using it like that with her, sorry to say. ] Would you prefer the number be closer to fifty? One hundred? The members on the list are slightly important in the grand scheme of things.

[ A beat. ]

But please, do go on.

[audio]

[dirtyword]

No details on the phone.

[ Something else has pinged his interest, though--the list. He's seen it, and he's not an idiot. He's just glad he arrived at a later date. ]

[audio]

[adlered]

General inquiry, at the off chance that come the next jump, the ship may give me a gift of a phone from home.

[ This is, of course, a lie, since her phone that she's asking this for is actually sitting somewhere in her room, but no one needs to know that. Not really. ]

Any particular reason you're interested in the specifics?

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[entrapments]

Well has anybody run up a list of percentages for the people not on the list and those who've gone missing? 'Cause I'm willing to bet that they digits are pretty even. Just sayin.

video;

[adlered]

I'm not the person in charge of updating what would make calculating such a percentage far easier. Far be it for me to stop someone who wants to.

Though, it's hardly the point, in my opinion.

[superswank]

Where did this "list" come from? As in, how did it fall into your hands?

hi i'm the latest person ever to tag you back but i know you love me anyway. C:

[adlered]

An 009. It didn't fall into my hands exactly. It was more or less dropped onto our network a few months ago.

Are you not the type to investigate before you ask questions? Or is this how you choose to discover things?