[Snowblind] IC Inbox

[cahooted]

This is Flynn. Hi!

Comments

[cahooted]

If the dreams and memory distortions are any indication I'd say they know plenty already, yeah.

You think it's too risky?

[bookofnope]

... I don't know.

[He's dissembling. He realizes that. He need to confront the real issue, such as it is.]

I am wondering, what makes you, specifically, the right person to take on the job of world archivist?

[cahooted]

I'm... a librarian?

[Is this a job interview? It feels like his last job interview all of a sudden and Flynn frowns, propping up his chin on his hand.]

And I've already set up the e-library, so it's just a matter of adding files? Actually I was thinking that Al would do the collecting part since it was his idea.

[bookofnope]

It's a start. [He doesn't sound terribly impressed, though that may have something to do with having known librarians who did their shelving in fleshcrafted humans. But he understands why Flynn isn't quite grasping his problem here. Shouldn't expect him to. He's thinking of worlds that still exist.]

Let me ask another question. What do you plan to do with this information? I am assuming you're thinking of keeping it if you ever make it out of there. You're a librarian - who checks out items from your library?

[cahooted]

[Ah. So that's the angle.]

I work for a special collection. Old books and valuable tomes that are not accessible to the public. And I'm not a writer, I'm not going to publish the Norfinbury Secrets 101 to the public when I'm back. I like not being in the psych ward.

I see what you're getting at but once we make this information publicly available, isn't that the same potential threat for, or rather from everyone? I won't know more than the people reading the stories just because I do the administrative part, do I?

[bookofnope]

No... you don't see what I'm getting it. You're thinking of keeping it out of the wrong hands. I'm thinking of getting it into the right ones.

[And you've done a piss-poor job of explaining as much, Beckett. Out with it already.]

I am... something of an archivist myself. A record-keeper, rather. I have a great many stories that no one else remembers. That deserves respect. I'd like to know that they end up with the people, the place that will give them that respect. Not just by hiding or guarding them, but by keeping them alive, as it were. As much as stories of a dead breed can be.

[cahooted]

[Okay, that is a turn that Flynn didn't expect. And now that Beckett mentions it he wonders why the thought never crossed his mind - preseving stories of other worlds they otherwise might never touch upon.]

I'd be honored.

And I don't know a place in my world that would take better care of them.

[bookofnope]

[At last, they're starting to understand each other. Beckett relaxes a bit, moved by how Flynn doesn't challenge him on the importance of the stories, and their keeping.]

They are not necessarily pleasant stories, you have to understand. We were - we made many mistakes. Some falling to our nature, but some willful, wasteful. But it is history. It's the truth. Even if it condemns us, it has worth for that.

[cahooted]

Well, history shouldn't just be about preserving the facts that you like. ... Though yes, more often than not that's exactly what happens.

[He hums, thinking back to the conversation they shared in their dream meeting. He... wasn't going to bring that up but it seems like there's no way around it now.]

With "we" you mean your secret society of exploration vampires?

[bookofnope]

[Secret society of exploration vampires indeed. Beckett half-snorts, half-chuckles, a pained sound.]

We Noddists would like to believe we did better. But no... I mean all of us. All vampires.

[cahooted]

[All vampires. So they're doing this then. The vampire talk.]

Right. So what did you guys--

Wait, "Noddists"? What is that, does that go back to the land of Nod? [Vampires in his world are connected to the story of Cain and Abel so it doesn't seem like much of a stretch.]

[bookofnope]

Yes, in a sense. [Well-observed on Flynn's part, and a question Beckett finds easier to answer than what was otherwise probably coming.]

Noddism refers to scholarship of the Book of Nod - I've shared it on the network, you may have seen. A collection of foundational texts of vampire history and lore. The name derives from the purported - well. The now established origin of my kind with the Biblical Cain.

[cahooted]

Cursed by God to wander the land forever. The first vampire. [Judson's words come back to him and he mutters them thoughtfully, more to himself.]

I must have missed that. I'll definitely go back and check.

[bookofnope]

[Something about Flynn's tone arrests him. The librarian isn't simply echoing the obvious conclusion. He knows... from his world?]

You've heard the story before.

[cahooted]

[There's a pause. Should he really get into this?]

... I have. A colleague told me about it.

[bookofnope]

In your world.

[He says that as a fact. A rattling, frightening fact.]

[cahooted]

Yes.

You don't sound too happy about it.

[bookofnope]

... what else do you know about vampires, Mr. Carsen? What is in your library already?

[cahooted]

[Yep, already regretting this.]

Why, am I in trouble here?

[bookofnope]

... no.

[Though it's an obvious misunderstanding. Beckett sighs.]

No. The opposite. It's - I have - just tell me. Please. Your world has vampires. They are descended from Cain. There was... Dracula? Am I remembering right?

[cahooted]

[Another pause. Should he try to backpedal? That's a very tough choice to make here and he remains vague for now, trying to gauge more of his reaction.]

You mean in the dream? Yes, you remember that right. There was Dracula.

[bookofnope]

And he was your enemy. I understand why you're worried. You needn't be, Mr. Carsen, none of my kind are going to hunt you down for your knowledge. You see, they're all gone.

[And that's out.]

[cahooted]

Gone?

[That... moves him. It reminds him of Simone and sitting in the sun and watching her fade away and he can feel his heart grow heavy at the memory.]

... They're not. Not in my world. At least I don't think they are.

[bookofnope]

That's what I'm trying to understand. How much the vampires in your world are - whether they are like my kind. I've heard of a number of versions by now, which is curious in itself. But none of them are my Kindred.

[The capital K is all but audible. He has never felt as close to his fellow vampires as he does now they're all dead.]

[cahooted]

[There's another pause on the line and then Flynn exhales audibly.]

Alright. I haven't met too many and I only recently learned of their existence before coming here but alright.

The Judas Chalice... does that mean anything to you?