Glissa, Tecmessa, Bernie, and the Bigfoot Scare 2/26/01
Tugging hard on the heavy door opens it with a creak. You step through into the living room of the house.
Farmhouse: Hallway and Living Room
All doorways in the front part of the house lead to the front hallway, a J-shaped area with the short tail starting at the stairs, the front door hitting the bottom curve, the doorless opening to the living room halfway up the long side, and the also doorless opening to the kitchen and dining room at the very top. The hall has a simple wooden floor, and decorated with a generic print of soft-colored flowers hanging on the wall to the right of the front door, and a tall table sitting under the print which serves as a place to toss keys. A closet under the stairs serves as a place to hang coats or to toss shoes.
The doorless opening to the living room is halfway up the side of the hall's J, and the word cozy might spring to mind when looking into is, as it seems to radiate comforting vibrations. A long couch sits against the south wall beneath a large bay window curtained only by sheers that manages to obscure the view in but only filters the day's light. A variety of out-of-date magazines are strewn atop a low coffee table; more neatly presented are the plethora of books filling the small bookshelves which line the eastern wall. Three chairs sit about the room, focused inward, to allow group conversations. Large floor pillows are stacked in one corner of the room, except one, which lies carelessly in the middle of the floor, apparently left out the last time it was used.
An opening in the northern end of the hallway allows access to the kitchen and dining room at the back of the house, while carpeted stairs twist up at the other end of the hall, leading to the second floor. A door at the base of the J lets out to the front porch.
(Non-Garou, please "+view curse")
Contents:
NOTE: Current Farmhouse Residents (Updated: Feb 21)
Obvious exits:
Kitchen/Dining Room Front Door STairs
Tecmessa pages to Glissa and Bernie: What say we say it's like 8?
Glissa knocks, of course, at the front door. It may take a few raps for her to get loud enough to be audible.
You paged Bernie and Tecmessa with 'Fine by me.'.In the back of the house, Bernie fills a second mug, and stick spoons suitable for stirring in each before handing one over to Tecmessa. "Fascinatin', yeah, that's among th' things it was," the cub replies, grinning again, and leans against the table as she stirs her cocoa. She goes thoughtfully silent for several moments, and then nods, "OH! Yeah. Now I gotta image who she is. Megan, I mean."
In the back of the house, Tecmessa gives Bernie a rather larger smile at Bernie's grin. She's just taken her mug when Glissa knocks. She murmurs, "Hm," and then, "Pardon," and goes to get it. Still holding the cocoa in one hand, she says, giving the woman an interested look, "Yes?"
In the back of the house, Tecmessa passes through the open doorway for the front part of the house.
Tecmessa has arrived.
Glissa braces her cheek against her wooden staff, meager self-defense against the awkwardness of social visits. She eyes Tecmessa. "Oh, dear."
In the back of the house, Bernie trails curiously after Tecmessa, and smiles as she sees the newest arrival. "Hey," she greets Glissa cheerfully, "how goes? Got more news? Want some cocoa? Couple people ran off without theirs, so we got more'n plenty..."
In the back of the house, Bernie passes through the open doorway for the front part of the house.
Bernie has arrived.
People with cocoa in one hand are presumably somewhat less intimidating than people without it. In theory. At the woman's slightly distressed comment, Tecmessa's smile rises, just slightly. "Am I not what you expected?"
Glissa launches brightly into a stream of babble, covering fire for her worried expression, "Hi, I'm a neighbor, or sort of an ex-neighbor, really, and I've got a bit of ah--well, heh, I shouldn't like to say, but... is Meg Kaftan about? Or that striking young lady that calls herself Chaser? Oh. Bernie?" She looks over Tecmessa's shoulder helplessly at the cub.
Tecmessa says, mildly, "I'm Tecmessa. I'm something of a neighbor myself." Glancing backwards at Bernie, she asks, "Should I know what's going on?"
Glissa looks hopefully at the face she recognizes. "A little news, yes. Is it quite convenient for me to share it, Bernie?" she asks plainly.
Bernie lifts a hand, wriggling her fingers in a wave, and smiles. "Yeah, it's peachy. Got th' conea silence lowered an' all. Only we should prolly finish comin' inside an' all."
Tecmessa looks relieved, and then steps back from the door, offering, "Care for something to drink?" before adding, once the door's closed, "Megan's my packmate, in case that matters at all."
Glissa seems only slightly relieved, and enters the room fully so they can shut the door behind her. "Right. Well then. A spot of cocoa would be pleasant, thank you." She gives Tecmessa an apologetic smile as she limps over to the large padded chair where she usually takes refuge. "My name is Dr. Nicholson, and it is my strange honor to have been married to a Strider. There's been a Veil problem at the campus where I teach. I've dug out a little more on the subject."
Bernie nods, and sets her own mug of cocoa down as she heads into the kitchen to whip up another.
Tecmessa looks at her cocoa speculatively, but shakes her head and starts into the kitchen, only to pause when Bernie goes in before her. Returning to the living room, she sits in a chair near Glissa's. "I am, by the way, Tecmessa Ardenas, and I am a philodox -- judge -- of the Black Furies. And yes. I'd heard. There's a pack looking into it, now. But if you have more information, I'd be glad to convey it to them."
Glissa outlines the specifics quickly. "It's fairly definite now: they've found a Garou skeleton." She rummages in her pockets and comes out with several sheets of folded-up colored copy-paper, each of which bears glowing descriptions of the Information Technology Resources at SCCU's library on the front, and some rather rough notes and sketches scribbled on the back. "I've spoken to the professor, Mark Clark, who's in the archaelogy department, and also one of his graduate students, who was so kind as to leave her field notes out where I could get a glimpse of some of them in the library. Walkmans are quite a useful way to keep someone from noticing you're spying on them; perhaps you could install them on all humans you're investigating." She rummages through her papers.
Tecmessa hisses through her teeth as she looks at some of the papers. "Should definitely get Walkers in on this, we're going to have to be dealing with eradicating technological evidence, now."
Bernie emerges, fresh cocoa in hand, and offers the mug to Glissa, looking down at the papers with definite interest as she does so.
Glissa unfolds them as best she can on the arm of the chair. There are several roughly-copied sketches of an oddly-shaped skull drawn from various angles. "This is all I could see of her sketches... I'm afraid I'm not as good an artist as she is, but I suppose you don't need to be accurate to guess. Also she was checking some web sites on Dire Wolves and the La Brea Tar Pits, downloading some detailed data. But she mentioned DNA testing, and Professor Clar said they'd sent samples to the Smithsonian as well."
Tecmessa winces as she looks at the picture, dismayed. "Good Gaia. The only positive out of all this is that at least it's not a /living/ metis. Clark's going to follow up on this, obviously, yes?" After a brief moment, she adds, "You've done considerable work, here."
Glissa shakes her head and holds up a hand. "I'm afraid I've got more."
Tecmessa pauses. "Mmm?"
Bernie retrieves her own cocoa, and takes a seat herself, perching where she can get a decent view of overything brought out.
Glissa takes the cocoa with a grateful smile at Bernie. Her nervousness is an ever-present hovery sort of feeling, but she's a little less obviously fluttery when she's relaying information. "Ling said they have 70% of the skeleton intact. They're being housed in the basement of the University museum. I've tried to get down there once to check on some Roman coins in the collection. I wasn't paying enough attention, I'm afraid, to give you a complete layout of cameras and such, but I remember there -were- cameras, and I think there may have been guards, and on top of that you'll find the filing system is not so much a system as an alien tongue. Perhaps you've got some way to sniff out your own kind?" she asks with faint hope.
Tecmessa says, glumly, "Not dead ones. But," she adds, thoughtfully, "On the bright side, there is a gift we have, some of us, that can disable technology for a time. Presumably you didn't see the skeleton itself, but rather the coins?"
Glissa spills a little chocolate on her shirt and flinches before nattering on. "No, becausae this was several years ago. One small point in your favor is that nothing's being published, and Clark doesn't want to tell the media yet, until he's gotten it figured out more. Ling said they're not letting anyone see the bones yet." She sighs. "At least, that's her story, and she's sticking to it. There's just one problem." As usual, she can't leave anything unsaid that -might- be said, and corrects herself immediately. "One more problem, I mean."
Tecmessa says, "Other than the tabloids, you mean?"
You say "Exactly. You've seen it then." She exhales. "This McQuire person who's waving around bones on the cover of the dailies is the very one who led Professor to the bones, got him to come out with some students and 'discover' them. And if that isn't suspicious, I'm a fish." She breaks off for a moment, sudden clarity flashing into her usually rather unfoccussed blue eyes, and frowns. "And Ling was less than pleased herself that McQuire's apparently kept some of the bones, and is now spreading Bigfoot rumors hither and yon so as to get paid juicy bonuses by reporters.""
Bernie makes a face, and sips at her cocoa. "Lovely," she comments.
Tecmessa echoes, "Ling? She would be Clark's grad student, then." She seems to be filing information somewhere. "McQuire, hm. So you think he might be doing this... Deliberately?"
Tecmessa pages: She obviously means, not for money, but to mess with the Garou.
Glissa takes another shaky gulp of cocoa. "I'm wondering. So was Ling, by the look on her face when she mentioned it. But I -think- the bones are real, because she hinted she'd gotten some inconclusive but interesting results in the DNA tests. Which means someone who knows about you is trying to let -us- know about you."
Glissa turns bright red at that turn of phrase but can't think of a way to rescue herself, and shifts position uncomfortably.
Tecmessa doesn't jump on this comment. Perhaps she's known alienated Kin in her time, or lost Kin. "Yes. I can't say I disagree with your conclusion." She still hasnt touched her cocoa. "There anything else...?"Bernie remains fairly quiet, thinking about all this. In contrast to Tecmessa, she's been absently drinking her cocoa the whole time, and has just about finished it.
Glissa nibbles her lower lip. "Well, um. No. Except maybe some suggestions?" She trots that out like a groundhog on Feb. 2nd.
Tecmessa says, finally taking a sip of cocoa, "I am always ready for suggestions, Dr. Nicholson. Please?"
Glissa steps up to bat again, after peering furtively at the glop at the bottom of the mug and deciding she shouldn't suck in polite company, or in dangerous company either. "The way I see it, ladies--er, well. The way I see it, you've got two loose links in this chain." She expounds on her fingers. "One is that Ling and Dr. Clark both have the weakness of academics everywhere: they resent the other departments wanting a piece of the action, or the media either, and I was able to go far with Clark by sympathizing about bio science wanting to get their paws on this." She blinks at them suddenly. "Er. Fingers. So anyway, they're doing a -little- containment on your behalf. Also, they're determined to find the truth and won't pretend it's Bigfoot if their tests show a 'short-nosed bear'... Clark's working theory."
"Be nice if their tests would show up showing it was, then," the cub murmurs, eyeing the last few sludgy drops in her own cup. Instead of giving up on them, she just tilts her head back slightly and waits to see if they'll pour out by themselves.
Tecmessa narrows her eyes thoughtfully. "Wonder if we can somehow replace the information in the tests..."
Glissa nods. "Or just contaminate the bones somehow with bear remains."
Tecmessa snaps her fingers. "Rather less involved, that one. Thank you."
Glissa launches again. "Second point is that McQuire's pandering to the Bigfoot crowd. That means you're due for a shipment of woods-tromping loonies. But that also discredits the discovery to those who have synapses. You might start putting out trash cans in St. Claire with the face of the Virgin Mary, getting the birds in Kent Crossing to sing Elvis, leaving little UFO scorch-marks over in the next township, drawing crop circles in Hanford, that sort of thing. Disperse the loonies over a wider area, and convince everyone else they're nuts."
Bernie decides it would be easier just to make more cocoa, and lowers the cup again, nodding. "Well, 'f they already did somea th' tests, you'd wanna have somethin' contaminatin' them too, so they didn't think it was too weird when they started gettin' new results..." She trails off, and grins broadly at Glissa's second idea, "...damn, that'd be fun. Oh, god, there's gotta be a million diff'rent things y'could do...."
Tecmessa actually chuckles, faintly. "Bernie, you want to be in charge of the disinformation society, for the moment?"
Glissa smiles weakly. "Well, it would, really. But you know: they're still arguing cold fusion, and they're still claiming they've found life in a Martian rock, and the scientists can argue merrily all they want, but the rest of the world gets bored, gets up for beer during the science segment of the news, and comes back to watch sports highlights."
Tecmessa adds, "Probably, the first person you talk to will take you off it, but -- you can give them good ideas, yes?"
Glissa pipes down and goes into the kitchen to wash out her cup (and surreptitiously slurp up the clumpy bits at the bottom that have the high-chocolate density which is the real reason for the whole exercise).
Bernie nods, still grinning. "Oh, hell yeah. Hmm..." She rises, and heads over to the backpack beside the sofa, pulling a notepad and pen out of it before she sits again, and flips it open to make a few notes. "'spose we'd wanna have mosta th' stuff happen -not- 'round th' woods, 'cause we don' want everyone trompin' all over th' bawn or anythin'. Maybe in way far bitsa th' forest land, though."
Tecmessa takes a longer sip of cocoa. "Would think a few nearby, and then spreading out, so to speak."
Bernie nods, "...only y'wouldn't want too mucha an epicenter, so oughta make it a semi-random distribution, I think." She makes another note, then considers, and jots down a few more things.
Glissa pokes her head around the doorway suddenly. "David Cox. Gracious. I'd quite forgotten."
Tecmessa says "Indeed. It's hard to make it random enough to seem natural, but..."
Tecmessa then tilts her head at Glissa. "Whom?"
From afar, to the room, Tecmessa corrects to the right one. Who.
Glissa returns with water splatted onto her cuffs. "Um. Ah. Well..." she temporizes for a split second, very much not good at keeping her composure, but it's not like she's been calm all evening, "He's the head of Wolf Woods Park. I dropped a white lie at Professor Clark that I'd seen a few large wolves while I lived out here, and I was a bit weirded out til I spoke with Mr. Cox, who said there's a bit of inbreeding in the local wolf population that's produced some gigantism. Which is of course not true. But, well, Mr. Cox might be persuaded to say so. He's kinfolk as well."
Tecmessa pages: My God, I actually have a reason to RP with David Cox! The world is ending.
Tecmessa blinks, slowly. "Really. Hadn't heard of him." She looks at her cocoa, and puts it down, carefully. "Have another Kin, of my tribe, working over there, as well. I'll have to see if I can track Mr. Cox down."
Glissa suggests, "You might tell him about the bones, too. I mean, about how to alter them, if you can get your hands on them. He probably knows about that sort of tests from the line of work he does."
Tecmessa nods. "Would think I'd have to explain why I'd be asking him to say that, so yes, that would be covered. You're a wealth of useful thoughts, you are. Have any more?"
Glissa looks a little pale. "Just..." She shakes her head. "No."
Tecmessa wrinkles her forehead. "I -- Please?" She's not ordering, nor pressing, but she does sound honestly curious.
Glissa retrieves her walking stick, as if making ready to leave. "Well." She takes a deep breath. "I don't suppose...you've ever seen my husband's grave?" She finds strength to say this steadily. "Because I'm not allowed, you know. And the last I was told, the body had still not been located."
Bernie looks up, at that, blinking. She seems about to say something, but looks curiously at Tecmessa instead. Maybe there's some rule involved here she hasn't learned yet.
Tecmessa stills in faint shock, and dismay. "They do not--" She breaks off. "I have seen it, yes. I-- It is a spot I found soon after I came here, less than a year ago."
Glissa looks at Tecmessa's eyes. "Perhaps sometime I will ask for a bit of earth from it," she says softly. "But nevermind now. I should go. Thank you."
Bernie looks somewhat lost at this. "So, wait, then why can't..." She trails off, confused, but gathering this might not be the best time. "Um. Thank you for all your work an' stuff on this, Dr. Nicholson..."
Tecmessa murmurs, "I think sooner, rather than later, I shall go there again," as she holds Glissa's gaze for a brief moment -- and then looks away herself. Perhaps out of politeness. "Dr. Nicholson, you have my thanks. Our thanks. Would a check in at another time, would it make sense? Were more information to come available."
Glissa nods shakily. "I'll come by or call Chaser. And.. glad to help," she says automatically. She pauses at the door and looks back at them with a sudden sharp clarity, pained pride. "I -am- glad to help you know. I served Gaia before I ever heard of you people."
Tecmessa's nod is slight. "I do not doubt it. More than just my people serve the Mother."
Bernie makes it unanimous by nodding a little herself, the end of her pen tapping lightly against her paper.
Tecmessa pages: Would it completely freak Glissa if Tec left her a little urn full of earth, in a few days, or should I totally avoid that?
Glissa lets out a few muscles she was holding in reserve in case they might make a break for freedom, to judge by the shift of her shoulders. She nods to them both. "Blessed be." And then makes a somewhat calmer escape than usual.