Sacris Solemniis

[collector]

[Teapot before him, a plate of pastries beside it, Braxiatel sits at the kitchen table with Strindberg's Ett drömspel open in front of him. Braxiatel stirs sugar into his tea, and a faint smile crosses his face as his eyes flicker to something in the seat to his left.]

[He leans forwards and pours a second cup of tea, then lifts it up to hand it over, the smile widening.] I don't know what you mean by 'ulterior motives,' Comman—

[Braxiatel's fingers tighten on the cup before he can let it go. For a moment, it hangs there, hoping for a hand that cannot take it.]

Ah.

[It is a quiet realization.]

[Braxiatel sets the cup down, away from him. He leans back in his chair and picks up a scone to eat.]

Comments

[oliverplus]

I don't want any--wait. What!? [turns to Brax, giving him a look like he thinks he's just gone mental]

[collector]

[lifting his hands and giving a wave with his fingers] Your mind seemed to be going elsewhere.

[oliverplus]

Y-yeah. [glances at that spot next to Brax again] Seems like this place is set on that, lately.

[collector]

[sighing and leaning back in his chair] Have you read much Homer, Oliver?

[oliverplus]

Huh? [he was getting distracted again. he does wish the hallucination would leave him alone, particularly now that he knows it is one] Homer? Oh, yeah. Quite a bit. Classical studies and all that. Why?

[collector]

I'd like to take this moment to remind you of Book IX. And the lotophagi.

[oliverplus]

The loto...oh. The Lotus-Eaters. [frowns, making the connection] It is a bit like that, isn't it? [glances again, a bit longingly, at that hallucinated person next to Brax, but he quickly pulls his gaze away] So you think this is a good way to distract us from working out what's going on here.

[collector]

[Braxiatel holds his tea carefully, breathing in the steam.] There is no better trap than your heart's desire. There's an artefact in my Collection. Touch it, and the world becomes perfect. You're happy and at peace with a beautiful universe. Dorpfield's Prism. Its name was a misunderstanding, of course.

[oliverplus]

[frowns] A prison.

I could see that happening, but...I think the Matrix was right, too.

[collector]

[quietly] Then why are you so drawn to the lie?

[oliverplus]

Because... [but he lets himself trail off, closing his eyes]

I...I see your point. But I won't let myself fall into this one. I know it's not real. If I don't believe it, it can't trap me.

[collector]

Unless you want to be trapped.

[oliverplus]

No. [opens his eyes again, resolute] I don't want it if it's not the real thing.

[collector]

[Braxiatel smiles.] Then I'm sure you'll be fine.

[His body language isn't as open as usual; though he is sitting normally, his shoulders are shifted subtly to put a wall between himself and Oliver. He is centred on Ett drömspel.]

Now, why don't you review for me what facts we presently have. Nothing about the monsters, they seem more like thematically appropriate decorations, but about the choices. I'd like to hear everything you've learned.

[oliverplus]

Um...okay. [glances at that illusion again, uncomfortable, but then he steps over to the table and sets the pie on it, having a seat. focuses his eyes on the pie as he speaks] There've been a few different choices--I've heard about three. Sometimes different people get the same choice. There's at least one other person who got the one I did, and she chose the same thing. Otherwise, the pie appeared, but I don't know what that's got to do with anything. It could just be Ezra apologising.

[collector]

Your choices was a dichotomy. Are the other choices also like that?

[oliverplus]

[shifts his gaze to the extra cup of tea, glancing at Brax for permission]

Yeah, they wer...well, not exactly. One was, but...one bloke I talked to, his choice was if he wanted to know what people were thinking or what they were feeling. I guess that sort of is, but it's not as straightforward.

[collector]

[Braxiatel waves a hand to say Oliver can have the tea if he likes] Telepathy or empathy. Fun choices. [After taking a bite from his scone] Which would you pick?

[oliverplus]

Cheers. [takes the cup, taking a sip] Have some pie, if you like.

[considers that] It's not really the same choice for me.

[collector]

Pretend it is. A hypothetical scenario for a hypothetical question.

[oliverplus]

Well... I don't know. I guess I'd choose feelings. It's not as...no, maybe it is, but it's not the same sort of, you know, prying as thoughts. And who knows how loud the Plane would make thoughts.

But maybe thoughts would be more useful for finding whoever started this...

[collector]

[with a nod] There isn't anything quite like an invasion of privacy to clear up loose ends.

[oliverplus]

[makes a face] If you can stand it the rest of the time! There are people you can only tell the truth to. I think I'd get frustrated.

[collector]

[rather amused] That says something about you, Oliver.

[It is, of course, hypocrisy, but that doesn't make it less true.]

[oliverplus]

[blinks] What? You'd have to be careful what you asked, or how you said it. [and he's already discovered just how much more frustrating it is to be on the receiving end of it]