Urth's Orphans - Chp. 1: Revelations (Gorum and Major)

[DadsAngry]

Major:

"Implanting memories into someone's mind does not make them real. It's an illusion. It's manipulation or in Gorum's case it's simianation. What his mind sees is not real. It's false and damaging. Image if the context of the Shift was designed to manipulate and overtake the individual. How to maintain product integrity? How do you know the Shift isn't tainted with harmful messages?"

[Mant72]

Gorum holds his palm up to respectfully decline the old man’s attempt to take his hand.

”Thank you, but it is time for me to go.”

Gorum tries to will himself out of the simulation.

[Grognardsw]

Major described the concerns of his employer had voiced about the dangers of Shifts, particularly the black market variety.

"The industry goes to great length to gaurantee the authenticity of the memory, untampered and pure," replied Kyrilla. "But what you describe could happen in black market Shifts."

Though Gorum felt a transcendant climax approaching, the hand of the old man a key to what could be the Communion of the Enlightened, the mutant gibbon felt it was not time. He willed himself out of the memory and opened his eyes into the reality of the Shift chamber.

Major and Xthythyzite were standing at his shoulder, with the clerk Kirylla a step back.

"How was it?" she asked. "Did you have the full experience?"

[Mant72]

”Yes, it was…quite…remarkable,” Gorum replies.

The mutant gibbon shakes his head to free himself from any cobwebs remaining from the experience.

“It seems safe. Perhaps one of you would like to try?” Gorum gestures to Major and Xthythyzite.

[DadsAngry]

Major:

"Uh, no thanks." Major holds up his hands. "I've had enough brain scrambling to last a lifetime."
"How do you feel? Any side effects? Any unusual urges or thoughts?"

[Grognardsw]

Gorum had not felt any side effects, urges or unbidden thoughts beyond curiosity and wonder at the experience. Given what Kirylla had said about Shifts, he didn’t expect any.

“You say the black market Shifts could potentially manipulate the mind?” asked X, picking up on Major’s earlier comment.

Major and Gorum knew their mission was to find out about these black market Shifts, who was behind them, and ways of stopping them.

Though Gorum told Kirylla he had “the full experience,” the mutant gibbon well realized he had not completed the Shift. What did the old man (or whoever he/she was, or represented) intend on showing him? Was it the ultimate Communion that the members of the kult sought?

[Mant72]

After experiencing the sequence, Gorum turns to Kirylla, “You say the black market shifts differ from those you offer here. How so?”

[Grognardsw]

"As the name implies, black market Shifts are manufactured illegally and cheaply, offer content that is often objectionable and/or fictional, and may not use the latest and safest technology," Kirylla the clerk of the Shift emporium The Dream Palace of Arun-Thune answered Gorum the mutant gibbon.

"Shifts are a highly regulated industry, and the major players frown upon those who do not follow the stringent best practices. Black market Shift content can be controversial, be it violence, prurience, or deviance. Shifts are memories that can be experienced by others. Black market Shifts may contain content that is not true memory, but instead a fictional experience."

Gorum, Major and Xthithizyte considered these words in light of the kult black market Shifts which they were investigating.

[Mant72]

Gorum turns to Kirylla, “Thank you for your assistance. You have been very helpful and informative about Shifts; however, I do have one more question. If one were interested in experiencing a black market Shift, would you by chance know where such an experience might be had?”

[Grognardsw]

“The Dream Palace only offers legal Shifts,” said Kirylla. “However, I may know of certain persons who possess knowledge of where one could procure black market product. For a donation toward my graduate degree education...”

[Mant72]

Gorum sets a stack of credits on the countertop (100), and looks at her response.

[Grognardsw]

"Thank you for the payment for your Shift session," replied Kirylla, taking the credits.

She wrote something on a piece of paper and handed it to Gorum. "Here is your receipt."

Written on the paper was an address (169 Brunner Ave) and two names (Case Willis and Bartholomew Silva.)

[Mant72]

”Thank you for your time and assistance, and good luck at the university,” Gorum replies to Kyrilla. He turns to his companions, “I believe we have what we need. We should be off.”

[Grognardsw]

Gorum and his comrades left The Dream Palace of Arun-Thune, a little wiser to the effect of Shifts after their “experiencing” one from the Xathos Epiphany kult.

Xthythyzite and Major looked over the piece of paper that Kirylla gave to Gorum after his bribe.

“We should go to this address?” said X. “A lead to the black market Shifts?”

[DadsAngry]

Major:

"Agreed. We should check it out."

[Grognardsw]

Night fell as Gorum, Major and X made their way across Zibylon to the address given by Kyrilla.







The place was a seedy bar.



The monkey, human and cyborg walked in.

[DadsAngry]

Major:

"Why don't you guys find us a table and I'll get us some drinks."
Major walks over to the bar.
"Barkeep, give me a Banana Daiquiri, a draft beer, and a can of synthetic oil, 0W-20 for my robot friend."
Major places a large stack of credits on the bar, a little more than his drink order and tip should come too.

[Grognardsw]

Drinks were served.



░"░Y░o░u░r░ ░c░h░a░n░g░e░,░ ░s░i░r░.░"░ said the robotender.

[DadsAngry]

Major:

Major grunts and mutters under his breath "No help here."
He searches the room for the others who found a seat in the back and carefully navigates through the crowd with the drinks.
He gently puts them down in from of his friends. "Here you go X a nice smooth can of oil for you and a frosty beer for you Gorum."
Major sits down and plays with the miniature umbrella in his drink.
"Bartender is a robot. I don't think we will get much information out of him. Where do you think we should start?"

[Mant72]

”Thanks!” Gorum exclaims to Major. He takes a long draft of his beer and wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. He scans the room for anything of note or particular interest.