theoverseers | Bolton's Office Hours

[Want to chat with Bolton privately? Here is where you do it! Bolton's office hours will be held in conference room B in the library for approximately four hours in the morning several days a week. During that time the blinds will be drawn and that room will be off-limits unless you're there to talk to Bolton, though the other three study rooms will still be available for use.

Comments are screened for privacy.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

theoverseers

Why wouldn't I suggest that? Where did you think your titles came from? You all caught our attention because you were outstanding in whatever your title is. We had to watch you for a while to know that you were up for the challenge.

From:

damnfourthemerald

I know where mine comes from. I don't know why you chose it over something more pertinent, but that's not the point.

You really do have access to some kind of temporal portal as well as interdimensional travel? The amount of energy, money, technology, people--who are you? Military? Government? Corporation?

From:

theoverseers

We're...privately funded. I think J mentioned the "Benefactors?"

From:

damnfourthemerald

That could mean a lot of things.

There are security cameras. Is this being aired? This is entertainment for you; is it entertainment for others?

[He asks as he scribbles down--it could be an angry scrawl or just his usual handwriting.] I hope you don't mind if I take some notes.

From:

theoverseers

Sure, go ahead, take notes.

Look- here's what the security cameras do.

[He holds out his right arm - the one with the custom sleeve and sleek touchscreen. Pressing a button on the side wakes up the instrument, and then he taps an icon to pull up a series of smaller screens. The scenes are pretty familiar, since it's just the feed from the omnipresent security cameras.]

You can't expect us to hold a trial if we aren't even sure who the guilty party is.

From:

damnfourthemerald

[He's definitely going to focus on those screens--nothing super important or interesting should be going on, but he has to take whatever brief opportunities he gets.]

I understand, but you can hardly fault me for bringing up any possible option. [Bolton acts like it's an answer, but Shadow notes that it was not a direct answer to the question.] By trial, is this supposed to be some full legal proceeding? Or is that just another game for us to play? Someone dies, we run around trying to figure out who, peace breaks down as we start pointing fingers at each other, see if the culprit gets away or gets caught. Should someone manage to succeed and leave--do they go home, to their own time and dimension?

From:

theoverseers

[He can see whatever people are mulling around in whatever room they're in idk. Eventually, Bolton takes the screen back and puts it in sleep mode again.]

It's kind of a real trial. There's a courtroom, anyway. Once the investigation is over, we'll make an announcement and everyone goes down to the courtroom with the teleporter. Present the evidence, debate a little bit, and try to figure out the killer.

If somebody succeeds, they get to go home. No strings attached.

From:

damnfourthemerald

[Scribble scribble. He normally wouldn't bother taking paper notes, but whatever's said in here are things he might actually want to share with the rest of the class.]

The rules mention punishments multiple times. What kind? Does it depend on the infraction and the severity thereof?

From:

theoverseers

[Bolton takes a sip of coffee.]

Do you mean for trials or in general?

From:

damnfourthemerald

Both. [Since he brought up punishments for trials. Might as well.]

From:

theoverseers

For a trial, the punishment is execution.

[Well that's. That's straightforward.]

Anything else... well, that depends on the rule. You're not likely gonna get executed for falling asleep outside the dorms, for example.

From:

damnfourthemerald

Execution is barbaric for a people with such advancements. Why?

From:

theoverseers

Because what's the alternative? Just giving a known killer a slap on the wrist and letting you all go back to your rooms?

From:

damnfourthemerald

Don't prisons still exist? Or literally anything else other than execution?

And what happens to our timelines if one of us just dies and doesn't go back?

From:

theoverseers

This isn't a prison station; some of you have never even done anything wrong.

I mean, that's a pretty good reason not to die, isn't it?

From:

damnfourthemerald

You have who knows how many levels, and you don't have any place to house potential prisoners? You don't have any docking ships to take them away? Your only course of action is really to execute them? [He scoffs. Sounds like fucking humans to him.]

What about if I reach over and break your arm? [Despite the venom lacing his words, it's said in a flippant manner.] The punishment for tampering with devices is clearly some punishment with no room to argue. Yet "violence against the Overseers is highly discouraged". Sounds like someone doesn't care so much for your specific wellbeing. [The difference in tone between 'don't fuck with this item, period' and 'hey maybe don't do this thing or a bad thing will probably happen' seems significant.]

From:

theoverseers

[Bolton rolls his eyes and takes another sip of coffee, muttering into the cup.]

If there were docking ships, we wouldn't be here.

[But the threat gets his attention again, and he sets the cup down. He holds out his right arm.]

Try it.

From:

damnfourthemerald

[So the extended stay is extremely extended. Is there no emergency crew to come in case of, well, emergency? Or would they teleport somewhere safer?

In case of destructive angry hedgehog, for example.

Shadow's eyes narrow at the offered bait, weighing his options. Given the certainty Bolton has, it seems best not to take it. But Shadow was also the one suggesting to the Doctor that they might want to deliberately break or bend rules just to see what happens. Appropriate retaliation...

He reaches out as if mind made up, to grab hold and give a deliberate snap--and takes Bolton's coffee cup instead, casually taking a sip. Are you a bitter or a sweet kinda guy, Bolty?]

Overseers and Benefactors. Are you all human, or do you have other species among your ranks?

From:

theoverseers

[Straight black, actually. But the coffee is smooth and pleasant to the palate - definitely not the battery acid masquerading as coffee that's automatically served at breakfast.

Also fine, fuck you, you can have that cup he'll pour another one from the french press and sit back in his seat.]

We've never seen the Benefactors or spoken to them directly.

From:

damnfourthemerald

[The Ultimate Caffeination.]

But this whole thing is funded by them. Even organized. So they tell your bosses who tell you to trap yourselves on a station with a bunch of people capable of murder, even encouraging them to do so.

Unless you volunteered for this job. Have you run this test before? Or your counterpart?

From:

theoverseers

[...Bolton's hands grip his coffee cup a little tighter.]

He's not my counterpart. We're partners.

From:

damnfourthemerald

[I regret to inform the modstaff that Shadow would not wonder if they're partners or partners.]

With two seemingly different ways of approaching these mind games. He's making himself out to be sympathetic, and you've made yourself out immediately to be the bored child who just wants this over with already. Part, and counterpart.

From:

theoverseers

[His eyes narrow, but he takes another sip of coffee instead of saying what's on his mind.]

From:

damnfourthemerald

[That's fine, he can wait a little bit, writing out a little more and finishing off your coffee as black as his soul. When the silence creeps on what feels like a little too long:]

Maybe I'll ask him about it later. Surely without you around to be boisterous and pushy while making a spectacle of yourselves, he might have more to say on the subject.