COAST SMALL BUOY - 1160

G 0 START 1 input 0->1 70 Variable["coast.reeds_buoy_mainhub_reached"] 1->70 2 You: "It must have been Klaasje's enemies -- which means she's in danger!" 93 Kim Kitsuragi: "Could be. We should keep an eye out." He sighs. "Nothing more for us to do here. Let's go." 2->93 3 You: There's a cosmic conspiracy -- identities being lost and stolen left and right... 64 Small Buoy: No answers appear to you in the dirty sea water at the bottom of the buoy. Just the heavy smell of brine and silt and disappearance. 3->64 4 Logic: You could ask the Miss what she thinks. Later, if you have the time -- though you doubt she'll tell you much at this point. 5 Jump to: [mainhub] 4->5 82 mainhub 5->82 6 You: Enough. Shake it off. 77 Shivers: It's just rapid movement across the water. It leaves no trace. A whisper... 6->77 7 Kim Kitsuragi: "Indeed." The lieutenant nods thoughtfully. "Let's see what's inside." 90 Jump to: [mainhub] 7->90 8 Perception (Smell): The water this side of the peninsula is cleaner, actually. Smells a little salty. 79 Jump to: [buoyspection] 8->79 9 empty_emptiness 9->3 31 You: It must have been Klaasje's enemies -- which means she's in danger! 9->31 46 You: Don't try to guess who took the documents. You don't have enough information. 9->46 65 You: Maybe Klaasje took them herself... 9->65 80 You: I think... it may have been the Insulindian phasmid. 9->80 10 buoyspection 47 You: Open the buoy. (Move on.) 10->47 50 You: Examine the plastic ball. 10->50 87 You: Sniff the buoy. 10->87 91 You: Shake the buoy. 10->91 11 Savoir Faire: Primitive construction, but it does the job. 11->79 12 Kim Kitsuragi: "That over there," he points to the strange-looking object, "must be the buoy Klaasje told us about -- the one she hid her passport in. We should take a look." 81 Drama: Oooh, hidden things -- secrets, lies! 12->81 13 Shivers: Yes, spindly extremities have been here, snapped the cords keeping the buoy in place. A little longer -- and it will be floating somewhere out in the open sea... 83 Variable["coast.reeds_buoy_shivers"] 13->83 14 You: "I think there's a cosmic conspiracy -- identities being lost and stolen left and right..." 25 Kim Kitsuragi: "This wasn't a *real* identity, at least not as far as we know." He sighs. "We should go." 14->25 16 Variable["whirling.klaasje_shivers_phasmid_buoy"] 17 Variable["whirling.klaasje_shivers_phasmid_buoy"] 16->17 18 !(Variable["whirling.klaasje_shivers_phasmid_buoy"]) 16->18 59 Shivers: Cold. Air. Tendons. Snapped the cords keeping the buoy in place. A little longer and it would be floating somewhere out in the open sea... 17->59 18->13 19 You: "This is a minor quirk. We know what was in the buoy anyway." 43 Kim Kitsuragi: He purses his lips. "Or *think* we do... This is a small loose end, either way. Not important I hope." 19->43 20 You: "Damn, I felt *really* strange just now." 88 Kim Kitsuragi: "Mhm." No further response. All his concentration is on the contraption. 20->88 21 Small Buoy: A metal-and-plastic contraption bobs up and down amidst the trembling reeds. At first it just looks like trash, but if you look closer... 22 IsKimHere() 21->22 23 IsKimHere() 22->23 24 !(IsKimHere()) 22->24 23->12 37 Logic: This must be the buoy Klaasje mentioned. 24->37 25->4 26 Kim Kitsuragi: "In my experience, cryptids are generally uninterested in travel documentation." He sighs. "We should go." "Yes, the cryptid has always wanted to be an Annouk Meijer-Smit." He sighs. "We should go." 26->4 27 Rhetoric: Coward. You should *always* try to guess. 27->64 28 You: Yes, but who or what is this? 32 Shivers: Splendour. 28->32 29 Kim Kitsuragi: "Well, damn." 44 Jump to: [mainhub] 29->44 30 Inland Empire: Another identity misplaced... There must be some cosmic conspiracy afoot! 30->44 31->64 32->82 33 Variable["coast.reeds_buoy_opened"] 34 Variable["coast.reeds_buoy_opened"] 33->34 35 !(Variable["coast.reeds_buoy_opened"]) 33->35 94 Kim Kitsuragi: The lieutenant flashes a mirthless half-smile. "We still got here too late. There's nothing of use here anymore." 34->94 35->7 36 You: Let the buoy be. [Leave.] Let the empty buoy be. [Leave.] 37->81 38 Small Buoy: There's something in there... splashing around. 38->79 39 You: Pick up the buoy. 51 Small Buoy: You lift the buoy out of the water without much effort. It's not tied to anything -- the cords dangling from the bottom appear to have been cut. The buoy is not tied to anything -- the cords dangling from the bottom really have been torn or cut. You lift it out of the water easily, noticing how light it is. 39->51 40 IsKimHere() 41 IsKimHere() 40->41 42 !(IsKimHere()) 40->42 60 Kim Kitsuragi: "I have no idea." The lieutenant taps his foot, frowning. 41->60 73 Small Buoy: The buoy continues to be mostly empty. 42->73 61 who_dunnit 43->61 44->82 45 Kim Kitsuragi: "I wouldn't go so far as to say that. This is only a small loose end. But I do wish we knew who took the documents." 45->61 46->27 69 Small Buoy: A shot-glass's worth of seawater pours out -- some algae. And nothing else. 47->69 48 You: "Maybe Klaasje took them herself..." 67 Kim Kitsuragi: "That may very well be the case. We should keep an eye on her." He sighs. "Nothing more for us to do here. Let's go." 48->67 49 Shivers: Moves across the water, leaving no traces. You're cold again, as always... 66 shivershub 49->66 52 Small Buoy: The number '11' has been written on the yellow plastic. It hasn't been in the water for very long, but it's already discoloured and slimy with silt. A latch holds it closed, but only just barely -- the brittle metal of the latch has cracked. 50->52 51->10 55 IsKimHere() 52->55 53 Small Buoy: The dome-shaped plastic buoy still bobs up and down in the water amidst the trembling reeds. The dome-shaped plastic buoy bobs up and down in the water amidst the trembling reeds. The ajar latch still exhibits the emptiness within. 53->82 54 You: "We're lucky it's still here. A little longer and it would have floated away..." 54->33 56 IsKimHere() 55->56 57 !(IsKimHere()) 55->57 92 Kim Kitsuragi: "Simple construction, very unsafe." 56->92 57->11 58 You: "This is a disaster. Everything is ruined." 58->45 59->83 60->19 60->58 61->2 61->14 61->48 62 You: "Could this be related to the cryptozoologists and their little expedition?" 61->62 95 You: "I've no idea. Do you have any theories, lieutenant?" 61->95 62->26 63 Electrochemistry: ...and just a dash of hard liquor. Yummm. 63->8 64->4 65->64 66->6 66->28 68 You: What? 66->68 67->4 68->49 74 IsKimHere() 69->74 71 Variable["coast.reeds_buoy_mainhub_reached"] 70->71 72 !(Variable["coast.reeds_buoy_mainhub_reached"]) 70->72 71->53 72->21 73->9 75 IsKimHere() 74->75 76 !(IsKimHere()) 74->76 75->29 76->30 77->82 78 Small Buoy: It smells like you would expect it to smell: a concentrated version of the coast. Salt, industrial slop and decay. 78->63 79->10 80->64 81->16 82->20 82->36 82->39 82->54 89 You: Stare into the empty buoy. "No documents. Who do you think took them?" 82->89 84 Variable["coast.reeds_buoy_shivers"] 83->84 85 !(Variable["coast.reeds_buoy_shivers"]) 83->85 84->66 85->82 86 Kim Kitsuragi: "Might have been Klaasje. Might have been the people after her. Might have been a local drunk." He shrugs. "We should go." 86->4 87->78 88->90 89->40 90->82 91->38 92->79 93->4 94->90 95->86