Case of the Psychic's Lament, Part 10

Previously...

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The Preator greets us. Psypher speaks French to them which mostly works. I tried in English then also tried native sign language. Sign didn't quite work. We learn the Praetor is Praetor Gaius and is an ambassador.

 
Pietro and Wanda are translating. But they can't stay for bias? Interesting.

 
We do manage to communicate and get across introductions. Also that we are attempting to solve the problem of the gateway and its makers. Simply because they are causing us a problem as well.
 

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After sorting this out, I should devote some time to learn another two languages. Life is often busy.
 
A middle aged woman came in with a bamboo tray that holds polished bowls, ceramic mugs, and drinks. Some sort of refreshments. Given the praetor's clothing style, it's a Roman based meal. Likely wine or mead with light food. This, I'll eat. I've not seen any reason to distrust them but I'm curious to know more about these "lost visitors" they mentioned.
 
These "lost visitors" have been happening for the past year according to our hosts. Our translators are "Romani" but not "Roman".
 
I ask about the Lost Travelers and mention their need for metals, medicine and more. Also the stealing. They agree and explain the Lost Travelers will approach with a calm manner but will take what they want as they think it's theirs by right. This fits with with that Traveler team casing the hardware store.
 
More curious, they do speak Latin but it's altered. Evolved from what our world calls 'Latin'. This makes sense, if the Roman Empire didn't fall, there would be language drift over the centuries. Rough estimate, this is a similar time period as our own Earth.
 
Psypher asked for the washroom so had and I could wash up before eating to keep with manners. I swapped to Japanese to talk with Psypher in some manner of privacy. Especially since we don't know who was listening.
 
He and I discussed what we heard. Based on what we were told and the questions about our Earth, the translators - or the Romans - have a much broader experience with multiple Earths. They mentioned what sounded like Soviet Russia, then something that could be extensive fossil fuel / diesel use that had very advanced technology. Combined with ours, the Lost Travelers world, that would be four. Five if the translators are yet from an Earth not mentioned. A lot of options.
 
Given the emotion behind the questions, they were suspicious about our Earth. They were testing to see if we were a threat. They are running dangerously low on resources, if not outright attacked by these Lost Travelers.
 
That would be something to start with. Have they been attacked? When was this? How much have these Travelers taken so far? Last would be, how long have our translators been here and unable to go home?
 
I asked them, when was the most recent attack?

month and a half on this Earth. Before the Solstice.

I then asked them, how much have they taken so far? Has it started to cause a problem?

Does cause chaos and cause trouble explaining it.

I did mention 'steel', our translators knew the word. So they're aware of it.
 
If the current Earth has a religious issue with worked metal, why are the Travelers still stealing?
They want to return the "lost", or escaped slaves. Also medicine and similar.
 
I asked how long they've been gone from their Earth? Our translators explain they left when they were children.
 
They explain there are escaped slaves leaving this Earth. That the escapees are suffering mind control. Cybernetic mind control that would be tied to the spinal cybernetics that are on the Travelers we met. These Traveler Thieves are mentally damaged, broken. Removing the spinal control could shatter them. Possibly kill them.
 
I explain the conflict with "Eraser" and what he was doing. They asked what he wore. I described the orange jumpsuits. That was important. The jumpsuits were not what they recognized.
 
They mentioned AIM, Hammer Empire, Cobra, "Hammer and Cycle", and more but say it's not any of them. That's interesting they are so well informed. I file that in the back of my mind. The young woman translator mentions her brother will go ask after the orange jumpsuits. She asked for a diagram or drawing if we can make one.
 
Which I can make a basic police type sketch.
 
Another translator arrives. The introduction was rough but it sounded like Marco Markovich. Markovich handles translations while Pietro and Wanda are speaking some eastern European language. He does understand English, and is very excited when he deduces I might be from the Caribbean. That leads to a story about crabs, alligators and coconuts. I'll bear that in mind. Stories from when I was a child, humorous ones, might buy information.
 
The Preator offers a room for the night for us, with a dividing wall for privacy. I agree to that. We find out that there will be a guard posted for protection. They tell us we can head to the research room upstairs. The building is a secure location but also a "place of judgement".
 
Even more interesting, it's relayed that the Preator is well informed about the multi-dimensional Earth's and the "Travelers" who are stealing from the various Earths, along with altering the past on ours.
 
The Preator explains after a night's rest, we'll meet in the morning after breakfast and continue work on this problem of the multi-dimensional thieves.
 
We retire to our room, where Makeshift and Tabatha find us there. We share information, catching them up with what we learned. They do the same.
 
Tabitha is understandably paranoid when I explain we told the locals what we had experienced after the locals had done that for us. But we need information about where we are and how to get back. This Pietro and Wanda are a route to that. So is this Preator since they are all too well aware of the multi-dimensional thieves.
 
Could they be a problem? Certainly. But the jumpsuit gang and their mysterious leader are a clear and present threat. The Romans here and their translators aren't a direct threat at the moment. The cross-dimensional crimes are a common ground between us. It's something to build on, especially as I suspect these people have fewer ability to defend themselves against these cross-dimensional invaders.