The Doctor and a Discussion

-==New Scene: The Doctor Appears==-
There seems to be a moment of calm in a very hectic situation. The doctor walking in seems jarring to a party getting ready to try to stop an angry Reth incarnate. Alexa looks to the Doctor "Why does everyone seem so calm in what can be an extremely deadly situation?" She takes a deep breath to collect herself, appreciating the support given by Solus. She notices the Doctors fixation on Rolf. "I typically will recognize a face, but you seemed to have changed significantly since last we met, but it does appear that our previous conversation did come to fruition, albeit in a different overall conclusion than I expected."
A brief moment of reflection washes over the firey tiefling as her flames settle and her footing touches down against a step leading up to the next floor. Eyes shifting to catch her comrades scattered around the large room, some taking focus to the scorched dead man, rummaging through his pockets for things of value both for coin, battering, and knowledge to move on from this place. Her hands come up and her eyes scan over her forearms and down to her palms till the view of Gig slicing across the shadowy soul of the ‘unfortunate’ dead man. “That’s new.”
Syn leans against the wall of the staircase, holding Wraeth by her side casually. She watches the Doctor calmly stride across the first floor making his way towards the stairs. “The Doctor?” She asks, looking him over before taking a quick glance in Alexa’s direction. “I mean, there was an attempt I suppose. ” She sneers down at him from the stairs. “Why are you here, Doctor?”
"Death in inevitable," the doctor says as he levels his gaze on Rolf, "it is the metamorphosis of one state to the other." The gangly man's voice comes off like cold steel of a sterile operating table. Precise. Unfeeling. His body resembles more of scarecrow than flesh and blood with his skin patched with needle and thread neatly across his face as if it was merely an injury. A gaunt hand pushes up a pair of glasses. "Still it can be treated like any other disease. To conquer death is a bit of a family tradition." Without permission, the doctor goes to Rolf and extracts some of his hair with a sharp pinch. "Fascinating," he says with little disregard to social etiquette as he holds the strands close to his glasses.
"Yes, my appearance has gone through a metamorphosis as well. Though, not unlike this man's changes," the doctor continues on as he inspects the stands carefully before placing them in a small glass vial. Eyes flick away as they settle on Syn. "Of the inquisitive minds, I did not presume it to be yours. You appear to be the 'bash first, ask never' in persona typing," he says as he straightens his coat. A gloved hand gestures to the dead and burnt bodies. Gig makes a note of it by putting his boot on the recently harvested corpse before his boot burns through the skull with a 'crack'.
The Doctor continues on, "Information is a currency. What do you offer in exchange for the disclosure of my agenda here?"
The sharp pain of a pluck sends a shiver up Rolfs' spine. Aggravated this man invaded his personal space and took a sample of hair Rolf takes a moment to refocus himself and not let his anger get the better of him. Rolf takes a step back to add distance as he is unsure of the intentions and motives of the man in the lab coat. The reactions from both Alexa and Syn leave an impression of bad news.
"Some might also call a hair sample currency as well." Rolf lets out with agitation in his voice. "We should be at least civilized before trying to strike a deal. Names are usually a good start; mine is Rolf."
The way the man in the glasses responds to Rolf is less as a person and more of a lab rat. An animal to be studied the way his eyes look over and past him. Instead of regarding Rolf, he turns to Alexa. "Fascinating. The draconic arrogance set in early or is this true to the original baseline?" He runs a finger along the side of his temple where his glasses settle over a stitched ear. "This is an opportunity to determine if this is causality or not. More than one theory runs deep on the topic." He extends both arms outwards as if he has little care for material wealth or even etiquette, "I dare say you hit a deep topic of data. Consider me in the market to buy and sell." All of this while being within arm's length of Rolf and with disregard to his status of as a sentient creature.
The disregard for Rolf as a person causes his frustrations to bubble; though various thoughts about the process of his metamorphosis cross his mind. It was a topic Rolf never really had much of an answer to and recently he hasn't even had time to think on the changes that have been happening. So many questions, though the cost might be too great for now...
Realizing that there might be a deal to be struck and value to be gained the business man in Rolf takes over. He starts walking toward Alexa and Syn with a spring in his step and with a steady quickness all the while keeping eye contact and talking to the doctor.
"What are you currently looking to buy and Outside of your motives, what are you currently selling?"
Alexa's eyes dart to Rolf as she recollects the reports on the doctor and his dragonborn creation intentions. Attempting to deflect his attention, Alexa speaks with the doctor, "his baseline unfortunately I cannot provide as I do not know it, but surely with the trajectory that the world is going in, using his DNA won't do much." She watches the doctor trying to analyze if he is aware of the same things the party is.
The Doctor keeps his eyes on Rolf when he is speaking. It is not in the manner that peers do for active listening. It is the way a scientist does when a lab animal suddenly learned how to scrawl out its name on the floor. For a moment it looks as if he is going to engage Rolf's conversation and put out a what parts of him and his life he is aiming to carve up in the pursuit of whatever the Doctor considers 'knowledge'. Alexa feeds his appetite before his hunger is stoked further by the tease of a full meal of data. "Which trajectory do you speak of, Alexa Stone?" he asks the blonde Candle as the warm firelight of the nearby brazier glints off of his glasses. "The world is constantly going towards a state of decay and ruin that would overgeneralize the futility of the moments we spend alive. Several of these irksome situations would, in fact, well benefit from the armament of knowledge that this thrall has found himself in. Why, by your logic we should stop eating, drinking, shitting, and fucking for the inevitable truth that one day," he raises his glasses close up to his face and provides a sinister tone to the Alexa, "all things must end."
"True, there is always something that is threatening the world or leading it further to decay, but this seems to be the first to have potential to be successful. Surely you saw the changes at the Whyte Manor. It speaks to a world in which the Targarius' lost the great game, and we both know that isn't what happened."
"History is written by the victors," the Doctor goes on, "there is no data to support a world in which the Targryn thralls lose and Gigareth wins. One can only assume. Theorize. It is a horrible waste of intellect there. Artisan knowledge, at best, for bards to spin the final fantasies of a dying world. For all we know that world would be under new management and a whole wealth of data presents itself." His arms go wide when speaking of the wealth of data. The arms slowly return to his side. "The walls between this plane and others have always been thin in Arhor'ha. The Feywild. The Shadow Plane. The Astral Sea. Echo planes that are thin all over Aber-Toril. However. Here under the great abrasion of the sky aurora, the thickness in the planar membranes continue thin in the demiplanes of the Abyss, Avernus, and even extremes in both ends such as the Positive/Negative Planes and the Far Planes. My readings show that they are particularly thin now that Number Six has become eroded with the acid of Reth in the veins of his 'soul'." The Doctor airquotes 'soul' the same way someone might airquote 'ghosts' or 'Santa Clause'. "That, I presume, is the Gigarethian fantasy you are spinning in your brain. Data, Alexa, Data. What data have you collected?"
"Alas, I do not have anything concrete, just moments witnessed, and impacts observed. With what I've observed it confounds me that you appear so calm, as does Jacob, seeing as Jacob is target number one for a man consumed by Reth. Especially in a time where it appears having money or resources to return something dead back to life may not work anymore."
"Tch," the Doctor shows annoyance at Alexa's response. Hiding behind 'I observed' without stating what it was observed. As frustrating as saying 'I tested' without the results of the test. A tease. "Data. Alexa," he repeats. A glaring reminder of their last encounter in the Shadow Market. "If we can't speak and exchange data, we have nothing to talk about at all." He motions to Rolf, "Unless we have devolved to material trade and you wish to sell me the thrall for experiments. I have no interest in Number Three or Four at this time. Though," the doctor look at Syn, "follow up tests for the deltas would prove useful had we the time and a laboratory."
Alexa listens to the Doctor speak, and slowly realizes what he is saying. "So you are aware of Ozy's Reth corruption. Were you also aware of him killing Paulo Mysidi, thus destroying the already fragile balance in Arhor'ha." It bothers her to hear Syn, Solus, and Ozy just devolved to being called numbers, but he's a scientist, she doubts he's had any real emotional connection to anything. "The positive energy Paulo was holding inside him has been blasted into the sky, and we are in uncharted territory for what true effects that will have."
"Fascinating," the Doctor lights up, "so that is what the light was? And Number Five the cause? Oh, how the muse of the gods love their stories. The irony is thick, Alexa." He coughs into his hand, "I as unaware of those points of data. I observed from a distance the phenomenon of light while restoring Lord Vyne to his new life. One might argue that it is the last time that cycle will continue until the balance is restored. A theory that will have to wait until this crisis has resolved itself." The robed man shakes with excitement, "It is uncharted territory, is that not exciting?! It is the PERFECT time to act and harvest data. A new star in the Astral Sea. The aurora gaping from its wounds. The Aolohymnian bonds broken. Infernal and Celestial hosts fusing with the divine matter that cannot go to the next transition."
Gig is still around. He takes to asiding near Syn and Solus, "This guy is horrible replacement for Paulo." Then a more audible, 'Booo!' from him in the background.
"A time to harvest data indeed, but what does that data matter if the world ceases to exist before you can complete the experiment? Which leads to the data we were requesting which is why you are here, and what you are working with Jacob on? Creating Builders and Breakers seems like something that's not quite your speed, given the draconic focus you enjoy."
Red eyes shift back and forth between two intellects preforming a dance of words between one another. If she had a different life, their dance would mean something more to the barbarian, instead it falls on lost ears. A sarcastic yawn escapes her mouth, bringing her hand up to tap her palm across her lips till the familiar and frankly, insane devil meanders close by. “Absolutely horrible.” Syn replies to Gig, following up from his booing to shout across the room to the two ‘data’ obsessed. “For the record you fucking weirdo, I am no test subject. You can erase that bit from your thought because I’ll shove this club up your ass if you even consider using me or anyone here for that matter as a test.” She sneers with canines poking out under her top lip, her red eyes flickering off the light of the room with a hateful expression.
Syn looks to Alexa, “We don’t have time for these games. He’s either going to help by providing USEFUL information, or we keep pushing on. The longer we stay her the longer Ozy does gods know what, and the harder it will be to convince him otherwise.” A huff of breath is exhaled out of frustration. Maybe because of their time crunch, or maybe because she couldn’t understand a word they were talking about. Her eyes shift once again to lower back onto the Doctor. “So? What will it be? D.o.c.t.or? Give us some information that’s actually useful.”
Captios speaks now, after a long period of listening. “Hold on Syn. Not that I don’t agree with you on timing, but there is an opportunity here to improve our odds long term. It’s a bet we have to make now for the sake of the game. Ozy isn’t the endgame here, he’s just another player in what is about to unfold.” He steps forward. “I don’t think we’ve met, my name is Captios. Do you mind giving us your real name? Given the end of the world it seems reasonable that we all are playing for the same team here.” Stroking his chin. And furrowing his brow, he comments quickly. “I’m impressed that you put together all that is happening based on Paulo’s death. It would have taken me longer, and trust me, I’m smarter than pretty much everyone on the material plane. I think working together, we could find a way to undo the situation the world is in now. Doesn’t that excite you? The chance to stabilize the world again? With what you know about dragons and what I know about, well everything else, we could figure out a way to reform the Aolohymnian bonds."
The Doctor has so much to respond to now as the dialog comes at him all at once. A hand is raised like a professor in a rowdy classroom. "In order of which is was received." First he points to Alexa, "For we do not know the amount of time we have left, we do not know if we can or cannot conclude the experimentation. Therefor to not experiment based on a lack of data to support completion is contradictory. Data for Data, Alexa. My agenda for yours. As fun as it is to theorize and dance around possibilities, let us exchange the facts we know."
The next finger points to Syn, "You fail to understand the need to be informed, which is why your results were always so low. Your best contribution is to sit and let the adults speak." --- The next finger points to Captios, "And this is an adult." Well, in the Doctor's eyes at least. "Captios, a pleasure to meet a fellow academic. If I recall you graduated at high honors at the Crystallis Academy. Perhaps my error here is whom the liason in this organization should be. Very well, let us start a relationship of academic exchange with a promisary note of initial information. My name is Doctor Ezekiel Whyte. Please simply call me the Doctor. Politics are very distracting to controlled results." He raises the glasses up on the bridge of his nose unce more. "Paulo Mysidi's death makes the most sense. Did you know he was the Speaker for the Twelve Zodiarks? That he has a celestial bond on Elo, the Astral Half-Dragon of the Dawnwar? That with him gone that it wouldn't be long before the celestials resumed their purge and that Elo breaks free to continue his erasure? With that in mind, the points of data line up nicely. True, it is just a theory but when talking about calamity of this magnitude, there are not many options. Ones that I must, however, validate the theories." He takes a deep, regal bow as if to say 'hence I am here'. "I must admit, bringing an equation to stability is enticing. The clean order of the truth. However, Captios, consider if stability means that all things cease to exist. That the instability is, in fact, our existance here on Arhor'ha. I would still seek the equation to be stabile. Would you?" A stitched and creepy finger is pointed in her direction. A brief pause and a subtle clench of her fist around the handle of Wraeth while her teeth grinded together, was enough to be seen by both Gig and Solus. Something different erupts this time though.
She rolls her head back for a moment, letting out a breath of air before rolling her head to the left then to the right and her eyes settling onto the Doctor once again. “Well it’s a good thing I don’t do the things I do on your behalf. I’ll be sure to keep doing the things I want, at least they are mine and not some bullshit data for you drool over. I don’t exist for you, I don’t care about your numbers.” She tosses a wave and shrugs him off. Her hand loosening around the handle of Wraeth.
Syn moves a few steps up the stair case, listening to the Doctor move along to have his attention fall on Captios. She looks up the stairwell keeping an eye as the conversation progresses on. A faint tap of her foot stirs an impatience and a worry? They are losing time.
As the party talks and negotiates with Doctor E. Whyte, the fact he has been numbered and ignored has caused a inferno of rage and frustration to be grow and consume his inner reasoning. An unusual change in what has historically been a more placid individual. Could this be a byproduct of these changes going on inside of him. Is this the cost of his new power? So many questions run through Rolfs head until Syns outburst about being a test subject. The rage subsides and his logic returns...
Rolf takes a step toward Syn and whispers: "This guy really pisses me off. But I still think we can gain some value out of him."
Rolf slowly walks back toward the group and catches the end piece of the Doctors data dump to Captios. The fact that order and stability might be only achieved through "glassing" their existence is a train of thought that causes dread to flow into Rolf. Rolf had just gained the ability to shape his own existence, the power to really drive his desires, and it comes at the precipice of the end of existence. Fate is so cruel. He has goals, hopes, and a drive to improve himself and gain influence and power. Most of all their is adventure to be had and a mark to be left still on the world. Could this Doctor help him? Could he give him more power? What is the cost? The questions start back up inside his head. Before he loses himself in thought he regains his focus.
His last shot to try and reason with the Doctor and gain mutual benefit, Rolf teases the doctor saying: "You seem to have a very keen interest in me Dr. Whyte. You know what I am, what I am becoming. I bet you lack a lot of information on the bronze dragons. What would you pay for some data on such a rare and difficult to find subject?" As Rolf talks of selling data on the bronze dragon, Captios shudders a bit. In most situations, a dragonborn or dragon-blood wouldn't even think of selling dragon secrets. Given Rolf's and Syn's recent power surge it has become obvious that Gig's participation in this mission has started to change the very persona of everyone here. In fact, Captios at the Whyte estate almost felt the pull to tap into the infernal power, but he was able to suppress it then. He wonders if he will be able to again. Already, Rolf's tendency for the chaotic seems increased, but with so few data points it is unclear if this is the norm or deviation from the norm. Whatever the case, he wonders how Lancyte would react to the conversation at hand.
While Rolf and the Doctor talk, Captios crosses his arms, with his right hand pointing at Alexa. He messages her secretly. "What is the plan here? I think the doctor could help us understand the mysteries of Elo, and maybe help us get the dragons on our side. As we discussed on the way here, we need allies. At the same time, Syn is right, we need to keep moving to stop Ozy. The sounds have stopped and I sense he isn't moving as much. I'm not against selling this guy dragon secrets, as I have no loyalty to the dragons themselves, but it is going to take time."
Listening to Captios in her mind, Alexa is hesitant at his action. The Doctor is smart, and no doubt knows what Captios is doing. Trying to keep it short, she messages back "You understand better how to communicate with him. Knowing where the Doctor is will be better then having him do his own thing. I trust you to share what you think is right, but please, be smart. A slip of something by mistake could wreak havoc."