Episode Description
With their missions on Gift-3 behind them, the Notion is made to consider what went right, what went wrong, and what they can do to make sure things go better next time. Tender investigates the experimental NEH technology in her Angler unit. Even meets up with an old friend for a quiet dinner together, while Signet finds her own company to celebrate the anniversary of the Miracle with. Gig makes good on a promise to the kids of the Ark, while Fourteen Fifteen ensures that the group has secured recognized legal standing on the planet. In a flip of the old days, Echo tinkers with some tech while Grand Magnificent Works out. But most importantly, a surprising guest on the ship leaves everyone wondering one thing: Who, exactly, is the Waking Cadent?
This week on Twilight Mirage: Downtime on Gift-3
I know that we sin but I do believe we try
Contents
Opening
“
Once, before it was dispersed into the Mirage, it monopolised all color in the Benthos System. Now, the Iconoclast, which confronted ⸢Signet⸣ on the day the Exuvia revealed the truth about Volition, had been pulled back together. Echoes into atoms, atoms into specks, specks into strands, strands into limbs, limbs, again, into light. And light caught forever in the massive gems that held together and gave life to Privign, the living Divine, that was now home to the court of the Waking Cadent.
She had made this her first conquest for three reasons. First, to prove that nothing was ever truly destroyed; no being, no idea, and naught in between. Her visage, her name alone, should have been proof enough, of course, but she could tell that her prospective devotees yet held doubts, and she was first and foremost always a woman who saw leadership as a responsibility, who knew first hand the slow cost of death.
Second, she sought to illustrate that, to her, the philosophies of the Resonant Orbit would not lament on the shelf of theory, but be brought to praxis too. Iconoclast, Divine, Human, Synthetic. Structure, Form, Function. All found their place in the Orbit.
Finally, she was determined to demonstrate the power of will. It was not easy to put everything in its place. It took effort, and even more, it took grace. Hauling turned to gliding, wrenching to wave. To do it, she told her nascent disciples, the old adage; you had to do it. And so she did. Building a home in the detritus, gathering around her subjects low and high, and marking her new Beloved with a kiss. After too long, the True Cadent was awake. And she would set the Divine Fleet back on its right course.”
Plot
The Notion reconvenes after their first missions and discuss better strategies for espionage. Once everyone is aboard the ship, as they go to a port to perform maintenance, the gravity and electricity on the ship shut off. Gig and Signet both go to fix it, and they see a woman made of ice materialize from the coolant. She asks Signet where Belgard is and reveals herself to be the Waking Cadent.
Signet calls Tender to the scene. The Waking Cadent claims that the Cadent Under Mirage is an impostor and Tender should stop working for her. She says that there is no safe way to communicate and asks Tender to visit her on Privign. Tender accepts, and the Waking Cadent leaves. Gig fixes the hallway, and Signet agrees to go to Privign with Tender.
The crew begins their downtime activities. Fourteen takes calls from law clients, but struggles with feeling out of their depth. Signet uses her Exuvia to fix Fourteen's puncture wound. Even and Cascabel have a dinner date: Even gets takeout for Cascabel and consumes spare parts that Cascabel has on hand. Even also begins upgrading B2, the robot that he got from Polyphony's town. Echo begins building a device that will allow them to locate stitches. Grand creates an obstacle course in his shared quarters with Signet and tries to physically train.
The Notion discusses the newly formed Advent Group and how they're turning Gift-3 into a more capitalistic and opportunistic society. Fourteen is caught off guard by a tariff and goes to the Mandati for a loan. They see a local news station running a story on the Sailors of the Ark and try to intervene.
Tender begins investigating the Waking Cadent. She throws herself into her work at The Steady and holds a meeting there with Signet, The Cadent and Declan's Corrective. The Cadent strongly advises Tender against meeting with the Waking Cadent, but permits her to continue investigating. She also rebukes Signet for her role in Advent coming to power. Both Signet and the Cadent leave. Tender and Corrective discuss Tender's mech and whether the New Earth Hegemony knows about her stratus abilities.
Gig begins a video series that will allow the Sailors of the Ark to learn self-sufficiency. He films episodes at the Ark-en-Ciel Amovement Park and intentionally features Yam and the other Torch Units in an attempt to normalize them. He also starts a call-in show to help people with their mechanical problems.
Signet begins using Belgard to duplicate the Axiom trackers that Advent gave the Notion. She goes into Seiche on the anniversary of the Miracle and finds a brothel. She hires an escort to stay with her in an apartment.
At the end of Tender's night at The Steady, Pure Cascara arrives and tells her that the Notion's next missions will be on Skein.
Cast
- Austin Walker (GM)
- Janine Hawkins (⸢Signet⸣)
- Sylvia Clare (Echo Reverie)
- Ali Acampora (Tender Sky)
- Art Martinez-Tebbel (Grand Magnificent)
- Jack de Quidt (Fourteen Fifteen)
- Keith J Carberry (Gig Kep-hart)
- Andrew Lee Swan (Even Gardner)