An unsavory matter

[shadowed_scales]

Who: Gul Dukat, Kate Austen, Xander Harris (closed)
What: After having seen that the dead don't decay, Dukat can't let the matter rest.
Where: The lounge, The attic
When: Early evening after this and this PM.

Comments

[callmesgtfury]

Xander scribbled out a brief note to leave on his bed for a certain vampire slayer. Out digging up graves in front of the hotel. If I don't return, blame the alien named Gul Dukat. Okay, so that note was about 50% letting Faith know if she came over to hang out why he wasn't around, and the other 50% was insurance in case Gul Dukat's final plan was to leave him in the bottom of one of those graves.

It wasn't that he didn't trust the alien. ..well, okay he didn't trust Dukat, but that was because he'd only spoken to him between 2 private messages. No, he trusted Jack enough to not put him in too much danger (which, came from what? One night of drunkenly talking to him

[methrow_rock]

Kate looked between Xander and Dukat, surprised and, quite frankly, confused. The subject of dead bodies at the hotel was momentarily forgotten in her confusion. What did drivers licenses and a bookstore have to do with vampires? "Ah...vampires don't exist in my world, either," she told Dukat, and then glanced at Xander again. "They do in yours And here?" It was the stuff of movies at home for her, and that was it.

[shadowed_scales]

Suddenly, Dukat's gaze sharpened on Xander. "It is?" he asked. He hadn't expected a local connection in this leg of the investigation. He gave him a very searching look, very briefly considering that this man himself could be a vampire and somehow playing him. He didn't get that vibe, though, so his manner eased, as much as it ever did in the presence of strangers.

He included both of them when he spoke again. "I'm saying there was an exsanguinated body, thoroughly exsanguinated, with two punctures here," He pointed at the corresponding spot on his own neck, "and not enough blood on the clothing to account for how it bled out. Nor were there other injuries. It seemed to have been dragged to the front steps and left there."

He then answered the second question of Ms. Austen's, athough it had been directed at Xander. "I know of at least two here, personally."

[callmesgtfury]

"Yeah, that's a vampire attack. Sunnydale.. was a hotbed for vampiric activities. Some people have Starbucks on every corner, we got vampires." He said with a roll of his eye.

He turned his attention to Kate. "Yeah, they exist in my world, along with werewolves, and demons, and magic, and.. just about anything else you've heard was just a myth. Only.. you know not so much with the myth-like."

His attention turned back to Gul, and he paused. "Well, I know about Pam, and Spike. If there are any more, it's beyond me."

[methrow_rock]

Kate nodded at Dukat's explanation. "I know there are vampires here," she amended her earlier question. "But they're not...active. I mean, everyone who had extra-human powers before, doesn't have them here." She paused, looking to Xander for confirmation. "At least, that's what I've understood."

If that was no longer the case, they were in for some major trouble at the hotel, Kate thought to herself. Major trouble to say the very least. It wasn't a pleasant thought.

[shadowed_scales]

The names given were the same of which he was aware, another detail pointing toward a possible new arrival or a reclusive resident that had been very careful, up to this point. "Those are the two names I've heard, too. You know about them, but do you know them? Is it possible that either has been lying about their abilities and waiting to strike?"

He looked to Ms. Austen. "I've heard the same. I'm not one hundred percent convinced it's accurate. When I first arrived, I met someone claiming to be a vengeance demon. She was at the party, but she was gone within two days. Perhaps it was a disappearance like the others about which I've been told, or perhaps she was able to free herself. At any rate, it's possible learning about other bodies here may tell us more about this situation."

[callmesgtfury]

"Well, Spike had his fangs taken away from him a long time ago. So, even if he could bite people, ..I'm pretty sure he's safe. ..I don't know Pam personally, although a friend of mine says she's decent enough." Of course, it was difficult sometimes for anyone to trust Dawn's judgment, especially young Dawn.

It took a moment for Gul's comment about a vengeance demon to sink in Xander's head and then he had his full undivided attention. "Wait, what? A vengeance demon?" ..okay, so there were quite a few of those, but considering how Sunnydale-centric he was noticing things having been? It wouldn't surprise him if she had been there.

[methrow_rock]

Kate arched an eyebrow; she didn't know what a vengeance demon was and didn't particularly want to know. Also, "I've been here for a long time. Any extra-human abilities just
don't exist here. Except on the part of the hotel, of course."

She sat back after that, looking between her two companions. Other than her rather long experience at the hotel, she didn't have much to add about vampires and demons. Sunnydale was, apparently, not in the California she knew. She'd let the other two figure things out about that particular connection, though she was certainly not averse to investigating more of the hotel.

[shadowed_scales]

"Yes. How did she put it? The patron saint of scorned women," he answered Xander. He nodded at Ms. Austen's words. "Is it possible the rules have changed? Who's to say what our captors intend for any of us?"

[callmesgtfury]

The blood drained from Xander's face as Gul confirmed his suspicions. Anya was there, ..or.. had been there. Now it felt like the hotel was absolutely screwing with him in every way, shape and form possible. And that was going to grate on his nerves even more.

"...Well" He said, trying to stay on topic and not mention why he suddenly went pale. "...I have a friend I ...see a lot and she doesn't have her powers back. So, not everyone has them back if that's what you mean.."

[methrow_rock]

"I guess anything's possible," Kate admitted to the alien's questions.

She looked at Xander in concern when he visibly paled. Something about the conversation had him rattled, but she wasn't following enough of the specifics to be able to hazard a very good guess. She'd keep an eye on the young man, she decided, but didn't otherwise mention his change in demeanor.

[shadowed_scales]

He also noticed the sudden shift. What in particular had he said to get to him so? He decided for the time being it was better not to ask and call attention to it. "If either of you wishes not to follow through, if you believe my experiences were mere hallucinations, I won't think ill of you for deciding against this course of action. I'm determined to follow through with it, with or without assistance, though I won't lie. I would prefer the help."

He then turned his attention mostly to the woman. "How long had it been since you last checked the network before seeing my request to you?" He decided it was time to cover the other issue he had told her he would reveal. It would perhaps give the young man time to recover his composure more fully.

[callmesgtfury]

Xander shook his head when Gul offered to let him out of the grave digging expedition. He'd given his word that he'd help, and while it didn't sound like the most fun ever, he was curious at this point. "Nope.. you can.. still count me in as grave robber guy."

It might take him a few minutes to regain his composure after a shock like that, but he was going to try and look at least like he was mildly okay with it. Not that anyone was even supposed to know why he wouldn't be.

[methrow_rock]

Kate shook her head. "No, I'm still in, too." She'd said she'd participate in this grave digging expedition, and she wasn't going to back down now, hallucinations or not. It certainly wasn't the type of thing she'd count herself out of, after all. Any new information about the hotel was good information, in her eyes. And the worst that could happen was they'd discover exactly nothing.

She kept her gaze on Xander then, still curious and a bit concerned about his reaction, when the alien addressed her again. Her eyes narrowed slightly at his question. "What do you mean, how long had it been? I usually check the network every couple days, I guess." She didn't really keep track, and wasn't sure what he was getting at.

[shadowed_scales]

"Thank you both," he said then frowned at Ms. Austen's answer. "I contacted you roughly two weeks ago. Captain Harkness suggested that you may have disappeared and told me to contact a...hall monitor about it. It was the first I had heard of such. The third person I contacted hasn't responded at all, Doctor Temperance Brennan."

[callmesgtfury]

It was at this point where Xander could take a moment to gather his thoughts and get his head back together, since Kate and Gul were seemingly talking amongst themselves. It didn't surprise him that Kate had disappeared for a stretch of time, or that someone else had done the poof entirely. He'd done it before, and there was a list of people he'd liked that had the entire poof, or the poof and come back with no memories. That one was fun too.