The Mechanisms
Expert Testimony (Live)
[Spoken: Lyfrassir]
Nothing. I've got nothing. There's only one option left, and I really, really don't want to have to take it. Shortly after the train failed to emerge, a group of bandits showed up to prey on the chaos. Their weapons and technology were utterly alien to us, and it took almost 20 years to capture them. Even stranger, in the 60 years of their imprisonment, they have stubbornly refused to age. But they have shown an affinity with technology beyond what we know. If anyone understands the Bifrost, it would be them. I hate them.
[Marius]
"Ah, good morning, Inspector Lyf!"
[Lyfrassir]
"Von Raum."
[Marius]
"And what can we do for you this fine prison day?"
[Raphaella]
"Is it about the Bifrost?"
[Lyfrassir]
"Y-yes. How did you know?"
[Ivy]
"Given your known distaste for us, it is the only event with a greater than 30% chance of bringing you here. Has the train arrived?"
[Lyfrassir]
"Yes, a few days ago. Wh-"
[Raphaella]
"We should be going, guys."
[Lyfrassir]
"Right, well good luck with that. I'm, I'm just here because I need to know what happened, what happened in the Bifrost."
[Marius]
"Ah! Well then... we shall tell you..."
[Lyfrassir]
"No, no, you really don't. Just, ok, no that's not. No, no, no no no-"
[Marius]
[Starts singing 'Tales To Be Told']
[Lyfrassir]
"NO! No. No singing! Shut up. SHUT UP! I am sick of your singing. Where did you get that violin? Just tell me."
[Marius]
"Well if you're going to be like that, you can just watch the black box."
[Lyfrassir]
"I can't. It's, it's corrupted, and I. A bit came off."
[Ivy]
"Did you break the artifact?"
[Lyfrassir]
"I did- it just, I don't think it was very well made."
[Ivy]
"Give it here."
[Man]
"I'm not making you another one!"
[Ivy]
"Don't worry, conservation effort's underway. And don't break it again."
[Lyfrassir]
"I'm not gonna have another chance!"
[Lyfrassir]
The recordings are clear now. I can see it all. The first recording that matters, that really matters, is from the engine room. Thor and Sigyn stare towards where the engine should be, but there is no engine. Instead, a man lies upon a silver altar. His name is Kvasir, a low level member of the Midgardian resistance, but that doesn't matter. What matters are the dozens of tubes and feed lines plugged into his veins, pumping, pushing his blood through the glyphs and gears and grooves that line the chamber. They're made of the same metal as the track, and they hum like a far off chant.
From their expressions it is clear neither Thor nor Sigyn had any idea what was in this room. After a moment's panicked hesitation, they run. Sigyn to Kvasir, pulling out tubes, blood seeping, gushing, weeping away. Thor running to the controls, pulling switches, throwing levers. The glyphs and sigils warp and change their constellations. And then they stop. It is unclear if it was interfering with Kvasir or Thor meddling with the controls, but both of them can tell that something has gone very, very wrong.