A.Journal

Checks

Medium

The man who's been following you?

Trivial

The techno-fascist secret police of La Luz -- dark subconscious of the state, specialising in old school, ugly methods.

Easy

Your natural enemies. The ones who took you all apart five years ago. Hackles rise.

Easy

La Luz, the techno-fascists. Why would they send Operants to Portofiro?

Easy

Fear in her eyes. Like you're being watched.

Medium

Medium

Paranoia has saved the life of many an operant. Yours could be next.

Easy

Her movements are fitful and tremulous -- the arched back suggests a lifetime spent on her feet, contorted over something.

Medium

It runs deeper than that. Some kind of neurological cause.

Easy

She peers out from behind the pages, eyes softening. She has deemed you clumsy enough to be trustworthy.

Easy

She smiles and leans back, endeared by your threat.

Easy

You spot a flash of light from between the pages before she ruffles them away from you -- she's hiding something in there.

Easy

PSEUDOPOD convinced her to buy stock that she can't move, impressive.

Medium

Good thing he's fucked up then. Can't have him making you look bad.

Medium

Not impressive, then. Pathetic, in fact. A consolation order.

Easy

Impressive that he was able to win this woman over. He inspires empathy. Valuable trait.

Medium

She means we don't look like history set sail to 'Fuck It Island' and left us standing on the shore wondering what happened.

Challenging

UNCURL YOURSELF. FLAUNT YOUR FINE COMMUNIST SPINAL COLUMN.

Medium

A soft click as he places his briefcase on the cobblestone, stops to clean his glasses. He replaces them, blinking up at the aerotrams and the birds circling beneath. He smiles.

Medium

DISABUSE HER OF WHATEVER INANITY SHE'S CONCEALING IN THAT MAGAZINE. SHE HAS INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR DOUBLE.

Easy

The former. Ask him again.

Trivial

Sock merchant for the Im-Ex Bureau. One of the Opera's most battle-tested covers.

Medium

When she points to the rack you notice that her fingers are several shades too dark, as if stained with ink.

Medium

No, she knows, but she won't help out a thief. Looks like you're on your own.

Challenging

Shining with a film of sweat in the orange glow, the lovers twirl and stomp. Cheers, singing, the thrill of the crowd. Ash rains on trashcan drums.

Medium

She glances at her own wares, daring them to challenge her on the fact.

Easy

She sighs, nostalgic.

Trivial

Sweet Nestor, Portofiro's supreme leader from the years 28 to 80.

Medium

Shocked that you'd imply there's anything she couldn't tell you about Quisach.

Easy

She flaps her hand, dismissing space exploration as a logistical inconvenience.

Medium

Eyes flashing, voice lowered, some sweet and succulent secret on the tip of her tongue.

Medium

Which makes it anti-person, the ultimate fashion statement.

Easy

You better hope she really does forget it -- that was a question worthy of a child pretending to be an operant.

Easy

Never should have let you out of the freezer.

Medium

Turn yourself in. It doesn't matter what for. You need to be in prison.

Challenging

Like a tree flaunting gnarled bark to the saplings in its shade.

Challenging

A neurological affliction from the chemicals in the dye. Progressive. Irreversible.

Challenging

Control of the docks and market have been passed back and forth between rival gangs for decades, but she's survived them all.

Medium

She doesn't know anything. Better to keep your own information about Tempo to yourself.

Easy

No she did not.

Easy

She said hussy.

Medium

Sounds more like she notices, but does not care.

Medium

Tempo is not attracted to women -- whoever this girl is must have had a different relationship with him to the one Carmuna is insinuating.

Medium

Survives them, too.

Challenging

Carmuna's life flashes before your eyes. She never would have grown old had that day gone according to plan.

Heroic

You try to picture Karolina older than thirty, and find that you can't.

Easy

Without that song, the bomb is purely decorative.

Medium

She has no idea how close she came to being paste on Nestor's ceiling.

Medium

She was an explosives mule.

Medium

She is a truly appalling judge of men's characters. How is she still alive?