They tell her about the torture. Ideally the relevant loved one could do this to make the message the right amount of informative without being too uncomfortable.

Okay. They should've asked that before coming. Is the conspiracy person willing to talk at all?

The human-passing augmented that suggested the bribe isn't sure how to respond to this. She is aware that people often respond to economic incentives and this is a fairly default reaction. She guesses she could take him as naive or not very understanding of how to model the world since any simple form of contact with the Federation is not likely to mean anything. He is not likely to learn anything because a bad Federation would hide any obvious evidence and a good Federation wouldn't have any obvious evidence... She digresses talking about logic. Someone else interrupts and asks if he is at least willing to entertain the possibility that calling the Federation is an action that can't be reversed and he might as well hear what they have to say.

The person asking this is confused. It would be fairly trivial to put a warrant for his name and that would be flagged at any point he tried to live a life with any semblance of legal presence. (Felix peeks at the shifty person's emotions.)

They want to plan the kids' extraction better. They understand that divorces can be very complicated situations and more so when custody is involved. Primarily they want to know what the kids' reaction would be like, what the former spouse's reaction would be like, likelihood that the kids will want the other parent around, and likelihood that the other parent will desire to move to another planet. They have a preference for taking the kids to the new colony because it seems much easier to fairly rearrange the custody issues that way than leave it for the Federation to sort it out.

...yeah she's going with them.

Conspiracy person is willing to talk, yes.

He can hear what they have to say, sure, but he thinks it sure is suspicious that they're preventing him from talking to the government.

Oh, but... you know... they can change names? And stuff? And they miss home and it's not like they'll need to do anything official... (They're very nervous and terrified and confused and aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.)

The kids would probably find it awesome... but former spouse would probably make a fuss, and they'd want their parent.

They will try to explain the situation. Yeah, they understand that it sounds crazy and conspiracy-like, but they are at least willing to sit down and talk even thought they displayed the capacity to subdue them, which should at least buy enough credibility for a single conversation.

They admit it's not exactly the most high trust situation. They explain the events at the binary star system. (They don't go into detail about sorcery and make it sound like one of the kinds of magic that was rediscovered.)

(Trevor advises the person talking to the shifty individual. Felix is still watching.)

Well, that's still rather risky, especially if he still wants to be dropped off at home. They could get into an altercation or in an accident or anything that could potentially reveal or draw attention from official sources. Anything that displayed anything unusual would be of Federation interest and even if they never suspect their connection with the rebels and the new colony they might just experiment on them. The fact that they can heal from anything would be... the opposite of a deterrent for both the experimentation and possible torture. The hostages that they recovered only didn't get it worse because the Federation wanted to keep them alive. And that included otherwise loyal Federation staff that happened to be related. Can you imagine the kind of thing they would do to a traitor as soon they realize that anything could be healed? It would be nightmarish. She looks rather pale imagining the things.

Huh, what is their estimate for some sort of compromise? They could staff a second settlement earlier if that is what it took. Would the other divorced be willing to at least talk and iron an agreement out?

Do they have evidence? And where's that ungrateful, disrespectful, shameless little—

...uh huh. Why would the Federation do any of that tough.

Um. He... guesses they're right? But... he... really misses home? Really?

Their estimate is that it'll be hard, their ex has remarried and has more family and is very entrenched in the local community.

They have some. If conspiracy person wants to check. Most of the easily and public available evidence is the blank space that the Federation left around the entire mess. They can also demonstrate some of the extraordinary magic if that turns out to be necessary.

Power.

Maybe they could work out visits? But it's not like he is going to be allowed to stay home. The Federation is too much a danger to him.

They see. Is at least a peaceful conversation possible?

Sure, do demonstrate the extraordinary magic.

That sounds dumb.

...yes, visits sound good.

Naturally, they parted on amicable terms, they just had different ideas about what to do in the future.

They demonstrate some gifts (Arya's teleportation) and one of the augmented lifts their pant legs revealing the bowed leg.

Dumb how?

Sure, but they are going to revise their procedures after the most recent incidents. They're will get back to them in a jiffy.

Differences that are likely exacerbated by the entire mess. Any idea if they are going to be sympathetic to their side of things?

...okay, new magic, sure, doesn't mean it isn't a conspiracy.

It just does! That's like what a storybook villain would do!

...are they gonna take long?

Perhaps. Not sure. Too weird.

Well, they concede that. Since both sides of the conflict are working using secretive means.

Which doesn't mean a real organization with less than moral standards wouldn't do that same thing. That behavior shows up in storybook villains precisely because it is based on fundamentally universal impulses... She is interrupted again. Would he like some sort of evidence that some of his claims are true?

Not at all. They are just going to wrap up the current extraction missions and call in a meeting to revise things. Make contingency plans and things like that. It probably won't take twelve hours. She pats his hand sympathetically.

Nod. They are going to call a meeting to plan this and other extractions better. To reiterate, they are still defaulting to taking the kids they just want to minimize the mess of the entire situation.

Yep.

Yes, please.

...okay. Yes, he can wait.

Yeah, that's reasonable.

At any rate. They came here because they are extracting people that might come in harm's way and/or are people that someone might care about.

They show evidence. Includes one of them pulling back their hoods and showing his small horns.

Good. They'll come back to them both later.

They contact Monica about shifty person.

...okay but they still haven't been very convincing. Like, at all.

That's... some evidence, yeah.

(The person scurries away.)

"I have no idea, never met that one, worked with the props," says the captain.

Sigh. The person looks genuinely disappointed. Is there an acceptable threshold of evidence?

Yeah, they are at minimum not random pranksters. Are they willing to come with them?

He is hiding something and just wants to book it. We could check and see if he has an addiction? Or committed some crime here? Or maybe he wants to risk ratting us out to the Feds?

...can they talk to their daughter?

Yeah, they are.

"Betting on the last one."

Assuming said daughter is willing, sure. They call in the daughter again.

They extract the person.

Huh, do you think the Feds might be merciful in that case? It doesn't sound that smart to me, but maybe I am modeling them wrong.

The daughter and the parent have a long, long conversation. Eventually the parent's convinced to go with them.

"They do know how incentives work, if he gives them information about us he'll be mostly fine."

That is good. People get an amazing view of their city upon arrival and are helped settle in - it's fairly organized, they have identification and there are people to answer questions - and also are offered extra lifeforce as their equivalent of health insurance.

Well, what is your standard way of dealing with this situation?

"Saying no."

Should we confront him? Should we dissuade him? Should we make it public? Should we lie to him about suspecting? He asks by way of clarifying that he wanted a more elaborate plan.

"I don't know, I'd talk to him."

Yes, we'd want at least that.

"Then do that."

Well, while we are hubristic enough to think that every decision is likely to improve with our input, there is the fact that - inasmuch as the concept applies - he is technically under your jurisdiction. Unless you meant that as a "I'm giving your the authority to do this."

"That is what I meant, yes."

Polite smile. Alright. It is just important to be clear before setting new precedents.

They leave.

They send the same person back to talk to shifty person, in a sort of balcony of a place that is going to house a coffee shop or similar business once they set it up properly.