greatdeduction | PC CATCHALL FOR KIM

He did. I don't know if it was sincere or not. I don't like trying to "read" people.

You don't? Why is that?

I'm not good at it, for one.

Does something in particular about it give you trouble?

Not exactly. People lie to police all the time. Some are very good at it.

And I've seen a lot of officers make avoidable mistakes because they thought they "just knew" when someone was telling the truth. [He shakes his head.] Better to rely on observable evidence.

Hm. Yes. To read one's behavior asks for fallacies.

But! That is precisely where logic and reasoning come in. This is how I do my work. A furtive glance...a stare...the chewing of one's lip...little things such as that add up to details, and details can logically be connected to form an understanding of the bigger picture. But it is not a simple method, certainly, but...Lieutenant, I think you'd find there's observable evidence to use for your own investigations.

Hm...

[That was probably a skeptical noise just now.]

Yes, well... I still have some notes from the strip check, inconclusive as it was, and...

If you do decide to talk to the suspects, I suggest making note of what forms their daemons take. It could be relevant.

...Yes! Yes, I have noticed that, as well. Certain forms correlate to certain emotional states. Like Mr. Hoover's giraffe.

[That was. A thing.]

The soul may reveal much more than the person. [And he's looking at Cecile, now.] Even the types of animals speak to the sort of character they are.

[Hm. Well, Sholmes might get to catch one of those furtive glances he just talked about, because Kim's eyes briefly glance down at Cecile the moment he mentions "character."

At the moment, she's a bandicoot seated on his shoulder, long nose twitching as she sniffs the air.]

...

[...]

What is she, by the way? I don't think I've ever seen such an animal before.

A bandicoot, apparently. I'd never seen one before coming here. They aren't native to Insulinde... Her other two forms are, however.

Hm, the other two...a skua and a kind of horse, yes? I don't think I've heard of those, either.

[A nod.]

I'm not sure what they say about me, if anything. Frankly, the great skua is a terrible bird. They are bullies and scavengers. Exceedingly mean.

... But they have a particular meaning in our culture. They're symbols of Insulinde, of discovery, new worlds, and hope.

Hm. While you come as occasionally bordering on stern, at times, I would not call you mean. But that meaning...yes. A rather hopeful thing, I see. I suppose one would think of you as a man who looks forward to the future, instead being dragged back by the past.

[A hum.]

By the way...have you, perchance, heard of a phenomenon of a fourth daemon form?

[Also a hum. But then:]

What?

No, I haven't. Has that happened...?

[He looks thoughtful.]

I've never seen it, myself. But I've heard of it. I can't say I know what it means, but...maybe it's of significance. An extra form to the soul, or maybe...the purest form of a soul?

If I had to surmise, perhaps the ones with roles may have them, given their additional responsibilities and abilities, but I have never confirmed it for myself.

Hmm.

In the meantime, I've been hearing about the opposite. Daemons that "settle" -- stop changing. It was brought up in the last trial, so I asked a Watcher about it. Apparently it can happen, following a traumatic experience or a major epiphany about one's own identity.

Oh? "Settling"?

[And sort of a laugh.]

Everyone who has been put through those horrible trips has been traumatized thoroughly. Though I haven't seen anyone's settle after that. How interesting.

Yes. I wondered about that.

It was suggested that it may happen to people after those trips... or to those who commit murder.

...

Say. Do you think that...if we observe other's daemons, and if they don't change...could we use that as a clue to perhaps catch the murderers who got away?

That is what I was thinking, yes.

It's not a guarantee. But it could be evidence.

Hm. You've hit upon a most interesting thing, my dear Lieutenant.

I wonder...daemons reflect emotional states, yes? Mr. Hoover's daemon was able to change...but I wonder if we could use it to find a murderer, given that we are running out of option, should we try to push a certain emotional state on them?

[There is a flicker of recognition in Kim's eyes, and he pulls the coin out of his pocket.]

Plenty of spells out there to manipulate people's emotional states. I'm not a fan of it. But maybe they could have a practical use, after all.

Oh?

[He's glancing to the coin in the other's hand.]

That's...yes. Actually....would be a fantastic idea. Though I am reluctant myself, it may be a last resort.

[Back in the pocket it goes.]

It would require us to have an awfully specific hunch... but it's an option.

And, unfortunately, I don't believe it's possible to control the period of effect. The target would be affected for a full day, or maybe two.

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