Turning the page. [Invite only]

[[get to that later]]

A man, shrouded in shadows, writes at a desk. Using pen and paper, long since out of fashion, he signs off for the last time and seals the page in an envelope. A quiet moment's contemplation of all that has brought him to this point is punctuated by the hiss of the airlock. The new arrival, still in an armoured spacesuit, visor reflecting the little light in the room, and says "Hi boss... what's shaking? Other than this place, I mean, you got every generator in the joint running here? What's going on?"

Over the vibrations in the air a tired tone slowly sails from the depths of the desk in the darkest part of the room to reply "No. I won't even ask where you've been." The shadowy silhouette shakes it's head before sighing "Again." Checking his reflection in a mirror the shadow stands before continuing "There is much still left to do. I suppose you now have time to help me?" The suit contemplates this as, with a click the helm folds neatly away, two cigs are slighted from nowhere to the fingers of the right hand of the suit and, unbidden, they flicker into life. Still the suit, now with visible occupant, complete with a look of concentration and contemplation, takes a deep draw then, eventually says, "Sure! Oh. wait. I've got the time... but you don't. Why? I hear you ask rhetorically? Because you..." the cigs point towards the shadows before a draw and exhale "...need to see..." the cigs are now joined by a small data slug which is idly flicked and landed neatly into a nearby console "...this."

"Okay! Okay, you win, I'll see what you're so proud of then you'll help me?" asks the figure still shrouded in shadow, as he clambers through the curls of smoke to view the console.

"...."

"I-it can't..."

"No."

The suited man's smile brightens visibly as he cuts shapes through the now thick smoke and, after another triumphant deep draw of his cigs says "....YES. Look, Matt, you've been good to me, hell I owe it all to you, but, despite the limitless evidence to the contrary, I'm no dummy. I know just about all of it and that's a little... 'gift'. Something to help you get past it, move on, turn the page. It's over now.

The man, now outed as Matt, asks the nameless suited figure "I kept the files on all of that... all of them..." Matt spat the word as his friend finished his cigs and proceeded to cheerfully start two more "...safely locked up. How did you... ?" As Matt's voice tailed off the other man piped up "I'd love to say it was my super secret spy mojo. I'd be thrilled to say it was my devastating good looks, natural wit and charm that released that secret in a fade to black kinda way co-starring a beautiful lady, or more, but.... no. I'd be lying out of the orifice of your choice. Mr Spectrum... you talk in your sleep kiddo. To be fair though... when you take those patches off at night to sleep... kinda gives the game away? You know? Just a little bit?"

Matt chuckles in a mixture of surprise, shock and a joy before asking "None of that was odd? Even for you? You just chose to stand by me and do all that... after seeing me... unedited as it were?" The suited man smiled even brighter before finishing the second round of cigs and replying "Yeah. They say there's a fine line twixt genius and madness. Only problem is I fell off of it a long time ago. Only problem is... I know what's coming next. You really gonna put yourself on ice? There really nothing else that can be done?"

Sighing, Matt shakes his head as he says, "If there is I either can't think of what or can't do anything about it in time. Although, despite the huge violation of my privacy, you've made it a lot easier on me. Thank you." Pointing at the console screen he continues, "Thanks for that too. It helped to watch that. Know it's over. See every last one of them burn." Playing the words a second time in his head then taking another draw a question comes from the suited man, "So it's not hopeless then? If you can't do something 'in time' and you go all stasis field on me the clock stops for you. Doesn't stop me helping while I still paddle in the timestream? Am I right?"

Nodding, smiling, and looking considerably better sat in front of the console than the writing desk Matt says "Yes. In fact... take this." as he holds the envelope up he continues, "A 'to-do' list. Anything that might help. It's there. Just... if you would... do what you can." The envelope is taken on the backswing of another draw of the suited man's cigs and on his exhale he says, "Hey, no problem at all! I'm on the case ace. Which reminds me! We can't sit here watching video all day! Stuff to do! You said so! Plus, if we finish early, we can have a going away party!"

Whilst trying to hide his face in his hands from the idea of a 'going away party' Matt loosened some of his psuedoskin patches which then fell to the floor unnoticed. As he got up from the table and towards the side door, keeping pace with his friends footsteps, Matt says, "A 'going away party'? You really have some weird moments... you know that?" As the pair reached the door the suited man could see in the better light the bluish-whitish skin the patches were formerly covering on Matt's face as well as the blackened trails running through the unusual areas of skin. Taking another draw off his cigs the man simply said "Yes boss." and, with that, they both left the room.