"There are a number of ways," Ford says matter-of-factly. "Sometimes, a flood makes snippets of your past appear on the public network. Other times, you end up saying it yourself, because the whole Barge is breaking into thematically appropriate songs or something. But, if you are permanently paired with a warden, that warden will receive a file containing a detailed account of your history. You can ask them not to read it, of course, and some of them will respect that. But it will exist."
"Is it the kind of secret that would be very dramatic and cause interpersonal conflict that would be entertaining to watch from a safe extraplanar distance?" he asks. "If it's just something boring, like cheating on a test or an embarrassing disease, then you're probably safe."
"In that case, you should probably start thinking about how to break the news to anyone it might be relevant to. In my experience, it's better to come clean and make sure they hear it from you, instead of watching it on a video clip extracted from your mind."
Ford reaches out and puts a sympathetic hand on her shoulder.
"There's no easy way to do it," he says. "It might still go badly. Who knows? But the last time I tried to keep a big important secret, it led to chaos and destruction that wouldn't have happened if I'd trusted more people. And the time before that, my nephew misunderstood what was happening and tried to erase my mind! Both times everyone found out anyway."
Hoensty isn't always the best policy, except on the Barge, when it is.
"We're not due for a flood for a couple of weeks, so you should have some time to consider how you want to approach it."
A thought occurs to him.
"But I should warn you -- in the meantime, be careful around Jon Sims and Iris Wildthyme. Jon has the ability to compel the truth out of you with a question, though it's an ability he tries not to use. As for Iris, she's a touch-telepath. She can't get much more than your emotions, but it could still catch you in a lie. Jon's a decent fellow, and if he finds out, he'll probably be discreet if you ask him. I can't say the same for Iris." She's nosy and a shameless gossip, which is good for spreading around secrets un-dramatically but not good for keeping them under wraps.
"Maybe I could ask them to try? I don't...I don't really know either of
them, and they don't really know me, so if they know things about me it's
not a big deal."
He stands with her to see her out, a polite reflex. "All right," he says. "If you need anything, just say the word. And please, uh...try not to listen too much to anything Iris might say about me," he adds, a little anxiously. He likes Rose Quartz, at least so far, and the last thing he wants is his temp-inmate getting the idea that he's trash because Iris won't stop trash-talking him in public.
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Rose falters at that revelation, but she smiles tentatively and reaches for Ford's hand.
"Partners."
A pause.
"You mentioned...things being found out. How does that happen?"
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"Oh."
Her voice is small. Finally, she pipes up:
"Even if it's a secret that will be....very bad for someone if it comes out?"
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"Is it the kind of secret that would be very dramatic and cause interpersonal conflict that would be entertaining to watch from a safe extraplanar distance?" he asks. "If it's just something boring, like cheating on a test or an embarrassing disease, then you're probably safe."
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"No, it's...it's more that first one, really. Although not very entertaining."
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He feels for her. He really does.
"In that case, you should probably start thinking about how to break the news to anyone it might be relevant to. In my experience, it's better to come clean and make sure they hear it from you, instead of watching it on a video clip extracted from your mind."
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"...I....I guess you're right."
She frowns at the floor.
"I just don't know how to tell her something I've kept a secret for thousands of years."
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"There's no easy way to do it," he says. "It might still go badly. Who knows? But the last time I tried to keep a big important secret, it led to chaos and destruction that wouldn't have happened if I'd trusted more people. And the time before that, my nephew misunderstood what was happening and tried to erase my mind! Both times everyone found out anyway."
Hoensty isn't always the best policy, except on the Barge, when it is.
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Rose stares into middle distance for a long few moments.
"I...I'll think about it. Thank you, Ford."
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"We're not due for a flood for a couple of weeks, so you should have some time to consider how you want to approach it."
A thought occurs to him.
"But I should warn you -- in the meantime, be careful around Jon Sims and Iris Wildthyme. Jon has the ability to compel the truth out of you with a question, though it's an ability he tries not to use. As for Iris, she's a touch-telepath. She can't get much more than your emotions, but it could still catch you in a lie. Jon's a decent fellow, and if he finds out, he'll probably be discreet if you ask him. I can't say the same for Iris." She's nosy and a shameless gossip, which is good for spreading around secrets un-dramatically but not good for keeping them under wraps.
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"O-oh. Would those...work on me? I mean, I'm not a biological life form. I'm just this."
She gestures to her Gem.
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"Maybe I could ask them to try? I don't...I don't really know either of them, and they don't really know me, so if they know things about me it's not a big deal."
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"Then I'll talk to them. Thank you."
She takes a deep breath, and stands up.
"For now, I...I have some thinking to do."
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"I'll try. Thank you for meeting with me."
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