...And everything pretty much started going to hell around that time, so there's a lot to process.

I remember the strike. I don't remember the exact sequence of events that led up to it, but I know we were basically given a choice between supporting mass brainwashing and supporting attempted self-extinction, and neither of those options were palatable.

I streamed the memory of the strike over the network, or I could just show you again.

[Either way, it's here.]

Also, one of the Infiltrators is apparently harboring a spirit who was around for our first visit, and is not a fan of us, to put it mildly.

I think the Cabalists maintain them via Dreampushing, but I'm not entirely sure. They've apparently got maybe a dozen or so dead souls that they can maintain, and those souls can ride shotgun in the body of a living Cabalist. It's why the Cabalists are one of the two factions most likely to be able to detect one of us riding shotgun, with the other group being Cleritors.

That's Naoya's overlay, or at least the Cabalist he's inhabiting is. From what Naoya says, the guy's afraid we'll take power - apparently we're considered martyrs there. There're statues and everything.

I think he said he didn't want to be restored. I'm not sure if the spirit could sense him, but given that he hates 'Portori' I don't think waking Naoya up would go well. Plus it'd leave him with three different psyches in one head.

For what it's worth, I think the people who know they've got us along for the ride all have half-Infiltrators in their heads.

He did say that the spirit can't really do much unless Qabil's Astral Tripping or otherwise occupied outside his body, which would be a point in our favor as long as Qabil's not convinced to actually do something outside his body. Though given the way things tend to go even when we don't have something like this on our hands, I'm not really willing to count on that not happening. And even if if doesn't, having the guy in his head's left Qabil pretty warped in his own right.

He's the one who set the warehouse fire, by the way.

[Yukino doesn't blame him. She's had a seemingly permanent headache since the start of the Jaunt.]

Yeah.

The Cabalists are hoping to install a new god-king. It was supposed to be Ghalib, but he turned out to be a loose cannon and then got killed, so I think they're eyeing his sister now - they're descendants of the last god-king, who got deposed when we were there last.

Thorne.

I think Alcuin's been keeping an eye on her overlay as well, so she'll have backup from him and Joscelin.

That and the state of the world in general. I know Claudia's overlay wanted to go to the High Tables to see if there was any old technology there that could help them, although it's going to require a bunch of specialized gear to do it.

...Yeah. point.