Conversation 540: LAIR / INSTIGATOR CASE

Here you can present your case to Ruby and find yourself left without much of a case.

How to use this page:

This is a listing of every "entry" in a given game conversation as scraped from the game files. Entries often contain written dialogue, as well as conditional logic governing their appearance to the player. They also link to other entries, sometimes automatically and sometimes through player action. This page is best used to search for a specific word or phrase, as following the links in this format can be difficult. For an experience that better accommodates the branching structure of these conversations, see the corresponding interactive page.

Column definitions:
  • ID: a numerical index for the entry within this conversation.
  • Character: the character speaking or acting.
  • Dialogue: prose containing spoken dialogue and other description.
  • Conditions: logical checks governing this entry appearing or occurring.
  • Links: entries that might follow this one, depending on conditions and player choice. Most links are internal to this conversation, external links to other conversations are marked with the format (conversation ID, entry ID).
ID Character Dialogue Conditions Links
0 None
  • 1
1 None
  • 44
2 None
  • 44
3 Ruby, the Instigator "Yes, I'm sure. And, anyway, as I said before, the shot had to have come from afar." Variable["boardwalk.ruby_ruled_out_roof_shot_for_viscal"]
  • 7
4 Ruby, the Instigator "Yes, I'm sure." She pauses. "In fact, the shot couldn't have possibly come from the roof -- otherwise we would have heard it downstairs." Variable["boardwalk.ruby_ruled_out_roof_shot_for_viscal"] == false
  • 5
5 Kim Kitsuragi "Hmh... No one mentioned *hearing* any shots. And a rifle like the one used would have been *loud*. She's right... I don't think the shot came from... the roof."
  • 7
6 You "Klaasje looks like... a girl in one of your posters. She seems to be *your type*." Variable["jam.abandoned_seen_posters"]
  • 247
7 None
  • 44
8 You "Not even wildflowers? May bell... for example?" Variable["tc.blueboy_rev_flower_known"] == false
  • 13
9 You "These weren't just flowers -- they... symbols... of... Revolution." (Push through the pain.) Variable["tc.blueboy_rev_flower_known"]
  • 15
10 You "But Klaasje was... mourning..."
  • 11
11 Ruby, the Instigator "I never did understand why, when someone dies, a hothouse's worth of flowers has to die too."
  • 169
12 You "You don't feel... sympathy for mercs? It's hard work."
  • 14
13 Ruby, the Instigator She raises her eyebrows. "Nope."
  • 169
14 Ruby, the Instigator "Plenty of broken people who don't come with that kind of body count. Besides, they're paid well for what they do."
  • 23
15 Ruby, the Instigator "So now I'm leaving Revolutionary symbols around... Come on."
  • 284
16 None
  • 8
  • 9
  • 10
  • 17
17 You "Okay, so you... didn't leave May bells..." (Conclude.)
  • 18
18 Ruby, the Instigator "No, I did not."
  • 2
19 You "Really? Trigger..."
  • 60
20 Electrochemistry See her confident gaze, her toned arms -- yeah, she wouldn't have had much trouble in the intimacy department.
  • 23
21 You "There's nothing more... personal that you had against him? Perhaps his... way with women?" Variable["XP.ruby_motive"] or Variable["whirling.hardie_discussed_ruby_sexuality"]
  • 22
22 Ruby, the Instigator "You think I was envious of his conquests? Look, pussy's not a problem for me. And definitely not a reason to off someone."
  • 20
23 None
  • 12
  • 21
  • 41
  • 45
24 Ruby, the Instigator "I didn't like him. Hardened mercenaries aren't particularly likeable types."
  • 23
25 You "Would you say that Lely was... a *likeable* person?"
  • 24
26 You "And... despite everything, you helped her by staging the lynching?" Variable["boardwalk.ruby_lesbianism_riduculed"]
  • 29
27 You "Is that the only reason you... hung out on the roof?"
  • 38
28 You "What's... so great about her antenna?"
  • 36
29 Ruby, the Instigator "Yeah. The girl seemed terrified. The merc was beyond caring what happened to his mortal coil. It was a no-brainer."
  • 167
30 You "So you're... *sure* you didn't shoot the merc... from the roof?" (Move on.)
  • 4
  • 3
31 You "You... liked Klaasje *a lot*." Variable["XP.ruby_motive"]
  • 49
32 You "Okay, let's take a... step back." (Conclude.)
  • 267
33 You "Do you like to... hang out on rooftops?" Variable["whirling.klaasje_ruby_roof_discussed"] or Variable["TASK.investigate_mysterious_door_done"]
  • 37
34 None
  • 27
  • 28
  • 30
35 Pale Latitude Compressor "851023933... Come in..."
  • 48
36 Ruby, the Instigator "It's very powerful. I used it to tune into RCM frequencies. That's how I knew to be prepared for your arrival."
  • 35
37 Ruby, the Instigator "Who doesn't? Oh, you probably mean Klaasje's rooftop. Sure, I've hung out there. She's got this great antenna..."
  • 34
38 Ruby, the Instigator "The view's pretty bomb too, but you might say the antenna was the main attraction there, yeah. Along with Klaasje."
  • 48
39 You "Do you... collect guns... maybe old rifles?" Variable["boardwalk.ruby_concept_not_into_antiques"] == false and Variable["TASK.ballistics_analysis_done"]
  • 47
40 Ruby, the Instigator "Sure don't."
  • 203
41 You "Did you feel... protective of the Union?"
  • 43
42 Drama I hate to be the bearer of bad tidings, but I don't think she's perjuring herself.
  • 193
43 Ruby, the Instigator "Yeah, sure, and I didn't like Wild Pines sending in those foreign hirelings -- me and a fuck-ton of other people around here."
  • 42
44 None
  • 25
  • 88
  • 74
  • 31
  • 33
  • 62
  • 170
  • 32
45 You "I have other questions." (Conclude.)
  • 275
46 Ruby, the Instigator "My type? She's everyone's type. She's *your* type. Are you sure you're not the one who was excited about the peephole?"
  • 212
  • 77
47 Ruby, the Instigator "No, they're not practical. Break too often."
  • 277
48 None
  • 34
49 Ruby, the Instigator "I considered her a good friend, yeah."
  • 54
50 Ruby, the Instigator "And?"
  • 85
51 You "She said you wanted to run... away with her."
  • 53
52 You "There are... other things I... ask about." (Conclude.)
  • 281
53 Ruby, the Instigator "That's a very sentimental way of putting it. We both had *pasts* we didn't want to catch up with us. And we enjoyed listening to music together. Why not go on a road trip?"
  • 192
54 None
  • 209
  • 73
  • 70
  • 140
  • 26
  • 52
55 You "Where did you get it?"
  • 56
56 Ruby, the Instigator "The gun store."
  • 57
57 You "What gun store?"
  • 58
58 Ruby, the Instigator "Trigger-Happy Jack's."
  • 19
  • 61
59 Ruby, the Instigator "Never really got into weapons trafficking. Especially not old weapons -- they break too often, and you don't want unhappy customers among gun collectors."
  • 166
60 Ruby, the Instigator "What did you think? That I'm going to squeal on my gun supplier? Sorry, I'm not that kind of gal."
  • 164
61 You "That doesn't... sound like the name of a real store."
  • 60
62 You "Did you leave any... flowers for Klaasje on the roof?" CheckItem("dried_may_bells")
  • 63
63 Ruby, the Instigator "No, gifts of flowers and candy aren't really my style."
  • 16
64 You "I see it's a front-loader. Do you have another... gun somewhere?" Variable["boardwalk.ruby_percept_gun"]
  • 40
65 Ruby, the Instigator "Look, I'm not aware of any hole in Klaasje's wall. And if I had been, I would have told her to get it sealed -- that's what friends do."
  • 77
66 Ruby, the Instigator "I'm not following your clever insinuations, detective."
  • 75
67 You "It's just, the hole in Klaasje's wall is.. pretty suspicious..."
  • 65
68 You "I know you don't like old things, but do you... sell antique rifles on the side?" Variable["boardwalk.ruby_concept_not_into_antiques"] and Variable["TASK.ballistics_analysis_done"]
  • 59
69 Ruby, the Instigator "A Nachtwey 80 front-loader. Two-barrelled -- not really what you were looking for, I'm guessing."
  • 243
70 You "But you wanted to be more than just *friends*."
  • 188
71 Ruby, the Instigator "Oh, so that's where you were going with this." She shakes her head. "Do I *really* seem like someone who would do something as lame as committing murder out of jealousy?"
  • 192
72 You "I can't quite tell... what *kind* of gun is it?"
  • 69
73 You "Is peeping... one of your hobbies?" Variable["whirling.workshop_seen_perforation"]
  • 159
74 You "You have a gun."
  • 50
75 None
  • 76
  • 78
  • 67
76 You "There's a... hole in the wall. You can see into Klaasje's room... I wouldn't blame you if you've.."
  • 80
77 You "So you *haven't* been.. watching Klaasje through a hole in.. wall?"
  • 183
78 You "Klaasje said... you may have used the *peephole* in her wall to spy on her..." Variable["whirling.klaasje_peephole_maybe_ruby"]
  • 79
79 Ruby, the Instigator "Damn. That girl's pretty, but not *that* pretty. In fact, no one's pretty enough to waste time skulking about the Whirling, drilling holes in walls..."
  • 77
80 Ruby, the Instigator "If I want to stare at a pretty girl, I can pick one up at a bar -- or, worst case scenario, look at a naughty photo. Who has time to go skulking about the Whirling, drilling *holes* in walls?"
  • 6
  • 77
81 None
  • 44
82 Ruby, the Instigator "Wow. Pissing, pinball, and now peeping. I'm just not following your insinuations, detective."
  • 75
83 Ruby, the Instigator "Nope. Look, she has an *effect* on people. That je ne sais quoi that makes it impossible not to look at her when she walks into the room -- and very difficult to look away. But -- travel enough, and you realize..."
  • 187
84 None
  • 54
85 None
  • 55
  • 64
  • 72
  • 68
  • 39
  • 86
86 You (Wince.) "There's other evidence I want to ask you about." (Conclude.)
  • 87
87 Ruby, the Instigator "Yeah. *Evidence*."
  • 81
88 You "Do you have an... alibi? For when Lely was shot?"
  • 89
89 Ruby, the Instigator "Man, I was with the boys the whole night. I hope they at least bothered to impress *that* upon you."
  • 91
  • 90
  • 240
90 You "They did say you left to take a... really long leak. Fifteen minutes."
  • 93
91 You "There were... ten minutes they couldn't account for."
  • 92
92 Ruby, the Instigator "You mean, the length of a toilet break? That wouldn't even have been enough time."
  • 95
93 Ruby, the Instigator "Yeah, and I'm sure they also made some FUNNY remarks about it -- they always do. I've driven a lot of long haul and chugged a lot of beer, man."
  • 94
94 Ruby, the Instigator She scoffs. "Can't do either without some power of mind over bladder. And, anyway, that wouldn't have been enough time."
  • 95
95 None
  • 96
  • 97
96 None Variable["TASK.enter_the_mysterious_door_done"]
  • 194
  • 99
97 None (Variable["TASK.enter_the_mysterious_door_done"]) == false
  • 197
98 None
  • 44
99 You "Our investigation..." (wince from the pain) "has shown that fifteen minutes was *just* enough time to commit the murder."
  • 100
100 Ruby, the Instigator "Wow, now I'm curious. Please, explain."
  • 101
101 None
  • 121
  • 128
  • 127
102 Conceptualization So you know she's not an antiques enthusiast. Not my jurisdiction, man, but it also doesn't sound like she used that secret route. At all.
  • 132
103 None
  • 109
  • 120
  • 118
  • 128
104 Ruby, the Instigator She looks you in the eye impassively, making it clear that she's not planning to comment on the matter any further.
  • 162
105 Logic That's a pretty good question, actually. She clearly doesn't know anything about the secret passage.
  • 117
  • 130
106 Ruby, the Instigator "Why are *you* so hung up on elevators?"
  • 105
107 You "Why not?"
  • 106
108 Ruby, the Instigator "Not murder mysteries, either, if that's what you're thinking."
  • 104
109 You "Wait..." (wince from the pain) "what kinds of mysteries interest you, then?"
  • 108
110 Ruby, the Instigator "Not particularly."
  • 129
111 You "Do you or don't you?!"
  • 110
112 None
  • 113
  • 114
113 None Variable["TASK.advanced_ballistics_analysis_done"]
  • 102
114 None (Variable["TASK.advanced_ballistics_analysis_done"]) == false
  • 132
115 Ruby, the Instigator "Yeah, and probably some ghosts from the time of the Suzerain. I'm not really interested in supranatural mysteries."
  • 103
116 Ruby, the Instigator "I'm not really into old shit for old shit's sake."
  • 200
117 You "Not even..." (grab your head) "quaint old rickety ones?"
  • 116
118 You "What about... elevators? Do you like *elevators*?"
  • 119
119 Ruby, the Instigator "The fuck do elevators have to do with anything?"
  • 111
120 You "That's a shame... because I happen to be a para-natural detective." Variable["doomed.plais_whitecheck_succeeded"] or IsTHCPresent("remote_viewer") or Variable["tc.rvd"] == true
  • 122
121 You "Play... pinball much?"
  • 123
122 Ruby, the Instigator "Cool. They sent a ghost-cop after me. Congratulations."
  • 162
123 Ruby, the Instigator "No, not since I was 14 and hanging out at the only diner in Dardanne. Haven't been into low-risk, no-reward games since moving to the city."
  • 126
124 You "There are some... mysterious pinball machines in some pretty... mysterious rooms in the Whirling..."
  • 115
125 Ruby, the Instigator "Why?"
  • 124
  • 128
126 Shivers Somewhere on the outskirts of Faubourg, a scrawny teenage girl stands by the side of the road, greeting passing vehicles with a calloused thumb turned upward. She's tired. She wants to leave. But she knows she will come back.
  • 125
127 You "Okay then... I have other questions for you."
  • 139
128 You "Look, there's a... secret way from the first floor of the Whirling to the roof."
  • 133
129 None
  • 107
  • 117
  • 130
130 You "I think we may have gone a little off-topic."
  • 131
131 Ruby, the Instigator "And that topic was what? Staircases? Ladders?"