ジャックリン・ディアマンディス (文責: 何者でもない)
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June 8th, 1973


ジャックリン・ディアマンディス。ジャックリン・スコルピオ・ディアマンディス。酷く言いづらい名だ。
Jacklyn Diamandis. Jacklyn Scorpio Diamandis. It rolls off my tongue like shit.

最もわかりやすいダエーヴォンの支配の象徴が地上にいるとするならば、それぞ聖約者であろう。神々 (アルコーン) を犯し仔を孕ませるなどという蛮行をなすのはダエーワぐらいのものだが、産ませた子供たちはといえばかの悍しき怪物たちへの徒労にすぎなかった。ダエーヴォンは”確固”と”秩序”の嘘偽りの上に成り立ち、その子供たちさえもがあらゆる反対意見に耳を貸すことなく突き進んだ。しかしそうした恐ろしき4つ子の中にも、明瞭なる退廃のヒエラルキーが存在した。
If ever the most succinct counterpoint to Daevon's rule walked the earth, it'd be the Covenants. Only the Daeva would be so arrogant as to rape the Archons for children, only to squander them on such sickening monsters. Daevon built itself on lies of "security" and "order", even as its children tore their way through anything resembling dissent. But even within that horrid quartet, there was a clear hierarchy of degeneracy.

フガン (Hgan) は粗暴で、事あるごとに怒っては暗殺 (poison) を求めた。彼なら責められるか? 緋色のアルコーンの子としては、彼はむしろ良い方であると言える。兄弟も彼のようになってくれないものか。
Hgan was a brute, quick to anger and eager to poison. Can I blame him? For a child of the Scarlet Archon, he's an improvement. I hope his brothers take after him.

イダクス (Ydax) に対してはそのような情ある言葉をかけることはできない。彼を害虫と呼べば、それを産み落とした蟲形の穴への侮辱となってしまうことだろうが。しかしそうだとしても、親が不在でもって自らを定義したのは彼のせいだと言えるのだろうか?
I have no such kind words for Ydax. To call him vermin would be an insult to the worm-shaped hole that sired him. Even so: is it his fault that his progenitor defined itself through absence?

ルロア (Lror) は違う。
But Lror.

いやすまないな、”ジャックリン・スコルピオ・ディアマンディス”だ。”ダイヤモンドのジャック”。TVのセレブがごとく遊び呆け、まるでダエーバイトなんて陥落しなかったとでもいうようにそのまま現代社会へ溶け込んでしまった。かなりの自惚れ屋だ。虚栄心もとんでもない。彼女はジャカルタの個人主義的な退廃には相応しくさえある。
I'm sorry, "Jacklyn Scorpio Diamandis". "Jack of Diamonds". Prancing around like media royalty, as if the Daevites never fell, merely reincorporated themselves into modernity. So self-important. So utterly vain. She fits right into Jakarta's individualistic decadence.

母親が菫色のアルコーンだったなら、それは奇妙なことになる。普段のルロアはむしろ翠色のアルコーンに似ていて、最悪の肉体に心無き享楽が宿り、突発的な暴力的衝動に蝕まれ、私の姉妹からはできる限りの万物を脅かすその”力”を賛美されている。他方、母たる菫色のアルコーンは脅威でありながら ― あの惨めな昆虫に向ける信頼はほとんどないものの ― 洗練されていた。計算ずくだった。やつが確かな理由もなしに残虐行為を働くことはなかった。
Funny how it works when your mother is the Violet Archon. Lror was always more akin to the Verdant Archon, a mindless indulgence in the worst of the physical, broken by bouts of sudden violation, lauded by my sisters for her "power" even as it poisoned everything it could. The Violet Archon was a menace, but to what little credit I'll give that miserable insect, it was refined. Calculated. No atrocity was committed without clear purpose.

だからもし彼女が、看守が菫色のアルコーンに ― "SCP-001"に ― 何をしているか知っているのであれば、事態は痛み分けということになる。
Then it's 50/50 if she knows what the Jailors are doing with the Violet Archon. "SCP-001".

私とて、彼女にもう二度と会わぬようにできればよかった。だが知識とは力であり、4000年の歴史はいま風前の灯火にある。ダエーバイトの神々が自由に歩き回ることを許すわけにはいかない。
What I would give to never see her again. But knowledge is power, and there's 4000 years on the line. The Daevite Gods cannot be allowed to roam free.

ルロアは現状に満足している。膨大な攻撃がわずか数ヶ所で敢行された。多大な回数ゆえに、わずか数人の叛乱者 (Insurgents) は当惑を一掃すべく侵襲的記憶処理療法の実施を迫られた。そして、わずか数個の名前が多大な帳簿に載っている。ここがおまえの新たなホームというわけか?
Lror got complacent. Too many attacks in too few places. Too many times too little Insurgents had to administer aggressive amnestic therapy just to wipe off the bewilderment. Too little names in too many ledgers. Is this your new home?

私にはジャカルタを好きになれるとは思えない。ここにはイオン以前のオールド・アディトゥムを思い出させることが多すぎる。玄武岩はガラスとコンクリートに替わり、ダエーワは男に代わったが、恐ろしい暴力信仰と指導者層に染み付いた利己主義、そのすべてがここに揃っている。彼女がここを気に入るのも無理はない。
I don't think I'm going to like Jakarta. Too much of it reminds me of Old Adytum, before Ion. Basalt has been traded for glass and concrete, and Daeva exchanged for men, but the horrifying zeal for violence, the selfishness entrenched in leadership, it's all there. No wonder she loves it here.

お帰り、私 (Welcome home)。
Welcome home.


Note:


* 彼女に見つかるな。ルロアに知られれば、他の3人にも露見する。
* DO NOT BE SEEN BY HER. If Lror knows, so do the other three.
* インドネシアに狼はいない。遭遇したなら逃げろ
* There are no wolves in Indonesia. If I see one, RUN.

To Do:


* ジャックのスートを調査。なんでダイヤモンドのジャック?
* Research Jack suite; why Jack of Diamonds?
* 関連を探る。菫色のアルコーンはロクなやつじゃないからな。
* Look for link; Violet Archon was never a fun one.
* 年代記の捜索。
* Look for Chronicles

June 10th, 1973


カップルの部屋に居候。ただ二人に見られてしまった。Glassalの230号室。 幸運なことに2週間の休暇の最後のことだった。彼らのハネムーンを台無しにしてしまっていないといいが。
Roomed with a couple. They saw me. Room 230 at the Glassal. Just my luck, the tail end of a two-week getaway. Hope I didn't ruin their honeymoon.

朝帰りでも怖じ気づかずにすむこの服のおかげで、私は小さなコインランドリーへと赴き、誰にも知られていない物陰にまで歩みを進めることができた。読者さんはこの服をくれたやつがもう一着私にくれていると思うかもしれないが……まあ、私は洗濯中はほぼずっと洗濯機に寄り添って過ごし、身長210cmの入墨まみれの奇人を見ようとするものがいないか見張る羽目になった。しかし幸いかな、肌を着こなせていない者に遭うことはなかった。ありがとう、あった事もない全ての神々よ。
As thanks to my clothes for keeping me safe on my walk of shame, I went to a small laundromat in some unseen corner of who knows where. You'd think whoever makes these would've given me an extra set. I spent most of the cycle huddled against a washer, eyeing anyone who cared to stare at the 210cm tall stranger covered in tattoos. But none of their skins were misfit, and for that I'll thank every god I haven't met.

Long and short of it: I'm sloppy. If this were Orvo I'd be on my knees again. Now that I think about it…

As far as I'm aware, "Jacklyn Diamandis" holds neither military nor constabulary authority. If someone gets brutalized by her, inside or outside her skin suit, that will get reported. Well, assuming the Jailors and Insurgents don't get there first.

Or maybe one of them is keeping records. That'd be delicious.


To Do:


* Brainstorm a plan to burn Orvo's Chronicle.
* Drop by that kebab place I passed.
* Look for Chronicles

June 13th, 1973


Found her.

It took five days, four people seeing me, and too much time weaving through the crowds, but I found her. Make that five.

Veritable parasite; one could argue a bigger parasite than the literal ones. Literally and figuratively. This metaphor doesn't work. whatever She's leeching off some hot-shot official. An "economist". How quaint.

I'll need to ruminate on my next course of action. Goal number one is still information on the Violet Archon, but if that vapid little monster doesn't know anything, I need to justify my presence.

If she has a Chronicle, I'll need to burn it. Or perhaps she knows what happened to Ydax, or Hgan, or whatever Orvo is planning next. Failing that, then I doubt she knows enough about her progenitor to point me anywhere in the direction of Saarn or Ion. I'll need to consult my notes on CALAMITY for what to do next.


To Do:


* Determine the closest CALAMITY trigger.
* Take some pictures.
* Look for Chronicles

June 15th, 1973


むかしむかしその昔

ダエーヴォン生まれの子供がおったとさ

ブヨみたいな顔した子供がおったとさ

その娘は人の家をうばって

わたしのなのよと言ったとさ

そんでこもってしまったよ

腐ったネズミのやりかたさ

There once was a Daevon-born brat,

with countenance much like a gnat.

She took someone's home,

declared it her own,

and nested within, putrid rat.


Note:


* What a good thing you have going, Lror. It'd be a shame if something happened to it.

June 20th, 1973


One day, I'll relish in Orvo's messy death. Today, I'll thank him for all he taught me.

I set up another killswitch. Several photographs of "Jacklyn", appended to several more of her limp skin and the beast that haunts it like a monstrous hermit crab. Letters to Insurgent and Magekiller alike. Several more I won't name, you lousy snoop. You're not getting out of this one.

Got a plan all figured out. Three more days and you're mine you disgusting brat.

… and because my stupid brain loves to sabotage my cover, three more people have seen me. Consult my other diary for more details.

June 21st, 1973


My caution was ill-informed.

I cornered her in an alley. There was a man with her, short, fat, expensive suit that'd seen too many days. I hope he can afford to replace the jacket; Lror's ovipositor is absurdly inelegant.

It's funny: all those years, the days wasted tracking ancient Sarkites, nights wasted between Orvo and a hard, flat surface with only my bad decisions to keep me warm, it's her I remember most of all. The way she scuttles about on malformed claws, a repeat sequence of eight nails against sandpaper. How she flits about without purpose, blown by invisible wind across her perverted playground, like plastic refuse. That smug attitude with which she carries herself. Her unfailing apathy to the sheer suffering her presence engenders.

I can't wait for the day I can rip her apart.

Lror barely acknowledged me when I called her attention. Oh, she knew I was there, those eyes aren't vestigial. But so stuck up, so arrogant she'd become, that a Nobody such as myself barely registered. Awfully attentive once the pictures came out, however.

My private diary can't attest to my self-control. Even so, I'm proud of myself. Every minute instant, every word, syllable, name out of her wretched mouth was saturated with a grotesque arrogance, the culmination of a dozen millennia of torment. Every sin I strove to repent was reflected in the abhorrent virtues she flaunted like jewelry. That I didn't break down, scream, and tear her limb from limb, that I didn't brutalize her until her regeneration forgot what went where, that's progress. If only my sisters were around to see me.

Or maybe I'd hate them too. It matters not: they're dead, and the Archons live.

Such is the nature of cosmic injustice.


Note:


* There's two "SCP-001"s, maybe more. The other is the Scarlet Archon. What are they doing?
* If she knew anything about the first "SCP-001", she had no reason not to disclose it.
* The Covenants go by variations of "Jack", now. Tried to press why; looks like it was Hgan/"Spades"'s idea, but for what purpose…
* I have no reason to trust her, but she says she doesn't know the whereabouts of the Chronicles. Hasn't cared since our night in Alagadda.

To Do:


* Locate "Jack of Spades"; one Archon is a coincidence, two is a conspiracy.
* Gather more funds.
* Look for a place that does good Slavic food.
* Block out some time to lie around and do nothing.


メモ/コメンタリー:

  • この作品のベースになっているのはJack Of Diamondsです。ただし直接的にではなく、トラッシュファイア流のリミックスが加わっています。
  • 聖約者 (ジャックたち) はダエーバイト帝国が生み出した、旧き神々の子供と呼べるような存在です。人の皮を被って活動しているものの、その中身は元となった神を思わせる異形の存在です。
  • 聖約者は旧SCP-952に登場する”ハートのジャック”と”スペードのジャック”、関連Taleに登場する"ダイヤモンドのジャック”と”クラブのジャック”をもとに大幅なリミックスを加えた存在であるので、それらと一部描写/設定に繋がりがあります。
  • ♡: イダクス。SCP-4886に指定。対応する神は”蟲王”。
  • ♤: フガン。"When Will You Die for the Last Time in my Dreams"の主要登場人物の一人にして、かつてのバンド”スペードのハウス”のメンバー。対応する神は”緋色の王”。
  • ♢: ルロア。この記事の主題。対応する神は”菫色の女王”。
  • ♧: オルヴォ。いくつかの記事にちらほらと登場。作中で言及される”狼”とはおそらくオルヴォのこと。対応する神は”翠色の魔道士”。
  • 菫色のアルコーン/"SCP-001"は旧き神々の1柱であり、サイト-56に収容されています。一部記事では検閲されてSCP-████と表記されていることもあります。
  • もう一つのSCP-001はタフトの提言 (緋色の王) です。
  • 記事中に登場する"CALAMITY"ですが、氏が書いている (今は保留中?) 001提言ハブ案に同名のものがあり、その内容も踏まえたうえで、終末の婉曲表現ぐらいのニュアンスとして捉えています。
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