Akutana/The Kamaduisi Bust

The Kamaduisi Bust is one of the work archived by the Akutana e-Metru Nui.

Content

Part 1

Received By Akutana Chronicler Demak [as Metru Nui Task Force Case #0451]

Log Entry 01

If you've ever been to Le-Metru, you've probably heard the loud, thumping music coming from the many dance clubs in the Metru during day and night. If you frequent Le-Metru often, then you have probably been to the loudest, thumpingest dance club in all of Metru Nui: Kamaduisi. Not exactly the most famous club, but it also has a very dedicated clientele due to its unique music selection played only at that location. The records are one of a kind too, not for sale from any merchant. The records themselves were produced in Le-Metru; however, the artist performing isn't familiar to anyone. As far as I can tell, no one knows who "Watercolor" is. Three Onu-Matoran wearing Noble Rau have also been reported to visit Kamaduisi once a week. These were what gave the Metru Nui Task Force a reason to send me to stake out the Kamaduisi and see if it was linked to any criminal activity related to the Jaga's Stinger.

There has been an increase in presence by various gangs across Metru Nui. Groups like the Kopen Stingers and the Tarakava Syndicate have been tied to the illegal pastimes in the Jaga's Stinger or resources meant to supply the city with work, such as Kanoka to be made into Kanohi. The Metru Nui Task Force was given the mission by Turaga Bomupar himself to weed out the criminal underbelly attempting to influence the city from the shadows. Any small amount of suspicion and someone was sent to stake out the area before calling in a raid on whatever activity was being perpetrated. That was why I spent three weeks in an empty, smelly inclosed Ussal Cart that let me view the movement from a distance without being seen.

For three long weeks, I sat in that cart looking through one-way glass for any sort of pattern, any suspicious characters, anyone with a previous record that visited frequently. I was a week and a half into the stakeout, beginning to think this correlation of possible criminal activity was paranoia until a pattern finally formed. Those three Onu-Matoran came in the middle of the first and second week, only to leave with a record after a few minutes of being inside. By the third week, I was convinced that that group was up to something odd; no one just walks out with a free record every week on the same day. These patterns were enough probable cause to allow me to investigate the building itself. I'd wait until the middle of next week to find out what was unique about the record they take each time and trail them to see what they do with it.

Log Entry 02

So, it took me three weeks to figure out that the three Onu-Matoran were doing something with a musical record every week, but what was so special about it? Some might just assume they were friends of the DJ and got some of his music, but generally, they keep the records and circulate them every other night or so. It just didn't make sense to give away a product so unique regularly, or else they'd be out of music to play. I was given permission to investigate the inside of Kamaduisi by the higher-ups. A quick wave of my badge was all it took for the bouncer to let me in, with little hesitation. The other Matoran in line might think it was just another Task Force member flaunting their status to get in somewhere popular (I won't name names), but this was official investigation work.

As soon as the doors opened, my ears were violently assaulted with a loud, booming bassline that seemed to vibrate the whole building. I waded through crowds of partying Matoran to the front, where the DJ hyped up his audience for his next song. From what I could gather, this was the last play of that record for the week. No doubt this was the record that'd be taken away today. The music was odd, hard to tell over the cheering crowds and the cranked-up bass, but I swore I heard a voice in the music. I figured it was just lyrics at the time, but it still felt off in regards to how almost subliminal they sounded.

Once the song had ended, another DJ took "Fresh Beats" place on stage while he went to the back. I shoved my way to an employee entrance to catch up with Fresh Beats, who had already put away the disk by the time I got to talk to him. I asked if I could look around the back, make sure everything was up to standard. He seemed nervous upon my asking but ultimately said yes. One thing I've come to learn about Le-Matoran is that most of them are terrible liars. The only lies they seem to be able to tell are ones regarding their own talent and ability, anything else, and their mask is an open book. It was apparent to me by now those suspicions about the Kamaduisi had some merit, and hopefully, the backroom would give me the answers needed.

In the backroom, I found an extensive library of records, each in sleeves with the name of the record. A stamp of a Metru was on the center of each one, letting the listener know where the tunes were made on the island. I was flipping through each of them when one caught my eye, a sleeve with the Le-Metru insignia but colored blue like Ga-Metru. This was the one I wanted, I felt it in my Heartlight. That was when I got grabbed by the mask and thrown to the floor by one of the Noble Rau-wearing Onu-Matoran, all three of them came in to collect their goods and clearly weren't happy to see a Task Force official snooping around. It was right about when I snapped off the ground and grabbed the shock baton that I realized this was going to get ugly.

Log Entry 03

The standard-issue shock baton is a useful non-lethal tool, designed by an Onu-Matoran named Nuparu. Typically, it's used to render a noncompliant criminal unconscious with a harmless discharge, but you have to get them on the neck or head for that to work. The beautiful thing is that if you need something that works as a general deterrent, like I did when being pummeled by three Matoran, you can crank up the amount of electric charge given off by the baton. Sure it doesn't knock them unconscious as quickly, but a nice zap anywhere on the body tends to make a Matoran think twice before trying to land another blow on you.

I used my baton to shock the leg of the Onu-Matoran closest to me as I got up, as he tripped over himself the other two rushed me. They must've figured I couldn't shock both of them at once, and while that was true, I took another route of defense by ducking and rolling in between them. They couldn't steer away from the shelving unit of records in time and slammed into it with full force. Before I could worry about the record I needed and if it was damaged, the Onu-Matoran I temporarily crippled had found his feet long enough to ram at me. The momentum carried us both through the door of the backroom and out to just behind the DJ's stage. We were separated from the stage by a thin wall in which the DJ walked around to the front to keep some form of privacy. That privacy wouldn't last much longer as I kicked my assailant off me and through the center of the thin wall, right onto the stage.

Everyone stopped dancing, the needle slipping off the record being played, for a moment it was nothing but silence as they witnessed a Task Force Member and burly Onu-Matoran come barreling through on stage. I took the brief moment of quiet to announce that the Kamaduisi was closed under the investigation of the Metru Nui Task Force, this was my official way of saying “everyone needs to leave right now because things are going to get ugly.”

Quickly, everyone on the dance floor began running outside to give my new friends and I some space. Fresh Beats stumbled from the DJ table as he tried to run with the others, causing the music to start back up, but since he was a suspect for questioning and he wasn't very bright, I was able to render him unconscious with my baton as he ran past me. This was the only thing I was able to accomplish before the two Onu-Matoran I left in the backroom came to join their friend, now brandishing firework revolvers, not a common weapon on Metru Nui. It looked like any attempt to keep this quiet was gone, so now they were just trying to keep me from getting to the record left amongst the other scattered albums from our tussle. I dashed for cover in the form of turned over tables on the edge of the dance floor as they began popping off rounds of searing hot fireworks, sure the heat didn't bother me as much compared to other Matoran, but the rounds still disorient you with their bright colors. The strobing club lights that were still going didn't help either.

The two gun-wielders stayed on stage, keeping me pinned down while the third made his way towards me with his own revolver. It was here I had the realization that the vibrant strobe lighting disoriented them as much as it did for me, as Onu-Matoran have sensitive eyesight. It's why they weren't shooting as their buddy made his way towards me, if they let off a volley of rounds, he wouldn't be able to see a Muaka if it was in front of him. I was able to use this to my advantage as he made his way to my makeshift cover when he turned behind the table to shoot me point blank I waved the brightly electrified baton in his face which gave me a precious few seconds to knock the gun from his hand. As it clattered to the ground, the still blinded Onu-Matoran didn't even see me as I went for his neck at a stunning charge.

As he toppled downwards, his friends panicked. They let off the last of their firework rounds to keep me from coming closer, but I wasn't planning on closing the distance just yet. I grabbed the revolver from their fallen comrade and pointed it just above them, thankfully I had a good aim that day, and it soared across the stage, exploding in front of them in a shower of color. They cried out upon the world going a blinding white, frantically swiping at the air and desperately trying to fire their now-empty weapons. I dashed up to where they were trying to hold out and zapped them with my baton, they went down like a bag of rocks. I signalled for backup to book the thugs and question the Le-Matoran from my datapad, and used my time waiting for them to turn off the lights and blaring music that had been going on this whole time. Mata Nui, I hope I never have to step into one of those clubs again.

Part 2

Log Entry 04

As a transport arrived to take away our four new friends, I was able to collect the record as evidence, storing it in a large evidence bag, and present my findings to the Task Force members who had arrived with the transport. While the suspects were taken to HQ for processing and questioning, I was sent to Niragawa University to have my evidence analyzed.

Those Onu-Matoran got those records for a reason, but it was unclear as to what. Chemical analysis showed nothing unusual in its contents, it was processed Protodermis with grooves etched in like every other of its kind. It was when one of the analysts noticed the grooves were made to be played backwards as well as forwards did we have something. When popped into a player and played in reverse, the odd masking on the vocals became coherent! They were numbers, coordinates to a meeting place as well as a time, no doubt for a contraband trade-off.

The coordinates were traced to a location in Po-Metru called Stone's End, a barren lot of sand settled by Rahi and not much else. Most illicit dealings did not use such a site for transactions lest a Troller Worm decides to eat you and your illegal goods. It was the last place people would look, making a risky but great place for a deal if you were brave or greedy enough.

A small team comprised of Me, Jaller, Voran, and Lihu were assigned to head to Stone's End and apprehend the other half of the deal. The hope was the Matoran handing off the goods hadn't heard the gossip about an arrest at a Le-Metru club and would still be at the drop zone. We carried light, no Task Force transport to send us, no large tools.

We rode a train to the Assembler's Village and walked the rest of the way, the winds doing the job of covering our tracks in the sand. We waited till nightfall when the handoff would take place, thankfully we had found a mid-sized rock formation to hide out in so it wasn't too much trouble to wait it out. About a few hours past midnight, two Po-Matoran had walked to the spot, wheeling with them an Archives stasis tube containing a Fikou Nui. I recognized them in the dim moonlight, Rahi Tamers with less than credible dealings by the name of Zirax and Trax, who we knew for years were handing off Rahi for illegal cage fights but were too good at covering their tracks to have substantial evidence.

True to their dubious ethics, they carried Lathprod crossbows, whereas other tamers carried shock weapons, this would prove an advantage for them as we only had our shock batons, but we also had the element of surprise. I signalled to the others that I'd go out ahead of them, as one Matoran would be less likely to be spotted. I would attempt to knock them unconscious before they even realized we were here, the others would spring out should that go awry.

The two tamers were arguing if their cohorts received the coordinates, or if they had been caught. So busy in their debate they were, facing where they expected their allies to show up, I was able to knock Trax out before Zirax realized why his colleague didn't answer him. Unfortunately for me, it took him quicker to realize that cry of anguish was not in disgust, but from being zapped by the Ta-Matoran standing over the slumped over Po-Matoran. Zirax let off a bolt from his Lathprod, signalling the rest of my team to spread out. When he saw that there not enough bolts in the built-in clip for his weapon for all of us, he dropped his bow in surrender and was promptly cuffed. Soon thereafter, a transport was called in to detain the tamers, and bring the Fikou Nui as a new exhibit for the Archives, where it'd be better served for study than for sport. After that, we were brought back to HQ, and I was brought in here to dictate my debrief to be written down. It's late, and I'd like to try to sleep before the suns come up, you got all you needed?

Data Pad Recording

[The following recording has been transcribed by Demak upon being received from Paravhiki. This is to be given as evidence against the Tarakava Syndicate when "My [Paravhiki's] past doesn't hold so much weight that it calls the evidence into question." Recording begins as soon as Paravhiki enters his home to find a Ga-Matoran in his chair.]

Paravhiki: "How'd you get into my house?"

Ga-Matoran: "That's not the question you should be asking, Paravhiki."

Paravhiki: "You know my name, too? Is that supposed to impress me?"

Ga-Matoran: "I'm not here to impress you, I'm here to congratulate you on that bust you pulled tonight."

Paravhiki: "How'd you found out about that? We haven't released the details to the public yet. Who are you?"

Ga-Matoran: "Ah, now you're asking the right questions. You have the privilege of speaking to Nanohi, the head of the Tarakava Syndicate. Not many get to speak to me in person, you know."

Paravhiki: "Right, and I'm a Toa of Electricity, friend to all Rahi. You really think I buy that?"

Nanohi: "I'm impressed you deduced the record with the coordinates being the one with a blue Le-Metru symbol. Most would just assume it was a printing error."

Paravhiki: "How'd you know that?"

Nanohi: "You know how, you just don't want to believe it."

Paravihki: "You're the real thing."

[Chair creaks, Nanohi stands up]:" Indeed, I am."

Paravhiki: "Why are you here?"

Nanohi: "Back on track, I see. As I said, I was impressed with your detective skills, but ultimately it was in vain for you to try and stop the exchange. Those Onu-Matoran were set to bring the Fikou-Nui to the Archives. Heading through the underground trade routes for the Rahi cage fights. All you did was save me an extra step."

Paravhiki: "So you came to gloat? That doesn't even make sense. Why give it to the Archives when you'd get no money from it?"

Nanohi: "Because the Archivists paid a great amount to have a new exhibit. The restrictions set by Turaga Bomupar prevent them from paying hunters the amounts needed for...harder-to-find Rahi."

Paravhiki: "Don't tell me you got this big just by stealing from the rich and giving to the poor."

Nanohi: "We don't steal. All our resources come from imports that Bomupar has either tariffed or banned outright. It's less costly for them to distribute the resources that this island needs through us than deal with Bomupar who has failed to provide properly."

Paravhiki: "Is that what you tell yourself to sleep at night?"

Nanohi: "Our Turaga has hired Xian thugs as a police force who jump at the chance to resolve any issue through violence, then he sets up Matoran sheriffs to help enforce their wanton destruction. In his attempts to unite the city, he's only let the hatred fester further."

Paravhiki: "It's more complicated than that-"

Nanohi: "Is that what you tell yourself to sleep at night?"

Paravhiki: "You think this is what a divided Metru-Nui is like? You don't remember th-"

Nanohi: "The Civil War? I can't forget it. I was a coordinator for Ga-Metru to provide aid for the Metrus and Matoran affected by the conflict. When I saw the job still wasn't done, even after the war, I took it upon myself to find a way to support those in need of resources. Despite what the Turaga thinks, we have hurt no one but his corrupt establishment."

Paravhiki: "And how are you so sure? You can't be everywhere at once."

Nanohi: "Maybe not, but I can still be in a lot of places. You'd be surprised how often no one will question a Ga-Matoran as one of the cohorts in a smuggling route. All I have to do is trade masks with one of my trusted Ga-Matoran insiders, and no one suspects their boss to be among them. If I see them skimming widgets, it's easy to "leak" their illicit doings to the Metru Nui Task Force and have someone more trustworthy take their place."

Paravhiki: "Why are you telling me all this? What's to stop me from taking you in?"

Nanohi: "I'm telling you all this because we have the same sense of justice burning within us. I'm extending an offer to drop this pointless exercise and help the Matoran in a better way than you can now."

Paravhiki: "You have no idea what my sense of justice is. It certainly isn't like yours. You don't know what I've seen, what I've-"

Nanohi: "I'm well aware of your past in the Civil War. I can't imagine how it must've felt to have killed your best friend to save an unarmed Po-Matoran. It's why Bomupar made you part of the Task Force, isn't it? Because you wanted to make up for your past sins? How many of them know about your “treacherous” act, or that the Black Stone member you brought in a few months back was the same Po-Matoran you saved all those years ago?"

Paravhiki: "Are you blackmailing me?"

Nanohi: "It's only blackmailing if that information would hurt you. If what you've done here has truly helped repair the views of Ta-Matoran against Po-Matoran, that wouldn't have any effect on your reputation, now would it?"

Paravhiki: [Silence]

Nanohi: "That's what I thought. If you continue to side with Bomupar, you'll find your attempts to stop me much harder than this. I intentionally kept any information about the Kamaduisi brawl from the hunters because I wanted you to catch them. Why else would they show up? I gave you a free catch to prove a point. I hoped I could convince you that you were on the wrong side."

Paravhiki: "All you've convinced me of is that you're a lunatic! It doesn't matter what tricks you pull, you'll slip up eventually. And I'll be there when you do."

Nanohi: "Have you seen a Tarakava eat drowning prey, Paravhiki? They don't attack right away. They wait until their unfortunate quarry is weak from fighting the current, gurgling as water fills their lungs. Only when they have no fight left, do they strike. I'm a Tarakava, I have the patience to see you drown. Whether it will be from your own mistakes or when Bomupar tosses you and the Task Force aside like broken toys, I can wait."

[Footsteps from Nanohi]: "And don't try submitting a record of this conversation, or else I'll be forced to make sure both of us drown."

Paravhiki: "How'd you know?"

Nanohi: "Your weapon is on your right, you reached for your left when you first saw me."

[Footsteps growing distant]

Paravhiki: "Is that your real name?"

Nanohi: "What?"

Paravhiki: "Nanohi means "Many Faces." I doubt that's the name you always had?"

[Nanohi chuckles]: "It's a shame you aren't coming with me. Yes, I chose that name. My real name is among the many casualties in the war. No one noticed an extra name reported dead amongst all the others. This is a special occasion for me, actually. This is the Noble Kakama I used to wear before I became Nanohi. You're the last Matoran to see my real face.”

“Goodbye, Paravhiki. Until we meet again."

[Door closes, recording ends]