synopsychic | open to Investigators; (slightly backdated to) the beginning of week 2 of the digital frontier jaunt

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open to Investigators; (slightly backdated to) the beginning of week 2 of the digital frontier jaunt

[So (with mod permission) Giovanni managed to sneak into the Partition with a little magic (no, literally, he got Zatanna to give him red circuits to get inside) and from there learned a few interesting tidbits of information that he would like to get out to the rest of the Investigators. ~~He also stole some Defender armor and a baton or two but that's completely besides the point.~~

Thus, as Giovanni makes his way back out of the Partition with his stolen goods the Assassin sends out a quiet message on the psychic network. His mental voice is calm and controlled, but it would be hard to miss the undercurrent of excitement and import in the words as well.]

I have managed to find out a few things about our dear 'friends' the Defenders today.

In case you did not get the chance to meet him on our first day here, there was a one-eyed program watching critically over the proceedings. That is the Defender known as JORD1 and he is their leader. Talk around the fortress--or Partition as they call it--indicates that he is a very dedicated program when it comes to his function. It quickly became clear that he will do whatever it takes to defend the system no matter the cost. That cost could be quite high, I fear, if given the chance but I'll come back to that point in a moment.

The Partition itself is a curious place. For any of those interested in such information the fortress is composed of four quarters: the barracks, the armory, the Ports, and the Administration Tower. (If anyone would like an actual map of the area I could provide a sketch should you wish for one.) The former two places I mentioned are self-explanatory; the latter two are quite important. The Ports have something to do with a network of communication and only two programs have access to them apparently. JORD1, naturally the Defender leader would have control over this vital process, and a program known as ROSE, a Miner I believe. It would seem though that ROSE never uses the Ports. Whether that is a recent development or not, I could not say for certain.

[After a small pause he continues.]

The Administration Tower is full of the Defenders' more critical functions. It houses not only the higher key figures but several detention cells full of programs waiting to be processed and rooms dedicated to [he speaks this next carefully, slowly:] the re-purposing of programs. [It's clear from his tone he doesn't like the sound of that. It's possible he witnessed this from a hiding spot, or at least heard enough from a dark corner somewhere nearby to figure out what it entailed, and Did Not Like.] I also made a trip to the scrupulously guarded dungeon of the Tower and found a very interesting item there. Like most things here it glowed with a bright current of power, however, I had a feeling it was more than just a trinket considering the circumstances and waited long enough to discover its name and purpose.

[He swears he did not put a pause to his words here for dramatic purposes but it occurred anyway as he collected his thoughts carefully before proceeding with the business end of his tirade.]

They called it 'the Bomb.'

I do not think I have to explain the implications of such a device. Least to say, I fear what may be done with it if it is used and--not to cause any alarms--but from what I gathered I have little doubt the Prime Defender would think twice to use it if he felt the need to do so.

On a further note, I do not suggest trying to get into the Partition to steal the device. [Or the Recognizer. Guys, seriously, do not try to steal the Recognizer ~~without including Giovanni in the very brief joyride that would entail~~.] It was heavily guarded and even I had some small difficulty getting out once the illusion upon my ..circuitry.. wore off. [Although getting in and out was the only hard part for Giovanni; sneaking around inside had been a relative cake-walk for the stealthy Assassin.] Besides, the consequences that would likely incite would be devastating to this Grid. The Defenders could easily obliterate the other programs in the System. I suggest instead a different route to prevent its use: let us simply make sure events do not unfold to make it a necessary evil for the Defenders to use it. That means waiting, of course, and keeping a sharp eye upon things while we are here. It may not be ideal but I urge to err on the side of caution.

[There is a considerably more lengthy pause here this time, purposeful, an allowance for everything he just said and implied to sink in with anyone listening. Hopefully, he hasn't started a panic or encouraged an overzealous individual to take things into their own hands. But he wanted to get the information out there so everyone could be aware of the potential danger should it come to pass.]

I am open to further discussion upon any matter mentioned just now. I will try to answer as many questions as I can to any that may have them.

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[NOT THE REPURPOSING ~~RETRAINING~~ PROGRAM...

Anyway, Levi frowns, not that anyone can see it. THE PSYCHIC BROW FURROW IS THERE.]

If they have something like that and haven't used it, we need to figure out why, and how far that restraint can be pushed before it breaks. [He doesn't wanna get blown up, he doesn't want his friends getting blown up, and he doesn't want the Grid being blown up either.] We need to know what our limit is as far as visible actions go. [Beat.] But we also can't sit around and wait for this asshole to decide he's had enough.

[Dedicated, crazy... One and the same, sometimes.]

If he's concerned with the system as a whole that's a little less shitty, but if he's mostly worried about the Partition alone and the high-priority dicks inside we could have a problem if he isn't dealt with.

[Going back to not wanting himself and his people blasted right off the Grid to protect some shithead's computer-villa- Levi isn't willing to give the people at the top the benefit of the doubt, not after what he's seen here and especially not after hearing about the Games and the sort of system they represent.]

Edited (derp) 2015-04-17 14:58 (UTC)

While I do not inherently disagree with such a suggestion, I would say it needs to be done most delicately. Pushing our limits too much may force his hand into doing exactly what we do not wish to do.

[Giovanni pauses here to gather his thoughts before answering, thinking back on all that he overheard while sneaking around in the Partition and adding it to other information he's learned while in this Grid.]

...My focus here so far has been to learn as much as I could about the Defenders but I have also been out into the Wastelands with a group of Cryptos and Miners. There was an instance of a viral attack upon two of the programs that caused us all to flee the area. While I admit I know little of computers it doesn't take an expert to infer the significance of an infection overrunning the populace. What I learned of the Ports implied there were other programs out there, whole other systems perhaps with their own inhabitants. Like a city sending signals to another, far away city. [a small pause] Could it be that this area is cordoned off from a larger populace?

I'm not saying we run screaming at the gates or anything stupid like that, only that we need to keep tabs on this guy somehow, make sure his hand doesn't slip while we're fucking around out in the Wastelands digging up code with our new friends.

[Stealth seems to be this guy's forte, if he was able to gather this much in such a paranoid environment- Levi's pretty impressed by that, actually- and so maybe there's a way to extend whatever illusion had allowed him to hang around. IT'S A THOUGHT, one that he'll share once he comments on the next bit:]

But anyway, what you said about a bigger system- that's definitely possible. We could be sitting in one bigass quarantine zone some other programs set up to keep themselves safe from the mess. I was out there too, and what we saw looked a lot like those things in Texas, the Infected. They moved the same way, their behavior... The only difference is that here they're calling it something else.

[Was Giovanni here for that one? Hell if Levi knows, but word travels pretty fast (...ha) around here and so he figures this guy probably has some idea what he means.]

...That'd make the Defenders the kings of shit hill, what an honor... No wonder they're all so friendly.

[That idea changes things, a little bit... But not enough. Even if everyone here was banished from a larger area, they should have stuck together, not exiled and isolated themselves more.]

What made you think there's more out there? Were there messages sent or received?

[Giovanni nods along as he listens, although he is aware the other cannot see him do so. But it's a simple, habitual motion. If they had been face-to-face it would have felt (and looked) natural.

Though he hesitates over the bit about Texas. He didn't know about that.]

Agreed then. Keeping a close eye on the Defenders at large would be a relatively easy group effort if we tried. JORD1 would be a bit harder to gain access to...

[He pauses. There was multiple bits of information here that he wished to ask about but he was uncertain which topic to discuss first.]

I was not here for the Jaunt in 'Texas' but that does not sound very comforting. I know that two programs were infected when they ran afoul of the virus out in sector G6. They seem well enough for now but if--

[Giovanni did not finish the thought. It was clear by his tone that it pained him to admit that much. The two infected were not previous acquaintances to him but he was still concerned for them and those in their presence. He hoped they would not succumb to...what Levi described.

Somewhat distractedly, he manages to answer the last few questions before falling silent for a moment.]

There was a record of messages.

[It's cool man, Levi nods while network-spamming all the time. Must make him look like a total weirdo but really... Everyone else is probably doing it to. He's fresh out of fucks to give about how he looks.]

It isn't supposed to be. That place was a hellhole, most of the population was killed in a shorter time than anyone could have planned for- everything went to shit in a matter of days, or so the papers said when we arrived again years later... [Y...eah. That was a weird one. Sometimes Levi feels like he just dreamed that Jaunt up himself. Bizarre. ...Anyway, moving on to things that really matter here before he gets carried away bitching about the places the Trumps bring them:] But there's warning here. We can use that. [There's a grimace that might be felt psychically as an impression of vague sympathy for the poor bastards who got contaminated... Or maybe the undercurrent of "that sucks" is present in his voice.] ...Worry about them when they start showing symptoms. If they do. Someone should keep an eye on them, too.

[It sounds intense... But not unkind. Unless they're Defenders (which Levi's gathering they aren't) or Trumps (definitely not...), Levi'd rather they stay safe and healthy. Whatever that means here.]

Did the messages happen to say anything about the that? The virus, I mean. If this place really is sectioned off there'd be some correspondence about that, wouldn't there? Some back and forth between the people there and the ones they exiled to this dump?

[He digests the information slowly. It is not pleasant, as said.]

I will. We will be keeping a close eye on them.

I do not believe it is an exile so much as it is simply...their purpose. I did not have an over abundance of time but--

That's a pretty shit purpose- to put unpleasantness out of their sight so they can ignore it until it comes back to bite them in the ass.

[S I G H. He really hates people like that.]

But I guess they'd try to keep that from getting out, though. Locked up, or whatever. Not the kind of thing you'd find in a quick run.

[Password protected, maybe... Has anyone tried "s h i t h e a d s"...?]

...Yeah, I think it's safe to say we want to keep them from going for the nuclear option.

All the more reason to work out what the hell Red Team actually thinks they're doing, then. The current status quo isn't actually helping, but it's possible they think it's helping more than it really does. I mean, I don't know if diplomacy would get anywhere, but something needs to change in this setup, without everything getting blown to bits.

[Sadly, Giovanni does not know what "nuclear" means. However, he can infer the general idea of what is meant considering the topic and the tone.]

They certainly take their function quite seriously, and we know it is to defend. However, I am beginning to wonder what exactly they are here to defend. It might not actually be the programs beneath them.

[Which is not a happy thought. But now he has a question for Naoki.]

What do you think the current status quo is here? What have you learned of the other programs?

Edited 2015-04-17 20:27 (UTC)

[He probably doesn't want to know. But, well, when you're from the only country that was actually nuked as a matter of war...]

I haven't talked to Green Team very much, so I'm not sure what they're all about. Blue Team seems to be here to reclaim the territory and sort through the remnants of what was here before - which means they're stuck dealing with all the threats, whether they're prepared for it or not. The group I was helping lucked out in that most of us had dealt with that kind of problem before.

Even if Red Team's here to defend something bigger than what's here, I feel like it'd be easier to do that if they went out and helped with the actual threats rather than assuming everyone else is a new or potential one. But here I go applying common sense to the situation again, when there doesn't seem to be much place for it.

[Don't mind Naoki, he runs on sarcasm.]

The Cryptos--the green ones--are ancient, knowledgeable, and rather curious about everything. The small group that I followed out into the Wastelands were also quite kind and caring of each other. Even the rather large one clearly meant for fighting was gentle and helpful to his fellow programs. [Of course, Giovanni could be biased towards the Cryptos since his good friend was one of them but there was no denying what he had seen. They're certainly nothing like the Defenders at least.]

I was told the Miners--blues--were investigators of their own sort. Now I see why they also venture out into the Wastelands. But that does leave us with the very good question you propose: what exactly are the Defenders doing about all of this mess?

It's obviously not to protect the Miners as they go about their jobs. Pardon me for a moment as I speculate... but if they're not here to protect the other programs beneath them then what are they here to defend? And why does it prevent them from working together to further each of their goals? In the sector my group explored there was a nasty viral infection that forced us to leave the area in a hurry once it was discovered. [This is a slight repeat from his other conversation but bare with him.] There was a proposal to bring in a relatively friendly Defender back out into the sector to help eradicate the threat--something about them being able to resist the infection better due to their armor. What does that tell us? They are fit to fight off the infection in this Grid. Certainly more so than anyone else here.

If they know the infection is out there and how to eradicate it, why do they not aid the Miners as they go out into the Wastelands? What else could they be worried about?

[Hey, it's the same principle biasing Naoki in favor of the Miners, somewhat. Both of his closest friends, never mind that Naoto's from a different universe, are on that team, and he wants to make sure they get through this all right.]

If they believe they're here to defend a wider system from the threats that're here, it might explain why access to the Partition's on such a heavy lockdown. But it doesn't explain why the people equipped to deal with the threats are sitting back and letting everyone else do it. Or why they're such jerks to everyone else, but that could just as easily be a power trip.

Sounds like you guys weren't nearly as lucky. Is everyone all right?

It's possible they're afraid of being infected themselves, but who facing this isn't? When did the order become 'save your own skins' instead of 'protect everyone by fighting the threat directly'?

Agreed. I am not certain why they operate the way they do. [Though it certainly reminds him a bit of Templars...]

...I am not certain. I thought they seemed fine, that they would heal. But--

[He just learned about some of the other types of infection out there and he's worried now. :c]

I do not know. It seems a poor choice to make even if there is a grander scheme out there unseen somewhere. I wish I knew more for certain.

Then don't lose hope yet. They might still pull through. [This is worrying him, though - it's not a kind of illness he knows how to counter. He really needs to ask Naoto who they can get supplies from before they move past C10 - the next threat might not be as easy to deal with as the monster was.]

And it'll probably be hard to find out exact details without someone shouting 'Priority' and shutting the discussion down - maybe fatally. We probably have some time to work out a good strategy, though.

[He nods though Naoki cannot see it but he is too distracted to realize it this time and comment. After a silent moment, he responds to the latter half of the conversation however.]

That does seem to be an oddly favorite phrase of theirs. I suppose it has something to do with computers that I am not entirely knowledgeable in. [beat] We will. We will have to do something. And hopefully not blunder about. I have several suggestions from 'keep a close eye on the Defenders at large' to 'fight the infection to ensure the Defenders do not use fatal-for-all means in the end'. I am fond of both. [At the same time. Though it may be a given to do both he is just going to clarify anyway. However, he does also have a faint worry at the back of his mind that if they continue their searches into the Wasteland they may come up against a component in this equation that may force the Defenders' hand and cause the Prime Defender to wreak all havoc.]

As far as I can tell, Priority somewhat parallels social class. Who has access to the best resources and the most ability to give orders. It's... a little stricter than in human terms, and I can't decide if no Priority is better than the best or worse than the lowest rung, but it's as good an analogy as any.

They're both good ideas. If not for the Priority hangup, I'd suggest some diplomacy, and I might run the idea past people anyway, but I'm not sure standard negotiations are going to work here.

[Social classes are totally something Giovanni has an understanding of! It is a good comparison.]

Ah! Of course. A ranking system. It seems more than a little stricter than human classes but I know more about that than computer and their code. [He may not be thinking of 'code' in the right manner but you'll have to forgive him; he's from the Renaissance period. At least he gets the gist of what's going on.]

I understand. If you wish for help in addressing the Defenders I can offer my services. [He has spoken on the behalf of others on more than one occasion and knows the games played by politics. Being a public defender in court and making negotiations with the Pope tend to be great experience for such things.]

[It carries across - well, most of time and space, anyway. It'll do for now.]

Well, how flexible class systems are depends on when and where you are anyway. But this one's pretty exceptionally rigid, yeah. Someone with a higher Priority gives a suggestion and it's taken as an order until they correct it. [He got to see that one in action.]

I'm not about to try coordinating the Defender end of this. I have my hands full trying to keep an eye on my friends, even if they're both... indisposed. But it's a good idea for when we do figure out who's handling that end of things - we can't just ignore the Defenders until the end or this'll only get worse.

...I see. [How unpleasant.]

Well now. Are you planning on trying diplomacy or not? Typically, that means talking to both parties until an agreement is made. Or are you only making the suggestion so that someone else may attempt the diplomatic approach?

Yeah, I know what it means, but I don't know if it's worth making any kind of formal suggestion. I'm throwing things out there to see what sticks.

Besides, I think one of my friends might be plotting a rebellion, as far as I could untangle the verbal gymnastics. It came up at the Games and we haven't had a chance to talk about the idea again, but there was a lot of 'something ought to be done.' Where that conversation goes might help determine whether diplomacy's worth a shot.

Much as I'd love to stick a pin in their collective asses, I don't think the Defenders are the real danger here. In fact, it might be in our best interests to send a few people to win them over.

[Giovanni took a moment to consider before replying with care.]

Do you refer to the infection found out in the Wastelands? I have had some experience with it. It is certainly a problem. My concern with the Defenders is not so much that I dislike them or their purpose but how they might go about it. I know that it is only my word you have to go by, but I cannot import enough how fierce a program the Prime Defender appeared to be within the eyes of his own men. If the infection is what they fear the most, what they will do to stop it worries me. [Or what they will do to stop anything else from completing their jobs if something else were to come up.]

Would you propose to win over the Prime Defender? JORD1? For they will follow their commander to the death if he leads them to it.

Say rather, the fact that the corruption found in the Wastelands can overwrite the minds of those exposed to it. This isn't the first time we've encountered something like this, and the last was a gods-damned disaster.

He was a stone-walled hardass in his last incarnation, too. Winning him over as a person may not be possible in the time we usually have, but showing results... The farther the plague gets pushed back, the more secure his citadel is. The more secure it is, the more successful he is at meeting his purpose.

[This is certainly ill news and it gives Giovanni pause for multiple reasons, one of which being that he knows of two programs that are infected right now. It is a minor infection but still the mind worries.]

Merda.

You have met JORD1 before? [Curious. Did that make him a Trump or something else entirely?] So we continue to help the Miners and Cryptos at their searches in the Wastelands while combating the infection? And hope that it pleases the Defenders enough to keep calm and not use their last resort?

[It's not that he sounds skeptical, but he sounds a little skeptical. The idea has a sound base, to be fair, and that pleases him. However, it is in his nature to worry about all the angles. And he feels as though that might not quite be enough.]

He was a thiefcatcher, in Harrogate. I've not head of him appearing prior to that, but I wouldn't be at all surprised to learn he was amongst the soldiers sent to deal with a plague several Jaunts prior to that - but that much is mere conjecture.

[There's a flicker of wry amusement; she's noted the skepticism. Rather than being offended, the shading of her thoughts is almost pleased.]

And nothing quite so lackadaisical. If we want to prove that the threats can and should be pushed back, we'd be better served by making a concentrated effort to do so. We'd need an organized approach, with a focus on tackling greater dangers. There must be some among the Defenders who either sympathize with those trapped outside the walls, or who thirst for action beyond what display bouts can offer. If we can sound them out and bring them in, that will gain us a voice on the inside, and prove to all sides that cooperation is possible, even beneficial. Once we have evidence that the Wasteland can be conquered, we can present an appeal to logic - more safe territory puts the threat farther out, and opens the option to stage outposts that can sound an early alert in the event that something begins to stir out there.

It would be better if we could put a few of our own on the inside, but I'm not certain we should gamble with...repurposing unless there's a damn good shot at achieving significant gains, or no other options.

I've heard little mentions of that place here and there but nothing much more than a name drop in most instances. It must have been...important.

[Trying, is a word perhaps better suited but he was not there and does not know the extent of it. He won't attempt to understand without more information. And he won't belittle it for the same reason, either. He leaves it at that; whether she wants to say more or not is up to her.]

Well put. [He 'hums' with approval, a soft smile on his lips miles away. That was better than he had hoped to hear.] Then that leaves us with organizing such an effort. I believe the Miners have a system in place though I do not know how effective or consistent it is, especially now with the new players in place. It will be hard to keep everyone together, much less organized.

[He shakes his head though she cannot see it.] I do not like the sound of it. It... it did not seem pleasant. At least not in the manner it was handled within the Partition. If there is another way, I do not know. Besides, would it change a person so much as to force them to reveal their intentions and worse: those they wished to report back to later? No, I don't think that would suffice.

Spying on them without being seen is ...well, I won't say it is easy, but I would call the challenge of it much more preferable than the other option.

How? I mean... I g-guess we do need to know what's going on in there...

Not just that. Weakening them makes it more likely for the Automata to get a foothold.

[There's a thoughtful silence as Quinn thinks that over. Not so much because she doubts Sabetha's statement as because she doesn't quite see the logic herself.]

Because...if the D-Defenders feel weak, they'll take it out on the Miners? And they're the ones at the f-front lines...

Because everything I've heard suggests the Defenders have most of the combat strength here. Reduce that, and we reduce the ability for this part of the world to fight back against any significant threats.

A-Ah...yeah...

Though...d-does anyone know if the Miners have any weapons or d-defenses? I mean...some of the equipment out there looks p-pretty big...

Some of them do. I'm not familiar enough with the local branch of the artificer's craft to guess at how effective any of it is, but several of the Miners I've spoken with have indicated that they've grown accustomed to fighting since the Defenders pulled back to their walled city.

I'm n-not saying we should tell anyone about it, but...I g-guess I'm kind of wondering how many people know about the Bomb...

A fair question. I have the feeling many if not all of the Defenders at least know that it exists if not necessarily how big a deal it is. All the programs in the Tower likely knew exactly what it was--that area was locked down so tight only high priority programs were within. [pause] As for the Miners... I do not know if any of them know about it. Perhaps high priority ones do? ROSE perhaps? [She would have to have a high priority if she was allowed into the Ports, or so he guesses.]

I guess if anyone would know, it'd be her... B-But why wouldn't she t-tell anyone if she did know? This is huge...

I do not know. I do not know her. If she is one of us as an Infiltrator then there is also the fact that she is subject to the rules of this world and may not be allowed or of a desire to share the information.

Good point... Then I guess figuring out to k-keep that guy from w-wanting to use the bomb is the way to go. If we could f-figure out what he wants...

A noble goal. And one not easily reached. However, we do know a little of him already. He is a Defender and his function is to defend--although the exact nature of what is up for some debate. He is also...fierce, as I noted. What he is willing to do to pursue his function is, from what I've gathered, not limited by much. It's likely he would sacrifice all to do what was needed.

Ugh... So, we should p-probably figure out what he's defending. Or defending against.

Is he...the highest authority here? I mean...P-Priority-wise.

Yes, most definitely.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

open to Investigators; (slightly backdated to) the beginning of week 2 of the digital frontier jaunt

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