[jaunt] [mid-week 2 or so] More perspective-reading for... definitely not fun and profit

[razorblade_empress]

So... about 'David Texxant' or whoever the hell he is here. I did a perspective-read on the guy a little while ago and found out a couple of things:

One, he's telepathic. I know there are some of you who can telepathically poke at Infiltrators, but it's not a good idea here. The only reason I didn't get caught was because I was using Questing Country Magic Bullshit instead of actual network skills.

Two, whatever language he's thinking in is definitely not anything from Earth.

He was genuinely curious about me when we were talking, but it was from a much more analytical place than he was pretending. And the genuine worry he had about the damage to his mech was a distraction from something much darker that I couldn't get a read on. And that bright and happy-go-lucky exterior is definitely for show.

So yeah, I'm thinking spy.

Comments

[desperate_times_right]

The general gave a big speech offering self destruct “upgrades” for all the mechs to prevent capture. Most of the pilots are interpreting that as contact with humans means you’re good as dead. If he’s a spy he’s probably already got that mindset.

[razorblade_empress]

...Is everybody up there like that?

[Because that is really, really not good.]

[desperate_times_right]

Not all of them, but a lot of the people in power here lost someone in the initial ‘bioweapon’ assault and early fighting. And everyone’s terrified of the virus - I’ve heard crazy stories but you need really high clearance to see the people in quarantine.

[razorblade_empress]

...Great.

[Yukino really doesn't have a good feeling about this Jaunt.]

[desperate_times_right]

I think there are people in quarantine, like they didn’t secretly kill them all. The doctor here isn’t as hardened as most of the military guys. But maybe that’s where the spies come from. They’d be diplomats and stuff.

[razorblade_empress]

Makes sense. They can be "useful to the cause" and also be sent far away so they don't infect anyone else.

[desperate_times_right]

I’ve heard stories about people’s limbs twisting into monster forms, and electronic devices exploding around them and things. If he’s got control of it he’s got a really strong will.

[razorblade_empress]

Monster forms could be Tiresias or Audiocaudal Syndrome, depending. Not sure about the electronic devices exploding around them, unless that's involuntary use of S. Tech.

...You know, I'm wondering if we're going about this the wrong way. Maybe we should be looking at working with him, assuming he's not going to want to turn the planet into so much slag for this.

[Which, honestly, she wouldn't blame him for, if Earth is doing what it's starting to look like they're doing.]

[desperate_times_right]

Do you think you’d be able to safely get another read on him? See if he’d prioritize fixing this over revenge.

[razorblade_empress]

I should be able to, yeah.

[desperate_times_right]

It’d be great if we could share knowledge with someone like that. I’m just a bit invested in no one blowing up the earth.

[razorblade_empress]

Yeah, same.

If AEGISCorp and the ESDF are doing even half the bad shit we've been theorizing about, we're probably going to need help from people on their side to keep things from spiraling once that starts coming out. Because even if the "bioweapon" thing was an accident, that shit wouldn't be.

[desperate_times_right]

I don’t know how that’s going to work. The two guys at the top military-wise are both out for blood; there’s the self-destruct guy and this guy giving me this colonizer speech about how we’re going to subdivide your territory if we win. The princess is reputedly the most level headed of the bunch but if they really do have her wife...

[razorblade_empress]

...Fucking hell.

[desperate_times_right]

Gil’s overlay has an in with the general, I think, but I’m not sure that’s enough.

[razorblade_empress]

We know anyone that's got an in with the princess?

[desperate_times_right]

She’s always covered in bodyguards so I doubt it, but I’ll ask around.

[razorblade_empress]

Thanks.

God, what a fucking mess.