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Post by Nightshade on Jan 5, 2018 13:41:03 GMT -8
Nightshade seemed to immediately get his guard up high when the darkloid arrived. A flip and he was on all fours, pointing an already spooling up GBuster at the new arrival...only to sigh in relief and drop the weapon when the guy announced he was not going to attack him.
K907 snapped his fingers and a holoscreen popped in front of him. He fumbled with it for a few seconds, then flung it right over to Vanguard, a rather updated list of every navi that had connected and disconnected through the NSD netopian servers. The list wasn't really new but it was rather recent at least. "Damage's been made. There have been multiple disconnections from the netopian network since the lock dropped. Many are fleeing the country, or so it seems. I can't really blame them, but with no real official announcement from the NIA we'll have problems trying to stop the mass migration without cutting the connection ourselves. At this point it could kill some navis transferring themselves, though. Now, I appreciate you not coming here to dest-"
Nightshade grabbed the screen and pulled it away. Standing in front of the Darklight Warrior as if he had just teleported right there from where he was, he frowned. "How about we stop this stupidity once and for all?" He told the darkloid. "I fliped up, yes. But I also want to remedy said errors. So instead of hopping around everywhere and wasting resources, how about you let me use these powers to make my wrongs right again?"
He pivoted on the spot, showing his GBeast form to the NIA operative. "And by stopping it I mean also trying to stigmatize NSD as well. They are trying to help you with this. If you would stop being so stubb-"
"What Nightshade's trying to say is: We do not wish to be your enemies." The lupine navi interrupted, grabbing Nightshade by the tail and pulling him away from Vanguard. Usually, he'd be scared of angering a Juuka, but for a matter this important, he would have to intervene before the cat zoanoroid worsened things even more.
"We do know Agent Thorn.tx made a huge mistake, but as I have told ZV403 already, he did not disclose any information he may know with anyone. So until said information will either be obsolete or declassified no one will be able to make him talk. Not me, nor Nightshade (who's not even really affiliated with us) nor NSD CEO Kalos Kahnnigan and his navi Spyglass."
The K-Unit turned back to check on the juuka, just to make sure he wasn't doing anything behind his back. "We also did want to make a formal apology to the NIA, so we were more than happy to provide Agent Zv403 with a new armor. All future development costs will be on us. If any other need for military spec armor or combat systems arise, just say so and we'll make sure everything gets delivered ASAP. In short, we would like if you'd reconsider your opinion on us. As far as letting Nightshade help...well the cat's somewhat right. He has something very valuable not only in the power department but also in his memory. I also am pretty sure that as long as he's with Agent Zv403 he won't create any sort of problem."
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Post by Gaia on Jan 6, 2018 20:45:27 GMT -8
Vanguard.EXE
As Nightshade suddenly leaped in front of Vanguard, his eyes widened. Reflexively, Vanguard jumped back, and his right arm shifted as he tried to move it - instead, all he got was pain, and he winced under the ministrations of what could only be a shattered shoulder bone.
Looking back up at the Juuka and then at the dog, Vanguard huffed, exasparated by his already taxing day, the pain he still suffered from, and their complete disregard for the danger they were all in. "I asked for a simple yes or no answer, not evidence for a case against the NSD for collection of private travel information." He turned to Nightshade, using his left arm to try and support his right one, to stop the weight of it just dangling from causing him so much pain.
"I don't know you, anyone in the NSD, or any of the individuals your friend here just mentioned, and, to be quite honest, I could not possibly care less." He turned to look at the lupine Navi, eying him up and down. Vanguard was very obviously frustrated, but, for a number of different reasons that didn't involve him. "Stick to your analytics. I liked you better when you weren't sprouting biased information. As for your request, I'm not the one making those decisions. My decision was to protect what I promised to, and to handle a problem that presented itself in the most opportune way.
"And if you call your friend's new power a valuable asset, maybe you should switch your analytics from power capabilities to crisis aversion, or risk management." He paused, glancing between them one last time. "Unfortunately for the rest of our sake's, I don't have the time to explain to civilians our government affairs. So, like I said, I'll be taking Thrash now. We have business to tend to."
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Post by Nightshade on Jan 6, 2018 21:40:34 GMT -8
K907 just nodded and stepped aside, grabbing Nightshade so that he wouldn't do any more stupids.
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Post by Tiefy on Jan 6, 2018 21:52:42 GMT -8
<...I'd hate to interrupt this dialogue, but I don't believe there was any sort of standing agreement for me to go anywhere right now.>
Oh right, the recently-finished science project off to the side. Thrash has spent the majority of this little spiel examining the remains of the Eidolon-8 and the black glass that it has become fossilized within. So much for salvaging components from it...
<Rather, I was under the impression that I was simply bench-warming until the command core made their way here. These premises are now under NIA's jurisdiction as a temporary headquarters - and the personnel on-site were kind enough to demonstrate the capabilities of their reconstruction facilities.>
Huh... that explains the laboratory setting. Commandeering a civilian facility is an unorthodox move... but then, drastic times call for drastic measures. The fact that the NIA have something other than a scattering of tents is blessing enough, one would assume...
<You look like you could make use of them, yourself. You are right about one thing, however - we have a great deal to discuss, and not all of it is for prying eyes and ears.>
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Post by Gaia on Jan 9, 2018 18:42:04 GMT -8
Vanguard.EXE
Vanguard turns to look back at Thrash, his face stern and unwavering. "Agent Thrash, your orders were to lead the evacuating party and then await for further instructions, which came from me. We were to rendezvous and you would then receive more instructions, which are also coming from me. So are you going to follow directives and come with me, or am I leaving you here?"
Vanguard was tired, stretched thin, and in need of a specific set of skills that only Thrash possessed at this time. He wouldn't dare discuss these specifics with the individuals present, and actually had no intentions of reporting to the NIA Remote Server to have this discussion. He hoped the intensity of his gaze would hopefully transfer the message, and the depth that it carried.
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Post by Tiefy on Jan 10, 2018 8:16:55 GMT -8
The sound of cracking glass permeates the chamber as Thrash's glass talons dig into the floor panels out of sheer exasperation. It would seem that nobody quite grasped the point that the elder Daemon was trying to make... clearly, she will need to be a bit more specific.
<...Right, let's try this again. Get your arm into one of these darn machines before it falls off, then we'll start talking. You two, show him which machine is going to set his shoulder into a cast or whatever, and then kindly leave the premises so we can speak in private.>
And then, Thrash turns to stare straight at Nightshade...
<And don't even think about trying to eavesdrop. I will know.>
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Post by Nightshade on Jan 10, 2018 8:23:51 GMT -8
907 would simply point at a random machine at the end of the room before he would turn around and exit the building. His mission had been accomplished so he too now could join the evacuation process NSD was doing. Considering the NIA would still stubbornly think of them as enemies,there was no further reason to try and compromise or heal wounds that did not want to be healed.
Nightshade just nodded at his big sister and simply followed the K-Unit outside of the room, logging out himself to go other places. Since his sister was fine and sound there was one last navi he needed to check.
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Post by Gaia on Jan 10, 2018 8:37:20 GMT -8
Vanguard.EXE
His look of surprise was evident as Thrash suddenly changed her method of communication, and he stared at her for a long moment before relenting. His gaze, while sometimes strong enough to burn those he glanced at, was not a dangerous one - he knew from her curt response that she meant well, just as he did with his own. To show good faith, he made a point of walking over to the machine the moment the lupine Navi pointed it out to him, reaching it just as the others left.
Once they were gone, Vanguard plugged his arm into the machine, and waited as he felt the administrations that told him it was doing its job. A small vent opened up at the top to release a holster that wrapped around his shoulder, solidifying the arm within its hold, and the whir of the machine underneath, accompanied with the stabs of pain and cracking bones, told him it was doing something.
Then, he waited a moment. For a little instant, the silence in the room, other than the whir of the machine he had his arm in, with unbearably palpable; the whole time, he surveyed the walls and edges of the room, using his keen vision to gaze beyond the simple structure of the building, and deeper into its framework.
Suddenly, small cannon heads sprouted from multiple places on his body, looking like little holes on his skin that just raised up, without any warning at all to Thrash. All at once, they fired, and shifted about to fire again, some of the cannon fire arcing about the room to blast cameras easily visible to the naked eye - others, bore into the walls and some of the devices around to strike down the less visible recording devices.
Still without talking, Vanguard used his free hand to wave at Thrash, putting a hushed finger against his lips, first, and then motioning her to come over. Reaching up to grab his Visor, he removed the violet screen from his eyes, revealing the pure white gaze underneath. While the visor was his onboard targeting systems manifested, and the source of his incredibly keen vision, they were also his key comminications functions. Everything from his connection to Siega Corp, his personal inbox and his NIA Isolator was connected to his Visor - he pointed at the Isolator's stream of data, noting its specific frequency on the edge of his visor, so that Thrash would see it and understand.
He was removing all forms of communication with the outside world from his person, and had carefully and surgically removed any form of seeing this meeting from the room around them. Mistair would surely notice that his NIA Isolator was turned off, but, it was a risk he had to take - as few people needed to know about the meeting that was about to happen as possible.
With a heavy heft, he tossed his Visor to the other side of the room. He glared at Thrash, his piercing white gaze without guard, waiting for her to get the message and deftly do the same.
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Post by Tiefy on Jan 10, 2018 13:44:03 GMT -8
<...?>
Curious. Thrash had never taken this one for the cloak-and-dagger sort... and his thoroughness in securing the venue is a refreshing dose of competence that is not expected of the typical law-enforcement elite. Then again, Vanguard is clearly anything but typical... and is only becoming more entertaining by the second.
<!!!>
The elder Daemon nods... and then, a dreadful chill falls upon the room; DarkPower, a sensation that Vanguard is all too familiar with. The reddish glowing orbs visible through the open portions on Thrash's armor appear to have all split open, revealing what appear to be sinister yellow eyes within. The walls and floor begin to change color - or rather, a layer of purple-black ice (or something very much LIKE ice has quickly formed upon them. The Daemon stomps, and the entire crystalline film shatters into fine dust that now scatters around the chamber, drifting through the air... a cursory scan of local signal movement will reveal that communications to and from the area are experiencing interruptions, either slowing significantly or being blocked out altogether. As if to confirm her intentions, Thrash proceeds to pull her own Isolator out from wherever it has been hidden all this time... and promptly encases the thing in another thick layer of black crystal with naught but a touch. The Daemon now stands with a hand on her hip, waiting patiently - by the look of things, this area has effectively become silent. It is now Vanguard's turn at the mic...
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Post by Gaia on Jan 10, 2018 14:10:19 GMT -8
Vanguard.EXE
He watched in hushed appreciation as Thrash set up her own measures of communications interruptions, and discarded her devices. Once the field was set, he huffed out his held breath, and looked Thrash in the eyes. No time to explain much, as someone would eventually grow suspicious of this activity in the Network.
"In my first report to the border, back when I first met Magnolia and the lock as well as the threat of permadeletion started, I was able to discern a source that was causing the changes before it all closed itself off. I've been far too busy to search into the issue officially, and, for that, I'm glad - I trust very few individuals within the NIA, and an official report would have to go through the human side. I won't explain too much, for worries of your own opinions, but with the interactions I've seen, there's a good chance an official report would get just the right people sent to handle the job for the wrong reasons."
Vanguard raises his hand, projecting a small vernier of darklight fire melded into the shape of a map - it wasn't of any Netspace, but, rather, it was a map to a location within the human world. Specifically, Sharo. "This is the marked location, somewhere Sharo in the Human world. Before the Network reset itself, I traced the code and where it was running from to this remote area - it was only vulnerable for a second, though.
"Your particular situation becomes useful here. I understand if you don't want to risk it, but, for the time being, I'd feel far safer presenting this issue to your operators to investigate rather than anyone with an obvious national alliance. None of us can get to these coordinates, as they are beyond our reach, and I refuse to open up the chance to cover up their tracks to our enemies. This is either a trap, or a real lead.
"But it involves your Operators getting to Sharo."
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Post by Tiefy on Jan 10, 2018 14:45:03 GMT -8
It's a shame that the Daemon's mask lacks the proper structure to emulate human emotion... because Vanguard is getting a sneaking suspicion that Thrash would be grinning at this unbelievably bold scheme of his. Well, if the seemingly-only reasonable combatant stationed within the entire network says that something is up, there must be something.
<...While I have no personal desire to put my Operators at risk, I am at the same time required to pass your request along - and I am all but certain that they would leap at the opportunity. You have asked at a perfect time, too - they have just finished the acquisition of a new supplier and brewery in the Sharo area, and will need to visit the site in person to obtain the needed signatures. We are frequent visitors to the region due to our business, and our presence will not be noticed...>
One has to wonder if Vanguard even considered the genius of sending players in the liquor industry out to Sharo. Mere serendipity on his part?
<There is, of course, a caveat in that my presence alongside them will be required, for a number of reasons both related and unrelated to this task. I was going to ask for temporary leave for the errand, originally - business is business, after all.>
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Post by Gaia on Jan 12, 2018 12:14:49 GMT -8
Vanguard.EXE
Vanguard was surprised by the fact that Thrash already had a reason to leave for Sharo. This was a great, happy coincidence, and he simply nodded as she explained the breadth of the situation.
"That is good. More than I'd hoped for in such short notice, in fact. You, of course, can go - there will be no official leave of absence, as you are not officially gone . . . Understand? The fewer individuals that know you are out on this task, the better. Explain the details to no one but your NetOps, and report to me first with any findings."
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Post by Tiefy on Jan 13, 2018 10:26:25 GMT -8
<And just what sort of 'findings' do you think will come of this expedition? ...I guess we'll find out soon enough. Coordinates have been saved, we will have results at our first possible opportunity. Now then, best to not leave our listeners hanging...>
With that, the chaff-dust begins to settle, and the crystal surrounding Thrash's Isolator begins to recede and disintegrate. The Daemon's eyes slowly close, one by one, taking on their standard appearance as glowing red cores...
<Ahem... -pid piece of *CHHHHHK* -ronize before I *KRRSSSSH* -ind another BigBrute and ram you up its ars- finally. I've had about enough with these network disruptions...>
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Post by Gaia on Jan 13, 2018 21:27:28 GMT -8
Vanguard.EXE
Just before the Network shifted from its vote of silence back to normal, Vanguard answers Thrash's question: "Honestly? I'm not sure."
Then, the fractured glass and charged dark particles within the air receeded, and Vanguard's visor materialized from the center of his face and expanded outward. "-sted device," *CRHRUNNK* "-n't go looking for one! . . . Hah. Finally, some breathing room."
Vanguard gave Thrash one last look, gazing carefully at her, as if he were reevaluating his decisions. Not because he didn't trust her to get it done, but, he didn't trust their enemies to be kind . . . was he sending her to her doom? What of her operators? What if it was all a waste of time? These were the questions he, as the vanguard, pondered, as he sent his team forward, unable to join them . . .
He nods at her, as though solidifying a decision in his own mind. Then, with a pulse of purple flame, the Darklight Warrior was gone.
[Vanguard] - +35 Exp, +350 Zenny [Thrash] - +65 Exp, +650 Zenny (+10/+100 from creating already calc'd in) (10 Non-Battle Posts!) [K-907] - +50 Exp, +550 Zenny (10 Non-Battle Posts!) [Nightshade] - +25 Exp, +250 Zenny
[CLOSED]
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