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Post by Warrior on Oct 18, 2021 20:25:03 GMT -8
#s://i~imgur~com/eD4S6Yz~png " Don't... say that. "
She was clearly offended at the title, and more than a little disappointed at the outcome, but she said what she said at this point.
" There aren't supposed to be any external connections on this island. You can't release anything if we don't bring it back with us. "
A bold bluff to call, but in moments it'd be set in stone regardless.
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Post by Raven8 on Oct 18, 2021 20:29:20 GMT -8
Exa coughs, closing his eyes and shaking his head as he does so.
Exa: You poor, naive girl. There wasn't supposed to be a floating island in the middle of the Bermuda Maze, and there wasn't supposed to be a bitter old man living on that island. And there certainly wasn't supposed to be a young lady who stupidly thought that she could make a meaningful change coming for a friendly visit. Your expectations are meaningless, and your attempts to justify your own actions are adorable. Now please be a dear and wait quietly for death, won't you?
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Post by Genesis on Oct 18, 2021 20:36:04 GMT -8
*It looked like he may have had one last gambit to fall back on. So with those decrepit hands he hacked the machinery in this room just for one last laugh if someone else came to visit rather than doing it sooner? Would it be because he wanted to go out in a blaze with someone by his side to cure his loneliness, or simply because he was petty and didn't want to leave all on his own? Regardless, he was vile through and through. But what else did he expect from humanity? With few exception when brought to their wit's end or faced with troubled times, they would all resort to become no different than this one right here. He couldn't help but scoff at the thought.*
"You humans certainly enjoy being petty, don't you? Another value that's lost to me."
*The answer to this was simple really. If they simply killed him right after the announcement it would have been over and done with. They fix the locked elevator and leave and that would be that. But he would let that be Faith's call this time, as it was her life that was truly on the line here. Genesis was firm that he did live in a world that was perhaps slightly stronger than others may have been aware of. But Exa would still be right in that he would in turn be stranded with no other form of access. Short of a miracle of some variety, he would be stuck in an empty, disconnected space. And the one thread that he could use that could save him from that, as Exa did point out, he would deny. If he reached out to him, it would reach. He didn't need to be connected to do that. But still... he wouldn't drag him into this. If he wanted his help, he would have contacted him when this all began. And if he did now, he would know about his current circumstances and go to fix it. He didn't need him getting involved to fix the fact that he lost her on his own watch. Or, if Exa was right, time would wear him down and he would concede.*
"Seeing as she's willing to die on the moral high ground, take the shot. If you can. Try checking the elevator, Faith."
*Faith was willing to bet on the integrity of humanity, while he was betting on the wickedness of man. In that regard, Faith and Genesis balanced one another out but always were facing the opposing direction. And because of that, he was more willing to gamble that there was no way Gate would have given him that much liberty to begin with. Because he also knew the "cousin" that was mentioned just now. If they were willing to kill that naive girl for that goal, then killing Faith if it was in his power was barely even a consideration.*
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Post by Warrior on Oct 18, 2021 20:53:29 GMT -8
#s://i~imgur~com/eD4S6Yz~png " Ngh... "
... then she didn't even need to be here to begin with? No, it had to have been secluded; surely Gate would have come here by now and left traces if it were accessible from the outside.
In either case: Exa could have deployed this attack whether they came here or not, couldn't he have? There'd have been no reason for him to wait for his company to arrive just to unleash it then.
She nearly reached for his wrists in that moment, revoking her previous statements all in one fell swoop, but restrained herself as he continued typing away and rebuking her.
" I won't. "
By that time, Genesis had spoken up about the elevator. There was nothing better to do than to try it out, of course, so she pressed the button as directed just to see if it'd open.
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Post by Raven8 on Oct 18, 2021 21:00:13 GMT -8
Exa's eyes follow Faith as she makes her way to the elevator, his grin widening as she enters the dark room and presses the button... only for the door to open, inviting her inside.
Exa: Well isn't that a pity. I had a far more interesting ending in mind, but in the end I suppose that you win in a way.
Exa puts his head back on the pillow and laughs, still amused by the turmoil that he'd just put Faith through.
Exa: Still, be sure to stick around a little longer. Even if I was bluffing, I have a feeling that Gate will see to it that my threat is put to an end soon. It should be an enjoyable show, especially after the previous act.
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Post by Genesis on Oct 18, 2021 21:17:04 GMT -8
*So the ruse was up it appeared. Had he been wrong, he would be down Faith and all other potential endeavors he needed her for. But that was something that while not the best choice, was still viable and not entirely in his control to begin with seeing she was perfectly capable of keeping herself alive then. It made him consider if the reason she didn't finish off Deav wasn't for the reasons she described, but that her ability to pull the trigger when it mattered most was the problem. Well, that was neither here nor there. They were on the clock now, and while he wanted to confirm something else before they left, he knew that it was likely enough that they had already failed to avert this problem without facing it.*
"Had you met another human, that more interesting ending would have played out just as planned. Unfortunately you met one who will stand firm in the face of her impeding demise. I would enjoy the fireworks, but we have a flight to catch."
*He would have a talk with her about that decision when she wasn't in a place to consider heeding his advice however. He didn't need to be forced to eat his own words after all, even if she proved she would be willing to give any number of chances for someone to turn down the right path. If Gate was making his move, then it was clear that they were compromised at least in that he knew Faith was here. And they at least had planned for that ahead of time and already had the perfect scapegoat for this should the fallout occur.*
"Gate will be in touch with you soon. No doubt as soon as we arrive back into the world proper to go about our business. We have an idea for our next lead, but you otherwise will need to talk your way out of a particularly precarious situation. As Exa said, keep the sight you saw in mind. Keep your tools at home as well."
*Exa was left stranded by Gate. While he was aware that Faith's outlook on her well-being was shaky at best for reasons he wasn't entirely privy to, he needed her to at least be somewhat aware from the onset that she would be in the lion's den. Likewise if she wanted to get through the situation without things getting worse, she needed to let there be as much of a lack of control as she could. If she brought those unaccounted for problems, then he would respond in kind.*
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Post by Warrior on Oct 18, 2021 21:29:01 GMT -8
#s://i~imgur~com/eD4S6Yz~png " ! "
To her relief, the elevator did in fact open. The sound of Exa's laughing made her pause and turn around before stepping inside. She looked appalled at the man after all that had just transpired.
" That isn't funny. What if I had... "
She stopped herself there, realizing that it was probably the way Exa wanted things to turn out, all things considered. And how much of a heavier blow that would have been to her, had she done it and only afterwards found out that it was a ploy.
" Hmph. "
She turned back around and stepped into the elevator, making her proceedings back outside of the building and to the landing strip after leaving Exa with a final remark once Genesis had made his own.
" I meant what I said, Exa. We'll deal with Gate. "
It was more macho-sounding than she was used to, but she wasn't as experienced in that sort of talk, so it couldn't help but sort of fall flat coming from her. Still, after the elevator ride back down -- equally as painful as the ride up -- she jacked out Genesis from the terminal on the bottom floor and he had more to say to her about Gate.
" I'm sure he will. But we both know that I can be a little opinionated, and I certainly hate to lie. I imagine that's going to be quite the problem for me, when the time comes. "
They'd have more time to talk on the plane ride home, of course. Without further ado, she loaded up and set out back to the mainland.
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Post by Raven8 on Oct 19, 2021 9:52:44 GMT -8
Exa's smile remains as Faith and Genesis go to leave. his head slowly shaking on his pillow as he slowly raises a hand and gives a sarcastic wave in response. He sputters out one last laugh, and points to the Navi-human Duo as they enter the elevator.
Exa: You'll see me again... I'll be laughing in your ear as you take your final breath.
The sound of Exa's laugh echoes in the elevator, even louder than the pulsing of the machine that even now keeps him alive through it all. Floor by floor it grows quieter, until at last the silence returns. Soon, Faith and Genesis reach the ground floor, and the elevator begins to open.
And then it stops half-way.
The entire facility goes silent as the power cuts, leaving the island nothing more than a ghost in the waters, along with all that this fact entails. Escaping the elevator would be no issue, as the doors hold no resistance, but the implications as to what just happened loom as a specter over Faith's mind.
------
On exiting the base, Faith would notice a strange buzzing noise above, yet nothing would be visible in the fog. It seems to come from everywhere at once, but it's extremely difficult to pin-point. At this moment she would also notice that something was very wrong with her PET: all connections, be they wired or wireless, are entirely shut down. And to make matters worse, the plane is also flying with absolutely no way of making communication with the outside world. Still, it's able to take off, and that's all that matters. The flight out of the Bermuda Maze is uneventful, but leaving the fog reveals a bit more than Faith and Genesis would have bargained for: surrounding the plane and moving in perfect unison are at least 100 small, robotic drones. They fly in formation as a grid around the plane, and each one randomly sparks pulses of electromagnetic interference in sequence, explaining the absolute lack of communication.
The situation doesn't improve as the duo reaches the landing site. The drones begin to pulse faster than before, slowly shutting down the plane and forcing it to make land-fall on the nearest runway. It's here that several black vehicles are parked, with what appear to be military personnel standing by. Drawing near for the final landing procedure, it would become obvious that these individuals are all holding assault rifles, and they're all pointed at the now dead plane.
From the largest black van, a single man emerges. Dressed in a white lab coat, he looks on through thick glasses and a messy mane of unkept hair. He walks near the door to the plane and gives a wave, smiling genuinely as he does so.
Everett: Ms. Nymphra? Forgive the intrusion, but the Netopian government has reason to believe that you may have mistakenly picked up potentially harmful data during your trip abroad. We respectfully request that you allow us to examine your PET before we allow you to go any farther. I am sorry for the inconvenience.
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Post by Warrior on Oct 19, 2021 13:39:28 GMT -8
#s://i~imgur~com/stQVi94~png Having had some time to calm down since their meeting with Exa, not all tension was gone quite yet as things seemed to be going a bit haywire outside of the aircraft. Noticing that the PET's connections were malfunctioning, she turned off the transmitter entirely, deciding she'd need to check it for any malware she may have picked up when she jacked into the elevator earlier. It did send off some similar sparks at the time, after all.
Before she had time to do any of that though, things continued escalating until, at last, she sat in the craft as Everett came to meet her at the plane's door.
" So many weapons for such a simple request. Surely you didn't expect me to come out guns blazing, did you? "
Her playful tone was back, making light of the situation as she'd normally do, indicating she'd calmed down enough from before. Her smile betrayed no signs of discomfort as she presented a PET to Higsby, though it wasn't the one that housed Genesis; that one was still concealed.
" If it's that serious, then by all means. BUT--! "
She jerked it back suddenly, not changing her demeanor all the while: still as cheery a girl in her spot could be.
" -- you'll understand if I'd like to see some authentication first? I realize I'm not in the position to make demands, but just for a girl's peace of mind. Pretty please? "
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Post by Raven8 on Oct 19, 2021 13:53:06 GMT -8
Everett laughs politely at Faith's comment, playing into her own light-hearted spirit as he waves dismissively at the guards.
Everett: Oh, these are not for you per-say. Due to the nature of this threat, we're prepared to destroy any technology should we find any evidence of attempted bypass. Speaking of...
Everett looks past Faith and to the one flying the plane.
Everett: I'm afraid that your aircraft is forfeit under suspicion of being compromised. The Netopian government will reimburse the full replacement cost by day's end as apology for the inconvenience.
Everett then turns his attention back to Faith, pulling out a sealed order from Net Castle itself.
Everett: Our orders for this seizure. Please take your time in looking them over.
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Post by Warrior on Oct 19, 2021 14:45:00 GMT -8
#s://i~imgur~com/stQVi94~png " Oh... geez... "
She looked a little sad to hear that the entire plane was being confiscated, but wasn't entirely crushed since at least there'd be compensation.
" Really did find myself in the wrong place at the wrong time. But I understand, national security and all. "
She motioned for her pilot to step out of the aircraft as well, showing her full compliance to Higbsy's requests. Upon recognizing the Netopian Seal on the orders he handed to her, she knew his authentication was proven right then and there, but still read them over just to get a better understanding of the situation.
She maintained her charismatic tone as she continued, but there was a little more seriousness in her attitude from the levity of the way Everett presented the situation to her.
" Do as you need, we won't get in your way. "
She handed him the PET now -- this still not being the one containing Genesis, but that wasn't to say that it was an empty decoy. This was David Pele's PET: her late fiance. Something a lot more precious to her than she let on, despite how clingy it made her seem to still be carrying it around all this time. Housed in that PET was Strike.EXE, but he didn't see much use in light of the fact that Faith would generally Pulse In to the Cyber World herself when times demanded it.
It'd gotten her through several security checks in the past, including her most recent when she brought Genesis, Vanguard, and Mistair to Sharo. She'd gotten used to concealing high-profile Navis on her person by this point, but it was always an uncomfortable gambit to hand over the decoy.
She'd shuffle through the orders in the meantime, letting Everett proceed as desired from there.
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Post by Raven8 on Oct 19, 2021 14:53:13 GMT -8
Everett holds up the pet and gives Faith a nod, looking it over as he does so.
Everett: Thank you, I assure you that this won't take long. Although...
Everett taps on the screen a few times, and then turns back to Faith.
Everett: I find it rather odd that this PET has no recent jack-in data... and also that it seems to be sorely missing Genesis. With due respect; I'm going to need your real PET, Ms. Nymphra. And at this point, any others that may have made the trip with you.
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Post by Warrior on Oct 19, 2021 19:47:01 GMT -8
#s://i~imgur~com/stQVi94~png " Whoa, easy there. That's still a real PET. "
She didn't sound offended -- more as if she was speaking on behalf of the inanimate object that Everett still held. If anything, she blushed slightly at being found out, and walked back toward the plane as if to go get her "real" PET.
" I figured you had known by the way you presented yourself, my apologies for not mentioning it sooner... "
She came back with what appeared to be her luggage, and opened it up to reveal...
" ... I don't generally use my Net Navi, I just interface with the Cyber World directly. "
... her portable Pulse Transmission ensemble.
" While I was in the Gigamerican Armed Forces years ago, we dug up the tech and have been finding ways to optimize it since. I kept it as a parting gift when I separated -- at this point it's just the more efficient way to go about things. My Navi still gives me good company and helps sort my files and dates, I just don't really have a need to ever jack him in. "
That much was remarkably true, and while it certainly meant she kept him caged up in the PET all the time, one could argue that it turned out for the better considering what just happened to the Cyber World hours prior.
Faith zipped the bag closed again and handed back the sealed orders that she'd still been holding all this time, not breaking face from beginning to end.
" As for Genesis... "
She was fortunate to have turned off that PET's transmitter while still on the flight, but still banking on the notion that it wasn't detected prior to that. As for why she was still lying: there was a good chance that her PET was bugged, and if he'd destroy the tampered technology that housed Genesis, then that would probably spell an unfortunate end.
" ... I didn't trust him enough to bring him. After all, it wasn't worth the effort that it would have taken to make him jump into a PET, wouldn't you agree? "
Her story now was hinging on a number of factors that she was hoping she deduced correctly up until now:
The drones that intercepted her flight were likely the source of the buzzing noise she heard when she left the building that Exa was in, meaning Everett would have known that she had been on that island, if she was connecting the dots here correctly.
Working backwards from there: the drones probably couldn't have picked up their dialogue inside of the building, and she never spoke to Genesis outside of it. But if the network was bugged and her personal PET didn't show signs of tampering, that's how he would have been able to deduce that she had another one -- assuming the Pulse Transmission excuse fell flat, in which case, so did the rest of her story.
Furthermore: the coordinates of that island were on a chip that Genesis had acquired. Since Higsby had proof that she was on the island, then he must have not only known that Genesis knew its location, but that he was the only person to have known it -- and thereby deduce that Faith escorted him there by physical medium.
That interpretation of the story made sense, because on her side of the table, it was completely true. If she was to fabricate another story, it'd need to account for all of that as well.
She pulled something out of her pocket then and revealed it to Everett: the chip that had been used to guide them to the island using its real time coordinates -- a physical chip rather than a digital chip, but these days it wasn't hard to transfer information from one form to the other.
" I stole this information from him and decided to investigate it myself. "
Her expression sank, finally, having been reminded of her encounter on that island.
" I wasn't very pleased with what I found. "
She returned the chip to her pocket then, addressing his final query with complete honesty as she motioned to the bag containing her Pulse Transmission ensemble again.
" No more PETs on board. Am I to assume you'll want this gear, as well? "
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Post by Raven8 on Oct 23, 2021 7:45:32 GMT -8
Everett looks at the chip for a moment, and then closes his eyes and sighs.
Everett: Ms. Nymphra, I mean no disrespect, but lies along these lines are neither becoming to you nor flattering to me. We both know the truth of what's happened here today, so I'm afraid that the next step will be a total EM-wipe of all data in this area longside a capture of Genesis' backup data followed by a period of incarceration for you when we find his PET for non-compliance to an official order. I genuinely do not want to escalate this any farther, but I assure you that this situation is far more dire than it seems. Please, Ms. Nymphra: for the good of your friends, let me have the PET that holds Genesis so that we can sort all of this out. Neither of you have committed any form of a crime, so we will have absolutely no reason to detain you beyond this. I give you my word that no harm will come to him, and that he will be released promptly.
Everett's eyes look almost defeated as he speaks, as if he's backed into a corner and wishing only to be released from the bondage of his current duty.
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Post by Warrior on Oct 23, 2021 8:18:22 GMT -8
#s://i~imgur~com/stQVi94~png " ... "
She seemed steadfast at first, but her facade gradually lowered when he addressed her primary concern. If he could resolve the issue without destroying the hardware Genesis was on, then she could admit that she was probably being a little over-cautious on the matter.
As if cued by the switch of Everett's mood, her charisma kicked in again and she finally spoke up.
" Well... I never have been a good liar, I suppose. "
She said it with such a grin that she almost seemed proud of that fact. Or perhaps she was just trying to cheer him back up, but whatever the case, she motioned for her pilot to come over and hand off the PET he'd been concealing on her behalf.
" Sorry for the song and dance. I can be a bit too skeptical for my own good sometimes. But, since you've shown you come in peace... "
After receiving the device from the pilot, Faith presented it to Everett -- this one the real deal, no more tricks or games -- and held it out for him to take.
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