HALO 182: Wait, what if we ARE Lawbreaking?

[DoomITP]

Grant sombers a little and starts down towards the gaming room looking for Civvy.

[Mee]

Grant sombers a little and starts down towards the gaming room looking for Civvy.

Civvy is in the gaming room, indeed! She's in there playing Magic with a terribly confused looking Naku.
"Oh, hey Grant." Civvy says, playing another card that isn't anywhere near remotely legal. "Oh! Hey! Have you met my Stand?!" She asks, indicating the purple haired vampire sitting across from her.
"This is Purple Rain!"
"Civvy, that's no-"
"PURPLE RAIN! ZA WARUDO!!" Complete with sound effect!

That does nothing! Nothing changes!
"I keep telling you I'm not a Stand."

[DoomITP]

The Daemphage is dressed in the camo uniform of his, patched up with the black and white thirteen point star on his left and right shoulders. He narrows his eyes and looks down at the floor as he sets himself down next to the pair.

You have a bit of magic that will instantly clean out an office?

[Mee]

The Daemphage is dressed in the camo uniform of his, patched up with the black and white thirteen point star on his left and right shoulders. He narrows his eyes and looks down at the floor as he sets himself down next to the pair.

You have a bit of magic that will instantly clean out an office?

"You mean like," Civvy asks, turning to face Grant as Naku just kinda vanishes. "cleaning stuff up and straightening it out? Yeah, of course. Is Salvy's room a mess?"

[FireFox]

[Training Room]

Alex releases Khaari's hand and takes a half step back. I have a son. His name's Andrew and he's about seven or so years old. Apparently he's decided to address the last thing she brought up and hope the others get left behind.


[Office]

It does, thank you. Tobias smiles politely. It was a trick question, of course, as everyone from every different world quantifies such things in completely idiosyncratic ways. If Quin's answer revealed a more detailed understanding of Nexusian power levels than he could have been reasonably expected to hold, why, then Tobias might have gotten concerned. What sort of rules of engagement are you used to operating under? And your stance on "collateral damage"?


[Conference Room]

Douglas nods along, writing "Resurrection" on his own notepad and underlining it once. There's a knock at the door and a teenaged girl steps in. Black hair in a simple ponytail, dark green eyes that take in the measure of the charr at a glance, plain civilian clothes that only partially disguise a military bearing. Okay kid, see if you can find a place with takeout. Bring one of the boys with you if you need to go to a second place. Two large orders of beef ribs for Thariza here, and some pizzas for the rest of us. Bottled water all around. Get a receipt. He reaches into a pocket, pulls out a stack of silver coins, and sets them on the table close to where the girl is standing. His eyes never leave Thariza's face, but he's looking completely relaxed. So he didn't care about being attacked, but the other one did? Sargon. Went right out to deal with the threat, must think he's some kind of general, huh?

[Beans]

[Training Room]
"A son? I'm sure he's growing up well---" She catches a little on the last word. Just 'a son'. 'I have a son'. Not 'my wife and I have a son', or 'I have a wife and a son'. She can't assume, but---well. She's no stranger to loss, whether personally or seeing it happen to others.
"Is... his mother still with us?" She's gone quieter, picking her words carefully. Her accent brushes through a little more, and her eyes flick over his face with every word, looking for signs to cut off the next syllable.

[Morty]

[Conference Room]

Thariza is still a soldier, and has all the callsigns of one. But she's also nervous, scared and uncertain.

"Seems so. But what they said suggested that Jaccalish is normally in charge. Sargon overturned his command when they were attacked. So they've got a complex chain of command, and some friction along it."

[DoomITP]

"You mean like," Civvy asks, turning to face Grant as Naku just kinda vanishes. "cleaning stuff up and straightening it out? Yeah, of course. Is Salvy's room a mess?"

Grant sets a meaningful gaze into his expression as he looks down at Civvy.

Uh... Not quite. More like swap someone's stuff with someone else's.

[Nova_Eclipse]

[Office]

"Well, threats are much more easily detected where I'm from, and while pre-emptive strikes aren't unheard of, we typically tend to wait until a threat has made itself obvious before taking action against it. Non-sentients are engaged at the first sign of aggression, while diplomacy is always tried with sentients before resorting to violence. Once it devolves to that point, however, it typically becomes a by-any-means-necessary elimination of the threat." Quin seems to be nodding to himself. Translating how sentient computer programs fight each other to real-world terms is a bit tricky, but he seems to be doing okay with it so far. "We always try to minimize collateral damage, which often includes either relocating the fight away from crowded areas or fighting in teams where some team members will try to get bystanders out of the way." He conveniently omits that getting the bystanders out of the way where he's from often doesn't matter, as they'll typically logout before being deleted if they get hit by stray fire, and that Netbattles are something of a spectator sport for both humans and NetNavis. "I try to shield bystanders from as much as I can, but when fighting alone, that can prove to be difficult."

[Mee]

Grant sets a meaningful gaze into his expression as he looks down at Civvy.

Uh... Not quite. More like swap someone's stuff with someone else's.

Oh. Ooooooh.

I. I dunno, man. You're right though. I just . . . dunno." Civvy says, looking down at the floor a bit, and shaking her head.

[FireFox]

[Training Room]

She is not. The swordsman's face is as hard to read right now as his stance was a moment ago. He reaches out to take her practice sword and put it and his own away. It was a few years back. Feels longer for me, but probably shorter for him.


[Conference Room]

There's just the slightest pause as the girl looks from Thariza to the stack of coins before picking them up and leaving. The atmosphere in the room somehow feels lighter, but did that happen because she left or because the silver didn't glow? The spymaster keeps talking as if he didn't notice anything. Scientists and soldiers rarely get along, in my experience. This could be useful. Any clue who were attacking them? What sort of environment were you in: was it hot or cold, humid or dry?


[Office]

The fox-eyed commander nods in agreement or understanding or merely a polite gesture that occludes a lack of either. Great, perfect. One last thing, really. You do understand the idea of lethal force against living enemies and that most lawbreakers should be detained without resorting to it, right? If we have to deal with petty criminals who aren't a threat to ourselves or such bystanders, we do try to work with local authorities and not descend to what is tantamount to vigilante murder.

[Beans]

[Training Room]
Khaari looks down. "I'm so sorry." She hands him the practice sword; he may be hard to read at the moment, but she's an open book. Probably one that's been dropped in a puddle.
Little muscle groups move and stop as she wonders what else to say. "I... sometimes feel a thousand miles away from... my loss. Other times, I'm twelve again."

[DoomITP]

Oh. Ooooooh.

I. I dunno, man. You're right though. I just . . . dunno." Civvy says, looking down at the floor a bit, and shaking her head.

Grant shrugs. He himself didn't like the situation either and had no interest except because it seems like something that has to be done.

I don't like it either. But you know, Papa Franku said that sometimes we need to fix stuff like this. We're doing 'em a favor.

[Morty]

[Conference Room]

"They only mentioned a... giant magical humanoid they'd previously let go. Can't say who or what that might be," Thariza says. "I was in a black room outfitted with crystals. I have no idea what was outside. Could have been anywhere."

[FireFox]

[Training Room]

I'm sorry, Alex says awkwardly. And holy crap was this awkward now. He's been a soldier from a family of soldiers for so long, it's almost like he doesn't know how to grieve. At any rate, that's why I let myself get promoted out of the field so soon after I got my own team. I had barely enough time to get used to my second bar before they gave me a third. He gestures at the major rank insignia on his uniform. Now I can spend more time with him.


[Conference Room]

What color were the crystals? Were they growing naturally from the walls or did they appear to be cut and set like gemstones? Can you sketch them? Douglas points to her paper and pencil, keeping his tone light to avoid sounding like a barrage of questions. This is a debriefing, not an interrogation, and he hopes she recognizes and appreciates the difference.

[Beans]

[Training Room]
Khaari shuffles uncomfortably, but smiles.
"That's... good, that's good. Children need time with parents. I'd hate to think how I'd have ended up without Dad."

[Morty]

[Conference Room]

"They were green, and mounted in the walls," Thariza says, doing her best to draw them. "Not natural, I think. It was an artificial structure."

[Nova_Eclipse]

[Office]

Quin nods emphatically.

"Indeed, I would much rather capture than employ deadly force. I do have to be careful just because of my size and strength, but my mobility should be a boon to helping the authorities corner suspects when working with them."

[Mee]

Grant shrugs. He himself didn't like the situation either and had no interest except because it seems like something that has to be done.

I don't like it either. But you know, Papa Franku said that sometimes we need to fix stuff like this. We're doing 'em a favor.

Civvy looked down at her feet for a few moments.

Then she nodded. "All right. But talk first, yeah?" She asks, looking up at Grant.

[DoomITP]

Grant motions for Civvy to follow him.

You know...

His mouth quirks into a smirk.

After talking we might just end up feeling waaaaaay less bad about this.

[Mee]

Grant motions for Civvy to follow him.

You know...

His mouth quirks into a smirk.

After talking we might just end up feeling waaaaaay less bad about this.

"That's what I'm hopin'." Civvy replies, hopping up and following.

[FireFox]

[Training Room]

Considering her surrogate father is Tobias? Well-adjusted, probably. I'm not sure how safe this place is, though. All the times I've been in the Nexus have been... weird.


[Conference Room]

He makes written notes of those details as well, although between the cameras and microphones everything is being recorded anyway. Okay. Thariza, let's go over everything from the beginning. Don't leave any detail out and tell it exactly as you remember it. I want you to tell me what happened, starting from the moment you first thought there was something wrong at Vigil's base.


[Office]

Perfect. Tobias stands up and, despite the physical differences between them, extends his hand. Welcome aboard, Quin. We're glad to have you with us.

[Beans]

[Training Room]
Khaari thinks. "I mean... yeah, but the weird comes in many flavors. I don't think it's a whole lot less safe than other places, on the whole." She shrugs. "But then I don't have children, so maybe you get better perspective when you're a parent?"

[DoomITP]

Grant scoops up Civvy and attempts to plop him on his shoulders.

I figure this will combine our powers together, you know?

[Morty]

[Conference Room]

"The real Vigil base, or the imaginary one?" Thariza asks. "I remember that I was in the mountain base before the battle when the teleport block went down and the demons swarmed us. I was fighting my way up some stairs, when I was attacked from the back. Not sure who or what it was, but a claw got through my armour. I remember everything fading to black."

Her tail swishes.

"And then I woke up. I was on the stairs again, fighting off some demonic hounds. But they disappeared when I hit them... with magic I didn't recognize. Then, Commander Cessie appeared. She told me to follow her, and we encountered a floating suit of armour. I fought it... and then it disappeared, along with the Vigil base. I was in the building I'd described, with the two demon leaders. Sargon was... a big, mostly bipedal thing clad in shiny armour. It looked silver, which I thought was those things' weakness? Jaccalish changed forms when he talked to me. At first, he looked like some armoured spider-hyena thing. Then he turned into a robed Charr."

She pauses.

"Before you ask, I have no idea if I can reproduce this magic now that I'm.. back. I'd need to try it. I didn't use it after the vision disappeared."

[Mee]

Grant scoops up Civvy and attempts to plop him on his shoulders.

I figure this will combine our powers together, you know?

"All spiral power-y? I can dig it. Onwards!" Civvy says, pointing upwards and onwards!

[DoomITP]

Grant trots along, amused by Civvy's antics as they go along.

Any idea for how to say it that doesn't result in me having to throw down?

[Beans]

[Office]
A message pops up on Tobias's computer, passing through two layers of encrypt-filtering on the way in.

Spoiler: re: Project Update

Show

TO: His Highness
Countermeasure K/S/T status: calibrated to new specifications. Deployment lag ~14 seconds.
Countermeasure "Fiat Iustitia" status: calibrated to new specifications. Deployment lag ~58 seconds.
Development/Deployment facility status: level-Tif'Eret alert. Estimated time til ready for level-Da'at alert: 17 seconds. Estimated time til ready for level-Qeter alert: 38 seconds.
Concludes report.

Signed,
Project Head CXV

[Mee]

Grant trots along, amused by Civvy's antics as they go along.

Any idea for how to say it that doesn't result in me having to throw down?

"'So, been thinking'? 'You seem like you've been under a lot, do you want to talk?'?
Just, like, honestly concerned? Should be easy, right? Since that's what we are?"

[FireFox]

[Office]

Tobias tabs away from the security feeds on his monitor to read the new message. He quickly types out a reply acknowledging receipt of the report and ordering immediate readiness to standby. With authority to activate if contact between his terminal and the project is lost. Authorization codes: "Tumbling Down", "Ruat Cælum", and "Pippa Passes". Then he leans back in his chair and casts a spell that creates magic links along certain preestablished pathways.
SEA FORESTER is in effect. I have Command and Control.
Tobias faces the open door and waits with a smile.

[Training Room]

Last time I was here, Team 1 was tasked with escorting refugees from Inside to GLoG in the middle of a, what do you call them, a zombie apocalypse? Not much of a fight, but... weird. Alex shrugs. And then bends over, clutching at his head. Ow, what, ow, ****.
SEA FORESTER is in effect.
He straightens back up and draws his sword in one fluid motion, uncertainty playing across his face before being replaced by the expression of alert professionalism. I need to get you out of here. Do you have anything you need to grab before evacuation?


[Conference Room]

Douglas makes more notes, mostly for future follow-up at this point. Ideally, if he could interview another survivor of the battle and compare stories he'd have better confirmation if Thariza was lying about something. But it's what she's claiming happened after the battle that's the important part. No other stories to compare, unless another resurrection pops up later. Assuming they can be corroborated or independently verified, her descriptions of the legions could be used for identification down the road. But that's the nature of Intelligence work. One asks the questions and records everything they can in the hopes that it might be useful to someone else someday. He opens his mouth to ask another question. His eyes unfocus. A trickle of blood creeps down out of one of his nostrils.
SEA FORESTER is in effect.
His eyes refocus. He closes his mouth, nervously licks his lips, and speaks. Thank you for your cooperation. It is my preliminary conclusion that you aren't a threat to us. I'll recommend you be cleared for working with HALO again, if that's what you want to do, with some supervision in case circumstances change. I wish you the best of luck in figuring out exactly what has happened to you. My people would be willing to assist you, run some tests, practice your magic... but... This is awkward; I've just been commanded to get all of my employees out of the base. I'm sorry.
At this moment, the door bursts open and the girl from before walks in. She's wearing a leather harness over her civilian clothes now, one that has a belt for a brace of knives and various pouches as well as a shoulder quiver, and holding a bow. She tosses a paper bag onto the table in front of the charr. Judging by the smell and the sound, it has two boxes of her beef ribs inside. The girl then starts helping the man turn off the recording devices and prepare them for transport.