reach the residents

[ximilian]

● ● ● REACH THE RESIDENTS

For any questions you want to ask Viveca or Degar and receive an IC response, please direct them here. Please indicate in the subject line who you are trying to contact.

// VIVECA

Hi, what can I help you with?

// DEGAR

Today was gonna be the day, but they'll never throw it back to you. And by now, you should've somehow realized what you're not to do.

▶ NAV

Comments

[vivecai]

[ it is only viveca there, to see them off — and so it is her that kovacs rushes towards, as she stands there, her heartfelt curses now quiet.

instead, he'll see that her hazel eyes are flickering strangely for a second or two, until they focus again on him. ]

They've made planetside contact, [ comes her answer, not without a touch of relief. ] They're all still in the system, I can see their location. Exactly where all of you were supposed to go.

[kovach]

[ based on her expression, it doesn't seem like there'd been any purposeful intent to this, even if he knows viveca's sent them around on missions without relaying full details before. ]

They're safe?

[ the most important thing to confirm first. ]

What the hell held the rest of us back?

[vivecai]

They're safe, [ she confirms with a nod.

then, with an edge to her voice that can only be described as something that has long since edged past dislike and into hatred, ]

That would be Olivia. She's the station's former AI. When I first took over, I did a full and thorough sweep for any traces of her and there were none... so she has either been able to evade me, or she's been brought back.

[kovach]

[ he isn't pleased about the separation but safe is something he can at least trust from viveca, at least enough for now that he can concern himself with the other topic she brings up.

his brows knit in his curious confusion, never having heard that name mentioned at all until now — though, in a way, it makes sense that something else would have been here before her. ]

You weren't always an AI though. How about her? She ever been sentient enough to have a motive? Or would someone use her to get in?

[ plenty of valuables on this station for anyone to want, considering the number of orbs they have stored by now. motives for a hacking? theft or revenge, from his own experiences. ]

[vivecai]

We believe she was created to manage this station and locate the orbs — to do what I do for you, now.

[ she purses her lips, brow furrowing. ] She was already here when we were brought in. She is sentient enough, at least to cause us trouble now. [ her expression tightens momentarily, before she breathes out. ]

No one would use her, that much I know. We're still outside of space and time, here, and she doesn't have the power to reach anyone in another universe on her own. At least we are safe from outside threats.

[kovach]

What about the people on planet? They stranded down there? Will we be able to bring them back?

[ though he has to wonder whether it's safer there or here, depending on this AI's threat. viveca's use of "safe" isn't the most assuring, all things considered.

kovacs, at least, as frustrated as he is, knows how to maintain composure even in the face of high stress. what's important is the next move. ]

But alright — if you've got her old job, that means she's got nearly as much access as you do. With the kind of cargo we've got on here, that's a problem. You couldn't trace her before, but if she's active now, does that make a difference? Any way to get a lock on her?

[vivecai]

No, the teleportation back is automatic... besides, she'll want to bring the orb here. She has no reason to interfere.

[ at least there's that. they can trust the rest of the team to make it back, as long as they get the orb. ]

Trust me, no one knows what a problem it is better than I. I'll see if I can catch her, trace which part of the coding she's modifying. But if I can't do it... I may have to call on those of you who know their way around technology.

[kovach]

[ of course, some of his biggest concerns will be with the people that aren't here, most of which are those he's promised to look out for. if they're out of any immediate trouble, then he can realign his priorities better with the problems they're having up here. ]

Well, I'm no hacker, but I know tech-use well enough. [ his own world has technological advancements that match fairly well with the stuff they have up here and from what he can recall of his still-existing memory, he doesn't think he's lost those skills. ] What about in the meanwhile? There's a handful of us up here. There's gotta be more we could do.

[vivecai]

I know. It's a good thing there's a few others like you here, too.

[ so if she fails at erasing olivia again... at least she has some people to call on. ]

More? Like what? There's nothing we can do to help those on the mission. The best thing you can do now is to keep alert, look for anything that might be strange, any changes you see. Those might not have been made by me.

[kovach]

[ helplessly, he feels himself get a little tense. it's not his preferred state to be in, to sit back and wait, doing nothing while others are in a more precarious position than he is. marta, newt, clara — them and so many others are out there on mission while he's trapped here on a station that's facing its own glitches, with no real way for him to immediately solve either problem.

he knows it isn't viveca's fault, but it doesn't makes his body any less stiff as he crosses his arms uncomfortably. ]

Fine, I'll — [ any changes. it sounds easier than it is. for him. if he was still the envoy he used to be, catching details wouldn't even take a beat. nowadays, though — his memory hasn't been so reliable.

but he doesn't want to call out his rising flaws. not to viveca, not to anyone. so he just nods. ] I'll keep an eye out.

[vivecai]

Thank you, [ she says softly, tired. manages a small smile for him, then, despite her worry and the responsibilities weighing on her. ]

You're one of our most observant members. Your knowledge is invaluable.

[ and then, quieter, ] They'll be fine, Takeshi. Just trust in them.