Session 2 16

The foyer's chaotic mixing has been replaced with rank and file. There are paths down to a cleared space on the ground floor, where Dakka is looking slightly impatient as Kali and Wenser make their way down.
Dakka: "Captain Bounty, please present yourself."
Abraham: I approach Dakka, salute, and stand at attention.
The three admirals salute back.
They exchange glances - a bit annoyed with one another, then hold up fingers…apparently they are quickly debating who gets to speak first, even now. It only takes about ten seconds.
Wenser: "In recognition of your long and exemplary service…"
…from the glare Kali shoots Wenser, the negotiation was not complete, but she rolls with it, quickly smiling and looking at Abraham. "…and given the current situation…"
Dakka GRINS. "…and because you just plain deserve it, man, after saving our hides and proving you can run a good crew…"
Abraham remains at attention, but sheepishly.
Another annoyed look from Kali to Dakka, then she nods.
Zinda Tegram smiles at Dakka on the back wall.
AllThreeAdmiralsInUnison: "…it is our honor to promote you to full Admiral of the Terran Confederation Navy."
Dakka claps his hands to Abraham's shoulders and flexes his palms. Kali rolls her eyes at Dakka's stage magicianing, but it works - when Dakka's hands come away, on Abraham's shoulders are Admiral insignias, the Captain's bars gone.
Applause breaks out.
Abraham salutes the other admirals.
They salute back…then extend their hands to shake.
Abraham shakes each hand in turn. Wenser->Kali->Dakka.
Zinda Tegram does a small salute.
Hrrin cheers and whoops. A show of support for a comrade!
Ingenue glances around, then claps slowly.
Alexander performs a very official salute to his new commanding officer.
The crowd presses in - an unintelligible babble of conversants.
Abraham can generally sort out congratulations and requests for aid, but they keep stepping over one another.
Zinda Tegram stays on the back of the wall in her green surcoat and tries to suppress a smile.
Dakka: "C'mon, give him room to breathe!" But the crowd is not listening - and soon the other three Admirals are swept away by crowds of their own.
Zinda Tegram stretches her arm and wades into the crowd.
Zinda Tegram rolled up 4dF: 0 0 0 + (Base: 3 Total: 4) (Intimidation to force my path.)
WC GM rolled up 4dF: + 0 0 - (Base: 4 Total: 4) (Stamina - the crowd isn't even looking, just pressing)
Abraham raises his hands up palms out. "People, people, please! Comport yourselves!"
Zinda finds herself part of the crowd, jostling for position.
Zinda Tegram stops at Abraham's request, but locks eyes.
Abraham rolled up 4dF: - + 0 + (Base: 2 Total: 3) (Charm to calm the crowd down.)
Crowd: "Admiral Bounty! Will you be taking any endorsement deals?" "Pleaaase! You have to help us! There are starving people on Amaal!" "Self-starving artists. C'mon, Admiral Bounty, we know you're lago-friendly, how about ordering your fleet to get more of us off Prime?" "Sir! Sir! Is it true you have a way to traverse Chandley safely?"
WC GM rolled up 4dF: 0 - + 0 (Base: 3 Total: 3) (Resolve - the crowd is pressing their requests)
Zinda Tegram: "Let the man talk."
[OOC] Zinda Tegram: Tagging 'A Brand New Admiral" scene aspect for +2 to intimidate
[OOC] WC GM: Ironically, they're tagging it too.
[OOC] Hrrin: Hee.
[OOC] Zinda Tegram: Did they already? : P
[OOC] WC GM: They spent a Fate Point in response.
[OOC] WC GM: Though they don't have that many…
[OOC] WC GM: So what's everyone else doing?
[OOC] Zinda Tegram: I'll just tag a Knight's Pride.
Zinda manages to force her way through the crowd!
Zinda Tegram: "Abraham."
Abraham soldiers (sailors) on "I know you have requests and well wishes, and apparently contracts, to give me, but this is not the way to go about it. Do you, " points at one of the more persistent members of the crowd, "know what she, " points to another woman on the other side of the crowd, "just said? Neither do I. Please, if you have something to say to me, you can make an appointment or send me a message."
Abraham rolled up 4dF: + 0 0 + (Base: 5 Total: 7) (Resolve in the face of absurdity.)
Zinda Tegram offers a hand for a handshake.
Hrrin finds herself clapped on the shoulder by another Kilrathi. "So. You're with him, are you? Think you can talk him into heading out to Collins, give us a bit more recognition?"
Abraham gladly takes Zinda's hand and shakes. He leans in close and whispers "Say this is a matter of galactic security. PLEASE."
The crowd breaks, as a Most Important Person (actually Zinda) forces her way through.
[OOC] Zinda Tegram: Elaborate?
Hrrin startles, not expecting the hand. "I, ah, couldn't say yet. Haven't had time to visit yet myself, new in system as of a couple of months ago…"
[OOC] Abraham: Give me an excuse to get away from my adoring fans.
Hrrin leans in, however, and drops her voice. "What's the concern?"
Zinda Tegram: "I'm certain you can work towards the security and stability of the cluster, Admiral."
Zinda Tegram: "I look forward to working with you."
[OOC] WC GM: I.e.: the crowd has bowed to Zinda's pre-eminence and given her exclusive access to him for a moment. Just a moment, though.
Kilrathi: "Kilrathi rights, of course. We're full members of the Confederation, despite that place we are from."
Abraham: "I look forward to continuing to work with you as well."
Another lady saunters up to Ingenue. A quick database scan matches her insignia to Social Services. "And how are yooou? You're his daughter, ain'tcha?"
[OOC] Ingenue: Quick check… is anyone close enough to Nue to stop Nue from being Nue?
[OOC] Abraham: Oh god. This is going to be classic.
[OOC] Alexander: I'm still in the back, I never left. But I don't know about her, do I?
Zinda Tegram releases the handshake smoothly, smiles, and turns to walk back to give Ingenue some backup.
[OOC] Ingenue: Probably not! Poor Abraham.
[OOC] WC GM: Abraham and Zinda are downstairs. The other PCs are together unless you declare them to have moved.
Ingenue: "…?" Glances upwards at the lady. "Incorrect. I was assigned to the Admiral on Lagos."
[OOC] WC GM: E.g., Hrrin or Alexander could intercept.
Zinda Tegram walks past the cameras, of course.
Hrrin: "…Right. Absolutely. I'll do what I can."
SocialServicesLady: "Assigned…oh! He adopted you? That would explain why there's no record of your mother."
[OOC] Abraham: As much as I truly madly deeply love trainwrecks, BRB
The Kilrathi claps Hrrin on the shoulder. "#You do us proud.#"
[OOC] Alexander: this is going to be quite a scandal in the news
[OOC] Ingenue: Yay~
[OOC] Zinda Tegram: Heehee!
The social services lady peers at Ingenue. "Are you a boy or a girl?"
Hrrin is uncomfortable with the admonition. She'd practically gone -native- for a great many aspects of Terran culture. "#I do what I can.#"
[OOC] Zinda Tegram: Just tell me when I show up. :D
Ingenue: "No. I perform ana… oh. Those services were deemed confidential. I am not able to tell you at this time what services I perform for the admiral and crew."
[OOC] Zinda Tegram: Heehee oh geeeez
Ingenue blinks. "Neither."
Zinda gets to Ingenue just in time to hear that.
[OOC] Alexander: the implications….
SocialServicesLady: "Err…services?"
Zinda Tegram: "Hello kid. Ah, that word has connotations kid."
Ingenue looks up to Zinda. "It does? Is it like a name?"
Zinda Tegram: "My friend means what role they serve in our unit."
Crowd: "Admiral! Admiral! Confederation Press! Have you decided where your headquarters will be yet?"
Ingenue: "But those actions were declared confidential by Zinda and not to be divulged."
Zinda Tegram nods to Ingenue. "It's a common euphemism for sexual acts in exchange for favors."
Zinda Tegram: "They are."
SocialServicesLady: "O-oh! That's right, you ARE aboard a carrier."
Zinda Tegram nods to the woman. "My apologies Ma'am. I am Dame Tegram, may I help you?"
SocialServicesLady: "Is…his? Her? Ah…do you know if this child's education is being taken care of?"
By now, Hrrin and Alexander can easily see Zinda fending off someone almost hovering over Ingenue.
Zinda Tegram chuckles. "They're sexless. I can assure you their education is going quite well, especially considering their age. They are younger than they look."
The social services lady tilts her head. "'They'? There's more than one? And…sexless?"
Hrrin: "#Excuse me. I believe that my cohort might be in need of some 'damage control'#"
Alexander looks over at what's going on with the strange child and the Dame.
Zinda Tegram: "Singular they, ma'am. 'It' is dehumanizing."
Ingenue: "Correct. This unit has no gender or sexual dimorphism."
Zinda Tegram: "With all due respect, please understand that much more than this is classified."
SocialServicesLady: "But…but…that's a child."
SocialServicesLady: "A human being."
Hrrin is at Zinda's side. Did she cross the space in between?
Ingenue: "I am confidential as well? That… These questions will be very difficult to answer."
Zinda Tegram chuckles. "Android, actually."
Zinda Tegram: "We were hoping to get them socialized a bit."
Zinda Tegram smiles at Nue.
SocialServicesLady: "And…" Blink. "…you mean, an AI?"
Zinda Tegram: "Classified. Sorry."
Zinda Tegram tussles Nue's hair.
Ingenue: "Corre… oh. Confidential."
Zinda Tegram: "Hehe. Well."
Hrrin: "Is this going to be a problem, Ma'am?"
Zinda Tegram smiles at SocialServices lady.
SocialServicesLady: "Ohh. Ha, ha." She pats Ingenue on the head, barely avoiding Zinda's hand, then swoop-steps to hustle Zinda aside and whispers to her. "But no, really, there's no registry. If this child is to live with Abraham, we need to know."
Hrrin: Hrrin looms. Just slightly.
Zinda Tegram: "Could they be registered to me?"
Ingenue looks up to Hrrin. "This would be much easier to explain if this unit removed its skin sheath."
Zinda Tegram: "That would be a bad idea 'hun."
The lady frowns. "No, seriously, pretending…she, I'm guessing…is an android is a fine fantasy, but stop it with the 'they'."
Zinda Tegram sighs. Can we speak privately?
SocialServicesLady: "She needs to identify as herself eventually. Even if she's been through some tragedy."
Zinda Tegram: "Kid, you should come too."
Ingenue follows Zinda. "Of course."
Zinda Tegram leads the lady to the bathroom and makes sure nobody is inside.
Abraham: "Ah! I heard that question! No I have not decided where my headquarters will be or even if I shall have one at all beyond The Roland."
The only people in the bathroom are Zinda, Ingenue, and the social services lady.
Hrrin makes her way Alexander-wards, instead. "Did you see Tegram and Nue go off with that caseworker?"
Crowd: "Will you be touring, then? What's your first destination?"
Abraham is rather smug at his, admittedly impressive, achievement of picking out an actual question from the roar of the crowd.
Zinda Tegram: "Kid, you can take some of the skin sheath off. Just enough to show we're not lying."
Alexander: "Who?"
Zinda Tegram -glares- at social services lady. "Not a word to anyone. I will register them, but please understand this is a sensitive issue."
[OOC] Abraham: I read that torturing. Does that make me a bad person, or only a native of a bad country?
[OOC] Alexander: as far as I know, the only people I actually know are Spyboy and Abraham
[OOC] WC GM: By now you've picked out the other PCs as Important People.
Abraham: "I am afraid I have not decided that, and when I do it would probably be confidential anyway."
[OOC] Alexander: right, but do I know their names?
Ingenue plunges a finger through the palm of the left hand, splitting the skin open. Pale blue fluid leaks out as the unit peals the skin from the metallic frame underneath. There is a faint whine from servos no longer muffled by the skin as the hand articulates.
[OOC] WC GM: Only if you've overheard them - or find out by other means.
Alexander: "Do you mean that dame woman and the strange kid? I think they went that way."
Alexander points to the bathroom
[OOC] Abraham: I think you know Zinda's. She introduced herself to the mayor and you were there for that I think.
WC GM rolled up 4dF: - + - 0 (Base: 0 Total: -1) (Resolve)
Zinda Tegram blocks the door.
One shriek later, that is one fainted caseworker.
Zinda Tegram: "Put the skin sheath back on kid, please."
[OOC] Alexander: How loud was that scream, can people hear it outside?
Zinda Tegram: "And next time, try to just show a hand. Or something. Less."
[OOC] Abraham: And have her clean up the mess too.
Hrrin backs away from the door. Zinda's got this well….in hand.
Even Abraham heard that scream.
The crowd pauses, murmurs dying down.
Alexander heads to the bathroom, as a doctor he wants to help
[OOC] Zinda Tegram: Yes! : D
It is a lady's bathroom. Does this stop Alexander?
Alexander: "Is everything okay in there?"
Alexander knocks on the door
Zinda Tegram answers. "Everything is fine! Ah…."
Zinda Tegram glances at Nue. Is the skin sheath on?
Abraham forces his way through the crowd towards the scream. "Excuse me, coming through."
Ingenue looks down at the social service lady. "What a curious reaction. This data will require further analysis." Looks up at Zinda as the frame's hand slips back inside the sheath like a glove, leaving only the initial wound. "It will require some time for the sheath to fully heal. Until then, the hand covering may… fall off when subjected to stress."
Alexander goes in after the Admiral.
[OOC] Abraham: Nothing can stop the doctor.
Zinda Tegram opens the door.
Zinda Tegram: "She was frightened."
Zinda Tegram: "A misunderstanding. Nobody is hurt."
Alexander goes to check on the woman on the floor.
Hrrin guards the door, blocking it with her body from curious, prying, eyes. Everything is normal, yes.
[OOC] Abraham: Give her a bandaid. She's a kid, it's expected.
The woman on the floor was subjected to severe shock, but there is no sign of physical injury - other than her fall, a self-inflicted bruise. Her short term memory may be disrupted. What could have scared her so?
Alexander: "She's hit her head on the floor pretty hard, but it looks like she'll be fine."
[OOC] WC GM: Not even going to bother asking the doctor to roll for diagnosis. He's A Doctor.
Zinda Tegram nods.
Zinda Tegram: "That's good. Ah…"
Alexander: "What triggered her fainting? Do any of you know if she has any preexisting conditions?"
Zinda Tegram: "We were discussing some…"
Alexander mutters to himself "I knew I should have brought my bag…"
Zinda Tegram coughs.
Zinda Tegram: "Maternal issues."
Alexander: "Is someone expecting?"
Ingenue: "This unit was asked to remove the… maternal issues?"
[OOC] WC GM: For what it's worth - here, take a FP as a compel of Stand Back, I'm a Doctor.
Zinda Tegram hushes Ingenue and hugs their head.
The crowd presses in, murmuring to themselves and watching. Few women's bathrooms have been subjected to so many cameras at once.
Alexander: "Uh… she (points to the fainted woman) should probably be taken to a hospital for some cranial scans. She may have internal injuries."
Hrrin: "Would someone call emergency medical services, please?" Hrrin intones.
Zinda Tegram: "My friend here just tripped in a sensitive discussion."
Hrrin: "You," she says, pointing at someone in the front line with a cameraphone.
Zinda Tegram pulls Nue along and makes for an exit.
Hrrin rolled up 4dF: - + 0 0 (Base: 2 Total: 2) (Charm( Don't you want to be helpful in an emergency? ))
Zinda Tegram: "C'mon kid, we don't have much time."
Ingenue as Nue is dragged out "Zinda, what are maternal issues?"
Abraham manages to make his way to the restroom, but sees the doctor has thing well in had. He is relieved, despite his slight disappointment that it wasnt' a Neph attack.
As Hrrin points, she sees the skylight-windows behind opening up. A medical floater drifts up to the door, nudging the crowd aside.
A stretcher is extended from the red-and-white vehicle.
[OOC] Spyboy: I SLEPT TOO LOONG
The vehicle, unfortunately, temporarily blocks the only exit.
[OOC] Abraham: There is… no escape.
Zinda Tegram sighs, and pulls up the child registration process on her wireless.
[OOC] Alexander: Is the stretcher on the floor, or do we have to load her in?
Zinda Tegram: "We're going to need to register you as one of our children."
Zinda Tegram: "Also, you're going to need a name soon."
Zinda Tegram: "Have you thought of one?"
[OOC] WC GM: It's on the floor, still on an arm from the vehicle.
Zinda Tegram: "A name will almost certainly be required in this process."
[OOC] WC GM: Are you loading her on?
[OOC] Alexander: yeah
Alexander: "Admiral, can you give me a hand?"
Ingenue: "Would that not be falsification of data? This unit is the child process of LAGOS."
Zinda Tegram: "We'll mark you as adopted with unknown parents."
Once the lady is on the stretcher, it retracts. The floater exits quickly, the window closing up behind it. That…was the fastest emergency response you have ever seen.
[OOC] Hrrin: And the smoothest.
Abraham lends a hand.
[OOC] Zinda Tegram: Bwahahaha!
Zinda Tegram heads to the social services website on her datapad. What -does- she need to do to register Ingenue?
Crowd: "Admiral…that child is with you, right? Is she yours?"
Zinda Tegram coughs.
Ingenue ponders. "Will the name that is entered on these forms be this unit's own true name? Or is this just a placeholder to satisfy bureaucracy?"
Zinda Tegram: "Closer to me, actually."
Alexander moves to the door.
Zinda Tegram: "That's up to you, kid. Though it's easy for them to become the same thing."
Alexander: "Please back away from the door, medical business."
Alexander whispers back to the rest of the team "What is going on?"
Abraham raises his hands again. "People, a statement will be issued regarding the child as soon as we have all the facts. Until then, I urge you to show restraint and respect the child's right to privacy."
[OOC] Zinda Tegram: I need a daughter to put on the throne!
[OOC] Hrrin: Oldziey has the best management.
[OOC] Zinda Tegram: Yes.
[OOC] Ingenue: Oh dear me, a technocratic regime? Nue will have the trains run on time.
Data required for adoption: name, date of birth (estimated if not known), parents (if known), gene sample, medical evaluation by licensed doctor, adoptee's name/date of birth/recent financial history (including employment)/criminal history (if any - with a bolded note that this will be cross-checked against Confederation records), and circumstances of adoption (from an orphanage, or found - if so, when and where).
[OOC] Abraham: Oh dear me, Nue running a planet. The trains will form a union that will meet on time.
[OOC] Abraham: Though we might want to get Nue to apply for minor emancipation.
[OOC] Zinda Tegram: Heehee!
[OOC] WC GM: You mean running a cluster, yes? And only until contact with the greater Confederation is re-established.
[OOC] Abraham: Which will happen on time.
[OOC] Ingenue: The greater Confederation's biological and technological uniqueness will be integrated.
Zinda Tegram: "I'll provide the gene sample."
[OOC] Zinda Tegram: Heehee!
Hrrin: "What?"
[OOC] Abraham: Does Nue looke the slightest bit like Zinda?
[OOC] Ingenue: Right now, I don't think so, but I don't know what Zinda looks like.
[OOC] WC GM: Zinda: Science check, or similar.
Alexander: "Seriously, what is going on here?"
[OOC] Spyboy: I'm sorry, whenever I think of Zinda I just see trouble.
[OOC] Ingenue: But the skin sheath is, really, just plastic surgery.
Zinda Tegram rolled up 4dF: 0 + + - (Base: 1 Total: 2)
[OOC] Abraham: Congratulations Zinda. You spelled 'science' correctly. This time.
[OOC] Zinda Tegram: Zinda's basically this skinny, lanky, bald lady.
[OOC] Alexander: Next up: Mastering Neil Patrick Harris vs. Harrison Ford
[OOC] Spyboy: =D
[OOC] Zinda Tegram: Think like, uh
[OOC] Alexander: Imagine Girl with a Dragon Tattoo
[OOC] Zinda Tegram: Yeah that.
[OOC] Alexander: with either less or more crazy, depending
After a moment's thought, Zinda realizes that her providing the gene sample would be a Bad Idea. In short, adoption agencies are wise to that trick, and it would disqualify her for (getting caught) lying on the application.
[OOC] Abraham: The cover image (haven't seen the move) is what I think of as Zinda.
[OOC] Zinda Tegram: http://blog.chron.com/bookish/files/2011/12/rooney-mara-the-girl-with-the-dragon-tattoo-06.jpg Her but bald and no piercings.
Crowd: "Admiral Bounty! Will you be taking up Crest Corporation's contract for endorsements?"
Ingenue: "This skin sheath has a genetic signature. It places as human, but does not trace to anyone" subvocs "with a confidence interval of p<0.002."
Zinda Tegram: "That'll work fine then."
Alexander: "Skin sheath?"
Zinda Tegram: "You'll find out later new-guy."
Abraham gives the crowd a bland smile. "I rather doubt they would meet my asking price, so most likely not."
Ingenue: "Is a surname required?"
Zinda Tegram: "Since I'm adopting you, you'd probably just take mine. Is that OK?"
Spyboy frowns
Alexander: "Who is she?"
Spyboy works his way towards Zinda
Hrrin: "Kid we picked up on Mu Cephei, her mum asked us to take care of her."
Zinda Tegram doesn't even turn to face Alexander. "My daughter." Zinda tests the feeling of the sound in her mouth.
Alexander: "Then why doesn't she have a name?"
Ingenue: "Then enter the name as Metis." ((And be very glad it didn't choose Math.))
Spyboy: "That's a terrifying thought."
Crowd: "Admiral Bounty! Among your crew is a human married to a lago. Does this mean you are pro-inter-race relations? What is your stance on research to allow cross-race fertility?"
[OOC] Zinda Tegram: Metis, woooow <3
[OOC] Abraham: Yep. Her natural state is crinos form.
Alexander examines Ingenue
[OOC] Hrrin: ffft. I was thinking of the greek goddess of prudence, but…
Alexander quite quickly discovers Ingenue's blue "blood" .
Alexander rolled up 4dF: + + 0 - (Base: 4 Total: 5) (science)
…yep. That's an android in a skin sheath.
Alexander: "Oh."
Which means either one HEAVILY cyborged kid, or an artificial intelligence.
[OOC] Ingenue: It works both ways. Metis greek titan of knowledge/wisdom… and also, its a freaking metal deathbot.
Both conclusions are quite unlikely.
Zinda Tegram chuckles.
Alexander: "Wow… that's… interesting."
Zinda Tegram: "Thanks for the examination, doctor."
[OOC] WC GM: Or a person born to two different races?
[OOC] WC GM: Like, say, AI and biological life?
[OOC] Zinda Tegram: What year is it?
[OOC] Zinda Tegram: Gametime.
[OOC] WC GM: 2687
Alexander: "That certainly explains that woman's reaction…"
Abraham: "It is not the place of any government or military to say who you may or may not fall in love with. No government or military has any place having a stance on inter-race relations. As for cross-race fertility, I am not a biologist."
[OOC] WC GM: Late 2687. We'll probably reach 2688 at some point.
Ingenue: "Zinda, is this data confidential from the doctor?"
Crowd: "But Admiral! The social implications! Surely you have an opinion on whether or not this research is moral!"
Zinda Tegram: "He's on the team, so no."
Zinda Tegram punches in the name. Metis Tegram, born 2687, adopted by Zinda Tegram, born 2661….
Alexander waves his hand in front of the android's eyes, watching the eyes follow his hand.
[OOC] WC GM: 26 years ago?
[OOC] Zinda Tegram: Zinda's 26, yeah.
[OOC] Zinda Tegram: I thought? Not totally decided.
[OOC] WC GM: Ah.
[OOC] Spyboy: Life fast, die- well….
[OOC] WC GM: Misread that.
Alexander: "Fascinating."
[OOC] Zinda Tegram: 26 or 36.
Ingenue to Alexander: "This unit was asked to reveal the frame underlying the skin sheath in order to demonstrate to the Social Services Lady that this unit is not a biological child and…" watches the hand move.
[OOC] Ingenue: Was it the cybernetic or normal hand that was waved?
[OOC] Spyboy: Whoops, and the skin sheath slips off again
Alexander: "Where did you manage to find this?"
[OOC] Ingenue: Just up to the wrist!
Zinda Tegram continues typing. Parents unknown, medical examination certified by….
[OOC] Alexander: he wares gloves
Zinda Tegram: "Not here man."
[OOC] Alexander: but lets go with the cybernetic hand
Zinda Tegram: "Besides, my daughter is not 'this'.
Zinda Tegram: "Right, Metis?"
Abraham arches an eyebrow at the impudent questioner. "Neither am I a theologian. I do not believe it to be any less immoral than having offspring from two members of the same species. If the child is loved and cared for, what does it matter who, or even what, the parents are?"
Alexander: "Impresssive mimicry of human reflexes…"
Ingenue: "Of course. Though the term is grammatically correct."
Alexander: "I had no idea the research had progressed this far."
Zinda Tegram chuckles.
Alexander: "Uh… is it self repairing?"
Alexander notices the damaged covering.
Crowd: "Admiral! What method of recontact will you be focusing on?"
Zinda Tegram leaves the fields for the DNA sample and medical evaluation empty, puts in some of her recent financial documents (good pay escorting freighters) and then pauses at circumstances of adoption before writing "Found" .
[OOC] Abraham: recontact with the greater co(r)nfeds?
[OOC] Spyboy: Yes.
[OOC] WC GM: Yes.
[OOC] Spyboy: Well. That's the logical assumption, anyway.
Ingenue: "The frame is capable of assimilating and reconfiguring material should the frame become damage. The core process is capable of reverting to known last 'good' state, in the case of data corruption. The skin sheath, with proper care, will repair in time, in roughly the same time frame that a human would recover. In case of catastrophic damage to the skin sheath, it can be shed and replaced at…
Ingenue: …a later date. "
[OOC] WC GM: Such can be reasonably assumed - along with the speaker's implication that that should be your highest/only priority.
Abraham: "I am currently evaluating all our options."
Abraham: "I have not made a decision yet, but when I do, the Confederacy will be the first to know."
Ingenue: "However, as replacing the skin sheath would require returning to origin, proper upkeep is essential to prevent wasting opportunities for acquiring new data. Thus, proper medical care is essential."
Zinda Tegram offers the datapad to Alexander to confirm and take the genetic sample.
Zinda Tegram winces at the mention of the 'Origin'.
Zinda Tegram: "LAGOS is…I don't want you going there, Metis."
Alexander without looking, signs confirms the information, focused on the android.
[OOC] Alexander: confirms instead of signs
Ingenue: "?"
Spyboy: "I don't think that Elle would damage Metis. That'd defeat the point of the experiment."
Alexander: "Elle?"
Crowd: "Admiral! Who do you favor in the Frungy playoffs?"
Zinda Tegram twitches at the mention of Elles, like Kali twitching at Zinda.
Alexander stands up, and turns to face the rest of the group.
Alexander: "Can someone please fill me in?"
Spyboy: "In a secure area, yes."
[OOC] Abraham: I've been waiting for that one.
Zinda Tegram: "That monster can't…Metis isn't ready yet."
[OOC] WC GM: Happy to oblige!
[OOC] Spyboy: Ingenue's about to, isn't she.
[OOC] Spyboy: In the middle of the floor.
Spyboy: "That means not right now, Metis, thank you though."
Zinda Tegram punches submit on the datapad.
Abraham: "The Zot have been working hard to improve their ranking and to iron out it's… personality disputes. They're the team to watch."
[OOC] WC GM: Fortunately, you're all still in the bathroom - right?
[OOC] Zinda Tegram: Yes.
[OOC] WC GM: Other than Abraham.
[OOC] Spyboy: Oh, cool. I thought they'd left the bathroom.
Spyboy looks around the room
[OOC] WC GM: Nope. You're standing in a women's bathroom. With B4.
Spyboy: "Well, no one can overhear us except Kali, I guess."
Zinda Tegram: "Yeah."
[OOC] Ingenue: And a crowd observing. Yup, this is going right onto Youtube.
[OOC] Abraham: There are limits to what I am willing to do for the Confederacy. Hosting a press conference in a woman's bathroom passes that.
[OOC] Zinda Tegram: I kind figured we'd have peeled away from the crowd for some privacy on this.
[OOC] Alexander: Andrew Jackson had the Kitchen Cabinet, you have the Woman's Bathroom
The crowd is, at least, staying out of the bathroom. Looking on, but no one is crossing the doorway.
Zinda Tegram: "C'mon Alex. You've got some catching up to do."
Crowd: "Admiral! Will you be handing out autographs?"
Zinda Tegram pockets her datapad and walks past the crowd, not acknowledging their presence.
Alexander follows her out.
Zinda Tegram: "Coming Metis?"
Hrrin falls in
Spyboy and B-4 follow as well.
Ingenue follows Zinda.
[OOC] WC GM: Yes, you are one of The Four. The Other Seven are on the other side of Chandley.
Alexander whispers "you're telling me." to Zinda
[OOC] Zinda Tegram: Should you change your nick? : D
[OOC] Ingenue: Maybe for after the session, but this one's registered.
Zinda Tegram leaves Abraham alone with the crowd and drags Alex to one of the saferooms, before doing a bug sweep, looking around for Kali's dandruff.
Abraham: "Not until after the trading card set comes out, I'm afraid."
[OOC] Ingenue: Besides, its a fake name used to keep the feds off our backs! It should only be used when an alias is needed.
Spyboy looks at Abraham for a moment - his place is there, but after the whole human-lagos-fertility question he's not comfortable there. So he'll take care of the saferoom!
Zinda Tegram nods to Abraham on the way out and gestures to Alex as if to say "Briefing the new guy."
Crowd: "Admiral! Cluster Star!" …yeah, Abraham's heard of that tabloid. "Can you tell us about Kali's love life? Is she dating Dakka, Wenser, you, or all three?"
Even Kali's bugs are not everywhere. There is no sign of eavesdropping in this saferoom - not the one that the party encountered Kali in earlier.
Spyboy thinks of something to get Abraham clear of the crowd….fails, and consigns him to his fate.
[OOC] Ingenue: I wonder if Kali ever had to use the bathroom…
[OOC] Spyboy: I think she's a robot.
[OOC] Ingenue: ….then she is either the best friend or the nemesis.
Zinda Tegram: "Take a sit newguy."
Spyboy: "How much we gonna tell him? Everything?"
Alexander: "It's Alex. Alex Morello."
Spyboy: "I mean, he was assigned to us by the mayor, who turned out to be a Nephilim android spy."
Zinda Tegram: "This is Metis. My new daughter, and child of the superintelligence Lagos which takes up most of the mass of the core of Mu Cephei."
Abraham: "Your faith in me is humbling. You seem to believe that after being away from them and being in combat with the Nephilim, I would still be able to keep tabs on Kali's love life. Sadly, your faith is misplaced. Even if I knew, I can not imagine it being anything but classified. I will let slip however, that we are not dating. But how about you? How is your love life? Met any cute guys? Girls? Lagos?"
The crowd laughs, then, "So Admiral, is there anyone special in your life yet?"
Alexander: "You're joking."
Zinda Tegram: "I'm not."
Zinda Tegram: "I requested her creation, in fact. Right, Metis?"
Ingenue: "The statement is not intended for humorous effect."
Spyboy: "Further information would be that both Lagos and the Nephilim are capable of making humanoid androids, though Lagos generally does not."
Ingenue: "That is correct."
Abraham: "Sadly, not yet, but hope springs eternal."
[OOC] Zinda Tegram: ADMIRAL ABRAHAM THIS YEARS #1 BACHELOR
[OOC] Spyboy: =D
[OOC] Abraham: Every year. Retroactive.
Alexander: "Wait, you went to Mu Cephei PRIME?"
Zinda Tegram: "Not only did was find LaGOS, we also found a crest super-laser thinly disguised as a hotel. That's what shut down the Mu Cephei jump point for 16 hours."
Spyboy: "We were trying to figure out where Zinda's old girlfriend's crew had gone after they skedaddled from the station."
Zinda Tegram: "The Nephilim wormhole attack was conducted via a nephilim vanguard taking control of said super laser and modifying it to serve as a wormhole maintenance beam."
Spyboy: "Did we ever confirm that they had gone to speak with her uploaded intelligence for orders, Dame Tegram?"
Zinda Tegram strangely, does not blink at the girlfriend comment.
Alexander: "Waitwaitwait, slow down."
Zinda Tegram: "I haven't gotten the whole story out of Geoffrey yet."
Alexander: "Go in chronological order."
[OOC] Abraham: That's because Zinda's a Neph.
Crowd: "Admiral Bounty! Do you have any comment on the rumors that the Nephilim are infiltrating society, getting jobs in vital industries to sabotage everything at once?"
Spyboy: "I have our TS after-action reports on the TS terminal back on the Roland, Alexander."
Spyboy: "I'm sure Admiral Bounty will clear you to read them."
[OOC] Spyboy: And then Alexander will know as much as sander!
Zinda Tegram: "Quite."
[OOC] Alexander: yay!
Alexander: "This assignment just keeps on getting stranger…"
Zinda Tegram: "Oh, yeah, Spyboy and B4 here both got implanted by said superintelligence."
Alexander: "What?!"
Zinda Tegram: "LaGOS uses implanted neutrino comms to maintain a more efficient workforce. Metis has one too."
Abraham: "Well, I've only fought the Nephilim a few dozen times, but I was under the impression that they were rather large bugged lizards. I'm pretty sure I would have noticed if one were cooking my dinner or repairing my ship."
Zinda Tegram leans forward. "I have a transceiver too, though I keep it off."
Zinda Tegram: "Nephilim comms actually work on the same principle, apparently."
Alexander: "Implanted neutrino communication devices?"
Zinda Tegram: "You can check that one for yourself doctor."
Zinda Tegram grins, darkly.
Crowd: "Admiral! What do you have to say about the use of drone fighters as opposed to manned fighters? Surely you don't back sending our brave pilots into harm's way when you could remotely control the fighters?"
Zinda Tegram: "What else is important…oh, Crest has been hiring pilots out of Oldziey to serve as their fighter groups."
Zinda Tegram: "Geoffrey can tell you more on that one."
Alexander: "The dead girlfriend in the computer?"
Zinda Tegram twitches this time.
Zinda Tegram: "Uploaded to LaGOS, yeah."
Zinda Tegram: "Crazy bitch got the implant…
Zinda Tegram: "The hell was she thinking…"
Alexander: "Who, again, did you say also had it? I want to schedule examinations for them."
Spyboy: "How much training do you have in xenoanatomy?"
Zinda Tegram: "Metis, B4, Spyboy…half the Lagos in the fleet too, really."
Alexander: "We covered it in medical school, sure. Why?"
Spyboy: "Probably less than that, Zinda. I only know of one and I'm not gonna divulge a source."
Zinda Tegram: "They form a separate community known as the 'integrated'."
Abraham: "Drone fighters have a place in the confederate military to be sure. However, there are times when our brave pilots must *be* brave and physically enter the battlefield."
Spyboy: "Because so far I know of two humans who have one and one of them is dead."
Zinda Tegram: "You man Rad? Raz? Makes the Wenser-bots?"
Spyboy: "Died in a space battle, I must point out."
Alexander: "WENSER BOTS?"
Zinda Tegram -glares- at Spyboy.
Alex is ignored.
Ingenue: "This unit reiterates: What data is considered confidential?"
Spyboy: "You're right, Zinda. I shouldn't have told you, either."
Alexander: "That's an ENORMOUS security risk!"
Spyboy: "Tell me about it."
Zinda Tegram: "Why not?"
Crowd: "And what times would those be, Admiral? Why can't we send our hardware at the enemy from a safe distance?"
Zinda Tegram: "You got a problem with me, why not just tell me?"
Spyboy: "Because you basically tell anyone anything. You seem to trust Dakka - any reason for that? Cause I'm almost more inclined to figure that he's in the pocket of Crest than Kali."
Spyboy pauses
Spyboy: "Actually we should stop this now. Us arguing serves a useful purpose, but only when the cap….admiral is here to moderate."
Zinda Tegram leans back in her chair.
Zinda Tegram: "I'll let you off this time, but you're more a security hole than I am with the chip."
Zinda Tegram: "Still pissed off I let Dakka onto Wenser?"
Spyboy points at Zinda - Thesis. - himself - Antithesis. - out the safe room door - Synthesis.
[OOC] Alexander: hooray for the dialectic
Zinda Tegram: "Well, we'll see later who made the right call on that one."
Zinda Tegram: "Won't we?"
Spyboy: "More or less. Information is ammunition, you don't spend it until you need to."
[OOC] Zinda Tegram: OOC wise: It's just more fun to talk than keep stuff to the chest though. : P
Abraham: "Whenever the situation requires a human touch, forgive my speciescentrism. Any time the situation can not be handled with just a ship. One such situation is when the objective is to *capture* the enemy for interrogation rather than simply eliminating them. Also, anytime the enemy is skilled in electronic warfare. After all, we don't want the drones to suddenly turn around and attack our brave pilots."
[OOC] Spyboy: Don't forget lightspeed lag!
[OOC] Spyboy: A few seconds reaction time means a LOT of difference!
Zinda Tegram: "So, Spyboy, got a problem with bringing the new kid up to speed?"
Zinda Tegram: "Think he'll rat us out?"
Alexander puts his hands up innocently
Zinda Tegram almost spits her response. "Yeah?"
Spyboy: "The only thing that worries me is that he was assigned to us by a Nephilim - but I can't see why they would make a robot and then not hide part of it."
Spyboy turns to Morello.
Spyboy: "Ironically, commander, the fact that you have a cybernetic arm leads me to think you're not a robot."
Spyboy grins.
Abraham: "There is also a learning curve and training costs in making a pilot into a drone pilot. The required skills are not identical."
[OOC] Alexander: had that been revealed yet? That he has a cybernetic arm? I was keeping it secret
[OOC] Zinda Tegram: Also, combat performance.
Spyboy: "As you may have noticed, Dame Tegram and I are pretty much polar opposites."
Zinda Tegram throws her head back and cracks up.
Alexander: "Clearly…"
Spyboy: "In space combat, I prefer to be on the outside - and she prefers to be in the middle."
[OOC] Ingenue: Nue analyzed his arm… two sessions ago, I think? It just hasn't come up. But Nue doesn't censor her neu-comm voice.
Zinda Tegram: "Hey, I get the job done."
Spyboy: "I prefer to persuade people - she tells them to do what she wants."
[OOC] Abraham: man/woman, tech/soldier, hairy/not-so-much. Yep opposites.
[OOC] WC GM: So Nue would've neutrino-commed it to Spyboy, then?
[OOC] Ingenue: Meaning… anything Nue finds, spyboy gets.
Spyboy: "I remain stubbornly loyal to the Confederation - she's not FROM the Confederation, so loyalty to it would be treason for her."
[OOC] WC GM: But this is a surprise to Alexander.
[OOC] Alexander: okay
Zinda Tegram: "Hell, I'm already planning regicide Spyboy."
Zinda Tegram: "You ever hear about how I even got out here?"
Alexander looks surprised that Spyboy knows, and has revealed, that he has a cybernetic arm
Alexander reflexively hides his arm behind him
Zinda Tegram: "I'm surprised you're so harsh on your old flight instructor!"
Ingenue watches the doctor. A curious reaction.
Hrrin: "What's the matter, doctor? Shy?"
Alexander looks down silently.
Abraham: "And then there's the sensory deprivation. When anything bigger than a speck of dust hits my ship, I know where and how much damage it did, if any, before I even look at my sensors because I can feel it. No one can get that kind of sensation from just being behind the controls of a drone."
Crowd: "Admiral Bounty! What are your thoughts on Oldziey? Some of their pilots are among your crew - is this a gesture of reconciliation, or are you backing one of the factions in a prelude to invasion?"
Ingenue: "Is there a taboo about metallic entities?"
Spyboy: "I try not to think about when you were my instructor, Dame Tegram."
[OOC] Spyboy: <Abraham> Ironically, both.
Zinda Tegram grins. "Taught you how to get towed if nothing else."
Spyboy: "It was a bad time in my life."
B-4 kisses Spyboy on the cheek. Spyboy visibly lightens up.
Zinda Tegram: "Anyways, Spyboy, we need to decide what to do next."
Spyboy sighs
Spyboy: "True. But we really should have the admiral here for that…."
Zinda Tegram: "Yeah."
Zinda Tegram glances at Alex.
Abraham: "It is an acknowledgement of a mutual enemy, that we all hope will lead to a reconciliation."
Zinda Tegram: "Welcome to the team Doc."
Alexander nods slightly.
[OOC] Zinda Tegram: Zinda would be pissed if she heard that.
[OOC] Spyboy: Huh. I never thought of that.
[OOC] Spyboy: Nah, think about it.
[OOC] Spyboy: Zinda'll have a much easier time conquering Oldziey if the Nephs level half of it.
[OOC] Zinda Tegram: She wants it intact.
[OOC] Spyboy: So mutual enemy!
[OOC] Abraham: Crest
[OOC] Spyboy: We all know the Nephilim outpost is in the Aldrin system, Abraham.
Spyboy: "I want to see what we can learn in White, but one does not simply jump in to White."
Spyboy: "Which means preparation before we go there, and probably not here."
Ingenue eyes gleam. "The next destination should be White."
Spyboy: "Too soon."
Spyboy eyes Ingenue for a second. Nah, not gonna use the adopted daughter against the adopted mother.
Ingenue: "But… data…."
Spyboy: "Collins would probably be a better bet, short term."
WC GM: **CUTSCENE**
[OOC] Spyboy: *is cut*
White system, Chandley jump point.
The jump point flares. Drone mines light into activation - but see no targets.
The point warps, distortions passing through - that's enough for the mines. They fire, lasers bouncing off cloaked hulls…

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