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Stygian Technologies: Field Agents

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Aquatica1000 Since: Oct, 2012
#151: Aug 27th 2015 at 7:38:07 PM

"You're Vespa?" Malware said, a surprised look on his face. He had heard a bit about her — especially during his days as Promethean, with Brightstar hoping to find information about her when they sent him out. While they never found out who she was, he was still curious about her.

ImmortalFaust sess10n status: l0st from a spaceship in hell Since: Nov, 2013 Relationship Status: Faithful to 2D
sess10n status: l0st
#152: Aug 27th 2015 at 7:48:14 PM

Vespa jumped a bit at the youth's interjection, but answered as cooly as ever.

"Well, yes. Not exactly what you expected? Legends rarely accurately reflect reality, it seems."

Vespa looked the kid over again.

glasses? That's odd....and it sounds like.....hmmmmmmm. interesting

[forum cryptid: it/it's]
f1r3lemon Duty First from All aboard the fun train Since: Nov, 2014 Relationship Status: Get out of here, STALKER
Duty First
#153: Aug 27th 2015 at 8:05:59 PM

"As I said, Young Miss. It is fine to be more—Outward. Talkative.", whispered the phone to the girl as she shyly waved back to Sarah.

edited 27th Aug '15 8:06:36 PM by f1r3lemon

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Aquatica1000 Since: Oct, 2012
#154: Aug 27th 2015 at 8:16:54 PM

"Th-that's not what I meant," Mal said, mentally facepalming himself as he stuttered. "I just didn't expect to see you here of all places..."

ImmortalFaust sess10n status: l0st from a spaceship in hell Since: Nov, 2013 Relationship Status: Faithful to 2D
sess10n status: l0st
#155: Aug 27th 2015 at 8:21:55 PM

Vespa smiled.

" I'll admit that I'm a little surprised to be here myself, but I have my reasons."

[forum cryptid: it/it's]
nman Since: Mar, 2010
#156: Aug 27th 2015 at 8:29:22 PM

Forlorn nodded as he listened along, doing a quick wave back at Sarah when she made the gesture. Certainly was a real cast of characters he was likely going to have to work with. Some sort of celebrity, a girl who can't hang up her phone, a nerdy kid, a woman who was looking and acting far too normal for this bunch, and... an Asian man. He couldn't really say that anything stood out about Mr. Chun, either. Or Mr. Liu, as he had corrected himself. Odd that he had opted to give both names. Of those five, he could only say he'd heard of one of them before, and barely at that.

He remembered hearing something or other about a Vespa, and not just the scooter. Television activist of sorts. He wasn't quite sure who watched live television anymore when video-on-demand was so prevalent - at least, as far as the developed world was concerned. He was no stranger to live radio and television broadcasts in Sudan, Afghanistan, or Guatemala, or the better parts of India, but those people probably weren't her target audience.

"Getting a little starstruck there, kid?" he asked Malcolm. He couldn't blame him. If he had met JCVD at that age, he'd probably have acted the same way. The innocence of youth, he supposed.

edited 27th Aug '15 8:30:07 PM by nman

wikkit Since: Sep, 2009
#157: Aug 27th 2015 at 9:06:39 PM

Understandably, the People's Republic had little in the realm of access to American Television, and as such the Twilight Hour wasn't common knowledge. Even in the western hemisphere, moving from safehouse to safehouse had rarely granted Mr. Chun time to keep up with the nine-o-clock news. In the dark and a little nonplussed, he was unimpressed.

He supposed this woman with an exotic name (it sounded like what little he heard of Spanish, perhaps) was a movie star or something. Odd that she was in a tech lab of all places. If he asked who she was out loud, he would look like a culture-shocked foreigner, so he simply opted to nod in agreement.

f1r3lemon Duty First from All aboard the fun train Since: Nov, 2014 Relationship Status: Get out of here, STALKER
Duty First
#158: Aug 27th 2015 at 9:44:59 PM

She did not respond much either. The shows and news in the old country mostly concerns the country itself as well as its less than pleasant neighbours. But then, they also have internet, which somewhat mitigated it. Still, Anastya did not quite understand why people are in awe of the normal looking lady to her side. Perhaps she is a superstar. Or something. Americans are big on their stars.

"Young Miss, I am detecting odd readings from the lady. Perhaps I should run a local scan? ", the phone piped up. She gave the voice a discreet nod, giving Vespa a glance. "Granted. What do you mean though...? ", she inquired back, as the phone bound AI runs a rudimentary scan on Vespa.

edited 27th Aug '15 9:45:33 PM by f1r3lemon

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ImmortalFaust sess10n status: l0st from a spaceship in hell Since: Nov, 2013 Relationship Status: Faithful to 2D
sess10n status: l0st
#159: Aug 27th 2015 at 9:57:08 PM

i'm not certain what sort of scans your ai can run, so a list of possible abnormalities.

-a heat scan will show a heat signature slightly different from how she appears- namely, her right arm appearing to extend up past the shoulder joint.

-likewise, an electrical scan will show her right arm as having an irregular output, flaring up when she shifts it.

-vitals seem to be regular enough for someone who's slightly nervous.

-a brain scan would show a slightly higher output of neural activity than a normal person.

-additionally, electrical readings will pick up an additional unnatural output on her person.

[forum cryptid: it/it's]
f1r3lemon Duty First from All aboard the fun train Since: Nov, 2014 Relationship Status: Get out of here, STALKER
Duty First
#160: Aug 27th 2015 at 10:10:55 PM

Works for me

"Odd, Young Miss. It seems that there are abnormalities in her body, namely from her right arm. Can you see anything? ", the phone chirped quietly. At that, the young engineer looked and gave Vespa a cursory glance, trying to look for visual cues and differences.

edited 27th Aug '15 10:11:01 PM by f1r3lemon

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ImmortalFaust sess10n status: l0st from a spaceship in hell Since: Nov, 2013 Relationship Status: Faithful to 2D
sess10n status: l0st
#161: Aug 27th 2015 at 10:24:01 PM

Vespa puts her notebook down and glances at Anastya. Having used her right hand to place the book away, an audio sensor would easily pick up the whirr of servo motors in action.....despite the fact that her right arm appears just as normal as the rest of her.

[forum cryptid: it/it's]
f1r3lemon Duty First from All aboard the fun train Since: Nov, 2014 Relationship Status: Get out of here, STALKER
Duty First
#162: Aug 27th 2015 at 10:26:44 PM

"I detect an audio signal akin to that of a servo motor. Could it be...?", the phone asked questioningly. She gave a small nod, and looks away when she spots Vespa looking back, looking at the floor with pointed interest. And a small bead of sweat forming on her forehead. The diminutive girl seems even more-smaller now.

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ImmortalFaust sess10n status: l0st from a spaceship in hell Since: Nov, 2013 Relationship Status: Faithful to 2D
sess10n status: l0st
#163: Aug 27th 2015 at 10:31:05 PM

....damn. She's figured it out. Clever

Vespa smiled at the girl, raising her hand in greeting, curling and unfurling her fingers to make a point.

[forum cryptid: it/it's]
f1r3lemon Duty First from All aboard the fun train Since: Nov, 2014 Relationship Status: Get out of here, STALKER
Duty First
#164: Aug 27th 2015 at 10:34:37 PM

Is this an American thing? She do not understand. Fingers, moving and about? She is confused now. And look confused, looking back at Vespa hands raised hesitantly and with a confused expression.

"Здравствуйте-H-Hello...?", she experimentally greeted her back.

Damn. Too late, gotta go to class. Sorry for cut. Need sleep. Night2

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ImmortalFaust sess10n status: l0st from a spaceship in hell Since: Nov, 2013 Relationship Status: Faithful to 2D
sess10n status: l0st
#165: Aug 27th 2015 at 10:53:51 PM

"Hello," Vespa said reassuringly.

Whoops. Don't scare the girl, A.

"In case you wanted to know, the answer is yes."

[forum cryptid: it/it's]
daltar (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#166: Aug 27th 2015 at 11:27:24 PM

Sarah continues to look quietly at everyone involved, showing a smile to whoever looks her way though for the moment she's content to keep her mouth shut, get a read of those gathered and lean comfortably against the wall.

f1r3lemon Duty First from All aboard the fun train Since: Nov, 2014 Relationship Status: Get out of here, STALKER
Duty First
#167: Aug 28th 2015 at 7:33:15 AM

Ah. Doesn't look like she promised to do horrible, horrible things with the arm then. Which made Anastya much more relaxed. She nods at that, flexing her own right arm, looking back questioningly at Vespa.

"Robot?"

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ImmortalFaust sess10n status: l0st from a spaceship in hell Since: Nov, 2013 Relationship Status: Faithful to 2D
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#168: Aug 28th 2015 at 7:55:27 AM

Vespa nodded. She wasn't quite sure what to think of this young lady, but she was smart, and didn't seem to be malicious in any way...

[forum cryptid: it/it's]
f1r3lemon Duty First from All aboard the fun train Since: Nov, 2014 Relationship Status: Get out of here, STALKER
Duty First
#169: Aug 28th 2015 at 8:27:12 AM

At the best, she looked more like a lab staff that got into a wrong room, what with the lab-coat, notepad, and pen and notepad in her chest pocket. At the worst, she looked like a kid that got lost.

For now though, she is giving Vespa a 'Ah-ha' sort of look and a small smile. She is warming up, to be sure.

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ImmortalFaust sess10n status: l0st from a spaceship in hell Since: Nov, 2013 Relationship Status: Faithful to 2D
sess10n status: l0st
#170: Aug 28th 2015 at 8:42:30 AM

lab coat, official looking notebook, picking up on.....this isn't just some kid. she's probably smarter than most of the humans here.....what have i gotten myself into?

"Don't worry, I don't bite....normally."

She emphasizes the last word with a grin to (hopefully) make it clear it's a joke.

[forum cryptid: it/it's]
f1r3lemon Duty First from All aboard the fun train Since: Nov, 2014 Relationship Status: Get out of here, STALKER
Duty First
#171: Aug 28th 2015 at 9:18:17 AM

She smiled. A bit worryingly, the girl thought. But its fine. Hopefully.

In response, she nodded back, staying mum. At least she doesn't look as nervous anymore, and her phone is giving up a thumbs up symbol on its screen.

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StygianEmperor Full-Conversion Cyborg from the Stygian Empire Since: Feb, 2014 Relationship Status: Above such petty unnecessities
Full-Conversion Cyborg
#172: Aug 28th 2015 at 2:54:28 PM

"Ah, good. You're all here," said Alectus Fell, purposefully walking down the hall toward the assembled group. "If you haven't figured it out by now, you're all basically under the same contract - but let's take this inside, we don't have as much time as I thought."

The door opened as he grasped the handle, and he walked in. As the rest of the group entered, the door closed behind them, and a large table in the middle of the small room lit up with a holodisplay, bathing the otherwise-darkened space in an indigo cast as the symbol of a scorpion over a brain laced with circuitry began to slowly rotate over the surface. Malware could feel his connection to the net being cut by some means yet again. Fell pushed past the metal chairs as he made his way to the other side, swiping the logo away and replacing it with a man's portrait.

"Henry Atmos Zaivous. Or 'Father' Zaivous, as you may know him," Fell announced.

Vaguely asian features showed through the man's long, wild brown hair and full scraggly beard. He was middle-aged, and his mane was receding. He seemed to be caught up in a furvor, mid-shout, focusing intently on something behind the camera.

"Some of you in here probably recognize him," he said, glancing at Vespa, "He's a former baptist pastor, then got caught up with the ideals of the Earth Liberation Front in its heyday. When the terrorist group ran out of steam, Zaivous went into hiding. Unfortunately, he didn't stay there. This is from two months ago:"

He pointed, and the image animated, pulling back from the man to reveal that he appeared to be standing behind the pulpit of a church. Though rather than any recognizable religious iconography, the front of the lectern bore a bronze image of a human fetus in its third trimester. He was indeed shouting, delivering a heated sermon,

"They play at being God, but they are no substitute. He made us all the way we were supposed to be! But the world's been blindsided by technology. Things are moving too fast for us to follow, so we've just lost track. You want your baby to be smarter, right? Stronger, healthier? Of course you do."

He switched to a clever smile, "Well, just sign right here. We'll pump them full of - full of lizard genes, God-knows what."

A small titter could be heard from the crowd as he raised his hands in an exaggerated shrug. Zaivous then continued, his face falling solemn, "And another beautiful child is stripped of its soul."

Alec's arms were crossed, as if he was waiting for the man to get to something.

After Zaivous allowed a few seconds of silence, he spoke up again, "And the corporations are funding it. They're pushing it - they won't be happy until there's not a person left on the earth that's still human. They don't stop there though. They can't. You've seen their soldiers; disgusting remnants of people that sew themselves to machines. Cyborgs." He spat the word. "You know, they used to define that as a neurosis; people who want to cut off their arms and legs - we used to lock them up in a padded room so they couldn't hurt themselves. Then the goddamn corporate lobbyists came in, stomping down the Whitehouse, Parliament, what have you, raising hell. So they did what the abominations wanted them to and took it off the list of mental illnesses."

"And it's these... miscreations, that are going to be knocking down your door so they can get more flesh for their sick experiments. They've already started doing it in China; you've all seen the vids."

Alec glanced at Vespa again, then raised a hand and the video paused. He looked back at the man's frozen face. "One of the uh, cleaner talks he's given. Posts these up on every video site he can. They've proven alarmingly popular."

edited 28th Aug '15 10:03:45 PM by StygianEmperor

Flesh is a design flaw.
f1r3lemon Duty First from All aboard the fun train Since: Nov, 2014 Relationship Status: Get out of here, STALKER
Duty First
#173: Aug 28th 2015 at 3:12:43 PM

Throughout the video, she stayed silent, as do the artificial assistant. Her face shows confusion, and annoyance- frowning, lips upturned. This is untrue, she thought. Have science and cybernetics not wrought progress? Have they ensured that diseases are no longer the norm, and to ensure that to lose a limb does not mean to lose your chance to live normally? She may not agree with the corporations, and their policies, but results are results.

She raises a hand, stowing away the phone with the other, "So...Mr. Fell. You are saying-We need to take care of former priest?"

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Aquatica1000 Since: Oct, 2012
#174: Aug 28th 2015 at 3:26:51 PM

...He is speaking fallacies. What people consider a soul is little more than neurons firing in various areas of the brain. And even if there was a soul, why would it be stripped by a parent trying to make sure their child not dies at an early age, or someone who lost a limb wanting to get back to the things they wanted to do?

To Malware, this was an argument built on lies. There was nothing inherently wrong with augmentation, so long as the subject agreed on their own will. Men like him, men who wanted to restrict what people could or couldn't do, were no different than Fuenghang experimenting on people against their will. This, plus the feeling of claustrophobia creeping in once more (How on Earth does Fell keep doing this?), was making him very testy.

"...I'm guessing that our mission involves taking down this man?" Malware said, keeping almost monotonously calm.

ImmortalFaust sess10n status: l0st from a spaceship in hell Since: Nov, 2013 Relationship Status: Faithful to 2D
sess10n status: l0st
#175: Aug 28th 2015 at 3:51:23 PM

Vespa frowned throughout the video.

oh great, it's this bastard again.

She subconsciously clenched her fist. she had no problem with belief; if it got you through life, and never intruded on anyone else, that was fine, but this, this was bigotry, plain and simple. Rubbing her neck with her left hand, she tried not to say anything....inappropriate, given the present company.

[forum cryptid: it/it's]

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