EVENT LOG 007 | PART TWO

[larkers]

WHO: Everyone
WHERE: New Beijing (for the most part!)
WHEN: January 20-January 26(-ish)
WHAT: Arriving in New Beijing, picking up newcomers, playing tourist, and then going into a military base. In the eternal words of Gabriel Reyes, "What could possibly go wrong!?"
NOTES OR WARNINGS: Coercion, loss of autonomy, mentions of circumstances around removing an IV. Further notes at end of log.

> EVENT #007 | PART TWO

Previously on The Days of Our Displaced, a lot of the Displaced decided to hop on a train for New Beijing to help out a murderous AI named Cassius. Just two months ago, Cassius killed thousands of people in New Amsterdam proper, claiming that he did it because the world was ending. Two months later, Cassius is out to find his old friend Judas: a military AI who was once bent on eradicating humanity entirely. Getting to Judas won't be easy, so Cassius intends to deliver on favors for everyone's efforts. That's why they're on the train now: Judas is likely held within the UNA's HQ in New Beijing, the world's capital. The base itself is certain to be secure, and the soldiers guarding the location won't be easily beat.

The train to New Beijing was meant to only have brief stops along the way, but one daring and reckless Displaced is going to decide to try to break the highly advanced maglev train during one of those brief stops … Let's see how that goes:

Trains between the megacities of the world rarely stop to pick up new passengers as they're meant to only hit major stations. As a result, most of the stops are temporary and meant for dropping off shipments and supplies. There are three stops between New Amsterdam and New Beijing: two are at research outposts shockingly staffed by actual scientists and the third is New Kyiv.

New Kyiv is one of the smaller megacities of the world, numbering only at about three million people. Compared to New Amsterdam, its architecture is newer and modeled after most of the current trends. The stop at New Kyiv was meant to be temporary. Several large-bodied robots surged forward to remove large metal boxes full of supplies, and everything went as planned right until it was time to leave. That's when the conductor of the train announced that there were some technical difficulties and everyone would need to remain seated.

The delay itself clocks in at around two hours. No one is allowed off the train to get some fresh air because of the rigid travel sanctions. After all, no one declared that they would be going to New Kyiv, so they can't clear customs to head into the city itself. The only upside is that everyone will get a free beverage of their choice to enjoy during this time.

Once the delay is over, the conductor gets the train moving with a brief apology for the extended stop and no announcement about what was wrong.

> LOST IN NEW BEIJING | NEW ARRIVALS

About fifteen minutes after the Displaced arrive in New Beijing—which is a solid two hours after the original ETA—an alert comes in from Gaby, not unlike how they do from El any other month. It scrolls across everyone's vision as if it's being written while they're reading it.

We got a tip about a surprisingly large group of people in white scrubs being rolled into an old hotel about a mile from the train depot. Get there quickly. The "eyes" we've got on the place tells us they're still out, believe it or not. Check both rooms 303 and 304. Keep them calm. Get their names. We'll get their IDs set up ASAP. Nothing fancy. We can't do fancy when it's fucked up like this.

The hotel isn't very far on foot, so the Displaced may want to get headed in that direction quickly.

Once they get to the hotel, everyone will meet little resistance in getting to the rooms themselves. In fact, anyone who passes through the hotel lobby asking for rooms 303 and 304 will be granted permission to get inside. The elevator up to the rooms is tidy and recently cleaned, though there's a spot on the floor with a stain that doesn't seem like it wants to let up.

Inside, the rooms may seem larger than expected, even with all the new arrivals inside hooked up to IVs and kept sedated. There are no beds present to make room for the hospital gurneys that were brought inside to help get everyone setup, and there is also none of the other usual furniture. Each of these new arrivals has hair recently cut but at different stages of growth. There won't be any instructions for how to handle these new arrivals, but given their level of sedation, it may be apparent that the IVs will need to be removed.

Once the IVs are pulled out, awareness will come to each of the new arrivals in blurred snatches. Chaos and uncertainty, maybe even an ache in their arm from an IV hastily removed. A dim light cast around the room, shades pulled down and a door opening and closing. There will only be faint memories of how they got here: rolled up a ramp into the hotel, crammed into a stinky elevator, waiting for the chime for the next floor. Any sign of stirring would be met with a hushed whisper and a jolt of fatigue, putting them back under.

Whether they like it or not, these new arrivals will have to listen to every order, every command that's given. Hopefully their "saviors" are up for the babysitting task.

◉ Though entirely capable of independent action and thought, new characters will find themselves completely, unquestioningly compliant to any verbal statement which could be taken as a command or request.

◉ Morningstar in New Beijing won't be equipped to take in these new arrivals. The Displaced will need to exercise discretion to get them from this location to wherever they've chosen to stay to hunker down until they get their IDs made. Going out before then will put them at risk of arrest. All of the new arrivals will have their IDs set up within 36 hours, but there won't be any fancy backstories or certifications. El will supply each of them with a basic, positive work history, with an appropriate number of apartments for their age to get them started. Since none of the new arrivals will have access to a Morningstar safehouse to be added to the network, they won't be added to the network until that 36 hour period is done.

◉ All new arrivals will be given a stipend and some new clothes to get through New Beijing (compared to the raggedy old scrubs they typically have on hand if they first show up in New Amsterdam, these will be new and freshly delivered). That doesn't guarantee that they fit perfectly or are fashionable, and what anyone gets can either be determined by Gaby, El, or one of their Displaced new friends guessing at their size and what they'd look good in. All of their IDs will make it so that they're native to New Beijing, with job applications put in at businesses in New Amsterdam to help facilitate their eventual move over.

◉ Within an hour of getting their IDs set up, Cassius will send them a message from @100432: Hello! I'm Cassius, your NPC (Neural implant Processing Caretaker) helper. Think of me as a mini-guide for all of your world-integrating needs. I have access to information, manipulation, and expansion of some of this world's largest databases.
Please, feel free to ask me anything.
Actually, now that I think about it, I may have something to ask you.

Aside from offering them the same deal as everyone else, he'll be happy to get them filled in.

> NEW BEIJING

Unlike other megacities in 2512, New Beijing's location is the closest to its original namesake, and one of the most preserved. There is a large dam on its eastern-most border that was built as soon as the sea level began to rise and slowly enveloped the city of Tianjin. In time, Tianjin was lost to the ocean, but the Chinese government worked swiftly to protect Beijing from further damage. Since then, that dam has made up the beginning of the border wall around the city, remaining the sole stable fixture for New Beijing in years to come. Now, New Beijing's borders stretch inland for miles upon miles, branching off the dam and remaining flexible and changeable as the city's needed more and more room to grow.

In terms of structure, New Beijing is made up almost entirely of reclaimed parts of the continent of China thanks to the long-standing efforts of the dam. The area closest to the dam makes up the city's historic district, and it's where restored landmarks such as the Tiananmen Square and Temple of Heaven stand. Other landmarks, such as the Great Wall of Badaling, still surface under the water near the dam. Despite the city's sprawling nature into the Chinese continent, the city is still built upward and downward, with the three uppermost levels of the city being the most appealing to the eye. Deeper into the city away from the sun is where New Beijing hides most of its blemishes: the impoverished people, as well as the districts that are never advertised in any travel packet online.

Otherwise, from the skyline to the traditions held in New Beijing, the city acts as an homage to what once was, with the skeleton of what was there before just beneath the surface.

> THE SURFACE
In many ways, the outward appearance of New Beijing is a perfect model for everything the United Nations hopes to project outwardly. Although they have nothing to prove except to themselves and their citizens, New Beijing is a beautiful city with a high-reaching skyline and a tradition that dates back several millennia. Once the Displaced land in New Beijing, they will find little to fault in the picturesque nature of the city. The streets are clean and though there are older hotels like the one where the new arrivals will be found, they are very rare.

◉ Every building in the city is pristine, with clear glass windows that allow a large degree of transparency. Despite this, the city's large reported population doesn't seem to match the number of people in the first few levels of the city itself.

◉ There are numerous codes of conduct announced by AR displays around the city. No littering or someone will be fined 500 credits immediately. There isn't a curfew, but only public transport vehicles and licensed car-sharing providers are allowed to be in the sky after 9PM. Around 11PM, public transit comes every half hour to an hour, making it difficult to get across the city in the late hours of the night. There are also rigid noise restrictions.

◉ Even during the day, most people prefer to get around via public transit, bikes, or simply by foot.

◉ Most businesses close by 9PM, making it difficult for someone who might seek out a late night snack.

◉ There are few, if any, businesses that would be called "dives" or "holes in the wall." Leasing a property in the upper levels is too expensive. Some ambitious entrepreneurs may go into business together, but they often struggle within just a few months before ultimately giving up. New Beijing offers little room for someone to live out their dreams.

◉ The surface is also where the United Nations government is housed, as well as the UNA Headquarters. The government is housed within the historic district, while the base is on the opposite end of the city, making up its western-most wall.

> RIVERSTONE
Riverstone is a constant figure in the surface levels of New Beijing. Riverstone has been a part of Beijing's identity since the early 22nd century, having relocated their headquarters from Shanghai following the end of World War III. They promised to help preserve and restore the city's landmarks once they named it as their HQ. Once upon a time, Riverstone was an entertainment mogul that branched out during the 21st century, buying up a lot of dying and unsuccessful properties to claim as their own. In the process, they branched into the cybernetics industry and invested in artificial intelligence so they could prove that the world should not be reliant on AI. Riverstone is still an entertainment mogul, but they have their fingers in a lot of other projects.

◉ Riverstone primarily works out of New Beijing. All of their up and coming employees are eventually transferred to New Beijing to live out their lives. There are small satellite locations in other locations (like New Amsterdam), but they focus the bulk of their development on the UN capital city.

◉ In New Beijing, it's hard to find a business that doesn't have Riverstone's mark. Many businesses rely on Riverstone's investment to make it—and if a company fails, it's likely because they failed in that arena. Riverstone owns or invests in the bulk of New Beijing's hotel chains, restaurants, or "small" businesses. The relationship between Riverstone and the city is symbiotic in nature, so much so that no other corporate entity has a foothold in the city itself. Businesses in New Beijing live or die by Riverstone's marketing firms and advertisement.

◉ Riverstone also runs and maintains the city's local public transit.

◉ Unsurprisingly, Riverstone has an amusement park at the center of the city: Dream River. It's an eclectic park full of rides, parades, and roller coasters that acts both as a resort and a marketing machine for many of Riverstone's IPs in the video game, television, and film industries. No matter where someone is on the surface of New Beijing, they'll be able to see the bright blue glow of Dream River in the evening hours.

◉ Any of the Displaced can find tickets to Dream River via resale sites, but it won't be cheap. Besides, no one's in New Beijing for the entertainment—right?

> SPACEPORT
At the northern end of New Beijing is the most heavily trafficked spaceport in the world. Most of the shipments for the colonies come through New Beijing, having been officially checked through customs and approved for transit before they're sent off. Thanks to the technology available in 2512, most of these shipments rarely have any impact on the city as a whole, making their liftoffs unnoticeable in a lot of ways (as they are silent and don't cause any other environmental problems).

◉ Getting into the port isn't difficult. It's actually a tourist trap because there is still some excitement around space travel even in the 26th century. Visitors must declare themselves at the entrance as it is a secure area.

◉ There is a mini-museum along the first long pathway into the port itself given via AR display. Much of the interface talks about the next frontier for humanity, gives projected (and frequently adjusted) dates for the completion of the colony projects, and a demonstration of the significance of terraforming.

◉ There is little mention of UNC2 (the Mars colony), as it's been officially redacted from record.

◉ No freighters depart for the Mars location. Anyone who's waiting for their launch because they've accepted a government subsidy won't be headed to Mars. Most people are headed to UNC3 and UNC5 (the Jupiter colonies) or UNC6 (Pluto).

> THE FORGOTTEN LEVELS
Despite all the glamour and beauty of New Beijing, there should be the sneaking suspicion that something is not quite right. Everyone will be able to depart from the three upper levels of the city via escalator and elevator so that they can explore what is hidden. The deeper someone goes, the more it will begin to be apparent that the impoverished population of New Beijing has been pushed out of the public eye.

◉ Businesses in these areas are cramped and pushed on top of one another. It's cheaper to lease, but the conditions of the buildings themselves is poor as they frequently have to deal with mold and flooding thanks to the closeness to the ocean and the depth of the city itself.

◉ Unlike the surface, the underground part of New Beijing is less pristine. Multiple people wear medical masks. There are hospitals and other amenities providing healthcare to people, but given the difficult lives people lead in these lower levels, most of them can't take off work to get medical care.

◉ There are numerous squatters and homeless people taking up property. They beg for assistance or food. Though many of them used to surface outside of this part of the city, strict sanctions by the city's government forced them back out of the public eye.

◉ There are numerous hostels in these lower levels. They have cramped bunk beds with assigned living areas and blocks of time to shower in community bathrooms. Water rationing is standard in the lower levels because the cost of water is much too expensive.

◉ Food and goods are cheaper in these areas, though someone will have to ask around for what places tend to have fresh enough food.

◉ Drug trafficking and use is rampant in these lower levels. It's not difficult to find someone offering to help dilute the mind so you can live out your day while being unaware of what's happening. Theft is also common.

◉ Gangs are present everywhere, but they have a short lifespan. Unlike in New Amsterdam where the criminal underground has a hierarchy, there is nothing like that in New Beijing. Frequent raids from the New Beijing Police Departments mean that gangs are frequently broken up, with the members sent to rehabilitation centers around the globe. These raids also sweep up drug addicts. These raids come with little notice.

◉ The Red Light District and Morningstar's local chapters work in tandem in these levels. Morningstar acts more openly here because of the countless people in need, and the sex workers often double as information brokers while helping people get shelter and a meal. Morningstar's resources help prevent some of the most severe consequences (such loved ones being separated).

◉ In these lower levels, it's nearly impossible to uphold the laws around population restrictions. As a result, these raids also often result in children being separated from their parents who weren't approved for having a kid. These parents would also be arrested to further justify this action. (Having a child without permission is not enough to get someone arrested in typical situations, so it may seem as if the officers are trying to meet a quota by slapping these parents with arrests for other, unrelated "crimes.") This can happen at any age.

> UNA HEADQUARTERS

On the evening of the 25th, an explosion goes off on the eastern end of the city within half a mile of the UN offices. Thanks to the vicinity of the explosion, UNA soldiers are dispatched almost immediately to the site of the explosion. Only a small handful of people were hurt in this explosion—with no one killed—but there are threats all over social media announcing that this is only one of many attacks that will take place over the next 24 hours. Thanks to the efforts of the AI behind all this, the UN's technical team will struggle to cut off the announcements. A new explosion will occur every hour, moving closer and closer to the UN buildings themselves.

These attacks are Cassius' distractions, and he'll have let the Displaced know about the go time in advance.

> PREPARATIONS AND RECONNAISSANCE
◉ Cassius will provide schematics of the base before anyone steps foot in New Beijing. The base is three times the size of the base in New Amsterdam, with large, soulless buildings. There won't be a set route, but Cassius will mark paths where he can sabotage surveillance as well as areas that are unlikely to house Judas (such as the barracks, cafeteria, and training facilities) and thus should be avoided.

◉ No one will be prepared for an attack on the base, and 75% of the soldiers will be swarming the other side of the city looking for the mysterious entities behind the terrorist attack.

◉ For anyone hoping to do recon in advance, they can take meals at the office buildings located around the edge of the base to try to get an eye on what's inside. While the tall walls around the base will prevent most observation, they'll be able to get a sense of the base so they can compare it to the schematics on file.

> ENTRY POINT AND INTERIOR
◉ Steve Rogers under his alter ego Buff Ridges will be everyone's ride to get inside of the base. In the hours prior to the operation, Cassius will provide Steve with an armored vehicle that will let him in right through the base's northmost loading dock. Despite the conflict elsewhere in the city, there will be little concern about this shipment. After all, business must proceed as usual. Cassius will doctor a manifest or three to ensure this truck arrives without raising any red flags.

◉ The only people allowed on the truck will be people who either agreed to Cassius' terms or who hasn't proved themselves to be a hostile interloper. (Please feel free to contact us below if you're not sure if your character qualifies as a hostile interloper.)

◉ Everyone partaking in the operation will be provided bulletproof vests, masks (though they don't disguise a neural implant, Cassius will be working to scrub any security footage that might track someone's neural implant signature), a gun armed with bullets that can put down a UNA soldier, and stun batons (thanks to Daisy Johnson and supplies from Cassius).

◉ Anyone who's taking part in El and Ren's plan to steal Judas will get a mask that obscures the neural implant signature.

◉ Despite the guns, Cassius will recommend that they disable rather than kill the UNA soldiers because of the protocols enacted when a soldier is killed. It will raise too many alarms, and there isn't enough time to surgically remove a neural implant and dispose of it given the time-sensitive nature of the operation.

◉ Once inside, the interior of the base is as soulless as its exterior. There are white brick walls, tiled floors, and dim lighting because of the evening hours. Most of the UNA officers are off site dealing with the terrorist attack, so there will be little traffic in the hallways.

◉ If anyone wanders off to get food from the cafeteria purely because it's marked, they will get caught.

> FINDING JUDAS
◉ After covering most of the base, the Displaced will come across a large, four-walled structure near the south end of the base. This structure isn't far from the base' medical and surgical wings, as well as the engineering facilities. For those with a savvy eye, they will be able to determine that this structure is built to be protected from most attacks (including ones that are electromagnetic in nature).

◉ There will be a solid, many-layered sliding door on the north end of this structure that's locked through several layers of encryption. Due to the nature of the base and the figure inside of this structure, no one will be able to utilize Cassius or El's hacking prowess to get in. The Displaced will have to work on site itself and figure it out.

◉ If the Displaced get past all the encryption—or recklessly blow the door open, which obviously comes with its own risks—they'll find a server that's running locally. Disconnected from the internet in every way, Judas appears to be kept isolated in a small area. There is no means to talk to Judas yet.

◉ Displaced who have in-game powers that can get them inside will be able to do so. There is no power nerfing here of those in-game powers.

◉ Judas can be transferred onto an offline device that El or Cassius provided for the mission (there will be one of each). Both AI will be aware of Judas' likely volatile nature after being trapped for centuries, and they won't be quick to let Judas onto the world's network.

◉ It's time to decide how this ends up playing out. Will Judas be free or destroyed? Will Judas be handed over to Cassius, El, or taken by the Displaced themselves and set up somewhere secure so they can talk to him? Or will the Displaced get in each other's way, making it so they can't get to where Judas is in the first place?

> FINAL OOC NOTES

Welcome to Meadowlark, newbies, and welcome to the second part of our event! Your character will be able to jump in as soon as possible. If you've ever taken a look at our arrival logs, this one is working a little differently. Characters will be able to leave and walk the streets freely after 36 hours have passed, making it so they're free to go midway through the day on January 21st (which is the OOC date of November 11th). To get caught up on the event, take a look at our planning post here and our first part of the event here. In addition, Cassius will be contacting all of the newcomers and offering them additional assistance, and you can thread that out here!

Please feel free to ask any other questions about this event! We are always happy to help someone get integrated, and are happy to design a special role for you and your character.

For everyone who opts into Cassius' deal, there is a network up for communication. This is a temporary network, and please note the conditions on that post! This is a way for characters to both get in touch with Cassius and each other. As for El, anyone who's working with them can reach out via zeir inbox over here, if needed.

We're putting the final outcome of this event to an OOC vote!

EDITED 11/11/19: That vote is here!

Please feel free to play out encounters around the UNA base and with regards to Judas' location with the exception of whether they succeed at getting to(/at) Judas or fail. Please head to our Questions thread below to let us know what options you'd like available! We'll also have a section for you to briefly summarize your character's role so we can represent it in the aftermath log. The deadline for voting/submitting will be November 25th at 23:59 UTC.

Finally, as a reminder, do not thread anything out beyond this log. There will be a lot that is dependent on character action in the operation and with regards to Cassius' deals after the fact. As a change from what the calendar for the month says, the aftermath log will be on November 30th. We'll push it back further if it seems like that's needed! This aftermath log may be in two separate parts!

Our next Test Drive Meme goes up on November 20th, with reserves opening on November 23rd. Thanks to all of you for your interest in the game!

> NAVIGATION

Comments

[purrsistence]

[ Catra's countenance seems to brighten a little when he says that, and she snickers. ]

... At least you can admit it.

[ Unlike some people. ]

[variate]

[ who lost?

a hand goes to her head, noodle cup and chopsticks in the opposite hand, and he ruffles the top of her hair, right behind her ears. it's enough to spark the empathy bond to life, and his satisfaction seeps through. to an extent he's pleased, but it's a good feeling, rather than a bad one.

he probably shouldn't feel like he's won even though he's lost, should he? ]

[purrsistence]

[ It takes a moment for Catra to realise what's going on, because initially she feels satisfied from having won, too, and nobody explained the empathy bond to her. But Ren's satisfaction feels different from hers-- Catra's is all sharp edges and malicious glee at putting others in their place. This other feeling is... warm.

Maybe she wouldn't have realised what was happening at all, if it hadn't been for all of Shadow Weaver's headgames. But as soon as she realises what's happening, she pulls away violently with a hiss. ]

Don't do that!

[variate]

[ still soft, but far fussier than Morgana.

Catra pulls away, and Ren doesn't follow. the hand drops, and he starts in with his noodles again. while there's not a lot of expression on his face, he still looks oddly satisfied. ]

That was part of our agreement. Did you forget?

[purrsistence]

I said you could pat my hair. I didn't say you could use your weird feelings crap on me.

[handsomefoil]

Eh, one...ish. You're right about that much. Hard to tell if they're like us, too.

[sestra]

[ she doesn't say anything else. there's no thank you, no apologies. there's just another frantic glance between the man she stabbed and the woman named silena she nearly suffocated. she believes them, maybe against her better judgement, that they didn't put her in this position. ]

[ but she still needs to leave. ]

[ catlike, she ducks quickly out of the door, her footsteps silent down the hall, and the only sign she was even there is the pool of blood growing around kovacs. ]

[kleptocratic]

I wasn't fighting. Cripples don't fight.

[ A lie, and one he thinks she might see through, but it's habitual. ]

But let's see. Eddis declared war on Attolia, or the other way around, I don't remember, and then Sounis thought he could take advantage and declared war on Attolia, too. They're always fighting, all the little countries, and the Mede tries to stir it up in the hopes that someone will get desperate and invite him to meddle in things, too. When that happens, we'll never be rid of the Mede control.

[realists]

[ saw was more jury rigged medical device than man at the end and he'd only stopped fighting when it meant protecting jyn, so eugenides is right. jyn does not believe him. ]

You were right, the Mede and the Empire are very similar. The galaxy was at war when I was born. [ a beat. ] A different war to the one I was fighting. The Emperor orchestrated the Clone Wars so he could take power and declare himself Emperor.

[ there were, of course, many more finer details but jyn was two at the time and her own war hadn't even started so she doesn't have the exact details of history since it was not history yet to her. all she knows of the future is that the emperor dies because no one has told her anymore than that. ]

Hopefully the Mede don't think of that.

[kleptocratic]

Is the Empire so big you can't run away from it?

[ Eugenides cannot run away, can't even consider it, but it remains a deep and private fantasy of his. Freedom. Of course, there is no Empire here, but the UNA are terrible and people get sent back home all the time, whether or not they want to be. ]

Clone means twig in our language, but I've a feeling you mean something else. [ He can look it up. ]

[reneger]

We don't need to take them off.

( just bits and pieces, but it's not as if the whole ensemble has to be removed. with the steering wheel out of the way, jason moves to grab hold of the lever that adjusts the back of the seat, lowers it enough to keep loki's head from being too close to the roof while the other raises to drag him down with jason when it lowers.

there's a matching smile playing at the corners of his lips; whatever the hell they do doesn't really matter much to him; he gets more than enough out of it regardless. but. ) We could always show up a little rumpled. You do like to show off. .

[selfimage]

[ Ah.

and down they go. Loki leans over him, bracing himself up against the seat so he hovers just above Jason's face. with the force of gravity in his favor, he leans down to close the gap between them, pressing his mouth to Jason's before drawing back. there's still a lingering heat between them, and Loki's voice lowers.

in a long, languid motion, he tucks some hair behind his ear. ]

I think you'll be plenty for me to show off.

[ he's rather proud of Jason in a suit, a flash of smug satisfaction through the empathy bond. he lowers just a little, his nose pressing against his neck, he nips at the collar of his nice, nice shirt. ]

[monomachy]

[That's... interesting. Very interesting. She can't tell if the question has offended him or not, but decides to steer clear of its ilk for now just in case. They've found some common ground, at least, and a smile flits across her lips.]

As have I. That's why I've stayed in Europe so long. The cities there have old bones, they have history. It reminds me of home.

[realists]

The Empire spread across the entire galaxy, millions of planets were under their control and even some outside the galaxy. The ones that fought back were crushed until they gave in or died, some were strategically neutral, some were too small to have the Empire pay them any notice.

[ the empire was... well, massive seems like an understatement at this point. the galaxy is unfathomably large and the empire controlled so much of it. no wonder it took the rebellion two decades to start making a dent.

now. how to explain clone without saying... clone. ]

The clone troopers were their army. They made copies of a human man, produced thousands of them at a time. Millions. The other side was fighting with a droid army, um. Robots? Millions of those, too.

[ her mouth slants in a small frown, turning her normal resting bitch face all the more solemn. she didn't have nightmares about droids the way her father did but nor did she grow up with them the way most people in the galaxy did. ]

[kleptocratic]

Well, that's the same everywhere. Big countries swallow the little countries, and men are so greedy for power and status that they will give everything else up in return.

[ He means to say this with a cool, ironic detachment, but it comes out angry. At least he understands better why Jyn hates the powerful and cannot properly blame her.

The other bits are interesting— he does look up cloning, so he has a better idea. Warfare where Eugenides is from is brutal, up-close, fought in neat formations until it isn't, until it's all gore and noise and mud. He has those dreams sometimes. He wonders if it would be easier if the enemy he fought weren't alive. ]

Do the robots where you're from cause the same problems they do here?

[realists]

When they're outside of an army, no. They're programmed for loyalty.

[ and some of them, like k2, are naturally loyal once they've been given a choice. but k2 is honestly the most droid interaction jyn has had since she was eight so she isn't the expert on droid rights and possible uprisings. there were human uprisings to deal with and she's racist. ]

Plus they have bodies, you can just shoot them. They powered down the whole droid army at once when the war ended. [ literally seconds before they killed jyn and her family when she was still a toddler. the ai here are different, harder. ]

[gravemistake]

[Despite his current nostalgia for the situation, Gabriel isn't going to let it get in the way of the mission at hand. He's got Jack ready and willing to work with him (not that he has a choice), so he's going to enjoy the moment. He doesn't need to be told twice to move fast.

They're more-or-less going in blind here, but Gabriel knows enough about infiltration to know what's interesting and what isn't. He blows past some closed doors that appear to be offices--on a different mission, he might stop there, but they have the information they need at this point. They're just looking for the implants themselves.]

Anything here look like manufacturing to you?

[warfares]

Some are like that.

( most are, really, with few exceptions. it's possible that once they roll this game out to the mainstream public they'll do away with the more interactive components. home set-ups differ significantly from arcade set-ups, where space is less of an issue. )

I might try it again, later.

( they have a few more days, right? failing that, perhaps he'll pick up a copy for himself when they head back into new amsterdam.

he's intrigued.

still. a drink first. )

[forcevisions]

You got really into it.

[ She takes the lead towards one of the restaurants where they sell soda and snowcones and margaritas, stacking the empty dolewhip containers so she can give them back to be cleaned. These parks used to have single-use plastic and paper for treats, but real dishes are a sign of the times. ]

Does it help blow off steam? [ An innocuous enough question, were it not a continuation of a conversation they'd already had. ]

[warfares]

A little.

( it's the kind of question that might slip his notice where it not for a growing familiarity with the way "kira solo" likes to do things. the wily cleverness as she comes at a problem sideways, pouncing before it has a chance to take flight.

he orders something, not really in a mood to be particular provided it's cold. )

Though I would hesitate to call the satisfaction lasting.

[forcevisions]

[ She stacks the containers on the counter as Kylo orders, pushes them across with a smile that does nothing for the exhausted cashier. The smile drops when she asks for plain water, and they're served readily, giving them the chance to finish their conversation while circling the park. ]

There are other ways. [ She shakes her head. ] I don't mean -- [ Her nose crinkles, a self-critical laugh that never full manifests. Often she would mean to proposition him, but in this case, she doubts it's the fix. Or it would have already fixed. ] If you're going stir crazy, you don't have to keep your fighting to VR.

[warfares]

Are you volunteering to spar with me?

( it's not such an outlandish idea, truthfully. the alternative, of course, is that she's suggesting he takes his skills to the fighting rings ㅡ which is certainly an option, but leaves the question of just where to even start. )

I can look into gyms when we get back to New Amsterdam.

[forcevisions]

Actually, I was going to suggest the fighting rings.

[ She doesn't love the idea, but she also doesn't think that Kylo would let go entirely in sparring with her. It wouldn't get him to stop holding back. ]

I mean, I will. But ... [ Rey stops beside one a pond, which is in fact a water feature that one of the coasters goes under. The ground rumbles as the cart hums along the tracks. There is no wildlife in the pond to be disturbed, but for some fish who break up their group and scatter. ]

I've been talking to Riku. He said that he wasn't able to make peace with himself until he accepted that the Darkness was a part of him. I get the sense that you're just pretending it isn't there. [ She glances back at Kylo, halfway to a frown. She doesn't go so far as to say 'because of me' but it's there in her eyes, the troubling possibility that he is worried about losing her, and trying to fit himself into the wrong mould. ]

[warfares]

The Darkness has been there for as long as I've had a name for it.

( longer, possibly. hadn't his mother sensed something in him even before his birth? something that had worried her.

as they come to rest at the pond, he takes a pull on his sofa, debating how to continue. if he should even continue. thoughts turning over and over, and there is something like panic and something like despair threatening to creep in at the edges of his veneer of calm.

nothing he can give he will be enough. everything is tainted in some way, corrupted. )

How do I accept that I might never be free of it?

[forcevisions]

If you want my answer, I'd say that there's Light and Darkness inside of each of us. Fighting. [ She leans on the railing. Light hits the surface of the pond, but struggles to get deeper than the swimming fish. No matter how hard she squints, she can't see through the water to the coaster underneath. It just can't penetrate. ] And maybe the answer is about finding a balance within yourself.

[ But that isn't a satisfying answer. It leaves out the way Rey has run from her own darkness, from her own misery. It leaves out the way she still struggles to accept herself and her worth as they are. So she, reluctantly, admits, ] But ... if I were you, I'd ask Riku. He makes it sound like he might understand a little of where you're coming from.