acatalepsy_rpg | video, after the caverns

Entry tags:

video, after the caverns

So, correct me if I'm wrong about this.

[Hank doesn't bother with an intro, just starts right on in. The angle he's holding his wrist shows both his face and the stick he's dragging along the wall behind him, which has been in a fire at some point in the recent past and leaves a long black trail of ash over the wall as he walks.]

But when all you heroes trooped into the haunted caves under the mysterious freaky lake the communication plan was along the lines of, 'gee, if someone gets their feet ate off by some freaky bullshit I sure do hope they yell real loud so I can get there before they bleed out' right? I mean, I trust you guys know to make a post letting us all know if you need backup, but what if this- [Here the screen shakes as Hank wiggles his wrist, indicating the watch] -gets busted, or stolen, or whatever?

I don't know, I was just thinking, next time a bunch of us, or just anyone, goes into something that might get bad there should be some kind of post stuck to the top of our feed that we could all check, just something like this-

[He stops walking, still talking as he starts to scratch a little list in ash onto the wall beside him.]

Hey, I wonder how little Suzy's doing. Oh, she checked in an hour ago, she's probably fine.

[He writes Suzy on the wall, and a checkmark next to her name.]

How about JimBob the Murder Bot? Oh, he hasn't checked in for about seven hours, I should take someone to go look for him.

[Next to JimBob the Murder Bot he doodles a little skull. Sorry Jimbo, it's hard out there for a figurative probably-dead robot. Better luck next time.]

Or maybe you guys would rather do some kinda daily role call like in school or, hell, maybe it's just more fun to lone wolf your way through all this world saving shit, what do I know. Decide amongst yourselves. I might be around, I might not. Just thought I'd throw this out there. I'm gonna go eat.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Well, I don’t know, I didn’t go around shaking every robot’s hand or anything, but I met a couple. Why?

Simply wondering if there was a reason why you specifically chose an example to embody a “robot” inclined towards violence and murder.

Many of the androids I’ve met are combat-oriented, so I thought that might be a factor.

[Hank is this the path you really wanted this convo to take.]

Oh my god, Connor?

[For a moment he just stares at the screen again, lips pursed.]

Okay so, we can do this, you can psychoanalyze my android whatever all you want if that's what blows your dress up, but you're going to have to give me a minute cause I keep the rotgut in my room for minor emergencies, and it's gonna take me a minute to get back there.

[Sure, they can take a little stroll down this path, as long as Hank's at least a little tipsy for it. That should probably be a requirement for all his conversations with Connor.]

I wasn’t attempting to psychoanalyze. I was just pointing out how odd your figurative example was, since there haven’t been any “robots” given to murder.

Why is this so surprising to you? Unless you’re going to claim to me you haven’t possessed a bias in the past.

[Or... the present.]

I'm going to claim to you that I've seen fucking Terminator, Connor, jesus. And Space Odyssey and fuckin Portal and... I don't know, it was just something that popped into my head, are you saying I'm gonna start profiling robots? Is that what you're telling me right now?

No, but are you honestly about to claim that you have no bias against androids?

[A question for a question.]

Connor, fuck.

[Okay. He's getting up. He's walking back to his room. This is going to a place, isn't it, and Hank needs to be not sober when it gets there.]

What is there to even have a bias against? What am I gonna be doing where that's even going to come up? What, are we talking wrongful convictions, android pat downs...

[Hank's hands are waving around too much for the screen to show anything in particular. He doesn't mind. He's not trying to look at Connor anyway, he's sure he'll probably just be staring at Hank, like an asshole.]

[The frame of the screen is moving on Hank's side, and he's pretty certain he can catch the look of a hallway being travelled down. The quick assumption is that Hank is returning to his room, and Connor squints at the watch slightly as this transpires.]

I don't know, Lieutenant. Though you've side-stepped the question very neatly.

[Calling him out on that.]

I'm not accusing you of anything -- at least not anything more than the both of us are already aware of. Please don't misconstrue my questioning for irritation. It wasn't.

You think I'm worried about you getting mad at me?

[Hank slows down, thinking about it. Is he?]

Nah. Nah, it's not that, I just...

[He sighs, then comes to a stop, leaning against the wall and looking at the screen again.]

I just don't want to talk about it. I feel the way I feel. Okay? It doesn't matter. It was just a comment, okay? A stupid example I used without thinking about it. Can we not make it into you, uh... you grilling me about shit that doesn't matter?

I know.

[That Hank feels the way he feels, something he wishes wasn’t so ingrained in his core. Something that he wonders if could change — but then Connor remembers quickly why that bias exists, and is fast to drop the subject as suggested.

His lips thin, and he shakes his head.]

Sorry. I’ve derailed the point of your post, and that wasn’t my intention. Whatever examples you choose to use, I still think it’s something to consider — a viable way of keeping track of those who decide to explore in large groups.

Next time, though, maybe you can join?

[He huffs, the corner of his lips quirking up as he looks away from the camera. Connor wants him, next time, to actually get involved? Yeah. Hank doesn't know how he feels about that idea yet.]

I don't know, give me a good reason and I'll think about it. Running into danger headfirst for no reason, kind of not my bag.

[He looks at the screen thoughtfully, not sure if he wants to risk bringing back the topic that Connor - miracle of miracles - dropped. But Hank's curious, and what he's curious about doesn't really have to do with his own issues, so maybe it'll be okay.]

Why you went down there with the rest of em and why you- uh, gave me shit about the robot thing even if you weren't, uh, irritated- [Saying it like that, like Connor feeling irritation was even a possibility, that feels wrong, feels weird. But that's the word Connor used and so Hank goes with it, even if the word sounds hesitant when it comes out.] -is the same thing behind that? The same reason? Some... I don't know, some detective-droid thing they programmed into you, you just gotta know? You've just got to go after it, even if there's no good reason to?

[Hank isn't sore about Connor digging into his whole... His whole android thing right now, not after Connor dropped it right when Hank asked him to. He just looks interested, sounds curious.]

[Connor feels disappointment crawl through him, because while Hank seems to be reluctant to do any sort of investigating, he still considered them something of a team. Partners, just like back in Detroit; it’s harder for him to disassociate from those experiences, not when they were so defining for him in his short period of being online and active. The frown is prevalent, not bothering to be hidden, but it’s a subject he can loop back around to later.

For now, Hank is asking Connor a question that he may or may not have enough self-awareness to properly, truthfully answer.]

I was programmed to uncover answers. To make sense of the unknown, if you want to paint the role of investigator in very broad strokes. I have a… drive to do so. I’m almost certain this was a purposeful design choice, implanted into my personality suite by CyberLife.

Besides, a lax detective isn’t much of a detective at all.

[Hank snorts, crosses his arms, looks off to the side with a bitter little smile. Connor might of been calling Hank out at the end there, might not be, and either way Hank definitely isn't going to outright call attention to it.]

Too curious for your own good, huh? Hope you're allowed to tinker with that drive a little, Connor, turn it down a little. Cause that's the kind of thing that's gonna get you in trouble one day.

[If it was, Connor won’t say as much. Hank will just have to leave it up to his own imagination if that was some subtle commentary on his part.]

It’s proven beneficial so far — for the both of us.

[For those instances that Hank doesn’t remember from home.]

Yeah, well, so far isn't forever.

[Hank's just going to keep skipping over parts of what Connor says, cause the implication there - that other Hank who was so wonderful and great and trusted Connor implicitly, or whatever - that's also something Hank doesn't want to touch.]

That's what the whole status update thing's for in the first place, you know. You get curious about something, you say on the little chart that you're going to look into it, update it once you're out okay. I mean, you know what you're doing and all that shit, but just in case, you know? Being curious's not always a good thing, even for a good, hardworking detective like you.

[Subjects that Hank hasn’t yet been willing to tackle. Ones that Connor is more than willing to, for a number of reasons, but he remembers Hank’s reaction that first day. Knows to tread carefully around the implication for now — it’s always a figurative bone he can sink his jaws into later.]

It’s hard to call curiosity a disadvantage; often it’s only a matter of how it’s applied. That being said, I agree with you. There should be a system like this in place, to further facilitate both organization and safety.

Maybe that would be enough to convince you to join in the next investigation, whatever it might be?

What, you want me to join up to facilitate organization and safety? Have you met me?

[He thinks about it a second, shrugs.]

I don't know Connor, I guess it depends on the next, uh- investigation. You know it's not necessarily gonna be an investigation, right? And that I don't necessarily have to be there? For the newest, most adaptive tech you're pretty set in your ways, aren't you.

I know that. But I also know that there will be more investigations in our future. Each time we visit another world, it’s expected of us to find out just how to help the natives — that in itself requires research and close examination of the setting itself.

[He seems to be watching Hank’s expression carefully.]

And of course you have to be present. We’re partners.

[Hank huffs, a dry noise, not quite amused, and looks away, his lips twisting up.]

Like I said. Set in your ways. How'd you get by before I got here, if you're so set on working with me now?

[Not a preferable reaction; hard to parse.]

I simply accepted the fact that I was the only one from my world here, and would have to face unknowns accordingly on my own. That isn’t the truth of the matter now.

[Before Hank can protest, because they’ve had this conversation before—]

Or rather, it doesn’t have to be. Besides, you’d be a great help to any investigation — you have an eye for it, but you don’t need me to tell you that.

Ha. Go on, compliment me again. That'll be a change from our usual talks.

But- [He's got his mouth open to go on but hesitates, still not quite looking at the screen, running his tongue over his teeth. Yeah. They have had this conversation before, but he wants to say it.] -look, you know you've got friends here, right? You don't have to wait on me. I mean- hell, I probably will end up getting involved in whatever goes down, and I'll probably come to you about it cause I know you and I know what you can do. But- Look, that Arenvald guy? Me and him still can't talk about, uh- the way they design androids back where we come from, the way you guys can put on emotions like I put on a new suit. He won't hear it. And Konoha? The way she talks about you?

[He glances at the screen, then looks away.]

You got told to work with me, yeah. That's fine. I get it, I guess. But it's not me or nobody. You do know that, don't you?

Lieutenant...

[For all that Connor tries, these conversations never head in the direction that he intends for them to. As if there's a great, giant magnet that pulls and pulls and drags them both down a path tangled up with bracken. Harder to navigate, easier to get cut.

He's aware of this being a public feed, conscious enough of where this is going to switch it over to private.]

The fact that you think there's a correlation between my other friends and the... legitimacy of your company is flawed. One has nothing to do with the other. Why are you comparing yourself to them?

[Sometimes it's hard to align his own logic with Hank's, even if Connor knows where it stems from. Even if he doesn't really need to ask that question.]

[Hank notices the change, thinks about it, then pushes off from the wall and starts walking to his room again. If Connor's going to make this private, he might as well, too.

He thinks as he walks, biting at the inside of his cheek, lifting his wrist to glance at the screen and make sure Connor doesn't think he's ignoring him, or something. That unexpected consideration, thinking about Hank's privacy, it just makes Hank want to try to be honest.]

I uh, I don't know, Connor.

[He sighs, ducking his head and scrubbing a hand through his hair.]

I wasn't thinking about it that way, I just, uh- You said you were going it alone before, and I just wanted to make sure you're- I mean, I just kind of hate the idea of you sitting around waiting for me to get my ass in gear. I wanted to make sure you don't- You know, just wanted to make sure you know you got options.

[He shrugs, grimacing at his own shitty answer.]

And, um. Thanks, for making sure no one was going to see that before you asked. That was- It was weirdly considerate. So. Thanks. I appreciate it.

...Of course.

[Weirdly considerate? Simply considerate, Connor would say. As suggested to him by more than just his programming, but common sense. Rarely did humans ever want to display this level of personal information to the community as a whole; he especially thinks that Hank is not an exception to the rule.]

I'm not 'waiting' for you to do anything. All I did was suggest that we might partner up once more for a future investigation.

[On his screen, his LED spins, though Connor remains standing in the same spot as he always has.]

I think you may be holding yourself to standards that I haven't set for either of us. There's no benchmark goal, I don't think, for any of this. [He doesn't think so, at least?? Friendship is hard when he has to work at it like this.] If you don't want to, you simply just have to say so. We can find other things to do.

[He darts a look at the screen again, a tired little half-smile.]

You say that like it's just another hobby. 'Hey, we could conduct an unofficial investigation to save real lives or, whatever, if you're not in the mood we could go play truth or dare again'. You make it sound so simple.

It is that simple to you, isn't it? You were just asking a question, I'm the one who-

[Hank sighs, rubbing the heel of a hand over his eye.]

Sorry. Yeah. I mean, we probably will end up uh- working together, I guess, a little bit. No promises, but, uh. That's all you wanted to know, right?

private

bleps - 2018-10-18 02:03 (UTC) - Expand

private

fuck1ngusernam3 - 2018-10-18 02:48 (UTC) - Expand

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

video, after the caverns

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

private

private

private

private

private

private