tushanshu | 001

Entry tags:

001 | Video

[The feed cracks on with a rather tense looking woman, staring at you all.]

It seems I've arrived at the end of something major.

[Her tone is a little on the weary side, frustration seeping into her words whether she intends it or not.]

Tell me then, what exactly are we dealing with here? All explanations thus far have been a little lacking in detail. The sooner we wrap this up, the sooner I can get back to my own work.

[A beat.]

Is everyone alright? If we're going to be stuck in this together, checking as much seems a good start.

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[KANYESHRUG]

Not here. [A beat.] Don't suppose you'll tell me what a leaper does?

Hm.

[She'll believe it when she sees it. Well, eventually. Nilin's not sure she believes what she sees in this place.]

Short answer; they kill you. Violent and primal. Desperate, in a sense.

Let me guess: the long answer's classified?

Less classified and more 'I don't know who's listening'.

[She's happy to share, but this line is too open for Nilin to say. If her being here is the work of Memorize, and so far that's a possibility that's high on her list, then they're going to be watching and listening to everything she says and does.]

[Attachment: a fairly strong encryption program. It's Ric's, it goes up to 90%, but it's better than nothing.]

It's best to think the walls have ears, but there are fewer here.

[She'll take a moment to glaze over the attached program and set it to use. Nilin looks almost impressed.]

Better than nothing. Thank you.

[A beat. She takes a moment to decide where to start.]

First things first, have you ever seen one of these?

[She turns her head to show a yellow and white disc floating at the base of her skull.]

De rien [smoothly, like she could have given it to anyone].

[She leans forward to examine the disc. It's a curious item, she wouldn't have mistaken it for jewellery, but it means something else to her.]

You're part machine?

[French. Nilin knew there was a reason why she liked Monet. She herself is from Paris, though she's been speaking English this whole time.]

It's just an implant. Everyone has them back home. They call it a Sensen; a sensation engine.

Now, you asked about leapers. They're people, Sensen users driven mad by overuse of the device. Alternately the madness stems from tampering, or broken Sensens.

[It's the kindest way she can explain 'experimentation' without heading down that path.]

[An implant. She peers curiously, but makes no further comment on it, instead, tuning in to where Nilin's voice is coming from on the turtle to see if she can pick up any sound from the implant itself.]

Tampering how?

[Her curiosity is out in the open now, she won't deny being intensely fascinated by the idea.]

Think of a computer. You upgrade, you erase, you rewrite, you store and remove data. A Sensen functions on that same basis.

Write a faulty program or create a virus, push the system beyond it's capabilities and it's bound to break.

You have that plugged into your brain?

[She's not revulsed, just completely fascinated. A world where everyone has the capability to do what she herself does, with the mind? She'd hate living there, not standing out. But Nilin is a curiosity.]

[That gets a smirk.]

What if I said yes?

Then I'd say you're quick on your feet, and have failsafes.

[She can see the type a mile away, Nilin.]

[And that is something Nilin will neither confirm or deny. She does look a little smug though.]

And now that I've shared a little, perhaps you could tell me a bit about yourself?

[Monet isn't familiar with Sensen, and so isn't from home, but she's far more advanced than everyone else Nilin's met so far. She cant' help but be curious. An ally couldn't hurt to have.]

Perhaps.

[She smiles, teasingly, but she'll give a little. She got something out of Nilin, after all.]

My name is Monet St. Croix, friends call me M. I've been here a few months. As far as wars go it's unconventional to say the least, but now and then we have some excitement. You just missed one.

[Nilin smiles a little in return.]

I'm Nilin. It's nice to meet you.

[She figures her surname can go unsaid. In the event that someone from home is listening to this, her first name alone would be enough to set off warning bells without the surname to trigger outright panic.]

As for a war, I'd gathered as much. What exactly happened?

Enchantée.

[It's her usual cordial smile, but infused with genuine sincerity.]

As far as we're aware, our enemy is a cosmic force. Currently he's around, posturing, [She rolls her eyes and makes a vague gesture with one hand. Men.] other than that, the city is safe enough. We've been told he'll devour our worlds after this one, and there's nothing to suggest that's a lie.

Hm.

[Nilin takes a moment to think on that.]

I suppose there's no chance this 'cosmic force' is man made at all?

[Her question is a little weary, but legit. Nothing is ever easy, is it.]

[Monet sits up. This isn't something she considered.]

Wizard-made, I suppose. If that's the case it's grown far beyond it's creator's power or control, as such things are wont to do.

[She sighs at that, and nods her head.]

As all great creations tend to do.

[This is exactly what she's come from.]

Just the same, I have to wonder if this is all in our heads.

[Nilin brushes a stray hand back from her face. She looks weary.]

I guess there's no choice but to continue until we've acquired more information.

[Faintly flippant:] I'm a telepath - if it is, it's a lot more powerful than me.

[Which is saying something, and puts Malicant on par with maybe the Phoenix Force, but M's not sure about that one.]

There's one tidbit for you.

[Nilin wasn't expecting that. She frowns slightly.]

Are you able to read by thoughts then? Or does it work in some other way?

[The thought of someone in her head is bothersome, and a little hypocritical given all that Nilin has does and continues to do.]

Read thoughts, alter memories, project illusions... Everything that has to do with the mind - that's my playground.

[A beat.]

You and I might have a lot more in common than I first thought.

[She turns her head to show the white and yellow holographic disc at the base of her skull.]

With this, I can do much the same. No illusions, and no reading direct thoughts. But the altering of memories, that I can do.

[But only with those who have a Sensen.]

We've quite a bit in common, my dear.

[A wry smile. She looks over the disc again, more fascinated this time.]

You're a hacker.

[Said matter-of-factly; it's a gambit. Nilin certainly doesn't feel like a telepath, and since parts of their minds are computers...]

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