september overflow log

[hownkai]

This is an overflow for the first September Event Log.

Comments

angela ❝ᴍᴇʀᴄʏ❞ ziegler ( open ) overwatch

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( toplevel here! )

solid snake

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That's a relief to hear; I can't go about bothering my colleagues, after all.

[ She really just apologized for laughing, if only because of his reaction to it. He never quite seems to know how to handle her so she tries to rein herself in a bit (largely to little avail, honestly; especially tonight). It's the fact that Snake listens to her every word so earnestly and retains the information she gives him that impresses her, and she knows he's interested with her. He doesn't need to be social. That was enough. She's patient and understanding to a fault and she'll always go out of her way to meet someone who's trying.

Snake is trying, even if he doesn't know how to handle her. She'll gladly meet him over halfway. ]

I know it sounds difficult to forgive, but it's been an issue that has since been fixed. It was a vulnerability that's been vastly improved upon, and it shouldn't ever be a problem now. They can protect themselves against unwanted access and corruption.

What are you familiar with, if I can ask?

[ Oh. The arm about her shoulders is a pleasant surprise, and she doesn't so much as tense to the contact— there's a soft roll of one shoulder to invite his hand over her and she rests her head against his shoulder with a wide smile, teeth flashing even as gold lashes brush her cheeks and she takes a long moment to enjoy this. Angela's always been an affectionate person and she's open in her physical touch; it meant so much more than words. Sharing your warmth with another crosses language barriers, religions, race, and being wrapped up in someone else is such an immense comfort. ]

It's convenient, is all; I've been studying the plantlife here and there's always a fire going to cook them over. [ She wouldn't voice the niggling suspicion of this place, not while she's in the midst of it. There's no real reason to feel negatively about it, but something unsettles her. It's a silly little instinct as well as a desire not to impose any further than she already has. She can fend for herself in the vicinity of the other men and likely be far more comfortable doing so. The mention of Ahab has her tipping her head further into his shoulder, turning to look up at him. ] Is everything all right...? Between you two. Did something happen?

[ There'd be no ill feelings if he didn't wish to speak about it. She hopes he knows that. ]

[soldiergenes]

[ There's a lot that Angela's pressing him about, and while Snake normally would have clammed up he doesn't feel nearly as pressed to hold details close to the chest right now. Even then, though, Angela's just struck upon two big issues: his experience with AIs, and his history with Ahab. It seems like he'd be better off handling one at a time, and one of them is certainly easier to tackle than the other.

It seems strange to talk about this when she's literally got her head resting on his shoulder. Snake figures they should be talking about something else, something normal, and yet he wouldn't even know where to start with that. He already told her about his dog, that's pretty much where normal ends for him. ]

I'll answer your AI question first, although it's... confusing.

[ He straightens up a little as he prepares himself to explain, though he doesn't move his arm from where it's keeping Angela anchored against him. The spy in him figures it's easier for them to talk quietly this way. ]

Not too long before I came here, I learned that a huge amount of people's everyday lives were being subtly controlled by a shadowy organization called the Patriots. [ Snake stares out across the party as he speaks. ] Part of how they pull that off is that a giant AI system that gathers huge amounts of data and uses that information to influence the world around us.

[ Don't worry, he knows how insane it sounds. Snake only started to wrap his head around the concept recently, and that was after Otacon had spent literal hours explaining it all to him. ]

[cadeuces]

[ The doctor certainly doesn't mean to press; if anything, her demeanor comes off as genuinely inquisitive and she only wants to know more about this man she's spent so much idle time with, because really, they didn't much speak when they shared gym space. It was a quiet camaraderie and she was rather fond of him and their working partnership. And likewise, she's enjoying the sound of his voice when he begins to speak, hearing it thrum against her ear so close to his chest; it isn't a strange topic with his arm about her shoulders, the way she rests against him comfortable and enjoying the mere act of learning about him. The subject itself could be anything, really, and still she wouldn't pull away.

This is his life, and it's what "normal" meant to him. She'll listen with the same consideration he's given her before. ]

Did I never explain the gorillas on the moon to you? [ Look, there were some things you told someone about where you came from... and then there was the colony of gorillas on the moon; "confusing" is relative. It is teasing, though, and if he even tries to inquire after it she waves a dismissive hand at him so he'd continue. When he straightens she moves with him easily, relaxing against him in a way that shut out the space between them, fitting up against his side perfectly. ]

By... monitoring the internet, phones? [ She's trying to think back to his general timeframe; Ahab and Kaz were from... the 1980s? Snake was near enough to that himself, wasn't he? she's trying to sort the context out for herself so he didn't have to explain as much. ] Radio and security feeds as well, I assume. Hmmm... How was that influencing things? Stock markets, bank accounts? Politics?

[ Her imagination can only fill in so many blanks, and she isn't entirely sure she's on the right track. But she's trying. It's difficult to reconcile older forms of technology and the securities involved. It'd been the dawn of technology, back then, but she's one hundred years in the future. ]

[soldiergenes]

[ Angela may as well make the most of the casual physical contact while it lasts, seeing how Snake won't be so willing when they've removed themselves from the mantis creatures and their influences. Granted, she's already gotten to put her hands on him more than most would, seeing how she spots for him in the gym and she gave him that massage. (Although Snake would argue that the second thing had been a special circumstance.)

Her offhanded comment about gorillas on the moon does earn his attention, but she brushes it off and Snake decides that he can get back to that later. He can't quite tell if she's joking or not. Sometimes, with accents and different cultures, it can be difficult to know.

While she may be trying to fill in the blanks herself, Angela's definitely on the right track. ] Yeah, mainly through the internet. Most information that gets posted on there is never actually deleted. It's not like paper records, which can disintegrate over time. So there's a lot to pull from. Everything from SAT scores to browsing history is probably fair game to them.

[ It's the sort of thing that would usually work him up, but in this case he simply takes another long sip of his drink and shakes his head to himself. All the insanity that he dealt with back home is nothing compared to his life right now. ]

And yeah, they influence just about everything. The media, culture, politics, everything is carefully controlled to try and urge people to think a certain way. Even the president is just a figurehead. [ Snake doesn't expect his version of history to match up with Angela's. He assumes she's from the future, what with her talk of the Omnic Crisis, but even then he doubts they really come from the same place. Just more alternate universes... ]

[cadeuces]

[ And she certainly will, though she doesn't realize it's only a one-off thing. They were drinking and she can assume it comes a little easier with some liquid courage, and she'll reward it by easing into it and never pushing for more and simply taking what he offers, her touch coming up to swirl her fingertips and tidy nails along the back of his hand over her shoulder. But even if it's temporary, it's nice. Something fond to remember; his warmth and the feel of his coat against her cheek.

With his attention, though, her little smile crinkles her nose when she glances up at him and she just wants him to focus on his story. She is... only partially teasing, as always. They'll come back to the gorillas. ]

I'm sorry to hear that; it sounds overwhelmingly difficult to clear out. Something like that must have been locked up tight; were you tasked with it?

[ He speaks of it in the present tense; it must still be a problem. She's sympathetic to the plight, however, and the furrow of her brow clearly shows the thought she's putting into what such a thing would mean. Also the resources it may require to take out. Certainly nothing like that had ever happened where she came from...? It hadn't ever been an issue later on, as security systems had upgraded and AIs were developed. Traces of those would have been found.

Still, what a disturbing reality. ]

[soldiergenes]

[ It's definitely disturbing, the sort of thing that makes you want to look over your shoulder no matter where you go. Granted, Snake had already been doing that, but this makes the rightful paranoia about ten times worse. All of it feels theoretical or faraway in the moment, though. That's something that can be dealt with whenever he gets back home. Snake doesn't question the way that he isn't as worked up by it as he would be normally.

He makes a low humming noise at Angela's question. Like everything, it has a more complicated answer than it should. ] I ended up on a mission for another reason and took part in corrupting one of their larger AI systems in the process. We've... still got a long way to go, though.

[ The Patriots' influence is so all-encompassing that unraveling every last part of it almost seems like an impossible task, especially for a two-person team like him and Otacon. They may be good, but are they this good? Snake has no idea if they'll succeed or not, but he's going to try anyway. There's no better goal to devote his life to, no other good reason for him to keep breathing in light of everything that he's done. He may be a soldier (a killer), but if he can find a way to put those skills toward something good, then he can justify his decision to keep going.

All of this serious talk is getting exhausting, but there's at least one more thing that Snake has to tell Angela. Well, he doesn't have to, but she asked and it's a lot more relevant to their time here on the ship. ] Ahab and I had a confrontation, something that happened in my past but that's still to come for him. I told him about it, and he took it surprisingly well, but... [ He pauses and shakes his head. It wouldn't feel right to go make himself comfortable with a man he's killed. ]

armin

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ginko

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Good! You're doing well, Ginko. Don't be afraid of stepping on me, all right? I'll move out of the way in time.

[ He's concentrating so hard it's making him tense, so her hand at his shoulder gives a gentle squeeze, thumb brushing along his collar. ]

You'll get used to the movements. Then you just need to listen to the music and try to relax. This is something done for fun, all right? If you aren't enjoying it or it makes you uncomfortable, you don't have to continue.

[notyetsore]

Okay.

[He doesn't sound SUPER convinced, but he gets himself to relax a little.]

Mm-hm... it's alright so far. Just... still figuring it out.

[cadeuces]

[ She's nearly 40 years old and has spent a good chunk of her adult life at formal galas and fundraising parties; her skill in dancing with clumsy drunk old men was maxed years ago. ]

It takes some time, but you're picking it up quickly. Is there anyone you know here, from where you came from?

[ Distraction! She'll prod with a few questions, hopefully getting him to ease up a little bit and take his mind off the faux pas of stepping on his dance partner. She'll slip away from his hand at her waist for a little twirl beneath their raised fingertips, the gold gauze of her train winding about her lazily before slipping back into place and she steps back into his armspan, hand resting back at his shoulder. ]

[notyetsore]

[He watches in silence, quietly kind of amazed by how graceful she can be about this. Dancing and things like that - they always feel to Ginko as if they might as well be part of a world entirely separate from the one he lives in.

He answers the question with a small shake of his head.] No. Not that I've seen. I'd be more surprised if there was.

[cadeuces]

Your turn? [ For the spin, that is, and she raises their linked fingers in invitation for him to move beneath. If he takes her up on it she'll twirl him slowly so as not to make him dizzy, easing his hand back to her waist before continuing the simple swaying steps she's taught him. ]

I see, I'm sorry to hear that. Do you miss your family back home, your friends?

frisk

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[ None of the names sound familiar, but... there are still quite a lot, and for that she's glad. No one deserved to be alone in a place like this, let alone a child. ]

You have quite a lot of friends here; I'm glad to hear it. I have a few here myself. There's Jesse, who's something of a cowboy, and Reinhardt who was once a Crusader, a strong German soldier with an equally upright moral code just like a knight, and Fareeha, and then I just recently met a young man named Lucio, and a grumpier one that goes by 76. It's good we're not alone here, isn't it?

There were already a lot of people on the beach; I'll help you find those you know, all right? We'll make sure they're just fine before I leave.

[ She'll be able to heal them, after all, and she'd already introduced herself as a doctor. Hopefully that can set Frisk's mind at ease. ]

[gainedlove]

I...I saw Reinhardt b'fore. He's real nice. An' Lucio, too.

[Frisk knows 76 as well, though they don't realize it. The jacket had been too difficult to read in the dark halls when he had first arrived, but his mask is distinctive enough to recognize.]

[Holding onto Angela a little bit tighter, they nod.]

M...mm. Th...they'll be okay. It's okay.

[They didn't fail. They didn't mess up, this time.]

[cadeuces]

You've met Reinhardt? I nearly grew up with him; he's always been a hero where we came from, you know. He and Fareeha's mother and a few others. They put an end to a great war, and he has the best laugh! Have you heard it?

[ The mere memory of it never failed to bring a smile to anyone's face; her soothing hands continue to rub up and down a little back, kicking her legs to keep them moving along on the gentle waves. When she tips her head to look back over her shoulder, the beach is closer, now, maybe a few more minutes of serious swimming. That's not so bad. ]

I wouldn't mind— I'm a very good doctor. I'll heal them and make sure. It won't be a problem. Are you feeling better?

[gainedlove]

Uh-huh. It's...it's really loud! But in a good way.

[It's warm and welcoming, not...harsh, caustic. Not something that makes it sound like you've done something wrong. Frisk looks up at Angela and blinks a few times, wondering again (though more vaguely this time) why she's asking after Frisk's well-being.]

Um...yeah. I can swim it.

[cadeuces]

It could shake windows loose if he isn't careful! It makes everyone around him smile.

[ Why, because she's a doctor, of course; that was the very basest of reasons. It was her job to care about others. When they were little ones even moreso— and that they're stuck here, together, shipmates with the same fate, they already had so much in common.

There are very few reasons anyone would refuse to help one another in such circumstances, and Frisk has done nothing malicious to Angela or those she cares about. Of course she's asking. ]

All right, well we're almost there so there isn't much further to go. I'll be right beside you.

reaper

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Clearly not. Almost everyone, then, and to no repercussions. No one's been sick, or injured, or suffered any other ill effects. No one has gone missing.

[ KILLER DRESSES AREN'T A THREAT OMG... Calm down. She does want answers though, eventually, to one day figure him out. See what went wrong and where. ]

I imagine the crew of the Moira has paid our way here; offered some sort of goods or services in exchange for their hospitality. No one is that nice for no reason.

[ Ever the optimist, Angela. ]

[tinkerhell]

Unless they want something.

[Which brings him back to point A. But he isn't really interested in arguing. More importantly, he can't get at any of the Overwatch agents if they're up there and he's down on the forest floor.

And with that in mind, its time to stop treating Angela like she doesn't know what's going on.]

Where's ol' omnic eyes hiding?

[cadeuces]

Hence the trade, I would hope.

[ No Gabriel, this is a "conversation". Not an argument. And she has no problems walking easily at his side, hands empty and clasped before her as she looks around them, ever on the lookout for new plants to study. She's about run through everything in the vicinity— but who knows where this walk would take them. ]

"Omnic eyes"? Are you referring to 76?

[ Reaper should already know he won't get an answer out of her on his whereabouts— especially not when she's camping with him and Ahab. ]