FROM: @CMDR | TO: @ALL

[byfist]

ATTN: ALL PERSONEL.

We have had recent recruits that have joined our fight. I understand you have been briefed and given training for this mission and our stay in Aranean society. As for the rest: I am your Commanding Officer, Grothia, previously of the Regency. Unfortunately, at present, I am often tied up in diplomacy meetings with the high court. But you can reach me via your BCE, or at certain times during the day in COST's supplied quarters.

Field Officer Young, who is at present wearing of her human appearance, is also present. She can be found at similar through similar means.

If you have any concerns, you may bring them to either of us.

As for your mission here. Our main concern is to secure COST's supply of Ymir, this substance is responsible for powering all forms of time travel in the Galaxy and the dimension shifting required to do so. It is the bones of the fallen God, Ymir and it seems mankind was not made to touch their Gods. Aranean's are a species genetically made to mine such a thing and no human is capable of it. That is why they are absolutely crucial and our alliance with them over the Regency, at all costs, must be assured.

At present, High Queen Thsch is our best bet of this. There is no denying the woman is cruel. A slight is enough to make her snap your limbs, one by one. But the natural Jhashcn bias to those who would eat those who suppress inclines her to us, and we need to foster that fondness.

Her daughter, on the other hand, wishes to overthrow her mother, as is their way. So far in my dealings with her, she has been far more moderate. She favours neither heavy slavery nor absolute forms of punishment. She even has an open, qualitative relationship with her brother as I have observed them. They frequently whisper together at the meetings I have attended. That may be appealing, but she will have no bar with us, as we cannot at present assure what she needs to take the throne.

That is as much as my limited position has allowed me to learn. Sadly neither Officer Young or I can move too freely due to our high profile scrutiny. Remember: if it moves, it is a spy, here. There is nothing you say, or do, that is not being reported to someone unless it is done through the BCE.

As such: COST operatives, I require a debrief of your actions, so they we may assist one another. If you have an idea, a skill, speak up, so that we can use it. This is not a usual type of battle, more's the pity, and awareness of movements is needed more than ever.

Comments

[deem]

But if it completely destabilizes, then we lose out on an essential resource... If anything, I think we'd want to make the system more stable, rather than less. Maybe we can find out which of the two's more likely to make that possible and that'd give us a better idea of how to advance.

Short of hacking them though, I'm not sure how. And I'm guessing they wouldn't be very keen on that.

[ryuji]

Do people know when you hack em?

[deem]

It's an intrusion, so most of the time, they'll know something's going on... Just not what exactly it is or who's doing it.

I wasn't ever much for staying out of sight, but it seems best in this situation.

[ryuji]

I wonder what that feels like

Can you try it on humans too?

[deem]

I wouldn't do something like that even if I could.

But I wasn't designed to hack purely organic life.

[ryuji]

Makes sense. I was just wondering if there was anything you could, like, see inside me or somethin'

Either way though... those are really valuable skills!

Hell, back home, we had a professional hacker on our team. We woulda been completely lost without her.

[He can only state this long, long after the fact. Reality, of all things, strikes him sidelong across the face when he starts to realize that he actually misses Futaba.]

[deem]

I could tell you a fair amount just from observation. Hacking's not really required to tell you some things. Your weight's pretty easy for instance, and I could probably speculate on your diet with reasonable accuracy.

That is, if those food-cubes weren't the one thing on the menu all the time. What else...laterality — which side you're inclined to favor, that sort of thing. Easy stuff. Give me time, I'll know when you'd try to surprise me, or what move you'll make in a fight. I was made for that.

Is she an android? Rey mentioned hackers too, although she said they weren't necessarily units like me.

[ryuji]

DUDE YOU KNOW MY WEIGHT?

Don't tell anyone, okay? I got a muscular image to maintain

[Jokes aside, that's kind of creepy in a way. But also inspires a weird amount of trust. If someone knows what your most likely plan of action is going to be, provided they're on your team, they can provide good backup. Pick you up when you fuck everything up royally.]

I wanna test this shit out.

It's all algorithms, right? What if I do something that's truly irrational?

And nah, Futaba is pretty human. I mean. At least has the basic requirements of bein one

[deem]

Why would I tell somebody something like that? Unless it was necessary for something logistical anyway.

[Humans are concerned about their weight, what an interesting little bit of information.

Meanwhile, androids are standard-issue, so he weighs what any Scanner does. It's never a concern unless he sinks like a rock into deep water]

But it depends on how much information I've got on you. Intuition's part of my design, so sometimes irrationality can be expected too, if I've got a basis to work with.

Something completely random will probably always be completely random though.

[ryuji]

I dunno! If it ever comes up in a conversation. Naturally, or, whatever! I'm not the rules master of the universe.

[He will consistently forget that 9S weighs a lot more than he looks like he weighs, but he's pretty sure that if Ryuji were around, he'd find... some...way... to get him out of the water.]

So the more you get to know me, the better you can predict even the crazy stuff

I mean, that's cool and all

I'll just be mysterious and aloof

And then when you least expect it...

[Yeah, right. Like he can keep his mouth shut about anything.]

[deem]

Well.

You don't really strike me as that kind of guy.

[Calling it like it is.

He's traveled extensively with aloof and mysterious]

[ryuji]

Asshole

[Don't CALL HIM OUT LIKE THIS to his face? Oh my god, 9S???]

Hey what the hell

You're already scanning me aint you

[deem]

I've got no idea what one of those has to do with anything.

But anybody can take stock of your personality, right? You're a nice guy, and I don't think you're the devious type.

[He'll call him out anytime he wants]

[ryuji]

[He has to cover his mouth from laughing, pretending to cough to hide it.]

It's a cuss word? Like... You're bein a jerk, that's what it means. Because you're full on jerk mode rn

Like I'm not literally talking about bunghole

It's a metaphoric ass that I'm alludin to here

[...

Okay, some of that may? be completely eclipsed by the fact that 9S called him a nice guy and let's be honest here, he's so attention starved that he gobbles that straight up and it gets distributed equally between his head and heart.]

Nope, no idea what you're talkin about

Never been nice a day in my life

:)

[deem]

So that's your comeback to my saying you don't have a devious bone in your body?

You're making my point then.

[He thinks he recognizes banter when he hears it. 2B always shut that sort of thing right down, but 9S is one to tease and there's no shame in it]

Besides, the day I met you, wouldn't you say what you did was a benevolent thing?

[ryuji]

There was this one time I saw a no eating sign on the subway and I ate my burger anyway. I'm a bad boy with a bad rep, you're just gonna have to accept it.

[He knows he's being facetious and proving a point paradoxically here, but it's still fun, nonetheless. He has actually done some questionable things in the past that someone, who had no idea what was really going on, would label him as a severely troubled kid. Like fist fighting a teacher.]

I can't sit around and watch people hurt or die, I guess

It's just

Yeah

You feel the same, right?

But that day, I'm glad you were there to help. You were a hero

[deem]

That sign just sounds dumb though.

[Humans need to eat, so what gives?]

If I had any say in it, none of them would've died.

But I wasn't the one who saved anybody. I can repair another unit like myself, but you're the one who knew what to do in that situation.

Pretty sure you're stuck with that hero thing instead of me.

[ryuji]

Fine, you've completely worn me down

I'll accept

But hey.

You'd make an awesome sidekick~

[deem]

Providing support's an area where I've got plenty of experience under my belt.

After all, I'm not a heavy-hitting unit like Battler models.

[ryuji]

We've got enough meatheads around here as it is

[deem]

Meatheads?

Technically aren't all animals...