It's been three centicycles since the threat appeared. Ten user-days hunting and searching, guarding his allies and rushing to their side. And a little less than that since Texas reached out to coordinate. Calling on security, or whoever would stand in. Strategizing—successfully—for how to trap a threat they couldn't kill.
Rinzler's role was in pursuit. Targeting the threat where it surfaced, and driving it in the direction required for containment in the end. The specific mechanisms of their box are an [unknown], and with the danger fully quarantined, he doesn't have a purpose here. Still, he lingers as the other combatants disperse, helmet turned toward the container.
And a little less directly, on the user taking charge of it.
Tex is gathering the box from those who constructed it, offering thank-yous as appropriate, and preparing to stash the box away. She doesn't really know what can be done with it other than that—she doesn't relish having a box with a malicious entity in it stored in her room, but destroying it isn't an option. Not when they don't know of any way to destroy the spirit or whatever it is inside. She doesn't want to release it again by trying to kill it.
When she realizes Rinzler is waiting to speak to her, helmet tilted in that familiar questioning manner, she pauses, then approaches him. They might have their differences, but she can still read his body language. She thinks, anyway.
"You asking what I'm going to do with it?" she says. "Because—" She glances to see if they're being eavesdropped on. They aren't. "—I honestly don't know."
Tex can still read his body language. Rinzler had been waiting—and watching, and trying to calculate how (or if) he should approach. Differences was an understatement, especially of late, and Tex will see the tension settle through hunched shoulders as she approaches. It doesn't recede at her pronouncement, but Rinzler does offer a slightly stilted nod.
"Mm," she mutters, immediately assessing the advice and rejecting it. "No; someone might find it and open it." She looks at it for a moment. "I can't even bury it in the Greenery or anything like that. It needs to be held by someone who knows what it is and that it can't be opened."
She has noticed Rinzler's body language is still tense. She looks back at him. "I wouldn't even feel right launching it into space." Even though the odds of it being found there are exceedingly slim.
The tension certainly isn't receding at that response. Rinzler's had this argument more than once before with users assuming administrative roles. Texas might not have charge of this whole system, and Rinzler might not be self-assigned to keep it safe. But he still doesn't want another Ploiatos.
The enforcer's mask shakes slightly. "Avagi system prone to random imports, exports."
Sound rattles out in the gap, voice lagging as he works to formalize the string. Keep it direct. Clear. It's harder than it used to be.
"No guarantee that functions guarding quarantine won't leave. Or that new imports won't open it.
"Yeah," she says, coming to a point of agreement. She looks at the box again. "If it meant a space launch. Not ejecting it onto the planet."
She looks at him. She's amazed he's willing to talk this much to her; she's never heard him speak this much before. He never used to speak at all, and since he started, he's mostly been aggravated with her as some kind of traitor to AI-kind, or something. She doesn't say anything about it, though, just looks back at him.
"If I knew we had a way of launching something into space, I wouldn't be too worried. Maybe the portals will open up again soon, and that place will have a way of doing it."
Considering the only planet they've found so far concluded their stay with forced edits, Rinzler has very little qualms about releasing the virus there. But the compromise is reasonable enough, and more than he'd expected given her rejection before. The enforcer's helmet ducks.
"Can search station schematics for working airlocks."
"It would still depend on having a method of launching it," she says, musing. "I'd be glad to have your help." She tilts her head a little. "If that's what you meant."
There's a slight slant of the mask. Launching sounds like an engineering problem, and while Rinzler's had some training, there are better experts in-system for that. He'd been offering to scout for access. But if it gets the job done...
Post-demon fight
Rinzler's role was in pursuit. Targeting the threat where it surfaced, and driving it in the direction required for containment in the end. The specific mechanisms of their box are an [unknown], and with the danger fully quarantined, he doesn't have a purpose here. Still, he lingers as the other combatants disperse, helmet turned toward the container.
And a little less directly, on the user taking charge of it.
no subject
When she realizes Rinzler is waiting to speak to her, helmet tilted in that familiar questioning manner, she pauses, then approaches him. They might have their differences, but she can still read his body language. She thinks, anyway.
"You asking what I'm going to do with it?" she says. "Because—" She glances to see if they're being eavesdropped on. They aren't. "—I honestly don't know."
no subject
"Recommend: export."
no subject
She has noticed Rinzler's body language is still tense. She looks back at him. "I wouldn't even feel right launching it into space." Even though the odds of it being found there are exceedingly slim.
no subject
The enforcer's mask shakes slightly. "Avagi system prone to random imports, exports."
Sound rattles out in the gap, voice lagging as he works to formalize the string. Keep it direct. Clear. It's harder than it used to be.
"No guarantee that functions guarding quarantine won't leave. Or that new imports won't open it.
"Better to remove threat."
no subject
She looks at him. She's amazed he's willing to talk this much to her; she's never heard him speak this much before. He never used to speak at all, and since he started, he's mostly been aggravated with her as some kind of traitor to AI-kind, or something. She doesn't say anything about it, though, just looks back at him.
"If I knew we had a way of launching something into space, I wouldn't be too worried. Maybe the portals will open up again soon, and that place will have a way of doing it."
no subject
"Can search station schematics for working airlocks."
In case the portals don't open.
no subject
no subject
He nods.
"Can assist."
no subject
"All right, good," she says. She turns as if to go, then turns back.
"I guess it's just because I'm part of the system as a whole, though, huh?"
Her head tilts slightly; it seems she's studying him, trying to account for why he is offering his help.
no subject
"Clarify?"