missiondeterminant | [IC Inbox

[Just going to get right to the point.]

Drake said he had a visitor today. I don't suppose lock-picking is a standard part of your software.

[Oh, so that's what this is about. There's silence a moment, before he responds simply--]

I'm a detective model.

[So really, lock-picking should be expected, even if it's not something that gets much use at home what with the electronic locks and all.]

Guess we have something in common.

[Nick might not have been programmed to be a detective, but he's picked up a thing or two along the way. He doesn't sound angry, or even disappointed -- there's a soft kind of caution in his voice, the sort that says he's aware of how this looks.]

I just wanted to make sure we're on the same page about things -- about why he's in there, and why we aren't exactly advertising it.

[Connor is carefully listening for tone, so the lack of anger or disappointment is... Surprising, a bit. He's used to getting one or both from people.

But it seems like maybe the reason for this call isn't just to be mad at him.]

He told me it was of his own volition and for the safety of others, and nothing indicated he was lying.

[So, ultimately, Connor doesn't care. He thinks this is possibly the shadiest and least effective way to do things, but he's also known to be judgemental, and what actually matters is what the situation is. If they're not holding anyone against their will, it's their business.]

Yeah. It's not an ideal solution, but it's all we've got for now.

[And boy, does he wish there was anything else he could do. He hates that feeling of helplessness, of being unable to do a damn thing for someone when they need it most.]

Just keep it to yourself is all I'm asking. Folks might be more accepting of machines like us here than in some worlds, but there are plenty who'd put him down without a second thought if they knew.

Why would I tell anyone?

[It's half flippant, half an actual question; who's he going to tell? He likes about one human here, and maybe a few other people who could be affected by this, but as long as the risk is contained he has no reason to go telling anyone anything. Even if he was interested in gossiping it's not like he actually has any close friends or anything, which is a thought that prompts some emotion he's not able to identify just yet and so he tries to just ignore it.

And, to distract himself from that and move on--]

However, if you don't want people finding out about this, you may want an actual cover story.

[The implication there being that the silent in and out from the locked storage room is a giant beacon of 'come find out what's in here' and he's genuinely amazed if he's the only person who's been suspicious.]

[Nick can think of about a dozen reasons Connor might tell someone they're keeping a man locked up in the Guard HQ, but even he knows that's past experiences talking.]

I'll work on something to tell anyone who asks, which I expect Guard members to do if they've got any concerns about me. [And that'd be past experiences talking again, so he dials it back.] As it is, we were working on short notice, and I was hoping the gods would be back by now.

[If wishes were ponies...]

[Connor can't quite tell if that first comment is a jab or not, but he decides to ignore it either way. He does want to ask if people really aren't questioning something so suspicious, and also why this problem hadn't been planned for and why somewhere in the Guard post had been chosen for the location, but he doesn't think any of that will be helpful at the moment.

So instead he's just silent several seconds, before responding to the safest part of that.]

It might be best to avoid relying on the gods for anything, even something in their own interests.

[Like returning so they can keep feeding off the people stuck here.]

[IC Inbox | Hadriel]

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