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hexaflexagons2020-07-21 02:33 pm
howkickassiam) wrote in hexaflexagons2020-07-21 02:33 pm
Entry tags:
- agent york,
- au,
- delta ai,
- psl
Today is the day. York had been assigned a new partner for missions, a partner who would be connected via his neural lace, someone who was supposed to be able to help him see for missions. Today they are going to meet.
York's not nervous. Not per se. But this is going to be an interesting change. The fact is that Freelancers in general are pretty independent-minded, and having a partner who will be so involved in everything York is doing in the field will be strange.
The Counselor facilitated the meeting. York has no idea where this partner had come from, whether he was going to be someone who had gotten into trouble the same way York had done or what, but he was determined to be open-minded about the whole thing.
"Hey, guy," he said once the Counselor had left the room for them to get acquainted.
York's not nervous. Not per se. But this is going to be an interesting change. The fact is that Freelancers in general are pretty independent-minded, and having a partner who will be so involved in everything York is doing in the field will be strange.
The Counselor facilitated the meeting. York has no idea where this partner had come from, whether he was going to be someone who had gotten into trouble the same way York had done or what, but he was determined to be open-minded about the whole thing.
"Hey, guy," he said once the Counselor had left the room for them to get acquainted.
He had been prepped for this for a long time. Gone through testing and more testing, and tweaking and STILL more testing. Had been told that there was a point to this, that without this project, the war might end, and not in favor of humanity.
That said, he still didn't like that this meeting was happening. Everyone on the ship, everyone in the 'AI' branch of the program, knew well the mythos that was building up around the 'States' half of the Freelancer project. No one on his side even knew if any of this was going to work, not with real field agents.
Why they had selected Delta go to first into this project, why they had chosen him to meet his agent in person first, none of that he knew. So he'd stayed silent as the Counselor had gone over some of the initial introductions, eyes forward, posture stiff, trying to hide how nervous he was. A nervousness that only ramped up when the door closed with the Counselor on the other side of it.
"Hello to you as well, Agent York," Delta spoke, finally turning his head to regard the other.
That said, he still didn't like that this meeting was happening. Everyone on the ship, everyone in the 'AI' branch of the program, knew well the mythos that was building up around the 'States' half of the Freelancer project. No one on his side even knew if any of this was going to work, not with real field agents.
Why they had selected Delta go to first into this project, why they had chosen him to meet his agent in person first, none of that he knew. So he'd stayed silent as the Counselor had gone over some of the initial introductions, eyes forward, posture stiff, trying to hide how nervous he was. A nervousness that only ramped up when the door closed with the Counselor on the other side of it.
"Hello to you as well, Agent York," Delta spoke, finally turning his head to regard the other.
Delta's nervousness comes across very starkly and York doesn't want to make things worse by cracking a joke or anything. Which is how he'd normally try to quell doubts. Something about this situation tells him that's not what's needed here.
"Hey now," York said, soothingly as he knows how. "I don't know what all you know about me but I can tell you, I'm not going to bite."
"Hey now," York said, soothingly as he knows how. "I don't know what all you know about me but I can tell you, I'm not going to bite."
"The Greek Agents are not kept very appraised of the personalities or behaviors of the State Agents. What we know amounts to what rumors make it to our half of the ship through the intermediaries of the crew," Delta admits. And the soothing tone does earn a raised eyebrow and a refusal to submit to annoyance. He doesn't want to be treated like he understands nothing and no one, thank you. He is not a timid animal. Just... The States are legends on the ship, and the Greeks are so far under the radar of most people present.
Add in that the other Greeks are going to expect Delta to report back and gossip, which wasn't much in his nature, and you had plenty of stress over.
Add in that the other Greeks are going to expect Delta to report back and gossip, which wasn't much in his nature, and you had plenty of stress over.
York shrugged.
"Well, we're all different people. I don't think you can say us State agents are a certain 'way'. Other than being picked for certain traits for the Project, like being ambitious and efficient and stuff."
An addition which negates what he said before, of course.
"Anyway, you know what I mean. Like, are the Greek agents a 'way' that you can describe?"
"Well, we're all different people. I don't think you can say us State agents are a certain 'way'. Other than being picked for certain traits for the Project, like being ambitious and efficient and stuff."
An addition which negates what he said before, of course.
"Anyway, you know what I mean. Like, are the Greek agents a 'way' that you can describe?"
Edited 2020-07-21 20:03 (UTC)
"We are each of us... unique. But very skilled with technology," Delta says after a long moment of thought. "I am afraid I cannot speak of them much. I am not allowed to. Assignments are pending."
"Is that so?" York looks at him for a moment, then shrugs. "Well, I've never been told I can't tell you about the State agents, so ask away. Got any juicy gossip you've been hearing?"
Gossip? Aren't they supposed to know each other?
"I can't understand why I would wish to know them. They are not my partner. The purpose of this meeting is to get to know you, Agent York."
Delta looks so confused at this statement. Definitely uncomfortable too. He had never seen the purpose to things such as that. "I am told from my briefing that you are an infiltration expert."
"I can't understand why I would wish to know them. They are not my partner. The purpose of this meeting is to get to know you, Agent York."
Delta looks so confused at this statement. Definitely uncomfortable too. He had never seen the purpose to things such as that. "I am told from my briefing that you are an infiltration expert."
York chuckles. If Delta doesn't want to swap gossip it's fine.
"All right, all right," he says. "Yes, I'm in infiltration, but my skills have been weaker since I hurt my eye. I think that's where you're supposed to come in, from what the Counselor said."
"All right, all right," he says. "Yes, I'm in infiltration, but my skills have been weaker since I hurt my eye. I think that's where you're supposed to come in, from what the Counselor said."
Interesting. Delta reaches out, clearly intending to touch. Was that wrong? Perhaps.
"They expect me to process sufficient environmental intake to help improve this?"
"They expect me to process sufficient environmental intake to help improve this?"
York flinches a little, but then nods, gesturing at his face. Delta can touch if he wants, just not without warning.
"Apparently? I don't know how it works, just that it's supposed to help."
"Apparently? I don't know how it works, just that it's supposed to help."
"I will feed into your neural lace. Not only will I see what you see, I'll see what your armor cameras see as well. And what I see, you'll see."
So much data. Managing it was what most of his training had been.
"It's like... how your HUD in the helmet feeds you data like bullet counts. But it's also like instinct. That feeling, between your shoulder blades, when you're certain you're being watched."
So much data. Managing it was what most of his training had been.
"It's like... how your HUD in the helmet feeds you data like bullet counts. But it's also like instinct. That feeling, between your shoulder blades, when you're certain you're being watched."
"Wild," York remarks. "You definitely know more about this program than I do. Or, you know, were able to get myself to pay attention to."
York knows he's bad at that, sometimes.
"So when do we test this out? Is that the session tomorrow, I guess?"
He'd seen it on his schedule, but hadn't thought it was much than his usual training.
York knows he's bad at that, sometimes.
"So when do we test this out? Is that the session tomorrow, I guess?"
He'd seen it on his schedule, but hadn't thought it was much than his usual training.
Couldn't get himself to... Okay, Delta can't help the flicker of annoyance on his face. Training was there for a reason!
"Our end of things has had to prepare more. It would serve no one if we came to you ill-prepared for our role. One half of the team should have the large adjustments at a time. While your side trained physically, learned your armor and the modifications thereon, we learned other things. And yes, that test tomorrow is a simple scheduled one. Our calibration period will be the measure to see if progress should proceed. It will be a simple beginning, but over time there will be escalations to the process."
Tomorrow it will be seeing if Delta really can serve as York's eyes, both out of the armor and while in it. After that... Well, he really hopes York likes three on one battles where he's the one. And in time, who knows how integrated he will become into York's life. The theory was that he'd be removed from the company of the Greeks altogether.
"Our end of things has had to prepare more. It would serve no one if we came to you ill-prepared for our role. One half of the team should have the large adjustments at a time. While your side trained physically, learned your armor and the modifications thereon, we learned other things. And yes, that test tomorrow is a simple scheduled one. Our calibration period will be the measure to see if progress should proceed. It will be a simple beginning, but over time there will be escalations to the process."
Tomorrow it will be seeing if Delta really can serve as York's eyes, both out of the armor and while in it. After that... Well, he really hopes York likes three on one battles where he's the one. And in time, who knows how integrated he will become into York's life. The theory was that he'd be removed from the company of the Greeks altogether.
"All right, makes sense. Meanwhile, we ought to just hang out. You know, meals in the mess and all that?"
He figures camaraderie is as big a part of all this as anything else.
He figures camaraderie is as big a part of all this as anything else.
Meals in the...
"We have a separate mess hall," Delta admits, looking confused. "I'm not certain if we are allowed in yours."
"We have a separate mess hall," Delta admits, looking confused. "I'm not certain if we are allowed in yours."
"Sure, y'are," he says, sounding far more certain of those words than he can possibly be at this point. "Anyway, I'll make a case for it if someone tries to say you're not. We ought to get used to one another."
"I am not certain that is part of the proscribed method of becoming familiar with each other for a working relationship, Agent New York," Delta says quickly, staring at the other in something like shock. "Your working relationship with your teammates must also be maintained. While Freelancers are individuals, they are still a unit. And unit cohesion is pinnacle."
York arches an eyebrow.
"Well, I think it's important to be friends with people if you're going to work with them like a pro."
"Well, I think it's important to be friends with people if you're going to work with them like a pro."
Friends? That was not what the program had expected of them.
"If friends was the purpose, then I do not believe there would be a leader board," Delta counters flatly. It clearly just fosters competition, and not in a friendly manner.
"If friends was the purpose, then I do not believe there would be a leader board," Delta counters flatly. It clearly just fosters competition, and not in a friendly manner.
"Well, obviously being friends isn't the purpose," he says. Seriously, what is this guy's problem? "Listen, I'm just saying if we're meant to be able to sync up and think together, we'll want to know each other better. That's all."
"We should proceed according to the schedule provided us," Delta answers. That's.. .that's what the point of it is! The schedule existed for a reason.
Why did they give him such a carefree individual?
Why did they give him such a carefree individual?
"Sure," York says, abandoning the idea of the two of them hanging out at all. Who would want to hang out with such a wet blanket, anyway? "So I guess that means we're going to be on the training floor at—" He quickly checks the schedule. "—1400 hours tomorrow. See you then."
Edited 2020-07-23 03:18 (UTC)
"There is a preliminary examination at 1000. Or there is on my schedule. is the same not for you?" he asks, frowning.
York looks at his datapad again.
"Oh...oh, yeah, I see that now. Do you know what that's for?"
"Oh...oh, yeah, I see that now. Do you know what that's for?"
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