[ closed ] * Agent Washington is now known as Agent Bad Decisions.

[hardwearing]

Who: Wash, Alphys, Name, RvB cast, Kyna, Lance, Julie, Margaery, Lup (+ more???)
What: Science experiments... Wash asks Name to do him a little favor and everyone gets angry. (More details under the cut.)
Where: the labs, Bluehaus, various people's apartments...... all over, really.
When: backdated to 7/15 or so?
Warnings: Spoilers: everything goes fine and everyone involved is safe but his friends are gonna be PISSED OFF, so rage and language, likely discussion of past mental trauma/torture/mind control/etc.

[ During the Null invasion, Wash found out the hard way that he was vulnerable to them in a different manner than most of the city. At least, he hadn't heard of it happening to anyone else, and this wasn't the kind of thing you advertised as being possible on the network -- the first thing the Null will check if they come back. No, he asked around quietly, he listened for gossip, and trusted it'd get back to him if someone else had been a puppet for the Null. Their personal killing machine, a toy they would have just discarded when its batteries ran down. There was precedent for it, of course -- AIs back home could do it too, take control of someone through their implant like that -- but Wash hadn't been ready for it here. Now? Now he knows. He swore to himself that when they came back he'd be prepared, and then his friends had arrived and the need increased sixfold.

They've been working on this project for awhile now. It hasn't been easy with how people come and go. Most of the volunteers Wash got initially have left the city since, but everyone provided a piece of the puzzle and maybe, finally, they're ready to be put together. Epsilon's code and Alphys' interface are both complete, and hopefully? It'll actually work. To hide the implant's signature entirely, or at least provide some protection to the hacking. He's heading to the labs now to have Alphys install it, but that's not enough.

He needs to test it, before sticking it into everyone else's heads. Before they start running around in armor during an attack thinking they're protected. And he has a way to do that. Name.

When he first signed on to help the little lost robot, he hadn't actually trusted it. It had been a strategic decision more than anything. But now it's been months they've spent in its company, and it hasn't hurt anyone. Hasn't sent a signal home. Seems to be developing a sense of self, and even wants to actively help them now rather than just being lonely and scared. Wash's paranoia whispers to him that it could be a long con, but... it's very convincing. He feels like it's safe enough to ask Name if it can get in. If it can't, great. They're still not completely in the clear, since the Null adapt to every obstacle put in front of them, but at least it'll prevent them from immediately becoming the puppet space marine death squad. If it can... well, a tiny dragon with a taser isn't the best safety net but it should work to get Name back out of his head. Worst case scenario it gets in and does try to control him, but a zap will get it out and then they'd know it's not trustworthy after all.

Wash heads to the labs out of armor just in case, nervous but oddly hopeful. He's not usually an optimistic person, but this has gotta work, right? It needs to work. There's too much at risk for it not to. He isn't even thinking about how it's going to backfire on him, but he hasn't told anyone what he's doing. Playing the guinea pig to keep them all safe, because if he said anything he'd be revealing he knows where Name is and they'd all line up to play tribute. They'd try to stop him but it needs to be done and he won't risk them. He's been through this already, after all. He can hack it.

Right? ]

(( ooc: I'm up for fallout threads with anyone interested, hmu @ cuddlebug for a closed starter. Please note again that nobody is getting hurt and Name's safety isn't going to be compromised, but if you want your character to have found out we can work you in. ))

Comments

Alphys

[hardwearing]

[ Wash knocks softly on the door to Alphys' lab before letting himself in -- hopefully that's enough warning for her to be aware he's here without being so loud as to startle her. She knew he was heading over but it's kind of a delicate balance with her that he's not sure he ever quite gets right. No matter how hard he tries to seem harmless she's always anxious anyway, and that may just be the way of things. She's still a genius doing him a huge favor. ]

Alphys? I've got the final code.

[sciencelizard]

[It's really not you, Wash. It's her. It's all her.

It's not really helped by the fact of what she's asked him to do here, but that can't really be changed at this point. She made a call and lied a lie and it's just going to have to suffice, because he's Here and there's no going back. But she snaps out of it when he arrives, giving him a little wave from across the lab.]

Oh! Oh, t-that's-- that's great! So, uh, are you all ready?

[At least this is the part she's more familiar with, with less room for uncertainty.]

[hardwearing]

[ There's no reason for him to think, or really even to know, that Alphys lied. Maybe if she wasn't just nervous by default something would have tipped him off, but until now everything she said she could do? She had. He gives her a nod, pulling a small drive out of his pocket. ]

Yeah. This part's no big deal. I just need you to stick it in my head, and if it's compatible then we can head over to the safehouse. It should be, Epsilon used to live in our implants.

Name

[hardwearing]

[ Well, at least the installation was painless. In fact, since he didn't bring his armor with him for safety reasons, Wash isn't even certain the firewall is in there. He didn't feel a thing and is just trusting that Alphys' interface is telling them the truth, because it can access his other programs. He's also trusting the little dragon with something else, something he really shouldn't... his in-case-of-emergency plan. So when Wash heads into Name's safehouse Alphys is trailing behind him, looking even more nervous than usual. For his part, Wash mostly looks determined, and his voice is steady enough as he sinks to sit cross legged on the floor to be on Name's level. ]

Hey, Name. How are you feeling?

[01101110]

[The ability for Name to speak in real words and phrases is more of a recent development, and it's probably one of the creepiest too. The sounds it makes are like static, abstract noises that sort of shuffle together to become intelligible words more than it's any kind of voice.]

A little apprehensive. You don't usually approach me like this.

[Name is nothing if not generally fairly honest. The small robot is still roughly the size of a small dog, the main 'body' of it cylindrical with a fair number of spidery legs coming off of it. There's no visible head, but a speaker and small camera are built into the curved side of the robot, making most of the higher functions come out of the main body, rather than either side of it.]

You're here for something new.

[hardwearing]

[ Wash nods at the response, because Name isn't wrong. He's still not entirely comfortable with the little robot, his guard mostly being on call nearby or when they're shuffling locations, in which case he obviously doesn't interact with it. If it was ever absolutely necessary for him to host he would at this point, but since he lives with four people that aren't on the protection squad he isn't in the rotation right now.

Still, he's come to believe it even if he rarely speaks to it directly. The speaker-voice is... disturbing. It reminds him a little of the AI from home but even less human, which somehow makes it worse and better at once. Maybe that just balances out? ]

You're right. I don't have the best history with robots, so it's hard for me. But I still want to protect you.

[ He looks into the camera, as if that's something like eye contact. ]

You know posting to the network again was dangerous, right? But you took a risk because you wanted to help us... so can I ask you to do something for me? I need to take a risk to help my friends, too.

Bluehaus (Carolina, Tucker, Epsilon)

[hardwearing]

[ So far, everything has gone off without a hitch. The code installed and as best they can tell, it's actually working. He's always going to be wary of... well... anyone he doesn't know extremely well, and that includes Name but. He doesn't believe it's in the little Null's best interest to lie about this. Maybe it did? Maybe it's still secretly planning for an invasion and wants them vulnerable, Wash just really doesn't think so. So he's telling his paranoia to fuck off for awhile and trusting that this team of people who know what they're doing managed it. Epsilon will be smug, he expects. Even though he's going to tell the former AI to keep working on it, because if they get invaded again the Null will inevitably adapt. Can't be too careful.

Wash shoots his roommates a text on his way home, Alphys' interface in his pocket. Time to do this. ]

Guys, meet me downstairs whenever you can. I'm installing the firewall, it works. Might need some help talking Tex and Alpha into it, too.

[uptightness]

[The only reason he's still in one piece is that Carolina's not home at the moment. She's not far away, still on the same island, but it is going to take a little bit before she actually can get back. Not as long as usual, mind, as she does have a fairly determined length to her stride and an expression on her face that says piss off to anyone who would try to get in her way.

It doesn't stop her from sending a response back.]

WTF

[It's enough, isn't it? Is he cringing yet, is he?

Because he can likely hear the stomps of her feet taking the steps to their front door two at a time, before the door thuds open. It's his name that is called, Wash!, as her eyes shift around, seeking him out. She knows that he's been working on it, that he's gotten others to help, and that he had wanted to be the one to test it, but also knows she'd put her foot down.

Clearly not hard enough.

It's the narrowing of her eyes as she stalks forward, concern etched in those green eyes as she lets a breath out.]

Seriously?

[hardwearing]

[ Yeah, that... he's definitely bracing to be yelled at with that reply, but he expected as much. When Carolina gets home he's sitting in the living room waiting for her, looking wary but still kind of pleased with himself. Because it worked.

He stands up and lifts his hands, one open innocently and the other holding the device, a cable hanging from the end of it. ]

Look. I'm sorry I didn't listen, but you just would've stopped me. And it's okay. Carolina, it's okay. It went fine, and now we know, right? Just let me install yours, then you can be as pissed as you want.

[lovernotafighter]

[A firewall? What the fuck was a firewall, other than some fence on fire or a computer thing? Tucker stared at the message, vaguely confused, wondering what the hell he was supposed to be talking Alpha and Tex into, because that? That wasn’t going to happen. They did what they wanted.

Besides, they were…um…stubborn.]

pretty sure they’ll do the opposite what I say. brt

[And he was coming down stairs a bit later, actually clothed in normal, civilian clothes. He wandered into the living room, flopping down the couch only after he was able to spot Wash. Okay. No sitting on people. The curiosity was still on his face as he cocked his head to the side. Everything seemed on the up and up.]

Okay, okay, I’m here. I’m just going to ask the obvious here: what firewall?

[hardwearing]

[ Wash is downstairs, also on the couch, texting someone and looking mildly perturbed. (It's Alpha, so this expression is unsurprising.) The interface device is on the coffee table in front of them and when Tucker flops down beside him he glances up, giving the argument he's in a break. ]

The program Epsilon wrote to keep the Null out of our heads? Alphys figured out how to get it installed, and deactivate our friend or foe indicators. So hopefully they won't even know our implants exist next time, but if they do they won't be able to hack in. At least for awhile.

[ He reaches for the device, hoping Tucker doesn't give him a hard time about this, he wants to just get it into everybody asap. ]

Turn around, it only takes a second.

[epsilol]

[ What the fuck did that even mean? Epsilon had written that code but it wasn't like it had any safe way to test whether or not it worked. There were too many variables, holes he might have missed even with all the time he poured into making sure it was a perfect as possible. How could he do any less when it was his family on the line?

And even if he wouldn't admit it... Wash was family. Which is why he's throwing a wadded up ball of paper at Wash's head. Be grateful he couldn't find anything heavier to huck at you. ]

What the hell did you do, asshole?

Non-Bluehaus (Tex, Alpha)

[hardwearing]

[ Wash's second text is slightly more formal, because things with these two are pretty... uncomfortable? Is that a good word? It's what he's going with, at least. He's also prepared for neither of them to respond, and to have to go hunt them down or have someone else try messaging instead. If the others aren't too pissed at him to agree, that is. This is important, though, he's determined to get it done. ]

I have a solution to a problem you might not have known about, that it's in everyone's best interest you come and get. I'll be at the house all day.

[ Paranoid and cryptic? Wash? Never. ]

Because obviously he's going to point it out. XD

[originalcopy]

Wow Wash, paranoid AND cryptic. I'll pass.

[a_shadow]

Well, when you put it that way, how can I resist?

You want just me?

Kyna

[hardwearing]

[ So everyone's reactions so far have been.... terrible, like dramatically worse than he anticipated, and Wash is now truly dreading the next conversation that needs to happen. Leading with the good news hadn't gotten him much of a leg up with the others, and they brought up points that have made him feel like he was seriously wrong about how he went about this.

It's too late, it's done. But what originally felt like a tiny victory is now just him facing the music, one person at a time. He sure hadn't meant for it to look how it apparently does, like he didn't trust them or thought his judgment was better, just... ugh. This is going to suck.

He shoots Kyna a text that he's coming by and then just goes over to her spire, because this is a conversation that needs to happen in person. It's pretty much impossible to wipe all the guilt from his expression, but he tries not to look terrified when he knocks on her door. At least he's visibly himself and in one piece, right? ]

[evocation]

[Kyna can tell something is wrong the second she opens the door, and her expression shifts to concerned instantly. She reaches for his hands, trying to tug him inside.]

What happened? Are you okay?

Lance

[hardwearing]

[ Okay. Wash knows when he fucked up, and in this instance he really fucked up. He's pretty sure his team will chill out. They've stood by him through something similar before, and he's done far worse and been forgiven... the house will be very tense for awhile is all. But Kyna? Has officially scared the crap out of him. She didn't throw his dog tags back at him or tell him to clear out his drawer or anything, but she's not answering him at all at this point and Wash is overwhelmed by the need to FIX IT and doesn't know how.

He's desperate enough for advice that he just goes straight over to Lance's, worried that if he texts and Kyna's already told him he'll just not answer either and Wash knows he seriously needs help. So... hi, Lance. Have a really miserable looking super soldier knocking on your door. If the other man isn't there he's just going to sit down and wait because... well. He's got nowhere else to go at this point, so why not? ]

[lifetothefullest]

[Lance is not expecting someone to be camped outside his door when he returns from wandering around, but when he recognizes who it is it makes a little more sense. He's still not sure exactly why Washington would be here or all places, but he at least has a guess of why he looks so... Unhappy with life.]

Are you okay?

[He asks even though he knows what the answer probably is, unlocking his door and gesturing for Washington to follow him inside. Might as well talk in there, not the hallway.]

Julie

[hardwearing]

[ Now that literally all of his closest loved ones are pissed off, Wash could really use a friendly face. He still has to go back to Bluehaus at the end of the day, but... a break from all the anger would be nice. And he does have other friends. Who maybe won't dig at why he's so upset and then become pissed off by the explanation as well? He's hoping. He has a shitty poker face, but if Julie asks and he says he doesn't want to talk about it, he doesn't think she'll push. So he gives her a call about meeting for those skateboarding lessons they discussed.

The best spot for a beginner is probably the colosseum, with its relatively flat ground, but he wouldn't mind getting off west island for a bit anyway. So he rows his way up to the north to meet her, skateboard tucked under his arm as he approaches Julie, who's waiting for him on the dry portion of the beach.

He looks even more tired than usual, his smile for her genuine but a little strained. ]

Hey. Wanna just walk around til we find somewhere flat? I haven't spent that much time on this island.

[redwinekindofgirl]

[She can see the second she gets close enough to make out his face that there's something wrong. Something... more than what's usually wrong with Wash, anyway. They have a certain shared understanding in things not being okay on a general level, and her own levels of 'not okay' have been somewhat higher than usually as well.

It's part of why she agreed to this. A fun activity with a good friend that she feels safe being around? How could she say no?]

Uhhh, sure, yeah, I can think of somewhere. Near the spires is best.

[She tips her head for him to follow, waiting for him to fall into step beside her before she starts heading to where she thinks might be the best place to go. As they walk, she loops her arm loosely through his.]

Soooooo... what's going on?

Margaery

[hardwearing]

[ Guess what? It's day four of this disaster and everybody's still pissed as fuck. His girlfriend isn't speaking to him and Bluehaus is giving him the cold shoulder, and he's thoroughly embarrassed himself with Julie already. She didn't judge, but he'd like to pull his shit together a little bit before seeing her again. So it's down his 'favorite people' list in an effort to get out of the house and away from all the anger and hurt at least during the day... Margaery is next up. In this case he doesn't bother messaging first, he might as well swing by the sewing shop and see if she's there. He can't expect her to entertain him all day anyway, so worst case it'll kill a little time and get him an extra workout rowing to north island.

The door's open, though, and Wash slips inside and peers around for a moment before spotting Margaery off to the side, draping fabric over a dress form. He smiles faintly despite his abysmal mood, heading over to her. ]

I realized this morning I never properly thanked you for those dresses.

[roseofthetyrells]

[she looks up and gives a warm smile when she sees Washington. he's always a welcome presence. though, she can't help but notice that he seems a little. . . off. she'll not broach the subject just now, but you can bet that she will later once they've gotten through pleasantries and getting caught up]

There's no need. I was happy to make them for Eleven. She's such a dear, though I get the feeling that someone has used her poorly in the past.

Lup

[hardwearing]

[ It's been a week at this point and well... Wash has certainly learned his lesson here. He really fucked up with everyone. It'll take awhile for things to settle, especially with Kyna and Tucker, but at least the former is speaking to him again and the latter let him install the firewall even if he's still incredibly pissed off. The last holdout is actually Alpha, who is demanding a bribe. Wash is reluctant to give it to him, it feels like rewarding asshole behavior, but... this is important enough he's just going to cave this once, and maybe reward everyone else for putting up with him in the process.

Thing is, the demand is for pizza, which Wash has absolutely no resources to be able to make. There just isn't perishable dairy in Hadriel, not that such a detail matters to Alpha. He doesn't want to make a deal with the gods so the only person Wash can think of who might be able to come up with something, be it magically conjured cheese or just a decent substitute, is Lup.

It'll probably involve telling her what he did, and she's gonna flip her lid when she realizes he hurt Kyna, but.... it's better coming from him, right? Maybe she won't set him on fire for it? Fingers crossed. She gets a text that afternoon. ]

Hey Lup, I've got a weird question for you. Food related, again.

[ Since she helped a ton with their anniversary dinner. Apparently this is their thing now. ]

[restinglichface]

[This is their thing now.]

shoot

[Lup is still, thankfully, blissfully unaware of the situation at hand, how much of a mess Wash had made with Kyna or her answer might have been very different.]