london ♔ stand across the wire

[spellfile]

Technologic [fool remix] - Daftpunk

WHO ||  Lila, Astrid, Faye, Topher, Zero, One, GLaDOS
WHAT || Lila and Zero go to confront the technomage One, with a little help from their friends...
WHERE || Downtown London, CalTech building
WHEN || Late March, 2015 [backdated]
HOW || Actionspam

It's been a couple of months since the hacker who goes by the moniker "One" assisted in the attack on the Knights' castle, with the inside assistance of the Artificial Intelligence-turned-human GLaDOS.  Zero has good reason to believe, however, that One hasn't left - that he's waiting for him to come face him, and that the stage he's set for the showdown is the CalTech building in the city, whose employees are off for the week.  Realizing it's likely a trap, Zero's stacked his chips on setting a counter-trap - uploading a virus designed by himself and Topher Brink into the now-cyborg Faye Chamberlain's brain, assuming that he is going to try to hack into her and turn her against them.  

They arrive at the building as the sun is going down, staring up at the building that has a light show of digital streams coursing down the front of it, drawing a snort from Zero.  

"Theatrical jackass."

Comments

[reallywicked]

Jesus fucking Christ. Get me out of here! [Faye shouts roughly at the same time as Lila. She's losing her chill. No chill left. None of this is okay. She will also be reaching out towards Lila when she sees her coming.]

[andblockbuster]

Oh okay, Princess Contrary, let me just find the stupid off switch or a server to blow in the middle of Robo-Bimbo's TRON hell. [and he's just gonna hunt for a power source or something of that nature he might be able to something with before he tries something a little riskier. (spot 22)]

[goodbyecaroline]

[ when lila tries to grab hold of the cage, she's instead violently shocked - 10 electricity damage, fort save dc 18 to halve. the shock reflects back inwards onto faye too, so she must make the same save.

there's absolutely nothing to play with in topher's line of sight, which is perhaps what's so unnerving about all this. and... unreal about it, the more he looks at it.

now glados' voice seems to resound within the confines of faye's cage, all around her, as a metallic robot arm comes out of the floor and attempts to grab her around the middle with a vise-like grip (improved grapple 29). ]

I might have known better than to expect listening skills from the likes of you.

Hold still and you'll be walking out of here in no time.

Well. We will.

Consider it an upgrade.

[bittersweeter]

[ lila takes the full brunt of the shock (fort save 9), gritting her teeth against the pain. ]

I spent three years in a shock collar, bitch, fuck you.

[ if it wasn't shocking faye, too, she'd just try again until she broke through, but she's not about to put faye in more danger. ]

[andblockbuster]

[oh this is not good. This is so not good. With things spiraling out of control so fast, Topher panics and throws everything he has on a gamble.]

WAIT! Faye's nervous system might be robotic, but she still has a mostly human brain and the human brain cannot take that kind of upload. It will implode and you both will die. You may be an expert on robotics, but I know brains and I know tech and I know that what you're about to do will not work. You can't just time share that body. And I'm the only person who can help you do that. It's just gonna take a little time. Just... Please. I know what I'm talking about.

[(diplomacy 20 total)]

[pathology]

[astrid decides that her task should be to back topher up bc she's not fucking around with that cage shit sorry faye]

He is an amazing neurologist. That's my professional opinion. As a doctor.

[diplomacy ... 15. she really just wanted to remind everyone that she's a doctor. quelle suprise.]

[reallywicked]

[Faye also takes the full shock damage because she's too busy reaching for Lila to bother trying to duck out of the way. The jolt sends her stumbling back, right into the robotic arm that's coming out to grab her. She tries to wrestle herself away, but can't manage it (opposed grapple 25. she tried.)

She's not sure if she should try to help them convince glados to let her go. Isn't there a virus in her brain? Wouldn't that be a good thing to infect this bitch with? Not that she wants the evil computer lady in her head, but she's a little lost on if this isn't part of the loosely developed plan or not.]

[goodbyecaroline]

Time.

How much time? I've been waiting long enough.

[andblockbuster]

It's the human brain, not a pizza. And if you've waited this long, you can probably stand a little longer for the sake of not blowing everything.

[reallywicked]

[Faye is growing more and more anxious by the way they're just... talking about using her body to house this robotic bitch. But she's trying to trust her team??? She bites down on her tongue (will 19)]

[goodbyecaroline]

You must think I'm REALLY stupid.

[andblockbuster]

No, no... I'm just spitballing here. [he shoots Faye an apologetic and almost pleading look.] And either way you really can't risk blowing your only opportunity like this.

What choice do you have?

[pathology]

We're trying to help you so you don't murder the rest of us, don't be a dumme ziege.

[bittersweeter]

[ this is fucking dumb so lila does her best to look around for a way to get faye out or to get inside the cage or to like shoot the fucking arm so faye isn't pinned down. (spot nat 20) ]

[goodbyecaroline]

[ well the arm is inside the cage, which presumably has some sort of force field around it so ... there's really nothing to shoot? the force field itself goes to the floor, and may be being produced from the floor itself, which again, has that pattern of digital streams worked across it. ]

You're trying to get your hands on my programming. I don't blame you. It's likely your best chance to stop me.

Too bad that isn't going to happen. Say goodbye, Faye.

[reallywicked]

[Panic stars to set in at those words. She struggles against the grip of the arm, trying to slip out of its grasp (escape artist 11 womp fucking womp).]

Don't you fucking touch me, you stupid robo-bitch!

[Sadly, basically all of her spells require her using her hands. So she's just going to flail against the grip of the arm. This wasn't the plan. Was it? This was supposed to be about Zero's stupid ex wanting to get into her head, not GLaDOS. Did they know this would happen? Did Zero and his new lab puppy sell her up the fucking river? Tears of panic prick at the corners of her eyes, threatening to fall.]

[andblockbuster]

[Topher winces at GLaDOS's refusual. he really thought this might have worked, but on the off-chance it didn't, he's still banking on the virus. he just really didn't want to take a risk that big on anyone's safety.

But if he tries to say anything, he'll really tip off GLaDOS so he has to stand there looking pained.]

[bittersweeter]

If you think I won't rip you out of her, you are dead fucking wrong. [ it doesn't even make sense but does it fucking matter???? ]

[goodbyecaroline]

I'd love to see you try.

Commencing transfer.

[ the arm that has faye locked in place turns her upright, and a terrifying strip emerges from the ground, snake-like... that locks right against her spinal cord, piercing needles breaking the skin. make a fort save faye... ]

[reallywicked]

[Faye yelps as the needles pierce through her skin. She's never been more terrified. Or helpless. (fort 20 total).]

[goodbyecaroline]

[ worst of all, she feels an unsettling presence growing inside of her - as if she's almost being forced out... while she stays conscious, she also must make a will save to maintain active control of herself in any way ]

Screaming has only been shown to speed up the process.

[reallywicked]

[It makes her want to claw at her own skin, to yank the presence out forcibly. She grits her teeth and fights back against its control with every ounce of stubbornness she has (will 27).]

I'm going to melt you down and sell you for scrap, you electro-cunt.

[andblockbuster]

[DEAR GOD LET HER GET WALLOPED BY THE VIRUS. PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS GOOD AND SCIENCEY, LET GLADOS CONTRACT ROBOT HIV.

says Topher's panic response as he digs his nails into the palms of his hands and grits his teeth, utterly devastated by his own impotency in this matter. STUPID HIM FOR NOT BEING A CHARISMATIC HERO.]

[goodbyecaroline]

[ faye's will of steel keeps her from losing control but it takes all her concentration - she can feel glados fighting her every second, and the robotic consciousness does not grow tired moment to moment.

Her voice resounds only in faye's head now: ]

I have some good news for you. Your limited brain won't be able to maintain the strain of supporting us both for long. Let's just say it's not roomy in here enough for both of us.

[reallywicked]

[As much as she doesn't plan on giving up, doesn't want to give an inch of control to glados, the words that echo in her mind send a small shiver down her spine.

She's afraid. Very afraid. Fearing death is one thing. This would be her body continuing on without her, used against her will. Somehow that seems so much worse.

She has no idea how this virus works, how long it would take to gain hold. So she can only try to hold on to her sense of self, to fight with tooth and nail to keep control of her body and mind.]