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

[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.]

[bittersweeter]

[ impatient, lila shrieks: ] What the fuck is happening?

[goodbyecaroline]

Then I'll go and find the other one. I'm sure they're having a very touching reunion right now.

Or a very lethal one.

[andblockbuster]

[that gets Topher to swallow hard and move towards Lila cautiously- whether it's because he doesn't want GLaDOS to pay attention to him or because Lila is scary is up in the air.] Crazy robo-lady has a point. Lila, maybe you should go find Zero. What's going on with those two- that's totally more your wheelhouse. This is mine. [he glances back at Faye.] I think I can figure this out.

[and by figure this out, he means hope that virus gives him an in or something.]

[reallywicked]

[Faye isn't sure that she necessarily wants to sacrifice Zero to save her own life. It's unfortunate that she has a moral compass now. Things were so much easier before that happened...

So she releases a bit of her hold on her control over her mind and body, hoping to do it in such a way that it will seem like she's getting weaker- and not like some purposeful action (bluff 31).]

[bittersweeter]

[ it's okay, faye, lila isn't going anywhere just yet because, as she irritably points out, gesturing to the generated blackness around them: ] Yeah, I'll go right through the zero fucking doors in here.

[goodbyecaroline]

I actually think you should get to see this. Never say I didn't do anything for you.

[ and just like that, a series of steps ascends out of the floor, inky black, but edged in glowing green. up they go towards the ceiling, out of sight... ]

[bittersweeter]

[ lila looks between the stairs and faye before her eyes land on topher. ]

If you don't fix this, you will not be coming out of this alive. [ she pauses for a moment, letting the absolute truth of that statement sink in (intimidate 53) ] Hold on, Faye. [ and then she turns and races for the stairs. (dex 20 total) ]

[andblockbuster]

[Topher is apparently now officially immune to Lila's threats or he's conjuring all the frustration he's ever felt at Adelle De Witt AND THIS SITUATION, because as she turns to go, he yells back with all the muster of a nat 20 will save] That's cute! 'Cause if we survive this, that'll be in my report... You freakin' psychopath.

[he cracks his knuckles and steps closer to GLaDOS and Faye, some of that confidence falling away, because a man can only stand up to so much scary shit in one day.] You're having some trouble, right? Little bit, maybe? This could've gone a lot smoother... [(Diplomacy 21- HE IS TRYING OKAY)]

[pathology]

[astrid decides to stay with topher because he's a baby bird who needs moral support.]

Like, if you don't fix it, we'll probably all die. I mean, we could probably all die anyway ... it's not great, is what I'm saying.

[goodbyecaroline]

[ sorry faye, but just to be extra fucking ominous, this time the words come out half from all around them, and then the second half OUT OF YOUR OWN MOUTH this is fine ] Fixing it implies that something is broken. All I've done is find a way to improve your friend.

By replacing her. From the inside out.