005 — video. [laptop]

[argents]

[ Today's Skype connection features the interior of a modest living room, where Haro sits in a rather handsome pile of blankets on the couch, apparently watching television. Futuristic technology, and all he's done is acquire his mother's taste in terrible crime shows. Occasionally, over Banagher's shoulder, he'll belt out an enthusiastic: Subject in custody! Custody! 10-4! Followed by a convincing recreation of a police car's siren. ]

I don't think I've ever skipped that much class by sleeping and not felt really awful about it. Trade-off for finding out you're not going to die of an echoed back disease, I guess. Or be at risk to give it to anybody else, so... I'm just glad everyone else is going to be okay after all.

[ Despite being blunt about it, he's relieved. Really relieved. Slept his face off for like two days relieved. ]

Anyway, this appeared here when I went to Tuning Towers the first time.

[ Reaching over, Banagher picks up a white and gray helmet of some kind. When he slips it on, it sounds sturdy, but lightweight. He rights himself in the webcam's view and reaches up, hitting a concealed button on the right side. A red visor seamlessly hisses closed over his face. He hits it again, and it rises back up. ]

All the robot pilots in comic books and cartoons have pilot suits, right? I guess this might have been part of mine. Same colors and everything. There's some kind of symbol on it — here, let me switch. Does anyone recognize this?


[ He's written his number on a sheet of graph paper to post it to the network. ]

It's a long shot, I know, but if I really am remembering some kind of Earth from the future, a company that's made it all the way out into space might have gotten an early start, somewhere. [ Idly, he hits the visor button again. Yes he's still wearing it. ] Not much seems that impossible anymore.

Comments

[argents]

Does he work with stuff like this? [ ... ] Well, not like this obviously, but technology. Even if it can't potentially store a giant robot, I could still probably use all the help I can get.

[ Which is about as far as his 'contingency' plan has gotten.

HELP. ]

Someone suggested kickstarter, but that's so obvious. Who knows what kinds of people are watching out for what we do?

[ What if the NSA are actually Gardeners ]

[ex_elude798]

Yeah, he deals in tech. Always figured the first man-operated robots would be made by him, honestly.

[If only Tony didn't just drop/head off on business. Not while this thread is going on of course, but they'll have to make do]

Isn't that website for creative crap anyway?

[And after a moment]

We'll have to locate something viable. Military facilities would be a no-go, they'd go crazy, but there has to be somewhere that'd work.

[argents]

I always figured it wouldn't be in my lifetime. Looks like I just had the wrong one all along.

[ Alas, what they don't know won't hurt them. ]

And if this won't involve having to get creative, I don't know what will...

[ Banagher finally puts his pencil down since he's stopped drawing while thinking aloud and leans back in his chair. ]

The worst we can do is ask around. See if there's anyone outside city limits, maybe.

[ex_elude798]

I hear people forget, once they leave the city.

[Which still sounds like some weird work of fiction, but he can't really argue against it at this point]

If it's true, we wouldn't have a damn clue what we were after. But if companies can hide crap under buildings, I don't see why any of us can't find a place. Just going to take some effort.

[argents]

It's actually pretty far out. The point where we forget things, but there's always flyovers to think about too.

[ You know what they say about truth and fiction. ]

Anyway, considering the deal with the towers, who knows just how much of the underground is being used up. You still want to try going that way, knowing that?

[ex_elude798]

If I were to find nothing, some empty space, I could use it. If I were to find a space being occupied, I might get some useful information.

[And boy are they hurting for useful information]

Either outcome is a productive one, as far as I'm concerned.

[argents]

[ Humming thoughtfully, he still doesn't look totally convinced. Mostly because there was the 'finding a space occupied and never seeing the light of day again' option to consider, too. ]

Whatever we end up deciding, we have to be careful either way. A contingency plan isn't going to mean much of anything if we screw up somewhere, knowing so little about what we're up against.

[ex_elude798]

[Arrogance is a beautiful thing. Suzaku will never consider it possible that he can't fight his way out of something]

True enough. The lack of overall information is annoying though, so at least it'd be doing something.

[argents]

[ And he's seen one too many scenarios like that go up in smoke. ]

All in, huh.

[ex_elude798]

[Not him yet. At least there's a balance, somewhat]

I'd deal with everything alone if no one else would. The situation's not fixing itself.

[argents]

Don't jump to conclusions, it's not like any of us are going to do better alone! I was surprised enough to just find someone else who was in a similar situation. That alone was enough to want to figure something out.

[ You know, for the inevitable raining robots. ]

[ex_elude798]

It's not acceptable for me to do no more than compare notes.

Even if it's good to know I might not be delusional.

[That or they both are, but he's assuming that's highly unlikely]

[argents]

I don't think anybody considers it 'acceptable'. We've just already run a lot of risks in the past for what seemed like no reason, so...

[ Knowledge came at a price, sure, but when there a price paid already and nothing to show for it, that's what gets him. ]

At least I think we're all past the point of being delusional. The physical stuff made me sure of it.

[ex_elude798]

Sometimes, I still wonder.

[Because it still seems insane to him. It feels real, sure, but if they're all crazy somehow it totally would feel real.

Nothing he can do for that though]

Even if past efforts failed, even if my future efforts yield nothing, I'll still try.