exsilium | △ 02

Entry tags:

△ 02

My name is Adam Jensen, and I've been with the Detroit Police Department and its SWAT division for almost ten years. The last two, I worked as a Private Security Specialist. Earth, 2027, no major deviations.

With that out of the way, I've [ hacked through everything ] read up on past events since the transports started and noticed that the security measures around the compound, the city in general and especially the transport apartments are insufficient; and I think it's in everyone's best interest that we maintain a safe and secure environment for ourselves because I don't think the Initiative gives much of a shit. I'll try and do something about it provided they let me mess around with their precious security systems and joke of a network.

Until I sorted that out, I can at least provide you with an impromptu code I whipped up a little while ago that should make your online communications a tiny bit more secure. Feel free to use it—you just need to download and unpack it, then apply it to any transmission.

>> DOWNLOAD (icarusencrypt.exe)

[ so, using this encryption will make all your private conversations about 25% more unhackable and it will also PING YOU when someone tries to hack through it. On the downside, using it will enable Adam to stalk all the private conversations you apply it to UNNOTICED because hell, he wrote this shit and is still too nosy for his own good. ]

*

[ the following is edited in about twenty minutes later ]

addendum;

Is there someone among you who would consider themselves knowledgeable with prosthetics. Or cybernetics. Preferably both.

[ There's a video attached of a rather dark, gloomy place; but after two seconds this thing comes into view, SANS BLADE, of course. Just looking at it, it seems to be made of sleek black metal and moves absolutely naturally... if it weren't for two fingers being locked into rather unnatural positions, like they're dislocated. This'll teach Adam not to do too much weird shit with his hands when he can't be sure if any specialists are around, sigh. There's a low rasp, just two words lacking any emotion, ]

It's stuck.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I do. I'd gotten quite close to a tech expert before I left home, he gave me a few lessons.

[ It's half true, at least. He had liked that tech guy. ]

[ ... Adam really doubts he gave you lessons on anything THIS advanced, because his prostheses are really state of the art and the latest in augmentation technology, but SURE, why not. It's not like there's the potential that his arm will be rendered nonfunctional if Vanadi screws up or anything, which is the main reason why Adam doesn't want to mess with it himself.

He grunts. ]

Fine.

[ have an address, but it's privated and really fucking unhackable, you can't get more unhackable than that. it's the address of an apartment still within the city, but not really that close to the Initiative Hold or the transport apartments. ]

[ he would comment on the oddity of him not staying in the free housing, but— not now. Instead, there's only: ]

I'll be there shortly.

[ And he cuts the line to head out. ]

[ Meanwhile, Adam will sexily and shirtlessly lounge on his couch, poisoning what's left of his body and wonder what the hell he is thinking, inviting Vanadi over to his private place was probably NOT A GOOD IDEA. Not when your alternate name is Broody McBrooderson.

Oh well. ]

[ Vanadi is, for once, there quickly! In the face of a robobuddy, he's able to resist any and all distractions along the way, and in under ten minutes there's a knock at the door. He's masked again, as usual, and stands with both arms folded over his stomach and the mantle at his shoulders half closed. A more withdrawn pose than he usually adopts, but the mask doesn't give much away. ]

[ Adam has to admit, you WERE really fast this time, Vanadi. Which is odd, considering how quick you were about getting away earlier today.

Anyway, the doors opened, and Vanadi is let in. Apparently Adam didn't get bother to get fully dressed since there's really no point to it, if he wants his arms fixed he needs them on display.

So. He doesn't really say anything. He's probably gonna be stared at for a while first, considering. ]

[ Oh, he gets stared at. And not even for the reason Vanadi usually stares at people! There's a second where he doesn't move from the doorway, but then he remembers himself and steps more fully inside to shut the door after him.

One gloved hand lifts, but pauses before getting anywhere too near to him. ]

May I?

[ oh look at him, actually asking this time. ]

[ How nice of you, Vanadi. Still, Adam sort of has his own suspicions aaaaand that's why... ]

Sure. If I may, too.

[ And now he's rudely tugging that glove off his hand with his own good one.

And then the other one if the first one doesn't look like what he's expecting!! Cyborg striptease. ]

[ The loss of the first glove doesn't show anything but normal skin and sharpened nails, but Vanadi jerks away nonetheless. But— well. This is a guy with a pretty remarkably similar situation. This isn't someone he needs to keep it tucked away from, is it? So he's relaxed again by the time Adam goes for the other glove, and doesn't resist as it's pulled off.

His own metal prosthetics are silvery stainless steel, of a completely different make, and only cover his two outermost fingers. There are thick scars where flesh meets metal in his palm and over the back of his hand, and metal overtakes skin again at his wrist, vanishing up into his sleeve.

He forces a little half of a smile, staring down at his own hand. ]

My, I hadn't realized we'd be moving this quickly in our relationship.

[ Yeah yeah he's gonna ignore that comment for now. ]

Huh. As I thought.

[ His curiosity seems to be sated at this point; he's not really interested in the brand or type of Vanadi's prosthetic, or even if he has more... but he suspects so, and that mask is probably not simply a fashion statement, either.

So this is where he turns around and wanders back into the living room, just expecting Vanadi to follow. Once there, he flops back down onto the couch. ]

[ Vanadi tucks the pulled-off gloves into a pocket and follows after, hesitating just for a second on where to sit. But he doesn't want to be too far off from his object of interest, so he invites himself to a perch on the arm of the couch. Which groans a little under his impressive weight, oops. ]

An accident, I believe you implied earlier today. Is that true?

[ Well, his own prostheses--and he has four of them!--are at least light. Adam doesn't even weight 200 lbs in total, so the couch doesn't seem to have a problem with him. His good arm is reaching for his drink, the other--resting rather awkwardly on the couch right next to his lap.

The fingers are still stuck--this isn't really supposed to happen. It had, once or twice, during his six months of recovery, but after some adjustments it never happened again. And there's no LIMB clinic around, which is just great. ]

Yeah.

[ Hah, you don't get more than that without prying. ]

Ah.

[ He doesn't mind the bare minimum of an answer. Vanadi isn't very forth coming himself, after all. After a second more of study, he hops off of his perch to drop to a crouch next to Adam instead, and this time doesn't hesitate before running a finger along his forearm. They'd been over that part already.

Eventually, he adds: ] Mine was intentional, although not voluntary.

[ Sigh. Good thing he's used to people staring and touching him curiously, though he's mildly surprised that someone who has the same 'problem' does it, too. ]

Explains why you sounded really disgusted back there.

[ He's not surprised, really, and takes a swig. ]

[ Even having been in another world, with access to all sorts of worlds, Vanadi still hasn't seen anyone else with metallic replacements like he has. So he's not giving up too easily on this study, working his way down to the fingers to lightly trace those, as well. ]

I'm sorry, that was— rude, I suppose. [ His hand flattens over Adam's, and the soft noise metal makes as it hits metal is weirdly familiar. ] What happened?

[ He didn't really mind. He's used to people suddenly cutting off conversations and looking at him like he's some kind of freak.

Also, he's just gonna assume here you are examining his hand, and not just touching it for the sake of touching. Adam isn't feeling much of it it, anyway: just registers pressure.

How did it happen. Is that really important? ]

I was attacked, crashed through thick glass and impaled myself on a console, then shot in the head.

[ Yeah that about sums it up. He manages to sound pretty casual, too. ]

I'm sorry.

[ More definitive this time, not just a flowery apology. Sorry he'd suffered, sorry he'd changed. His hand lifts, to carefully trace one of those odd ports in his chest, and from there to the metal at his neck. He can only guess at the uses of things like that — he's no mechanic, he barely knows what his own parts do. ]

I'm afraid I won't actually be of much use. That was just a small lie, for the sake of getting a closer look.

...

[ Oh wow Vanadi did you just give Adam two good reasons to punch you square in the face? Or rather, punch that nose beak of yours. Yeah, I think you did.

So Adam turns his head and scowls at Vanadi touching him, this is going a little far and then when the confession of sort comes, it just happens.

Right in the face. And off the couch. ]

[ Wow, Adam. Vanadi thought they were having a moment. But apparently not, because suddenly he's a few feet back and landed on his butt on the floor, with his head ringing and a stinging pain in his lip. Oh, he's bitten it. That's nice. He lifts a hand to his lip, finds the tip of his fingers bloody— and then notices that the few down the nose of the mask isn't quite looking the way it ought to.

He sweeps it off abruptly, with just a muted click of metal, and stares at the pitifully bent nose of it. ]

Adam! [ Long ears, suddenly freed from the mask, sink in sharp disapproval as he scowls. ] A little warning would be appreciated!

Oh, excuse me. I wasn't aware you usually give a heads-up before doing this sort of thing. In my world you definitely don't.

[ IS HE SORRY? Nope, and he remains sitting right where he is; staring at Vanadi and certain that the guy definitely had that coming. Of course this had been a bad idea.

On the other hand, he found out that Vanadi has a metal prosthetic himself AND he got to see his face.

And he just instinctively activates his CASIE to collect all the data before you put it on again, why thank you. Exasperated sigh. ]

[ The hand holding the mask sinks to the floor, while the other rubs his jaw. He can't put that back on again. Wearing a bent mask is even worse than going without one. He lets a slow breath out and ducks his head, one hand sweeping through his silvered hair.

He's not used to being angry. It feels foreign.

In a few seconds he looks up again, a little plaintive. ]

What did I do to deserve that?

[ Well, aside from the fact that Vanadi was badtouching Adam... this is something he can tolerate though, some people are just curious and touchy-feely, he can't really blame them. ]

You lied. If you simply wanted to take a look, you could have asked.

[ And Adam really treasures his own privacy! But now he's given Vanadi his address, assuming he could fix stuff now and then maybe again in the future but, now the chances are pretty good he's just going to be annoying most of the time.

Adam stands, and picks up that dumb mask, carrying it over to his work table--

He's going to fix it for you, you stupid ass idiot. ]

And you just punch anyone who lies, do you! Everyone lies. —What are you doing?

[ There'd been a quick little flare of anger with that, but it dissolves almost immediately into an urgent concern. Hey, man, that's his mask. He pushes himself immediately to his feet, following closely after Adam. ]

Really, I think you've done enough to it as is—

Yes, I know.

[ And wouldn't you know it, he's really damn tired of everyone lying to him and jerking him around. Also, a good punch to the face never hurt anyone before. Too much, that is.

Though it's very interesting to watch the change in attitude.

> Charismatic, Extroverted, Flirty
> A little flighty and with a short attention span, but any positive response to his flirting is guaranteed to snag his attention for good. Generally desperate for attention, and he doesn't care where he gets it.

Oh well then, that's good to know, he supposes. If Vanadi doesn't like the fist approach, maybe he should try the pheromone approach. Not yet though. ]

Do you want me to fix it or not?

[ He hesitates, hovering behind and watching his mask with obvious concern. But he is going to have to find someone to fix it... if it can happen right here, then there's no need to leave without it. He glances up at him doubtfully. ]

Can you?

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