text;

[alittlesweptup]

As apparently no one else is going to do it:

We're running missions to go digging dirt on the UE's past, but we need people to be doing info gathering here as well. Meaning we ought to have someone(s) go meet with this timeline's version of the Initiative to get as much information as possible. I know we're all feeling very cozy at the moment, but let's not pretend that it can't or won't change at the drop of a hat. Fortifying ourselves in bunkers isn't going to do us much good if we don't know what we're supposed to be defending against in the first place

Now as Christ knows I can't do it (I think we're all more than aware of what my version of diplomacy consists of), that means we need a set of proper volunteers - preferably with experience in this sort of field. If you or anyone you know might be suited to it, speak up so you can find one another and get a bloody away team wrangled

Comments

text; private

[promises_to_keep]

If you're still looking, I used to do this sort of thing for a living, if you will. Got a bit of a bone to pick with the UE, at that, so I'd be more than willing to lend my skills to the effort of undoing those bastards.

text, private;

[alittlesweptup]

Sounds solid. What sort of questions would you be asking/what kind of information would you be interested in lifting from the new Initiative given the opportunity?

text, private;

[promises_to_keep]

My preferred method is extracting the information that they think is harmless that in the end will hurt them the most. People are always surprised at how little things can come back to haunt them, you know?

In my experience, finding out a chronology is a good place to start. If you can spot the moment where a foothold toward power was achieved, you can deconstruct how it was acquired. Given our access to the timeline, it's only a hop skip and a jump through the continuum to undo it from there; got it memorized?

[alittlesweptup]

Hold on, we're talking a fairly straight forward exchange of information here. I don't want to send people in with the new Initiative that are going to be manipulating the poor bastards. We need them, they need us - it should be as simple as that

Chronology's a decent enough starting point, but the new Initiative has got to give it over willingly. No coercion or trickery or any of that rubbish

[promises_to_keep]

Of course not, what do you take me for? That's why I said harmless; if it's seemingly harmless information, nobody's gonna be guarding it too close to the vest. I'm just a curious history buff!

Trust me when I say that while I'm not pleased with what the Initiative did before we got down to this wintery wonderland, I know the people down here aren't responsible for it. I'm not gonna hurt anybody. Cross my heart.

[He knows you can't see sincerity in text, but it's there anyway. He's got a far greater beef with the UE than he has with what the Initiative did.]

[alittlesweptup]

'Hurting people' 'guarding it'

These people aren't our enemies; treating them honestly would get us farther than smooth talking them into some misstep they might regret and hold against us later

Whoever meets with the Initiative ought to be prepared to be straight with the poor bastards

[promises_to_keep]

I'm sorry, have you been talking with the nice, friendly Initiative people who actually speak to any of us Transports like human beings? Cuz frankly I'd love to know where that gaggle is hanging out. They're not our enemies, no, but they're sure not trying to be our friends either, so don't give me 'poor bastards' when we're here fighting their war and they're treating us like it's our fault.

Look, if you want my help, you've got it. If you don't like the way I work, that's fine too. I just think maybe you should be a little more openminded if you actually want results. Being straight with people doesn't always work, so if you find your honesty turns up less than ideal answers, you just let me know.

[alittlesweptup]

What're you, dense? Do you know who you're talking to right now? I've no bloody love lost for the old Initiative, but this group isn't them so cut the shit. They might not be too keen on opening their doors for us right this moment, but frankly if I was in their position I wouldn't be either. They don't know us, they've only our word that we're not some group from the UE with all our advanced tech and bizarre nonsense; in their position, being suspicious is the natural (and smartest) thing to be

Which means when we deal with them, we shouldn't give them any reason to be more so

[promises_to_keep]

I'd ask you the same thing, but then we'd just be going in circles.

Fine, good luck, then.

--> disconnect

[alittlesweptup]

And to you