anothercontinuity | Red vs Blue Voicetesting Thread

[ That will have to do for now. Locus lets out a quiet breath. ]

...how is he otherwise? He was shaking, earlier.

[ It might be easier to deal with things that can be helped, if possible. ]

Adrenaline and anxiety. He was uncertain which AI was truly stored- and even then which version of me he might find. That he did not know how badly the neural lace had been damaged, likewise, was cause for concern. Sleep and a proper meal ought to assist with both.

And are you functioning properly? Beyond the issues you mentioned before.

[ Time for both of them to adjust being together again would likely help, but they're already setting their sights on a lot of Hargrove's gear.

Might as well see if there's anything else they should acquire. ]

I am operating at optimal efficiency. The lace, however- it was damaged in my alleged burnout and has degraded due to time and disuse. Part of it will be...plowing snow covered streets. The paths are there, I merely need to clear them. Some roads are, however, damaged and will require either a surgeon or a robotic surgery suite to replace some of the degraded wiring. Finding a trustworthy surgeon would be highly unlikely. Our best option would be securing a surgical suite and allowing me to handle the repairs myself.

Convincing York of that...may take some time.

[ It would be difficult to say the least. ]

Edited (phrasing) 2016-08-19 05:42 (UTC)

It's something we can look for in the meanwhile. We're attacking targets of great enough value that what we're looking for may be in their records, if not in the facilities themselves.

[ If they happen across it, convincing him might be easier. If he didn't want to trust someone else to tampering with the back of his head, Locus could hardly blame him for that. ]

I know at least a portion of Hargrove's research is in the implementation of AI into the battle armor he's producing.

That would be a great deal less complicated and dangerous than direct AI to brain implantation.

[ He will do what he can from where he is- but some things? Will require intervention. ]

I will keep you informed of our progress.

It would. Though I suspect he'll still want to learn as much as he can. With so many files missing after the dismantlement of Project Freelancer, what information he has is scattered, piecemeal at best.

[ Luckily for them. Locus sinks back slightly into the seat he's taken. ]

...thank you, Delta.

It is possible that should the black box from the Mother of Invention be recovered from wherever it is stored- you may find something of use.

[ A long shot, but one worth taking. ]

You are welcome, Locus. Taylor is entering REM sleep- I am going to retire so he may do so unimpeded.

[ He nods quietly, glancing away. Better to let him rest as deeply as he can, start adjusting to all of this. He can only imagine what it's like to have someone else residing in your head, taking up physical space, their thoughts bouncing against yours until you find a harmony between you.

Things he'll never know first-hand, he's sure. ]

[ Delta winks out and Taylor? Dreams on. The high volume exchange earlier, having him back, the adrenaline crash? He's exhausted. When he wakes he'll be a little put out that he didn't actually put out- he'd had a plan and everything. But this kinda took precedence over celebratory fucking.

When the shuttle finally meets up with the ship, FLISS gives the usual buzz and Taylor? Blinks himself awake. There's a moment of disorientation, of almost panicked tension, one hand skidding out to reach for a side arm or a handrail or-

his fingers brush familiar armor and that fear winds out of him completely. Locus is here. He's fine. ]

...how long was I out?

A few hours.

[ His fingers stray back to curl around Taylor's, a reassurance as he glances down at the slowly waking figure of his partner. He's kept watch, as he said he would.

And it's up to Delta if what was discussed while he was unconscious comes back up. They're likely having their own conversations without him. ]

Y'all play nice?

[ It's weird, having D, having someone keep an eye out. Not being completely isolated and having to mind his own ass. Good weird.

Taylor turns his hand over, lacing their fingers together. ]

Ok, he's being smug so I'm gonna take that as a yes?

[ Locus almost chuckles, though it comes out as an amused huff instead. ]

Yes. We spoke. Though he decided to let you rest once you fell into deeper sleep.

[ He still hasn't taken off his armor, save for his helmet, so it's a gloved hand that curls through his. But here he is, holding hands with a man he's physically and emotionally entangled with, and--

It's all just miles away from anything he'd expected. Anything he'd thought he'd have, particularly after everything that had transpired. ]

I'm so proud. Both my boys know how to socialize.

[ It can't really be felt- but Taylor rubs his thumb back and forth against the plating of Locus' glove anyway. More for him than anything else but it's...nice to have this. ]

You know I had plans for after this job? How to kill time till we got to the ship. And here I go sleeping through the whole damn thing.

We'll have ample opportunity in the future. This won't be our last mission.

[ It has become something of a ritual. They gear up, do the job, and work out whatever adrenaline still runs through them at the end with heated, increasingly creative sex on the shuttle-ride back. It's a pattern that works, and there's no one around to judge them for it.

Delta's here now, but it sounds as though he at least understands the need for it.

Though that reminds him. ]

I...had a few thoughts, actually.

Yeah, I know. But it's like icecream after a football game. Win, lose, fuckup, do well- you still get a treat.

[ A lot less wholesome but come on. After that first frantic run it just got better and better, easier and easier. Half the time what he plans ends up not happening anyway but he likes to dream. ]

Should I be worried?

That depends.

[ Locus cocks an eyebrow slowly. ]

How opposed are you to keeping our firearms on hand?

Well it's kind of part of being paranoid that-

[ Wait what? WHAT? ]

I- you. What?

[ Not quite the reaction he'd been hoping for. ]

If you're opposed, I won't bring it up again.

[ Though that could just be surprise. It's hard to tell. ]

Not opposed. Surprised, yeah-

[ Didn't he just have a dream about that? He thinks he did. It's hard to remember. ]

Um. Yeah no that would...really. Really work for me.

[ That...actually earns a pleased look from him, eyebrows lifting slightly. ]

I see.

[ He'd thought of it before now, there just hadn't seemed to be a proper time to ask, to gauge interest. Consider it gauged, then. ]

For future reference: If you think of something, ask whenever. You've got my hard no's. Everything else is pretty negotiable.

[ But um. Damn. ]

Never actually done that before, though.

I have some experience with it.

[ Guns, knives, various ways of coming close to really hurting each other. Risk and reward, something to dull the edges when they were too close to ripping into each other for real.

Not something he anticipates being an issue between him and Taylor. ]

Though I'm certain it would be different, for us.

Kind of afraid to ask, boo.

[ Just a little. It's on the extreme side of things (by a lot) but-

He trusts Locus. That goes without question. Even D hums with his approval despite the risks. ]

We can do some research to fill in the blanks, make sure w're safe, all that shit.

Of course.

[ He almost wrinkles his nose at the name but refrains, eyes straying elsewhere. ]

We were not taking precautions at the time. I would not suggest repeating that particular method.

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