Ex Machina; Infiltration

[animusmods]

Characters: Riki and the infiltration team
Setting: administrative levels
Format: any
Summary: Riki's efforts must be sabotaged. Stealth is the name of the game and time is of the essence.
Warnings: psychological horror

Though the chipped unit does not follow, he sees to it that the team advances the rest of the way. At the end of the lit corridor is a set of double doors, heavy-duty polished metal with small windows set into each one.

Through the windows, a massive machine is visible, connected to thousands of holographic screens that are hard to make out at the speed at which they're being manipulated. The machine sits in the center of the room and is networked to four elaborate terminals stationed along the walls via a complex tangle of panels, wires, and towers. Each of these terminals controls its own set of floating screens; the sheer amount of holographic monitors in the room is disorienting, and really, it's hard to tell what's connected to what.

In the chair in the middle of the enormous set-up is Riki, maneuvering all of the screens with the same ease with which most people breathe. His back is to the doors that lead into the room, and for the moment, he is utterly engrossed in his work.

Comments

[attheclocktower]

So far Xion's been watching, like a deer in the headlights. Reno told her not to confront him, but she ends up speaking before she's really aware what she's saying.

"Why?" she asks, her voice hurt and confused and upset, "What do you want to do with it?" With us? With the Tower? With everything.

[animusnpcs]

"What do you think I'd be doing with a machine that can connect to your worlds?" Riki asks, seeming to grow more impatient.

[midgarhorizon]

Reno stopped walking toward Enoch and the others, turned around and shot a dark look in Xion's direction. Great.

"Maybe a better question is what do you think it will do? Think this thing will fix our homes?" He turned back to face Riki; he would talk with Xion later. "I'd like to think you're helpin' us, Riki."

[animusnpcs]

"Can't be a hundred percent sure. Expect it to be able to manipulate your worlds, at least."

[evokingfool]

Minato watched, and listened, in silence from his spot in roughly the middle of the group. At Riki's response, his own question seems almost like a natural lead up.

"So that means it can possibly manipulate our worlds back to normal?"

[keybearer]

Riku nods, squeezing his right hand into a fist. "If that's what it takes, then we're on your side. Anything to get our worlds back." Assuming this isn't another ruse.

He's not going to jump to any conclusions just yet. Still, no need to act suspicious, right? While he waits for a response, Riku eyes the others, waiting to see what they'll do. This almost sounds too good to be true.

[puppy_lancer]

Manipulate. Lancer doesn't like the sound of that word.

"...Well, there's nothing you could do to mess them up even worse."

Just the smallest bit of killing intent bleeds through his words.

[animusnpcs]

"If it can do that, it's possible. That's why I was improving it. Now that you've gotten down here and shut everything down, it's going to take me some time to boot everything back up, so if you have your answers, you should go back upstairs."

[the_white_rider]

Their worlds-- This was all very interesting, but something they knew was that Riki was particularly interested in this tower. Gandalf doubted he acted out of pure benevolence and pity.

"And what do you have to gain in this?"

[animusnpcs]

"I don't want you guys blowing up the Tower or something," Riki said. "You guys like doin' stuff like that."

[puppy_lancer]

"Hey! That was Jason!"

Lancer makes a face at Riki.

[midgarhorizon]

"You know we didn't blow up the Tower." Reno didn't want to leave without asking this one. "Why did you lie to us about why you needed the energy? Was it because of Ruana finding out?" And then, something occurs to him and he speaks quickly. "Why aren't ya trying to fix the Tower's power cores instead? Tower's your baby, isn't it? It's going down in little over a month and you're focusing on us?"

[notayoungkitten]

"Funny you would say that. The story I heard was that it was never us to begin with. How would we get access to real explosives anyway when we can't even get real weapons?"

[imperialsun]

"...Besides, it's not like you're giving us a reason not to, even if we did."

Seriously, stay here and endure all of the testing and the countdown? What had she expected?

[animusnpcs]

"I didn't mean you actually blew up the Tower," Riki said, sighing a little. "It wasn't literal, it was just something you guys'd do."

He looks to Reno next. "The power cores aren't fixable with what technology exists here right now. As for the energy, Jason's explosion made me think that was what it was needed for."

[warriorscribe]

"The monsters have vanished, including the phantoms...the remnants of our friends and loved ones. Is this what you're working on? Where have they gone?"

Enoch keeps his tone even, tries not to give away undue suspicion. Nothing, at least, beyond knowing he's locked himself in here.

[animusnpcs]

"They have?" Riki looks confused. "Dunno where they went. Doesn't have anything to do with this."

[puppy_lancer]

Riki's confusion sure sounds real enough. Lancer looks over to Enoch.

"...Guess we're gonna have to ask someone else about that, then."

[animusnpcs]

"If you wanna try your luck asking Ruana, anyway. Doubt Zo did it, or he'd've told you."

[stitchedupbodyguard]

"...What about the countdown?"

Veronica finally spoke up with something that had been bugging her, having kept quiet while preparing for a clash that may or may not yet come.

"The countdown hasn't changed, even when the tower had a power outage."

[animusnpcs]

"The power outage is a symptom of the countdown getting short, not the other way around. Unless you mean the one in January, which was Jason."

[the_white_rider]

Gandalf listened attentively all all other questions-- But something bothered him.

"And what of this tower, once our worlds saved? There will be no more energy and Ruana will realize only you could have sent us back, won't she?"

[slightlyoblivious]

"That's the thing, though. Back in January, you asked for our help to power up this place. Shouldn't the countdown have gotten shorter after that?"

Yukiko's certainly interested in the other questions, but that's the big one.

[animusnpcs]

"Didn't think you'd care much what happened to me. As for that, I can handle it. January was Jason tricking me."

He seems more disgruntled, perhaps by the reminder of January.

[warriorscribe]

"So then..." Enoch's expression wavers a bit. This is sounding less and less solid the more they stay on this subject. "You have our soul energy by convenience?"