With Lucia and the others seemingly fine after their short little program freeze, Vincent took the chance to have a brief talk with his navi over the headset as she and the others ventured into the central elevator in the mine.
Though once they were finally on their way, a thought occurred to Vincent, and he promptly turned his attention back to Jeff. "This might be a little late to be asking, but have you and your navi got any Net-Battling experience? I'd hate for her to get harmed because she was leading the pack into the wolf's den. She could always stick back with Lucia if she needed to be kept safe."
Blinking at himself, Vincent shook his head before looking at the Administrator again, "Not trying to say she'd be a burden, just wanting to get everyone out safely. Though now that I think about it, your tech staff would have a supply of Battlechips to combat a virus outbreak wouldn't they?"
Halstead Dataworks: Electopian Branch
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"You pronounce that name just like my nephew! Nya ha ha," Burt sniggered, thinking to himself that it was cute when Joey did it but it didn't suit someone of Thomas's age. "Heh. Butts...."
The operator thumbed idly through his messages, deleting the usual suspects: "Teacher's Meeting Today," "Benefit Cuts For Those Missing Teacher's Meetings," etc. Ordinarily, he would get his navigator to do it for him, but his better half was currently hard at work with the good labor of Counterinfectualism.
One message jumped out at him as he continued: "Your Worldly Possessions" by Flo Gladhammer The name seemed vaguely familiar, but the odd title is what got him. After all, for an enlightened man, Burt was pretty conscious of his worldly possessions. His eyes scanned across the screen with growing apprehension:
Burt's fingers dug into his PET as he glared at the screen in outrage. The kids were one thing: if put on the spot, he supposed he wasn't a very good parent, and having them out of his hair might be a blessing anyways. The worse part was his house. Hadn't his mom passed that along to him? And hadn't he done pretty well at its upkeep until... say... the last couple of months? The worst, however, was yet to come:
The operator couldn't stand his fury any more; he rose to his feet and waved both arms, making a sound that possessed traits of both a whine and a hiss. "No way! No Flo Gladhammer, Georg J. Justice, Juxtipo, legal system, dead sister, or anybody is going to make me give up my navi!" he cried vengefully, ignoring the crippling situation that the business found themselves in and submerging himself only in his own problem. "I'd rather die!"
Gasp. That sounded encouraging. And a little sexual. Burt felt his heartbeat steady and read on.
"Oh ho! Well, there's no problem at all then. Once she sees the loving, tender hand with which I guide Exorcist down the pure and innocent road to dignity, she'll understand!" the teacher affirmed, regaining his smile again. "Of course, that means I can't stay and fight the cybeast... But what benefits a man if he destroy a Cybeast but loseth his own navi?! Nothing, that's what! Losing Exorcist is like losing negative infinity Cybeasts! Think of all of the Cybeasts she won't destroy while Georgie Porgie has her checking and responding to his e-mails in a timely manner!"
Finally finished with his monologue to nobody, Burt jacked Exorcist out in a completely undiscrete way. "Uh, sorry to leave you Lids, but I've got a family crisis in the most literal sense! Gotta take off! Don't worry, Lucia's a good egg... a model pupil! She'll take care of everything, I'm sure!" Unceremoniously, he bolted out the door, then back through the lobby, past a new girl who was headed in to join the others. He briefly thought to himself that she was fairly cute too, although she didn't really have the rack he'd like. "Still, for a stuffy business office, that place was really rolling in pretty, nearly underaged girls..." he thought to himself.
... It occurred to Burt as he sprinted that he had not finished reading the message.
Burt decided that he needed to take it a little slower... In fact, he felt downright frozen in place. Too much to think about... How was he going to convince Flo without alerting Exorcist? Who was Flo and how did she know about Counterinfectualism? Did he have any friend he could really count on? Should he take advantage of having a mistress at the house while he had the chance?! He contemplated over all of this while downing a Net Cola from the vending machine just outside the building.
"... Screw it, I'm a theological genius! I can make all of this up as I go along. That's the trademark of a theological genius!" he proclaimed, waving one finger in the air as he tossed his can into a nearby waste basket, miraculously making the shot. However, the most immediate problem was that even now, he could hear his PET buzzing as Exorcist and crew (on mute) attempted to discover why they'd been disconnected from the net at such a critical juncture. "Exorcist will understand. She's always so good at that~" he cooed. He allowed himself to daydream about her smile on the way home. "A smile worth protecting!" he reminded himself, forgetting that it was really more like monopolizing the smile than it was protecting it.
And thus began Burt's secret battle against an organization he knew almost nothing about and lacked the good sense to research...
((Jacking out, heading to ACDC Town))
The operator thumbed idly through his messages, deleting the usual suspects: "Teacher's Meeting Today," "Benefit Cuts For Those Missing Teacher's Meetings," etc. Ordinarily, he would get his navigator to do it for him, but his better half was currently hard at work with the good labor of Counterinfectualism.
One message jumped out at him as he continued: "Your Worldly Possessions" by Flo Gladhammer The name seemed vaguely familiar, but the odd title is what got him. After all, for an enlightened man, Burt was pretty conscious of his worldly possessions. His eyes scanned across the screen with growing apprehension:
Quote ()
Hey dude,
It is my painful duty to inform you that karmic punishment has come at last. Your estate has been slated for claim by the Juxtipo, a commercial organization under the instruction of Georg J. Justice, former husband of your late sister. There was going to be a trial, but it seems like you never answered, nor apparently even read, any of the Juxtipo's e-mails.
At the same time, a custody case was held. You didn't respond to those e-mail nor letters, as I understand. A messenger even came to visit you at your school and couldn't find you. No other teacher was able to provide your location, either. You're a hard man to get a hold of! Anyways, the children living at your house are to be transferred immediately to the custody of one Georg J. Justice, who... I already told you, didn't I? Nevermind!
I mean, from what I know about you, all of this is pretty in character. I'm surprised you keep track of those slippers, let alone two children and a huge house! Maybe life will be easier if you're living more inside your means, huh? The Buddha does say to relieve yourself of material possessions!
Burt's fingers dug into his PET as he glared at the screen in outrage. The kids were one thing: if put on the spot, he supposed he wasn't a very good parent, and having them out of his hair might be a blessing anyways. The worse part was his house. Hadn't his mom passed that along to him? And hadn't he done pretty well at its upkeep until... say... the last couple of months? The worst, however, was yet to come:
Quote ()
One last footnote: you've got a navi and two SPs, right? The Juxtipo are also claiming them. Apparently hearing you declined to attend, the one that decided you were an unfit parent, also decided you were an unfit operator. That's tough, huh? It'll be a real test of your faith to see if you can overcome this, Mr. Blanchard! Religion's really all you've got left. But then again, you can't really be a Counterinfectualist without a navi, can you?
The operator couldn't stand his fury any more; he rose to his feet and waved both arms, making a sound that possessed traits of both a whine and a hiss. "No way! No Flo Gladhammer, Georg J. Justice, Juxtipo, legal system, dead sister, or anybody is going to make me give up my navi!" he cried vengefully, ignoring the crippling situation that the business found themselves in and submerging himself only in his own problem. "I'd rather die!"
Quote ()
You probably feel like you want to die right now, don't you? I can understand that! After all, I was a Counterinfectualist before you ever were. You might say I've been right there, holding your hand and guiding you along since the beginning.
Gasp. That sounded encouraging. And a little sexual. Burt felt his heartbeat steady and read on.
Quote ()
A Counterinfectualist with no navi is like a Buddhist that can't donate his junk to charity! You can't fulfill your creed like this! As such, I've worked out a deal with Justice: if you can prove to me that you deserve to continue operating your navi, I will use my resources to ensure you keep your navi. Better than that, dude! I'll be watching you the whole time, and depending on how it goes, I might be able to prove you good enough to keep your house and your kids. It's a chance for karmic redemption, Brother!
"Oh ho! Well, there's no problem at all then. Once she sees the loving, tender hand with which I guide Exorcist down the pure and innocent road to dignity, she'll understand!" the teacher affirmed, regaining his smile again. "Of course, that means I can't stay and fight the cybeast... But what benefits a man if he destroy a Cybeast but loseth his own navi?! Nothing, that's what! Losing Exorcist is like losing negative infinity Cybeasts! Think of all of the Cybeasts she won't destroy while Georgie Porgie has her checking and responding to his e-mails in a timely manner!"
Finally finished with his monologue to nobody, Burt jacked Exorcist out in a completely undiscrete way. "Uh, sorry to leave you Lids, but I've got a family crisis in the most literal sense! Gotta take off! Don't worry, Lucia's a good egg... a model pupil! She'll take care of everything, I'm sure!" Unceremoniously, he bolted out the door, then back through the lobby, past a new girl who was headed in to join the others. He briefly thought to himself that she was fairly cute too, although she didn't really have the rack he'd like. "Still, for a stuffy business office, that place was really rolling in pretty, nearly underaged girls..." he thought to himself.
... It occurred to Burt as he sprinted that he had not finished reading the message.
Quote ()
One condition: nobody can know exactly what you're doing for me. This includes your niece, your nephew, and even your navi and her SPs! You're going to have to prove yourself in a way that doesn't make it too obvious, comprende? It's all kinda crappy, I know, but what path of perseverance isn't?
Maybe you should invite a friend to help you out? Proving you have a friend somewhere in the world would be a good start towards not looking like such a degenerate, so long as they're a wholesome person!
P.S. I'm living in your house for the time being. I figured you won't mind and I've got to be around to observe. So that your kids don't know what you're doing, I'm posing as your mistress.
Burt decided that he needed to take it a little slower... In fact, he felt downright frozen in place. Too much to think about... How was he going to convince Flo without alerting Exorcist? Who was Flo and how did she know about Counterinfectualism? Did he have any friend he could really count on? Should he take advantage of having a mistress at the house while he had the chance?! He contemplated over all of this while downing a Net Cola from the vending machine just outside the building.
"... Screw it, I'm a theological genius! I can make all of this up as I go along. That's the trademark of a theological genius!" he proclaimed, waving one finger in the air as he tossed his can into a nearby waste basket, miraculously making the shot. However, the most immediate problem was that even now, he could hear his PET buzzing as Exorcist and crew (on mute) attempted to discover why they'd been disconnected from the net at such a critical juncture. "Exorcist will understand. She's always so good at that~" he cooed. He allowed himself to daydream about her smile on the way home. "A smile worth protecting!" he reminded himself, forgetting that it was really more like monopolizing the smile than it was protecting it.
And thus began Burt's secret battle against an organization he knew almost nothing about and lacked the good sense to research...
((Jacking out, heading to ACDC Town))
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After waiting for a guard on the other side of security to let her through, he gave Adrian the general idea on how to reach the control room where apparently others were waiting. She tried to make haste, but she couldn't help but examine the inner workings as she did. The thought of owning such a big building was exciting to a young business woman such as herself.
It wasn't long before she arrived before a set of doors where security said they would be, but as she tried to enter they seemed to be locked up tight. Before she could wonder whether this was a side effect of the downed net or just ending up at the wrong location, the door swung open as a somewhat panicked man fled in a hurry. She didn't have time to think about it as the door began to close once more and she jumped inside before getting locked out again. At least if she had the wrong room she could open the door from that side it seemed.
"Uhh... is this the meeting place for the mission contracting?" She mustered, pulling on her hat as she hoped she was in the right place.
It wasn't long before she arrived before a set of doors where security said they would be, but as she tried to enter they seemed to be locked up tight. Before she could wonder whether this was a side effect of the downed net or just ending up at the wrong location, the door swung open as a somewhat panicked man fled in a hurry. She didn't have time to think about it as the door began to close once more and she jumped inside before getting locked out again. At least if she had the wrong room she could open the door from that side it seemed.
"Uhh... is this the meeting place for the mission contracting?" She mustered, pulling on her hat as she hoped she was in the right place.
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Jeff yawned just before Vincent turned back around and asked him a couple of question that made his eyebrows rise a bit. The Netopian man sat back in his chair and blinked a couple of times. "...Really?" Jeff's tone was nearly deadpan, but he started smiling to himself as he leaned forward and buried his head in his hands. "Ahh, man... hahaha... You're too much." He lowered one arm and casually tapped a couple of keys on the smart pad directly in front of him. He then pointed lazily at the screen with one hand and said "Take a look at our resume," at the data that was now appearing upon it. The window that had opened displayed Jeff's Class S Operating License, Minah's Chaos Net Permit, and a list of tests the two had completed for early acquisition of said permits. "Yeah, we all use company provided chipsets. They're more geared for mining data than virus busting, but they get the job done. A Cybeast is a bit more than just a virus, but I think Minah can hold her own. She's one tough cookie."
"I heard that." Minahs voice said in an amused tone from the PET sitting in the docking cradle on the desk.
"And I meant it." Jeff replied casually to his Navi before turning back to Vincent. "Umm... I don't have any spare chips on me, but I'm fairly sure there are some floating around the room. I swear chips here are like spare dice at a table top session." The Netopian man said, not giving any thought or care over how geeky that made him sound. "If you find any lying around, feel free to make use of them, I suppose." He shrugged as he finished talking.
Jeff's terminal beeped a warning at him. "I think we have a problem." He tapped commands into the smart pads, and read data from the various windows opened by those commands. "Great..." Jeff muttered grumpily as he took a headset out of the drawer and put it on. He adjusted the mic and said: "Cybeast incoming!"
"By the programmer..." Minah's voice said from the PET. "...how do we deal with something like that?"
"Worry about the future later. You've got company." Jeff warned his Navi as he read the data displayed on his monitor.
It was at this time that Burt hurried out of the room, and Adrian walked in in his wake. As soon as Jeff heard the young woman announce her reason for being there, he called her over to his desk with his business voice and a wave of his hand to make sure she saw him. "Good, your timing is perfect. Please come over here and jack in quick."
"I heard that." Minahs voice said in an amused tone from the PET sitting in the docking cradle on the desk.
"And I meant it." Jeff replied casually to his Navi before turning back to Vincent. "Umm... I don't have any spare chips on me, but I'm fairly sure there are some floating around the room. I swear chips here are like spare dice at a table top session." The Netopian man said, not giving any thought or care over how geeky that made him sound. "If you find any lying around, feel free to make use of them, I suppose." He shrugged as he finished talking.
Jeff's terminal beeped a warning at him. "I think we have a problem." He tapped commands into the smart pads, and read data from the various windows opened by those commands. "Great..." Jeff muttered grumpily as he took a headset out of the drawer and put it on. He adjusted the mic and said: "Cybeast incoming!"
"By the programmer..." Minah's voice said from the PET. "...how do we deal with something like that?"
"Worry about the future later. You've got company." Jeff warned his Navi as he read the data displayed on his monitor.
It was at this time that Burt hurried out of the room, and Adrian walked in in his wake. As soon as Jeff heard the young woman announce her reason for being there, he called her over to his desk with his business voice and a wave of his hand to make sure she saw him. "Good, your timing is perfect. Please come over here and jack in quick."
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Adrian was at a loss for what was going on at the current point in time, but after hearing someone call her over she didn't hesitate to comply. She disconnected the headphones from the PET as she removed it from her belt, and fiddled with the cable as she approached the jack in terminal. "Sure thing. Can someone explain the situation so far? It seems like things had gotten started before I showed up. I'll do whatever I can to assist once I'm updated."
Adrian's eyes darted around the room for a moment, noticing all the different faces. She could only assume it was a few of the other applicants, and didn't bother to ask. She was a little curious about what they were like but felt that it wouldn't be proper conduct to just start up a conversation before talking the business side of things. After all she was getting paid to work, not socialize.
Meanwhile Sylk's excitement was building as she awaited heading into the net. She was powered up and fully rested, ready to take on the world and she she couldn't wait to get down to business. " Adrian, let's do this! The spider called out through the monitor as Adrian reached the port, an impatient tone in her words and excitement in her eyes.
"Let's go Sylk." A swift reply as she hooked up the cable. Sylk let out a large toothy grin, as she cracked her neck waiting for the connection to finish. Just like that, once the PET was linked the navi was gone in a flash.
"Ok, we're in."
Adrian's eyes darted around the room for a moment, noticing all the different faces. She could only assume it was a few of the other applicants, and didn't bother to ask. She was a little curious about what they were like but felt that it wouldn't be proper conduct to just start up a conversation before talking the business side of things. After all she was getting paid to work, not socialize.
Meanwhile Sylk's excitement was building as she awaited heading into the net. She was powered up and fully rested, ready to take on the world and she she couldn't wait to get down to business. " Adrian, let's do this! The spider called out through the monitor as Adrian reached the port, an impatient tone in her words and excitement in her eyes.
"Let's go Sylk." A swift reply as she hooked up the cable. Sylk let out a large toothy grin, as she cracked her neck waiting for the connection to finish. Just like that, once the PET was linked the navi was gone in a flash.
"Ok, we're in."
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"I can fill you in after the current situation is dealt with. Until then, just help us deal with this as best you can." Jeff said as he opened a drawer on the far side of the desk and took out a plastic case that looked a lot like a miniature floppy disc holder for flash cards. He set the thing on the table and flipped the lid open to reveal a selection of 30 battlechips he apparently intended to use. The chips were arranged neatly within, and each could easily be taken out or replace within the case without disturbing the others. Their labels were also easily readable by the two operators standing nearby....
[spoiler=The contents of the chip case:]PanelOut3
PanelOut3
CannonBall
CannonBall
Lavaball1
DrillArm1
DrillArm1
DrillArm1
DrillArm1
Hammer
Hammer
BigHammer1
BigHammer1
PileDriver1
PileDriver1
RageClaw1
RageClaw1
Pickpocket
Pickpocket
Ratton1
Ratton1
CountBomb3
PropellerBomb1
PropellerBomb1
Needler1
FireAura1
Mole3
AreaGrab
DoubleJump
MagCoil[/Spoiler]
Jeff then muttered something to himself, and checked the data displayed on the PET before reaching for the chip case again.
[spoiler=The contents of the chip case:]PanelOut3
PanelOut3
CannonBall
CannonBall
Lavaball1
DrillArm1
DrillArm1
DrillArm1
DrillArm1
Hammer
Hammer
BigHammer1
BigHammer1
PileDriver1
PileDriver1
RageClaw1
RageClaw1
Pickpocket
Pickpocket
Ratton1
Ratton1
CountBomb3
PropellerBomb1
PropellerBomb1
Needler1
FireAura1
Mole3
AreaGrab
DoubleJump
MagCoil[/Spoiler]
Jeff then muttered something to himself, and checked the data displayed on the PET before reaching for the chip case again.
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A few moments later Thomas popped up from his seat and wandered over to Jeff, scratching his chin as he watched Regalia shooting at things. "Hey, Jeff... what exactly did that upgrade you gave Regalia do?"
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"Hmm?" Jeff hummed in response as he heard his name called. He turned his head towards the speaker, (Thomas, was it?) and listened to what he had to say. "Upgrade...." The administrator sounded puzzled for a moment until he seemed to recall what Thomas was talking about. "Oh, right. I created a new temporary permission group, and made your Navi a member of it. It lets you use the full capacity of most of the support gear we provide, other than the belt. The belt just gives you access to more flares and a flare gun. You also have permission to enter low security areas without an escort. That's about all." Jeff picked up his coffee mug as he finished speaking, and proceeded to take a drink from it... only to find that it was empty. He gazed at the mug with dissatisfaction clearly evident upon his face for a moment or two before he looked back up at Thomas with a tired expression. "Hey, could you go grab me a refill, please?"
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Thomas nodded at the explanation Jeff offered, and took the outstretched mug. "Sure. How do you take your coffee, anyway? Black? Cream? Sugar? Want an energy drink instead? ...I could even mix it with some caffeine powder, if you'd like." The way Thomas said that last one... there's a lilt of experience there, like it's something he's done before. "What doesn't kill you will keep you awake for at least 24 hours, after all. Works great for tests or staying up late to screw with other people's proje-"
He paused, then cleared his throat. "Right, so, Black, Cream, Sugar, or Caffeine?"
He paused, then cleared his throat. "Right, so, Black, Cream, Sugar, or Caffeine?"
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"Ehhhhh...." Jeff seemed to stall out for a second before holding out the mug for Thomas to take. "It's even simpler than that. Just pour me a cup from the pot on the left, and add two spoon fulls of the mix in the drawer below it with my name written on the jar." Jeff smirked. "Nobody else would be fool enough to drink it but me, but you're welcome to try it if you're curious."
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Thomas paused for a moment, taking mental stock of Jeff's 'order', and then spoke. "Alright. I'll be back. Don't fall asleep." With that not-so-cordial greeting, Thomas headed off to the "kitchen" with the mug in tow, trudging across the dark carpet as he glanced at the turned backs of both his fellow jobbers and Jeff, and then entered the break room.
His feet made squeaky footfalls on the tile floor as Thomas made his way over to the coffee pots, then looked over the leftmost one, seeing what at least seemed to be normal coffee, and poured some of it into the mug. The brown liquid made a smooth arc into the cup, filling it while leaving just enough room for whatever scoops Jeff had wanted, and then Thomas pulled it away... but not before taking a whiff.
It smelled normal, if a bit strong; there was a kind of rich, full smell to it, a quality in the pot that made his nose wrinkle. Whatever it was, it wasn't wageslave pay-grade coffee. Done with entertaining that line of thought, Thomas stuck the pot back on the machine, then reached for the drawer.
Inside was a mason jar, a few inches tall and at least two wide, and filled with what looked like a light tan powder, nearly off-white... next to a scoop. Thomas pulled it out and set the jar on the counter, then grabbed the scoop while his free hand unscrewed the lid. A moment later it popped off, and he stopped, curious, before leaning over the bottle. A finger dipped in, getting just a bit of the powder on his fingertip, and he took a sniff of it-- shortly before licking at the stuff.
His feet made squeaky footfalls on the tile floor as Thomas made his way over to the coffee pots, then looked over the leftmost one, seeing what at least seemed to be normal coffee, and poured some of it into the mug. The brown liquid made a smooth arc into the cup, filling it while leaving just enough room for whatever scoops Jeff had wanted, and then Thomas pulled it away... but not before taking a whiff.
It smelled normal, if a bit strong; there was a kind of rich, full smell to it, a quality in the pot that made his nose wrinkle. Whatever it was, it wasn't wageslave pay-grade coffee. Done with entertaining that line of thought, Thomas stuck the pot back on the machine, then reached for the drawer.
Inside was a mason jar, a few inches tall and at least two wide, and filled with what looked like a light tan powder, nearly off-white... next to a scoop. Thomas pulled it out and set the jar on the counter, then grabbed the scoop while his free hand unscrewed the lid. A moment later it popped off, and he stopped, curious, before leaning over the bottle. A finger dipped in, getting just a bit of the powder on his fingertip, and he took a sniff of it-- shortly before licking at the stuff.
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Camillia quietly watched the whole spectacle go on-- from Burt leaving to someone else joining them. She visibly relaxed at the sight of Burt leaving, a small smile on her face as she partially moved her blankets to stretch, before settling it down on her body again. Her eyes began to roam casually on the workstation she's seated with, aside from the PET that she had set on the station. It was, after all, her first glance inside an industrial-grade technological firm, and she couldn't help herself but be marveled by the complexities of it all. ... Much like her Navigator, really.
It quickly became apparent, however, that things might be too cold for her comfort. Camillia raised both her hands to her mouth underneath the blankets, huffing and blowing warm air into her palms. She wondered if she could borrow one of the ear muffs to keep her ears warm. She was about to ask Ms. Lydia about it, but saw that she was busy on her tablet; and the redhead herself meekly turned her attention back to her PET.
Maybe she'll grab a cup of coffee later too, she noted to herself.
It quickly became apparent, however, that things might be too cold for her comfort. Camillia raised both her hands to her mouth underneath the blankets, huffing and blowing warm air into her palms. She wondered if she could borrow one of the ear muffs to keep her ears warm. She was about to ask Ms. Lydia about it, but saw that she was busy on her tablet; and the redhead herself meekly turned her attention back to her PET.
Maybe she'll grab a cup of coffee later too, she noted to herself.
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The powder in the jar smelled like a mix of dairy creamer, sugar, and sweet cocoa, although there was a strange pharmaceutical tinge to it as well. The strange smell was a familiar one to Thomas: powdered caffeine. Not a healthy thing to use in large quantities, but there really was no telling what percentage of the mix was that particular ingredient. There also wasn't much telling what else had been done to the mix.
When Thomas took a light taste of it, his taste buds screamed SICKLY SWEET MILK CHOCOLATE, possibly with a few exclamations for punctuation. It was clear that the powder was a mix put together by Jeff at home, and not sold in stores. It was also clear that it was not meant to be tasted alone, as a spoon full of this raw powder mix could probably make you very sick. What would it do for the coffee? Also no telling.
There is also a battlechip sitting under where the jar once was.
[Found: Fire+20 Battlechip]
------
The workstation Camillia sat at was fairly basic. It included a keyboard, a mouse, a touchpad and stylus, and, more exotically, a panoramic triple monitor setup. The wide screen monitors were ultra thin displays about the thickness of an old laptop screen, and they were arranged in a sort of semi-circle facing Cammilia. They were held there by a single stand that rose from the table, then curved around where the stand met the back of the first monitor. There was also a wireless access point and a chip reader on the desk just below the monitor. Something was stuck in the reader at the moment.
The desk the station sat on featured four desk drawers stacked vertically on the left side, and a desk cabinet door that the workstation's computer likely sat behind on the right. All featured key locks, however. Whether they were really locked or not was another story, but the locks were there.
Lydia did notice Camillia looking around, but didn't pick up on the shy operator's desire to ask questions. With no indications that she should pay further attention, the corporate exec's eyes returned to her tablet, which she continued reading quietly.
When Thomas took a light taste of it, his taste buds screamed SICKLY SWEET MILK CHOCOLATE, possibly with a few exclamations for punctuation. It was clear that the powder was a mix put together by Jeff at home, and not sold in stores. It was also clear that it was not meant to be tasted alone, as a spoon full of this raw powder mix could probably make you very sick. What would it do for the coffee? Also no telling.
There is also a battlechip sitting under where the jar once was.
[Found: Fire+20 Battlechip]
------
The workstation Camillia sat at was fairly basic. It included a keyboard, a mouse, a touchpad and stylus, and, more exotically, a panoramic triple monitor setup. The wide screen monitors were ultra thin displays about the thickness of an old laptop screen, and they were arranged in a sort of semi-circle facing Cammilia. They were held there by a single stand that rose from the table, then curved around where the stand met the back of the first monitor. There was also a wireless access point and a chip reader on the desk just below the monitor. Something was stuck in the reader at the moment.
The desk the station sat on featured four desk drawers stacked vertically on the left side, and a desk cabinet door that the workstation's computer likely sat behind on the right. All featured key locks, however. Whether they were really locked or not was another story, but the locks were there.
Lydia did notice Camillia looking around, but didn't pick up on the shy operator's desire to ask questions. With no indications that she should pay further attention, the corporate exec's eyes returned to her tablet, which she continued reading quietly.
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Thomas nearly spat out the powder upon tasting the creamy sweetness of the chocolatized mix, but then he remembered that Jeff's coffee was right in front of him. Instead he winced and swallowed the powder, the dry mix leaving an acrid sort of sting on his throat as it went down, and poured himself a smaller cup of Jeff's coffee.
A moment later he grabbed a spoon and the jar of powder, and thumbed two spoonfuls into Jeff's coffee, and one into his own... along with a bit of creamer, to balance out that mess of tastes. Mixing the two cups of coffee in that order-- Jeff's without cream, and his with-- Thomas capped the mason jar again, then got ready to put it away...
...until he spotted the Fire+20. Huh. Was that... Jeff's? Or just a random chip someone had left here and forgotten? It happened; he had heard his friends talk about finding really rare, really powerful chips laying about in seemingly-random places before. Coffee machines, building corners, animal exhibits, display handbags, dog houses, the bases of terrorist organizations... but he had never encountered any himself. He supposed it was just because someone else got to them before he did.
So Thomas fingered the chip, plucking it out of the drawer at the same time he replaced the jar, and pocketed it-- before realizing that this could easily be Jeff's chip. He slid the drawer shut with a frown, not particularly liking the idea of his first-ever acquisition being something he could feasibly return, and sighed as he picked up the mugs.
A few moments and a dearth of footsteps later, Thomas had quickly scampered back to Jeff's desk. He set the sleepy IT's mug on the desk as he took a sip of his own cup, and he posed a question to the man. "Say, Jeff, have you lost any chips in the break room?" He asked, taking another sip. "Like a fire chip, for instance."
A moment later he grabbed a spoon and the jar of powder, and thumbed two spoonfuls into Jeff's coffee, and one into his own... along with a bit of creamer, to balance out that mess of tastes. Mixing the two cups of coffee in that order-- Jeff's without cream, and his with-- Thomas capped the mason jar again, then got ready to put it away...
...until he spotted the Fire+20. Huh. Was that... Jeff's? Or just a random chip someone had left here and forgotten? It happened; he had heard his friends talk about finding really rare, really powerful chips laying about in seemingly-random places before. Coffee machines, building corners, animal exhibits, display handbags, dog houses, the bases of terrorist organizations... but he had never encountered any himself. He supposed it was just because someone else got to them before he did.
So Thomas fingered the chip, plucking it out of the drawer at the same time he replaced the jar, and pocketed it-- before realizing that this could easily be Jeff's chip. He slid the drawer shut with a frown, not particularly liking the idea of his first-ever acquisition being something he could feasibly return, and sighed as he picked up the mugs.
A few moments and a dearth of footsteps later, Thomas had quickly scampered back to Jeff's desk. He set the sleepy IT's mug on the desk as he took a sip of his own cup, and he posed a question to the man. "Say, Jeff, have you lost any chips in the break room?" He asked, taking another sip. "Like a fire chip, for instance."
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Vincent quirked a brow when Jeff started to laugh at his comments, tilting his head slightly to one side while waiting for an explanation. Though as the resume was pulled up and he was able to lean in and start to read over Jeff and Minah's various explorations and exploits, Vincent couldn't help but give a faint whistle. "Right, so she's more than capable. Though that does beg the question as to why we were needed. Unless the company just gives really crappy chips." Shrugging, Vincent paused his talking as a new comer came in, giving a light nod to the... young person, before turning his attention back to the battle. "Destroy the crystal creatures, the rest later."
Still as the battle went underway, Vincent sent his chips to his navi at her request through the personal headset he put on. Nodding faintly as he glances back to Jeff's list of licenses since there was little more he needed to do at the moment. "Chaos Network Permit, well good to know this company has a proper Admin in charge of its tech department." He'd nod faintly then, only to smirk at the chip folder that was produced, "Though I'd find it hard to believe you venture there with those. Suppose you left your set at home? No secret weapon stashed away, my money would be on the model on your desk."
Vincent glanced back over towards the new comer since Jeff was busy talking with Thomas, offering a light nod. "Welcome to the party, name's Vincent, big guy fetching coffee is Thomas, and the lovely young lady over there is Camillia. We're hunting for Cybeast, so if you and your navi aren't good with that, best run off after this fight, only going to get worse I'd bet."
Still as the battle went underway, Vincent sent his chips to his navi at her request through the personal headset he put on. Nodding faintly as he glances back to Jeff's list of licenses since there was little more he needed to do at the moment. "Chaos Network Permit, well good to know this company has a proper Admin in charge of its tech department." He'd nod faintly then, only to smirk at the chip folder that was produced, "Though I'd find it hard to believe you venture there with those. Suppose you left your set at home? No secret weapon stashed away, my money would be on the model on your desk."
Vincent glanced back over towards the new comer since Jeff was busy talking with Thomas, offering a light nod. "Welcome to the party, name's Vincent, big guy fetching coffee is Thomas, and the lovely young lady over there is Camillia. We're hunting for Cybeast, so if you and your navi aren't good with that, best run off after this fight, only going to get worse I'd bet."
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The redhead's eyes widened slightly at the familiar sight of a chip reader, similar to the one embedded in her standard PET. It was the only other thing she knew very well aside from the laptop screen display... and she peered closer, attempting to examine what was stuck in the reader. Was someone using the station and forgot something was loading or downloading or whatever onto the terminal? ".. Um, did someone forget this?" she pointed at the reader, looking curiously at Lydia. For a big organisation, they sure weren't being careful with their stuff. ... Or was it perhaps because of the Cybeast everything's in disarray?
... On that note.
"U-um, there aren't any confidential files or data or anything in the drawers, right? I'll move away if there are," Camillia added, eyes anxiously looking from the drawers, the workstation, then at Lydia's response.
... On that note.
"U-um, there aren't any confidential files or data or anything in the drawers, right? I'll move away if there are," Camillia added, eyes anxiously looking from the drawers, the workstation, then at Lydia's response.
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Adrian looked around for a moment, but decided it would probably be best to take a seat for now instead of examining the inner workings of a room which possibly contained information she shouldn't be poking around at. She kept listening for the usual commands from her navi to provide appropriate support but her eyes seems to trail across the room at the different people and objects within. Just as she was about to drift off into imagination land, most likely about her future company that was no where near possible yet, she was snapped back into reality as one of the team members tried to converse with her.
"Eh?" She stammered suddenly, her voice a little higher than usual at the sudden surprise. A tad embarrassed that she was caught day dreaming, she closed her eyes and pretended to cough before attempting to recollect herself. "Oh, sorry. I was just thinking for a moment. I'm Adrian, its a pleasure to meet you all." Her voice returning to a more professional and somewhat androgynous tone, as she replied.
"Wait... Cybeast? Seriously?!" Adrians eyes opened wide as she took in the idea. She was motionless for a moment, she was certainly stunned, but what could have been mistaken as fear slowly began to change to excitement as the girl let a smile unfurl on her lips. "Hah, looks like my navi really does get what she wants. You have no idea how much she bugs me about wanting to test her strength against a Cybeast haha. This will either shut her up, or make her happy and either way that's fine with me."
"Eh?" She stammered suddenly, her voice a little higher than usual at the sudden surprise. A tad embarrassed that she was caught day dreaming, she closed her eyes and pretended to cough before attempting to recollect herself. "Oh, sorry. I was just thinking for a moment. I'm Adrian, its a pleasure to meet you all." Her voice returning to a more professional and somewhat androgynous tone, as she replied.
"Wait... Cybeast? Seriously?!" Adrians eyes opened wide as she took in the idea. She was motionless for a moment, she was certainly stunned, but what could have been mistaken as fear slowly began to change to excitement as the girl let a smile unfurl on her lips. "Hah, looks like my navi really does get what she wants. You have no idea how much she bugs me about wanting to test her strength against a Cybeast haha. This will either shut her up, or make her happy and either way that's fine with me."
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Lydia looked up when Camillia suddenly spoke. Her eyes followed to where the you woman was pointing. "Oh, that. I was using that terminal earlier. I must have left it there." Lydia got up from her seat and walked over to the desk where Camillia was sitting. She then reached down and pulled the chip out of the reader. It was an AirSpin1. The businesswoman quickly pocketed the chip, then responded to the fidgety operator in a friendly, if amused, tone. "I'm not sure what you are so nervous about. The drawers are just used for people to store their things and their ordinary office supplies while they work here. We handle electronic files, rather than hard copy." Lydia shook her head, then added one final remark in a teasing tone. "Besides, where would you go if the drawers had sensitive papers in them?" She indicated the rest of the room with a wave of her arm. Sure enough, every desk in the room had a workstation, locked drawers, and locked cabinets... and there was nowhere to sit that wasn't at a desk.
"Thank you for locating my chip for me." Lydia said as she returned to her chair.
----Meanwhile....
Jeff turned his attention to Vincent as Thomas walked away. "You were needed because the average Navi working here in the data mine isn't fit for this kind of combat. Virus busting at the normal network level in the relatively safe local Electopian networks is not exactly taxing." He sat back in his chair. "I suppose you could blame me for that lack of battle experience. I do keep the servers clear of viruses. I just don't let them in, frankly. So why would the company need to pay to support electronic warfare capabilities that are unnecessary?" Jeff shrugged as he finished talking.
"Ehhh... I manage." Jeff said, waving off the compliment. "I do have quite a collection of chips Minah has earned from our adventures in the net, but I've left them all at home. I'm just used to using the company folder by now, I guess." Jeff indicated the chip case with his hand just before he pulled out two PropellerBomb1 chips, and slotted them in. "Minah is tough, and I'd like to think I'm no slouch on my better days. This folder is usually more than enough for us." He grinned wryly. "Unexpected Cybeasts notwithstanding."
"Really? A secret weapon?" Jeff said in the same deadpan voice he had earlier. The man looked at the figurine, and his smile wavered a bit. He then reached for the little robot. "Huh, did someone actually..." Jeff's words tapered off as he picked up the robot miniature and popped the relatively large panel open on the figure's chest. Sure enough, there was a Varitails2 chip in it. "Cute," Jeff said disapprovingly as he sat the chip on his desk, closed the panel on the figure, and placed the robot back on his desk exactly where it was before. He then sat back in his chair and zoned out.
Jeff was sitting at his desk and staring off into space when Thomas returned with the coffee. The administrator turned his head and looked up as the young man approached his desk with the two steaming mugs. "Thank you, Thomas." Jeff said in gratitude as he reached for the mug just as soon as Thomas' hand was out of the way, and promptly took a swig of it. You'd think the man lived on the stuff....
Jeff raised one eyebrow as he listened to Thomas' vague question. "I might have. Why?" Jeff responded noncommittally before taking another drink of his coffee.
"Thank you for locating my chip for me." Lydia said as she returned to her chair.
----Meanwhile....
Jeff turned his attention to Vincent as Thomas walked away. "You were needed because the average Navi working here in the data mine isn't fit for this kind of combat. Virus busting at the normal network level in the relatively safe local Electopian networks is not exactly taxing." He sat back in his chair. "I suppose you could blame me for that lack of battle experience. I do keep the servers clear of viruses. I just don't let them in, frankly. So why would the company need to pay to support electronic warfare capabilities that are unnecessary?" Jeff shrugged as he finished talking.
"Ehhh... I manage." Jeff said, waving off the compliment. "I do have quite a collection of chips Minah has earned from our adventures in the net, but I've left them all at home. I'm just used to using the company folder by now, I guess." Jeff indicated the chip case with his hand just before he pulled out two PropellerBomb1 chips, and slotted them in. "Minah is tough, and I'd like to think I'm no slouch on my better days. This folder is usually more than enough for us." He grinned wryly. "Unexpected Cybeasts notwithstanding."
"Really? A secret weapon?" Jeff said in the same deadpan voice he had earlier. The man looked at the figurine, and his smile wavered a bit. He then reached for the little robot. "Huh, did someone actually..." Jeff's words tapered off as he picked up the robot miniature and popped the relatively large panel open on the figure's chest. Sure enough, there was a Varitails2 chip in it. "Cute," Jeff said disapprovingly as he sat the chip on his desk, closed the panel on the figure, and placed the robot back on his desk exactly where it was before. He then sat back in his chair and zoned out.
Jeff was sitting at his desk and staring off into space when Thomas returned with the coffee. The administrator turned his head and looked up as the young man approached his desk with the two steaming mugs. "Thank you, Thomas." Jeff said in gratitude as he reached for the mug just as soon as Thomas' hand was out of the way, and promptly took a swig of it. You'd think the man lived on the stuff....
Jeff raised one eyebrow as he listened to Thomas' vague question. "I might have. Why?" Jeff responded noncommittally before taking another drink of his coffee.
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Thomas let a small 'tsk' pass his lips. "I found a Fire+20 in there and kind of wanted to keep it. If it's yours, though..." He trailed off, taking another sip of his coffee. The teenager's mental gears seemed to be working a bit better now, at least, some elbow grease applied... via mug. A second later his PET beeped at him, and Thomas hefted the little device-- only to see a nice little chunk of Zenny dumped into his account.
"Well, at least there's one thing about this crazy mess that's stayed consistent." he remarked, tapping a button on the device's front side. "Hey Regalia, go open that GMD." His finger popped off the button.
"Well, at least there's one thing about this crazy mess that's stayed consistent." he remarked, tapping a button on the device's front side. "Hey Regalia, go open that GMD." His finger popped off the button.
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Jeff Sat the mug on his desk next to the chip he'd found stuffed in his robot figurine, an nodded. "Yeah, that's mine. I don't really need it, though." He sat back in his chair (slumped really) and stared at the monitors blankly for a few moments until he heard Thomas mention opening the GMDs. Something clicked in Jeff's tired brain as he looked at the status screen, and the NOC administrator leaned forward very suddenly in order to reach his touchpads. He typed in a series of commands at ridiculous speeds brought about by years of practice at his job, and trapped Regalia in a stasis field just in the nick of time. "Umm... no. I can't let you do that." Jeff said in a tired voice as much to Thomas as anyone else. He sighed as he connected an Untrap subchip (which looked like a thumb drive) to one of the PET's external ports before he then spoke to his Navi: "I just connected an Untrap. Minah, please check the second MD for traps."
"Sure thing, boss." Minah's voice said in reply from the terminal's speakers. A moment later, an she spoke again: "Huh, good catch." Minah said in an amused tone. "That would have suuuuuuucked...."
"Yep." Jeff replied simply to Minah before muttering the rest of the sentence quietly to himself: "...that's what I was afraid of." He then asked his Navi a question in a more normal volume: "Gonna open them?"
"Naaah. Let's let him have his fun." Minah's voice answered back after a moment. Jeff nodded to himself, and tapped the pad to release Regalia from stasis lock. He then his head towards Thomas after unplugging the spent subchip. "I'll sell you the chip for 800 Zenny." Jeff's offer was well below what the chip was worth, but he didn't seem to care much.
"Sure thing, boss." Minah's voice said in reply from the terminal's speakers. A moment later, an she spoke again: "Huh, good catch." Minah said in an amused tone. "That would have suuuuuuucked...."
"Yep." Jeff replied simply to Minah before muttering the rest of the sentence quietly to himself: "...that's what I was afraid of." He then asked his Navi a question in a more normal volume: "Gonna open them?"
"Naaah. Let's let him have his fun." Minah's voice answered back after a moment. Jeff nodded to himself, and tapped the pad to release Regalia from stasis lock. He then his head towards Thomas after unplugging the spent subchip. "I'll sell you the chip for 800 Zenny." Jeff's offer was well below what the chip was worth, but he didn't seem to care much.