Making a report

((Return from -> Mikhail's Home))
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It was a day or two later when Pirouette made her way to the revolving door of the law, or more precisely, the civilian entry way to the NetPolice HQ. She hesitated, checking her appearance in the glass before stepping inside, taking a moment to ensure that her tu-tu was straight and even and to resettle her wings neatly, then pushed through and skipped across to the front counter with a smooth glide.

She placed both hands neatly folded together on the counter and glanced around for someone official, or else for a bell to ring or button to press; failing both, she intended to simply wait patiently until someone showed up. Mikhail had written up the report of what she encountered on the Netopia net, before, but in the end, Pirouette had requested to deliver it herself, rather than simply mailing it in. A part of her wanted to do it just so that she could add her personal experiences and perspectives if it became relevant, but also... she found herself wanting to see if there was any justification to the repeated opinions she'd heard about the police not being up to their job. It was a worrisome perspective for the public to have adopted.

When she was able to speak to someone face to face, she was sure to offer a warm smile before introducing herself.

"Good morning! I am Pirouette.exe, navigator of Mikhail Norano, an instructor at Dentech University. I have a report that I would like to make, regarding an incident that occurred the night before last, on the Netopia networks, not far from the Christoph Lewinskovia Seminar Hall. It concerns a criminal operation that may be endangering navigators and potentially the navis of school students in particular. Is there someone specific I should speak with?"
As Pirouette waited for someone to take her inquiry, an Official navi, a commercial model at that, would walk forward to the counter. Wearing an orange and white color scheme and a visor over their eyes would nod at her before listening to the navi explain what she had to deal with the night before last. Tilting their head at the question, it would shake their head. There is no one specific you can speak to at the moment, I'm sorry to say. Our officers and higher ups are currently in the middle of various operations or meetings across the networks. I can however forward your inquiry and your evidence to whomever can take a look at it. I warn you though, it might be a while before they can take a good look at it. There's not much else I can do to help besides that.
In response to the disconcerting deflection, Pirouette nodded her head once politely, but didn't and over the report right away. Instead she folded her hands together on the front counter and resettled her pose, subconsciously rising up a few inches on her toes to give herself more presence as she did.

"I understand that the force must have many individuals who are very busy, but I am afraid that will not be acceptable in this particular case. This is a matter which, I have reason to believe, has seen at the very least one innocent navigator permanently deleted, and many more equally innocent lives endangered, you know? As such, it warrants an immediate response from an officer of sufficient rank at least to give both an official statement on the issue, and an assurance of prompt investigation, yes? That is, after all, the required due process for such a matter." Here, she reached one hand across the counter to offer a handshake.

"I'm sorry, you did not offer your name or designate, and I would also appreciate knowing your position in this organisation." She smiled at the other navi. "Now, if you please, an appropriately representative officer, yes?" Still smiling, the young ballerina exuded poise, grace, but above that a calm sense of persistent patience. She had nothing against the navi in front of her, but she wasn't going to hesitate reporting his mishandling of her if it continued.

The navigator just looked down at her through their visor, letting out a sigh and a shake of their head in a condescending manner as she spoke wanting to see an officer of higher ranking. No. They would firmly say, grumbling under their breath as she continued on.

I don't get paid enough to call the higher ups for every little thing. Fuck, I hardly get paid at all. Me and my netop are barely scraping by with the money we make from here. I'm just a simple bus boy around here who takes the inquiries of every navigator that comes along, I'm relegated to the desks to file every little Inquiry that comes in. The navi would say simply, a piercing glare through their visor as they crossed their arms. If you want to see the higher ups, then I'd suggest actually trying to become a Net Police officer yourself. Don't know what you did to find this, but god knows it's too big for simple net police officers, we're too busy as is. The navi would emote, looking down at Pirouette. Now, if you will excuse me, I have actual work to get done. The navi would say as it would walk away into the back offices of the building, a variety of navis running around as they were getting their "jobs" done, papers fluttering everywhere and various swears being yelled out by overstressed and underpaid office workers.
When the attending officer ignored her hand, Pirouette withdrew and returned it to her earlier folded position at the edge of the counter. She listened while he spoke, watched him go, and then promptly rang the bell at the desk again. He had said he was tasked with taking every inquiry and report that came in, well, that was good.

"Hello." She spoke brightly and with a smile. "I have a report I wish to file regarding failure of the administration of the Net Police in handling of civilian inquiries. By the net police code of practices, I will be filing this as a CDDA, that is, Claim of Detriment by Defective Administration, if you are unfamiliar with the correct forms. It is my understanding that it is your duty to take reports, so I will cite for you now." She didn't let her eyes leave him this time as she spoke — a part of her had been worried by what she'd heard form others, so she'd done a decent amount of research before coming in in person, just to see if any of it was true. Internally, she was dismayed that it seemed to be so, but she hid it beneath a cool exterior and a patient smile.

"This report concerns an incident that occurred on today's date, at a few minutes before the current time, when, at this branch of the Net Police, a civilian, one Pirouette.exe attempted to lodge a report and inquiry regarding a suspected murder, missing person, and potential kidnapping crime." She paused for breath, and, if the navi attempted to speak back cut him off with a fixed glare. "You will not interrupt: you will take this report, as is your duty by employment and by law." She continued a moment later either way.

"Upon speaking with a representative of the Net Police, the civilian was first informed that she would not be assisted, despite the seriousness of the reported crime, and upon pushing the matter, was told more firmly that she would not be assisted, and told to join the net police herself if she wanted anything done. The navi serving her was rude in tone, spoke with vulgar language, as well as inappropriate body language, and when asked, refused to provide either his name or designate, or his position and rank in the organisation, both of which an employee of the net police is required by law to give if it is requested of them by a civilian in a public and non-hostile environment. Any one of such actions are demanding of an official caution or minor disciplinary action; three of such are warrant for expulsion from the net police. As three such offences occurred during this meeting, this report requests that proper disciplinary action be taken. The navi, who first refused to furnish the civilian with his name or designate, or his position in the organisation, later gave these as..." Here, Pirouette paused and raised an eyebrow.

"Your name or designate, please? And your formal position in the organisation? And I remind you that you are, in fact, as a member of the net police, legally obliged to give them to me upon such a request in the current environment." She gave him another patient and polite smile. Whether he filled in his details, gave them to her, or refused, Pirouette took a slow breath, then continued in a quiet, serious tone.

"Now, please understand that if you do not take this matter seriously, I can simply file the claim I just cited to you to someone else, on a different day, or at a different location, and due process will reach you regardless, you know? If, as you say, you and your operator depend upon this job, then I do not think you would wish for me to file such a claim, because you will be aware that I am entirely within my rights and correct on the details. You would understand exactly where due process would then leave you, no? Before you get irate at me, understand also that I am simply pursuing my basic rights as a civilian, and if that makes you angry then you have no business being in the net police to begin with." She resettled her shoulders and ruffled her wings, closing her eyes briefly as she did before coming back to meet his eyes again.

"I wish to see that the matter of this murder and kidnapping reaches the eyes and ears of someone who can assure me that it will be investigated to the proper extend of the law warranted by the severity of the matter. This means speaking to an appropriately representative officer, and I wish for you to assist me in seeing that this happens, as is your duty. If, indeed, you fulfil you duty in this manner, then I will have no reason to sign off and submit the claim I just cited to you, you know?" A small part of her didn't like applying the pressure like she was; the navi opposite her was likely going to be unhappy no matter what happened next... but at the same time, she reminded herself, she was, absolutely, within her rights, and the dereliction of duty that she was being shown was, indeed, reprehensible. She would probably feel bad submitting the claim that got another navi fired from his job, but at the same time, if he left her with no choice, she wasn't about to hesitate, or regret doing it.

As Pirouette started off her lengthy tirade on what sounded like a detailed reading of the bureaucratic proceedings they used to prop up creaky desks, the orange-and-white-colored Navi simply exhaled in frustration, and continued to walk away-- only to be halted in their tracks by an unexpected entrance.

"Hey, what's up, desk guy?"
"What's up?" "Yo." "Hey!"
"Who's this girl here?"

Out of nowhere, a humanoid-shaped outline of light appeared in front of the Navi. And then behind it. Beside it. Two showed up next to Pirouette, examining her from left and right. A cacophony of voices echoed out from the gaggle of light-beings, with each voice being nearly identical; it sounded much like an overexcited teenage boy, matching the outline's general body shape. However, within the loud din of worker Navis running around, each of those identical voices somehow managed to be completely distinct and clear in delivering its vocal message. The light-beings were mostly devoid of features, save for a simple pair of gleaming yellow eyes and mouth, shapes of spiky hair flowing out of their heads, billowing light-capes, and a floating Navi emblem in the middle of each of their chests, showing a set of dots outlining a diamond.

At the sudden intrusion, though the standardized commercial Official Navi graphical model didn't offer much in terms of being able to express emotion, Pirouette could very much tell that the Navi in front of her was grimacing quite visibly. With them attempting to avert their eyes from the new intrusion as much as they could manage, she could feel the disdain seeping out from under the visor. However, the awful expression only showed itself briefly, before being replaced by a wide-eyed look of realization.

The Navi then forcefully took one of the light-shaped figures' hands, shaking it forcefully with a strained laugh. "Factor, sir! Glad you could show up! Hahaha! Just delighted!"

"Really?" "Wow!"
"You're always so sour when I come around to check up on you."
"Yeah! Got a smile on your face for once!"

Pirouette could hear something being muttered by the Navi under their breath, but nonetheless, the Official Navi in question continued to shake the light-being's hand fervently. "Hahaha! Right, right, of course. Listen, I've got to, um, get a few files from the back. This girl here has something to report. You don't mind taking an account, right? For your buddy ol' pal? Great, of course you don't. I'll be seeing you around!" With that, the Navi all but fled the scene, disappearing into the crowd of worker Navis, who seemed to only raise an eyebrow at the light-beings, but otherwise paid them no mind.

The "Factor" that just had its hand shaken watched the Official Navi run off, and shook his head with a bit of a laugh. "Haha, silly desk guy, the filing room is down the other corridor."
"Probably needs a vacation," the one just beside it continued.
"In Beach Net!" the one just ahead of Pirouette suggested.
"Yep, definitely," said the one to her left.
"Anyway, good citizen!" exclaimed the one on her right.

At the last statement, each of the five "Factor"s stood ramrod straight, and performed a sharp salute. "What can I help you with?" all of them said, near-simultaneously.
She hadn't really been sure what she would have felt like was a satisfactory result from having to leverage code of conduct claims against net police representatives; she'd have felt disgruntled with the system if the threat of pressure had made him bend at a junction where normal duty had failed to compel him to action, and equally infuriated if he'd dismissed her further. As it was, Pirouette had to wage her poise against the indignation stemming from the best of both of these results: the desk clerk had continued to dismiss her, until such a time as an officer showed up, purely by chance, and he'd then taken it as an opportunity not to assist her issue, but to quite obviously pass the buck and flee. Outwardly, Pirouette smiled and inclined her head to the new navi greeting her, or at least, to the one she was guessing might.. maybe... be the main one. Inwardly, she seethed.

She also wanted to avoid squinting in a rude manner, but it was an effort while she was surrounded by navis with a visual them made of little beyond raw light. She extended a hand.

"Hello, thank you. I am greatly concerned by the poor administration I have experienced today, and I fear I begin to see why there is such a total lack of faith or confidence in the capabilities of the Net Police by so many of the general public, you know? My name is Pirouette, and I do have a report to make, regarding what I fear to be murder and abductions, with reason to believe that the navigators of school children, or those who work in schools, may be specific targets in some manner... however," here she paused, looking aside slightly as she picked careful words. "As so many before me, I fear that I begin to feel that simply reporting the matter to an official of the Net Police will not ensure that it will be properly investigated, nor justice pursued. There must be some kind of... aie... security... no... certainty... ahh... uverennost, you know, it is... ah, ah! Assurance. Yes. There is some kind of assurance you can give me, that the matter will be followed with due diligence, no?" She winced despite herself, self-conscious of her occasional word stumbles.

"I am just a civilian navigator, and not a member of the police force; I can look after myself, you know, but I can not... It is the job of the net police to deliver justice to crimes like this, is it not? It is a tragedy and a crime in itself that the public have been left with so little trust, so little faith, in the capabilities of the net police." She really wasn't entirely sure which factor she ought to be looking at as she spoke, and her eyes flicked between them, though she mostly ended up focusing on the one that she'd offered her hand to first.


"Oh, yes, yes, Pirouette, nice to meet you," said one of the Factor-sprites, taking Pirouette's offered-up hand and shaking it with vigor. Meanwhile, the other Factors took out various implements of writing, all made of the same blinding photons as the Navi(?) himself. A little notebook with a pen that went click-click. A long scroll with the flaired silhouette of a writing quill in the other hand. The last two even brought out a combination of an enormous slab, paired up with hammer and chisel, with all of them directing their attention towards the dancer Navi. As she made her report, each of the instruments fell on the floor, though they curiously didn't make a sound as they fell.

"Murder!" "Abductions!" "School children!"
"That sounds super serious!" "I'll talk to the boss!"

The Factors all piped up with teetering voices, their simplistic facial expressions showing such overexaggerated surprise and concern, that to Pirouette, she would be very much forgiven for thinking that they were making fun of her. Then, as if Pirouette wasn't blinded enough, the light sprites surrounding her intensified in brightness briefly, before dimming down to reveal... two more Factors, for a total of seven. The two additional Factors ran off through the corridors, bumping into some irate looking worker Navis, who otherwise hurried onwards to whatever their individual destinations were.

Meanwhile, the "main" Factor that Pirouette had focused on nodded his head solemnly, with his chin resting on his hand in a contemplative pose. "Right, then, while me and I go off to get the boss, do you have any more details that we can go off of?"
"What net was this in?" "What kind of people were there?"
"Do we have to go right now?"
"Is there a NetCafe along the way?"
As the odd collection of Factors began taking details, Pirouette fought the urge to frown again, her features twitching down every now and then before she smoothed them again. Yes they were making a show of taking the report properly, but at the same time... she opened her mouth to tell the gaggle of light entities that it felt like she was being mocked, but the lead-most Factor got back to asking more serious questions and she settled, ruffling her wings and letting the matter slide for just a little longer.

"As I said, this was the public Netopia network, not far from the Christoph Lewinskovia Seminar Hall..." She went on to give the Factors more details about her encounter previously, with the strange woman and her project, abducted navigators turned into vicious bug monsters and the other details she'd managed to gather from the second figure who had shown up afterwards. The more she relayed, however, the less confidence she felt that the matter would really get anywhere while in the hands of the over-animated officer in front of her, and he was the most attentive navi she'd found. That was a depressing thought. Her wings slumped gradually behind her as her report ran its course.

"After he left, there was nothing more for myself or Mikhail to do, other than note down all the details and report the matter, as I am doing now, yes? I had hoped to find something so serious as this taken seriously from the outset, you know, but the handling so far, it has been quite distressing. That is all the information I have, but can you promise me that the issue will be investigated properly and seriously? I do believe that at least a few have lost their lives to this already." Her hands clasped together in front as she made the plea, but already other thoughts were ticking around in the back of her mind.

"Hmm.. Netopia." "Christoph Lewinskovia Seminar Hall..."
"Gotta look up the sector for that." "Hang on, let me do something."

With the bulk of the light figures animatedly discussing and crowding around Pirouette, it seemed like the matter would at least be considered somewhat seriously. As she finished her report, and presented her plea, the Factor in front of her stood up straight and saluted with an overdone spring in his arm.

"Okay! But I have to see the boss before we do something about it-- Oh, there I am!" he said, looking back at the entry hall. There, another Factor stood, pretty much identical to the rest of the figures. "I'm here now! Redouble our efforts, men!" the new arrival said.

"Yes, sir!" the rest of the Factors said, saluting sharply, before appearing to vanish simultaneously from Pirouette's sight, leaving the new arrival by himself. The light-being took a long breath, and seemed to nod to himself. This time, the "boss" offered out a handshake of his own.

"Right! That's all I need to know, I think. I'm Factor, head of Navi Prosecutions' Factor Resources Division. Appreciate the report, I'll be sending a few of myself to investigate. This is very serious to me, I'll assure you, so please rest assured. We'll have those baddies rounded up in no time!"
The magnitude of multiple factors crowding in on her was slightly overwhelming for Pirouette, but it was, at the very least, reassuring on another level. Even if it was, in reality, only one navi... maybe... at least he seemed engaged. She wasn't convinced that he... they... would get anywhere in the long run, all things considered, but it was really looking like it was the best she could do for now. For the most part, she only managed to nod politely at the various talking Factors, and again properly when the one purporting to be the main Factor showed up. She shook his hand, but also brushed the edge of her tu-tu with the other hand and dipped a slight curtsey for him.

"Thank you. I am glad to hear you say so. It really was a very worrisome encounter, you know? I can not think of any other details I can give you, but Mikhail has supplied our contact information, if you need to ask any more questions."

It seemed as though that was all she could really do, and Pirouette turned to leave the office after saying her goodbyes, but stopped before she reached the exit and turned back. A thoughtful frown had settled on her face and she took a step back.

"Before I go, If you would, officer Factor... Aie... If I wished to look at employment opportunities, within the net Police, where should I look?" Her wings ruffled slightly as she tilted her head. It wasn't a promise, but the thought had been creeping up on her as the poor organisation and lack of public confidence in their abilities had been made ever more apparent to her.


As he saw Pirouette off, Factor seemed to perk up at the last sentence she offered. "Oh! You'd like to join us? We have a recruitment drive at the NetSquare currently going on. I'll put in a good word for you, if you do decide on it, miss Pirouette," he said, practically beaming with pride. Immediately, three more Factors appeared next to him, all perfectly saluting.
With a small nod at Faction's response, Pirouette curtsied for him again, one toe point sliding subtly along the floor past her other foot as her knees bent, then straightened.

"Thank you. I will consider it, yes? There is much about this organisation's image that should really be improved, you know. Good day to you, sir." With a last, only slightly uncertain glance between the main Factor and the other likenesses of him, the ballerina turned again and made her way our of the department. Outside, she paused. It was still early in the morning, and neither she nor Mikhail had any class they needed to see until later. Her operator had kept quiet while she'd spoken but now he asked the obvious question.

"What is in your mind, little one? I know the recent evening was unsettling for you, but joining a net faction is a very big step to take. I worry about the sorts of people you will meet, doing such a thing, and you know that it will take up much of your free time if you do this." It didn't sound like he was actually discouraging her from going ahead with her thoughts, but, like any concerned father figure, he clearly had misgivings. Pirouette shook her head softly, then turned so she could look back at the police HQ from further away.

"I am not certain, Mikhail. I feel as though... that there is something more I can be doing, you know? Recently, I have made several small errands out into the net that have shown me other people and none of them seem to have any faith that the police can keep them safe from the dangers of the net, at all. This should not be. It is their duty, and their responsibility. If I do this, I will not let it come before helping you, or the children. I can promise you this, no? I will be sure to ask about a job that is not dangerous, and I will only do as much as I have time for. There will be something, I am sure of it. If there is nothing that is safe enough, then I will let it be, yes?" She didn't exactly hear Mikhail nod to himself, but the soft sight of his breath conveyed it.

"Very well, my dear, but if you will do this, then best foot forward, yes? They have some minimum requirements for applicants, which I checked when you spoke to that light-filled navigator. Come out, and we will go to the Navi shop first, and sort out that detail." Pirouette nodded again. She hadn't actually considered that there might be requirements, but on the whole the fact that there were boded better for the police as a whole. A few moments later, a small bead of light expanded from her core, enveloping the ballerina in a globe of swirling white, which burst and left nothing behind save a few crisp swan feathers drifting to the ground.

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((To -> The Navi Shop))