animus_network | ♓ 001

Entry tags:

♓ 001

I suppose t)(e dramatics )(ave finally come to an end?
Per)(aps we may get back to business, unless t)(e lot of you are too busy wading waist deep in self-pity.
I recall assigning at least one of you a task to be done, and I don't like to be kept waiting.
You know w)(o you are, and I expect an update t)(is instant, and not a moment later.
I )(ave inquiries for two more of you, and a demand of one of t)(e same.
Dualscar.
My )(elmsman.
See to it t)(at bot)( of you respond, or locate me promptly.
I )(ave my own agenda t)(at I must see to.

[OOC: LOOKIN' AT YOU, SIGNLESS BRO]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[She has an idea. Or maybe she just refuses to believe that her conditioning has been partially overridden.]

[She has an idea on how to make this easier, knowing that it's much easier to talk back in text than it is in person or over voice, so she makes a point to switch on the video feed and give him her condescending stare.

Condesce will simply stare for a few moments, jaw shifting in a strange attempt to level her temper and speak calmly, without that note of disgust in her voice.]

I don't have time to entertain your notions of intelligence, and of how it speaks to either of us. If you want to be any use to anyone, I suggest you do as I say, as it concerns your little null-blooded lamprey.

As well as other things that I will not discuss over this network where it can be monitored.

[A pause.]

I am not seeking an audience with you for my health, seeing as said audience usually results in the direct opposite.

[Ahahaha yeah RIGHT like he's going to turn his video on. She can just keep dealing with text, and not see him cringing.]

[She figured he wasn't that dumb, but its easier to give orders like this, and for her to put on her most unimpressed expression possible.]

This doesn't concern him, nor am I going to waste my time dealing with him attempting to speak for you. Bring the wriggler if you must.

Besides, he has his own work to do, unless he wishes to prove himself incompetent to me once again.

Contacting Sollux was easy enough, and his Descendant had readily agreed to go as Ψiioniic's backup. It made him feel more than just a little better to know that the young troll had all of Ψiioniic's power and none of his hesitation to use it against the Condesce. In some ways, he was better to have at his back for this meeting than Signless would have been.

Ψiioniic approached the tenth floor warily, more than half suspecting a trap of some kind to have been laid.

((Sollux-mun will tag in ^_^))

Sollux was nervous, though he struggled to hide it. He'd met the Condesce once and it had gone okay, but mostly because he kept his head down and didn't really say anything to get himself in trouble.

But back then, he hadn't known that he was destined to be made into a slave, if highbloods like the Condesce had her way. Things were different now that he knew about Psiioniic and everything else.

He was small next to Psiioniic, but his head was up and his eyes narrowed behind his shades as he walked, looking for the Condesce as they stepped onto the tenth floor. He eyed the aquariums warily as he stepped off the stairs. His swimming still really sucked even with lessons from Eridan, and he didn't have his breathing apparatus here. But there was no reason why they should wind up having to swim.

Condesce had made this floor her living space since she had discovered it, and so when the two lowbloods appeared in the room, it was no surprise that her skin was slightly damp. She had made a point to try and dry herself before they came, knowing full well that electricity and water didn't mix well. She wasn't interested in giving them too many advantages, when considering she was alone.

The highblood turned when she heard them approach, trident in hand as she met their eyes evenly. Rather than give a proper greeting, she merely launched right into conversation.

"Don't make me ask you more than once for your audience again," she snorted, letting her eyes fall briefly to Sollux before moving back up to Psiioniic again. Now that she could give commands in person, she felt a little better. In truth, the whole exchange from earlier left her rather tense. "Fortunately for you, it works to our advantage. I can make use of both of you."

Ψiioniic's eyes were glued to the floor, and he couldn't seem to make himself raise them. He also couldn't talk back to her as casually as he had over the 'net, though he struggled to hang onto that piece of himself. "I'm... thorry. But I won't... come to you alone," he managed to get out with an effort.

He couldn't trust her not to take advantage of him, that was obvious. He needed somebody there with him who wouldn't be forced to obey her. The fact that he needed the help made him burn with shame, but there it was. He wasn't stupid enough to try to pretend that just because it was embarrassing, that meant it wasn't true.

Sollux told himself he wasn't here to make waves, or pick a fight, but he really didn't like the way Psiioniic was cringing. Nor did he like the Condesce's phrasing.

"What do you want with uth, Highnethh?" he asked, boldly but as non-rudely as he could manage. He elbowed Psiioniic, trying to wordlessly remind him not to apologize for stupid things.

She waved off his apology, knowing full well that at this point it wasn't even close to being sincere. That didn't mean she was going to tell him to stop doing it, though. That would defeat the purpose.

"You're both aware of the service elevator the staff makes use of here, yes?" Condesce relayed, stepping toward the pair of them. "Assuming the Signless follows through with his portion of the plan, we may require one or both of you to operate it. I'm inclined to believe that it requires authorized access that we'll need to override."

A little surprisingly, that brought Ψiioniic's head up, and he stared at her for a moment. "Tho, you pulled me away from helping SS to get into and operate the elevator, tho that you could tell me that we need to get into and operate the elevator?" he asked in faint disbelief.

Really, this COULD have been said over the network. He was one hundred percent certain that the tower was well aware of their efforts, and most likely of this conversation as well. But instead she'd had to pull rank and show off her superiority, making him come to her so she could tell him to do what he'd already been doing.

"What elevator?" Sollux asked blankly. He had seen a little of Signless' post, but he'd been distracted at the time, and hadn't gotten around to offering his services.

"If you need thomething hacked, I can hack it," he added, giving a shrug. It wasn't boasting, as far as he was concerned. It was just fact.

Condesce merely smirks at Psiioniic's outburst, but doesn't respond to him directly. In truth, nothing delighted her more than pulling strings that didn't need to be pulled. But she'd never say that out loud, especially considering Sollux was with him. So she focuses on the wriggler instead, turning her eyes downward to him and offering a smile that was far too sweet to be genuine. It seemed to be default, reserved for those rare moments where she wasn't barking orders.

"We haven't any concrete information yet," she added, glancing passed them at the door briefly before looking back down at Sollux. "But there is a service elevator on the lower floors that can only be accessed by the supposed administrators of the tower. If it will lead us to our captors, then we'll need to make use of it. That would be where you would come in."

She reached down, tapping Sollux on the head with a single talon.

"DON'T touch him," Ψiioniic snapped, red and blue crackles of power building between his horns. He couldn't defend himself, but he COULD defend Sollux if he had to. Just as he'd defended Signless.

He really hoped it wouldn't come to that, considering the messy end to the last confrontation. Thankfully Sollux could probably protect himself, it was one of the reasons Ψiioniic had brought him along. "He'th not yours," he insisted quietly.

Sollux raised a hand to Psiioniic. "It'th okay," he said, though he didn't take his eyes off the Condesce.

His forehead tingled a little where she'd touched him, but he wasn't afraid. He didn't want things to get out of control again. He'd already watched Psiioniic die once, and didn't want it to happen again.

"Fine, I'll hack the elevator," he said. "What about thith couldn't have been thaid over the network?"

Psiioniic's words only entice a titter of laughter from Condesce, one talon turning into all of her fingers as she ruffles the young descendant's head in what could be taken as a gesture of affection. She was always fond of her Helmsman, though not as a person. More as a pet.

His descendant wasn't all that different.

Her tyrian irises flicker to Psiioniic in brief acknowledgement before she looks back down at Sollux. "No physical record of evidence this way."

"You really think they don't have camerath everywhere?" Ψiioniic asked wearily. "The fact that we can't find any tells me they're probably all over the place. What's the point in thetting up such an elaborate experiment and then not obtherving the subjects?"

Sollux could take care of himself, he reminded himself sternly. His Descendant was not hampered by Ψiioniic's conditioning not to disobey high-bloods.

Sollux flushed and ducked his head automatically, grumbling and lifting a hand to comb his ruffled hair back into place. At least his was straight instead of wild curls like many trolls, but still.

"Yeah, they've got to have camerath. Anyway, it doethn't matter. You want to wathte our time, Emprethh, go ahead. But that doethn't mean we'll jutht run every time you call. Nektht time, make it good." He shrugged and turned to leave.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

♓ 001

[Locked]

[Locked]

[Locked || Video]

[Locked] ((oops sorry I thought I had answered this already))

[Locked] ((UNFORGIVEN no its cool, notifs have been wonky all day anyway))

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

Re: [Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]