That the same vials that Penny finds?

But what's up, Siobhan? You know what this 'evidence' is?

Who's the motherfucker? Mike? Or that weirdo that fle-jumped off the balcony?

oh no what is it????

Is this... dead people?

>>985332

Dust samples. Fuck.

Question is whose, and why are they HERE after Mike apparently didn't want the damned things?

Based on your reaction, I'm assuming that these must be the dust samples that you stole from Taunton a year ago. You know what that means, don't you?

Say, these look somewhat reddish. I thought you said there used to be black powder in them?

Is there anything else the intruder left here?

Might want to lock the doors.

Also let's not forget about the neighbor. Maybe the things in the walls are to spy on what's going on inside?

1/1 teegee 2021/01/11(Mon)20:37 No. 985444 ID: 3994a2
File 161042626967.png - (413.68KB , 1024x1024 , -1-024-1.png )

>But what's up, Siobhan? You know what this 'evidence' is?
It's the dust samples I collected in those ruins a year ago.

The same fucking samples that that got us into this whole mess. And now, after my life's finally gotten back to some kind of normalcy, here they are, in my fucking kitchen.

>Say, these look somewhat reddish. I thought you said there used to be black powder in them?
Assuming it's the same dust I took samples of, then yeah, it's black. The shitty excuse for daylight we get down here just makes everything look red.

>Who's the motherfucker? Mike? Or that weirdo that fle-jumped off the balcony?
Whatever motherfucker decided to push the samples back on us, whoever the hell it was.

>why are they HERE after Mike apparently didn't want the damned things?
Good fucking question. I think Mike owes me a god-damned explanation.

--

Before long, Mike shows up. He shouts for me, and I tell him I'm in the kitchen.

He walks in, and I hold up the samples, raising an eyebrow. "Your friend left us a present."

He looks at it and immediately gets a pained look on his face. "For fuck's sake," he growls.

"It's really something, ain't it?" I clench my fist, trying to keep my anger under control. "You mind tellin' me what the hell's going on?"

He stares at me for a second, then grabs the samples and sync gun, stowing both in his jacket. "C'mon, I'll give ya a ride ta work." He turns an about-face and leaves the kitchen.

I stand there, dumbfounded; I don't have work for at least a few more hours. "Mike, what the fuck."

"Don't wanna make ya late. We can talk about last night on the way," he shouts.

I've got half a mind to tell him I'm not going anywhere 'til I get some answers.

>>985444
He's definitely watching what he says in case someone (your neighbor) is eavesdropping. So go on, talk in the car.

Kinda sounds like he's trying to get you out of the apartment and away from any prying ears. I suspect you two will taking the scenic route to discuss things

>"C'mon, I'll give ya a ride ta work."
>"Don't wanna make ya late.

>I don't have work for at least a few more hours

I dont think he means your work, rather, i think he meant his work... (or maybe he means your old job when you were scrapping, but that is unlikely)

Yeah, just go with him, if it means it will make him feel most comfortable to get a straight answer. Just be sure to look for any recording devices in the vehicle that someone may have placed. Bring a coat.

I think he's making excuses for you both to not be here in the immediate future. Ask him if there's anything you should bring. Uh, like, circumspectly, maybe. Aside your neighbor, that home invader of yours could have left listening bugs or something. Like, say you've lost track of what you were supposed to be doing and ask if he remembers what you were supposed to need 'for work' today.

I didn't catch it at first, but yeah, I agree he's trying to play it cool for ears that might hear. Pretend this is normal, he can fill you in in the car.

>>985444
oh shit this is bad, he's being SUBTLE! play along!

>>985460
Play along for now. You sure as hell don’t have to be happy about it though.

Get dressed for work and go with Mike.

>>985444

Stalk over and whisper at him that if he doesn't want someone hearing what already got said out on the balcony, fine, he can at least SAY that.

Because right now you just had some crazy break into your goddamned house and leave you what you thought you'd never have to see again, and it's pretty fucking hard to feel calm about the whole affair when half the reason you're stuck working a goddamned bar gig is because of "gifts" like that.

(You know, without actually saying what you both now)

So yeah, he owes you some answers, and if a ride to "work" is how he wants to handle it, fine, but the least he can do is SAY that.

Clamp your jaw, get dressed for work and join him.

"We in any danger now?" should perhaps be the most relevant query.

>>985484
the whole point here is NOT to say that

we were JUST insulting someone for acting like a bad spy thriller extra, lets not play the part of conveniently loose-lipped bit character.

Waitwaitwait!!
Thinking some steps ahead: Before you both head out, take some containers from the kitchen, or bowls, or cups... at least 12 of them...

I have a feeling that the person who might be listening in (probably the next door neighbor) was not with that weirdo that dropped this evidence off here and wants to steal them from your apartment.

If they deduce you and Mike has them, and start chasing you down, you might need to secretly transfer those dust samples from their vials and into the containers you got from the kitchen, and use the empty vials in the evidence pack as a decoy, a distraction.

1/4 teegee 2021/01/14(Thu)21:38 No. 985690 ID: 3994a2
File 161068911287.png - (523.68KB , 1024x1024 , -1-025-1.png )

I start to open my mouth, but he shoots me a weird, severe look.

Well, then. Guess I'll play along for now.

"Fine," I say. "Just lemme change for work."

I throw on something a little flashy, grabbing a windbreaker on for good measure. I think to stuff some containers in the bag in case we need to ditch the sample vials as a decoy, but... nah, that's probably way too conspicuous.

"Alright, let's get a move on," he says, and I follow him out the front door.

2/4 teegee 2021/01/14(Thu)21:38 No. 985691 ID: 3994a2
File 161068912529.png - (412.44KB , 1024x1024 , -1-025-2.png )

Neither of us says a word 'til we get down to the dock.

3/4 teegee 2021/01/14(Thu)21:39 No. 985692 ID: 3994a2
File 161068914467.png - (551.50KB , 1024x1024 , -1-025-3.png )

"You use this?" He asks, flashing the sync gun at me from inside his jacket.

I nod, and he drops it on the dock, kicking it off and into the skies below as he boards the hop.

4/4 teegee 2021/01/14(Thu)21:39 No. 985693 ID: 3994a2
File 161068915884.png - (560.42KB , 1024x1024 , -1-025-4.png )

I climb in the passenger's side, and soon the hop takes off, diving below the shelf.

"You owe some fucking answers, Mike."

He nods. "Whatcha wanna know?"

"Fucking everything, what do you --" I stop myself and cool off for a second. "Tell me everything. No secrets."

"Alright." He glances at me. "Where should I start?"

>>985693
Who was that lady with the holographic eyes?

Why haven't you thrown this case to the beat cops? 'Trespassing to deliver volatile goods' is enough to get an APB on anyone.

What the fuck is even going on, to start

>>985694
Yeah. What the hell, man. Neighbor man starts acting creepy, buncha noises next door and then boom, here comes a weird weird visitor just handing back something you practically threw away your life over.

Lets start from the beginning, last night. Mike said something about a "problem client". Ask about that client, what they hired Mike to do & if they are connected to this incident.

Immediate things first. Where are we going and what are we running from?

He can start by telling you if he knows what his cum tastes like. Because the next time he comes into you, you're returning it - down his mouth. Just like how these samples came back to you.

Anyway, if we're talking about beginnings, then he could start with how he first met the client over a year ago. Ok, that might be a bit too early and it would take too long heh. But some other important questions that he could answer right now would be:
- Who is the client? It's a bit late for the client confidentiality excuse now~
- Why did they return the samples? Don't they know about your "no backsies" policy?
- Is his place still safe?
- Why were you kept in the dark about this? It doesn't seem like it helped you sleep easier at night or anything.
- What are his plans now?
- Does he realize that he's sleeping on the couch tonight?

As he is explaining himself, keep your eyes on your surroundings for anyone or anything suspicious, like vehicles following you and Mike outside for example, or anything that might be tampered with inside the vehicle. Right now, you're too angry to be looking at Mike anyway for keeping you in the dark, so you might as well just survey your surroundings as you listen to Mike.

Who was that freak with the eye holotats?

1/7 teegee 2021/03/30(Tue)20:10 No. 993914 ID: 3994a2
File 161716020626.png - (195.02KB , 1024x1024 , -1-026-1.png )

>Why haven't you thrown this case to the beat cops? 'Trespassing to deliver volatile goods' is enough to get an APB on anyone.
That'd be a good point if it wasn't for the fact that I really don't need the cops looking into where those samples came from. If they figured out I scoured some ruins down below for that shit, I'd be fuckin' donezo.


"...The person who broke in and left the samples. Any idea who they are? Are they --"

"Their holotat," he interrupts. "Blue? Two eyes, one on top of the othah, left side of the face?"

"Yeah."

He nods. "Same client as a year ago, yeah. For that job, you know the one. Or one of their goons, more likely. That holotat is like... their calling card. They all got one."

"So those really are the samples I took."

"Sure as hell looks like it."

"So is that the 'problem client' you mentioned last night? Who the hell are they?"

"Yep. They wouldn't tell me who they are -- which ain't all that unusual in this biz, y'know -- but I did a lil' digging and found a name."

"Which is?"

"...they're part of Orchid," he says, wincing as he says it. "Pretty high up in the org, far as I can tell."

2/7 teegee 2021/03/30(Tue)20:10 No. 993915 ID: 3994a2
File 161716022458.png - (513.94KB , 1024x1024 , -1-026-2.png )

"Orchid? That cult with the weird ads?" I can't fucking believe it. "Why did you agree --"

"They gave us 50k, Siobhan. Fifty fuckin' kay for a single job." He glances at me. "Did you think that 25k bonus you got was just hazard pay? That was yer fifty-fifty split."

"You could've turned them down--"

3/7 teegee 2021/03/30(Tue)20:10 No. 993916 ID: 3994a2
File 161716024063.png - (422.79KB , 1024x1024 , -1-026-3.png )

"How was I supposed to turn down an offer like that?!" He snaps.

There's an awkward pause that feels like it just drags on forever.

"...Sorry," he sighs, finally. "I shouldn't a' yelled. But yeah, what was I supposed to do? Would you say no? Be honest with yourself."

"...I would've jumped on that shit."

"Damn straight you would've."

4/7 teegee 2021/03/30(Tue)20:10 No. 993917 ID: 3994a2
File 161716025347.png - (415.38KB , 1024x1024 , -1-026-4.png )

I watch the underhang buildings whizz by for a moment. "What the hell is even going on, Mike? Why are these Orchid people doin' this?"

"I only got bits and pieces myself," he admits. "A week ago they just show up at the office, makin' demands. I told 'em no way, the job's done, we don't do escrow. ...And now this shit happens."

5/7 teegee 2021/03/30(Tue)20:11 No. 993918 ID: 3994a2
File 161716029161.png - (589.07KB , 1024x1024 , -1-026-5.png )

Mike threads the hop up through a gap in the underhang, landing it on a maintenance platform no one uses anymore. "C'mon," he says, circling around to grab something from the back.

"Why'd we stop here?" I ask as I climb out.

6/7 teegee 2021/03/30(Tue)20:12 No. 993920 ID: 3994a2
File 161716032198.png - (258.13KB , 1024x1024 , -1-026-6.png )

"We just need some privacy for a bit," he replies, approaching me with a familiar case dangling from his hand. He holds it up. "You still good on how to use this thing?"

It's the dustbender he had me train with back when I still worked for him. I just stare at it, baffled as to why he brought it.

"You good on it or not?"

"...Yeah."

"Good," he says, pulling the bender out of its case and punching in a few test codes. "Gonna need you to use it on me."

"...What the hell, Mike."

"Those Orchid fuckers wanted us to zap the samples into our dust. To hide 'em inside us until they give the all-clear signal. So fine, they fuckin' win. I'm ready for this shit to be over."

7/7 teegee 2021/03/30(Tue)20:12 No. 993922 ID: 3994a2
File 161716033626.png - (355.54KB , 1024x1024 , -1-026-7.png )

"That's fucking insane, the samples haven't been sequenced." I spread my arms out, exasperatedly. "Who the hell knows what's in that shit?!"

He nods. "That's why I'm gonna be the guinea pig and you ain't." He holds the bender out in my direction. "Load it up and zap me."

I stare at him like he has three heads. And for all we know about what's in those samples, that might only be the start of it.

Zap yourself, for Mike's safety.

"inside us" huh? So it's gonna be a 50/50 split?

Yeah, do him first. See what happens. Then he does you.

woah woah woah what does zapping even do? what'll happen if it's a "bad" batch of dust? what is a "safe" batch of dust supposed to even do?

>>993936
By my understanding? Anything at all. Change your body, your memories. "Bad" dust could scramble you completely.

>>993924
I mean, if he is doing things without our input, we could probably do things without his input to get even by zapping yourself.

Yeah, lets zap yourself instead, make yourself the guinea pig. If something bad happened to Mike if we shot him, we probably wouldn't know what to do at that point. Mike however would. He knows more about what is going on than we do. Plus Orchid probably doesn't know too much about us in comparison to Mike, so they'd probably expect him to take the dust samples inside him instead.

Tell him to call the bar and let them know you'll be taking your vacation starting now.

...what kind of crazy sway have these Orchids GOT, to push him this far? Goddammit, Mike. If he was gonna destroy himself for 50K... now you've got nothing if he...

Aw fuck.

If you're gonna go with this stupid plan, he shouldn't be the test case. Maybe not at all. What the hell can he do if he becomes, like, unrecognizable or entirely fucked up in the head? He's the one sitting on all the facts. About the case and the Orchids. About any hope of unravelling what the hell this is all about.

Meanwhile, you won't have a home, or a job. You'll be back to scavving, with a worse body and practically no resources to your name, no idea who the fuck to punch in the nutsack, face or other sensitive regions, other than anyone with a two-eye tatt. And you've already practically given up your identity...

Man, if the Orchid folks were gonna kill you, this is an awful roundabout way of it. Maybe they already sequenced it? Maybe they know it's safe enough for smuggling?

Or maybe they don't give a shit what happens to you, as long as it's in someone.

Load the 'bender up with the samples, sigh and zap yourself before you can bring yourself to regret making the decision.

"You're an asshole for getting us into this, Mike, but if you think I'll let you fuck your life up worse than mine, you've got another thing coming. Whatever happens, be a responsible asshole, m'kay?"

Ah, one more thing.

"In for a penny..."

Remember to hold still.

Just zap him. No reason to fucking ruin yourself based on zero decisions you made while the truth was being concealed from you by Mike. If it fucks him completely, he deserves it for getting you into this shit without giving you all the facts beforehand.

>>994002
Say this!

I'm pretty sure that Siobhan can't zap herself. Think about it. Why does Mike need Siobhan to zap him? Given that he's punching in codes, he probably knows how to use the dustbender just fine, so why couldn't he just zap himself? Probably because it's too dangerous. Maybe the person receiving the zap gets a shock, or something, and isn't able to hold the dustbender steady long enough for the process to finish. Or maybe the dustbender needs to be moved around precisely. So if Siobhan wants to get zapped instead, she would have to talk Mike into doing it.

Personally, I'd just zap him.
Why? Because I think things will turn out more interesting this way. I mean, it's entirely possible that Siobhan getting zapped here is how she gets her powers. But how would she get them if she zapped Mike here? Something very interesting would have to happen indeed.

Wait... the samples that Penny found, why did she find them in the Old City? If all of them used right here, right now, through the dustbender, then it makes no sense to bring the empty vials to the Old City.
What I'm implying here is that, for the sample vials to end down there, where Penny finds them, it only makes sense if Mike and Siobhan do not open them here. But if they don't open the samples here, it means that either Mike and Siobhan choose to delay zapping their dust here, or they're interrupted by someone.

So... this means that Mike and Siobhan are quite possibly in immediate danger?

Siobhan might want to ask Mike to be quiet for a while and listen. Make sure there's no one around.

>>993922

Okay, okay, let me get this straight.

Mike just instantly caved on this one, and is willing to potentially commit what amounts to suicide if this goes wrong, knowing FULL WELL there's no way in HELL we can do anything about it if so, considering how powerful he claims this group to be?

I mean, I get it, I do, but what kind of pressure did they use for him to just ... just accept, like this?

He wants to protect us, sure, but we're the one who had to ride it all out in this crazy new body, who risked our neck to even GET those cursed things in the first place, and whose had to upend our life because of them -- right along with Mike.

And moreover, he's right on the fucking escrow thing: we did it. It's done.

If those Orchid guys are really that powerful, then why in the everloving fuck would they need US to hide this shit for them, huh?

What are THEY so afraid of that they need to pawn off their big prize to someone like ourselves to keep it safe?

Has Mike asked himself that at all? Because if not, we need to.

We'll be lucky not to lose him from this, and playing the goddamned hero isn't going to fix it, either.

We still dont know what our neighbor was all about. That llama was the main reason mike decided to come to our apartment initially. Is llama with Orchid? Was he planning on stealing the samples?

"And if we don't? I take it they made the consequences clear." This is sounding like an elaborate set up to get you and Mike out of the picture while they find out whatever these mystery samples do, two birds with one stone.

Mike, there has to be another way!

1/3 teegee 2021/04/28(Wed)22:08 No. 998254 ID: 3994a2
File 161967291868.png - (1.50MB , 1024x1024 , -1-027-1.png )

"...So they want us both to have that stuff inside us? Like a 50/50 split?"

Mike walks over and forces the bender into my hands, along with the case of samples. "If they do, that ain't what's happenin'. It's all goin' in me." He drops his coat on the ground, exposing his neck to me. "C'mon."

2/3 teegee 2021/04/28(Wed)22:09 No. 998255 ID: 3994a2
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I glance around our surroundings, listening for any signs that someone else might be here... but there's nothing.

I take a deep breath, and pop the payload chamber open. My hands shake a bit as I load the samples inside -- am I really going to do this? This is fucking nuts.

>Why does Mike need Siobhan to zap him? Given that he's punching in codes, he probably knows how to use the dustbender just fine, so why couldn't he just zap himself? Probably because it's too dangerous. Maybe the person receiving the zap gets a shock, or something, and isn't able to hold the dustbender steady long enough for the process to finish.
I was always better on a bender than Mike was. He knows the basics, like how to punch in a code for a general overwrite, but he's always left it to me when it comes to actually doing the zapping.

>I'm pretty sure Siobhan can't zap herself.
Nah. Unlike Mike, I'm the one with an aug that lets you pre-program your limbs. Comes in handy when you gotta zap yourself while out on a scrap.

3/3 teegee 2021/04/28(Wed)22:10 No. 998256 ID: 3994a2
File 161967301335.png - (1.58MB , 1024x1024 , -1-027-3.png )

>woah woah woah what does zapping even do?
In this case it'll take whatever data's stored in the dust samples and write to relevant addresses in Mike's dust.

>what'll happen if it's a "bad" batch of dust? what is a "safe" batch of dust supposed to even do?
Depends on what's in the dust, which is why it'd be really fucking helpful if we'd had a chance to sequence this stuff. If we're lucky then these samples just contain information and won't perform a meaningful overwrite... but if they have more than that, well, all bets are off. Which is why Mike has to be completely out of his mind.

And if it's a bad batch... with completely random data... then I'm about to murder the one person I can't stand the thought of losing.

...
Fuck that.


"And if we don't do this? What then? I take it they made the consequences clear."

"...Just zap me, Siobhan."

"Fuck you, I'm not doin' shit 'til you tell me how the hell those Orchid fucks talked you into this."

He stares at the ground for a moment, letting out a frustrated sigh. "It's 'cause of you," he says, meeting my gaze with his own. "Either we do this, or they let slip to their rivals that you're the one who took the samples in the first place. And they wanna find you bad, Siobhan."

I eye him for a few seconds. "So now it's extortion. Just what is an org like Orchid so afraid of, that they need us to keep it safe for 'em?"

"I don't know."

"And are we keeping these safe from that nosey neighbor from yesterday? they were the main reason why you came over after I mentioned them when I called you..."

>>998256
Great. How will they know if you don't do it, though? What happens if this thing kills him, will they believe you? Or will they make good their threat and turn you over, at which point you're dead too? So, if the zapping is fatal, you die no matter who gets zapped.

May as well zap yourself. Can you do it before he can stop you?

Zap him. You're the one best suited to put him back together if anything untoward happens.

Maybe Zap in half, and then the other half after? If they want you to split it 50/50 it could be that the whole thing can kill someone but half would not. Either way, it's better to go with a lesser dosage first and see if there are any uh... negative side effects. Judge whether you want to put the rest in after.

Okay, that's progress. Of sorts.

"Remind me again, who ARE these mystery rivals of theirs? Why should I be so afraid to get caught? Heck, I've been cooped up with you for so long now already, why are they still hot to trot after l'il ol' ME? You'd think they'd lose interest after a while... in fact, aren't we INCREASING their interest in us by implanting you with this dust I stole? Making, well, BOTH of us a target?"

You're up shit creek without a paddle, and Mike wants to act your oar, since he shoved you both off the shore... and doing so might break him, his business and his life.

If you really can't bear the thought of that, you have two options.

"Fuck it. If you think I'll let you fuck your life up worse than mine, you've got another thing coming, Mike. Just stay safe, you fool."

You can load up, take the hit for him, be all self-sacrificial.

Or... you can throw the bender and its contents from the Shelf and get the hell out of his life. If you're not there, he's got nothing to protect.

>if it's a bad batch
I think these samples are almost certainly safe. The reasoning is this:
Orchid had these samples for quite a while. Whether they had a chance to sequence them or not, we can't be sure, but there's a high probability that they know whether these samples are safe or not to do a Johnny Mnemonic. If they were not safe, would they have asked Mike to zap himself with them? Most likely not. They could've gotten rid of the samples any time they wanted, and they haven't done so, which implies that they do want to keep the samples safe and retrievable. If these samples corrupted your dust, it would also corrupt the sample dust itself, rendering it useless. Considering the lengths Orchid went through for this dust, and still is, I don't believe they would be willing to take that risk. There's also the fact that, if one of the samples killed Mike, then, for Orchid, all of the samples would effectively be lost.

Of course, even if these dust samples are safe for zapping, it doesn't mean that doing so would have no consequences. Since dust can contain mods and whatnot, we have to accept the possibility of someone ending with large breasts.

Actually, that doesn't sound so bad...

>Just zap me
Something still feels off. Did Orchid really say that they wanted him to "zap the samples into both of you"? Or did they perhaps say they wanted him to zap the dust into you alone? Call him out on this. If he admits that he was lying then... that pretty much settles it. You're the one that's getting zapped. Making an enemy out of this client, based on what just happened on the balcony, is too dangerous of a proposition.

No matter what they told Mike, tell him that you know how he feels and that he wants to keep you safe, but this isn't a shot that he can take for you. There is absolutely no benefit in him getting zapped here. Because people are already after you. The only thing that him getting zapped here would change is that people would then be after both of you. And since getting to him is a helluva lot easier than getting to you, it would only put you in more danger.

I don't suppose Mike has any dirt on Orchid?

Alternatively, what if we offered the samples to their rivals now instead?

This is to save yourself, the bare minimum is to go half-n-half. The other option is to put everything into you, but maybe contradict the client (or extortionist at this point) can make everithing even worse.

Also he has a lot better chances to survive if this goes bad. He knows the situation better and is not being chased. If you were left alone, against the client and their rivals... well you would too fucked up and heartbroken to make it out of this shit.

>>998256
>>998789

Before we do anything, though, we should definitely ASK Mike what happens if this doesn't work out.

We're not completely dependent on him, obviously, thanks to the bar gig, but we ARE living in his place, and if things suddenly aren't safe for us, or shit gets even worse ... the hell do we do on our own, if this group is after us?

If they managed to get those samples back and drop them off, then it's not unreasonable to think they might know who obtained them. Just as it's not unreasonable to think our confrontation on the balcony might work against us, now.

1/3 teegee 2021/05/03(Mon)18:15 No. 998818 ID: 3994a2
File 162009094931.png - (1.36MB , 1024x1024 , -1-028-1.png )

"...Remind me again, Mike, just who are these mystery rivals of theirs?"

"Probably some ward, is my best guess. Or maybe one of the plasmodians... you know how the taffa biz is. Hard to say for sure -- but whoever it is, they ain't bein' loud about it."

"And just why should I be so afraid to get caught? Hell, it's been a year now, why are they still hot to trot after me?" I pause. "Maybe we should just give them the samples, huh? Or at least offer them. Play Orchid and this rival against each other."

Mike stares at me quietly as a pained expression spreads across his face. "They want you dead, Siobhan. That joint you broke into, down on the surface... the rival wants any memory of that place and whatever's in there wiped out." He taps his forehead. "Including the ones in your head."

I look down at the bender in my hands, wondering if I really have the guts to use it. "We got any dirt on Orchid? Anything we could push back with?"

Mike shakes his head. "You know how secretive those wackos are."

"What if we just... didn't do this, and say we did? How would they even know?"

"They got eyes everywhere, Siobhan." He glances upwards, scanning his eyes across the walls of the shaft. "Prolly watchin' us right now."

"...Then why are we even hiding?"

"I dunno about you, but I don't exactly wanna be out in public if somethin' goes wrong here. Now hurry up 'n zap me, already, before I lose my nerve."

"Yeah, about that -- what if something does go wrong, Mike? The hell am I supposed to do if you die, or... or worse?"

"Take the money n' make yourself scarce 'til someone from Orchid contacts you, 'n then you tell 'em you wanna join up. They're a buncha wackos but they ain't gonna let one of their own get got." I can tell he's been practicing that one.

I sigh. "Be honest, Mike... did they really say to zap both of us?" My gaze meets his. "Or just me?"

"I don't think they give a shit which of us takes the shot. Which is why it's gonna be me."

An awkward silence passes between us, as I stare at him, grappling with disbelief about this whole fucking situation.

Fuck it.

"Y'know, Mike, you're an asshole for getting us into this situation... but if you think I'll help you fuck your life up worse than mine, you've got another thing coming," I say slowly, sitting down.

"Siobhan, what are you..."

Silently, I ready my arm to go into autopilot. My arm robotically presses the nozzle firmly against my neck, chambering the first payload.

"God damnit Siobhan, stop!" Mike shouts, leaping to his feet.

"Just stay safe, you big idiot." My finger, guided by the aug, pulls the trigger.

2/3 teegee 2021/05/03(Mon)18:16 No. 998819 ID: 3994a2
File 162009096674.png - (784.24KB , 1024x1024 , -1-028-2.png )

Boom. A sharp whine escapes the bender as the first sample enters my body, mingling with my dust.

Dazzling lights scatter across my vision. Mike runs at me in slow motion, never really seeming like he'll catch up. I should feel alarmed by it all, but instead I'm just... calm, serene. Everything seems okay, even though I know it really isn't.

3/3 teegee 2021/05/03(Mon)18:16 No. 998820 ID: 3994a2
File 162009098902.png - (1.46MB , 1024x1024 , -1-028-3.png )

Mike careens into me, grasping for the bender, but not before my finger pulls the trigger a second time, injecting a second sample. He yells something at me, and I vaguely get the sense I should try to keep the bender away from his grasp...

but... who cares. I stare past him; unfamiliar visions drift by, catching the eye briefly like airborne motes in corelight...

You have -1 new messages.
Open it.

>>998820

... wait a minute, these aren't dust samples, they're recordings. They're memories.

Small wonder Orchid's rival wanted it gone, and what easier way for Orchid to use that against them than to make sure that they're all sitting in one very inconvienient place?

I see three figures there, maybe a fourth one behind Siobhan. Is one of them facepalming at our actions? good.

Anyway, it was probably a good idea to zap ourselves, Orchid will protect us from whoever wants us dead if we have the samples in us.

what do? try to get your mind focused back to your own reality. Mike seems to be the only thing from reality right now, so focus all your senses on him. Keep your eyes on him, listen for his screams, smell for his scent, try to grab hold of him to feel him.... And if you can, taste him with a kiss.

Turn your head towards the shapes.

Try to say something to Mike, we need to let him know we're okay...

Okay, maybe we're not okay. Just focus on getting a grip. Try to let Mike you're okay by trying to get yourself to be okay.

>>998831
What if you are the recording?

Whoah...

>>998891
But seriously, keep a grip. It's only gonna get worse from here.

>>998820
Are you a quitter, or a survivor? You're adrift in a sea of overwhelming perception. Float atop it, let it pass under you as you pay attention to your surroundings.

1/1 teegee 2021/05/04(Tue)20:22 No. 998927 ID: 3994a2
File 162018493553.png - (1.51MB , 1024x1024 , -1-029.png )

My hand pulls the trigger again, and -- and... another wave of, of...

>these aren't dust samples, they're recordings. They're memories.
They could be... the visions flash quick, hard to read, I try to focus on one, slips through my fingers, do it again, get something

... What ... find?

Not much to it, too fuzzy... hear a little bit though...

... a closed ... There's room ... large moon ...

>Try to say something to Mike, we need to let him know we're okay...
>Okay, maybe we're not okay. Just focus on getting a grip. Try to let Mike you're okay by trying to get yourself to be okay.
Mike... yeah, right, I ... he's yelling something, I smile at him, I'm okay Mike, I'm okay...

... do we have? ... free quarks.

Mike grab... grabs at.. thing in my hand... bender! Mike grabs... bender. Hey, I'm, I'm using that, finger wants to pull the trigger but he's pulling it away, stop it Mike...

... the threshold, ... go back. ... trapped ... energy ... the space entirely ...

Mike hands pulling... pull harder, think I should pull back, try to, need to finish samples... can't let him...

... anyone's guess ... other side.

You are fine. You have to believe you're fine because if you can't get Mike to stop pulling the bender from your hands, he's going to interrupt the injection. That has to be worse than doing this in the first place.

HOLD THE DUST BENDER. You only need to keep it from his grip for a few more moments.

Boop his snoot! The universal sign that everything is okay

Well you know what they say, in for a penny, in for a pound. Try to finish the injections.

Also uhhh are you getting off on this? Looking kinda ahegao’d at the moment

>>998934

I think she's just extremely out of it and trying to smile.

How many injections total? 12? And we've done 3?This may take awhile. How can we get Mike to stop for all 12? We may need to try to convince him thimns are okay, try to tell him we need these memories otherwise he'll just keep after us, and that will be difficlut for the other 9 injections

Some ideas, push him off with your legs, Boop snoot could work. Give a Thumbs up? Maybe sush him?

>>998927
Let him have the rest. You know now the samples are safe, maybe you should just let him hang onto half of them. That way you don't have all your eggs in one basket.

Keep it away from him. It wont do you both any good if he does it on himself and you're both in this drugged up vulnerable state. Keep trying to calm him.

Give him a thumbs up and try to reassure him.
Are we sure those are memories? Try to interact with them beyond listening.

Pull back. Finish the samples. And

Don't.

Trip.

Over.

The.

edge

>>998927

No point in stopping halfway through. There's something in this -- a message, a memory, who knows what it is -- and it's meaningless without the whole.

Just tell Mike we know what we're doing. Better us than him, you know? We're the one in a different body, after all, because of what happened.

Ah, so that's what happened. That's some extremely dangerous information to possess. Tsk. This changes things because it basically means you'll never be safe, no matter how much time passes.

Go for round 4.

You are absorbing the memories of a legend.
Someone who did the impossible. Just because it would take them a step further than all the others.
Follow in their footsteps and keep going.

It seems as though you're slipping, the information must be quite overwhelming, try and focus on your limbs rather than your thoughts, keep the idea that you need to pull the trigger on yourself in your mind, and let go of everything else. Focus on finishing the job.
We don't know exactly what this dust does, but something tells me it's more harmful incomplete, and that we should use all of it, or risk having some sort of biological equivalent of a half-finished code making errors inside of us. We need to finish the job, as although it seems to be getting harder to think, we seem to generally see better each time we put in more, which is the only sign we got.
On that note, while holding onto the gun, we should also try to crawl backwards a bit, get some distance. And make sure we've got a dead man's grip on the bender.

Even if I'm a lot for an "I'm Ok" boop in the nose, I think we should stop and take it easy. I mean, is safe to put all the suspicious dust samples in one go?

Say, did you pre-program your limbs with kung-fu as well?

Maybe it's time to wake up.

I'm torn...we definitely should see what these hold, but Mike's important to us. Lets try and push for him

>>999059 As much as waking up would be good, we also need to see this through, even if it's a memory or dream we need to know what happened, and we need to know what information the samples hold.

>>998927
Float your consciousness above this sea of information. Do not capsize. Focus on you, sort these memories out after they settle. Otherwise you will be lost.

Form the words with your lips, focus not on these scraps but on the movements.
"I know what I'm doing now, it's ok."
Then pull again.

Stopping now could make things way worse at this point. Just say, if you aren't tripping too hart to speak, that its just a memory; it doesn't seem to be causing physical defects, so why not see what its a memory of.