That crooked game you're playin' (closed)

[demjiin]

WHO: Kaz Brekker and Drake Riley
WHERE: Riley's lab
WHAT: Exchange of information? Manipulation? Both?
WHEN: 6/27 (right after Riley's Network post)
WARNINGS: Language maybe? Nothing anticipated, but TBD



Locating Drake hadn't been too difficult, and despite the general uproar he had started, it was relatively quiet in the lab that Dr. Riley was working in. Quiet enough that Kaz wrapping the end of his cane against a doorjamb was a jarringly loud 'knock knock'. When he spoke, he sounded like he gargled with whiskey and ground glass every morning; like an old man speaking from a teenager's mouth.

"Well since you've kicked a hornet's nest, it's probably a good idea that we talk before you need to outrun the stinging."

Kaz put his cane back down so he didn't walk with too much of a limp. He was suffering in the summer heat and instead of an immaculately tailored 3 piece suit, he was down to a tailored long sleeve dress shirt, pants, and fitted black leather gloves. He had a pocket watch with the chain attached to a button on his shirt, and the actual watch in his pants pocket.

"The talk about studying other powers? I've been trying to do the same thing, though with more subtlety. You've now taken a hammer to that subtlety."

Kaz shrugged.

"I'll admit that I want to knock your teeth in for that since now all that time and effort I put in has been wasted. But based on your post, there are a few ideas floating around that no one has probably told you in the first place, and some ideas you seem to have no trouble grasping but... well let's just say 'you're not very good with other people'. So you've managed to make more enemies than friends doing it, but you are now able to study Billy's powers."

Kaz paused in walking further now and leaned on his cane.

"I want to know what you find out. So I am proposing an exchange of information. I tell you all that's been figured out about Temba thus far and the goal I've been working for months to achieve in order to get out of here, and in return, you tell me what you find from studying Billy's powers."

Comments

[dr_riley]

At the moment, Drake was underneath his mobile analytic probe from the waist up, integrating the wiring for one of the extra instruments he'd attached. He was humming a quiet little tune to himself that didn't sound half bad, considering he was making it up on the fly. When Kaz cracked his cane at the door with the comparative loudness of a report of gunfire, there was an immediate responding crack and an accompanying "OW!" followed by a colourful variety of curses as Drake curled up in pain under the machine before crawling out to face the newest annoyance barging into his workspace without invitation.

"What bloody now?!"

And as Kaz made his case, Drake's expression became more and more disbelieving until finally settling into comically exaggerated incredulity.

"Well. That is direct, i'nnit. Sounds like someone's never heard of the Data Protection Act, have they?"

[demjiin]

Kaz gave Riley a pitying look. But his tone was dry as dust.

"If that's something from your world then no."

The emphasis on 'your world' was deliiberate and reminded Riley he was not on his 'world' so any and laws or policies were rendered moot.

[dr_riley]

Drake pulled one corner of how mouth back in a grimace. He'd meant it as a half-joke. Obviously, Kaz wouldn't have heard of it, but the title seemed self explanatory enough that it should have relayed his feelings on the matter.

"Rrrrrright. Well. Not my information to sell, mate."

[demjiin]

If that was meant as a joke, wow did Riley need to work on his humor.

"I'm not asking that you sell anything. I'm saying that an exchange would benefit us both. And if you're concerned about me talking about any of it, then I would remind you that I've been stuck in Temba a lot longer than you have, and yet 1-"

Kaz held up a gloved hand to number off his fingers.

"You did not even know who I was, and 2 I've not talked about anything that I have learned of the many powers represented here."

[dr_riley]

"Semantics. It's not my information to exchange." Drake frowned. "Besides, I can find out about Temba on my own, thanks. And how'm I supposed to know you aren't a talker? You just said I don't know you."

[demjiin]

Kaz rolled his eyes.

"Yes, and you've thus far done what Ezra called a meeting in order not to do, proved that you're significantly behind on information that has by now become old hat, and generally pissed everyone off with the stunning lack of knowledge you have about human behavior or why that matters more in Temba than elsewhere."

He wasn't bothering to hide his disdain.

"You don't like me, and I really don't like you, but if you think logically about our situation then the only way we can collectively get out of Temba is if we work together. If you need an assurance of what I will or will not say again think logically; what benefit would I derive from talking about Billy's power? Who here would I possibly tell? Right now it benefits me more to not talk about Billy's powers and in fact, say nothing about your involvement at all."

Of course, there could come a point that might change. But it was true right now. And Kaz did not need Riley's notes on Billy but it would be much more helpful if he did have access to them.

[dr_riley]

By now, Drake was getting might tired of being lectured to about what he shouldn't and shouldn't be doing. He was a bloody professional and a member of the Prometheus Society, for God's sake! It wasn't his fault no one could be bothered to answer his questions.

"Listen, uh...whatever your name was. If you want to know about Billy's powers, why don't you ask Billy? Or better yet, stop on by when I have my meeting with him. Otherwise, handing his information over to a third party is something I'm going to have to run by him. Unless..." Drake tilted his head with an appraising frown, "There's some reason you don't want Billy knowing you're after that information."

[demjiin]

Kaz nodded one corner of his mouth in a slight sneer.

"Option number three. I don't want anyone even Billy to know. And to put it very simply; I don't like anyone messing with my memories and I especially don't like reality being altered to fit with those altered memories. This time, with Billy in the driver's seat, people eventually started remembering themselves. But what about next time? And with the reaction you got alone, most people aren't holding it against Billy. Some even insistent that it wasn't his fault."

Kaz shrugged.

"Whether he meant to do it or not, his powers made it possible. I want someone that isn't emotionally invested to be studying the limits Billy's powers have."

[dr_riley]

"Look, I agree with you on every point. I don't want my brain chemistry altered. I don't want my reality altered. I think there's a possibility it could happen again and I want to make sure it doesn't, especially if there's some outside influence at work. I want to learn what I can to that end. But there is absolutey no reason to bypass Billy's explicit permission when it comes to sharing his test results."

[demjiin]

Kaz gave Riley another look that was equal parts pity and frustration. Frustration because usually in this instance Kaz would make use of any information he had as leverage or, failing that, use paying someone off as leverage instead. Pity because Riley really seemed to believe that explicit permission would matter.

"Then we're at an impasse. You don't want your memories scrambled again, but since you also believe that's a real possibility, what then? Right now Billy feels guilty, which is the only reason you're going to be able to study his powers at all. But are you then going to get explicit permission for the whole city? Because that's the only way this sort of information is getting disseminated. Think of it as simply me getting a jump on that dissemination."

And if Riley was going to need to use the Network to disseminate said information then Kaz would rather be told in person so that all questions he had would have also been answered off the Network.

[dr_riley]

"I'll discuss it with him." Drake said tightly. "You know, you seem awfully determined for someone trying to convince me that it's no big deal. Why is that?"

[demjiin]

"I'm not sure what gave you the impression I'm trying to convince you it's no big deal, because it very much is a big deal. I was only pointing out that to disseminate information, you would have to use the Network and we now know the Network is compromised. That means the whole city can see it and whichever species, or maybe both, are watching it too. If you're going to discuss it with him, then also discuss keeping something that could really help the rest of the city out if our collective captors try to scramble memories with Billy as enslaved like the rest of us. That’s the part I'm interested in. Hell, tell more than just me that particular part, tell anyone you can, but under no circumstances broadcast that part on the Network."

After all, an ace in the hole was no good if everyone knew about it.

[dr_riley]

"I mean no big deal telling you, but no one else, or ahead of anyone else. How about this." Drake rubbed his temples, trying to think of some compromise.

"I'll discuss it with Billy. And if he's fine with it, we'll share whatever we learn with you, and you can help tell others via word of mouth. I honestly don't see him not being fine with sharing the information, since this is all about trying to understand what happened and prevent future calamities, but I want his go-ahead first."